AN: Does anyone actually read this part? If you do, please tell me.
Disclaimer: I cry when angels deserve to die. I don't own that song and I don't own DBZ.
Last Time:
He stopped abruptly as the scent changed direction, heading into a darkened back street. He turned, walking cautiously as he looked around the shadows.
Her scent is stronger. She was here not too long ago.
Gohan halted.
"It stopped." He murmured to the darkness. He frowned and continued to look about before something caught his eye lying on the floor.
Walking forward cautiously he bent down beside the bundle of white material. Brining one hand forward he moved it aside slightly and felt soft fur beneath his fingertips.
Chapter 2
Gohan frowned. Pushing the material to the side he took in the sight of the creature.
The black cat lay sprawled on the ground, it's eyes closed. Crimson matted its fur on one side, small segments of shattered glass piercing its flesh.
What happened to it? Poor thing. Someone must have hurt it pretty bad. How could someone do that? Gohan thought, pity and concern washing through his dark orbs, thoughts of looking for his classmate leaving his head.
Sitting down on the damp ground, Gohan eased the feline's small frame into his lap. He worked quickly and smoothly as he tore the white material into strips and easing the shards of glass from the creatures body before wrapping the strips about the cat in a make shift bandage.
Once he was finished, Gohan tied off the bandages and looked the cat over. Not once had it awoken and already the white material was becoming invaded by red.
I can't just leave her here. Gohan sighed.
"Looks like your coming home with me."
The first thing that Videl felt filtering in through the darkness was pain. A deep throb resided in her head and her limbs were sore from the fight and the cross-country run before hand.
Above those was the relentless throb that came from her side, though it didn't seem as great as before.
Stupid Videl. How could I have been so careless? She mentally chided herself.
She frowned. Something felt… strange. Videl could no longer feel hard concrete beneath her, or rain beating down on her skin. Instead she was enveloped in warmth.
Slowly, Videl let her eyes ease open, only to come face to face with a wall of green material.
She frowned. What the?
Her eyes travelled further and further up the material. It didn't take long for her to realise what (or rather who) the green material was attached to.
"Saiyaman?" She spoke but for some reason or another all that came out was a "Mew?"
Videl blinked rapidly. What in the name of Kami!
"Hay there, little neko. You're finally awake, huh?" She looked up at the masked figure, a gentle smile playing across his lips.
Videl was outraged to say the least. Little neko! Who the hell did he think he was calling her that? Ok so maybe he grew to like 10 times his size since she last saw him. And perhaps the first thing she did upon seeing his was mew. But…
Videl tensed over. Wait a second…
She looked down at her body. Midnight black fur coated her from head to toe. A length of white material was wrapped about her middle in a bandage. Her paws rested against Saiyaman's chest, her long tail hugging her body.
Videl screamed but it came out as just a high pitched yowl. Immediately she began flailing, clawing and scratching wildly.
"Woah, woah! Easy there! Calm down!" The teen tried to reason with the animal. But Videl was having none of it.
What the hell is going on? Why? When? How? WHAT THE HELL!
Gohan, giving up on trying to reason with the cat, floated down from his position in mid-air and stood on the ground."Calm down, would 'ya? Look see. I'm putting you down." Gently he placed Videl on the ground and watched as she wobbled on her new legs.
Videl stumbled about uneasily. The whole concept of a new body shape was confusing to say the least. She wasn't entirely sure just what to do. She had fallen unconscious in an alleyway, kami only knows how long ago, and now she wakes up to find she's… well, a cat.
"Wow. Something must have given you a real fright, huh?" She looked up at Saiyaman who had crouched down on his knees and looked at her with concern. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly "Guess I'm not really helping huh?"
That action seemed so familiar. But, from where?
"Look see," Saiyaman reached up and pulled the orange helmet from his head "I'm not so scary, am I?" He smiled.
Videl was gob smacked to say the least. Her eyes bulged and she backed away in shock.
Only to fall messily over her own feet, landing unceremoniously on her butt. She looked up at the newly unmasked Saiyaman.
Black hair stood up in gravity defying spikes, a single point flopping down across his forehead. Inky onyx eyes looked back at her with concern.
No way. I… I can't believe it. I knew it… but I can't believe it. Son Gohan. Saiyaman? Kami above. A dream. That's what this is. It has to be. I'm lying unconscious in a dank little alleyway in Satan City and I'm just dreaming all of this. But then… how can I still feel pain? Oh kami.
Gohan looked down at the small being. It seemed so scared. What happened to you? He asked in his head.
"Look, I'm not gonna hurt you ok?" He said, baring his palms in defence. "But I couldn't leave you behind. You can stay with me for a while. Just until your healed. Promise." He sent the cat a kindly smile.
Through her confusion, Videl gave a mental sigh. Not like she had a choice in the matter.
"Meow." She said, still not used to not having the ability to speak.
With that, Gohan picked her up, cradling her in his arm and being careful not to touch her side. Videl suddenly realised that once Saiyaman… err Gohan, had put her down the rain had started up again but now it had stopped.
Looking around she discovered that the rain hadn't stopped at all, yet, somehow, Gohan stopped the rain from hitting either of them. Well, ain't he just full of surprises.
Gohan bent down and picked up his helmet, placing it back on his head. Suddenly they were drifting upwards in the air, before shooting off towards the horizon at a startling pace. In her fear, Videl gave off a squeak and dug her new claws into Gohan's arm, making him cringe slightly.
Taking this as an incentive, he slowed down and the death grip loosened.
Videl watched in awe as the world flew by beneath them, the lush fields and harsh rocks of the country landscape flashing past her eyes at ferocious velocity.
She shrank further into Gohan's hold.
Everything was happening so fast and Videl didn't even know how. What had happened to her? Her head spun with questions that no one could answer. She had no idea what was going to happen to her.
And there was nothing she could do.
She hated this feeling of helplessness. She was weak and it made her sick to her stomach.
"Here we go." A soft voice broke through her thoughts. Looking down she watched at they descended towards the ground once more.
A dome building lay in the clearing, rain beating down on its small frame. The sweet image was soothing and Videl's troublesome thoughts seemed to melt away.
Gohan's feet hit the ground with a soft thud. Careful not to hurt the cat he still held in his arms, Gohan reached beneath one white glove and pressed the red button. Videl watched in fascination as the Saiyaman costume flickered before being replaced with Gohan's school cloths.
Note to self: Find out how that works. And where he got it from for that matter.
Gohan sighed, causing her to look up. "I hope moms in a good mood." She blinked at him and he flashed her a smile.
It felt like something was gripping at Videl's stomach and for some reason she could feel all the blood rush to her face. Maybe I've got pneumonia from being out in the rain for so long. Isn't that just charming?
Gohan walked forwards and opened the door, stepping inside. A smell of cooking food washed over the pair, causing a grumbling sound to radiate from Gohan's stomach.
"I knew I should have eaten something" He whispered under his breath, causing Videl to roll her eyes. Everyone at Orange Star High knew about Gohan's strange eating habits.
"Oniichan!" The sudden change in volume startled Videl, though Gohan seemed to be expecting it and didn't seem at all surprised. He quickly side-stepped just at an orange blur when careering past and, consequently, smashing into the closed door.
"Woah, easy there squirt." Gohan laughed as the orange blur transformed into a small boy, wild black hair sticking up in every direction. "You gotta be more careful." Videl watched the boy pick himself up from the floor, a wide grin spread across his small face.
"Sorry, Gohan. Hay, what 'cha got there?" He blinked, looking at Videl with wide eyes.
"It's a cat, Goten. I found her injured on the way back from school so I brought her back here until she gets better again." Whilst he was speaking, the young boy Videl could now identify as Goten, leant closer to Videl, looking at her with fascination.
"What happened to her?" He asked naively.
"I'm not sure. But whatever it was she must be hurt pretty bad. Poor thing can barely even stand up."
"Gohan? Is that you?" A female voice drifted in from the same direction as the sweet smelling food.
"Yeah, mom, it's me."
"Could you come here a moment please?" Gohan gulped at the eerie calm that was sprinkled over her words, he looked down and the black cat stared back at him with wide blue eyes. Here goes nothing.
Turning around, he walked cautiously through the door to the kitchen. Videl watched as a woman, dressed in traditional Japanese cloths, her hair in a bun, turned round from her place at the stove. She smiled sweetly but her eyes burned with anger. She shrank further into Gohan.
"Hello dear. Tell me," she ditched the smile, her pitch getting higher and higher with every word "do you have any idea what TIME IT IS?" Gohan flinched.
"But mom, I can explain. You see…"
"No 'buts' mister." She said sharply "Where were you!"
"Well, Videl didn't come back to school and I went to go look for her and I found her," meaning neko Videl "and she was really hurt so I…"
"Wait what? Videl's hurt? Where? What happened?" Chi-chi asked, her anger fading at the thought of anything happening to the young girl she'd heard so much about.
"Huh? Oh… no, not Videl. Her." He lifted the cat higher in his arms for his mother to see.
Videl blinked, feeling the situation needed something. She bowed her head slightly "Mew."
Chi-chi's usual motherly concern seemed to double at the sight of the wounded creature. "Oh the poor thing. Is she ok?" Gohan nodded slightly.
"I think so. She just needs some rest and some time to heal. She was pretty badly hurt." Like a magic word, Videl felt her side sting with pain, making her wince.
"Well, put her upstairs for now. You can take her some food up once you're finished with dinner."
Gohan nodded and headed out the door, towards the stairs.
Videl stretched her new, furry legs out. Her wounded side was making it impossible to get even vaguely conformable. Well, if I'm going to have to do this, I better start practising.
Rolling slightly, she got jarringly to her feet… or was it paws? Well she stood up at least.
Gohan had placed her on his bed, a squishy pillow beneath her. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the thought. It was just that it made walking even more difficult that it already was.
Stumbling uneasily on the soft surface, she moved out onto the bed, trying to concentrate on moving four legs rather that just two, tail raised in an attempt to keep upright.
Time and time again she lost her balance, crashing against the bed, often hitting her wound in the process. But Videl Satan was no quitter and, human or not, she could do anything she set her mind to.
After a good 10 minutes of pacing up and down the bed, Videl was getting pretty confident and decided it was time for level two.
Walking to the edge of the bed, she judged the distance. Crouching down she trained her eyes on the ground and sprung.
Her paws landed lightly on the carpet, but she couldn't move her feet fast enough and fell in a heap, making her yowl in pain as her injured body smashed into the ground.
Tears itched at her eyes as she resisted the urge to cry out again as the pain flowed through her. She panted and lay still until the burning pain faded.
Lifting herself up, she swayed slightly before catching herself. Ok, slight hiccup. No big deal.
She cast her gaze around the room. It was quite a simple bedroom, a single bed, it's headboard leant against the back wall, stood facing the door. A chest of draws and a wardrobe lined another wall and, beneath the window on the other side sat an oak wood desk, the matching bookshelf beside it overflowing. The whole thing gave of such a quaint atmosphere that Videl couldn't help but feel at home, even in this place that differed so much from her own.
She walked over to the wardrobe and stood before the mirror on one of the doors. She looked over her feline self, blue eyes staring back at her.
Behind her the door opened, causing her to turn around.
Gohan looked at the bed, only to find his patient gone. Looking around, he spotted Videl beside the wardrobe, looking at him with intent. He flashed the cat a Son Grin™.
"Hay, you must be feeling better. You hungry?" Indicating the tray in his arms as he came forward and shut the door with his foot.
Now that he mentions it, I hadn't eaten since that slice of toast this morning. She meowed her confirmation and walked across the room.
Gohan set the tray down on the floor beside his bed, on it was two bowls; one with milk and the other a mix of rise and fish.
"I wasn't sure what you'd like." Gohan said as Videl inspected the meal. "I'm going to go get a shower and I'll be right back, Ok?" With that he left and Videl was alone once more.
Videl stared up at the bed that towered above her ominously. The food had been delicious, although shoving her face into a bowl to eat was rather odd and she had made a fair few miscalculations when it came to how far to put her head, laving her face dappled in rise and milk dripping from her whiskers.
She frowned. How to get onto the bed without falling and making an idiot of herself? Or at the very least how to do it without getting hurt.
Her train of thought was cut off when the door flew open. Twisting her head around she watched Goten skip happily into the room, dressed in a set of blue, star dotted pyjamas. Aww, so cute. Videl though involuntary He noticed her and waved happily.
"Hay there, kitty-cat." He grinned, bending down and hugging his knees to his chest. "What 'cha doing?"
"Leave her be, Goten." Gohan's voice was laced in laughter. "Go on now, time for bed."
"Kay. Night kitty. Night oniichan." He chirped, running out the door. It was only now Videl got a good look at Gohan. His jet-black hair was wet and seemed slightly limp from the extra weight. She watched a drop of water trickle it's way from the side of his face and down his cheek, sliding over his throat with an aching slowness. It continued over the curve of his shoulder blade and trickled graciously over muscled chest. The water followed its path over a very distinct 6-pack before seeping into the white towel about his waist.
Videl gulped, her blue orbs dwarfing the twin saucers she had eaten from. Oh. Dear. Kami. Gohan was, for lack of a better word… buff.
"Sorry 'bout him. He can be a little hyper at times." The male laughed, snapping Videl back to earth. She ran her eyes over him again and again, but still he was there, in all his barely clad glory.
She stared after him as he walked over to the chest of draws, the muscles in his back rippling as he walked. Videl began to get that feeling again, her heart hammering and her face hot.
Her stare was shattered when suddenly, the barely clad teen became a totally unclad teen, the towel dropping to the floor. Videl yowled in embarrassment and screwed her eyes shut, burying her head in the duvet that hung from the bed.
Ok, no big deal. Just don't look. WHAT EVER YOU DO DON'T LOOK! I can't believe I saw… NOTHING! I didn't see anything! There was no naked butt. I have NEVER seen Gohan's naked, sexy, perfect AHWHATTHEHELLAMIDOING? There was no butt! There never was a butt and there never shall be a butt. Deep breaths, Videl. In and out. That's it.
"Funny little neko. What are you doing?" Large hands wrapped around her waist and she was lifted into the air, eyes still shut tight. Gohan raised one eyebrow at the cat and laughed softly, lying down on the bed with Videl balanced on his chest.
Videl opened her eyes, feeling soft material stretched out beneath her. Gohan smiled down at her as she rose and fell with each of his breaths. He placed a hand on her head and tickled the back of her ear.
Against her will, Videl began to purr in the back of her throat. Damn it. I am so weak. Although I have to admit, that is rather nice.
"I hope Videl's alright." She looked at Gohan as he stared up at the ceiling, worry burning in his eyes.
"I'm fine." Videl said, hardly believing he was actually worrying about her, even after how mean she had been to him Once again nothing came out but a soft mew. Gohan smiled at her.
"You're right. She'll be fine. Besides," He pulled the covers up to his waist. "I'll see her at school tomorrow."
I wouldn't count on it. Videl thought, before sleep wrapped her in it's warm embrace.
AN: Waaahhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooo! Halfway through writing this, my sister gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy. All my love goes out to my new nephew Cameron Matthew, his amazing parents and his awesome big brother, Joel!
