Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Forgotten Character: Yajirobe's Tale ❯ Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

"HEY!" Yajirobe yelled, rubbing his head. "What in the name of Earth did you do that for?!"

"I'm tryin' to talk, boy. Don't you go not payin' attention to yore elder when their a-talkin'." Khan's voice was stern, and he began wagging his finger at Yajirobe.

Yajirobe sighed, and shook his head. "I'm sorry; I've had a rather bad day, and just want to go home and sleep. I'm afraid that I can't pay attention to everything a person says."

Khan nodded, and gave another, broken, brilliant, yellow smile. "True enough, boy." He then nodded, and watched Yajirobe.

Unfortunately for Yajirobe, this made him extremely uncomfortable. Shifting under Khan's stern gaze, he finally sighed. Looking away, Yajirobe let a sullen look wash over his face, before it fell into one of regret. "I'm sorry." he muttered.

"No, yore not, but I think I'll accept it anyways." Khan said, laughing.

Yajirobe, for his part couldn't figure out why this man was talking to him. He gave the man an odd look, and finally, shook his head.

Khan waited patently; he could afford to after all. All of Yajirobe's concerns, confusions, and feelings played on upon his face, even though Yajirobe did his best to hide them. Wondering where this man came from, and what he wanted, wondering what life had in store, in short, all the wonders of a normal boy, with normal parents, who was far from normal. And of a boy who was just beginning to figure that out.

"Why are you talking to me?" he asked, at last, unable to hold that curiosity in. "And how did you know I was a fighter? Not even my parents know that, yet."

"….Ya don't know everythin'."

< ~Neither do they, mate. Neither do they.~ >

"No, but I'd like a reason why you are talking to me. And on a bus of all places. Particularly this bus." Yajirobe increased the volume of his voice, just a little, so the driver could hear. It wasn't like there were very many passengers besides himself and Khan; one or two, regulars, but other than not their were not many at all. Besides that, Khan was no regular to this bus.
"My'h namse Khan. Ah'm from….out west, and I wanted someone taa talk to. Ya looked interesting, so…" The answer was evasive, and Yajirobe picked up on that immediately.

Yajirobe snorted. "I'm suppose to believe that?" his eyes narrowed, as he took Khan in. "I've ridden this bus before; It's not the best, but it works." Yajirobe's eyes became hard as he sat, staring at Khan, knowing that he shouldn't be doing this. He was a stranger! No one of any importance; why bother trying to get explanations out of him? Yet…for Yajirobe, he couldn't help it. There was something there-something that made Khan hard to determine. He was old, but he was fast. He looked weak, yet when Yajirobe looked into Khan's steel blue-gray eyes, he saw strength. And he recognized Yajirobe as a fighter, which, was something that his parents hadn't yet done, for all of their careful watching of his behavior. How could one man, who Yajirobe never saw before, already know so much, and why would he be talking to him?

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"To this day, I still don't quite understand why Khan talked to me on that bus….all I know is that by doing that, he changed my life forever." Yajirobe picked up a stick with his foot, brought it to his hand, and began to poke the fire with it. " I don't expect any of you to understand-my life then was very different from what it is now. I was a fourteen year old boy who worked in his parents' grocery store, who was trying to follow his dream of being a great fighter." Yajirobe snorted, and cracked a smile, looking at everyone's faces. "As you can see, it didn't turn out that way."

"But you were a fighter; surely if you kept it up, you would have been one of the best, right?" Chaotzu was curious.

"I thought you were one of the best-well, before, at any rate." came Krillan's semi-thoughtful voice.

"I don't know about either one." Yajirobe sighed. "You see, my relationship with my parents wasn't very good-they were both….restrictive of what I wanted. IN many ways, they were like Chi. So I found ways to go after what I wanted. And as for being one of the best before, well….sooner or later, it's always time for the younger generation to take their place as heroes, Krillan."

"Restrictive? What do you mean by that?" Yamcha asked.

"They were both controlling, Yamcha. And kept a constant watch on me. I learned early on how to hide what I didn't want them to know; either by outright lying or by letting them assume that they knew something about nothing. Both of them were trying to push me to do things that I didn't want. Mom wanted me to be a doctor, while dad wanted me to take over the store, care for my family, and other things I wasn't ready for. It was a house full of tension, and I couldn't wait to get out."

"So, how did Khan change your life?"

"Ah….now, that's the beginning, Tein."

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"I don't think I know how to answer yore question, mate." Khan kept his voice bland, and met Yajirobe's narrowed coal eyes. "In fact, Ah'm not sure ya asked me a question."

"I asked you if I was suppose to believe that you were from `out west' and that `you've never seen me on this bus before', after all, if you were from out west, you definitely wouldn't have seen me on this bus before now because you wouldn't have ever met me before now." Yajirobe's voice was hard; confrontational.

"Ahh….I sees yore question now."
Yajirobe nodded, and kept his even gaze on Khan's face.

<~ Good boy….yore not afraid….and yore smarter than ya look.~>

~What's he up to? There has to be a reason he's here…maybe he's a parent or grandparent of someone I won against? Or maybe he knows my parents…but, if so, how does he know I'm a fighter? And if he does know my parents, he'll tell them that I am a fighter. ~ Yajirobe's fists tightened as this thought entered his head. He didn't want his parents to know; not only would they insist he stop, but they'd never let him have a moments peace! Always following him, asking him to do this or do that….he didn't want his life run by them!

~So…all I have to do is not let this Khan tell my parents that I'm a fighter…~

They kept a hold of each other's gaze until the bus came to a sudden stop. The bus driver smiled-a real smile this time, and shook her head. Walking back to where Khan and Yajirobe were, she cleared her throat and nodded to the both of them. " Last stop before the bus station, gentlemen. I assume this is where the both of you want to be let off?"

Yajirobe gave a small nod to Khan-as if to say that they'd pick this up later- then he turned his head to the window. He could see his house down the road. "I'm getting off here, yes."

"Ah'm too."

Yajirobe blinked. ~Here? He's getting off here? But…the only place that's out here is my house. Why's he going there?~ He took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm. Even if this didn't happen everyday, it was best to act as if this wasn't a surprise. ~ After all, if I act like this isn't news to me, perhaps he'll be more willing to tell me why he talked to me. I'm not that special.~ Stepping off the bus, Yajirobe grinned as the cold winter wind rustled around his hair. The cold air felt refreshing and crisp after smelling gasoline and other sticky, stale air.

Khan followed, keeping his eyes focused down the road. Once the bus driver was sure they were off, and safely away from the bus, she nodded friendly like, and took off. Once she had enough room, she turned the bus around and as it drove off into the distance, Yajirobe and Khan looked forward.

For Yajirobe, his mouth opened wide, his eyes popped out of his head, and he could only stammer.

For Khan, it was the first time in a long time that he gave a carefree smile. He was greeted warmly by both of Yajirobe's parents, and small laughs and hugs were seen by all.

Yajirobe, his face red with cold, watched, listened to the warm chatter, and shook his head. ~Kami, have mercy on my soul.~

"Um…I hate to interrupt this warm, cheerful moment, but…I'm kinda neither warm nor cheerful at the moment. Could we please go home? I'm sure Khan here would welcome the opportunity to change into some warmer clothes as well." His voice was slightly whiny, and somewhat authoritative.

His mother, however, turned and faced him. A blank oval-shaped face, with almond eyes stared back at Yajirobe, as they flashed with a repressed anger. His father coughed, and gave a small smile to Khan-the one that is almost universal in saying " Kids. What will you do" - and shot a "behave now" look to Yajirobe.

"No need ta put yoreslevs out. Ah don't want to be no bother." Khan broke in, senescing a sudden increase in tension.

"No, Khan. It's not a bother at all. You're as welcome-well, more welcome, really- in our home as anyone." Yajirobe's mother said, giving Khan a brilliant smile, as she prayed silently for Yajirobe to remember his manners.

"If ya say so, Yucari." <~ It seems to me AH come just in time….Ah only hope Ah can `elp.~>

Yucari nodded, her face impassive. "I certainly do, Khan. After all, you've helped us more than we could ever could have hoped for; consider this our thanks."

Yajiorbe's father nodded, and Yajirobe himself shook his head. "...Uh...I think I'm a little lost here...does anyone want to explain?"

A distressed look overcame Yucari's face, and Yajirobe's father coughed, and looked away. Khan raised an eyebrow, and looked quizzically at them.

Yucari shook her head. "We can talk about this later-Yajirobe is right. It is getting cold, and we do need to be hurrying home. Son, will you help Khan please? I....need to speak with your father. "

Yajirobe nodded, trying hard not to look surprised. "Yes, of course, Mom." he responded, feeling a bit dazed.

Khan however, had a different idea. "He needs ta know, Yucari, Ryoibe." He whispered to them harshly as he passed them. Yucari blushed, and muttered something under her breath, and Ryoibe just shrugged.

"We put the past behind us. Our only son is our only future; we do not want him to make the mistakes we did." Ryoibe met Khan's gaze, and lowered his tone. "It cost us much, Khan-san. We will not have that cost be paid once again by Yajirobe."

Yajirobe shook his head. ~Cost? What are they talking about? How do they know Khan, and what did he do for my parents? Why are they pretending I'm not here? Do they even know that I am here?~ Reaching out his hand, Yajirobe purposely kept his face blank. He didn't want his parents to remember that he was here, in case they decided to change their minds and not talk at all.

"Come on, Khan, Mom. Dad. It's getting cold, and a little dark. The car isn't too far away, and I'm sure we would all rather talk about this tomorrow." Yajirobe put his hand on Khan's arm, and began leading him in the direction of the car.

~Great. Why did I open my mouth? Now they aren't going to tell me anything. This is too weird.~

Khan allowed himself to be lead to the car, and shook his head.

<~ How could Yucari and Ryoibe not tell 'im? Sure, they'll talk about it amonsgt themselves but yore parents aren't gonna let you listen, boy. Ya know that as well as Ah do, Ah believe.~>

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