Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Where do I belong? ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball/Z/GT, it characters, or anything in it; nor do I own any other licensed product/item that may appear throughout this fan fiction piece.

AN: Thank you all for the great reviews. Getting close to two hundred! By far my most successful story. My writing time is being seriously cut down. Who knew these classes would take up this much time? So yes, though I don't exactly update daily, I've been doing something like updates twice a week or so, but I don't know what it's going to turn too. I'm trying to stay ahead, but it is getting harder. I haven't updated my other stories for a while, only this one. And if any of you read those, I apologize about that. This story will update weekly though. I'm pretty sure I can keep up with that, for now at least.

Ummmm. Interesting reviews though. I didn't know that some of my sneaks would cause such a stir. lol. Answers are given. And damn people! You guys always expect the worst of me . . . okay so you should, but still. Gohan is not going to be beating his family!!!

Chapter 12

Gingerly, Gohan opened a small box. A shiver ran down his spine as he lifted out a single bullet. It was the bullet that had been fired at him on that fateful Christmas night three and a half years ago. He had found it on the floor of the evacuated room a few years ago when he was just getting over it. His parents had changed rooms, abandoning the other one and locking the door tight. Too bad no lock could keep the youngest Daemon out. He had gone in there to relive his horror as penance, but one night, he had found the bullet. It had been meant for his death, but he had cheated death again and caused it instead.

Carefully, the twelve year old studied it. He had kept it with him as a remembrance, a reminder of his actions and the animal within him. While sitting there, examining the bullet, he remembered his dream. A haunting dream that he had awoken in a cold sweat about. Long ago, he had learned to stifle sobs and any expression of nightmares while asleep. Last night's dream still lurked in the shadows of his mind, feeding up on the darkness.

There had been an ebony haired woman holding an ebony haired boy holding a small picture. The picture was easily Gohan at about four years old wearing the outfit the Daemons had found him in.

"Mommy . . . who is this boy?"

"That's your brother."

"Really? Where is he? And how come I haven't met him yet?" he said pouting as only a three year old could.

"Because he's not here anymore." She said in her melodious voice as she pushed back a lock of the boy's spiky hair. "He was an abomination, a worthless freak, a pathetic excuse for a human being and not worth calling a son." She said her voice strained with hatred and disgust. "That's why we hide this picture sweetie. We want to forget about him, we don't even want to know what he was."

"But where is he?" He asked innocently, his dark eyes wide at what he was hearing.

"Gone, my son. Never to return. Your father and I sent him far away . . ." She said, locking eyes with a dark haired man as she kissed the young child's head lovingly. Covered in shadows, a statuesque man, an adult version of the chibi, grimaced at the speech.

"Is he coming back?

"No," the man spat. "He's dead. For the good of the world, he is dead. In mind, body, and soul. And if he's not . . . I will make sure he dies. . ." The man's fiery eyes lit up and glared at the portrait before crushing it in his hand. "I swear, he's dead and will remain that way . . . forever."

A gasp from the door startled Gohan from his memories. Glaring up, murderous green eyes pierced a set of midnight blue ones. The eyes of his sister were wide with shock. Startled, he fell from the bed, his eyes bleeding black and the light disappearing once more. Cassandra ran to her brother, helping him on his feet.

"What happened?" she asked her voice full of concern.

Looking down at the ruined bed, a slight blush crossed his cheeks. "I-I was just thinking . . ." he stuttered.

"You really need to learn to control this, Gohan. It's been years now . . . It's about time you seriously train again." She said seriously. "I can beat you now . . ." she said with a laugh.

He quickly sent a mock glare her way. "Could not. I could beat you with my pinky." A good hearty laugh escaped his lips as he disappeared from the room, expecting her to follow soon after. He knew he needed to train. He hadn't seriously practiced martial arts for a while. It had haunted him. He didn't want the destructive power; he didn't want the strange ability. He wanted to be normal, not the tailed freak.

Hearing his decent into the kitchen, Cassandra quickly moved over to the rubble that had once been his bed. She had watched him from the doorway for a while. She had seen him studying something quite hard before he dropped it and transformed. Feeling on the wooden floor until her fingers glided upon a small piece of cold metal. Grasping it, she pulled it out. A startled gasp escaped her lips as she quickly figured out just what it was. The bullet that had meant to end his life that Christmas. Doubt of her brother's full recovery coiled in her mind as a snake. Pocketing the physical reminder of the horror that plagued their home, she escaped the room, mentally reminding herself to have a talk with her brother soon.

Sliding into the chair beside her brother, she prepared to eat her own meal. She knew that she had to get her food before her brother retrieved his. Surveying her sibling, she searched for a sign of distress or any conceivable evidence of his sorrow. Years as an observer in the Daemon household were no help as she searched his countenance. However, she knew that he had become an expert in deceiving. He held facades easily, only displaying his true torment and shadows when he wanted to. Dropping her thoughts, she turned to eating.

Gohan merely sighed. He could feel his sister's gaze and knew that she was worried. She had always been the one to see through him, but he could deceive her when he had too. He refused to be a burden. He had to be strong. For his sister, his parents, his family, as well as himself. Hiding a grin, his mind worked up the way to break the news of his latest slip up to his parents. Before digging into the mountain of food before him, he sheepishly looked up at his parents. "Ummm Mom, Dad?"

Upon seeing the guilty look on his face, the two prepared themselves for the worst. Their imaginations flickering with every possibility for a twelve and a half year old child. From pregnancy (a girl's, not his), to violence, to something at school . . . boy, could their imaginations work. "Yeah son?" Erik asked hesitantly.

Noticing the apprehension in his parent's eyes, he almost wanted to fall off his chair with laughter. Ever since he had received the `birds and the bees' talk a few months ago, his father always seemed to expect the worst. His trademark grin appeared on his face, his obsidian eyes gleaming. "I-I have something to say . . ." Knowing he had their attention, he took a deep breath.

Cass merely chuckled. She knew what he was doing . . . It wasn't like she didn't do it every now and then. Their parents were just so paranoid about their children's lives. Especially when it came to bad news. With all the accidents that happened around Gohan, you would think they were used to that guilty face. Her brother was always exerting strength, breaking dishes, bending silverware, knocking down doors, occasionally walking through the wall or busting through the ceiling, and of course, the uncontrolled blasts or accidental gold fighters. He really did need to learn control.

"Well, you see . . ." he began, stalling, edging on his parents. "I, I mean . . . She, I mean . . . We . . . Errrr." he growled in mock frustration. "Well, . . . the two of you . . . are going to be . . . gr--"

His words were quickly cut off as Erik's glass broke from the strain of his clenched fist. Gohan's eyebrow rose as his father and mother merely stared at him, storms appearing in their eyes. Innocently, his dark eyes flashed purity and a bit of tears. Before Erik could speak, Gohan spoke quickly, wanting to finish his words before things got too out of hand. When his mother got started one something, that lecture would take forever to end and the truth revealed.

"grounding me soon." His trademark grin appeared with full force. Beside him, Cass burst into laughter. Her body shook with humor at her parent's expense, so that she fell from her chair.

Picking herself up, she caught her breath. "You guys thought Gohan was going to say grandparents didn't you?" she asked, her dark blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. She was soon joined by Gohan as the two began laughing again.

Erik and Angel merely regained their composure before glaring at their pre-teen children. "You got that right son." He said, a faint humor softening the hard edge of his words. "But can I ask why I was going to do it before your stunt?"

"Sure!" he said as he picked up his glass of orange juice that shattered quickly in his hand. Immediately, his large smile turned sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. A slight chuckle escaped his lips. "Oops?"

Angel merely sighed before getting the dishrag to clean up her son's mess. Broken glass was getting common . . . as well as broken everything. Shaking her head, she moved to clean up Erik's mess as well.

"Thanks mom." He said quietly before looking at his stern father once more. "Well, I-I kinda did it again . . ." he said, his voice thick with guilt. "I was thinking and when I heard Cass come in my room . . . It startled me. But I was golden again." His voice had tapered off into a whisper as he spoke those words. The family knew what he meant and how much he despised the strange ability.

"Well, son, I've been thinking about it. You haven't done much training so how would you like to spend your summer on a training expedition." Gohan's eyebrows rose at his words but remained silent, waiting for an explanation. "A lot of younger students are being sent off to survive on their own . . . But since we all know you could survive, and you certainly don't need to spend your summer at the dojo, I was thinking that three months out in the woods might help you control the power. Then, these accidents can end, and we won't have to buy you a new bed all the time."

Angel immediately interrupted. "No Erik. Hell no!" This certainly shocked everyone there. Angel had never been fond of curse words, only using them when very mad . . . like the time the kids had taken all of her jewelry and dumped it in the lake so they could go diving for `treasure.'

"There is no way in hell that my son is going into the woods for three months on his own. He's only 12 years old Erik, that is too young and it will not happen." Her midnight blue eyes darkened, storming with anger at her husband.

Erik merely smiled at her, knowing that she wasn't mad at the anger. Hell, he had done the survival thing before. It was fear. Plain and simple. Slowly, he stood and walked to where she was standing. Pulling her into an embrace, he whispered to her reassuringly. "Angel, honey, calm down. It's only three months, besides, nothing will happen to him. He's stronger than we could ever imagine. I don't even think he realized just how strong he is, much less us realizing it. Nothing will happen, I promise. And he doesn't have to go alone . . . Cassandra could go too."

Angel sniffed back her tears. Her husband was expecting her to allow her two children, the most precious things in their life, out into the wilderness for three months. Deep down, she knew that it was actually a good idea. Gohan and Cassandra were very close; they would look out for each other. Plus, this would give Gohan an opportunity to explore the extent of his powers. In populated areas, it wouldn't work. Nodding, she backed away. "Whatever they choose . . ." she whispered before disappearing upstairs.

Gohan and Cassandra's eyes met, immediately smiling, they looked at their father. "Hell yeah!" They exclaimed in unison. Both immediately apologized about their language as well.

Erik merely chuckled at their enthusiasm. "Well, when do you want to leave?" The two merely fell into silence, unsure of when to choose.

"As soon as possible?" Gohan asked hesitantly. He didn't want to seem too eager, but he did want to do it quickly. A summer with no parents, a summer to explore his abilities, a whole summer to test his strength? Sounded good to him. Sure, he hated the power, but he was curious of just what it could do, plus, he didn't want to hurt anyone. Broken appliances and dishware paled in comparison to broken body parts and bones of his loved ones.

"How about this weekend? That way your mom won't feel like your rushing off to leave her. Plus, we need to get you guys some stuff out there. Its not going to be survival camp so you guys will want to take some things with you." The two preteens nodded their heads.

After breakfast, the family headed to the stores, ready to prepare their children for three months alone in the middle of no where.

As the weekend approached, Angel was constantly worried about their safety. Pampering them, making them their favorite foods, everything she could do to spoil them, she did it. That Saturday morning, she drug herself out of bed, following her husband to bid the two children goodbye.

"So, do you know where you're going?" Erik asked curiously.

Rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish laugh, Gohan shook his head. "Nope."

Rolling her eyes at her brother's antics, she hit the back of his head. "Gohan's going to fly around and look for some locations, wooded, no people, that type of place."

Nodding at her words, Erik embraced his daughter. "Be careful Cassandra. Keep an eye on your brother, he needs you." He whispered. Cass merely nodded at his words before going to her mother and being pulled into a tight hug as well.

"Well, son, are you ready?" Shadows appeared in Gohan's eyes with his father's words. "And I don't mean physically. Are you ready to battle your inner demons and master your golden abilities?" he asked seriously.

"I-I don't know, dad, but I'll find out." The two Daemon men embraced briefly. Angel quickly tore her son from Erik and enveloped him in an endearing embrace.

"You be good, and be careful Gohan. If anything happens, you get here immediately. Do you have everything you need? Are you sure you want to do this?" Her questions were put to a halt as Gohan wrapped his arms around his mother.

"I'll be fine mom. Don't worry. Enjoy three months without me and Cass around to bug you." He sent one last soft and reassuring smile to his mother before picking up his stuff and capsulizing it. Cass took the capsules and put them in her case in her pocket.

Moving behind his sister, he wrapped his arms around her waist. Sending a smile at his parents, the four gave their last goodbyes. Sending a reassuring look to his sister's scared face, he grinned. "Remind me to teach you to fly Cass . . . your heavy!"

Laughing at his sister's angry face, he backed away as she moved to hit him. He quickly held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay Okay! I give!" he yelled while laughing. Straightening up, he continued seriously. "Really, maybe I can teach you. Then I don't have to carry you everywhere." A grin quickly appeared on his face. Maybe he could pass some of his abilities off.

Finally ready to leave, the four said goodbyes again. Wrapping his arms around his sister again, he began lift off. Hovering mid-air, the two pre-teens yelled their goodbyes, before Gohan took off in a flash of light.

Erik and Angel watched as they quickly vanished from sight. Wrapping an arm around his wife's waist, she buried her head on her shoulder. Tears poured from her eyes. Erik tipped her head up, wiping the tears from her cheek. "Don't worry Angel, they'll be fine. I told you Gohan has amazing strength. They can handle anything. Gohan would give up his own life before anything happened to Cass, and I don't think anything will hurt Gohan. Remember, that bullet didn't hurt him . . . they will both be fine."

Angel felt reassured a bit by the reminder. As much as they hated remembering that fateful Christmas night, the fact that the bullet hadn't hurt him at all was reassuring now. Looking up at her husband's eyes, emeralds to sapphires, she sought his comfort. "You're sure?"

Ignoring the cold that washed over his heart and forewarning in his mind, he began to lead his wife inside of the house. "I'm sure. I promise baby. They will be fine." A smile decorated her face, reassured by her husband's words.

Suddenly, a smirk decorated Erik's face. Pulling Angel close to him, he leaned down to her ear, nibbling slightly. "You know . . . the kids are gone for three whole months. I wonder what we can do to pass the time . . ."

Angel grinned at her husband before running upstairs. Erik quickly followed, anticipating some one-on-one time with his wife for the first time in since Cassandra was born, ignoring any warning to the horror that could occur.

Forgetting that despite his son's power, everyone has their weaknesses.

Forgetting the things that he learned the night of the potential robbery.

Forgetting the darkness that lurked in the shadows of everyone's minds and the corruption of the world around them.

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Yup, that is foreshadowing people. Anyone who knows me and my writing style knows I won't let my characters have many happy moments, especially in an Angst story. There will be warnings as you progress. Please pay attention to them. FF.net pulled NC-17 stories (though I absolutely do not get this) due to complaints, and I won't have that happen here. I don't think it grants for NC-17 and damn it people, this is not going to turn into a Gohan/Cassandra fic. Please people. They see each other as best friends, brother/sister. I don't even want your minds going there. I don't know if the story will have romance at all. Videl will show up when I get that far, but this story is not romance. But you guys don't need to think that far ahead, nor do I. Kami, we still have a ways to go for him to get near those cities. And of course, feed back is always a good idea.

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MAILING LIST: Again, you email me or review and tell me you want on the WDIB update list, making sure you give me your email address. If your on it, and you want off, then tell me. And if you asked to be on it and you didn't get it, then tell me. I can't fix things if I don't know what's wrong. I'm not perfect.

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SNEAK PEEK: (Thanks for telling me you pay attention to this. And you know if you don't get one . . . that means the next chapter isn't written. The are pulled from the unrevised/unedited chapters.)

""Who's dat?" A tiny voice said.

Whipping around, Chi-Chi was shocked to see her three year old son standing on a chair, looking at one of the few remaining pictures of Gohan. Goku, who had just entered the house from training, froze like a deer caught in an oncoming car's headlights."

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""Now try to lower yourself Cass." Sure enough, she willed her way down. Opening her eyes, she was shocked to see how far up she was in the air. Immediately, her concentration was destroyed. With this, her energy receded into her body once more, leaving her unsupported, plummeting to the ground."