"Good morning, Moona," Momma says as I walk into the kitchen. My still wet hair was pulled back into a braid, the tips dripping water into the back of my school dress. Yesterday I had worn the blazer with the red pants, so today I moved onto the red and blue dress.
"Morning," I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I had spent most of the night watching my phone, waiting for the call I knew wasn't coming. Sitting down at the table, I grabbed some of the banana pancakes Momma had made this morning for breakfast.
Goten and Aki came down the stairs shortly after me, both dressed and ready for the school day. We ate our pancakes in silence, listening to the radio that was playing in the background.
"I have something to tell you three," Momma suddenly says, catching our attention. I shared a look with my brother and cousin before looking at Momma. She had a look in her eyes that I couldn't quite place. It looked like a mixture between happiness and sadness.
"What's up, Mom?" Goten asked, swallowing a bite of pancake.
"I got a text from Goku last night." I froze, my eyes darting over to Aki. Did her plan actually work, or was this a coincidence?
"You did? What did he say? Is he coming home soon?" The questions left Goten's mouth in quick succession. I gripped my fork tightly, waiting for Momma to reply.
"He says that he misses and loves us all very much. As for coming home, he didn't say when, only that it should be soon..." Momma trailed off, suddenly looking kinda nervous. I raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something you're not telling us?" I asked. Momma turned her green eyes to me.
"What? Why do you say that?" Before I can answer, Momma shakes her head. "Anyway, I just thought I'd tell you three. I told text Gohan and told him, so he and Videl know. Oh, and they're coming over tonight with Panny for dinner. We're having pot roast." Momma turned back to the stove, flipping the pancakes that were still cooking.
I looked between Goten and Aki. There was definitely something that she wasn't telling us. Tonight at dinner, I was going to find out.
~*~*~*~*~
"You'll never guess what happened at breakfast," I say when Goten, Aki and I arrive at Capsule Corp. Nate, Trunks, Marron and Bulla were standing outside the gate, waiting for us.
"What?" Bulla asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Mom told us she got a text from Dad," Goten answers.
"Holy crap, really?" Marron asks.
"Dad texted us as well," Trunks adds. I looked over at him.
"Really?" he nods.
"Yeah, Mom was acting weird about it though. She was happy, but kinda jumpy."
"So was Aunt Chi-Chi... Something's up," Aki states, her hands on her hips. "Something they're not telling us."
As I was about to answer, the school bus rolled up to the curb, the doors opening for us. We climbed on one by one, taking over the two seats on either side of the bus. All conversation of our suspicions ended, not wanting to risk being overheard by other kids or the bus driver.
I leaned my head on Trunks' shoulder, taking his hand. He laced our fingers, his cheek resting on the top of my head. I thought about what Aki had said yesterday about homecoming. How we wouldn't just assume we were going together. But that's how we were with everything. I've loved Trunks all of my life, and I know that he feels the same about me. We're automatically together, so we automatically do things like homecoming together. I wouldn't have it any other way.
"What are you thinking about?" Trunks asks me.
"Homecoming," I replied. "About if we're going together."
"Why the hell wouldn't we go together?" Trunks asks, chuckling. "It's our first formal school dance. I wouldn't dream of going with anyone else but you."
I smiled, closing my eyes. "Good. Cause I was already assuming we'd be going together."
Trunks shifts his head so we kiss the top of my head. I give his hand a light squeeze, and he squeezes back.
~*~*~*~*~
At lunch, we get more free time to talk about what was up with Momma and Bulma. The high school and middle schools shared a courtyard outside, and during warm weather, students were allowed to go outside and eat. Since Bulla, Marron and Goten were all middle school still, this was the only time aside from the bus ride here we got to see them. There was a nice little niche under a tree away from all the other students. Aki and I couldn't unwind our tails, but we were still free to talk about whatever we wanted with little fear of being overheard.
"Do you think something's wrong with them?" Nate asked, referring to Dad and Vegeta. "Like, maybe whatever happened to Vegeta at the martial arts tournament happened again and that's why they left? To try and get him help?"
"I don't think so," Marron replies, shaking her head. Something like that I think they'd tell us. It's gotta be something else..."
"Like what?" I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich. Marron shrugged.
"I have no idea... I think my parents know as well, though."
"It wouldn't surprise me if other Z-Fighters know," Aki says. "I'm honestly surprised Gohan and Videl don't know..."
"Maybe because whatever it is they would have wanted to help and Dad and Goku didn't want them to?" Bulla suggests. "I mean, they did just have a baby and all. Maybe Dad and Goku didn't want to interrupt their lives?"
"That makes sense," Trunks agrees. "But we still don't know why they left..."
"I'm going to find that out tonight," I say. "I'm going to pester Momma till she tells me. We deserve to know!"
My group nodded in agreement. Silence fell over us as we finished our lunches. No sooner had I popped the last of my chips in my mouth did the bell ring, signalling that lunch was over for high school and middle school. We stood up, brushing our uniforms free of grass and dirt, separated into our groups, and went back to our schools to finish out the day.
~*~*~*~*~
"Heyo! We're here!" I looked up from my homework when the back door opened and Gohan walked in. He held the door for his wife, who walked in carrying my niece. I grinned when I saw them.
"Oh good! I was afraid you two would hit a lot of traffic in West City," Momma says, appearing from the living room. She walked up to the trio, immediately taking Panny from Videl.
My brother and sister-in-law had moved into a nice house on the outskirts of Satan City. Usually they just flew here, but since they had baby Panny, they elected to drive instead. It was about an hour and a half from their house to here.
"No, we just managed to miss it," Videl replies, taking Panny's diaper bag off and setting it on the ground by the table I was sitting at. She smiled at me.
"How's it going, Rose?" I shrugged.
"School still sucks. The normal." She laughed, kicking off her shoes and leaving them at the door.
"Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes," Momma says, still holding Panny. I get up and walk over to her, smiling when she reaches out towards me.
"She really likes you, Rosa," Gohan says. I looked over at him.
"Really?" He nods.
"You and Piccolo, who usually baby sits her."
I laughed. "I still can't believe that Piccolo babysits her!"
"Mmm, don't tell him I said this, but I think he actually likes it." I laughed again.
Thirty minutes went by quickly and soon we were all sitting down to eat. Panny sat at the edge of the table in a high chair while we ate. Videl had fed her before hand and my niece was watching us contently.
Goten, Aki and I shared a look, nodding to each other slightly. As I took another helping of mashed potatoes, Goten started the rounds of questions.
"So, Mom, about that text from Dad last night..."
Mom froze for the briefest moment, before looking at her youngest child. "What about it?"
"Why did Dad and Vegeta leave?" I asked. "We know you know."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Videl and Gohan exchange a look. I don't take my eyes away from Momma, so the meaning of said look was lost to me.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Momma replies after a moment, reaching for a biscuit.
"Please, Aunt Chi-Chi. We want to know," Aki tries, giving Momma sad looking eyes. Momma sighs.
"I've already told you. They went to train on the Kai planet."
"But why?" I half demand. "There has to be a reason!"
"Is it because they hate us?" Goten asks. Silence falls heavily over the dinner table. I feel my breath catch in my throat and I slowly turn to look at my younger brother. His hands are clenched into fists on top of the table. His ebony eyes are hard.
"W-what?" Momma asks quietly, stunned at his question.
"They do, don't they? They used some excuse to get away cause they're tired of being here. They hate us, and you won't tell us. We deserve to know!" Goten's voice steadily rises through his whole accusistion. I was surprised. Is this really how he's felt the whole time?
When Momma doesn't answer right away, Goten continues. "Dad's not coming back, is he? Whatever promise, whatever lie he told us about never leaving is just that. A lie. How could you keep this from us?!"
Suddenly, Momma is on her feet. Her chair falls over, clattering loudly to the floor. Panny starts crying at the loud noise and Videl tries to sooth her.
"I don't want to hear another word like that come out of your mouth Goten Hokusai! Your father loves us all very much and he and Vegeta miss their families!"
"Then where are they?! Why aren't they here?!"
"Because they can't!" I don't think I've ever heard Momma yell like this before. Sure she's gotten mad, but never like this. Angry tears are welling up in her eyes. Anger at either Goten or Dad. Maybe both.
"Why can't they?!" Goten shoots to his feet as well, sending another chair flying backwards. I look between them and Aki. I had not planned on this going this way.
"Goten, you need to calm down," I say, reaching up to grab my brother's arm. But he bats my hand away, taking a few steps away from the table.
"Just admit it, Mom. Dad doesn't want us around anymore. He doesn't love us, never has. He only cares about training and fighting.
I felt anger build up in my chest. "That's not true! Dad loves us! He'd never leave unless it wasn't important!"
Goten opens his mouth to say something, but Momma cuts him off.
"That's enough! Goten, one more word out of you and I swear you'll never see anywhere besides the inside of this house and the school ever again." Momma's voice took on a steely tone, one that sent shivers down my spine.
My mother and brother stared each other down. Videl continued to try and get Panny to stop crying, Gohan now trying to help as well. I was still stunned at Goten's outburst.
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shook the house. I jumped, looking out the window. It had looked like rain all day, and it looks like it finally started. At the same moment, a flash of Ki filled my senses. I froze, my eyes widening. Aki, Goten, Gohan and Videl all did the same. Slowly, we looked towards the front door.
"What? What is it?" Momma demanded, looking around at all of us.
"Someone's here," Aki says quietly.
"Goku?" Momma asked, hopefully. I shook my head.
"No. Definitely not Dad."
"Then who-" A male voice cut Momma off
"Goku Hokusai! I know you're in there! Show yourself!" Aki and I shot to our feet, racing for the door in the same instant. My brothers followed close behind.
I threw open the door since I reached it first. The sky was dark with clouds that held the rain just waiting to fall. My eyes scanned the dark sky, looking for the owner of the voice. It didn't take much to find him.
Floating about half a football field away from the house and twenty feet up in the air was a teenager. He was maybe a year or two older than me and he looked like he spent all his free time lifting weights at the gym. White hair stood up in spikes all over his head with two large strands falling in his face. Two black spikes sat in the middle of his head, but from here I couldn't tell if they were part of his hair or actual horns. His outfit was similar to the one that Dad usually wore; a Gi with martial arts boots. However, this person's Gi was made of two different shades of green and his boots were solid black. His arms were crossed over his chest.
Slightly behind him was a woman. I couldn't tell how old she was and as I looked her over, I realized why. She was a Kai. Like all the other Kais, she had pointy ears. Her skin was a pale peach, close to that of a human's. Like the guy she too had white hair, though her's had more a blue tint to it. The mohawk style reminded me of East Supreme Kai's before he fused with Kabio, except hers fell down her back, coming to a stop right above her but. Her clothes were like that of a typical Kai.
"Where is Goku Hokusai?" the boy demanded, calling down to us from where he floated. I set my jaw.
"Who are you?" Gohan demanded. "Why do you want to know where Goku is?"
Slowly, the two descended from the sky. I tensed up as they started to walk towards us. When he was close enough, I saw that the man had grey eyes, as if someone had forgotten to color them in.
"I am Xicor, and this is my mother, Lila."
"That doesn't answer my second question," Gohan says lowly. "Why do you want to know about Goku?" Xicor chuckles.
"That's an easy one. Goku Hokusai is my father."