Konnichi-wa, minna-san, it's Gohan. Ani's being mean today and making me type this.
Ani: I'm not being mean, it's my brother's birthday! Anyways, you love me enough to do this little favor for me, right?
Sometimes I wonder why…
Ani: HEY!
*smirks* I know. I'm a pain in the butt. This is the last 'little favor' I'm doing for you, got it?
Ani: Yeah, whatever…*goes back to playing Budokai*
Waitaminute! I thought you were helping your mom wrap presents!
Ani: I was. But I'm playing Budokai now. You can finish typing this chappie for me, since you've already started and all, can't you?
*growls* Sure. Why do I do these things? Anyways, on to the reviewer feedback.
Ani: You're in charge of reading reviews anyways, so this shouldn't be a problem.
I thought you were too busy playing Budokai to type this, but you're apparently not so caught up in it that you can't talk to me.
Ani: I'm playin' already! *goes back to the game*
Sunshine: You're telling me it comes out strongly…*sticks tongue out at Anshin* Oi, everyone wants me to go to the past. Well, you only have to get through one more chapter. She promises to get to that tomorrow…right?
Ani: *furiously pressing buttons on the controller* Yeah, sure, whatever…
*throws a pencil at her*
Ani: ITAI!!! Gohan-san!
Frying Pan of DOOM!: Well, this is angst, after all.
trunks888: Hey, Ani! You have a new reviewer!
Ani: Nani? Oh, hi! *pauses the game and reads trunks888's reviews* Oh, thanks!
Android 71: *hugs her back* Wow, someone actually loves me!
Ani: *in monotone* Yes, all bow down before the mighty King of Sarcasm…*gets cuffed, growls at Gohan* Hey, I got a hug, too! I feel loved…oh, and my bro says thanks.
Saiyagal: Yeah, it'll be about the same place…no kidding she loves to torture me!
Ani: Yeah, Teen Gohan's fun to tease, but I'm not a really big fan of Videl's, so I don't write her much. The whole Saiyaman bit's great to make fun of, though!
*gags at the thought of his present self in the Saiyaman outfit* My teenage version is an idiot…
Knight's Shadow: Hey, Anshin! Another new reviewer!
Ani: Huhwha? Oh, Hi! Thanks!
DemonDancing: Hey, someone else loves me! *adds DemonDancing to his list of people to be nice to* Anshin, 'nother new reviewer!
Ani: Aiee! People are poking me! I get enough of that from SSH, LPM, my mom, and my little bro…I hope I'm keeping people in character. It gets kinda hard sometimes, and Chichi's the most difficult person to write. I'm glad you like it!
Chibi Lauryn: Have fun on vacation! And just how do you know Trunks? *raises one eyebrow* First Saiyaman, and now he's going out with Videl?! ACK! She's Mr. Satan's daughter, for crying out loud! And anyways, everyone knows I'm the better looking one. *gets beamed upside the head with a pillow* HEY!
Ani: No modesty whatsoever…but I agree. ^___^ I hope you have fun at…wherevertheheckitis you're going!
SSH: Yo, what's up! *waves* And Ani still wants you to come over.
Ani: YEEHAA! You're my 50th reviewer! *throws candy at her* Ironic, ne?
Well, on to the fic…augh, more torture…*rolls eyes* And just so you'll know, this is a really short chapter. (Thank Kami-sama…the less she writes, the better for me.)
*****
He flew close to the ground, the long blades of grass parting underneath him like the Red Sea and his orange gi rippling against his body with the wind. In a burst of gold light, his eyes lightened to green and his hair spiked into unmoving tufts of gold. The sun was setting at his back, and the sky was a brilliant shade of red. His eyes narrowed as he searched the horizon.
"There you are," a voice to Gohan's right said casually. Gohan quickly came to a halt and glared at the figure that was standing against a tree with his arms folded. "Have you come back for round two?" The figure stepped forward from the shadows, revealing himself to be Jinzouningen Juunanagou.
"Where's your darling sister?" Gohan asked sarcastically.
"Now, why would I want to drag her away from her shopping just to play with our dear friend?" Juunanagou retorted, then he rolled his eyes. "Women. Go figure," he added with a shrug.
Both took defensive stances. The sun sank low and disappeared altogether.
"Well? Are you going to attack me or what?"
Gohan smirked. "After you."
"With pleasure." Juunanagou darted forward with a swing to Gohan's neck. He ducked, caught the Jinzouningen by the ankle, and slammed him into the ground. Juunanagou let out a low growl and sprang up. He faked a kick to the Super Saiyan's knees, then grabbed Gohan's wrist as he blocked the false blow.
"I'm getting a sudden sense of what you humans call deja vu."
Gohan snarled, leapt up, and delivered a powerful kick to Juunanagou's chest. Juunanagou staggered back a step and coughed, but his grip on Gohan's arm didn't loosen. Instead of letting go, as the demi-Saiyan had predicted, he tightened his hold nearly to the point of breaking Gohan's bones.
Slightly stunned that his maneuver hadn't worked, Gohan's concentration broke for a half a second—but that was all the time Juunanagou needed. He jerked back with all his might.
Gohan screamed as a jolt of sharp pain ran up his arm. He could feel the bones breaking and his muscles tearing. Suddenly, it stopped as his nerves were severed and his arm became completely lifeless.
He slowly became aware of the hot, sticky blood running down his side. He forced his eyes open, and the scream caught in his throat as he stared in absolute horror at Juunanagou.
"Whoops, I think I pulled a little too hard…" Juunanagou said tauntingly as a malicious smile spread across his face. Terror seized Gohan completely, and he hovered in a state of frozen shock. His still-green eyes widened as the Jinzouningen carelessly tossed the detached arm aside and charged forward for the final, devastating blow.
"NO!!!" Gohan screamed as he jolted upright in bed. His chest heaved up and down and his heart pounded in his throat. Cold sweat poured down his face and the back of his neck. He slowly lifted his shaking hand and stared at it a moment, then curled it into a fist.
His breathing and heartbeat gradually began to regulate themselves, but his body still trembled with fear. Hurried footsteps and panicked breathing echoed up the hall. "Gohan, are you alright?" Gohan looked up at the doorway with a blank expression, and Chichi stared back at him with worry masking her features. He swallowed hard and slowly nodded, then leaned back against the headboard and stared up at the rotating fan blades.
Chichi crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Gohan?" she asked softly. "Sweetheart? What happened?"
He hesitated a moment, then said, "Nothing. Just a dream."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah."
Chichi nodded, then stood. As she started towards the door, he called back to her. "Mom…wait." She turned and looked at him. He lowered his gaze from the ceiling and looked her in the eye. "It's just…I'm not…Mom, I—" She sat back down and put her finger over his mouth.
"I understand."
"I think I need a hug."
Chichi smiled and wrapped her slender arms around his large frame, and he rested his head on hers.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I love you."
"It's alright, I understand. And I love you too—that's why I don't want to see you hurting."
Gohan swallowed hard. "I miss Trunks. It's stupid for a grown man to be so upset about death, especially when you've seen as much of it as I have. But it's not fair…he was only a kid…"
"Nothing's ever fair, Gohan. It's not stupid. He was your little brother. I miss him too, just like I miss everyone else that's died." She ran her hand through his thick black hair. "Are you okay now?"
"Yeah, I feel better. Thanks, Mom."
Chichi stood, smiled at him, and left the room. As the door clicked shut, Gohan picked up the folded square of paper and laid it out on the bed. He leaned back against the headboard, deep in thought and inadvertently rubbing his shoulder.
"Then I'll have to talk to Bulma," he said to himself. "When she builds it, I'll have to have her fix it so it can be piloted with only one hand. Mom's not gonna like this…"
He refolded the paper and got up to find a shirt.
*****
See? I told you it was a short chapter. I think she only wrote this one 'cause she was in a bad mood, and tends to take out her anger in her stories…mostly on me and Trunks.
Ani: Did I scare you with the dream sequence? That's one of my favorite story elements, so you may see it a lot in some of my other stories. That, and the shower scene like I wrote in the last chappie…^___^
You hentai.
Ani: I am not a hentai! My friend Eric's a hentai! I just like the mental image of you I get—wet and shirtless. *dreamy look* I think the FUNibakas censor my mental images. *pouts*
*rolls eyes* COULD YOU POSSIBLY TORTURE ME ANY MORE?!?!?
Ani: Is that a rhetorical question? *smirks* Don't worry, there's no torture in the next chapter, but there is a little humor. Oh, and the moment everyone's been waiting for! Drum roll, please.
Do your own drum roll.
Ani: Fine, be that way. Gohan's going to the past!
Don't everyone start cheering at once, now.
Ani: *growls* Well, I gotta go!
You're typing the next chapter. My hand hurts now.
Ani: Oh, come on. I gave you a short chapter. Ja ne, minna-san!