Hello everyone! If you are unknown about me, I use my stories as a way to improve my writing. For this story, I am practicing quick turn over. This story is a living story which means I am producing it constantly. I know where I want it to go, so no worries. I have been known to take ages to come up with situations for stories and I know I really need to improve on that, thus this story is the answer!
Disclaimer: The Dragonball Franchise and Bleach, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME.
Chapter 8: Gifts
Gohan had waited at Capsule Corporations with Videl for at least an hour before the blue box appeared on the expansive lawn. Everyone milled out, Goku his usual grinning self.
"Hey! Gohan, Videl! Nice seeing ya!" He greeted them, ready to tell Gohan all about the tournament when Vegeta's voice broke out.
"What is up with the brat, Kakkorot?" Vegeta eyed Goku who just blinked.
"Huh? Who ya mean?" Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Oh…Ya mean Kira-Chan? Beats me…" He frowned. "Though I really don't appreciate that black thing hitting Chi…Maybe I need to talk to Kira-Chan after all…"
Gohan stared at his father. "What happened?"
"Apparently, your new sister's protector is overprotective." Piccolo approached. "And I know why. But first, we need to go to your house, Gohan."
"Uh…Okay…?" Unsure of anything, Gohan looked towards Kira who was silent. "Kira-Chan…Are you alright?"
"Yeah…But…" She rubbed her arm, a sign Gohan immediately recognized. She had done that once before, when she was nervous.
"Hey…Remember…" Gohan approached her. "I said we'd figure out what's going on together…" He smiled at her. "Everything's going to be alright."
"Yeah! No worries Kira-Chan!" Goku gave her a thumbs up. "Just tell that black thing though that it shouldn't be so mean…Geez…"
"I…think it got the message…" Kira muttered.
"Why don't we deal with this tomorrow?" Gohan suggested Kira shook her head.
"I…Want to go to school tomorrow. It's…It's really the only place I feel…Normal…" Again she rubbed her arm.
Gohan nodded. "Alright…" He noticed Piccolo scowl. "Piccolo-San…"
"Fine…I have to go somewhere anyway…To confirm my suspicions." He paused, then looked at Kira. "Just be careful…Do not draw more than necessary." Then he was gone, a streak in the sky.
The next morning, Gohan dropped Kira off at school as usual. The two always did this as Gohan's work was near Kira's school. Standing at the front gate of Kahn Academy, Gohan stared at Kira.
"Tonight Piccolo and dad are coming over." He told her. "I don't know what happened, but…Remember, everything's going to be alright."
Kira gripped her backpack. "This shadow thing…Almost killed your mom…"
Worried but not wishing to push the issue, Gohan said, "My mom can handle herself…Kira-Chan…None of this is your fault, I'm sure of it. Go to school, tonight I think some mysteries are going to be solved." He gave her a thumbs up. "I'm here for you, little sister…" It felt great to say that finally…little sister!
She stared at him for a long moment. "Okay…Big Brother Gohan…" Then she stepped through the gate of Kahn Academy.
Gohan actually blushed. She just…called him…big brother!? Beaming with sheer joy Gohan practically skipped all the way to work, happy to know that despite everything…Kira was warming up to him.
Kira ventured through the brightly colored hallways to her home room, set her backpack next to her desk in the back. She had been told by Piccolo to tell NO ONE what she saw. Hell, who would believe her anyway? She was still a bit in wonderment…Did it actually happen or was it all a dream?
"Kira-Chan!" Looking up she noticed Rukia at the door. Kira gave a light wave to her friend. Black hair swayed as Rukia dumped her own backpack onto her own desk next to Kira. "How was your weekend?"
I watched people duke it out in space. At least three of them were aliens and the other side apparently came from another dimension. And oh yeah, I almost got my adoptive mom killed… The words were in Kira's mind but instead she shrugged and said, "Boring, you?"
"Same." Rukia slumped into her seat. "Did you finish the battle assignment?"
Mentally slapping herself, Kira languished at her stupidity. "No…I…" What was she supposed to say!? It was destroyed by a green alien man!? "I…I just didn't do it."
"Me neither." Rukia pouted. "Oh…We have some time before class starts, maybe you can do it during homeroom!" She grinned. "I'll cover for you!"
Kira noticed the rest of their classroom filing in. The last to arrive was the rest of their small group, Hinamori-San, Hanatarou-San, and finally Hitsugaya-San. Hitsugaya-San said nothing as he just took his seat in front of Kira though Hinamori-San and Hantarou-San greeted Kira.
"Kira-Chan didn't do her homework…We gotta cover for her!" Rukia hissed to Hinamori-San and Hantaorou-San.
"Neither did you." Kira pointed out at Rukia who just shrugged.
"Hello everyone!" Matsumoto-sensei walked in. "We have an assembly today concerning the up and coming art show so you need to stay in your homeroom longer." She winked. "This is the perfect time to get any homework done you didn't do!"
Kira couldn't believe her luck. She turned to Rukia who was just grinning and gave a thumbs up before rushing to get her own drawing notebook out. Kira reached into her backpack and paused. She had forgotten…Her school notebook had been destroyed by Piccolo. She had packed her orange one, the one the Son family had given her on her first day. It…Didn't feel right to use it for school, but she really had no choice at this point.
"Don't use a personal one." Looking up she noticed a black notebook being handed to her from behind by Hitsygaya-San. It was quite the surprise he was even talking to her because he truly never even glanced her way unless required. "Hurry up and take it."
Putting her orange notebook away she took the offered one. "Thanks…" The black notebook held a hard cover. In the center of the cover was an elongated skull with triangle eyes and two indentations for teeth. It was very gothic, a style Kira never thought Hitsugaya-san was into. Opening it up, she discovered it was brand new. Hitsugaya-San had given her his new notebook?
"Oh yes! I've forgotten!" Matsumoto-sensei's voice rang out and all eyes were upon her. "We have a birthday this week! Son Kira! Happy early birthday sweetie!"
Kira blinked. It was…She paused and realized that indeed, her birthday was Friday. With everything going on, she had totally forgotten about it and apparently so had her family. It really didn't matter though, birthdays weren't grand things celebrated by her and her grandfather. Sure he had wished her a happy birthday and got her a cake and a present, but that was mostly it.
"Now, get to work everyone!" Matsumoto-sensei plopped into her desk chair.
The room became a mixture of whispered voices and light scrapping of pencils. Kira opened up the black notebook and started drawing.
School went by fast…Too fast for Kira. The final class for the day ended, everyone packing up to head home. Kira quickly went to Hitsugaya-San intent on returning his black notebook. The guy was slinging his backpack over his shoulder when she approached.
"I don't need it." He said. "Keep it." Then turned and headed out, making Kira speechless. The notebook had to be expensive for the binding was leather! Black leather at that!
"Kira-Chan! We need to plan!" Rukia was at her side. "Your birthday is coming up right? When?"
"Friday." Kira said, placing her new black notebook in her bag.
"And what age are we gonna be?" Rukia asked. Kira stilled.
"Sixteen." She replied.
"Sixteen!?" Rukia gapped. "We gotta plan something big then!"
Nearby, Hinamori-san had heard the conversation and shouted, "Yes! Let's plan a party!"
The two girls were still bouncing off ideas for Kira's birthday while following her to the gate where Gohan was waiting. He smiled and waved, Kira waved back.
"Oh! Is that your brother? He's cute…Right Hinamori?" Rukia elbowed the other girl. She leaned over to Kira. "Don't worry, Hinamori has been head over heels for Hitsugaya-San for ages."
"Ah!? Kuchiki-San!" Hinamori slapped hands over her blushing face. Kira actually laughed at their antics.
"Konnichiwa, Kira-chan's friends." The girls had ventured outside of the gate, standing in front of Gohan. Kira instantly realized he had never seen any of her school friends, nor had she mentioned them to him.
"Uh…This is Gohan…" She introduced. "Gohan…" She actually gave a light smile as she said the next words, "These…Are my friends…Rukia and Hinamori-San."
Greetings were made instantly.
"What are you planning for Kira-chan's birthday on Friday?" Hinamori-San asked Gohan. "We should plan around that."
Gohan blinked. Birthday? Turning to Kira she shrugged.
"My sixteenth birthday is this Friday." She said it like it was no big deal.
Absolute warning bells went off in Gohan's mind. "Oh…Yes of course!" He laughed nervously. "I'm sure you want to go out with your friends. No worries, Kira-Chan. We can celebrate the next day with the whole family."
"Thank you so much!" Hinamori-San smiled, Rukia grinned.
"We'll take care of her on her big day!" Rukia wrapped an arm around Kira, her smile filled with promise.
Bidding Kira's friends farewell, Gohan and Kira made the journey home.
"It's okay if you didn't know." She told Gohan. "Honestly…I forgot myself until my drawing teacher mentioned it."
Gohan let out a big breath. "I guess everything that's been going on is the culprit." He gave her a brotherly gaze. "I'm glad you have friends, Kira-Chan."
"Yeah…" She gave him a little sister's gaze in return. "Me too."
The Second Son home was warm as always, Videl greeting them both with Pan in her arms. The child immediately squealed for her father, wanting hugs and kisses of which Gohan was happy to oblige. Kira simply went down the hall to her room, shutting the door behind her.
Daughter in hand, Gohan quickly rushed to his phone, dialing his mother. She was as surprised as he was when the birthday was revealed.
"Her friends from school want to do something on Friday so I told her we would plan on Saturday." Gohan reasoned and his mother agreed.
"Ohh! My little girl is turning sixteen!" Chi-chi squealed over the phone. "I'll handle everything! I'll give you the details later!" The line went dead.
Gohan's shoulders slumped instantly. Kira had just now gotten used to her new life and everyone, including herself, forgets her birthday!? Man…
"Her birthday is Friday? My goodness." Videl gasped in shock. He had forgotten his wife was nearby.
"Yeah…" He bounced Pan in the air. "We gotta do this right, ne Pan-Chan?" He grinned. "Let's keep it a secret surprise for Kira-Chan!"
"We can tell Goku when he comes by tonight." Videl said and Gohan froze. The eventual meeting had completely left his mind. Tonight his father and Piccolo were coming to discuss Kira's situation.
He grimanced. It wouldn't be good to ignore the rather important discussion that needed to be completed. Still though, he was just glad nobody had gotten hurt and finally this business with the shadow person could be somewhat solved.
At least…He hoped so…
Next Time: The Dinner
