Disclaimer: I do not own DB/Z/GT.

Chapter 6: Z Market

Oh man, I'm not going to make it.

This was the single thought racing through Gohan's mind as he raced down the numerous aisles of food in the supermarket. He had been having so much fun with his friends that the concept of time and it running out had been overlooked. And, by the looks of things, the sun wasn't going to wait around for him to set. Night was coming fast, and if he didn't get home soon, his mother would go on a rampage!

"Three bags of rice, forty pounds of pork, two dozen red apples, green beans…" read Gohan aloud, unfolding the grocery list. "Uh-oh, I'm really not going to make it by sunset. This thing is giant! Er, and what in the world are garlic Boar Sticks? I've never even heard of those…"

Then, as if by coincidence or a miracle sent from above:

"Look, I found them! The Boar Sticks! Man, and so many kinds," exclaimed a stranger's voice.

"Well that makes that easier," sighed Gohan. He paced towards the aisle where he heard the voice and paused, watching the two fellow customers browsing the shelves. They were girls around his age. One was blond and had popping blue eyes to match a bubbling personality. The other girl had black hair tied in pigtails, and her eyes flickered between sophisticated blue and enchanting lavender. Gohan thought that she looked grouchy though, and he was right.

With arms crossed, the black-haired girl grumbled, "Did we really come all the way to East City for a box of meat?"

"They're not just any kind of meat! They're Boar Sticks – the most tender, flavorful, meatiest meat snacks you can find! Only the Z Market has 'em, and only East City has a Z Market. Can't you read the packaging?" said the blond.

"What are you? Their personal advertisement? Y'know, we should've just had my dad's servant pick these up by himself. We didn't have to come here with him."

"Aw, don't be such a grouch. We're having fun!"

"U-uh, excuse me," said Gohan awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Could you pass me a box of the garlic flavored sticks, please?"

"Sure thing," said the blond with a giggle.

When the black-haired girl sighted Gohan, her heart didn't just skip a beat; it almost stopped completely. Maybe it was a glimpse of the future she had seen at that moment, and maybe the half-saiyan sensed it too, for their eyes seemed to tangle together for a second. However, both shrugged the eerie feeling off, and seven years later, they would not remember.

Once Gohan was out of hearing, the blond girl whispered to her friend, "Hey, he's pretty something, huh? I would totally date him."

"You can't be serious. He looks no older than twelve."

"Yeah, so? We're only eleven."

"Exactly."

"Gosh, you're just never any fun, Videl."

The girl simply shrugged.

Once outside the supermarket with his purchased goods, Gohan stumbled onto his butt. Naturally, everything he was holding came crashing down on top of him. He groaned. Now he was really going to be late.

"Gohan, is that you under there?"

"Huh? Oh, hey Tien! And Chiaotzu, hi! It's great to see you guys," said Gohan, squirming beneath the mountainous bundle of groceries.

"Likewise. Here, let me help you with that," said Tien. The green-uniformed man swiftly raked the fallen paper bags aside into neat, even rows. With great care, he then continued to place the spilled items back wherever they could fit. During those same five seconds, Chiaotzu hovered to Gohan and pulled the boy to his feet.

"Wow, thanks you guys! And you sure can move," complimented Gohan, thoroughly impressed by Tien's clean-up work. "I wish I could do that. Everything is packed up so nicely; it's like I never dropped them."

The man smiled slightly. "Hey, it was nothing. Chiaotzu and I were training in the mountains when we felt you and the other guys clustered here in the city. I wasn't sure if I should come, but I'm glad I did. I think I have something that'll help you."

Gohan cocked his head to the side. "What d'you mean?"

"Catch."

Before the word even registered, the half-saiyan instinctively grasped the tossed item in mid-air. "A capsule?"

"Yup. It should be able to store all of your groceries, so you don't have to worry about dropping them on your flight home. It's all yours."

"But Tien, are you sure you won't need this? If you have it, you must have some use for it."

"Nah. You probably don't know her, but a woman named Launch gave me a bunch of these different capsules. I'm mostly training though, so I don't really need them."

"Man, you're saviors," said Gohan with a wide grin. "Thanks so much!"

Both Tien and Chiatozu held out their thumbs upwards towards the sky. "Anytime."