She walked up the last few stairs to the landing in front of her bedroom door and turned the handle. She pushed open the door and tossed her bag into the corner as she walked to her bed; flopping down onto it face first. Oi what a long day. She heard footsteps approaching her doorway and turned her head towards them. The head of purple hair poking around the corner brought a smile to her lips for the first time all day.

"How'd the test go Fukiko?", he asked sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Pretty decently actually, it just took ages to finish is all. Nothing too hard." He smiled at her.

"I wouldn't expect anything less for a Briefs," he laughed and smiled, as hers faded.

"We had to write an essay about how our parents have affected our lives..." she eyed him nervously and saw the smile drop from his face.

"I assume you praised me quite a bit in it," he laughed slightly, "She was a wonderful woman. She'd be proud of how you turned out after all these years. She's smiling down at you." He turned and stared out the window. Fukiko always knew he hated talking about her mother, who had suffered from hemophilia and died due to massive hemorrhaging during Fukiko's birth.

"I know Dad," she sat up and crossed her legs over each other, "I just wish I'd met her once."

"You did actually. She saw you just before the doctors rushed her into emergency surgery. I think you were the last thing she saw, she was so pale then. Not even Grandpa's blood could save her sweetheart..." he trailed off staring out the window.

Fukiko's grandfather had always been strange compared to the other kids at school. Their grandfathers were all farmers or buisnessmen. Fukiko had always taken pride in her grandfather's uniqueness. He was a prince, from outerspace. When she was younger, kids always told her how crazy she was for believing such a silly tale. She knew it was true though. Her grandfather, Vegeta, had given his mother plenty of blood transfusions during her mother and her father's marriage. Vegeta had come from a planet of warrior people and their blood could regenerate faster than a humans could. Her dad had always said he didn't need to keep giving, but Vegeta saw his son cared for the girl and gave her his blood anyways.

That part of the tale had always struck her as odd. She knew her grandfather, he was quite unpleasant at times and didn't get along with others well. She wondered why he had given so much of his blood to her mother, but she never could find time to ask him. Whenever he came, her father and him would discuss the family business, Capsule Corp, and then he would leave. She barely caught glimpses of him as he flew away. He had promised her years ago to teach her that trick, but it seemed to constantly slip his mind.

"Hey Fukiko?" her dad looked at her concerned. "Still with me?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah dad sorry, just thinking is all." She rubbed the back of her head and smiled sheepishly. He laughed and got up.

"How about we go out for dinner tonight to celebrate you finishing you exams?" She smiled and nodded happily, he smiled in return, got up and left.