Chapter 32: Gohan's Heart Tested- Courage/Bravery
GOHAN'S P.O.V
"Here goes nothing." I say just before turning into a super saiyan at Trunk's suggestion. I glanced over to Tania and gave her a goofy smile. She returned the smile. "I believe you can do this, Gohan."
I nodded and allowed my hand to tighten on the handle. Immediately, I could feel that this blade was going to have more of a resistance than it did for the others. I could feel that this sword was trying to tell me something.
"Anytime now..." Vegeta persists with impatience.
"Will you be quiet!" Bulma says in my defense. "Can't you see that he's trying to prepare himself!"
"It's alright Bulma, he's right." I confess while scratching the back of my head with a grin. "Sorry Vegeta."
"Tsk."
The others held their breaths as I grasped the handle and began to pull.
"Umm Gohan?" Tania trieds calling out me.
I grunted continuously as I struggled, aware that my face was turning red. It felt like my teeth might shatter at any moment from the pressure from me clenching them so hard.
"Gohan, your grip on the handle is-" Tania continues on, but I ignored her and tried even harder to pull the sword out.
My eyes squeezed shut as I gave one last effort, but my hands gave out, making my body slam back with my head hitting the ground.
"Wrong..." She finishes, causing everyone to fall over comically. Tania then bit her lip in an effort to hold in her laugh. However, it was in vain. She burst out into extreme laughter.
"I-I can't breathe." Tania laughs while holding onto her stomach with tears coming out of her eyes. "That was so funny. You should've s-saw the way you fell G-Gohan!"
I began to feel myself blush. I never seen Tania laugh so much before...
The rest of the gang stared at Tania smiling as they saw how much she was laughing. Soon enough everyone, including myself began to laugh with her.
After that was over, I stood up and gave my head a quick rub while I let my throbbing hands rest for a while.
"You should try again Gohan." Tania suggested with a warm smile. "This time, make sure you grip the handle right, okay?"
"Alright."
Her dark brown eyes locked with my determined emerald eyes and I gave her a nod which she returned in understanding. I could feel Tania's eyes on me and knew they were full of encouragement. I knew she would be by my side no matter what. Somehow her thoughts reached me, warming my soul. They made my chest puff out a little in a new confidence and I knew right then that I would not fail; I could not fail.
My hands once again shot out to grasp the base of the sword. After securing a tight grip I pulled up with an extreme intensity that surprised them all. The sword was already halfway out of the ground, but the very charged bolted shocks were giving me a very had time.
"The sword is already halfway out..." Piccolo mumbles to himself in shock as he fully paid attention to what was happening.
"Great job Gohan!" Trunk's cheered.
"You can do this kid!" Krillin also encouraged.
"Do your best!" Bulma yells with her fist in the air.
"Mommy loves you, sweetheart!" Mother expresses in an effort to encourage me.
"Go big brother!" Cheered Goten.
Tania, Vegeta and the chibi Trunks didn't say anything, they were focusing on how much the sword was revealing itself.
The ground around their feet was beginning to weaken and give way as I pulled even harder. The bolts were amazingly increasing. There was a huge bolt that had putted one of my arms out. Now I had to pull it out using one hand. I had no choice, but to go super saiyan two in order to withstand the sheathe's powerful bolts.
"I can do this!" I encouraged myself trying my hardest to take it out. "ARGH!"
"Don't give up GOHAN!" Tania yells out with such encouragement "I BELIEVE IN YOU! DON"T GIVE UP, NO MATTER WHAT!"
With one final scream of intensity, the sword was only a couple of inches away from being to its full length. Suddenly, the sheathe along with the weapon had began to violently shake. The next thing I knew, a pillar of light was formed everywhere and I was blinded.
---
Once my vision cleared, I looked around to see that everyone had disappeared and I was standing in what looked like a empty white room.
"Well done young one." A voice praises me. I was startled and turned around to see that the sword was fully released.
"Who's there?!"
A small, white, innocent ghost like spirit came out of the sword. (A/N- The ghost sort of looks like those things Gotenks blows out of his mouth, but only much more babyish looking lol)
"Hi." The thing says as it circled around me. "Nice to meet you, my name is Eri Ayame or you can call me Wisheater since that's the blades name. You're name is Gohan right?"
I smiled. "Yes, but how do you know that?"
The innocent spirit grinned. "I've been with you this whole time, silly!"
"You have?!" I asked a little uncomfortable. "Since when?"
Eri chuckled. "I'll tell you later, but right now i'm gonna need you to do some things."
I didn't say anything
"Fate and destiny have decided that you are to be tested and shown a glimpse of what you shall become."
I was still a little puzzled by the events that had just occurred. This had only occurred just because I pulled out the sword?
"I wouldn't say that." Eri replied, making me back up a foot.
"You can read my mind?"
"Yep!"
I sighed. "Oh okay. Can you tell me where I am right now?"
The spirit shook her head no then looked me in the eyes and smiled. "I knew I picked a cute boy for her to meet."
I blinked in confusion. She laughed and changed the scenery to inside to what looked like a school.
"Tania!" I say to catch her attention as I saw her walking in the hallway with books in her arms. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt with black sweatpants and sneakers. Her hair was put up in a different way.
Tania couldn't hear me no matter how many times I was trying to get her attention.
"There's no use trying, she won't be able to hear you." The baby looking spirit informs me as we continued to watch everything take place.
"How come?"
Instead of answering, Eri intently kept her eye on the scene.
Tania had fallen on the hard floor after someone had tripped her on purpose. Her books were scattered all over the place. The girl that had purposely caused her to fall was smirking.
"Oh i'm sorry, where is my manners? Did you enjoy the trip?"
Immediately, everyone started laughing their heads off. I watched in a little anger as Tania began to pick up her things. Fortunately, the young girl had stood her ground.
"Hey Dominique, can you please not do this anymore? I know your miss perfect and all, but that certainly does not give you the right to treat me the way you have."
"You mean like this? Ryan?" The girl named Dominique calls over. A tall jock about 6'1 made his way through the crowd and pretended to bump into Tania forcing her once again to drop her books down on the floor. She attempted to pick them up again, but was not quite as lucky. Dominique kicked her materials straight into the mens' bathroom.
"Hope you brought air freshener cause your going to need it!" She laughs while sashaying out of the hall with everyone congratulating her.
There was a moment of silence as I clenched my fist, for a second there was sadness in Tania's expression.
"Hard to watch, huh?" Asked the being that came out of the sword after we returned back into the white room. I nodded.
"Things like this happens" The spirit sighs. "Gohan, there's one more thing I need to allow you feel."
Before I could respond. There was a huge pain that was brought into my heart. Even to the point where tears were falling from my eyes.
"W-What is this?" I ask, trying to fight back the tears.
Wisheater floated next to me. "That's the pain of a broken heart. You felt this before, haven't you?"
"Yeah, but not like this." I answer feeling my heart tearing to pieces. "Please make it stop."
The sorrow was then removed and I took a deep breath.
"Now you know how Tania felt, just before coming to this world. Either way, this was going to happen"
"What do you mean?"
Eri smiled and changed the scenery once again. This time we were in a beautiful field filled with a variety of flowers.
"Welcome Son Gohan." A few humans greet me, bowing their heads to show respect.
"H-Hello. Do you mind telling me where we are right now?"
"We know who you are, Son Gohan..." A woman with light pink hair and eyes answers as she looked at me. You have come here to be tested."
"Tested?"
"Yes." She replies with a smile. We will be your guides through your tests. My name is Aimi. This here, with the Red hair and eyes, is Isamu. Next to her, with the white hair, is Misaki. Chieko has the dark blue hair and eyes, and Keninchi is the one with wings. Are you ready to begin the tests?"
I thought of their names. Aimi meant love, Isamu was courage/bravery, Misaki meant honor, Chieko was wisdom, and Keninchi was strength. Would the names be of any significance to the tests?
I stopped wondering and nodded to indicate Aimi I was ready. Isamu began walking towards me, her red fiery eyes staring towards me.
"I will lead you through your first test, mortal. Make sure your mind and heart are strong, for that will be what makes you pass or fail in this test." She informs me as she touched my shoulder.
Everything blurred then settled, and I founded myself standing on a pillar of rock in the middle of a canyon, Isamu by my side. After a moment, Isamu stepped to stand in front of me. She was very tall and able to look me in the eyes as she spoke.
"It is time to see if your courage can stand up to the test. What is your greatest fear?"
I knew the answer to that immediately.
"That my friends or family will get into trouble, and I will fail in helping them."
Isamu pondered that for a moment before making a mysterious wave of her hand and then speaking.
"Look behind me at the canyon Son Gohan - the first part of your test lays there."
I walked past Isamu to the edge of the pillar and looked into the canyon. On the far wall about halfway down was Goten, standing on a little ledge that had just enough room for him to stand with his back against the wall. When he caught sight of me he began to call out.
"Big brother! Help me! I can't get down! I can't fly!"
I whirled around angrily to face Isamu, who was watching with an impassive expression.
"What is this? I can't fly!" I shout frustrated after I realized I couldn't use any of my powers.
Isamu just raised an eyebrow and responded, "Your powers have been temporarily removed. I will take you over to the top of the canyon wall, but from there you must do it alone. Do you have what it takes to rescue your brother?"
I was frustrated, but helpless to do anything until I got Goten to safety. Isamu waved her hand, and suddenly I was at the top of the wall where Goten was trapped.
Immediately, I lay down on my stomach and investigated over the edge so I could get an idea of how far down it would be. As I spotted the spiky mop of hair that could only be Goten's, I estimated that it was a good fifty feet down from where he was. Continuing to examine the side of the canyon, I noticed as there were handholds and footholds and smiled.
Good, there's a way to reach him.
Deciding that it was the only way, I turned around and began to slide over the edge of the canyon wall. Finding my first footholds, I composed myself and began to move down the wall slowly, always making sure of my hand and footholds.
I need to be extremely cautious since I don't have my abilities or anything to hold me up. If I fall, there would be nothing to stop my fall and there would be no one to save Goten.
After a few minutes I was sweating bullets with the strain of slowly lowering myself inch by inch plus the heat of the sun. Twice I almost slipped when I didn't have a very good foothold, but still I managed to keep going. After about half an hour I was only a foot or two away from Goten, and I could hear the younger boy crying out.
"Big Brother! Please hurry! I don't like this, I want to go home!"
I climbed lower until I was level with Goten's ledge, but off to the side. Looking at my little brother's tear streaked face, I spoke in a soothing voice.
"I'm here now, Goten. I'll get you out of this. Now, I need you to slowly climb on my back like we're taking a piggyback ride. You're going to have to wrap your legs around my waist really tight, and wrap your arms around my neck, be careful not choke me though alright? Then I will climb up the wall and everything will be fine, okay?"
Goten nodded. I smiled and braced myself for the worst as Goten climbed onto my back. I held on tighter to the hand and footholds as I felt the extra weight.
Keep calm Gohan, you can do this.
Once Goten was settled properly, I began the slow, tortuous climb back up the wall. It was both harder and easier than climbing down. This way I could see the hand and footholds, but I also had a lot more weight. It took me almost forty-five minutes to make the climb back up the wall. Finally I pulled myself over the edge of the wall and Goten disappeared immediately after and Isamu stood before me
I did it! I saved Goten.
"You are an interesting one. Most would have given up at that challenge and doomed their loved ones, or not been strong enough to make it all the way, and failed in the end." Isamu praises me as I continued to pant heavily and sweat.
"It seems that you have passed my test. You posses the courage that you need. On to the next..."