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Life carried on without Echo, though solemly. To honor her one last time, the Z Fighters gather in remorse.
"To the wife I had and always will love;" Goku starts. "I have gathered our friends and family so that they might properly say goodbye to you. We all miss you."
His eyes are bloodshot, and his words are shaky. He stands aside as Keira slowly walks in front of the group, her head hung low.
"To the mother I barely begun to know; you sacrificed your perfect life to ensure I had a happy one. I will not disappoint you, I will live on, because of your brave actions…." Keira tried to speak while sobbing.
Gohan stops her speech and reaches his arm around her. They walk off together in the woods, leaving the others and their separate goodbyes. When they are out of sight, they sit together beneath a huge tree. For a while, they say nothing to each other.
"…Thank you." Keira finally says.
Gohan pauses for a moment and looks down to the ground "I was very young when my mother passed away… So I guess… I know what you're going through."
"Was she a good person…your mother?" Keira whispers.
Gohan swallows a lump in his throat before answering.
"I don't remember too much about her…but I remember her smiling. It was beautiful."
Keira wraps her arms around him, nuzzling her head between his neck and shoulder. Gohan hugs her back, not hiding his own tears.
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Keira stays on Earth, living with Goku and Gohan. The more time she spends with the two Sayians, the happier she feels. She laughs freely with her new family, but every night she sneaks onto the rooftop and grazes at the stars solemnly.
Goku spends his days grieving at the family graveyard. Most days, he can't even bare looking at Keira. She reminds him so much of the wife he just lost. Everyday holds the same events. Goku wakes up late, eats a big meal, and leaves the house for countless hours.
Vegeta takes a different approach to deal with this lost. He trains. Harder than usual even, but not pressuring his young son to join him. He finds blowing up steel can take his mind momentarily off of the woman whom he has lost forever. The passion that they once shared, though it was only a brief moment, will never happen again. The way she looked at him with desire and need. The way her slightly parted, soft lips felt against his rough, fully open mouth…then is was back to blowing things up.
Bulma, recognizing her husband's strange grief, spends her days cleaning the house and baking… a lot.
Keira and Gohan spend their days together. They don't talk about Echo much, but more of Keira's home planet. One evening, Gohan is sorting through his clothes when Keira enters his bedroom.
"What are you doing?" She asks him.
"I'm laying out what I'm going to wear this week for school." He replies, not looking up.
"You're going away for school already?" Keira sadly asks.
Gohan looks up, "Don't worry, I go to school in the morning, then come home in the afternoon. I'll only be gone for about six or seven hours a day."
Keira nods and says goodnight.
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It's 6:30am the next day, and Gohan has just finished six bowls of cereal. He glances at his watch. He swallows the food in his mouth as he stands up. He jogs down the hallway to his father's bedroom door.
"Dad, I'm going to school now!" Gohan shouts as he pounds on the door. His only response is an incoherent mumble.
He walks down the hall towards Keira's room and knocks as he enters.
"Keira? You up?" But no one is there. The bed is made and looks untouched. Gohan turns around to walk out.
She must be training early today. How she can live here a week and keep this room looking the same as it did before she came, is beyond me. Oh well, better get going so I'm not late!
Gohan runs out the door, clutching his schoolbooks, and flies above the clouds as he makes his way to his school. He has many miles to fly before he even reaches Vegeta's house.
"Knock knock, anybody up?" He says as he pushes the front door open.
"Gohan! We're in the dining room, come on in!" Bulma's voice is heard.
Gohan makes his way through the big house to the dining room where he sees Trunks gorging on breakfast.
"Come on Trunks, or we're be late for school! That's not an impression you want to make for your first day in high school."
"I'm eating as fast as I can!" Trunks exclaims through mouthfuls of food.
Minutes later the two are flying above the clouds on their way to school. They come down a block before the schoolyard, as not to be seen by the others. They start walking the rest of the way.
"Where is Keira? Doesn't she go to school too?" Trunks asks.
"No, she doesn't go to our school. She goes to a special school." Gohan tries to explain.
"Well, I'm special too," Trunks disappointingly mumbles under his breath.
When the two get to the school, they head off in different directions for their classes. Gohan makes it to his first class with a few minutes to spare. He sits down at an empty seat and exhales. He begins to get out his study book to prepare.
"GOHAN!" A voice startles him, "Gohan why didn't you call me this summer? Where were you for those months!"
"Oh, hi Videl." Gohan shyly greets as he picks up his books he dropped.
"That's all I get from you? You better have an explanation for why-"
"All right class, settle down. It's time for our very first lesson, I know you're all thrilled." The teacher half-heartedly says as he enters the classroom.
Videl sits next to Gohan and mouths "later" to him. Gohan nervously gulps.
"Uh, before we start today's lesson, we have another new student." The teacher says as he scrolls down the piece of paper to read the information. "Uh, says here that she scored the same score as our own genius Gohan on her introductory exam. Hmmm impressive. Her name is… Ah yes, Keira. Keira Moon. Miss Moon please enter the classroom."
Keira enters the classroom wearing a typical school uniform, her hair held in a red bow. She fixates her eyes on Gohan and sits behind him.
"What are you-" Gohan tries, but is interrupted.
"Please turn around in your seat Gohan, as our lesson is in progress."
An hour later, the bell rings. The class starts to stand to leave for the next class. Gohan turns around to confront Keira, but she is already gone. Gohan walks towards the door to catch her but is stopped by an angry Videl.
"Not so fast, mister! I want an explanation on my way to class. What do you have next?"
Gohan sighs. "Gym."
"Good, so do I." Videl firmly takes Gohan's arm as they walk through the hallway.
By the time they reach the gym, Gohan has condensed the story of his stepsister. He turns to Videl, "So you see, I've been really busy this summer. I'm sorry I didn't call you when I came back from training, but then Keira showed up and my step mother-"
"Don't say it Gohan! I had no idea that's what happened! I am so sorry!" Videl exclaims. "I'll see you after we change for gym!"
A few minutes later, both the boys and girls start emerging from their locker rooms onto the gym floor. They meet in the middle where the gym teacher is standing, whistle in one hand, clipboard in the other. Videl sits next to Gohan as they listen to the gym teacher go through attendance.
"...Herbert Ross? Okay. Videl Satan? Okay. John Turnbuckle? Okay. Luke Zech? Okay. That leaves the new meat, Keira Moon? Keira Moon? Come on I don't make up the names, is there a Keira Moon present?"
"I'm here." Calls a voice from the locker room. Keira slowly walks out. She looks uncomfortable in her extra large dull red T-Shirt, and gray shorts.
'Well come on then Miss Moon, and if you're ever tardy again you'll be in detention."
Keira walks over to the circle of students and sits down, not too close to anybody. After the gym teacher goes through the standard rules of gym class, she looks over her checklist.
"Okay…that covers everything I guess." She glances as the wall clock. "Looks like you all have about ten minutes of free time. There's basket balls in that bin over there, and lots of free space in the left corner of the gym."
Everyone stands up. Half of the class starts to shoot hoops, while most of the other half stand around and talk to each other. Keira, Gohan, and Videl go to the left corner of the gym to talk privately.
"You didn't tell me you were planning on enrolling to this school!" Gohan starts.
"It was your father's idea. It's not my fault that he didn't share his idea with you. Besides, I told you, I can't go back to my Anglican school; this is the only substitute there is. So who's the girl?"
Gohan blinks. "This? This is Videl. She's my…friend."
Keira lets out a short snort and smiles. She quickly changes her expression. "I challenge you."
Gohan is taken aback. "You what? No, we can't fight here. Besides, no one knows about Sayians or power levels, or anything like that." Gohan nods towards Videl "Except her."
"Fine." Keira steps back, "We'll only use martial arts, not power. Now… FIGHT ME!"
Videl slowly backs away as Gohan gets into a starting position. She heads for the bleachers.
I'll just make this quick, and maybe no one will notice us. He thinks to himself.
Keira runs towards him. Gohan anticipates a kick and positions himself to catch her leg. She darts around him and grabs his torso. She lifts him off of the ground, but he swivels in her grip and he crashes her to the floor. The commotion has some people interested, as they flock to join Videl on the bleachers. Gohan and Keira continue their fight without noticing the onlookers. Keira does a series of punches, but Gohan has blocked all of them. Gohan swings his right leg to the other side of Keira kneecaps and she falls to the floor. As she is on her back, she lunges her self to connect her feet with his stomach. He goes down for a second, as they both bounce back up. They stare at each other for a few seconds before they run at each other. Gohan brings up his left leg for a high kick, as Keira puts all of her strength into a right hand punch. The bell rings. Keira catches his leg, as Gohan catches her fist. They stay locked on to one another, breathing heavily. The audience that has been watching, ignores the bell and waits for another move.
"That was the bell people! Go to class!" The gym teacher runs over to the crowd. "Except Keira and Gohan, you two, go to the Principal's office! There is no fighting on school grounds!" She says, as she pushes the two apart.
"But they weren't-" Videl tries to explain.
"Miss Satan, do you want detention as well? I'm sure your FATHER wouldn't like the idea of his little girl involved with these two hooligans."
Videl looks at Gohan, then the floor. "Yes Ma'am". Then runs out of the door for her next class.
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"I am so disappointed in the both of you! The two smartest students in this school, fighting on school grounds. Why?" The principal inquires at the two of them in his office. He looks at Gohan and lowers his voice.
"Was it because you felt threatened by her? That SHE would become the valedictorian this graduating year?"
Just then the door opens. Goku, followed by Vegeta, come through the door.
"Why did you call HIM?" Keira demands.
"Well, on your records here it says he is your father. When this sort of thing happens in school, it is customary that we phone the students' parents." The principal answers humorously.
Keira just glares at her father. Gohan looks at her, and then turns his attention to the principal.
"Sir, is this a permanent removal from school?"
"Hmm? Oh. Well, I suppose since you two are such bright kids, I'll just release you from school early today without being expelled. So long as you both don't get into any more trouble this school year."
"Oh no sir, I promise I won't get into any more trouble. Thank you sir!" Gohan repeated says as they all walk out of the door.
"Wow Gohan, I never thought I'd get a call from school saying you were getting into a fight, that's for sure!" Goku jokingly tells his son.
The four walk out of the building in almost complete silence.
Goku looks at Vegeta, who is fixated on his own daughter, who is staring at the ground. "Um… Keira, both your father and I flew here to get you guys, because that's the fastest way. You can fly right?"
Keira lets out a deep sigh.
"No. Angelicans can't fly. We weren't made to do that function. Unless I sprout wings, I'm Earth bound."
"We don't have a vehicle. Let me carry you home." Vegeta angrily suggests.
"No. I rather walk. I don't depend on ANYBODY but myself."
Goku stops walking. "Uh… It's a pretty far walk to the house, would you let ME carry you home? Or Gohan?"
Keira keeps walking. "No."
Goku starts walking again to catch up with Keira. "Well, I guess I understand… Well, I have a nimbus cloud you can ride if you're pure of heart!"
Keira rolls her eyes. "Too bad I'm not pure of heart." Another sigh. "Go ahead without me. I'm fine walking by myself. It won't be any strain for me."
"Well, if it's what you want…" Goku and Gohan reluctantly fly off towards home.
Keira turns around, facing Vegeta. "You can go too. I told you, I don't need anybody!" She turns back around and starts walking again.
Vegeta follows. He follows for the next six and a half hours until they reach the house. Keira opens the door to the small home and looks back at her father. She gives a disgusted look, and shuts the door. Vegeta flies off to his own home.
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