Chapter Text
“Goten? Trunks? It’s not funny. We have to go home.”
In the middle of the woods is a young man, no older than 16, walking around as the sun falls, reminding him that if he doesn’t leave soon then he’ll be walking in the dark. But he can’t leave yet.
A neighbor had told him they saw his younger brother running into these woods with a friend despite warnings to stay away. And even worse, not only are the wild animals more active at night, but during this time there are rumors of a witch taking residence here. Awful green-skinned hags who like to terrorize villages with curses, and kidnap children to eat them.
Gohan can only pray that these are just rumors, and that he can make it to the missing kids before anything else does. The sky is getting darker and he once again quickened his pace, continuing his call.
“Goten! Trunks! Come on if you can hear me say something!”
“AAAAAAaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”
!!!
“Goten!? Trunks!? Is that-oof!” Gohan turns to find two blurs crashing right into him. Sitting up from the surprise attack he finds two kids clutching his shirt and shaking.
“Big brother! Help!”
“She’s going to eat us!”
Gohan was confused by this. Before he could ask, he finds himself and the children surrounded by what appears to be purple flames. Bathing everything in its eerie glow. The children shriek at this.
“The witch is here!”
“Run!”
Gohan felt himself getting pulled, and he quickly gets to his feet and carries the kids under each arm to run away from the flames. The sky is completely dark now and he’s having difficulty seeing which path is the way out of the woods.
“Big brother! Watch out!” But it’s too late, Gohan trips over a log, resulting in him and the children to tumble in the dark and fall deeper into the woods. Wincing from the pain of getting scratched all over by stray branches and rocks, Gohan gets back up to check on the kids. They were close by thankfully and quickly ran to him for safety. It’s completely dark now, the moon being the only source of light left.
Groooowwwwwwl
“!!!…Oh no.”
Holding the kids close. Gohan can make out the glowing eyes of wolves coming out of hiding. Advancing towards the three, vulnerable boys. Gohan’s mind ran, he needs to get Goten and Trunks to safety. But he is surrounded and has no idea which way is the exit. Should he have the kids run and use himself as distraction?, no if there are more wolves nearby than the children stand no chance.
The wolves walked closer towards them and Gohan felt sweat running down his brow. It’s risky but he has no other choice if he wants Goten and Trunks to get out alive.
“Goten, Trunks, I’m sorry. But I’m going to need you to-“ Gohan was interrupted when the woods suddenly brightened, enveloped by the same purple flames as before. The wolves took notice of this as well, taking their eyes off their prey to look in the opposite direction. Gohan, confused, follows their gaze. There in the dark, something else is coming closer. The light outlines what appears to be a really tall figure, along with a robe covering their whole body and a large hat obscuring most of their face. He couldn’t make out much of the person’s features, but he could swear their ears are far longer than a humans, along with those red, glowing eyes that pierced through the dark.
Such, an intense color they are…Gohan finds himself hypnotized, unable to look away from the dangerous, red orbs.
The wolves growled at the intruder, the leader charging to attack, only to be struck by the stranger’s staff. Prompting it to fall to the ground limp. The other wolves immediately feared the same fate, running back into the dark for their lives.
Gohan felt relieved when the wolves all ran. But can feel Goten and Trunks shaking in his arms.
“It’s the witch… She’s here to eat us.” Goten looks ready to scream again. And Trunks, who is trying to look brave, cannot hide how truly scared he is.
Gohan finds himself once again in a staring contest with the witch, but before they do anything to the boys, they seem to flinch before turning and leaving. The purple flames dissipate once they left. Gohan is confused, what just happened? Did the witch just-
“GOHAN, GOTEN!”
“TRUNKS!”
The surrounding lights up with a warm, yellow glow, and the three turns to find their friends and family have arrived.
“Mom!” Goten and Trunks both ran to their mothers. Crying from relief at being found. Gohan was not spared from the mothering as Chi-chi notices how bloody and bruised he was from tumbling in the dark despite trying to tell her he’s fine. During the whole time she fussed over him, he just kept staring in the direction the witch had left.
“You two are in big trouble.”
“Running into the woods what were you both thinking”
After leaving the woods and getting the kids all cleaned up and bandaged, Bulma and Chi-chi wasted no time scolding the boys for their antics.
“It was Trunk’s idea. He said that the witch didn’t exist and the adults just wanted to control where we could play.”
“I did not! And besides, the witch is REAL! We both saw her!”
“I don’t care who started the idea! The fact you both went in despite warnings is just inexcusable. And for that neither of you are allowed to play outside for a week!”
“WHAT!?”
“You two were lucky Gohan managed to find you both on time. Who knows what could have happened if he hadn't shown up.”
Gohan was sitting nearby also getting his injuries treated. This wasn’t the first time he found his younger brother in trouble with Trunks. Usually he would join in to calm his mom to convince her that the kids wouldn’t do such a thing again. But right now his mind is on something else. Back in the woods with the wolves, was that figure really a witch? Considering Goten and Trunks were both terrified, he guessed that would be the case. And yet why did the witch save them? Could it just be her trying to prevent her prey from being stolen? But she ran the moment she sensed more people were coming. If the witch was as terrifying as the rumors say, couldn’t she just easily wipe them out? And those red eyes that seem to pierce his very soul, just what does this all mean?
“Gohan? GOHAN!”
His mother’s voice snaps the teen out of his trance.
“Finally you responded. You should be scolding Goten and Trunks too you know? You're the older brother and need to let them know what they did wrong.”
“Oh, right.” Gohan looks over at Goten and Trunks. The two already look guilty enough from their mother’s scolding. Gohan bends down to their level before speaking.
“What you two did was very reckless. And I expect that you both understand never to try it again. Am I clear?” The two nod at this, Gohan may not be as harsh as Chi-chi or Bulma, but they know he’s being just as serious when they do something wrong.
Chi-chi nods in satisfaction. Good. Now off to bed everyone. It’s getting late.
Goten and Trunks waves goodnight as the latter leaves with his mother. And Gohan heads to the room he shares with his brother as both head to bed. Goten falls asleep quickly, but Gohan still couldn’t get the witch off his mind. What they did back in the woods, why did they do it? How did they do it? What are they truly capable of? What secrets hide behind those red eyes? Gohan was curious…so so curious…zzzz
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Back in the woods, the wolves have returned, walking over to check the limp body of their leader. One wolf walks up to poke at him and this seems to break him out of whatever spell he was under. Still shaken, the wolf leaves to reunite with the rest of his pack, a single purple flame dissipates nearby, a pair of red eyes glowing in the dark.