Author's note: Sorry, no more funny author's notes. Why? Because rules
changed at ff.net. Maybe some of us could start a petition to change it,
but I dunno. ::sigh:: Anyway, to the story, that's what it's really about
anyway.
Thank you for the reviews.
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"Mom, I'm going by to see Gohan. See ya in a few!"
Getting ready to walk out of the door was a teenager of sixteen. Voice deep, hair cropped a little short, at least compared to when he was thirteen. He wore a gray t-shirt with a dark blue over shirt, unbuttoned. He wore almost black navy jeans that flopped over his shoes, and had on a black tire rubber watch.
"Okay, Goten. Be home by dinner." Chi-Chi said, smiling weakly. Three years since her oldest died. Time was healing the wounds slowly. But at least they were healing. They all thought Gohan's death would tear them apart, but it actually brought them together, and made them more agreeable to things. Chi-Chi hardly ever yelled anymore, and even then it was only occasionally at Goku, but she would stop after a moment, sigh, and drop it. No reason to hold onto anger, it was so trivial.
Though there was one thing that had changed, and they all greatly missed. Besides Gohan, of course, was Goku's humor. It seemed to all but vanish since Gohan came down with the illness. He laughed, still, of course... But always seemed to be training. He was grimmer. More stoic.
Gochi grew up to be relatively undeterred from who she was destined to become, which was a happy carefree young girl who never held onto her emotions and bottled them up. If she felt sad about Gohan's death, she would simply cry and move on. If she was happy, she would voice it. If she was angry... She could be a whole lot like Chi-Chi.
Goten was the one they weren't sure about. He seemed to be completely fine on the outside, keeping his promise to follow Gohan's footsteps to be the best older brother he could be, but at other times, he seemed so disconnected and constantly visited his brother's grave. No one could tell whether this was out of denial or acceptance, respect or yearning. Either way, he kept going, and today, two months after turning sixteen, he was in for a surprise.
He arrived at Gohan's site of burial and meandered in, and Son Goten seemed to undergo a transformation. No longer the spark of childhood shone in his eyes. Instead it was replaced with the maturity of adulthood, holding onto something very painful, a burden had been set on him, and he seemed weary from it. It was something he promised to let go of a long time ago, but had never been able to do so. Everyday the burden grew heavier, but he was determined not to let anyone see, in fear of losing respect. The only one who was able to see through this veil, was his father. It seemed that the more depressed Goten became, the more serious Goku became.
He plopped down five feet from Gohan's grave, bowing his head for several moments before saying his respect.
"Hey Gohan."
No response, as usual. But he was used to it after three years of no response from his older brother... Goten smiled. "I wish you wish you were here, bro, life just hasn't been the same without you. Dad's not dad, Gochi cries randomly, and mom doesn't even yell anymore! Not to say that isn't positive... But we all miss you so much. You would be twenty four right now. And married to that Videl girl too." Goten laughed. "Speaking of Videl... You probably already know... I just heard from Trunks the other day... that accident she was in? You know, a month after your death... Forensic scientists have finally determined that was suicide. Not that she hasn't told you already. But I admire her bravery, for being able to go through with something like that...
"Life has changed so much, not on the outside looking in of course. But everyone is different. Bulma spends more time with her family. Vegeta's not as harsh. Krillin visits more often, along with Marron and sometimes even 18... It's just not fair, that it had to take your death to cause... all of this harmony between us... Why couldn't it happen while you were still alive?" Goten choked on his words, holding back his tears, as if to cry would admit that he wasn't strong enough to deal, to live on, to make his brother proud. "I just wish you were here... Everything would be perfect..."
Goten laid back on the cool, damp grass. So much he wanted to just be able to live life to it's fullest, to soar to heights even his father could not reach, to save everyone for once, but to no avail. The only reason he knew time was passing was because the sun had pass far out of his field of vision, making the scene around him hazy from the lack of clarifying light. Deciding it was close to dinner, he stretched himself out and rose up, wondering what was for dinner in a desperate attempt to forget his brother was indeed dead, and laying five feet from him.
Now usually, Goten avoided looking into the clear casket and upon the face of the perfectly preserved Gohan, for it eerily looked as if he was only sleeping, and not dead. It gave him misplaced hope, that any second he would open his eyes and tell him he was stupid for being so worried... He glanced back, unsure why he was doing so, and eyes widened in horror at what he saw.
Doing an almost double-take, Goten walked closer to the casket, mouth hanging open slightly in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes quickly, and looked again. No change. He thrust open the casket, hand shaking. He couldn't believe it. It was impossible!
There was nothing inside.
Thank you for the reviews.
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"Mom, I'm going by to see Gohan. See ya in a few!"
Getting ready to walk out of the door was a teenager of sixteen. Voice deep, hair cropped a little short, at least compared to when he was thirteen. He wore a gray t-shirt with a dark blue over shirt, unbuttoned. He wore almost black navy jeans that flopped over his shoes, and had on a black tire rubber watch.
"Okay, Goten. Be home by dinner." Chi-Chi said, smiling weakly. Three years since her oldest died. Time was healing the wounds slowly. But at least they were healing. They all thought Gohan's death would tear them apart, but it actually brought them together, and made them more agreeable to things. Chi-Chi hardly ever yelled anymore, and even then it was only occasionally at Goku, but she would stop after a moment, sigh, and drop it. No reason to hold onto anger, it was so trivial.
Though there was one thing that had changed, and they all greatly missed. Besides Gohan, of course, was Goku's humor. It seemed to all but vanish since Gohan came down with the illness. He laughed, still, of course... But always seemed to be training. He was grimmer. More stoic.
Gochi grew up to be relatively undeterred from who she was destined to become, which was a happy carefree young girl who never held onto her emotions and bottled them up. If she felt sad about Gohan's death, she would simply cry and move on. If she was happy, she would voice it. If she was angry... She could be a whole lot like Chi-Chi.
Goten was the one they weren't sure about. He seemed to be completely fine on the outside, keeping his promise to follow Gohan's footsteps to be the best older brother he could be, but at other times, he seemed so disconnected and constantly visited his brother's grave. No one could tell whether this was out of denial or acceptance, respect or yearning. Either way, he kept going, and today, two months after turning sixteen, he was in for a surprise.
He arrived at Gohan's site of burial and meandered in, and Son Goten seemed to undergo a transformation. No longer the spark of childhood shone in his eyes. Instead it was replaced with the maturity of adulthood, holding onto something very painful, a burden had been set on him, and he seemed weary from it. It was something he promised to let go of a long time ago, but had never been able to do so. Everyday the burden grew heavier, but he was determined not to let anyone see, in fear of losing respect. The only one who was able to see through this veil, was his father. It seemed that the more depressed Goten became, the more serious Goku became.
He plopped down five feet from Gohan's grave, bowing his head for several moments before saying his respect.
"Hey Gohan."
No response, as usual. But he was used to it after three years of no response from his older brother... Goten smiled. "I wish you wish you were here, bro, life just hasn't been the same without you. Dad's not dad, Gochi cries randomly, and mom doesn't even yell anymore! Not to say that isn't positive... But we all miss you so much. You would be twenty four right now. And married to that Videl girl too." Goten laughed. "Speaking of Videl... You probably already know... I just heard from Trunks the other day... that accident she was in? You know, a month after your death... Forensic scientists have finally determined that was suicide. Not that she hasn't told you already. But I admire her bravery, for being able to go through with something like that...
"Life has changed so much, not on the outside looking in of course. But everyone is different. Bulma spends more time with her family. Vegeta's not as harsh. Krillin visits more often, along with Marron and sometimes even 18... It's just not fair, that it had to take your death to cause... all of this harmony between us... Why couldn't it happen while you were still alive?" Goten choked on his words, holding back his tears, as if to cry would admit that he wasn't strong enough to deal, to live on, to make his brother proud. "I just wish you were here... Everything would be perfect..."
Goten laid back on the cool, damp grass. So much he wanted to just be able to live life to it's fullest, to soar to heights even his father could not reach, to save everyone for once, but to no avail. The only reason he knew time was passing was because the sun had pass far out of his field of vision, making the scene around him hazy from the lack of clarifying light. Deciding it was close to dinner, he stretched himself out and rose up, wondering what was for dinner in a desperate attempt to forget his brother was indeed dead, and laying five feet from him.
Now usually, Goten avoided looking into the clear casket and upon the face of the perfectly preserved Gohan, for it eerily looked as if he was only sleeping, and not dead. It gave him misplaced hope, that any second he would open his eyes and tell him he was stupid for being so worried... He glanced back, unsure why he was doing so, and eyes widened in horror at what he saw.
Doing an almost double-take, Goten walked closer to the casket, mouth hanging open slightly in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes quickly, and looked again. No change. He thrust open the casket, hand shaking. He couldn't believe it. It was impossible!
There was nothing inside.