Chapter 10
The wind whistled and howled, blowing leaves and twigs across the grass. It ruffled her hair as she stood motionless at the top of the hill. Her pony tails blowing up into her face didn't bother her at all as she just stared at the slab of stone set in the ground before her. Her tears falling slowly down her face before getting caught in the wind and carried off, becoming another part of nature. Her father's name was etched in big letters across this elegant tombstone along with the dates of his birth and death as well as an epitaph reading: Forever Our Champion. He had been buried at the top of a hill at the upper end of the city, as if they were saying that he was still watching them. Like he was still with them. He would be remembered forever.
"I did it, father.", she said as if he could hear what she was saying. "I avenged you. It's the only thing I could do for you. I wish I could've been there for you, maybe now you can truely rest in peace."
The last crystal drops were squeezed from her eyes as she shut them and bowed her head, saying a short prayer. She sniffled and brought her head back up, opening her eyes to a sight that caused her to stop breathing. It was Gohan standing behind her father's tombstone. She ran up to touch him, but his image faded away. She stopped, her hand touching nothing but air. It was just an illusion, her mind making her think he was there. She really missed him, even more than she knew. She wondered if she would ever see him again, and it made her think of what his father had said before she ran off to the hospital. She hoped that they really could somehow bring him back to life. It would be the only thing left to hold on to. The only thing she could live for. The only thing she could love.
She turned from the stone memory of her father and walked back to her hovercopter. She ascended into the clear blue sky, keeping her eyes on the tombstone until it was out of sight. She turned on the radio, hoping it would calm her cramped mind. It was on some news channel, and the annoying voice of the anchor wasn't exactly what she needed right now. She was about to change the station, but something caught her attention. She started listening to what the anchor was saying.
"...and it's been just over a week since authorities found a mansion burned to the ground just north of the city. Only a few bodies were recovered, much less identifiable. But authorities say that one was identified as notorious mob boss Vinnie Vinchenzo, responsible for several crimes all over the city, and wanted in several other cities in the area as well. Fire marshals are saying that the fire was caused by a leak from an old gas stove on the first floor kitchen. The detonation destroyed the entire first floor causing the second to collapse. We'll bring more on that story as it continues to unfold. Now to the weather..."
Videl wanted to smile as she reflected on her quest for vengence, but she knew what she had done and didn't like the fact that she had to kill those people. But she didn't regret it. It was something she had to do, and she wouldn't have gone about it any other way. Her mind was getting cluttered again and she changed the station to some more soothing music as she made her way back home.
* * *
"Hey dad, I see it. It's right over here.", Goten called after his father as they searched through the canyon for the dragonball that was show on the radar to be in this area. Goku caught up with his son as they dove into a crevace heading straight for the reflected sparkle that had gotten Goten's attention. They stopped at the small cliff that the orange orb was sitting on and watched as the sun's reflection twinkled in from its glassy surface. Goku picked it up and put into the bag with the other five they had already collected.
"Great, that makes six. We only need one more Goten.", Goku said excitedly. His son mimicking the excitement as they burst out from the long hole and stopped above the mountains, checking the radar for the last dragonball. When they got a reading, they both exploded in a brilliant white flame and shot off into the distance.
The last ball was hidden deep in a cave under the cover of the forest Goku and Goten flew over it a few times before they broke through the treetops and landed on the dark ground. Most of the ground was covered in shadow, but there was plenty of sunlight to break through and create a visible path through the maze of trees. They looked around hoping that the dragonball would be in plain view, but it was nowhere to be seen. Goku spotted a cave leading underground. This had to be the way.
"Goten, I think the dragonball is somewhere in there. Let's go get it.", Goku said, leading his son into the depths of the unknown.
The beeping sound of the radar echoed throughout the tunnel that they were so uncautiously walking down. It started getting darker and darker until finally nothing could be seen besided the faint glow of the dragonballs through the bag Goku was carrying. But as it got darker, their glow got brighter. This was definitely the right track. The two saiyans felt their way along the walls as they continued to descend into places they couldn't even see. Finally the walls ended and Goku and Goten stumbled forward into what they could only guess was a large room. They noticed there was something glowing in unison with the dragonballs, but it was very faint and the dragonballs were pulsating extremely bright. Goku didn't know what to make of it, so he decided to shed a little light on the situation. He quickly burst into a golden aura that illuminated the entire room, but maybe that wasn't for the best, for Goku found himself face to face with a giant serpent, its mouth open wide ready to swallow him whole. He jumped back just as its jaws slammed shut. Goten backed up into the wall, a little frightened of this huge monster. It reared back, uncoiling its long body as it prepared to stike again. Goku noticed that faint glow underneath its skin. It must of eaten it when it landed in the forest. Goku had a plan.
"Goten, I'm gonna need your help with this one. Just do what I tell you.", he yelled as the serpent dropped its head, looking to catch Goku again. Goku flew straight up into its mouth and it started to shut its jaw. It stopped when it found its maw stuck in position with Goku in between arms and legs stretched up and down keeping the living vise from crushing him.
"NOW GOTEN!! FLY DOWN ITS THROAT AND GET THE DRAGONBALL!!", he commanded. Goten took flight as he burst into a yellow flame. He went right past his father and down the slimy gullet. It smelled aweful, but Goten couldn't let it get to him. He kept going further and further down the fleshy cavern until he saw the faint glow. He picked up the ball but it slipped out of his hands, he quickly scrambled trying to grab the slippery sphere. He finally clamped down on it with both hands and held tight as he flew as fast as he could out through its mouth where Goku was still holding strong. When Goten was safely out, Goku dashed from its vicious jaws and dashed back to the tunnel following Goten. The serpent gave chase as they made their exit, snapping after them as they flew out through the cave and out of the forest back into the open air. They now had all the dragonballs.
"Alright Goten, let's go home and get your brother back.", Goku said.
Goten's eyes lit up with joy. "YEA!!"
* * *
Videl was taking out the bank robbers one by one as they came running out trying to escape. She made it quick and easy, leaving their beaten bodies for the cops to slap the cuffs on. She seemed to have taken care of all of them and started to head back to her hovercopter when two men came out of nowhere, wielding mean looking machine guns.
"Hold it little girl. We ain't finished yet.", they yelled at her. She wasn't ready to take any crap from punks calling her "little girl". She had heard that enough and it only got the guys trashed in the end. But when she turned around, she found she wouldn't be able to get anywhere staring down the barrels of their AK-47s. She didn't know what to do, but luckily she didn't have to. With quick rush of the wind, the guns were sliced in half, the barrels falling to the ground and gunpowder cascading down to the sidewalk. There he stood, between the two burglars, his fists coming up to meet their faces, sending them through the front window of the bank. His smile was enough to make Videl burst into tears. She ran up to him and hugged him with all she had wanted to give him since that fateful day. He swept her off her feet and carried her off into the sky. Videl just stared at his face with overflowing joy. She reached up and took off his bandana and shades to look at his beautiful face. She couldn't believe that it was really him.
"Oh Gohan.", she let out, not really having anything else to say. But at that instant he disappeared and she started to fall. She was a little surprised at first, but figured he would catch her. But she kept falling and was falling faster and faster. She turned around to face the ground and found she was miles above the ground and closing fast. She started thinking that maybe it was just another illusion. But it couldn't be. She was really falling. An illusion couldn't pick her up and drop her from miles in the sky. She didn't know what to do. She was about to hit the ground. She closed her eyes and braced for the last moment of her life.
"GOHAN!!!", videl woke up screaming in her bed.
The wind whistled and howled, blowing leaves and twigs across the grass. It ruffled her hair as she stood motionless at the top of the hill. Her pony tails blowing up into her face didn't bother her at all as she just stared at the slab of stone set in the ground before her. Her tears falling slowly down her face before getting caught in the wind and carried off, becoming another part of nature. Her father's name was etched in big letters across this elegant tombstone along with the dates of his birth and death as well as an epitaph reading: Forever Our Champion. He had been buried at the top of a hill at the upper end of the city, as if they were saying that he was still watching them. Like he was still with them. He would be remembered forever.
"I did it, father.", she said as if he could hear what she was saying. "I avenged you. It's the only thing I could do for you. I wish I could've been there for you, maybe now you can truely rest in peace."
The last crystal drops were squeezed from her eyes as she shut them and bowed her head, saying a short prayer. She sniffled and brought her head back up, opening her eyes to a sight that caused her to stop breathing. It was Gohan standing behind her father's tombstone. She ran up to touch him, but his image faded away. She stopped, her hand touching nothing but air. It was just an illusion, her mind making her think he was there. She really missed him, even more than she knew. She wondered if she would ever see him again, and it made her think of what his father had said before she ran off to the hospital. She hoped that they really could somehow bring him back to life. It would be the only thing left to hold on to. The only thing she could live for. The only thing she could love.
She turned from the stone memory of her father and walked back to her hovercopter. She ascended into the clear blue sky, keeping her eyes on the tombstone until it was out of sight. She turned on the radio, hoping it would calm her cramped mind. It was on some news channel, and the annoying voice of the anchor wasn't exactly what she needed right now. She was about to change the station, but something caught her attention. She started listening to what the anchor was saying.
"...and it's been just over a week since authorities found a mansion burned to the ground just north of the city. Only a few bodies were recovered, much less identifiable. But authorities say that one was identified as notorious mob boss Vinnie Vinchenzo, responsible for several crimes all over the city, and wanted in several other cities in the area as well. Fire marshals are saying that the fire was caused by a leak from an old gas stove on the first floor kitchen. The detonation destroyed the entire first floor causing the second to collapse. We'll bring more on that story as it continues to unfold. Now to the weather..."
Videl wanted to smile as she reflected on her quest for vengence, but she knew what she had done and didn't like the fact that she had to kill those people. But she didn't regret it. It was something she had to do, and she wouldn't have gone about it any other way. Her mind was getting cluttered again and she changed the station to some more soothing music as she made her way back home.
* * *
"Hey dad, I see it. It's right over here.", Goten called after his father as they searched through the canyon for the dragonball that was show on the radar to be in this area. Goku caught up with his son as they dove into a crevace heading straight for the reflected sparkle that had gotten Goten's attention. They stopped at the small cliff that the orange orb was sitting on and watched as the sun's reflection twinkled in from its glassy surface. Goku picked it up and put into the bag with the other five they had already collected.
"Great, that makes six. We only need one more Goten.", Goku said excitedly. His son mimicking the excitement as they burst out from the long hole and stopped above the mountains, checking the radar for the last dragonball. When they got a reading, they both exploded in a brilliant white flame and shot off into the distance.
The last ball was hidden deep in a cave under the cover of the forest Goku and Goten flew over it a few times before they broke through the treetops and landed on the dark ground. Most of the ground was covered in shadow, but there was plenty of sunlight to break through and create a visible path through the maze of trees. They looked around hoping that the dragonball would be in plain view, but it was nowhere to be seen. Goku spotted a cave leading underground. This had to be the way.
"Goten, I think the dragonball is somewhere in there. Let's go get it.", Goku said, leading his son into the depths of the unknown.
The beeping sound of the radar echoed throughout the tunnel that they were so uncautiously walking down. It started getting darker and darker until finally nothing could be seen besided the faint glow of the dragonballs through the bag Goku was carrying. But as it got darker, their glow got brighter. This was definitely the right track. The two saiyans felt their way along the walls as they continued to descend into places they couldn't even see. Finally the walls ended and Goku and Goten stumbled forward into what they could only guess was a large room. They noticed there was something glowing in unison with the dragonballs, but it was very faint and the dragonballs were pulsating extremely bright. Goku didn't know what to make of it, so he decided to shed a little light on the situation. He quickly burst into a golden aura that illuminated the entire room, but maybe that wasn't for the best, for Goku found himself face to face with a giant serpent, its mouth open wide ready to swallow him whole. He jumped back just as its jaws slammed shut. Goten backed up into the wall, a little frightened of this huge monster. It reared back, uncoiling its long body as it prepared to stike again. Goku noticed that faint glow underneath its skin. It must of eaten it when it landed in the forest. Goku had a plan.
"Goten, I'm gonna need your help with this one. Just do what I tell you.", he yelled as the serpent dropped its head, looking to catch Goku again. Goku flew straight up into its mouth and it started to shut its jaw. It stopped when it found its maw stuck in position with Goku in between arms and legs stretched up and down keeping the living vise from crushing him.
"NOW GOTEN!! FLY DOWN ITS THROAT AND GET THE DRAGONBALL!!", he commanded. Goten took flight as he burst into a yellow flame. He went right past his father and down the slimy gullet. It smelled aweful, but Goten couldn't let it get to him. He kept going further and further down the fleshy cavern until he saw the faint glow. He picked up the ball but it slipped out of his hands, he quickly scrambled trying to grab the slippery sphere. He finally clamped down on it with both hands and held tight as he flew as fast as he could out through its mouth where Goku was still holding strong. When Goten was safely out, Goku dashed from its vicious jaws and dashed back to the tunnel following Goten. The serpent gave chase as they made their exit, snapping after them as they flew out through the cave and out of the forest back into the open air. They now had all the dragonballs.
"Alright Goten, let's go home and get your brother back.", Goku said.
Goten's eyes lit up with joy. "YEA!!"
* * *
Videl was taking out the bank robbers one by one as they came running out trying to escape. She made it quick and easy, leaving their beaten bodies for the cops to slap the cuffs on. She seemed to have taken care of all of them and started to head back to her hovercopter when two men came out of nowhere, wielding mean looking machine guns.
"Hold it little girl. We ain't finished yet.", they yelled at her. She wasn't ready to take any crap from punks calling her "little girl". She had heard that enough and it only got the guys trashed in the end. But when she turned around, she found she wouldn't be able to get anywhere staring down the barrels of their AK-47s. She didn't know what to do, but luckily she didn't have to. With quick rush of the wind, the guns were sliced in half, the barrels falling to the ground and gunpowder cascading down to the sidewalk. There he stood, between the two burglars, his fists coming up to meet their faces, sending them through the front window of the bank. His smile was enough to make Videl burst into tears. She ran up to him and hugged him with all she had wanted to give him since that fateful day. He swept her off her feet and carried her off into the sky. Videl just stared at his face with overflowing joy. She reached up and took off his bandana and shades to look at his beautiful face. She couldn't believe that it was really him.
"Oh Gohan.", she let out, not really having anything else to say. But at that instant he disappeared and she started to fall. She was a little surprised at first, but figured he would catch her. But she kept falling and was falling faster and faster. She turned around to face the ground and found she was miles above the ground and closing fast. She started thinking that maybe it was just another illusion. But it couldn't be. She was really falling. An illusion couldn't pick her up and drop her from miles in the sky. She didn't know what to do. She was about to hit the ground. She closed her eyes and braced for the last moment of her life.
"GOHAN!!!", videl woke up screaming in her bed.