Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Teal Eyes ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

mystic_writer: Sorry for leaving you guys hanging, but it takes a while for me to get my ideas 2-gether and my chapter written. I'd like to say thank you to everyone that has read Teal Eyes and/or reviewed! Thankyou!!!

Note: You guys won't believe this, but this is, in fact, a CRYSTELLE-FREE CHAPTER!!!! *trumpets flare* YAY!!!!! Can everyone say yay???!!! And finally, we learn the plot behind Kioshi and Sato.

Lay down your pitchforks, sit back, and enjoy! ^_^

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-Teal Eyes-

Chapter 9

By mystic_writer

mystic_writer@hotmail.com

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Videl opened her eyes, seeing the cream colored walls of her room. Puzzled, she sat up. No pain.

`Wh-What's going on? I was just…shot… and…' she thought, swallowing hard.

"My God, am I dead?" she wondered, taking a moment to touch her face, feeling its solid warmth. A small sound of surprise escaped from her throat when noises from the next room startled her. Slowly, she rose from her bed and wondered into the neighboring room, which was her own private living area. When she saw the image before her, she froze. She was staring at… herself! Yes, there were no doubts about it. The girl kneeling in front of the Tv was Videl herself. Except, that is, that she was at least ten years old, and completely engulfed in what was on. Her pigtails, held by beige ribbons, flowed down to her waist. The elder Videl, confused and dazed, approached the young girl, who didn't even notice she was there at all. She just continued to sit with her hands clasped to her chest, a glazed look in her azure eyes. Two small words then parted from the child's lips…

"He's… amazing…"

The older Videl's eyes widened as she looked to the Tv. A blinding, golden blaze engulfed the screen, the picture shaking from waves of power. As the scene unfolded, Videl remembered the day of the Cell games.

"My gosh…" she murmured as she stared at the screen, "I'm re-living the day of the Cell games!" She sat down beside her younger self. "I remember… I was amazed at that boy's power... He was out of this world!" Videl watched for the longest time, recalling every word, every picture as it was happening. She smiled as she watched his every move.

"Gold Fighter…" she murmured. "He is the Gold Fighter. He has finally returned…" She felt so much at peace that her eyes began to droop, and she laid over on her side sleepily. However, pain filled her body suddenly, sending her into waves of darkness. The last thing she saw before she gave in was an image of …Gohan…?

Videl groaned as her eyes opened, her vision severely distorted.

`Now what?' she wondered, her mind clouded with grogginess.

"Oh, Videl, thank goodness!" a familiar voice cried.

Videl turned her eyes to the source of the voice, seeing a …fuzzy blonde blob.

"Uh…mmm…Erasa…?" she asked, trying to make her eyes focus, but failed miserably.

"Yes, yes! It's me!" Erasa exclaimed, her voice strained and raspy… probably from crying. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!"

Videl moaned and retreated, closing her uncooperative eyes.

"…Where… am… I?" she asked, feeling Erasa's warm hand clasp hers.

"You're at Orange Star Hospital," Erasa informed, "You've been here since late yesterday afternoon. Gohan told me about what happened, and we rushed over."

"Ah… Gohan? Is… he… still …here?"

Erasa smiled, but shook her head. "He stayed as long as he could, and had to go home to help his widowed mother," she said, looking away from her fallen friend. "But I stayed. All night."

Videl smiled slightly. "Thanks." She felt a wave of pain go through her body and attempted to push it away. However it kept hanging around, kind of like that wench, Crystelle. "Mm…pain!" Videl whined, squinting her eyes tightly shut.

"You need something for pain?" Erasa asked, watching as her friend nodded. "Okay, I'll go tell the nurse. I'll be right back."

Videl sighed and tried to relax. Her thoughts soon drifted to her strange dream. `Why did I dream something like that?' she wondered, `…and… why did I see Gohan in the end? Is it some sort of sign?' She opened her eyes, her vision better than before but still not entirely clear. `Maybe HE is the Gold Fighter…' Videl mentally smacked herself. `What a STUPID thought! I mean, he's so darn scrawny and…'

`Gohan did wear the same clothes as the Gold Fighter, didn't he?' "the little voice" in her head said.

`Yeah… those clothes of his aren't exactly …popular, so I doubt you would see two different guys wearing that same outfit,' Videl agreed with herself, `But… I DID. Unless… they are one in the same.'

The nurse appeared through the door, holding a small container with some capsules in it. She poured Videl a cup of water and handed it and the medicine cup to her.

After Videl swallowed the pills, she asked, "Where's Erasa?"

"Oh, you mean the girl that came and got me?" the nurse asked. "She had to make a phone call-She said to tell you that she would be back soon."

Videl smiled. "Okay. Thanks." She lay back, closing her tired eyes as sleep overtook her.

~*~

Gohan's brow twitched as he tried to complete the delicate task that was at hand. Wash wash, scrub scrub. Annoyed, he picked up the soap, smacking it against that irritating dish that would not allow that stuck-on food to be freed. Goten popped out of the oven suddenly, holding his nose with one hand and a can of cleaning spray in the other.

"MAN! It reeks in there!" he exclaimed as he climbed all the way out. He set the can down on the counter and floated up to where he could reach the sink. "Move over," he barked, obviously in a bad mood.

"What's wrong with you?" Gohan asked.

Goten pouted. "Nothing, `cept that I'm being punished and didn't do anything!" He looked up at his older brother. "Gohan, this is all YOUR fault! I could be playing right now if you hadn't gotten in trouble with mom while I was in the same room! Mom'll get both of us every time! This isn't fair! I was just an innocent bystander!" he whined.

"An innocent bystander, huh?" Gohan asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Who tracked mud in the house again?"

Goten dried his hands on a paper towel. "Oh yeah? Well you didn't tell momma you were going to be out all yesterday afternoon," the little one reminded him.

"Hey, I didn't know!" Gohan insisted, not watching where he placed the dish as it willfully missed the counter. Both Sons watched in horror as it started falling. With a lightening quick flash, Gohan made a grab for it, but so did Goten. Their heads hit with a loud cracking sound, sending them to the floor with pain.

CRASH

Gohan rubbed his forehead and looked at the pieces of broken plate that littered the floor.

"That better not be what I think it is!" a voice warned from the living room.

"Oh great Gohan, now we're really going to be in trouble!" Goten cried as he dove under the cloth of the dining table. Gohan scrambled to gather the bits of plate before Chichi arrived. Too late.

Chichi stepped into the kitchen, her face falling when she saw the broken plate. She looked around for her second son. "Gohan, where is your brother?"

Gohan gestured toward the table and continued to pick up the once beautiful plate. Chichi crossed her arms and approached the table. "Son Goten, don't hide from your mother!"

Goten peeked from under the shroud and gave the Son grin. "Sorry mom,"

Chichi pointed to the spot beside her. "Come here,"

Goten did as he was told and looked down at the floor. Chichi kneeled, wrapping her arms around her son. "I'm not mad at you, Goten. You know, you did a great job cleaning the oven. But don't bother Gohan next time he is cleaning the dishes, sweetie."

Goten perked up. "Okay!" he chimed, pulling away. "… Can I go play now?"

Chichi stood up. "Sure. I think you've learned your lesson."

"Yay!"

"Just not in the mud again!" Chichi called after her son, but he had already gone out the door. She sighed and turned to Gohan, who just finished dumping the shattered plate in the trash.

The phone chortled, making both of them jump. Since Gohan was closest to it, he grabbed the receiver and held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Gohan! It's Erasa!" the person chirped.

"Erasa!" Gohan said, surprised. "How did you get my number?!"

"Videl told me the other day,"

Gohan stiffened, and swallowed hard. Thoughts of holding injured Videl close ran through his mind. Thoughts of her blood pouring onto his clothes as he hurried to get her help entered his mind. And… thoughts of her grasping his hand all the way to the operating room dominated his mind. After a moment of silence, Gohan asked, "How is she?"

From the hospital, Erasa curled the phone line around her dainty finger.

"She's awake! Well, last time I checked,"

Gohan sighed, feeling relieved. "That's great!"

"She asked about ya, you know,"

"Oh, really?" Gohan asked, turning away from Chichi when he saw that amused look of hers appear on her face.

"I want you to come see her. Please?"

"Ah…see her today? I don't know…" Gohan started, when Chichi grabbed the phone away.

"Yes! He'll be there in a little while, but keep it a surprise!" she said.

"Okay! Later!"

Gohan's mouth dropped to the ground as Chichi hung up the phone clapped her hands.

"Mom!!!"

"Gohan, sit," Chichi ordered as she sat down at one of the empty dining chairs. Gohan obeyed, although confused. He sat across from her, tapping his fingers on the table nervously. Finally, after a few moments of peace, Chichi smiled.

"Gohan, I've been thinking…"

`Here it comes…' Gohan thought, `Some crazy idea about Videl and me…'

"You know that little girl they keep talking about in the news?"

Gohan blinked. "Huh??"

Chichi picked up the newspaper that lay nearby on the table. "The little girl-Sato, I believe her name is-I was thinking…"

Suddenly, Gohan remembered. The small girl that was with that soldier, Kioshi…`The leader of the military faction had gotten irritated when his soldiers weren't able to kill me,' he thought, 'Then, when he tried to start shooting the hostages… Kioshi shielded them and …was shot to death…' Gohan hung his head, remembering the horrible incident that happened just days ago. `Blood went everywhere! It was gruesome.'

"Uh, what about her?" Gohan asked, trying to shake the images from his mind.

"I want to adopt her," his mother said simply.

"WHAT?!" Gohan jumped up from his seat. "Mom, think about what you're saying! You have two demi saya-jins to feed already! Plus, there's no room! Where would she sleep?"

"Oh, Gohan, I can't worry about that now!" Chichi cried, "So many people want her, but it says here…" She pointed to a column on the page, "…that she refuses to go with anyone! She needs peace, quiet, and companionship, Gohan. And where we live is perfect! Not to mention that Goten will give her lots of company. Oh, I've always wanted a daughter!!"

"Mom…"

"This is ideal!" Chichi exclaimed, springing from her chair. "While Goten and I see if we can talk to her, you can visit Videl!"

"But mo-om!" Gohan pleaded.

Chichi pushed her son out of the kitchen and to the stairs. "No buts, Gohan! Go get dressed in your best clothes and get your allowance to buy Videl some flowers or whatever-that's up to you what you want to get her, but listen here, you had better buy her something! Anything! Now go!"

Gohan sighed. He jogged up the stairs, giving in to his mother's request…er, command. Chichi smiled and clapped her hands together.

"Hey mom!" a little voice called from behind her. Chichi turned around to see a mud-clad Goten grinning like he'd found gold. "Look at me! I'm a piggie!"

"WAAH!!! GOTEN!!!"

~*~

mystic_writer: Tada!!! Well didja like it??? Huh??? Huh??? *coughs* Um, okay nevermind. ^_~ *narrator voice* Will Chichi be able to adopt the adorable little Sato? Will Goten get a new playmate? What will Gohan buy Videl??? What will he say to her??? Will Videl mention the… Gold Fighter?!?! WILL CRYSTELLE APPEAR IN THE NEXT CHAPTER?!?!?! Waah, we hope not! Find out in Chapter 10 of Teal Eyes!