Kakarot sighed as he trudged back into the house. He had spent over an hour collecting all the scattered senzu and counting them. He counted twice just to make sure he had the right number. He didn't need Sarada punishing him evem more. Sarada hadn't caused any wounds to form on his body, so he was thankful for that. She didn't hurt him as much as he thought she would. The only pain he felt was on his muscles for some reason. And there's his back. It hurt after being thrown into the hard ground. He stretched, wincing at the immediate pain. He rotated his neck, receiving the same result. It was stiff. Geez. How could Sarada even do that? His entire body ached. And it wasn't even an ache he was constantly aware of. It was an ache that would only appear when certain movements were made. Which made it a million times worse. This way he wouldn't know where was in pain until it was triggered.
Such as right now, as he sat down and felt a pain so unknown to him he was actually shocked. He didn't even know where the pain was coming from. It was new pain. Seems he discovered another one. Sarada always brought pain he never felt before. In places he didn't know even existed on his body.
He sat there quietly for a long while. Just silently thinking over the choices that had led to him facing an angry sister. As he sat there he realized what an idiot he had been. There were many times where he had been warned not to partake in a fight against his father in the garden. Chichi had warned him, after catching the challenging gaze his father had set upon him. She knew immediately that a fight was brewing and made sure to warn Kakarot of the garden. He had nodded to her words, promising that he wouldn't do it.
Thinking back he didn't know if he had even heard a word Chichi had said to him. His excitement had blinded him. All reason was out the window.
He sighed again, sinking deeper into the comfortable sofa. He might just stay there unmoving for the entire day. He had made plans to go see Krillin, but that wouldn't be happening.
"Wallowing in self pity?"
He snickered at the words and voice of Chichi, even if it hurt a bit. She fell into the space next to him silently, but he could feel the amusement rolling off her. He could just hear the words she wanted to speak in his head. He knew it was just on the tip of her tongue. She would say it and not feel an ounce of remorse or pity for him.
"Go ahead and say it" He glanced at her, his expression one of defeat. She smiled slowly, obviously enjoying this. "You know you want to"
"I told you so" four simple words, but one she had been dying to say to Kakarot. She felt no concern nor pity for him after what Sarada had done to him. During his punishment she just watched silently, smiling whenever he looked up at her. She was enjoying it because she had warned the fool, but his excitement apparently deafened him.
"You couldn't help yourself, huh?"
"Not at all"
Kakarot slumped, head leaning back on the sofa and eyes focused on the ceiling. He expected no less from Chichi. She was that type of person and no change had taken part. He didn't know why a part of him believed she would change somewhat now that she was his girlfriend.
"Such a caring girlfriend I have" he mumbled. "You care so much about me"
Chichi's reply was a soft laugh. Did he really think her behavior towards him would change just because she was his girlfriend now? That was stupid and it made her laugh again.
"Why are you laughing?"
"No reason" Chichi bit her lip to stop from laughing again. She glanced at Kakarot who seemed confused for a moment. He must've decided to let the matter go for he shrugged and returned to staring at the ceiling.
"I haven't told Sarada yet" Kakarot began as he suddenly remembered his sister. She had been the one pushing him towards Chichi and he didn't tell her a thing.
"I know" Chichi was rather calm as she answered. "I don't think you have to. She already knows"
"She does?"
"We're talking about Sarada, Kakarot. I would be more surprised if she didn't kmow"
Kakarot started to speak but was interrupted by the very person they were talking about.
"Yeah, Kakarot. I thought you knew me better than that"
Kakarot furrowed his brows as he looked at his elder sister. He didn't even notice her enter the living room. He didn't even hear her open the door. He let it go pretty quickly. After all it was Sarada and she could be stealthy when she wanted to be.
"Still, you could've told me" Sarada actually sounded hurt. It made Kakarot smile, but that smile faded once the next words left her. "I would've known to tease you sooner, you know"
"I don't even know what I expected you to say" Kakarot laughed at himself.
"I'm happy for you" Sarada shrugged, aiming a smile his way. "Plus, Chichi talks to Bulma a lot so I know a lot, baby brother."
Chichi was suddenly very interested in the wall at her side. Kakarot was looking at her with many questions she did not want to answer. She had told Bulma many things about their relationship. She knew Sarada would get ahold of said information, but didn't bother to care. She knew there would be some teasing, but again she couldn't care very much. Why? Because when its coming from Sarada it's mostly directed at her brother.
"What did you tell Bulma?"
"Oh you know" Sarada decided to answer for the suddenly quiet Chichi. Their eyes met and Sarada's smile morphed into a smirk. "Girl stuff"
"I don't believe that one bit" Kakarot huffed. "What did she tell you?"
"She didn't tell me anything. As I said, she talks to Bulma, not me"
"But you know" Kakarot pointed out. "You just said so and she knows you know"
"What's going on in here?" Bulma decided to join the conversation. She wandered into the living room with a glass of lemonade in hand and a saiyan child clinging to her back.
"Bulma" Kakarot said her name with the most serious expression it had Bulma even more curious. "What did you and Chichi talk about? "
Oh? So thats what all of this was about. Bulma had her head slightly tilted as she looked at Chichi, who was still not looking at Kakarot. She had a hidden smile on her face. Apparently Kakarot's confusion and curiosity was funny to her.
"What the girls talk about stays between the girls, Kakarot" Bulma said matter of factly. "Unless she herself wants to tell you of course"
"You guys aren't fair" Kakarot grumbled.
"When have we ever been fair to you?" Lotus questioned as she climbed onto Bulma's shoulder. None of them had ever been very fair to Kakarot.
"I'm telling mom you're leaving with Sarada and Bulma without asking her" Kakarot replied with a smug smile. He knew his little sister well. He knew she wanted to go with the two and he knew she had not spoken to their mother about it. She may be the youngest and the one their mother seems to coddle the most, but she could not escape her wrath. Like everyone of them Gine terrified her. It was a fear only children are familiar with.
"You wouldn't"
"You didn't ask mom?" The look Sarada was aiming at her was accusing and scolding. "Do you have a death wish? You'll get me in trouble too, you know"
"She'll be fine with it" Lotus said shrugging.
"Then go ask her" Bulma easily pulled her off her shoulder and tucked her under her arm. Lotus struggled a bit before eventually giving up and slumping in Bulma's hold.
"How am I supposed to ask her if you won't put me down"
"I'll bring you to her to make sure you actually ask"
"Good luck" Sarada waved as the disappeared around the corner. Once they were out of sight she turned her attention to her brother. "So"
"So?"
"When are you two getting married?" The question was asked in such a melodious voice that had Kakarot feeling regret for some reason. It was about to begin. The teasing. The constant teasing.
"I'm not even surprised" Chichi said with a sigh. Not surprised at all.
Sarada smiled innocently at the two. She only asked because Kakarot had asked her the same thing back when he found out about her and Bulma. The kid was only sixteen going on seventeen so there was no need to ask about that. She'll just patiently wait until he's eighteen. Its not too far away.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Trying to get rid of me, dear brother?"
"Maybe".
"Oh well" Sarada turned to leave without much fight. "Too bad. I was about to invite you to come along today, but since you don't want me around... "
Immediately Kakarot was on his feet and racing after Sarada before she could teleport.
Chichi watched the two tumble to the floor in collision. Sarada was laughing while Kakarot apologized profusely and begged her to bring him along.
"Seriously" Chichi approached the two, stopping just next to them. Without a word she reached for Kakarot, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him off his sister. "You have no constraint. Did you suddenly forget the pain you were in? "
As if to prove a point Chichi jabbed him in his side and watched him squirm.
"But I needed to stop her before she teleported"
"She was baiting you"
"I know that, but still"
"Awe, you just want to be with your big sis" Sarada cooed while petting his messy hair. "It's okay, I won't leave you. I was just kidding"
Kakarot visibly relaxed at those words.
"Chichi can come too"
"Oh?" Chichi was interested now. "To train under the angel?"
"Yes"
"Nice" Kakarot grinned before slinging an arm over Chichi's shoulder. "We won't have to be apart then"
"Yeah, you know you can't do anything without me" Chichi jested.
She was rewarded with a dramatic gasp as Kakarot looked at her with mock hurt.
"I am offended"
"She has a point" Sarada said to her brother before walking off. "You can't even treat your own wounds"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"A lot, seeing as you get injured often" Chichi pointed out.
"Yes and you'll suffer even more when training with Whis" Sarada informed. "If you even manage to touch him"
"He's that strong?" Kakarot wondered. He had never actually seen the angel in action.
"Yeah, I've never once landed a hit on him" Sarada admitted rather casually. "I came pretty close though. Soon I'll get him right in the jaw"
Sarada never once landed a clear attack on Whis. Those words painted a picture for Kakarot and Chichi. Sarada of all people couldn't touch him and she was already a monster. Whis was somethibg they couldn't even compare to. If they were but insects to Sarada what were they to Whis?
"Damn, I want to fight him now" Kakarot's excitement was clear to see as he increased his stride, suddenly eager for a fight again. "When do we leave?"
"Later. I gotta head to the lookout"
"Oh? Krillin is there" Chichi said in remembrance. As she walked she tugged Kakarot back to her side since he had gotten away when his excitement took hold. "Something about training"
"Oh yeah. Master Roshi reccomended it so now he's there with Tien, Chiaotzu and Yamcha" Kakarot explained which got Sarada's attention
"Yamcha?"
"Yeah"
"He stuck around?"
"Yeah"
Sarada said nothing after that. She didn't think he would stick around after what he went through with them. Oh well. There was nothing she could do. It's not like she had anything against him.
Okay that's a lie. She wasn't a fan of him, but found her dislike to be without logical reason. She didn't like the Yamcha she knew from the dragon ball she was familiar with. This was different. Things went different. She couldn't be mad at this Yamcha for something he didn't even get the chance to do. So she decided to rid herself of her dislike towards him.
Easier said than done since the thought of him still makes her feel a way. Not as much as before though, so that was an improvement.
Oh well.
~~~~~~~
Chichi and Kakarot had decided to accompany her to the lookout. They arrived rather quickly as they were drifting above the lookout within a few minutes. While Kakarot and Chichi were flying Sarada, Bulma and Lotus were on a created cloud. Sarada hardly flied actually. She found the clouds to be better transportation. It was comfortable and could go as fast as she wanted it to. Plus she could always take a nap while going where she needed to go.
Their arrival was noted almost immediately. Yamcha was the first to notice them, solely because he had been flat on his back. Again. He had been training at the lookout for a few weeks now and he had still failed to defeat any of his opponents. He could not even win against Chiaotzu. It was a blow to what little pride he had. He was starting to wonder what the point of it all was. Everyone was stronger than him, even a six year old. He thought he could catch up, but alas he could not. When he saw Sarada staring down at him from her cloud a cold shiver ran through his entire body. Suddenly the memories of their first encounter played in his mind, a painful reminder of what she had put him through so easily. It was easy for him to see that she was not a fan of him and seeing her now brought fear unlike any other.
When they landed on the lookout he was immediately on his feet and ready to bolt at a moments notice.
Of course this did not escape the ever observant Sarada. She quirked a brow at him, her eyes sliding over his form with clear disinterest. Soon her gaze was on Krillin, who was not nearly as scared as Yamcha. The monk had gotten used to her somewhat. And it's not like she ever put him through anything traumatic.
"Huh" she finally spoke. Her calm voice bringing more memories to the terrified Yamcha. "Its the first I've seen someone more cowardly than Krillin"
Krillin couldn't help but feel some sort of pride even if those words hid an insult. At least there was a compliment to it.
"Yo Krillin" Kakarot appeared out of nowhere and slapped the shorter on the back good naturedly. "How's it been?"
"Things are pretty good"
"It seems they are" Sarada was at his side as well. She seemed to be observing everything about him, her eyes calculating. "You've gotten a lot stronger. In fact you're stronger than the lot training here, no? You're almost at Chichi's level. Well done"
An actual compliment. Krillin couldn't believe it. Sarada actually said something nice to him. It was not accompanied by an insult. There was no sarcasm. No amusement. It was a compliment. It was sincere. She was not making fun of him or unconsciously belittling him. She said something nice to him. Multiple nice things actually.
He couldn't believe it. The words left him speechless as he just stood there.
"I think you broke him" Lotus finally said, filling the silence. "Yeah, you broke him. He's not used to you being nice to him"
"Poor guy" Bulma actually felt sorry for him. "It was too much for him to process all at once. You should have been easier on him"
"I just wanted to let him know that I'm proud" Sarada seemed confused more than anything. "I didn't think he'd shortcircuit "
"What do we do?"
"I don't know"
Lotus stared at him for a long while, specifically his bald and shiny head. Slowly a devious smile started to form as she rubbed her palms together.
Without a word and with speed many didn't expect she was hovering above the short monk. Before anyone could actually process what it was she planned on doing she connected her open hand to his shining head with so much force it was heard by Korin. It was the loudest slap the group had ever heard and it left them stunned. It was perfectly executioned on top of everything else. Every inch of her hand had connected to his scalp with perfect precision.
The scream of pain that followed after was heard by many.