CHAPTER FIVE, Yayare Houdai Kaecha Dou Dai? Atatte Kudaketemo!

Salazarfalcon

CHAPTER TRANSLATION: Suffer as Much as You Want, How Will You Change? Face it, Even if You Break!

NOTES: The majority of this chapter is written the crack-ness of Wonderful World, by TETSU69. Fear the Tetsu. Also Memories, and other such beautiful songs written by Gackt. Ph34r the Gackt. See if you can tell which songs were used where!

MORE NOTES: This chapter might be kind of boring to some people, but what the hell do I know? I fucking hate QuickEdit, it needs to go to fucking hell. It screws the hell out of all my speech, so if anyone knows how to get the fucking hell around this, it would be most appreciated. I'm going to go kill something.

Yes, as you can most likely guess, all my speech is messed up. Please don't yell at me, it's not my fault, I don't know how to fix this. Help!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own. Stop calling me, damnit!

REVIEWS:

TheShadowPanther: Okay, okay, don't yell at me! I put in translations! Happy:cries and cringes: And see, I put in your chara, just don't be ticked if I don't quite get her character right, okay:plead:

Tobi: Oh, wow.

Falcon: Glad to see you're better, ChibiMuse.

Tobi: Yep, I'm back and ready to go!

Falcon: Thank you Jesus. :sigh of relief:

MarshmellowDragon: Hello there:waves: As for your question, yes. Yes he is. I'm not saying anything else:gleeful cackle:

Nytingale: Hey! I'm not saying anything about anyone killing anyone, so you have to wait. :grins and waggles finger: But if it does come to that, Gohan won't have an easy time of it, he's already sensitive enough. By the way, Papa lapped a pap lopped is a song by the amazing artist, Gackt. Gackt is love. Go listen to him.

Begin:

Gohan decided the next morning that he was never going to a single party ever again. The saiyan physique may have been perfect for battle, but there was no freakin' way that his head could handle such loud music. EVER. No exceptions. Sasuke had seemed to enjoy it, but the hybrid swore that he could still hear the crushing, pounding beat ringing shrilly in his head. Groaning, the boy turned over, snuggling into Kira's soft fur.

:Quit moving: Pikachu ordered from where she slept, curled up in a ball on his head:If you knock me off, I'm gonna shock you a good one. :

"Wake up, sunshine!"

Growling, Gohan opened one blurry, onyx eye, saw both Sasuke and Haruka looming over him, and promptly turned over, burying his face in his pillow.

"Don't speak to me," he mumbled, "Don't come near me." a shaking finger pointed right at the shinobi, "I'm never speaking to you again."

"Oh, don't be a baby, 'Shura! I never made you go, per say." Sasuke told him, "Now, we promised to meet Kiara-san and Die-san for lunch today, and we're already late. So get up, wake up, get dressed, and we'll go. Okay?"

Shaking the pain and sleep that he could out of his brain, Gohan sat up, scowled at his friend, and got up, taking a record time shower, before coming out and pulling on a pair of black pants, skintight silver tee-shirt, boots, and silver jewelry. Remembering full well how bad his vision was when he first woke, Gohan forwent his customary Post-Party-Pre-Planned Event contacts, and settled for a pair of thin, wire-framed glasses. Normally, his vision was top-notch, but the hybrid had a tendency to run into things when he wasn't feeling well, and they all thought it best for him to wear something of the sort. Finally, after clipping his belt that held his pokeballs, he snapped Kira and Aoi's collars gently around their necks, scooped up Hikaru, and gestured for Pikachu to hop up onto his head.

"Well?" he inquired, "Lets go."

Sasuke shook his head knowingly, as he and Haruka made out the door first, watching in amusement as Gohan almost ran into the frame.

"Jeez, 'Shura. Don't kill yourself on the way there."

Scene change:

"Kagurazaka-kun, Takahara-kun, you're here!"

"Good morning, Kagurazaka-san. Takahara-san."

Smiling, Sasuke waved at the two who had reserved a table at a small restaurant.

"Hi."

"What's wrong with Kagurazaka-kun?" Kiara asked, "He doesn't look so good."

"The party last night didn't agree with him," Sasuke responded, sitting down and guiding Gohan over to sit next to him, with the grace of one used to doing such things and appeared to take great pleasure in it. "Oh, by the way, this is Hakamatsu Haruka. She just started out about four months ago, she wants to enter contests." Shyly, Haruka waved.

"Um, hi."

"Yay!" Kiara shouted, leaping up and glomping Haruka, who gaped. "Another girl! And you're so CUTE! I love little kids!" Suddenly, Haruka glared.

"Little kid? I'm not a little kid!"

"Call me anee-san!" the elder girl cooed, "Just call me big sis--"

"Ignore her," Die said, deadpan, "She's kind of an idiot. If she molests you, I'm sorry."

Sasuke merely blinked, before waving over a waitress, who took all of their drink orders, grinning as Gohan ordered a glass of water and a Tylenol.

"Are you sure he's okay?" Die inquired gently, gazing over the short boy with concern, "I've never seen anyone with that kind of reaction."

"He's alright, just give him time to take his medicine and wake up, and he'll be alright." Sasuke told him, then with a start, his head whipped around, and he stared in shock as the door opened with a light jingle and an unfamiliar girl walked in, a large Houndoom at her side.

The shinobi's face drained of color, and slowly he began edging under the table, unaware of the others gaping at him as if he were a complete idiot. Gohan blinked, Tylenol helping immensely with his headache, allowing him coherency with the outside world.

"Nan desu ka?" he inquired, and at his soft tone, the girl turned, green eyes widening upon seeing Sasuke.

"SASU-CHAN!" she roared, turned, and dove right at him, aiming right on and tackling the boy to the ground. Sasuke groaned.

"Owww… Get off me, birdbrain." he growled, and the girl pouted.

"Aren't you happy to see me, Sasu-chan?" Cue large, watery, shojo, puppy dog eyes that sparkled like in fluffy girly manga, and Sasuke was forced to look away.

"Not in the slightest." he said, miffed at the fact that he was in the middle of a nice restaurant being sat on.

"You're nasty." she told him, grabbing his upper arm and wrenching him up, and dragging him over to sit down at their table, seemingly inviting herself. Kiara grinned, apparently finding nothing unusual in this fact and seeing a kindred female, cheerfully introduced herself.

"Hiya, my name's Moon Kiara, what's yours? I guess you're a friend of Takahara-kun?"

The girl nodded.

"Hai, I'm Kurai Tori, trainer extraordinaire!"

"Hey, nice to meet ya, girl! Put 'er there!" Kiara declared, and the two shook hands. "That's Asakura Die-kun, Hakamatsu Haruka-chan, and Kagurazaka-"

"I know him." Tori said, nodding neutrally at Gohan, who nodded back and unconsciously rubbed Aoi's head.

:Oh, I remember this chick: Kira stated:She's the one who doesn't like you, isn't she:

Kind of, the boy replied in thought-speak, Actually, it's more of a neutrality than anything else. And I don't really have a problem with it, so don't get all hissy.

Tori had short, spiky red-violet hair just past her ears and bangs that stuck straight up like some bird's nest, the kind that mothers always seemed to want to tame and/or chop off. As it turned out, she was a year older than Sasuke, and had apparently grown up with him, before going off on her own training journey. From there on, she had decided that she wanted only to train either dark, bird, or dragon-type pokemon, and had only seen Sasuke in the tree years that they had been apart six months ago.

She seemed rather wary of Gohan, and when asked about it, the boy looked away, Sasuke scowled, and she stated simply, "I don't like or dislike him. But he's good with pokemon." Kiara had blinked, but soon struck up a conversation on pokemon therapy for traumatized children, and the subject was left alone as they all got into the debate.

Gohan was all for it, arguing that kids needed something to depend on, and with a pokemon's unwavering loyalty to those it cared about, they were probably the best thing to help soothe anyone, emotionally and psychologically. That was speaking from experience, and him remembering what had happened soon after the senshi's arrival. It had involved explosions, fires, and in the end, an emotionally drained saiyan clinging onto anyone who would listen to his heart.

Tori, on the other hand, held firm in the fact that if something like that was to work, an adult should be there if the child wasn't used to the pokemon, and therefore said child would refuse to open up, thus said process would prove useless. Surprisingly, Kiara agreed fully with the hybrid, whilst Haruka sided with Tori, and Sasuke vouched for a happy medium, until Die told them that they were all getting stared at with their fired up shouting and debating, and to shut up that instant.

"Oi, how about a battle, Sasu-chan?" Tori offered, and with a surprised expression plastered on his face, the shinobi agreed and got to his feet.

"There's a park just a few streets down from here," Kiara informed them, "Pokemon battles are allowed."

Gohan personally thought that one of the reasons Tori seemed to dislike him was because of Hinote, but had to admire her for not showing hostility towards him. And he didn't blame her pokemon at all for how they acted. After all, it was understandable that they would be wary of him, after all, just how often does one come across the Chosen Child?

Scene Change:

"Five on five all right with you?" Tori asked, taking off her bag and strapping a belt around her waist and gesturing for her Houndoom, Charon, back. Now dead serious, Sasuke nodded, detaching a pokeball and asking Hinote to go and sit with Gohan, who had perched himself on top of the monkey bars at the small swing set located near where the battle would take place.

"Fine." the boy stated. "Vaporeon, if you would." He lazily tossed the ball and in a flash of white light the pokemon stood there, ready for battle. Tori tsk'ed at him.

"Sasu-chan, Sasu-chan, haven't you learned? I guess you're still the reckless little boy I remember, ne?" Sasuke remained silent. "This is just like the old days, I suppose. Melantha, get ready." With another flash, a rather large, powerful looking Sableye floated next to Tori. "Melantha, night shade!"

"Vaporeon, use acid armor!" Vaporeon shimmered and suddenly there was nothing but empty space where she had been standing. Tori scowled as her pokemon's attack ricocheted off. "Vaporeon, water gun!"

"As usual, nothing's changed." Tori announced, "Same attacks, same everything. I should trounce you, just like I did last time."

"Not this time! Aim your attack at the ground and then use return!"

Vaporeon nodded and obliged, sending out a spray that sent up dirt clods and chunks of grass that actually boosted her up into the sky, before releasing her other attack.

"Dodge it!" Tori shouted, but it was no use. Her Sableye was promptly lying on the ground with swirlies for eyes. Sasuke smirked as she recalled her fallen pokemon.

"Not so usual now, ne? " he asked, and Gohan was rather surprised to hear a tone mixing together triumph, pleasure, and a strange sense of scorn.

"Oh shut up." the girl growled, sending out a Dragonair. "Taino, hyper beam!" It was no contest. In one swift zap, Vaporeon was out like a light, and being recalled.

"Damn it," Sasuke growled, then sent out his Raichu. "Raichu, Thunder, now!" And Taino was fried, but not without the dragon putting in a defiant hiss and spouting off a dragon blast before fainting. Tori scowled, hissing in a manner much like her pokemon's, and sending out a large Altaria. Sasuke frowned. She must have been getting anxious, to make a beginner's mistake like that. He, of course, said so, only to be rewarded with a smirk.

"Anata wa baka desu." she stated simply, before ordering the bird into an attack, a vicious body slam that took out half of Raichu's HP. The blonde scowled and recalled his panting pokemon and sent out a Haunter, one that didn't even wait for his command before rashly Night-shading Altaria. Bad Haunter. Smirk.

Tori glared.

"Would you please simply admit that I've gotten better?" Sasuke called. The girl's face brightened, but otherwise she said nothing.

"Eat this, Sasu-chan!" This time, a large, energetic Skarmory, and elegant creature that did several swoops and dives upon entry, voicing his confidence to the world. "Thanatos, Hyper beam!"

"Dodge it Haunter, and Hyper beam it right back!" the shinobi ordered, and surprisingly the attack pattern worked. In seconds. Thanatos was down for the count, and Sasuke grinned triumphantly. "Well? What next?" There was no response from Tori as she returned Thanatos. Then, she turned around, stood, and pulled off her glove, tossing it into the arena. "Nani yo?" Tori's eyes were shadowed as she stared him down.

"I forfeit." She said without emotion. "I give up, I don't want them hurt anymore."

Scene Change:

"I can't believe I lost…." Tori muttered, after gaining her pokeballs back from the center, "I can't believe it. I've never lost to Sasuke before."

"Well, you did this time." Gohan spoke up, surprising them all. He had been unusually quiet all day, but especially since the battle, and Tori jolted, staring at him.

"Shut up." she growled, going a light red, "What would you know?"

"If you would, don't take your frustration out on me," the hybrid stated calmly, "I'm not the one you're upset with, so don't start." His face remained calm as he stared down the other girl, watching the emotions fly across her face. "You're not even angry, are you? You're upset because you think that you lost because you didn't train enough, isn't it?" A darkening of her blush was enough to signify that the little comment was right on, "Anyway, I'm not the one you should talk to about that."

Sasuke remained quiet as well, and stared stubbornly at the ground as his friend stared them all down, before turning and walking right out the door.

"I'm going back to the hotel. Moon-san, Asakura-san, I'm sorry that I wasn't as good of company as I should have been. Thank you for the good time, even if I didn't show it." he said, and with Kira and Aoi sticking close to him left the center, boots making quiet tapping sounds against the payment.

"I think I'll go too, and stop by that convenience store by the hotel, we're out of antidotes." Haruka said hurriedly, before rushing out as well with a frenzied wave back.

"Us, as well." Die commented quietly, "Thank you for the good time."

And then they were gone as well, leaving Tori and Sasuke alone in the darkening center. Both merely stared at each other, before Tori spoke up.

"I'm sorry. I was being a poor sport. I shouldn't have been upset. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on Kagurazaka. I shouldn't-"

"Hey, it's fine." Sasuke interrupted. She jolted. "Don't worry, he wasn't angry with you, otherwise he would have snapped at you. And I can understand why you're frustrated. But listen, instead of thinking of how much it hurts to lose, why don't you try to think of how it feels for me to win? You know I've never beaten you before." Seeing that it wasn't really helping, the shinobi reached out and patted his friend on the head. Suddenly, Tori sniffed.

"I'm sorry. For getting so serious, and everything."

"Hush."

"But you know that I can't help how I feel about Kagurazaka. Even my pokemon like him, even before they met him and though it confuses them, and I can't help that I feel like he took you away from me. I can't." Tori stared furiously at the ground, "I know it's not right and it's biased, but that's just how I feel. I can respect him, but I can't like him."

"And that's fine." Sasuke insisted, "It's fine if you feel like that. But you should at least give him a chance, just to see." And then he stopped, looking pensive, "Hey, where are you staying?" he suddenly switched conversation topics, and Tori blinked, adjusting her messenger bag over her jacket.

"Er, in a hotel, it's on the other end of town."

"Well, good lord! I can't let you walk back by yourself. It's not safe for a girl to go all that way by herself." With a start and yell, he was smacked upside the head, and Tori sniffed at him, tossing her head a bit.

"Did I really just hear you say that, to the girl who can still kick your ass? I would watch myself, Sasu-chan, before everyone you know sees your naked baby pictures. Including Kagurazaka."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Wanna bet?"

Their bickering continued right out the pokemon center.

Scene Change:

:Well, someone's upset. : Kira commented, as her trainer read over the letter he was currently editing for the sixth time, due to copious amounts of rage and swear words. He had finally decided to write a letter back to where he considered home, and knew that it would ruffle more than a few feathers.

After all, Oak had lost his favorite assistant, Vegeta a sparring partner, Piccolo his intelligent conversation, and Goku? Well, Gohan really didn't think that his father would care. As it was the letter read:

Dear minna-san,

I'm sorry I ditched everyone. I know it probably didn't matter to most several of you, but that I can't really help. Please tell father to kiss my arse not to worry. Also, I'm not dead, or hurt, or lying in a ditch somewhere or being chronically depressed, so stop running about like idiots chickens with their heads cut off, like I know you are. Tell Goten that I love him, and Trunks that I'll be home soon, okay? I know that both of the little guys are probably upset about the whole thing.

By the way, Bulma-san, I finished that mini-computer we had that bet going on that you said I couldn't do, you owe me three-thousand yen, I expect to be paid in full when I get back. I was only half-joking there, I really do expect to be paid back for it. Piccolo-san, I know you're probably very angry with me for skipping out without telling you, but please don't be mad at me. I care for you very much, and I didn't mean to piss you off, if that's the case.

Vegeta-san, I'll see you when I get back, and I'll be fully prepared to bash your brains in, like I always do. Can you tell that I'm laughing at you here? Ha ha. Cue maniacal cackling over here. No, I'm not going to get myself hurt, don't get all hissy, I know you, you insufferable jackass worrywart.

Father , you asshole. Well, what can I really say to you? I can't really say don't worry, I know you won't. Please don't kid yourself in thinking you were the reason I left, you don't hold much sway on me.

Everyone else, I'm sorry if I worried you, but I needed to get away from everything.

Sincerely,

Son Gohan

:Somehow, I don't think that that will reassure them much. : Pikachu commented dryly, munching on a green grape:Your sarcasm's showing through again. :

"Oh, shut up." In no time at all, the letter was re-written again, a silver pokeball had opened and a perky-looking Tailow popped out, chirping at him. "Could you take this to Pallet Town, please? If you would, I would really appreciate it."

:Pallet Town? Sure, sure, master, no problemo, can do, no issues! I can get it there in a day, sure can, sure can! Yup, yup: The little bird chirped manically, but held still as Gohan tied the letter to its leg.

"Be safe." He told it sternly, and the Tailow cheeped eagerly at him and pecked him on the nose before swooping out the window. Then, he sighed.

:Daddy: Hikaru inquired:What's wrong? Why is Daddy so sad? Tell Hikaru: the little Charmander inquired, and was promptly scooped up in a hug, pressing gently up against Gohan's chest.

:Master? What's troubling you: Aoi asked, curling around the hybrid's back, prompting him to lay against her.

:Gohan: Pikachu this time.

Kira said nothing, but settled herself over his legs, stretching out and staring concernedly up at him.

"Just- don't go." Gohan said finally, "Just don't leave me."

:Don't worry: Aoi assured him in a motherly fashion:We'll be here, as long as you'll have us. If there is one thing you should never worry about, it's that. :

"I feel like such an idiot-"

:Don't. : Pikachu ordered him:Just hush, and relax. You can't hide from us, and you know it. You can fool Haruka, and to an extent, Sasuke, but you can't fool us. :

There was no response from the miniature saiyan but a quiet sigh, and the boy curled up on the bed next to Aoi, clutching Pikachu to his chest.

:Just go to sleep, Master Gohan: Aoi crooned to him gently, and from outside the window crickets could be heard playing their tiny violins:Just sleep. : The moon shone in full through the window, casting beams of soft light on the already sleeping hybrid's face, and slowly four pairs of eyes closed, submitting to the night.

Scene Change:

Gohan was up early the next morning, suspecting that the early bedtime had quite a bit to do with it. He was tempted to dump a bucket of water on Sasuke but decided against it, seeing the elder boy sprawled out on the couch, obviously too exhausted to make it to his bed. Haruka was still curled up in her bed, and he showered quickly and pulled on a random outfit, before prodding his pokemon awake and heading out to the public park, which held a large area for exercising pokemon, located behind the school, beside the gym.

Several children were playing in it, obviously from the elementary class, learning from an older student, older than Gohan, about seventeen, who was doing something with a cute, young Ponyta. They started upon seeing the saiyan entering the gate and closing it, pulling out a ball and releasing a Rapidash, in fact, the same Rapidash he had ridden to Hoenn on.

The pokemon let out a loud yawn and stretched, before gazing curiously at all the faces staring at him, then lowering his head to munch on some grass. Gohan was startled when the boy teaching the younger children came over to him.

The boy had light blue hair cropped short but with long bangs, and blue eyes of the same color, and wore dusty jeans with a red plaid t-shirt. His face looked kind, and he smiled disarmingly.

"Can I help you?" Gohan asked politely, with a small bow.

"I was hoping so." the boy answered with a replying bow, "My name's Akira, I was just in the middle of a discussion, and I was hoping that maybe you could help me out. We're working on Ponyta, and its evolution, but I don't have a Rapidash to show them. Maybe you could, I don't know, help us out a little?" Akira seemed sincere, Gohan noted, and the Ponyta was happy and well cared for, so the younger boy accepted.

"Sure, why not? Oi, Hitori, get over here." Gohan called jokingly to his grazing pokemon, who picked up his head and made his way over. Meanwhile, Akira was herding the group of little children that way, and easily got them sat down on the grass to stare attentively up at Gohan. Said saiyan was greeting the Ponyta who's curiosity had gotten the better of her, and said Ponyta was now in the process of nibbling on some of his jewelry.

"Thanks so much," Akira commented, "Now class, listen closely to him and pay attention."

"Hai, sensei!" the children said as one, looking eager. Gohan cleared his throat.

"Um, okay. Guys, this is a Rapidash, the evolution of Ponyta. Ponyta evolve at level forty, so by the look of things, yours should evolve in about ten more levels, watch for it. When they get ready to evolve, a Ponyta's flames grow brighter and the pokemon will get very tense and might snap a little bit, even if it has the sweetest temperament in the world, because evolving take a lot of energy, and most of the time a Ponyta is too small to be able to easily hold all of that energy. So when it's getting ready to evolve, it's best to take it out on long rides or walks, to burn off the excess energy." he began. Gohan was normally uncomfortable talking to people he didn't know, but this wasn't talking, it was a discussion, and therefore didn't count as conversation. This was teaching, something that was quite easy to the hybrid, and it was about something he was very knowledgeable about.

"Now, Rapidash can reach speeds of up to seventy miles per hour, which makes them the fastest land pokemon known to man, so when riding them, it takes a lot of training for both the pokemon and the trainer to work together."

"What new attacks can it learn?" A little girl with blonde pigtails inquired, watching as Hitori nuzzled his trainer affectionately. Gohan smiled, now this was something he enjoyed doing!

"Well, it learns Fire Spin as it evolves, and can also learn more physical attacks like Body Slam, that wouldn't be possible in a smaller form."

"Doesn't it hurt to touch it's flames, since they're bigger?" a little boy asked, and the hybrid shook his head, running a hand through his Hitori's mane.

"No, not at all. Despite the fact that the flames are bigger, the rule of trust still applies. Hitori won't burn me because he trusts me."

Gohan continued for another hour, and he was surprised that he could hold the class's attention for that long; he knew even Sasani, as dedicated as he was, couldn't sit still that long. Eventually, when he had said all he could, he had haltered Hitori, just to be safe, and had allowed the children to ride him, with the pokemon's permission. They had giggled when the horse had turned his head to nibble at their shoestrings playfully, and squeaked when they got off and Hitori snuffled in their faces. Even Akira joined in a bit, engaging in an amusing game of Chicken on his Ponyta, whom Gohan found out was named Daffodil, with Gohan on Hitori. The two pokemon had even gotten into it, nuzzling and pushing playfully at each other good naturedly until Gohan had stuck his tongue out and shoved Akira off, the boy landing on his butt, laughing hysterically as he did.

But finally, Akira announced that they all had to go back to the school, thanked Gohan for the lesson and for the game, and they left out the back gate, all the children talking excitedly about what all they were going to tell Roxanne. Gohan smiled and waved as they left, before flopping on his back contentedly. The morning was still young, and there was nothing nicer than being outside with no one to bother you.

:Now this: Pikachu began:Was a good idea. :

:Definitely one of your better. : Kira agreed, stretching out, violet eyes focused on the clouds going by. Gohan sighed, watching as well.

"The wind is changing." was all he said, and Aoi stared at him sympathetically.

:Ah. :

"It means I have to go home soon."

Scene Change:

"I hate rain I hate rain I hate rain.." Haruka muttered later. The group of them were on route to Fortree City several months later, and for the last week the weather had been nothing but rain. It was still about three more days before they would reach their destination, and they were all at about the end of their patience.

Haruka simply disliked rain, Sasuke was irritated because Hinote had his poncho and because they were riding triple on Kiseki, the newly discovered and as-of-yet unnamed evolution of Rapidash, Pikachu hated rain and was curled up in Gohan's jacket as was Hikaru, whilst Kira walked grumpily underneath Kiseki, who was covered up in a Fire Sheet. Aoi seemed to be the only one enjoying herself, and Gohan was passing the time and Haruka's griping by singing quietly to himself just over the sound of the thunder.

"Mawaru, mawaru okizari ni sareta jikan no naka de watashi wa… ima le miserables…"

"Here's to that." Haruka muttered, brushing some water droplets off her face that managed to get inside her poncho, "Miserable indeed." Gohan blinked and glanced at her in bemusement, before scowling.

"You know, you could be a bit more accommodating. None of us really like this." That was about as close to a reprimand as the saiyan got, and Haruka blushed, turning her head to stare fiercely as Kiseki's back in embarrassment.

: Master, this really is kind of miserable. : Kiseki stated, and calmed when her trainer's hand patted her neck.

"I'm sorry, it was my idea to leave when we did, I didn't mean for this to happen." Gohan commented apologetically, and was promptly whacked upside the head by a certain blonde shinobi.

"Don't worry about it, if we had had any worries we wouldn't have left. We were all dumb and that's why we're paying for it."

"I think Sasshi-san is having a good laugh at my expense, he was still a bit pissed at me for choosing this place last time I saw him," the saiyan muttered darkly, tilting his head upward to stare into the endless, dark canopy of trees. "I'm actually kinda worried, some of these trees look like they're about to fall over."

"Don't say stuff like that!" Haruka protested, "Now I won't be able to stop thinking about! Zaka-san, you're such a jerk!"

Gohan sent her a mischievous grin.

"It'll stop you from complaining, anyway."

"Zaka-san!"

"You know, 'Shura, it might be best to stop provoking Ruka-chan right about now."

"Relax, Sasuke. You know it's not my fault she's easy to pick on."

"ZAKA-SAAAAAN!"

"Ouch."

"Owie… Hey, I think my pokemon are giving us all stink eye.."

"No, really. I never would have guessed." Sasuke growled.

: You know what: Kira began: You're all getting on each other's nerves and ours. Why don't you all be quiet and ignore each other for awhile--yeek:

"What the-?" Gohan question, before Kiseki snorted.

: Master, this mud is giving both of us a few issues. : And sure enough, Kiseki was elbow up in the thick mud, her head down and straight out, struggling to move. Kira, on the other hand, was scrambling up onto the other pokemon's back, covered in a thick covering of muck as well. Gohan blinked.

"Well, try your best, lets try to find some higher ground, I don't want you going any further in this weather, okay, Kiseki?"

:But we should keep going- :

"No. It's too dangerous for you, I won't risk you like that. Try to find some high ground, and we'll stop." That said, the boy turned to his disgruntled Delcatty and began rubbing her gently with a towel, smoothing down her ruffled fur. Kira was hissing angrily in frustration but nevertheless leaned into the ministrations being made by her partner.

: Ew, I feel gross. : She muttered darkly to anyone that would listen, and was whacked on the head by Pikachu, who refused to venture outside Gohan's poncho.

:It's your fault, Sasuke offered you one, but noooo, you wanted to run under Kiseki- :

"Hush." Gohan ordered, patience almost about to snap. "Enough. Not one more word from any of you." The hybrid's voice was strained with frustration, and no one said a thing until Kiseki scrambled up onto a hilltop that wasn't completely flooded. She stopped, and Gohan got off and gestured for everyone else to do as well, haltering Kiseki and filling a bucket with bran, warming it from under the shelter if a small tree. Smiling, he gave her a gentle pat on the neck as she dug into the food. "Thanks, sweetheart, I appreciate this. Get some rest." She quietly nickered in agreement as her trainer took off the sheet, brushed her down, and blanketed her carefully.

Sasuke sighed from where he sat, unrolling his sleeping bag.

"Ew." he muttered, "This weather is gross." Gohan whole-heartedly agreed with him but said nothing, opting rather to change into some p.j.s and sliding into his bag. It wasn't long before Kira, Aoi, Pikachu and Hikaru joined him in exhausted sleep.

END CHAPTER-

Translations: (Because otherwise, Panther-chan will kill me.)

Nan desu ka: What is it? (Huh?)

Anata wa baka desu: You're an idiot

Minna-san: Everyone

Sensei: Teacher, master, "One who has come before,"

"Mawaru, mawaru okizari ni sareta jikan no naka de watashi wa…ima les miserables…" : From the beautiful-ness of Gackt, this lyric is from the song Miserables, his first single as a single artist. Means: "Turn, turn, inside of the time that left me behind, I am now les miserables…"

Yep, so this is chapter five. I'm rather scared of myself. I'm sorry that this is so short and late, I'm doing my damndest to get over my slump with this.