Here's the second installment of Cast Away! So, Gohan and Videl have been washed over board and are now in the raging waters! What about everyone else? Are they okay or are they too, washed up? Find out, now!
A light breeze ran through his hair and cooled his body from the beating sun. He could make out the sound of calming waves breaking on the beach and the call of seagulls. The sand beneath him was warm, but not yet hot.
Gohan opened his eyes, then sat up and held his throbbing head. What had happened? Was it a horrible dream? All he could remember was getting washed over board as he held on to Videl to keep her safe and with him.
" You're up! Good. I thought you hit your head or something, but then, that wouldn't be such a big deal considering who I'm talking about."
Gohan turned his head to see Videl walking up to him, then kneeling down beside him. She placed her hands on his head and gave him a look over. She smiled before she gave him a small peck on the cheek before sitting down with him in the sand.
" Where are we?" Gohan asked, his throat dry from all the salt water.
" I don't know. Some island, I guess." She sighed . " So far, it's just us. I haven't found anyone else from the yacht."
" Well, I guess we should get going." Gohan sighed as he stood up, stretched a bit, and then went to go take off into the air but came crashing back down. " OW! Wha-? I...I can't fly?"
" Nope. I couldn't either." Videl said through her fits of laughter.
" Fine! I'll just sense them out to see if they're all okay." Gohan huffed at her before he closed his eyes and tried to reach out. He felt nothing. No signs of life from anything! Not the animals, not his friends, not even Videl who was standing right next to him. He opened his eyes in horror. " I...can't sense anything either."
" What do you mean?" Videl asked. She was getting worried now.
" I mean I'm powerless! I can't get us off of this island! I can't fly, I can't mind speak with Piccolo, I can't tell where anyone is, and I'm not able to use chi to increase my overall strength and speed!" Gohan ranted as he paced back and forth. His eyes were wide and mouth moving slightly as though he was talking to himself.
Videl was shocked! How could this of happened? How were they going to get home? She watched him pace back and forth and soon then that he was nervous and was thinking on how they may get off the island. She was placing money on he would try and make a raft. That's what everyone does when they get stuck on an island, right?
He stopped suddenly and slammed his fist lightly into his another hand, his face happy and cheerful. " We just have to make do. First, we need to find shelter and then go from there."
" Huh? Not make a raft?" Videl asked. She watched as he cringed and paled before her very eyes. Was he not feeling well?
" N-no rafts. We aren't making any rafts." He said as he began to make his way to the light forest behind them.
" What? Then you suggest we wait this out? What if nobody finds us?" Videl asked as she followed him. What was wrong with him? How could he just be so calm about this? And what's his deal about rafts?
" Look, we can't leave here right now, so we do what we can to stay safe and healthy. If nobody finds us then we'll have to make it on our own. We don't know if they can sense us and it's just me who's out of whack. We don't know if there are people here who could help us or harm us even! Right now, we live. Nothing more, nothing less." He smiled as he watched her face. He could tell she was thinking about what he was saying and was starting to see what she hadn't.
" You're right. I wasn't thinking that far ahead." She smiled as she jumped on his back for a ride. " Guess you had to learn all that when Piccolo threw you to the wolves, huh?"
" I like it better this way anyway. No rules." He smiled as he took careful note of his surroundings. He noted that there were no human trails made through the now thickening forest and there were no man made signs or monuments that could be seen as of yet.
They walked for hours, looking for some place to settle into. They found caves, there were plenty of those, but each had a major problem. In fact, this whole island had a few major problems!
The air was thicker then normal, and not from humidity. It tasted weird, different. It carried an old smell to it too; like an ancient scroll would or more like a tomb. The creatures were huge and odd. Like someone had taken the normal species and mutated it! The first time they had seen a simple bird they nearly died from disbelief!
It was large; like a monster large, and oddly colored. Exotics blues and greens made up it's feathers and it's ivory-looking beak was long and sharp. Then, it called out. It was like a singer hitting that one, perfect note. Over and over it sang to them, as though it was trying to speak but could not find the right words or even language for them to understand.
This place was something else and it made them nervous.
" Gohan..." Videl whispered as she held his hand, " do you think we'll still be okay?"
Gohan frowned as he thought. Normal creatures were going to be hard enough to deal with, but this creatures were...not normal. He hadn't seen a single creature he recognized and this worried him. He was truly a stranger in a strange land! " I don't know, Videl. Something isn't right here."
They walked in silence, both in thought and for safety. They kept their ears and eyes open for any sound or movement. Who knew what would jump out of the bush? Or down form the tree? Who knew what would happen? They jumped at wild calls; frozen like deer, waiting for something to happen. Another cry; how far from them was it? A sway of a branch; was it coming for them? Both teenagers felt weak and afraid, but Gohan kept pushing on, he kept moving forward.
" Gohan, my feet are killing me. Can't we take a small break?" Videl asked as she sat on a fallen, moss-covered log.
" I rather not, but if you need it." Gohan sighed as he sat down beside her and rubbed his neck to relief some of the tension there.
" This sucks. How can finding a cave be so hard? I mean, people in the movies find them right off the bat!" She joked. She felt better when she watched him smirk.
" Well, movies lie." Gohan smirked as he stood up and then looked down at Videl. " Hey, you ready to get moving again? The longer we stay here, the more chances we'll be found by one of those crazy animals!"
" What is with these animals anyway? They're...monsters." Videl looked around as she spoke.
" I don't know. This place smells very odd and I can't figure out why." Gohan informed as he held her close to her and inhaled her scent.
" You can still smell and stuff?" she asked as she looked up at him with wonder. " I thought you couldn't use your chi."
" I don't use my chi for those!" He laughed as he held her tighter.
" Oh. That's cool. I guess I should have known that." Videl giggled as she reached for his tail and tugged it a little.
Gohan laughed as he scratched the back of his head. " Yeah. Hey, let's just get moving."
Videl agreed and began to follow him again, this time with more vigor and hope in her step. They walked for another hour or so, since there was no way of keeping track of time here. All they knew was that the sun was going down and they were have less and less light to walk by and more and more beastly cries were being heard.
Gohan stopped as he faced a mountain wall. He was baffled at what he saw in this mountain side. There was a cave near the middle of it's face, but the face was so steep to climb without gear or claws; however, there was a small pulley and a makeshift elevator. Another thing that bothered him was that he couldn't smell any scent of human or beast.
" Should we take a look?" Videl asked him. Gohan knew she was having the same line of thoughts he was having.
" Well...it would be a really safe place to live for now and I can fix up that elevator and make it better." Gohan said as stepped onto the lift; Videl following him on.
" Can you smell anyone, my handsome little guard dog?" She teased him.
" Nope. Want to go up? Your call." He grabbed the swinging rope. When Videl smacked his ass lightly, Gohan began to pull them up to the cave entrance.
He waited for her to step off of the lift before he jumped off himself and watched the lift fall back to the ground. There were no footprints in the powder-like dirt, but there were very old lamps that lit the passages of the cave.
" How do these work?" Videl asked as she walked up to an old lamp and held it in her hands. There was no heat and no flame that made the object cast the light that it did.
" I don't know...it's amazing, but we have a cave to explore." Gohan whispered to her as he placed a large hand on her shoulder.
Videl nodded as she gently placed the ancient lamp back against the wall and followed close behind him.
The cave was more like a hidden palace then a cave really. The walls were smooth as marble and cool like water. The air was a tad fresher here, but it still held that odd smell. The sound of running water was light and relaxing to their straining ears. There were rooms inside this cave, man made rooms. One room had some books, one room was rather large and had pillars. That room seemed to be for important purposes or meetings. Another room had a small running stream of cold water. Next to it was filled with a large hot spring to were they could bath or relax in the steam it gave off.
Gohan and Videl then entered the last room. It was large and had furs in the furthest corner of the room. There was a large desk that was slightly dusty and covered with books, some opened and some closed. There were many stools and was even a large, leather-bound chair in the other corner.
" I guess this was the bedroom." Videl said as she moved to the furs and then sat down, taking off her shoes and sighed.
" I guess we'll stay here." Gohan smiled as he joined her on the furs and removed his shoes as well. " No one has been here in years and I can't find any signs of animals living in here either."
" Good." Videl smiled at him before she closed her eyes. By now it was dark and there was only the light of the moon to guide the beasts that lurked outside, but that didn't matter to either of them removed their pants and shirts before they snuggled close to each other. Gohan gave her a long, deep kiss before a grabbed the other fur and pulled it over them as they drifted to sleep.
That's chapter two! So, they found a cave to stay in, but the day ahead of them will be the hardest of their young lives! Be there to see what all happens!