Chapter 2: The Decision
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own anything about DBZ. Just my characters are… well… mine. That said, let's go!
Note: There should be margarines for each paragraph. It's not my fault! My writing program just doesn't work well. I'll try to fix it as soon as I can. Also, my italic font doesn't work. So, words in thought are in ** **. My originality in names is bad, so please bear with me. It's my first.
Gohan awoke with a muffled scream. He shot upright, sitting on his bed. The boy started to breathe deeply, trying to slow his heart rate, going 100 miles an hour. He looked down at his chest, remembering what he had just seen. He gave a sigh. No bloody hand. What he did see however, was his pillow on the floor, and his quilt a rumpled mess around his legs. After straitening out his bed a little, Gohan went to the bathroom, to splash some water on his face.
As Gohan turned on the water, he wiped his hand across his face. He had been sweating. A cold sweat. Then, Gohan brought some water up to his face, and drenched it in the ice water. It was a shock at first, but after a moment, he adjusted, and let the cool water wash over him. When he was satisfied, Gohan wiped his face with a towel, and went back to his room.
Gohan looked around his room, deciding he wasn't getting back to sleep. He looked over to his clock. Four am. **Talk about getting an early start,** thought Gohan. He decided to get dressed. Gohan opened his closet, looking for clothes. He chose his favorite suit, the battle outfit given to him by his mentor, Piccolo. **A little air might help. Mom probably won't notice if I make it back before breakfast.** With that, Gohan opened his window, and flew into the night.
Gohan flew north for about 10 minutes, until he reached his destination. Gohan settled onto a plain, surrounded by mountains. The plain had a variety of flowers around the edge, and a small lake. It was Gohan's favorite place, and no one else knew about it, not even his mentor. It was his personal sanctuary. Where he could let out his problems.
Ever since the Cell Games, about two months ago, Gohan had become very depressed and isolated. He wouldn't talk to anyone, still feeling responsible over the death of his father. He didn't want his friends' sympathy or pity. To him, they just couldn't understand how he felt. When the others told Gohan's father, Goku, about his son, he decided that he would return to Earth. In fact, he was going to anyway. From what Goku said, King Kai, the guardian of the North Galaxy, was going to send him back to Earth. He said Goku had something to accomplish on the Earth, but he wouldn't say what.
However, this did not help Gohan at all. In fact, it made things worse. Gohan would not speak to his father, feeling he had no right to after what he had done. Therefore, Gohan spent a lot of time away from home, from his family's eyes of pity. Since then, Gohan started coming to this place to let out his frustrations. Here, he would talk to himself, and talk about what he was feeling, without worrying about what anyone else thought about it, since no one could hear him.
Gohan landed on the edge of the lake. He removed his shoes and laid his feet in the water. He lay on his back, gazing at the fading moon, thinking about his dream. Every point of the dream was fresh in his mind. The raging forest, the towering flames, even the pain in his chest. It seemed far too real for a mere dream. A premonition, perhaps? However, the part of the dream which was the most mysterious, and so was on Gohan's mind the most, was the boy. His mind raced with questions. What kind of powers did he posses? Where could a being like this have come from? All this raced though his head.
"He certainly is different from anyone I know. Even thought it was only a dream, I know that I couldn't have just made him up. However, who was he? And… his eyes…" Gohan recalled that look in his eyes. That kindness, guilt, it was all a reflection of his own. " I know him from somewhere. Like someone I met when I was little, but I've forgotten."
Gohan felt a bit of eagerness. He wanted to meet this boy. He seemed to know how Gohan felt. Although they had never met, Gohan thought they could become good friends. He looked like someone he could finally talk to about his problems, that would actually understand, and not just pretend he did, like all the others.
As Gohan tried to sort this out, he closed his eyes and tried to think what to do about this new…development.
"So, he is ready."
Inside a large temple, unknown to anyone else, a large, open room was occupied. The large stone walls were illuminated by hundreds of candles suspended in midair. Four large pillars stood in the corners of the room, each carrying an unlit torch. The patterns on the floor moved in a spiral motion, toward an altar in the center of the room. On the altar was a small pond, almost a puddle. Sitting with his legs crossed on its edge, was the boy.
It was the boy from Gohan's dream. He had the same eyes, same robe, and same wings, fanned out on the ground. He was looking into the pond, but he was not looking at water. He was looking at Gohan, still lying on his back in his little sanctuary. He had heard what Gohan had been saying, and had a small smile on his face.
"His body is beginning to realize its power. Now, we can begin training." The boy said to himself. He started to stand up, folding his wings against his back, when he heard a voice behind him.
"I'd say it's about time, wouldn't you agree, Chris?"
Chris gave a small start, turning behind him. He relaxed when the other boy came into the light, generating from the pond. "Brian, you startled me. Yes, it is about time. What brings you here? I thought you were outside."
Brian, like Chris, looked around fourteen years old. He was about two inches taller than Chris, and was very muscular. He, like Chris, had light skin. He wore a bright yellow vest, and baggy yellow pants. He also wore black wristbands and a black belt, with black boots. He had a long, blonde tail, similar to that of a say-jin, only longer. He had short, dirty-blonde hair, and blue-gray eyes. He generated an aura of calm. He seemed to be the kind of person who could keep his cool in any situation.
"I was. Danielle sent me to find you. She wanted to know if you found anything from Gohan. It looks like you did." Brian said with a tone of approval. He stood next to Chris and looked at Gohan from the pond. "I can't believe this kid is the one we've been waiting for all this time."
"I know. Nevertheless, from what we've seen from him, I guess we shouldn't be too surprised. Chris took a last look to Gohan, then stepped from the altar. "Now, I'm gonna go get him."
Brian gave Chris a look of surprise. "What? Now?"
"Of course. He'll need to know this eventually. Best we get a good head start." Chris replied, on his way out the door. Before he left, he turned to Brian and said, "Besides, he's the only one who can convince the other three."
As Brian saw Chris leave, he crossed his arms, and his tail tip came up to his face, and rubbed against his temple. He had one thought on his mind. **I never thought this day would come. Well, I guess we can expect things to get a lot more exciting around here.** Feeling a little tired, Brian decided to go to his room to rest. After deciding it would be faster, Brian's skin began to turn gray and stiff, and his eyes changed to a yellow glow. Then, the ground below him opened, and swallowed him up. When the hole closed again, the room began to darken, as the candles all went out.
Chris made his way down one of the vast hallways of the temple. He gathered some energy to his hand, so he could generate a small flame so he could see his way around. It was very dark in the hallways, despite the torches on the walls. **I should ask the guys if it's okay to add some more light around here,** Chris thought. He looked off to the other halls branching from this one. From this hallway, and a similar hallway on the first floor, a person could reach any of the other rooms in the temple. The living quarters were in the turrets, on the second floor. Some of the major rooms, like the library, and the art room, were on the first floor. A slight rumbling under Chris' feet, moving to one of the adjacent passages, told him that Brian was going off to his room.
As Chris descended the spiral staircase to the lower levels of the temple, he admired the paintings on the walls. There were pictures of flowers, sunsets, mountains, and other things of nature, up and down the staircase. Not only here. There were paintings like these all over the temple. Chris' admiration was cut short when he felt something wet go down his arm, and the flame in his hand went out.
"Huh? What in the- Woah!" He exclaimed as the boy started tumbling, head over heels, down the staircase. He went on for a little while till he hit the bottom floor. Chris got up, his back a little beaten, his dignity a little worse. At this time, he looked down at his hand, and saw what had hit his hand. Water.
Chris got a little irritated, but hid a small smile. He looked up the staircase and yelled, "Andre! You get down here right now!"
When he said this, he saw a giant bubble at the top of the stairs. It started to bounce its way down. It continued on, until it was right in front of Chris. Then, it launched into the air, and popped, revealing yet another boy. He somersaulted in the air, and landed square on his feet, his back to Chris. Once he touched the ground, he turned around and said, "What's wrong Chris? Can't take a joke?"
Andre was a spirited kid, with a lot of energy. He had dark, chocolate colored skin, unlike Chris and Brian, and had short, black hair. He was about equal in height to Brian, but had a built more similar to Chris. He wore a white jumpsuit with a blue tunic, boots, and gloves.
"A joke? I could have broken my neck!" Chris exclaimed, waving his arms around. Andre gave a start at his sudden outburst. Chris normally just shrugged off tricks like these, but he was really in a hurry. He didn't have time for games right now. Although, he probably shouldn't have yelled at Andre. That was more of something Brian did. "I'm sorry I yelled at ya man. I'm just in a big hurry."
"In a hurry for what?" Andre asked. Then, he flipped backward, and while he was in air, a bubble formed below him. He landed on the bubble, cross-legged, and sat on it like a bean bag chair. " Oh I get it. Are you hiding something? If so, spill it. Don't you try and leave me out of…out of…whatever it is you're doing."
Chris gave a small smile. Andre's attitude always made him feel better. Kinda contagious I guess. **Oh I can't wait to see how he reacts to this,** Chris thought. "Well Andre, I'm off to get Gohan. He's ready for training, so I'm bringing him here to meet us."
At this, Andre's jaw dropped, and the bubble under him popped, making him hit the floor. When he got up, he stared wide-eyed at Chris. "What?!? Are you serious? I mean, we've been waiting a long time for this. Are you saying it's finally time?"
**That's the one I wanted to see. I love it when he reacts that way.** "Yes I am. His body has reacted, and I'm going to start training him as soon as possible."
"Cool! It'll be so exciting to meet him in person. Hang on, I'll get Danielle." Andre walked over to the entrance of the temple, looked up, and shouted, "HEY DANIELLE! COME ON DOWN, YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!"
In response to Andre's… call, a girl floated down to the ground and walked to the entrance. She was taller than the others were, and she had dark skin, like Andre. She had long, black hair, tied into braids. She wore green sandals and an emerald green dress, which was tight on the upper half of her body, but was loose on the bottom and swirled around her legs. She was a very caring, gentle person, slightly over-protective of her friends. "Yes? Is something wrong?" Danielle asked with concern.
"Na, everything's great. Chris just told me that Gohan's power is starting to surface, and that he's going to begin his training," Andre said with great excitement.
"Yup. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to get him before his parents notice he's gone." Chris had noticed the sun had started to rise. He wanted to talk to Gohan while he was away from his family. So, biding his friends farewell, Chris walked outside the temple, stretched out his wings, and kicked off.
Chris looked back at the temple. It was the only home he, Brian, Andre, and Danielle ever knew. It was two stories tall, and made entirely of stone. There were arched windows all around, and four turrets near the center, each holding the living area for its four "residents". The area around the temple seemed completely out of whack. There was a small mountain region to the south, a lake to the west, a forest to the east, and near the entrance, a garden of roses to the north.
As Chris turned to leave, a voice called from below him. "Chris, please wait." He looked down to see Danielle, outside the entrance. A sharp wind picked up, and she lifted off the ground, floating up toward Chris. She stopped a small distance below him, so they met eye to eye.
"Chris, are you sure you're ready for this?" Danielle asked him sincerely.
Chris gave a moment of thought. "Well…I'm not sure. I mean, I know he's ready physically, but after the problem with his father, I don't know if Gohan would-"
"No, not Gohan. That wasn't the question. Are you ready?" With this remark, she received a questioned look. " I mean, you've been hiding it from Brian and Andre, but you can't fool me. I know how you too well."
With this, Chris understood what she meant, and turned away, as she continued. "I know that you've taken a greater shine to Gohan, more than you show. I've seen you watch him grow up. I've seen the look in your eye when you see him get hurt, like with Cell, and you can't help. It's the same way Piccolo feels about him." She turned Chris around so he would look at her. " So, are you ready to force him into another fight?"
He let out a sigh. "It's not about if I want to or not. The point is I have to. This decision was far beyond our control. We did not watch him since his birth to just say, 'On second thought, maybe this isn't a good idea.'" Chris turned around again, his back to Danielle. "…However, I still wish I didn't have to. It's not like he hasn't been through enough. He might not even trust us."
As he started to go, Danielle grabbed his hand. "Chris, when you see Gohan, just tell him that he's among friends, and he can trust us." With that, Danielle floated down to the ground, and walked back to the temple.
The boy watched as Danielle made her way back to the temple. Then, shifted his energy to his wings, and flew off. He had to get to Gohan's house before he got home. **I feel terrible about this. Gohan doesn't need more pain.** He's been through enough. As he flew, Chris watched as a cloud blocked out the sun, forming a shadow over his eyes. **This is for the best Gohan. Please forgive us.**
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own anything about DBZ. Just my characters are… well… mine. That said, let's go!
Note: There should be margarines for each paragraph. It's not my fault! My writing program just doesn't work well. I'll try to fix it as soon as I can. Also, my italic font doesn't work. So, words in thought are in ** **. My originality in names is bad, so please bear with me. It's my first.
Gohan awoke with a muffled scream. He shot upright, sitting on his bed. The boy started to breathe deeply, trying to slow his heart rate, going 100 miles an hour. He looked down at his chest, remembering what he had just seen. He gave a sigh. No bloody hand. What he did see however, was his pillow on the floor, and his quilt a rumpled mess around his legs. After straitening out his bed a little, Gohan went to the bathroom, to splash some water on his face.
As Gohan turned on the water, he wiped his hand across his face. He had been sweating. A cold sweat. Then, Gohan brought some water up to his face, and drenched it in the ice water. It was a shock at first, but after a moment, he adjusted, and let the cool water wash over him. When he was satisfied, Gohan wiped his face with a towel, and went back to his room.
Gohan looked around his room, deciding he wasn't getting back to sleep. He looked over to his clock. Four am. **Talk about getting an early start,** thought Gohan. He decided to get dressed. Gohan opened his closet, looking for clothes. He chose his favorite suit, the battle outfit given to him by his mentor, Piccolo. **A little air might help. Mom probably won't notice if I make it back before breakfast.** With that, Gohan opened his window, and flew into the night.
Gohan flew north for about 10 minutes, until he reached his destination. Gohan settled onto a plain, surrounded by mountains. The plain had a variety of flowers around the edge, and a small lake. It was Gohan's favorite place, and no one else knew about it, not even his mentor. It was his personal sanctuary. Where he could let out his problems.
Ever since the Cell Games, about two months ago, Gohan had become very depressed and isolated. He wouldn't talk to anyone, still feeling responsible over the death of his father. He didn't want his friends' sympathy or pity. To him, they just couldn't understand how he felt. When the others told Gohan's father, Goku, about his son, he decided that he would return to Earth. In fact, he was going to anyway. From what Goku said, King Kai, the guardian of the North Galaxy, was going to send him back to Earth. He said Goku had something to accomplish on the Earth, but he wouldn't say what.
However, this did not help Gohan at all. In fact, it made things worse. Gohan would not speak to his father, feeling he had no right to after what he had done. Therefore, Gohan spent a lot of time away from home, from his family's eyes of pity. Since then, Gohan started coming to this place to let out his frustrations. Here, he would talk to himself, and talk about what he was feeling, without worrying about what anyone else thought about it, since no one could hear him.
Gohan landed on the edge of the lake. He removed his shoes and laid his feet in the water. He lay on his back, gazing at the fading moon, thinking about his dream. Every point of the dream was fresh in his mind. The raging forest, the towering flames, even the pain in his chest. It seemed far too real for a mere dream. A premonition, perhaps? However, the part of the dream which was the most mysterious, and so was on Gohan's mind the most, was the boy. His mind raced with questions. What kind of powers did he posses? Where could a being like this have come from? All this raced though his head.
"He certainly is different from anyone I know. Even thought it was only a dream, I know that I couldn't have just made him up. However, who was he? And… his eyes…" Gohan recalled that look in his eyes. That kindness, guilt, it was all a reflection of his own. " I know him from somewhere. Like someone I met when I was little, but I've forgotten."
Gohan felt a bit of eagerness. He wanted to meet this boy. He seemed to know how Gohan felt. Although they had never met, Gohan thought they could become good friends. He looked like someone he could finally talk to about his problems, that would actually understand, and not just pretend he did, like all the others.
As Gohan tried to sort this out, he closed his eyes and tried to think what to do about this new…development.
"So, he is ready."
Inside a large temple, unknown to anyone else, a large, open room was occupied. The large stone walls were illuminated by hundreds of candles suspended in midair. Four large pillars stood in the corners of the room, each carrying an unlit torch. The patterns on the floor moved in a spiral motion, toward an altar in the center of the room. On the altar was a small pond, almost a puddle. Sitting with his legs crossed on its edge, was the boy.
It was the boy from Gohan's dream. He had the same eyes, same robe, and same wings, fanned out on the ground. He was looking into the pond, but he was not looking at water. He was looking at Gohan, still lying on his back in his little sanctuary. He had heard what Gohan had been saying, and had a small smile on his face.
"His body is beginning to realize its power. Now, we can begin training." The boy said to himself. He started to stand up, folding his wings against his back, when he heard a voice behind him.
"I'd say it's about time, wouldn't you agree, Chris?"
Chris gave a small start, turning behind him. He relaxed when the other boy came into the light, generating from the pond. "Brian, you startled me. Yes, it is about time. What brings you here? I thought you were outside."
Brian, like Chris, looked around fourteen years old. He was about two inches taller than Chris, and was very muscular. He, like Chris, had light skin. He wore a bright yellow vest, and baggy yellow pants. He also wore black wristbands and a black belt, with black boots. He had a long, blonde tail, similar to that of a say-jin, only longer. He had short, dirty-blonde hair, and blue-gray eyes. He generated an aura of calm. He seemed to be the kind of person who could keep his cool in any situation.
"I was. Danielle sent me to find you. She wanted to know if you found anything from Gohan. It looks like you did." Brian said with a tone of approval. He stood next to Chris and looked at Gohan from the pond. "I can't believe this kid is the one we've been waiting for all this time."
"I know. Nevertheless, from what we've seen from him, I guess we shouldn't be too surprised. Chris took a last look to Gohan, then stepped from the altar. "Now, I'm gonna go get him."
Brian gave Chris a look of surprise. "What? Now?"
"Of course. He'll need to know this eventually. Best we get a good head start." Chris replied, on his way out the door. Before he left, he turned to Brian and said, "Besides, he's the only one who can convince the other three."
As Brian saw Chris leave, he crossed his arms, and his tail tip came up to his face, and rubbed against his temple. He had one thought on his mind. **I never thought this day would come. Well, I guess we can expect things to get a lot more exciting around here.** Feeling a little tired, Brian decided to go to his room to rest. After deciding it would be faster, Brian's skin began to turn gray and stiff, and his eyes changed to a yellow glow. Then, the ground below him opened, and swallowed him up. When the hole closed again, the room began to darken, as the candles all went out.
Chris made his way down one of the vast hallways of the temple. He gathered some energy to his hand, so he could generate a small flame so he could see his way around. It was very dark in the hallways, despite the torches on the walls. **I should ask the guys if it's okay to add some more light around here,** Chris thought. He looked off to the other halls branching from this one. From this hallway, and a similar hallway on the first floor, a person could reach any of the other rooms in the temple. The living quarters were in the turrets, on the second floor. Some of the major rooms, like the library, and the art room, were on the first floor. A slight rumbling under Chris' feet, moving to one of the adjacent passages, told him that Brian was going off to his room.
As Chris descended the spiral staircase to the lower levels of the temple, he admired the paintings on the walls. There were pictures of flowers, sunsets, mountains, and other things of nature, up and down the staircase. Not only here. There were paintings like these all over the temple. Chris' admiration was cut short when he felt something wet go down his arm, and the flame in his hand went out.
"Huh? What in the- Woah!" He exclaimed as the boy started tumbling, head over heels, down the staircase. He went on for a little while till he hit the bottom floor. Chris got up, his back a little beaten, his dignity a little worse. At this time, he looked down at his hand, and saw what had hit his hand. Water.
Chris got a little irritated, but hid a small smile. He looked up the staircase and yelled, "Andre! You get down here right now!"
When he said this, he saw a giant bubble at the top of the stairs. It started to bounce its way down. It continued on, until it was right in front of Chris. Then, it launched into the air, and popped, revealing yet another boy. He somersaulted in the air, and landed square on his feet, his back to Chris. Once he touched the ground, he turned around and said, "What's wrong Chris? Can't take a joke?"
Andre was a spirited kid, with a lot of energy. He had dark, chocolate colored skin, unlike Chris and Brian, and had short, black hair. He was about equal in height to Brian, but had a built more similar to Chris. He wore a white jumpsuit with a blue tunic, boots, and gloves.
"A joke? I could have broken my neck!" Chris exclaimed, waving his arms around. Andre gave a start at his sudden outburst. Chris normally just shrugged off tricks like these, but he was really in a hurry. He didn't have time for games right now. Although, he probably shouldn't have yelled at Andre. That was more of something Brian did. "I'm sorry I yelled at ya man. I'm just in a big hurry."
"In a hurry for what?" Andre asked. Then, he flipped backward, and while he was in air, a bubble formed below him. He landed on the bubble, cross-legged, and sat on it like a bean bag chair. " Oh I get it. Are you hiding something? If so, spill it. Don't you try and leave me out of…out of…whatever it is you're doing."
Chris gave a small smile. Andre's attitude always made him feel better. Kinda contagious I guess. **Oh I can't wait to see how he reacts to this,** Chris thought. "Well Andre, I'm off to get Gohan. He's ready for training, so I'm bringing him here to meet us."
At this, Andre's jaw dropped, and the bubble under him popped, making him hit the floor. When he got up, he stared wide-eyed at Chris. "What?!? Are you serious? I mean, we've been waiting a long time for this. Are you saying it's finally time?"
**That's the one I wanted to see. I love it when he reacts that way.** "Yes I am. His body has reacted, and I'm going to start training him as soon as possible."
"Cool! It'll be so exciting to meet him in person. Hang on, I'll get Danielle." Andre walked over to the entrance of the temple, looked up, and shouted, "HEY DANIELLE! COME ON DOWN, YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!"
In response to Andre's… call, a girl floated down to the ground and walked to the entrance. She was taller than the others were, and she had dark skin, like Andre. She had long, black hair, tied into braids. She wore green sandals and an emerald green dress, which was tight on the upper half of her body, but was loose on the bottom and swirled around her legs. She was a very caring, gentle person, slightly over-protective of her friends. "Yes? Is something wrong?" Danielle asked with concern.
"Na, everything's great. Chris just told me that Gohan's power is starting to surface, and that he's going to begin his training," Andre said with great excitement.
"Yup. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to get him before his parents notice he's gone." Chris had noticed the sun had started to rise. He wanted to talk to Gohan while he was away from his family. So, biding his friends farewell, Chris walked outside the temple, stretched out his wings, and kicked off.
Chris looked back at the temple. It was the only home he, Brian, Andre, and Danielle ever knew. It was two stories tall, and made entirely of stone. There were arched windows all around, and four turrets near the center, each holding the living area for its four "residents". The area around the temple seemed completely out of whack. There was a small mountain region to the south, a lake to the west, a forest to the east, and near the entrance, a garden of roses to the north.
As Chris turned to leave, a voice called from below him. "Chris, please wait." He looked down to see Danielle, outside the entrance. A sharp wind picked up, and she lifted off the ground, floating up toward Chris. She stopped a small distance below him, so they met eye to eye.
"Chris, are you sure you're ready for this?" Danielle asked him sincerely.
Chris gave a moment of thought. "Well…I'm not sure. I mean, I know he's ready physically, but after the problem with his father, I don't know if Gohan would-"
"No, not Gohan. That wasn't the question. Are you ready?" With this remark, she received a questioned look. " I mean, you've been hiding it from Brian and Andre, but you can't fool me. I know how you too well."
With this, Chris understood what she meant, and turned away, as she continued. "I know that you've taken a greater shine to Gohan, more than you show. I've seen you watch him grow up. I've seen the look in your eye when you see him get hurt, like with Cell, and you can't help. It's the same way Piccolo feels about him." She turned Chris around so he would look at her. " So, are you ready to force him into another fight?"
He let out a sigh. "It's not about if I want to or not. The point is I have to. This decision was far beyond our control. We did not watch him since his birth to just say, 'On second thought, maybe this isn't a good idea.'" Chris turned around again, his back to Danielle. "…However, I still wish I didn't have to. It's not like he hasn't been through enough. He might not even trust us."
As he started to go, Danielle grabbed his hand. "Chris, when you see Gohan, just tell him that he's among friends, and he can trust us." With that, Danielle floated down to the ground, and walked back to the temple.
The boy watched as Danielle made her way back to the temple. Then, shifted his energy to his wings, and flew off. He had to get to Gohan's house before he got home. **I feel terrible about this. Gohan doesn't need more pain.** He's been through enough. As he flew, Chris watched as a cloud blocked out the sun, forming a shadow over his eyes. **This is for the best Gohan. Please forgive us.**