Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z nor will I ever.
Last time: What the six teenagers didn't realize was that they were ALL being spied on by a certain someone. She let out a low cackle as she video taped the whole thing and pulled out her phone. "Chichi? This is Amber. You wouldn't believe what I just saw…"
Chapter Eighteen: Graduation Goodbyes
The two weeks passed as quickly as they came and graduation crept on every senior slowly. Anticipation, fear, and sadness filled the air on the final day of practice. The gang was somewhat scattered but they managed to keep in touch by hollering at one another or text messaging…no matter how much it annoyed Mr. Yuuki. They day was hot and bothersome but when the principal announced that practice was over, everyone cheered and ran of the stadium.
Since the seniors got off early, Bulma invited Gohan, Videl, and the rest of the gang over for a Barbeque. "Good," Eric said while chuckling, "Because I am starving!"
When they all made it to Bulma's the group was surprised to see Gohan's family and friends. The smell of burgers and hotdogs caught the noses of the hungry teens as they made their way in.
Everyone still teased Gohan and Videl of their obvious relationship with the usual 'About time you two!' or 'The brat finally has a mate.' That sort of thing. In the end it really didn't matter; they joked around with everyone just the same.
"Eric, Melanie!"
"Sharpie, Erasa!"
Two blurs came running out of the building with a frantic, what seemed to look like an instructor, running after them. "Trunks, Goten, stop this right now! This is no time to fool around kids; you need to finish your math-"
"But Miss Neko," Goten whined, "We've already done that lesson over a dozen times!"
"Besides," Trunks scoffed, "Family and friends are here. They come first."
"Boys, I insist your mothers-"
"Their mother's what? What is going on here?" Bulma asked while walking towards the commotion.
"Oh! Mrs. Briefs! I was just trying to get Trunks and Goten back inside to finish their work-"
Bulma cut off the instructor. "It's fine. I've checked their homework and if I'm not mistaken you are still doing the same section in the algebra disc? They will be fine. You can go home early and I'll have them finish up while they're here." Miss Neko bowed her head and walked back into the building to gather her thing sand leave.
"W-o-w," Eric said as he gulped his soda, "You guys are learning algebra at your age?"
"Yeah," Trunks said between bites, "It's really easy. The instructor is a joke!"
"Yeah, Trunks is a way better teacher," Goten chimed while topping his hotdog with everything in sight. "Well first it's Gohan, then Trunks…"
"Traitor!" Trunks laughed childishly while throwing a carrot at Goten's head and sticking out his tongue.
Everyone laughed at the childish display and continued talking about the day they were about to endure. Graduation. It all came down to that exact day and it seemed so nerve-wracking.
"I'm so scared!" Erasa squealed while getting up to throw away her plate.
"I know," Melanie said while biting her lip, "This is all so…weird."
"Aw c'mon guys," Gohan grinned, "We already talked about this at the park. We are attending the same university and it'll be just like high school, except with different schedules."
"OH!" Erasa yelled, grabbing everyone's attention. "We still haven't discussed the most important issue."
"What?"
"Living situations!"
Videl smiled and shrugged, "Well I thought you, Melanie, and I would be roommates."
"Yeah," Eric said in agreement, "And I thought I'd be rooming with Sharpie and Gohan."
Gohan paused for a moment. "I haven't really thought about that. Strange."
"Well it's settled!" Sharpner said, "This summer I say we take a trip down to Tokyo and do some hunting."
"And a place to keep a dog," Eric said, "I want to take Llama with me. I couldn't leave that pup behind."
Sharpner rolled his eyes, "The dog is growing bigger every day."
"So! He can protect us."
"Protect us? We don't need to be protected. You might as well give the dog to the girls."
"Sharpner, I could kick your sorry ass any day," Videl scoffed. "Don't you remember-"
"Dually noted Videl."
Bulma came back around to their table and offered them more food while handing Goten and Trunks their math books. "Alright guys, time to finish up."
"Aw mom!"
"Would you rather learn math with Vegeta?" Bulma asked while raising an eyebrow.
Trunks and Goten looked at one another with horror. "OH PLEASE! NOT AGAIN!"
"Bulma, I think I'll stop bringing Goten around," Chichi said while walking up to the table with Amber. "Last time I asked if I could read Goten a story he hid under his bed. He won't even play Candy Land anymore."
Trunks froze and barely whispered, "Never mention that game again."
Gohan laughed nervously and managed to move his friends out of conversation. "Haha, I think we're going to go get a head start getting ready for graduation. You know speeches and whatnot."
"Yeah mom, we'll be over at our house to get ready," Videl said while explaining the situation.
"Alright Videl," Amber said with a smile, "You'll probably be gone by the time we get home so we'll just see all you kids at the stadium."
"Ok," all the kids exclaimed while walking out of the Capsule dome.
"So Gohan," Melanie said as they walked to the cars, "What's this about Vegeta?"
"Yeah and why are the boys so scared of him?"
"Well who could blame them, he looks absolutely murderous."
"And how can you make Candy Land scary?"
Gohan put a hand behind his head and laughed nervously once more. "Well, I guess you have to get to know Vegeta a bit more."
"I don't think I'd want to," Videl laughed while getting into her car. "Let's go!"
The drive didn't seem to take too long since the lunch traffic was dieing away. They managed to get to the house within fifteen minutes and decided since they had tons of time to kill that they would just hang around and watch a movie.
Though once the clock displayed that it was four o'clock, the girls decided it was time for them to get ready and suggested the boys to do the same. Sharpner rolled his eyes as he and the other boys walked to the guest room. "I don't see why girls take so long."
"Trust me," Gohan groaned while laying out his clothes, "Curling hair alone takes an eternity."
"At least the end result is well worth it," Eric said to himself while pulling out his cap and gown.
Meanwhile in the Videl's room, mayhem pursued. The girls plugged in every curling iron and straightener in sight while pulling out every hair product possible. Foundation, cover-up, and eye shadow lay scattered all across the counter along with mascara and eye liner left out of their lids.
"Hey Melanie, can you hand me my sapphire necklace?"
"Sure Videl. Hey Erasa, can you curl the back of my hair? I can't get it."
Erasa smiled, "I can't believe we're graduating."
"I know," Videl said, fumbling with her necklace. "It all comes down to this…ugh I don't think I can make a speech."
"We'll do fine," Melanie said, reassuring her friend. "You're not alone. Gohan and I will be up there with you."
"Yeah," Videl signed while applying a little eye shadow. "At least I will have you guys up there with me."
The girls continued to get into their dresses and put on the rest of their makeup. They looked at themselves in the mirror and smiled. Erasa wore an emerald green strapless dress with a small silver chain wrapped around her curvy waist. Her jewelry was simple and consisted of a small diamond necklace and dangling crystal earrings.
Melanie wore a deep scarlet colored dress with sleeves that went to her forearms but crisscrossed in the back. She wore a jewelry set that belonged to her late mother and a smile curled on her lips.
Videl blushed as she stared at her reflection. She wore a snow-blue dress that clung to her hips but flowed past her knees. The dress was held up by cloth connected to a diamond choker and a pair of diamond earrings sparkled on her ears.
The girls complemented one another and put on their caps and gowns. As they walked down the stairs, they saw the boys were ready. They all wore black dress pants except Sharpner wore dark green dress shirt, Eric wore a burgundy dress shirt, and Gohan wore a white dress shirt. They had their caps and gowns on also and began to compliment the girls.
They talked a bit more then went off to drive to school. Once they arrived they saw a bunch of their friends such as Caity, Hotaru, Hotaka, and a few others. Soon the teacher's gathered the students in the lines and the march began. Eric grinned mischievously and began to text Sharpner and Hotaka. 'Operation embarrass Mr. Yuuki is a go.'
The students took their seats and stared back at their friends and family. The principal droned on about what an honor it was to present such fine students and finally called up a few teenagers. Among those few were Melanie. "I'd like to present Melanie Inami, the senior class function coordinator."
Cheering echoed throughout the stadium as Melanie got up and walked towards the podium. "Hello friends, family, and my fellow classmates. It has been a pleasure to serve as this year's coordinator. I hope I lived up to everyone's standards and organized the dances and rallies to your liking. Now, on behalf of the senior class, I would like to present a gift to the future students. As a senior class, we hereby give the school and its student's brand new textbooks of every subject. Yes I know, surprise, every student gets a textbook." Melanie said with a bright smile, "Now I would like to introduce two outstanding people who have made this year an unforgettable one. Would Videl Satan and Gohan Son please come here?"
The cheering resumed and Gohan and Videl walked up next to Melanie. "Hello everyone, I'm Videl Satan," Videl said.
"And I'm Gohan Son," Gohan replied after her.
"We're up here for one simple reason. We're both valedictorians," Videl said, smiling to the crowd.
"I know some of you are thinking 'How the heck did that kid get valedictorian?' but trust me, I don't know either," Gohan chuckled nervously. He heard someone yell 'You deserve it Gohan!'
Videl laughed softly and continued, "We wanted to say that it was been an honor to serve our senior class. We picked each other up when the other needed help. In our primary and middle school days we were all scattered, enemies as one might say, but once we arrived at high school we were united. We were no longer enemies, but adversaries. We were friends."
Gohan stared at the audience and flashed a grin. "Now we are in front of you today as adults, well, most of us." That earned a chuckle from the crowd. Gohan turned to the faculty along with the rest of the class. "Oh behalf of the senior class, we want to thank our teachers who inspired us to never give up and to pursue our goals. Thank you for offering us this opportunity it better ourselves and thank you for not giving up on us."
Melanie, Videl, and Gohan bowed and walked back to their respectable while waiting for the real ceremony to begin. Within time, it all came down to this moment. The principal went through the names and it was as if time skipped ahead to just those specific teenagers.
"Sharpner Aoi." Everyone began to cheer as the graduation began and as each student walked up to receive their diploma. Sharpner shook the principal's hand and took his diploma with a grin.
"Melanie Inami." Melanie walked up and thanked the principal while taking the diploma.
"Erico Kamiya." Eric took the diploma and ran to the teachers with Sharpner and Hotaka in tow, grabbing Mr. Yuuki into a fierce hug and throwing him up on their shoulders. Once the boys calmed down, Eric did a quick flip, earning laughter from everyone.
"Erasa Midori." The bubbly blonde smiled at the crowd and her friends and jumped with joy when the diploma was in her hands.
"Videl Amber Satan." Videl got her diploma and flashed a peace sign towards her family and fellow classmates.
"Gohan Son." The distinct 'That's my boy' could be heard, even through all the screaming. Gohan laughed and took his diploma quickly with a blush.
Finally the ceremony came to an end and the principal asked the senior class to turn their tassel's to officially become graduates. Once the smile ritual was complete, caps were thrown about and the celebration began. The screaming grew even more intense and the friends and families in the stands got down and met up with the graduates.
"Kids, over here!"
Gohan and the gang turned to a large group of people which consisted of their friends and family. They all went to their respectable families except Melanie who seemed to kick at the floor with tears stinging her eyes.
"Melanie?" a voice whispered.
Melanie turned around to find her grandparents from her father's side of the family standing there. Her obsidian eyes widened in shock but were immediately filled with joy as she ran towards them. She gave both of them big hugs with tears streaming down her face. "Thank you for coming."
"We wouldn't miss it honey," her grandma replied, "plus, your grandpa needed a breather from the states."
The three laughed cheerfully with one another and introductions were made. Later that night, the gang watched the firework show and sighed contently while thinking about their futures.
10 Years Later
Years had passed since graduation and times had changed. Gohan and Videl ended up married a year within college and had a daughter named Pan shortly after. They moved to West City where Gohan took up a teaching career at the college.
Eric and Melanie were married after college and ended up having two twin boys named Boshi and Tama. It came as a surprise when Eric decided to open up a dojo in Kyoto.
Sharpner and Erasa ended up in Europe where they constantly travel with Sharpner being a photographer and Erasa a fashion designer. They would be married the following month.
Life was perfect.
Saiyachick: Well that is the end of that. Thank you for everyone who has stayed with me all this way. I appreciate it.
Much love.