Author's Note:
Quickly after chapter 3, here's the next one.
I hope you enjoy it, please tell me what you think.
Suggestions, comments, support, whatever is very welcome.
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Chapter 4 - White Rabbit
Sunshine. Waking up to it's touch is one of those little things in life that can cheer you up. The sound of running water. Birds singing. Videl rolled over and slowly opened her eyes. Hmm. The first few seconds of waking up are so carefree. Then the where/when/what kicks in an yesterday comes crashing back. Yet it couldn't hit her as hard as it had done the day before. There was distance. Whether it was the workings of a good night's sleep or the liveliness of nature, she couldn't tell, but she felt somewhat better.
Walking around she tried getting some food. She had hardly eaten yesterday and her stomach was growling. After a while, she sat down, next to the small stream that ran from the mountains. She started to eat what she had managed to find. Being out in nature, far away from the big city, it felt liberating. She felt like she could stay here forever. I should get going though, she thought. Because if I know Hercule he's already got half the city looking for me. She packed the food that was left and started walking.
With more time to think something else from the dairy came to mind. The tail. As upsetting as the fact that Hercule was not her father was, as confusing was this. Her mother said something about being different from the rest. And apparently *she* had a tail too. People with a tail. She didn't know what to make of it.
Walking over these forest paths it was almost like she was walking the same path her mother walked all those years ago.
After walking a few hours the trees stopped. Actually, the ground stopped. It went straight down for at least two hundred meters right in front of her. Miles and miles of forest stretched out beneath her. To her right a wall of rock reached from the ground below to far above. To the left you could see a city at the horizon. Videl sat down. It was beautiful.
Time to move on. She couldn't go down, and she wasn't about to walk in the direction of the city again so she decided to go up the mountain wall. Walking on the edge of the abyss she approached the rocks. She began to climb. Would it have been anyone else they would probably have been terrified to climb a wall that high, but Videl wasn't just anyone. Fear is generally not helpful is these kinds of situations. She climbed on. Meter after meter the trees distanced themselves beneath her. It must have been a hundred meters down when she finally pulled up and reached the top. She laid on her back. Her arms where shaking and she could hardly move her fingers, but it was worth it. At this height she could see where she had walked. The hill behind which her house laid. Well not anymore anyway. Now this was her home. Whatever the further brings. She rested.
In the days that followed she kept on walking. And she enjoyed it. No worries, no problems or painful discoveries. She was getting used to living out here. Exploring the places she'd come across, living a simpler life for a change.
Until one day she stumbled upon a waterfall, hidden inside the forest. Already pretty tired from another day of walking, she decided to go for a swim. The sun was already starting to set. The waterfall, crashing onto the rocks below it, created a mist over the pool. Videl stepped in. She watched as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. The moon was almost full. She always liked looking at the moon. She imagined her mother walking through the forest around her. She got out of the pool and dried herself. Suddenly she heard something between the trees. She went to look and she found a white rabbit, just sitting there staring at her. When she tried to approach it, it hopped away a few paces. She did another step in it's direction. Again it hopped back a few steps. Something told her that she had to follow it. She quickened her steps, and so did it. She started running, following it through the woods. She could only just keep up. Suddenly it was gone. She looked around, but nothing. She stopped. Then she heard shouting in the distance. Following the sounds, she say a light in the distance. As she approached it appeared to be a house. She hadn't seen anyone since she'd left, now almost a week ago.
The house was round and white. She knocked on the door. A women opened the door.
'Hello there. What brings you out here?' the women asked.
'Eh… Well… I've been walking and eh…' Videl struggled.
'And you are alone out here? You look tired. Here, come in, have a seat.'
Videl entered the house. It wasn't too big, but it was cozy.
'Let me make you some hot chocolate, it get pretty cold out there at night.' The woman said walking towards the kitchen.
Moments later she returned with the cup of hot chocolate.
'You know a girl like you shouldn't be out here. Certainly not a this time of night, it's dangerous.'
'Eh… well I can handle myself pretty I think.' Videl said sipping on the drink.
'So you said you *walked* here? Where from, the village up north?'
'No, actually from Satan City..'
'Satan City?!' the woman interrupted, with a stunned look upon her face.
'That must be weeks worth of walking!'
'Well actually I've been walking pretty much all day for the last… 12 days.'
'You must be exhausted, why don't stay here for a while?'
'That would be nice, are you sure?' Videl was indeed pretty tired, she would have to admit that.
A teenager, about her age, walked in.
The woman stood up.
'Oh hey Goh… oh wait where are my manners…' the woman said turning to Videl.
'What's your name?'
'Videl.'
'I'm Chi Chi, and this is my son Gohan. Gohan, this is Videl, she going the be staying here for a while. She's been walking all the way from Satan City!'
'Wow that is far, you must be pretty tired I guess!',Gohan said while shaking her hand.
Something about him was very comforting. She couldn't really tell what it was, but already she felt somehow… at home.