>>5563087“I still wanna check in with my cousins. I’ve already added to aunt Maple’s stress levels a bit, but she’s still trying to be strong. No idea how well those two have been holding up.” You did sense Peppa with Videl and Basilea for most of the day, and you assume Cocoa was with them as well, so she’s… probably fine, but Gohan and Buu have been gone for most of it. He was hanging out with Zarid, and that guy’s got a much more level head, so he can probably ease some of Gohan’s worries, but still. Feel like you should kinda hang out with him some.
You wave to her and head back to Mount Paozu. First you spot Groucho waiting on the porch, lifting his head up as you arrive, then lowering it again after you give him a gentle pat on the head. Next you notice Peppa’s already home, in her room, working on some drawings. “Hey cous.” she greets you, not taking her eyes off the picture she’s working on currently.
“Yo. How’d things go with Basilea?” you ask, leaning against the doorframe.
“Towa’s effectively abandoned her. Tossed her aside, left her to Beelzebub, and the goo girls too.” Peppa replies. “…Both Towas, that is. Her original Towa more or less let ours use her as a pawn in her schemes. Now, neither has use for her. She’s gonna take that as her real second chance, with her focus being on keeping her counterpart safe. Keeping her from having to go through what she did.”
“Harsh, but good to see she’s making the best of her situation.” you say with a slight nod- hey wait a second. “…Wait what counterpart?”
“Beelzebub and Misa have already started on her.” your cousin explains.
You… blush a bit. “Uh. Well! Good for them!”
“Not like that. Basilea wasn’t conceived like that, from my understanding. More… a test tube baby, effectively.” she explains, picking up on what you were thinking.
Snapping your fingers and giving a pair of fingerguns, you nod. “Riiiight. Right right.”
Suddenly you sense Gohan and Buu arrive- …no, appear near the house. “Yes! Worked! High-five, Buu!”
Okay that’s some good news, he’s not moping. But also, how’d he do that? He enters with Buu, getting some sweets and tossing them to the little Majin, then heading over to you and Peppa. “Welcome back Izzy, hey sis.”
Peppa waves with the hand she isn’t drawing with. You keep leaning against the doorway, trying to look confident and cool. “Learned a new trick, huh?”
“Zarid and I both, actually.” he says with genuine confidence. “Though Fu’s probably responsible too, for letting me know I can do it.”
“Doooo what, Instant Transmission like her?” you point to Peppa.
Gohan just grins. He closes his eyes and seems to focus, then tells you, “Better. Kai Kai.”
(cont.)
