Chapter 36
The mysterious being apparently hadn't just only visited the Sons, but the others as well. They had all felt like they were being watched at one point or another but many shrugged it off as paranoia since they couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary. Roshi, Vegeta, and Piccolo, however, did not. Both their martial instincts and personal experience with such cases told them that they were being spied on. The three attempted to trick their watcher into revealing himself, using just about every idea that popped into their heads. None of them succeeded. Either way it was unnerving all around. Goku did his best to assure everyone that just because they were being watched didn't necessarily mean anything bad was going to happen. No one believed him, especially with their history of getting blindsided so often in similarly random fashions. There was little choice other than stay alert and be ready for anything…
But apparently no one told Chi-Chi that, ill-advised or no. She was insistent that Gohan needed some new clothes for his date with Videl despite the fact that they were just going to see a movie. First impressions were important, especially on a date. He, for his part, did his best to talk her out of it. Shop itself wasn't all that bad. It was shopping with his mother that made him cringe inwardly. His mother had the tendency to pick out clothes that he would personally rather not be caught dead in. In a way Chi-Chi was still trying to dress him, only now he didn't need to hide his gi from her, even though he was fifteen. But this was another one of those instances where Gohan had no say. They were going shopping and that was that. Goku and Goten somehow wormed their ways out of the excursion, much to Gohan's dismay. He was on his own. On Chi-Chi's insistence, they went to the famous, luxurious, and expensive Satan City mall. It helped that it was also the closest. He spent an hour in the hovercar alone with his mother going on about clothes, what was proper, and what wasn't. He loved his mother, he really did, but he just hated it when she got like this. It was like he was five years-old again. She didn't take no for an answer and refused to compromise. Mother knew best and all that rot. Luckily, the mall wasn't so busy with it being Friday and many were putting their noses to the grindstone at work.
The mall was huge and took up an entire city block by itself. Packs of bored roving teens, housewives, and rambunctious children meandered all over the complex. Not the type of people who'd notice if a prince and his royal mother were walking in their midst if they even paid attention to what was around them. A myriad of smells wafting from the vast selection of food vendors and restaurants fought with the heady scents of perfume and lotion that seeped from the boutiques that dotted the mall. Gohan was dragged into a store. Chi-Chi scoured the racks, piling clothing into her son's arms, and ushered him into the dressing rooms. He reluctantly tried on one outfit and stepped out for his mother's appraisal. Once in a while she would ask him to pair certain items together or to even retry a certain shirt or pants. Nothing satisfied her and she dragged him off to another store where the whole process started over again. At once point she tried to get him to put on some silly red pants and a black vest over a shirt that had too long sleeves, insisting that it would make him look smart. He insisted that it would make him look like a nerd and absolutely refused to try it on. She was rather displeased with him but quickly forgot about it all as she was distracted by the other outfits he put on in it's wake. While Chi-Chi seemed to be enjoying herself immensely, Gohan couldn't have been more bored. He just couldn't see how any of this could be fun. But everywhere he looked were people smiling and laughing as they aimlessly drifted from one store to the next, sometimes without even buying anything. If they found this fun, he hated to see what they found boring.
"Oh, Gohan! It's perfect!" Gohan looked in the mirror in the dressing room and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It was a simple pair of tan slacks and a plain white dress shirt. He had a similar outfit at home. What made this one so different from the one he already had? But he knew better than to ask his mother such a question. So long as it was comfortable and not too ridiculous, he'd go for it. Well, at least they were finished…"Wait right here while I go pick out a different color!"
"What?" the teen exclaimed before he could stop himself.
"You need more nice clothes like that!" his mother replied happily. "For future dates!" She vanished amongst the racks once more before he could stop her. Just what made her think that this just wasn't a one time thing? But he kept his mouth shut. Chi-Chi was in a rare mood and he wasn't about to be the one who spoiled it. Kami help the poor bastard who did. They finally left the store some ten minutes later with Gohan carrying a couple large bags full of clothes.
"Are we done?" he asked. She opened her mouth to reply but stopped in her tacks and gasped. He followed her gaze to a shoe store that had brightly colored banners posted in the oversized windows. Damn.
"A sale! Perfect! We can get you some nice shoes to match your new clothes!" Chi-Chi hurried inside. Gohan sighed and began to reluctantly follow when he felt a flicker of unfamiliar ki brush across his senses. He turned and saw a tall man with gelled platinum hair wearing sweats and a sleeveless shirt that put his sculpted muscles on display. The Saiyan would've marked him off as another fitness freak but there was a certain aggressiveness about him that was a out of place in such a happy and laidback atmosphere. A stiff breeze from an opening door caused the light bangs to shift just enough for the teen to glimpse the disturbingly familiar tattoo on his forehead. An M, just like the strange attacker that terrorized Papaya Island. Those hard grey eyes stared at Gohan, unwavering. A group of gossiping girls out on a shopping spree passed between them. When the giggling flock passed, the guy was gone. The unfamiliar ki also disappeared just as quickly and abruptly. An uneasy feeling made the teen's stomach turn. "Gohan, hurry up!" his mother called out. "They have genuine leather loafers!" He obeyed but kept a sharp eye out…just in case.
xXx
Gohan couldn't understand why his mother was making such a big deal over his movie date with Videl. Bulma explained, after she stopped giggling at his so very teen-like complaining, that it marked a special occasion for her. Her baby was growing up. While the others had teased him over it but let up after the second day, having gotten bored with it, his mother did not. In fact, she got worse if anything. Chi-Chi argued with him about cutting his hair or at least using a little hair gel to make it neater. He flat-out refused. He didn't trust her with his hair. Not after that gaudy bowl cut that she had forced onto him as a child. Krillin had teased him about it for a solid week. Thankfully, she gave up after seeing that he wasn't about to give in to that particular request. She practically vibrated with excitement when Saturday rolled around, alternating between delighted squeals and tears of joy. It was a little disconcerting for the men of the household. Goku did his best to calm her down while Gohan and Goten stayed well out of the way. That evening, Chi-Chi washed his new clothes and ironed them before shining his new shoes despite the fact that they were right out of the box and therefore didn't have the slighted scratch or scuff on them. Everything had to be perfect, in her opinion, for her eldest son's first date. When he came down stairs dressed for his night out, she burst into hysterics and clung to him as though he was just going to vanish into thin air. Gohan stood there uncomfortably and patted her back awkwardly. Goten stared at his mother with those big eyes, confused as to why she was acting so strangely. His father managed to pull her off him, winking at his son over his wife's shoulder, and the teen left before she could latch onto him again.
It was a cool night which hinted at the approaching autumnal season. Strong winds raced in the upper atmosphere unhindered by trees or mountains or houses. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to obscure the starry heavens above. A sliver of a moon hung almost forgotten over the dark earth. Bats swarmed in the darkness to hunt for insects. Wolves howled forlornly as if heralding his passing. An owl, as pale as the thin moon, joined him in flight for a few moments before swooping back down to the shadowed forests in search of a meal. Below, the warm golden light of the small mountain villages glowed in the darkness like campfires dotting the rough countryside. He headed south along the craggy spine of the eastern mountain range toward the vast southern ocean. Inky black water soon rolled underneath him, scattering the starlight and moonlight across it's glassy surface like a swarm of fireflies. The island where he agreed to meet Videl, a veritable stone's throw from Roshi's isle, slowly rose up out of the obsidian sea, shining in the night similar to a lighthouse's beacon. It was fairly small in comparison to the larger islands in the South District but well populated. After all, who wouldn't want to live in paradise? Casinos and luxury resorts took advantage of the tourism. Even at night people wandered the sugary sands, mostly couples out for a moonlit stroll. Gohan landed in an alley in the cover of darkness and joined the flow of people spilling over the main thoroughfare. The neon signs and hot blazing lights were blinding compared to the soft glow of the moon. He was disoriented for a moment from all the sights, sounds, and smells that assaulted his senses.
"Gohan!" The Saiyan looked around and saw a familiar dark haired girl hurrying towards him through the crowded street. He blinked stupidly at her. Videl was hardly recognizable. A plain black dress hung loosely on her body. The matching satrapy stilettos on her dainty feet clicked against the pavement and raised her up just enough to make them the same height. Only a minimal amount of makeup painted her face, drawing attention to her bright blue eyes. It was then that he noticed that she had cropped her hair in a way that was similar to Erasa's sporty cut. Most likely to make her training somewhat easier. A light blush colored her cheeks as she caught him staring.
"You cut your hair." he pointed out belatedly. A shy smile crossed her lips and she looked down at her wringing hands.
"Eighteen insisted."
"Looks good." Videl looked back up at him with something akin to shock. Then a big grin made it's way onto her face. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
"Come on!" They ate at a retro diner that sat right across the street from the movie theater. Gohan couldn't help but notice how no one seemed to notice them much, how they just blended in with everyone else. When his eyes strayed from Videl that is. Which was rarely. Should he really be staring at her this much? He tried not to, staring was rude after all, but he apparently couldn't help himself. It was only when they were seated in the dark theater did he manage to keep his eyes off her. The movie was a remake of the classic The Wolfman film, and decidedly more morbid however that didn't seem to bother Videl one bit. He found the blood and gore to be a little excessive. But then again, most normal people have never been in a life or death struggle before. It was a little eerie for the Saiyan how some parts of the movie seemed to mirror his own life. Gohan determinedly pushed the thoughts aside before they could take root in his head and distract him from the present moment.
Afterwards, he and Videl walked around a nearby park for a little fresh air and to get away from the crowds that were constantly surrounding them, talking about everything and nothing. The teenage Saiyan felt completely relaxed. All thoughts and worries about something looming on the horizion were swept from his mind. Suddenly, a ki pricked at his senses. He whirled around just in time to see that strange man he had seen at the Satan City mall lunge at him. Gohan quickly pushed Videl out of the way. The two men fell to the ground, tumbling. They grappled on the harsh gravel path. Gohan kicked the attacker away, staying crouched and low to the ground defensively. His opponent smiled maniacally and pulled a strange device from the bag slung over his back. It was the same odd device that the assailant on Papaya Island had. The man lunged. Gohan punched him squarely in the diaphragm, causing all the air to rush out of the man's lungs. He hunched over in pain but got back to his feet in a matter of seconds. Gohan was speechless. That punch should've knocked him out cold. The man kept coming back no matter what Gohan tried to knock him out. He even went so far as to brake his leg. To his horror and astonishment, the brake healed right before his eyes. Gohan gritted his teeth. He really didn't want to have to kill this guy. Especially in front of Videl. But it looked as though he had no choice. Before he could charge up a ki blast, another came out of nowhere and incinerated the blond man. Only a dark singe on the gravel path showed where the man had stood just moment before. He knew that ki. He had felt it before. It was that mysterious being who refused to show himself.
"Meet me at Kami's Lookout tomorrow at noon." that familiar voice said. Bring only Vegeta and Goku." Then it was gone. Gohan escorted Videl back to Roshi's just in case anything else happened. It was, thankfully, a blessedly uneventful trip. She hovered next to him high above the tiny isle.
"Sorry about that."
"Don't worry. I still had a good time. We should do this again sometime." She swiftly kissed him on the cheek and flew down to the pink bungalow that was obscured in the dark. Gohan stared after her in shock, placing a hand on the cheek her lips had touched. A silly smile sprung up on his face and he quickly blasted off for home, his golden aura lighting up the night.
xXx
Omake
"Oh, look honey! Aren't these just cute?" Chi-Chi asked her son. Gohan raised an eyebrow at the classy black and white vinyl shoes she held. They looked like they belonged in an old forties themed club, not some price shoe store.
"No." His mother frowned at him.
"But-" she began.
"No. I'm not wearing them." She heaved an exaggerated sigh before another just as gaudy pair caught her eye. Kami, how he hated shopping…
Translations:
Gi- uniform worn when practicing martial arts.
Ki- energy
Kami- god
AN: Please review!