Vulnerable

A/N: Hello! New chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ! However, I do own any new OC in this story.

Chapter 2: Acquainted

Erasa and Videl both stood in the street, watching the young boy disappear into the crowd. Videl could see a hint of curiosity in her friend's eyes and she quickly held her hand, taking her towards the park "Before you get any ideas. We're not following him to the store. I don't care if you're dying."
Erasa quickly started pouting "But he's so cute. I mean come on, you saw him. And he's around our age. It wouldn't hurt to have a friend like him." She then looked at her friend playfully "If you want, you can have him, I won't mind."
Videl quickly blushed and rolled her eyes "It's way too early to think about this. And he's not that cute. Now come on. Let's go play a little before we head back home. Mum is preparing pancakes for diner."
The blonde girl squealed excitedly as both girls run towards the park. A few minutes later, they reached the playground and started playing left and right. They saw some of their school friends and they all passed the afternoon together.

Gohan rushed to the grocery store to get a bunch of snacks and candies for Goten, his little brother. They decided to come to a park to play but his mother was too tired to reach West City and they settled for Satan City.

Gohan never understood why people had changed the name of the city. He knew that Hercule had taken his credit for killing Cell, but the teen didn't care about publicity and enjoyed his privacy. But he didn't understand why the Earthlings made this big of a deal on the subject, changing the name of the city and every store and place in it to the champion's name. For him, it felt a little farfetched.

He entered the store and quickly chose an assortment of candies and he went to the register to pay. The shop owner chuckled as he started to pack the mountain of food "Got a big party plannin' tonight?"
Gohan blushed lightly in embarrassment and nodded shyly. He then payed the amount and left the store.

On his way to the park, he started thinking about the two girls he met on his way to the store. He never really had interaction with people in the city, and he couldn't but notice how extroverted they were compared to him. He, for sure, wouldn't have talked to a stranger; he wasn't used to this. He then started thinking about the situation, thinking if he should interact more with people, instead of staying confined in their house in the mountains. This was something he needed to discuss with his mother. Aside from village kids, he never truly talked with people and Lime, a village girl, being the only one near his age, but he didn't see her this much.

He then reached the park and quickly started looking for his mother and brother. It took him only a few seconds with his Ki sensing abilities, and he found his mother sitting on a bench, keeping a close eye on his one year old brother, Goten. After Goku's death, Goten was the only good thing that happened in their small family. Aside from the fact that he was the spitting image of his late father, which caused a little distress for the mother and son duo, the little boy was a bundle of joy and energy, bringing a smile to anyone who saw him. Gohan always felt responsible for his brother growing without a father, but he promised himself to raise him just like Goku would've wanted, and he decided to step in as a father figure for the youngest half-Saiyan.

He waved hello to his mother and sat near her. She smiled at her oldest son and ruffled his hair "Finding a store was too much trouble I guess? I'm sorry sweetie, I know you're not used to this city. I promise, next time, we'll go to West City and see Bulma."
The young boy shook his head, smiling at his mother "It was okay, two girls helped me find the way. They were very friendly."
Chi-Chi quickly rose an eyebrow at her son "Girls? Gohan, you are way too young for this kind of stuff. What about your education? Your future? No mister, no funny business young man."
Gohan chuckled lightly at his mother's overprotective side "Mother, it's not like that. They were girls, what was I supposed to call them? I barely know their names." He then started looking around him "Um, where's Goten?"
The Son matron quickly started scanning the area, almost screaming "Dende, where did he go? Normal babies are a handful when they start walking, and your brother is another story. Please sweetie help me find him, he shouldn't be too far."
The young boy nodded and started looking around for his brother.

Not very further, a young one year old boy in traditional blue clothes could be seen wandering around the park, near the playground. Being a half-Saiyan, it should be normal that Goten would be attracted to the monkey bars and swing sets. He started to walk aimlessly, looking in awe at the games, his hand held in front of him, for both equilibrium and curiosity.

Then, he heard someone squeal and he jumped by surprise when he saw someone come near, making him fall on his back. But instead of crying like any normal baby, Goten started laughing and cooing happily at the new figure who couldn't but smile "He's so cute. Videl look at him. Look at these cheeks."
The young girls had noticed a baby wandering alone, and they reached him, hoping to help him find his mother. Erasa lost no time crouching the boy's level and she started to play with him "Hey. Where's your mommy and daddy? Why are you alone?"
Videl chuckled and started looking around her "They couldn't be too far. What kind of parents don't pay attention to their child?"
Erasa chuckled and rolled her eyes, as she continued to play with the baby "Don't be this harsh. Kids are a mess, especially when they start walking. Trust me, I know." Then the blonde girl started looking around her "Hey, do you hear this? It looks like someone is calling."
Then both girls started waiving in every direction.

A few seconds later, they saw a head with black spiky hair coming in their direction, followed by a woman in a traditional pink kimono and black hair tied in a bun. The baby started laughing as he got up and walked towards the boy who called him "Goten! What are you doing here? We told you to play near the sand." The boy then turned towards the girls "Thank you for staying with him." He then tilted his head and blushed lightly "You were the girls that helped before, no?"
Erasa quickly laughed, as she started to play with Goten who held his hands towards the blonde girl, as if inviting her to hold him "Your brother is even cuter than you." She laughed when she saw Gohan turn crimson red and she looked at Videl "You've forgotten us already? That's not very nice of you."
Videl rolled her eyes at her friend and smiled at Gohan "Did you find the store?" The young boy nodded and she smiled then bowed respectfully to his mother "Hello, I'm Videl and this is my friend Erasa. Nice to meet you."
Chi-Chi smiled at them and bowed back "I'm Chi-Chi, Gohan and Goten's mother. Gohan told me you helped him find the store, thank you. And thank you for keeping an eye on Goten. I don't know how he escaped us."
Both girls nodded and smiled as Gohan was holding Goten, poking his nose. The young boy smiled at them and nodded "Thanks for today. Glad I could see you again."
The Son family then bowed and left both girls alone.

The blonde girl kept following Gohan with her eyes and she smirked at her friend "He's cute, his brother is even cuter, his mother is very pretty and he's super good with kids. He's perfect. I bet you he's super smart. Too bad he's this shy. He would work with you. I don't know why but you seem to like shy people."
Videl ignored her friend's looks and shook her head playfully "Stop fangirling. He's just a normal boy. And shyness isn't a bad quality." She then looked at her watch "Mom should be home by now. Wanna come back and eat dinner with us? I think my dad can come tonight."
Erasa nodded excitedly "Of course. Nothing beats your mom's cooking." She then smiled gently at her friend "How's it going with your dad? Got used to the situation more?"
Videl nodded, not discussing the situation more and both girls rushed towards the Satan household.

On the other side of the park, the young Son family prepared to leave. They decapsulated their car, to appear normal in public, and they made their way towards the outskirts of the city. While leaving, they spotted Erasa and Videl rushing towards the residential area, and Gohan smiled lightly, yet looking a bit sad.

His mother noticed the look on his face and she smiled at him "Sweetie? Something's wrong?"
The young boy quickly shook his head, scratching the back of his neck "No. I was just thinking about something." He then took a look at Goten and saw him sleeping and he turned his attention back to his mother "When I was searching for the store, these girls came to see me and they directly started talking to me. I don't think I could do this if I saw someone on the street. They're more, ummm, extroverted than me."
Chi-Chi smiled at her son, and she held his hand while keeping the second one on the wheel "It's a character. I'm sure the blonde girl was the one who talked with you first. She seems more talkative than the other. I don't see what your problem is."
Gohan sighed "Yeah I know. I just think that, with dad gone, I have to take a lot of new responsibilities. I don't think being this shy would help. I'm not used to talking with other people. Asides the villages, and sometimes Lime, I don't talk to anyone."
The Son matron ruffled his hair and smiled at him "You don't have to take more responsibilities. That's my job, I'm the parent. You have to focus on growing up, studying, and being a good big brother to Goten, not a father. But you're right on a point, you don't really interact with other people. You need to meet people that aren't your father's friends, an egocentric wanna be Prince, and a green alien." She heard him chuckle as she started thinking. Then, she clicked her fingers together "If you want, I think I have a solution."
Chi-Chi chuckled when she saw Gohan turn towards her excitedly. Sometimes, she forgot he was only twelve, even though he appeared older. She took a quick glance at Goten who was still sleeping and she turned her focus back to Gohan "If you want, when we need groceries from the city and you go alone, instead of going to West City, you can come to Satan City. The park was full of people your age, maybe you can meet some friends. BUT, you can only go for one hour. It shouldn't come in the ways of your studies, understood mister? These two girls were very nice, I don't think they will be a bad influence on you. But no funny business, you hear me? They are a lot of bad kids in the city, I don't want my baby boy to get into trouble."
Gohan's face lit up and he nodded excitedly at his mother. Maybe it won't be a bad idea and he could learn to interact more with people his age. Chi-Chi chuckled when she saw her son's face lit up and they continued their ride towards their home, discussing whether or not they should continue by car or call Nimbus.

Back in Satan City, Videl and Erasa quickly reached the Satan household and they rushed inside. In an instant, they removed their sneakers and Videl jumped excitedly in her father's hands "Daddy, you came."
Hoshiko smiled at her daughter but quickly glared at her "Videl, go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready. Welcome Erasa. Do you want to sleep here tonight?"
Erasa chuckled when she saw Videl pout and she stuck her tongue playfully at her mother "No, I'm only here for the pancakes. But I can come on the weekend."
Both Satan laughed and they nodded in agreement.

A few seconds later, Videl came back from her room. She had changed into her house's clothes and let down the ponytail she had. They then all sat on the table and started talking.

Mr. Satan looked happily at his daughter and wiped her face from the syrup "Pumpkin, how was your day?"
The raven girl rose her shoulders "The usual. School was boring, it's too easy. Then we went to the park to play. Nothing much. You? Are you sleeping here this week?"
Mr. Satan smiled at his daughter as he nodded, and she jumped excitedly onto his lap. Erasa smiled but quickly rose an eyebrow, reading to embarrass her friend a little "Videl, why are you lying? You didn't mention Gohan."
Hercule almost chocked on his food at the mention of the name, his face turning blank. Videl quickly glared at her friend as her mother laughed at them "Are you hiding boys Videl? Who's this Gohan?"
Erasa quickly took over the conversation "He's this cute boy we met today. He's not from the city and he has a younger brother. He's super nice and I bet he's super smart. But he's super shy." Erasa then quickly winked at Videl "I guess he could be a friend of Videl's. She likes shy people."
Videl's face quickly turned to crimson red as her parents were laughing at her. Mr. Satan then turned his focus back to the girl "Sweet pea, what's he like? He has an unusual name."
Videl quickly eyed her friend before she started talking and she swallowed her bite "He's taller than us. He has black hair that is weirdly spiky and his eyes are also black. And he is very muscled for someone his age. Why do you ask daddy?"
The world champion's face turned white, which didn't go unnoticed by his wife who spoke first "Nothing monkey. Daddy's just curious, to have an idea about your style." She then decided to tease her daughter "Do we have to start worrying about boys?"
The whole table started laughing at the young girl.

Eventually, they all finished dinner and the pre-teens volunteered to do the dishes, leaving both adults in the living room. Hoshiko lost no time asker her husband about his weird behavior at the table "He's the boy, isn't he?"
Hercule lowered his eyes, not daring to look at his wife "Yes. Do you think he knows who she is?"
The Satan matron shook her head "I don't think so. But remember what you promised. If he comes forward, you won't deny a thing."
The world champion nodded in agreement, looking towards the kitchen "Do you think it's a good idea for them to become friends?"
Hoshiko started thinking for a little. It had both its pros and cons. But in the end, it was Videl's decision. All they could do was guide her if he appeared to be a bad person.

After a few minutes of reflection, she looked at her husband "I don't think it's this bad. If he doesn't say anything, our lives won't turn upside down. I don't think he's befriending her to get revenge. We're gonna have to ask Erasa about this more. But on the bright side, our little girl will always be protected if something were to happen to her." Hercule's eyes quickly widened and his wife explained her point of view "Think about it Mark. People are still scarred by what happened; some people actually died because of Cell. But eventually, crimes will restart and the city won't stay this safe. Criminals will want to prove they are stronger than you. We can't know for sure that Videl won't be targeted for money. And we can't have people following her, she'll hate it. She is finally living a normal life. If he's her friend and something were to happen to her while they're together, we can be sure she'll be safe. And who knows, he might be a good boy and if he's truly Videl's type, the money that is rightfully his will return to him."
Hercule sat on the couch, one leg on the other, as he started thinking about what his wife had just said. She was right on every aspect, as usual, and he shook his head in agreement "You're right. If they become friends, I won't say a thing. But no dating, it's too soon. I don't want my baby girl dating who knows who. And who knows, he might be dangerous."
Hoshiko kissed her husband on his cheek, smiling at his overprotective side.

A few minutes later, Erasa came to say goodbye and left. The Satan mother quickly ordered her daughter to take a bath and sleep, reminding her that she had school tomorrow. And as boring as Videl found it, she enjoyed going there. It was like she lived a normal life, and she was grateful for this. Then, freshly showered, she kissed her parents good night and rushed to bed.

The weekend couldn't come faster for both girls. They quickly rushed to Erasa's on Friday afternoon and finished their homework for the weekend. The weather was very pleasant for a day in March and they both decided to go towards the city's outskirts. They knew that around this time, flowers would start to blossom and they wanted to see the beautiful colors they would take.

On their way, they decided to stop by the grocery store to get some snacks and cold juice. They entered and started strolling around the alleys, choosing what they wanted to eat. They then felt a new voice greet the shop owner hello, and soon after, a very familiar spiky hair could be noticed from the other side of the valley.

Erasa felt very playful that day, and she took a glance of Gohan's position, before she decided to remove the box of chocolate, surprising the young boy, who turned very red. Erasa chuckled at him "Hiya Gohan. Whatcha' doing here?"
The young boy scratched the back of his neck and started walking towards them. He was dressed in what appeared to be the bottom of a purple-colored training Gi, with a white shirt on top. His muscles were clearly showing, as well as a distinctive scar on his left shoulder, down to his elbow.

Both girls smiled at him when he nodded at them "Hey Erasa, Videl. I was getting a thing or two for my mom. What are you doing here?"
Erasa quickly took over the conversation, her eyes shining "Is your brother here today? He is so cute, I want to see him again."
Gohan chuckled at her "No, he's at home. I came to get a thing for my mom and stroll a little in the city, get to know it."
The blonde girl quickly smirked, and she quickly responded "The city is very nice, I'm sure you'll love it. You should come more often." Then a hint of malice could be perceived in her eyes and she tilted her head playfully at Videl. The latter quickly understood but Erasa quickly cut her before she could open her mouth "We're actually going for a walk around the city. Wanna come? It'll be fun!"
Gohan blushed at her invitation, not knowing what to do.

He had come to the city for this specific reason but he never thought Erasa would've been this forward with him. And he felt like Videl wasn't very comfortable with the idea, even though she didn't show it. But who would be, going out with a total stranger. Sometimes knowing how to feel Ki was indeed useful.

He then smiled politely at them "Another time, thanks. I don't want to impose. I'll see you guys." He then bowed respectively and waved them goodbye, not letting Erasa persuade him more. He turned back into the alley where he got the packs of noodles his mother asked for and he retrieved some vegetables before he left the store.

He then packed everything in bags and started walking in the city, looking left and right. It was smaller than West City, and it had a different approach. West City was just smaller than the capital and was more industrial, with several machinery shops and factories. Satan City was more residential as clothing shops were scattered left and right.

He then made his way towards the outskirts of the city, still mesmerized by the beauty of the place. He then sighed to himself and started ruffling his hair "Stupid Gohan. You came here just to make new friends. I'm not good at this, maybe I should just go back home."

He continued to walk until he reached plains outside the city and he stood there, amazed by the several flowers that started to blossom. He always had a thing for cherry trees blossoming, but he couldn't deny that the sight was indeed beautiful. He started strolling between the bushes, noticing several shades of red and yellow, alongside the green that composed the grass and flower stalks. He then noticed a very distinct blue flower below a tree but he couldn't remember for the love of Dende where he'd seen the color before.

He was entranced by the flowers and failed to notice someone sneaking behind him. Instinctively, his senses sharpened and, as soon as he felt someone getting close to him, he quickly turned and took a stance, preparing to attack. But he stopped himself just in time when he saw the familiar blonde hair.

Erasa looked at him startled, as she started to back out "Easy Gohan. I didn't mean to, sorry."
Gohan quickly stood back, and he put his hands together as a sorry and bowed "I'm so sorry Erasa. I acted by reflex. I'm used to this, we live in the mountains. I'm so sorry."
Videl quickly calmed her friend and looked back at the boy. She didn't know a lot about martial arts, but she had seen his father train many times. The boy had a different stance, and it looked, well flawless. She felt like he could stop anything that came to him. Being very curious, she turned her attention to him "Do you do martial arts? Your stance was amazing, and you were very fast."
Gohan's eyes quickly filled with sadness and he lowered his head a little "I used to. I stopped a year ago. It's just reflexes now. Sorry Erasa, again."

Both girls smiled at him. They knew he was polite but at this point? And have Erasa starting to make a list about all the qualities that lied in Gohan; tall, cute, polite, shy, strong. He was almost perfect, even for her. Videl, on the other hand, started analyzing him lightly. I big sense of déjà-vu took over her, but she couldn't really pinpoint it. And the scar on his hand was pretty dominant.

Being very curious about this stuff, more than her friend, she asked the boy "Gohan, that's a big scar on your hand. How did you hurt yourself?"
Gohan's face quickly turned black, remembering very well how, or rather who, inflicted him this damage. The simple memory of Cell horrified him, as he remembered how careless he was. A carelessness that caused his father his life.

He then looked at Videl and sighed "Bike accident. I was going to a village near our house and fell of the bike in a valley. Scratched my hand on a tree branch."
Both girls winced in pain at the story and Videl smiled apologetically. Erasa quickly decided to lighten the mood "Why didn't you tell us you were coming here? You could've come with us."
Gohan blushed lightly "I was on my way back home. I didn't know you wanted to come here. My bike is actually right by this tree." He wasn't lying. Bulma had indeed offered him a mountain bike. She told him it would be easier for him to appear normal in the city. He then went and retrieved it, showing it to the girls "Here, wanna try it?"
He didn't understand how he got the courage to ask them this, and both girls seemed equally surprised by his question. But instead of laughing in his face like he feared, they actually nodded excitedly as they tried the bike.

Gohan couldn't but smile when he saw them. The interaction was very easy, not like he feared. Then, something caught his attention. While Videl was riding the bike, he noticed the actual color of her eyes. They were different than Erasa. In the store, both of them appeared to have blue eyes; but, at natural lighting, they were actually different. While Erasa had deep blue eyes, similar to the color of the ocean, Videl's were a shade of purple, almost lapis bleu. Just like, the flowers that he saw under the tree; that's why they felt familiar.

He looked at her and smiled, and a shade of red appeared on his cheeks. Now that he thought of it, Videl was actually cute, cuter than Erasa. She was shorter than him but her eyes had this amazing color. Her hair was black and she tied it in a ponytail. She was wearing a jeans with white sneakers and a red jacket that suited her very well. He then blushed at his thoughts. Damn these Saiyans genes, acting as if he was an adult. Technically, his body was thirteen, and it was normal that he would behave like this, but not in public.

After a few minutes, the girls gave Gohan his bike back and Erasa smiled at him "Thanks, it's really nice. Different than the ones we have."
Gohan nodded at her "It's for the mountains. Yours will be for the city. It's lighter."
The blonde girl nodded understandingly, even though both Videl and Gohan could feel that she didn't really care, and they chuckled lightly. Videl then looked at Gohan happily "You want to eat with us? We brought snacks."
Gohan blushed lightly and he scratched the back of his neck. He then saw the sun's position and shook his head "I can't. I have a long way home, I'm sorry."
The raven girl looked at him sadly but understandably. Then, Erasa smirked playfully at him "Next time you come, no excuses. We will find you and pass the day together, 'kay?"
Gohan chuckled at Erasa "I'm not sure." But then her looks pierced him and he scratched the back of his neck "Okay, sure. Next time, I'll try to find you."
Erasa jumped excitedly as Gohan mounted his bike. He settled the grocery bags on the handle and waved them goodbye.

After he left, Erasa started looking around, earning Videl's curiosity "What are you doing?"
The blonde girl then stopped and started laughing "I knew it. Look." Then Videl approached and saw flowers on the ground and Erasa looked at her, as if waiting for her to understand on her own. When she didn't, the blonde girl rolled her eyes "These were the flowers Gohan was looking at when we found him. Didn't notice a thing?"
Videl shook her head and Erasa sighed dramatically "They're the same color as your eyes, silly. He clearly likes you."
The raven girl turned a bright shade of red and looked at her friend "No way. Maybe he looked at all the flowers but we happened to catch him on these. You can't know stuff like this."
The blonde girl shook her head "I can. He's clearly older than us, and he is very cute. I bet he's perfect for you."
Videl quickly shook her head and looked at her watch "No he's not. Now come on, we have to get back home."

Both girls quickly started running towards Videl's home. A few minutes later, they saw Hoshiko open the front door, as she was just returning from her work. She smiled when she saw the girls and quickly hugged her daughter "Hey monkey. How was your day? Erasa hey. Wanna come in?"
The blonde girl quickly shook her head "I can't. My dad is coming back from his trip today. I'll see you tomorrow Videl. Bye auntie Hoshiko." She then waved them goodbye as she run towards her house at the end of the block "Videl, don't forget to tell your mom about Gohan."
Videl flared up as Erasa started running towards her house as if her life depended on it.

Hoshiko laughed and looked playfully at her daughter while she opened the front door "So, monkey. How's Gohan?" She chuckled when she saw her daughter blush a little and she teased her "Videl, we said no boys, remember?"
Videl quickly hid her face with her jacket and her mother laughed at her. She then took the jacket from her daughter's hand and hung it. They both removed their shoes and made their way towards the kitchen to prepare for dinner "Your dad shouldn't be long. Wanna help me set the table?"
The young girl jumped excitedly and started getting the plates and cutlery. She then started helping her mother rinse the vegetables for dinner as both girls enjoyed a little bonding time.

After dinner was finished and the table was settled, they both sat in the living room, waiting for Hercule to come back. Hoshiko looked at her daughter who was reading a book an she decided to go for it "Videl, sweetie." The raven girl turned her attention towards her mother who continued "This Gohan, what's he like? Is he a good kid?"
Videl quickly sighed "Mom, it's nothing. Erasa is getting ahead of herself."
The mother smiled lightly "Pumpkin, I never said there was anything. I just want to know if you think he'll be a good friend or not. I respect your judgment, you're a big girl now." She then noticed what her daughter just said "Wait, what do you mean by Erasa is getting ahead? Did something happened? Videl, don't lie to me."
The young girl quickly started moving her hands in every directions, dropping her book "No mom. It's just something that happened today and Erasa is overthinking it."
Hoshiko waited for her daughter to explain everything to her. After this, the Satan matron looked at her daughter, wanting her intake on this whole situation "And you? What do you think about this?"
Videl looked at her mother, surprised by her question "What? No! Of course not. I don't see him that way, I don't even find him cute." She then looked at her mother pensively "It's just that, he feels familiar." She saw her mother looking at her surprised and she continued "I don't remember where, but I'm sure I saw him somewhere before."

Hoshiko looked at her daughter, amazed by her senses of perception. But if Videl knew the truth, it could be a problem. She didn't want the kids to be in the middle of this but she couldn't hint her daughter that she was onto something, it would be too dangerous. Instead, she decided to tease her daughter, hoping to make her forget about the whole subject "I think it's because you actually find him cute but don't want to admit it. I'd like to meet this Gohan of yours. Next time he comes in the city, why don't you bring him to the restaurant?"
Videl flared up, and she rolled her eyes at her mother. Why does everyone think she finds him cute? Intriguing, yes, definitely. But cute, no. But then Videl nodded in approval, she couldn't disobey her mother.

Hoshiko internally sighed in relief. When she'll meet the boy, she could actually know if he was getting close to Videl for a specific reason or not. Even though she trusted her daughter, and her first instincts, you can never be too careful. Especially with your daughter's life.