A/N For a full Author's Note please see the original work on AO3. Happy Reading :)

Dende tiredly awoke from his slumber early Sunday morning. While he went to sleep peacefully last night, he did not have a peaceful night of sleep. His mind had been plagued with the awful, recurring dreams he's had since a child. Waking up from them always made him feel foggy, and slightly irritable. He quietly slid out of bed, ready to change from his nightgown to his altar robe for the day. Before he could go to his wardrobe, he stopped and looked down, finding clothes all over the floor.

Dende frowned and looked at his roommate, who was already awake watching something animated on his tablet. "Chiaotzu, how many times do I have to tell you that your dirty clothes go in the laundry basket?"

"Sorry, I must have missed the laundry basket." Chiaotzu spoke, not taking his eyes off of his tablet.

Dende crossed his arms. "Well I'm not your maid, pick your clothes up yourself." He spoke sharply.

His roommate's sharp tone made him look up from his tablet and look over at Dende. "You know, you usually say 'you always miss the laundry basket' and end up picking my clothes up for me anyways. I thought you were supposed to be thankful and full of gratitude on Sundays." Chiaotzu spoke with contempt.

Dende sighed quietly and sat down in his desk chair. "You're right, I apologize. I didn't mean to be so sharp with you."

Chiaotzu sat his tablet to the side and hopped off of his bed, picking up his clothes to put them in the basket. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? You usually tell me 'good morning' and do your little morning prayer, but today you seem kinda…cranky?" He snorted at his choice of words. "I didn't even think you could be cranky."

Dende pondered over the things Chiaotzu mentioned. He hadn't woken up and greeted his roommate, nor did he say his morning prayer expressing his gratitude for waking up to a new day. Perhaps he did wake up on the wrong side of the bed. "I didn't sleep well last night." He admitted. "I kept having these dreams. I've had them since I was little, and they're always so terrifying and hard to understand. They leave me so tired and confused the next morning after having them."

While listening to his roommate speak, Chiaotzu finished picking the clothes up off the floor and moved to his roommate's things to start shuffling in his wardrobe. "Well that explains the sleep talking."

Dende looked over at his roommate. "I was talking in my sleep? Do you know what I was saying?"

Chiaotzu grabbed one of his alter robes out of his wardrobe and pushed it in his hands. "Not really, I thought you were speaking a different language. Do you know a different language?"

Dende took the altar robe, looking down at it before looking back at his roommate in confusion. "No, I don't know another language."

Chiaotzu shuffled through his desk drawers. "Well, you were talking in a language I've never heard before, and didn't understand."

Dende watched as his roommate shuffled through his things. "How strange…" He spoke. He thought that if Chiaotzu could make out what he was saying in his sleep, it would help him understand the dreams better, but it was no help if he was speaking in another language.

"Yeah, it was pretty weird, but dreams are weird like that." Chiaotzu pulled open the bottom desk drawers, finally finding what he was looking for. "I had a dream once that I lost my wife, Ran-Ran. Granted, I had a doll named Ran-Ran when I was little that I called my wife, but I never actually lost her." Chiaotzu pulled out Dende's Book of Kami, and the journal he took with him to Sunday services. He sat them on top of his desk. "She was kidnapped." He tried to speak seriously, but could not stop the small smile on his face as he thought about the memory.

Dende smiled slightly at his roommate. He could imagine his roommate obsessing over finding a kidnapped doll as a child. It was funny to think about, and strangely enough, it helped lift his mood slightly. "I'm sorry about Ran-Ran."

"It's okay. We found her eventually, or Tien bought me another. One or the other." Chiaotzu reached on the side of his desk, and grabbed one of the glass bottles of Mifan spring water Chiaotzu had Tien bring for Dende at the beginning of the school year. He sat the water bottle on the desk and turned to his roommate. "They're just dreams Dende, you shouldn't let them get to you. Besides, it's Sunday. You're meeting Gohan today, and our first meeting for the Garden Club is tomorrow, that should cheer you up. You've got a lot to look forward to, just…write about your dreams in your journal or something, I don't know. Whatever helps you get your mind off of it."

While his roommate had the right idea, he still couldn't help but feel like the dreams meant something. He's had them for years now, surely they meant something, no matter how confusing or horrifying. He looked down at the robe in his lap, and his books sitting next to a bottle of water. "Thank you Chiaotzu, I appreciate your help." Dende said, grabbing the bottle of water to drink before getting ready for the day.

Chiaotzu shrugged. "It's nothing, I just don't like you being cranky. There's only enough space in this room for one mean roommate, and the position is filled."

The dreams are starting again. The dreams of the green planet with three suns. The green planet has beautiful blue-green grass and trees that blow quietly in the wind. There is never darkness, and it is always harmonious and peaceful. The green planet with three suns feels like home to me, and I can never explain why or how. I've never been to another planet before.

In the Book of Kami, there is a long story that takes place over the course of multiple volumes, describing the green planet as I see it in my dreams. My dreams unfold very similarly to this story in the Book of Kami. From its setting, to its conflict. I suppose the imagery comes easily when I know the stories, yet my dreams make me feel as though I am reliving the story.

While I dream of the beauty of the planet, I also have to dream of the nightmare that befalls it as well. Beings that look like me are slaughtered carelessly. I am filled with dread and despair as I watch my family fall at the hands of galactic tyrants. My heart hurts as I yearn to help, but I am only a child in a small body. There is nothing I can do.

It is only at the end of the dream where I start to feel relief, if it is even called that. Near the end of the dream, where I am about to meet a fate similar to my family, I spot two warriors flying into the scene, and I am whisked away before I am met with the same fate.

"Dende? Are you crying? What's wrong?"

Dende looked up, finding Gohan standing above him with a look of concern. He reached up and wiped at his tear stained cheek. "Ah, I hadn't noticed I was crying." He said and started to reach for his handkerchief in his pocket, but Gohan was already offering his handkerchief to him.

With a small smile and nod of thanks, Dende began to dry his eyes.

As Dende dried his eyes, Gohan sat next to him, still watching with concern. "Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?" He asked curiously. Dende had seemed a little strange before he went to do his prayer and offering, then upon coming back from the altar, he found his friend crying. If anything, he was determined to make him feel better, or fix whatever problem he seemed to be having.

Dende shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that." He said with a sniffle. "I suppose journaling has made me a little more emotional than usual today."

"Is something on your mind? If you need someone to talk to, I'm happy to talk about whatever."

"It's hard to explain, which is why I wrote it in my journal. In short, they're just dreams. They're making it hard for me to sleep at night, and causing some stress." He handed the damp handkerchief back to Gohan. "I'm sorry I worried you so much."

Gohan took back the handkerchief, tucking it away and pulling out his Book of Kami. "It's fine. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I've never seen you that upset."

"It's made Chiaotzu concerned as well, but I've dealt with it accordingly by writing in my journal, and asking Kami for guidance on the situation." He said and pulled out his own Book of Kami and offered a small smile. "I'm sure my time with you in the Worship Center will lift my spirits."

…

Dende and Gohan enjoyed their time in the Worship Center, which helped Dende take his mind off of his dreams. Gohan asked his questions about the Book of Kami, which Dende would answer, and they would continue their conversation from there.

Nearing the end of their time, Gohan closed this book and removed his reading glasses. It was getting late in the morning, and moving towards the afternoon, but after seeing his friend crying this morning he thought he should spend a little more time with him. Just in case. "I know we talked about the club showcase last Sunday. Were you able to find a club to join?"

Dende nodded, grabbing his journal. "Yes. Chiaotzu and I have decided to join The Gardening Club. It helps the environment, and it's very involved with the community. Our first meeting is tomorrow." He shared excitedly. "Were you able to join the Martial Arts Club?"

Gohan smiled. "I'm glad you found a club to join, you seem excited for it." Gohan replied before nodding. "But yes, I actually joined the Martial Arts Club with my own roommate. I like it so far. Our first meeting was this past Friday, and it was fun. I ended up meeting a girl that's apparently in the same biology class as me."

Dende seemed confused. "Apparently? Have you not seen her in your class?"

"It's a big class, so no I haven't, but I'll find out tomorrow. She wanted me to sit with her and her friends."

He nodded in understanding. "Ahh, I see." He spoke. Gohan meeting a girl in the Martial Arts Club interested him more than he liked to admit. Was she the same classification as them? How many friends did she have? Did Gohan meet her friends already? Was Gohan more interested in her than him?

"Dende?"

The sound of his friend pulled him away from his thoughts. "Yes?"

"I was asking if you liked gardening?"

"Oh, yes, I love gardening. I have a bonsai tree I take care of at home, and I help the temple's caretaker with the garden as well." He answered, but he was much more concerned about getting back to the topic of Gohan's new friend. "So, have you met any other girls, or people, in Martial Arts Club?" He asked, hoping Gohan didn't hear the nerves in his voice.

Gohan couldn't tell if Dende was acting strange, or if he was just curious. Perhaps the latter. "Um, no not really. But funny you mention it, she's the only girl in the Martial Arts Club, and we just so happened to become friends." He replied with a smile.

Dende could feel the grip on his journal tighten involuntarily. The reply just left him feeling bitter and angry, and he didn't know why. It was embarrassing really, Gohan seemed happy to make a new friend in his club, so why couldn't he feel the same for his friend? "Well, I'm glad you're making new friends." He replied nonetheless, despite not truly meaning it. Dende grabbed his Book of Kami and stood. "I have to go. I'll see you next Sunday, Gohan."

Gohan seemed confused by Dende's sudden change of mood. Was it something he said? "Can I at least walk you back to the dorm?"

Dende thought about making a nasty retort, a bitter comment, or even a snide remark. Anything to show how upset he felt would have been satisfying, but not fulfilling. No matter how upset he felt, it didn't seem right to express it to a person that didn't deserve it.

"No thank you, I'll walk by myself. Have a good week."

The next day made Gohan anxious for some reason. He had been thinking about his afternoon biology class all day, and now the time had finally come to attend the class. He pulled the door open to the auditorium style classroom, filing in with dozens of other students that also had the same class. It could be so overwhelming being in a class with an auditorium full of other students, which is why Gohan always preferred the first seat available by the door. Easy to get in, easy to get out. But today, he wouldn't be sitting in his normal seat.

"Gohan!"

In the low buzz of crowd noise, he heard his name being called from somewhere in the room. He looked high up near the top of the auditorium, finding Videl waving at him while Erasa pointed to an empty seat next to them. Gohan waved back at the crowd of friends and headed up the auditorium steps to sit with them. "Hey, thanks for saving me a seat." Gohan said politely as he sat down next to Videl, and the staircase.

"Of course! We told you that we'd save you one." Erasa replied happily.

"Did you think we'd forget to save you a seat, or did you not believe us when we said we have the same class as you?" Videl asked curiously.

"Well I have to admit, I was waiting to see if we actually all had the same class together. It was a little hard to believe, but I guess I see for myself now." Gohan spoke, pulling out his notebook for the class.

"This just means I can miss class more. I know Gohan will share his notes if I skip, you two are stingy." Sharpner replied.

"Oh no you don't, Gohan isn't sharing his notes with you either. We all come to class, so we can all study together." Erasa announced.

Videl rolled her eyes. "As if you two get any studying done. We always end up stopping early and getting something to eat instead."

"Well you can't study on an empty stomach." Gohan offered with a smile.

Sharpener nodded in agreement. "Exactly. How can I study if I'm hungry?"

"You're always hungry because you're always stoned." Erasa spoke with a giggle.

"Well stoned or not, brain food is brain food, and my brain refuses to think if it does not eat."

Before either girl could retort, the professor came into the auditorium, ready to begin class.

...

Upon class ending, the group of friends shuffled their way out of the auditorium, following suit with fellow students.

"Since there's a test next week, I thought we actually could do some studying together." Erasa started as they walked through the halls of the university building.

"That's fine. We can study after our lab class Wednesday. When do you have your biology lab class Gohan?" Videl asked, looking up at him.

"My lab is on Thursdays. I'm free after my lab class." Gohan replied.

"That sounds fine. We can study Thursday, and Friday after Gohan and I get out of Martial Arts Club." Videl announced. "Are you doing anything now? We were gonna get something to eat, did you wanna come?"

This wasn't his normal time that he ate lunch, but he'd start making an exception. "Sure, I'd love to."

After the class day ended, Dende and Chiaotzu walked together to the university greenhouse, where their first club meeting was being held.

"I knew I should have eaten before coming to this meeting, I'm starving. If you don't eat anything, the least you could do is carry around snacks for your starving roommate instead of some handkerchief." Chiaotzu spoke before looking up at his roommate. "Can we go to the dining hall after this?"

Instead of a reply, he was given silence.

Chiaotzu tugged on his roommate's altar robe. "Are you listening to me? I said I was starving."

Dende looked down at his roommate when he felt him pulling at his robe. "I'm sorry Chiaotzu, maybe I should carry some snacks around for you. We can go to the dining hall after our meeting if you'd like."

Instead of giving an exasperated reply, Chiaotzu continued to look at his roommate. "Are you thinking about those dreams again?"

"No, I've just got something else on my mind." Dende said as he opened the door to the greenhouse. The aromatic smell of fresh earth, fresh flowers, and fresh herbs introduced the room. Tables of various flowers and plants filled the large glass building. Students walked around the greenhouse, observing the developed plants and flowers that decorated the tables. Workstools sat under the tables for closer examination. If he hadn't been so busy deflecting his roommate's concerns, he would have enjoyed the atmosphere more.

Chiaotzu walked in with his roommate following behind. "Like what? What's on your mind?"

The thought of his situation left him embarrassed and blushing. "It's nothing. It's not important."

"Oh it must be about Gohan then."

Dende looked down at his roommate in disbelief. "Why do you always think my problems are about Gohan?"

"I don't, I can just tell when it's about him. You're pretty open and honest. You tell me everything, but anything about Gohan makes you all secretive and weird. It's pretty easy to tell." He shrugged.

Dende could have rolled his eyes at such a silly accusation. He didn't act 'secretive' and 'weird' about Gohan with Chiaotzu. He told him about their Sunday studies all the time, he never kept any secrets about Gohan with him. "I'm sure you're just exaggerating."

Chiaotzu stopped at a table with two empty workstools. He pulled one out and hopped up to sit on it. "Oh really? Well tell me what you're thinking about, right now."

Dende paused for a moment pulling out his own work stool to sit. "W-Well I'm thinking about…someone, that met someone else, a-and how that could affect my friendship with that someone."

Chiaotzu studied his roommate for a moment, trying to decipher his problem. How could someone else affect his friendship with someone? Were they bad? A nuisance? Perhaps someone his roommate didn't approve of? Dende didn't really disapprove of anyone. Disapproving meant that he didn't like someone, and Dende didn't dislike anyone either. "Is this 'someone else' a bad person? Like a bad influence on…'someone?'"

Dende shook his head. "Oh no, I'm sure she's a lovely person. I would think that that someone would choose good influences–"

"'She?' The 'someone else' is a 'she?'" Chiaotzu gushed with surprise. He felt like he solved a mystery, snickering at the result. "I get it now. Gohan met a girl, and you're jealous of her."

"Jealous?" Dende repeated incredulously. "Could you be a little more realistic please?" Honestly Chiaotzu insinuating that he was jealous was simply insulting. Jealousy was a negative emotion. It wasn't beneficial or virtuous. Dende would rather be happy for someone, than envious of someone. "I'm not jealous of anyone. Besides, I've never even met her. How can you be jealous of someone that you've never met?"

Chiaotzu rolled his eyes. "Oh please, everyone gets jealous Dende. It's easier to just accept it than denying it. So you're jealous of a girl that Gohan met, big deal. It's not like he's not going to be friends with you anymore. You're probably just overthinking it."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, perhaps Chiaotzu was right. Thinking about Gohan's new friend made Dende feel bitter and upset for reasons he could not explain. The imbalance in his emotions could very well be jealousy. For an emotion that everyone feels, it left Dende feeling uncertain and insecure. "I should be happy that Gohan met other people to be friends with instead of envious. Honestly, I am happy, I just have to work on being more genuine about it."

Chiaotzu ginned. "See? Now that's accepting it rather than denying it. It's okay to admit you're not the happiest for someone right now, it eventually becomes genuine when you're willing to change."

Dende smiled back at his roommate. "My Uncle always says that you can be successful in anything if you're serious enough about it."

"Don't give your Uncle so much credit. The words of an Emperor are much more credible."

Their conversation ended with their club meeting starting. The same orange haired girl that sat at the booth, now stood in the front of the greenhouse, ready to address every student that attended the meeting. "Good evening everyone! Welcome to the Gardening Club! I'm very glad so many of you decided to come out in interest of our club. My name is Angela, I'm the President of the Gardening Club this year. I'm a second year student, majoring in Religious Studies."

"Isn't that the same thing you're studying too?" Chiaotzu whispered over to his roommate.

"It's technically different. Religious Studies are general, and focuses on all religions. I'm studying Theology, which focuses specifically on the study of Gods and Goddesses." He explained. They were not the same thing, but there were quite a few classes in common. World Religion was one of the classes they had in common. He couldn't figure out the other class he's seen her in, now he remembered.

"Because the Garden Club is community based, we share the workload amongst each other. We have a very specific watering schedule that everyone will have a shift for. We have pruning days, weeding days, and harvest days. In the greenhouse we grow flowers, plants, and herbs, and off campus we grow our fruits and vegetables. We will have alternating groups to care for our off campus garden. The main event the club hosts are weekend farmers markets, which will be held depending on what's harvested and how much. We are open for exhibits during parent's weekend, and we create flower arrangements upon requests. Does anyone have any questions?"

"Would you like to pick the same watering shift?" Dende asked his roommate.

Chiaotzu shook his head. "No way, you get up too early. You'd probably take the first shift."

Dende frowned. "It would be efficient to take the morning shift before class. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to start your morning surrounded by plants and flowers?"

"Maybe for you. I like to start my mornings with toaster pastries, and newspaper comics. Besides, I was more interested in flower arrangements. We can join the same group for the off campus garden, okay?"

"Okay." Dende figured he couldn't convince Chiaotzu to do the morning watering shift with him, but he thought he'd at least try. It was at least nice to know he was interested in flower arrangements, Chiaotzu would be perfect for the job.

"After the meeting, we will have sign up sheets for everyone to select their watering shifts, and off campus groups."

In the late evening, Erasa and Videl walked to the store market on campus. Sharpner wasn't needed on a trip like this. It was a girls trip only. They chatted quietly as they shopped in the small and convenient market. They grabbed their favorite pints of ice cream, chips, candy, soda, and two boxes of tampons. After placing everything on the counter, they stopped their gossip to greet the store clerk.

"Good evening Mr. Shu."

Shu, a little brown dog dressed as a ninja, smiled at the two girls. "Good evening ladies, stopping by for snacks?" He asked as he checked them out.

"Just a few." Videl spoke.

"Hey Mr. Shu, do you ever get magazines in?" Erasa asked.

Shu shook his head as he placed their items in bags. "Sorry, can't say I do. You still have to go in town for magazines, I've just got the newspaper."

"What are you reading magazines for?" Videl asked.

"My horoscope. Newspaper horoscopes are too general. I need my horoscope in all aspects: health, love, career, and personal goals. You only get that in magazines, Vi."

Videl shook her head as she paid for their items. She liked magazines when she was younger, but eventually phased them out due to the tabloid section. Sure the horoscopes and personality quizzes were fun in magazines, but the false information and invasive photos on celebrities in certain tabloids were abysmal content. After finding her father and herself in those tabloids with outrageous headlines throughout her young teen life; it was enough to keep a low profile for herself.

"Have a good night ladies, enjoy your snacks."

"Good night Mr. Shu." They spoke again in unison before leaving with their bags.

The girls made their way back to their dorm. "If you want your magazine, we can go into town this weekend." Videl offered.

"Oh, that would be nice. I would go thrift shopping but I hate trying on clothes bloated." Erasa said with a laugh. "You know, you should try reading your horoscope too Videl," She said. "I'm sure you could use some insight on you-know-who."

Videl scoffed. "I don't need a horoscope to tell me about my love life. We're just friends, and I like being his friend. Besides, he seems too inexperienced to make a move."

Erasa shrugged. "It's the inexperienced ones that always surprise you."

"Gohan's about as spontaneous as a turtle. I've known him for two days and I feel like I know his every move. But I guess the more I see him, the more I'll know."

Erasa glanced at her roommate. After reading Gohan's palm, he was way more interesting than he led on. His palms wove tales of war, contemplation, complication, even regret. She briefly wondered if Gohan had any idea about the lives he's lived. "There's a lot to learn about Gohan, it's just going to take a lot more than time to figure it out."