Nina, Trunks and Goten walked down the hallway of their crowded school. It was Nina's first day back after recovering from her injuries and she was actually glad to see the school again. They all laughed and joked as they went through another jumble of students in the hall. Nina began to rub on the back of her neck and hissed in pain while Trunks massaged his arm from its stiffness. They were both sore from Vegeta's little 'training session'. He had worked them practically all day when Nina got back from Goku's house. Not to mention that she had just got done training with Goku and then Vegeta threw her and Trunks into the Gravity Room. They trained in that thing for 4 hours straight with no break or anything! When they got out, neither Trunks nor Nina cared about food. They bathed quickly, changed into their sleeping clothes and slept like a pair of rocks.

"Man Trunks! Are you sure Vegeta knows what he's doin'?" Nina groaned as she flexed her fingers.

He shrugged. "I don't even know myself. He's trained me pretty hard before, but he's never made me train over 300 times gravity for over 4 hours!" Trunks answered.

Goten's eyes narrowed and he huffed. "I wonder what he's up to anyway." Just then, Goten stopped and his eyes widened. He blinked a few times and then he gave out an aggrivated moan. "Oh great!" Goten exclaimed out the blue.

Trunks and Nina looked at him, wondering what was up. "What?" they asked in unison.

Goten pointed in front of him and Trunks looked in the same direction. He then wiped a hand over his face as he groaned in annoyment and left his face covered. "Man! Things just couldn't get any worse today could it?" Trunks muttered, almost inaudibly.

Nina looked over at Trunks and then looked in the direction Goten had pointed to. She was still confused at what they were trying to get at. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked.

"It's Falecia and her gang." Trunks and Goten said in unison.

Nina looked again and saw who they were talking about. A girl with long sky blue hair was walking toward them. Her banes were short and and she wore a black headband in her hair. Her skin was a pale creamy color and she was wearing a sleeveless pink dress. Around the waist of the dress, she wore a golden chain belt. Falecia also had on some white socks that were rolled down and pink and white tennis shoes. All the other girls had on a dress or skirt of some kind and were giggling loudly. Not to mention that they were hanging on her every word.

Nina noticed that one girl wasn't wearing a dress and she seemed to care less about what they were saying. The girl had thick brown banes over her green eyes and she wore her hair in a ponytail. By the size of the ponytail, Nina could tell her hair had to be at least neck or shoulder length. Her pants weren't baggy like Nina's but tight, and she only wore some white tennis shoes with them. No socks or anything. Nina saw that the girl had on a white blouse that had puffy long sleeves. Nina thought she wasn't so bad and wanted to get to know her. She could tell this girl didn't need to be in a group with these guys, but more like with Trunks, Goten and herself.

Falecia noticed Trunks and started to run up to him. She linked her arm around his and started to flutter her eyelashes. Trunks only rolled his eyes and Goten gave a huff.

"Hey Trunks! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in the places you usually are. It's almost like you were avoiding me or something!" Falecia exclaimed.

Trunks looked down at her and persed his lips together. I was! he thought coldly.

Falecia obviously pushed that idea aside. "But I knew that was crazy anyway! To think you were trying to avoid me, the ever most popular girl in school and your girl too!"

Falecia noticed Nina had narrowed her eyes at them. Falecia sneered at her and decided to take this opportunity to do what she did best...insulting people. She gripped on tighter to Trunks' arm.

"So, I see the new girl has decided to come back. We all thought you had finally realized that this place was way out of your league and you just couldn't handle it. It must be a tradition where you're from that when you're a new student, you come the first day and then miss a week. Then you make your so-called grand re-entrance to make yourself look good." Falecia narrowed her eyes while Nina just folded her arms against her chest. "Well, I got news for ya girl. We call that cowardess." she answered her own theory.

Falecia looked back up at Trunks who was not paying her any mind. She grabbed a few strands of his lavender hair and began to twirl them around her finger. He wished she'd just go away.

"Trunks, don't you think she's got no style like you and me? I mean just look at her! Baggy clothes and shirts. Her hair looks like it's been groomed carelessly and wrist bands are so out of style girl! You need a total makeover and pronto! She's got the Capsule Corp. logo on her shirt. Does she work for your grandfather or your mother Trunks? Is that why you're around such trashy people like her? I can understand why you feel so sorry for her. She looks like a peasant." Falecia continued her reign of vulgar comments.

Nina continued to keep her arms folded but this time, her eyebrow twitched. Goten gave a low growl and balled up his fists. "Falecia, have you ever heard of the phrase 'Shut-up'?!" Goten snapped.

Falecia turned her gaze to Goten and glared at him. "I donno Goten. Have you ever heard of the phrase 'Hair-cut'? Cause you need one and fast!"

Why do humans insist on being so stupid? Nina thought to herself as she smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Uh, Falecia? That is your name isn't it?" Nina asked sarcastically.

Falecia looked at her and sneered. "What do you want?" she hissed.

Nina placed a finger on her cheek, trying to look deep in thought. "Well, I just wanted to ask you something."

Falecia tucked her hair behind her ear and smirked. "What's that? You wanted some make-up tips?"

Nina shook her head. "No. I just wanted to know, do all people like you act the way that you do?"

Falecia was confused. "What do you mean?" she demanded.

Nina sighed and crossed her arms against her chest. "What I mean is, do you only insult people to hide your incompetents?"

Falecia growled, obvious that she was enraged. "WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT?!" she yelled.

Nina unfolded her arms clapped her hands together while smiling. "Yes, I believe that's it. You only make fun of people to make yourself look good, but it only shows how much of a coward you are." she then shoved her hands in her pocket and shot Falecia an icy glare. "If you're really so tough, why don't you fight me physically instead of verbally?"

"Ha! I'm not the coward, you are! I could beat you with both hands tied behind my back!" Falecia countered.

Nina grinned, but her eyes were still narrowed. Just then, the girl who seemed to care less of what Falecia was saying stepped forward. "Falecia, I think you've said enough. You're the one who started this whole argument and I don't blame her for wanting to get aggressive." the girl said frankly.

The girl glared down at Falecia, her green eyes glassy. "If I were in her posistion and you had said all that dirty stuff about me, I'd wanna fight too. You don't even know her Falecia and you're already making all these assumptions about her. Just because your dad is a rich business man, doesn't give you the right to tease others. For all you know, she could be as rich as you are!"

Falecia let go of Trunks and stepped up in front of the girl. "Lei! This has nothin' to do with you at all! How dare you say such things to me?!" she growled.

Lei smirked in Falecia's face and placed a hand on her hip. "Because I can! It's about time someone told you how much of a snob you're bein'. I don't know about the others, but to me, you're an annoying pain in the ass who's selfish and is so cowardly that you can't even see beyond your own reflection!"

Falecia gave another glare, spun on her heels and before she left, she narrowed her eyes at Lei. "You'll regret saying those things to me Lei!" she muttered.

"I doubt it Faleica. I've never regretted anything I've said or done in my entire life." Lei retorted calmly.

Falecia and her group stomped off angrily, leaving Lei behind. She simply sighed and was about to go to class when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and was face to face with the girl she had stood up for. The girl smiled and Lei returned the kind gesture. "Thanks for sticking up for me. My name's Nina."

Lei waved the comment aside. "It was nothin'. My name's Lei Kamadaki."

Nina led her to Trunks and Goten. They both smiled at her and she felt her cheeks grow warm. "These are my friends. Trunks, Goten, this is Lei Kamadaki."

Trunks shook her hand and so did Goten. But when Lei held Goten's hand, her face turned a light crimson color.

I can't believe I'm shaking Goten's hand! He's just so cute! But I'm a nobody, he'd never be interested in me! Lei scolded herself.

* * * * * *

After school, Trunks, Goten, Lei and Nina were planning to go up in the mountains and just joke around some. But Nina wanted to go home first to check on her brother and sister. They all decided to just make a trip out of it all so they all went home to get their gear ready. Nina said goodbye to the others and headed toward her home in Koga.

Nina flew in through her unlocked window and flopped on her bed. She'd just lay there for awhile. She hadn't really experienced what a comfort her bed was in what felt like forever. Nina had been in htat crazy hospital wing that she'd forgotten what it was like to curl up in her own bed.

Just then, she heard the piano being played downstairs. She sat up in her bed and wondered who it could be. Nina got off her bed and looked in her closet as the music continued its rhythmic melody. She threw out an old bookbag of hers and began to fill it up with clothes. Then she went downstairs with the bag slung over her shoulders.

As she reached the bottom stair, she saw that it was Kino playing on the piano. She had several blank music sheets scattered across the floor. Kino played the keys continuously and had a pencil in her mouth. Ocassionally, she would stop playing and Kino would scribble some notes onto the music sheet. Nina also noticed that she had some sort of digital unit next to her. Kino noticed that Nina was watching her and beckoned her to come closer. "Hey little sis! C'mere, I want you to hear somethin' I've been working on."

Nina set the bookbag on the floor and Kino scooted over for her little sister. Nina shoved off some of the music papers onto the floor before she sat down. Before Kino started to play, she turned to her sister with a huge smile on her face. "Okay Nina, I just made this piece up while you were at school. Tell me what you thnk about it alright?"

Nina nodded and then Kino swithced on the little digital unit. Suddenly, a high pitched string sound was heard. Then she began to play the high piano keys seperately. Then she started to sing.

"Life holds a bunch of sec-rets from us.

Have equality."

The digital unit now began to grow loud with string music and woodwind instruments. Kino contiuned to play and sing, being one with her melodious music.

"We are both lost in fate's great shadow.

And family."

Kino removed her hands from the piano keys and turned to face her sister. Nina was grinnin' and she just couldn't help it. She couldn't believe her sister was so good in composing music and lyrics! "So, whatcha think? Was it good?"

Nina arched an eyebrow. "Good? Are you kiddin'?! That wasn't good, that was Great!"

Kino smiled at her younger sister when she noticed the bookbag spread on the floor. "Uh, where ya goin' sis? You aren't planning on abandonin' me are you?"

Nina laughed. "No, of course not! My friends and I are goin' on a camp out. Did Sam go to work already?"

Kino nodded. "Yeah, he left already. He said he might not be home til around 10 at night. He sure does have to work late, I mean 6 hours is kinda long for someone with a part time job and is still in school."

Nina looked absent mindedly at the keys on the piano. Kino was right and Nina knew it. Nina thought about getting a job several times, but Samuel always insisted on her staying home and training. He also knew how hard it was to find a job and Sam wanted to be the only one with responsibilites. Nina sighed and began to tap on the last high key, a slight 'ting' being heard each time she struck it.

"It is. Sam's so stubborn! He won't let me get a job because he says I have enough to worry about. He works so hard y'know? But he does let me help him on his volunteer job. We teach children martial arts and he seems to love that alot." Nina replied, her voice full of remorse.

Kino placed a hand on Nina's shoulder and she stopped tapping on the key long enough to look into her sisters dark brown eyes. The same eyes she herself had. "Don't worry Nina. Since I'm your big sister and I've finished college 2 years early, I'll get a job to help around the house. But in the mean time,"

Kino paused and Nina pulled her hand off of the piano keys and set it down in her lap. "You just go have fun. For the past 7 years, you've thought about our parents and how to protect your brother and now it's your turn to chill out. Now you go have a good time campin' okay? And stay out of trouble."

Nina nodded and stood up. She went across the room to go fetch her book bag and on her way out the door, Kino gently grabbed a lock of Nina's hair causing her to turn around in wonder. "If you need me, just raise your ki to it's max. But then again, if you need to do that, you would be in trouble and I'll be on my way there in a flash."

Nina winked and held a thumbs up. "Sure thing Sis. See ya!" Then she was off.

* * * * * *

Lei began to pack her things for the camping trip. She couldn't believe that Goten and his friends invited her to go camping with them. She felt her cheeks blossom and knew that she was blushing. She knew she had a thing for Goten, but she never thought it was this strong. Instead of blushing or hiding her face when she sees him, she blushes when she thinks abput him as well. Lei just kept getting a picture of him in her mind's eye. That weird hair style, his wittines and courage along with fearlessness. She truly admired Goten alot.

Then her thoughts began to wonder towards the thought of the girl she had stood up for. The one with long banes that covered one dark brown eye and her dark brown hair fell down her back. She looked like a really good fighter and seemed like the type of person who trains everyday. Sure, Lei was an exceptional fighter, but she never sticks to her training constantly. Even though Lei could be wrong about Nina, she doubted it. She always had a good judgement for people, although the whole Falecia clique situation is still a mystery to her.

What was I thinking at that time? I must have completely lost myself that day. Lei thought. Then she sighed as she folded her air brush shirt with her name around a peace symbol. She placed it carefully in her nap sack and zipped it up. But then again, I haven't been thinking right for the past 5 years. Ever since Mom died, I've been so lost in the darkness of my guilt. Mom wouldn't have died if... Lei felt her eyes water up and she shook off the thought completely as she lung the strap of her bookbag over her shoulder.

"Mom wouldn't want me feeling sorry for myself. She'd want me to go to this little camping trip and make some friends. True and faithful friends." she said aloud to herself. Just then, a force nicked her senses. She couldn't tell if it were good or evil, for the power was maybe miles and miles away, but even so, Lei started to tense up. "Hmm. I wonder what's coming? Whatever it is, it's coming soon."