Chapter 4: Suspicious Cousins
"Tania, you're up!" My gym teacher calls.
"Coming!" I reply as Sharpner hands me the bat.
Today we were finishing up our baseball unit with a tournament. Gohan, Videl, and Erasa were on a different team from Sharpner and I. I got up to the plate and pointed my finger to the sky.
"Hey Gohan!" I shout to the pitcher. "I'm getting this home run and leading my team to victory whether you like it or not!"
Gohan smirked and repeatedly bounced the baseball in and out of his hand. "Well... we'll have to see about that."
"You can strike her out Gohan!" Erasa cheered from right field.
"Better make this count too... or else." Videl glares at the demi-saiyan.
The young man swallowed nervously.
"No way Nerd Boy is gonna strike Tania out, so keep dreaming!" Sharpner yells at the opposing team from the bench.
I'd love to see Gohan strike me out.
I gripped the bat. "When you're ready."
"Sorry, but coach, do you mind if we take a quick break?" Gohan suddenly asks. The entire class fell over.
"You can't be serious man!" A guy on Gohan's team snaps.
"Yeah! What's the hold up? This will determine who's gonna win!" A female from my team complained.
I lightened my grip. Why would Gohan ask for a break? He must be under pressure hehe.
"Uhh, yeah... Sure son, we can take a small break." The coach agreed while everyone pouted.
As everyone began to talk to one another, I went over to my boyfriend.
"How come you stopped the game? Is there something wrong?"
Goku's son placed his arms behind his head and laughed awkwardly. "No. Well, I mean... kinda."
He then leaned over and whispered into my ear.
"You're not really going to hit the ball, are you?"
"Isn't that how you play?"
"Yeah, but you know what it would mean if you actually smack the baseball..."
"Oh! You don't need to worry about me showing them my strength. No need to worry." I promised.
Gohan backed away and smiled. "Great. Don't use too much strength."
A cough catches our attention. I look to my right and there stood Erasa, Videl, and Sharpner.
Videl, who has her arms crossed, steps in front of Gohan. "You know we gotta win this to earn some extra credit, don't you? So then, what's the hold up?"
"Sorry, but all this got me a bit nervous." Gohan gives his excuse.
"Figures." Sharpner chuckles.
Erasa jabbed her friend on the arm. "Why are you so mean to sweet Gohan? He hasn't done anything to you."
Gohan scratched his head.
The blonde teen girl moved out of her spot. As she got closer to Gohan, I could feel myself frowning.
"Gohan shouldn't be treated so harsh." She says, continuing her way over, batting her eyelashes at him.
Before she could even lay a finger on my boyfriend, I hooked my arm around his.
"Back off!" I accidently snap.
Erasa stopped in her tracks. "Huh?"
Gohan broke out in a cold sweat as his eyes focused on me. Videl seemed a litttle surprised but said nothing. Sharpner just blinked and raised an eyebrow. I, not noticing the scene I was causing, kept glaring at the cheerful Erasa.
"Are you feeling alright, Tania?" Asks the concerned blue-eyed girl.
Remembering that everyone assumed Gohan and I were cousins, I instantly released my 'cousin's' arm.
"We're coming, Coach!" I exclaim, squeezing onto the baseball bat's handle and heading back to the plate with a light jog. I needed a excuse to get out of that situation quickly.
I need to watch it. By the way I acted, they could've easily decipher that I was-
I slowed my jog to a stop.
"Jealous..." I spoke in a soft voice.
"You should really head back to your positions, you guys." I overhear Gohan recommend to our friends.
A matter of seconds later, the pitcher was now right beside me.
"What was that all about back there?" Gohan questions.
I blushed and turned my eyes away from him.
I don't even want to think about it.
I twirled my hair, trying to think of something to say. Gohan still kept his eyes on me, waiting for me to spit out an explanation.
"Gohan! Tania!" Videl calls from left field. "Lets go already!"
"In a sec!" Gohan responds to her demand.
The demi-saiyan grinned widely then took his cap off and relocated it on my head. "The sun is really beating down on you today. Your face is turning red again. This probably has to be the seventh or eighth time since this class started. I really wish you didn't forget your baseball cap at home but you can wear mine till gym is over."
"But the sun isn't the reason why-" I begin but then stop after observing Gohan's face turning slowly red.
"Tania?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you." He tells me with a gentle yet quiet voice. The words he spoke and how he said them only made my blushing worse.
Oh no! Was it THAT obvious that I was jealous to the point that he figured it out?!
"When lunch starts, you're mine." Gohan finishes, flashing another smile before heading back to the pitcher's plate.
Now I could feel my heart working at full capacity. Every thud would feel like my heart would explode out of my chest.
M-Mine?! Did he really just say that? What does he mean by "You're mine when lunch begins?"
"GET OVER HERE ALREADY!" Practically everyone in my gym class screams at me.
I sighed. No need to yell my ears off...
Getting to the batters spot, I got into position once more. Gohan gave me a thumbs up, signaling me that he was ready. I also repeated what he did.
"Here goes nothing!" The pitcher says, throwing the ball with speed.
Twirling the bat, I smirked and awaited the striped speed ball.
"You better hit the ball!" Sharpner's loud voice ringed through my ears.
"I will!"
Before the ball could reach me, a fiery flame surrounded it like an aura.
"Get out of the way!" Gohan warns our teacher and the guy responsible for catching the ball during a strike.
The two did as they were told and ducked.
Not even bothering to swing, I just witnessed as the fiery speeding baseball ripped off the top part of my bat violently before tearing through the fence behind me and heading to who knows where.
And he tells me not to show my strength!
Everyone who seen what happened had their jaws dropped in shock.
Gohan wiped invisible sweat off his forehead. "Whew! That was way too close. Hey! You guys alright over there?!"
My widened eyes locked onto the remains of my bat. I was literally holding only the handle of it. The body was blown right off. At this sight, I fell over.
"D-Did anyone else s-see that?" Erasa points to the torn open fence.
"Uh huh..." Videl nodded, looking as though she was mesmerized.
"U-Unbelievable." Sharpner comments with bulging eyes.
The rest of our gym class, including our teacher, was trembling in fear.
I leaped back up and hurried over to the half-saiyan, dropping the disfigured bat on the ground on my way there.
"I thought you said no strength! You could've killed someone!" I scold the spiky-haired boy.
"Gosh, i'm sorry. I guess i'm not an expert at suppressing my strength."
I took in a deep big breath of clean air and breathed it out.
I might as well try.
"Did anyone else feel that huge gush of wind that caused that baseball to fly that fast?!" I try to cover up Gohan's mistake.
"What wind?! We all saw Gohan throw that ball like some kind of overpowered machine!" Videl responds to my fake story.
Okay... I guess i'm gonna have to use plan B then.
Placing my white tennis shoes firm on the sand, I began to tap my feet to the point where the school grounds began to shake.
"Take cover!" The teacher screams.
"No! I can't die! Who's gonna be the next pretty girl on Capsule Corp magazine?!" Erasa panics as she began to sprint towards the school building.
She's just like Bulma haha.
"Tania, what are you doing?!" Gohan asks. He was the only one besides me who could keep their balance on the shaky ground.
"Forget you guys! I'm heading inside!" Sharpner threw his glove off and ran for his life.
"We all need to go back inside if we want to be safe!" Hercule's daughter shouts. She then began to lead everyone to the building. "Follow me and hope that this ground won't open up and swallow us alive!"
And just like that... Bam! Everyone had their minds off of the baseball incident and more on the earthquake one now. I slowed my tapping down until it came to a holt.
"And that's the end of that." I stretch my body.
"You think it was right to do that?" Gohan asks.
"I had to. If I didn't, you would be getting an interrogation right now."
"Hm, I don't think you should've done that but atleast it took the attention off of me."
"Sorry Gohan." I apologize while stretching my legs.The cap Gohan placed on me slid off and landed on the sand. I picked it up and wiped it clean before handing it back to him.
"This is yours."
"Nah, you can wear it longer."
"But why? Gym is over now."
"Because it looks really cute on you." Gohan kisses my forehead.
"Y-You really think so?"
"I know so." The half-saiyan clears his words. "Besides, you're turning red again."
I lowered my head and tipped the cap over my eyes in a attempt to hide from his gaze. My face would just not quit burning up!
"Aw Tania, come on. You don't got to hide from me."
"I'm not hiding." I mumble quietly.
"You're hiding." Gohan retaliates.
"No, i'm not." I speak up.
"Are to."
"Am not."
"Then lift the hat up."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to." I answer.
"You're too scared to look at me, huh?" My boyfriend teased.
"No. Why should I be?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
"Nope."
"So then it is because you're too scared to look at me."
"No, that's not why."
"It is." Gohan continued.
"Stop saying that!"
"Then lift the cap up and look at me."
"Okay, I will!" I yank off the cap and allowed my eyes to get a full scan of Gohan's face.
He truly is handsome.
"Now that wasn't too hard, right?"
"Mhm." I nod.
The older boy stroked my cheek with his finger. "You know what?"
"Hm?"
"You're really beautiful."
My eyes immediately stared down at the sand.
Beautiful...? Me?
"You're doing it again." Gohan cups my chin in his hand and forced me to look into his black orbs.
"Doing what?"
"Not looking at me."
"Does that bug you?"
"Only when the most special woman to me won't, then yes, it does bug me."
Seeing Gohan's blush stretched across his cheeks and nose only made me more shaky. Especially after examining the love and gentleness in his eyes.
"I love you, Gohan." I shyly tell him.
Still having a hold of my chin, Gohan lowered his lips to mine with a soft smile. Our lips pressed against eachother.
Getting nervous about anyone in our school seeing us, I pulled back.
"What's wrong?" Gohan asks, running his fingers through my hair.
I took a step back. "Don't you think that we shouldn't be kissing in plain sight?"
"Why can't we?"
"Gohan... We're suppose to be cousins to everyone remember?"
"Oh yeah!" Gohan remembers. "But..."
The older teen grabbed my hand anyways and pulled me to his chest, playfully rubbing his warm cheek against mine.
"W-Wait Gohan!" I try to pull away from him as I felt my entire face go completely red. "Wh-What are you d-d-doing?!"
"Everyone is most likely hiding away from any windows since you made them think there was an earthquake. They probably believe there's gonna be an aftershock." He began. "And besides, i'm not going back on my word."
"Word?" I swallow the huge lump in my throat.
Gohan nodded. "Yeah. I said that you're mine during lunch."
My nerves tripled and I managed to break out of his hold, positioning my closed fist on my chest. Previous thoughts returned to my mind.
W-What does he want to do with me during lunch? Why does he sound so excited?! My head hurts just thinking about-
"Tania? Taniaaaa? Helloooo? You there?" Gohan waves his hand in my face.
"Huh? Oh uh... yep? I mean, what? No wait, that sounds rude-"
"Yeah would be fine." Gohan laughs.
I nodded and turned my head away embarrassed.
Goku's son floated into the air with his hand stretched out. "Lets get going before anyone notices."
"Okay, Gohan." I smile, contacting my hand with his.
As my boyfriend risen, he pulled me gently up into the sky with him. Once almost above the clouds, I stared at our hands before deciding to intertwine our fingers together.
The spiky-haired boy smiled warmly at me. The sunlight hit his face and hair perfectly. To be honest, if he didn't turn away quickly, I was gonna begin drooling.
Fortunately, he did just that and looked ahead of him, his hair blowing back from the wind.
Come to think about it, Gohan was more happy and talkative than usual lately. During first-third period, he kept looking at this brand new watch Bulma gave him a few days after he was ambushed. And i'm not quite sure, but I could've sworn I heard him talking to himself when he thought everyone was asleep yesterday. I wonder if I was just hearing things...
Suddenly the wind blew really hard, knocking Gohan's baseball cap off my head.
"Nooooo!" I scream as I watched the hat fly away the other direction. "Come back!"
"Hats can't hear things." Gohan reminds me.
I dropped my head down disappointed.
"I know... too bad. And I actually liked that hat."
Gohan gave my hand a little squeeze. "You can always wear yours."
"Yeah but that was your cap and now its gone..."
"Don't worry about that. I can go without it."
~~~~~
"So..." I twirl my hair shyly after taking a few steps in Gohan's room. "Why do you want to be alone with me, G-Gohan?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He replies, closing his bedroom door shut and locking it.
My heart was beating way out of control. I could feel my palms beginning to get sweaty as Gohan calmly stood a few feet away from me.
Why did he lock the door?! No, he can't really be wanting t-to-
"Tania, would you close your eyes for a sec, please? I've been excited to do this all day." Gohan enthusiastically begs.
I closed my eyelids shut. My knees for some reason was wobbly. I think I was about to go into a whole nervous breakdown.
Whatever you're doing Gohan, just don't-
"You can open your eyes now, Tania."
What? Already?
Slowly and with full caution, I opened an eye and saw a blurry costume. Curious, I opened the other eye and stood frozen at the sight of this new... person.
This new guy had on a black bodysuit with a green long shirt that had the sleeves cut off and was cut in the front. The man had a red flowing cape that nearly touched the floor and was wearing white boots and gloves. A black belt with a gold buckle hugged around his waist while a orange helmet with a black strap secured around his head like that of a bicycle helmet. The only difference was that the helmet this guy wore had antennas pointing up out of its right and left side and a black type of material covered his eyes like some type of sunglasses.
"Gohan?"
"No no, not Gohan but..." Began the guy with a strange heroic voice. "The defender of truth! Protector of the innocent! Upholder of justice! Doer of good! The... GREAT SAIYAMAN!"
The 'Great Saiyaman' finished his introduction with funky movements that ended pretty comical.
For some reason, I thought it was so adorable and funny that I fell onto the wooden floor laughing hysterically, rolling around, trying to catch my breath as tears rolled out of my eyes.
"Hey... what's so funny?" Asks the Great Saiyaman.
Trying to get serious, I struggled to get back up on my knees. My stomach was beginning to hurt from all that giggling. However, getting unto my knees was all I could get to because as I looked back up at my disguised boyfriend, another episode of laughter attacked me.
Who designed that costume?! Hahaha, it reminds me of those superheroes that my little sister watched on television in my world.
"Tania..." Gohan switches back to his original voice.
I held in my giggle and with difficulty, stood up. Gohan frowned and took his helmet off, his eyes giving me a annoyed look.
Okay okay, now might be the perfect time to shut up.
"I-Im sorry." I apologize. "For making you mad."
"Mad?" Gohan tilts his head.
I lowered my eyes feeling ashamed. "Yeah. I was only laughing because I thought that your costume and dance was just really kinda adorable and unique."
For a second, Gohan's eyes lighted up. "So you like it for real?"
"Uh huh." I nod.
As Gohan went to a daze, I burrowed his helmet and examined it.
"Gohan, who made this? Did you make it?"
"Actually no, Bulma did. I can wear it and be a superhero." He answers.
"Well she really did a nice job then." I reply truthfully.
I never really seen a superhero costume like this before. Well, the red cape reminds me of what's his name...?
"Gohan, have you heard of a superhero named Superman?" I ask, handing back his helmet.
"Superman? I don't think I ever heard of him. Who is that?" Gohan rubs his head.
That's right. This world doesn't have cartoon shows like the ones in my world.
"He's a superhero from a cartoon that my little sister, Melanie, use to watch. Your cape reminds me of him."
"Oh, you mean from your world."
"Yeah... My world." I sigh.
Sometimes I really miss my family. I just wish I could see them again. Even if it's just for a minute or two.
"Tania, I got something for you." Gohan says as he took out a black watch with a white screen.
I gazed at the accessory. My best friend wrapped the watch around my wrist and stepped back with a huge grin like that of a person who just accomplished a dream goal.
There was a red button at the side of this watch.
"You see that red button? Push it. You'll be surprised." He points.
"Whatever you say." I shrug, pushing the button.
Skinny golden electric-like lines appeared all around my body. A moment later, I felt something heavy on me. A pink shade covered my vision a bit as if I was wearing sunglasses and what felt like a light blanket hanged down my shoulders and back.
"What the- what happened to me?" Was my response after examining the white gloves that were now on my hands. The watch was wrapped firmly around them.
Gohan blushed profusely then began to zip from one place to another around me.
"Tania, you look amazing." He compliments as he continued to admire whatever the heck was on me.
"Gohan, what did you do to me?" I question the young man, spinning around to get a clue on the new outfit I was wearing.
Gohan went to his closet and brought out a full-length mirror. He took my hand and brought me over to it after taking off whatever was on my head.
I gasped a little after seeing my appearance.
The costume I wore was just like Gohan's except for a few things. The bodysuit I wore was grey unlike his. The white boots and gloves covered my hands and feet like his. A long pure white shirt draped over the bodysuit and a black belt with a pink buckle wrapped around my waist. The last thing I noticed was the hot pink cape that hooked onto my shoulders and hung freely over my back, falling almost to the floor.
"Woah." I stare in the mirror.
"And now for the finishing touch." Gohan, who was still admiring my new look, says as he added the helmet onto my head.
This helmet, unlike Gohan's, was hot pink in the middle with white covering its sides. The antennas pointed out like his and a sparkly heart-shaped diamond that was on the center of the helmet completed the look.
"Are these costumes awesome or what?! Bulma really did a fantastic job!" Gohan exclaims as he geared his helmet once again on his head.
"Why did you have her make these outfits for us?"
"There's a lot of crime back in Satan City. I'm not too sure that Videl can handle the crooks by herself for too long. She nearly got killed a few days ago." Gohan explains.
He's not worried about Videl still, is he?
I rubbed my arm and looked down.
"But still... I could've just had my own costume and fight crime alone but I wanted you to have one too so that we can fight together. I like that idea a lot better." Gohan proceeded to peck my cheek.
"I never really considered myself a heroine or anything but stopping jerks from committing crime is pretty exciting." I smile, putting my hands and head against my boyfriend's muscular chest.
Gohan wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close to him.
"Gohaaaaaan!" A childish voice calls from behind the locked closed door.
"What is it, Goten?" Gohan replies.
"I wanna play!"
Gohan looked down at me then smirked. "Sorry Goten, i'm busy right now. Why don't you ask mom if you can head over to Trunks's house and play with him?"
"What?! No way! Trunks is a big meanie! He promised to give me a toy and still hasn't done it yet!" Goten pouts.
"Maybe you should just play with him, Gohan. Goten seems as though he's having a tantrum." I speak.
This caused Goten to get really moody.
"Tania is that you?! I'm not having a tantrum!"
Gohan's little brother then tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge.
"Hey! Why is the door locked, Gohan?! If you don't open the door, i'm gonna tell mommy that you and Tania are alone inside your room with the door locked!"
"YOU WOULDN'T?!" Gohan freaks out.
"You think i'm playing?!" Goten screams, pounding on the door.
If he really wanted to, he could just break the door down. Oh wait... ChiChi will not hesitate to slap him upside his head with her frying pan.
"Goten, you don't got to do that." Gohan tries to persuade his brother into not snitching on us.
"MOOOOM-" Goten cries.
Gohan let me go then opened his door and dragged Goten immediately inside, closing the door behind him.
"Awesoooome!" Goten stares in awe at our costumes. "Is that you guys under there?"
"Yeah. What do you think of it Goten?" I ask while twirling around, my cape gracefully fluttering around the air.
"Ooh ooh! That's so cool! Tania Tania, can I get one too?! Pleaaaaaase?"
"I don't know Goten." I reply, turning to Gohan. "How about it, Gohan? Can Goten have a costume?"
"Sure. But I think it's best to wait until you're older, squirt." Goten's big brother answered.
"Alright." Goten sighs obviously disappointed.
"Hey," I pick up Goten. "Don't be so disappointed. When you do get older, you'll be the best superhero any kid your age will ever be."
"Really Tania? I will?" Goten asks with hope-filled eyes.
Gohan smiled then placed his helmet on his three-year old brother.
"Just look at yourself, Goten. Being a hero is your destiny." He says.
Goten jumped out of my arms and stared at himself in the mirror, doing superhero poses at the same time.
"Gohan!" Calls a voice from out the window.
The older teen boy ran to the window and looked up. "Piccolo? Hey buddy! What's up?!"
Piccolo is here? But why?
"Where's Goku? I'm gonna have to talk to you, Tania, and him."
"I'll go get him for you Piccolo, but why do you need to speak with us?" Gohan asks.
"I have new information about your attacker from a few days ago." The namekian answers, stunning Gohan and I.
"Alright then." Gohan replies, pushing the red button on his watch, transforming him back to his gym clothes. The helmet Goten wore also disappeared along with everything else. "I'll get dad right now."
He then ran out of the room. Goten and I, overhearing the exchange of words, came to the window.
"Mr. Piccolo!" Goten happily calls.
Piccolo smirked. However, after seeing my superhero costume, he raised an eyebrow.
"What are those clothes you're wearing, Tania?"
"Oh this?" I grab my shirt. Piccolo nodded his head.
"Gohan went to Bulma's at some point of the week and had her make some sort of superhero costume for him and I to wear when we fight crime in the city." I answer. "What do you think of it?"
"Those clothes are completely ridiculous!" Piccolo gives me the cold truth.
I let out a big sigh. "I knew you were gonna say that. Just promise me you won't tell Gohan that? He loves these costumes."
"No need to keep that away from me." Gohan walks into his room with his dad. "I heard everything."
"That was fast." I replied.
Gohan went up to me and pushed the button on my watch. The clothing disappear and I was back in my light grey long-sleeved shirt that was tucked into my royal blue gym shorts and white sneakers.
"What was that?" Goku scratches his head.
"That's the cool superhero costume Bulma made for her. What did you think of it, dad?" Gohan smiles.
"It's definitely different." Goku answers.
"ALRIGHT!" Piccolo loses his patience. "THAT'S ENOUGH TALKING! "
Goku, Gohan, and I yelped from the anger in Piccolo's voice. Goten began to cry from the sudden scream.
"WHY DID YOU YELL AT ME! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU, MR. PICCOLO! WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"No wait Goten, I didn't mean to make you cry. Don't cry! Don't cry!" Piccolo panics, waving his hands around, not really knowing what to do.
The door flung opened, and to everyone worse fears, ChiChi busted in with her frying pan out.
"ALRIGHT! WHO MADE MY LITTLE BOY CRY?!" She yells.
Goten pointed at Piccolo, who then began to get really panicky.
"You..." ChiChi growls, slowly heading towards the namekian like some serial killer.
"No ChiChi, WAIT! You don't understand what happened!" Piccolo attempts to hold Goku's wife back.
"What is there to understand, HUH?! ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU MADE MY GOTEN CRY! AND THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW, PICCOLO!" ChiChi then slammed her pan against Piccolo's head. Since Piccolo wasn't wearing his turban, he felt the full force of the attack.
"ARGH!" He groans as a large bump formed on his head.
"That'll teach you." ChiChi walks away from the window satisfied.
"I feel bad for Piccolo. Sure glad I didn't get hit by that frying pan." I whisper to Gohan and his father, who then both nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, ChiChi sent us three a death glare and in seconds, Goku, Gohan and I got brutally hit by the frying pan too, suffering the same fate as our namekian friend.
"OWWWWWWWWW!" I scream as I fell to the ground, rolling around while rubbing the huge bump on my head, trying my best to relieve the pain with no luck.
"ARGHHH!" Gohan groans, grabbing his head in agony.
Goku squated, holding onto his bruised head. Two big drops of tears formed in the corners of his eyes while he bit onto his lip in pain. "OUCHIE!"
After a minute or two, I stood back up angry.
"WHAT DID WE DO?!" I accidentally yell at Gohan's mother. I closed my hands over my mouth after realizing the tone of voice I used on ChiChi.
The black-haired woman appeared inches away from my face with a scowl on her own. "YOU AND GOHAN SHOULD BE HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL MISSY! AND I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOU TALKING BACK TO ME THE WAY YOU DID!"
"Mom, I'm sure Tania didn't mean to yell at you like that." Gohan tries to defend me.
Immediately, ChiChi's frying pan struck my boyfriend's already bruised head. On impact, Gohan fell square on his back, thrashing his legs around while trying to relieve the new huge bump that formed on top of the first one. Like his father, two big tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he was biting onto his bottom lip.
"B-But why me?!" Gohan whines.
"GOHAN, I ALSO WILL NOT TOLERATE YOU TRYING TO DEFEND TANIA WHEN SHE'S DONE THE WRONG THING! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" ChiChi scolds her son.
Gohan nodded his head very fast. "Y-Yes ma'am! I'm sorry!"
Poor Gohan. I'm sorry.
Thinking he was next, Goku tried to escape from the room.
"GOKU!" His wife calls.
Goku stood straight up like a soldier. "Yes ma'am?!"
ChiChi put her frying pan away and calmed herself.
"Please make sure our son doesn't get his feelings hurt again today, alright?" She made her request known to her husband.
Goku looked very confused but nodded his head anyways. "S-Sure."
Picking her youngest son up, she pointed at the window with her free hand.
"Gohan, Tania! School NOW!"
"No!" Piccolo stops Gohan and I before we can dash out the window.
ChiChi glared at him.
"I came here to give Goku, Gohan, and Tania some important information about-"
"NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GOHAN'S AND TANIA'S SCHOOLING!" ChiChi throws a fit. Again she brought out the frying pan.
Piccolo's eyes widened. "GOHAN, TANIA, JUST GO BACK TO SCHOOL!"
"But Piccolo..." Gohan says.
"We'll talk later when you two come back. JUST GO!"
When ChiChi came running after Gohan and I, Gohan grabbed my hand and flew out of the window very fast.
"Gohan, your mom is really really scary!" I tell him with my voice quaking.
"Yeah, I know."
VIDEL'S P.O.V
"That earthquake was so terrifying!" Erasa says as she stayed shaking underneath the tables in our classroom.
"Its been forty minutes already! When can we stop hiding?" Sharpner complains.
"We never know what can happen Sharpner. Its safer to wait till we get the clear before we do anything else. So just deal with it! You don't hear Tania and Gohan complaining about it." I tell the popular jock.
"Tania and Gohan?" Sharpner begins to look around his surroundings.
"Yeah that's what I said."
"Tania and Nerd Boy isn't here with us, Videl!" Sharpner announces.
WHAT?! They're not here?
Sure enough, when I scanned their seats, the two of them weren't really there.
"We must've been so alarmed that we forgot all about them." Erasa whispers.
"My poor Tania!" Sharpner slams his fist against the floor. "Nerd Boy isn't as strong as I am! He's gonna get my soon-to-be girlfriend killed!"
Oh no! I could've sworn they were right behind us when we came running to the school. How could I have let this happen? I got to find them!
Wiggling my way out of my hiding spot, I stood up from underneath the table.
"Videl, what are you doing? Get back under here." My best friend demanded.
"I gotta go find Gohan and Tania, Erasa. They could be hurt for all we know."
"Look! I don't care too much about what happens to Gohan but get my Tania to safety first!" Sharpner insists.
"I'll try." I reply.
Taking off, the teacher and other students noticed and tried calling me back. I didn't listen and headed back to the baseball field where I last saw them.
Once there, I looked around.
They're gone. Maybe they did head back into the building but just didn't follow the right classroom.
So as I ran into the building, I began opening up classrooms asking everyone if Gohan Son or Tania Ayame was in there. Each and every classroom would answer no whenever I asked.
Is it possible that they could've ditched school?
I gave that idea some more thought before discarding that possibility.
No no, that can't be it. Tania and Gohan are good students. They wouldn't leave even if a crook came shooting inside the building.
I ran thoughout the last floor of the school.
Where could they be?
After several minutes, I turned a corner and bumped into a figure, causing me to fall onto my bottom.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, buddy!" I growl.
"Oops, my bad. Are you alright, miss?" A very familiar voice asks.
I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
Black spikey hair, black eyes, light skin, nerdy clothes, tall and wimpy. Yep! That's gotta be him.
"Gohan! Its you!" I exclaim, standing up immediately.
"Videl?" He rubs his head. "What are you doing out on the top floor of the school?"
I frowned. "I should be asking you that."
Gohan laughed. "Tania and I was just finding our way back to class."
"Tania? She's with you?!"
"Gohan?!" Another voice calls from down the hall. "Where did you go?"
Soon, a girl wearing a long black tube top and skinny white jeans with a red belt wrapped around her waist and silver shoes ran up us. The girl wore a heart locket I was all too familiar with.
Tania! She's alright too.
"Why did you ditch me like that?" Gohan's cousin rebuked him.
"No, I didn't mean to."
"After we heard that strange sound, you went taking off." Tania reminds the wimpy guy.
"Hold on... A strange sound? Just what are you talking about? I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary." I say, growing curious as to what Tania was talking about.
"Videl?!" Tania gasps. "What are you doing out here?"
I just about had it.
"What is up with all these questions? You guys are the ones who went missing after the earthquake struck! I was looking all over for you two!" I snap.
"Oh." Tania responds.
"Sorry for the trouble." Gohan apologizes.
"It's alright." I sigh deeply. "I'm just relieved to know you guys are alright. Lets just get back to class."
"Sounds good to me." Tania and Gohan say at the same time.
I think I should keep my eye on them a little more often.
My watch beeped.
"Come in; This is Videl."
"Videl, there won't be an aftershock. The area is cleared." The chief of the police department informed me.
"That's great." I smile.
~~~~~
I shook my mechanical pencil, trying to get some lead out from it so I can start writing notes in my sixth hour.
"Tania, do you have any lead I can use, please? I ran out of mine." I ask my friend as I shook my pencil once more with no luck.
When Tania didn't say anything, I looked at her and saw a small smile on her face as she seemed to be in a daydreaming state. A blush covered across her nose as her eyes seemed to be out of reality. She had her elbow on the table with her right cheek resting on her palm. She was staring at something from the left of us.
Curious, I observed the exact location her eyes was directed at and gasped in shock.
Gohan?! She's staring at him?
There her cousin was, just writing away like a true scholar, not paying attention to the world but to whatever the teacher was talking about and here was Tania, just completely staring at the guy like some type of fangirl when she meets my dad.
Just what in the world is going on with these two?!
"You're not staring at your cousin like you're in love with him, are you?" I quietly whisper to Tania's ear.
She snapped out of whatever daydream she was in and dropped the pencil she was holding out of her hand.
"W-What?! I wasn't staring at him! You got it all wrong." She completely denies it as her entire face grows red. "I was j-just admiring the beautiful f-flowers on the trees outside the window over t-there."
Because of the sudden loudness in Tania's voice, Gohan looked over at her with a softened face. Instantly, Tania brought her textbook up to her face, covering it from everyone's sight.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense. It really is a wonderful day today." I smile.
I can't believe I actually thought Tania was staring at her own cousin. That would just be disgusting! Yuck!
"You're really awkward sometimes, Tania." I laugh. "But I really need some lead if you don't mind lending me some."
Without even taking the book away from her face, the short-haired teen lended me her own pencil instead.
"You can just use one of my pencils, Videl." She says.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
I returned my attention to the front and listened to the lesson.
"Tania?" Mrs. Watoru calls from the podium. "Will you read the next sentence for me on the third paragraph."
Tania stood up without taking the book away from her face again. "Yes, Mrs. Watoru."
"When the bully won't stop doing what they are doing, that is when you should tell an adult.".
"Excellent reading, Ms. Ayame." The teacher praised the black-haired girl. "Now, Ms. Videl, will you come on up here with Mr. Gohan and demostrate to the class an example of what Tania just read about bullying?"
With Gohan?
Gohan's cousin lowered the book away from her finally and blinked. "Gohan and Videl?"
"Alright ma'am." I stand out of my seat and head down the steps to the board.
"Me?" Gohan points at himself. "But i'm not a good actor."
"It doesn't matter! You will do as I say!" The middle-aged woman yells.
"O-Okay." Gohan begins to run down the stairs.
What's the deal with him getting yelled at over something stupid?
So now Mr. Perfect Score Testing Boy and I stood side-to-side, waiting for instructions from Mrs. Watoru.
"Videl, I want you to pretend to be the innocent victim of a bully trying to steal your lunch money. As for you Gohan, you are gonna be the bully."
"But i'm not a bully." Gohan scratches his head.
Mrs. Watoru fell over.
"I never said you were an actual bully! What you are doing is acting like you are one!" She says immediately after she got herself situated.
"You know what? This should be the other way around!" Shapner suddenly talks outloud. "Gohan would be just perfect for the victim role since he's such a bookworm!"
"Will you keep your thoughts to yourself Sharpner?! Actually, you should play as the bully since you are one in reality!" I shout back at the blonde annoyed at his actions.
Just because someone is well, a nerd, doesn't mean that they should get picked on... right?
"Look who's talking! That's the exact reason why Mrs. Watoru chose you to play the part instead of me. Just admit it Videl, bullying is in your blood."
"What!"
Before I could say anymore, a hand laid itself on my shoulder. My eyes went straight over to Gohan, who then shook his head. I removed his hand off my shoulder and crossed my arms.
"Lets just get on with this already."
I distanced myself a few steps from the guy and acted natural.
"And action!" Mrs. Watoru gives the cue.
Taking the first move, I pretended as though I was a small fry in a big crowd. Once I neared Gohan, I gave him a nod to do his part.
He gulped but walked forward with a gentle approach. "Excuse me miss, but is it alright if I borrow some cash for lunch?"
As if on cue, the entire class fell over.
What kind of bully walks up to a victim and asks to BURROW money?!
"Was it something I said?" The spiky-haired boy looks around the room clueless.
"I think we're done here." The health teacher says dumbfounded.
The final bell ringed afterwards.
GOHAN'S P.O.V
Finally school is over.
I closed my locker and placed my yellow school bag over my head and on my shoulder. Sharpner, whose locker was right next to mine, took out a blue card that had a red rose inside of it. Before he closed his locker, he licked his teeth and smoothed his hair.
"Gohan, how do I look?" He asks.
"The same as you did earlier." I reply.
"Great! That means i'm looking dashing as always!"
"Um... alright." I slant my head, not getting why he always acts so arrogant. I turned away from him. "I'm about to head home. I'll see you tomorrow Sharpner."
"Wait Nerd Boy." Sharpner grabs onto my bag causing me to stop from walking away.
"Yeah, what is it?" I look over my shoulder.
"It's about your cousin..." He began. "She's one tough girl to get. The only other girl who ever refused to be with me was Videl. I mean, even Erasa and I use to have something going on between us."
"What's your point?" I swing around, accidentally causing Sharpner to fall face-first on the floor since he didn't let go of my bag.
I squatted down and apologized.
"Listen, I just want to know if Tania likes roses and cards? I was thinking that if I give her these, she'll want to go out with me." Sharpner explains.
I wish I could tell him that i'm her boyfriend. I really don't like it when random guys come up to me asking if I can help them get a date with my own girlfriend.
"Tania loves roses and cards." I put a smile on my face.
Sharpner's eyes transformed into hearts. "Great! I'll give these to her right now."
No you're not.
"Unfortunately Sharpner, I don't think she's really interested." I tell the truth.
"Oh, but when I give her these, she'll for sure fall for me."
"I think you shouldn't do that, but it was nice talking to you. Bye, Sharpner!" I wave, jogging down the hallway.
"Waaaaiit!" He tries to call me back.
Wish I could stay and talk but I really need to get back to Piccolo with Tania and dad.
Once I made it to Tania's locker, I saw her and Videl laughing together.
"I bet it was real easy for you to win the junior division then, huh?" Tania smiles as she closes her locker.
"Of course." Videl answers as she slid on her backpack. "I think it would've been better if you competed in it with me."
"No way. Trust me, I didn't have any strength in me when I was ten. Competing in the world tournament at that age would be suicide for me."
As I listened to their conversation, I could feel my heart skip a couple of beats. Tania's laugh sounded like music going through my ears. Each time I listened to it, the more drawn I would feel towards her.
Finally noticing that I was waiting for her, Tania said her goodbyes to the pigtail-haired girl and gave me a hug.
"Ready to head over to Piccolo?"
"Yep." She nods.
I pulled away then grabbed Tania's hand. I made sure that no one was around before I transported us to wherever Piccolo's ki would take us.
The atmosphere grew thicker. All I could see was white tiles and a small palace. Piccolo's ki had taken us to the lookout.
"Gohan! Tania! You made it!" Dende comes running up to us with Mr. Popo.
"Dende!" I grin. "It's nice to see you."
:"Likewise, Gohan."
"Hello again." Tania shakes Dende's hand.
"Hey Tania." The namekian smiles.
"So, what's up?" I ask.
"I would like to know that myself." Says a cold heavy voice.
I looked up ahead to see Vegeta walking our way.
"Vegeta! It's been a while since i've seen you. How have you been?"
Vegeta gave me a cold glare. "Shut up."
I rubbed my neck. Well, I guess its not shocking that he would say something like that.
"Ugh! Vegeta you really need to learn some manners if you ever hope to make some nice friends like Gohan and Tania there." Bulma joins in to the mix.
"Hi Bulma." Tania waves at Vegeta's wife.
"Hi Tania. Piccolo did say that you were coming here too, so he told me to give you this."
Bulma took out a capsule and threw it into the sky. It exploded and when the smoke cleared, Wisheater appeared out from it and fell to the ground.
"Hey! I don't like being dropped to the ground like that!" He yelled in frustration.
Tania ran to her sword and picked it up.
"How did you manage to get him in a capsule?" She asks in amazement.
"Oh c'mon. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm a genius." Bulma replies with an accomplished smile. "Now you can bring your sword with you whenever you go to school."
Tania gave Bulma a hug. "Thanks a lot."
"Of course." Bulma smiles.
"Looks like they're all here, Piccolo." I hear Dad's voice from behind.
Him and Piccolo walked past me and stood next to Vegeta.
"Now that you're all here, its time for me to give you all some insight on Gohan's attacker!" Piccolo announced.
Who or what did it? Whoever attacked me and those animals will pay for their crime.