Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Inadequate ❯ Chapter Nine: ( Chapter 9 )

Goten tapped his foot impatiently as he leaned on the fence by the broken gateway. The bonfire of dead men they had light earlier was still burning brightly, though it had lulled down a bit. He watched the soldiers of the maintenance division drag in large pillars and lash them together to make a new gate. Everyone around him had facemasks or pieces of shaggy cloth over their mouths and noses. He knew why it wasn't hard to figure out, that fire produced the most sickening smoke. For the first time in his life Goten knew the smell of burning flesh and hair. Spyre walked out of the entrance way and spotted Goten. He had burlap sack swung over his shoulder, he motioned for Goten to follow him. Goten silently followed him over the hill and near the edge of a forest. Spyre set the sack down next to his feet and turned to face Goten.

"Your not from this planet." Spyre tapped the side of his face. Goten opened his mouth to object, but he was stopped again. "Don't deny it, I saw your transformation last night."

"Y-You did?" Goten stuttered.

"Yeah, I did. I'm curious to know why someone as strong as you came here, but I will teach you swordsmanship." Spyre said rubbing his forehead as if he were in distress.

"Thank you, but why would you teach me?" Goten was confused. Why would he teach someone not from this planet? He could just go expose him, and say he was a hybrid.

"When I was taught, my master said that those who fight for the sake of fighting have no reason to fight. I will help you, if you help me."

"I don't know if I can help you, but what do you need help doing?" The words Spyre had previously said echoed throughout Goten's head. They made him think, did he really have a reason for fighting?

"You know what I am doing when I check the corpses? I am looking for my son, eighteen years ago my son was born. That was also the year I left for war." Spyre dug through the pocket of his long leather coat and handed Goten a picture of a happy looking boy in his late teens. The odd thing about the picture was that he had two red stripes above each eyebrow. "He is old enough fight, my write wrote and told me."

"He's a hybrid!" That was the only thing Goten could say. He tried to stop himself, but he had already said it.

"Half, my wife was one of the first to ever come to the planet. I want you to help me find him. If I find him then I can finally leave this war."

"So then that is your purpose for fighting. So you will teach me if I keep an eye out for this guy on the battlefield?" Goten was so happy. It seemed so simple, watch for this guy and in exchange get training.

"Yes, if you find him bring him to me." Spyre nodded his head in agreement and picked up the burlap sack by his feet. "Let's get down to business, you are my student and I want you to wear this armor from now on." He threw the burlap sack at Goten. Inside he found a silk sleeveless gi, a pair of gauntlets, and a pair of boots with a metal plate running down to the toe.

"This isn't very good armor…" Goten said tugging at the flimsy material.

"You don't need armor, hybrids don't carry weapons. Now come back here tomorrow and we will see how much I have to teach you. Tonight I want you to meditate and find your reason for fighting." Spyre walked steadily to towards the woods.

"How did you know?" Goten was stunned. Spyre just shook his shaggy head and walked him into the forest. Goten stuttered a little, but followed him inside. Spyre cut several trees and various vines out of their path. Finally they reached their destination. Before them stood an small stone temple that looked as though it had been there for hundreds of years. Vines grew all over it and pieces of stone were chipped away from its structure.

"This is where my master was taught, I was taught elsewhere. However, you will learn here. Inside you will find a dry place to meditate." Spyre turned to leave. "I don't want to see you around camp until you have an answer for me." After Spyre's cold warning he turned and left through the path he had made. Goten hesitantly stepped forward and climbed the steps. He pressed his body against the heavy stone double doors and heaved them open. The inside of the temple was dark and dust. Rays of light shined in through small shuddered windows. Goten opened each of the shutters allowing light to flow in. Goten smacked the dust out of one of the many meditation pillows and set it down. After he had changed into his new clothes he sat down and began to clear his mind.