"Father, why must you always insist on going so easy on me? I've seen the way you can fight. I know your true strength. So why, then, do you hold back from me during our training?"
"So it seems that you are fully aware of my limits. But tell me, can you say the same about your own?"
"It's not fair! This isn't the way it was with you and Son Gohan, was it? Admit it, you're just afraid to be rough with me because I'm your child. Or ... gods ... is it because I'm female? W- Why are you laughing!?"
"Perish the thought, child! While it's true that Gohan may not be of my blood, I consider him no less my own than I do you (and I couldn't care less what his mother thinks of that). Let me also make it clear that I would treat you no differently were you born of a different sex, and don't ever let anyone try to do or say otherwise. Fie! Have you forgotten that I (your father yet also your mother who birthed you) - the strongest Namekian warrior - am of both sexes?"
"Then what is the reason?"
"The answer lies in the one major difference between you and Gohan. Think about it. Like you, he is half human. But as for the other half ..."
"Saiyan?"
"Indeed."
"I don't see what difference that makes. They're just humans with tails."
"Judging by appearance alone can prove to be a deadly mistake, Marron. Keep that in mind. Remember all those stories about Son and Vegeta that your Papa and I told to you since you were a hatchling? And of their own half-breed offspring? We weren't shitting you, you know (so the vernacular goes). We were there, fighting alongside them time and again for the sake of the world. I cannot express to you enough how superior the strength of a Saiyan is to a human's, and (much as I hate to admit) even a Namekian's. Yet we thank Kami every day that someone is, otherwise we wouldn't be here at this moment."
"Then why couldn't I at least have been born full-blooded Namekian like you were? You could have made me all by yourself, like Grandfather did. Then I'd be stronger."
"You say true, my dear. It is a thing easily done. But do you know why I didn't?"
"You ... and Papa. You didn't know it could happen. It ... I ... was an accident."
"No, no, no! Never think it, never think it. That is far from the truth. At one point we had both desired, and were fully prepared to have, a child. You had come as a surprise, yes, but only because we had made countless attempts prior, without success. As time went on, we began to believe that any hope of conception no longer existed. We thought we were just too different for it to work. But alas, here a miracle stands before me."
"I see. But I still don't understand. If you and Papa wanted a child that badly, then why didn't you just give birth to one on your own?"
"That is simple. Because I love your Papa, and I wanted to give him a child that we could truly call our own. One that I could see not only myself in, but him as well. If anyone is unwanted, 'tis I. I was born only out of hatred. Nothing more but a tool to be used for fulfilling the goals of vengeance and world domination that my sire himself had started but could not finish."
"How terrible. I'm so sorry, Father. Here I have two parents who care for me, and you didn't even have one."
"When your brother was young, I once told him that it is more proper to place blame on Fate rather than yourself or someone else. And yet I curse neither my father nor my past, for look where destiny has carried me. Everything - and everyone - I need is here."
"Father ..."
"And you mustn't go about lamenting your mixed blood. Your Papa may not look like much, being only human himself (and not even adult-sized at that), yet he was able to go above and beyond his calling and become the strongest of his breed. He's a real gem, aye, and so are you. In fact, I've no doubt that your power will one day surpass his - perhaps even mine. For now, however, you are still young. You have many years ahead of you to hone your skills, and we will be with you every step of the way. But have patience. We must take things in stride. Do you remember the story of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai?"
"The one where you first met Papa?"
"That's right. He was nineteen years old at the time, and I just two days from my third birthday. The stubborn little bastard had known full well what he was up against, yet he practically begged for me to show him my true power. And so I did, though not all of it (but he didn't know that until later, when I had challenged Son). Anyhow, being young, we were both hotblooded and foolish, and it nearly resulted in his death."
"Back then, did it matter to you if he had died or not?"
"The short answer would be yes. Initially, when I had realized my mistake of striking him too hard, I began to panic. Had I killed him during our match, I would have been disqualified from the tournament. And that meant that I would lose my chance against Son. Actually, the whole event wasn't even necessary in order for me to carry out my plans of vengeance. But I was a proud son-of-a-bitch, remember, and what better way to begin my plans of ruling the world than to claim the title of 'strongest under heaven'?"
"And the other reason?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. That. You could say he was captivating. His unlikely strength and speed had both surprised me and piqued my curiosity. But make no mistake about my admiration. At that point I was still evil, and it would be quite some time before my heart would begin to soften (chiefly thanks to Gohan). No, I hadn't truly fallen for him until later on - not until we began to fight on the same side. Though - as I would discover after I had fused with the then-Kami, thereby becoming gifted with a much stronger psychic sense - he had been harboring feelings for me since the very beginning. But perhaps I did as well, now that I consider it. Only, in my blackened heart of days gone by, it had manifested as nothing more but sadistic lust. In other words, I wanted to keep him around to serve the purpose of a plaything."
"Ah ..."
"So - returning to the point at hand - please forgive your father for holding back. Please have faith in him, as he wishes only to do right by you."
"I understand now, Father. Thank you."
"Very well. Shall we resume today's lesson?"
"I'm almost ready. I just have one more thing to say."
"What might that be?"
"I love you."
"And I love you, Marron."
[End]