Chapter 14: Come As You Are

A/N: Long delay, I apologize. Motivation being a big one next to being put out of action by demonstrators and laid up in a hospital hasn't helped my creative desires. But I finally got around to working on a new chapter and start getting this story moving again. Hopefully this will sate some appetites while I work.

Gohan was ready to blast off and find his mother and demand an explanation, but he had a small half saiyan brother who needed him here. Goten, while he wasn't outright scared, had some obvious uncertainties showing as Gohan held him with one arm. 'I don't understand this. Why is she doing this? I don't have a problem with caring for Goten, he's got one or two more years and then he can look after himself. Hell, I could fend for myself in the wilds…'

Although that was a sore subject, the kidnapping and forced survival skills that had been outright terror for him for the first few weeks.

The situations were a bit different, leaving his kid brother in the care of Videl's family wasn't even close to the level of extremes that they faced. But Gohan knew that it wasn't right of him as his big brother to just toss his brother with people he didn't know and say 'deal with it' in terms of how his brother was supposed to handle it.

He never wanted to be forced to grow up in the wilds, it had worked out, but even as he had gotten older there were many times he recalled the cold, panic, and fear of the world and the only thing he had desperately wanted was his mom or Goku to come and find him to save him and take him back to his warm bed and family.

It wasn't to be though, Gohan had hardened up to a lot of things, but just because you can make your heart out of stone doesn't mean that there weren't scars or marks to be left on it. Perhaps he could compare it to a military term; they break you down, to build you back up. Or something to that effect.

Yet Gohan wasn't going to break his little brother, he wasn't going to shove choices down his throat. He'd sacrificed a lot already for peace and a sense of happiness already in his life. Regardless of the road he had taken no one else had to be put through the ringer like he had.

Experiences make you better, but those forced upon a child were unwarranted, unprepared, unexplained, the entire situation dumped upon him and basically told to deal with it.

"Don't worry, Goten," The older brother said, giving his younger one a reassuring smile. "This is just a little change for us, I promise I'll be here with you."

"Kay…" Goten said his eyes looking around, not with fear or nervousness, but there was clear apprehension in his actions.

Videl, who wasn't as thrilled about this as Gohan was, cast a hand towards the house servants. "You're all dismissed just see to having a fresh room and a large meal ready. I'll show them around myself."

Her quick dismissal wasn't argued with, the lady of the house was the one in charge when the master wasn't. Several took bags, others just set about seeing to the other duties leaving them alone.

Videl let out a sigh, her head rounding on her shoulder towards Gohan and his kid brother. "Follow me, Gohan. My house is more volume than substance at times."

Gohan nodded, "Sure thing Videl, and thanks for being cool about this." Walking up beside her Videl just tipped her head.

"A year ago I might not have been so forthcoming about this, but you're a good person and since we're going to be living together I might as well get used to it, Onisan." Her voice teased with laughter.

The demi saiyan paused before he snorted, partly amused. "You got it Neesan."

The two having a short laugh as Videl ushered Gohan to follow her. Directing them to stuff that would actually matter for them. Gohan directed to the workout room filled with an entire industrial gym's set of equipment specifically made for her father in mind. The indoor swimming pool was the second stop, as Gohan reflected that having bath time with Goten should be much less painful in the house as Goten was a wild boy when it came to water. Not that the hotel didn't have a pool but having his kid brother speed around at the pace of an olympic swimmer- not the question he wanted to try and answer.

The next stop was a child room. It had been Videl's until she had clearly outgrown it, but it was filled with everything any little kid would enjoy. Swingset, gymnastic mats, a ball pit, an indoor sandbox in its private room and just about anything else Videl had wanted at the time or even fancied no matter how short a time span.

It would be a decent place for Goten to have fun with but Gohan would have to double check everything was saiyan proof. Knowing that when Goten played with Trunks Bulma had a specially designed area that would compliment their strength without hurting either of them.

Another stop was going to be the study, more for Gohan. But Videl showed off a huge library for him to go and enjoy. If he hadn't already memorized a good portion of all those books already in front of him.

Second to last was going to be the thick aroma of food wafting into the air. "Fwood! FOOD!" Goten shouted eagerly, pointing with intent towards the obvious dining room. A twenty foot long table set out with decorations adorned the area but what lay upon it was more important as the company in tow viewed a healthy spread. A full cooked and currently carved turkey, scalloped and mashed potatoes still hot and fresh from the oven. A full basket of dinner rolls with thin cut of melted butter smeared overtop. From there was a set of salted and steamed vegetables, a mix of corn casserole, and a desert of apple pie was baking and resting on the countertop attached to the dining room.

It was hard even for Gohan to say no to his stomach gurgling at the prospect of a good meal. No cold leftovers or him trying his own handiwork and the matter of cooking. It wasn't anything he was particularly good at. 'Fundamentals is one thing, but something like this. Probably not.'

His eyes dipped down towards the floor, 'what is happening to me? I've never felt this conflicted before. This just seems like it's too much.' Why when the world was in danger did things seem simpler?

'The Cell Games changed so much about me and my life. When was it okay for this to be the family norm?' Gohan couldn't actively recall the last time he'd felt genuinely happy for himself and his mom. Sure he had been proud of his accomplishments, glad that there was some sort of payoff, but as he looked at the scene before him he wondered just what had changed inside of him? Had the boy become a man too quickly? Had all of this been shoved down his throat just far too fast?

Questioning himself far more than he ever enjoyed and it wasn't the actions he was making. But the roiling feelings that were coursing through him.

His new 'sister' could almost see the vibes just rolling off of him. Gohan's fingers on his free hand were twitching and his thumb rolled along top his index finger. It was best for her to break him out of his shell again, it wasn't something she ever normally saw with him. But this would be several times in a week now Gohan just completely zoned out of reality.

"I know you like to eat Gohan." Videl said, dropping the pretense of teasing. "You're not one for hiding how you feel too well. At least not when it comes to me."

With how often the other teen was spacing out and not asking or even answering questions she could tell that there was much weighing on his mind. While it wasn't fair of her to say this wasn't a big deal. She at least had an inkling that something might be coming and not totally blindsided like Gohan was.

Gohan set his little brother down with a small pat directing him towards the full spread of food and the servants all ready to look after his brother's needs. "Go on, I'll join you in a minute." Gohan tried to smile but there was little effort in it.

The small demi-saiyan didn't notice as he just took off heading in the direction of the food. Hoping up into one of the bigger chairs to which he was offered several portions by the staff at hand, Goten having enough height to begin shoveling food into his mouth all the while looking and pointing at what he wanted next.

"How did you put up with this Videl?"

Videl looked towards Gohan who was watching over his little brother. With one of the three basic needs sated the smallest one didn't seem that affected by the change, whereas as the more mature one, well, he seemed less than enthusiastic.

"What do you mean Gohan?"

Turning his head slowly towards her Gohan looked at her with a glum look. "You don't seem nearly as bothered by this. I know if my little brother wasn't going to be here by himself I'd be hunting down my mother and demanding an answer in the next five minutes. Yet you don't seem to be all that concerned, hell you were joking about calling me your brother just a little while ago." His eyes twitched slightly, "Isn't this-" His hand gesturing to his brother, "Isn't this too much?"

'I see now. Despite everything I've ever seen him as, deep beneath that brilliance, power, and mystery beats a heart like any other.' She offered him a smile, reaching out and took his hand in hers. "This is just a bump in the road Gohan. That's what my Mom always told me before we lost her."

Wrapping her fingers around his four digits she gave him a light squeeze. "Is it a lot to handle all at once, sure." Her pressure drawing his eyes into hers, seeing vulnerabilities in a person for the first time. Months ago she would have longed to see such down look in his face, wanting to bring him down a peg. Yet since she had gotten to really know the real Gohan she saw that he was never trying to upstage her, humiliate her, that she had created him out to be a villain because of her own ego, and sure she had tricked him a little bit and somewhat leading to this little situation in a way. However, Videl understood that Gohan and her were far more alike than she'd ever thought possible and for once, she had the chance to be the strong one and reassure him. "But you're strong Gohan, probably even stronger than my father when it comes to physical things. But you don't have to shoulder everything like it's going to last forever. Gohan in a few years this will be a distant memory. You can be who you want to be and put to rest trying to hoister all of your friends problems on your shoulders. You need to just be you for a change."

'Just be me?' He didn't quite understand, this is who he was. This had always been who HE was. 'Are you? Or are you something else?' There was just something pulling at him once again.

But when that dark little nagging thoughts pulled at him, Gohan remembered something else.

The world changes and as a saiyan we do not run from a challenge, we stand up to it, we fight it.

Vegeta's words challenged him, the rush that battle had put in front of him. Something that allowed himself to unleash on the world around him. Gohan felt a pull on the corners of his lips. "Just be me, right?" His eyes softened, as Videl watched that weariness fade away.

She patted him on the cheek, looking into those very dark brown eyes. "Yeah be the you, who you want to be Gohan. This is just one bump in the road."

"Thanks, Videl," He then did something unexpected, he gave her a hug. It made her stiffen up slightly as Gohan took her measure of comfort just a bit further.

It was almost a little bit comical but Videl just retained her smile and just patted him on the back. "Everybody needs a day, you just have to refind yourself on that day."

'Well tomorrow is technically the weekend... ' Gohan pondered something he needed to do, and even though there was some doubt as to if that person would want to help him. Gohan knew that Videl was right and he needed to just get over this.

And what was the best way to do that?

There would be only one place where he could be allowed to be free.

[***]

It was almost midnight, the steady thrumming sound of intense gravity pulling at his limbs and forcing him to maintain that ironclad focus that had been one of his most hallmarked features of his entire life and one of the actual things he was genuinely proud of. Which there were scarcely few having maybe enough fingers to name them off.

But his discipline didn't mean that he allowed himself the chance of slacking off and becoming complacent.

Vegeta stopped his practised movements, 'Patience, that's what the damn woman always yells at me.' Sucking in a breath, the saiyan prince closed his eyes and slowly counted down. '5… 4… 3… 2… 1'

The gravity disengaged and in stepped the anathema to his life. "Vegeta. I want a fight." It caused Vegeta's eyes to pop open but his head turned back around yet showing a blank slate of a face. There was no expression or hint of acceptance.

"Boy, what the hell are you doing here?"

Gohan stepped inside, wearing some old gym clothes, the kind he had for school but didn't use at it changed from year to year. "I'm sure your hearing hasn't gone just yet Vegeta. You know exactly what I said." Cracking his neck.

"I'm aware of what you said, but that doesn't answer my question." Turning back around his arms folded over his chest. "I don't recall offering my time to play daddy to you or even agree to waste my time with you further." Cold and harsh, but it was true on some levels. He didn't want this to become a 'thing' unless it involved fucking or eating or the occasional few hours with his son. Vegeta was still coming to grips with this whole being a parent thing, and Gohan wasn't even his son.

"I don't care. I want to fight and you're the only one who's on my level." Gohan countered, stretching his arm across his chest.

He held up one finger as he spoke. "Correction boy, I am the only one above your level. You've grown soft and slacked off, there is no level between you or me." A second finger soon joined the first. "Two, my time is valuable and you clearly have nothing to offer me that can-"

"Trunks for the weekend." Gohan said, smirking, "You won't see him for a weekend."

The prince's lip actually pulled into a grin. "Lead with that first, boy. Though you'll wish you had planned your request better once I beat you bloody for challenging me."

"Do your worst Vegeta." Gohan said, his hair flashing gold. His heart thrummed with life that he hadn't experienced in awhile. The saiyan prince didn't hesitate, the offensive sparking along with the heavy pull of intense gravity.

The teen didn't falter as Vegeta's fist connected his forearm and he countered with a hard hook which Vegeta let just miss his face by millimeters before pushing into him driving him backwards, his feet unable to find their footing as he was shoved backwards. His arm caught with a firm grip on his bicep as pain shot up through his limb as with surgical precision his nerves as hidden pressure points and muscles were the intended targets.

Gohan attempted to draw back but only found Vegeta's smirk widening, 'I have really gotten rusty'. It was that moment of clarity just before a fist slammed into his face, causing his ears to ring as he skidded to a halt several meters from Vegeta. Yet he just took it, the sting of pain giving him a rush of adrenaline as he wiped his cheek only to charge back at his opponent.

A mid level kick swung straight for Vegeta's hip, the short distance allowing Gohan to use some of his height to a minimal advantage. But the prince's knee checked his attack and brought more punishment.

Even if he was losing, everyblow felt good. His heart was hammering and the endorphins that spiked out from his saiyan cells was all but ready to relish in a fight. 'The stronger the opponent the greater the thrill'. Vegeta was probably stronger than him now, or at least on a technical level. Gohan's senses and reactions were slow while the prince's were just as sharp as they had been years ago.

The blows to his stomach felt like nothing and Gohan just grit his teeth and began to swing back until they rained blows upon one another with increased fervor.

"Smiling? Is there actually some saiyan inside of you, boy?" Vegeta couldn't help but smirk as he saw something appearing inside of Gohan. There was a chance that Gohan could have 'real' saiyan blood in him, but it gave the prince hope that his own son wouldn't be too human that even a half-breed could be just like their ancestors and lust for battle.

"Maybe, but right now shut up and fight!" Gohan shot forwards, landing one solid blow on Vegeta's cheek, before hitting him again, and again! The cracking of bone on flesh, feeling the reverberations inside of his body and knowing that it was him doing it only made his desire to hit the prince harder grow.

"That's it!" Vegeta shouted, catching Gohan's neck strike with a sharp pop of his elbow before driving one fist hard into an unprotected stomach, the turning of his knuckles causing Gohan's mouth to spit out thick globes of saliva as he was sent sprawling. "Come on, rise Gohan. Show me the real saiyan in you!"

Both saiyans got a chance to unleash themselves, no trepid training with someone weaker than them. Showing the ropes, or worrying about the consequences of going too hard. No this was flat out saiyan brawling.

Their ki was restrained for sake of the environment, with only their bodies as versatile weapons they made the most of it. The compound lightly shook with the vibrations and even with Bulma's reinforced and modified gravity chamber to the point of impregnability, Gohan and Vegeta were winding up the heiress as she felt the occasional light rumble or jolt run across her fine floors and causing ripples to form in her evening drink.

She ignored it however, knowing that if her saiyan prince was going to beat the hell out of himself it would only make the next day easier to deal with as he'd be far too tired to ignore her and try and disappear should she need his ear, rare enough that she had the occasion. Putting on some ambient music she laid down and just felt the minor vibrations as nothing more than a gentle rocking.

It was pushing into three in the morning when finally the obvious saiyan gave up. "Alright-! I yield!" Gohan exclaimed, his shirt all but torn from his body, sweat pouring off his chest and face leaving a wet trail as he dropped to one knee. His shoes had been broken out by the force leaving him with two pairs of toes exposed to the world and a misshapen rubber brace bound around the middle portion of his foot, both heels hadn't survived either.

Vegeta drawing in some heavy breaths had a broad grin stretching over his face, more than contempt with himself. "Submission, as you should before your prince." The haughty gloating as he stood victorious over Kakarot's son a second time. Though this hadn't been as easy as last time.

"Yeah, yeah." Gohan said, drawing in a few more large gulps of air. He felt utterly trashed and it felt absolutely great!

Satisfied Vegeta shut down the gravity simulator and powered down himself, "At least you can make an attempt to challenge me, unlike that clown you call a father." Amused with the turn of events, "I actually think you might be decent enough to be a servant, Gohan, a royal sparring partner should be quite an honor."

"If I live that long, I think you cracked three of my ribs." Gohan righted himself with a hiss, his one arm gripping across the center of his chest.

"Bruised, I held back enough from causing you serious injury. Breaking your bones serves me nothing, though should I be so inclined I will break them." Vegeta turned back, his face becoming stoic once again. The only apparent exertion showing was the sweat still running down his limbs.

Holding up a hand as if to wave off something he surprised Gohan. "So what brought this on boy? Normally it's my woman forcing me to deal with you, so why the shift since I know you don't have time to be making social calls."

The teen let out a chuckle, "Concerned about my well-being, I'm touched Vegeta." Gohan saw the face twist into annoyance.

"I can go another round boy and leave you on the floor in several hundred times gravity until my woman wakes up and gets you out. Now," His eyes narrowed and looked down at Gohan. "dispense with your father's humor and answer my question."

Gohan held back from any further verbal sparring because Vegeta would probably do what he said if he pushed him that hard. "Because I wanted to be myself again."

An eyebrow raised up on the prince's face, studying Gohan carefully as he tried to place his words. Though he said nothing the teen could tell that there was clearly more required for his answer to satisfy him. "I mean, I've grown up fighting and I wanted something that I could be myself. Not the student, older brother, or planet's savior. I just wanted to fight because the saiyan in me wants to. I just felt like I wanted to just forget about everything and just let go and do something that is natural for me."

"There is hope for you yet boy, perhaps the saiyan race might last a little longer than I once believed. But I don't have anytime to waste on you. See yourself out of my house and next time you better give me a warning. I'll let you have this one free." With that he abruptly turned and walked out of the gravity chamber leaving Gohan alone with nothing but a small grin on his face.

He was exhausted and ready for some rest, afterall he had to come get Trunks tomorrow. But with a full house and play area in Videl's home he was sure he could let the two demi saiyans have one hell of a party and be worn out before lunch.

The freedom from the battle had been what Gohan needed, but when he took to the sky his mind quickly dragged him back. As much as he wanted to just forget, something just refused to let him. The nagging thoughts about his mother, the grating questions he had came back with a vengeance and with the added pain and exhaustion he was feeling overwhelmed even more.

'What the hell is she doing? Is there nothing that she can just tell me herself or am I forever supposed to just… just-!' That old feeling of anger and frustration was picking right back up, as if it had never left but sat idle waiting for this chance.

'Move on? Let all of your past sacrifices mean nothing? That all of the problems you have had to deal with have less worth than the life she has now?'

Strange thoughts boiled inside of him, like they were being softly whispered, like they were quelling his rage but practically stoking it at the same time.

'Goku never had time for her, did he even have time for you? Maybe it's why she's moving on. You never really had a family, only your little brother is the only thing that matters.' Flashes of a man never there for him until it was at the last second.

The kidnapping by Raditz… Then Piccolo.

Many deaths of his friends at the hands of the saiyans.

The fear of Namek and how Recoome left him on the verge of death.

Fiery anger for trying to delay Frieza when he believed Goku was dead.

Shoved into a fight with Cell and told to bear the world's problems then criticized for doing what he had been trained to do.

His fist clenched tightly as he turned his head to the side. These thoughts had a perch inside of his mind and refused to let go. He wanted to confront his mother and demand answers, but he wondered if she'd even give him a straight answer. When did she ever-

'Always distant… no time for you, some time for Goten. But can you remember the last time that she really cared for you? All she does is yell, scold, and make demands of you. You! The boy who saved the world! The strongest person on the planet, while she demanded you just sit back and study, that you work hard at the books and let yourself go to waste. Maybe she has the same dislike of Goku that she has of you. Never good enough, not human enough, because she'd rather sacrifice you and the world so that your perfect scores would be even more perfect.'

'Gohan your studies come first!'

'Absolutely not! You are not going out there young man, you have your exams-'

'You are becoming a punk, Gohan! I can't believe my little boy would ever do this to his own mother.'

'I don't have time Gohan, I have to work- Tomorrow honey- Just a few days- Don't worry this is temporary- Gohan it's not a big deal- Gohan… Gohan? Gohan! GOHAN-!' The echoing voice of his once all consuming mother faded, her screams and constant nagging. It never stopped, nothing was ever good enough for her was it?

Resentment and frustration, all of the things he had once long pushed down as selfish emotions. Those that were weak held onto those petty feelings were now digging deeper and deeper into him.

Questioning why he was always second fiddle. Even after everything, his own mother didn't even seem to care or recognize what he did anymore. Goten was always her concern, it's like his prior experiences didn't even matter. It was just straight back to business as usual.

More work, shows, books, meet and greets, appearances, and playing it up to an audience. But where did Gohan even fit into his mother's life anymore? 'Does she even care?'

But that was ridiculous… but maybe… 'no.' That was one thing Gohan knew was absolute. He knew his mother cared about him.

'But she never has time for you…'

Pushing it down Gohan swallowed his personal pride forgetting about his own personal demons.

Hands touched the sides of a crystal ball, their machinations now fully underway. The innocent gift paving way for just so much good fortune. Almost ready to laugh but they restrained themselves from growing overconfident. But one could hardly fault him as he had begun to worm his way inside of such a tremendous obstacle in his path.

"All it took was a few cracks and the manipulation of some weak minded humans. Why bother destroying my possible enemies when they can be so easily turned into my loyal pawns." The figure cackled gleefully as he watched Gohan's form try to get itself ready for rest. "Oh no you don't, I won't let you have any peace. I'll just keep pushing until you break… and then you'll be one of mine." His laughter echoed in the chamber as the orb darkened and began to feed Gohan's mind a sea of realistic nightmares. Cruel falsehoods he'd begun placing inside of him. "I could go for that prince Vegeta, but with iron clad will like his I don't think he'll be as easy as you… and once I get my hands on one of you it won't take long before I can get another."

He was truly greater than his father, the Great Babadi would not be held back any further and with such subtle corruption of this planet's warriors would only make his goals even easier. "Then you were so easily swayed to go and weaken yourself mentally and physically. My foolish puppet, soon it will only be my strings controlling you."

Babadi's face reflected in the crystal ball as one hand caressed the orb as if it were the teen himself. Sending images and thoughts flowing outwards and into their intended victim.

Gohan's tormented face shifted as the nightmarish magics began to do their work, but not allowing the saiyan to wake up so easily. He'd suffer as long as Babadi wished, "These humans make my work far too easy."

Several other orbs were in the room, all sharing faces of people Gohan knew and loved. It was going to piece by piece until he broke.

R&R