Halcyon Days of High School

by Jrhall2

Following Majin Buu's defeat, Gohan and Videl are reunited at last and decide not to waste any more time. After a dual confession that leaves them both terribly embarrassed, the young couple sets out to enjoy their time together, learn more about each other, and forge their path in life. Where will their love lead them in these peaceful times? (M rating for later chapters).

9. Don't Lose Her

Author's Note: Welcome back! Thank you all so much again for reading and reviewing! This chapter marks the end of the unofficial 'Part 1' of this story. I hope you've all enjoyed the journey so far and, rest assured, there's plenty more to come! Right now, it's looking like this story will run 22 chapters once all is said and done, though that number might change by one or two depending on how I organize things long term.

The other cool thing is that this chapter also marks this story breaking 200 raw pages! It's now the longest work I've ever written and I'm so glad people are enjoying it! I'm very pleased with how this one turned out as well and I hope it's as much fun to read as it was to write! Anyway, thank you all for checking out the new chapter and I hope you all enjoy!

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Chapter IX – Don't Lose Her

A primal roar burst from Gohan as his ki exploded outwards. His orange helmet flew from his head, leaving his uncovered eyes to gaze upon the horrible scene before him. Juzai still meant to kill Videl. His Videl. The man continued to squeeze the life from her. He would never manage it though. Not anymore. Slowly, Gohan rose to his feet and, finally, Juzai looked over at him, fear surging through his gaze in an instant.

Gohan was fully aware of the factory shaking around him. He was probably responsible for it. It didn't matter. The weight of the machine that had paralyzed him had vanished completely. He felt stronger than ever before. But now wasn't the time to marvel at this power. Videl's ki was still shrinking. Her hand was still stretched out towards him. A tiny smile had even appeared on her lips. He would never let her down. Not again.

Lifting his hand, Gohan formed a Kienzan. He had watched Krillin do it so many times in his life but had never practiced with it. It simply happened naturally in that moment. Hurling the disc without hesitation, the energy whirred through the air at a blistering speed, slicing through Juzai's arm like wet paper.

Videl fell to the ground and gasped loudly for air, finally able to breathe properly again. Juzai began to howl in agony. Gohan didn't feel a single ounce of sympathy. Closing the distance between them in an instant, he let fly a vicious kick. He hadn't held any of his power back this time and Juzai was sent soaring across the factory, slamming through a far-off metal door before bouncing across the cement flooring several times.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Gohan knelt down beside Videl. She hadn't opened her eyes yet and, luckily, hadn't noticed the severed arm still clinging to her. He pried it loose gently and tossed it away, hoping to spare her the unpleasant sight.

She was breathing again but it was ragged. His poor Videl was coughing and sputtering still, clearly injured from the whole encounter. He fished into his pocket and produced the bag of Senzu Beans he had, pouring one into his hand and raising her into a sitting position with his left arm.

"Videl, please eat this if you can," he told her softly. She let her eyes remain closed and simply parted her lips, trusting him entirely. It made his heart calm, even lost in the throes of rage as he was. Pressing the bean gently into her mouth, she managed to chew and swallow it.

A moment later, Gohan felt her ki blaze back to life. Her breathing became relaxed and her cerulean eyes fluttered open. She wore a look of confusion on her face as she gazed up at him, glancing around the factory.

"W…what happened?" she whispered at last. Gohan said nothing and simply drew her into his arms, holding her tight.

"I'm so glad you're okay." His heart still pounded in anger as he remembered what Juzai had tried to do to her. He felt her slender arms wrap around him.

"You saved me again Gohan. Thank you."

"I'm glad I made it in time," he whispered, trying to quell his anger. It was nearly impossible to break the hold it had on him.

"Hey…I thought you couldn't turn into a Super Saiyan anymore," Videl noted, watching him in wonder. Gohan felt his eyes widen in surprise as he assessed himself.

He really was a Super Saiyan again. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't even realized it, but as he glanced at his own hand, he saw the familiar golden aura pulsing vibrantly around it. He wasn't sure how he'd done it, but that was clearly what had allowed him to escape the hold that machine had on him.

Before he could answer, Gohan's ears picked up the muffled sound of groaning far away. Turning, he saw Juzai struggling to his feet again and hate overwhelmed his heart entirely. "Stay here 'Del," he whispered, rising to his feet.

"Gohan…"

He walked slowly across the factory as he watched the large man stumble and crash to the floor before trying to lift himself once more. No doubt his attack had done some serious damage. But that was nothing compared to what he had tried to do to Videl.

Juzai crashed to the ground again, his body refusing to cooperate, and Gohan took a dark pleasure in the sight. Had he been in his right mind, he probably would have thought himself cruel; delighting in the suffering of others wasn't something he did. But right now? He didn't care. No, that wasn't right either. Right now, he savored every single moment of it.

Reaching the man at last, Gohan seized him by the collar and lifted him off the floor, bringing him to face level. "Fight back," he demanded, his voice cold.

Juzai couldn't suppress the terror in his eyes. Good; at least he felt something. He had stood resolute, watching the life drain out of Videl's face like he had been reading a dull book. Rage overwhelming him again, Gohan swung a powerful fist faster than his captive could see. Juzai cried out in pain as several teeth clattered across the factory floor.

"What's wrong? You weren't afraid to put everything you had on the line to try and kill Videl. So try and kill me. Or do you only fight when you can take your opponent by surprise?"

Without waiting for an answer, Gohan hurled Juzai at the wall, his back slamming into the hard concrete before he crashed to the ground again. Menacing footfalls echoed off the walls as the young Saiyan approached. Juzai's eyes widened in abject terror as he saw Gohan coming, but he couldn't even manage to crawl away anymore.

Lifting him unceremoniously, Gohan slammed him against the wall, staring into those previously expressionless eyes. "I didn't think you could feel anything, but I guess I forgot; cowards like you always feel fear."

"W-wait," he managed at last, his speech sounding strange through his missing teeth.

"Why?" Juzai blinked in shock, completely caught off guard by the question.

"I…I'm sorry…I didn't have to take things as far as I did. I should've let her go."

"You didn't. So don't beg now."

A withering punch connected with the large man's stomach and he lurched forward, spit and blood flying from his mouth. As he fell forward, Gohan seized him by the neck loosely and forced him back against the wall. He sputtered and drew ragged gasps for air as the pain shot through him with each heartbeat. It still hadn't sated Gohan's rage, his hate.

He finally managed to speak again, though his voice was a pained whisper. "W…what are you going…to do to me?" Gohan's eyes flashed dangerously.

"You're not leaving her alive. You're far too dangerous to Videl and I."

"W-wait!"

"You tried to kill her!" Gohan roared, inches from the man's face now. Juzai screwed his eyes shut in terror, recoiling from him, but he had nowhere to run. "And as an old friend once told me…it's okay to kill someone to protect the people you love."

Gohan lifted his other hand and a small orb of ki blinked to life. He let it grow until it was the size of his palm before inching it ever close to Juzai's face. The man was scrambling now, trying to escape, but he would never break Gohan's iron grip.

This monster…this…thing…had tried to kill his Videl. His sweet, kind, wonderful Videl. He had set a trap for them. Injured Kaneki to draw them out. Trapped him within some strange forcefield. Attacked his girlfriend until she was in agony. And then tried to squeeze the life out of her…despite all his begging. So this miserable bastard wouldn't walk out of here. Not for what he tried to do to her. To the love of his life. It was fair. It was right.

"It's time to put an end to this," he whispered, the intensity of his voice electrifying the air around him. He drew his hand back and prepared to slam the energy directly into Juzai's face, but…

He felt slender arms wrap around his waist and, a second later, a small figure pressed against his back. 'Videl.' He wasn't so far gone that he couldn't recognize her touch. Her warmth. Her love.

"Gohan, that's enough," she said softly, her voice washing over him delicately. He felt his body freeze up and his arm stopped moving forward. It wasn't the same as the artificial paralysis he'd been under before. No, this was his body properly responding to her voice.

"Videl…I…"

"Shh, I know. I know you must've been so scared that you were going to lose me. But you saved me. You saved my life. And I know you don't really want to kill him after you did that for me. Please Gohan; let him go. He'll rot in prison for what he did today; you don't have to be the one to punish him anymore."

Gohan chewed his lip fiercely, almost drawing blood. Juzai's eyes were darting around in terror and each cowardly glance made him want to punch him right through the concrete wall behind him. But…Videl was right. This wasn't the kind of person he was. He wasn't a killer. And she didn't want him to become one either. Her delicate voice rose to his ears once more.

"Come back to me, okay? My Gohan. My hero."

It finally felt as if a trance had been shattered. Gohan felt his mind clear at last and he dispelled the ki in his hand, taking a step back from Juzai. He felt Videl sigh in relief and felt his heart lighten. She was right. About everything. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Gohan allowed his transformation to dissipate, the golden aura vanishing and his power returning to normal.

Juzai fell to his knees and gazed miserably up towards them. Gohan felt Videl let go of him and take up her spot beside him, glowering down at the man. Juzai opened his mouth to speak, but Videl interrupted before a sound passed his lips.

"I didn't save you because I felt bad," she spat, causing the man to wince. "I stopped him because I know he'll regret killing you. You're scum. Worse than that, actually. So don't you dare thank me." A long moment of silence passed.

"Still…" he began.

It only took an instant. Videl stepped forward and delivered a fierce blow to the back of his head, knocking him out cold. He fell to the ground once more and didn't move again. A quick glance told Gohan he was still alive, though perhaps unfortunately. But at least it was over now. Despite how awful things had nearly become…it was all over.

---

Videl had taken it upon herself to handle the aftermath of the battle, insisting that Gohan rest for now. She knew he had gone through a lot and while she had been the one who had almost died, the Senzu Bean made her feel as good as new.

Collecting Yu from the other side of the factory, she dragged him next to Juzai, finally acknowledging her assailant's missing arm. Faintly, she had been aware of the fact that the fingers around her throat hadn't released her even when she'd been dropped to the floor earlier. Shaking off the crawling feeling of disgust that manifested under her skin, she chanced a glance around the floor. Sure enough, off in a corner of the room, she thought she spied an arm. Shivering, she turned away and decided the police could deal with that.

Gohan sat by the front door, his head in his hands. As soon as he had come back to reality, he had been overwhelmed with intense guilt for his actions. She didn't blame him for what he'd done; in fact, she would have done the same thing if she had the power to do so. But she knew her Gohan had such a gentle heart; it couldn't take being that cruel without feeling immense shame for it after the fact.

She had wrapped her arms around him and insisted he sit outside, but he had been unwilling to let her out of his sight while Juzai and Yu were still in the building. So she had led him to the doorway and asked him to sit by the opening. That way he could get some fresh air and still be able to see her.

He didn't look great. His eyes were overwhelmed with remorse and his hands trembled the few times she'd taken them. His cape had been sliced by the disc he'd thrown to save her; there was a perfect vertical rip in the material. His helmet had been blown from his head when he had transformed and she'd found it, shattered visor and all, several yards away as she'd scoured the factory.

She couldn't say she'd come out any better from this one, though. She'd found her own cape in a random corner of the room, blown away from Gohan's transformation after she had discarded it. That was the only item to have made it out undamaged from her battle. Her clothes were torn in random places, whether it was her body suit or her Gi. Her belt was cracked and her helmet had been shattered too when Juzai had unmasked her. They'd need Bulma to help them out with their costumes before they could fight crime again.

Speaking of things Bulma might be able to help them with, the machine that had paralyzed Gohan was the final item on her checklist. There was nothing obvious in the room around them, so she had theorized it must be in the roof somewhere since there was no second floor. She had been right; flying up to the ceiling, she found a circular hole cut in one of the coverings. It hadn't taken her long to find the contraption.

A metal box, about the size of a toaster oven, was connected to a series of multicolored cables, each of which fed into a cone shaped receiver. That receiver was pointed downwards through the ceiling, of course aimed right at the spot Gohan had been frozen in. Unfortunately, it looked like the box was smoking a little. Her guess was that Gohan's power surge had fried the circuitry and released him from the trap. It wasn't a particularly heavy device so she gathered all the pieces up and carried it to the ground level, touching down gently next to Gohan and gesturing to the box as she placed it on the floor.

"I found the machine they were using on you," she explained. He barely looked up but acknowledged her words with a soft mumble. Her face fell; he felt so guilty and awful.

"Hey," she began, sitting down on the floor next to him. He still didn't move; usually he was more than happy to put an arm around her. "It's okay Gohan. Please don't beat yourself up for what happened today. We couldn't have known they had technology like that. We did the best we could with the hand we were dealt. And we're both perfectly fine in the end."

"…like that." She hadn't caught most of what he'd said. He had his forehead resting on his folded arms and his knees brought up to his chest, making his soft voice almost unintelligible.

"Sorry Darling, what did you say?"

"I'm so sorry you had to see me like that…"

"Gohan, it's not something I've even thought about since it happened. I just want to make sure you're okay." He shook his head.

"I hate myself when I get like that…and I never wanted you to have to see that side of me. It's the side of me I'm most ashamed of. It's the side of me that allowed Cell to kill my father. It's the side of me…that loses all reason and compassion. I just become…a monster…"

Videl scooted even closer and wrapped her arms around his body. He didn't budge but she still held him tight anyway, rubbing his back lightly. "You're not a monster Gohan."

"Did you know Cell called me that? When I made him transform back after he spit up 18…he ran away from me and called me a monster…"

"And you believe him?" she asked gently.

"…sometimes…"

"You shouldn't."

"It's hard not to when I get like that…"

"You've met real monsters Gohan. So have I. Spopovich, Babidi, and that evil Majin Buu come to mind right away. You saw the things they did, the nightmares they unleashed on the world. That's what a monster is in my mind. I don't think you could ever possibly come close to that."

"But…I completely lost control before…"

"I don't think that's true. You held me. You gave me the Senzu Bean. You stopped when I asked you to. That's not out of control." Gohan finally looked up at her, his eyes wrought with pain.

"I think I would've killed him if you hadn't stopped me 'Del…"

"And if I had been in your position, I would've wanted to do the same thing. I can't imagine watching you…die in front of me…the way you had to watch me. I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd just obliterated him where he stood when you first transformed."

"I…wanted revenge. I wanted to make him hurt ten times worse than he'd made you hurt…"

"And maybe that's not the most 'noble' thing in the world, but I'm the same way. And at the end of the day, you didn't kill him. So as far as I'm concerned, everything you did was reasonable. You saved my life Darling; I would have died without you."

Gohan finally raised up and pulled her tight against him, holding her with the same desperation she had held him with all those weeks ago on the Lookout. "I'm so glad you're okay Videl. I was so scared…that I'd lose you…"

"I know you were, Love. I know. But you saved me. And we'll be ready next time if they come back," she promised. Gohan gave a half-hearted nod and pulled her in tighter. They had a lot of work to do before the end of the day, but Videl decided right then and there that he wasn't going home for the night until she cuddled and reassured him for a long time.

"Gohan," she chanced. He nodded, still not speaking. Maybe he didn't trust his own voice. "I'm going to call the Chief back here with some officers and have them arrest Juzai and Yu. I think maybe I should do it alone though. Our Saiyaman outfits got really messed up and they might question why you're here. I can just make up a story that you called me to cover since your identity was in jeopardy."

"…okay 'Del. I trust you completely. Just…come back safe to me, okay?"

"Always. Wait for me at the house? Papa's gone for a seminar today and tomorrow, but Buu should be there. He can let you in if you want."

"I'll wait for you there…promise."

They rose to their feet and Videl took Gohan's hands, squeezing them tightly. "Thank you, Darling; you saved me. I have the most perfect boyfriend and protector I could ever want for."

"I promised I'd never let anything happen to you. I'll never break that promise again," he told her, his voice gaining just a bit more certainty.

They gathered up the scattered remains of their Saiyaman suits before transforming back to normal, the damaged clothing disappearing along with the rest. Back in their school clothes, Videl gave Gohan a sweet, slow kiss. She really wanted to reassure him that she wasn't scared or upset or frightened of him. To her delight, it seemed to lift his spirits slightly.

As he prepared to leave, he pressed a Senzu Bean into her hand, asking that she give it to Kaneki when she saw him. She smiled and hugged him tightly before wishing him a safe flight.

"Oh wait, Gohan," she called out as he was just about to fly off. Seizing the machine that had frozen him, she brought it to him with a serious look on her face. "You should bring this with you. We need Bulma to take a look at that; it's no good to the police and they don't need to know it was here." Gohan gave her a grateful smile.

"You're right. Bulma's about the only person on Earth who could figure out why this thing paralyzed me. I'll take it with me."

"Thanks. I'll meet you at home once I'm done with the police and then we can fly out to Capsule Corp., okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you, Gohan."

"…and I love you, Videl."

Exchanging one more kiss with her, Gohan flew gently into the air, the mysterious device in tow. Videl breathed a sigh of relief once he was safely out of the factory. This dark, dingy room wasn't doing him any favors mentally. She knew he had been pretty badly affected by what had happened, but she'd make sure he was okay. After all, she knew him pretty well by now to know how to cheer him up. For a moment, she wondered if something was wrong with her; she had nearly died but wasn't really that perturbed by it. Maybe it just didn't compare to Buu having eaten her…

Lost in thought, she almost pressed the call button on her watch before catching herself and stopping suddenly. That was supposed to be a direct line between Kaneki and the Saiya Squad. If she used it as Videl, that was as good as admitting her secret identity. Seizing her phone, she rang the Chief and waited for him to answer, ready to wrap up this whole mess at last.

---

"I must say, I didn't expect you to be here Videl," Chief Kaneki admitted, offering her a large smile. He and several squad cars of police (along with an ambulance) had showed up within fifteen minutes of her call. They had already removed the gloves from Juzai and Yu and had cuffed them. Well, they'd cuffed Yu. Juzai was down an arm now so it wasn't quite so simple in his case. In fact, the paramedics were tending to him at the moment.

"Saiyaman called me and said he and his partner had lost their helmets during their fight here. He briefly caught me up to speed when I showed up so I mostly know what happened today. Are you okay Chief? He said you were supposed to be at the hospital."

The aged man gave a tired smile. "I never went; I decided I'd go later once everything was taken care of here. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just a little banged up," he added quickly, addressing the stern look on her face.

"That reminds me," she said suddenly, reaching into her pocket and producing the green bean. "Saiyaman asked me to give this to you. It's a bean that restores your health. It's totally safe; I've taken one before. Please, take it."

Kaneki eyed the object suspiciously for a moment but chose to believe Videl's sincere assurance. Popping it into his mouth, he chewed and swallowed with some hesitancy. His eyes quickly widened, though, and he rolled his shoulders, gazing in wonder at his arm.

"Wow. That thing really did patch me up, good as new. What is it?"

"I'm not sure myself; I don't even know where they come from. But they're pretty amazing!"

"They certainly are. Thank you for giving me that. And I'll thank the Saiya Squad next time I see them."

The factory empty now, Videl followed the Chief to the exit, finally emerging into the fading sunlight. She squinted against the brightness but relished the fresh evening air that cleansed her lungs of dust and debris. The other police officers were already in their cars, ready to return to the city. Kaneki waved at them to go ahead and all the cars took off, leaving the two alone in the parking lot. He turned towards her and offered a warm smile.

"Thank you Videl." Her face betrayed her confusion.

"What for?"

"Oh! Well, for taking over for the Saiya Squad when they needed backup, of course! There are very few people they seem to trust to keep their secrets and you're clearly one of them." Videl laughed lightly.

"I'm just glad I happened to be in the area when they called. And I'm extremely glad you're okay too. I owe them for saving you today."

"As do I. I suppose I should thank you for introducing me to them directly as well; I never thought there would be someone other than you I would be able to count on to save my life in a situation like that, but here I am, safe and sound."

"And I couldn't be happier for that."

"I don't suppose you know the details of what happened here today? It's rare for those two to be pushed so far that they'd have their identities exposed." Videl grimaced but shook her head.

"No, by the time I showed up everything was already resolved. They were both okay, just compromised, so I told them they should leave and let me handle everything else." Kaneki gave a nod, accompanied by a warm smile.

"They have a great partner in you, then. Well, we'll take care of everything from here. Maybe these two criminals will be a bit more talkative than the last batch. Though…I don't know if that one man will be much for speaking any time soon. I have to wonder what happened to him…" Videl hesitated for a moment but spoke aloud the burning question in her mind anyway.

"If you don't mind my asking, what did the paramedics find?"

"'What didn't they find' might be a better question. Aside from the severed arm, which entirely baffles me still, the man had a broken ankle, several fractured ribs, his back might be broken, half his teeth were knocked out, and he has some internal bleeding. I don't know what happened here today…but he got on the wrong side of people he really shouldn't have…"

"Chief," she began softly, glancing around to make sure they were truly alone. He eyed her inquisitively. "It may be for the best if none of that is publicized. The people in the city might start to worry if they think the Saiya Squad is ruthless. They didn't tell me everything that happened but…I think his partner was in some real danger earlier. That might explain why that man was so badly beaten."

Chief Kaneki nodded. "I agree; I won't be allowing that information to make it to the press or media. I must say though…I would never want to anger Saiyaman if that's the result of threatening his partner's life. She's in extremely good hands."

"I think so too."

Finally, Kaneki shook Videl's hand, thanking her again and offering her a ride back into town. She declined, using her jet copter as an excuse, and he drove off, ready to put the day behind him.

Sighing in relief, Videl took off once he was out of sight and began to fly towards home. She had successfully protected Gohan's superhero image and they'd managed to close the case without anything terrible happening. They had flown a bit too close to the sun today, though. She never wanted them to wind up in a situation that dangerous for either of them again.

'I have a lot of work to do on my ki training. I don't want someone like Juzai to be able to take me down again. I'll…I'll protect Gohan next time if it ever comes to that in the future. I swear it.'

---

Videl had met up with Gohan at the Satan Mansion quickly after Chief Kaneki had left the factory. He had been waiting outside for her, clearly still feeling extreme guilt for what had happened earlier. She tried to cheer him up and he even put on a half-smile for her, but she could tell he still felt terrible.

She had taken it upon herself to try making him laugh during their flight out to West City, but nothing had worked the way it usually did. She couldn't even get a chuckle out of him, something he had apologized for. It didn't matter that he wasn't laughing so much as he wasn't feeling better. Videl spent the rest of the flight racking her brain for a way to cheer him up some, floating closer to him and taking his hand in hers as they moved forward.

She had called Bulma as they'd flown out and she was waiting for them when they landed, her eyes fogging with concern as soon as she saw them. It was probably pretty clear to her that Gohan wasn't doing so well. She led them inside and, instead of taking the familiar route down to her lab, she brought them upstairs and through the living room to the balcony area.

It was quite lovely, Videl thought. Several tables with umbrellas decorated the crescent shaped space, something that looked especially appealing under the glimmering starlight that now twinkled in the sky. To her surprise, Vegeta was sitting at one of those tables, a glass in one hand and a look of grave suspicion on his face. She hadn't expected him to be waiting for them too.

"So…I have an idea that today was pretty intense for the two of you," Bulma began. "What happened?"

Videl wondered how she could know that but something from weeks ago occurred to her. Krillin had explained that ki users could sense each other's energy when they had explained why they believed Gohan to be dead. It wasn't a stretch to assume Vegeta had sensed Gohan's meteoric transformation earlier, especially with the way the ground had shaken.

She glanced at Gohan before deciding she'd field the question herself; he wasn't in the right state of mind to relive it just yet. "Well…"

And so, Videl recapped the entire afternoon for Bulma and Vegeta, trying to be gentle about the parts that she knew would sting Gohan the most. Once she finally finished, the older couple wore similar looks of concern on their faces. Bulma was the first to speak.

"It was pretty unexpected that someone developed a technology to force ki out of untrained people, but to think they also managed to create something that paralyzes Saiyans…"

"I don't like the idea that someone knows enough about us to use technology like that," Vegeta grumbled, scowling at the ground. "How did they learn what Saiyans are to begin with?"

"That's what I can't figure out," Bulma admitted, furrowing her brow and folding her arms. "I just don't know who could have learned that kind of specific information. Nobody has access to the Saiyans but me."

The four of them considered the possibilities for several moments before Videl spoke up, trying not to wither as Bulma and Vegeta both turned their intense gazes upon her. "Um…Bulma, do you think it has anything to do with Satan Electronics having things stolen from them?"

"I doubt it; I didn't give them any sensitive information like that when we became business partners. Though…the receiver on that machine you brought is clearly something I developed. I remember creating a miniature version of it to put inside the remote Krillin used to broadcast the self-destruct signal to the androids. These are clearly my specs being used here…"

"Could someone have accessed your data without you knowing?" Videl's eyes narrowed as she thought of answers.

"No, I have all sorts of incredible cyber security. I'd have known the second someone from outside tried to force their way into my systems."

"What about…someone inside?" She proposed softly. Bulma seemed like she might laugh but stopped for a moment. Her face fell a second later.

"Well…I guess depending on their skill and access to Satan Electronics…it wouldn't be impossible…" Videl felt her eyes grow wide with surprise. Maybe she had found the link between all these events after all.

"Bulma! Is there a way we can check your records for dates and times the system was accessed and from where? It might all be connected after all!" The blue haired woman nearly jumped in surprise at Videl's intensity but quickly regained her footing.

"Yeah, the master computer keeps track of all that stuff. It's downstairs in the lab. Shall we go check it out now?" she proposed. Videl nodded firmly. The sooner they figured out what was going on, the less danger they'd all be in going forward.

"While you do that, I'd like to stay here with Gohan." Vegeta, silent since she had begun her retelling of the afternoon, spoke at last. Videl chanced a look at Gohan who met the Saiyan Prince's gaze and gave him a nod.

"Sure, that's fine with me."

"We'll leave the detective work to you then," Vegeta said, nodding at his wife. Bulma grinned and waved Videl on with her. Before she left, though, she gave Gohan a quick peck on the cheek and squeezed his arm.

"I'll be back Darling," she promised. Finally, Gohan managed a small smile.

"I'll be here waiting."

With that, Videl grabbed the machine and followed Bulma back inside the building and down to the lab. On their way, though, Bulma stepped closer to her and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Something really rattled Gohan, didn't it? I haven't seen him like this in a long time." Videl frowned. She had a feeling the last time he'd been like this had been immediately following the Cell Games.

"Yeah," she began softly as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Bulma opening the doorway to her lab. "While he was paralyzed by this thing, the man we were fighting tried to kill me. He almost did it, too." Bulma's eyes widened in shock as the doors slid closed noiselessly behind them.

"You seem totally okay now though," she managed at last. Videl nodded.

"I am; he gave me a Senzu Bean after he rescued me. I feel great again. I actually wonder if I'm not losing my mind a bit. I'm not even that thrown off that I almost died today. I'm much more worried about Gohan…" Bulma laughed and flashed an amused smile.

"You're hanging out with the perfect group if you already aren't bothered by brushes with death! We're pretty much Shenron's only clientele and it's because we have to wish back so many dead people. So either you're not crazy or we all are."

Videl gave a genuine laugh as she followed the scientist to her large computer, pulling up a chair next to her as she set to work. "But really," Bulma continued, "it must have upset Gohan pretty badly, huh? We could feel the shaking from here," she explained. Videl's mouth fell open.

"You…you could?"

"It's not as surprising as you might think; when he first transformed against Cell we could feel that all over the world. I wouldn't be surprised if that was true today too. That's why Vegeta wanted to talk to him."

Videl vaguely remembered the earthquake that had happened during the Cell Games right as the live feed cut out but decided to think about that later. "About his power earlier?"
"Yeah. He'll never admit it, but Vegeta was pretty worried when he felt that energy spike. Hopefully he can help Gohan come to terms with everything."

"Come to terms with everything?" she repeated, confused. Bulma grinned slyly at her.

"You know, all those things you didn't tell us because you didn't want to make him feel worse," she teased. Videl grimaced and looked down at the floor.

"S-sorry…"

"Don't be! I think it's sweet! But if you don't mind, will you tell me what happened earlier? All of it?"

"Sure, I don't mind. Just…please don't bring it up in front of Gohan today. He's really having a hard time with everything…" Bulma nodded, placing a comforting hand on Videl's shoulder.

"I promise. But hey, as you tell me, let's start looking through everything in the system logs. There might actually be something in here."

---

"She was in danger, wasn't she?" Vegeta asked, tactless as usual. Gohan grimaced; for as much progress as the man had made over the years, social ques and conversational technique had certainly not been part of that.

"Yeah…she was…" he admitted at last.

Vegeta had, surprisingly, shown a softer side of himself since the girls had left. He had told Gohan to sit next to him, albeit gruffly, and seemed to be taking an understanding approach. It was a rarity for him, but perhaps his sacrifice against Buu really had changed him somewhat.

"I figured as much; I haven't felt your power explode like that since Cell. Was the enemy really that dangerous?" His eyes were hard but somewhere behind his dark gaze was a bit of fear. He was worried that enemies who were that powerful and knew Saiyan biology might be a danger to his own family…probably.

"No, he was basically just an ordinary human. Well, that's not entirely true; aside from those gloves that let him use artificial ki, he actually seemed to have some kind of resonance with it. He could fly a little and use those ki blasts much more effectively than the others I've fought who used the same things."

"Hmm…those gloves are strange. To think a technology exists that can draw ki from an untrained person. What about that box you brought earlier? That was the device that paralyzed you, right?" Gohan nodded, settling into the conversation a bit more.

"Yeah, that's right. They set a trap for me before we ever showed up and then used a hostage to lure us in. It felt…like my entire body was made of lead. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move anything but my jaw, and barely that…"

"We'll have to find a way around technology like that. I refuse to allow my proud Saiyan heritage to be used against me. If I ever find the person who created something like that, I'll show them how right they are to fear us."

Their conversation hit a pause for a moment as Vegeta seemed to be considering what to do about the technology that could paralyze Saiyans. Gohan, however, had latched onto the last point the gruff man had made.

"Hey Vegeta…can I ask you a question?"

"I can't promise a satisfying answer but go ahead."

"Have you ever…lost control of your power? Been so overwhelmed with anger or hate that you act differently than you normally would?" A derisive laugh escaped Vegeta's lips.

"Have you forgotten who you're speaking to? When we met, I was trying to kill you all and destroy this planet. I don't think I'm the right person to be asking about that. Try your father."

He should have expected that. "I…well actually, I was wondering what it felt like…when Babidi took over your mind…" Gohan was treading very lightly around this topic; it was surely a sore spot for the proud Saiyan Prince. But it was the most relatable thing he could think of to the way he'd felt today about Juzai.

"Hmph," Vegeta snorted, but turned slowly towards Gohan. His face was set but his eyes were softer than usual. "Unfortunately, I was in complete control of myself during that time. There was no chance a pathetic creature like Babidi would be able to command me. But…that means that everything I did that day was entirely by my own choice. And that's something I deeply regret. I'm glad I have the chance to make amends for the mistakes I've made."

Gohan marveled at Vegeta for a moment. When they had met, he had been a self-servient force of wanton destruction who cared not for anyone or anything but himself. But throughout his lifetime, he had watched Vegeta become a husband, a father, and now a truly better man. It was impressive, honestly. He would never say it out loud though…he didn't want to deal with the bad mood it would immediately throw Vegeta into if he pointed any of that out.

"I'm worried," Gohan began, earning Vegeta's gaze again, "that whenever I achieve a new power level, I lose control of myself. Earlier today I was just like I was when I toyed with Cell. I was arrogant, vengeful, filled with hate…I did things I would never do if I was in my right mind…"

"Like what? Did you kill someone underserving?"

"No…almost…"

"You're right; that's not like you at all. You're far too soft to kill anyone."

"I…I used my full power on someone who was basically a normal human. I beat him pretty savagely. I almost killed him…but Videl stopped me…"

"So you're beating yourself up over something you almost did but ultimately didn't?" Gohan blinked several times.

"I…I guess so."

"Pfft. I knew you were the softest of us." Gohan grimaced but before he could try to defend himself, Vegeta continued. "But you may very well be the strongest of us as well."

He felt his eyes widen at the words. It was entirely unlike Vegeta to say something like that. He always believed himself to be the strongest, or at the very least the one with the most potential.

"W-what makes you say that?" he managed at last. The Prince eyed him intensely.

"Whatever power I felt from you today was unlike anything you've ever produced before. It dwarfed the strength you used against Cell and it even surpassed the awakened form that old Kaiōshin granted you. What did you do today to achieve that level of power?"

The intensity in his eyes was familiar; he had felt something he wanted for himself and now wished to understand it in order to further his own strength. The only problem was that Gohan didn't really understand the transformation himself. It had happened so fast that he wouldn't have even known he'd transformed if Videl hadn't told him.

"I…I managed to turn into a Super Saiyan on top of the Mystic form the Elder Kaiōshin awakened in me. I don't really know how I did it, but I was just so desperate to save Videl…she was dying right in front of me…"

"Your anger has always been your mightiest weapon. Cell learned that the hard way. So did this man today."

"I was so filled with hate…I wanted to pay him back ten times over for what he did to her. I wanted to make him suffer. I don't know that I would have stopped before I killed him if Videl hadn't talked me down…"

"So?"

Gohan balked at the callous question. He had almost forgotten who he was dealing with. Vegeta would be hard-pressed to ever relate to that, especially given his own background.

"You know how hard it is for me to kill, Vegeta. It took you and Dad and everyone else almost being slaughtered to get me to really fight back against Cell. I just…I don't like who I become when I get like that. And I'm afraid my powers are the culprit. I'm afraid I can't control my own strength and it overwhelms my emotions and mind…"

"Well you can quit worrying about that, then." Gohan felt his eyes widen.

"H-how come?"

"I've seen your power go out of control. Don't you remember when you became the Ōzaru against me the first time we fought? That's a perfect example of losing control of your powers. Actually, it's a case of your powers controlling you. But if you were able to save Videl, give her a Bean, and listen to her request not to kill the man from earlier, then I sincerely doubt you were ever out of control. Perhaps your emotions were overwhelming you, but not your transformation."

Gohan considered his words for several long, silent moments. He knew his emotions were easy to let get out of hand. They were the primary catalyst every time he transformed in a new way. But he was fearful that he would never be able to maintain this new form without feeling those same suffocating emotions each time. But…Vegeta believed it wasn't something that could overwhelm him, so that must count for something.

After the long swath of silence, the Saiyan Prince spoke again. "If you're worried, then train with it. There is no power that can overcome the will of a Saiyan warrior."

"Yeah…you're right. I just have to learn to control my own strength."

"And while you're at it, train your mate too."

Gohan's face flushed several shades of red darker at the word 'mate.' Videl had warned him that Vegeta liked to use that word to describe their relationship, but it still caught him completely off guard. He fought down the tremendous embarrassment he felt and cleared his throat.

"Actually, we started training last week. She's learning how to raise her aura on command." Vegeta chuckled, satisfied.

"Good; I thought I sensed greater power from her since last we met. You should be well aware that she's not the type to sit on the sidelines and cheer you on. Videl is a warrior. So make sure she's prepared to handle herself against the kinds of enemies we're used to and you won't have to worry as much anymore."

"I'll always worry about her," Gohan admitted, a serene smile gracing his lips. Vegeta snorted.

"I seem to recall telling her the exact same thing."

Gohan laughed at long last. He wasn't sure if Vegeta was trying to make him feel better or not, but it was working. "Either way, I know she's a fighter. And I want her to be strong enough to take care of herself, even against the kinds of opponents we face regularly."

"Then keep trusting her strength. She's already made tremendous progress. All she needs now is the time to perfect her technique."

"Hey Vegeta," Gohan began as the gruff man raised an eyebrow at him. "How exactly do you teach someone to deflect ki blasts if they've never done it before?"

"You throw ki attacks at them until they learn to get it right." His voice was humorless. Gohan grimaced.

"Uh…maybe I should choose my words a bit differently. How do you teach someone to deflect ki blasts without hurting them? I'm not going to shoot at Videl until she finally blocks one properly." Laughter escaped Vegeta's lips and he leaned back into his chair, seemingly amused.

"I figured as much. That method is how all Saiyans used to learn on Planet Vegeta, but I suppose teaching your mate requires a more delicate touch, hm?" Gohan felt his cheeks burn hearing that word again but waited patiently for the guidance he'd asked for.

"In that case, fire extremely weak blasts at her, blasts so pathetic that you or I wouldn't even feel them. If she can block those with her aura alone, she'll be ready to move onto reflecting higher concentrations of energy." Gohan nodded, his eyes widening.

That would work? He'd never really taught someone ki from scratch, not even Goten. His little brother had a decent idea of the energy just from being a Saiyan and watching Gohan himself train. But Videl needed clear goals and instruction to make her progress. This might be exactly what he'd been looking for.

"Thanks Vegeta, I never thought of that. How weak are we talking exactly? Is there a point that it's so weak it defeats the purpose?"

Vegeta pointed a finger at Gohan and a tiny golden orb, the size of a ping pong ball, flew through the air and splashed against his arm. He was right; Gohan had barely even registered the contact.

"That weak. If she can use her aura to block that level of attack, then you can teach her the way we deflect ki. Once she's manages the first step consistently, it should be a relatively simple task."

"Got it, thank you!"

"Hm." Vegeta merely grunted before settling back into his chair. Gohan chose to lean back as well, finally feeling more relaxed for the first time since the factory. He still wanted to make sure he was truly in control of his powers, but the guidance he'd received had been quite helpful. He wasn't used to using that word for Vegeta. But he really had turned a corner since Buu it seemed.

"The women are coming back up from the lab," Vegeta noted and Gohan reached out with his ki, confirming the same thing. "Let's meet them inside."

Rising to his feet, Vegeta approached the door that led back into the main living area of Capsule Corp. Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, Gohan followed suit, falling into step behind him. The gruff warrior reached out and seized the handle but stopped before opening it. Curious, Gohan just waited. Vegeta turned and locked eyes with him, intensity in his gaze.

"Oh, one more thing."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Don't lose her, Gohan."

He couldn't fight down the surprise that stole his face. That Vegeta, the once vengeful and narcissistic Prince of the Saiyans, could look him directly in the eye and tell him to protect his loved one was something he'd never imagined, even in his wildest dreams. But something about it gave him a deep sense of comfort. The man had really learned what it meant to fight for others, to protect those you cared about. And he was entirely right.

"I'll never lose her again, Vegeta." His voice was low and certain. It left no room for doubt. Vegeta gave a half grin before clapping him on the shoulder.

"Good. Now let's get inside."

---

"Wait, so you actually found something?" Gohan asked, nervous excitement tinging his voice. Videl had been shocked herself, but she and Bulma had found exactly what they were looking for.

"Yeah," the older woman began, holding up a printout she had brought with her. "Look at this. The Capsule Corp. system has been accessed by Satan Electronics many times, which makes sense; I'm allowing them clearance for certain systems so they can help us with a few projects." Gohan nodded and Vegeta gazed on with muted interest. Videl stepped forward and pointed at a specific line of the paper, unable to fight down her excitement.

"But look at this," she began, Bulma smiling over towards her. "Last week, right around midnight, Satan Electronics accessed a protected part of Capsule Corp.'s network. It took some impressive skill to get around Bulma's cybersecurity and firewall, but they managed it. Apparently, the exact part of the system they accessed and copied data from was a highly protected folder about Saiyan biology."

"What?" It wasn't Gohan, but Vegeta that had spoken. His eyes were narrow and he was clearly angry that the information had gotten out. Bulma spoke up next.

"I know; I felt the same way. All the tests and experiments we've done over the years have been catalogued. I usually keep it on my personal computer, which exists entirely off the network. But since I was upgrading the gravity room to be more useful, I copied a few basic files over to the master computer to make the work easier. Someone managed to get those files last weekend. It wasn't much, but it did detail some of the information we've gathered about Saiyans as a race."

"And you think that's why they were able to make that machine that paralyzed me?" Gohan asked, his eyes fogged with worry. Vegeta looked like he wanted to say more but chose to step back and observe. Videl nodded to Gohan, taking over again.

"Exactly. According to Bulma, the schematics of the machine we brought back were strangely similar to a bunch of different projects she's worked on in the past, which means whoever was stealing from Satan Electronics was probably doing so with this in mind. They needed Capsule Corp. parts and blueprints to complete the device. And then, once they had everything they needed, they went directly to the source to try and steal information on Saiyans from Bulma's system. It was a pretty aggressive tactic since there was a chance they'd be caught, but at that point it probably didn't matter if they were; they had all the pieces of the puzzle prepared."

"So when Han and his group drew us out to the warehouse that afternoon, it wasn't to try to steal parts at all. They really were trying to confirm what we were. To figure out if we were both Saiyans or just one of us."

"I think so too," Videl agreed, nodding confidently. "Since this group came back that night and robbed the warehouse properly while we were asleep, it makes sense that they fought us for a reason. They were probably testing us to see if the device would work properly. And once they learned enough about you through the fight, they were convinced you were a Saiyan."

"But then the question becomes why does their boss want a Saiyan to begin with? Juzai said it might be for revenge. Who would know about Saiyans and want revenge on me?" Gohan mused aloud. Bulma shook her head.

"It's probably not about you at all; it's much more likely they have a grudge against Goku. God knows how many people do since we adventured around the world back in the day," she chuckled, a wistful smile appearing on her face. "But in all honesty, my suspicion is you just happened to be at the wrong place at the exact right time for whoever's masterminding all this. If they wanted revenge on Goku, it stands to reason they'd want you as guinea pig. Or maybe just a hostage to try drawing him out."

"Hmm…so this group managed to steal Capsule Corp. technology and information, they know about Saiyans enough to know from my abilities that I am one, and they're smart enough to repurpose your parts and research to make a device that can paralyze Saiyan biology? That sounds like a dangerous group to go up against," Gohan admitted, his brow furrowing.

"Well don't worry about all that; I'm on the job!" Bulma flashed a wide grin before giving him a thumbs up. "First things first, I'm going to reverse engineer that machine you and Videl brought. It's a little fried from your power surge earlier, but the important components are intact. Once I figure out how it works, I'll make something that can counteract it. It can't be that hard; it's my technology after all. Then they won't be able to freeze you in place like that again, no matter what they try."

"That would be amazing Bulma, thank you!" Gohan smiled widely at the news. Videl was glad he was able to smile again; it had been too many hours since she'd seen it.

"I'm probably going to shelve the artificial ki gloves for a while; they're less important than making sure you don't get targeted by this machine again. But after I solve this little mystery, I'll figure out how the gloves work too, don't you worry."

"You're such a life saver Bulma," Videl told her, turning towards the woman with a smile. She simply laughed.

"Thanks! I try! Anyway, I'm not sure how long it'll take, but I'll be sure to stay in touch as I make any progress on it. Until then, try to avoid fighting this group directly if you can."

"We will," Gohan assured her. "Will you need my help to test your countermeasure? I feel bad asking you to do all the work without pitching in," he offered, rubbing the back of his neck. Videl hadn't seen him do that in a little while and her heart rate quickened a bit.

"Nah," Bulma said, waving her hand. "Vegeta can help me with everything."

"What? I didn't sign up to be some lab rat," he retorted, his scowl elongating his face. Bulma winked at him.

"But this is a perfect chance to test your powers. After all, you can't tell me some piece of machinery is going to be enough to paralyze the Prince of all Saiyans, right?"

Vegeta glowered at her. "You're using my pride against me…fine. I'll help you with your tests."

"Thanks Vegeta! I knew I could count on you!" Bulma sang, a huge smile on her face.

"Hmph," was all he responded with.

"Well, there you have it! Vegeta and I will work on figuring out a way to counteract this machine and I'll keep you both updated. For now, just try to lay low and don't put yourselves in danger anymore, okay?"

"We can do that," Videl agreed, smiling. "Oh, and Bulma? About Satan Electronics," she began. The blue haired woman eyed her curiously. "Could you get in touch with your partner over there and see if he has security footage of the person who accessed the system? If we can figure out who it was, we may be able to get some information out of them about this group that wears those gloves. I do have an in with the police department in Satan City, after all."

Bulma grinned widely at her. "That's an excellent idea! I'll call him tomorrow morning and see what he can do for me. I'll make sure we keep this just between us. I'll let you know if he finds anything, okay?"

"Please do!"

---

Videl and Gohan stayed with Bulma and Vegeta for a while longer, making sure to turn over their watches for repairs before flying off into the night together. She could tell Gohan felt much better after having talked to Vegeta and she was glad for that. Something still seemed to be bothering him, though, and she wanted to make sure he was okay.

"Gohan? What's on your mind? You've been staring blankly for a while now," she asked gently. Her boyfriend shook his head and turned towards her, smiling.

"Sorry, I was real spaced out there. I was just thinking about something Vegeta said earlier. My powers weren't out of control, only my emotions were. I…I want to make sure that's the truth," he explained. Videl nodded.

"I think that's a great idea! Especially if it'll make you feel better. Why don't you try transforming and we can find out?" Gohan shook his head quickly.

"Not alone, if that's okay. If I really do go out of control, I want to be sure someone stronger than me is there to stop me if it comes down to it." Videl watched him with a look of sadness. He really felt so unsure of himself and his new transformation.

"Your dad, then?" she proposed. Gohan nodded, giving her a grin.

"Detective 'Del strikes again. Yeah, that's exactly who I had in mind." She giggled lightly.

"What can I say? Bulma and I really hit our stride in the lab earlier so I'm all warmed up on my critical thinking tonight!"

"I'll say, those were some impressive deductions you made!" After a short pause, he spoke again. "Hey, will you come back to Mt. Paozu with me? I…I don't want to wait on this. I want to make sure I can trust myself. That you can trust me."

"Gohan…I trust you completely. I promise you that."

"I know you do; sorry, that came out wrong. I want to make sure it's safe for you to trust me. I need to know if these powers are something I control or something that controls me." Videl nodded firmly at last, shaking off the feeling of melancholy. If that was what he needed to feel better, then she'd support him entirely.

"Then let's go back to the mountain! The sooner you prove to yourself that you're entirely in control, the sooner you'll feel okay again, right?" Gohan eyed her in surprise but smiled a moment later.

"Thanks 'Del, you're the best."

"Takes the best to know the best!"

The remainder of their flight was mostly uneventful, Videl trying her best to make Gohan laugh and to cheer him up some more. It worked better than it had on the way to West City but she could tell what he really needed was proof. Proof he didn't need to worry anymore. And, as luck would have it, he would be able to find that proof very soon.

Before much longer, they touched down in front of his house, the moon much higher in the sky now, and opened the door to the Son household. "Mom, Dad, Videl's here," Gohan called out.

Immediately, Chi-Chi ran into the room and began to fuss over Gohan, worried that because he'd missed dinner something had happened to him. She didn't seem to know about his power spike earlier, so Gohan just said they'd been caught up with the police and had needed to visit Bulma. She accepted that after much convincing and went about preparing some leftovers for he and Videl, finally calmer it seemed.

Goten had exhausted himself yet again and had passed out on the couch, snoring loudly. Goku, on the other hand, wore an uncharacteristically suspicious look on his face before standing and clearing his throat, raising his voice so she could hear him in the other room. "Hey Chi, how long do you think it'll be until food's ready?"

"About thirty minutes," she called back. Goku grinned, looking like his usual self again instantly.

"Gohan and I were going to demonstrate a technique for Videl; it's for her training. We'll go do that real quick and then we'll be back, okay?"

"Just don't stay out so long dinner gets cold again!"

"We promise!" With that, Goku turned and gave the two of them a serious look, whispering something to Gohan. Promising he'd be right back, Gohan vanished for a minute before reappearing in his purple Gi. Goku smiled and lead them towards the door. Once they were outside, the man turned and looked at them, making sure they were out of earshot of the house.

"Sorry for all the secrecy; I didn't want to worry your mom," he explained to Gohan. Before either of them could acknowledge his reasoning, Goku spoke, deliberate and direct.

"What happened earlier son? I haven't felt your power explode like that since Cell. Actually, I've never felt power like that come from you at all. What were you fighting today?"

Gohan grimaced. He clearly felt bad to have worried his father. Videl decided to step in for him; he'd been through enough today anyway.

"It was for me," she began, earning Goku's curious gaze. "I was in danger and Gohan saved my life."

Goku had more questions he wanted answered and before long the two of them were recounting the day's events for the third time. By the end of the story, Goku was smiling and nodding.

"That sounds exactly like you Gohan. Videl, I'm really glad you're safe. I know he won't ever let anything happen to you, but it sounds like that was a pretty scary situation earlier."

"It was," she admitted. "But I trust him completely, no matter what." Gohan blushed next to her. It was true, though. Even with her back to the wall and a hand around her neck, she had believed that everything would turn out okay because her Gohan was there to protect her.

"Dad," Gohan began suddenly, earning both of their gazes. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure Gohan, what's that?"

"I want you to watch me transform and make sure I don't go out of control." His father's eyes widened.

"Out of control? What do you mean?" Gohan chewed his lip before responding.

"I mean…I felt overwhelmed with anger and hate when I transformed earlier. It was the same feeling I had when I first became a Super Saiyan 2, maybe even stronger. I'm worried…that my powers are controlling me and not the other way around…"

"Oh! Sure, go ahead then!" Gohan's mouth fell agape.

"J-just like that?" Goku nodded eagerly.

"Yep! You've never been out of control of your Super Saiyan transformations and I bet this one isn't any different. Besides, I want to see this new form of yours with my own eyes!"

'Saiyans sure are an interesting bunch,' Videl thought to herself, shaking her head lightly.

"And…you're sure?"

"Sure am! You're not gonna go out of control Gohan. And even if you did, I would never let you hurt anyone. Videl's here to help me get through to you, too, if we need to. So just trust us and let's prove to you that you can trust yourself."

Gohan finally allowed a smile to grace his lips. "Thanks Dad. I do trust you; both of you," he amended, reaching out and squeezing Videl's hand. She gave him a gentle smile and squeezed back.

"Here, let me give you some space," she offered, jumping into the air and floating several yards away. "It this good?" she called out. Gohan gave her a thumbs up before turning to face his father.

"Alright son! I'm excited! Let's see this new transformation of yours!"

Videl watched as Gohan focused himself, closing his eyes and snapping into the familiar stance he adopted when he raised his aura or transformed. It took him a few moments to tap into the energy from earlier, but he managed to find it once more.

Whereas earlier that afternoon had been an eruption of power that had overflowed and rattled the very Earth, this time things were much more subdued. The air was still tense with power, the ground shook lightly beneath his feet, but Videl could still keep her balance. Moments later, Gohan's hair turned gold and that aura of pure power blazed to life around him once again. She hadn't noticed it earlier, but crackling forks of electricity leapt from his body intermittently, diffusing into the air around him.

He looked like a god, or at the very least an angel. His clothing rippled around him, the energy emanating from his body enough to warp the air. His hair stood straight up, even that one lovely lock that made its usual home down on his forehead. His onyx eyes were a brilliant turquoise now. He looked the same otherwise; his muscles hadn't grown, his height hadn't changed, his face was still the same handsome face she saw in her dreams. But something felt different. Like he could face even the most overwhelming odds and come out on top. Like she was safe no matter what when he was with her.

"Wow Gohan," came his father's impressed voice. He whistled before allowing a huge grin to steal his face. "Yep, that's definitely the same energy I felt earlier! That's incredible! How do you feel?"

Gohan considered himself for a moment before looking down at his hand, opening and closing it several times. "I feel…good. Nothing seems off at all," he admitted. Goku laughed a little.

"Told ya! Your powers haven't been out of your control for more than ten years now. I was never worried about you losing yourself by transforming." Gohan finally allowed a tiny smile to appear on his face.

"I guess…you and Vegeta were right. I still don't like how I am when I get angry, but if what happened earlier was because my emotions were overwhelming me, I guess I can trust this power."

"Of course you can! And the more you practice with it, the more natural it'll feel," Goku encouraged him, grinning. Videl, meanwhile, was thrilled that Gohan finally seemed to be coming to terms with everything. His face had almost visibly brightened at his father's words. But just when it seemed that everything would finally calm down, her boyfriend surprised her yet again.

"Dad?"

"Yeah son?"

"Fight me."

Goku's mouth fell open and his eyes widened in surprise and Videl felt her face contort in a similar way. Gohan never went looking for a fight like this. Before either of them could speak though, he continued.

"I need to know that I don't lose control in the heat of the moment either. I want to prove to myself that this power is under my control, even during intense battles. And a serious spar with you will prove that to me a lot more than fighting thugs with guns in the city." Goku considered him for a quick moment before a lopsided grin spread across his face.

"So that's why you changed outfits before we came out here. Sure, we can spar! Honestly, seeing this new form of yours makes me really curious how I stack up against you!" Gohan's serious face gave way to an appreciative smile.

"Thanks Dad. I want you to come at me with everything you've got! I'll do the same. I have some Senzu Beans on me so we can go all out without having to worry about anything." Videl felt herself becoming nervous. They were going to fight each other seriously?

"W-wait," she managed, somehow breaking through the competitive fire that blazed around them. Gohan turned to her and smiled, tossing her the familiar bag of Beans she had seen earlier.

"'Del, would you hang onto those and give them to us after we're done? Sorry to do this while you're here with us, but I just don't want to leave anything to chance." Videl cleared her head before managing to speak again.

"S…sure I don't mind. But…if the two of you fight seriously, won't you really hurt each other? I've only seen the way you all fight a few times, but that feels so much more intense than a sparring session would…" Goku chuckled and spoke before Gohan could.

"Don't worry Videl, we've done this plenty of times! We both know not to take it so far that we put the other in danger! Besides, this is the first time we've really had a chance to go all out since before Cell! We'll be just fine!"

Gohan smiled at her and nodded. "I promise it'll be okay. And it'll give you a chance to see the way we fight when we're actually trying; it'll be good for your training since you'll be fighting like this soon, too!"

Videl finally allowed a grin to spread across her lips. "Okay Gohan, I believe you. I'll keep an eye on your fight and heal you both up at the end."

"Thanks 'Del, you're the best."

With that, Goku and Gohan turned to face each other, all other thoughts and distractions melting away. "It's been a while Dad. I'm excited!"

"Me too! It's been years!"

"Will you start as a Super Saiyan 3? If we're doing this, I want to see how I measure up against you at your full power." A smirk appeared on the older man's face.

"I gotta say Gohan, it's unlike you to pick a fight like this. But yeah, I'll come at you with everything I've got! Gimme a minute to transform and we can get started!"

---

Videl had witnessed Goku's fight with Majin Buu back when he had first changed into that form with long, golden hair, but she had never witnessed a battle of such magnitude in person as the one currently taking place between father and son. The air crackled with energy. Every clash between the two warriors sent shockwaves and sonic booms rippling through the area around them. The intensity between them was unmatched by anything she could conceive of.

Her eyes couldn't follow most of their fight. For the first several minutes, she would just see golden streaks fly through the air before losing sight of them again. After a while, though, she tried a little training of her own. Focusing her ki supposedly heightened her senses and, with a little effort, she was finally able to raise her own aura and start making out some detail in their sparring.

She had witnessed Goku throw an impossibly fast flurry of punches, all of which Gohan blocked and deflected with open palms. In retaliation, Gohan had thrown a blistering kick which his father had caught with his forearm and pushed away. They traded blows like that for a while, each unable to land many strikes on the other.

Eventually, they started using their ki attacks and Videl found herself in awe. She had very little experience seeing what actual warriors were capable of with this power Gohan was teaching her. The thugs that wore those gloves managed comparatively weak blasts that weren't even natural. But Gohan? He called the golden energy as if it were an extension of his own body. Starbursts of yellow light exploded along the velvet skyline as Goku dodged and fired his own attack in return. A bright blue beam of energy ripped through the air and Gohan deflected it straight up towards the stars.

They fought like this for a while before Goku made a move. He used that strange teleportation technique to appear behind Gohan while he was deflecting a blast and landed a strong punch. Videl gasped and covered her mouth, but Gohan wheeled around and connected with an attack of his own, seeming to shrug off the fist that had caught him unaware.

Now the two traded punches and kicks, landing as many attacks as they blocked. Both had given up on defense for now it seemed. Soon Goku backed off, resuming his ki attacks before pursuing another opening. Gohan managed to land several strong attacks during these exchanges, but neither could overwhelm the other.

Finally, after nearly twenty minutes of this, the two appeared to be exhausted. Breathing heavily, they stopped in midair before saying something to each other. Videl thought she spied a tired grin appear on Goku's face before both of them began falling towards the ground, their hair changing back to its usual black color. Shocked, Videl hurried towards them as they both crashed into the mountain. Were they hurt? Had they gone too far?

Luckily, Gohan and his father were both laughing when she reached their impact site. They looked entirely spent but satisfied as well. Both of them had noticeable injuries on their bodies, though nothing appeared to be broken. Huffing, Videl knelt down between them, reaching into the bag and producing two Senzu Beans, handing one to each.

"You scared me, you know, falling like that," Videl grumbled, pouting as she watched Gohan eat. He finished chewing and swallowed before giving her a sheepish smile, sitting up and stretching a bit.

"Sorry 'Del, I didn't mean to. We were both just so worn out after fighting for that hard that we crashed as soon as we called it a draw."

"I dunno if I'd call that a draw exactly," Goku spoke up, still lying back on the grass comfortably, his arms now folded behind his head. Gohan's eyed his father in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"It's pretty obvious that you're the stronger one of us Gohan. Your new form edges out my Super Saiyan 3 and you only managed to awaken it today! I've been training with my form for years now." Gohan shook his head, fighting down a goofy smile.

"You're just exaggerating because Videl's here, right? We felt pretty evenly matched to me." Goku laughed before leaning up onto his elbows.

"No, I'm serious! If I were gonna break down the fight we just had, I think the only way I managed to take you on was through my strategy. If we're just looking at raw strength and stamina, then you're the stronger one of us."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Super Saiyan 3 is a really exhausting form that I can only maintain for so long; I use it because it's the pinnacle of my strength right now. But you've managed to take your Mystic form and go even further beyond that! Your transformation is way more efficient than mine is. Your energy is controlled and focused in a way that doesn't strain your body or exhaust you to maintain."

Videl found herself beaming at Gohan. Not only was he not out of control but he was also surpassing his own father in strength. She couldn't have been more proud if she tried. Gohan finally gave a bashful little smile.

"Thanks Dad. It means a lot to hear you say that. Be honest with me though." His face grew more serious. "What are my biggest weaknesses as a fighter? You said I'm stronger than you right now, but you still went dead even with me."

Goku pondered the question for several moments before answering. "I think it's mostly just experience, to be honest. While you were still here on Earth growing up and living your life, I was literally training every day with some of the most legendary fighters to ever exist! Plus, fighting has been a huge part of my life for a long time. If you keep training and learning, you'll close that gap in no time.

"If I were gonna give you something specific though, I'd say sometimes you go with the flow of battle a bit too passively. I could tell after a few clashes that you had the upper hand in strength alone, so I made some space and fought from a distance. But instead of closing that gap, you traded ki attacks with me. Then after I found my opening and landed a hit, I retreated again and did the same and you kept letting me do it. With my Super Saiyan 3 form being so limited in its stamina and energy consumption, you could have really backed me into a corner by forcing me in close and making me stay on the defensive."

Videl was marveling at the conversation. Goku always seemed so laid back and easygoing. Yet here he was, offering what was basically a master class in martial arts. His mind analyzed fights like nothing she'd ever seen. The man was truly a genius of his craft.

Gohan was smiling when he answered. "You're right, I did fall into that trap a few times. Thanks Dad, that gives me something specific to work on for next time! We haven't talked battle strategy in a long time; this was nice."

"I had a great time too! Let me know if you wanna spar again; I'd be happy to!" Goku wore a big grin on his face as he finally sat up. "So what should we call this new form of yours?"

Gohan laughed a little and shrugged. "I don't know…it's not really a form in line with yours though, so I don't think we can call it Super Saiyan 4."

"I agree…the Old Kaiōshin called the form he awakened your Mystic form, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"How about Super Saiyan Mystic then?" Goku grinned widely as he let the title hang in the air. Gohan smiled sheepishly and blushed a bit.

"Doesn't that sound a little…I dunno, arrogant? Can't we just call it Super Saiyan 3.5 or something?"

"That doesn't roll off the tongue at all," Videl chided him, smirking as she locked eyes with him. He chewed his lip awkwardly as Goku gave her an enthusiastic nod.

"Right? You like the name, don't you Videl?"

"Yeah! I think Super Saiyan Mystic is a great name for it!"

"There you have it son; Videl likes it! You're not gonna turn her down are you?" Gohan rolled his eyes at the enormous grin on his father's face before sighing and raising his hands in surrender.

"Of course not. Super Saiyan Mystic it is."

"It fits you perfectly," Videl assured him, sharing a warm smile with him. Goku stretched before speaking up again, facing her.

"So Videl, did you get anything out of our fight? I felt your ki rising below us so I figure you were following it, right?" His words were encouraging and excited, something she wasn't used to from her old teachers. They had been much more textbook and authoritative.

"I did! I figured if I could raise my own ki, I might be able to follow your movements more. It actually worked; I learned a lot about the way you fight using this energy. It was amazing. I have a long way to go." Gohan smiled softly at her but Goku was the one to shake his head.

"Not as far as you might think! Just take it one challenge at a time and you'll be there before you know it. You have great instincts as a fighter; you just need a bit more time to learn this stuff, that's all."

Videl smiled widely and Gohan gave his father a grateful look. She knew he wasn't just saying it to be nice; Son Goku probably never uttered a word of dishonesty when it came to evaluating someone's potential as a warrior. It gave her a lot of confidence that she really would be able to figure it all out.

Suddenly, Chi-Chi called suddenly from the house. "Gohan, Videl, your food is ready!"

As the three rose to their feet and headed to the front door, Goku gave his wife a pitiful gaze. "Did you make me something too?" She rolled her eyes before laughing.

"Of course I did; I knew you'd be hungry after all that."

"Thanks Chi! You're the best!"

---

Gohan couldn't help but feel much better than he had earlier that day. Another dinner had passed with Videl sitting happily alongside his family, minus the still-sleeping Goten. They had talked and laughed together easily, losing track of time and enjoying the night. He really could get used to this, having her here all the time. Maybe she really would be right next to him every day…someday at least.

Soon after, he and Videl were flying back to the Satan Mansion; it had been a long day and they were both happy to see it coming to an end at last. When they arrived though, Videl tugged Gohan's arm and asked him to come inside for a little while. He was a bit curious what was going on but would never willingly turn down extra time with her, so he followed her without hesitation.

They first took note of Buu, sound asleep with Bee on the couch, snoring loudly. Gill and the other staff had already left for the night, so it was effectively just the two of them. Videl then led Gohan to her room, a place that was rapidly becoming very familiar to him. The large space that dwarfed his own room at home was surprisingly cozy, despite the size. Perhaps it was because it was Videl's room.

When they arrived, he couldn't stay his curiosity any longer. "So what did you want to do, 'Del?" She smiled softly at him.

"I just thought we could cuddle for a while. I promised myself earlier that I'd hold you until you felt better tonight once everything was taken care of. And even though you seem like you're fine again…I still want to," she admitted, blushing adorably.

Gohan gave her a warm smile before kissing her forehead. "That sounds perfect; I'd love to."

Moments later, the two were lying together on her bed again, the same way they had on his birthday a few weeks back. Videl had positioned herself slightly higher than Gohan and had her arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him closely against her, just under her chin. He hadn't realized how tense he'd been all day since the factory, but Videl's gentle, loving touch seemed to chase all the exhaustion and lingering doubt from his body. He felt his muscles relax completely, giving in to her delicate, comforting touch. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back lightly, nuzzling in close against her.

"I missed this," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. He felt shivers of delight race down his arms and back as her nails grazed his scalp, sighing contentedly.

"Me too. I wish we could be together like this all the time." Videl giggled lightly and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. Then another. And one more, for good measure.

"We will be someday. And until then, we can keep stealing these perfect little moments for ourselves as much as we can." Her mellifluous voice washed over him and he felt his heart leap in his chest. She wanted to be together all the time too? He hadn't expected her to say it quite so openly. They'd come a long way from being so embarrassed the first time they'd kissed and confessed to each other. It would be amazing if he never had to say goodbye to her…

A long, comfortable silence fell over them. Gohan lost himself to the gentle sensations of her fingers running through his hair, feeling her chest rise and fall slowly as he snuggled closely against her. If he could have this every day, nothing would ever be able to spoil his joy and good mood. After a bit longer, Videl spoke, prying through his daydreams and taking center stage in his mind.

"Gohan," she began. If it were possible, her voice was softer than he'd ever heard and yet it still grabbed his attention like nothing else could.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you earlier…"

Gohan snapped out of his content daze at once and raised his eyes to hers. She looked guilty. Really guilty, actually. Immediately, he shook his head. "Please don't feel bad, okay? You did everything you possibly could. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for not teaching you how to deflect ki blasts sooner." Videl gave a tiny smile.

"I don't think you'd ever let me feel bad for anything if you had your way," she teased, her eyes starting to sparkle again. Gohan laughed lightly.

"Guilty as charged. And besides, this really isn't something for you to feel bad about. You're still learning all this ki stuff. Next time we meet that group, you'll be more than ready."

"So you'll keep teaching me on Sundays then?"

"More often than just Sunday if you like!"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Videl leaned in and kissed him sweetly. Her soft lips that tasted like strawberries caused his heart to beat faster and his stomach to twist into a knot of butterflies and happiness. He kissed her back, delighting in the way her grip on him tightened as he did.

After they separated again, Gohan looked directly into her cerulean eyes. "I hope you know if anything bad ever happened to you, I'll bring you back."

"I know Darling. I'd do the same for you. If something ever took you away from me, I'd be beating down Bulma's door to get that Dragon Radar as soon as I could get to West City." Gohan couldn't suppress a laugh as he imagined the interaction between the two.

"I know I've said it before," he began, earning her warm smile again, "but I'll never let anything happen to you again. You're the most important person in my world Videl. I'll protect you always, no matter what."

She blushed deeply as he said those words but the sparkling smile never left her face. If anything, it widened noticeably. "I love you so much," she whispered, her eyes becoming glassy. Now it was Gohan's turn to feel guilty; had he upset her? Or maybe she was overwhelmed? She seemed to read his mind a moment later. Or perhaps she read his face and saw the worry present on it.

"I'm okay," she reassured him, rubbing his back as she blinked several times. "I just…I started thinking about how much it would hurt to lose you again…"

"You won't lose me 'Del. I swear."

"I believe you. And if things ever end up like they did today again…I'll be the one protecting you. Actually protecting you. I'll be ready."

"I know you will be," he told her softly. Gohan scooted upwards just a bit and repositioned himself so he was the one holding Videl against his chest. She didn't protest and instead nestled against him, sighing happily as he ran his hand through her hair slowly. "I'll never have anything to worry about if I have you to protect me…Love."

Videl squeaked against him and kicked her feet a little, burying her face into his chest. He blushed as he said it; he had heard her call him that twice now and it seemed like something she'd enjoy hearing too. He'd never been more glad to be right in his life; her reaction had been so adorable he'd forgotten to breathe entirely.

They snuggled together for a long while. Gohan was vaguely aware that it was getting pretty late. He didn't really care. After how close he'd come to losing her again today, he would take whatever scolding might come his way if he could just stay here and hold his Videl for a while longer.

She was perfectly content to stay in his arms as well. Actually, she was starting to doze off, the exhaustion of the day catching up to her at long last. "I love you so much," she managed in a sweet mumble as her eyes forced themselves closed. She fought to keep them open but to no avail.

Gohan kissed the top of her head and took her warm hand in his, threading their fingers together. "I love you too 'Del. I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'll always come back to you," she murmured, her eyes refusing to open and her grip getting sleepy. Gohan pulled her a bit tighter against him and ran his fingers through her hair slowly and softly.

"You can sleep if you want to; I won't leave."

"Promise?" she whispered, losing her battle with exhaustion more by the second.

"Promise." He would never leave her without saying goodbye first.

Videl snuggled closer to him, her grip finally going loose and her lips parting softly. Gohan kissed the top of her head and wrapped her up in his arms, matching the rhythm of her breathing. He wasn't tired enough to sleep himself, but he was more than happy to stay with her, gazing upon her gorgeous face, feeling her warmth against him, relishing the feeling of her soft hand in his. She was perfect. She was an angel. And, more importantly than anything else, she was safe.

"Sweet dreams 'Del. I can't wait until we get to do this every night."

---

11/04/2022