TITLE: Draco Meets Orion
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dragon Ball Z. That's for the 4th time!!!!
NOTES: Not many things to tell you about here. Just the fact that Cecilia's nickname is explained some during this chapter and a ride takes place. Now, for your reading pleasure, chapter four.
Chapter 4: Another Ride
"Well, it looks like Cecilia brought home another friend." Angela commented, gazing out of the office at them. The sounds of a stall door being latched reached their ears, then the laughter of the three within the barn as they laughed at some joke their generation understood.
"He looks nice enough. We don't need to worry." Enrique replied as he continued filing the papers for their animals.
~~*~~
(next day)
"Your parents aren't very strict. Who will you put me on for this trail ride?" Gohan inquired.
"I'll put you on Wildflower. She's one of the calmest horses out here." Echo replied. Then she gave off a shrill whistle. The five horses in the deep green pasture came up to the gate in response. "Wildflower is the silver paint."
"Okay." He replied as he clipped a lead line to her. The two horses were lead into the barn, and then they were groomed.
"We'd better use western saddles for this ride. The tack room's this way." she explained. Gohan followed her into the tack room and picked up the saddle that she had indicated. He held back his startlement.
She wasn't kidding about these ones being much heavier than the English saddles. Oh, well. I just hope I don't twist the girth. he thought to himself. The saddles were cinched down onto the horses' backs and the bridles were put on their faces. Just as they were walking out of the barn with her helmet in arm...
"Echo! Don't forget your saddle bags!" Lana called, brandishing them like a weapon.
"Gracias, Lana!" Echo called back as she grabbed the bags. These she firmly buckled onto the back of the saddle. "Better put on a helmet. It's better to be safe than sorry." she advised. He nodded and accepted the helmet she offered him. After they both had on their helmets, they rode off into the forest next to the farm.
As it neared noon, they came to a meadow that was as green as an emerald. "Wow. It's beautiful here." the saiya-jin commented. He was plainly startled, as such beauty in nature he rarely had time to appriciate.
"Yes, it sure is." Echo agreed. "You know, I found this place when I was three." Her eyes closed in remembrance. "That day I was riding our Shetland Pony and got lost. Fortunately, that little black mare stayed calm and took me here. When I saw this place, I calmed down instantly. It was almost as if it were a gateway to a place that I belonged." The teen swung off of her filly and tied her to a ground stake.
Gohan observed her make Espernaza more comfortable and did the same for Wildflower. He then saw her get out the picnic lunch. "Hungry, Gohan?" she inquired.
His stomach growled. "Uh, I guess I am." he replied, a little embarrassed. They sat down on the mossy boulder near the center of the secluded field. Echo sighed softly as she looked up into the cloud-studded sky.
It's beautiful today. I hope that when we show, the weather will be just as fair.
Gohan glanced over at the girl as she sat there, leaning back. He admired the way her auburn hair spilt over her shoulders, as she was without her helmet now. Her gray blue eyes seemed to be perfect for her features and he could tell she was very powerful for being born in the Orion dimension. Why do I feel this way? Since I met her I've felt more at peace than I have since before the Cell Games. The young warrior thought back to what his mother had told him. She had known that she had loved Goku from the first time she had seen him, but it had taken his father a while to realize it. He, too, closed his eyes, relaxing under the warmth of the sun. Then, he felt a head come to rest on his shoulder and he grinned. Echo, can you hear me? he inquired without really directing his thoughts to her.
She tensed up, totally startled. "Gohan, was that you?" Her voice quivered in shock. The young warrior nodded, confirming what she had thought. I don't understand why I heard that. Is it because I'm empathic or is it something else? Could it be because I love him? My sister told me that it could happen to us. Echo sighed softly, and leaned into the young man even more. Goddess, hear my plea. Explain to me...
Gohan pulled away a little and gently pressed a kiss to her mouth. He was surprised when she responded by kissing him back. I understand now. It's love. But... can I take her back with me? Is she really the one meant for me?
"How did you come by the nickname of Echo?" Gohan softly inquired.
"I have an intense interest in mythology. Then one of my friends told me I was acting like a nymph pining away for her lover. Lana called me Echo then and the name stuck." she whispered back. They started kissing again. A loud scream resounded through the forest and Echo pulled away in shock. "That's my dad!" she cried, instantly worried about him..
The young warrior instantly stood up. "Echo, you'd better stay here. I doubt you'll want to see this." he commanded as he flew off. She sat quietly for a little while, then got up to get the horses ready for more riding. Her eyes widened when she saw Gohan coming back with her father.
"Dad, are you all right?!" she cried.
"I'm fine, Cecilia. I want both of you to go back right now. Whoever that was could still be in the area." Enrique replied. He then grabbed the reins of the horse that had spooked on him and mounted. The man watched as the two teens made their way back to the Final Frontier.
~*~
(one hour later)
Echo came out of the barn, carrying a hunt seat saddle. "Looks like you're going to jump." a voice commented. The girl turned sharply in surprise.
"Ms. V, I thought you weren't able to come today." she replied.
"Plans change. Now, get that filly of yours ready." the older woman commanded. Ms. V watched carefully for anything that Echo could be doing wrong. As usual, the young Spanish girl did everything right. "Let's go to the ring. I hear that your father set up a course similar to that of the show."
The teen girl nodded and followed her instructor to the ring. Once there, she climbed aboard and warmed Esperanza up. Then they started jumping. Each fence was easy for them to clear, from what Gohan could see. On the last fence, they pulled down a rail.
"Cecilia, that was a good round, but remember to keep her impulsion up. From what I could see, you two have a shot at the ribbon tomorrow." Ms. V commented.
"Gracias, Ms. V. I just hope that Esperanza won't be extremely moody." she replied. Then the girl hopped down as the woman drove away in her car.
"Hey, Echo, that's the first time I've seen you jump like that." Gohan commented in awe.
"Well, you can't see a horse jump when you're on its back." she teased back. They all walked into the barn. Echo removed the saddle, but before she could do anything else, Gohan picked it up and put it away. "Gohan, you're gonna spoil me!"
"Aren't I bad?" he innocently replied. Both of them burst out laughing at that.
Gohan? Bad? Nah.
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dragon Ball Z. That's for the 4th time!!!!
NOTES: Not many things to tell you about here. Just the fact that Cecilia's nickname is explained some during this chapter and a ride takes place. Now, for your reading pleasure, chapter four.
Chapter 4: Another Ride
"Well, it looks like Cecilia brought home another friend." Angela commented, gazing out of the office at them. The sounds of a stall door being latched reached their ears, then the laughter of the three within the barn as they laughed at some joke their generation understood.
"He looks nice enough. We don't need to worry." Enrique replied as he continued filing the papers for their animals.
~~*~~
(next day)
"Your parents aren't very strict. Who will you put me on for this trail ride?" Gohan inquired.
"I'll put you on Wildflower. She's one of the calmest horses out here." Echo replied. Then she gave off a shrill whistle. The five horses in the deep green pasture came up to the gate in response. "Wildflower is the silver paint."
"Okay." He replied as he clipped a lead line to her. The two horses were lead into the barn, and then they were groomed.
"We'd better use western saddles for this ride. The tack room's this way." she explained. Gohan followed her into the tack room and picked up the saddle that she had indicated. He held back his startlement.
She wasn't kidding about these ones being much heavier than the English saddles. Oh, well. I just hope I don't twist the girth. he thought to himself. The saddles were cinched down onto the horses' backs and the bridles were put on their faces. Just as they were walking out of the barn with her helmet in arm...
"Echo! Don't forget your saddle bags!" Lana called, brandishing them like a weapon.
"Gracias, Lana!" Echo called back as she grabbed the bags. These she firmly buckled onto the back of the saddle. "Better put on a helmet. It's better to be safe than sorry." she advised. He nodded and accepted the helmet she offered him. After they both had on their helmets, they rode off into the forest next to the farm.
As it neared noon, they came to a meadow that was as green as an emerald. "Wow. It's beautiful here." the saiya-jin commented. He was plainly startled, as such beauty in nature he rarely had time to appriciate.
"Yes, it sure is." Echo agreed. "You know, I found this place when I was three." Her eyes closed in remembrance. "That day I was riding our Shetland Pony and got lost. Fortunately, that little black mare stayed calm and took me here. When I saw this place, I calmed down instantly. It was almost as if it were a gateway to a place that I belonged." The teen swung off of her filly and tied her to a ground stake.
Gohan observed her make Espernaza more comfortable and did the same for Wildflower. He then saw her get out the picnic lunch. "Hungry, Gohan?" she inquired.
His stomach growled. "Uh, I guess I am." he replied, a little embarrassed. They sat down on the mossy boulder near the center of the secluded field. Echo sighed softly as she looked up into the cloud-studded sky.
It's beautiful today. I hope that when we show, the weather will be just as fair.
Gohan glanced over at the girl as she sat there, leaning back. He admired the way her auburn hair spilt over her shoulders, as she was without her helmet now. Her gray blue eyes seemed to be perfect for her features and he could tell she was very powerful for being born in the Orion dimension. Why do I feel this way? Since I met her I've felt more at peace than I have since before the Cell Games. The young warrior thought back to what his mother had told him. She had known that she had loved Goku from the first time she had seen him, but it had taken his father a while to realize it. He, too, closed his eyes, relaxing under the warmth of the sun. Then, he felt a head come to rest on his shoulder and he grinned. Echo, can you hear me? he inquired without really directing his thoughts to her.
She tensed up, totally startled. "Gohan, was that you?" Her voice quivered in shock. The young warrior nodded, confirming what she had thought. I don't understand why I heard that. Is it because I'm empathic or is it something else? Could it be because I love him? My sister told me that it could happen to us. Echo sighed softly, and leaned into the young man even more. Goddess, hear my plea. Explain to me...
Gohan pulled away a little and gently pressed a kiss to her mouth. He was surprised when she responded by kissing him back. I understand now. It's love. But... can I take her back with me? Is she really the one meant for me?
"How did you come by the nickname of Echo?" Gohan softly inquired.
"I have an intense interest in mythology. Then one of my friends told me I was acting like a nymph pining away for her lover. Lana called me Echo then and the name stuck." she whispered back. They started kissing again. A loud scream resounded through the forest and Echo pulled away in shock. "That's my dad!" she cried, instantly worried about him..
The young warrior instantly stood up. "Echo, you'd better stay here. I doubt you'll want to see this." he commanded as he flew off. She sat quietly for a little while, then got up to get the horses ready for more riding. Her eyes widened when she saw Gohan coming back with her father.
"Dad, are you all right?!" she cried.
"I'm fine, Cecilia. I want both of you to go back right now. Whoever that was could still be in the area." Enrique replied. He then grabbed the reins of the horse that had spooked on him and mounted. The man watched as the two teens made their way back to the Final Frontier.
~*~
(one hour later)
Echo came out of the barn, carrying a hunt seat saddle. "Looks like you're going to jump." a voice commented. The girl turned sharply in surprise.
"Ms. V, I thought you weren't able to come today." she replied.
"Plans change. Now, get that filly of yours ready." the older woman commanded. Ms. V watched carefully for anything that Echo could be doing wrong. As usual, the young Spanish girl did everything right. "Let's go to the ring. I hear that your father set up a course similar to that of the show."
The teen girl nodded and followed her instructor to the ring. Once there, she climbed aboard and warmed Esperanza up. Then they started jumping. Each fence was easy for them to clear, from what Gohan could see. On the last fence, they pulled down a rail.
"Cecilia, that was a good round, but remember to keep her impulsion up. From what I could see, you two have a shot at the ribbon tomorrow." Ms. V commented.
"Gracias, Ms. V. I just hope that Esperanza won't be extremely moody." she replied. Then the girl hopped down as the woman drove away in her car.
"Hey, Echo, that's the first time I've seen you jump like that." Gohan commented in awe.
"Well, you can't see a horse jump when you're on its back." she teased back. They all walked into the barn. Echo removed the saddle, but before she could do anything else, Gohan picked it up and put it away. "Gohan, you're gonna spoil me!"
"Aren't I bad?" he innocently replied. Both of them burst out laughing at that.
Gohan? Bad? Nah.