"Hey, what's all the yelling about?" Gohan covered his ears.
"Dad, that BRAT took my personal CD player again!" Pan whined.
"Aw, come on. He can borrow it, right?" Gohan reasoned.
"I WOULD let him borrow it if he didn't get his stupid greasy fingers all over it!" Pan argued. "He always gets food on it. And if it's not that he loses it or he breaks it!"
"You're exaggerating. He's only broken it once - and that was an accident."
"No!" Pan argued. "Remember that one you bought me for my birthday last year? He went out with it and LOST it! Then when you got me another he broke that, too. And that other one that I bought with my OWN money, I said he couldn't use it because he always breaks things and I got so bad - tempered when I wasn't looking he actually STOLE it and threw it out of the window!!"
"Oh yeah, I remember that..." Gohan mumbled. "Well, why don't you just let him borrow it today? That was last year, he was younger then."
"Only by a year!" Pan protested.
"Listen, just trust him for today. He'll be alright." Gohan promised.
"He'd better be. If he breaks this one, HE'S paying for the next!"
"^_^"
"Where is he, anyway?" Pan asked.
"Out, I think." Gohan answered. He gasped. "Pan -"
"OUT?! With MY CD player?! Dad, he'll LOSE it!!" Pan yelled.
"Pan, he won't. Trust me, okay?" Gohan replied.
"I'm going after him! He can use it in the house but there is no way I'm letting him take it out." she tried to walk past him, but Gohan stopped her.
"Don't. Pan, I don't want you two fighting again! Can't you ever get along? He is your brother after all."
"So what? Bra fights with her brother." Pan shrugged.
"That doesn't matter." Gohan said. "Pan, Gonine respects you a lot, you know. He looks up to you."
"Only when I'm standing over him and asking him where he's put my CD player!" Pan argued. "He knows he annoys me and that's exactly why he does these things!"
"That's ridiculous." Gohan shook his head. "But fine. If you really need to have it in the house, I'll go get him and tell him to come home - but I don't want you going over there and starting another fight!"
"HE'S the one that starts it! You just always take his side!" Pan frowned.
"That's not true!" Gohan protested.
"Is too!" Pan folded her arms. "Go and get him - and make sure it's in perfect condition."
"Pan, YOU don't keep it in perfect condition." Gohan sighed. "But whatever. I'll go get him." he walked away.
"Hmph!" Pan stormed into her bedroom, and slammed the door behind her. "Little brat."
~~~~~
Piccolo groaned.
"Sapphire, just do it! Punch me!" he ordered.
"But what if I hurt you? You'll only get mad at me." Sapphire replied innocently.
"I won't!" Piccolo insisted. "Sapphire, how are you gonna learn how to fight if you don't practice on a living target? I thought you wanted to be like me."
"I do!" Sapphire protested. "I wanna fight like you do, dad. I want you to teach me how to fight - like you taught Gonine's dad."
"Well I can only do that if you hit me. Gohan had to attack me at some point or another." Piccolo replied.
"Weren't you mad at him?" Sapphire asked.
"Of course not! It's training!" Piccolo got into a fighting stance. "Hit me."
"You sure you won't hate me...?" Sapphire said.
"Sapphire I won't - UGH!" Piccolo choked as Sapphire suddenly kicked him hard in the stomach. Piccolo grabbed his stomach and fell to his knees. "Geez..."
"Dad?" a worried expression appeared on Sapphire's face. "I hurt you, didn't I? I'm so sorry. Do you hate me?"
"Hate you?" Piccolo repeated. He chuckled. "No. Why should I? That's a hell of a kick you've got, kid."
Sapphire smiled. Piccolo raised his head and looked at her.
"Heh." he stood up, and ruffled her hair. "Good. Now we're getting somewhere."
"Am I getting as strong as you?" Sapphire asked.
"You've got a long way to go yet, kid." Piccolo replied. "But you're getting there. Maybe you'll turn out like your mother."
"Was she stronger than you?" Sapphire questioned.
"As much as I hate to admit it.... yeah. I guess she was." Piccolo told her.
"Sapphire!" a voice called.
"Gonine?" Sapphire looked over her shoulder when she recognized the voice. Sure enough, Gonine was running towards them. "Heya!" she turned around fully to face him, and waved.
"Hey, Sapph." Gonine stopped before her. He looked up at Piccolo. "Hi Mr. Piccolo."
"Hey, kid. How's your dad?" Piccolo asked.
"Okay."
"Good." Piccolo looked at the boy. It was amazing how much he resembled Gohan! His face, his hair... He even called him "Mr. Piccolo" the same way Gohan used to. Heh. Cute kid.
"Dad, can I go play with Gonine?" Sapphire asked.
"I thought you wanted to train." Piccolo replied.
"Train?" Gonine repeated. "Hey, Mr. Piccolo, um... could you train me sometime? My dad said you trained him when he was a kid."
"Uh... yeah, sure." Piccolo agreed.
"Yeah!" Sapphire exclaimed. "That is so cool! Gonine, we can be sparring partners!"
"Has your dad taught you anything?" Piccolo asked, although he already knew the answer.
"No." Gonine shook his head. "Dad and grandma just want me to get a good education - especially grandma! She's crazy about that stuff!" he exclaimed. "She wants me to study a lot. She says that if I work hard I'll become really smart like my father. But I don't want to." he looked at the namek. "What do you think, Mr. Piccolo?"
"It's not really my position to say..." Piccolo said. "But there's nothing wrong with knowing how to defend yourself."
"That's just what my grandpa says." Gonine replied.
"Dad! Teach Gohan that kick you taught me!" Sapphire beamed.
"What, the one you wouldn't do?" Piccolo asked.
"-_-" Sapphire pouted. "I did do it!"
"Okay, okay." Piccolo looked at the two of them. "Well, before anything you need to know how to stand."
"Stand?" Gonine repeated. "But I am standing."
"You are. And the way you're standing now I could push you over with just one finger." Piccolo told him. "You need to make sure your feet are firmly on the ground." he got into a fighting stance. "Like this. One leg in front of the other, and see how my knees are bent? I'm much stronger when I'm like this and it's much harder to push me over. And look at where my arms are. If I'm attacked, my arms will be ready to block it. One slightly behind the other, okay?"
"Let me try." Gonine copied Piccolo's pose. Sapphire did the same. Piccolo studied them.
"Sapphire..."
"Oh yeah!" Sapphire moved one of her arms back a little. "I forgot ^_^"
"You gotta remember, okay?"
"I know..."
"Am I doing it right?" Gonine asked.
"That's fine." Piccolo nodded. "Now, Sapphire I want you to -
"Gonine!" a voice interrupted them.
"Gonine, isn't that your dad?" Sapphire asked.
"Huh?" Gonine saw his father heading towards them. "Oh man -_-" he mumbled. Piccolo stood up straight.
"I thought you'd be here." Gohan said to his son. He smiled at the older namek. "Hi Piccolo."
"Hey, kid. Gonine just asked me if I'd train him." Piccolo replied.
"Train?"
"Dad, can I?" Gonine begged. "I really really wanna learn how to fight! Pleeeease? I promise it won't get in the way of my homework."
"Well, as long as you stick to your schoolwork too then I guess it's okay." Gohan agreed. "As long as Piccolo doesn't mind?"
"Doesn't bother me. Sapphire needs a sparing partner her own age, anyway." Piccolo said.
"Gonine, your sister said that if you're gonna use her CD player you have to take it in the house." Gohan spoke to his son.
"But why? She doesn't STILL think I'll lose it, does she?" Gonine frowned.
"Well, it is hers. If she doesn't want you taking it out then don't - and Gonine, please ask her before you take it. You now how mad she gets if you just sneak into her room and steal it without her knowing."
"Okay, okay. I'll ask next time." Gonine rolled his eyes.
"If you're gonna stay out, can I have it?" Gohan crouched down to Gonine's height and held out his hand.
"Sure, hang on." Gonine took off his backpack and opened it.
He rummaged through it, and became a little tense. "Uh..." he looked at his father. "Heh heh ^_^ Hang on." he went through his pockets and looked down his shirt. "It must be here somewhere..."
"Gonine, you didn't..."
"I swear, dad, I put it in my backpack!" Gonine protested.
"Gonine, you lost it again?!" Sapphire exclaimed.
"I didn't mean to!"
"What's your sister gonna say?!" Gohan gasped. "Well you're gonna have to find it. Come on, Gonine, this is ridiculous! That's the fourth one you've cost your sister!"
"But only the third one by accident." Gonine corrected him.
"Don't get smart! Gonine, if you don't find it you'll have to pay for a new one out of your own allowance." Gohan scolded.
"My allowance?!" Gonine gasped. "But do you know how much that thing cost?!"
"Of course I do, I've bought three in the past year!"
"Dad, I'll find it!" Gonine promised.
"You'd better." Gohan frowned. "Come on. You can look for it on your way home. And if you don't find it you can tell your sister why she can't listen to her CDs anymore. I'm sick of always having to stick up for you."
"I'll go find it now, okay?" Gonine said.
"I'll help you." Sapphire told him.
"Thanks." Gonine ran off, followed by Sapphire.
Piccolo chuckled.
"Kids, eh?"
"Hey, you're lucky." Gohan stood up. He looked at Piccolo. "You only have one. You don't know what it's like having a son and a daughter who hate each other!"
"I'll take your word for it." Piccolo smirked.
"Arr, it's just so annoying! He always loses her stuff. I know he doesn't mean to, but he's just so irresponsible!"
"Hey, who do you think he takes after?" Piccolo asked. He knew how Gohan would react.
"Well not me!" Gohan protested. "I was always responsible as a kid! You know that!"
"Ha ha." Piccolo laughed. "Yeah, I do. You're just so predictable."
"-_-" Gohan shook his head. "Seriously, I know everybody always talks about how their kids grow up too fast, but I can't wait 'til mine DO grow up. Maybe then they can get along like adults instead of all the constant bickering!"
"They're just kids." Piccolo said.
"Yeah, but you don't know what it's like. Before Sapphire you never had anyone close enough to be your child." Gohan replied. He sighed. "Anyway, I should get back. But how are you? We don't see much of each other these days, do we?"
"I'm doing okay." Piccolo shrugged. "You?"
"What, with those two?" Gohan smirked.
"Dad! I found it!" Gonine called as he headed towards them.
"Good." Gohan smiled. "Give it to me, then."
"Uh... bad news, I'm afraid..." Gonine said.
"He must have dropped it or something..." Sapphire began.
"Yeah. I must have dropped it or it slipped out of my hand or something..." Gonine held up the CD player to Gohan. "Anyway, it's broken."
"Gonine..." Gohan took it off it. He groaned. "What's your sister gonna say? This morning I promised her that she could trust you!"
"Really?" Gonine blinked. "Why?" Piccolo tried not to, but couldn't help but at least grunt a small laugh at this.
"Gonine!" Gohan growled. "This is coming out of your allowance, you hear me?"
"Aw, but dad..." Gonine whined.
"Don't "but dad" me. Gonine, this has gone far enough. It's not a game, you know. These things cost money -and on top of that it wasn't even yours to break in the first place." Gohan lectured.
"But I didn't mean to!" Gonine pleaded.
"I know you didn't. But you're just gonna have to be more careful, okay?"
"I promise I'll never touch anything of Pan's without asking ever again. But just don't take it out of my allowance. I'll be broke for months! Please?"
"...." Gohan sighed. "Listen, how about I pay half and you stick to your promise."
"... Okay..." Gonine gave in.
"You'll never touch anything of hers ever again without her permission?" Gohan asked.
"Never." Gonine said.
"And you'll never take anything of hers out of the house?"
"I won't."
"Promise me?"
"I promise." Gonine sighed.
"Good." Gohan nodded. "Come on. We're going home."
He looked at Piccolo.
"You're really lucky to just have the one, you know. Make sure Sapphire's your last, okay? ^_^" he said.
"Heh. Yeah, alright. If you say so, kid." Piccolo smirked. Gohan smirked back, and nudged his son.
"Come on. See ya, Piccolo." he said.
"See ya, kid."
"Bye, Gonine." Sapphire said as the demi - saiyans started to walk away.
"Bye, Sapph. I'll come play out tomorrow." Gonine waved.
"No you won't, Mister." Gohan said. "You are grounded."
"Aw, but dad..."
"Don't you "but dad" me!"
"But dad..."
Piccolo chuckled.
"Maybe you're right. Perhaps I should make Sapphire my last." he said. He watched Gohan leave. "But she wasn't exactly my first."