Hello! Son Gohan and his friends! Babidi Saga (Chapter 22)
Angela
The locker door slammed, and as Videl pulled her hand away from the latch she looked out only to see a goofy guy standing there the only way Gohan could.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Are we doing something tonight or?"
Videl just let her head hang low, eyes telling the whole story. As they gabbed on and on before the first bell rang, Angela rounded the corner, peeking out and casting her sharp stare on the pair's conversation.
"Hmm. I thought they hated each other…" She murmured to herself as she clung on tight to the cold surface of the green contraption. Various students walked by and gave her the stink eye, a strange teen with bright orange hair hiding behind a set of lockers wasn't so sneaky on her end of the hallway. "They… they're dating!?" She almost screamed as they held hands for a moment and a laugh faded into the obscurity of the school's halls.
"..."
"Hmm~" She let out, a sly smile formulating over her lips and a wicked muscular set of brows frowning, framing her face with a delectable delight and mischief.
Sharpner
The bell rang, signalling the start of the new semester. As ever, the blonde youth arrived later than what was necessary, the door to The Green Fox's class closing shut as he meandered down the hall.
"Brah." Is all he had to say as his lone appearance in the empty school halls was reinforced by the clacking of his tennis shoes on the khaki coloured tile. He spared a few glances around the empty entranceway, looking over at the various green lockers, hopping up to smack the exit and entry signs. He took a deep breath through his nose and then shrugged his shoulders. "Why not?" He thought aloud as he put his hand on the golden knob, turning it ever so slightly before his tired eyes peeled open and so did the door.
"..."
Sharpner almost fell over as he walked through the archway and shot looks at all the people in his first period staring back at him. Konkichi's closed eyes somehow still gave off an epic condescension in combination with his wormy brow ridge.
"... Well?"
"You know, I was thinking. What are the odds that bastard Konkichi has every exit blocked except the obvious one. I mean~" He laughed out, closing the door behind him as he walked in.
"Bingo, but watcha' language young man. I'm impressed ya caught on, Brotha'. If youse in my class, you'd betta' be thinking, dat's all I ask."
"Not too bad, you old coot."
"I'm a fox. A coot is a bird."
"Same thing."
"Not the same thing. … Like at all."
"..." Sharpner stood in the middle of the aisle on his way up.
"Get in yer damn seat, Galaxy Brain."
"Yes sir." He responded with a salute as Gohan and Erasa giggled in the top row.
Fwomp!
"I thought it was only amateurs that missed the first day, huh?"
"Huh?" Gohan chipped in, the both of them absolutely ragdolling and lambasting the boy with nudging elbows on either side as he sat down.
"Get offa me~" He laughed out, pushing the both of them back before Konkichi cleared his throat from the bottom of the steps. "Sorry!"
"Yeah… right." The Green Fox laughed before getting out a book and extolling to his class the virtues of literature.
With the slow pace going against the grain of Sharpner's young mind, it took far longer to get where he wanted to be. Ms. Amaguri's class.
"Nice going, Sharpner. You're on time."
"I'm getting that part, brah. We spent all that time running our set so let's show her what we got." He answered back, fist out. Gohan met it in stride and they waltzed into drama class, ready to show the teacher.
"..?" Amidst her phone calls and the other ventures barking at her through the bright, shifting computer screen, two teenage boys glared at the teacher behind the office window in the back of the room, ready to deliver. She held her hand high as if to say: 'pause.' And so the pair waited.
Bu-Bo-Be-Bu-Bu-Be-Bo-Bu~
And waited.
"..."
Before she made her move, standing up and delivering an equally potent return stare, most of her fiery passion aimed directly at Sharpner.
"What?"
"I'm reading for Tybalt. And Paris."
"How are you going to do that when I've cast Chapu in those roles?"
"What?"
Gohan's maw opened dumbly, looking particularly Gokufied in the moment.
"I thought he was-"
"Well. We only have half a year left. If I couldn't fill the spots, then I was going to have to make some executive decisions."
"Ms. Amaguri."
"What, Gohan?"
"Just hear us out for two seconds."
"..."
Sharpner inhaled quick through his nose and planted his hands firm into the pockets of his khaki pants.
"Sharpner and I developed a routine for both fights involving Romeo."
"So?"
"Why not make a show of it? A lot of people aren't going to be that engaged in a run-of-the-mill scene."
"..."
"Sure we could just do a fight that lasts a couple seconds but Sharpner and I practiced the whole winter break."
"..."
"And I doubt Chapu has done any prep work for an action scene."
She held steadfast, still staring, switching up her gaze periodically from Sharpner to his advocate.
"Show me what you got and I'll think about it."
With an emphatic slamming of his fist into his palm, Sharpner declared:
"Let's go!"
Gohan smiled, backing off a ways.
"Ahemn!"
Sharpner poised up, chest high, face aimed at the lights. With a fleet footed step, Gohan snatched up some stick props near the door to the class and threw one his friend's way.
Whuup!
Without missing a beat, Erasa snuck in from behind the eldest son of Son Goku, clearing her own throat as well.
Benvolio: Here comes the furious Tybalt, back again.
With a snicker and a smile, Gohan turned back into the fray.
Romeo: Alive in triumph—and Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now.
Now! Tybalt!
Gohan's true flare flushed through, roaring out impeccably into the rest of the spacious classroom. Erasa, as well as pretty much everyone else's eyes widened at the sight. Strangely, Gohan's hair glowed ever so slightly softer, flutters of sparkling yellows rained down from his head, almost a golden dandruff.
Romeo: Take the "villain back again! The late thou gavest me, for Mercutio's soul, is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou, or I, or both! Must go with him.
"..."
"Am I seeing things?" Angela questioned from the opposite end of the room as a golden hue rippled off the skinny boy's physique.
Tybalt: Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here. Shalt with him hence.
As he said his line, Sharpner grew in focus and drew the blade out, aiming it at Gohan's nose from across the way.
Romeo: This shall determine that.
The day drew long before the final bell rang and the four met right on the steps of Orange Star High School.
"So what are we doing?" Videl asked with her head in her hands as she sat droning on the concrete stairs.
"I dunno." Erasa chirped back with her hands on her hips, the only one of them standing on the sidewalk.
The girls looked to Gohan who just shrugged, sitting on the middle railing.
"I know!"
"..!"
The trio glared at Sharpner, eyes laser focused.
"There's this old antique shop down in West City. It's a bit of a drive but there's some goodies down there."
"Ooo~" Erasa cooed. "Trinkets and such?"
"Why'd you say it like that?" He retorted back with a chuckle.
"What can I say, I'm a fan of trinkets. You guys down?"
"I don't have anything better to do." Gohan responded before looking skyward and then: "Well, maybe I could brush up a bit on the play. I didn't practice very much during the break."
"Come on, brah. We gotta go pick up some trinkets and such."
"Oh whatever!" Erasa laughed again as she walked over and pushed him.
"I mean yeah, 'go trinkets' but how are we gonna get there?" Videl asked, craning her neck over and pointing to their lack of Erasa's automobile.
"..."
"I can drive us on The Nimbus."
"... I don't know, brah. That thing doesn't look like it's supposed to have more than one passenger, real talk. Last time Erasa and I were over at your place it was a little spooky."
"You're always spooked on that thing." She remarked with a wide smile, pushing on his shoulder again.
"It Feels dangerous! Are you seriously gonna tell me that I'm Wrong? You've ridden on that thing, you would know!"
"I'm not bidge made, so I'm down to ride on the cloud."
"Brah."
Videl just looked up at Gohan and smiled.
"I guess if there's enough room on that magical cloud then there's no reason not to." She stated, Gohan grabbing her hand and standing her up from the steps.
"Nimbus!"
vyuuuuuuuuuu~VWERTT! Buyon!
"Come on up!" Gohan cheered with a big smile, every single one of his friends falling through the semi-gelatinous, semi-cottonfilled friend. "Ohp."
Stretches of city and plains alike pulled into and then out of view as the four raced along the sky, each of them making careful use of their attachment to Gohan so that they wouldn't fall off during the boy's wicked turns and topsy turvy alignments.
"Brah! Don't do that shit!" Sharpner shouted as they spun around in several barrel rolls through the aether, the group almost falling off at every junction.
"Hahahaha~" Is all the boy could do as his friends flew every which way due to his cloudforme driving.
Soon enough the tube tunnels and commonplace industrial white paint of West City made its place known to the high schoolers. At this time of day, West City was unmistakable, the sun glinting and glaring harshly from the giant chrome monolith looming over at the Capsule Corp. building, a few new additions thanks to the spray paint work of a couple nuisances. Sharpner hollered as they passed on by and headed even further west from West City.
At the city limits laid a cozy little shop with a purple roof and a few decorative vases lining the outside. It was tucked into a tall wall as if hiding away from the rest of the metro. Gohan whipped the shit and took his friends off with him, The Nimbus carefully spilling the teenagers out rather than throwing them off, kind of hugging them with its cloudy 'appendages'.
"Thanks, Nimbus!" The son of Son Goku replied with a salute, The Nimbus returning a favour and ushering in a laugh from the boy as he headed for the door. "This is it, right?"
"Yup. That's crazy. Your little cloud thing actually just knows, that's nuts." Sharpner shot back as he used his hand as a visor and watched the orange cloud breach the white ones and vanish into the aether.
Gohan flung the door open and some rustic music entered his senses to go along with the general feel the shop itself naturally possessed. Browns of an oaken, wooden nature. There were all kinds of things in the tiny hamlet. Old chairs, records, comic books. In the back were a few big cardboard boxes filled to the brim with packing peanuts.
"Let's go~" Erasa chimed in, absolutely unable to contain her smile at all the little knick knacks hanging from the ceiling and jumping out at her at every which way.
The shelves were bursting at the seams with china, ceremonial cups, pictures of a different era. There was even a gi top hung up in one of the few closet cabinets.
"Yoo~ this is dope!" Sharpner chortled in his surfer laugh, grooving his head up and down as he laid hands on a pristine, plastic covered graphic novel.
"What's that?"
"This is a fucking Original Gamma 1 & 2, brah. Mint condition. This shit is~" He looked over at the dopey shopkeep who just smiled and waved. "expensive, my guy. If this dude has the homie hookup I might get out of here with an item that's worth over 30,000 Zeni."
Gohan shook his head with approval.
"Right on."
"What is this?" Videl asked to the rest of the group as she carefully parsed the items and took a photograph off the wooden shelf.
They all huddled around and looked at the black and white photo of a few kung fu students standing in front of a dojo hall.
"Does that say Chin-Star?" Gohan raised a brow and looked out to the others, excluding Erasa who was off in her own little world.
"What's that on the bottom?" Sharpner questioned, pointing to the tops of some pen ink covered by the picture's frame.
Videl maneuvered the photo out of place and:
To commemorate the founding of The Phantom Star Technique.
One little kid in the picture looked particularly proud of himself, jumping in the air for joy, another child looking exactly like him but on the ground and a little fuzzier.
"Is that an After-Image?" Gohan kept to himself as he raised a brow and looked at the photo with the rest of his friends.
"Huh." Is all Videl had to say before putting it back where it belonged and perusing the rest of the hideaway antique store.
"How much for this, brah?" Sharpner questioned the guy manning the front counter, waving the comic around, the plastic wrap bunching up at the display.
"That? Did I not mark it?"
The blonde youth looked at the backside.
23,000 Zeni.
He couldn't help but fist pump, throwing the money down on the brown desk as soon as he saw the sales figures. The cashier rang him up and he marched over to back with his friends, a wide smile painted onto his face for the rest of the day.
"You like superheroes?" Erasa asked as he walked back onto the elaborately designed brown and green rug covering the back half of the room.
"... yeah. It's just somethin'... to read in the uhh… downtime."
"Uh-huh." She replied with a mocking grin before turning around and looking at the rest of the items stocking the shelves. She took a sidestep and then a liking to the strange stone grey slab stuck right in the middle of the store, her face contorted, her brow and strangely enough, her stomach, not agreeing with her or the sight she saw. "Sir?"
"Name's Merv, how can I help ya'?" The man shouted back from the counter, palms on the brown table.
"What… is this? It looks… I dunno. Out of place..? Here?" She stated, shrugging her shoulders and meeting the eyeline of the man with the bright green button up.
Merv wiggled around the corner and met up with the girl, side by side, eyeing the piece.
"You're not the first to ask about this little number, let me tell ya. I can feel a strange aura coming from this thing, can't you?"
"..."
The already quiet facility lulled into nothingness as everything, including her friends as well as the man standing right next to her faded into obscurity. It was just her, and the small slab staring back, an abyss of grey stone. She brushed her hand along its face and read the words.
"Creepy, idn't it?" Merv giggled out as the words:
"The True Wizarding Family was here…"
marked around each side of the sentence were little Xs. Reading as so:
Xx~The True Wizarding Family was here~xX
Standing right in front of it was enough to send shivers down Erasa's spine. A cold glow, gripping at her shoulders forced her to squeal and shake it off.
"Hey, easy. You good, brah?" He asked as she let out a few laughs.
"Nah, I Guess not. Take a look at this thing, dude. It's strange."
"Huh. Nah, you're cappin'." Sharpner said with a goofy grin, taking a step in front of the stone slab and staring at its smooth face.
"..."
"I'm good." He relented, stepping away quick.
"That's what I thought. That shid is scary."
"Nah, it's not scary, it's just hittin' a lil' different, that's all."
"Whatever." She fought back, rolling her eyes before returning them to the ethereal epic that was the stone slab. Erasa couldn't help but shake her head and stare, the reality warping draw it had on her eyes was too much to bear. Before she knew it, it was Gohan's voice and the small jingling of the bell from the front door that beckoned the relieval of her trance.
"Hey! Huh-Hah! Come on, Erasa! We've been here for way too long! Don't you have somewhere to be!?"
"... Coming!"
Gohan
"Hey, uhh, dude. There's something posted right on the front of your locker." Someone shouted from the top of the steps.
Gohan's head turned a bit at the idea, looking up at none other than his brown classmate from drama. The Nimbus headed off into the skyline as cars drove by both on the streets of Orange Star and likewise the repaired tube tunnels not too far off from the high school. Cars honked at the oddity soaring through the air as per usual, Chapu, raising a brow as well.
"What the..?" Is all he had to say before Gohan yelped back, walking his way towards the front entrance.
"Uhh, hey, your name's Chapu, right?"
"Yeah."
"Nice to finally get to meet you." Gohan offered with a right hand and a smile.
"Uh-huh. Listen, there's something on the front of your locker."
"My locker? Huh? I don't ever use my locker." Gohan replied as he rubbed the back of his head with his binder.
"Don't ask me, Gohan. I'd just thought I'd let you know. It's pretty hard to miss."
The eldest son of Son Goku waltzed into the building and eyes were aplenty, all locked onto him as he made his way towards the metal shelving unit.
"What!?" He just about broke the roof on the joint, cheeks beet red as he saw the big heart and bold blocky letters denoting his from the others.
For my Gohan
From: Anonymous. NOT that witch Videl~
"Gohan~" A shaky voice loomed over from behind, the boy gulping down hard.
"Huh?"
"You've got some explaining to do." She stated, staring a hole through the pinks and reds of the heart shaped poster plastered all over his locker.
School kids corralled as Videl's anger rose the level of engagement the hall possessed. She gripped the water bottle she was holding until it burst, spilling clear fluid all over her and Gohan.
"That Better not mean what I think it does."
"What do you think it means?" Gohan laughed out.
"I'm Not playing around, Gohan!"
"I'm not either." He laughed again, all the girls standing by, jaws dropped.
"How can he laugh right now!?"
"He's in trub!"
"Leave him, sister, he's flaky!"
"He ain't regret it either, Videl! Cook his ass!"
He's gaslighting, Girlboss! Gatekeep him!"
"What's goin' on in here!?" A teacher strolled on through, bouncy blonde locks and a bad attitude.
"I'm just as surprised as you are, Videl. I don't know who sent this." He replied, turning around and sharpening his brow at the red box taped to the middle. Goten's older brother undid the packaging to reveal chocolates, a letter strapped to the back.
"Move on, get to class!" Her shrill voice pierced the veil, flushing the children to their first period as Videl stared daggers at Gohan's back.
The son furrowed his brow at the box before looking down the hall and draining its contents in a three point shot from his locker into a trashcan. He astutely ripped down the paper and Videl's face turned on a dime as the boy waved her goodbye and meandered his way to Konkichi's.
"..." Angela let out a huff through her button nose before brushing back a bit of her bushy orange locks behind her ear. "I'll get you soon enough. That was just stage one. You don't know just how far I'll go, Gohan."
Something peeked out from Videl's subconscious and she looked down the hall, seeing nothing but other students and green lockers. She shrugged her shoulders and vacated the premises along with the other classmates. Angela stood up straight and turned around only to meet a tall brown kid, a red dot in the middle of his forehead.
"What are you doing?" He asked, left brow as high as a mountaintop.
"Oh, nothing. Tee-Hee~ Bye~" She replied, skipping her way out of Chapu's surroundings.
"Hmm…"
Bu-Bo-Be-Bu-Bu-Be-Bo-Bu~
"Hey. That wasn't Videl, was it?"
"Huh?"
"Bestie wouldn't ever do that corny shid I saw on your locker~" Erasa snickered out as Gohan made his way both up the stairs, as the jeers and odd looks from the other classmates aimed his direction.
"Uhh, I don't know." He replied, plopping down in his seat at the top. "I didn't look at who sent the stuff either, I just threw it away."
"That's a good look, bruh. If you even come into contact with that kind of stuff you just gotta shut it down. Sends a bad signal if you do anything with it."
"That's what I was thinking." Gohan responded as he stretched out his wingspan and yawned big time.
She laughed again only for a rustling of the front door to play out into the rest of the room.
"Come awnnn… you didn't think I stopped accounting for ya, did you, Galaxy Brain?"
"You win this time, brah. I'm finna attend this class after the bell if it's the last thing I do."
"You keep showin' up late, Brotha', I might just hafta' write you up."
"Nahhh, you wouldn't do Nothin'!" Sharpner shouted out, accompanying a laugh as he slid into the shadows of the schoolhall and vanished.
"Alright. I suppose we'll see Mista Shahpna' lata' ohn. Anywhoo, less get down ta business, capisce?"
"Capisce." The class responded on cue, bringing up an italiano sign of goofballs and shenaniganry.
"So. Language is always evolving. The truth of the matter is that just like morality, language is subject to the interpretation of the user or the society that uses such verbiage. Some language has negative connotations passed onto it for good reason. Somethin' like I dunno… slavery."
"Ooo~"
"Easy now. Hol on."
"Hahahahaha~"
"Most cultures in the world have been subject to slavery due to one thing, and one thing alone. Overwhelming power. And when that power is used to subjugate for the new rule's benefit as an extension of one's unjust morality, that is referred to as slavery." He flicked a piece of chalk at the board and then went to town, scribbling up a cloudy storm of white before he departed from the green, his suit, his fur and especially his nose: "Achyew!"
Filled to the brim with dust.
"Ya see it?"
The class gazed at the definition now at the front of the room, centred perfectly between both ends of the chalkboard.
"This has a negative connotation to it due to the fact that we know what slavery means. We've read about it countless times before you heathens even attended my class. Now… I know you guys don't want to hear it but oftentimes when you actually want to put your thinking caps on you gotta look at the uncomfortable truths. To people who actively engaged in slavery… this Doesn't have a negative connotation. This inversely, has a positive one. Now… I think we can all agree that this is pretty much a no-no."
The class gabbed amongst themselves and generally nodded their head at the assertion with only a few outliers who were goofing around.
"But this right here in front of you…"
Ffffffff~Ffff~Fff~
The Green Fox wiped away all but the musty stains leftover of the original word.
"Is just 7 letters."
"..."
"Now the concept is bad, yes, which directly results in our negative connotation of the word, but that is due to the value we place in it. Now… duh, we have to have Some way of describing things that exist but something like…" He mimed looking out into the hall for any teachers. "Shit."
"Hahahaha~"
"Or bitch, or fuck, or whatever you naughty words you want to say don't really have any negativity assigned to them other than what society and really, just… television guidelines. There are negative connotations associated with them but those words aren't inherently negative in and of themselves."
A few students went down to write, some to sleep, some paying closer attention to this then they ever would with anything else. But of course, a slight rap on the window turned the attention of Son Gohan to that of the hanging man, his friend Sharpner. After a coerced breath through his nose, he let him in.
"Hey!" Konkichi chuckled, grabbing a book from the front and missing by hairs as the lad fell on top of Gohan to dodge.
WHAMM!
"Wohohhh~"
"Welp. I'm here, teach. You might as well get on with it." He groaned, getting up and settling down as Erasa walked over Gohan to close the large window pane.
"Don't tell me what to do, Galaxy Brain. You ain't even show up half tha' time."
"Hey~ I show up. I just don't do it before the bell rings."
"I'm gonna just mark you absent preemptively for the rest of the semesta' if you don't start showing up on time."
"Do what you have to, teach. I'm just making a game of it at this point."
"Dat's what I'm concerned about. I'm tryna' teach hea' and youse just goofin' around."
"My bad…" He chuckled out as Konkichi went on with his lecture and that same jingling tune signalled the end of the first period.
Bu-Bo-Be-Bu-Bu-Be-Bo-Bu~
"And so that was when the…"
Gohan stared at the front board of the room as Videl sat next to him, ruminating. Many of the others in the classroom spared glances at the couple, mostly girls, watching, waiting even, for something to happen, some exchange of words. Anything.
"..."
"He's on thin ice. There's no way he can hang. Did you see what was on his locker this morning?"
"Yeah. I don't know how he got this lucky to be dating Videl but they're done. They've gotta be done, right?"
"I can hear you." Videl almost shouted into the higher up rows of the class.
"Ms. Videl? Is there a problem?"
"..."
The many children wore smug smiles or open maws, smiling as she turned her attention to the teacher.
"Yeah. There's a bunch of people talking shit on me and my boyfriend and it's kind of pissing me off." The daughter of Hercule claimed as she took Gohan's hand in hers and glared out at the gaggle of girls to their right.
Gohan couldn't help but laugh, covering his eyes and his forehead as the teacher gasped, peering down his glasses and scoffing, the students as well.
"My word. Language, Videl. Am I going to have to send you to the principal's office?"
"Tch. Might be safer for them." Came crawling out of her mouth like a snake's rattle, eyeing the trio specifically sitting above them at an angle, as she and Gohan's fingers locked tighter.
"I don't know why you went for her in the first place."
"I don't even know How you got her. This seems like a toxic relationship anyway, didn't you guys throw hands on the top of the building?"
"You sure you don't want to leave her, Gohan? She's the ice queen and she gets real feisty."
"That's it."
Vwernn~
"Whoa~"
The class jumped out of their seats as Gohan snatched the back of Videl's long white tee, her sneakers smearing the black flooring underneath before the older brother of Son Goten settled on a full nelson to hold her back, kicking and screaming.
"You're lucky! You hear me!?"
"Gohan! Videl! To the principal's office!" Mr. Challenger commanded, pointing to the door.
"Me? I'm trying to stop her."
"Oh, right. Videl! You're going to the principal's office!"
"Gohan!" She shouted, the boy sighing and dragging her out of the class, backside first, looking over his shoulder as he went.
"Gohan? You good?" Erasa asked, Gohan's eyes bugging out before she snapped right in front of his nose.
"..!"
"There we go. You seem out of it, my man." She stated, standing up to her full height and shoving her hands to her sides.
"It's been a weird day."
"Happens to the best of us. Guess I just never thought it'd be you." Erasa chirped, happy as a clam as she slapped his back and walked away, staring down deep into the script in her hand.
"Son Gohan!"
The voice shook the room, it felt less like a teacher's drawl and more like a call to action from a Goddess. His head shifted on a swivel and he caught the eyes of Ms. Amaguri.
"Get up here, Romeo. You're reading Act 2, Scene 5."
"Yes, ma'am. Mmhmm." He gruntled before standing up.
Chapu looked down at the paper in his hand as Angela smiled wide, sparing no glance for anyone else but the boy in the Titans' cap. He tossed it aside and shantied up to centre stage, letting out another cough, and then stood opposite the redheaded schoolgirl. Chappu took a deep breath through his nose, and then let it out though his lips. Angela tapped on her left thigh just before the younger brother of Sapa spoke loudly, and clearly.
Friar Lawrence: So smile the heavens upon this holy act That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.
Romeo: Amen, amen. But come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy That one short minute gives me in her sight. Do thou but close our hands with holy words, Then love-devouring death do what he dare, It is enough I may but call her mine.
Friar Lawrence: These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumphant die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness And in the taste confounds the appetite. Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.
Angela smirked and feigned taking a few backsteps before miming a door's handle and rushing in.
Friar Lawrence: Here comes the lady. Oh, so light a foot Will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint. A lover may bestride the gossamers That idles in the wanton summer air, And yet not fall. So light is vanity.
Juliet: Good even to my ghostly confessor.
Friar Lawrence: Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for us both.
Juliet: As much to him, else is his thanks too much.
Gohan crouched ever so slightly, shaking his off-hand and circling around the stage, his voice that perfect lover boy cantor.
Romeo: Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy Be heaped like min, and that thy skill be more To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath This neighbor air, and let rich music's tongue Unfold the imagined happiness that both Receive in either by this dear encounter.
Angela, meeting him on his level, making eye contact and forgoing her gaze at the script.
Juliet: Conceit, more rich in matter than in words. Brags of his substance, not of ornament. They are but beggars that can count their worth. But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.
Chapu's brow furrowed as he watched Gohan's enthusiasm wane at the uncomfortable predator-like eye contact she drilled into him through her gemstone purple irises.
Friar Lawrence: Come, come with me, and we will make short work. For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one.
"Yes!" She giggled. "You did, Awesome, Gohan."
"Heh-heh. Thanks, Angela. You did too."
With a dazzling pirouette, Angela pivoted and fished her phone out of her pocket, looking and then typing curiously into its glassy face as she exited stage right. Chapu only watched on, raising a single brow before letting out a sigh and looking Gohan's way.
"Gohan."
"Hmm?"
"How'd I do?"
"Great! Though I think you read better for Paris."
"Really?"
"Yeah! I could totally see us duking it out at the end. I'm kind of concerned though, it definitely looks like we're gonna have to phone it in when it gets to the end of the semester."
"Yeah…" Chapu couldn't help but add on as he rubbed the back of his neck with the script, gazing out into the sorely empty room of what was only a handful of school children.
"Erasa's reading for The Apothecary, And The Nurse. I'm just hoping the audience doesn't recognise her. Huh-Hah~"
"I think it'd be harder to ignore me."
"Yeah-heh… Well… see ya around, Chappu."
With a nod, and a ring of the bell, Gohan fled the scene and walked out into the track. As Videl carved her own way though the litany of stomping school students she was waylaid by a somewhat familiar face.
"Hey, Videl~" A cutesy tone rang out as a redheaded girl placed her body in the middle of the archway, blocking the path and crossing her arms as she twirled her hair ever so softly.
"What?"
"I just wanted to let you know, just in case you didn't know this."
"What?"
"Well Gohan is the star player in our Romeo and Juliet performance here at the school."
"Okay, cool. Whatever. Erasa was always way more into that stuff than me. Now get out of here."
"Hold on." She fought back with a smile that could outsmite the devil itself. "I wasn't finished."
"Okay~"
"He's Romeo, and I'm Juliet."
"Good for you."
"Do you know what happens in Romeo and Juliet?"
"No."
"They kiss at the end. I'm gonna steal his first kiss."
"WHAT!?"
"Mmhmm. So. Look forward to that. I know he's not gonna wanna be with a high strung heather like you after the play. We Do have great chemistry after all."
As Angela stepped away from the barrier to entry to the outside, she waved to Videl with her fingers, grinning from ear to ear. Videl's hands shook and she glared back, the sun's potent rays emanating off her eyeballs, simmering, scorching back as she locked eyes with Angela. The redhead faltered, letting out a limp laugh before scampering down the hall.
"THAT'S IT!" She howled, leaping down the hall and tackling her through a crowd of students, all the kids falling away with her as she planted the girl onto the tile.
"Help!"
"Ms. Satan!"
"Ms. Videl!"
She gripped a fistful of the beautiful orange curls in her hands, almost ripping them from the base as students looked on, both from the ground due to the pugilistic plunge and from up above, some stunned, some high on the energy. Teachers of all walks gathered around and attempted to pull the pair apart, much like Videl was trying to do to Angela and her scalp's foundation.
"Videlll~"
"What!?" It sounded less like a girl and more like a banshee on its death throes.
"I was lying before."
"Whoa whoa whoa~ who gonna do somethin' bout this!? Damn!" A particularly rowdy kid shouted from the back line, shaking his arms in tandem with his outburst.
"Videl! That's enough!"
"I'm not gonna steal Gohan's kiss at the play."
"..."
Angela was on the borderline, girls in the crowd winced as they saw some of the crimson string take flight from the roots.
"Ohhh!"
"You can't just do that!" A random cried, stomping her feet as she tried desperately to look away, but to no avail.
"Because I already have."
"..!"
Videl's grip strengthened to that of a gorilla just before the redheaded youth pulled out her phone and pressed the play button on a black background.
"Yes! Tee-Hee~ You did, Awesome, Gohan."
"Heh-Heh. Thanks, Angela. You did too."
"OH NO HE DIDN'T!"
"Leave that trash bag!"
"That wasn't no secret admirer!"
"I bet they were hooking up over the break."
Rrrrrrrrippp!
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Videl! I have no choice but to… declare you expelled!" The principal shouted through the crowd, trying, and failing to part the masses, the pushback from the kids not even a tidal wave, a tsunami of rambunctious teenagers. Far too much to break through.
Angela, eyes watering, teeth clenched, pulled together a wild expression, half looney, half angry, all satisfied. Videl, nothing, then followed by rosey red, cheeks, then blinding, pure blood pounding rage, turning her red skin an even more boisterous shade, easy to see through her pale complexion. She dropped the limp noodles of orange, leaving Angela to claw at the missing portion on her left temple.
"Ms. Videl! I don't ever want to see you here at this school again! You are a danger to this establishment and the kids who need its education!"
Two words, one bird.
"Don't care." She replied, making a b-line for the track and field, left hand raised to give it to her elder.
That got a pop.
As the kids bumped and jumped, teachers and security alike trying to quell the mob, Hercule's daughter scurried out onto the grass and marched over to Son Gohan.
"GOHANNN!"
"Whoa, huh?"
"Who this?"
"Bruh, Again? What issit withis bitch? Ain't one fight enough? Shoot. She put that boy through the ringer."
"Uhh, hey, Videl."
"Gohan…"
"What?"
"What do you mean, what? Don't you have something to say?'
"..."
The baseball field fell silent, only the passing hubbub of the inside of Orange Star High School and the city streets could be heard. One cough pierced the veil before Videl pressed her left index into Gohan's chest, forcing a slight stumble back.
"Angela! That's what!"
"Angela?"
"Yes, Angela!"
"What about her?"
"... You know!"
"No… I don't."
"About how you kissed her!"
"..." Gohan just stared back plainly, raising an eyebrow at the assertion.
"Ha! You got quiet! You Did, didn't you?"
"Nope."
"What!? She was the one who was your secret admirer wasn't she!?"
"How am I supposed to know that? The whole point of a secret admirer is that it's supposed to be secret, right? I don't know who sent that stuff."
"Yeah right!"
"... Videl you're going kind of off the deep end right now. You should probably settle down."
"What!?"
"I didn't do anything with anyone. We spent the whole winter break hanging out, I don't know where you're going with this."
"..."
He crossed his arms firmly, resembling a certain Green Man as he did it.
"So did Angela do something?"
"..."
"Erasa told me to not mess around with her so I haven't. If she's right and Angela was some weirdo I guess you probably shouldn't listen to what she says."
"Nah, he's cappin'! Dump that dude!"
"Dude, she's wilin'! You don't need to be messing around with her! Did you forget she tried to beat you up that other time!?"
Gohan spared a few passing glances to the chanting crowd of PE class before settling his gaze back on the bright red cheeks of the girl in front of him.
"I want an apology."
"... what..?" Meekly oozed out of her quivering bottom lip.
"Whoa whoa whoa!"
"He wants an apology!?"
"I feel like you're really up in arms about something silly. I just want to know where your head's at."
"You want… Me to apologise? You should be doing the apologising." She countered, pressing forward and letting her index do the talking again as they stood face to face.
"For what?"
"..."
"If there's anything I ever learned from my mom and dad it's that you stand up for yourself and you don't let people tell you you've done something wrong when you haven't. I haven't done anything wrong, so there's nothing that I need to apologise for."
"..."
"Ooo~"
"Who is this dude!?"
"That's motherfucking Son Gohan, bruh!"
"Language!" The mustached teacher yelled from across the pitch, hand on the batting fence.
"Sorry!"
"You came out here, screaming at me and made a lot of assumptions. If you don't trust me enough to approach me honestly without yelling. I don't know why we're dating."
"..."
"For now at least, if You don't think you've done anything wrong."
"..."
"Then I guess we're done."
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Videl stared slack jawed, eyes fixed on the boy before he departed, letting her stare only at the khaki coloured back wall that fenced in the track and field.
"Gohan..?"
"... I'm listening."
The pair stared at each other, Gohan taking off the red rim of the Titans cap. A soft breeze rushed in and they let it sit for a while.
"... forget it."
"Hmm."
Videl walked dashed off the grass and into the school, pushing past all manner of teachers and teenagers during her fervent sprint. As she cleared the establishment, a familiar girl marched out in her place, staff trying to tie her down too before she broke out and sprinted towards him.
"Gohan! You Better have broken up with that girl! She's dangerous! Do you see what she did to me!?" She shouted, a full grip of her own hair, just about matching the amount missing on the side of her temple.
"Angela?"
"Ahemn~ Yes, Gohan? Tee-Hee~"
"You're a scumfuck."
"..."
"I just want you to know that." He said while smiling, patting her on the shoulder before walking away and meeting up with the rest of the students standing still, ready to play ball.
The eldest son of Son Goku just let out a puff of air through his nostrils and looked up at the clouds as the sound of metal against the rough rubber of a baseball cut across.
"Gohan? What's wrong, honey?" Chi-Chi's soothing voice asked from across the dinner table, the cutlery laying lame in his two hands.
"..? Hmm?"
"You're not eating."
"Oh. Ha-ha. Sorry, mom."
Goten just went to town, his cheeks bunched up and almost bursting at the seams. Goku did the same too, the pair really looking like a mirror image.
"... Well… there is something."
Chi-Chi leaned in, eyes locked onto her son's face, Goku nor Goten sparing a single thought or care in the world for anything other than the food in front of them.
"I Think I broke up with Videl..?"
"You think? WhatdoyoumeanGohandidshedumpyouohmypoorbaby-"
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"No. I dumped her… I think." His eyebrows not sure what to think either as he said it.
Chi-Chi just stared back with an open maw of her own as she placed her hand on her breast.
"What? What happened?"
"Well… I'm not sure. I guess I'll just talk to her about it tomorrow."
With the looming sun over the horizon, day turned to night, or at least, dusk, before The Son Family heard a knock at the door.
"Sit down, mom. I got it."
Knott! Klokk!
"Coming!"
"..."
The way the evening light caressed her cheekbones pulled a warm feeling into Gohan's. She swallowed harsh and looked him right in the eyes. They just stood there for a while before the son of Son Goku said:
"I'll be back in a little bit?"
"Who's at the door?"
Goku smirked.
"Forget about it." He replied, finishing the last scraps of his plate and stretching out a big one.
Klm.
"Why are you here?"
"..."
"You really look nice with this hairstyle. I think it frames your face better." Gohan said as he rubbed the back of his fingers against Videl's short curls.
Videl's pouty expression caved and a reluctant laugh-breath escaped her nose all the same as they stood on the dirt path.
"Come on. You're not gonna accomplish anything by just standing there, are you?"
"No." She replied, gripping his hand tight.
"Hey!" He laughed, the girl pulling him around the house and towards the backwoods, the heated hot spring behind The Son Family home boiling over.
"Sorry, Gohan."
"Hey. It's no big deal. I just wanted to know if you were serious."
"Serious?" She raised a brow, looking back his way as they passed the household and trekked into the stepped cliffs and forested region of Mount Paozu.
"Yeah. Serious. Maybe it's too early to say or something but my mom and dad didn't raise me to just flirt around with girls."
"What are you saying, Huh!?" She giggled, forcing the same response from him.
"Well I guess I mean… is that if I ever date someone. I'm you know~ gonna go all the way."
Her eyes ran cross, her entire frame clamming up into a deep, searing flame of red. Her throat choked up and locked tight.
"A few dumb things here and there is totally understandable but I don't want a wife who's gonna think other people are telling the truth and her husband is always lying. That just sets a bad precedent."
"..." Videl shut up, stared out and barely registered her own existence. The word 'wife' was the last thing she heard.
"Videl?"
"... Yes?"
"Hey. It takes a lot of courage to apologise, you know? And that's the kind of wife that I want. Because that kind of person is gonna help keep me in check too."
"... Gohan?"
"..."
"I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm really not sorry at all that I blew up at you to be honest. But… it's wrong and I shouldn't have done it now that I'm thinkin about it."
"What!?" He laughed out.
"I'm sorry for assuming you weren't telling the truth. That was… dumb. I would hope that I wouldn't date someone like that. I guess I just got cold feet because I've never… you know. Dated… anyone before."
"I haven't either."
"..."
"We're bound to do a whole bunch of dumb things. But if you can't own up to your mistakes then you're not gonna fix em'. That's what my dad always said. He said that if you ever want to do something, you're gonna have to learn to do it wrong the first couple times to know how to do it right."
"..."
"Are you in this thing for the long run?"
"..."
Doe and deer fled the scene at the drop of a hat. Prowling beasts from every corner of the mountains stalked from on high, looking down at the couple holding hands and strolling around the natural landscape.
"Yes. I want to be in this thing for the long run."
Gohan turned her around and she saw the world in him. He was a bit goofy, and pretty skinny compared to a lot of the other kids in school but there was still something about the way he carried himself. They wrapped their arms around each other and just stayed put, locked together as the animals of Mount Paozu went about their night, rummaging and running through the brush.
"Gohan?"
"Hmm?"
Chu~
The son of Son Goku's flesh ran hot, steaming, as her lips drew back. He let out a laugh, truly sounding exactly like his father.
"Huh-Hah-Hah! What? What… brought that on?"
"... I Definitely wasn't gonna let her have the first kiss."
He sputtered, then just cackled his head off, breaking away from the hold, his dress shoes gliding along the silky grass strands.
"Videl?"
"What?"
"Orange Star High School's Romeo and Juliet doesn't even have a kiss."
"What!?"
The only creatures left got the hell out of dodge at Videl's ear-piercing screech.
"Yeah. Ms. Amaguri thinks it's weird to have kids do it if they don't want to. I told her I was dating you so she said we didn't have to."
"Bruh."
"Huh-Hah-Hah!"
Videl
"You what!?"
"Yep."
"Videl."
"Here it comes." She thought, gritting her teeth together in brace for the coming blow.
"I am Very disappointed in you."
Oof.
"Yep. I know, dad. Not my best moment."
"Not your best moment? There have been tons of those ever since you got to high school."
"Yep."
"Hehhh… does this Gohan fellow have anything to do with it?"
"..." Videl looked around at the dust particles floating in, shimmering in the afternoon lighting of the basement. "Yes, and no." She replied, pushing the punching back around. "He had something to do with it, but he himself didn't actually do anything."
"How do you mean?"
"It's complicated." She replied, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Complicated? Girl, you don't know what complicated means."
"I know, dad. I know."
"Complicated is having to choose between not upholding an offender to the full extent of the law and putting a good guy in a jail cell."
"It's just… I let my emotions get the better of me."
"Happens to the best of us, Sweet Pea."
"So it looks like you're gonna have to enroll me somewhere else."
"Are you coming to live with me?"
"Shoot I guess. I don't know." She replied, scratching the side of her head as she let out a sigh.
Dingg-Dongg!
"Hold on. Someone's at the door. Give me a minute!" She shouted, trudging up the steps and meandering around the apartment to get to the front door.
Chicc-Ga-Clicc!
"What?" She sassed out, eyes closed before she even opened the door. "Gohan?"
"My mom made these and she wanted you to have some."
"Oh… thanks." She giggled out, the classic raisin cookies still warm in her left hand.
"Who's there? Is that your little boyfriend?"
"Uhhh… yeah, dad. Don't embarrass me-"
"Hand him the phone. I never even met this guy and you're gonna go and-"
"Hello, sir?"
"... Sir? Hold on. I think I like this guy. What's your name, son?"
"My name is Son Gohan. It's nice to finally meet you, sir… even if it is over the phone. I would have met you sooner if Videl didn't prote-"
"Gohan!" She shouted, crumbs flying out of her mouth and splattering all over him, spit and all.
"Huh-Hah-Hah! But I guess we'll have to meet sometime soon."
"OhmyGosh! Why are you putting me on blast right now!?" She let out through choking down the rest of the items.
"When do you think you could manage that?"
"Well I mean I could do it right now with The Nimbus."
"The Nimbus?"
"Yeah. It's my flying cloud and one of my best friends."
"You know. A couple years back I would have called you crazy. But after fighting demons, having my world turned upside down by a one armed Superman I feel like anything's possible."
"Right. The only thing I really know about you, sir, is that you're a police officer. I know Krillin, or, I guess I should say, Superman. Huh-Hah."
"You know him?"
"Yeah! He's been a family friend since before I was born."
"Son Gohan..? You're not related to that Goku guy are you?"
"Yep! That's my dad."
"What a world we live in. Alright. Tell ya what. She stays in Orange Star City apartment long as she can afford it, but if you're really gonna date my daughter. And… you've really got a flying cloud… You'll have to take her to West City High School every morning."
"Sounds like a deal to me, sir." Gohan responded with a salute, but no one there to see it other than his girlfriend who chuckled dumbly near the couch, chewing down the cookies.
"Good man."
"So when am I meeting you, sir? Videl's met my parents."
"Good point. I'm on call late into the night most nights so I'll have to get back to you on that."
"No problem at all, sir… Hey!"
"Hahahaha~" Videl laughed out as she scarfed down the last cookie.
"I wanted some!"
"I'll see ya when I see ya, Gohan."
"Talk to you later, Mr. Satan."
Boop!
"How did you eat that many!? That's like 3,000 calories!"
"Hahaha~"
Trunks
With a frown on his face and his arms crossed, Trunks sat on the balcony to the loft, looking over West City. He stomped around with not much to do other than stand and stare. After a particularly booming opening of the sliding glass door a gruff voice entered his ears, forcing The Capsule Corp. Kid to pivot on his feet and stare up at the gigantic man with enormous muscles.
"Hey, 0 for 0."
"What? Hey!" He shouted with an accusatory point of his index finger. "Stop calling me that. It doesn't even make any sense."
"Well you haven't beat any Saiyans yet have you?"
"No. I don't even know what a Saiyan is."
"The nerve. 5 for 6 didn't even tell you about the Saiyan race?"
"Nope." The child responded before turning right back around, blowing the silky black locks out of his way and resting his little stubby limbs on the railing. "All I know is that Oolong said Goku was an alien. So that makes Goten half-alien or sum'."
"Where's your mother located?" Raditz asked as he took on a full monkey perch, all four limbs clamped onto the balcony's safety rail like a statue.
"I don't know. She's probably in some stupid meeting or something."
"Hmm. Interesting."
The West City skyline at night put the stars to shame. Neon tubes interlocking, weaving in and out, the posh buildings far off, hotels, thin tube-like apartments stretching to the air for what looked like miles. Cars and other vehicles taking to the sky drove on and above the street. It was a reasonable passtime to come out and look, especially if you couldn't do anything else, or at least, weren't allowed to do anything else.
"Predictable."
"..." Trunks huffed again as he watched the hundreds of cars zoom on through the airborne subways.
"Is that Kakarot? No. Huh. What the hell is my nephew doing here this late at night? Gohan, boy! Over here!"
Fyuuuuuuu~VWERTTT!
"Hey." Gohan cheesed big time, whipping the hell out of the cloudy ride, treating it more like a tube taking off the tides of the ocean. "I wanted to come ask you something and I didn't see you at Sasebo."
"Huh?"
"Well… I assumed you might be training here."
"Boy you couldn't have just used your Ki Sensing?"
"... I don't have that."
"Oh… right." He coughed out a single time before crossing his arms and exuding that uncle-like pressure. "But you could have texted."
"You have a phone number?" Gohan asked with an air of inquisitiveness unmatched by any question he had ever asked.
"In this day and age it's only fools like Green Man and Kakarot who don't."
"Fair. What is it?"
"It's~ Redacted."
"Okay, cool. Thanks."
"What are you here for, boy?"
Gohan stood straight up on the cloud, stretching out to the celestial bodies beyond him and the others.
"I wanted to ask if I could borrow Icarus for a bit."
"Icarus? Why do you need her?"
"Oh! It's uhh… my girlfriend can't ride Nimbus-" He said while plopping back down and patting the cottony substance beneath his legs. "-so I want some way to get her around if I can't."
"Boy you're trying to rent out my dragon just so you can appease a woman?"
"I wouldn't call it appeasing. I'm just here to see if I can."
"Knock yourself out."
"Tcheh. Okay~" Gohan goofed, scoffing once and letting out a small fit of giggles.
"Why? What reason?"
"Uhm. You know. I just want to make her dad feel like I'm the right choice… I guess. I mean, there was nothing stopping me from not asking and then just giving Videl the-" He brandished the object in question. "-whistle and letting her keep it."
"Ahh, touché."
"But that's not polite, so I wanted to check in with you first."
"Gohan?"
"Yes, Raditz?"
Trunks was far off in his own world, just walking laps on the tightrope that was the guardrail of the loft.
"Icarus is yours. I'm just holding onto her for safekeeping. You do remember that, right?"
"I wouldn't say that. You're the one who found a home and kept her fed. Even if we met first I bet she likes you more now."
"Nonsense."
"Whatever you say, Uncle Raditz."
"I just have one thing to say to you, boy."
"What?"
"You and that girl better breed like rabbits because the Saiyan's home planet got destroyed. As far as I know, there's not many of us left."
"Uhhh…" Is all Gohan had to say as The Saiyan laughed like a madman and then exited back into the loft.
"So long, Gohan!"
"Gohan, what does breeding mean?" Trunks asked the absolute millisecond Raditz vacated the premises, still walking the tightrope.
"Don't worry about it, Trunks."
"Bruh."
Videl
"So this is Icarus."
"Oh my Gosh. What the heck did you feed this thing?"
"Krawwwwwww!"
FWOOMM!
The deafening beat of the purple dragon's wings could have blasted away the entire apartment complex had she not toned it down for a general audience. The creature's giant orb-like eyes blinked a few times for good measure and its maw poked at Videl's chest, nudging once, then twice. The girl shuddered a bit at the thought but soon enough relented as soon as the words:
"She doesn't bite, promise."
came out of his mouth. With a big breath, Videl went for it and patted the bridge of the dragon's nose, a huffy of haze hauling out of its big nostrils.
"Whoa…"
"So what do you think?"
"Uhh… and you want me to..?"
"Well this is really just a suggestion. In case for whatever reason I can't pick you up with The Nimbus before school or something."
"... So you want me to ride a dragon to fuckin… High School, Gohan? It's not that serious."
"I don't see anything strange about it. I ride a sentient cloud to school."
"Shit I guess." She let out through a laugh-breath, giving Icarus another volley of pats before the beast shook its head and let out another booming screech.
The couple and the dragon stood on the edge of the apartment, the stone almost bending over from the weight.
"Are you gonna watch the play?"
"Yeah, of course. Obviously I'm gonna watch the play. When are you guys scheduled?"
"Pretty much when we're on our way out. May."
"Right."
The pair stared at each other for a brief moment before breaking away.
"I'm about to go home and have dinner with the family, are you interested?"
"Uhhh, duh."
"Cool."
Krillin
Krillin's uniform slammed into the concrete, blowing wild chunks into the fences, the metal grate catching the rocks just barely and forcing out a whooping array of cheers and chants from the West City inmates.
"Damn!" A black man shouted with furrowed brows and a goofy cantor.
"Holy crap…"
"It's a shame, really. You put up a fight once upon a time."
"How did you get so good in here? I only come to fight you like once a month."
"And now you can't even land a hit. How intriguing. Thus, truly telling you of my perfection. You know… I'm really bored just sitting in here all damn day."
Cell watched as The One Armed Man stood to his stocky height of only five feet, wiping the blood from his bottom lip and cringing at the scratchy scuffs littering everywhere else, his black cop attire torn to shreds.
"I haven't read Every book, but it's not like I want to lay down with "100 ways to cook noodles" to pass my time."
"Fair enough." He responded, popping his neck and going starry eyed for a moment. "So what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if I step foot outside this prison, I'm not going back. You and your posse are going to have to drag me back tooth and nail. I've served a decent amount of time, almost four years. I think that's enough."
"You know what the charge was, right?"
"25 to life. Yes, yes, blah blah blah, manslaughter, murder, conspiracy, and reckless endangerment. I get it. But I'm not gonna go looking for trouble. I just don't want to deal with these troglodytes for another two thousand days."
"If you can't do the time, don't do the-"
"If you finish that sentence, Krillin, I'll do another 25 after I kill you."
"Bruh."
"You've got clout, do you not?"
North City's Superman let out a sigh that reverberated out into the courtyard, every man in the vicinity felt the surge that came from his chest, the palatable head wringing frustration came through.
"Yes. But it's a slippery slope. I have a little bit of leeway but at the end of the day if I don't make the arrest while it's on file they know I'm aiding and abetting. I'm not just gonna let you guys go off and-"
"Stop." Cell remarked, putting his open palm out into the air as if clicking pause.
"..."
"That man Piccolo is on record as destroying an entire arena in damages. So is that bastard Tien."
"Nah, you talk smart Cell, but you're in way over your head."
"Ahh~" Cell took a backstep, feigning taking damage as he put that same hand over his sleek black chest armour. "The nerve~"
"I already know where you're gonna go with this. Piccolo caused property damage so therefore should be put under arrest but that can only go through if the owner's choose to file charges. That wasn't public, The Tenkaichi Budokai is private property."
Cell crossed his arms, looming over the tiny officer.
"I wasn't an officer then, or else I would have attempted to make the arrest. Besides, it's up to Mic and the other officials who licensed that stuff to file. Technically he can still do it… I think, but that remains to be seen. We have nothing to go off of. We also have no physical evidence that Piccolo-"
"Bu-"
"Or Sapa physically assaulted someone outside of sanctioned matches, which is untrue in your case. We have hard evidence that you killed at least one person. We have witness testimony that Piccolo threatened, but he only ever caused property damage during The 23rd."
"..."
"I can't in good conscience let you go. I can try to argue for good behaviour and maybe get an appeal to lessen your sentence but I'm not about to let you walk out of here on just four years. You Killed someone."
"Only one."
"Pretty bold of you to just lie to my face like that."
Prisoners from all around shot duck faces and hyped expressions all about the courtyard.
"What, are you a mindreader now?"
"Yep."
"Damn."
"..." Krillin didn't back down, despite the green spotted bug man housing no damage and towering over him.
"I'm still of the opinion that survival of the fittest and now that I know better, Natural Selection, is the way that sentient beings should live their lives. You are now unfit to tell Me what to do. I'll sit idly by for a little while but unless you can arrange your gang to fight me again and have them prove to me that they're still stronger than I am, I don't know if I can oblige my end of the deal. This sitting in prison idea started being an egregious waste of my time long ago."
"..."
"You know you can't stop me Krillin, and neither can anyone else in the entirety of Earth's police force. They couldn't stop Piccolo, and they couldn't really stop that strange demon attack in Age 763."
"You know about that?"
"I do my research, Krillin. What can I say?"
The slightly less confident Superman of North City took a few paces around the scuffed stone, averting his gaze to the ground before looking up at the bug man.
"So when am I fighting your… allies again? I don't want Son Goku. I beat him. All I want are Piccolo and Tien."
"So you're calling the shots now?"
"I beat you. Yes I am."
"... In a one on one?"
"Of course, why would it be any other-"
"We fight as a unit, Cell. If you can't beat all of us, you're not getting out of here."
"I'm only trying to follow your little Earth rules. Five on one, or however many you throw at me is not a fair match."
"But martial arts are fluid. Just because you beat me today doesn't mean you'll beat me tomorrow."
"Oh please, we all know what the outcome will be from here on. You stand no chance anymore."
"If you truly are the fittest on our planet, shouldn't you succeed against the odds?"
"..."
"What better way to prove your superiority than to beat us all at the same time?"
"Hmm… now when you put it that way…"
"Do we have a deal?"
"Well no, what's the deal? You set no conditions."
"If you can beat us before… damn, when does Gohan's school year end..? Uhh… I'll get back to you."
"Nope. I want something Now."
"I give you until Gohan's school year ends to get as good as you possibly can. If you can beat me and all of my friends, I won't pursue you."
"..."
"And I'll… make sure they don't mess with you either."
Cell's pale face wrinkled together, egged on by a wide grin.
"Deal!"
Hands outstretched, the pair shook on it.
"Goodness… if he got that strong in literally one year, capable of beating Goku and Yamcha… I don't know how we're going to-"
"I really am, that good."
"Get out of my head, Cell."
"You have about five months, Krillin. The school year usually ends in May."
Krillin kept some extra hangtime in the air above West City Penitentiary, floating above him and the others like a deity, but Cell was nonbeliever, waving him goodbye with a wicked smile on his face.
"Cell?" Raditz just about yelled, cooking a suspiciously large egg in the pan of his open ended Sasebo apartment. "Yeah. I'll beat the dog shit out of him."
"Why are we beating him up? It sounds like we're just gonna jump him. That's fucked up." Yamcha replied as he grabbed a strange green concoction from out of the loft fridge, taking a sip and then jittering wildly. "Nah but we beatin' his cheeks though for real."
"Cell? Sure. I guess I can fight him if you really need me to." Goku said as the woodland creatures departed at Krillin's presence.
Fwuuuuuuu~
"You wouldn't ask if it wasn't for a good reason. Yes."
"Hmph. That Mongrel wouldn't stand a chance even if I didn't show up. But… he did hurt Gohan. I'll do it." Piccolo responded at a river stream, green hand deep in the flowing water.
"Alright, Cell. I have your answer. Every single one of us are going to fight you outside the prison after Gohan's graduation."
"Good. I can't wait to wipe the floor with you."
"Keep that energy." Krillin replied as he flew back off into the aether, vanishing into the clouds above the open ended nature of the concrete courtyard.