Author's Note: The prompt for today was "Victorian Era". Putting the DragonBall Z characters in a Victorian universe was difficult, but I hope it came out well. It was definitely an interesting challenge!


It was two o'clock on Friday afternoon, and the Sons were having a quiet tea together in the dining hall. Goku had just finished a hard week at the labor-house, but no matter how hard he worked, he could never seem to earn enough zeni to cover the family's expenses. He would look for another place of employment during the weekend, but for now, he desired nothing more than a moment of peace with his beautiful wife Chi-Chi.

The peacefulness of the moment, alas, was not to last, for it was soon disturbed by the cruel, unrelenting man who was determined to evict the happy couple. This foul villain threw open the dining room doors, causing Chi-Chi to drop her teacup in shock.

"Kakarott!" Vegeta yelled. "Where is the money you promised to pay last month?"

"Sir Vegeta!" Goku said, standing up suddenly. "Chi-Chi, you—"

"Greetings, noble sir," Chi-Chi said, quickly getting up from her chair and giving a curtsy to their unexpected visitor. "Would you like some tea?"

"I do not," Vegeta said, curtly. "I have business to discuss with your husband. Business of a monetary nature."

"Oh, my good sir, I beseech thee, be merciful with us," Chi-Chi said. "Our son Gohan was just accepted to Oxford and the cost of tuition is so—"

"Silence," Vegeta said, holding up a hand. "This is a matter for gentlemen to discuss. A woman has no place in such delicate affairs, especially a woman who is as rough as you."

Goku put down his teacup, his hand shaking slightly. How dare he talk to my wife that way? The impudence!

Chi-Chi cast a worried glance at Goku, who nodded slightly. Thus encouraged, she bowed her head and said, "A thousand apologies, my lord. I will...I will return to my quarters."

Chi-Chi rushed out of the room as quickly as dignity would allow, but she was not fast enough to escape the harsh diatribe offered by the landlord. The floorboards creaked eerily as she ascended towards the attic, as if the house itself was making the complaint its denizens could not. With one trembling hand on the doorknob, she turned back and looked at the dining room door.

She could easily hear the quarrel between her husband and the house's owner, as neither man was attempting to keep quiet.

"I daresay, my good man!" Goku said. "You should watch your words more carefully, lest you impugn my honor!"

Vegeta adjusted his stovepipe hat, which was four feet tall and covered all of his hair. "I would fain impugn your honor, Kakarott, had you any," he said. "A low-class fool like yourself doesn't know the meaning of that, or any other word."

"My word!" Goku said. His monocle fell off of his eye and landed on the ground, where it broke into pieces.

"Your word, I daresay, is as unrefined as you are," Vegeta smirked, bowing graciously. "However, the truth remains that you owe me 600 zeni in rent, not counting the 200 you owe me from last month."

"I...I have 50 zeni in my room," Goku said. "I could get it for you prompt—"

"SILENCE!" Vegeta cried. "I do not want your measly 50 zeni! I want my 800 zeni, and I want it immediately!"

"My lord, I beg you, think of my two children! They cannot be allowed to go hungry! Think of my outstanding military record! Think of your wife, who has a fondness for the years long past where we shared fellowship together!"

Vegeta almost growled, except such behavior was entirely undignified. It was true, Mrs. Briefs would throw a fit if she learned her husband had mistreated the Sons.

"I have thought of such things," Vegeta said. "And that is why I am giving you one week. Pay what you owe, in full, or else you shall become London's newest paupers."

"One week!" Goku cried. "It is more generous than we deserve, but I doubt I could come up with 800 zeni, even if you gave me a year! Please, delay your anger! When our son Gohan graduates, he shall be able to—"

"If your son graduates, which is unlikely, considering how stupid his parents are," Vegeta said. "Pull him out of school, and use his tuition funds to pay what you owe me."

"But that is impossible!" Goku gasped. "Pull my son out of Oxford? He is the first member of our family to go to college, and—"

"It does not matter to me," Vegeta said, coldly. "Your son is too unrefined for college, anyway. It will be better for him to take a job in manual labor, which is the only job suitable for brutes of your ilk."

"But—"

Vegeta got up, and tightened his gloves. "One week, Kakarott. If you do not get the 800 zeni by then, I shall have you thrown into debtor's prison. Good day."

Vegeta walked calmly towards the exit, the very picture of serenity, in contrast to the silently weeping Goku. The proud Saiyan landlord smirked to himself, amused at the fact that he had come in angrily, but was now leaving peacefully.

"Consider this a blessing," Vegeta said, by way of parting. "No man should bankrupt himself, trying to live out false dreams."

The door slammed loudly behind Vegeta, and Goku fell to his knees. "Ay, me!" he cried. "We are in more dire straits than I realized!"

Goku took a moment to compose himself, then made the long journey to his wife's room. She deserved to know of the foul fate that had befallen them.


Gohan received the news the next day, in the form of a missive which he pulled out while the lecture hall was emptying itself.

"A letter from home, peasant boy?" Sharpener asked. "Since when did your father know how to write? I never knew monkeys were able to—"

"Silence thy tongue, craven," Gohan said, trying to ignore the young aristocrat's taunts. Almost daily, Sharpener and his fellows had tormented Gohan about the fact that he was not from a noble family. By now, the young Gohan had learned to ignore such attacks, though he could not avoid their sting.

"Craven? You call me craven? Clearly, you have not looked in a mirror, although I wouldn't expect you to afford a hand mirror, much less an entire—"

In his haste to get away and read his letter in peace, Gohan knocked Sharpener aside.

"You foul beast!" Sharpener cried. "Come back here, and do me justice, you—!"

Sharpener's cries died out as Gohan quickened his pace. It was unbecoming of him, to be sure, but the letter had his complete and full attention. He read it twice to ensure himself of its contents, then groaned in displeasure.

"A thousand curses!" Gohan said, crumpling up the letter and throwing it away. Leave Oxford? He could never leave! But it appeared his family could no longer afford to let him stay. What could a young man do in such a situation, torn between two undesirable extremes?

A nearby giggle brought Gohan out of his thoughts, and he noticed two young ladies standing nearby. One was a slim blonde woman, with a fluffy blue dress that matched her bright eyes. It was she who had giggled, and the traces of a smile still lingered on her lips.

Her companion was a raven-haired beauty, about the same age as Gohan. On her lips was no smile, and in her eyes was no shine. She openly glared at the collegiate, as if offended by his very existence. Gohan hung his head in shame at having offended such a lovely lady.

"How charming," the blond woman said. "It is rare to see such a passionate young man among the halls of scholars."

"How uncouth," her companion corrected. "Good sir, did you really discard a paper in such a public manner, in such a rude fashion?"

"A thousand apologies," Gohan said, bending down and picking up the letter he had thrown away. "I...that is, the contents of the letter upset me, and I..."

"Showed the maturity of a three-year-old," the lady said, glaring again. Gohan raised his head to look at her, and he saw nothing but anger in her lovely eyes.

Lovely? No! Compose yourself, Gohan! He thought. Normally, he would compliment such a fine young woman on her natural beauty, but he could no longer afford to let his emotions take control of himself, now that he was among the members of the upper-class. No wonder Sharpener constantly berated his behavior!

"Oh, Videl, do lighten up," the blond woman said. "He means no harm. You mean no harm, yes?"

"I could never harm a pair of lovely young ladies as yourselves," Gohan said, bowing with all graciousness.

The blond woman giggled again, while the brunette's glare hardened. "May I ask your name, good sir?"

"I am Gohan Son," Gohan said. He tried his best to look sincere, although he could not help but feel a twinge of shame at the fact that, unlike his fellow classmates, he had no official title.

"Well, Mr. Son, it appears you are in need of some gaiety," the blond said. "As it turns out, I am in need of an escort to the Kingsley Ball tonight. Would you be willing to accompany me?"

"Of course!" Gohan said, instantly. The Kingsley Ball? Someone of his background would never be allowed to attend such a grand affair without prior invitation!

"Then you can meet us at Kingsley Hall tonight at six," she said. "My name is Erasa Pencil. Good day, Mr. Son."

"Good—good day!" Gohan stammered.

The two women left together, continuing their constitutional. Gohan caught the tail end of their conversation.

"Erasa, I must say, that is highly irregular—"

"Videl, if you do not have some enjoyment in—"

Gohan's jaw dropped suddenly, as he realized who the young woman was.

Videl Satan.

The wealthy heiress.


If I were to befriend Miss Videl, she could easily resolve my family's financial situation, Gohan thought. But how could I befriend a woman to such a degree in such a short amount of time, especially a woman who is so brusque?

Needless to say, Gohan had no prior experience with courting ladies of Videl's caliber. Her father was world-famous, and they regularly dined with royalty, whereas Gohan's father was a day-laborer who could not even afford the rent on their apartments.

Verily, Gohan had a Herculean task ahead of him, but there was no denying that Gohan himself had a Herculean nature. Nonetheless, it was with much hesitation that Gohan approached Kingsley Hall that night.

"Yoo hoo! Mr. Son! Over here!" Erasa said.

Gohan followed the sound of her voice through the crowd until he located the plucky young woman. He gulped when he saw her.

Her dress probably costs more than a month's wages, Gohan thought. He considered leaving right then and there, because there was no way he could accommodate such as well-to-do lady, but Erasa grabbed his wrist and smiled. "I'm so glad you came!" she said.

"I...I...I never..." Gohan stammered.

"He can't even speak in complete sentences," a haughty voice said nearby. Gohan swung his head around to see the heiress, Videl.

Gohan's eyes almost popped out of his head, as he saw the perfect picture of loveliness standing before him. The woman's raven hair cascaded down her light-skinned face, reaching her shoulders. The shoulder poofs went up to her ears, highlighting her delicate blue earrings.

The only thing that besmirched her beauty was the distasteful frown on her lips. Gohan's stomach contracted, knowing that he was the cause of her displeasure.

"You are too unrefined to dine with us," Videl said curtly, pulling no punches. "I insist you go home, boy."

"You're beautiful..." Gohan said, still enraptured by Videl's face.

"What?" Videl said, loudly.

"Augh! I mean, I mean, you are beautiful," Gohan said, mentally slapping himself for using a contraction in such a formal situation.

"I am well aware of that, thank you," Videl said. "Really, Erasa, I cannot believe you wish for this ungentlemanly character to be your escort tonight."

"Pay her no heed, Mr. Son," Erasa said. "I am sure that Miss Videl is merely jealous of the fact that mine is the superior escort."

"Call me Gohan," Gohan said, smiling in a gentle manner.

"How inappropriate!" Videl said. "First names?"

Gohan's smile disappeared.

A voice behind Gohan laughed. "What ruffian would address the lovely Miss Videl Satan by her first name, when I, her escort of three years, would not deign to—"

Gohan turned around. The man before him was Sharpener.

"Oh," Sharpener said. "Oh. I should have known. Such an egregious lack of propriety could only belong to the young Master Gohan."

Gohan's ears burned at being given the honorific usually reserved for ten-year-olds.

"Shouldn't you be going back to the cave whence you came?" Sharpener asked Gohan. "Or is it that you got lost searching for the shack you call a home? For truly, you have no place here, at a cultured event, where—"

"He is to be my escort," Erasa said, grabbing Gohan's arm in a protective manner. "Isn't that right, Gohan?"

"Y-yes, Erasa," Gohan said.

Sharpener nearly lost his composure. "See here, Mr. Son, if you ever refer to my sister by her first name again—" he said

"Erasa is your sister?" Gohan asked.

Fury burst on Sharpener's face, upon being interrupted. "Don't touch my sister, peasant boy!" he snapped.

Gohan instantly let go of Erasa's hand, inwardly mourning. Her fingers had felt warm against his, and he could not help but feel that he had lost the only person in the hall who approved of him.

Sharpener roughly grabbed Erasa's hand and yanked her away from Gohan. "Come now, sister, we are going home at once! The rabble that has been invited to this ball clearly shows that it is beneath our dignity to attend!"

"But Sharpner, I like—"

"You do not," Sharpener said, "Do NOT find anything appealing about this scum, or I will have Father cut you off at once!"

"Pshaw! Father refuses to support me for more than two years anyway!" Erasa said. She spoke truly; if she did not find a husband within that time, she would, in effect, be cut off from the rest of the family.

"Oh, and what, you want to marry this rogue? Look at the state of his clothes! He couldn't afford a tailor, much less a wife!"

"W-w-w-wife?" Gohan asked.

"You stay out of this," Sharpener said, waving a finger at Gohan. "In fact, if you so much as even look at my sister again, I will personally box your ears off of your head. Good day."

Sharpener dragged his protesting sister away from the hall.

"I...I..."

"Congratulations," Videl said sarcastically. "In one sweeping moment of brutishness, you have managed to alienate two members of one of our country's finest families. I daresay you must be proud of yourself."

"Sharpner's a jerk," Gohan said, more to himself than anyone else.

Videl blinked. "You really don't have manners, do you?" she asked.

"I...I try to practice good etiquette," Gohan said. "I am sorry if I cannot do so properly."

"Yes, well, try your hardest not to embarrass me tonight," Videl said.

"Embarrass you?"

"If Sharpener is gone, then you are to be my escort, undesirable as it may be," Videl said. "Lead the way, good sir."

"Wha—I—that is—"

Videl glared at Gohan. "Lead the way, good sir," she repeated dangerously.

"Yes, my lady!" Gohan said, bowing. "And...thanks."

"You can thank me once the night is over," Videl said. "Assuming I do not regret it."


"That's my water, you idiot!" Videl hissed.

Gohan blushed at his mistake. He had never been invited to a dinner with actual water goblets before. In his house, they used cups on tables without bedsheets on them.

Of course, when he asked Videl why they had bedsheets on top of the table, she hit him with a glare so fierce that Queen Victoria herself would falter under it.

"Sorry...I didn't know," Gohan mumbled.

Videl rolled her eyes. "The bread is on the left and water is on the right," she explained in a condescending manner. "The water goblet is always placed above the knife, so you cannot lose track of it."

"R...right," Gohan said, trying to process the information.

"And if you insist upon eating the bread, do make sure to use a knife to spread the butter."

"I'm not that stupid," Gohan said to himself, but his angry words did not reflect the state of his mind. Bread with actual butter! This was a first for him, and he was intent on not making any mistakes. Remembering what Videl said, he grabbed the piece of bread on his left and the knife below his water goblet.

"Aha!" Gohan said to himself. Success! He was a gentleman already!

A sharp pain hit the side of Gohan's leg, and it took him a moment to realize that Videl had kicked him under the table. So that's why they have bedsheets on the tables, Gohan realized.

"Use the butter knife on the butter, you simpleton," Videl said through clenched teeth.

Gohan dropped his knife immediately, and it landed in the butter. The butter tray was overturned and soiled the tablecloth.

"Augh!" Videl said. "Now you've done it! I knew I shouldn't have invited a mannerless beast like you, Dumb-Dumb!"

"It's not good manners to call someone 'Dumb-Dumb'," Gohan pointed out.

Videl crossed her arms. "I can only suppose that you are having an adverse influence upon my delicate young self," she said. "What do you do all day, Mr. Son? Visit the local pubs and play billiards?"

Gohan beamed at this chance to redeem himself in the young woman's eyes. "No, I enjoy reading fine literature, and fighting, and—"

"Fighting?" Videl asked.

Gohan hung his head in shame. He knew that fighting was not proper dinner conversation. "Um...I'm also a...mumble mumble..."

Videl shook her head. "Speak up, Mr. Son. As it so happens, I think fighting is—"

"ALL RIGHT, LISTEN UP!" a voice shouted.

Gohan jumped in his seat, upsetting his water glass. Videl frowned again, but no one else noticed Gohan's mistake, as the attention of all those present was called to the two men who had just burst into the hall. They were common ruffians, from the look of them, and they were brandishing pistols.

"This here's a robbery, ain't it, Buu?" the shorter man said. His crooked teeth glinted through his wrinkled, yellowish face.

"You bet it 'tis, Gov'nuh!" the larger man said with a cockney accent. He was so fat that you could barely see his eyes. "Why, I bet we get 'alf a million zeni offa these rich tykes."

"That's rich types, you idiot," the boss said. "Now here's what's going to happen. All you rich folks is gonna put your valuables in our sack here, and if anyone doesn't feel like complyin', he'll get a bullet in his head, courtesy of me pal, Majin Buu. Got it?"

One of the deans stood up. "I insist you leave at once, sir! I'll have you know that my uncle works at Scotland Yard, and—"

The villain called Majin Buu casually whipped out his pistol and shot the man in the shoulder.

"Now tha' was what you call a warnin' shot, that was," Majin Buu said. "Next person 'oo feels like yellin' at us gets it right betwixt the eyes."

One by one, the guests at the ball were forced to give up all their valuables. Watches, wallets, diamonds and jewels...they all went into Babidi's sack. That is, until the foul knaves came to Gohan and Videl.

"Give us your earrings," Babidi growled, aiming his pistol at Videl's face.

"But...these were a gift from my father," Videl said, fingering her left earring. "I cannot bear to part with them."

"Oh, you're breakin' me heart, you are," Babidi said. "Hand 'em over, or I'll take 'em offa your dead body."

"Eh, simmer down, Babidi," Majin Buu grinned. "Why, a beau'iful lady like this one, she can pay us wif somethin' other than money, you know what I'm sayin'? Eh? Eh? Somethin' other than money?"

"I say, I resent that insinuation," Gohan said. He did not understand what the rogues were talking about, but he was sure it could not have been good.

"Ah, 'oo asked you?" Majin Buu said. "Come on, darling. 'Ow's about a kiss for old Majin Buu?"

Gohan stood up quickly. "I say—"

*BAM*

*BOOM*

*CRASH*

Gohan had forgotten to scoot his chair backwards before standing up, and therefore he knocked the table over, right on top of the foul villains. Majin Buu shot off his pistol in surprise as he jumped back from the mountain of food and dining ware that went crashing to the floor.

"You wanna fight, is that it?" Babidi said. "You just lost your life, idiot!"

Babidi aimed his gun at Gohan's head and fired. Reacting quickly, Gohan tackled Babidi and knocked him over. In the ensuing struggle, Babidi's gun was knocked away.

"You're dead, you hear me?" Babidi screeched, showering the young man with blows. But Gohan's fighting skills—gained from having participated in many a rugby match—were not to be taken lightly. He managed to pin the thief and cried in jubilation, when a ham-sized fist smashed into the side of his face.

"You mess wif the boss, you mess wif me," Majin Buu said. He swung another fist at Gohan, but Gohan rolled over to dodge. Majin Buu soon proved to be a tougher opponent than Babidi, as his layers of body fat prevented him from feeling the pain from any blow that Gohan could land on him.

I can't beat this guy by strength alone, Gohan realized. But I didn't pass Oxford's entrance exams for nothing!

"Hey, Buu!" Gohan said, grabbing one edge of a tablecloth. "What does this look like to you?"

Majin Buu scratched his head. "A bedsheet?" he guessed.

"Right you are," Gohan said, yanking the tablecloth with all his might. Majin Buu, who was standing on the other end of the tablecloth, fell over backwards and smashed his head on the ground. The large thug was immediately knocked unconscious.

"Nighty night," Gohan grinned, as he threw the tablecloth over the slumbering giant.

Cheers broke out through in the hallway, but they proved to be premature.

"GOHAN!" Videl shouted.

Gohan looked up. Babidi had somehow found his pistol, and he was now holding it against Videl's forehead. Videl struggled to break free of Babidi's grasp, but the villain's bony arms held her tight.

"Give up, or the girl dies!" Babidi yelled.

Gohan lowered his hands.

"Good, now give me the money sack!" Babidi yelled.

Gohan picked up the sack of money and slid it across the floor towards Babidi. Showing more skill than Gohan would have thought possible, Babidi managed to bend down and pick up the money sack while still keeping Videl captive in his arms.

Babidi grinned.

"That's a good boy," he said. "But it appears I have my hands full now. Guess I'll have to kill the girl, anyway. That'll teach you not to mess with Majin Buu, you son of a—UGH!"

Videl brought her elbow up against Babidi's chin. She then twirled around and jabbed him in the stomach.

Babidi tried to swing his arm around so he could use his pistol, but Videl knocked his hand aside before clasping her hands together and smashing them against the side of Babidi's head.

"Don't you know that you should never touch a lady?" Videl said as she pummeled the brute. Babidi soon decided that it was not his day, and he made a run for the exit where he ran into three policemen.

Gohan was stunned at his date's behavior. "Videl! You...you..."

"I like fighting, too," Videl said, casually putting her hair back into place.


The end of the evening was, needless to say, much better than the beginning. No one pointed out Gohan's bad manners anymore, for they were all too busy complimenting his bravery and chivalry.

"Such grand actions deserve a reward," the dean said. Pulling out his wallet, he removed 300 zeni and gave it to Gohan.

"Sir, this is too generous!" Gohan protested.

"Nonsense, my boy," the dean said. "If it weren't for you, I would have lost all of my money, and where would I be, then? Heroes deserve to be rewarded, don't you agree?"

"I...I...thank you very much, sir!" Gohan said.

Another man stepped in. "I believe I can give you a little something as well," he said, pulling out 200 zeni. "Congratulations, young sir! I wish you luck in your academic career!"

"But...but..." Gohan said.

One by one, all of the guests gave Gohan a reward for his heroic deeds. By the time it was over, he had more than enough to pay for his tuition and his family's debts! The Son family was saved!

There was one person, however, who did not feel fit to reward Gohan: his date, Videl.

"That was extremely foolish, Gohan Son," Videl said angrily. "You could have been killed!"

"I'm sorry," Gohan said. "I just...I couldn't let him talk that way to you, that's all."

"You are as ill-refined as an ape!" she said. "I insist you take me home at once! A buffoon like you does not deserve to stay for the rest of the ball!"

"Great!" Gohan said. He didn't know how to dance, anyway. "Where do you live?"

Videl stomped her foot. "You are not supposed to be happy when a woman reprimands you, Mr. Son!" she said. "Instead, you should quaver in fear!"

"I...I'm sorry again," Gohan said.

Videl hmmphed. "I can see that we still have a long way to go before you will behave properly," she said. "Please, do not repeat tonight's brutal performance at our future dates."

"Future dates?" Gohan asked. "You mean...you're not mad?"

"Of course I am upset with you," Videl said. "But if I don't teach you how to act, who will? I expect to see you at my mansion tomorrow at half past three, for private etiquette lessons, Mr. Son."

"P...p...private lessons?"

"If you do not appear at that time, you will be in immense trouble," Videl said, giving Gohan a final glare. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Very clear, Miss Videl," Gohan said.

Videl shook her head at Gohan's obvious buffoonery, then leaned towards Gohan and kissed his cheek.

"That's for saving me," she whispered. "Now take me home, Gohan."

"Yes, Miss Videl!" Gohan said, resisting the urge to salute. "Right away!"

And as they walked arm-in-arm back to Videl's coach, she leaned in a bit closer to him than common dignity would allow for.


So all in all, the Son's financial problems were solved. Gohan was able to afford his tuition to Oxford, without borrowing any money at all from the lovely heiress Videl, although this did not stop him from spending all his free time with his new-found sweetheart.

Gohan was surprised beyond all telling when Inspector Blugstone of Scotland Yard came to see him the next day. It seemed that there was a 100,000 zeni reward for the capture of Babidi or Majin Buu. Since Gohan captured both, he was given 200,000 zeni. Because of these fabulous funds, Goku was able to buy his house from Vegeta, not just pay the rent on it.

"I told you that Gohan would be able to solve our problems!" Goku said proudly.

"I'm so proud!" Chi-Chi said, folding her hands together. "And Miss Videl sounds like a simply lovely young lady! I do hope Gohan will bring her over for dinner, so I can meet her!"


Verily, it was a happy ending for all our heroes. However, there were two people who were, shall we say, less than overjoyed at the news.

"That worthless peasant boy!" Sharpener screamed, throwing down the newspaper which detailed the previous night's events. "I've been courting Videl for three years, and he swoops in and steals her in one night?"

"That's what you deserve for separating me from my escort," Erasa said, haughtily.

"So he thinks he can fight, eh? I'll show him what real fighting is like!" Sharpener promised. "When I'm through with him, peasant boy will never show his face in Oxford again!"

At Capsule Corp, a similar scene was taking place.

"This is madness!" Vegeta ranted. "I was going to evict those worthless Sons and have them begging on the streets! This Gohan boy will pay for costing me a house and my honor! After all, we Saiyans prize honor above all other things!"


To Be Continued...

Tomorrow...

On...Wild West day?