Wow! Thank you to everyone that is interested in this story! :D We're nearing the first big moment, when we get some reveals…It's gonna be wild! ::Grins::

Disclaimer: The Dragonball Franchise and Bleach, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

Chapter 6: Gifts and Curses

The next morning, Gohan had just gotten off the phone with Kira's school and contemplated calling his mother before deciding not to. Though he loved his mother dearly, Chi-chi was probably not the…best person to deal with this right now. His father, the loveable person he was, probably wouldn't be the best either and after the last meeting with Piccolo, Gohan knew that wasn't going to happen. It looked like it would be just him and Kira today. Knowing he needed space, Videl took Pan to go see Bulma, the house quiet without the little baby squeals.

"I've been able to see spirits since I could remember…" Turning around Gohan saw Kira in the hallway, her head down. "I…Thought they were just…imaginary at first…That's…Why I…Haven't been so…weirded out by all the…strange things around here…."

"Kira…" Gohan stood in place, unsure of what to do.

"I started…getting bullied in school…People blamed me for everything…" Kira rubbed her forearm. "Someone got hurt during PE…my fault, even though I was in class at the time…The lights went out…my fault too…People thought I was weird…I started drawing just to…Let out everything…And I…Never stopped."

Gohan finally went to her. "Let's go to the living room, okay? I'll make some tea." They entered the living room. "Sit down…I'll be back. Is it okay if I bring dad into this too?" She visibly tensed. "Okay…We'll keep him out for now." He chuckled. "Though…I can't promise he won't suddenly pop in…You know how dad is…"

She smiled a little. "…Thanks…"

Tea on the coffee table, the two sat on the couch.

"That's pretty cool…Seeing spirits…Have you seen any spirits since coming here?" Gohan asked her and she shook her head. "Okay…Then…the lines around the people you draw…We call that Ki." Gohan explained again. "I can see it and so can Piccolo. My dad and Goten too…In fact, pretty much everyone you met at that party can."

"Ki…?"

"Yep…I guess…Remember, I said it's like a life force." Gohan explained. "Everyone has it…We can even feel it." He smiled at her. "It's amazing you're able to see it."

Kira stared at him. "How do you…feel those…wavy lines? Ki?"

Gohan paused. "Give me your hand for a second…" He offered and she took. "Alright…I want you to close your eyes." She did as asked. "I'm going to raise my ki…Keep your eyes closed…I just want you to feel…"

It took a moment before she could feel…something…A warmth…It started in his hand and began to grow…crawling up her arm and around her until she was covered in it; like a warm embrace that promised safety and comfort. It overwhelmed her to a point where she was almost crying. The sensation left her and she found herself breathless, her eyes opening.

"Whoa…" She could hardly speak.

"Pretty cool huh?" Gohan chuckled. "It's easier when you're connected to someone…" He looked at Kira. "Would you like to learn more?" Kira went quiet.

"Are you okay? I hope I didn't scare you."

"No…That…glow from yesterday…That…Was Ki…Right?"

Gohan quickly recalled the hallway encounter and nodded.

"Yeah…My dad and Goten can do that, another person we know too. You see…" He told her about the Sayajins, about his father's lineage and all the battles that happened.

Kira actually huffed. "Wow…Seeing spirits seems like nothing compared to being half alien."

Gohan laughed at that. "See? I'm probably more of a freak than you are."

She continued her questions. "You said…everyone has this…Ki stuff, right? Do I have it too?"

Gohan nodded. "Of course you do! It's really small, almost hard to see but it's there. Every living thing has ki, Kira." He seemed surprised by her question. "You can't see your own ki? Hmm…That is rather odd…It must connect back to your spirit seeing ability…" He made a connection. "Do you think this black shadow thing is a spirit?"

"I…Don't know…" She pursed her lips. "I just know…That when it started showing up…Spirits just…disappeared."

Gohan looked taken aback. "What?"

"Normally I would see spirits everywhere…It was…annoying…" Kira picked at her clothes. "But…That shadow thing…When it started appearing…The spirits disappeared. I…Haven't seen a spirit since it started showing up…"

"When did the shadow person start showing up?"

She paused. "Last year…I…started seeing this…black blob everywhere." She frowned. "But…Something's weird…There's…a place I don't see it…Or spirits for that matter….School…The shadow's nowhere to be found there…and spirits are just either missing or few in between."

Gohan pondered this…So the shadow person had started appearing last year…And since its appearance, Kira hadn't seen a spirit, or if she did, it wasn't much.

"Kira…" Could this shadow…not be bad but actually…?

"Oi! Gohan!"

Goku appeared in the living room, making both Gohan and Kira jump a bit. Noticing the atmosphere, Goku scratched his head.

"Geez I'm sorry…I didn't mean ta scare ya!" Goku huffed.

"Dad…Uh…" Gohan just shook his head. "It's okay dad."

Goku grinned. "Whoo boy! Training with Whis sure did increase my senses! I could feel ya all the way from Capsule Corporations!"

"Um…Dad…" Gohan motioned over to Kira.

"Oh! Hey Kira! How ya doing?" Goku finally noticed the girl sitting next to Gohan. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare ya!"

"Kira can see Ki, dad…" Gohan blurted it out.

"Really? I kinda figured as much what with her drawings and all." Goku scratched his head. "Say…Did ya figure out what that weird black thing is in all your drawings, Kira?"

Kira just stared at him. "You…Knew?"

"Sorta…" Goku folded his arms. "I figured I'd wait until ya told me…" He grinned. "It's not hurting anybody so it's not like a life or death thing."

Kira looked at Gohan in shock. He just chuckled.

"See? Dad's…pretty extraordinary…" Gohan looked at his father. "We think it might be a spirit. Kira can see them."

"Seriously!? Like…Ghosts?" Goku asked. "Whoa! That's awesome! I guess that explains why you're not all freaked out about flying and stuff…Wow…Wish I could see spirits…"

"You…can't?" Kira asked him.

"Well…I might be able to feel them but they don't have Ki so…I guess not." Goku shrugged. "I was a spirit once but I was given my body so I guess that doesn't count."

He chuckled. "Man that was a wild ride…"

"Um…dad…" Gohan started before his dad could go on about something…trivial. "Kira's still…a little apprehensive about all this, so we probably need to take everything a little slow…"

"Oh okay…" Goku shrugged. "That's fine. Oh yeah! While I'm here! Gohan, there's this tournament—"

He suddenly paused, going still.

"Gohan…" Gone was the happy go lucky Goku, the hardened warrior had appeared.

"Yeah…I feel it too…" Gohan looked at Kira. "Kira…Is the shadow here? Right now?"

Slowly she nodded.

"It's…right in front of Goku-San…" She mumbled. "It's…actually touching his shirt."

Goku instantly reached for his orange gi but saw and felt nothing. "Oi…Get off of me…" His voice promised pain if the 'thing' didn't do as he asked.

Gohan rose, stood in front of his father.

"I think I know what's going on…" He stared at the space between them. "We aren't going to hurt her…She's our family." He glanced over his shoulder to Kira. "Kira-Chan…Can you…Talk to it?"

She shook. "I…Never tried…"

"Do it now…" He said. "Tell it to go away."

Kira slowly rose and stood where she could see the space between Gohan and Goku. The shadow was indeed there.

"Go…Away…" She breathed out. "Leave…Leave my family alone."

The shadow turned its head to her, paused then disappeared, Goku instantly relaxing.

"Wow…Man!" Goku grinned. "That thing's tough! Wow! I felt like I was about to get into a big brawl!" The goofball he was, Goku had taken the situation rather lightly.

Kira couldn't believe it…The shadow had listened to her. "It's…Gone…At least…" She turned to the kitchen window. "Out of the house."

"Kira-Chan…" Gohan's voice made her turn to him. "I don't think this shadow is wanting to harm you…I think…I think it's trying to protect you."

"Really? Wow!" Goku gapped. "That's awesome Kira-Chan!"

"If you think about it, it makes the most sense…" Gohan continued. "Kira-Chan…You said you were bullied a lot because of the spirits you saw but…when they disappeared…"

"I…wasn't bullied…" Kira began to connect the dots.

"Kira-Chan…I think…you have quite an awesome gift…" Gohan told her. "And whatever the shadow person is…We will figure it out together. I promise."

She nodded.

"Oh! I forgot! Gohan, there's an awesome tournament about to happen!" Goku grinned. "You aren't gonna believe this!"

He told Gohan about Beerus' brother, the Destruction kami of universe 7, Champa. The two destruction gods had decided to create a small tournament, to pit their best warriors against each other. Bulma was already calling everyone up wanting a crowd to come and cheer on their universe's fighters.

"Sounds great dad, but I can't go." Gohan him. "I've got an interview soon…" He paused.

"Okay!" Goku looked at Kira. "Hey…Kira-Chan…Why don't you go? As part of the audience of course!"

She blinked. "Me?"

"Uh…Dad…" Gohan reasoned. "Mom might not like—-"

"Chi's comin' too, Goten too. In fact, she told me to tell ya Kira-Chan can go if she wants." Goku shrugged. "I gotta go, gotta get ready for the tournament!" He was gone in a flash.

Kira groaned. "Does he always do that?"

"Yep…That's dad…" Gohan just laughed. "Hey…Why don't you go? It'll show you just how well…extraordinary your family really is…"

She raised an eyebrow. "More than aliens?"

"Definitely." Gohan said. "Besides, it might be good to get away for a bit anyway…I'm not sure where this tournament is going to be, but I can only assume it's going to be off-world." Kira stared at him. "It's necessary…We can get pretty…rough."

She paused. "Okay…I guess…" She shrugged. "I…Actually have an assignment anyway…I…Have to draw a battle…So…"

Gohan's eyes twinkled.

"You're going to get an A+…Guaranteed."

Next Time: Stop