(The very next day)
It was another quiet noon up in the Mount Paozu region and, as expected of such a quaint and pristine setting, all was well with the earth. The peace and serenity of the environment allowed two particular individuals currently present in the area to fully enjoy the scenery around them and the opportunity to spend in one another's company. Sitting side by side at the edge of a lake, with fishing lines cast across the surface of the clear, still water, Gohan and Lime were having a great time chatting as well as trying to catch something that they could take home for dinner.
Unfortunately, after over an hour of sitting out there in the middle of the practically untouched wilderness, all Lime had been able to catch was a small trout. It was slim pickings for sure, but that didn't mean the pair were bored or anything like that.
In fact, they were rather enjoying themselves, lying out there on the grass with the gentle breeze licking at their hair.
"If you ask me, you don't seem like the kind of guy who's suited for big city life," the brown haired girl wearing the blue and white gingham top tied at the front to show off her midriff and tight, leather blue shorts exclaimed. "Looking at you right now, you're coming off as more of a country kid than anything else."
Adorned in his white, button up oriental shirt, dark pants and shoes, the demi-Saiyan let out an amused chuckle and glanced over at his friend with a grin. "What's giving me away? My boyish charm, my dashing smile, my reasonably affordable outfit…" He asked while grandly gesturing to himself.
Lime giggled at his run-through of the list and smiled fondly at him, "All of the above."
"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," the spiky haired boy said while leaning back on his hands in the short grass around them.
"No. Not at all. I'm just saying that maybe, in a large crowd, a guy like you would stick out like a sore thumb," the farm girl remarked while holding a hand his way. "I mean, think about it. Guys like Erasa and Touya grew up in the city, so they're more in tune with the current trends and fashions of the season. You and I however…" She then gestured down at her rather revealing ensemble of clothing and sighed, "We're pretty much one-trick-ponies when it comes to accessorizing."
Gohan nodded in agreement, "I'm not very fashion conscious myself. But hey… to each their own I guess." He spared the girl a kind smile as he then watched her play with one of her pig tails. "You don't need to worry so much about that stuff anyway. I think you look great in that outfit, Lime."
Looking across at the warrior in surprise, the teenager then noticed the boy's gaze fixed upon her and, after assessing her clothing for a moment, blushed brightly. "R-Really, Gohan?" She began brushing her hair over her ear in a very timid manner.
The demi-Saiyan nodded affirmatively, "Yeah. I've seen you in a lot of shirts and jeans before, but I think this combination suits you best." He pointed towards the ribbon ties in her hair. "The blue really brings out the color in your hair." It was all a matter of perspective. He simply recognized that Lime's outfit, as daring as it was, was a very trendy, comfortable ensemble that really highlighted his friend's appearance.
He made this comment based solely on his observations and intended it to be a compliment to his friend as a friend with no ulterior motives whatsoever; as expected of someone of his innocent disposition.
All the same, his follow-up prompted Lime to look away hastily. Obviously moved and flattered by his words, she began trying to suppress the giddy feeling welling up in her stomach and the flush of red that appeared in her cheeks.
She'd been Gohan's friend for going on seven years now and had built up a reputation for being a tough, strong girl with an immovable will. The last thing she wanted to do was show a moment of weakness to the guy she admired so much, especially one she'd developed feelings for.
"When you say sweet things like that… what's a girl to do…?" Lime whispered, her face practically glowing.
Unfortunately, thanks to his innocent country boy routine, she was finding that incredibly hard to do.
"Hm?" The hybrid fighter blinked as he craned his head towards his friend, "Did you say something?"
Quickly shaking her head and ridding herself of the redness in her cheeks, the brown haired girl beamed across at the boy quickly gave him an answer. "No, no. I'm just… mumbling stuff to myself… that's all." Brushing some stray hairs out of the way, she then threw the demi-Saiyan her full and undivided attention. "So… you'll be going to Orange Star High School as well, huh?"
Ever since she heard Gohan had been interested in attending an academy in the city, Lime immediately hitched herself up to his wagon and began making plans to register as well. For the past several years she'd been attending schools in the countryside around the Mount Paozu region. After all that time seeing the same faces and the same people each and every day of her life, the girl had decided that she wanted a change of pace; to get herself out there and see the world beyond their borders.
When she ran this idea past her parents and grandfather, saying she wanted to attend the same high school that Gohan was going to, they accepted under the condition that she could organize her own accommodations. She later informed them that Erasa was more than happy to take her in as a roommate and once she'd gotten her application for the school done and had completed the examination process, she was all set to start her eleventh year in the first term.
Since she was a year below Gohan, this pretty much made him her upper classman
A quick nod was the teen's immediate response to her question. "Yep. I've only got one more year of studying left to do before I can graduate and after thinking about it I decided I want to do my final year at an actual school. Going to Satan City with Videl and everybody else to get my diploma will be a great way to end this stage of my life."
"Well… I suggest you prepare yourself for the spirit hazing days to come, Gohan," Lime informed, her eyes fixing squarely upon the young adult seated next to her. "I've heard that a lot of the senior students at high schools can be pretty harsh on us freshmen, so I think you should brace yourself for the hailstorm of paddles and spit balls to come flying your way."
Gohan chuckled, "Ah, that's just a nasty rumor blown up by television shows and high school drama flicks."
The brown haired girl giggled, "Don't say I didn't want you. When I move in with Erasa to finish my last two years, I'll be bringing everything I need to protect myself from the squall."
"I'll be sure to look out for you around the quad and oval then," the demi-Saiyan said, giving the girl an all-knowing look. "Maybe even the dojo if you're thinking about joining any clubs when you finally get settled in."
"Oh, I have a few ideas," Lime said, sharing a grin with her best friend from over the mountains before suddenly feeling a tug on her fishing line. Jerking in surprise, the brown haired teen quickly grabbed up the rod before it could be pulled from its placement and began drawing it in. "Hey! I've got one!" Cranking the handle, the girl immediately began to struggle against whatever ungodly force was pulling at the other end of the wire. "Holy… what the hell? It… feels like I'm… trying to… pull a truck out of the water!"
Gohan quickly leapt to his feet and rushed over to his friend. Getting behind her, he took the handle alongside her hands and helped her with the tug-of-war match. Considering how strong he actually was, he made certain to be extra careful as he helped her reel in her catch. "Don't worry, Lime. You got this. Remember. Don't fight it. Draw it in slowly."
For the next couple of minutes the farm girl and her Super Saiyan companion fought against the fish tugging against her line. Though she knew the boy anchoring her to the ground could easily pull whatever it was she'd hooked with a single tug, she also knew he was giving her a chance to do this herself. It was a sweet gesture and one that had her feeling lighthearted when she felt his powerful arms wrap around her, but most of her focus was set firmly upon the monster she was now battling.
It didn't take long till whatever it was that was fighting on the other end of the line decided to reveal itself to the duo. After a fierce struggle against its captors, there was a large splash in the center of the lake and, emerging from the spray of water, a tuna the size of a rhino leapt out and performed the most spectacular dive Lime had ever seen. The girl's eyes sparkled with awe as she watched the magikarp kick in the air before crashing back down into the lake.
"Whoa! It's huge!"
Both alarmed at seeing how big the fish was, about several seconds after it disappeared into the water, the line snapped. Lime ended up flying back into Gohan's arms when the tension gave way, an event that left her feeling stunned and winded. When the teen eventually came to, she looked over her shoulder to see the boy smiling down at her.
"Hey. You okay?" the spiky haired teen laughed.
Blinking, the farm girl blushed and looked away, "I-I'm alright."
Setting her gently to the ground so that she could recover, the demi-Saiyan stepped around and, upon inspecting the surface of the lagoon, quickly removed his shirt.
Lime's jaw dropped when she saw the raven haired hunk toss his shirt aside and stretch out his arms and shoulders. Her cheeks reddening as she shamelessly checked out his chest and torso, she then watched the hybrid fighter turn and give her a thumbs-up, allowing her a clear view of his chiseled front.
"Don't worry. I've got this." All set, Gohan then rushed forward and dove into the water, disappearing under the shimmering, clear surface.
For the next minute or so Lime waited for her friend to reappear with their enormous catch. There was a long moment of pause in which the entire area remained silent, without a single ripple or wave occurring on the surface of the lake. Then, just when she thought the young warrior wasn't going to be resurfacing anytime soon, there was a splash close to the bank followed by the tuna's head popping out of the lagoon. The fish writhed and flailed about for a couple of seconds, unable to comprehend what was going on, before the rest of it was hoisted out of the water by the person that'd caught it.
Wiping his face down with his hand, Gohan grinned up at the massive fish he had by the tail and allowed it to kick away uselessly. "Wow. You're a big one. I bet we can make a lot of sushi and fillets out of you." He then looked across at his friend sitting on the shoreline and waved, showing her the enormous bass she'd managed to snag.
Amazed at the demi-Saiyan's catch, a smile appeared across Lime's face, which she quickly followed up with a wave of her own.
Man. He was amazing. She couldn't remember the last time the hybrid hadn't surprised her with something like this. It was one of the reasons why she admired him so much. Hell, his looks were merely a bonus on top of everything else…
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