Turn The Page
Serenestorm
Standard disclaimer: DBZ does not belong to me.
AN: I got a couple of emails about Gohan’s age. Some of you are wondering his age and some of you are wondering why I made him so young. Basically he is 15 now. He was 13 when he started ‘working’. Anyway I hope this answered your questions. FYI: I know Gohan is OOC.
Chapter 3: Falling into…
Memories can be painful, the release of them, caressing almost lovingly against your mind’s eye, playing over and over like a bad movie, torturing you, leaving you breathless, tearless, and drained. A bright yellow dress and a stock of long ebony hair, sky blue eyes, contrasting greatly to her own darker orbs. A smile gracing a full mouth, words spoken in whispers of comfort, so beautiful, so soothing, blanketing in warmth and promise. Arms encircled, a sudden yet loving embrace, a mother’s embrace. And just as suddenly, that embrace disappeared, the yellow dress faded to a dingy white, smiles and laughter was replaced, as the woman with the sky blue eyes died, her cries of pain echoing down dark halls.
Videl awoke drenched with sweat as she again dreamed of her mother. Tears fell unrestricted down the girl’s cheeks, as a quiet sob escaped from her lips. After twelve years she was still plagued by dreams of her mother, who died before she ever truly got a chance to know her. She could not even remember the sound of her voice, being too young at the time to hold on to at least that memory, yet ironically she did remember her cries of pain before the end of her life, as her mother, Satan Pan, was destroyed by an unseen enemy, cancer.
Videl wiped the tears from her face and grudgingly got up, seeing that she had already slept too late. She wondered briefly why her father had not bothered to wake her. She shrugged it off though and went into her bathroom, deciding to wear something special; it was her birthday after all. She stepped into the shower, the water flowing hot but not uncomfortably so. She closed her eyes, willing the painful memories to leave her. She refused to be depressed today for she knew her father would have something special planned for them and hopefully only them.
After showering, she pulled on a yellow sundress. Videl looked at herself in the mirror. She could see that she looked a lot like her mother, especially in this particular dress. Her eyes were the only difference, the one thing she inherited from her father, well maybe not the one thing, for she had inherited his temper as well. She frowned slightly, she was not used to wearing dresses. Her normal attire included a loose fitting shirt and shorts. She combed her silky black hair, letting it fall in ebony waves past her shoulders. She decided to leave it down today; since she was already dressed oddly (at least for her) she might as well wear her hair uncharacteristically as well. She sighed slightly and headed out of her room. She felt older today, hopefully she was wiser as well, innocent 15 soon to be sweet 16, next year if time gave her that long.
“Dad”. Videl called out as she walked into the kitchen. Her father was nowhere in sight, which wasn’t particularly odd, since he was gone most of the time anyway. But on her birthday, he always made a point to be with her, putting aside his busy schedule to spend time with his only daughter.
“He’s in the study, Videl”. A voice said behind her. Videl turned around facing the brown haired woman before her, Desha, her father’s wife or bitch. Videl referred the latter.
“Well if you will excuse me…” Videl said coldly, pushing past the older woman.
“You should watch your tone of voice little girl.” Desha called behind her, making Videl flinch somewhat, out of annoyance and more so out of anger. She would like nothing better than to pound that woman into oblivion, but she wisely kept her temper in check. She would not let that bitch ruin her day.
She silently walked into the study, seeing her father watching something on TV. She figured it was his tape of the Cell Games. He was laughing loudly muttering something about being the greatest fighter in the world.
“Daddy?” Videl called drawing Hercule from his reverie.
“Hey sweet pea”. Hercule said pausing his video. He never tired of watching it. He was practically obsessed with discovering how those fighters had been able to perform those tricks, the tricks that defeated Cell where he could not. He would never tell the rest of the world that though, to his fans he was the strongest man in the world, and he’d be damned if he ever let them think differently.
He looked down at his daughter, his eyes watering. She looked so much like her mother.
“I bet you’re wondering what I got you for your birthday, eh?” Hercule said shaking off his momentary sadness.
Videl’s eyes brightened slightly.
“Don’t keep me in suspense”. She said.
Hercule laughed.
“Well, your gift is at Capsule Corp”. He said pausing dramatically for effect.
Videl looked at him confused. ‘Why would my gift be at CC?” She was about to ask her father just that, when he spoke again breaking her from her thoughts.
“You and Desha can go pick it up.”
“Me and Desha”? Videl shouted.
“Why can’t you and I go pick it up? I don’t want to go anywhere with her. I barely can stand being in the same room with that… woman”. ‘That bitch’. Videl thought to herself.
“Honey, I wish I could take you but I can’t. You see, my agent called earlier today. They want me to star in a movie, sweet pea. I have to leave in a few minutes.” He knew that this would upset his daughter, for they always spent her birthdays together, but it couldn’t be avoided. He did have obligations after all. He was the world champion. Anyway, he was in fact doing this as much for Videl as himself. This movie would make them rich, well at least richer than they already were.
“I can’t believe you are doing this on my birthday. Can’t you leave tomorrow?”
Videl tried to hide the pain in her voice. He was doing it again, leaving again, forgetting about her again. She really couldn’t take much more of it. She had lost one parent to death and was losing the other to his own selfishness.
She might as well be an orphan.
“I will be back in a few days, and I promise we’ll do something special, just the two of us. In the mean time, you’re going to love your present…” Videl immediately stopped listening. She had heard that before, his promises were like fine china, easily broken. She would not listen to any more of them.
“And you and Desha can pick it up then. She already knows and she said she would be glad to take you”. Hercule continued oblivious of the fact that his daughter had stopped listening to him a while ago. He took her silence as acceptance, and led her back into the kitchen, intent on at least having breakfast with his family before leaving.
“Hercule, dear, did you tell Videl about your surprise?” Desha asked sweetly. Videl seethed internally. She swore that woman should be an actor, not her father, for she was definitely putting on an academy award performance, she could out act Demi Moore.
“Yeah, I did. I hate I can’t go though. Make sure you take a picture of her reaction when she sees it, Desha”.
“Videl, I’m so excited. I always wanted to meet Bulma and they say that husband of hers is something else. I’m so glad we get to spend the day together. I know we’re going to have a blast”. Desha gushed out, looking over at Videl smiling kindly.
‘And the award for best actress in an off screen performance goes to Desha Satan…’ Videl thought bitterly.
She forced herself to eat her breakfast, trying not to listen to Desha’s sugary sweet voice, which was beginning to make her nauseous.
“CC is huge. I’ve got to tell your father to find a house this large. It makes our mansion look like an outhouse.” Desha said to Videl who was at the moment trying to block her out. They stood inside the entry hall waiting for Bulma to come down. The servant had told them she would only be a moment; obviously she had known they were coming.
“I tell you, Videl, your father spent a small fortune on you today”. Desha said enviously. She had only married Satan Hercule for his money, and though he gave her plenty, he gave Videl more, much to her displeasure. She also knew that on his so-called business trips he was with other women. That’s why she had no qualms about cheating on him too. Their relationship, marriage, was no more than a business arrangement, but still she couldn’t help but feel envious of the young girl beside her, who obviously had her father’s love, the one thing she herself would never have. Nor could she ever possess Videl’s innocent beauty, and it annoyed her to no end. Yes, she secretly hated the girl, but she could hide that, for now.
Videl smirked hearing the jealousy in Desha’s voice, that woman couldn’t stand the thought of Hercule spending money on anyone but herself. That fact amused Videl.
“Hi, Desha, Videl, sorry to keep you waiting.” Bulma said walking into the waiting hall. She smiled graciously at them, her blue eyes focusing on Videl.
“I went to high school with your mother, Videl, and I must say you look exactly like her.
“Thanks”. Videl muttered looking down.
“Well come on ladies. Videl, you are going to love your present”. Bulma said grabbing the girl’s hand. Desha followed along beside them, silently taking in the sights that were Bulma’s home. Yes, she would have to talk to Hercule about getting a larger house. She would not be out done by this blue haired freak. She smiled at Bulma lightly but her thoughts were dark. Yeah, she never liked Bulma, the spoiled rich brat. But now she was rich too, very much so, and intended to stay that way.
Videl smiled at Bulma as the woman chatted with her and Desha. She had taken an immediate liking to the older woman, who looked to only be in her twenties. Videl knew she had to be older than that though, since she went to school with her mother.
“This is my lab”.
Bulma said as she led them into the spacious room. The room was cluttered with inventions that
Bulma was working on, but it seemed cozy.
“Well this is it. I hope you like it.” Bulma said handing Videl a small capsule.
Videl looked at it, trying to figure out what could be inside the tiny thing. Desha smirked slightly, indicating that she already knew what the girl didn’t.
“Come on, we had better open that outside.” Bulma said.
“Your father told me that you like to practice martial arts, so hopefully this will help you reach your goal.”
“Yes, Bulma, I’m sure Videl here will love it, especially considering how much it cost, won’t you dear?” Desha said in that disgustingly sweet voice of hers. Videl frowned saying nothing.
“Bulma, could you show me to the rest room first?”
“Yeah, sure, this way”. Bulma said indicating that the woman follow her.
“Videl, I’ll be right back.” Bulma said. She walked off.
“Do try not to get lost, Videl dear”. Desha said smirking, before following behind her.
Videl rolled her eyes. She looked down at the capsule that she held in her hand. Curiosity was definitely getting the better of her, so she decided not to wait on Bulma to get back. She wanted to open her gift now. She was sure Bulma wouldn’t take offense.
She walked slowly from the lab, closing the door behind her. She walked through the large house coming to the kitchen.
‘Hai, there’s a door’. Videl thought going to the patio door. She heard voices coming from outside. She slowly walked out looking for a place to open her gift.
Videl walked away from the house not wanting to damage it if her gift proved too large. ‘Maybe I should have waited on Bulma’. She thought.
She shrugged slightly pressing the button of the capsule preparing to open it. She stopped though when she heard the voices up ahead.
“Well dodge this!” She heard a young man shout. She saw two men in the distance, a good ways from the house. They seemed to be fighting, or perhaps sparring. Videl moved toward them almost unconsciously. Her eyes widened as she saw one man then the other take to the air. Her father had said that was a trick, an impossibility, for people to fly, that the men in the Cell Games had been playing some type of sick joke when they had pulled the stunt that these two men now above her was now doing. Then she saw the shorter of the two shoot some type of orange light at the other one. She wanted to shout out, to warn the potential victim, but he dodged the light expertly moving so fast that Videl wondered had he moved at all, had the light just went around him or through him. The light was now headed toward her and she screamed not even realizing it was her that had screamed, as she watched the light get closer and closer to her. She closed her eyes, feeling the heat of what she knew was the orange light upon her; something she knew instinctly would kill her. She waited to feel the impact of this supposedly impossible attack, waited to feel the darkness of death, the expanse of abyss, but instead she felt strong arms encircling her waist, pulling her out of the way of the orange ball of death that was about to claim her life. She opened her eyes to find herself gazing into charcoal colored eyes that she could have sworn were green, hair that she knew was blond, or more so gold, but now was as ebony as her own raven locks.
And my head’s all cloudy inside
Gohan looked softly down at the girl in his arms. He felt himself loosing his transformation. He wondered if the girl noticed that his hair and eyes were now black, she seemed to be in shock. She lay half on his lap, they both were on the ground.
And you’re for real
He looked into her deep blue eyes, feeling himself falling, falling into them. He had never felt so complete, so right, as he did with her in his arms. He gently brought his hand to her cheek caressing it softly as if to determine if she was indeed real.
Am I dreaming…
And you’re mine
He smiled to himself, as her eyes widened with emotions that he was sure was a reflection of his own. Her lips parted slightly as if to ask a question, or to make a statement, but all Gohan wanted to do was to loose himself in them, to feel their softness, and taste their sweet nectar. He blinked, shaking himself from his thoughts, from her eyes, never have he wanted someone as much as he did this girl, who’s name he was yet to know.
I am I dreaming…
Pinch me to see if it’s real
Cause my mind can’t decide
Videl looked up at her savior, his eyes were burning with an intensity she knew hers’ shared. She blushed slightly finally taking note of their position.
“Videl, are you ok?” She heard Bulma’s concerned voice call behind her.
Gohan looked up seeing Bulma, and back down at the girl. The spell was broken; the world was back, for all had ceased to exist when he looked into her eyes.
He gently pulled them both up from the ground.
“She’s fine, Onna”. Vegeta said standing behind Gohan, as he had been the whole time.
Gohan growled looking at the older man.
“Nao tocoa-la. Eo meu”. He said his voice threatening.
Vegeta’s eye’s widened with surprise. The boy had spoken prefect Saiya-go, his native language.
Gohan shook his head in hopes to shake off the weird feelings he was getting. For a moment there he felt like attacking Vegeta.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Videl said shakily.
Bulma looked at the girl, neither she nor Desha had seen what happened. They had both just walked out onto the patio seeing Videl lying in Gohan’s arms up ahead. She had figured that the girl might have fainted, perhaps walking out to see Vegeta and Gohan flying around like birds or something.
“Gohan?” Desha said noticing the boy as she stood behind Bulma.
‘Oh no’. Gohan thought, as he looked over to none other than Satan Desha, the woman who he had slept with just last night. “Hello, Mrs. Satan”. Gohan said as both Bulma and Videl looked at him questionably and Vegeta smirked knowingly. He scratched the back of his head reminiscent of his father, as he tried to come up with a lie, an excuse, or something that would get him out of the mess he had stepped into.
So what do you think? How is Gohan going to get out of this one? Read and Review!
In the next chapter: Gohan does some quick talking. Goten and Trunks get into a little trouble and Videl wants to fly.
BTW: Nao tocoa-la. Eo meu: Don’t touch. She’s mine.
The song: Am I dreaming by Xscape.
I just had to add this song. It went so well with the situation (actually I was listening to it while I was writing that part).