Information

Dragon Ball New Generation
The Xiol Saga

Chapter 39 - Fascination

It was now a Sunday morning, and Gokou sat at home watching television. He had weekends off.  He had sat on the sofa for a few hours straight, but his mind wasn't on the TV, it was on the week...when he got his job, met up with friends and met the young girl, Art.  It was an amazing week, and he kept smiling to himself.  After a while, he switched off the television set and went into the city.  He ran into Sage along a street, and he was holding a big box over his shoulders.  It was so large, and so heavy, that it would've crushed any other normal human.
"What's in that box Sage?"
"Car parts for the race car.  Thyme, Rue and I only have a few days before the race, and we have to complete customizing it."
"That's great.  Hopefully you will finish it."
"Yeah, hoping."
There was a short silence, and Gokou began scratching his head.  He was slightly embarrassed to ask.
"Um, Sage...I was wondering..."
But he was cut short by a cell phone call.  Sage picked it up.  It was Rue, and he was telling him to hurry up with the car parts.
"Okay, okay.  I'm coming now" Sage said.
At the end, the conversation didn't further as Sage was in a rush.  Gokou watched him leave in disappointment, and then continued walking around.  He entered Pastri's cafe for a coffee, and sat to think.  Pastri came up behind him and tapped his shoulder.
"Cousin, what's going on?  You look bothered."
Gokou stirred his coffee and finally turned to her.
"Are you seeing someone right now?"
Pastri became startled, but laughed.  She sat down opposite from him and placed her apron down.
"Well, I am.  I met him a few weeks ago when I was out shopping with Linni and Hazell.  Real funny, because Linni dared me to go talk to him."
Gokou watched as Pastri began blushing, and giggling.
"I'll introduce him to you later on." Pastri told him, "But why do you ask?"
Gokou looked outside and sighed, still stirring his coffee.
"I met this girl the other day.  She's real nice, and she paints pretty scenes..."
Pastri smiled as he continued talking, until she interrupted.
"Is this going somewhere cousin?  Do you want to ask her out?"
Gokou sat back into his seat, gripping on the edge of his table.
"Well, kind of...but..." he blushed.
"But?"
"But I don't know how..." he finished.
Pastri laughed.
"Just be you.  Buy her some flowers or something.  Girls love that stuff...and then ask her."
Gokou nodded, and soon departed.  He purchased some sweet smelling, beautiful flowers at a nearby store and took off into the sky.  After a while however, he lost his nerve to ask her, and decided to go talk to his grandmother about it.

Gokou landed on the grass and approached his grandmother.  He sat down next to her, and took one of the flowers and gave it to her.
"Hi Grandma Pan," he started, "I've got a problem."
He explained his situation, and how he's feeling shy about asking Art out.  As he explained, he eventually resulted in an answer by himself. 
"You're so much help.  Thank you.  You've always been there for me and Pastri Grandma."
Gokou stood up and smiled kindly down onto her.  The wind started to bellow the flower he given her, so he repositioned it where it would stay and not cover her name on the tomb stone.
"I'll see you soon Grandma."
and he took off into the sky once again.

***

Not so far away, Art was heading home from another successful painting.  She was holding plenty of books too, and was struggling to hold them when another girl appeared.
"Art, how many times have I told you?"
Art smiled before dropping all her books onto the ground.
"Don't worry girl, I'll get them."
The books were picked up and taken inside the home and placed onto a table.  Art wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Thank you Painta."
"Its okay girl!" she said happily as she chugged down a vanilla Coca-cola, "so how was the class today?"
"The class was actually good.  The students were listening to me as I taught them the theory of famous painters."
Painta nodded, as a man stepped into the room.
"Home already Art?"
"Yes papa."
He was an average man, but a big man in size.  He was Art and Painta's father, and worked as a craftsman.  
"So where's mama?" Art asked.
"She's making lunch for us right now." Painta told her.
Sure enough, their mother entered the room holding a wooden spoon.
"Lunch is served." she turned to her husband, "Easel, make sure you can stay for the whole time for lunch."
He got up.
"Brushe, you know if work calls..." his voice trailed off as he entered another room.  Painta soon followed after picking up her fashion magazines, and putting her earphones on.  She loved listening to techno music.

***

Gokou landed on the cliff which he saw Art last.  He looked around in dismay.  She wasn't there today, so he began walking off when he passed some children who were playing soccer.  He watched them for a while before thinking of the 'old times' when he was a kid...playing with his friends... 
One of the kids however kicked the ball in the wrong direction, and it landed near Gokou's feet.  He smiled and kicked the ball back, and one of the boys ducked cover as it hit the wall hard.  Gokou chuckled in embarrassment.
"That was cool!" the boy called.
He ran over to Gokou and introduced himself.
"My name is Pesto.  I live around here." he continued on to introduce his other friends.
"I'm Gokou Jr.  I don't live around here.  I just came here-"
"Yeah I know.  I saw you here before with a camera."
"Really?"
"Yeah.  You were with Art weren't you?"
Gokou looked surprised.
"Well, yeah-"
"Wow!  Art told me that you saved her when she slipped down the cliff."
"I guess so.  How do you know her?"
Pesto laughed, and caught the soccer ball his friends kicked to him.
"Dah, she's my sister." and with that he ran off.
Gokou remained still for a while as he watched them resume play.
"Hey Pesto!" he called.
"What?"
"Where is your sister right now?"
"She's at home with the family for lunch."
"What about you then?"
"I practice for soccer."
Pause.
"What's with the flowers Gokou-kun?"
Gokou turned to the flowers he was holding and blushed red, before hiding them behind his back.
"Nothing."
Pesto laughed.
"I'll be worried if they were for Art... Painta on the other hand-"
"PESTO!! Come on!!" a friend called.
"I've got to go Gokou-kun.  I see you later!"  Pesto then rejoined with his team mates.

Gokou stood still for a while, and wondered what Pesto meant by that...if they were for Art.  
Maybe she doesn't like me? he thought.
It crushed him just to think so.  He began walking off before putting the flowers into a nearby rubbish bin.  He then took off into the sky before descending again.  Grabbing the flowers out of the bin, he then placed him into the gardens so they won't be put into the rubbish tips.  

***

It was later on in the day, and the sun was soon setting.  Gokou sat in his room watching the trees blow in the wind.  He was thinking about Art since he came home.  But could it be true?  Maybe she didn't like him.
"Go talk to her in person Gokou." Pastri told him.  She was standing at his door.
Gokou sighed.
"You're probably right."
Pastri giggled.
"Come on, don't be shy!"