Post by Okora on Aug 4, 2021 20:56:15 GMT -8
Kousetsu Village
Life had been good to Okora since she had been unfrozen. The people of this village although initially wary of her had grown to welcome her as though she had been born here after she had proven to have no hostile intentions towards anyone. She had always done her best to help out whenever a helping hand was needed and always showed her appreciation for any help the villagers gave her. She had a small home of her own now and the door was always open to those who needed help or needed someone to listen to their problems which she was happy to do. As she walked through the village, her arms filled with baked goods and a few pieces of wood for the fireplace she saw an elderly villager trying to wave her down. She stopped and smiled at the old man and politely waited for her to reach her. "Good day to you. Can I help you with something?" She asked. The villager motioned towards the center of the village. "A elderly woman came into town looking for you today. Didn't really get a good look at her but she said it was important that she talk to you." Okora was puzzled. She knew pretty much everyone in town and as the villager described what he saw of the woman looking for her, she couldn't place who the woman might be. Okora thanked the man and headed off towards her home as she tried to figure out who the woman might be. After arriving home, she put her baked goods away and set the wood next to the fireplace and was about to change out of her outside clothes into something more suitable for a relaxing day of sitting next to the fireplace and later cleaning up a bit when she heard a faint knock at her door.
Life had been good to Okora since she had been unfrozen. The people of this village although initially wary of her had grown to welcome her as though she had been born here after she had proven to have no hostile intentions towards anyone. She had always done her best to help out whenever a helping hand was needed and always showed her appreciation for any help the villagers gave her. She had a small home of her own now and the door was always open to those who needed help or needed someone to listen to their problems which she was happy to do. As she walked through the village, her arms filled with baked goods and a few pieces of wood for the fireplace she saw an elderly villager trying to wave her down. She stopped and smiled at the old man and politely waited for her to reach her. "Good day to you. Can I help you with something?" She asked. The villager motioned towards the center of the village. "A elderly woman came into town looking for you today. Didn't really get a good look at her but she said it was important that she talk to you." Okora was puzzled. She knew pretty much everyone in town and as the villager described what he saw of the woman looking for her, she couldn't place who the woman might be. Okora thanked the man and headed off towards her home as she tried to figure out who the woman might be. After arriving home, she put her baked goods away and set the wood next to the fireplace and was about to change out of her outside clothes into something more suitable for a relaxing day of sitting next to the fireplace and later cleaning up a bit when she heard a faint knock at her door.
I wonder who that could be? Maybe the woman looking for me?
Okora carefully opened the door and saw a woman standing outside in the snow. She was clearly much older than Okora and was seemingly shivering slightly from the cold even though she was covered in layers of clothes. The closer Okora looked, the more familiar she became to Okora but she still couldn't place the name to the face. "Good day, Can I do something for you?" Okora asked as politely as she could under the somewhat awkward circumstances. The woman smiled warmly at Okora and spoke in a raspy voice. "It's like you haven't aged a day, old friend. Time hasn't been as kind to me however. Nonetheless, I'm happy to see you again after so many years."
Okora was beyond puzzled by this point. "I'm sorry, have we met?"
The woman smiled again. "It's alright. As I said, it's been many years since we've seen each other. Try and look past the wrinkles."
Okora took a careful look at the kindly old woman's face and a moment later, she felt her heart nearly stop and the blood drained from her face as an expression of pure terror crossed her face as she finally placed the name to the face.
"T-T-Tabaga." She whispered.
Okora was beyond puzzled by this point. "I'm sorry, have we met?"
The woman smiled again. "It's alright. As I said, it's been many years since we've seen each other. Try and look past the wrinkles."
Okora took a careful look at the kindly old woman's face and a moment later, she felt her heart nearly stop and the blood drained from her face as an expression of pure terror crossed her face as she finally placed the name to the face.
"T-T-Tabaga." She whispered.
Tabaga nodded and opened her mouth to speak but before she could get a word out, Okora had closed the door and was in the process of locking it when she heard a knock at the door once again. "I'm not here to fight you, Okora. I swear to you. I doubt I could do any damage at my age anyway. Please, I'm just here to talk."
Okora paused for a moment and weighed her options. She could lock the door and go try and hide somewhere or possibly find Lena and ask for help with her unwanted visitor. Would it really be so bad to hear her out? She's an old woman! The state she's in one Ki blast could finish her off. Okora was very conflicted at this point as she heard another knock at the door. She could feel her heart rapidly beating in her chest but part of her, a very small part of her was curious as to what Tabaga wanted to say.
A moment later, the door was unlocked and Okora carefully opened the door stared at the woman she had never expected to see again. "Well? What do you have to say?" She asked in a somewhat cold voice. Tabaga looked around the inside of the house with interest and was about to speak when she suddenly broke out in a coughing fit. Okora wasn't sure if it was real but she couldn't help but be slightly concerned as the coughing fit continued. Damnit. She thought as she grabbed a nearby blanked hanging from a chair and placed it around Tabaga's shoulders. "Come in I guess." Okora muttered as she led the elderly saiyan woman into her home and pulled a chair out for her from the table. The coughing fit gradually ceased and Tabaga looked around the room. "Sorry, with great age comes great difficulty fighting off colds and the like." She said quietly. She looked over at Okora who was staring at her with an expression that consisted of equal parts confusion and anger.
"I suppose your wondering why I'm here." The elderly Saiyan said quietly. Okora nodded without speaking as though daring her to speak. Tabaga sighed heavily. "I'm here to say I'm sorry. For the way I treated you back on Planet Vegeta. And for all the pain I've caused you over the years. What I did wasn't right. Even before I heard they fished you out of the ice I felt horrible. I don't expect you to forgive me but it's something I need to say."
Okora stared at her for a moment and a single tear rolled down her face as she bunched her fists. "Do you have any idea of what you did to me? The massacres I took part in because of you and people like you?! The mental scars I've had to deal with?! The trauma?! You loved fighting! You loved killing! And I hated it! I just wanted to be left alone!" She screamed as her hands began to glow.
Tabaga looked Okora dead in the eye and simply uttered a single word. "Yes."
That stopped Okora dead in her tracks. "Yes? Yes what?"
Tabaga sighed heavily. "Yes. I know what I did to you. And I can't make up for it. All I can do is apologize for what I put you through. They would have killed you if you or I had taken that device off your tail, Okora. And that was something I didn't want to see. But I was wrong. When I chased after you when you fled Planet Vegeta I was wrong. I believed the lies I was told about you." Tabaga was looking down at the floor and Okora could see small drops hitting the ground. Is Tabaga...crying?
Okora paused for a moment and weighed her options. She could lock the door and go try and hide somewhere or possibly find Lena and ask for help with her unwanted visitor. Would it really be so bad to hear her out? She's an old woman! The state she's in one Ki blast could finish her off. Okora was very conflicted at this point as she heard another knock at the door. She could feel her heart rapidly beating in her chest but part of her, a very small part of her was curious as to what Tabaga wanted to say.
A moment later, the door was unlocked and Okora carefully opened the door stared at the woman she had never expected to see again. "Well? What do you have to say?" She asked in a somewhat cold voice. Tabaga looked around the inside of the house with interest and was about to speak when she suddenly broke out in a coughing fit. Okora wasn't sure if it was real but she couldn't help but be slightly concerned as the coughing fit continued. Damnit. She thought as she grabbed a nearby blanked hanging from a chair and placed it around Tabaga's shoulders. "Come in I guess." Okora muttered as she led the elderly saiyan woman into her home and pulled a chair out for her from the table. The coughing fit gradually ceased and Tabaga looked around the room. "Sorry, with great age comes great difficulty fighting off colds and the like." She said quietly. She looked over at Okora who was staring at her with an expression that consisted of equal parts confusion and anger.
"I suppose your wondering why I'm here." The elderly Saiyan said quietly. Okora nodded without speaking as though daring her to speak. Tabaga sighed heavily. "I'm here to say I'm sorry. For the way I treated you back on Planet Vegeta. And for all the pain I've caused you over the years. What I did wasn't right. Even before I heard they fished you out of the ice I felt horrible. I don't expect you to forgive me but it's something I need to say."
Okora stared at her for a moment and a single tear rolled down her face as she bunched her fists. "Do you have any idea of what you did to me? The massacres I took part in because of you and people like you?! The mental scars I've had to deal with?! The trauma?! You loved fighting! You loved killing! And I hated it! I just wanted to be left alone!" She screamed as her hands began to glow.
Tabaga looked Okora dead in the eye and simply uttered a single word. "Yes."
That stopped Okora dead in her tracks. "Yes? Yes what?"
Tabaga sighed heavily. "Yes. I know what I did to you. And I can't make up for it. All I can do is apologize for what I put you through. They would have killed you if you or I had taken that device off your tail, Okora. And that was something I didn't want to see. But I was wrong. When I chased after you when you fled Planet Vegeta I was wrong. I believed the lies I was told about you." Tabaga was looking down at the floor and Okora could see small drops hitting the ground. Is Tabaga...crying?
Tabaga finally looked up and Okora could see that she was indeed crying. "I was young and stupid. Eager to listen to the lies of the Royal family. I'm so sorry for what was done to you, Okora. If I could have done it differently, I would have said no and faced whatever death was waiting for me." Tabaga said quietly as she tried to rise to her feet. "I'm sorry that this has brought up so many bad feelings and if it'll make you feel better, I'll be on my way. I won't trouble you again." The old woman was struggling to rise to her feet and mentally cursed herself for her physical weakness. A moment later however, she heard Okora's voice which was barely above a whisper. "Why don't you stay awhile?"
Tabaga looked over at her and saw that tears were running down Okora's face. A moment later, the wind was nearly knocked out of her as Okora grabbed her in a hug. "Careful Okora, I'm not as young as I was back in the day." She said with a large smile as she hugged Okora back.
The two of them sat at the table as Okora put on a pot of tea and brought some of her recently purchased food out and the two of them began to talk. Not as Saiyans, not as enemies but merely as two old friends trying to catch up with one another. The topic of conversation went on for hours until it finally came to when Tabaga had been fished out of the ice so many years ago.
"I barely remember it to be honest." Tabaga said with a faint smile. "Being in the ice, I mean. I do remember the crew of the fishing vessel being astonished that there was a woman stuck in the ice. I remember wanting to blast them all once they chipped me out of the ice and brought me aboard but I just didn't have the energy. Fifty years goes by so quickly and it's a bit rough on the memory but I remember one of the smaller crew members bringing me all sorts of food and asking me all sorts of questions about how I ended up in the ice. I remember being so annoyed with him I threatened to throw him overboard." Tabaga let out a chuckle. "But I remember him telling me no one else was brave enough to bring me food so I would have to deal with him."
Okora laughed. "Whatever happened to him?"
Tabaga smirked. "I ended up marrying him a few years later." She let out a laugh as Okora nearly spit her tea out due to shock. "YOU MARRIED HIM?!" Tabaga laughed. "Oh don't be so surprised. He may have been slightly built but I was drawn to his personality like a magnet. He was able to put up with me and he was one of two people aboard the ship that wasn't afraid of me. It was only natural I pursued him." Tabaga's expression turned to one of sadness. "He's gone now. It's been about five years now. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. Our children still visit every so often but they have their own lives."
Okora was speechless from the shock of knowing Tabaga had children and she tried to get words out but failed each time. After a few moments she was finally able to speak. "I'm sorry your husband is gone." She said quietly. "And I'm glad your children still visit you." Tabaga simply nodded as Okora tried to break the moment of silence. "You know...if you want to stick around for a while I'm sure I could cook you something for dinner that would knock your socks off." She said with a faint smile. Tabaga smiled sadly after a moment. "As much as I would appreciate that and believe me I would, one of my boys is picking me up later today." Okora spoke up after a minute. "You are always welcome in my house, Tabaga. I'm glad we were able to talk."
Tabaga smiled warmly. "I'm glad I was able to find you. There were many years I thought something had happened to you. And then a few weeks ago I heard rumors of a woman who had been fished from the ice. I figured it might be someone else but I had to see if it was you. Words can't express how happy I am that I was able to see you again and talk. There was a long time I thought I would never get the chance."
A moment later, there was a knock at Okora's door and Tabaga slowly rose to her feet. "That's most likely my son. You can say hi if you like. he may have even brought his granddaughter along." Okora answered the door and a tall Saiyan with his tail wrapped around his waist smiled at her. Behind him was what seemed to be a ten year old girl who curiously look at Okora. "Ready to go, Mom?" The Saiyan asked Tabaga. "Just a minute." She said as she turned to look at Okora. "A little advice for you, my friend. Live life to the fullest. And follow your heart wherever it may lead." Okora smiled and wiped a few tears from her eyes as She gave Tabaga one last hug. "Let's go, son." She said as the three of them walked away from the house. Okora bit her lip for a second before speaking up before Tabaga was out of hearing range. "Tabaga! Why don't you and your family come by for lunch? Sometime next week?" Tabaga turned around and smiled. "I'd like that."
A moment later, Tabaga and her family were out of sight. Okora could only smile. She felt better, much better that she had in quite a while.
"Goodbye my friend." She said with a faint smile as she closed the door.
WC 2159
Tabaga looked over at her and saw that tears were running down Okora's face. A moment later, the wind was nearly knocked out of her as Okora grabbed her in a hug. "Careful Okora, I'm not as young as I was back in the day." She said with a large smile as she hugged Okora back.
The two of them sat at the table as Okora put on a pot of tea and brought some of her recently purchased food out and the two of them began to talk. Not as Saiyans, not as enemies but merely as two old friends trying to catch up with one another. The topic of conversation went on for hours until it finally came to when Tabaga had been fished out of the ice so many years ago.
"I barely remember it to be honest." Tabaga said with a faint smile. "Being in the ice, I mean. I do remember the crew of the fishing vessel being astonished that there was a woman stuck in the ice. I remember wanting to blast them all once they chipped me out of the ice and brought me aboard but I just didn't have the energy. Fifty years goes by so quickly and it's a bit rough on the memory but I remember one of the smaller crew members bringing me all sorts of food and asking me all sorts of questions about how I ended up in the ice. I remember being so annoyed with him I threatened to throw him overboard." Tabaga let out a chuckle. "But I remember him telling me no one else was brave enough to bring me food so I would have to deal with him."
Okora laughed. "Whatever happened to him?"
Tabaga smirked. "I ended up marrying him a few years later." She let out a laugh as Okora nearly spit her tea out due to shock. "YOU MARRIED HIM?!" Tabaga laughed. "Oh don't be so surprised. He may have been slightly built but I was drawn to his personality like a magnet. He was able to put up with me and he was one of two people aboard the ship that wasn't afraid of me. It was only natural I pursued him." Tabaga's expression turned to one of sadness. "He's gone now. It's been about five years now. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. Our children still visit every so often but they have their own lives."
Okora was speechless from the shock of knowing Tabaga had children and she tried to get words out but failed each time. After a few moments she was finally able to speak. "I'm sorry your husband is gone." She said quietly. "And I'm glad your children still visit you." Tabaga simply nodded as Okora tried to break the moment of silence. "You know...if you want to stick around for a while I'm sure I could cook you something for dinner that would knock your socks off." She said with a faint smile. Tabaga smiled sadly after a moment. "As much as I would appreciate that and believe me I would, one of my boys is picking me up later today." Okora spoke up after a minute. "You are always welcome in my house, Tabaga. I'm glad we were able to talk."
Tabaga smiled warmly. "I'm glad I was able to find you. There were many years I thought something had happened to you. And then a few weeks ago I heard rumors of a woman who had been fished from the ice. I figured it might be someone else but I had to see if it was you. Words can't express how happy I am that I was able to see you again and talk. There was a long time I thought I would never get the chance."
A moment later, there was a knock at Okora's door and Tabaga slowly rose to her feet. "That's most likely my son. You can say hi if you like. he may have even brought his granddaughter along." Okora answered the door and a tall Saiyan with his tail wrapped around his waist smiled at her. Behind him was what seemed to be a ten year old girl who curiously look at Okora. "Ready to go, Mom?" The Saiyan asked Tabaga. "Just a minute." She said as she turned to look at Okora. "A little advice for you, my friend. Live life to the fullest. And follow your heart wherever it may lead." Okora smiled and wiped a few tears from her eyes as She gave Tabaga one last hug. "Let's go, son." She said as the three of them walked away from the house. Okora bit her lip for a second before speaking up before Tabaga was out of hearing range. "Tabaga! Why don't you and your family come by for lunch? Sometime next week?" Tabaga turned around and smiled. "I'd like that."
A moment later, Tabaga and her family were out of sight. Okora could only smile. She felt better, much better that she had in quite a while.
"Goodbye my friend." She said with a faint smile as she closed the door.
WC 2159