Chapter Two - Reluctance
Crystal blue eyes opened and met with a deep onyx pair. Panic ran through her as she threw the being away from her. She jumped up from the bed she awoke on gasping. The man she threw stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. He was dressed in an orange and blue gi, and his dark hair was cut short and spiky. He was cute, actually. He groaned, "That's quite an arm you've got there." He spoke with a deep (and very sexy) masculine voice, too.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and took a step back from the bed. Her cheeks were flushed and her black pigtails disheveled. She examined the small room that kept her prisoner. The small one person cot was to her side along with a one person study desk and bookshelf. A soft evening breeze blew through the blue curtained window. A single white iris stood proudly in a plain white vase that lay upon a plain wooden table.
A woman entered the room then. She was dressed in a purple kimono with a pink vest, her black hair sat tied in a bun high atop her head, a few strands of loose hair hung down on her forehead. In her delicate hands she held a tray with different kinds of treats. The food sent warm and delicious scents. The woman smiled at her as if she had always been a friend of the family, and always welcome in this strange home. "Its nice to see you're awake." Even though she was aged, her voice held an angelic wisdom. The woman's smile melded into a scowl as she caught sight of the young man. "Shame on you, Gohan. You should show proper respect for our guest the way you were taught."
Gohan nodded, "H-hai(yes), Okasan(mother)." Even he had an air of wisdom beyond his years of god given life. It was almost like he lived in the past, and the future was not set in stone. Her eyes softly narrowed. He met her eyes then. It was like an eternity they searched each other's souls, looking for answers to unspoken questions; though it was a mere fraction of a second. His cheeks took on a rosy hue and he looked away quickly.
The woman placed the tray of food onto the small table with the lonely iris. "How rude of me, we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Chichi. I apologize if my son, Gohan, startled you earlier." She quickly glanced at him.
The girl straightened her simple, but torn shirt. "My name is Videl. I'm sorry to be a bother, I should be going."
"You can't go, your not fully healed!" blurted out Gohan. Both women were startled by his sudden outburst. He instantly quieted and looked down at his feet.
Chichi shrugged it off with a smile, "He's right, you need to stay off your feet until your body is healthy.
Videl frowned, "But I feel perfectly fine!"
"Do you?" Chichi asked with a frown, "Then how does this feel?" She lightly poked the girl's arm. Videl winced and held her injured arm. Chichi nodded. "Exactly what I thought. Back in bed you go, stubborn girl. You can eat when you are good and ready," she shoed Videl back towards the bed. Videl reluctantly laid back down on the cot. Chichi left the room.
Gohan slowly followed his mother's path towards the door. "Gohan?" He turned back to her, "Arigatou(thank-you)."
He smiled warmly, "Your welcome, Videl." He closed the door after him.
She sighed and looked towards the tray of food, which was sending wave after delicious wave of mouth-watering smells from across the room. She slid out of the cot and onto the floor. She made her way to the table and sat on her legs in front of it. She lifted the wooden chopsticks that lay neatly next to a bowl of rice. She licked her lips and began to fill her empty stomach.
Singing birds and warm sunshine brought the sleeping beauty out of dreamland. Videl looked towards the window. A pleasant breeze tumbled the curtains about and greeted her happily. It must've been well into noon or so. She attempted to crawl out of the bed, but pain paralyzed her. She crumpled to the floor and clenched her jaw tightly. Her muscles had not yet adjusted.
She carefully sat up on the wooden floor. She felt underneath her shirt. Her torso was bandaged tightly. She carefully stood up to examine her other wounds.
The door creaked open behind her. Videl growled and spun around. She quickly regretted her actions as pain cut through her. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell back to the floor.
Chichi gasped, "Gohan, come quickly!" A fraction of a second later, he ran into the room. His face was masked in worry as he dashed to the unconscious Videl on the floor. His mother dropped to the girl's side and inspected underneath her eyelids. "I must have frightened her when I came into the room. Poor thing, the pain was been too much for her at once."
Gohan looked across to his mother. "I'll move her back to the bed." She only nodded a response as he gingerly lifted Videl with ease and set her back onto the mattress. Her teeth clenched then unclenched. He watched silently as his mother re-bandaged Videl's wounds. "Will she be alright?" He asked just above a whisper.
Chichi turned towards her aging son. He was already a man, he had been far earlier than his years. He's been through so much, too much in too fast of time.
"Kaa-san?"
She snapped out of her train of thought and returned her attention to his question. "She should be fine. but I think we should give her a senzu bean just to be sure."
His eyebrows forked downward, making him appear even older than his eyes did. "I may have an extra lying around. I'll be right back." He turned and left the room.
Chichi sighed. Her son was a grown man who could easily fend for himself. It was his time to go out into the world and get married and have children, to keep the bloodline going for generations to come. 'And yet he stays here to protect me,' she thought sadly. She owed that to Goku, her husband who left her widowed with a half Saiya- jin child with his inhuman strength, and his heart. Gohan was a lot like his father, more so than he may think. They share the same passion to help those in need, and Gohan was growing more and more brave with a stronger desire to defeat the androids who have caused them so much grief.
Who knew her life would turn out like it did. No longer the young and spirited girl she had been, but now another hidden face in the crowd trying desperately to survive in this insane world. But how much longer would she live in fear? For herself and only child. Gohan. He had been the strongest of them all. Trying ten times as hard to survive and protect the little innocence this world had left. First the viral death of his father left him in pieces, and then the death of his closest friends. All thanks to the mechanical creatures created by a man who sought only revenge on her husband.
Chichi caught herself before tears could escape from her ebony eyes. She couldn't show her pain and suffering to her son. He would only feel worse than he already did. She had to be strong for the both of them; she had to be the adult, although she was crumbling into the weeping child.
He walked in then, and she plastered a smile on her face. Hopefully he believed the smile more than she did. In his hand was a small, brown leather bag. He opened the bag and emptied its contents into his palm. A small, green colored bean fell out. He crushed it between his thumb and index finger and placed the powder into Videl's mouth.
Seconds later, the girl's eyes popped open. She sat up with a very confused look on her face. "The pain. I-its gone. How did you.?" She turned towards Gohan (Who was slightly blushing). He smiled warmly, "We gave you a senzu bean. It replenished your health and energy." Videl jumped out of bed and pumped her arm. "Wow, I feel better than new. Thanks a lot." She moved towards the open window and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, Gohan," He met her eyes, "I have a feeling we will meet each other again sometime." She turned and jumped out of the window and took off running towards the woods.
'I'm sure we will, Videl.' Gohan thought as he waved good-bye to her retreating form.
Chichi walked to his side and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well that was rude. She didn't even say good-bye, she just took off." She frowned and side glanced at her son, 'And it seemed like she was thanking you instead of me. The whole thing was my idea!!' she thought with distaste. "You like this girl, don't you?" She said out of the blue.
He sweat-dropped and fell to the floor. "O-okasan, how could you say such a thing? I just saved the girl is all. It's not like I'm going to marry her or anything!" He laughed nervously.
Her eyebrows lifted in a suspicious manor. "I only asked. You know it's never too early to settle down. I mean you are a grown man and these chances don't come very often. Why, me and your father married young."
"I know kaa-san. You've told me the story of how you and tou-san fought in the World Tournament and were married right after a million times! And besides," he said quietly, "I need time to become stronger and defeat the androids."
At first Chichi thought she hadn't heard him he spoke so low, but she had. She turned on him, "Oh no, you will do nothing of the sort! I've already lost a husband, what would I do if these androids took my only son away from me?!"
"But kaa-san, otousan was not killed by the androids, he died of a heart virus."
Tears were threatening to spill over her eyelids, "You do not need to remind me! Just promise me you won't fight them!"
He looked away and was silent. "Promise me!" She repeated.
"I can't make that promise, okasan. no matter how much I want to." He stalked out of the room silently.
Chichi crumbled to the floor and sobbed. 'Why do these things always happen to me?'
Crystal blue eyes opened and met with a deep onyx pair. Panic ran through her as she threw the being away from her. She jumped up from the bed she awoke on gasping. The man she threw stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. He was dressed in an orange and blue gi, and his dark hair was cut short and spiky. He was cute, actually. He groaned, "That's quite an arm you've got there." He spoke with a deep (and very sexy) masculine voice, too.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and took a step back from the bed. Her cheeks were flushed and her black pigtails disheveled. She examined the small room that kept her prisoner. The small one person cot was to her side along with a one person study desk and bookshelf. A soft evening breeze blew through the blue curtained window. A single white iris stood proudly in a plain white vase that lay upon a plain wooden table.
A woman entered the room then. She was dressed in a purple kimono with a pink vest, her black hair sat tied in a bun high atop her head, a few strands of loose hair hung down on her forehead. In her delicate hands she held a tray with different kinds of treats. The food sent warm and delicious scents. The woman smiled at her as if she had always been a friend of the family, and always welcome in this strange home. "Its nice to see you're awake." Even though she was aged, her voice held an angelic wisdom. The woman's smile melded into a scowl as she caught sight of the young man. "Shame on you, Gohan. You should show proper respect for our guest the way you were taught."
Gohan nodded, "H-hai(yes), Okasan(mother)." Even he had an air of wisdom beyond his years of god given life. It was almost like he lived in the past, and the future was not set in stone. Her eyes softly narrowed. He met her eyes then. It was like an eternity they searched each other's souls, looking for answers to unspoken questions; though it was a mere fraction of a second. His cheeks took on a rosy hue and he looked away quickly.
The woman placed the tray of food onto the small table with the lonely iris. "How rude of me, we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Chichi. I apologize if my son, Gohan, startled you earlier." She quickly glanced at him.
The girl straightened her simple, but torn shirt. "My name is Videl. I'm sorry to be a bother, I should be going."
"You can't go, your not fully healed!" blurted out Gohan. Both women were startled by his sudden outburst. He instantly quieted and looked down at his feet.
Chichi shrugged it off with a smile, "He's right, you need to stay off your feet until your body is healthy.
Videl frowned, "But I feel perfectly fine!"
"Do you?" Chichi asked with a frown, "Then how does this feel?" She lightly poked the girl's arm. Videl winced and held her injured arm. Chichi nodded. "Exactly what I thought. Back in bed you go, stubborn girl. You can eat when you are good and ready," she shoed Videl back towards the bed. Videl reluctantly laid back down on the cot. Chichi left the room.
Gohan slowly followed his mother's path towards the door. "Gohan?" He turned back to her, "Arigatou(thank-you)."
He smiled warmly, "Your welcome, Videl." He closed the door after him.
She sighed and looked towards the tray of food, which was sending wave after delicious wave of mouth-watering smells from across the room. She slid out of the cot and onto the floor. She made her way to the table and sat on her legs in front of it. She lifted the wooden chopsticks that lay neatly next to a bowl of rice. She licked her lips and began to fill her empty stomach.
Singing birds and warm sunshine brought the sleeping beauty out of dreamland. Videl looked towards the window. A pleasant breeze tumbled the curtains about and greeted her happily. It must've been well into noon or so. She attempted to crawl out of the bed, but pain paralyzed her. She crumpled to the floor and clenched her jaw tightly. Her muscles had not yet adjusted.
She carefully sat up on the wooden floor. She felt underneath her shirt. Her torso was bandaged tightly. She carefully stood up to examine her other wounds.
The door creaked open behind her. Videl growled and spun around. She quickly regretted her actions as pain cut through her. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell back to the floor.
Chichi gasped, "Gohan, come quickly!" A fraction of a second later, he ran into the room. His face was masked in worry as he dashed to the unconscious Videl on the floor. His mother dropped to the girl's side and inspected underneath her eyelids. "I must have frightened her when I came into the room. Poor thing, the pain was been too much for her at once."
Gohan looked across to his mother. "I'll move her back to the bed." She only nodded a response as he gingerly lifted Videl with ease and set her back onto the mattress. Her teeth clenched then unclenched. He watched silently as his mother re-bandaged Videl's wounds. "Will she be alright?" He asked just above a whisper.
Chichi turned towards her aging son. He was already a man, he had been far earlier than his years. He's been through so much, too much in too fast of time.
"Kaa-san?"
She snapped out of her train of thought and returned her attention to his question. "She should be fine. but I think we should give her a senzu bean just to be sure."
His eyebrows forked downward, making him appear even older than his eyes did. "I may have an extra lying around. I'll be right back." He turned and left the room.
Chichi sighed. Her son was a grown man who could easily fend for himself. It was his time to go out into the world and get married and have children, to keep the bloodline going for generations to come. 'And yet he stays here to protect me,' she thought sadly. She owed that to Goku, her husband who left her widowed with a half Saiya- jin child with his inhuman strength, and his heart. Gohan was a lot like his father, more so than he may think. They share the same passion to help those in need, and Gohan was growing more and more brave with a stronger desire to defeat the androids who have caused them so much grief.
Who knew her life would turn out like it did. No longer the young and spirited girl she had been, but now another hidden face in the crowd trying desperately to survive in this insane world. But how much longer would she live in fear? For herself and only child. Gohan. He had been the strongest of them all. Trying ten times as hard to survive and protect the little innocence this world had left. First the viral death of his father left him in pieces, and then the death of his closest friends. All thanks to the mechanical creatures created by a man who sought only revenge on her husband.
Chichi caught herself before tears could escape from her ebony eyes. She couldn't show her pain and suffering to her son. He would only feel worse than he already did. She had to be strong for the both of them; she had to be the adult, although she was crumbling into the weeping child.
He walked in then, and she plastered a smile on her face. Hopefully he believed the smile more than she did. In his hand was a small, brown leather bag. He opened the bag and emptied its contents into his palm. A small, green colored bean fell out. He crushed it between his thumb and index finger and placed the powder into Videl's mouth.
Seconds later, the girl's eyes popped open. She sat up with a very confused look on her face. "The pain. I-its gone. How did you.?" She turned towards Gohan (Who was slightly blushing). He smiled warmly, "We gave you a senzu bean. It replenished your health and energy." Videl jumped out of bed and pumped her arm. "Wow, I feel better than new. Thanks a lot." She moved towards the open window and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, Gohan," He met her eyes, "I have a feeling we will meet each other again sometime." She turned and jumped out of the window and took off running towards the woods.
'I'm sure we will, Videl.' Gohan thought as he waved good-bye to her retreating form.
Chichi walked to his side and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well that was rude. She didn't even say good-bye, she just took off." She frowned and side glanced at her son, 'And it seemed like she was thanking you instead of me. The whole thing was my idea!!' she thought with distaste. "You like this girl, don't you?" She said out of the blue.
He sweat-dropped and fell to the floor. "O-okasan, how could you say such a thing? I just saved the girl is all. It's not like I'm going to marry her or anything!" He laughed nervously.
Her eyebrows lifted in a suspicious manor. "I only asked. You know it's never too early to settle down. I mean you are a grown man and these chances don't come very often. Why, me and your father married young."
"I know kaa-san. You've told me the story of how you and tou-san fought in the World Tournament and were married right after a million times! And besides," he said quietly, "I need time to become stronger and defeat the androids."
At first Chichi thought she hadn't heard him he spoke so low, but she had. She turned on him, "Oh no, you will do nothing of the sort! I've already lost a husband, what would I do if these androids took my only son away from me?!"
"But kaa-san, otousan was not killed by the androids, he died of a heart virus."
Tears were threatening to spill over her eyelids, "You do not need to remind me! Just promise me you won't fight them!"
He looked away and was silent. "Promise me!" She repeated.
"I can't make that promise, okasan. no matter how much I want to." He stalked out of the room silently.
Chichi crumbled to the floor and sobbed. 'Why do these things always happen to me?'