Chapter 1: The Rabbit Girl
It had been eleven months since Goku died. Eleven months since Gohan defeated Cell. Eleven long hard painful months.
In those eleven months, there had been nothing but peace. Gohan had returned home to his mother and resumed studying, and Chi-Chi gave birth to a baby boy named Goten. Krillin and 18 had started dating, and even moved into the Kame House. Yamcha was training and had moved into the city with Puar, and Tien and Chiaotzu had returned to training in the mountains. Vegeta was living with Bulma and the two of them were trying to fix their strained relationship, as well as to be a better father to Trunks.
Everything was fine. Well, for everyone except Gohan. He was still very depressed over his father's death. He felt like it was his fault. When Piccolo told the Z-fighters that Goku chose to stay in the other world, he felt like he lost a part inside of him, slowing crumbling away to dust. He felt like disappearing sometimes, but he had the support of his family and friends to know he wasn't alone.
But he couldn't. He knew he just couldn't. His mother would devastated. His friends would be very hurt as well. He and Goten were the only things left of what Chi-chi had of Goku. He could've just leave his mother like that. Not when she was still grieving. But even with all the support he got from his loved ones, the thought still lingered in his head.
"Ok! Finished!" Gohan thought to himself as he finished up all schoolwork for the day. He stretched his arms and then got up from his chair. He turned his head over to look out the window. The sun was setting. The sky was a warm orange color, which was blended with a dark magenta.
"I guess Mom is making dinner now..." Gohan thought to himself as he made his way down the stairs, his book under his arms. "Hey mom! I finished my work!"
"That's good Sweetie! I'm busy right now!" Chi-chi called back to her son, obviously busy. Gohan slightly chuckled under his breath. He walked into the kitchen and placed his book on the table. Chi-chi was busy cooking dinner for that night.
"Hey Mom," Gohan started, "I think I might go for a walk, just a quick stroll. I promise I won't be out for so long." He stated to his mother. Chi-chi turned around and took a quick glance over at him.
"Ok, you can, but don't go out too far and be home before dinner," Chi-chi replied to her son. "Alright?"
"Yeah, I promise," Gohan stated back. He opened the door and waved back to his mother before he went outside. "Bye!"
Mount Paozu was very quiet and peaceful at night, and a perfect time for an evening stroll, or least that's what Gohan thought. He did them every once in a while, but he enjoyed them anyways. They always helped him relieve stress and get his mind off things.
He went on alot of evening walks during the eleven months since the Cell games. He obviously had alot of things on his mind, and strolling through the forest alone gave him an sense of comfort.
He continued to walk through the forest, hands resting behind his head and the sound of his feet trudging the only one for miles around. Until he sensed a ki.
Gohan stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened and he looked around. He was pretty sure he was the only person out for miles. What was someone doing out here?
"That's weird. Nobody is out here, especially this late." Gohan thought to himself. He sensed there was something fishy going on. He continued to walk along suspiciously, wondering where this sudden ki had come from.
He walked until he reached a far part into the forest. He was at a dead end at this point. It was late into the night, and the sky was now pitch black. He was now covered by lush trees that seemed to loomed over him in the moonlight.
He was now getting worried, but he couldn't help but follow the ki. He felt there was something not right.
He continued walking until he reached a ditch. A bunch of small trees and twigs surrounded the hole, but there was a large clearing in the middle.
Gohan walked a little towards the ditch, kneeling down while he put a hand down on the dirt so he wouldn't fall in. What he saw next shocked him beyond belief.
There was a girl laying unconscious in the ditch. She looked to be around his age, and had sun kissed tan skin, with white hair. She seemed to have cuts and bruises all over her body, was wearing a black skeleton hoodie with a white t-shirt and a pair of ripped denim shorts, with a pair of white socks and black converse sneakers. But the most weird part of all was that she had white rabbit ears!
Gohan's eyes widened as she stared at the sight. He was astonished. "W-what? She has rabbit ears? But how can that be? That's impossible! Maybe I should help her- it looks like she's unconscious!" Gohan thought to himself. He couldn't just leave her here, she looked injured and hurt, and she obviously was not conscious. He flew into the ditch and carefully picked up her body.
Too nervous to enter through the front door, he opened his window and entered through there. He closed it as he entered through and he placed her body on his bed.
Gohan stared at her for a little bit, wondering if she would wake up. At that moment, he heard a light moaning sound and jumped back a little when he watched her slowly rise up and look at him. She half-opened her eyes, which was a bright crimson color. Gohan sweatdropped and froze a little when she turned her head around to look at him.
"O-oh, your up, that's good! I found you lying in a ditch, and you were in really bad shape, so I'm glad your awake!" Gohan nervously chuckled, rubbing his hand behind his head, before the girl's brow furrowed and her face morphed into an angry glare. She quickly got up from the bed and before Gohan could dodge, she unexpectedly and swiftly kicked Gohan into the wall.
Gohan landed against his bedroom wall with a loud thump. He was slumped against the wall, and in excruciating pain. He slowly opened up his eyes, and weakly lifted his head as he manged to get himself off the ground. He regained his focus back to the girl and his face formed into a ferocious expression.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" He screamed at the girl. "I WAS TRYING TO HELP YOU!"
"What do you want from me?" The rabbit girl asked back accusingly. She gritted her teeth at him, revealing she had sharp fangs. "You aren't going to hurt me, are you?"
"Hurt you?! What do you mean?" Gohan screamed back. "I was trying to help you! I found you lying in a ditch. You were severely hurt, and had cuts all over your body, so I took you to my room."
"So you were trying to hurt me?" the girl asked. She was no longer in a defensive stance and had calmed down, but Gohan could tell she was still disturbed.
"Yes, I wasn't trying to hurt you," Gohan replied back to her, "Anyways, I'm sorry for spooking you. My name is Son Gohan. What's your's?"
The girl was silent for a moment, and narrowed her eyes away from Gohan, until she regained herself and looked back at him. "C-Cerise."
"It's nice to meet you Cerise," Gohan smiled at her warmly. "Where are you from?"
Cerise looked away again for a moment. Gohan could tell she was very tense and a tad bit nervous.
"From the city," She replied. "I don't want to talk about it. I-I'm sorry what I did to you."
"It's okay," Gohan said as he narrowed her figure. Her clothes looked dirty, and it looked like she hadn't eaten anything in days. "Do you want something to eat? A change of clothes, maybe?"
"What? Are you trying to poison me or something?" The rabbit girl asked hesitantly.
"What? No," Gohan laughed. "My mom's a really good cook. I promise her food isn't poisonous. I can get you a plate if you like."
Cerise was hesitant, but she was also quite hungry. Sighing, she gave in. "Fine." She retorted.
"Ok," He replied back. "Do you want a change of clothes as well? You can borrow my stuff if you like." Gohan offered as he pointed to a mahogany-colored wooden door.
"What's wrong with the clothes I have on right now?" Cerise spat back angrily. Gohan nervously chuckled at Cerise as he rubbed his hand behind his head.
"Nothing, it's just that they look a little dirty." He responded to the rabbit girl. Cerise looked down at her clothes. They had dark brown patches of dirt on them, and some were even torn. She looked back up to Gohan and sighed.
"Fine," She mumbled, "Show me what you have."
Cerise got up and walked up to Gohan as he opened up his closet door. Inside were a variety of clothes of all different kinds of colors.
"Choose whatever you like,'' Gohan replied to her. "I don't mind."
Cerise pulled out a black shirt from his closet. Gohan closed his closet door as he looked at her.
"Is that what you want to wear?" He asked. Cerise looked up at him and nodded.
"Yes." She replied to the half-Saiyan. Gohan just smiled and nodded.
"Ok, I'll get you some food downstairs," Gohan started. "Is that ok with you?"
"Yeah, whatever." Cerise bluntly stated. Gohan just nodded and proceeded to leave the room, leaving Cerise alone.
When she was alone, and when nobody was looking, Cerise smirked to herself happily.
The shirt was a little baggy on Cerise, but she didn't mind it. It felt nice to be in something fresh and clean, especially after being in the same clothes for a few days.
"It feels nice to be in something new. In another place. At least away from that horrible place..." She thought to herself. Her smile instantly faded.
"I shouldn't think about it. Not now." She regained herself. "Although the others might still be out there..." Her thoughts trailed off.
She yawned. Stretching her arms, Cerise laid on Gohan's bed, turning over and curling up into a fetal position, before she closed her eyes, falling asleep.
Gohan quietly sneaked down the stairs and into the kitchen. It was late into the night now, and the sky was a midnight blue. He looked around, hoping not to spot his mother or his baby brother. Thankfully none of them seemed to be in sight, causing him to sigh with relief. He assumed both of them were long since asleep, which was good.
He opened up a cabinet and grabbed a small bowl, taking some of the rice that Chi-Chi made earlier from the bowl and placing it into it with a wooden spoon.
As he filling up the bowl. He saw his mother's silhouette in the hallway and then the sound of her voice.
"Gohan?" She called out loud. Gohan was frozen as he accidentally dropped the bowl, causing it to drop on the floor.
"Hey mom," Gohan crouched down as he faced his mother, "You startled me."
"Baby what are you doing up?" Chi-chi started. "You had me worried. What are you up to?"
"I was just getting a late night dinner." Gohan said as he cleaned up the mess and picked up the bowl. "I'm kind of hungry.
Chi-chi raised an eyebrow, but just shook her head. "When did you come back?"
"Around eight,'' He replied, albeit hesitantly. "I'm sorry if I worried you."
Chi-chi was silent for a moment, but then smiled. "Okay, but just get to bed. I love you." She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek, and then walked away upstairs to her bedroom.
Gohan sighed, relieved. "That was close. I'll have to find the right moment to tell her.''
He then left the kitchen and then walked upstairs to his bedroom.
Gohan gently opened the door. "Hey, Cerise," He started as he closed the door behind him. "I got you some food."
It didn't take him long to notice that Cerise was fast asleep. He smiled and walked over to his bed, standing over Cerise.
"Hey," He started as he lightly shaked her. "I got you some leftover rice."
Cerise started to moan as she turned over and sat up a little. She rubbed her crimson eyes as she stared at Gohan.
"What?" She grumbled. Gohan just smiled at her.
"I got you some food." He responded to her. He was holding the bowl of rice. He handed it out a little in her direction. "Here. It's some leftover rice."
Cerise noticed the bowl in Gohan's hands. She stared at it for a little before she looked up at Gohan. "Thanks, I guess." She then took it out of Gohan's hands and quickly devoured the dish.
Gohan was a little taken aback but how fast she ate, but he reminded himself that she probably hadn't eaten in a while. She then placed the empty bowl besides her and looked up at Gohan.
Gohan just stared at her for a moment, that spoke. "You ate quite fast. Your were probably hungry." He chuckled.
"Tell me about it," Cerise replied to the half-Saiyan as she wiped her mouth with her wrist. "I haven't eaten in nearly three days."
Gohan was a little shocked when she sat that, but regained himself. "Would you like to sleep in my bed tonight? I'm fine with sleeping somewhere else."
"No, it's fine," She replied bluntly. "I'll just sleep on the floor."
"Are you sure?" Gohan asked. Cerise just rolled her eyes at him.
"Yes." She replied gruffly. Gohan just nodded.
"Ok, I think I have an extra pillow and blanket in my closet, just let me find it."
Gohan then searched through his closet until he found what he was looking for. "Aha! There it is." He said as he turned around with a white pillow and light yellow blanket in his hands.
"You can use these." He said as he handled them to Cerise.
"Thanks." She bluntly responded.
Gohan yawned. He stretched as he his "Anyways, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Cerise. If you need anything just tell me."
"Goodnight, I guess." Cerise responded as she watched Gohan crawl into his bed and pull the covers up to his neck. He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Cerise then laid on the floor and put the pillow and blanket down as she untied her shoes and took off her socks, putting them aside. She laid her head on the pillow and put the blanket over her.
She put her hands behind her head, just emotionlessly staring at the ceiling. It felt weird being in a person's house when she didn't even know them for a day. But he seemed nice, and generous than most people that she met during her lifetime. She looked over at Gohan and sighed.
Even though she had just met him a few hours ago, she felt a strong feeling towards him that she had never felt before. It was an emotional, strong attachment kind of feeling. Whatever that was. She didn't know why she felt it, but she just did. Maybe it was because he was nice to her, which people hadn't treated her in a long time. But in the end, she didn't really know.
She turned her head around and pushed the blanket up a little. But before she closed her eyes and fell asleep, she smiled.
She didn't know why, but she felt like this was a start of a special, lifelong bond between them.
One that could never be broken.