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PART 6 - GOHAN, THE MATCHMAKER
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- That Afternoon -
Andrea heard the doorbell ring and sunk herself further into the couch. She had a bag of potato chips in her lap and more junk food lay on the coffee table. She sniffled and dried her eyes. The visitor rang the bell again. "Go away!" she called.
Despite her order, the door opened and someone came in. She saw a long unruly mane of raven hair appeared in the living room and a familiar half Saiya-jin walked towards her.
"Gohan! What are you doing here?" Andrea made a move to get up but then decided to just take another handful of chips.
"Andy, what's going on. You missed the picnic."
"Oh Gohan, I totally forgot!" Andrea put her hand to her forehead and gave the boy an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I was meeting someone, and after we talked I lost track of time. Now I'm too depressed to think of much else. I came straight home to feel sorry for myself. I wouldn't have been much fun even if I had gone," she sighed.
"Who were you looking for, was it Krillian? He was at the picnic, along with the rest of the gang. Even Tien and Chaotzu showed up, they couldn't pass up an invitation for Mommy's cooking. It was really great, Bulma and Vegeta only argued twice and they didn't even need to be separated," the fighter smiled.
"Was Piccolo there?" she asked.
Gohan's face fell, "No, I invited him, Mommy said that she wouldn't mind if he came, as long as I worked on some algebra. I did four whole pages of problems so he could be there and he never showed up."
"But you do know that Namek's don't eat, right?"
"Yeah, but I still wanted to see him. He's canceled all of our spars, I haven't heard from Piccolo for over a week."
Andrea frowned. "I went to look for him today, and it's my fault that he wasn't there. If I hadn't been bothering him, Piccolo would have already headed for your house," her frown deepened. "Now he's probably angry that I kept him and stood in his way. What a nuisance I was. I know you were looking forward to seeing him, I'm sorry Gohan!" She started to sob again and Andrea didn't bother to wipe her tears away.
"Hey it's okay, I'll talk with him some other day. You don't need to cry Andy." The child came over and patted her on the back.
"I'm so selfish, I'm not crying for you. I'm upset because I made such an ass of myself today in front of him."
Then she looked over at Gohan. "By the way, you don't say those special words I've taught you in front of your mom do you?" Andrea's eyes grew big at the thought of ChiChi chasing after her with a frying pan if she learned Andy had educated her son in the art of swearing.
Gohan laughed, "No, I don't have a death wish for you."
Andrea smiled and then her storm cloud returned. "Piccolo must think I'm an idiot," she said softly. "I don't know why I told him all that, now he'll always believe I'm just an immature female. Perfect," she put her head in her hands and groaned.
"Andy, I know I'm just a kid, but we're friends and you can tell me what's wrong." Gohan pulled a chair up beside the couch and put his arms around her neck.
Andrea looked over at the boy. He is just like his father, so open and friendly, always willing to help. What a good kid, I better remember when his birthday is; she made a mental note. "Well..."
Gohan took away her bag of chips. She whimpered and he eyed her critically.
"Mommy only eats junk food when she's really sad. Why are you so upset?"
"It has to do with Piccolo..." she began. Andrea told Gohan the entire story and she started with her urge to fly.
- Three Days Later -
"Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan ran full speed into his mentor and plowed the man down. The excited half Saiya-jin sat up on Piccolo's green chest and smiled from ear to ear. "You're here! I haven't seen you for so long, where'd you go?"
"Just up in the mountains, I needed time to think." Smiling, the Namek pushed Gohan off and stood up. Looking around the field, Piccolo saw Krillian sitting on a rock. The short man cradled his head in his hands and looked down at the ground dejectedly. Piccolo gave a nod towards Krillian and glanced at Gohan questioningly.
"He's still sad because Andy's gone and she didn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. They broke up about a week ago. She hasn't called or anything and he's starting to think she never will," the boy whispered.
Andrea and Krillian aren't a couple? I wonder why? Hope sprung up in Piccolo and he tried to keep it in check. "Umm Gohan, did she happen to mention...why she needed space?" Piccolo asked, trying to sound unconcerned.
Gohan could detect the change in his mentor's voice. "No," he said slowly. "But I went and visited her and she told me lots of other stuff," he looking up at the sky and then back at Piccolo.
"Really...? What she'd say?" Piccolo sort of shrugged his shoulders. "Not that it's important or anything."
"Well, Andy didn't want me to tell anyone, especially you," Gohan smiled at the hint he had given.
Piccolo clenched his teeth, "Come on kid, tell me, did she say anything about me...or about...us?" His feelings showed in his eyes and the child saw anguish and torment in their depths.
"Actually..." he began, surprised at the Namek's rare appearance of emotion.
Suddenly Krillian came over. He dragged his feet and sighed despondently.
Piccolo could see dark circles under the Z fighter's eyes and all the warmth and laughter usually harbored in them was gone. He waved limply at Piccolo and gave a watery smile. "Hey stranger, we never see you around anymore. Where'd you run off to?"
"I went for enlightened meditation in the mountains."
"Did you get what you were looking for?"
"No, they showed me what I wanted and closed their doors to me. I couldn't concentrate, something else was clouding my thoughts," Piccolo looked over at Gohan and the boy couldn't meet his gaze.
"That's too bad, better luck next time." Krillian kicked a pebble across the clearing.
"So... how are you holding up?" Piccolo attempted at a sympathetic inquiry.
"You heard about what happened?"
Piccolo nodded a response.
"While you were away, things have really gone downhill, at least for me."
"I'm sorry," Piccolo answered uncomfortably.
"Thanks," Krillian said. The Namek's discomfiture was lost on him. "I should probably get over Andy, it's just I can't stop thinking about her. I really thought we had something special but I guess she didn't feel the same way." He shrugged his shoulders. "We had it all and everything was perfect, but I guess I just have to let her go. At least I've got you guys to cheer me up. I can't let Andy get me down, she said we could still be friends and I'll settle for that if I can't earn her love."
"That's right Krillian," Gohan said, patting him on the back. "I don't know much about girls but from what I can tell, they like that whole 'lets be friends' thing," Gohan gave a sideways glance at Piccolo and cleared his throat meaningfully.
"You're pretty young to be doling out hints about women Gohan. I guess I really need it that bad," Piccolo gave a half smile. "You know what, I just remembered I've got to go meditate or something. I think my thoughts are about to clear. I better not let this opening pass me by, eh Gohan? See you fellas around." The Namek got up, and dusted himself off.
"Wait Piccolo," Gohan picked a handful of orange flowers growing beside him. "Here, take these. You know, just in case you run into someone I know on your way to enlightenment." He handed the small bunch of colors to his mentor and winked.
"Very subtle Gohan," Piccolo took the flowers and rolled his eyes. "We'll have to work on your skills at being indirect."
"I was," The child answered, puzzled.
Piccolo shook his head and lifted off. He held the snapdragons close to his chest so the petals wouldn't blow away.
"What was he talking about you giving him advice? And where's he going in such a hurry?" Krillian asked.
"Oh, I don't know," Gohan shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Hey Krillian," he said, changing the subject. "Let's go back to my house and have mommy make us a batch of her special homemade ice cream. I think you deserve it."
Krillian gave a small smile. "Yeah, nothing like drowning ones sorrows in sugar."
"That's the spirit, come on!" The half Saiya-jin jumped up at the thought of food. The pair flew off towards the Son home, images of creamy frozen dairy topped with cavity causing chocolate filling their heads. Gohan was drooling and even Krillian had stopped sighing. ChiChi could cook away any kind of troubles.
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PART 6 - GOHAN, THE MATCHMAKER
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- That Afternoon -
Andrea heard the doorbell ring and sunk herself further into the couch. She had a bag of potato chips in her lap and more junk food lay on the coffee table. She sniffled and dried her eyes. The visitor rang the bell again. "Go away!" she called.
Despite her order, the door opened and someone came in. She saw a long unruly mane of raven hair appeared in the living room and a familiar half Saiya-jin walked towards her.
"Gohan! What are you doing here?" Andrea made a move to get up but then decided to just take another handful of chips.
"Andy, what's going on. You missed the picnic."
"Oh Gohan, I totally forgot!" Andrea put her hand to her forehead and gave the boy an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I was meeting someone, and after we talked I lost track of time. Now I'm too depressed to think of much else. I came straight home to feel sorry for myself. I wouldn't have been much fun even if I had gone," she sighed.
"Who were you looking for, was it Krillian? He was at the picnic, along with the rest of the gang. Even Tien and Chaotzu showed up, they couldn't pass up an invitation for Mommy's cooking. It was really great, Bulma and Vegeta only argued twice and they didn't even need to be separated," the fighter smiled.
"Was Piccolo there?" she asked.
Gohan's face fell, "No, I invited him, Mommy said that she wouldn't mind if he came, as long as I worked on some algebra. I did four whole pages of problems so he could be there and he never showed up."
"But you do know that Namek's don't eat, right?"
"Yeah, but I still wanted to see him. He's canceled all of our spars, I haven't heard from Piccolo for over a week."
Andrea frowned. "I went to look for him today, and it's my fault that he wasn't there. If I hadn't been bothering him, Piccolo would have already headed for your house," her frown deepened. "Now he's probably angry that I kept him and stood in his way. What a nuisance I was. I know you were looking forward to seeing him, I'm sorry Gohan!" She started to sob again and Andrea didn't bother to wipe her tears away.
"Hey it's okay, I'll talk with him some other day. You don't need to cry Andy." The child came over and patted her on the back.
"I'm so selfish, I'm not crying for you. I'm upset because I made such an ass of myself today in front of him."
Then she looked over at Gohan. "By the way, you don't say those special words I've taught you in front of your mom do you?" Andrea's eyes grew big at the thought of ChiChi chasing after her with a frying pan if she learned Andy had educated her son in the art of swearing.
Gohan laughed, "No, I don't have a death wish for you."
Andrea smiled and then her storm cloud returned. "Piccolo must think I'm an idiot," she said softly. "I don't know why I told him all that, now he'll always believe I'm just an immature female. Perfect," she put her head in her hands and groaned.
"Andy, I know I'm just a kid, but we're friends and you can tell me what's wrong." Gohan pulled a chair up beside the couch and put his arms around her neck.
Andrea looked over at the boy. He is just like his father, so open and friendly, always willing to help. What a good kid, I better remember when his birthday is; she made a mental note. "Well..."
Gohan took away her bag of chips. She whimpered and he eyed her critically.
"Mommy only eats junk food when she's really sad. Why are you so upset?"
"It has to do with Piccolo..." she began. Andrea told Gohan the entire story and she started with her urge to fly.
- Three Days Later -
"Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan ran full speed into his mentor and plowed the man down. The excited half Saiya-jin sat up on Piccolo's green chest and smiled from ear to ear. "You're here! I haven't seen you for so long, where'd you go?"
"Just up in the mountains, I needed time to think." Smiling, the Namek pushed Gohan off and stood up. Looking around the field, Piccolo saw Krillian sitting on a rock. The short man cradled his head in his hands and looked down at the ground dejectedly. Piccolo gave a nod towards Krillian and glanced at Gohan questioningly.
"He's still sad because Andy's gone and she didn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. They broke up about a week ago. She hasn't called or anything and he's starting to think she never will," the boy whispered.
Andrea and Krillian aren't a couple? I wonder why? Hope sprung up in Piccolo and he tried to keep it in check. "Umm Gohan, did she happen to mention...why she needed space?" Piccolo asked, trying to sound unconcerned.
Gohan could detect the change in his mentor's voice. "No," he said slowly. "But I went and visited her and she told me lots of other stuff," he looking up at the sky and then back at Piccolo.
"Really...? What she'd say?" Piccolo sort of shrugged his shoulders. "Not that it's important or anything."
"Well, Andy didn't want me to tell anyone, especially you," Gohan smiled at the hint he had given.
Piccolo clenched his teeth, "Come on kid, tell me, did she say anything about me...or about...us?" His feelings showed in his eyes and the child saw anguish and torment in their depths.
"Actually..." he began, surprised at the Namek's rare appearance of emotion.
Suddenly Krillian came over. He dragged his feet and sighed despondently.
Piccolo could see dark circles under the Z fighter's eyes and all the warmth and laughter usually harbored in them was gone. He waved limply at Piccolo and gave a watery smile. "Hey stranger, we never see you around anymore. Where'd you run off to?"
"I went for enlightened meditation in the mountains."
"Did you get what you were looking for?"
"No, they showed me what I wanted and closed their doors to me. I couldn't concentrate, something else was clouding my thoughts," Piccolo looked over at Gohan and the boy couldn't meet his gaze.
"That's too bad, better luck next time." Krillian kicked a pebble across the clearing.
"So... how are you holding up?" Piccolo attempted at a sympathetic inquiry.
"You heard about what happened?"
Piccolo nodded a response.
"While you were away, things have really gone downhill, at least for me."
"I'm sorry," Piccolo answered uncomfortably.
"Thanks," Krillian said. The Namek's discomfiture was lost on him. "I should probably get over Andy, it's just I can't stop thinking about her. I really thought we had something special but I guess she didn't feel the same way." He shrugged his shoulders. "We had it all and everything was perfect, but I guess I just have to let her go. At least I've got you guys to cheer me up. I can't let Andy get me down, she said we could still be friends and I'll settle for that if I can't earn her love."
"That's right Krillian," Gohan said, patting him on the back. "I don't know much about girls but from what I can tell, they like that whole 'lets be friends' thing," Gohan gave a sideways glance at Piccolo and cleared his throat meaningfully.
"You're pretty young to be doling out hints about women Gohan. I guess I really need it that bad," Piccolo gave a half smile. "You know what, I just remembered I've got to go meditate or something. I think my thoughts are about to clear. I better not let this opening pass me by, eh Gohan? See you fellas around." The Namek got up, and dusted himself off.
"Wait Piccolo," Gohan picked a handful of orange flowers growing beside him. "Here, take these. You know, just in case you run into someone I know on your way to enlightenment." He handed the small bunch of colors to his mentor and winked.
"Very subtle Gohan," Piccolo took the flowers and rolled his eyes. "We'll have to work on your skills at being indirect."
"I was," The child answered, puzzled.
Piccolo shook his head and lifted off. He held the snapdragons close to his chest so the petals wouldn't blow away.
"What was he talking about you giving him advice? And where's he going in such a hurry?" Krillian asked.
"Oh, I don't know," Gohan shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Hey Krillian," he said, changing the subject. "Let's go back to my house and have mommy make us a batch of her special homemade ice cream. I think you deserve it."
Krillian gave a small smile. "Yeah, nothing like drowning ones sorrows in sugar."
"That's the spirit, come on!" The half Saiya-jin jumped up at the thought of food. The pair flew off towards the Son home, images of creamy frozen dairy topped with cavity causing chocolate filling their heads. Gohan was drooling and even Krillian had stopped sighing. ChiChi could cook away any kind of troubles.
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