My DBZ Adventure—Part 10
A/N: Review...yadda yadda yadda...so on and so forth...you get the idea. Oh, you guys may have to wait a while for parts after this to come out b/c I have yet to write them. I was well into the story when I decided to post it in parts so I had many parts to post at once. Now I'm all caught up so you'll have to wait a while. Sorry!! Please don't kill me! I'll go as fast as I can, but with Regents (more of those stupid state exams) coming up and homework and stuff, I'm probably not gonna have a whole lot of free time on my hands. But that's only for about two more weeks. So, again, sorry for making you wait, I'll hurry as fast as I can. (My stories are in demand at school, too.) I feel so loved! Thanx for your support, guys! Enjoy! Happy reading!
Disclaimer: Same as usual...I don't own DBZ...blah blah blah...onto the story!
"Where have you been?" Chichi demanded when she saw Gohan walk in the house.
Nope, wasn't a dream.
"I know...you were training with Piccolo again, weren't you?"
"Mom, Piccolo's not a bad guy," Gohan protested.
"Gohan, we've been through this before. I don't like you being around that man. He's not even a man...he's not human!"
"He cares about me and that's all that should matter! He would never let anything hurt me, let alone hurt me himself!"
"Gohan, enough!"
Not being able to listen to his mother put his best friend down, Gohan ran out of the house and shot into the sky.
"Gohan, come back!" Chichi called after him. She sighed and finally noticed Kat and me. "Oh, my goodness! I'm sorry you had to see that. I love Gohan dearly, but the company he keeps...I don't know." A tear slipped free. "That Piccolo took my little boy away from me and made him a fighter—the opposite of what I wanted him to be. He never wanted to be a fighter, himself, I could see that. But Piccolo robbed him of his sweet innocence, and I don't know if I can ever forgive him for that."
"I understand, Chichi," I said. "And I know how much you love Gohan. It's just hard for him to see that with you smothering him. We," indicating Kat and myself, "know that all you ever wanted was the best for him." I gave her a moment for that to sink in before I continued. "But I also understand why Gohan gets so upset every time you talk Piccolo down. He loves Piccolo. Piccolo is like his father, brother, teacher, and best friend all rolled into one. And, naturally, he doesn't like it when someone talks bad about him. It's the same thing with you, Chichi. You get upset when someone insults Goku or Gohan, right?"
"Yes."
"Exactly. Gohan loves you as well, don't get me wrong. He would never do anything to hurt you in a million years. But Piccolo is a big part of his life. I don't like to say it, but he's as big a part of Gohan's life as you are."
"He's torn, Mrs. Son," Kat said. "He doesn't want to hurt you, but at the same time he doesn't want to neglect Piccolo."
"Do you sort of understand now?" I asked.
"Yes, thank you." She turned to Kat. "What's your name?'
"Kat."
"It's nice to meet you, Kat." She smiled.
"Chichi, I'm gonna go find Gohan." She nodded and took Kat inside. Then I turned and flew after Gohan.
I flew around for a while, thinking of all the places Gohan could be. He could be anywhere, I thought to myself. He can fly like the speed of light. I slapped my hand to my forehead upon remembering something. Duh! Jess you moron! Hone in on his ki, stupid. I shook my head.
"Sometimes my own stupidity surprises me," I said to myself. I closed my eyes and concentrated on trying to find Gohan's ki. Suddenly I felt a hand on the back of my neck. I turned to see Piccolo behind me. I smiled at him and turned back around, knowing what he was doing.
I closed my eyes and concentrated again on Gohan. I felt Piccolo's mind entering mine, instantly showing me how to find him. While I was connected to Piccolo, I found I knew so much more. I knew once he left the knowledge would leave, too, but I'd try to remember some of the things he was letting me explore.
All too soon, I was able to find Gohan's ki and Piccolo's mind left mine. For a moment I was left dazed and confused, but I quickly recovered.
"Remember what I showed you. It may come in useful one day." He smiled at me. "Now go find him. He needs you."
I smiled back and nodded, then flew in Gohan's direction. Thanks, Piccolo, I thought, not knowing he was listening. I'll make sure he's all right, I promise. Then I continued flying toward Gohan's ki.
Feeling his ki getting stronger as I grew nearer, I flew faster. His ki fluctuated as, I guessed, his emotions did. Finally I saw him sitting on a cliff edge with his head in his hands. Quietly I landed behind him.
"Gohan?"
"Jessie?" He turned around slightly. Once he saw it was only I, he turned back again. "Did my mom send you?" he asked bitterly.
I was slightly hurt by his question, but I knew where it came from. "No, she didn't," I said, gently. "I came because I was worried about you." I approached him and sat down beside him.
He smiled slightly. "Thanks. She just makes me so mad sometimes. She doesn't understand."
"No, she doesn't understand, Gohan. And that's why you need to help her. Gohan, she loves you dearly and she doesn't want you to get hurt."
"Piccolo would never hurt me."
"I know, and I think she does, too." I turned to look him in the eyes. I took his chin in my hand and made him look at me. "Gohan, Chichi loves you to death—you mean the world to her! She does want to understand, but she needs you to help her. If you could just talk to her I think you'll be a lot happier—both of you."
"You think she'll understand if I talk to her?"
"If you tell her your side and listen to hers, yes. But if you don't give her a chance, the fighting will continue. There are two sides to every story, and I think you need to hear both."
"Have you?"
"Yes, I have. And what's more is that I understand them both." I put a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, Gohan, once you hear your mother's side everything will fall into place." I stood. "Will you come back with me?" He looked uncertain. "You haven't eaten yet, you know."
At the mention of food, his stomach rumbled and he blushed. "Oh yeah." He stood with me. "Thanks, Jessie. I will talk with her. I just don't know when."
"When you feel the time is right. Just like with the Spirit Bomb. I think you'll know." He nodded and took to the air. "C'mon."
"How'd you find me, anyway?" he asked, coming up beside me.
I smiled. "I had some help from a friend." We both knew who I was talking about.
Gohan smiled and we flew back toward the Son house. Thanks, Piccolo, Gohan thought.
Anytime, kid, Piccolo replied. You should listen to her. She knows what she's talking about. She does understand.
I believe her, Piccolo, but thanks. We'll see you tomorrow for training. Are you training Kat?
Yes. She has a lot to learn, but she can. You did, after all. If you can, anyone can, Piccolo thought, jokingly.
Piccolo! Piccolo and Gohan exchanged the sensation of laughter. Good night, Piccolo, and thanks.
See you tomorrow, kid.
"Is he always that nice to you?" I asked.
Gohan looked taken aback. "You...heard all that?"
"Yeah. Don't know why, though. Or how."
"Did he link minds with you?" I nodded. "It's an after-affect. Looks like you got that telepathic bond you wanted."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Because Piccolo entered your mind, your minds are linked now."
I stopped flying, devastated. "Oh no!" I cried.
"What?" Gohan was startled. "I thought you wanted one!"
"I do, but...oh no! Kat will be crushed. She wants more than anything to be linked to Piccolo like that. But...I beat her to it...she'll be completely devastated! Gohan, you can't tell her. Promise me you won't tell her."
"I promise," he said, holding up his right hand.
"Thanks. Just act like nothing like that happened. We didn't see or hear Piccolo—no offense to him." Gohan nodded. "Good. Now let's go home."
With that settled, Gohan and I continued to fly home.