1Whistling. Nothing but pure, unadulterated, creeping but regular whistling zipped through the air around Chi Chi's home. The trees wrestled against each other, their branches smacking and tussling over each other to avoid the on going wrath. Ox King made his home especially enforced to endure the harsh environment whether Mother Nature should unleash her agonizing spells. This was one of them.
Amidst the ongoing wind was accompanied by heavy and blowing snow. In temperatures marking under 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing outside is capable of surviving an hour, let alone minutes. A saiyan just maybe. Super Saiyans most likely.
"Ah! Ah-ha!" Baby Goten screeches as Chi Chi shows him each individual Christmas tree ornament. The warmth of the home was ever so welcoming, the fireplace crackling from the exploding wood, soft holiday music on the radio Yamcha bought for the family not too long ago, the 'buffet' of food eaten in a matter of minutes.
Just the large bones of a giant turkey were left abandoned on the table, dirty dishes already aligned on the table AND sink. Chi Chi knew she wasn't going to be alone to wash them.
Gohan felt like it was a century ago he defeated Cell, still trying to come to terms with his first victory for humanity and the Earth. Only a year and a half has passed if you want to get technical. His arm, though healed and restored by Dende, still had major bruising in little areas of the bone structure, thanks to an Orthopedist Ox King knew that treated children for free.
He traveled from forest to forest, giving aid to those in need.
Chi Chi didn't want to go through the trouble of getting him another senzu bean seeing as Korin always has a scarce supply unless it was in dire need. The doc gave him a cast and Gohan needed to wear it for the next 2 weeks. Not that Gohan ever complained and the socket of his arm was rather raw now that he thought about it.
The only lights inside the neat home are, as anyone would guess, candles upon candles everywhere. Without electricity their home was barren and none of them complained… At least for Chi Chi's sake. Warm blankets, firewood, expensive wine Bulma sent for her friend, all the sweets that'll go stale in less than weeks, the works.
Gohan's body just couldn't support the cold inside, so he went super saiyan to keep warm. He hated all the itchy outfits and he felt they were too hot. In this form he felt just right. Thank goodness he doesn't have to discuss this to Goten until he was older.
Ox King retired early into the night, his age waning on him to sleep for more than 9 hours a night.
It was merely Gohan, his mom and Goten up to spend the night having fun.
He loved watching Goten reach up high to grab anything he deemed his. Save for the stars.
His mom looked at the clock, with it only reading 8:30 pm.
"Goten, you wanna read some bedtime stories?" Chi Chi inquires, lifting him up high in the air. Her second born giggles and squeaks his agreement.
The teen laughed to himself whenever his brother chortled like that. The magic of a baby's laughter can cure all maladies… would be too far fetched, HOWEVER it lightened up the mood for some, even earning happy tears from others.
Gohan unleashed his legs, a couple of bones popping in various parts. She never liked hearing bones do that let alone break unless it was on a burglar or pervert. She's the head of an elite squad for protection against women and children. She calls it:
Delinquents, Ensured, Subtle, Terrifying, Rampage, Onto, Yellowbellies. Project D.E.S.T.R.O.Y for short. 18 is the muscle and Bulma is the brains. Chi Chi is the spokesman.
From the nearest bookshelf, she meanders through the various cases looking for the correct spot she placed children novels for babies and toddlers.
An index finger goes from the top to bottom, wandering. "Hmmmm, lets see now…
"Catcher in the Rye, no… My sappy love novels, no… The Intro to Calculus, nuh-uh maybe when he turns 12… The Art of War, no need… Ah! Here we go!"
The most bottom shelf (well the side shelf she used for all of Gohans' old books) containing each and every one of her son's favorite novels growing up as a baby. But then something strikes her as odd.
They get up, not even in the most haste. Goten is plopped down onto Gohan's stomach, "Hold on, I think I remember storing them somewhere else. Bulma really shouldn't trust me with too many things." As if they were donations. She graciously hurried over into one of the rooms located in the attic.
Goten sneezes, a little mucus dripping from his nose. Gohan wipes it off with his red and golden ugly sweater he was given by Yamcha. It had bells and presents adorned all around it, the snowflakes dotting it too.
He hears his smaller siblings whining. "Yeah, I know. Mom goes all out when it comes to candles. I think it's only Halloween when she doesn't put the scented ones out." He gives a tender peck to his soft, delicate cheek, grabbing a nearby throw blanket.
Peppermint was the crave every year, but was Gohan going to deny he liked all the sugar? Probably, considering he never has candy. Candles would have to do. They adorned the walls while they scented ones in red and green gave the room aroma. Pine trees and peppermint.
Goten happily makes himself comfortable on Gohan's chest, rubbing his face into him. "Da… Da…" He kept trying to utter. Chi Chi always admired how he thought anyone who cared for Goten he deemed a parent, but he'd learn soon enough that a child CANNOT be a parent. He'd let him have his fun for the first 2 years of his life.
"Here we are!" She yelled. Gohan glanced at the tree with it's twinkling ornaments, distracted by the unsettling thumps and bumps emanating from outside the living room.
It continued for about 4 seconds more, with his mom crashing down near the entrance. The sheer confusion on Gohan's face spoke stories, as his mother is the definition of careful and sharp instincts, just why did she fall down the stairs?
The fire gives off a few crackles, Chi Chi stumbling in "Don't worry I remember everything now." She dozes trying to regain her composure. Gohan sweat drops, unsure if she'll have another spill.
In her hand was another makeshift capsule, crafted by the big cheese herself. It was a black capsule, marked with one yellow stripe on the middle.
She clicks it and throws it out onto the middle of the living room. It pops itself open, revealing the giant case. It was built into the form of a crane, a rather large one as it reached the ceiling without a problem. The little train that went around the tree is barely heard now, but it's smoke constantly fuming.
It was a holiday crane, as various markings of the holidays throughout the years. A pumpkin, heart, santa claus, four leafed clover, and a turkey. It's body swung back and forth for anyone eager to switch between holidays.
"Buuuuh! Buhhhh!" Goten says, reaching his arm out to grab hold of its beak.
Chi Chi nuzzles his forehead, giving him his plush toy of Rudolph. She clicks the santa claus icon, and bing bang boom inside of the bird revealed its many assorted books of the specific holiday. Most pop up, others of poetry, ones filled with short stories.
She picks out an album by mistake. Gohan immediately replies, "Hey, I read about those! That's for record players! Just take it out and-" The crane regurgitated a box like object. Handy Dandy Record Player it read in bright yellow letters on the side. So much for showing off his education.
"Huh, would you look at this. Christmas hits from the 60's to the 90's… You know any of them Gohan? I'm in the dark with these." She takes out the disk, tossing the case somewhere unseen. It makes a grass breaking noise but she knows there was no glass where she threw it.
Chi Chi spins the roulette on the box to give it ample play time. The record is placed and through the speakers under it the first tune out was "Oh Christmas Tree." A piano softly begins the tune, a woman following the rhythm.
"I'll go ahead and start with this one. If you both go to sleep on me, I'm not waking either of you, I will get the wine out of my cabinet and drink to my heart's content. Just be sure to change Goten's diaper or feed him if he starts crying alright Gohan?" She exclaims.
Goten gets snug as a bug in a rug under the giant comforter with his brother, unaffected by the super saiyan aura, squeezing his plush in the process. Gohan brings his hand and ruffles his brothers hair, grasping him in his arms. Story time wasn't something new to Gohan but with Goku gone it just felt different.
'Oh Goku. If only you knew how happy I am to have our son's in our… my life.'
She opens a book to the start of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.'
The smell of the cedar wood crackling from the fire emulates into the living room, giving everyone a comfy homey feeling.
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
Gohan can't remember the last time he'd done something like this without Goku even present to begin with. What he did remember Goku merely fell asleep at about halfway through and he was slightly annoyed.
But now, he feels so accustomed by his practice. After their training session he believed he'd gotten closer to his father. If not, at least share anything about himself Goku had yet to even know. It's always the little things, but things in this world just weren't meant to be. There's always some form of danger to protect everybody from and nobody seems to give each other the small lovable facts about them.
Now that Gohan's in charge, he'd have to do the same thing. At least not entirely. He closes his eyes, hugging Goten close not ever letting him slip off.
His mom grabs her nearby comforter, the one with Hello Kitty and My Melody baking holiday goodies.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of midday to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, shouted, and called them by name;
His eyes were drifting off into the space of nothingness, hypnosis of the music combined with the names of the reindeer. Goten lifts his plush up and down, hoping he too can fly if he just tossed him up light enough.
Eyelids closed like a magnetic lock, his heart hoping he wouldn't be disturbed.
The atmosphere is rushing. Wind being thrown from all directions, it's howling creeping any living thing that dared stand in its wake. Puffy clouds slightly undisturbed by the unbearable strength, they merely flow with it like on water.
Crescent Moon made her appearance right above, her gentle warmth and glow a friend to any nocturnal beings. On holiday nights, everything just feels so still like the snow is a silent blanket, draping the land for slumber.
Not to anyone's surprise, the twilight sky is one of the most fantastic naturally painted scenarios anyone could be happy about.
Gohan, now in his same wardrobe as he received from Piccolo sits idly on one of the biggest clouds he could find. It held little of the sunsets tinge on it, finding it to be unbelievably soft and malleable. He stares far into space, wondering just what his father is doing right now. Maybe training for tournaments in heaven.
"Oh fa…" He didn't have it in him to even go with the term "Father." So many years wasted on Goku being dead, he found it impossible to refer to him like he did as a kid.
He's only fifteen now, and it makes it embarrassing.
Gohan takes a deep breath, massaging his face like he splashed warm water on it. Being super saiyan made things bearable in terms of the battlefield and not to mention how odd but sensational it was to be blond for a time.
The moon merely looks back at him, trying her best to illuminate any hidden problems he could be hiding. Something his daily self life couldn't do. He grabbed ahold of a good chunk of the cloud he was sitting on.
His fingers attempted to construct the upper torso of Goku, so that he could hug him and tell him how much he misses and loves him. All he could do was make the hair in the similar style he always saw it in his mind, and Goten was a big reminder of him. Does fate love to torture anyones heart whenever they're in pain.
A decent figure was created. His face was solemn, now sure he was about to shed tears he didn't back then… An embrace was attempted to the puffy thing. It only held about a second before disintegrating into nothing.
The lunar light twinkled for seconds, revealing the figure he wanted so desperately to appear. She sent her marbles upon marbles of grace in front of the boy, taking form.
His eyes, now filled like a dam obscured his vision. It made the scene more vivid and surreal. "Gohan." The familiar voice whispered.
Believing was one thing he just didn't want to do, because his dad is dead. Gone, not a trace of him to be seen. The bright matter materialized, into the same orange like jumpsuit, those black boots, the all too wild hair. Gohan was sure he was ready to break down.
"Did ya miss me buddy?" It echoed. HE echoed.
The golden halo popped into existence, floating so gently over the angels head… Gohan's angel. That same smile whenever he finished defeating the bad guy without thinking of the repercussions.
In an instant, he jumped to his feet. Sprinting as fast as his little legs, that can destroy steel, could carry him over. Goku too went into super saiyan mode, unsure if his son would be able to bring him back to life with the embrace.
"DADDY!" The tears broke through. Water slid off his face, flying out and becoming little ice crystals, landing onto the clouds without breaking. He yells the phrase out as many times as possible. Hundreds of times. Thousands of times. Gohan would know when it was enough to stop saying that at his age.
Goku has his arms unders his buttocks, one caressing his back and patting it. He hops up and down like he was trying to calm down a newborn baby.
"Daddy's here." He muses, giggling in his mind about it of his teenage son. Intense nuzzling was made into his neck, as he himself presses his face into the golden locks of his son.
The teen couldn't tell if there was something placed on his forehead when Goku did that, and it happened several more times.
'Gross sobbing' Gohan thinks, but no bone in his body made him care.
Goku shushed him once more, hoping his presence once again could mule over his sons' feelings. He sits down in criss cross applesauce, lying Gohan down into his lap. For the most nonsensical reason, Goku did give him little pecks to his head. He does it once more.
"King Kai told me you've been feeling really wrecked this past year about me. What's wrong?" He says.
Gohan sniffles and sobs, wiping away at his eyes and nose from the drips. Goku holds him close and secure.
He ruffles the boys hair earning a much needed giggle. He rests his head onto his chest. If it was his body he'd most likely be freezing… but seeing him, feeling him here and now nothing but welcoming warmth beat from his chest.
"Daddy…" He begins, now embarrassed by the title. Goku didn't mind, he let him speak.
"I've wanted to tell you things about me that I couldn't tell you when we were training. And after all those times you were dead… or presumed dead." Gohan hiccups, as Goku moves his legs over his right.
"What are they? Anything new?" He asks. Gohan reaches his neck to kiss his dad on the cheek.
"Well… For starters. My favorite color is Purple."
