Authors Note- Well, after a long time away from this fic, I have decided to continue it. I have a large amount of views on this story despite it only being one chapter thus far, not to mention that I have a decent amount of subs and alerts. I love you guys, even if I don't get to hear feedback. Just the fact that you favorite it or want an alert when it's updated makes me happy. :3

I already mentioned this in another fic, but for those of you who don't know, I do plan on updating at least one of my stories once a week from now on. So this story will get updates way more often. (OOOH, updates.) I don't have a set schedule, but I will try my best to keep up with things and not have too big of a gap between chapters. Now to those reviews!

Kawai- You asked for it and now it is here! I hope you like it. Sorry for the wait!

Mayonnaise-Senpai - As I said above, you ask and I shall supply! I'm glad you like the story thus far and I hope you continue to read and review it. You love of it keeps me going!

In this chapter I tried to set a dynamic over what Mirai and Konzen's relationship will be. I did my best to keep him as in character as possible while still seeming to have an interest in our OC. I think it turned out pretty well. Let me know in the reviews what you think and if I managed to keep this chapter interesting.

Chapter 2

Mirai had been wandering around all day. She has no idea that the heavens were so large. The fact that any place could be so vast was completely beyond her comprehension. Not to mention how beautiful everything was. There were so many strange things sticking out of the ground. They were green and a mix of soft pastel colors. The fragrance had drawn her to them all day long, causing her to explore very little of the heavens. When she would ask passers by what these foreign things were, they only glared at her and went on their way.

The sun was setting now and Mirai had to go see the Merciful Goddess again. She bent down and plucked one of the strange objects from the ground. It was green for the most part. At the top it exploded into a soft white flaps, bending over and out from every angle. She didn't know what this thing was, but it smelled the best out of all the others. Remembering the time again, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Taking a final sniff of the object in her hand, she headed for the Goddesses temple.

When she got there, she let herself in again. But this time, she ran into Konzen. Literally. She was letting herself in again just as Konzen was passing in front of the door. The collision sent a fresh stack of documents Konzen's aunt had just given him flying into the air, a flood of papers raining down over them.

Konzen was about to start yelling when he heard a voice all too close to him blurt out in a panic, "Please forgive me Lord Douji!"

He sat up, paper spilling off of his torso when he found himself face to face with Mirai. He hadn't noticed before, but her eyes had tiny flecks of gold in them. They were barely visible even from their current close proximity. Realizing his nose was practically touching hers, he shoved her away forcefully, jumping to his feet as quickly as possible.

"What the hell were you thinking," Konzen shouted. "Do you ever watch where you're going?"

"I'm sorry Lord Douji. I'll clean this up right away," she replied, seemingly unfazed by Konzen's rough treatment. "I was just focused on this thing." Mirai murmured as she held up the sweet smelling thing in her hand.

"You were distracted enough to run into me because of that?" Konzen growled, the irritation clear in his voice.

"Well, I've never seen a-" Mirai paused for a moment, looking for the right words. "-whatever this things is called. Do you know what it is Lord Douji?"

"It's called a flower." Konzen sighed. The more he was around her, the more Mirai reminded him of Goku.

"Flower." Mirai repeated softly, still transfixed by the pale petals.

Konzen bent down and started gathering the papers, unwilling to waste anymore of his time here. Mirai watched curiously, learning how she was supposed to clean up the mess she made.

"What are these?" she asked, carefully picking up the pages, mimicking Konzen as best she could.

"Documents." replied Konzen shortly.

Mirai was silent for another moment, examining the pages before her next question came. "Well what are these black things on the documents?"

"Words." replied Konzen, doing his best to stay calm.

"Oh," Mirai chirped happily, pleased she was learning so many new things. "Well how did the words get on there?"

Konzen wasn't much of a fighter, but he was wondering how long it would take to learn how to dislocate someone's jaw. It was proving to be a skill he needed more and more often as his peaceful life seemed to slowly crumble around him. "Someone wrote them on there," he replied slowly.

"Well how?" Mirai asked, tilting her head from one side to the other as she tried to figure out which way the words were supposed to be facing.

"With a pen," Konzen murmured, feeling his patience leave him.

"What's a pen?" Mirai half asked, half wondered as she struggled to hold onto her flower and neatly organize the papers into a pile.

"An object that used ink to write words!" Konzen snapped, finally finding it unbearable to continue answering her questions. "Is there anything else you would like to know or are you just going to leave me the hell alone?"

Mirai had jumped back, startled by his sudden outburst. She didn't realize she was making him angry. "I'm sorry Lord Douji. I have vastly overstepped my bounds. I was wondering, if you would be so kind, as to answer one more question for me?"

"What not?" Konzen asked with a glare far more intense than the previous ones he had used.

"What's a document for?" Mirai inquired, trying to find the importance of the floppy white pages in her hands.

Konzen sighed heavily, more exasperated than before. "I read the document. If I approve, I write my name on it. If I don't, I don't write my name on it." Glancing at her confused face, he added in, "Approve means agree or whether or not I like it." It was best to simplify things for her he was slowly learning.

Mira nodded silently, returning to gathering all of the pages. Mentally, she was kicking herself for forgetting her place so easily. Perhaps it was because Konzen was the only person in the heavens who had really spoken to her. Despite his foul mood and constant complaining, he never treated her particularly badly.

"Do they go in a certain order?" Mirai dared to ask. It seemed a safe enough question since it had to do with the task at hand.

"Yes," Konzen murmured, picking up the last few pages that had managed to scurry down the hall.

"Sorry," replied Mirai quietly, holding her head down in shame. She couldn't even properly clean up the mess she made. "Do you ever have to write a document?"

"All the time," he said carefully, taking the pages from Mirai's hands. He saw her hesitate as she handed him the last stack and sighed heavily. "Go ahead. Ask."

Mirai wasn't sure if he was challenging her or not. He was a god though, and she dared not defy him. "Can I watch?" she asked uncertainly. "You write a document I mean."

"Why?" Konzen asked, perplexed. "It's a dull task." Clearly it was his turn to be confused.

"I've never seen anyone write before," Mirai explained, hands suddenly becoming sweaty. "I would just like to watch." She glanced at Konzen's face, the irritation molded to his features causing her to back down. "I'm so sorry Lord Douji. Forgive me for asking. I seem for be nothing but a bother to you. If you would just point me in the right direction, I'll leave you alone."

Konzen gave her a long stare before he frowned even more, grimacing at what he was about to say. "With your lack of knowledge of everything, you'd just get lost by yourself." At her blank stare, he clarified, "I'm saying to just follow me. I'll take you to see the old hag."

"Ok," Mirai said as she quickly fell into step with Konzen's quick pace. "Who's the old hag? And just what is a hag?"

"Just shut up and follow me or I'll leave you behind!" shouted Konzen hoarsely.

"Yes Lord Douji!" blurted out the winded girl in a panic. "Please forgive my horrid nature. I am nothing. Please forgive my existence."

Mirai trotted behind Konzen in silence for a few turns through the palace before he broke the silence.

"Just who taught you how to talk like that? Do you even know what you're saying?"

"The Jade Emperor, Lord Douji. He told me I ought to say it to whomever I cause trouble for. Should he hear I did not say those words, he said he would lock me back in the dungeon and have me beaten for my insolence," Mirai explained with a shiver. The thought of getting locked in that dark metal box again was almost too much. "He also said I was to not get too friendly with anyone. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but it must be bad for me to do it."

"It means getting to know someone," Konzen replied simply. He wasn't sure if he told her because he was hoping it would make her stop talking to him or if it was because he pitied her on some distant level.

"So a friend is someone you know?" Mirai asked.

"Someone you know well," Konzen clarified.

"So, that means we're not friends." Mirai murmured in a low voice. Konzen wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or not. Regardless, she seemed to understand that they had no relation. He only hoped that she wouldn't learn what an acquaintance was in the near future. She may or may not try to use that as an excuse to come back again on her own. It was bad enough having the monkey around.

"Can we be friends one day?"

Konzen stopped dead in his tracks at that question. Mirai nearly slammed into his back at his sudden halt and nearly had to jump back to avoid getting hit as Konzen spun around. He stared at her, bewildered. He couldn't understand how or why she came to that conclusion.

"Why?" the golden haired god asked with uncertainty, doing his best to read her face.

Mirai clutched the flower to her chest, uncertain if she had or was about to solidify her death. She glanced up nervously at Konzen, lips trembling slightly as she answer him. "Despite what the Jade Emperor said, I want to live the life I've been given while I can. The Jade Emperor could throw me back in that cell at any moment. He could do even worse if I anger him enough. The whole time I was in that cell, I had no idea how lonely I was. I had no one to miss. When I was there, I would listen to the guards talk. They talked about friends, girls they liked, people they missed. I never fully understood what they were talking about. Now that I am here, I want to understand. I want to know what they were talking about." Growing a little bolder, Mirai looked up, meeting Konzen's eyes. "I want someone to care about. I want someone to miss. I've already done enough things to earn a beating in the Jade Emperors eyes. What is the point of being let outside the cage if I act as if I am still in it? Having one thing to myself, one friend, no matter how brief, would make my life worthwhile. To be honest, the way I see it, I am going to die in or out of the cage no matter what. Probably by order of the Jade Emperor. I just want to die with one thing the Jade Emperor can't take from me. A fun memory with a friend."

Konzen stood there, unflinching for a moment as he took in all she had to say. For someone who knew nothing, what little she had managed to grasp had been thoroughly thought out. But something about this still didn't make any sense.

"Why me?" asked Konzen, still carefully examining her face. Surely she would have some sort of give on her face. Maybe a look of reluctance or desperation. No one really wanted to be around him and he definitely didn't want to be around anyone. What was the point? He'd rather spend his hours alone for eternity than spend it with these self absorbed gossips and social piranhas' that ran the heavens. If it hadn't been for Goku, he may not have minded if things stayed the same, as unchanging as the heavens themselves. It may have been a dull and boring existence, but it was one where he was left to his own devices. He could do anything he wanted.

"Why not you?" Mirai answered simply. Her face gave no indication of ulterior motive or that she was just taking any person to be a friend. It seemed like, for some reason, she had a genuine interest in him.

'Perhaps the Jade Emperor has beaten her too many times..' Konzen thought.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Mirai continued. "You have other friends, don't you? You have someone to care about and miss, don't you?"

"I don't have any friends," Konzen replied.

"But you do have someone you care about and miss." Mirai said, eyes glinting with a somewhat mischievous gleam.

"Shut up or I'll have you thrown out of here right now!" Konzen hissed with an icy chill in his voice. He pivoted, walking away. Her words had thrown him through a loop. For the first time, Konzen found it difficult to figure out how this girls mind worked. She was so strange. Just trying to figure out how she had come to some of her conclusions made his head ache with a dull throbbing pain.

"Yes Lord Douji. Forgive me. I was being far too bold." Mirai said through heavy breaths as she jogged to keep up with Konzen's quicker long strides.

Konzen didn't reply. Mirai followed closely behind, still uncertain if she were to be executed the next day. Despite her fear, she couldn't help the tiny smile that forced its way onto her face.

The Merciful Goddess gave a pleased grin at Mirai's punctuality. She was also pleased that the heretic had managed to drag her nephew with her as well.

"My Goddess," said Mirai, falling to her knees as she bowed in respect to the deity. "You wished to see me again."

"Yes," the goddess said, beckoning for Mirai to stand. "I actually wanted to inform you of where you are to be staying from now on."

Mirai was unable to hide her shock, blue eyes widening to the size of plates. "I have a place to sleep?"

"Of course you do. You didn't think you were going to have to sleep on the streets, did you?" the goddess chuckled.

Casting her gaze at the floor, Mirai murmured sheepishly, "Well, actually I did thing that was what was going to happen to me."

The Merciful Goddess didn't bother to hide her laughter. "No, you'll be living in a small cottage not too far from here. With your brother actually. He's someone that is related to you by blood. A sibling."

"Brother?" Mirai asked uncertainly. This was another new concept to her and she was grateful the goddess explained what a brother was to her in advanced.

"Yes, a brother. He's a lot like you." replied the Merciful Goddess in a matter of fact voice. "You both have the same features. Your hair is a bit darker than his. His skin is a bit more tan than yours, but he's been outside the dungeon longer than you have. His eyes though..."

"What about them?" Mirai asked, fearing he was disfigured or scary to look at.

"Well, you'll see," the goddess said cryptically. "Here, let me show you where the house is."

Mirai came forward, looking to where the Goddess pointed out of the window. Giving verbal instructions alone to Mirai was useless. But the visual with the verbal directions did help her grasp some new concepts. She now understood what trees were and could tell the difference between a cherry tree and other trees. Although, she still was clueless as to what a cherry was. She also knew, in theory, what left and right were. Time would tell if she could remember which was which.

"Thank you my Goddess," Mirai said, bowing low. "I'm sorry for my incompetence. I'm sure I can find my way now."

"Don't worry about it," replied the immortal with a wave of her hand.

"Thank you, for everything," said the heretic, a hint of sadness in her voice. She had grown to like the Goddess and her nephew. It was a shame she would probably never be allowed to come back after this.

"Don't talk as if you are never coming back. You're free to come visit as often as you like," said the Merciful Goddess.

"Really?" Mirai asked, taken aback by the invitation.

"Of course. You can see either of us whenever you like," replied the Merciful Goddess, unable to stop the wide grin that spread across her face.

"Don't volunteer me for such things!" Konzen snapped, displeased by suddenly being brought into the conversation.

"I'll see myself out," Mirai said abruptly, doing her best to avoid causing a conflict. She bowed to the immortals again, excusing herself. However, she halted at the doorway, turning back to Konzen.

"Lord Douji," the winged girl started uncertainly. "Should you tell the Jade Emperor what I said, I understand. I am sorry I was so bold. But I do not regret meeting you or saying what I said. Even if it puts me to death." She bowed again, fear written on her face despite her bold words.

"Goodbye," she murmured, leaving the room.

"Just what did she say to you?" Konzen's aunt asked, a sly grin on her face.

Konzen glared at his relative, annoyed that Mirai said such a thing in front of the Merciful Goddess. "Nothing along the lines of what you're thinking. Just something that would have her executed should she have said it to anyone else."

"Oh my," the Goddess said in a teasing voice. "How naughty."

"It's nothing like that you old hag!" Konzen shouted, irritation rising. "She just spouted off a bunch of nonsense about wanting a friend."

The Merciful Goddesses responding laughter sent Konzen retreating from the room, walking briskly down the hall back to his office.

"A friend, huh?" the Merciful Goddess to herself when her fits of laughter subsided. "How interesting that another one would reach out to him. You just have no idea just how popular you are, do you dear nephew?"

End notes- So what did you guys think? Did I manage to keep Konzen in character? Let me know what you think in the reviews! Your comments always help me out. Happy reading and writing all!