A/N: It's official, these chapters have grown too long.

Like, way too long now.

In fact, I have chopped this chapter in half and ended up with two full chapters. Imagine that.

On the plus side, it meant I ended up with an additional chapter. One that I'm going to have to name now…

I'd like to thank everyone who left me a review. I have become an aspiring writer now, and I'd like to improve even more. Let's just say I ended up enjoying writing fiction far more than I thought I would.

Of course, getting so many people who read this work certainly helped motivating me as well.

Also, left me a review, noting that my conversations are a bit too polished. Well, what can I say? Guilty as charged.

Though in the case of the conversation with Krillin, that was especially bad. It was originally with Vegeta, but I quickly realised that this wasn't going to work, and it has been shuffled around a lot at this point. I guess it ended up being pretty visible.

I intended to re-write that part a bit, but it fell a little to the background, between personal life, and this chapter being split in half.

I'll definitely try to watch it for future chapters though.

So please, leave me a review with your thoughts.

And most important of all, enjoy.

Chapter 14

Goodwill

Videl winced as she pressed herself against the alley wall. Even through her shirt, the rough brick jammed painfully into her back. The smaller she could make herself, the better.

From her hiding spot at the end of a short alley, she could see glimpses of the local townspeople as they searched the streets. Looking for her. It was a small town, so she knew she couldn't hide for very long.

She ducked her head down behind a barrel, expecting someone was about to pass. Sure enough, just a moment later a beam of light illuminated the alley, making her hold her breath, but it was only for a couple of seconds.

She exhaled and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, ignoring the stench coming from the dumpster behind her. It was still dark out, and for that she was grateful. However, the sun would rise at any time now.

She thought this suburban area would be a good place to lay low for a while. Sadly, fate had other ideas. She must have been recognized instantly. At first, it did seem promising, but the people merely pretended to be friendly in order to bring down her guard.

The incident at the farm had revealed to the world that she was pretending to be a boy. Making it that much harder for her to blend in. At this point, she didn't have much choice than to abandon the farce. Luckily, she did still have a couple of cards up her sleeve. While in the alleyway she had changed her appearance. Gone were the jeans and t-shirt that were being published in her description. In their place was the purple and red outfit that Gohan had given her. Well technically it was Piccolo who supplied it, but that wasn't the point. Perhaps some hair dye would come in handy? Or maybe a wig? Everyone knew she had short hair now.

Then there was her other advantage. No-one knew about the existence of her Nimbus Cloud, and she needed to keep it that way. It was why she came here on foot, and why she would sneak out on foot. A cloud was neat and really fast, but so easily recognizable.

In the short term, it might serve as a quick getaway… Assuming it would accept her.

In the long term, however, she still had to find a way to live without the imminent threat of death or worse looming over her head. The longer she could keep the cloud under wraps, the better her chances of that happening. The last thing she needed was to be spotted while riding it.

She stretched out a little bit. The search seemed to be slowing down, and that was a good reason to relax. These clothes were really comfy. She could see why Gohan liked them.

She wasn't planning to go undercover in these clothes, but she didn't have to. She wasn't going to stick around much longer. Besides, it was already known that she had an outfit resembling that of the Golden God.

Which was why Videl had left off the purple top, and let the red shirt hang out loosely over the pants. Perhaps, if people didn't look at her too closely, she could slip through the net.

It was being called a blasphemy, by the way. The spawn of Satan disguising herself as an Angel of Light. Or so she heard. She made a mental note to get her hands on something new, and fast!

You'd think that after Gohan's speech to the cultists, things would have calmed down, but no, people were still doing stupid shit. Well, at least they were no longer invoking his name. Gohan had made pretty clear he did not like that, and right now, that was a line no-one dared to cross.

Except for the Golden Cult, of course. How those people were still around was anyone's guess. And how they haven't made headlines yet, for one atrocity or the other was even more of a head-scratcher.

This town turned out to be no better than Golden City. While they didn't have the Golden Cult, there was definitely a worship of some kind. Their unified response to her arrival was evidence enough of that.

"Hey!" Someone called into the alley. She had been seen. "What are you doing there?!" A guy with a gun demanded of her, shining a flashlight into her eyes.

"I thought that Videl might be hiding here." She tried. She felt the adrenaline hitting her veins. It was one of those cultists!

"And you went to look by yourself?" The man asked, using an insulting tone. "That bitch is a skilled fighter, you're not going to take her in by yourself!"

"I'm sorry, I thought I…" Videl started.

"Go home to your mommy, kid." He interrupted her. "Let the adults take care of this one." And with that, he promptly turned around and left.

Videl's legs gave way and she dropped down to her knees, her heart still thumping rapidly. Mistaken for a kid. She couldn't believe her luck. But best not waste it now!

So, she jumped up and ran out the other way.

A teenage girl walked into a badly lit room, packed with armed men. It reeked of alcohol, sweat and gunpowder. Several machine guns were carelessly flung across the tables, and boxes of bullets were stacked up near the door. Most of the lights had been shot out of their sockets, and the group ended up loving the look of the gloomy atmosphere so much that they didn't bother replacing them. It made them look badass.

She had to resist the urge to puke. Some of the men were ogling her, but she paid them no heed. She had a mission. Find the biggest guy with the biggest gun, the biggest mouth and the smallest brain. Usually, it was all wrapped into one person.

Someone set down a chair for her at a table, just across from said man. Marching toward him, she opted to lean on the arm instead of sitting down.

"Welcome." The man said, somewhere between annoyed and sneering. "I hope you like our little man-cave. I must say, you've got a lot of guts walking in here."

"Yeah, let's skip the small talk." She crossed her arms, folded one leg over the other, and raised her chin. Experience taught her that this tactic made the men feel insecure. Literally look down on them, and they will crumble. Her posture also helped with her own confidence. She didn't have a high opinion of his kind. Still, the Golden God had given his commandant, and she would see it happen.

"Alright, take off your clothes, and we can get started." The guy replied.

She rolled her eyes. Always the same jokes. And always the same laugh. She was starting to believe all men were like this.

Well, she knew Son Gohan wasn't like this. One man in the world. Yeay.

He was trying to get a reaction out of her. To take control of the conversation. Rather than replying to him, she just stared at him, internally willing her eyes to burn a hole through his skull. Too bad she would probably miss his brain. Small target and all.

It didn't take long for him to lose his nerve. "What do you want, you little psycho?" He demanded.

"I want you to put away your little toys, and actually do something useful." She commanded.

"Sorry, but we're going to have to decline." He refused immediately. "The Golden God has tasked us with restoring the peace, and so we will!"

"Couldn't you, I don't know, not fight?" She asked him. "Your deity did tell you to stop fighting and make peace, so why aren't you?"

"We will have to make peace before that can happen." He replied. Always the same answer. Make peace by force and violence.

"And why would you do that?" She asked with feigned interest palpable in her tone. "It can't be for Son Gohan, because I'm pretty sure he wouldn't like you bothering people and robbing places in his name."

"We need the money to become stronger, and then we can retake Golden City in his honour."

"Oh, really." She raised an eyebrow. "With this rabble?"

"We have a lot more followers than just the people here." Someone else spoke up. "We are nearly a hundred strong now! So, who are you to mock us, little girl?"

"Oh, how rude of me." She nearly giggled in amusement. "I completely forgot to introduce myself. I am Lime, and I speak for the Golden Cult, which has over a million members in Golden City alone."

Several gasps were heard at those words. It was a little lie, but it was almost true, just two hundred thousand short of a million. Almost all of the people who remained in the city had become part of the Golden Cult. And that wasn't even counting worldwide.

"I am here to absorb your little ragtag bunch of misfits into our group. But first you're going to have to put the guns down and stop all the violent acts. We will not tolerate such behaviour!" As she spoke, her voice got increasingly stern. As much as she always had fun with the introductions, this was serious business.

"The Golden Cult?" The boss repeated. "You people have done nothing. Why should we join you?"

"Isn't it nothing that the Golden God wants us to do?" She returned. "So, we're doing exactly that, unlike you."

"We are restoring order in the city."

"By throwing more fuel to the fire." She returned. "If Gohan wanted a takeover, he'd do it himself. He has the power to make the city shake with his voice, surely he wouldn't need you and your little peashooter to do the work for him?" She mocked him. "All you're going to achieve like this is a criminal record if you're lucky. A God breathing down your neck if you're not! And some people have been unlucky. You wanna be next?"

"I will not sit here and be insulted like this!"

"Then stand up, or lay down, I don't give a shit!" She snapped. "You are a nuisance! You are making a lot of problems for a lot of people here! It's got to stop, now! Or there will be severe consequences!"

"Didn't you put your guns away?" One of the men asked her, in a superior tone. "What you going to do, look at us as we mow you down?"

"No, we are going to look on as you get your due." She replied calmly. "We, the Golden Cult, do not have to do anything! The police will round you up. And if not them, the army. And even if you manage to get past those guys, you'll have Son Gohan himself to tangle with. Do you think he'll be grateful for turning his city into a war zone, or you think there will be another Day of Vengeance?"

Lime straightened up, no longer using the chair for support. "We want peace. We want the fighting to stop. We are the silent majority, and we are sick and tired of your extremist bullshit."

Erasa gazed over the passing scenery. They had been driving since yesterday. When evening fell, Sharpner had suggested buying a tent. She had nearly gagged and insisted on getting a cheap hotel. Humans only slept in tents until man figured out how to build walls. Sharpner had argued that they couldn't keep doing that, as they were running out of money. She knew he was right, but a lady still had to have some standards. Ultimately, they slept in the car for the night.

If they were going to drive out to the 439 mountain area by car, it was going to take some time. There weren't any highways, or even proper roads, and they only had a bit of cash left. Sharpner's discovery that Videl's belongings had no value outside of the city was not reassuring. They definitely did not have enough for gas, food, and hotels for the entire journey.

She sighed. Golden City was drawing closer, but they still didn't have a plan beyond 'Hey! Let's go see Gohan and see if he'll show us how to blow up an alien spaceship!'. They didn't even have a place to stay. Speaking of which, perhaps she should call her parents to let them know what had happened. You know, before they arrived home to discover that their house was destroyed, and daughter was missing.

Definitely not looking forward to that conversation. She needed a distraction.

"Hey, Sharpy?"

"It's Sharpner."

"Do you really want to learn about energy?" She asked.

"I do." He replied. "What about you? Didn't you want to learn how to fight?"

"I want to learn how to defend myself." She corrected him. "I'm not a fighter like you."

"Yes, you are." He argued. "Erasa, I watched you take down several guys by yourself."

"That was a fluke." She protested.

"It was awesome." He didn't give in. "You really surprised me with that. You saved my ass."

Erasa's protest got stuck in her throat, so all she could do was sit there and have a happy blush.

"But if you want to learn to defend yourself, maybe you should join me?" Sharpner went on.

"I don't know." She replied. "Wouldn't it take a lot of training? I mean, at the Crane School they made you do regular training. And you're already strong. Wouldn't it just take forever for me?"

"Sure, I got a bit of a head start, but that's nothing you can't catch up on. Besides, when it comes to learning superpowers, I'm just as novice as you are. Sure, it'll be hard work, but come on. Superpowers! We'll be flying and shooting lasers. It's the most awesome thing ever! I've seen people sell their houses to learn that. And so would I!"

Erasa giggled. Oh, he was just being too much with all that adorably cute excitement he had there. She didn't actually have it in her to refuse him. Besides, the promise of flying and shooting lasers was very alluring.

"Let's just ask Gohan first." She decided.

"A small earthquake beneath an inland sea had caused the seafloor to shift, which resulted in a flooding of a large part of the coast. We do not know what caused this earthquake, though we cannot deny the possible involvement of people with powers."

"Isn't that just great." Krillin complained out loud. "Are we going to be suspected of every single disaster now?"

The ragtag family of sorts had been relaxing just after lunch. Krillin was talking with Master Roshi when Eighteen called him over, to take a look at a newscast.

Krillin's comment made Eighteen scowl. "If I remember right, quite a few of those 'natural disasters' actually turned out to be one of you being reckless." She returned. "There are even entire wastelands which have become no-go zones. Can you blame them after they learned that those 'regular natural disaster areas' were actually you people using them as training grounds?"

Krillin pouted in response. "Got me there." He grumbled. "But at least we always avoided populated places. I don't think this one was caused by us. But that won't stop everyone from blaming it on us anyway, just because they are afraid."

"I think this is the perfect time to go do something about that!" Eighteen decided. "Get off your lazy bum, we're going!"

"Go where, and do what?"

Yamcha swooped down, fished a middle-aged man out of the water and set him down on a nearby roof. He didn't even wait for the man to realise what just happened and thank him, but just flew off again, looking for the next person in trouble.

At least there was an up-side to this whole Golden God business. He didn't have to hide his abilities anymore. No more 'trickery' and scornful looks, or having to watch things unfold from the side-lines, knowing that if he stepped if he would only be met with suspicion and ungratefulness.

Or to redirect some hurricane or slow down a volcanic eruption from the shadows as if he were some kind of criminal.

There were people in need, and he could help them in the open. And it felt good.

He looked down when he noticed a familiar energy nearby. He promptly flew over and saw someone descending to a small raft, where a woman sat and waved to be picked up.

"Krillin!" He yelled. "You came to help as well?"

"I guess you could say that. Actually, it was Eighteen's idea." The smaller man confessed and pointed over his shoulder. In the distance was where the android was busy breaking open a roof, to let people out who were trapped in their own attics. It was a bit surreal for the retired martial artist to see the former death machine helping people, but it just went to show that people could change.

"Well, you're welcome to join in anyway." Yamcha shrugged. "What about Marron?"

"Excuse me." The woman in Krillin's arms spoke up. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but could you please let me down? I have a fear of heights."

"Ah? Sure." Krillin set the woman down on a small hill, where a lot of other people were gathered, and who welcomed their neighbour.

"I don't think the water is going to rise more." Krillin said to the group. "I'll let the rescue team know you're here, so just hold out for a little bit."

"Bless you, young man." An elderly man said to him as he bowed slightly.

"You're welcome." He grinned, and the two took off back towards Yamcha. "You know, I can get used to this." He said.

"That makes two of us." Yamcha added. He let his gaze wander below. The water was reaching halfway on the second floor, meaning the only thing visible was just a bunch of roofs, the occasional tree, and a few hills where most of the people had gathered.

Despite it being called a disaster, the people were actually fairly calm about the whole thing. But it wasn't like all the water got here at once. Levels had been rising slowly for a few hours now, meaning they actually had plenty of time to get their stuff and get to safety.

Unfortunately, some people choose their attics, and now with the water levels over two stories high, they only trapped themselves in.

Unless someone broke the roof open, that is. Which is what Yamcha and Krillin were spending most of their time doing. Eighteen, who couldn't sense energy, resorted to mostly floating around where people could see her and call out, or taking over whoever Krillin pushed into her arms whenever he wanted to go and pick up someone else in the meantime.

Up until Krillin passed her something dripping and furry.

"That's a pet dog." She complained.

"Dogs want to live too, you know?" He argued, carrying a second dog in his other arm.

"Let's just put them down already." She gave in. "I swear, my clothes are going to smell like wet dog all day."

"This was all your idea." Krillin replied, which earned him a grunt in response. "Besides, I think we're about to have a little more help." He added, looking into the distance.

And sure enough, a few seconds later two figures appeared in the sky.

"Hey." Tien greeted them as he and Chiaotzu became level with them. "We overheard there were flying people helping out, so we came to help as well."

"That's great!" Yamcha yelled over. "You guys take that side, and we'll start over here."

"It'll take forever like this." Eighteen gave her opinion. "I'll be right back." She threw over her shoulder and flew off into the sky.

"Welcome." The presenter said to the other. In the background were a couple of flooded houses, as well as jets and copters flying about, to pick up people and evacuate them.

"Thank you for giving us a few moments of your time." The presenter continued. "This here is the man who oversees the whole operation. Let's cut to the chase here, how are things going?"

"Quite well, circumstances considered." The other replied. "The water only rose slowly, so there wasn't any widespread panic, though we do have some reports of beds floating around, some with people still on them." He explained quickly.

"Like this particular picture." The presenter held up a piece of paper for the camera to see. On it was a large wooden bed floating on the water, two guys in jeans and tank tops on it, waving at the camera, and a cradle of beer in between them. "This was taken just an hour ago. It looks more like a vacation picture, doesn't it?"

"I think it shows the calm and laid-back reaction of the locals." The other replied. "As I said before, this isn't that much of an emergency. The biggest task is getting everyone out before the low tide starts and drags everything out to open water."

"I see. But what about those rumours flying around of people, well, flying around?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that. There are some sightings in places we haven't been able to cover yet, but we don't know for sure if they are really involved, and how much. Even if… hang on, what's that?" He stopped and pointed up.

"Hey." The presenter heard a voice. He looked behind and up to see a blonde woman floating not far from them. "Are you the one in charge here?" She asked.

"Yes, I am." The guy replied. "Is there something you need?"

"There is a lot of people trapped way out." She said, pointing over her shoulder.

"There are a lot of people trapped everywhere." The man replied. "We are moving as fast as we can, but there is just too much ground to cover."

"In that case, mind if I use that bridge?" She then asked, pointing to a nearby viaduct.

"Be my guest." He said. "By the way, who are you?"

"I'm Eighteen." She said and promptly flew off.

"Can't confirm or deny, hm?" The interviewer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I do not have official…" The rest of his sentence was lost in the sound of cracking stone. The two turned to the bridge behind them. The pillars were shattered, the entire piece had been torn off and was now being carried into the distance.

"When she asked if she could use the bridge, I didn't think she'd actually take it with her." The mayor said just loudly enough to be picked up by the microphones. Then he made a large sigh, crumbled up the paper of statements he had been using and threw it over his shoulder. "I don't know why, but people with powers have been helping, and everyone involved has been very grateful for that." He then said.

"Aren't they the cause of this?" The presenter wanted to know.

"There is no reason to believe they are. Now, if you would excuse me, I have things to do."

Krillin set down glasses of beer for Tien, Yamcha, Master Roshi and himself. After having evacuated a large part of the flooded area, and some very profound thanking, the four retreated to the little island.

"You know, that felt pretty good." Yamcha admitted. "I might actually pick up my training again."

"Now that would be a shock." Krillin joked. "And here I was wondering how to make you come back. And all it took was an earth-shattering revelation."

"Usually people go into hiding for things like this." Tien added.

"Yeah, but Yamcha here has always been a special case." Krillin jested, earning him a bit of glare from the other.

"I think I can get used to this." Tien got back on topic. "It actually feels nice not to have to hide anymore."

"And we can help people openly." Yamcha added. "Though I could do without getting kicked off the baseball team for 'cheating'."

"You were cheating." Krillin reminded him. "People finally figured out how you became the wonder-all-star."

"That had nothing to do with energy, I am just talented at baseball." Yamcha defended himself.

"Sure you were." The other teased him some more. Ah, it was good to have the gang back together for once. And for once without the threat of the imminent destruction of the planet hanging over their heads.

And their little action had made a few waves. Though most reporters were repeating on how they must be involved, or something like that, this obviously wasn't their own opinion. They also spoke of the gratitude of the people to the three men and the eighteen-year-old woman.

Besides misunderstanding her name, Eighteen had left an impression herself. Up until now, it had been only men who appeared with these superpowers. So, as the first female user, she got very popular, especially with the younger girls.

Sure, the media was blowing her part out of proportions, but that is what media does.

Two people were walking the streets of Satan City. One blonde and one blonde dyed brown. Yeah, Erasa had made the mental note to rinse that stuff out of her hair, but she hadn't gotten around to it yet.

They were looking for a place to stay. Or rather, to buy a place to sleep. They couldn't keep renting hotels. So they decided to look for a tent or something like that. One night in the car was all Erasa could tolerate. An actual capsule house was way out of their budget, but they wouldn't need one either since it was only temporarily.

Erasa thought back. Yeah, it was pretty much her fault they didn't have a place to stay anymore, she knew that much. It was why she didn't bring it up with Krillin and wasn't going to bring it up with Gohan.

She bit her lip. 'I just had to go and be stubborn, didn't I?' She berated herself. 'Couldn't just keep my mouth shut, could I? What am I going to do now? What will mom and dad say? Will they be angry?'

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud whistle, come from rather close up. Very close up.

Annoyed, Erasa looked up and saw Sharpner waving at three scarcely clad young women just across the street.

"Looking good!" He yelled over.

"Wish we could say the same about you!" One of the girls yelled back.

"Just gimme ten minutes to talk my face away!" He called suggestively.

Erasa decided to give him a prod in the side. At least the girls were laughing at him as well, so that was something, but it still didn't really settle well with her.

"Sorry, but we don't have the time!" The girl yelled back. And then another let out a high pitched scream. "Hey, you're Sharpner, Gohan's friend!"

"He is?" Another asked. "Oh dear Kami, he is!"

Erasa felt a sudden worry flash through her. But the girls didn't address her, they just ran straight past her to Sharpner.

"Are you really friends with Gohan?" One of the girls asked the guy, standing on her toes and leaning in so far she nearly kissed.

"Sort of, yeah." Sharpner replied. "We haven't talked much with all this going on though."

"Is he really as hot in person as he looks on TV?"

"I'm a straight guy, I wouldn't know." Sharpner replied with a slight grin. "I'm more into the sight right in front of me." He added, earning him a bit of a flush from the assaulting women.

Erasa wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not. Sure, they weren't hostile, but fans like these weren't much better either.

"But where is Erasa?" One of the girls asked all of a sudden. "Did you two really split up?"

"Erasa's fine, don't worry about her."

"Sharpner." Erasa called from behind the trio. "We have places to be, remember?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." He waved back. "Sorry ladies, but I've got things to do. Maybe next time we could get a little… get to know each other a little more?" He added the last part with a heavy suggestive tone.

And that earning him some more happy blushes. And one of the girls pulled out a sheet of paper, and promptly wrote a number on it, the other two doing the same before it passed to Sharpner.

"Call us." She said. "And don't make us wait, that's rude."

"We'll see." He promised and made a few quick steps to walk up to Erasa.

"You do realise they just want to get to Gohan, right?" She asked apprehensively.

"I'm not sure." He hesitated.

"I am." Erasa replied.

"Oh, come on." He reached over and gently gave a small squeeze in her butt, which made her hop and yelp slightly.

"Don't do that!" She ordered in her sternest voice. "I swear, you've suddenly become three years younger or something."

"Hey, I'm seventeen, I'm allowed to do stupid shit." He protested.

"Not sure about the allowed part, but you sure succeeded on the stupid part." Erasa made fun of him. "I swear, randomly deciding to flirt with some random girls." She complained some more.

"Flirt?" He repeated, acting outraged. "If I got the chance, I'd be tapping that so hard whoever pulled me out again would be crowned king."

It made Erasa snag him by the cheek. "Will you behave already?"

"Yes, mom." He replied, still laughing.

Erasa scowled, but on the inside, she was a little relieved. This was the Sharpner she knew, who loved a good-natured flirt every now and again, and would never pass up a chance to tease her a little.

Just past the edge of Golden City a little wooden structure had been set up. It mostly looked like an oversized doghouse. In front of it were the remains of a rather small dinner. It was enough though.

At first the two of them wanted to leave for Gohan's home, but then thought the better of it. There were dinosaurs in those mountains, big ones. Not to mention they would arrive way late and didn't want to impose themselves for the night or something like that. Plus they didn't know exactly where he lived. "439 Mountain Area" was all they had to go off of.

But now dinner had been had, and it was going to take a while before the evening would start to set in. So much time, so little to do. No computers, no TV, no radio even, not counting the one in the car.

Well, they did have something. Erasa remembered Sharpner making a certain promise. To teach her how to defend herself.

Sharpner wasn't exactly in a teaching mood, but Erasa won that argument, mostly by asking what else he had planned for today. So martial arts it was.

Erasa had decided to trade her usual green tube top for a black sports bra. No shirt or anything, just that.

Sharpner kept with the bare basics. Erasa just wanted to be able to defend herself, she wasn't after winning any competitions or anything, so he kept it fairly simple. He taught her a couple of pressure points, which he regretted almost immediately since he was her only test subject, and moved on to breaking free from strangle and grappling holds.

Of course, since it was just the two of them, and these were holds, he pretty much had to use a hands-on teaching method. Surprisingly for Sharpner, Erasa seemed to have no trouble with that. It made him feel a little fuzzy inside, and also a little conflicted.

Sure, Erasa didn't seem to mind him being a bit intimate with her, and he didn't exactly dislike it either. But that was what was bothering him. The lack of discomfort. Weren't the two of them getting a little too close?

Now, a few hours later, the sun had set, and they were far enough from the city for it to be really dark now.

Sure, they were teenagers and would have loved to stay up till past midnight, but without light to do stuff by it gets old quickly.

It must have been nearing midnight now. Sharpner was laying on his side, on his left side, his back to Erasa, still wide awake. Sure, going to bed might have sounded nice when he was dying of boredom, but it wasn't like he was particularly tired. He, quite predictably, couldn't sleep. Not at all helped by having so many things on his head.

Most of them were about Videl. He wondered how she was doing. Krillin had mentioned she was searching for her identity, whatever that meant. The guy knew where Videl was but didn't share anything.

Well, at least now he knew she was safe. It was a big relief. Gohan had not mentioned Videl at all so far. Did the guy even know where she was?

Well, probably, since Krillin was an associate of Gohan's. And Videl was a friend of Gohan's as well, so the guy probably knew. So why wouldn't he tell the two of them? Did he forget?

The thought made Sharpner smile slightly.

Looked like even the Golden God wasn't omniscient. Don't tell the extremists though. Which reminded him, he still had to tell his parents the house was thrashed. And Erasa's place as well.

Both homes were gone. They had officially nowhere to go back to. He wondered where they were going to sleep next time. Erasa had said she didn't mind, but that actually just made him feel even more pressured. Perhaps they could pitch their hut somewhere near Gohan's? Or should they just give up and join their parents at their places? It wasn't like they have been doing all that well by themselves anyway.

Maybe he should have stayed with the Cranes? But then, Erasa would still be alone.

No, this was definitely better!

He sighed and drew his blanket a little higher. The night was surprisingly cold.

He felt the blanket shift slightly on his back, letting the cold air in. "Hey, Sharpner." Erasa called him in a whisper. Clearly, she was awake as well.

"YeaiiiIIII!" His pitch rose in the middle there, and thanks to something freezing touching his lower back. It made him shiver and jet upright as well.

"My feet are cold."

"I noticed!" He pushed her legs aside, wrapped himself in his blanket and plummeted back on the mattress. "Don't do that!"

"Grumpy much?" She complained, turning on her side as well.

"Excuse me, I'm trying to sleep here!"

No reply. He just turned his back to her again and tried to sleep. It didn't work that well. Probably because of that tense feeling under his stomach. Not at all helped by feeling a bit guilty for blowing up like that.

It was quiet for a little while. "Hey, Sharpy." Erasa then broke it by whispering.

"What?" He asked, half annoyed, and half relieved she was still talking to him.

"Are you angry?" She asked. Despite speaking softly, he could clearly hear her choke up a little.

"No, I'm not angry, I'm just trying to sleep." He decided to reply.

He heard her turn around. "Do you hate it when I touch you? I thought you didn't mind." She asked softly.

What kind of question was that? Sharpner was quiet, his mind needing a few seconds to realise that she really did just ask that. And then he started wondering where that question came from. Why would she want to touch him?

Meanwhile, he became aware of Erasa's breath in his neck. She was still waiting for an answer.

"Of course not." He replied evenly. Something had started to eat away at his mind. Doubt, and guilt.

"Really?" She sounded a little optimistic that time.

Sharpner decided to turn around to face her. Not that it mattered in the dark, but it was the thought that counted. "I don't really like it, but I don't dislike it either." He lied.

"Oh." She let out a small sigh. "I see."

"What about you?" He then decided to ask.

"I don't know." She replied.

"It's ok, you can be honest with me." He tried.

"I don't know." She repeated. "I don't know what I feel anymore."

That wasn't the first time she said that. And last time it was about him touching her as well. Ok, that one was a little more inappropriate, but it was similar. Perhaps she was conflicted as well? Perhaps this was a good time to try and talk? Which was, he realised, what she was trying to do.

Having made up his mind, he reached out and took her shoulder. "Were you uncomfortable with me this evening?" He asked, feeling just a little worried.

"No." She replied. "But that's different. That's…" She hesitated and placed a hand over his. He felt her take a deep breath. "I know it's a bit random, but do you think something has changed between us?" She asked.

"Like what?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Like us." She said immediately. "We. Our friendship. Do you think it is different now?"

"Yes, things have changed." He replied. "Of course they have, everything has changed."

In response, he got his hand knocked back. "That's not what I meant!" She stated.

"We're still friends, aren't we?" He asked defensively. "That hasn't changed."

"No, but… I…" She hesitated.

Sharpner felt a sudden worry. They hadn't changed, had they?

"We're about to go meet Gohan." She started. "And probably ask for training. I just want to know where I stand with you. It's… important to me."

He took a deep breath. For a few moments, he had worried she was about to say something ground-breaking, this being about their friendship changing and all. "Are you nervous?" He asked.

"A little." Erasa admitted. "Are you?"

"A lot." He chuckled slightly to himself. "But I think we changed. I mean, we're here, in a small hut, and we've shared a bed a few times. I know we'd never go that way, but still, I don't think that would have happened if all of this hadn't happened." He started rambling. He sure hoped it made sense to her because he himself couldn't make much sense out of that.

"What wouldn't have happened?" She asked him.

"We'd never have slept in one bed, for one." He replied. "I mean, it's not like I'd push you away, but well, I wouldn't do that for a guy either, so… yeah…"

"You mean if I were a guy you wouldn't have let me stay?" She wanted to know.

"Of course, but just not… the same way." He stammered. "I… you are one of my two closest friends, I care a lot about you. But if this hadn't happened, I would never have considered… well… us sleeping in one bed."

"I would." She replied.

"You…" He was pretty much frozen in shock.

"I've always known I'd have no trouble with, well, this." She said and put a hand against his chest. "I trust you, and I knew you'd support me. I just…" She dropped her voice, speaking so softly it was barely audible. "I never thought I'd actually like it this much." She then confessed.

"You like it?" He asked.

"Not in… I just feel safe." She changed her mind midway. "When I was feeling weak, you hugged me, and… well, I didn't feel less weak, but I felt safe and calm."

"You feel safe?" He repeated. He was glad to hear it, and yet, not.

"What about you?" She then asked. "What do you feel when we hug?"

Overwhelmed by the sudden question, Sharpner turned on his back, to reflect on himself a little. He hardly ever thought about that. And never actually tried to put it into words.

Erasa was patiently waiting for her answer. She knew Sharpner through and through and knew he'd have a bit of trouble answering that one. She just hoped he would answer it. She needed to know.

"Warm, I suppose." He then replied. Erasa could barely repress her disappointed reply.

"Just warm?" She asked evenly.

"Not literally." He then continued. "Like, a different kind of warm."

Ok, he was getting somewhere now. So she didn't interrupt.

"Like, it makes me want to protect you."

"Protect me?" She repeated. "I know I'm not exactly the strongest, but come on, I'm not a little kid!"

"I know that." He replied. "But I just feel… trusted, and it makes me want to live up to that."

Erasa actually chuckled softly at that one. It just fit so well, and yet she hadn't thought of that. Of course, he'd feel protective of her, that's why she went to him in the first place. She felt safe, and he felt protective.

"It's not funny." Sharpner protested at her laugh.

"I'm just laughing at myself for being so stupid." She replied. And scooted a little closer, wanting to put her head on his shoulder, and let herself fade away in his embrace.

But he actually pushed her back.

"I don't think we should." He said.

"Why not?" She wanted to know. "I don't mind. Do you dislike it?"

"No, but… you're pinning for Gohan, and I'm going after Videl." He told her. "I don't think we should keep doing this. It's a lot more than what 'just friends' would be doing."

That actually made Erasa back off a little, and reconsider. Sure, she didn't mind, but anyone seeing them would start getting ideas. Besides, he was right. She did want to get together with Gohan. But his touch just didn't feel the same way.

"Just friends." She repeated, comparing the two. If anything, it was Gohan she was more 'just friends' with rather than Sharpner. "Do you think we crossed the line?" She voiced her worry.

"Depends." Sharpner shrugged in that infuriating indifference of his. "I bet some folks would consider us even talking to each other crossing the line."

"Yeah, but I don't care what they think!" She snapped at him.

"I think we've been pushing it pretty far." He then said. "I think it's better if you tried that with Gohan, rather than me."

"He's not here." Erasa retorted.

"We'll see him tomorrow." Sharpner replied.

"But… it's not the same." She confessed. "I just don't feel the same. I just don't feel safe the same way."

"What?" She heard him get up. It was pitch dark here, so she still couldn't see a thing. "You don't?"

"I just don't." She repeated. "I don't know why I just don't."

He let himself fall down again with a heavy sigh. "Just great." He mumbled to himself. "Maybe that's because you actually hardly know him. I mean, we just met Gohan a few weeks ago, while we have been friends since elementary school. Maybe that's why?"

"I guess." She sighed. This was all just so confusing and messed up.

She took a deep breath. "Thank you." She then said. "For sharing yourself with me. It means a lot to me."

She wanted to turn around, to have another go at trying to sleep but was actually shocked when she felt Sharpner's arm around her waist, and draw her towards himself.

"Come here." He sighed. "One more time isn't going to matter now."

Erasa disagreed, but she wasn't about to protest. Feeling herself blush, she let him spoon her a little. She thought about Gohan. Sharpner had a point there, she did just meet him. What she needed was time. And then, perhaps, he'd make her feel the same way?

Erasa certainly hoped so.

End of Chapter

Phew, this chapter was pretty hard to plot out.

I think I actually spent the most time on this chapter than on any other. Then again, a large part of that time was on the part that ended up being the next chapter.

That said, I can't promise when the next chapter will be. I suspect my life getting a bit busier now, and I like being a bit ahead with my writing (as I've probably said many times before already) to better deal with plot holes and such.

I thank MrChuckMan for beta-reading, and helping me improve and plot out my story

And I thank Thundershadow5 for beta-reading as well.