It was two days after the freak storm hit Satan City. The news reporters gave it the name Hurricane Steve, the last one started with an R so it made sense. They announced (wrongly) that after the hurricane passed over the city it quickly faded out. Gohan, after quickly checking up on Videl and his classmates at school, headed home and went to sleep. Chi Chi decided not to wake him up for school the next day but it wouldn't have mattered if she did.
The Orange Star high school was closed for renovations for the next three weeks. The damage to the building was less than many others throughout the city, but there was also the problem of hiring a new staff. Outraged parents flooded to the demolished school to find two staff members with the entire student body. They tried to pass it off as a mistake they wouldn't make in the future but Mr. Satan came in and demanded some sort of punishment for the teachers. Principal Gardo agreed whole-heartedly and started announcing a new staff would be needed but at the meeting the superintendant stood up interrupting him and shouted "You're fired too!" and everybody laughed as the old principal sulked off.
The only teachers that were at the school were Mr. Don, the history teacher, and Yamcha Bandit, the gym teacher. Nobody remembered seeing Yamcha when the storm hit but when they walked out of the school they saw his clothes all beat up and all the windows on the school, even the ones that had shattered, were boarded up with planks of wood. Mr. Don was flocked by reporters but wouldn't say anything to them about what happened during the storm, after realizing he was not a good story they went to the student that every kid in the high school said pretty much saved them all.
Sharpner was soaking up the praise, it had been two days of constant interviews and people offering him gifts. This must be what it feels like to be Videl, Awesome. He had thought that at first, but when the reporters followed him home, and wherever he went the next day, he began to doubt the praise was worth it, or if he deserved it. I don't know how Erasa got back inside after she flew out that window. It must have been Mr. Don, everyone said he dragged us back into the auditorium all bloody. Sharpner couldn't get a weird feeling out of his head that something was wrong.
It was Wednesday, Erasa, Sharpner, and Videl had met up in one of the only non-damaged buildings which was a smoothie shop. They had thought it would be filled with people but anyone who wasn't working to repair the city had pretty much left and were waiting for the fixing to be done to return to the city. This meant that robbers were on a rampage as nobody was in their apartments or houses and had left doors unlocked for the clean up crews. Videl's watch had been going off twenty four seven since the storm stopped two days before. After the storm had died down, miraculously, What the hell happened, she fell back to the ground having only two fingers left holding on to the floor as the rest of her body was in mid-air. She was knocked unconscious and awoke in a hospital bed a couple hours later. The nurse told her that some tall boy with black hair had carried her in as soon as the storm stopped and then ran off before she could get his name. Oddly, Videl felt no pain where her leg had broken and all the scratches from where she was cut by glass or splinters of wood had disappeared.
Against the hospital's wishes, she was released with minor to no injuries reported and went straight back to the criminals who were taking advantage of the situation. There was a break in the action and she desperately wanted to meet up with her friends. As she sat there, drinking her extra large strawberry banana smoothie, she just kept hoping maybe they've decided that since I'm still around they can't committ crimes as usual. I hope they're thinking that. She sighed and rested her chin on her hand.
Erasa was talking non-stop to the other two teens at the table and as long as they nodded to show they were listening, kinda, she continued to talk. Finally she brought up the subject that was on both the girls minds and Sharpner had been trying to think of for days, "So guys, anyone heard from Gohan?"
"Ah hah!" Sharpner jumped out of his seat and hugged Erasa before realizing she was blushing like crazy and let go. He sat down to explain, "I've been thinking of something for a couple days and I couldn't seem to place my finger on it." Now Videl was actually paying attention unlike before. "He was with us in Biology when the storm hit right," the other two nodded, "then, after you left Videl, he kept order in the hallways after the main office made that stupid announcement that could've gotten us all killed." Videl almost dropped her jaw, Gohan, the really shy kid, keeping order? "Then he was gone."
"Wait what?" Both girls said at the same time. Videl was thinking, tall boy with black hair, Gohan fits the description, but so do a thousand other people in the city more likely.
"After we went to the auditorium I was going to ask him to help me keep control but he was nowhere to be found, after all the stuff that happened afterwards I completely forgot about it." He continued, looking down guilty, "I hope he didn't leave, I've never seen his car but I doubt he would've made it out of the city anyways..."
"No," Videl slammed her hand down on the table, knocking down her smoothie, "I'm sure he's fine." Erasa and Sharpner both looked like they doubted even she believed it. "Well we have to do something."
After a minute Erasa grinned, "Hey Videl," the black haired girl looked up. "Remember that guy I liked," Videl looked at her questioningly, Guess I've got to be more specific, "two years ago, his name was Howie." Videl still looked confused for another minute when a smirk appeared on her face as well.
"I have no idea what either of you are talking about, but Howie?!" Sharpner asked shocked getting laughs out of all three of them.
sc
"Gohan, get up already!" His mother called from the kitchen, "I've made waffles." She looked back expecting both sons to be sitting at the table already but only Goten was. "Goten where is your brother?"
Goten shrugged and gulped down another waffle, "He. Was. Sitting. Up on. His. Bed." Goten repied taking another bite between each word. Chi Chi frowned That boy has been sulking for over a day now, ready or not he's going back to school. She stormed up the stairs to the boys' room and peeked inside. Gohan was sitting cross legged frowning, meditation was doing him no good.
"I see you standing there mom," he said breaking the silence eyes still closed.
"I wasn't hiding, now it's time for you to go back to school." Chi Chi demanded and was about to walk right out the door so he couldn't retort.
"School's closed." Chi Chi stopped in her tracks and Gohan held up his phone, there were several messages from each of his friends. The matriarch of the Son household frowned and smacked her son on the side of the head.
Gohan, not expecting the hit at all, fell off of his bed and rubbing his temple almost yelled at his mother, "What was that for?"
"Those two girls you're texting seem pretty concerned about you Gohan, and not only did you fail to bring them over for dinner," Gohan looked down hoping his mother had forgotten about that, "but they keep texting you asking if you're alright and you haven't responded once."
"I'll tell them my phone was off," he replied obviously not appeasing his mother. She kept glaring at him but he didn't seem to want to talk to them right now and she finally decided to let him off with responding tomorrow. "Are there really waffles?" Gohan asked smiling for the first time since she saw him return from the city and nodded.
With less enthusiasm than usual, Gohan rushed downstairs and started eating with his brother who was excited to see Gohan back to his usual self again. For the next couple hours he helped around the house, trained with his brother, and did some studying ignoring the fact that the school was destroyed, and I let it get that way, he quickly shook off that thought keeping his mind on the positives. Nobody in the school was fatally wounded, except for Chad, he forgot what the positives were and just kept picturing Chad's body twitching as he lay on the floor of the roof. I could have stopped it, if only I was stronger. The pencil in his hand snapped, Shit wait what's that.
Tumtatumtatum, What the hell, Gohan walked over to his window and saw a helicopter landing on his front yard. Erasa jumped out of the passenger side and then Videl and Sharpner slowly got out after her. How the hell did they find me? Oh no, mom. He ran downstairs but his mother was already out the door in a fighting stance facing the blonde girl who ran up to their front door.
Erasa was more than shocked, she was afraid. The school's database definitely said this is where the Sons lived, but this lady was crazy. Is this Gohan's mother, no wonder he's so afraid of her. "Hey lady back off," Videl shouted running over and picking Erasa off the ground where she had fallen.
Chi Chi was outraged, first these people have the audacity to land on her property messing up her perfectly trimmed grass, and now this bitch calls he 'Lady!' They were going to have to pay. "You land on my front lawn uninvited, expect to fight." Chi Chi got lower into her stance. Gohan was watching from behind the front door, I heard Videl is pretty good at martial arts, lets see how she does against my mom.
Videl saw no other choice, this woman was insane, though she kind of had a point, nobody talks to Videl Satan like that. "I don't think you know who you're dealing with lady," she held out that last word for emphasis intending to get the woman angry and make a mistake before they even start. The mysterious woman seemed unfazed and what was worse, her stance was amazingly toned almost to perfection, almost.
Videl charged in feigning to the left and then striking at the right side intending to hit her unguarded face. Chi Chi had planned on it from the start, giving herself an obvious opening so anyone with the slightest bit of martial arts experience could see it. She didn't expect the girl's speed or how fast the punch would be thrown but she was still able to follow through with her plan and didn't fall for the feign at all and moved her head to the left avoidin the real punch. She then lashed out with an elbow and hit the girl in the unguarded right armpit. This caused Videl to draw back her arm but Chi Chi had seen the next kick coming and ducked beneath it swiping the other leg out with her own knocking the girl to the ground. Gohan's mom then put her fist up to Videl's face before she could stand and the girl was shocked.
"Videl give up, let's get out of here." Chi Chi jumped backwards, after Erasa had said that. The blonde girl was holding the other guy back from joining in the fight, if Videl couldn't beat this person how could he.
"You are Videl?" Chi Ci asked as the girl stood up, dirt in her pigtails.
Videl wiped a drop of blood away from her lip that had busted when she hit the ground. "Yeah that's me, now you know who you're dealing with and I won't take you lightly next time so you ready?" Videl asked getting back into fighting stance. Chi Chi dropped her stance and walked back to her front door. "Hey stop ignoring me!" Videl shouted but Chi Chi just opened the door and stepped inside. Videl muttered, "Bitch," and headed back for the jet copter. "Come on guys let's go, Gohan has to be somewhere in this area, it did say 439 mountain area right?"
"Wait guys," Gohan ran out his front door, Chi Chi told him that she was going down to the river to get some water but after she came back, proper introductions were in order. The three teens turned around to see Gohan running out the front door that that lady had just disappeared into.
"Gohan!" Erasa shouted running over to the boy and jumped on him. Again caught off guard Gohan didn't stop running and Erasa slammed into him in mid-air. "Ouch," she said rubbing her nose after it slammed against Gohan's chest. "oooh."
Erasa put her hand back on Gohan's chest and was trying to squeeze it but it was rock hard. Gohan's face turned into a tomato and he put his hand behind his head as the other two walked up and were staring at Erasa, "Ummmm, Erasa, could you, like maybe stop." Erasa realized what she was doing and blushed taking a step back from the boy.
What was Erasa doing to Gohan, rrrrggg, wow, all three of them noticed at the same time that instead of Gohan's usual baggy long-sleeved shirt, he was wearing a muscle shirt, sleeveless, and damn those muscles were big. Gohan noticed where they were all looking and silently cursed himself for not changing while his mother fought Videl. "So what's up guys, what are you doing here?"
Sharpner was the first to speak, the other two were still transfixed by his arms. "Hey man, why aren't you answering your texts?"
"Oh you guys have been texting me," he said in a completely non believeable voice, "my phone was turned off."
"Liar," Videl said.
"How did you..." Gohan was shocked, he had been thinking up that excuse for hours.
"Gohan you must not lie a lot." Erasa said and Gohan smiled again scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, I don't, but hey guys come inside I'll show you around." Gohan said turning and walking back towards his house Videl right behind him and the other two walking nervously father back. Gohan turned around sensing they were getting a little far back, Erasa and Sharpner were dragging their feet and Videl almost bumped into him when he stopped they were so close together. "What's wrong guys?"
Erasa chirped, "Is that lady still here?"
Gohan laughed, "That was my mom, she left to go get some water." The others stared at him, "we don't have running water so we go down to the river five miles away to get ours."
"But, I didn't see a car leaving?" Sharpner said dumbfounded.
They were now inside sitting on the couch and Gohan got up to get some lemonade from the fridge. He called into the living room from the kitchen, "She walked." All three of them sweat dropped.
Videl decided enough was enough, she stood up and walked into the kitchen, "Gohan what do you mean she walked?"
"She walked?" he answered confused by the question but Videl seemed to need some explaining. "Don't worry she can carry the water back from the river, she'll be back in an hour."
"An hour!" Erasa squeaked also coming into the kitchen grabbing a lemonade from Gohan's hand. "But thats ten miles round trip."
"Oh, you're right, and she was rushing to come back and meet you guys 'properly' hahahaha, more like twenty minutes." Gohan said and turned after pouring another glass to give to Videl who had her legs up in the air haviing fell to the ground. Instead of asking another question that Gohan would somehow answer truthfully but with making no sense they just followed him back to the living room and caught him up on what's going on in the city.
"So man, I never asked," Sharpner started, "Where did you go when the storm started?"
Gohan had thought up this lie from the second he left his class for the roof. "Videl already knows my means of transportation to and from school, and I was scared so I took off." he frowned making it look like he was sorry that he didn't stay to help. The lie was still terrible but Videl did know what he was talking about and that thing moved fast.
"So you were a coward after all," Videl looked down sad I was really hoping he had stayed and tried to help and Sharpner had just not seen him. "You took that yellow cloud thingy," Gohan was about to interrupt so she said, "the Nimbus, and ran away. Where did you take off from, I doubt they would have let you walk out the front doors?"
The memory of the roof resurfaced and he decided to tell this part of the story. "Well, I went to the roof, where I used to eat lunch, and took off from there." He gulped not knowing how they would react to the next part. "I was there when Chad..."
"You saw Chad!" Erasa shouted gleefully. Gohan looked confused did they not know, of couse the wind, his body would have been taken and thrown miles away, I should've put him inside, No the oter people were more important. "I've been texting him for days, I haven't met his parents yet since we've only been dating a couple days and didn't know how to get in touch with them unless I did the same thing I did to find you." Gohan looked at her expecting to hear how they found him, "The school's computer database, it has all the students records in it. So you saw Chad, what was he doing on the roof?"
"Well, he," Gohan looked around and sat next to Erasa, "the storm had just started, I think he was sleeping on the roof." Erasa was smiling, that is so like Chad, she thought. "I was about to take off on my cloud," Erasa and Sharpner still looked at him like he was ridiculous but one look from Videl and they didn't argue. "I told him to go inside, but," Gohan couldn't figure out how to say it and not cause Erasa to cry or himself, "I don't think he knew what was going on, the rain started to fall." Videl was getting impatient, why doesn't he spit it out already? "Chad started asking about you Erasa," she smiled wide, Sharpner was about to tell him to get to the point but Gohan continued, "and then he got struck by lightning."
Videl gasped, Sharpner gasped, Erasa still had a smile on her face she hadn't heard what Gohan had said, it didn't process with her. "What was that?" Erasa asked dazed.
"He was struck by lightning," Gohan responded looking down, "he, he died." Erasa's smile went away, tears started to well up in her eyes. "It was painless, one second he was alive and talking about you, and then he was just gone." Erasa wailed tears flowing from her eyes, Sharpner cursed and slammed his fist down on the coffee table before storming out the front door to let off some steam but Videl, Videl was furious.
"And you left him there!" She shouted, Gohan's face became shadowed with guilt, his normally cheerful expression darker than night. "You were so scared that instead of bringing him inside you left him for the storm?!" Erasa who had been crying against Gohan's chest looked up at the boy confused, Gohan didn't seem like the type to leave someone behind like that, though she had barely known him a week. "He was probably picked up by the wind and carried away never to be seen again, what do we tell his parents? 'Sorry you can't bury your son because Gohan was too scared to touch a dead body to carry your son inside.'"
Gohan stood up angrilly shocking Videl but Erasa had gone back to crying and was now lying on the full length of the couch. "It's not my fault," keep calm Gohan keep calm.
"Oh it's not is it?" Videl accused, "Then let me ask you, what did you do to help, nothing you ran away, I'm angry at myself for caring enough about you to fly out here." Gohan stormed out of the room for the back door but Videl was on his tail, she wasn't letting him get away again. He opened the back door and shut it behind him, "Hey I'm not finished with you yet," She opened up the door but Gohan was nowhere in sight. The back yard went for over a mile before the tree line so he couldn't have made it to the forest, she looked around the house screaming profanity before giving up and going back inside to comfort Erasa.
Gohan was sitting on top of his house trying to drown out the noise of Videl's cursing when it finally died down. Oh she makes me so mad, what does she know, I was there, I was helping. Gohan's eyes flashed pure white for a second but he realized it, CALM DOWN! He started breathing excersizes and soon calmed down. After only five minutes of sitting on the roof he felt his mother almost back from her trip. Oh Dende, now I have to confront my 'friends' again, if they even are my friends anymore.
Sharpner was trying to convince Videl that it wasn't Gohan's fault, the kid had just seen someone die for the first time, give him a break. Videl had loosened up a bit at that but was still angry at herself. I liked him, he let me down.
Just then Gohan walked back in through the back door but instead of getting shouted at like he expected, Erasa ran over and hugged him tight. Videl was confused, why aren't they mad at him. "It's okay Gohan, it's not your fault Chad died." Erasa said out loud, having seen Gohan perform an amazing feat of strength before and telling by his muscles and the look on his face when Videl was yelling at him, he was beating himself up over Chad's death hard. "You can't fight lightning Gohan, it's nobody's fault Chad died just let it out, let it out."
Gohan couldn't believe it, Erasa knew exactly what he was thinking, and it was helping, he looked at her confused and then his face started getting red. Tears welled up in his eyes and he hugged Erasa back. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Videl gasped, Erasa was right, Gohan is a mess.
"Gohan I'm sorry about what I said before," Gohan wiped the tears out of his eyes and smiled back at Videl. "I didn't mean all that stuff I said," she was staring down at her feet.
"I forgive you Videl," Videl looked back up at him and they made eye contact smiling. Having his friends come over was exactly what he needed. They all sat back down on the couch and staying away from the Chad topic or anything that could be traced back to it, they talked about other things, Videl talked about the award ceremony for those who performed extreme acts of bravery in the face of danger, Sharpner piped in how he was also getting an award at the ceremony though Videl deserved it more, Erasa talked about her favorite nail salon that even though there was a car sticking out of it's roof, was still open and she got a manacure that morning. Finally Chi Chi walked in and saw the kids laughing and talking amongst themselves, they are just what Gohan needed.
"Hey Gohan I'm back," before anything else, the other three teens looked at their phones and only twenty two minutes had passed although the two buckets of water that Gohan's mother had in her hands were filled to the top as if they hadn't spilled a drop on the trip back. Videl then looked to the lady she had a fight with earlier and tensed up but Chi Chi seemed to be quite interested in them. She cleared her throat so Gohan could hear her but he didn't know why she was doing it. "Aren't you going to introduce me son of mine who I raised better than this?"
"Oh sorry mom," he quickly said standing up and walking his mom over to the living room. "Okay this is Erasa, Sharpner, and I believe you've already met Videl." he said pointing to each one of his classmates. "Guys this is my mother."
"Pleasure to meet you Ms. Son," Sharpner greeted with a quick wave of his hand.
"It's Mrs. but please call me Chi Chi." She responded and Videl gasped, "Ah yes I've heard that you were a famous martial artist from my son, heard of me have you?" Chi Chi was basking in the praise that she was about to recieve from this girl.
"Heard of you, you were known as the strongest woman in the world before me." Videl responded happily, but Chi Chi frowned, "You were once a finalist in the world's martial arts tournament back when people still used those silly light tricks but I've seen a video of one of your fights and you were amazing and never used a trick once."
"Before you?" Chi Chi laughed, Oh no mom don't do it, Gohan thought. "Hahaha, I am the strongest woman in the world. I guess she's counting out 18 as an android, figures.
Gohan tried to change the subject, "So mom Erasa here got her nails done at what was the place called? Erasa?" Erasa sank back into the couch with Sharpner as the two women had a showdown with their eyes. Gohan gulped and his throat started to get sore, I must be gulping every five seconds the tension is so thick in here.
"Yeah, before me." Videl answered glaring at the other woman's eyes I don't know who this woman thinks she is but that was twenty years ago, she's gotten old. Though she still looks great, could I beat her? Of course I could I'm the daughter of Mr. Satan.
Left hook, followed by jumping kick, then a roundhouse to the temple to take her out. Chi Chi was planning her moves knowing this girl would not be caught of guard for a second time. "How about we find out who's the strongest right now?" Chi Chi asked egging the younger girl on.
"Stop." Gohan said getting the two women to stare at him with the same ferocity they were showing each other, "mom why don't you just enter in the WMAT this year and then you two could fight in the finals?" His mother seemed to like the idea and so did Videl who wanted to see this woman there. They turned around from each other arms crossed and in unison said 'Fine!'
Erasa and Sharpner let out a sigh of relief, that was intense. The three teens stayed for a little longer but the three of Gohan's friends soon decided it was time to leave. Good they are getting out of here before Goten gets back from the Briefs'. That could've been bad.
"So Gohan," Erasa started before getting into the helicopter to follow her friends, "We've been talking, and all three of our houses are inside the city," Gohan knew where this was going, "Videl's house got the worst of it and will have to be completely rebuilt from scratch and they're thinking mine will have to be too. We have been staying at Sharpner's but his house is pretty beat up as well." The other two were two proud to say anything about it as they might come off as Erasa is right now. I should save her the embarrassment of asking and just invite them now.
"Hey Erasa would you guys like to stay at my house for the next couple weeks?" he asked.
"Could we really?" She shouted with glee and Gohan nodded. "Yes!" she leaned in and gave Gohan a peck on the cheek, "you're the best Gohan," he blushed and she ran back to the helicopter. It lifted off and Gohan waved.
Erasa was in the helicopter and once they were far enough from Gohan's house that they wouldn't go back she said out loud, "I asked Gohan, and we're all staying with him for the next couple of weeks."
The copter jolted to a stop in mid-air, "You did What!?" Sharpner and Videl yelled. "I'm turning this around right now to tell him nevermind." Erasa grabbed the controls from Videl's hands, "What are you doing Erasa."
"Our houses are broken, and we need this, the city is loud the entire night because of all the construction and I need my beauty sleep." She had Sharpner convinced but Videl was still iffy, "Plus you'll get to see more of Chi Chi's fighting style." She knew she got her friend with that one and Videl's face lit up as she grabbed the controls and started heading back for Satan City.
"Pack quickly guys, were going to Gohan's." she turned the copter back on and flew full speed back towards the city.
The other two smiled then squinted as they saw something out the window, "What is that?" Erasa asked and all three of them looked as it got closer and closer, "Videl move out of the way!" Erasa shouted as the gold light was about to slam straight into them.
Videl smashed the controls to the right and the blur of light narrowly missed them. "Holy Shit what was that?" Videl shouted as she steadied the controls.
Sharpner's mouth was wide open jaw on the floor, "It looked like, it looked like a toddler."
A/N Hello sorry about another late update but now that it's February break I'l be getting a lot in this week before I head off to the mountains myself for some skiing.
lightshadow101- Gohan didn't forget about the deaths after Vegeta and Krillin showed up, it was only right after the storm was past that Gohan was able to smile knowing that nobody else would die. That feeling quickly went away with another, guilt taking its place as I tried to show in this chapter.
maximusrexmundi- Glad you liked that part about Yamcha saving people by killing them, yes it will be important later on. About the strength to push the storm away... don't want to give anything away now but was it a normal storm?...
As always I love the feedback and thanks for the reviews. I'll try to update again within the next two days.