Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Friends, Bonds, and Family ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Gohan woke up the morning of the party with a light heart and an amazing sense of courage considering he was about to go up against his mother. Even though he had been living with Videl and Piccolo for some time now, he was still, like any sane person, afraid of his mother. She was proud that he was going to be graduating college next semester, a whole year early, but he knew that she still had an intense dislike for Piccolo, and when she found out her son had a loving relationship with the Namek, she was sure to blow her top.

Gohan walked out to the kitchen and started the coffee pot percolating while he went to get the morning paper. When he walked back inside, he noticed Videl walking down the stairs followed closely by a groggy Piccolo. Videl rubbed her eyes and yawned, stretching her arms up and continued on into the kitchen. She took a seat at the table while Gohan got out two mugs and a glass. Piccolo sat across from her and Gohan fixed the coffee and a glass of water and took them to the table.

This was a normal morning routine for the three and they were soon ensconced in a comfortable conversation about the party later that day.

Bulma had called the usual caterer who, by now, was used to getting such large orders from the Brief's. Chi-chi, along with Goten and Trunks, had set up the tables and chairs and arranged the backyard for the party. While waiting for the first guests to arrive, the food was delivered, but it was hidden in the kitchen, mainly from Goku, until they were ready for it.

The four of them were seated outside when the first of the guests arrived. Krillen and his family, along with Master Roshi and Oolong arrived in an air car followed shortly by Yamcha in his own new sports car. Next to arrive were Goku, Vegeta, and Sam, who greeted everyone with great exuberance. Some of the group thought that she was a little crazy, but the guys just thought that she was hot.

Finally, the last ones to arrive were Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo, who received a very heated, angry glare from Chi-chi before she smiled and greeted her son. Chi-chi had the thought that Piccolo was the reason Gohan wouldn't get married and give her the grandchildren she so desperately wanted. She thought that he hung around her son far too much, and that he was a distraction to the relationship between Gohan and Videl.

Sam glomped Piccolo, once again, and received a growl of annoyance in response. She just couldn't seem to get that he didn't want the contact, though she knew exactly what she was doing. She may act crazy, of which she is a little, but she is also very smart and knew, from being telepathic, that today was going to be a hectic day and that the three, two humans and a Namek, would need support from anywhere they could get.

The party was now in full swing, though Vegeta and Piccolo were slightly removed from the group as usual. Vegeta leaned against the wall of the building, his arms crossed and the usual scowl on his face, while Piccolo sat under a tree, slightly away from the general area, with his arms and legs crossed and his eyes closed, seemingly in meditation.

In all actuality, he was extremely nervous about the up-and-coming announcement. Gohan had a plan on how to tell everyone, but he refused to let Piccolo in on the idea. Even Videl knew more about it, though not much more, than he did, which unnerved him to no end.

Shortly after everyone arrived, the food was brought out and everyone made a mad dash for it before the Saiyan's could get to it. Vegeta even held Goku back, though he whined incessantly about it, until he was released to enjoy the food, followed closely by Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks.

Everyone was seated at the long table, with Bulma at the head. Chi-chi sat next to her followed by Goten, Trunks, Marron, Roshi, Oolong, and Yamcha. On Bulma's other side sat Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo, who actually sat at the table with a glass of water, Goku, Vegeta, Krillen, and Eighteen. The majority of the food was eaten within a matter of minutes, but after about fifteen minutes, almost everyone was satiated.

Gohan looked around; making sure everyone was done so that he could have their undivided attention. He was a still a little nervous, but being one of the strongest fighters on the planet, gave him some courage. "Can I have everyone's attention please? I have an important announcement," he called out.

Everyone quieted and turned to look at what was about to happen. No one had any idea what they were about to witness, but Piccolo and Videl both turned in their seats so that they weren't facing the entire group, only Gohan, as he stood up in front of everyone. He cleared his throat, becoming nervous, not at the people he stood before, but at the question he was about to ask, and the answer he might receive.

Gohan addressed the group, "Some people are lucky enough to find that one great love in their lives; their soul mate. But I am lucky enough to be doubly blessed." He then got down on one knee, several people, including Videl and Piccolo, held their breaths. Gohan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box that looked a little big to have just a ring inside. "Videl and Piccolo, will you marry me?"

"WHAT!" Chi-chi hollered when she heard her son propose to, not only his girlfriend, but one of the people that she still held quite a grudge for. Everyone with hearing within a mile radius winced at the sharp tone of her voice.

The box Gohan had opened, upon saying those words, held a lovely gold diamond ring and a plain gold band. "Now mom, calm down," he began, standing up and moving himself between his mother and his lover.

"You want me to calm down," she yelled, moving to stand before her son and glare him in the eye, "when you just asked that monster to marry you!" No one else, including his father, said a word, for they were still a little stunned.

Gohan's eyes flashed in anger, "He is not a monster and I love him. I love them both and I refuse to give either of them up for anything." For once in his life, he was standing up to his mother, and this caused her to take a step back in surprise.

"What about Videl?" She asked, hoping to sway him somehow.

"She knows I love her, and she is all right with sharing my heart," he said, his power rising in ire at his mother's reaction, though he knew something like this would happen. Chi-chi was fuming.

"Actually, it's quite understandable," Sam suddenly spoke up, causing all eyes to turn to her. "In Cattan society, it would be completely understood if the three of them love each other."

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, looking for anything that would help his case. He had always been close to his mother and would hate for anything to break up their relationship.

"Well, my people believed that many, many years ago we all lived as incorporeal beings. Those beings wanted to be solid so that they could have experiences and feelings, so they decided to create bodies. Unfortunately, the bodies were too small to house them singly, so they split themselves into two or sometimes more smaller entities and became solid. They didn't like being separated and longed to be whole once more, but they couldn't return and therefore we spend our lives looking for our other parts, whether there is one or two or sometimes more. We can't live happily if we don't find the other half to what we now call our soul, or soul mate, as they are called on this planet.

"It seems to me that Gohan has two soul mates if they are willing to be with him completely and forever, in life and the beyond. They both love him with all their hearts and they even love each other in a way that is still growing, but it is there."

At the finish of her story, Sam rose from her seat and made her way to stand near where Piccolo and Videl were still seated. She looked them pointedly in the eye and asked, "Well, what is your answer?"

It was then that everyone realized that neither had answered Gohan's question, and they were all waiting with bated breath. Chi-chi still looked a little peeved, but even she couldn't hide the anticipation of waiting for their answers.

Piccolo squirmed ever so slightly, not used to being the center of attention, and hating being put on the spot like this. Videl had tears forming in her eyes as she launched herself at Gohan and cried out, "Yes!"

After a few minutes, the overjoyed woman calmed down enough and wiped her tears away to turn back to the always stoic Namek. Unfortunately for him, the two people that knew him best could tell that he was truly uncomfortable being in the spotlight like this, but was determined not to let it show.

Meanwhile, everyone was watching, hoping for an answer of some sort. He just shrugged at them, crossing his arms over his chest and said, "Sure."

Gohan and Videl smiled, knowing that was all they would get from him, and jumped on him causing his chair to tumble back into the ground. Everyone started laughing at the trio who were caught up in trying to get Piccolo to crack even a small smile. They succeeded and, according to him, ruined his image.

The guests had dispersed, the majority of which headed off to the Kame house, while the others moved their conversations inside. Goten and Trunks were in their rooms playing games or something, while the engaged trio, Chi-chi and Bulma, and Goku, Vegeta, and Sam were seated in the living room.

Bulma had brought in some coffee and cookies to munch on. As she set the tray on the coffee table in the center of the room, she looked over at Vegeta and said, "So Vegeta, Sam wouldn't tell, but she said that the way you two met is an interesting story."

Vegeta looked shocked at Bulma before turning his glare on same who just looked away and proceeded to whistle innocently.

Goku then remembered something and mentioned, "Hey Sam, you said you'd tell me the story one day."

"I did say that, didn't I?" she said, completely ignoring Vegeta's less than enthused look. "Well, this story goes along with my history, so I guess it's about time you all learned exactly who I am."

"You don't have to do this," Vegeta practically pleaded with the young woman.

"I know," she said, then smiled brightly, "but it is a good story, especially the parts with you in it."

Vegeta actually flushed at this, causing those around him to wonder just what had happened in the past, and to anticipate the story all the more. For whatever could make Vegeta blush like that would surely be a great thing to know for those who knew him best.