CHAPTER TEN: Imi Sae Wakarazuni Isshoni Utatteta Ano Uta no Setsunasa wo Shitta yo
TRANSLATION:- Without Even Knowing Why, Now I Understood the Sorrow of That Song We Sang Along
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NOTES: This chapter was mostly for fun, because it's going to get a bit darker and I need something to keep me amused. You guys too.
OMG, we're already up to chapter ten and past the cursed number six! Props to all of you for helping keep me going!
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REVIEWS:
W.V.F: Hi there! It's….QUESTION TIME! (or rather, answer time!)
1) That's a bit of a secret, my friend.
2) Uh… haven't gotten that far yet, so I can't say for sure.
3) It'll happen this chapter. (smirk)
4) But of course. Eventually.
5) Duh. What kind of Harry Potter fic would this be without that royal idiot? (my spell checker keeps wanting to change Harry to Harpy.)
6) Yep.
7) Perhaps….. (secret smile)
I'm hearing you with the pen thing. Good thing Gohan has a brain, ne?
Golden Warrior12: Yo, what's up? (blush) Thanks for the props, it really helped. You lurves me? (points at self) By the way, you were the only one to review When Falcons Write. I'm glad that you liked it.
TheShadowPanther: Wow, I can't type, I have a kitty on my lap. I just got back, and he's decided to cling onto me for a while. Yep, I HAD to have Harry and Siri meet. (grin) Fear my Doomified Mallet of English Justice! I knew you meant that about Snape….Really.
I'm glad you thought the dream sharing was cool, I was a bit iffy on it.
Sheesh… (making fun of Panther-chan)
Slash and Vampire Game are lovely. Lurvely! Vord is a chara from Vampire Game.
My summer reading is going just lovely.
MarshmellowDragon: Yo! I take it you don't like Spanish? I'm glad you liked Bob, I like him too. And no, they won't get ears naturally.
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"Albus, are you sure that this is a good idea?" Severus asked, up in the headmaster's office that night. Dumbledore sucked contentedly on a lemon drop, smiling thoughtfully.
"Why shouldn't I be? Severus, it will be a lot of fun."
"But a ball? For all years? A costume ball, for that matter? Are you completely mad!"
"Well, mad people never really know, do they?" Dumbledore knew incredibly well that he was pissing off the alreadyirate teacher, and thoroughly delighted in it. Severus gritted his teeth.
"...In…deed." was all he said, before stalking out of the room, robes billowing menacingly behind him.
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"Check it out!" Pansy and Millicent were crowing later that night in the common room, holding a green sheet of paper in their hands. Gohan, who was sitting on the arm of an armchair, looked up and quirked an eyebrow.
"Okay, I'll bite. What is it?" he asked. The paper was immediately shoved under his nose. It read:
Hogwarts Ball! February 25, beginning at eight p.m. All years admitted! Everyone attending should wear a costume, which can will be pulled out of a hat in Professor Snape's office for the those wishing to attend on February 19, at seven-thirty p.m., after dinner. All costumes should be under an R-rating. Please arrive in the great hall the night of the ball fully costumed, and feel free to bring a date or dress out in groups with your friends!
"It sounds fun." Gohan said mildly, just as Draco gave a joyous war whoop.
"Ice, sign us up!" He declared, and Gohan shrugged.
"Leon isn't going to like this."
"Who cares?" Draco answered loftily, "He needs to get out more!"
"We aren't leaving, you know." Gohan cut in. "So, who's going to tell Leon about this plot of yours?"
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"Oh, I hate you. Ihateyou Ihateyou Ihateyou." Harry growled as Draco signed the sign-up paper with a dramatic flourish. Severus looked at them all with disgust as the blonde pulled out of a hat their randomly selected costume assignment. And when they said random, they meant random. As long as it was no higher than an R rating, anything and everything could be drawn and was drawn. Draco gave a broad grin as he unfolded their slip, and Gohan blushed brightly while looking over Dark's Chosen Child. Harry winced.
"How bad are we talking?" Looking apologetic, Gohan handed over the sheet. Harry moaned in despair. Printed on it in big, bold lettering was:
Catboys.
Really. Harry choked.
"Oh hell no, no way am I going to some party dressed like some sort of.. of.."
"Catboy?" Draco offered dryly, raising a slender brow.
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. "Catboy. I refuse!"
"Tough luck." His friends answered as one.
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Gohan grinned as he rummaged through a large actor's trunk that he had found buried somewhere in his pendant under all of the random junk. Harry and Draco ducked as random things went flying out of it, from a rubber chicken to a large flowery bonnet.
"A-ha!" He declared. "Found 'em!" Harry was horrified as said 'them' were tossed into his arms. The black-haired boy now held a pair of tight (White!) pants and a loose white shirt that dipped low and came around his neck, and white boots with golden buckles. On top of the pile lay a pair of life-like white cat ears rimmed with gold and a white fluffy tail. Also with it came a gold leather collar studded with emeralds. Engraved in it was the word 'kitty'. Bracelets of sparkly gold were on top; several were loose, to be worn on the wrists, while others were tight to be worn on the upper arm exposed by the sleeveless shirt; delicate golden chains swooped under the collar. As wassaid before, Harry was horrified. Quickly, Gohan assured him that he wouldn't look like a fool at all.
Due to the sword training and Gohan shoving healthy food down his friend's throat for several months Harry had had a bit of a growth spurt (took him long enough!) and now he only looked like a twelve year old as opposed to a ten year old. He was no longer stick-thin but had rather a pixie figure to him, much like his fellow black-haired Chosen Child, and his black robes that were a constant covered lightly toned muscles from both the sword and quiddich. Draco was the tallest of the three, much to the other two's dismay.
Said blonde was thoroughly delighted with his outfit; the exact same as Harry's only in a rich black trimmed with storm grey that perfectly matched his eyes, the collar studded with amethyst, and on it engraved 'Fluffy'. Gohan's was relatively the same, only in a stunning sapphire blue trimmed with molten silver, collar with diamonds, and engraved with 'Scratches at will'. Also, the shirt was tight and sleeveless, but with a collar that came up like a turtleneck.
"No way am I wearing this." Harry said, almost to himself. "And I don't even want to know why you have them." Gohan shrugged.
"It was for cosplay, I have my original, Draco is the relative size of Sasuke, and yours is Yumi's. But I put charms on them beforehand, so that they would size themselves for you guys." Harry was miffed. He had seemed pictures of Yumi, and she was certainly pretty, but he didn't want to be wearing her clothes!
"Come on, Hero!" Draco cooed. "It'll be fun!"
"Hell no, Reptile!" Harry hissed. With a gleeful smile, Gohan attached silver collars onto Pikachu, Aoi, and Kira, each engraved with 'Vicious'.
"We're sure to win the costume contest," Draco said thoughtfully, "-since we already had our costumes, it'll be great!" Harry held up the outfit and winced. God, his reputation would never be the same . . . .
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The Gryffindor Common Room was full of giggles, squeals, and rather scandalized shouting the nextSaturday night. It seemed everyone was going to that damn party, and Harry hadn't ventured out of the dorm room at all that day. He was currently clothed in his costume, and he was shocked to see that it actually looked good on him, but with all the noise downstairs there was no way he was going down there. Gohan (who had been hanging out in the all day) however, seemed shameless, and bounded around, illiciting shrieks, blushes, and squeaks from all manner of rather flattered and shocked teenage girls. They were all anything but serious about it though, and Harry knew that his friend simply loved getting a reaction out of people with the scandalous cosplay outfit.
It would have been hilarious had Harry not been so mortified about the whole thing. Picture this: Fifth, sixth, and seventh year Gryffindor girls thoroughly clinging onto a seemingly sugar-high saiyan and cuddling him, fourth years petting his tail and ears, and Parvati and Lavender jingling his collar tag. Even the bolder first and second years were getting a kick out of it, though Hermione, as usual was being a complete stick about it.
Said girl, Ron, and Neville were costumed as a bunch of nuns; Ron was as red as his hair. As well, Seamus and Dean were dressed as muggle coppers. Suddenly, Gohan looked up and waved cheerfully up the stairs to Harry.
"Oi, Leon, get your posterior down here, I wanna see how thatcostume fits!" The saiyan hollered, and in an instant, all attention was turned to the flustered boy hovering just out of sight in the third year dorm.
"I told you!" Harry shouted. "I'm not going down there looking like this!" Suddenly, a demonically gleeful saiyan hybrid stood in front of him and before Harry knew what was happening he found himself being steered downstairs.
Damn, you look good. Kira said appreciatively from where she sat, being cuddled by several cooing first years. The silver collar sat prettily on her yellow fur, and the Delcatty seemed quite smug about being fussed over. Harry blushed to the roots of his hair at the rather lewd comments being sent his way from other students, and wondered if hentai could be classified as some sort of disease.
A/N Yes! I have it! I have the hentai! (wiggles fingers in a childish 'I've-Got-Cooties!' gesture) Come here! (readers run away in fear, though Falcon's friends are not affected) Well, you know what they say. Once you've got it, there's no going back.
Gohan smirked at him, as if suspecting his friend's thoughts, and clasped a hand to Harry's shoulder to lightly lead him out of the portrait hole, Pikachu on his head and Kira and Aoi cheerfully trailing behind him. They had arranged to meet Draco at the statue of Salazar Slytherin, and currently they were running late.
When they got there, the platinum blonde was waiting for them, with him, and a blushing crimson Daphne Greengrass, who was dressed as a fairy princess but somehow managed to pull the look off quite nicely. Both boys grinned as they saw their friend's hand clasped in her's, which was the reason for the girl's blushing. Gohan was surprised, to say the least.
Daphne was always so quiet, if silent, but she seemed nice when she spoke, and was the one of the few Slytherins who never really put anyone down, but that was mainly because she never spoke at all. The saiyan beamed, however, and greeted Draco's date warmly, as was customary, and jabbed Harry sharply in the ribs to do the same. Draco looked positively delighted with his catsuit and had added little touches here and there, such as a small black bow in his platinum hair.
When they entered the Great Hall, all four of them were positively dumbstruck. It was absolutely amazing, all the work that had been put into it. The ceiling was spelled to have the weather of a sunny summer day, and little birds fluttered around everywhere. Huge fluttery streamers rested on every table. The room was lit brightly, and lofty, bouncing music wafted from every corner of the room. Most of the school was already in there, and Gohan found himself highly amused by the costumes.
There was Professor Lupin, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, Minerva as Spiderman, Dumbledore as a box of Lemon Heads, and what he found most hilarious, Severus as the Grim Reaper, scythe and all. Many costumes he didn't recognize, and Gohan assumed they were a wizarding thing. There was also Pansy Parkinson, dressed as a chicken leg, Crabbe and Goyle as twin Curious Georges, and Fred and George as Bonnie and Clyde. With a broad smile, Gohan separated from Draco and Harry and went off to talk to Severus, who looked completely disgusted by all the festivities.
"Snape-san, konnichiwa! Are you enjoying yourself?" The Child of Shadows asked politely, illiciting rather shocked stares from other students and an amused one from Dumbledore. The head of house snorted uncharacteristically.
"Quite." he said sarcastically. "The whole thing is ridiculous." Gohan laughed and shook his head. "Your costume is rather. . . ." The man trailed off and Gohan took his blue fluffy tail lightly in his hands, fingering the softness of it.
"Trust me, it wasn't exactly my idea to do this. Rettile was the one who signed us up, so I just went along with it." The teen said simply, and with a small smirk Severus reached over and lightly tweaked Gohan's cat ear, causing the saiyan to grin goofily.
"I totally dig your costume, professor. It's very. . ." Gohan trailed off. Severus smirked.
"Fitting?"
"Quite." The Child of Shadows answered, resting a hand on Kira's head. She purred and caused her collar to jingle, tag glittering in the dim lighting. "Professor, I'd like to talk to you about my fight-" Gohan was jolted as Severus rolled his eyes, grabbed him sharply by his blue tail, and dragged him into a less crowded area.
"Okay. Talk." The man ordered, and Gohan nodded.
"Well, I was wondering if there was a way to make it stronger, I'm up to an hour now, and I still can't work it off."
"Well," Severus mused, "Try about three more drops of the komodo dragon poison the next time you make the solvent, the more poison, the more accurate the reading. But too much, and you'll have a bit of a problem." At the response, Gohan inclined his head and smiled broadly.
"Thank you, sensei."
"You're welcome, it's my job."
"I know." the boy answered simply, "And I'd like to talk to you about Lupin."
"Lupin?" he asked in a harsh whisper. "What the hell would you want to know about Lupin?" Gohan frowned and flipped a bang out of his face.
"Well, I don't like him for one. And he makes me feel funny, like he's trying to make me submit to something. Not like he wants to hurt me, but it's like something in him constantly tries to assure itself dominance and it automatically pisses me off because of what I am."
Abruptly, Severus stepped back and rested a slender hand against his cheek pondering something or other.
"Fascinating."
"I don't know what it is, but it threw me off the second I met him. Do you have any idea about this?" inquired Gohan with a curious tilt of his head. Severus seemed to contemplate this, then shook his head.
"No." He said shortly. "Forget about it." Gohan reeled back a bit, then ducked his head forward, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Don't even think about it, Son Gohan." Severus warned darkly. "Just stay away from Lupin, got it?" The boy scowled, then nodded so slightly that if you hadn't known he had done it one wouldn't have seen it. Severus kept Gohan's rather defiant gaze with his eyes. "Do not."
"Okay, I won't!"
"Promise me. Promise me that you will not go screwing around about this." The teacher ordered, even more serious than usual. At the uncharacteristic tone in his voice, Gohan nodded, this time more sincerely.
"I promise. Happy?" Wish fulfilled, Severus lightened his tone a bit, though only someone who really knew him could tell it.
"Good. Now go and loiter and cause chaos and havoc, or whatever you brats do in your spare time." The teacher said gruffly, and Gohan beamed, before turning and making to leave, then offering a hurried bow.
That was interesting. Aoi commented, with a tilt of her head. Are you going to listen to him? Grudgingly, Gohan nodded. He always kept his word, despite whether he liked it or not. He knew that Severus despised the defense teacher, but his Potions Master had seemed so grave. He may have been sarcastic, sadistic, and vindictive; snarky and serious, but never like that. Kira scoffed.
Of course he was. said the Delcatty in a haughty fashion, tossing her head. With a grin, Gohan produced got a bowl and filled it with punch,
"Suck-up." He said good-naturedly, and Kira grinned, lapping up the juice that sparkled and glittered -most likely by some charm- in the bowl. It was also a bright blue, in honor of the soon-to-be ending of Winter. Gohan looked around, scanning for familiar faces. There was Draco, dancing with Daphne, but he couldn't see Harry anywhere. He didn't expect to, though. Light's Child was very shy, and always did his damndest to keep out of the limelight. However, no one seemed to realize this, and constantly misunderstood him.
Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder, and Gohan whirled around to see a girl with magically dyed green hair standing behind him. Sky-blue eyes grinned at him from behind rainbow framed glasses; she was dressed as Digiko (From Di Gi Charat!) and seemed to be loving every minute of it. The outfit consisted of an old fashioned navy and white apron-dress with puffy sleeves, white cat paw boots that doubled as calf-high stockings, and white gloves. A white cat-eared cap rested on her hair and she wore a large gold bell on each ear of the cap, along with a gold bell at her throat, with a white cat tail on the back of her dress. She was beaming at him.
"Hi there, whazzup? I love your costume." She bubbled in an slightly French accent, and Gohan liked her immediately, her very manner seemed friendly and goofily childish.
"Hi, I like yours too! What's your name, I'm Gohan Son." The girl giggled.
"Oh, I know that, everyone's talking about you guys anyway, but the way you and Malfoy and Harry look tonight takes the cake! I'm a fourth year Ravenclaw, Amanda Kite, call me 'Manda." Amanda said, with a smile. "Me and my four friends are in a group costume, we pulled out Di Gi Charat. We had to do some research first, but I'm glad we got this!"
"Who else is in your group?" Gohan asked.
"Welllll, Brittany Blastet is going as Puchiko. Hilda, or Hildie, as we call her is Rabi en Rose, and Kimberly Catch, or Kimi, is Piyoko. We make quite a group." Amanda informed him, smoothing down the skirt of her dress. "I was going to go with this really cute boy in my house, Terry Boot. You may have seen him, flitting around like some demented butterfly, hitting on people. " Indeed, Gohan had. "Anyway, I asked him, and he said yes, then the bastard stood me up!" Amanda was raging mad now, her aura had sharp flares of red, and Gohan felt it would be beneficial to tread cautiously.
"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Spoken like a true gentleman. The Ravenclaw seemed to have a tendency to run her mouth off and speak fast, and change subjects even faster.
"Sorry, he just pissed me off so much! Just because he has all the girls in our year vying for him that is no reason to treat a delicate lady like that!" Amanda seemed anything but delicate to the saiyan, but he kept his big mouth shut and think his words through.
"I completely agree. That sort of behavior is unacceptable." Amanda beamed.
"In that case, I am making you my date for the evening." She said bluntly. Gohan choked.
"WHAT!" He yelped, and quicker than he could say saiyan Amanda had broken into convincing tears. Frankly, the saiyan was trapped. Nevertheless, he tried. "Look. . . Amanda. . . it's not that I don't like you or anything. . . but. . I just met you and stuff and. . . " He trailed off, a pink blush spreading over his features. Amanda glared at him and continued to fake-cry, drawing rather disproving stares to the saiyan from bystanders.
"You HATE me!" She wailed, then Gohan rolled his eyes skyward, giving up.
"Okay, okay. You win." He muttered. Instantly, Amanda stopped and leapt to her feet, slinging an arm around Gohan's shoulder. "But this is only a one time thing, okay?"
"Okieday!" The girl chirped and dragged him out onto the dance floor. As they passed, Draco smirked evilly in a teasing fashion. Gohan made note to kill him later. As another song started, for the first time the saiyan realized that they were playing both muggle and wizarding songs, and that he knew this one. Absently moving to the rhythm, he began humming the tune, then adding the words. He wasn't really dancing, though he knew he could; his mother had made him, Sasuke had made him, and due to some unwilling training on Gohan's part he had learned a wide variety of dances from a wide variety of cultures and species.
As Gohan trailed off, already soft voice going even softer, Amanda grinned and glomped him.
"That was beautiful!" She exclaimed. "Sing it again!" Gohan rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Um... no." Was all he said, and the Ravenclaw pouted.
"Man, you're mean." She muttered, then got a wicked look in her eyes. "I know, we can play a mass game of Truth-Or-Dare!" The saiyan went grey and began to stutter, before breaking away and racing over to a corner, hiding behind Severus and trying to make himself look small. The man gaped at him.
"Son Gohan, what in the name of all that is sacred are you doing?" Gohan squeaked as Amanda came closer and wiggled her fingers at the both of them.
"Hide me!" The Child of Shadows gasped in alarm, and squinched himself down so he couldn't be seen. "She's dangerous, I tell you!" Severus looked at him skeptically. "She wants my soul!" Gohan insisted. Amanda placed her hands on her hips and pouted, glaring darkly. Severus, sensing an explosion -probably from working a little bit too much with volatile potions- began to back away slowly, gaining stares of amusement.
"I hope you're happy." He hissed. "My Bat-Of-The-Slytherin-Dungeons rep with never be the same again, thanks to you. You owe me big time." Gohan nodded emphatically.
"Later, I shall owe you later. Just don't let her get me!"
Remus blinked rapidly as two figures sped by, noting with not a little amusement that the resident snarker was being dragged by a very demanding saiyan hybrid. Severus glowered at him as they passed. The defense teacher turned to a bemused Harry, who had shown up some time earlier, and shrugged.
"What's up with them?" Light's Child asked in a confused manner and a tilt of his head.
They're just being strange. Ishtar quipped from inside Harry's arm band exposed by the shirt. They're just being them. She added cryptically. Harry raised an eyebrow. What the hell did that mean, he pondered.
What do you mean? he questioned curiously, and he could almost feel his Bonded Dragon's grin.
Pay me no heed. She said softly. But somehow that saiyan can cause that man to act like a complete adolescent, I find it amazing. Ishtar mused to herself, light soprano voice bouncing off the walls to Harry's ears, though no one else could hear it. Remus raised an eyebrow. All of a sudden, Harry had gone all spacey; what was the deal! Then, the underage wizard seemed to snap out of it and grinned, a wide mischievous grin that Remus swore he inherited.
"Gohan's the only one who can do that." The Light Child smirked. "But it is really funny."
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"I'm dead." Draco Malfoy declared to the world five hours later. At the moment the three of them were seated in the Room of Requirement, though all were a bit flushed from all the action and they all wore broad smiles. The blonde previously mentioned had his boots off, and was rubbing his foot, looking like he was in great pain. Gohan smirked.
"Dead, you say? Where? Dead in the head? I'll believe that."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny; let's all make fun of the poor rich kid, 'cause his feet hurt." Draco griped, gracing Shadow's Child with an aristocratic sneer. Harry shook his head and sprawled out on a couch that had appeared out of nowhere.
"Come on, the two of you had a great time." Gohan snorted.
"Yeah, right. You try being chased around all night by some sadistic Ravenclaw girl and then tell me how much you liked it." Growled Gohan. He had completely removed his costume, and was now garbed in a pair of blue jeans and a black sleeveless wife beater. His hair was tied back with a silver silk ribbon, and the front of the shirt was covered by a storm silver kanji, reading 'Eclipse'. Draco had only removed his ears and tail, along with the boots, and had changed his pants to loose jeans but left the shirt. Harry was lounging around in jogging pants and a red tee-shirt.
"So, Draco. Did you have fun with Daphne?" Harry and Gohan grinned wickedly as a light pink flush spread across Draco's features.
"Did you kiss her goodnight?" inquired Gohan, leaning forward in genuine curiosity, sounding a bit too innocent in Draco's opinion.
"As a matter of fact-," Draco tried his damndest to ignore his blush, "-yes, yes I did. What about you? Don't think I didn't see that crazy girl try to shove you up against a wall." This was said to Gohan, and his tossed his head, trying to sound impetuous.
"Yes, well, try being the key word. I have no interest in Amanda Kite, though she would make a nice friend. Really, who ever said Ravenclaws were quiet? Psycho, more like." Harry shook his head again.
He seemed to have been the only one who had been left with any shred of dignity during the night, though that was mainly because he had spent his time with Remus, and as everyone knew, Remus was a very dignified person. (Yeah right! Marauders forever!) Suddenly, a thunderclap rocked the building, and Kira was in Gohan's lap in a split-second, fur beginning to fluff up. The saiyan gave a little half-smile, running a hand over the frightened pokemon, and the others both knew not to comment.
The Delcatty's fear of storms was legendary, and came from being left outside a lot as a kitten. Whenever even the softest of thunder sounded, she would race all over the school, rules be damned, and wherever her trainer was would cling like static to him for the rest of the day. They all knew that it was useless to try to make Gohan send her away, she wouldn't go, and the last person to try and force her ended up getting his ass hyperbeamed.
Looking worried, Harry glanced out the window, watching the lightning and the rain.
"I hope Padfoot is okay, in this weather." He said quietly, and Draco patted his shoulder.
"Relax, the guy's tough. He'll be fine."
Harry still wasn't too keen on leaving his dogfather out in the storm, but knew it would mean suicide and expulsion to try and smuggle him in. Then, Gohan yawned and got to his feet, Kira pressing herself as close to his legs as she could get, Pikachu his head, and Aoi calmly at his side.
"I'm exhausted." said the saiyan. "I'm going to bed, I need sleep." And then, he and his pokemon winked out, courtesy of a teleportation. Draco nodded as well.
"Me too." Without another word, he left as well, and muffled swearing split the air as the blonde stubbed his bare foot on the wall. Harry grinned, before getting up and sliding on his invisibility cloak, and making his way to bed as well.
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"I don't care what you guys say, brooms are not safe to fly on in any way, shape, or form." said Gohan in conviction, crossing his arms across his chest. From the air, Harry and Draco rolled their eyes. Ever since that disastrous day involving Gohan and a school broom, they had been completely unable to get their friend onto any manner of one, a fact that never failed to piss them both off just a little bit.
"Oh, come on." Draco prodded. "Surely the, 'Child of Shadows'," this was said with sarcasm, "Isn't scared of flying, is he?" Gohan snorted.
"You wish, Rettile. I simply prefer to fly naturally, with my ki, or of my own abilities." drawled the saiyan, levitating jut a few inches off the ground. From his pendant, the blood red gem that was Seiliez laughed, Osakaben accent echoing slightly. From a corner, Kira was bounding around, involved in a pouncing match with Aoi; the water dog had eventually given in to the cat's goading and had dropped her dignity in response to the challenge. The two of them were now going at it with much gusto, and from her position on top of the bleacher railing, Pikachu had a very good view of it, to her amusement.
With a shake of his head, Gohan moseyed over to where his starter sat, and began to greatly regret being fenced in so much. It wasn't like he didn't get enough exercise from his excursions into the forest every night, nor that he didn't spend as much time with his pokemon as he'd like, though that was certainly true.
It was really the fact that he was saiyan, and being saiyan he had a huge sense of curiosity, and he was itching to get out of that castle. Kind of like a case of spring fever. Gohan wanted to go to places he'd never seen before! He wanted to go to Egypt, and this Realm's Japan! He wanted to visit the United States, and he wanted to go to Australia and see a koala and a wallaby! He wanted to see how other cultures practiced magic, and learn it too, and he wanted to be able to go into scientist mode and not have that annoying Granger try to show him up all the time! He wanted to get a normal pet other than pokemon, and he wanted to meet other kinds of people and see how they lived! And most of all, he wanted to find some way to clear Sirius.
That would be his first priority, once the school year was over, he decided, and he would not stop until he succeeded. Somewhere, there had to be a way to do it!
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Deep in thought, the teenage saiyan just sat on the railing, until he was started by a shout, and two raging figures storming out of the castle and onto the Quiddich Pitch. Harry lightly touched down, and looked upon the people in concern. Both Ron and Hermione looked furious, though the girl had light tear streaks on her cheeks from crying.
"You guys, what's wrong!" Harry was worried, naturally. They may have drifted a little bit that year, but Ron and Hermione were two of his closest friends, and this was the first real fight he'd seen them have since hooking up. Eyes blazing, Ron pointed a shaking finger at his girlfriend.
"Her.. cat creature ate Scabbers!" The redhead shouted angrily, and thrust his hand in Harry's face, startling the green-eyed boy a little bit. It it were several ginger, bloodstained cat hairs. Gohan raised an eyebrow, and Harry leaned forward in an almost morbid curiosity. Draco stayed up in the air, knowing that whatever was going on was not something he wished to be involved in.
"Are you sure? Scabbers really wasn't looking too well last time, maybe he just crawled away to die or something, you know how animals are.." Harry said, trying to keep an even tone to his voice, before quickly exchanging a glance with Gohan. They both knew that no such thing had happened; Sirius had told them full stories about Harry's parents' betrayer and the way his animagus form looked, and frankly, Harry was doing his best to keep his friends off of his real motives. Rather Slytherin of him, really.
Gohan nodded his agreement, against what he would normally do, making an honest attempt to soothe the distraught redhead. Despite how he may dislike Ron, the boy was quite fond of his old rat, and despite how he hated the rat itself, he could understand how Ron was feeling at the moment. Harry looked rather surprised at this, but said nothing, feeling the need to pacify both of his friends.
They had, for the past few weeks, been trying to get a hold of Wormtail, but since he was always in the presence of Ron, it wasn't as if Harry could just walk up to him and whack the little bastard. Besides, even if they did get a hold of him, they had to get him to de-transform, then prove Sirius as an innocent man. That would take time, and though Harry despised the wait, that was the only way to do it.
However, there was no consoling Ron, nor could they get Hermione to calm herself down. With a side glance to Harry, who nodded slightly, Gohan gave a short nod to Aoi, who discreetly gave off a surge of calming chi, a technique that together they had developed as a way to calm the saiyan when he was distraught and would not relax. Almost immediately the effects could be seen in the two teenagers, and both Light's Child and Shadow's Child relaxed with inward sighs of relief.
"Look you guys," said Harry, in a pacifying tone, "Crookshanks is a cat, you cannot blame him for being a cat."
"Cats eat rats, he can't help it." Gohan interjected smoothly. "Besides, he didn't look too good last time I saw him. Maybe it was better for him." Ron and Hermione didn't look satisfied, but the technique was working like (Pardon the pun.) magic and they merely glared at the both of them and stomped away, bickering all the way. In a seconds notice, Draco had swooped down and dismounted his Nimbus 2001.
"I take it we're going on a mouse hunt?" The blonde asked, a malicious glitter in his steel eyes. With equally vicious expressions, the other two boys nodded, and Gohan beckoned his pokemon forward.
"Kira, you search the forest with Pikachu, stay together. Don't kill him, we need him alive, got it? Aoi, you go with Draco and Duzell. Could you guys search the dungeons and the Slytherin bounds?" Draco nodded, and Aoi moved to stand next to him. "Harry, if you would, scout out the halls and the other common rooms. And classrooms as well. You're friends with a whole bunch of people in different Houses, make up some excuse to get in there." Harry nodded as well, making mental notes as he did so of how to do it.
"But what about you?" Draco inquired with a raised eyebrow. Gohan smirked in a very dark manner, looking suspiciously like Vegeta.
"Me? I will be enlisting some personal help. I know a certain Grim who will positively delighted to be off some assistance. And of course, I'll need to check with the Thestrals. After all, they eat rats. The little bastard deserves it, but I will never give up on Padfoot. He deserves this much! Okay, everyone good with what they're doing?" All nodded. "Then let's get it started!"
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"Mr Potter, what are you doing here?" Minerva asked after opening her office door for her first place troublemaker third year. A close second was one Gohan Son. Not to mention the Weasley Twins, but they weren't third years and after their latest escapades she didn't want to see them for about fifty years. So, now she looked upon a rather fidgety Harry Potter.
"Well, professor-" He twitched slightly, "-About your lesson from yesterday, I didn't really understand it. You know, about mineral transfigurations?" Minerva nodded. "Well, I looked it up, and asked Hermione about it, but I still didn't get it. I was wondering if maybe you could go over it again with me? Please?" Frankly, Minerva McGonagall was gobsmacked.
Hermione Granger coming in for an explanation was one thing, but she had never seen Harry show the slightest bit of interest in getting help. Plus the fact that he had seemed to understand the concept in class just yesterday. The teacher was about to refuse, but in an instant the large, jewel-bright green eyes were almost shimmery (Think shojo girly manga.) and at that moment Minerva would rather shoot him than deny him. With a sigh, she beckoned Harry into her office, sat him down in a chair, and began to go over the material.
As she did this, Harry's eyes went over every inch of the office, almost seeming to search for something and looking a bit zoned out, but answered all of the questions she quizzed him with correctly. Minerva sighed.
"Well, Mr Potter, it seems to me that you seem perfectly competent in the curriculum. I honestly don't think you need help, so out you go. And don't forget," Minerva added as a side-note, "-About the assignment due next week over this." Harry grinned as he exited the door, waving his hand backward in acknowledgment. Watching his retreating back, Minerva sighed.
"He had better get a 10 on that, or I will have to kill him."
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Harry's heart raced as he sped down the hallway. Getting in there had been simple enough, but staying in focus on two equally deadly things was enough to make him squirm. One, Wormtail, and Two, Minerva McGonagall in teacher-mode. But, at least he had a guaranteed 10 on an essay.
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Here, you stinking, filthy traitor. You stupid, pea-brained, lame ass loser. . . . Come here, you flea-bitten, spineless, son of a Grimer. . . Here, mousey mousey mousey. . . . Kira cooed in falsetto as she and Pikachu trotted through the forest. Pikachu scowled at her.
Oh yeah, like anything's going to come to you.
Hey, who's the predator here? I do know how to hunt, you know.
Well, if that's how you used to hunt, it's no wonder you were always so skinny. With all the noise you make, I'm not surprised if the little bastard's already heard you. Pikachu retorted sharply, glare in her brown eyes. Kira returned it, with no hesitation.
Well, you would know, you are the mouse out of the two of us. The Delcatty snapped. Pikachu would have made a retaliation, when a voice interrupted them.
The search may go a bit smoother, if you tried to get along a bit better.
Both pokemon whirled to see a pitch black Thestral watching them curiously, dark eyes shining slightly in the shadow. If she could, Kira would have put her paws on her hips, as Gohan was always doing. It didn't stop Pikachu from doing it though.
What do you want? Kira asked. Come to taunt us a bit?
Not at all. The Thestral replied. I came to help you. I too am a predator, and am good friends with your master. I wish to help him, and you as well. I am known as Night Wind.
Kira.
Pikachu.
With a Thestral grin, Night Wind began trotting down a hidden path that the trees made for him. Muzzle close to the ground, he sniffed deeply.
I smell rats, but then again, I always smell rats, there are many around here. I eat them, you see. At this, Kira gained a worried expression and looked as if any second she was going to have a nervous breakdown with nerves. Pikachu on the other hand, glowered stubbornly at nothing.
Well, keep searching. It's a rat witha human scent. We don't stop until Wormtail is found.
Can I eat him when we catch him?
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"This is not good." Draco muttered to himself. So far, for the past two hours, he had been scouring the whole damn castle, and he hadn't seen a single sign. Aoi seemed just as frustrated, but still irritatingly calm. The blonde really hoped that Harry, Gohan, and the pokemon were having better luck than he was.
"Mr. Malfoy." Draco jumped as the voice entered his reverie. A bemused looking Remus Lupin was leaning against the wall, eyeing Draco with an unusual expression on his face. "What are you doing? The weather is beautiful, why aren't you outside with your friends?" Startled, Draco tried to come up with a good excuse when Aoi nudged him, then bristled her fur like an angry dog, letting out a low growl.
Lupin's eyes widened, then narrowed them as he stepped back. Aoi didn't advance, but began to nose Draco forcefully in the opposite direction, shoving him away down the hall and keeping a close eye on Lupin.
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As of yet, Gohan was having no luck. After several minutes, he had declined on telling Sirius, fearing the man's temper and rage would get him killed if he knew. He had gone to see the acromantulas, the unicorns, a clan of Kneazels, the thestrals, the griffins, the merpeople, the Hippocampi, the wolves, the snakes, the Strasah, Fang, and Bob, and not a single individual had seen Wormtail. Of course, those were not the only creatures he had asked, but they were the ones who could give him the most help, he figured. All of them had been most apologetic and had promised to keep their eyes open, but for all he knew one of them could have eaten the little piece of vermin and not remembered about it.
Fearing he was going to snap at the next creature to come his way, Gohan sat down on a stump by the Whomping Willow, who apparently liked him very much, by the way it kept gently caressing him with its branches, and took a deep breath. It wouldn't do at all for him to be all wound up like a tightly coiled spring, and did the breathing exercises Shigeru had taught him to help him relax.
Suddenly, his sharp eyes caught a hole any other person would have missed. Kneeling down on his knees, he peered inside it, transforming his eyes into those of a Meowth to help his night vision. For all he could see, it was just dirt, but it appeared to go on very far. Knowing what he had to do, the saiyan took a breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
Something small, that's what he needed. Something that could see in the dark, and something that could dig. Slowly, the teen's body structure began to change, fur of a grass green began to cover it. Four paws with sharp claws meant to burrow, and rounded ears with tufts of white fur. A short tail like that of a lynxcat, sharp, predatorial eyes for night, and vicious teeth meant for killing. When he was finished, he was very small. Gohan had transformed himself into a Kaisakuneko, a pokemon of which he had discovered himself. They had nasty temperaments, but were very loyal and friendly to those they deemed worthy. Sasuke had one, nicknamed Kittybeast, that slashed his grandmother every time she walked in the room, but protected Sasani and Sasuke with his life.
With a small growl, Gohan slunk into the hole and began digging through the dark abyss. . . .
For what seemed like hours he dug, not being quite small enough for that damn hole. Suddenly, he shivered violently, feeling a sudden cold washing over him. He twisted and wriggled his body side to side, scrambling even quicker through the tunnel, as quick as he could. Something was there, he knew it! He just had to get there!
Finally, the saiyan reached the end, and scraped through the hard packed dirt to scrabble onto a floor of cold, almost frosted stone. Gohan shivered again, and crept into a corner, crouching as low to the ground as he could get behind a wooden crate, that every so often would rattle menacingly.
The room was dank, dark, disgusting, and dirty. The stone walls were covered with a thick layer of damp moss, and his delicate ears picked up the scampering of cockroaches and other nasty, dirty things that one would use in potions. It was so cold that Gohan's breath was a cloudy mist, and instinctively his green fur was bristling in an attempt to warm him up.
Just then, voices could be heard.
"Wormtail, it certainly took you long enough. Incompetent loser."
"Hey!"
"Oh, do shut up. It isn't like you're useful at all to us, except for the fact that you are an animagus.By some miracle of God or sheer luck."
"Hmph."
"Anyway, how goes your search for Black? You had better have found something, or the Master won't be pleased at all when he returns." Snickers and a scratchy growl were heard, before a response was given. The fact that Wormtail remained silent was as good a response as one could get.
Gohan resisted leaping out and killing the dirty little rat as brutally as he could like some damned Gryffindor, but assisted the help of his Slytherin side. Better to remain in the darkness and keep one's life and secrets than lose them for the sake of pride. Instead, he crept closer to the wooden crate, keeping his senses toned on the conversation at hand, and prodded it with his paw.
It rattled, and a strangled noise came from it. Gohan backed away as one of the unknown men walked up and kicked it, illiciting an angry screech from the box.
"Omega, what the hell is that, and why are you keeping it here?" Another man asked, coming up to join his companion. The saiyan could feel Omega smirk.
"This, idiots, is something that took me fifteen years to track and catch. Powerful little bastard."
"Yeah, but Omega, what is it?"
"It's a Panthro, Romie. They're related to Strasah, only they don't got wings, they can camouflage themselves. Damn thing took me literally forever to catch." Romie snorted.
"Hell." Was all he said, and Omega snickered nastily.
"When we see the Master, I can't wait to hear what he says about this thing. He'll be jumpin' up and down." Eyes wide, Gohan made to back up. It was obvious that he couldn't risk retrieving Wormtail right then, but how to get out of this mess?
The men were blocking the door, and he had to get out quick, he had been gone for four hours straight, and it must have been at least nine at night, he had to get out of there! Suddenly, the man named Omega stopped short, and sniffed deeply.
"I smell somethin'." He said.
"Well, you are a werewolf. Go sniff it out." Romie griped, as if the whole thing was beneath him. Wormtail was staying out of the way, and Omega knelt down. Gohan sunk down behind the crate.
"I smell... I smell... I smell a CAT!" The Were yelled, almost roared, and it was time for the saiyan's Gryffindor side to make a comeback.
Gohan flung himself out into sight, and slammed into the crate, shattering it to splinters and releasing the one inside. There was a shriek of rage, but the Panthro went for self-survival and smashed through the wooden door at the top of a flight of stairs and fled. Split second later, Gohan felt it's already weakened ki go out. Its escape had been foiled, and the poor creature had been felled. In a second, Omega and Romie had their wands trained on Gohan, and the furious Were wore the most murderous expression on his face.
"You fuckin' bastard... I'll kill ya! Crucio!" Before Gohan could move, he was assaulted with a the curse and yelled with pain, not prepared at all for it. It felt like hours, but in reality only several minutes, before the curse left him. Blood was streaming from his mouth from where he had sunk his fangs into his lip to keep from yowling in agony, his ears were flat against his skull, and his claws had gone straight through the stone floor, in an instinctual attempt to rid himself of the pain.
Suddenly, their attentions wavered, and Gohan, pride be damned, made a frantic run for it, diving back into the tunnel and speeding through it as fast as his exhausted body could take him. Upon reaching the end, he de-transformed into his not so normal self, and curled up on the soft grass. The ebony eyes opened, and tears began to slip.
"I failed." He muttered, sobs wracking the slender frame, "I failed.", before his eyes fluttered shut. He didn't hear the shouts several minutes later, or feel being carried away.
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DREAM SEQUENCE (I love these things.)
"Oak-sama! Oak-sama, where are you? Shigeru? Shi-kun?" A younger Gohan called, walking the halls of the pokemon lab he knew by heart. He looked his nine year old self.
Eventually, he came to a door that was slightly ajar, and saw the professor kneeling next to a bed, sheets bloodstained, and the body in it covered by a blanket. The old man's face was streaked with tears, and despite himself, Gohan crept forward.
"Oak-sama? What is it? What's happened?" he asked quietly, and was startled when the man got up, drawing the blanket away from the body. It revealed a dead, mutilated pokemon, so deformed that Gohan couldn't even tell what it had been. His throat clenched, his insides heaved, and he shuddered violently. Gohan couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He came here to get away from the pain and torment, not see more of it! Pikachu gripped his pant leg, horrified, then raced up his body at the sight, burying her face in his hair. Gohan stroked her head, completely numb, crystalline tears forming in his eyes, dripping down his cheeks, not noticing that as they fell, they formed a perfect blood colored diamond and clicked on the tile, glittering in the light.
Professor Oak turned to him, eyes full of pure misery. Slowly, he took the child by the shoulder, and brought him close to him, hugging him against his side.
"This, Ashura, is why humans should never, ever be trusted with a life. A trainer did this, Ashura. A trainer with no respect nor love for his pokemon did this, to an innocent.
I want you, and Shigeru to promise me, that when you go out there in the world, I want you to stay safe. I don't want either of you to see something like this again. Okay?" Tears still streaking his face, Gohan nodded.
A wave of emotions rose up in the hybrid, and that same thing caused him to go completely weak, like some plate of cherry jell-o dropped on the floor. His knees went out, but Gohan merely sat there, expression anguished. Pikachu moved to his lap and his head rested on her head. They didn't move for a long while.
END DREAM SEQUENCE
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Gohan's vision was blurry when he woke up. Everything was white, but he could feel three very reassuring pressures on his body, so he knew that he wasn't dead or anything. Slowly, he sat up, and looked around.
Once more he found himself in the hospital wing. Picking up a hand mirror, he stared into his reflection. Gohan's face retained no blood, nor tear tracks, it seemed completely unscathed, as opposed to what he had looked the night before. Shaking her head, Kira suddenly sat up, and unwaveringly held his gaze with her violet one.
What did you think you were doing? She asked, tone stern, the way it always sounded when she was about to lose it. You could have been killed, you stupid, off-the-wall---
"Masochist?" offered Gohan unabashedly, and both Kira and Aoi growled at him, while Pikachu promptly slammed him repeatedly over the head with her ketchup bottle.
It isn't funny. Aoi told him seriously. You could have died back there.
You're just lucky that Lupin found you when he did. said Pikachu, brown eyes grave. You almost did die.
"I've almost died many times! What makes this any different!" Gohan almost shouted. Then, with a sharp thwap, he rested his hand to his cheek, stunned, where a red mark now was. Pikachu glared at him, having whipped around and slapped him sharply with her tail.
How dare you. She said quietly, and the saiyan winced. What makes this different? I'll tell you. You didn't have to see your best friend and partner in a coma, because he did something stupid. You didn't have to see both Draco and Harry nearly having nervous breakdowns because of worry. You didn't have to see the nurse shoving potions down you, and feel hopeless because they wouldn't work. And you didn't have to see Severus looking as hopeless as we felt. Dumbledore had to send him away, because he kept a constant vigil over you and wouldn't sleep. So don't you even dare.
Do you remember, back when you were younger, in Oak's lab, when we saw that dead pokemon, and you promised you would stay safe so none of us would have to see something like that again? I can't believe you would break that promise so thoughtlessly. The electric type's tone was icy as she thoroughly chewed out her trainer. The other two said nothing, obviously agreeing with her.
Gohan felt completely numb. The memories of that event were once again rushing through his head, and shots of needles were shooting straight through his heart. All through Pikachu's tirade he had said nothing, but upon its finish, blood red diamond tears were dripping down, shining in the light, then landing on the white sheets. His frame shook from head-to-toe, and through the bond he could feel not anger anymore, but remorse.
I'm sorry I reminded you of that. Pikachu said softly, but firmly. But it had to be done. What you did was so indescribably stupid, that I had no choice.
You need to think, Master. Aoi cut in, piercing blue eyes cutting through Gohan's shields. I never, ever wish to see you like that again, ever.
We didn't mean to hurt you, but in a way-
I did. Pikachu said simply. You aren't invincible. You may be damn near immortal, and we might be too, but there are worse things than dying. To get through to you, sometimes I have to hurt you. But I am sorry to belittle you like that. Without a word, Gohan leaned forward and embraced the three of them tightly.
"I'm sorry. So sorry." He murmured into Kira's soft yellow and violet fur. Absently, Pikachu ran a paw through his hair.
That's all I wanted, my little Ashura. That's all I wanted.
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END CHAPTER
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True love is unconditional. True love isn't someone telling you that you're perfect. It's someone loving you enough to remind you that you're not. It's being able to be cut deeply, and still forgive. It's being able to cut someone else deeply, and still be forgiven. True love can be that of a parent, guardian, best friend, or lover. Love is when you can truly be open, be you, yourself and no one else, and be happier than you ever could. Truly loving someone, is knowing when you can help them, and when you have to hurt them.
Salazarfalcon
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Falcon: Yeah, so it's kinda moody. Sue me.
Raven: Okay!
Falcon : deadpans I didn't mean literally. Baka-Yami.
Raven: sticks her tongue out.
Falcon: Anyway, this was a much more serious chapter, and if you aren't into lengthy author's notes don't read this. I feel mushy, thus, I shall write mush, Leave me be.
Some of my adoring friends have told me that Gohan is far too super-power in this story, but I'm telling you, he is not! Yes, he may be a complete tough-ass physically, but the fact remains that he is a child, and power goes to one's head once in a while, however rare it may be. The fact is, Gohan was extremely stupid in his actions, and I believe that the Pika-monster was completely in the right in chewing him out, however much it hurt him. Sometimes, you really need to cut down those you care about, so that they don't get themselves hurt, or worse.
Pikachu only said those things to him, because she obviously loves him, and is very maternal towards him. Thus, like any mother, she wasted no time in making our sweet little hybrid feel lower than dirt, like my mother and my grandmother did and still do.
Gohan will be better for all of this, and maybe won't go charging off like some Gryffindor in the future, and not get himself killed. If he did, Yumi would bring him back to life, then kill him again for good measure.
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