The night is quiet. The moon cast its light on the trees in the forest. It is silent; only Nature is heard. The owls sing in their hidings. The night wind rustles in the foliage. The crickets chirp alone in the endless quiet. The branches rustle in the wind, swaying to and fro. No living human noises. There are no living people for miles. Them and their bustle are far away in the North Capital.
In the serenity, occasional voices are heard. Coming from inside the house.
His home has never been quiet, even though it is all alone in the woods. In this house, there have always been crazy things happening, loud things. Things that echo forever in time.
It is normality.
He smiles, running his hand on his jaw as he comes into his kitchen. His son had come in before him, used the fridge, made some hasty food and not closed its door. The peanut butter jar lies over turned on the counter, the jelly jar next to it. Bread crumbs. The chair he had used to reach his work still next to the counter. Chichi would be mad at the mess. It was so difficult to get the little boy to stay clean and proper. His mother has too much expectations of the boy, or is it that not even his father can hold him? I'm not a good enough father. He doesn't follow the norm other fathers use. He smiles, reaching a hand behind his head. He doesn't want to !! Gohan doesn't have to fall into the norm that all school boys follow.
Brushing his thoughts aside, he returns the chair to the table. He clears the crumbs with his palm over the side into the crowded sink. He puts his finger into the peanut butter jar, taking a large part of its contents before putting it back on the freezer. The jelly had all been eaten. When one is married, life is strange. Should he help out with the dishes like a good husband ought to? He almost reaches for the towel, but draws back.
It is night. Time to rest in his home.
His mind is taken from the mater as he hears the voices of his friends in his living room. They are always here. Together.
A lousy midnight soap is playing on his TV. They are huddled around the set, but they aren't watching it. The TV becomes background noise. Every once and again, they look at it, after someone catches their attention over a scene that seems interesting. That doesn't mean they aren't watching it.
Yamucha is playing cards with Ten Shin Han. The triclops is winning. Their shoes are tossed on the floor. Wu Long is watching over the game, his sleeves rolled up, a cigarette on his mouth. His hands on his knees.
Money on Yamucha! He smiles at Goku, as the tall fighter comes into the room. Taking his cigarette in his fingers, he motions for him to join them at the game.
Yamucha is loosing, but that's ok. Goku smiles back at the pig man.
His best friend is rambling again. Talking to himself, about his bald head, about the time they'd slept in the bathroom because their house had still not gotten its furniture.
We only had had a rug then. He nudges the triclops. Take a bit of rug! He chuckles. Ten Shin Han laughs as he remembers as well.
Take a bit of rug! Yamucha chuckles. Trunks pats the bold man in the head, his blue eyes remembering. He smiles. Rug sweet rug! Ah! The group groans sarcastically.
Goku can't help himself. He laughs out loud. Those had been other days. Klilin refuses to forget them. Wu Long casts the bald fighter a mean look.
No one could sleep then. He growls. Klilin blushes deeply. Every time something happened, no matter how small the noise, you got up and investigated. The pig gives him a nasty look. Puarl laughs, agreeing.
As if he was authority. The cat's comment makes them laugh.
Goku can't help but laugh harder. Klilin will never change. Over protective, over sensitive. So terribly funny. Friends since childhood.
They all turn to look at the set. The couple there is fighting. The black and white soap is getting interesting.
She's cheating on him badly. Wu Long takes a drag of his cigarette. Badly.
Klilin groans. Kawaii! She's so beautiful! He blushes as Yamucha blows kisses in the air.
The hot babe in the office is mine.
Wu Long nudges Trunks. Yours is still in the comma. Trunks blushes. He finds it hard to say anything. The pig grins at him. She does look beautiful in those wraps in the hospital.
Klilin bangs the table.
That rich bitch will pay for making her fall into comma!! Trunks blushes even harder. He lowers his head, a smile crossing his lips. His mind replays the thousand times he had made the rich woman in the soap pay in his dreams.
Goku! The chips are right beside you! Pass 'em over! Goku reaches over to do as the bald man said. He hands the bag over to Trunks, who takes one or two, and gives it to the bald fighter.
A lot of battles had been fought together, but these friends never change. They are all still here, together in the house. Friends, fighting for a better world. Not because it is their job, but because they want to. Goku chuckles, taking his hand to his head. He leans back on the sofa. His son climbs into his lap.
'Tousan, someone ate all the bizco chips. The father warrior becomes really concerned.
What?!
Trunks looks at Klilin; Wu Long frowns taping the table with authority. Goodness, Klilin, you really are a liver!
The group laughs. Maybe they have lived of each other all their lives. Maybe they had clung on to each other because they know they will always be food in Goku's house, there will always be covers in his beds.
Uno! cries Ten Shin Han.
Wu Long groans. Yamucha pulls out the lucky fire card.
Killer- pick- a- five- card!!
Shimata! Man, Yamucha you had it hidden. My poor heart was about to explode! Wu Long claps his hands, giving Trunks a hard slap on the back. Trunks gasps at the force of the blow, laughing sheepishly. Gohan smiles, clapping.
Laughter fills the room again. The lantern's light shines in their faces. Goku lets his head fall back on the seat, sighing in content. He smiles, feeling Gohan's heart beating next to his own. The little boy gets up from his lap and joins the hand shaking salute the boys are doing.
Bad, bad Yamucha! Win this game or else!
Goku laughs.
Or else what? Goku says, his eyes still closed.
Or else, he sleeps with Klilin! calls out Wu Long. The group laughs. Klilin groans.
Goku sighs. His mind drifts away, as he stares at the ceiling, his eyes seeing reality, perhaps seeing himself as he sits in the sofa.
He has never been what people expect him to be; a good father, a good husband. Some would say that he is a looser, and that his friends are losers as well.
His eyes closed, he can see his living room, the TV, the table. The house has always held friends, their noise, their smells. Lifting it from the table, his son holds up a card.
Man!! Ten yells.
Pickipickipicki Yamucha sings out.
How'd he get a 10? Trunks leans back on the couch's seat. He groans at Yamucha's lucky move. He raises his feet, shifting to a more comfortable position. Ten, you can still win... Wu Long casts him a dark look.
Trunks, get ready to pay up!! The pig smiles at the lavender haired boy.
Goku smiles. Their voices. Every time he's been dead, and has woken up again, he has heard these voices. These faces have cheered him in the Budokai, in the long battles. Theirs are the voices he hears when he is out of breath, blinded by the fight. On each battle, and every night when they get together like this. Every time the sun comes out. They live in his house, out of his things. Some scorn him for letting them do as they please in his home, wasting his water and electricity. Still, these voices give him the will to fight. Goku will never loose. For their sake.
Goku smiles, rising from the seat. He'll take some air.
Tiny bugs fly into the darkness from outside the front door's screen. The wind blows in the smells of the city as he opens it. Far away. He is glad he does not live there. In the woods, he can still remember who he had been in childhood. Who he has become. Closing his eyes, he rests his elbows on the front porch. The noise of his friends behind him. The soft murmur of the TV coming from back there. All behind him.
Even you, Kakaroto, The figure in the darkness smiles.
Goku smiles. Vejiita has never been inside his house for long. Not like the others, but even his voice is pleasant to him.
Vejiita. There is not much to say between them. In the darkness, both of them understand each other. The wind blows through their hair, speaking for them. He who had been his enemy once raises his legs over the porch. Crossing them, his arms over his chest, he looks out into the garden. Every once and a while, he takes a drink from the beer he is having. Neither of them say anything. Their bond much deeper. Words aren't needed. Goku runs his fingers through his hair, smiling at the Saiyan Prince. Vejiita's voice has always been the Prince's eyes.
I was thinking about Trunks. About his future
We're all dead there.
Vejiita doesn't answer, taking another drink from his beer.
He's returning to a world where all of the great warriors are dead. Goku rests his head on his folded arms. A cricket begins to climb over his finger. He gently flicks it off. He turns to look at Vejiita. Maybe that is why he delays his departure and does not return to a place where he'll be all alone after having us so close to him, alive.
Vejiita looks at Goku. The warrior is speaking strangely, not in his usual foolish way. He has only heard him speak like this when battles get really close to the end. When it is needed of him more than just a man; a hero. Before choosing to spill his own blood so that others may live. This is Goku's real voice.
During his time with the silly fighter, Vejiita has come to admire that voice. To accept this warrior's ways. There is a power in Goku, that makes him more than just a man, more than just energy. Maybe this makes him better than the Prince. Trunks has that same power. Vejiita permits himself to smile in the darkness.
He has a power inside, beyond anything we've ever imagined. This drives him. He'll be strong in the future. Strong enough to defeat the evil there and rebuild his world again. He's got a strong ally. Vejiita leans back, falling silent again.
Both of them know Bulma, in the future, will never stop trying to restore her world to it's original beauty. Hope, this is her voice. Goku smiles. Vejiita has never spoken of his son and wife like this. The Prince has changed a lot in the past. His true voice has grown stronger.
I know. Goku lifts his head from his folded arms. He's a good warrior.
He's my son. There is pride in Vejiita's voice. Goku nods his head. In the forest, some wild bird flies out from the trees.
The TV's sound becomes static. Off the air. It is 12.00 PM. Yamucha groans. Ten Shin Han yelps in victory. Wu Long groans. Trunks gives the triclops a high five, laughing with the sheer relief of having won. Gohan lies asleep in the sofa. The light of the TV casts long shadows in the floor. They fall under the screen door.
A dream, it always seems. In this time, Trunks would not have suffered the horrors he has seen, Goku thinks. The evils that have shaped the young man's soul and taken that smile from his lips. Goku frowns. If anyone dares to do that to his home again...
We'll be there if anything threatens to take our planet again. This peace from us. I wont let it happen again. Not ever again. Goku smiles, feeling the soft wood of his door.
His friends greet him with the story once he gets back in. He smiles as they jump on him.
You should've seen the card...!
It was a rough battle... you missed a good battle.
They enfolded him in their excitement. He nods back to the outside porch where Vejiita sits, grinning from the shadows at his son. The young, lavender haired boy's arms wrap around Ten Shin Han's back.
Goku smiles to himself.
This
peace will never die.
Author's Note
The
author would like to give thanks to Kamui, who spent a lot of time helping
him edit this. Kamui pointed out a line that no longer remains in the final
draft (Trunks laughed richly), as to be "real
rich." Someone who
wishes to remain anonymous proclaimed it to be quite sexy. He he.