Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[Tami]

It had been a long time since Dash returned to her home village of Umamachi. Landing far enough away so as not to draw attention to herself, she slowly, casually walks the final mile or so. It would be good to see her family again, among others.

However, though she tried to slip back in unnoticed, she soon learned that her reputation far exceeded her abilities at stealth.

The crowd began gathering around her almost as soon she entered, children calling to their parents, who then called to others that she had returned. Cringing inside, Dash desperately wished she had a Chromakai talent for invisibility right now. Still, she had been trained well to keep her thoughts and emotions under control. No sense risking offending anyone.

There were many questions, and just as many requests. She answered what she could, and deferred til later the rest. Eventually the crowed was dispersed by the arrival of the three elders of the village, "Wait, just three?" As she greeted the elders, she asked them about the Fourth Elder, her great-grandfather Hirzai.

Elder Sella was the one to inform Dash that her Great-Grandfather passed away peacefully at age 107. The news hit her hard, but she quickly realized that it was inevitable. Still, not being here to say goodby troubled her.

The Elders escorted Dash to her home, keeping the villagers at bay as they walked. It was a short distance, but there was enough time to speak and share information. Just before they reached the house, they asked Dash to consider an offer. She agreed to consider it before seeing her father standing on the front porch.

Moving in quickly, she practically leaped on him, hugging him. "Pa, ah missed you so much."

Kevin Daschiel smiled, "Ah missed you too, little Sunshine."

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Dash remained at the Village for three weeks, it was nice to be back but she knew she wasn't ready yet to settle down anywhere. There was still too much more to do. Questions she needed answers to.

The day after arriving back home, her father takes her to the cemetery so that she could pay her respects to her Great-Grandfather. This was followed by visits to other relatives, friends, and neighbors. When she asked about her Step-mother, Kevin replies that "She an ah are kinda split for now. She went back to her folks a few months ago. Said she needed her space." Dash noted that he didn't seem too unhappy about it, but decided not to ask any more questions. There's always been an underlying tension between them. When she was younger, she wondered if she was the cause, but was dissuaded of that after talking it out with her grandmother. Whatever it was, if her father wanted her to know, he'd tell her.

By day three the excitement of her return started to fade slightly, freeing her up to deal with other concerns. Noting a lack of a modern PC computer, she put in an order for one. By day four, it had arrived and she was setting it up in her dad's study. "That's one dang fancy computer you got there." He asked her when he first saw it, then he picked up the bill and looked at his daughter, "This thing cost mmore'n ah make in a half a year. You shouldn't be spending this much money."

"Pa, don't worry about it. Ah have more'n enough money in the bank to cover it. My last job paid very well, maybe too well. If you need money fro anything, let me know."

"That must have been some job, maybe you can tell me about it over dinner later."

"Sure, sure, but I got ot get this set up. Ah have soem work to do, if it's okay." Dash then stood up and went over to him, giving him a peck on the cheek, "Ah promise we'll spend more time togther, there's just something ah need to do. Oh, an this computer is yours once ah finish using it."

"It's okay, you go an do what you have to do, ah'll let you kniow when dinner's ready." with that, he left her alone.

It took Dash an hour to set the computer up and get it running. Once she was done, she pulled out the memory device Jinzi gave her and plugged it in. Calling up the video, she watched closely the fight with the Golems. Watched it several times in fact before a call from her father that it was dinner time interrupted her work. Shutting it down, she headed off to the small dinning room, dbating if she soudl show this to him, or if it would just worry her him too much.

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At some point during her stay, she finally decided to share everything with her father. He actually took it better than she thought, though it was clear he worried about her. Afterwards, he suggested that she visit the neighboring village of Stundeville. The elders there might be able to provide her with some answers. That week she made a day of it, even meeting with her cousin and other distant relatives in the process.

After some asking around, she finally found the elder who had originally sent her the vague information about the Elemental Spirits. He admitted that little was known about them, save reports from the past of fighters achieving a high level of ability being visited by one of the four. Though never has a warrior of the Horse Clan ever encounter more than one. At least not since the founders of the Horse School. One legnd did tell of the two original founders being visited by all four spirits after spending months living and training among aherd of wild horses.

In turn, Dash shared the knowledge she learned about the other, older schools and the connection between the Horse Clan and the Bear school.

Elder Cyrus reiterated the comments made by the elders of her own villages that she would be welcome to stay and teach the younger colts. With a shake of her head, Dash responded as she had to the others, "Ah'm not ready yet. Perhaps one day ah will, but ah feel like ah still have things to learn myself." Standing up to leave, "Ah thank you for takin the time to talk to me. If ther is anythin ah can do in repayment, all you gotta do is ask."

Near the end of week three, she began gathering her things an saying her goodbys. She promised her father that she'd be back. She also informed him that she deposited some money for him in his bank account, calling it a belated birthday present.

With that, she headed off in search of herself.