Chapter 12:
The birds and the bees Saiyajin style.
After a truce and a well needed bath, Gohan and Videl went to the dining room. The adults were just finishing their share, while Trunks and Goten were engulfing a huge mass of What was it? Meat again? (Author sighs) Uh, no. It looked like stuffed canapés, scrambled eggs, homemade bread, pink sauce and milk.
"Wow. It smells good!" Videl said with her nose up, testing the air.
"Yeah, Videl. Haha-oya cooked!" Goten chirped from his seat, cheeks puffed out with food.
"Really?" she looked at the woman in question and was rewarded with a nod.
"Come on, honey, eat your food while it's still warm. Bulma and I saved some for you both."
"Arigatou, Chichi-san"
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah."
"And what are you doing today?"
"I don't know." Gohan frowned. "What do you do here for fun? Besides fighting that is." He asked in the general direction of the King and Prince.
"You could go downtown." Vegeta-ouji said sitting back in his chair.
"I don't like the way people look at us." Videl said picking on her food.
"You could go to the North Wing then. The tech bay should open today." Ou said.
"You have a tech bay in the Palace?"
"Yes, and it has lots of interesting things there. Since the scientists helped me with the reconstruction and remodeling of the training rooms, I've spent most of my time there with them." Bulma commented in a rush of excitement.
"There are lots of things you could do. We have rec rooms where you can find games, battle simms or you can always grab a jet bike and take a drive through the woods."
"That sounds cool." Videl said looking at Gohan who nodded back at her. "Okay then, we'll do that."
After finishing their breakfast and managing to trick the children not to come with them, both teens left for the North Wing.
The tech bay was a huge room at the end of a long corridor. A couple of large doors opened to show a hangar infested of people working busily in one or other gadget. Bulma walked in, followed closely by the pair.
"Isn't it great!?" she asked in excited delight, showing both teens one or other machine and babbling about how it was just what she needed to occupy her time. When they came in the open, the scientist working on a console made a stop to bow before the Princess.
"I swear. Suit yourselves then. If you want to bow, I won't tell you otherwise anymore!" she chastised softly letting out a tired sigh.
"Gomen if it bothers you, Bulma-hime, but it is our place to honor the crown as tradition dictates." He said.
The scientist was old, as told by his facial expression, and not at all too buff. He was lean and slightly hunched over, with a long dark beard that just reminded you of Merlin's. His exposed skin was clean except for a few small scars here and there, which must have been caused by his working tools. He was a second class, like Commander Lettusu, and a man of few words. It had been very difficult for Bulma to get him to tell her of all of the inventions he kept there. He almost didn't even let her touch anything, but once she proved her genius, a light had shone in his eyes. Maybe it was respect for the ningen that he hadn't had at the beginning, but a duty to bow low and keep his mouth shut unless told otherwise in her presence.
"I've been helping Sprouto with the reconstruction of the training rooms. I've provided them with more symmetric designs and formulas for promising alloys, like the one's we've been using on Chikyuu for Vegeta's GR. In turn, I'm getting blueprints of all kinds of machines we can take to CC and make some adjustments for ningen use." She said again at the stupefied pair. Sprouto had long gone back to work, seeing as no use to pay attention to the woman.
"Are you building a GR for Vegeta-Ou?" Gohan asked as he eyed the numerous parts of some oddity the saiyajins were working on right then.
"Actually I am. And I found a metal more resistant to direct ki exposition, which makes it safer for the people in and out of it, as well as an outer control panel to be operated by third parties. So the GR would be more spacious and there will always be somebody monitoring the progress and updating the training programs, creating new routines and combinations to make the stay at the GR a worthy one." She finished in one breath.
"Kami-sama, Bulma-san! You sound like one of those telemarketers." Videl stood perplexed.
"Uh-right. Let me show the speeders."
The three walked up the trail made by the only free space until they came to a part where there were only pods, one-seat planet ships, carriages, cargoes and jet bikes.
"Well, there seems to be only one repaired, but I guess it'll be enough for both."
"This model works with DNA. It's designed to be an strictly saiyajin vehicle." Another of the scientists said coming out of under a ship. He was covered in grease and dirt and had a laser welder in one hand that looked like a little stick.
"Don't you have another?" Bulma asked.
"No. We had five two days ago, but they were put in the market shortly after finished. This is the only one available."
"Saiyajin DNA. How does it work?" Gohan asked.
"Just get on and grab the handles. It'll automatically turn on. If you let go, then it's off."
"I guess you'll have to drive Gohan." Videl said.
"Is there any place we're supposed to clear off?"
"Not that I know of. Just keep yourselves out of trouble." Bulma said in a motherly voice. "Gohan, take care of Videl or you're not only putting up with you mother on that, cause I'll join in too!"
"Okay." Gohan got on and after a quick check-up he was ready to go. "Hop on." He said to Videl. She was immediately seated behind him and peering over his shoulder.
"Okay. Now just grab the handles and go." He murmured to himself barely listening to the young scientist add:
"Just be careful with the hand cause the engines are really po-" And all of a sudden he was talking to an empty spot. " -werful."
The bike zoomed off in a flash, disappearing in the distance with an excited Gohan whooping and a scared Videl yelping and grabbing on for dear life.
They were already out in the woods when Gohan decided to slow down. He looked back over his shoulder to see the top of Videl's head. She was pressed flush on his back, her arms encircling his slim waist as hard as she could. He didn't really see the need for it, since it was like flying at top speed. He came back on that thought shortly. Of course she wouldn't know that! As she was just starting to manipulate her ki and also she would never have his saiyajin speed.
"It's okay now. We're going slow." He said to her.
He felt her raise her head and check the speed. Then, just as quickly, he felt her fists pounding on his back in a fit.
"You baka! You scared me to death! I'm surprised I didn't pee on myself. You could have at least warned me before taking off!" she yelled still pounding on him.
"Ow, ow, Videl stop it! That hurts." He said, chuckling all the while. "Anyway, you're not one to talk after you little move this morning."
"Excuse me! You soaked me from head to toe already! And now you want to give me a heart attack?"
"I don't know. I'm feeling a little vengeful lately so better watch out for other jokes."
"Ha, ha. So funny. You just wait mister. When you're not expecting anything I'll strike again."
"Oh, yeah?" he taunted in a suddenly husky voice.
"Yeah!" she hadn't even finished her one word response when he was suddenly accelerating the contraption in relative suicidal disposition. Videl shrieked and latched onto him again. Gohan smiled smugly and lowered the speed again.
"You were saying?" he asked in a smart-ass tone.
"ARG, I HATE YOU!" she yelled as close to his ear as possible and hitting his back once more. Gohan laughed.
"You're such a sore loser."
She growled, gripping him a little more forcefully in annoyance. It was then that he realized she was not clinging to him anymore. She was circling his waist and her hands were casually placed on his stomach and low over one of his pecs. He could also feel her thighs at his sides as well as two warm points against his back, a little under his shoulder blades. He sucked in a breath as he suddenly realized those two points were her breasts pressing against him. Somehow, that made him feel strange. There was that warm feeling again, developing deep inside him. He felt his senses heighten, and suddenly, the feel of her tiny hands against his chest and stomach made him tingly. Even the slightest movement of her hand or even one finger, triggered a desperate flutter within him. He started to fidget, squirming in her embrace, never thinking that his shifting just made her brush further against him.
Videl had been mad. But it didn't last long. She just couldn't stay mad at Gohan; not with those puppy dog eyes and that beaming smile he gave her all the time. After he made the little move with the jet bike, she chose to be quiet, just in case he decided to be mean again. She loosened her grip on him and began to take in the scenery.
It's so beautiful.' She thought smiling in slight wonder at the combination of pinkish-red skies hovering over an enormous expanse of yellowish-green vegetation. A pair of glowing orbs adorned the center of the vault, the red one larger than the white one, bound to each other by scorching tendrils of fire; like a couple of lovers at the nick of embracing. The dry hot breeze made her hair fly in every direction. She closed her eyes, feeling it blow against her face, taking a deep breath and savoring the scent of the new world. New to her that is; so different, so odd in a way she would have never thought of. She opened her eyes to see the blue-purple silhouette of a nearby planet, as well as the brownish of another, there, a little farther away.
Videl came down from her exalting reverie wearing a happy grin. Without reveling too much in it, she wrapped her arms tighter around Gohan and laid her head on his back. She could hear the thumping of his heart, the slight acceleration of his breathing and just then, she could also feel his nervous squirming. She frowned. What was up with him? She hadn't even done anything to make him like that. She adjusted her feet more comfortably on the bike, noticing how he sucked in a breath. Her hands took a more cautious approach; she was starting to get really curious. Only then did she notice how his abdomen muscles seemed to contract when she brushed against them, immediately reminding her of that morning when she had touched his back and he had reacted. He was reacting now too!
Videl realized soon that she had been gaping at the back of Gohan's head. She quickly composed herself and began pondering on the situation. It was strange, to know that he was normal besides all other aspects. And it was also exhilarating to be able to see it up close and personal for the first time since she knew him. Her mischief instinct seemed to get a hold of her and she found herself actually enjoying his nervousness.
Videl pretended to absently shift her fingers on his stomach, and with it, she noticed the smooth rippling of his abdomen muscles under the cotton shirt. She had never seen anything but his arms bare, or his back, according to that morning; but now, actually touching him and sensing his reaction, she wondered just what he looked like under all of those clothes. She chastised herself on that train of thought, but then convinced herself that it was just out of curiosity.
Gohan was still struggling with the overly new sensations coursing through his body. He couldn't get one thought straight since he kept drifting back to how warm he was getting. There was that feeling, it seemed to pull at him from the inside, but he still couldn't grasp the objective. His breath was getting shallower by the minute, and he was already getting that feeling of constriction in his lower region. If he had been concentrating on enjoying this, he would have surely missed the little light bulb that lit in his head. He veered off to the side and landed on a clearing nearby. He figured that if this went on for a while more, he might crash.
Gohan touched down, and heaved a sigh, staring ahead in the distance. He noticed she didn't move. She was still holding onto him with those curious little hands.
"Videl" he said in a strained low voice.
"I'm sorry" she cut him off.
"What?" He still hadn't regained his usual tone.
"Sorry for that. I just-" she trailed off, sighing. Tense silence fell between them, still motionless in the same position. Videl hesitantly unraveled her arms from around him, placing her hand on his back.
"Why don't we take a walk?" Gohan cleared his throat and looking behind him, accepted.
After capsulizing the vehicle in the still uncomfortable silence, they headed through the timber. It was kind of sweet how they kept their slow walking, hands in their pockets, looking everywhere but at the other's face.
Videl found a very strange tree that caught her entire attention. It wasn't overly large. Its branches sprouted from low in the impossibly thick trunk and bent upwards, while the branches from the top leaned downwards, making the foliage a rounded shape that resulted very cute to the eye. She ran to it like a small child and rounded it several times under Gohan's stare.
"Look at this tree! It's so strange!" she was actually attempting to ease the mood a little and still didn't look at Gohan for fear her efforts could crumble.
"Yeah. It's fat." Gohan smiled, putting in his two cents. She laughed lightly at his remark.
Gohan went closer and looked up at it, then finally looked at her. She smiled again, finally looking back at him. The tense moment was over, and she reveled in it.
"I wonder if it's a fruit tree." She said looking up again.
"I think not. Doesn't have any flowers."
"Hn. It's curious anyway. What else might be strange here?"
Gohan sat under the rounded mass of foliage, resting his back against the trunk. Videl followed suit and sat cross-legged next to him. The silence came again, though it was loose now.
"I'm sorry." She said again. Gohan looked at her, pondering, and then decided to play dumb.
"About what?"
"You know. The bike thing."
"Oh. It's okay. It was interesting." He answered looking away. He knew he would start blushing if he looked at her in the eye.
"Um- I've been meaning to ask you something about that. You you never seem to be very reactive with this kind of thing. At first I let it pass, but then I couldn't help but notice."
"You mean sex?"
"Yes, and everything that has to do with it."
"Once, I asked Vegeta-san. I'd been studying about it and wondered if all those things would happen to me or if I would be different."
"What did he say?"
"He said it remained to be seen, since I was the first ningen-saiyajin half-breed he knew. And he told me about saiyajins." Gohan explained to her, still looking over the horizon, remembering the day like it had been yesterday.
"And that was?" She was wondering if he was purposefully stalling. She wanted to know everything, and yet it seemed he didn't want to talk about it. Of course, she couldn't blame him.
"Well, " he sighed, shrugging, "mostly that saiyajins come of age after their 18th birthday, that they are radically monogamous, that there's a ritual associated with mating and some other things."
"What exactly is "coming of Age"?"
"It's like puberty, only it's not puberty since the physical development is much like with ningens, though a little slower. Age translates into sexual maturity."
"Oh, like physiologically able to procreate children and stuff?"
"Yes, but also the mindset that comes with it."
"But you're not 18 yet."
"I know. But sometimes I feel like I can grasp some of that" he trailed off, clenching his fist in front of him and then sighed, looking down.
"Like a while ago." She finished, looking at his profile intently, willing him to look at her directly.
"Yeah, like a while ago." Gohan still didn't turn to look at her. "But it doesn't happen all the time, and I still can't understand it."
"But when we talked that night you seemed" she trailed off upon seeing him shake his head slightly.
"I knew what you were talking about, but I didn't understand it fully."
"So you're like a little kid?"
"Sometimes not."
"Hn." She stayed silent for a while. "What do you think of me?"
He blinked. Where was she heading with this? "What?"
"Maybe that wasn't such a good example. Um- How about the showers? What do you think of the girls in the showers?" Gohan gained a faraway look and slowly, but surely, a tiny smirk graced his lips.
"Okay. That's enough for me." Videl broke teasingly into his venusian reverie. He looked at her for a second and then his face glowed red.
"It happened again."
"I saw it."
"Kami-sama! This is so embarrassing!"
"It's natural."
"What I think about them changes all the time. Sometimes I can't stand them, others they seem so fascinating. Though what never seems to change is what I think about you." He said in a low voice.
"And what do you think about me?"
"You're nice, friendly, brave, and pretty."
"You think I'm pretty?" she asked with wide eyes, seeming much like a little girl. He smiled brightly and answered truthfully.
"Yes, I do!" This time it was her turn to blush and she had to look somewhere other than his eyes. "Even if I haven't seen you naked in the showers." He finished in a teasing tone. She snapped her head back in shock, only to see him trying to stifle a guffaw and failing miserably.
"YOU JERK!! I almost believed you!" She screamed hitting his thigh.
"Ow! Hey, that hurts you know." He said in little whine.
"No, it doesn't. You're a super saiyajin! You're just psychologically suggestible to feel pain from something so trifle." They smiled at each other. The silence was back, while they either tore blades of thick grass or rubbed their hands on their pants.
"I-I'm worried." Gohan said shifting his mood 180 degrees, his cheery face falling as his eyes glued to the grass.
"About what?" she immediately felt concerned.
"That I'm different. I'm different to both sides. It's like I don't belong to any of them. Not on Chikyuu-sei or Vegeta-sei All the guys at Vest'har hate me." His voice was soft, like a whisper, but it was enough to make something in Videl's chest twist painfully.
"Look. I personally don't like this Gohan before me. The insecure guy depressed by banalities. C'mon! Show me the happy Gohan! The cutie with the enormous smile that seems to light up the room." Her voice had gained a sweet tone while she talked, getting closer to the boy and putting a hand over his own.
"So I'm a cutie." He said without humor, still not looking at her.
"Yes, you are. And damn you for making me admit it. But I owe you I owe you so much I don't know if I can ever repay you."
"You can." He stated finally raising his eyes to look at her.
"H-how?" she was afraid of his answer. She was afraid of what he might say, of being wrong about him in the end.
"Don't ever leave me." He said finally in a small voice that seemed to crack in the last second.
Their eyes locked and she could see the fear in them. He was afraid to loose her? But why? And what was wrong with him? Why was he so sad all of a sudden? Did the other students' rejection have affected him so much? Did he actually want to fit in that bad? Or was it something else? She finally relented and closed in to embrace him in a hug. He slowly brought his arms to encircle her smaller frame and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"Don't mind any of them. They don't know you. They envy you, but they don't understand you." She parted to look at him. "I do. And I'm not going to leave you after everything you've done for me, after everything we've shared"
He smiled lightly, his eyes softening and she took the chance to blurt, "After all, who else would you ever confess to you're a peeping tom?" He openly gapped at her in disbelief for a second, and then whimpered, wondering what had possessed him to tell her about that. It was a very powerful weapon against him. And she could be really scary.
She laughed at his predicament and stood up to avoid any kind of retaliation.
"Come on. Let's walk around." She called making a path through the oddly shaped vegetation.
***********
He was wearing denim jeans; a thin long sleeved polo shirt under a denim jacket and a black CC cap. She was wearing denim flares, and a sleeveless thin-strapped tank top. Her hair was made into a high ponytail with bangs falling on her face and neck. She was wearing her finger cut black gloves also, giving her the "dangerous beauty" appearance.
Due to their attire, it was obvious they would stand out wherever they went on the planet, but after walking the timber for several hours, they couldn't care less. It was some time after lunch when they approached a clearing. But much to their surprise, it wasn't actually a clearing, but something like a shooting polygon. And it was huge! There were saiyajins practicing in most of the booths, or eating in a makeshift cafeteria not too far away.
They had come out from the side next to the entrance and immediately caught everyone's attention. Saiyajins sized them up on the spot; some looking at Videl somewhat scandalized. She looked at Gohan, who silently told her to act normally. They walked around, staring at their surroundings. Videl couldn't help but notice how the girls gapped at her in shock and older mothers ushered their children away whenever they passed by. Gohan approached one of the tables farther from the crowd. He helped Videl on her stool and then took a seat himself.
"I didn't know Vegeta-sei had this kind of place. Looks innocent enough." Gohan commented.
"I know what you mean. Hey. Do I have something on my face or clothes?" she asked trying not to seem TOO conspicuous at scanning the crowd.
"No. And don't worry. We already knew they would stare."
"Yes, but it is kind of unnerving. And they only seem to stare like that at me. Like I have a second head or something."
"Well, you do look different than a saiyajin. The first thing is the clothes, then there's your build."
"Kami! How can they be such xenophobes!?" She screeched in a low voice. "They don't even know me!"
"Calm down. Don't mind them. Let's enjoy our free day."
"If I had known, I would have chosen to stay in the forest." Gohan chuckled, which was immediately cut off by a growl from his stomach.
"Well, I guess we found something to do." He said looking around for the vendor. "I'll be right back."
Videl saw him head to a counter on the side and making line behind a couple of kids. She saw him talk to the girl in shift and then motioned for her to come along. She cautiously made her way to the counter, self-conscious of the eyes on her back and the whispered comments. She finally got to him and he showed her a panel on top of the counter with graphics of the foods served there as he was scrolling through them.
"What do you wanna eat?"
"I don't know. Something light I guess. What did you choose?" He showed her his choice and she couldn't help her eyes widening.
"I don't want to set you back or anything but I don't think you should eat all that. You know your mom's cooking tonight and she'll bite your head off if you spoil your dinner."
"Shimatta*! You're right. She'd kill me." He murmured, quickly diminishing the amount he already had displayed.
"After all, it's not like you haven't eaten in the whole day." She softly reminded him of the industrial amount of food he had consumed at breakfast and while they stopped in the forest.
They went back to their table and waited for their food, which was brought by a little robot. They talked about Vegeta-Ou's mysterious way of saying things. What he said about Korosu and Karidasu and how they didn't know anything about it. Gohan knew a little about Karidasu, as Vegeta said something about it once, though it was like he didn't like to talk about it. So they decided to occupy the rest of their free day researching the King's library for info on it.
When they were done, they went back to the counter for sweets. The girl's recommendation was a gooey stuff with a fluorescent color in green and blue. So they had both.
"Mmm. This is great! It's like ice cream."
"Mmhm. But it tastes different somehow."
"Aww. This reminds me of Erasa. She's the biggest ice cream freak." Videl said in a pout.
"I wonder what the guys are doing right now."
"It's Wednesday right? Middle of the week translates into Professor Plumfeather's history hell." She gagged. "Hey, does yours taste as good?" she asked again offering him her dispenser. He took a bite out of hers and said.
"Hey, that tastes better than mine!"
"Let me." He then gave her his and she nodded.
"Yep. I like mine better."
"I want another one of those." He told the vendor girl. She was staring slightly at them and gave Gohan another dispenser.
"What kind of place do you think this is so you can walk around like that?" Both teens turned to look at a group of 3 saiyajin women behind them.
"Excuse me?" Gohan asked finishing his last bite.
"And you," they looked at him. "How can you smirch decency bringing a slut like this to a public place?" Videl gasped. Gohan gapped. They were insulting Videl without any reason at all.
"Pardon me, lady. You have no right whatsoever to insult me like that. I have done nothing to be ashamed of; and yes, this is a public place so everyone can do as they please." Videl shot back indignantly.
"No shame at all! What kind of female does find dignity in that kind of exhibitionism!?" The lady also sounded indignant, so they were really confused now.
"Um, excuse again, but I don't understand exactly what the problem is here. What are you so perturbed about?" Gohan inquired seriously. He didn't like how this situation was developing and neither the fact that Videl seemed to be the target of their discomfort.
"The insolence!" Another lady interjected.
"Don't you know that exhibiting your neck and shoulders like that is offensive?" The vendor girl behind the counter asked cautiously. Gohan and Videl looked at her, then at each other blinking in bewilderment.
"It is?" They asked in unison.
"Yes. I figured you wouldn't know since you don't seem from around here."
"We're not." Videl said to her, and then turned to the three ladies. She knew it wasn't her fault at all, but since she was in their territory, it was her duty to apologize.
"Gomen nasai. I had no idea that it was considered offensive." She bowed lightly. Videl was distracted from the women by Gohan's hand offering her his jacket.
"Here, put this on until we get to the Palace." She took it from him and put it on. It was big on the shoulders and long in the sleeves, but she wouldn't complain.
"But Bulma-san and Vegeta-san saw us coming out and didn't say anything." She told him in a thoughtful tone.
"Well, consider Bulma-san is a ningen so she wouldn't know. And Vegeta-san well, he's been living on Chikyuu-sei for more than a decade. I guess he's already used to it." He answered quickly.
"Just one last question though." Videl directed at all of them. "Why is it offensive?" The women looked between themselves at a loss. They didn't know how to explain it.
"Well, um, it's kind of complicated." The girl said again, gaining their attention. "But it's mainly because of Karidasu and the marking."
"There we go again with the Karidasu stuff." Gohan rolled his eyes, throwing his arms in the air purely annoyed. "We are so into the library after we get back, I swear."
"But why are there some women who have their necks exposed?"
"Mated females are allowed to. But in unmarked females like yourself, it is obscene."
"Why?"
"It's tradition. It's the way it's always been."
Videl frowned. That wasn't much help. "I agree with you Gohan. C'mon. We're going back right now."
Gohan lay his palm flat on the scanner over the counter that would charge their food fee to his account. The vendor girl had explained him how paying system worked on Vegeta-sei a while before.
"Thank you." Gohan and bowed slightly to the ladies, following after the Satan girl.
*********
They decided to fly back to the Palace, only stopping long enough to return the jet bike. They hurriedly made their way to their wing, where the library was located. It was a circular room with a very high ceiling shaped in a dome, decorated in picturesque figures denoting ancient battles and hunting wonders. The walls below the dome had the largest windows, which let the eerie red daylight filter in a way that illuminated the whole room in perfection, since the chamber was located in a tower with direct exposure to the suns all day long. A masterpiece of alien architecture.
Below the windows, the walls were covered in books and folios, securely and neatly organized on their omnipresent shelves.
The center of the room homed a console of some kind. It would have looked like a table had it not been because of the blinking lights and smooth panels and buttons on it. To the right side, sat a man, hunched over a desk buried under an overwhelming amount of papers and books in a working frenzy.
"Cole-san, sorry to disturb you but we need your help." Gohan said without breaking his walk up to the man's side.
They both saw the man jump comically at the sound of their voices, throwing various papers he'd been skimming in the air. Gohan grimaced; figuring the saiyajin wouldn't be too thrilled to know he'd been caught off guard. Videl, on the other hand, was biting her lower lip in an attempt to hold back a fit of giggles.
The saiyajin stood agonizingly slow, hitting the desk with both hands in the process, making the teens wonder how the piece of furniture could have survived it. He turned to them, towering over Gohan's head for more than a foot (and we all know Gohan's not a short dude).
"What kind of manners are those?" He asked with obvious restraint, making Videl think that maybe hiding behind Gohan wasn't such a bad idea when it came to pride vs. survival.
"Gomen nasai." They both bowed.
"You two don't live up to your educational status. No vest'harian student would sneak up on an elder like that." Cole stated with a scowl on his face.
"We apologize, but with all due respect, I seriously doubt most vest'harians would do as you say."
Videl's mouth was agape while she looked at Gohan wondering what the hell was wrong with him. She turned to look at Cole to see his expressionless gaze and then a slow lopsided grin revealing sharp teeth settled on his face. He chuckled in evil mirth and came forward a few steps.
"Right brat. Very right I admit Now what do you want?" The librarian inquired in not the most polite manner ever. He was an etiquette freak but he didn't bother with bureaucracy himself. Contradicting fellow he was. But of course, Gohan and Videl were both used to it by now, since he had been their flash tutor for their intensive advance at the saiyajin academy. If there was something you wondered about Vegeta-sei and its people, Cole knew it all.
He was in his mature years, with very short dark brown hair. Even his eyes were clearer than most they had seen, though still dark. He wasn't very muscled, seeing as he was a literate more than a soldier, but that didn't stop the man of liking to fight just like the rest of his comrades.
"Um, well. We were wondering if, um, you see well, we'll like to know about uh-"
"Quit your blabbering, child! It is extremely annoying. In a proper verbal exchange you would have already killed any interest anybody might have had in what you were saying, therefore losing any chance of persuasion whatsoever. Any respect might have gone by the drain too, as that sputtering and insecurity is highly suspicious."
You could almost see the sweatdrops on both Gohan's and Videl's heads as they heard the saiyajin drone on and on.
"Gomen." He managed to say during a brief pause.
"And don't apologize so much. It makes you look weak." Gohan nodded nimbly and proceeded to clear his throat to voice his request one more time
Only to be at a loss as to what to say.
Videl saw his mouth agape, trying to utter a simple word without success and dived in for the rescue.
"You see, Cole-san. We'd like it very much if you could tell us about certain things." Cole looked at her, folding his arms before him, chin held proudly up in the air. Ah! The joys of being omniscient! The man couldn't have gotten more conceited.
"And what might that be brat?"
"Tell us about Karidasu."
They watched in uncertainty how Cole's eyes widened and his haughty expression turned into a pale mask of bafflement. His arms fell from the proud perch on his chest and his gullet moved up and down in a silent gulp.
"Why would you want to know that?" He asked in a softer voice. He hated it when his pupils popped the question. He'd never gotten used to it since the first time it happened.
"Well, we've had some rough landings with some of the people and also the King has talked about it several times, but he never really explained. So today, after another beautiful interchange in that shooting place, we decided that we needed to know. Everything." Videl finished. This time it was her who crossed her arms.
"Why me?" Gohan heard Cole murmur as he saw him make his way through piles of books they hadn't noticed on the floor before.
His eyes followed the man to the large couch on the left side of the room, where he grabbed a bottle of a blood red liquid and downed a large gulp. He hesitantly looked over his shoulder and fixed them both with a stern look.
"Sit." The librarian ordered in a raspy voice before drinking some more of what was in the bottle.
Both teens looked at each other and obliged, making their way to the couch and sitting anxiously on the edge. Cole put the bottle down and without taking his eyes off them, started to pace.
"What do you already know?" Both looked at each other again.
"Well, Vegeta-san told me once that you come of age after your 18th birthday, that it translates into sexual maturity and that only by then you're allowed to take a mate. He also told me there was a mating ritual but I really don't remember anything else."
Cole grunted. "Alright, we'll start from there. But first, what do YOU know?" he asked Videl.
"Me!?" She squeaked. "I don't know anything about it. But I want to learn. I want to know how to act here; you know, not giving off wrong signals and the like."
"Very smart decision." Cole cleared his throat. "Yes, saiyajins come of age after their 18th birthday, and yes, only then we are allowed to take a mate by the Book of Laws, since there are very serious implications with the act of mating. You see, we are a monogamous race, therefore, it is crucial to be responsible enough to chose the right mate to spend the rest of our life with." Cole stopped his pacing and turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow in question. Both teens nodded and he went on.
"This process follows a traditional ritual that is explained by sire to offspring every generation."
"Ah. Well, only chichi-oya is saiyajin, and he was raised as a ningen on Chikyuu after he lost his programming."
"Hn. Then I see no problem in enlightening you myself." The man resumed his pacing. "Courtship is not part of the ritual, so anybody can court as many possible mates as they can find. It is basically a way to get to know the candidate and figure things that might be crucial to the relationship. Rutting* is also a form of courtship and it is permitted as long as there is no marking." He halted his speech as he saw the others' faces start to go red. "But it is very important that this is kept private. It is not well seen in our society to publicly hint about these activities."
"But what if the female gets pregnant?" Videl asked.
"There are ways to prevent that."
"How?"
"Curious ningen you are. We'll get to that." Videl thought she couldn't have blushed more in her life. "Let's say that the rutting is kind of a trial and error mechanism."
"What about the ritual?"
"After courtship is over and a decision is made, the male is the one to take initiative. He does this by making the Offering. With this he is presenting everything he has to the female, thus letting her know that he wants to hunt her."
"What IS the purpose of Karidasu?"
"The challenge. The male has to prove his worth in the female's eyes, hunting her down and then defeating her in hand to hand combat. If by any chance, he fails to accomplish either, he has the chance to make the offering again after some time. The key here is that everything depends on the female."
"How so?" Gohan asked.
"I know. The male can make the offer, but if the female rejects him he has to back down." Videl said confidently.
"Exactly." Cole seconded the girl. "The female must accept the offering by initiating the pursuit; in other words, running away." After this, all three stayed silent for a long while. Cole was letting both teens absorb the info properly.
"How do you make the Offering?" Gohan asked finally looking up at the man.
"The male must lick the female's cheek." Cole answered him with a smirk. The look of scant disgust on their faces didn't faze him though.
"That is a little anti-hygienic." Videl said.
"You wouldn't say that if that tongue would be ravishing other parts of your anatomy." The smirk only seemed to grow as the red in the girl's face intensified.
"I've been meaning to ask you something, Cole-san. H-how do you know when somebody comes of age? When YOU come of age?"
"So you've noticed."
Gohan frowned. "Notice what?"
"Or not." The man said again, making Gohan look at him weird. "Well, basically, a saiyajin's body develops slowly in the first years. This is so because there's an energy reserve for the growth spurt in the years nearing the coming of Age. The way to notice the change is through the saiyajin's scent."
"The scent?" Gohan asked. Cole nodded and resumed his pacing.
"Hai. It's when the body starts producing a special kind of pheromone that saiyajins can detect easily. That is why we can always tell who's of Age and who is not."
Gohan gained a pensive, faraway look; his eyes narrowed into slits. "The scent. But how do I know when I come of Age?"
"It's instinctive. But there are noticeable changes that signal it. It's mostly psychological though there are also physical traits that can serve you."
"Which are?"
"Your scent, your fangs and your tail."
"Oh, well I don't have a tail anymore." Cole's face fell. Was it sympathy for the boy's loss?
"There's still your fangs and your scent."
"Cole-san. What did you mean when you said that Gohan had noticed something?"
"It's not my place to reveal it if he hasn't noticed." The smugness was back with a vengeance.
"Please Cole-sempai*. Tell us. It must be important." Gohan pleaded, noticing the man's eyebrow raise a notch at hearing the honorific title. When they thought he would not relent, it was when he finally spoke.
"Your scent is fluctuating. You are nearing the change in a way I had never seen before."
"What do you mean?" Videl asked.
"Normally, the glands mature in a switch kind of way. But your scent is very erratic. Sometimes it's the standard, but others it's charged with pheromones that appear and disappear with the ease of phantoms." The man smirked again at the boy's wide eyes.
"I certainly don't know about it, because I don't have such an advanced sense of smell, but I've noticed his mood swings."
"A hormone overdrive causes that. But I have some suspicions about half breeds."
"But but I'm barely seventeen yet." Gohan said, obvious trepidation and confusion in his voice. Now THAT caught Cole's attention fully.
"Nani?"
"How can I be coming of Age so soon?"
"I know what you mean. That certainly is an oddity in itself." Cole stated holding his chin in thought. "But we have to remember you are not a full blooded saiyajin."
"Great. Just my luck to be the first ningen-saiyajin half breed around. Now nobody knows what to expect of me." Gohan stated dejectedly.
"Cole-san, what are your suspicions about half-breeds?" Videl then turned to the man remembering his words from earlier.
"Actually that since ningens and saiyajins are so compatible, genetically speaking, it's only fair that the ningen genes would try to reign over ours, thus dwindling or increasing certain characteristics about each. I think that your coming of Age might be a little unpredictable." The look of dread on the boy's face didn't stop him from going on. "At least we've figured out it is nearing."
Both man and girl watched Gohan bury his face in his hands restlessly. Videl couldn't help the impulse of comforting him and she brought her hand to his hair to brush it softly.
"Why that face brat?" Cole asked him. If Gohan had been looking at him he would have thought his smirk cruel. "You're not going to die, just coming of Age. It's actually not bad at all."
Gohan didn't seem to hear him. He just kept his face hidden, so Videl persisted with her questioning.
"So is there anything else you left out about the ritual?" The man looked at her and nodded.
"Actually yes. Karidasu has a set of rules we have to stand by. It's not that anything would happen if it's not done, but because it is tradition; a matter of honor. These rules read no flying in the pursuit, no scouter or any kind of tracking system, no telepathic exchange in those already partially or fully bonded, among other things less important. You may rely only on your instincts. And a saiyajin must ALWAYS follow these rules."
"Just one more thing." Videl said as she got to her feet, taking off Gohan's jacket. "Why is it offensive to go out like this?"
Cole's eyes immediately went to her neck, then to her face. "Because you're not marked." He replied expressionlessly.
"And?"
"If you go around baring your neck like that, it's like you're screaming Mark me!' everywhere you go. It means you're available and willing in a way that is not at all discreet."
Videl's blush came back in a painfully obvious sign of embarrassment, and she just managed to say, "Oh." She took her seat next to Gohan again, and tried to blend in with the couch she was so embarrassed.
"Then enlighten us. What else can be considered flirting?" Gohan's voice cut like a razor in the silence. He seemed to have gotten over his dreadful mood already.
"Mm. Well, let's see. Any familiar touch with or of one's tail and sharing food are the most obvious ones. But enough of this! It's getting late and you should be getting ready for the meal."
"Oh, no! Haha-oya will kill us!" Gohan was on his feet and going out the door grabbing Videl by one wrist faster than the eye could blink, all the while saying over his shoulder, "Arigatou gozaimasu*, Cole-san! We'll come some other time!"
The King's librarian watched them run out the door and chuckled lightly, walking up to the cluttered desk and grabbing a handful of books before heading out the door to his chambers.
Shimatta = darn, damn
Rutting = casual sex
Sempai = honorific title for an older person who has some relation to you in interests or occupation. An analogy would be an amateur and an expert. The expert would be the sempai and the amateur the kohai.
Arigatou gozaimasu = Thank you very much (very formal)
Hello, people. Again I hope this loooong chapter (39 pages) lived up to your expectations. I had a little trouble writing it because I wanted to make it interesting for you but at the same time informative. I don't feel like ranting too much. I'm very tired. So I'll just tell you something I haven't said in a while because of all of your praising.
CRITICIZE!!
I want to know what you liked, what you hated, what I should work on. You know.
Special thanks to:
Adbzfan2k03, A-man, Olive, Lord Marix, otepoti (You never miss one ^_~), jurgen (Here it is, hunk ^_~), Kamakaze, Niori, Majin Gohan, David, eotpman 18 (Really? Hey, I'm in your faves!), blaz, WeirdSyster (Kami! You make me blush!), RedDawg (no more wait!), SJ, GJMEGA (Sorry! But the translations start since chapter 7. I'll try not to use too many), secretlife, Ceri, AngelKatz4000 who emailed me.
To David: I am so sorry. You don't know how much. I had no idea that you could consider it offensive. The problem is I tend to shorten some words when I write and speak. It's a habit. But don't worry, I won't do it again and I already fixed the previous chapters. I hope you continue reading. And again, sorry.
Now
You know
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