A/N:  Just so you know, the suspense was/is killing me too, so I decided to type up the next chapter.  I actually have very little idea of what plot twists my fingers/brain will come up with next.  So it's almost like I get myself with cliff-hangers!

      DISCLAIMER:  Umm… as I have received no offer for my $3.14 and piece of gum, I'll guess they're not willing to sell me DBZ.

News Headline: KAYLENDRA GETS SOME R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  (I think the song is actually titled that too… at least that's the only title I could find for it.)  By-line:  Kay-chan mysteriously leaves a words of her new song, critics everywhere are baffled.

Chapter 9:  I Can't Get No …

      The figure watched for a moment, then a smirk appeared on their face.  Whatever Gohan was doing at Capsule Corp at this time of the day, it must include "play"-time, and definitely a spar!  His eyes took on an evil glisten, as he wondered how to go about waking up the apparently unconscious teen.  None of them were pretty.

      Plans were stopped in their tracks as Gohan shifted slightly on the couch, allowing a fuzzy brown thing to hang loosely over the edge.  The purple-haired youth stared.  The fuzzy thing seemed to be twitching periodically.  The smirk on his face grew a bit more as he watched the twitching tip.  Hesitantly reaching towards it, he was about to grab at the thing when Gohan stirred again.

      Trunks snatched his hand back and held his breath as he paused to make sure Gohan wasn't going to wake up … yet.  Waiting a few more seconds until Gohan's breathing had evened out again, he inched forwards and held his hand around the furry thing.  Then, shooting another glance up at Gohan's face, his arm tensed as he closed his hand around it.

      "YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"  Gohan was up like a shot, standing on the couch, eyes wide.

      Trunks dropped what he now guessed to be a tail.  The gears in his head whirled around, trying to come up with a reason, any reason for why he was standing there and why Gohan's tail was hurting, and for that matter, why was Gohan there?

      Gohan, who had gained at least some of his mental faculties by this point, was unconsciously massaging the end of his bruised tail, with the tip still twitching with a vengeance.  Looking around, he quickly determined he was no longer in Kansas … er, Orange Star.  Looking down, and he had quite a bit of a way to look, as he was apparently standing on top of a couch, he spotted two wide eyes staring at him from under a purple mop of hair.  Getting the sudden urge to repeat "There's no place like home" while clicking his heels together, he realized he must be at Capsule Corp.

      Taking a quick check, he noticed two large ki's and a few smaller ones were quickly making their way in his direction.  Hmmm…why am I here, and what is Piccolo doing here?  The last thing I remember is Videl grabbing my tail … … WAIT, did I just say TAIL?!?  His eyes gained a slightly wild look as he quickly look down at his hands, and his jaw dropped in disbelief as he took in his TAIL.  I thought I lost it a long time ago!  I wonder what it's doing back now!

      Trunks stared up at Gohan, not willing to draw any attention to himself if possible, and Gohan stared down at his tail in shock.

      This was the scene as Bulma came running into her living room.  After all, it wasn't every day someone screamed like that at Capsule Corp.  She conveniently forgot what happened every time one of the new Capsule Corp employees had the fortune to run into Vegeta for the first time.  Or when any delivery person came to the door and saw Vegeta.  Or when someone was on a tour and … well, you get the picture.  She had managed to avoid acknowledging the fact that most people freaked out when first meeting her husband.

      In fact, that was why she had run so fast, to see what poor soul had gotten trapped by Vegeta this time.  Bulma was quite shocked when she saw the screamer and the cause.  Being a mother, her first instinct was to look for her family.  Finding Trunks staring up at something, she following his gaze upwards.  Quite a ways upwards.  Someone was standing on her couch!  Getting ready to lecture whoever it was, she opened her mouth, and promptly forgot what it was she was going to say.

      Perched rather precariously on her couch was one of the strongest fighters in the universe.  Holding something in his hands.  Oh.  Bulma noted to herself Gohan's tail grew back.

      A few moments passed.  Trunks continued to stare, Gohan was still trying to work life back into his limb tail.  And Bulma remembered the following thought just before she fell to the floor in an undignified heap WAIT-A-MINUTE, TAIL?!?.  The sound of her hitting the floor was enough to knock Trunks somewhat out of his stupor.  He was in the process of turning to see his mother, when the rest of the group reached the door.

      Vegeta, Piccolo, Dr. Briefs, and Mrs. Briefs arrived in the same instant, and they were all trying to get in the rather small entrance at the same time.  Pausing momentarily to attempt a somewhat more dignified entrance, they happened to glance down, where they saw Bulma sprawled on the carpet.  Looking a bit farther up, the saw Trunks turning around, his mouth hanging open a bit in shock, and then even further up, at the teen-ager, who was massaging a tail.

      Mrs. Briefs was the first to speak.  "Oh look dear."  She directed this remark at her husband.  "Gohan and Piccolo have come to have tea with us!"

      Dr. Briefs did a full face-fault, Piccolo gained a sweatdrop, and Vegeta, who was determined not to let the blonde get to him, allowed only a slight twitch of one eyebrow.

      Mrs. Briefs turned around, and wandered in the direction of the kitchen, talking to herself about what types of foods she was going to prepare.  The three in the doorway just watched her walk down the hall, apparently oblivious to the fact that her daughter was unconscious and one of the occupants had a new tail.

      Gohan sat down abruptly, having managed to mostly soothe his poor aching tail.  Glancing around the room, he gained a few sweatdrops as he took in Trunks, Bulma On the Floor?, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Dr. Briefs staring at him from the doorway.

      Crickets could be heard outside the living room, chirping happily to each other.  And no one spoke.

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A/N:  Next Time … Who's going to be the first to have a sensible reaction to Gohan's … problem?

      Mailing list is still open to anyone who'd like to join!  And a BIG Thank You(!!!) to everyone who reviews my story.  Any author would tell you it makes the difference between keeping going and just dropping the whole thing.