Dumela! (It means 'hello' in Sotho... Thought it would be nice to teach you guys a new word :D)
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Bahahaha, I am so glad I freaked some of you out with the goriness of my previous chapter. XD ! I wanted to try my hand at a more darker style of writing (completely out of my comfort zone) , and it sounds like I was very convincing! Hahahaha! :D Awh; my story got added to the community 'Gohan fics' dedicated to bring the best of Gohan fanfiction to the reader! :D *getting emotional* I feel soooo honoured to be a part of that!
Oeh guys, guess what? ... *dramatic pause* I am heading off to university on Friday. *super scared, but yet excited* But don't fret, I have written the next two chapters in advance. I will not rob you of the weekly pleasure of reading this EPIC story; that would just be cruel! XD
Anyway... ENJOY!
CHAPTER 10: The Hunted
My instincts flared when I sensed the close proximity of an extremely dark and evil aura near me. The human side in me wanted to convulse and retreat away from this ghastly presence, but my dominant Saiyan nature wanted to fight until there was nothing of that evil left.
I spun around; my first priority to make sure that Piccolo was okay. My eyes searched for his and I focussed on his frame. After I was sure that the only ailment he had was a stunned expression, I automatically resided in a flawless crouching fighting stance in one motion. I bended my knees and arched my back, ready to pounce. My neck was tilted up straight, giving me the opportunity to fully see my enemy from every angle. Not one movement he makes will be unnoticed by my wide-awake gaze.
I narrowed my eyes into slits but they slightly widened when I recognised the holder of the disastrous energy.
Dabura...
He scoffed as he saw my gesture of retaliation and crossed his arms over his chest as he walked in the direction of Babidi's cave. "Master, you have summoned me?" The ruler of the demon realm bowed before the powerful wizard.
"Gohan, that is the demon king!" Piccolo whispered almost inaudibly to me. His posture was stiffened and rigid, rather than his usual poised and fearless stance.
I nodded briefly, not daring to take my eyes off the unpredictable demon. His back was faced to me, but I knew well that that could easily become his front.
Babidi walked out of the cave swiftly, but stayed in the shade; not daring to brave the extreme desert sun.
"Yes Dabura, it seems that Vaughan and his men know about my location." He looked me up and down with disgust. "Or at least, that is what the youngling speculates." I frowned, after I just saved his life he has the audacity of talking about me with disdain.
"I want you to find out if that is true." Babidi instructed. "Those mongrels still haven't figured out that you aren't on their team anymore, so you still have the necessary clearance to retrieve the information I require."
Dabura nodded. "As you wish sire." He turned his head quickly to me, a smirk on his face. "Do you wish for me to kill the youngling as well?" Dabura asked in a calm tone after noticing his master's disgusted vibe towards me.
Piccolo nudged on my arm, but I shot him a look of reassurance, making him relax a bit.
He sighed irritated, waving his hand dismissive at his devilish minion. "I don't care what you do, just get me the information." He said tiredly before walking back into the safety of his shelter.
He snickered evilly at his master's command and walked closer to me and Piccolo. I took one step forward, standing protectively in front of my green mentor. Dabura stopped abruptly, making a few waves of sand scurry around his blue boots.
"I haven't killed someone in over two hours." He complained and raised his hand, open palm pointing up to the sky, with a menacing red ball of ki already radiating in his grasp.
I mimicked his stance and grew a blue ball of energy in my open palm. I smiled arrogantly up at the red demon. "Mine's bigger."
His face twisted into a scowl. "You are a little brat." He said lowly, and flung the ball to my face. I extended my arm, complete with the ki-ball, to my right and waited before Dabura's was near before I stepped away, leaving my energy behind, levitating in the air.
I smiled when the two energies merged instead of blowing up, and sent a few smaller energy-balls into it, making my ki the dominant power in the blast. I commanded it to a stop and floated up to where it halted. I wrapped my arms around the warm purplish surface of the attack, caressing its smoothness before I sent it flying into Dabura's direction, with more power and speed than what he had anticipated, or at least, that was what I could infer from his stunned expression when he tried to catch the blast.
He skidded back into one of the high dunes and shot out on the other side, still attempting to neutralize the blast. Veins popped out on his forehead when he finally managed to get to a stop, strained with the warm energy still in his grasp. He grunted and sweat started to drop down his forehead, into the sand, creating a muddy substance around his feet.
After what seemed like forever, he drove the ball upwards, making it lunge into the sky where it exploded into hundreds of tiny blasts, all scattering across the land.
While he was still panting and heaving, trying to catch his breath, I was there, in front of him.
He flinched at my close proximity and tried to step away, but I didn't let him. I grabbed, with both my hands, a good deal of leathery fabric from his overly-cleavaged top, and yanked him toward me. I shot my head forward and let go of him as soon as our head smashed into each other.
He toppled backwards slowly and I heard a snapping sound originate from his back. I rotated around my own axle a few times to get momentum before I planted a decent kick in his stomach, which sent him flying.
I also sent a few tiny blasts in after him. They made small explosions as soon as they connected with his body.
I flew back to Piccolo, almost certain that Dabura would escape after that humiliating attack.
"You over-powered the Demon King." Piccolo observed in a bored tone when I found him sitting cross-legged in the shade of one of the tall canyons.
I smiled at him. "Well, I had an excellent first teacher." I directed to him.
He smiled proudly. "I would have never imagined you becoming so powerful, Gohan." He said in a sincere tone, standing up. He chuckled, as if remembering something. "Ironic that the son of my sworn enemy made me soft."
I smiled at the memory of our first training session. "Funny how life works out."
He returned the gesture. "Yeah, funny." He repeated, but his relaxed expression turned worried. "Why do you seem fine; freaking metal is sticking out of your legs?!" He asked puzzled. "We should really get you to Dende."
I directed my gaze down, flinching as I saw the bloody mess that was my body. I actually forgot that I was in pain, it was like they were part of my body; mind over matter I suppose, but as soon as Piccolo mentioned my injuries, the pain hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Thanks for pointing that out." I breathed, a little out of breath. "Let me just finish this up." I said, eyeing the demon, who sat on a nearby cliff, intently. Smoke rose from certain places of his body and his outfit was deemed beyond repair.
"Are you hens done clucking?" He asked whimsically.
"Are you done making a fool of yourself?" I mocked.
His playful expression twisted into a scowl and I saw him take in a deep breath. His cheeks puffed and he leaned back, bracing himself to perform a technique I knew all too well. I grabbed Piccolo by his cape and pushed him behind me.
I spun around and my eyes widened when I saw a burst of spit balls flying angrily towards me, more than I had expected.
I jumped up towards the stone-turning beams. I stopped mid-air and flared my ki, making a large white aura burn around my body. The beams neutralized as soon as they came in contact with my energy.
"No one leaves the King of Demon's presence without being scathed." He spat.
I rolled my eyes and formed a ki-ball in my hand. "There is a first time for everything." I retorted and threw the blast toward him. He dodged, but the impact was still strong enough to sweep him away.
I sped down to the demon creature and pinned him down with my foot on his neck. As I increased the pressure on his nape, I was the one who screamed out in pain instead of him. I sank down to the ground besides Dabura.
My fingers inched down my leg, flinching when I felt a warm thick liquid pulse out of my throbbing thighs. I momentarily considered yanking the dreadful metal out of my limbs, but I knew that would hold more dire consequences and I really wasn't in the mood to bleed to death.
"Gohan!" Piccolo was next to my body in a second, fulfilling his role as my guardian angel actively. His hands searched my body, cringing every time his hand placed pressure on one of my bruises.
I flinched when Piccolo was suddenly flying through the air, away from me.
Dabura chuckled as he placed his foot on my abdomen. "So the little boy has a little boo-boo." He mocked in a childish voice and increased the pressure on my stomach. I growled, my already bruised ribs didn't react too well to Dabura's feet of strength.
Piccolo's pure aura, distinctively holding two other ki's namely Kami and Nail, skyrocketed from nothing to unbelievable as he released his energy. The sand around him dispersed and I could clearly see him in the landscape, a bright white flame burning wildly around his muscular green body.
He flashed faster than the speed of light to the stunned red demon, taking a ball of his blue gi into his fist before yanking him away from me. Dabura helplessly tumbled through the air, but caught himself on all fours before he could fall.
The King of Demons stared at Piccolo for a few prolonged seconds before he pounced. I saw him dig his nails into Piccolo's arms as he tackled him to the ground. Piccolo went with the motion, not holding any other defence than holding on to Dabura by his shoulders. They were skidding on the hot sand now, Dabura on top of Piccolo, but Piccolo quickly retaliated by shifting his weight to his back and extending his arms. He unclenched his fists over Dabura's shoulders and the demon was sent flying into one of the canyons while Piccolo skidded to a stop.
He quickly rose to his feet and jumped up into the sky. He cupped his left hand over his right hand, forming an 'X'. He searched for his opponent and started to charge a beam in his palm, but he wasn't prepared when Dabura appeared behind him too suddenly, kicking him through his face and then his back, sending him flying down towards earth without the possibility of stopping.
I flinched at the cracking sound the earth's surface made as Piccolo dug through it with his body, head first. Small tremors were sent through the surface and smoke rose from the spot he crashed.
I gritted my teeth when I saw the dreaded demon hover over me like a tall skyscraper. He smiled down at me, exposing his ravenous fangs dripping with his venomous spit.
His foot came crashing down on my chest once more. I gasped and let the pain take over, feeling too weak to hold any form of defence. I was vaguely aware of my name being called, but its owner was left lost in the wind.
A sharp cry rang to my ears before the demon was abruptly pushed away from me, opening the airway to my lungs again. He flew with a wild speed into one of the canyons over three hundred metres away. I flew up straight, coughing as oxygen flowed freely into my body again.
Gentle hands nestled themselves under my arms and effortlessly lifted me up. I felt the hands search my back before he firmly yet gently planted his warm palm on the small of my back, using it as support to lift me up. He swung my legs up and caught them effortlessly in his free arm.
I could feel him flinch under his grasp and he inhaled sharply.
"You look like a walking corpse, man." He breathed.
"Thanks. Tell me something I don't know." I replied through clenched teeth.
"The bruises all over your body are quite a delectable shade of purple. What brand is that?" He made small-talk, probably trying to get my mind off the pain.
"Torture."
"Nice. Gotta try that some time."
"Do I honestly look that bad?"
He pouted. "I will let the rusty pieces of metal embedded into your legs answer that for me." He sighed heavily. "Bro, what did they do to you?" He asked in a heavy voice.
I mustered all my strength to form a small smile on my lips. "Nothing I can't handle." I reassured weakly.
He swiftly jumped with me in his arms forward. I could tell by his careful movements that he was trying his best to be gentle, not to cause me any more pain. A shadow fell over my body and I looked up to see mister Piccolo towering over me.
"How quickly can you take him to your healer?" Reynard asked with severity in his voice.
Piccolo frowned. "The lookout is quite far from here; it will take me more than two hours to get over there with full speed."
Reynard breathed an unrepeatable word under his breath. "How long will you be able to keep Dabura off?" Reynard asked another question.
Piccolo shrugged. "I can take him." He said surely. "He just got a lucky shot in earlier."
Reynard chuckled. "Good luck with that; I will be back as soon as I can."
Piccolo grunted and tossed his turban and cape to the ground. "Take your time." He said arrogantly.
Rey looked up at the sky with a smile on his face. "Don't worry, backup is coming." He said with a broad smile before teleporting to the lookout.
"Little healer!" Reynard yelled. "Little healer?"
I sensed Dende's ki in the throne room, as soon as he heard his name being called he rushed outside. He darted over when he noticed me in Reynard's arms. Rey sped forward and we met each other half way, in the middle of the pathway decorated with flowers and palm trees on each side.
Rey gently put me on the cold tiled floor. I shivered when the coldness met with my fevered backside.
The young guardian knelt beside me and instantly pressed his hands all over my body, trying to locate all my wounds. Dende seemed startled and dazed by the intensity of my wounds. I don't believe he has seen gashes this bad since the Cell Games. He cringed and cried out when his eyes ran over my legs.
"He is pretty messed up." Rey commented, looking down at me with a worried expression on his face.
Dende nodded in thought and pressed his cool hands on my abdomen.
"Wait!" Reynard yelled before Dende started to heal me.
"Won't that become part of his body if you heal him with it still in his system?" He asked curiously, pointing to my thighs.
Dende looked baffled. "Uh..." His voice trailed off uncertainly.
Rey patted his left foot impatiently on the floor. "I'm not going to risk that." He finally said after a few seconds, shooting a quick look at the pained expression on my face. "No offence, but I don't think the human coat-hanger slash key-chain holder will suit you."
Reynard knelt down next to me. He smiled reassuringly at me and gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. "Bro..." He started slowly, his eyes looking right into mine. "This is going to hurt." He said softly, but loud enough for me to hear. "Very, very, very, very much..." His voice trailed off. "The metal seemed to have scurried far back in your leg, almost piercing through the other side." His expression looked pained as well. "I'm going to have to break your bones to get them out."
I cringed when I pictured what that pain would feel like.
"I'm not going to ask for your permission." He said sternly when I stayed silent, not a fan of the pain.
I nodded. I have been put through so much agony already today, so much that this will probably pale in comparison... Right?
He returned the nod and shifted in one movement over to my legs. I let out a pained gasp when he bound his fingers, even though very gently, around the rusted poles. It sent tremors through my entire body, making me feel weak, numb and even nauseated.
He let go of it as soon as he noticed it gave me more pain. "Don't you have an anaesthetic or something?" He directed to Dende.
"Just do it!" I snapped, my volume and tone harsher than what I intended it to be. "Piccolo isn't strong enough to hold Dabura off for much longer." I sat up straight, grinding on my teeth when waves of pain shot through my whole lower body. "Go, I will do it myself."
Rey slapped my hands away. "One wrong jolt and you lose use of your legs."
"Dende can heal me." I sneered through my teeth, the pain starting to get unbearable.
"Not paralysis, not even Willow can heal that." He argued.
"You are not a doctor."
"I am the closest thing you have to one." He said angrily and punched me in the nose, making me fall back, my hands instinctively flying to my face. Before I could assault him verbally or ask him why he just attacked me, a searing pain shot through my legs. I let out an involuntary scream, my back writhing upward as the pain spread to my right leg too.
"Dende." It was the first time I ever heard Rey address the Namekian by him name. "Heal him before he bleeds out." His voice was in a state of panic as he put some pressure on the circular gashes in my thighs, probably oozing blood by the litres out of the gash.
Rey was usually squeamish around blood, so I was surprised that his composure was calm. He was probably keeping himself calm and collected for my part.
"Piccolo..." I breathed through the pain, afraid that he was hurt.
Rey shot me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Gomih is there. They are kicking Dabura's butt." He sounded proud.
I laid back and relished in the feeling of my bones and flesh being restored to normal. It took Dende quite a while to finish healing me.
"All done." He said chirpily.
I sat up straight with a smile on my face. I jumped up in one swift movement and stretched the lingering soreness of my muscles away. I examined my body, the only proof that I was hurt in the first place was showed by the numerous new scars over my body.
"Thanks Dende, I am even in a better shape than I was in before!" I gushed.
He blushed. "Gosh; I guess you have your Saiyan DNA to thank for that."
I threw my arms around him, he was approximately my height. "Or thanks to the hands of the epicest guardian earth has ever seen."
He chuckled. "Or that." He said when he pulled away. He frowned at me. "Gohan, is that really the King of Demons I sense down there?" He asked in a somber tone.
I nodded. "But that is the least of our worries." I said softly before I teleported with Rey back to the desert we left Piccolo and was pleased to see that my tall green friend was unscathed.
He and my sister were dominating the battlefield, punching and kicking their way into Dabura's bruised body. The two of them were extremely powerful, and swift like a fox; I remember the Demon King's power being close to that of mine at the Cell Games. Together they reached that level of power.
I floated down to the ground, but not to the fight. I located Babidi inside the little crevice in the canyon, looking through a thick purple-covered book.
"I have helped you, now get out of my presence." He said in his raspy voice.
"Yes, and I have done you a giant favour too." I aired with venom in my voice. "Call your minion off or we will kill him." I said slowly, he turned around, seeing in my eyes that I wasn't kidding.
"And what makes you think you are strong enough?" He challenged with a raised eyebrow, his twig-like arms crossed over his small chest.
"As you said before, you are a strong and smart wizard. Smart enough to know not to mess with me." My sentence was coated with threat.
He shrugged. "Fair enough, you will kill Dabura in a heartbeat, of that I am sure, but he has me on his side and I will not allow it."
As to prove his point he made me lose the feeling of my legs. "If you kill me you will have no defence against Vaughan." My voice was cold. "We share a common enemy, therefore a common goal too." I stared him down with my hard brown eyes. "We share the desire to kill him, and I know for a fact that you can't do that alone."
"You will help me?" He asked baffled and rewarded me the feeling of my limbs back.
"No." I stated simply. "This is not an alliance or a partnership." I confirmed. "You did me a favour and I will return it, but just remember that I will go to extreme lengths to protect my family and my fellow earthlings; if you just try to harm them I will destroy you." My eyes narrowed. "This is your first and only warning." I sneered, remembering what he was capable of.
"Don't expect me to work with you." He shot back.
"I would prefer it if you didn't." I made it clear.
He nodded and waved a hand to the entrance of the cave, signalling me to leave. "Dabura!" He called and his red minion, batted and bruised, instantly arrived at the call.
"You summoned me." He panted.
"You will not harm this boy or anyone connected to him." He stated clearly and turned his gaze to me. "For now..."
"But sire..." He began pointing to the outside, but Babidi's icy glare silenced him. "As you wish."
I walked out of the opening but stopped before I was completely out. "Oh, and don't even think about resurrecting Buu." I shot over my shoulder, amused by the look of stunned surprise on their expression.
I flew over to the spot I saw Piccolo, Gomih and Reynard gathered. "Are you guys alright?" I asked, examining their bodies with my eyes.
"We want answers." Piccolo directed to me with his arms crossed over his chest.
"About?"
The Namekian grunted. "About what just freaking happened!" He yelled. "Why did you make a deal with that wizard and how did you get so mangled up in the first place?!"
I sighed. "Piccolo, I know you must be confused, but I have to get back to school. I plan on summoning all the Z-fighters later today... I will explain everything then."
"No, you will tell me now." He stated.
"In short, earth is in danger."
"Does this have anything to do with that Raphael you told me about?" He fished.
I nodded. "Among others..." I stared into his green eyes. "Look for my signal this afternoon. We have much to discuss."
He growled in annoyance. "That is probably all I am going to get out of you now." He said in irritation and blasted up into the sky, heading for the lookout. "That better be a hell of an explanation!" He yelled over his shoulder before he disappeared into the horizon.
I smiled at my sister and best friend. "They are probably wondering where the three of us are."
Rey frowned at me. "You got mutilated two hours ago and you want to go back to that horrid place?" He nearly shouted.
I nodded. "I am starting to raise quite a suspicion being absent all the time."
I stayed back when they walked in a steady pace forward, making ready to teleport. "Aren't you coming?" Gomih asked with a frown.
"I'll be there in a minute." I said as a dismissal before I teleported back to the region I was tortured in. I smiled when I found the blue shirt and black jeans I wore today lay in a heap on the floor. Yay, now I don't have to go home for a change of clothes.
I quickly pulled the shirt over my head and the pair of pants up my healed legs before I walked into the freezer I was held captive in. I flinched as I saw the pool of blood on the overly white floor under the spot where I was hanging earlier. Wow, I lost a lot of blood... I thought in disdain, surprised that I managed to keep conscious for such a long period of time with all that blood out of my system.
I cringed when I saw the innocent girl with the auburn hair lay near the other side of the room, her body motionless and limp.
The feeling of guilt spread through my body when an image of what a brilliant future she had bestowed for her got yanked away untimely, by my hands. I sighed deeply. "It is done." I said slowly to myself, my voice sounding hollow as projected in the cold room.
What is done cannot be undone... The line Lady Macbeth used after her husband killed King Duncan to ease his guilt, played around in my skull repeatedly.
I sank down next to her, stroking the clam locks away from her eyes. Something shifted inside my body; she looked so peaceful, as if she were merely in a deep slumber, instead of... of...
Dead...
I wish I could restore her life, but I knew for a fact that everybody will be against me using the Dragonballs just to resurrect one person, a person who is mediocre in their minds.
I briefly thought of trading my life for hers, like I have read the Kai's done so many times in the history books Magisterial forced down my throat, but quickly dismissed it. Not after all the trouble Magisterial and the others, especially Reynard, had done to keep me away from death's lingering fingers. It would be a harsh slap in their faces if I traded my life, and I don't think I can put my family through that again.
My only consolation was that she was away from earth, away from all its violence and corruption. There was no doubt in my mind that she wasn't in heaven, such a sweet girl wouldn't find home anywhere else.
I scooped her up in my hands, careful to avoid the blood on her neck from where I killed her and flew with her out of the building. Her soft flowery dress waved softly in the brisk wind. I found a lovely serene spot a few miles away.
A meadow concealed secretively on the near top of a hill in the adjacent desert. Waterfall, trees, colourful flowers, sparkling ponds and other greeneries all decorated the small area, giving it a majestic, almost magical feeling.
I created a hole with my ki at the foot of a giant oak tree and gently placed her in it. I floated back up and used my ki again to fill the hole with dirt. I patted the moist ground to secure their position. I found a pretty daisy next to one of the ponds and placed it on the top of the grave. I was glad her parents have already passed on; less people to explain this too and maybe she will even meet them up there.
"I hope you can forgive me." I whispered to the filled grave.
I looked up at the sky. Take care of her. I hoped the link between sensei and student was still intact, desperate for Magisterial to hear my words.
I propped myself from the ground, using my arms as leverage. I jumped into the sky and flew up until I was between the clouds. I allowed myself one look back before I teleported back to school.
(Erasa's POV)
Erasa Son... I doodled the name in every mentionable font and colour all over my notepad. I sighed and rested my head on my hands. Our children will be smart and beautiful...
Hmm, our wedding day will be simple but gorgeous, the talk of the town for at least half a decade. Our wedding will be the event all other weddings are going to be compared too...
I will be dressed in a glorious white dress, princess style of course, and Gohan will wear a simple black and white tux with a tie, not a bow. I shivered out of disgust. Definitely not a bow...
Sigh... He will look over his shoulder dreamily with a brilliant smile on those perfect kissable lips when his eyes fall on me next to Daddy walking me down the aisle. He will reach for my hand and I will eagerly take it. He will give it a little squeeze and mutter 'I love you' only for my ears to hear. I will smile and pull him in for a kiss, despite not yet being given permission to kiss the groom...
I was shot out of my sweet daydream when I felt someone tap my shoulder repeatedly.
"What?!" I yelled, slamming my fists onto my desk, making my pencil case fall to the ground, my belongings scattering all around the floor.
"Are you with us Erasa?" My eyes met with the intriguing eyes of Mister Granger.
My eyes widened when I realized that I just yelled at a teacher. I smiled nervously. "I am so sorry sir." I apologized. I got to my knees and started to collect my stationary from the ground. I frowned when I didn't see any pair of feet under the desks in front of mine.
I stood up and noticed that the class was empty. "Uh, excuse me sir?" I tried to get the attention of our math teacher busy grading some papers.
He pointed a finger to the door without looking up from his desk. "The principal announced that a guest speaker is visiting the school today; everybody is at the assembly hall."
I threw my book and pencil case roughly into my satchel and stormed out of the class. "Thanks sir!" I yelled over my shoulder before I exited the class.
I trudged slowly down the hall, seeing that most of the children haven't even entered the assembly yet. My hand clutched loosely over the strand of my purple and silver Foxy satchel. I caught a reflection of myself in one of the tall windows. I couldn't help but smile. My outfit is simply gorge today, even if I have to say so myself.
The tight fitting neon blue spaghetti-top made my eyes pop and the washed-out riffled denim skirt I paired it with, gave the illusion that my hips were bigger. My legs go on forever under the black tights and the soft black heels gave me the much needed length to my petite frame.
I froze when I saw a colourfully decorated poster pinned to the announcement board. Could it be? I ran over to the wall and shrieked out of delight when I read the title. Autumn moon dance... The social event of the term, AKA, the perfect excuse to get closer to Gohan...
I hopped gracefully up the four steps to the entryway of the assembly hall. My senses were assaulted with the humid stench in the air from all the breaths in the enclosed area. I crinkled my nose and held my head up high as I walked over to the seats.
I easily spotted my two best friends and found an open spot next to Sharpner; Videl sat on his other side.
"We wanted to get you, but Granger told us to leave you." Sharpner explained with apologetic eyes.
"It's okay." I smiled at him. "I had the privilege to learn the feeling when a teacher invades your personal space." I joked with a giggle.
Sharpner chuckled. "Is it as terrifying as everybody says?" He asked, genuinely curious.
I covered my mouth with my hand, preventing my ghastly laugh from escaping. "More." I stated dramatically. "And I am pretty sure he wears male make-up." I spilled.
Sharpner's eyes widened slightly. "Seriously?"
I nodded. "His whole face reeked of foundation!"
He frowned. "Makeup has a smell?"
I rolled my eyes. "Of course it does, silly!" I playfully punched his shoulder and pointed to my cheek. "Smell."
I turned my head to the side and leaned in closer; he mimicked the motion and took a light sniff before he pulled back.
"It smells nice." He concluded a little dazed.
I giggled. "On me it does!" I exclaimed. "But imagine that smell mixed with whiskey and diapers."
He made a disgusted face. "Ew." I breathed. "I don't even want to know where the diaper smell comes from since he's childless!"
The principal walked onto the stage with long certain strides. Her smart polished navy shoes made soft tapping sounds with each movement she made.
I chuckled at his dramatic tone. "Neither do I..." My voice trailed off.
She stepped onto the simple podium he reserved for her speeches and tapped on the microphone. My hands instinctively flew to cover my ears when the microphone let out and unearthly high-pitched screech.
"Every. Freaking. Time." Videl muttered annoyed.
"Good morning children." She said friendly and the whole school greeted her simultaneously with a: good morning principal Ivy.
She nodded in approval. "Today we have a special guest speaker with us today." She announced. "Her name is Mandy Bennit from Hercule City's social centre." Mrs. Ivy started to applaud when a tall woman with long straight black hair walked onto the stage, everyone else soon followed. I admired her bright pink sundress which she paired off with white heels and a white belt over her thin middle. She wore no jewellery except for a petite silver watch and her makeup was kept simple too.
Some guys expressed their admiration for the young woman, looking no older than twenty-five, by whistling.
"She's hot." Sharpner whispered next to me, making me role my eyes.
"Hey there." She greeted enthusiastically and turned her head to the principal. "Thank you Ivy for giving me the opportunity to visit your fine school." Her head turned to us again. "By a raise of hands, how many of you are sexually active?"
I groaned and leaned sank down into my seat. Seriously, of all the things to talk about...
Most of the kids stayed quiet but a few arrogant boys in higher grades raised their hands.
She nodded and clamped her hands together as she walked to the centre of the stage. "Well..."
"All of us have already had the birds and the bees talk!" A girl in one of the front rows interrupted.
"Not me!" An immature boy yelled. "I know nothing about this particular subject." A lot of the kids around him burst into laughter. "Please teach me miss."
The speaker chuckled. "Very funny, but I am sure all of you have had some form of the talk; whether coming from your parents, friends, the internet..." She hesitated as she eyed us. "Personal experience..."
Some of the boys made acknowledging fists in the air.
"At your age, you're going to have a lot of urges, especially if you are in a relationship." She continued. "You're going to want to take off your clothes, and touch each other. But if you do touch each other, you will get Chlamydia and die." Her words clung to the air like a bad piece of cheese.
The wooden door creaked open in the back of the room. Everyone in the back seats, including me, turned their head in the direction of the sound of sleek footsteps. The limited light only made it possible for me to identify that he was a boy, but his face stayed concealed in a shadow, but as soon as a ray of sunlight, escaping from an open strand in the blinds, lighted up the persons behind, I knew exactly who it was.
Curvy and firm; one could see by the way the fabric of his jeans hugged his buttocks, that lots of hours of training and exercise has contributed to its perfectness. Not a pancake butt and also not a large one, meaning that he could jump and when he hits the ground there will be no excessive jiggling.
Gohan; nobody else has an ass like that.
I stood up, waving for the boy searching for a seat while ignoring the stares random students shot me. I suppressed a sigh as the boy spotted me. I smiled, it reminded me so much of our first encounter when he was new in school.
He pushed by our other classmates who sat in the same row as me, muttering apologies and excuse me's as he accidently bumped into a few of them. He finally fell down in the chair next to me, seeming a little out of breath.
I noticed that his black hair was ruffled more wildly than usual, but the style suited him, making his heart-shaped face look taller. His set of brows was solemn as he stared out blankly in front of him, looking as if he were lost in his mind, not seeing anything.
He was handsome, dark hair falling across his light-skinned face, and vibrant, curious-coloured eyes flashed through the haphazard strands. His jaw was firm but slightly babyish, and his nose petite and pointed but slightly crooked, like it had been broken a few times and left to its imperfections. There was an odd lightness about his eyes, though, and a small curve to his lips, as if there were something terribly funny only he knew the answer to, and it was that brief, wicked glance I caught that said maybe he hadn't broken it, but he knew what it looked like. And I liked that. The hint of danger, made him seem more like something he wasn't.
That was just it; what I found so appealing about the boy sitting next to me. He wasn't the blindingly beautiful hero authors always used as the lead roles in their novels. He was handsome, boyishly handsome: the trait that placed him far above all the other boys who was more attractive than him.
"Hey, what did I miss?" My heart skipped a beat at his boyish grin. I sighed internally. My eyes bored into his; a pair of eyes, the colour that could make the richest dark Belgium chocolate look like a helping of poop.
I smiled my most charming smile. "Not much, school has been a drag today." I answered truthfully at the uneventful morning.
He nodded at my explanation, seeming relieved. "And this?" He pointed to the speaker at the front.
Right on queue Mandy Bennit continued her speech. "Don't have sex, because you will get pregnant and die! Don't have sex in the missionary position, don't have sex standing up, just don't do it, OK, at least not until you are married, promise?"
"Oh." He said slowly and leaned back in his seat, staring in front of him indifferently.
I shrugged. "I guess the school thought it was about time that we lose our innocence."
He chuckled. "I feel violated." He said dramatically, making me giggle.
"You've got a little something..." My voice trailed off as my hand reached out for his face. I rubbed the spot on his jaw I saw a little dark stain, making him stiffen. Maybe chocolate? I speculated but frowned when I felt the dry, almost chalk-like texture on my index finger.
"Thanks."
I looked at the red consistency on my index finger. My eyes widened. Blood...
"I ate a jelly doughnut." He whispered to me. "I always eat with my whole face."
I chuckled; it was a more relieved sound than one caused by humour.
"Nerd, you are back." Sharpner noticed when he saw my attention wasn't at the speech.
"Yeah..." Gohan answered curtly.
"You should pay attention, I am sure that you will learn something." He teased.
He chuckled. "I think I got it." He said slowly. "If I ever try to reproduce I am going to die."
Sharpner laughed. "Unless you are married." He mimicked Mandy's voice almost perfectly.
Videl's head popped out from Sharpner's side with a deep frown on her brow. "Where have you been?" She asked angrily.
Gohan pointed to his mouth. "I had an appointment at the dentist."
"What dentist?" She asked suspiciously.
"I believe his name is Mike; a dancing tooth is painted on the wall of his office." He tried to explain.
"Why did you go?" She continued interrogating him.
"To fill a cavity."
"What time was your appointment?"
"At nine."
"Ha!" She exclaimed, pointing to her watch. "It's eleven; a filling doesn't take two hours." She sounded smug.
He frowned. "My appointment had to be moved because the dentist had to schedule an emergency jaw surgery on a six-year-old."
Videl's face fell. "Whatever, I still had to do that stupid biology activity alone." She hissed through her teeth.
Gohan smiled apologetically. "I will review it later."
Videl's frown deepened. "Are you saying I didn't do it right?" She accused, a hinge of offence clinging to her voice.
He sighed softly. "No, I didn't say it. It is a team project, so I will be happy to do my share."
"I already did it." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Never mind then." He spat.
"You there, quiet!" One of the prefects shushed us. We were doomed to listen to another half hour of tortured talk about the interspecies cha-cha which, to make things even more awkward, included pictures...
As we walked out of the hall, slowly making our way toward the only exit at the back of the building, I hooked my arm in with Gohan's. He looked surprised by the motion but didn't break the contact.
"Have you ever endured a torture worse than that?" I exclaimed with my hands flying around my body.
He laughed a deep laugh. "I don't think I have."
We moved through the door together and I felt so flattered when he lead me out the door first, shielding me from the masses trying to shove past us.
"I can't believe she talked through our entire break." I complained, rubbing my stomach.
"I am sure a lot of those other guys didn't mind." He joked. "You hungry?" He asked, holding a energy bar my way.
I wanted to be polite and say no, but my rumbling stomach gave me away.
He chuckled, such a natural sound. He tore the wrapping of the bar off and broke it in half, giving one of it to me. "At least take half." He offered.
I smiled and took the bar out of his hand, grazing some of his fingers with mine on purpose. Lightning...
I finished my half in three small bites as where he gobbled it up in one chomp.
I pointed to the glittery poster on the bulletin board as we walked by it. "Do you have a date for the dance?" I asked in my most charming voice. Batting my eyelashes and biting my lower lip.
He blinked a few times. "Dance?" He asked.
I frowned. "Uhm, hello, the Autumn Moon Dance." I exclaimed with big eyes. "It's two weeks from now." I filled him in.
"Oh, never heard of it."
I trailed my finger down his upper arm, surprised to feel some major toning. He must work out a lot, I admired. "So, since you don't even know about it, you don't have a date." I fished.
He chuckled. "I suppose I don't."
"Me neither." I said chirpily.
His lips twitched up in a crooked smile. "You sound happy about that." He observed, stopping at his locker to get his history book. Thankfully I had mine already in my bag.
"Yeah, because it means we can go together."
He smiled softly, as if amused. Yay, I must look cute. "Uh, yeah sure, sounds like fun." He answered. "What does one wear to such an occasion?" He asked casually.
I playfully punched his chest. Hmmm, more tonnage... "You're so funny." I gushed and walked over to the double desk Videl and I shared in the middle of the class.
"Guess what?" I squealed.
"You asked Gohan to the dance and he said yes?" She guessed.
I laughed. "It is freaky how well you know me."
She shrugged with a smile on her face. "Eight years is a long time."
I smiled. "It is." I agreed and took her hands in mine. "Now it's your turn." I said deviously.
She groaned. "Please don't."
I snickered. "Oh yes; we are going to snag you the Gold Fighter!"
"I don't even know his name." She argued.
I rolled my eyes. "That's no reason not to ask him; I bet he looks smoking in a tux."
She moaned. "I am sure he already has a date."
I slapped her on her shoulder. "You are going to ask him!" I ordered.
"Stopped being a weenie, Videl." Sharpner, who sat in front of us, chimed in. "You have faced a lot worse on the battlefield, don't wimp out in actual life."
She scoffed angrily. "It's not like you have a date."
He smiled smugly. "I do actually." He winked at Videl. "I am sorry to break it to you sister, but you are the only dateless one between the three of us.
"Who?" Videl fished with an annoyed tone.
"Angela." He answered. "She cornered me earlier and attacked when I rejected her. She is kinda hot, so I thought what the heck!"
"You are a pig." Videl retorted in a disgusted tone.
He shrugged and turned his attention to the lecture again.
My eyes widened. "We forgot to scan the school for him!" I realized. "That graphic Mandy had to steal our break!"
She chuckled. "Don't worry, E, I already thought about a plan B." Her voice trailed off mysteriously.
"Yes?"
"I used my status to get the password to the school's files." She smiled. "I told them I had to brush through suspects for a burglary, fitting the description of a teenager."
I high-fived her. "Nice!" I exclaimed. Being the daughter of a hero certainly has it perks.
"I know, right?" She gushed bashfully. "So I was thinking we get a few snacks and stuff and scan through the files after school at my house. Maybe a sleepover?" She suggested.
"Totally!" I agreed enthusiastically.
"Can I come?" Sharpner interrupted.
"Yeah sure; I think you will enjoy looking through pictures of cute guys." Videl joked.
A disgusted expression paused on his features. "Count me out." He said slowly. "I have to wash my hair tonight."
"Girls, I am trying to give a class here." The teacher directed to us. "If you keep disrupting the class like this I will have no choice but to move you."
We nodded in unison. "It won't happen again miss." Videl apologized for the both of us.
I smiled broadly. "This is going to be so much fun!" I whispered excitedly.
(Gohan's POV)
The rest of the school day was uneventful and passed by very slowly. I was very antsy to get out when the final bell rang. I waited for Reynard and Gomih to meet me in the quiet section of the park where we usually get together before we teleported back home.
I used instantaneous movement to teleport us to the lookout, where Piccolo was already waiting. "Everyone is already on their way." He informed me. "They will be here shortly."
I nodded, remembering feeling my former sensei emit the signal we initiated a few years back when the androids struck as the call to get everyone together.
Krillin and Eighteen were first to arrive after my dad and Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu soon followed. Trunks and Vegeta were last to arrive.
"This better be good Namek." Vegeta started.
"Actually, it is Gohan who initiated the meeting." Piccolo corrected.
Dad frowned. "What is going on Gohan?"
I walked into the centre of the little circle we stood in. "You better dust off your training gear guys; earth is in for a hell of a ride..."
...
Training time! Damn, they are going to have to train day and night to prepare for what's coming! *suspenseful voice* But will it be enough?
Hahaha, anyway, until next time!
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