Author's Note: Welcome back! Thank you all for reading and reviewing again, it really does make my weeks! Sorry this chapter is later than usual; I've been playing Sonic Frontiers like a fiend since it came out and lost track of time a bit! This chapter is a tiny bit shorter than the last few, but it's also definitely a building chapter so you'll see the way the building blocks are starting to stack up and lead us to future plot points. I think it'll still be a fun one though!

Anyway, I won't babble for too long this time. Thank you so much for keeping up with this story and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!


Chapter X – She Really Loved You

"Gohan, this is so delicious!"

Videl felt an enormous smile spread across her face as she savored the delightful okonomiyaki. Since their date the day before had been postponed to rescue Chief Kaneki from the Black Gloves – a name they had recently decided on for the group of artificial ki users – Gohan had taken her out for lunch to her favorite restaurant in Satan City today instead. The small, family-owned diner served the best okonomiyaki in the city and it had been a while since Videl had been here.

"I'm glad you like it so much! I've never had this before, it's amazing!" Gohan was enjoying his own dish as well, both at her insistence and his own curiosity.

"That makes me so happy! I used to come here every week, actually," she told him, taking another bite of the savory pancake. Her eyes fluttered closed involuntarily as the taste of tempura bits, mayonnaise, seaweed, and several other flavors mixed together in a single bite of heaven.

"You did?"

"Yeah! Mama, Papa, and I would come here every week on Saturday night since I didn't have school the next day. It's why I fell in love with okonomiyaki to begin with, I think. I kind of wanna learn how to make it myself, but it's always looked so hard to cook."

"I bet you and I could manage it…eventually!" he encouraged her, a wide grin on his face. She couldn't help but giggle as she cut into her food eagerly yet again.

"Maybe we can try it out after we get better in the kitchen in general?"

"Yeah, we'll keep working at it until we're ready!"

They hit a comfortable pause as they both continued enjoying their food. From the corner of her eye, Videl noticed one of the owners, a sweet old woman named Shoku, waving gently to her from behind the register. She returned the wave and the woman winked at her, gesturing at Gohan before returning to her work. The young woman couldn't help but laugh to herself.

"What's up 'Del?" Gohan asked between mouthfuls of food.

"Oh nothing, just one of the owners was waving at me. It's been a while since I've seen her."

"Wow, you really did come here a lot if the owner recognizes you huh?" She couldn't help but laugh again.

"I guess so! I've known her since I was little, but since I started high school, I got so busy I couldn't really come here that often. I guess the weekly trips stopped just after Mama passed away, too. Looking back, Papa and I never really came here much after that. I think it was really tough for him to be here."

Gohan met her gaze and gave her a look that spoke a thousand words. Like he could relate to every feeling she'd gone through back then. The regret, the isolation, the pain. "Your dad took it pretty hard then?"

"He did. Honestly, I think he still does. We lost Mama ten years ago this December and I don't know that Papa has ever been the same. Though, since Buu started living with us and you and I started dating, I've seen him get closer to the way he used to be when she was still here."

"My mom always put on a brave face for Goten and I, but I could tell she was hurting so much. Until I met you, I could only imagine that feeling of losing someone you love romantically like that. Your partner…" he admitted quietly.

"I know what you mean. Of course I was heartbroken when Mama passed away, but I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose the person I married and promised to spend the rest of my life with, especially so early in that life together. Papa didn't handle it well. I was only 8 when it happened, but I still remember it.

"He started training every day. He had always told Mama that he'd become the World Champion so he locked himself away at the dojo and trained all the time so he could live up to his promise. This was before he became famous, so I spent most of my days pretty much at home alone. Or 'Rase would come over – her parents are out of town a lot so she was alone too. That's how we became so close."

"I'm glad you both had each other. That sounds really hard," Gohan told her, his voice soft. She gave him a gentle smile.

"It's okay, it wasn't all bad. After a year, I decided I was sick of Papa avoiding me, so I took up martial arts myself. I had always played around with it and had even taken a few classes, but I started training seriously at the same dojo he did. That's when I really tried to perfect my technique and why I won the Junior Championship at the 24th Tenkaichi Budōkai."

"That's right! Sometimes I forget there's a junior division still; that was the first time they implemented one, right?" Videl nodded, the memory playing through her head as if it were a movie.

"It was! Since we both thought it would be the same as every other year, I'd been training hard with Papa to be prepared. So when we found out there was a kids division, I was pretty upset about it; I took out my anger on the other junior competitors and kind of wiped the floor with them," she admitted, laughing sheepishly.

Gohan chuckled and gave her a grin. "That sounds exactly like my Videl. You still had that fiery personality way back then too, huh?" She couldn't fight down the blush that colored her cheeks as she pouted.

"That makes me sound so annoying," she grumped. "I'm only fiery about things I'm passionate about."

"I know 'Del, I promise I was just teasing you." She made a show of considering him for a moment before rolling her eyes and giving him a warm smile.

"I know you were, you big goof. But…you're also right," she conceded, chuckling easily. After a few moments of laughter followed by several more bites of the delectable dish before her, Videl continued her story.

"You already know Papa won that tournament back in 767. It was a really emotional day for the both of us: we both won titles on the same day! I was really proud of myself but I was even more proud of him. I knew it meant a lot to him. He had worked himself half to death for three years to win that title, to make Mama proud up in Heaven. I was so happy for him that I actually cried when we got back home."

"That's really sweet Videl," Gohan assured her, a warm glimmer in his eyes. She gave him a somber smile in turn.

"It is. That's why I kinda don't like to remember what happened next…"

Gohan's face fell noticeably. As if she had been zapped by electricity, she shook her head and waved her hands in front of her. "You know what? Never mind! I'm sorry; I'm bringing the mood down. We're supposed to be enjoying our date, not reliving sad times."

She gasped lightly as Gohan's warm hand took hers; she hadn't been expecting it. He met her eyes and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Hey, if you need or want to talk about anything, I'm always here for you. No matter when or where. You're not alone anymore either."

She squeezed his hand and gave him a wide smile. "You're just the best, Gohan. I love you."

"I love you too, 'Del." She hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly.

"Then…is it okay if I keep going? I've never really told anyone this story and I kinda want to get it off my chest…"

"Of course it is."

"Thank you."

"Always." She took a breath and steeled herself.

"Well, right after the tournament, the Cell Games happened, so Papa went as the reigning World Champion to defend the planet. Now that I know what he was really up against, of course he stood absolutely no chance. But at the time, I thought of him as my hero. I figured if he was going to fight Cell, there was no way that monster would win. And of course, he didn't, thanks to you.

"But Papa told the world that he had killed Cell and saved us all. So that's when all the sponsorships started rolling in. The interviews and media circuits. The keynote addresses and the master classes. We were basically rich overnight. That's when he had the mansion commissioned and when he fully adopted the persona of 'Mr. Satan.' It actually seemed like he was having a lot of fun. But…"

"Take your time 'Del, you don't have to share more than you want to." She smiled at him again.

"I'm okay, promise. After we moved into that mansion, Papa got really depressed. I can guess why; he had become the World Champion and, in a way, he lost all his motivation. He had done what he'd promised Mama he'd do. He could defend his title, but he'd already lived up to his word for her. The other thing I understand now is that he was literally tossed aside by Cell like he was nothing. He worked so hard for years and years to become the strongest in the world and just days after he accomplished that he was shown that he was basically nothing to a being like that. He started drinking a lot. He would always lock himself away down in the basement when he did that. I think he didn't want me to see him hurt as badly as he was hurting."

Gohan's face had fallen and his eyes were staring down at the remainder of his okonomiyaki. "I…I can only imagine how hard that was for him. And for you," he managed at last.

"It was rough for a while, honestly. One night, my curiosity got the best of me and I followed him to the basement. He didn't know I was nearby, so I saw what he did while he was down there. He would put on videos of his old fights and drink until he passed out. Sometimes…he'd even start crying. I…I didn't know what to do. So I just pretended like I'd never seen it. It broke my heart to see him like that and I really wished Mama was still with us so she could help him…"

"I'm so sorry 'Del, that sounds really painful…"

"Yeah…things went on like that through middle school. I tried to cheer him up here and there, tried to get him out of that big, empty house and doing something with me. But he didn't want to. We completely stopped training together and he placed me with some coaches he hired instead. The only times he'd come outside were when he had a press conference to attend…and that one time I told him I'd assault a reporter if they didn't stop harassing me. Actually, that was the closest to himself that Papa had been in a long time." She managed to laugh lightly at that memory.

"But," she continued, "ultimately nothing changed for three long years. Until one night, a bit before I started high school. I…I got really mad and I confronted him."

"You did?" Gohan's eyes were wide and his mouth had fallen open.

"I really did. Can I tell you the story?"

"Of course you can."

"Thank you Darling. Fair warning: I was pretty upset and emotional about everything so it's not exactly a fun story. Brace yourself, okay?"


"I'm home Papa," Videl called out as she entered the Satan Mansion. She had been out with Erasa and Sharpner for the better part of the afternoon and had just returned as the sun set on the horizon. Right on time.

"Welcome back," came her father's quiet voice from the dining room. She followed it and found him sitting at the table, the lights dim. There was nothing on the mahogany expanse except an empty plate.

"What did you have to eat?" she asked merrily, trying to keep the joy she had felt all afternoon in her voice. If she wasn't careful about it, the dark atmosphere in the house would suck all the life out of her otherwise.

"Gill made some fried rice." His voice was soft and he sighed heavily following the explanation. Videl bit the inside of her cheek before trying again.

"Hey, why don't we do something tonight? I don't have school tomorrow! And once high school stars, I may not have as much free time. How about it?"

"Maybe some other time," he managed, a sullen lifelessness darkening his once-jovial voice. She wasn't just about to give up that easily though.

"Do you want to watch one of your old fights? You can explain why you did the things you did and teach me like you used to!" His eyes widened a bit but that was the only evidence she could use to tell he'd heard her. He didn't know she knew about his nightly ritual and it probably seemed like an incredible coincidence that she'd proposed the activity.

"I'm…sorry sweetie, I'm just not up for it tonight," he admitted, his eyes falling back to that half-lidded state that she hated so much. Clenching her fist tightly at her side, she brushed her hair out of her face before giving him a smile.

"Well how about tomorrow night then? I'll have to get to bed a bit earlier, but we can start right after dinner!"

"I…maybe. We'll see."

"Is there something going on tomorrow night Papa?" she asked him directly. She wouldn't be brushed aside this time.

"…no. I just…I need to think about some things."

"Don't you spend a lot of time downstairs thinking lately? It might be good for you to stay upstairs with me once in a while," she persisted.

"Give me the night to think about it."

"…what's there to think about Papa? It's just a night with your daughter. We used to do it all the time…"

"I know…it's just…there's a lot on my mind right now."

"Like what? I know I'm still just a teenager, but you can talk to me about these things." Her father simply shook his head, offering her the same stock response he usually did.

"Maybe some other time."

"When?" she demanded, starting to lose her patience. She didn't want to get angry but he made it so hard not to these days.

"I'm not sure just yet. But for tonight…I need some time to myself."

"…okay. Fine," she conceded at last. She didn't give into the angry voice roaring in her mind that he had taken time for himself every single night for the last several years. That the last time he had committed to spending time with her was her birthday the year before. She didn't want to lose her temper with him. Not when he was hurting so much…

"Would you mind bringing me the tall glass bottle in the fridge? I think I'm gonna head downstairs," he mumbled, scooting his chair back from the table. Videl felt her last nerve begin to fray.

"No. I'm not helping you drink yourself to death." Her dad's eyes widened as her words shot through the air like a bullet. Several emotions crossed his face: shock, anger, guilt, defeat. Finally, he responded, his voice still quiet.

"Videl…I'm not trying to drink myself to death. It's just…"

"It's just what?" she demanded, seconds from snapping.

"…you wouldn't understand yet. Nobody would."

"Try telling me anyway."

"Maybe some other ti-"

"When is 'some other time' then, huh!?" His eyes grew wide as saucers as Videl shouted angrily across the room, her patience finally failing her. She knew he was hurting. She knew he was struggling. But she also knew he wasn't trying to help himself. He wouldn't let her in. And no matter how bad she felt for it, she wasn't able to control her anger any longer.

"Papa, this is ridiculous! You go down to the basement every night! And for what? To watch those same fights of yours over and over again? To drink so much you pass out on that old couch? I know that's what you've been doing for years; I saw it the first month because I was worried about you! Why? Why do you do this every single night!?"

She was breathing hard and wanted to cry, but she refused. There was no way she'd let go of her one opportunity to break through to him yet. If she let herself get that upset, she'd lose focus. And she had a lot she wanted to say to him. A lot she wanted to understand.

"I…it's complicated…" was all he managed to say to her.

"I'm sure it is! But tell me! For god's sake, I'm your daughter! We're the only family either of us has left!"

"I…I know that…"

"Do you? Because you haven't once tried to open up to me! Not since we became rich and you became 'Mr. Satan, the Savior of Earth!'"

"Now wait a second. I don't want to burden you with my troubles. You have a life of your own," he argued, some of his old fire coming back to him at long last. Videl was too far gone to stop now though.

"I'm asking you to let me in! You're not burdening me; I want to be here for you Papa! Is it about Mama?" Her voice softened a bit as she asked him that. "Are you sad that you became the World Champion and now you don't have that goal to work towards anymore?" She had wondered for a long time if that were the issue.

"Not…that's not entirely it. There's more to it than just that."

"Then tell me," she insisted, staring directly at him. He shifted uncomfortably and looked away, his eyes dropping to the hardwood floor beneath them.

"I…I didn't…I'm not…"

"Yeah?" she insisted, urging him to just say it at last.

"I…I guess I'm just not ready to say if after all…I'm sorry." Videl felt her heart drop and her eyes narrow.

"If whatever you're not telling me is the reason you go downstairs and get drunk every night, then I really wish you'd say it." He gazed pathetically at the floor, still unable to meet her gaze.

"I…can't…" Videl felt the last remnants of her delicacy vanish.

"You think you're the only one who misses Mama!?" she yelled all at once. His eyes flew up from the floor, surprise and sadness evident in his dark gaze. "I lost her too. I'll never forget her. I see her in my dreams still. I remember all the wonderful times the three of us used to share together. I know losing her has been so hard for you Papa. I know you trained yourself to the point of exhaustion for three years to become the World Champion because you promised her you would. I know you must feel lost and directionless now. But I'm still here. The whole world loves you. I love you. I hate seeing you do this to yourself Papa. Mama would hate seeing it too. Please. Stop this."

She bit back her bitter tears with everything she had; she still didn't want to break down right now. She wanted to let out all of her anger, all the pent-up frustration she'd kept inside for three long years. But the intensity of her emotions just couldn't be held back entirely and she finally felt her eyes sting and tears well in them.

Her father noticed immediately and his face, which had morphed through the stages of grief just moments before, contorted in anguish. He was watching his own daughter cry. Because of him. He crossed the room hurriedly and pulled Videl into a hug, tighter than he had for years.

"I'm sorry Sweetpea. You're right. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Papa," she managed at last, sniffing. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just hate seeing you this way. I want to help you."

"I understand that now. I…I was wrong to handle things the way I did. I'm sorry I didn't notice how much I was hurting you."

"Hey Papa?"

"Yeah Pumpkin?"

"Promise me you'll stop drinking so much."

"…okay."

"Promise me you'll spend time with me when you feel sad."

"…I will."

"Promise you'll tell me why this was all so complicated…someday. When you're ready." The man hesitated for a long moment before he finally nodded, meeting her insistent gaze.

"I promise."


"It took a while, but he became much more like himself again. He still had his moments of grandstanding as 'Mr. Satan' but it was like he woke up from a long nightmare. It felt the same way for me. After that, we did more things together. I started training with him for the first time in years, we'd have dinner together again, things like that. I was a lot busier with high school and helping out the police, but I enjoyed getting to spend time with him like we used to."

"Wow Videl," Gohan managed at last, his eyes wide with amazement. "I'm sure that wasn't easy for either of you. Every story you tell me just makes me realize how amazing you've always been." She smiled softly at him.

"I dunno about that. I'm just glad it worked out and brought Papa back. I understand now that losing to Cell was the complicated part, but he just couldn't tell me since he'd made the whole world believe the lie."

"Yeah, that's a rough spot to be caught in."

"Over the last few years, though, he's really come back. Since Buu moved in with us, he's the same Papa I used to love spending every day with when Mama was still here."

"Hey 'Del?" Gohan asked gently. She smiled as she cut into her okonomiyaki.

"What's up Darling?"

"If it's not too painful…would you mind telling me a bit about your mom? I've never really had the chance to hear about her." His eyes were gentle and his smile soft, but a hint of guilt glimmered behind the expression. Videl felt her heart skip and couldn't help but light up.

"Of course! I love talking about Mama, don't worry. And it's very sweet of you to ask," she reassured him. He relaxed noticeably at her words and settled back in his chair, eager to hear her stories.

"Her name was Miguel. She was the sweetest, most caring person in the world. She always went above and beyond for me no matter what. You remember that giant Kuma-kun plushy I have on my bed? She was the one who went out and got it for me, just because I mentioned I liked the show so much!"

"I can already tell she really loved you."

"She did. She loved Papa too; he was always training and working hard to become a successful martial artist and she supported him in every way she could think of. She made him special meals that would benefit his workout regiments, cleared out a spare room for him to do at-home training, all sorts of things."

"Wow, that's so great!"

"She was stubborn as hell though," Videl continued, laughing at the memories. "If Papa did something she thought wasn't a good idea, she'd let him know about it and fight him on it if that's what it took. She was a sight to see. I think that's really where I get my stubbornness from. Papa can be pretty hardheaded, but neither of us can compare to Mama!"

"She sounds like an incredible person, 'Del."

"She really was. I still have so many little memories of her that pop up every day. The shampoo I use is the same one she used to wash my hair with when I was really little."

"The mango one?"

"Yep, that's the one! I always liked it because it was never overpowering but it was subtle and sweet in a way that I still noticed it throughout the day. I kept using it since then because it made me really happy, like Mama was still right there at my side, watching over me and protecting me."

"I'm sure she really is watching over you," Gohan assured her, a serene smile on his face.

"Can people actually see back to this reality from the other side? I never thought to try it after Buu killed us all," she admitted. Gohan considered her for a moment.

"Honestly…I don't know. I never tried it either; I was just using my ki to sense how the fight between Buu and my dad was going. Though I imagine there are probably ways; Dad talked to me a few times from the Other World while he was there."

"I wonder if Mama really can see me then," she pondered aloud. A gentle smile spread across her lips. "I hope she can. I want her to see how I've grown up. I want her to see how much my life has changed and how happy I am. I want her to know who you are and how special you are to me."

"Even if she can't directly see into your life, I'm sure she knows. Parents are like that; they just have a sixth sense about their children. Mom has always been that way too."

"Yeah, Papa can always tell when something is wrong. He was the one who asked me what was going on after we had that argument the other day. I'm sorry again for that," she admitted, her face falling.

"Hey, we've already forgiven each other, right? There's no reason for either of us to feel bad about that anymore. Besides, that's why we're here; to move past that little disagreement and have a real date!" Videl finally relaxed and smiled again.

"You're right. Thanks for treating me, by the way. I love you, Gohan." Her eyes sparkled and she felt her heart speed up as that handsome smile spread across her boyfriend's lips.

"I love you too, Videl." A comfortable silence fell between them for a moment before he grinned and gestured to her plate. "You should keep eating before it gets cold!"

"You're right," she conceded, giggling lightly.

"Besides, you need your strength! Today we're gonna work on getting your aura fully under control!" Her eyes lit up with excitement.

"I'd better make sure I'm ready then!"


"You know, it would've been a lot easier if I could have just talked to him," Bulma grumped, rolling her eyes a bit.

"Apologies Dr. Briefs," Chief Kaneki offered, a light smile on his face, "but only those with ties to the Satan City Police Department can talk to suspects."

"Well thankfully we have our Saiya Squad here to help out," she conceded, a grin on her lips.

Gohan and Videl, in their fully repaired suits, stood in the small room with Bulma and the Chief, awaiting the interrogation. A week had passed and, in that time, Videl had put Bulma in touch with Kaneki. She and Dr. Giju, her partner at Satan Electronics, had indeed captured footage of the man who had stolen information from Capsule Corp.'s systems and had asked Kaneki to wait until the next weekend to subtly pick him up (that way, Gohan and Videl could be there earlier). True to his word, the Chief had taken in the suspect Sunday morning, awaiting the arrival of the trio before him.

"Do try to be a little subtle about things," Kaneki cautioned the two. "I'm not technically supposed to do this but consider it a little thank you for saving my life last week." Gohan nodded and gave a smile.

"We'll keep things quick and calm; we don't want to step on your toes here."

"Absolutely," Videl agreed. "We really appreciate you giving us the chance to figure out more about what's going on here."

"I hope you'll be able to get more out of him than we've been able to pry out of the other groups you've taken down. They've all been quite reticent," Kaneki grumbled, scowling.

"We'll give it our best shot," Videl assured him, giving an animated thumbs up. Behind the Chief, Bulma stifled a giggle. She was always pretty amused by their Saiyaman antics.

Chief Kaneki led the trio out of the room and down a long hallway, stopping at a metal door. "All right, this is the interrogation room; he's already in there. Dr. Briefs and I will head into the observation room next door and the two of you can go in once I open it from there; the light on the door will turn green when it's unlocked."

"Thanks Chief, we appreciate it," Gohan assured him. The man had gone out of his way for them, even if he did say it was returning a favor.

"Of course. Well now, shall we head next door Dr. Briefs?"

"Please, just call me Bulma; Dr. Briefs is my father and I'm not that old yet." The Chief chuckled before nodding.

"Understood, Bulma."

The two entered the nearby door and it slid shut behind them, leaving Gohan alone in the hallway with his partner. "Ni-gō, you take point on this one; you have a lot more experience with police work and your detective's intuition is much stronger than mine."

"Okay, but please jump in whenever you have questions to ask. I don't want to miss anything, especially when it concerns your lineage and not mine." The sound of a light buzzer rang out and the red light on the door turned green, signaling them to enter. Opening the door for her, Gohan followed Videl into the small interrogation room.

A man was sitting at the table in the center of the room, glancing nervously around. He was fairly scrawny, especially when compared to the likes of Han and Juzai. Gohan was a bit surprised that whoever the mysterious leader of the Black Gloves was had hired someone so physically weak, but then again, he probably fit into a tech space a bit more seamlessly. He wore glasses and had neatly trimmed brown hair, but that was the only things about him that looked put together. He was frazzled and had clearly dressed in a hurry, his shirt buttoned in such a way that the buttons and openings didn't line up properly and his jacket askew.

"S-Saiyaman?" he stammered quickly, eyes darting to the mirror on the wall. He knew as well as Gohan that it was a one-way mirror and someone was watching.

"Relax, you have the wrong idea; we're not here to intimidate you," Videl assured him, sitting down across from him and folding her hands.

"T-then why are you both here instead of the police?"

"We need information and you're the best lead we have right now. Besides, we're operating on behalf of the police right now, so keep that in mind while you answer our questions."

Gohan had to admit Videl was quite good at this. He idly wondered if she'd ever want to be a detective or some kind of law enforcement official in the future. That was pretty far off for now, though.

"What's your name?" she asked the man. He shifted nervously before taking a breath to calm himself.

"Uh…it's Reed."

"Reed. Good to meet you. I know it's rude, but I won't be giving you my real name in return; sorry about that. Great Saiyaman No. 2 will have to do for now."

"So there really are two of you now? I heard the rumors but I never saw it for myself," he admitted. Gohan spoke up at last.

"There sure are; she's my partner in crime fighting."

"I'm just a little surprised you need help after the kinds of people you've taken down the last few months."

"Everyone needs a little help sometimes. Besides, do you have any idea how boring it is to fight all alone?" He swore he saw Videl give him a little smile.

"I…I guess that makes sense," he admitted.

"Now then. As much as I'm enjoying the small talk, we do have some questions for you," Videl continued, shifting back into character. "I hope you'll answer any of them you can."

"Uh…um, I'll try…"

"So, Reed. You're not a recent hire by Satan Electronics, right?"

"No, I've been there for three years now."

"Which means you haven't always been working for the Black Gloves, correct?"

"The…Black Gloves?" He appeared quite confused. Gohan took the opportunity to jump in and offer some clarification.

"That's what we call that group that hired you. They wear those strange gloves when they go out on missions, right? Do you know what they do?" Reed considered him for a moment.

"Uh…they let them shoot some kind of dark bullet-looking thing; I remember hearing a bit about it."

"That's right; that's why they all wear them and why we call them the Black Gloves," he explained. Reed nodded slowly before Gohan stepped back and let Videl continue uninterrupted.

"So you only joined them recently, right?"

"Uh, right."

"Why?"

The man grew silent. Of course he wasn't going to freely admit his motivations so easily, but Gohan had hoped maybe they'd get something out of him. Videl seemed undeterred, however.

"Okay, so we'll shelve that question for now. Why don't you just confirm for me the things we already know instead? For example, you were stealing parts under the table from Satan Electronics to give to the leader of the Black Gloves so he could develop technology for his plans, right?" Silence greeted her again. Sighing, Videl tried a new line of attack.

"You know, we can put in a good word for you with Bulma Briefs if you cooperate. If you're lucky, maybe she won't press charges against you for breaking into her secure systems. If you give us enough information, you may not even see any jail time at all."

This finally caught Reed's attention. His eyes widened and he suddenly began to consider his options more carefully. "Can…can you really promise that?"

"I can guarantee it," she assured him. Reed was starting to slowly come around it seemed.

"Uh…okay. At this point, trusting you is the only option I have…back in May, just after that Majin Buu nightmare was over, I got a call one night. He never said his name, but he offered me a deal: if I would steal very specific parts that Capsule Corp. had sent to Satan Electronics, he'd pay me a frankly ridiculous amount of money. My wife and I have been barely scraping by, even with my work, so I thought it was a blessing. I agreed to it."

"So money was all he offered? No gloves to give you superpowers or anything?" Videl asked, incredulous.

"No, nothing like that."

"And that's…that's it? That was your motivation? Just more money?"

"Not exactly," Reed admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

"If you tell us why you did it, it may help us understand your character a bit more," Gohan interjected, Videl nodding in agreement. "If you just got roped in with something you didn't understand, it's a lot easier to tell someone like Bulma that you didn't mean to deliberately sabotage her." A heavy pause hung in the room before Reed let out a sigh.

"…okay…see, my wife's been pretty sickly her whole life; it's a miracle we were even able to meet at all. But because of that, she can't work, so I support her completely. Of course, we don't have to worry about medical bills or anything like that, but with just my income we can barely afford the payment on our home. We could move, but I'm afraid the stress of it would be bad for her health. Her family lives here in the city too and I don't want to take her away from them, but none of them have the means to really help us financially either…"

"So when this man called you and offered you enough money that you'd be set for life, it seemed like the answer to your prayers, huh?" Videl chanced, earning a nod from the man in question.

"Yeah. Honestly, with how much product Capsule Corp. sent us, I didn't think it would be a big deal if one part off the top went missing. There were only four items he wanted, and just one of each so it wasn't easily traceable, but I had to be discreet about how I did it. Turns out, it was obvious that things were going missing from the first item and our department head got suspicious. It made the whole process a lot harder."

"How much did he pay you for those items?" she asked, her chin resting on her lightly balled fist.

"He offered 3 million Zeni for each successfully stolen item, but an extra 10 million if I could get into the Capsule Corp. mainframe and steal some data for him."

"That's nothing to scoff at; nearly 20 million Zeni would change your life."

"It would."

"So? Did he give you the money?"

"Some. He gave me the first 3 million immediately, but told me he had to delay the next payment; apparently he hit some kind of snag in procuring the funds to pay me and others…"

"When was that, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Towards the middle of May, around the 15th or so."

"Ichi-gō, you don't think…"

"Maybe. It would fit the timeline," Gohan replied. The bank heist they'd thwarted had been around the 15th, just before it. Perhaps they'd stopped the Black Gloves from taking funding for their crimes? Though, none of the men at the bank that day had used the gloves in question. It wasn't an impossibility but he couldn't say for sure if they were connected just yet.

"That aside," Videl continued, shelving the question for later, "tell me, please: why continue stealing and sabotaging for him if he didn't pay you for your services?"

"He…he apologized to me on the phone and…asked to meet in person."

"Wait, you've seen him?" Videl demanded, her voice getting a bit too loud.

"Y-yeah," he stammered, looking surprised.

"Who is he? Where did you meet?" she asked intensely, leaning forward in anticipation. As Reed recoiled, Gohan reached out and squeezed her shoulder. Videl took a breath before continuing. "You're right. Sorry about that, Reed. Let me try that again. Did you get his name? Can you tell us anything at all that might help us identify him?"

Reed took a moment to compose himself before replying. "We met at a restaurant downtown, nowhere special. He never told me his name and didn't really try to hide his face, but he did wear sunglasses so I couldn't see his eyes. Uh…he was about…Saiyaman's height," he explained, gesturing to Gohan. "And he had really long, black hair tied back in a ponytail. But that's about all I can give you."

"Hmm…did he wear anything distinctive?"

"Not really, just a black suit, minus the jacket."

"That's more than we had to go on before. Thank you."

"Y-yeah…no problem…"

"So why did he want to meet?" she continued, circling back to the original question at last.

"He…he apologized to me for not being able to pay me yet. He told me I was free to stop cooperating entirely and he'd find someone else and leave me alone. But if I'd stay and help him…he'd double the amount he offered, including for the products I already delivered to him…"

"So $40 million Zeni was basically his offer?"

"Right."

"That's an unbelievable amount. Obviously you said yes or we wouldn't be here right now."

"Of course I said yes…that kind of money would take care of my wife for the rest of her life. I couldn't turn him down when he made a proposal like that." Videl was nodding.

"I probably couldn't either; that amount of money is absurd to walk away from. So…what specifically were you stealing from Capsule Corp.'s systems and how did you do it?"

Reed went silent for several long moments but Gohan and Videl simply waited, letting the silence put pressure on him. Finally, after his eyes darted around nervously for a while, he broke and began to speak.

"I…I'm pretty good with computers. I helped develop a lot of cyber security measures so I understand how to get around most of them. I retired from that work because it kept me away from my wife for too long and I couldn't take care of her, but I haven't forgotten what I learned back then. Capsule Corp.'s security systems were particularly advanced and I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid leaving a trace as a result, but I figured since it was my last job, I'd get it over with and find a different job if that's what it took. What I can't figure out is how they caught me in the act…I disabled the security cameras before I went in…"

"Maybe I can help you with that," Gohan offered. Videl leaned back and let him take the reins. "See, Dr. Giju has his own personal security feed set up in the main computer room. It sends the footage directly to his personal computer as a backup safety measure. It's something he installed after Bulma agreed to share such sensitive information with him for their joint projects."

"Ah…how clever. An off-network device to act as a failsafe. I'm not cut out to be a thief I guess," he conceded, sighing heavily.

"You can give yourself a bit more credit than that. You got around the security systems well enough that he never had a reason to check his private footage until we brought up our suspicions to Bulma." Reed grimaced.

"I'm not sure that I should feel very good about that…"

Videl felt Gohan's hand brush her shoulder and she sat forward again, gazing intently at him.

"Well now that your mystery is cleared up, maybe you can help us with ours. What information did he want from Capsule Corp.'s network?" Reed seemed to be considering his options. Finally, he sighed again, realizing they were his only option.

"He…gave me one keyword to search and nothing more. I was to take every file or folder or bit of information I could find on that keyword and copy it to a drive that I would deliver to him later."

"And what was that word?" Silence hung in the room for a moment before Reed finally spoke.

"'Saiyan.'"

Gohan felt his body tense up. So it was exactly as they'd expected then; the leader of the Black Gloves had known what a Saiyan was from the start and had wanted information to make his machine. Then it had to be someone with ties to his father or Vegeta or himself; the boys were too young to really be known about.

"And you found this information?" Videl continued, trying to keep the focus off of what a Saiyan was.

"I did. It was a small folder and there wasn't much in it, but I was able to copy it over and deliver it to him. He met me at the same restaurant and I handed him the drive. He thanked me and promised that as soon as his team secured the last of the funding, he'd send the remainder along. Then said if he ever needed anything more, he'd reach out again with a fitting offer. He handed me a small case and left."

"What was in the case?"

"The original 20 million Zeni he'd promised."

"So he did make good on his word," Videl noted, rubbing her chin.

"He did. I was actually preparing to put in my resignation at Satan Electronics but he asked if I'd stay for a while longer, just in case. After he handed me 20 million, I couldn't bring myself to say no."

"Well, that pretty much covers everything we had to ask you," Videl admitted, sighing and leaning back.

"Hey it wasn't a total wash; we got some decent information about what's going on," Gohan encouraged her. She tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yeah, but nothing really concrete to go on. This guy's careful and I don't like that. He knows what he's doing, more so than any other criminal we've gone against in the past. And he knows things he shouldn't know…"

"Like what 'Saiyan' means?" Reed pondered aloud. Videl shook her head.

"You don't need to know either," she cautioned, a warning tone in her voice. "In fact, it's far better for you if you don't ask any questions about the Black Gloves. If he finds out you told us anything, I can't imagine he'd be too pleased." Reed's eyes widened and he sat back, silent.

Suddenly, a knocking sounded on the one-way mirror and Gohan glanced at Videl. She stood and nodded towards the wall before turning back to Reed. "I don't know if we'll be back; that might be our signal to wrap this up. If this is all the time we've got, thank you for cooperating. We'll put in a good word with Bulma and see if she wants to press charges or not. We made you a promise and we won't go back on it."

"T-thank you, Great Saiyaman No. 2," he managed softly, his eyes falling sadly to the table before him.

Gohan opened the door and let Videl lead him into the hallway before the sliding door that led to the observation room opened. Bulma appeared and quickly ushered them inside. "What's going on Bulma?" Gohan asked, perplexed. Her eyes were alight with a familiar gleam. She was scheming again.

"I have an offer for Reed, but I can't make it directly so you'll have to do it for me," she explained to them. Chief Kaneki was watching the situation unfold with interest but chose not to interject or say a word, instead glancing between them and the interrogation room intermittently.

"What did you have in mind?" Videl asked, seeming to recognize the look herself if her tone was any indication.

"Well, he asked Reed to stay at Satan Electronics just in case he needed more help, right? We can use that. The Black Gloves will need more parts to replace the device they used on Saiyaman No. 1 last weekend; it only used one of each of the parts I sent to Giju and Reed himself said he only stole one of each off the top, right?"

"So he wouldn't have anything remaining to build with," Gohan agreed, wondering what her plan was.

"The boss will probably ask Reed to steal some more parts soon so I'll make sure to send a new shipment over to Satan Electronics this week so he can swipe one."

"Why would you want to let them take your parts again though?" Gohan questioned. Videl grinned suddenly.

"I think I get it," she said, laughing lightly. Bulma smiled and nodded.

"Yep; I'm gonna build a tracker into one of the pieces!"

Gohan started grinning himself. "That's brilliant! We can use Reed to find the Black Gloves directly, or their base at the very least. That alone will help us figure out what's really going on here."

"So what are you offering in return then?" Videl asked Bulma. Her confident smirk softened a bit.

"I won't be pressing any charges against him at all. Nor will Giju. I've been pretty lucky to not have to worry about money for most of my life, but if I had a loved one to take care of that I could barely provide for, I'd probably do anything I could to help them too. Besides," she continued, the gleam returning to her eyes, "now he can act as a double agent and we can put an end to all this Black Gloves business."

"Won't they know he was arrested though?" Gohan offered, wary of how perfect the plan sounded.

"That won't be a problem," Chief Kaneki chimed in, a satisfied smile on his grizzled face. "At Bulma's request, I picked him up in my own personal vehicle. We wanted to be discreet about everything in case something like this were to happen. It was her idea from the beginning, though," he admitted, laughing.

"Wow, you really thought ahead on all this," Videl complimented her. Bulma puffed herself up.

"Of course! I can't have anyone threatening you two or my family. Whoever that shady boss is will learn what it means to really go up against me!"


Videl and Gohan returned to the interrogation room and made the offer to Reed. At the realization that this was the only way he wouldn't see any jail time and be able to stay with his wife, he agreed almost instantly. Videl told Reed to leave his phone number with Kaneki before he went home and Bulma would contact him directly at a later date.

With everything squared away, the Saiya Squad returned to the observation room as an officer escorted Reed out. Bulma was glowing.

"What can I say? Sometimes a good idea just hits me!"

"I must admit Bulma, that was some inspired planning," Kaneki agreed, his smile warm. "Why I haven't seen a plan that devious since I would trap criminals back in my younger days."

"That must have been quite the sight," Videl sang, earning a laugh from the man.

"I wasn't always the one standing at the center of the formation giving orders; once upon a time I was type who hit the streets, scaring up leads and chasing down crooks and criminals. I'm a bit too old for that kind of life now, though."

"Well your experience certainly helped us a lot today Chief," Bulma told him, grinning again. "Thanks for being so subtle about everything. If the Black Gloves found out Reed had been arrested, we wouldn't be able to turn the tables on them so easily."

"Like I said, no thanks necessary. Just repaying a debt I owe to the two people who saved my life last weekend."

"We're always happy to help you Chief, officially or personally," Gohan assured him.

"I do have one question, if you don't mind my asking," Kaneki continued, glancing between he and Videl. Though he couldn't see their eyes, they got the feeling he was trying to read their body language to gain some information. An accomplished detective indeed…

"Of course, we'll answer if we can," Videl assured him.

"What does that word mean? The one Reed mentioned: 'Saiyan.'"

Gohan felt his body tense up again. They were treading a fine line between keeping the secrets of himself and his family to themselves right now. Luckily, Videl spoke up before he had to.

"I'm sorry Chief Kaneki, but I would consider it an enormous favor to both of us if you would pretend you never heard that word. It involves something that most people would have a very difficult time understanding and the fewer that know of it, the better."

"I thought that might be the answer. Understood; consider it forgotten. Though I do appreciate your candid honesty with me." Gohan sighed lightly in relief. He really owed her for that one.

"And we appreciate your willingness to trust us as well, Chief," Videl assured him. He nodded and gave them a warm smile, relaxing again at last.

"As long as this Black Gloves group is brought down, I'll be happy. People with that kind of technology are a real menace to the citizens of Satan City. I've seen firsthand their crude methods and I hate to imagine what they'll do if innocent bystanders get caught up in it."

"Well you won't have to worry for much longer then," Bulma promised. "I'll be sure to keep you all informed of how the tracking plan goes and I'll keep digging into how their technology works."

"Thank you Bulma, I'm positive we're in excellent hands with you leading the charge here." Chief Kaneki wore a confident grin on his face. Perhaps it was Gohan's imagination, but that might just be the first time he'd seen the man having fun with his police work.

But he was right. With Bulma masterminding the scheme to entrap the Black Gloves and their leader, it was almost assured that the conflict would be over in a few short weeks. All it would take was a little more patience and a bit of good luck.


July set upon the world and with it came the blistering heat of summer. Gone were the cooler days of spring and its enviable breeze replaced instead by the sweltering humidity Videl was all too familiar with. The only thing redeemable about the season was the month off from school they got in August; everything else about it was awful.

Okay, maybe not everything. She was quite enjoying her training sessions with Gohan lately and the summer heat hadn't discouraged either of them from their usual routine. Every Sunday for the rest of June, they had taken to their spot near the summit of Mt. Paozu and worked on her ki control. She could now raise her aura at will, something that thrilled her to no end. She had worked so hard to bring the energy under her command and she was finally starting to see the results of her efforts.

Now that she could raise her aura as needed, her next step was learning how to actually utilize it. Their first goal was to work on ki deflection. It was her biggest weakness in a fight and something she would have to be constantly aware of when dealing with the Black Gloves. The group had been silent since the factory incident, but they both suspected it was only a matter of time before they resurfaced. No doubt their boss was waiting for the right moment to have Reed send parts to him before working furtively on his paralyzer again. If he was aware of Saiyans, there was no way he could afford to make any moves without it, knowing the dangers Gohan presented. Until Bulma figured out a countermeasure with Vegeta, her boyfriend wasn't in a great position to fight even these petty criminals. Videl, however, could finally learn to actively cover for her weaknesses and be more useful in a fight with them.

This day had started like any other; she and Gohan had met up for lunch and then climbed to their favorite training spot to get started. She was excited. Nervous, but excited.

"Alright 'Del, today's the day!" Gohan wore a confident grin on his face. He was immensely proud of her accomplishments and never passed up an opportunity to tell her that.

"I'm ready! Let's do this!"

"That's the spirit! So let me tell you how we'll start out. Vegeta gave me the idea back after the factory, actually. I'm gonna fire these tiny little blasts at you that can't possibly hurt you even if they hit you directly. The goal is for you to use your aura to diffuse them before they hit you at all. If you can manage that, then we're making great progress and we can start focusing on the more advanced ways to block ki attacks."

"Okay, I'll get ready," she called out, adopting a steady stance and flaring her aura to life around her. The white outline of her ki blazed to life and surged around her body, a feeling of comforting warmth enveloping her frame. It had become a familiar sensation in the last two weeks especially, but it still filled her with confidence and conviction.

"You're amazing Videl, it's so impressive that you can raise your aura like that after just a month!"

"Thanks," she sang, an uncontrollable smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "What can I say? I have a great teacher!"

Gohan chuckled lightly before raising his arm and pointing his index finger at her. "All right, you ready? I gotta admit…I'm a little hesitant to shoot ki blasts at you at all, but I trust your ability! If one hits you though, please tell me if it hurts, okay?" he added quickly, a grimace on his face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! Besides, this'll help me in our real fights going forward!" He relaxed at her confidence and took a quick breath, recentering himself.

"You're right. Then I'm ready when you are!"

"Do it!"

Gohan generated a tiny golden orb at the tip of his finger and sent it flying towards her. She felt her ki pulsing around her…but the blast broke through it and splashed across her shoulder. It felt like he'd tossed a tiny pebble at her, hardly anything worth noting. More frustrating, though, was the fact that such a weak blast had sliced through her ki as if it were nothing.

"Don't get discouraged," Gohan called to her, sensing her annoyance. "It takes more energy than you think to deflect ki attacks, even weaker ones like that. You'll get it!" He paused before guilt overtook his eyes. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Videl gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up. "Not at all! I promise, I barely even felt it. I've just gotta figure out how much energy to output to break those blasts, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then let's keep going!"

For the next many minutes, Gohan would fire those miniature ki blasts across the field at her, and Videl would focus on raising her energy level high enough to try dispelling them. It wasn't working though. Try as she might, no matter how much she focused on surging her power, Gohan's blasts splashed across her each and every time.

"Damn it!" she shouted suddenly, her aura fading away as she stomped the grass beneath her. Gohan dropped his arm and floated quickly over to her.

"Hey, you okay?" Videl chewed her lip and scowled at the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just don't understand, though; why can't I do it? I thought I'd be able to at least stop those tiny little attacks…"

"You'll get it, I know you will." Gohan pulled her into a hug and she let her head fall against his chest, sighing heavily as she tried to relax. His fingers ran through her hair and she finally let her arms wrap around him. He was warmer than her ki. More comforting. More relaxing.

"Thank you," she managed at last. He responded by placing a gentle kiss atop her head and squeezing her just a little tighter.

"Sometimes the problem isn't the amount of ki you're generating, but where you're focusing it," he began at last, after she had calmed down again. She stepped back and took in his words, trying to remember what it had felt like before.

"Am I placing it somewhere wrong?"

"It's possible. You're already generating enough ki to block the attacks I'm sending at you; I can tell you that with absolute certainty. But for some reason they're still breaking through." Videl considered his words for several moments.

"Hmm…do you think maybe I'm directing it too much at my feet? Since flying is the thing I'm most comfortable with, I might be doing subconsciously."

"Yeah, that could be it! Here, do you mind raising your aura for me again? I'll stay close this time and see if I can sense a direction to it."

"Sure!"

She adopted the usual stance, hands in fists, arms bent at her sides, and drew her ki out and around her. The familiar white energy burst to life again, her hair rustling a bit from its influence. Gohan stepped close and closed his eyes, trying to sense it.

"Do you mind if I touch you?" he asked softly. Videl shook her head, trying not to blush.

"I never mind if you do that. How come you're asking now though?"

"I just didn't want to mess up your concentration or anything," he explained, his smile soft and warm.

"Don't worry, I think this has become natural enough it won't disappear on me so easily anymore. Go ahead."

Gohan reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, closing his eyes again. He let his hands glide gently down her arms, his warm skin electrifying hers. Maybe it was good that he had warned her; this would have broken her concentration for sure…

"I think you're exactly right with your theory," he said at last, letting his hands slip from her wrists and fall to his sides again. "I can feel most of your ki being directed downward. That's definitely the problem then." Videl shook off the disappointment she felt as his touch left her. She wouldn't have minded if they'd stayed like that a little longer. Or a lot longer. Perhaps several sunlight hours or days.

"Wow, I didn't even realize I was doing it," she managed at last.

"It makes sense; until recently, you've only used your ki for flying. It'll just take a little readjusting to use it in a more balanced way."

"Can we try again?" Videl asked him, feeling more determined that she could figure it out now.

"Sure!"

Moments later, they fell back into position. Videl raised her aura and focused on it, feeling the energy within her body. Indeed, it was collecting in her feet. She did it so naturally and without hesitation; she was always raising her ki to fly and she had trained her muscle memory to do exactly this. No wonder she hadn't noticed. It felt right.

With a little focus and effort, Videl felt her ki start to move up from her feet. She felt a weight that seemed to swirl up her body before dissipating in every direction, her aura seeming to grow stronger. Gohan gave her a wide smile.

"That's it 'Del!"

"I feel it! It's like…all my energy is moving now!"

"Then let's give it a try!"

Gohan pointed his finger and sent the tiny splash of energy towards her again, but this time Videl was ready. She focused on her energy and flared her aura, feeling all of her power swirl around her. And, right before her eyes, she watched as the tiny golden ball was swallowed up by her ki, the energy dissipating into the air around her.

"You did it!" Gohan cried out, jumping up into the air and cheering. Videl blinked several times, her eyes wide.

"I…I did?"

"You really did!"

She couldn't believe her eyes or ears. It had felt like such an impossibility that she would ever be able to actually deflect ki properly. And while she hadn't swatted away a large blast like Gohan did with little effort, she had actually managed to use her own energy to protect herself from taking a hit.

Gohan had finally reached her side again and pulled her into a big hug, smiling uncontrollably. In her surprise, her aura faded and she felt herself arms unconsciously wrap around him as the truth finally sunk in. She had diffused his ki attack with her own aura. She had actually done it.

"Gohan…I did it! I really did it!"

"I'm so proud of you!"

And just like that, Videl broke into a huge smile, squeezing him tight and laughing merrily. There was still a lot of room to improve, but she had taken a huge step towards defending herself against threats that had so easily taken her down before. Spopovich. Han. Juzai. They had all bested her with ki attacks. But now she was on her way to ensuring that never happened again.. Plus, it would help keep Gohan a bit more comfortable about her safety too.

But most importantly, Videl was extremely proud of herself. A power that had long been a mystery to her was slowly but surely becoming hers. And she wouldn't stop until she had learned everything she possibly could.

And learn, she did. Across the next several hours, she continued to work hard to understand how to control her ki direction and the strength of her aura. Finally, after they finished up for the day, Videl and Gohan found themselves resting under their favorite tree again. She had exhausted herself quite thoroughly but felt much more confident with the concepts. Gohan had promised her that next week they'd move on to blocking some actual blasts, though slowly so she didn't get hurt. That had been more than enough to get her excited about the next weekend already.

Taking a large sip from her water bottle, Videl laid back on the grass, wiping sweat from her brow. "I trust everything you say, but I honestly didn't think just using my aura like that would be enough to tire me out so much," she admitted. Gohan laughed from next to her.

"I know, I used to feel the same way too; it's really exhausting at first. But the more you do it, the more tolerance you'll build for it. It's just like exercising any other part of your body! Just give it a little time." Videl smiled and took his hand in hers.

"Thanks for always being so encouraging and supportive Darling."

"Always. I'm your partner, right? We support each other in everything!"

"I'm so lucky to have you."

"I feel exactly the same way, 'Del."

They rested for a while longer, Videl slowly recovering her strength. Right as they were getting ready to head back, though, she heard her phone buzz nearby. Wondering if it was Papa asking when she'd be home, she glanced at the screen but found it was a message from Erasa. Curious what her best friend had to say, she pulled the message up.

[Hey Vi, you and your bf wanna come with me and Sharpie and my family to our beach house!? First weekend in August! We'll stay for a long weekend, 3 days! It'll be super fun, promise! Pls!]

"Hey Gohan, wanna take a trip to the beach this summer?" she asked him. Gohan gazed at her, slightly puzzled by the sudden question. She held her phone up and understanding flashed across his eyes.

"Sure, that sounds amazing! Let me run it by Mom and Dad to make sure but I doubt it'll be a problem."

"Sounds perfect! I'll ask Papa too before I tell her yes or no."


Gohan heard his phone buzz from the table next to him. It was late and Goten was already asleep so he had once again taken to the living room couch for his evening studies, having safely seen Videl home a few hours before. He was trying to get back into his reading; he had stolen some time for his research here and there, but Videl was definitely his highest priority lately. And he didn't feel an ounce of guilt for that. Still, it was nice to be digging deeper into his topics of recent fascination again.

He stretched his legs lightly, lying across the couch so his head was resting on one of the arms. Placing the book down on his chest, he grabbed the device and saw a message from his girlfriend, smiling widely as he opened it.

[Papa's fine with the beach trip! How'd it go on your end?]

Gohan felt himself beginning to laugh as he remembered the conversation, quickly typing back to her.

[Mom and Dad said yes too! Mom was a little nervous about it.]

[How come? Papa felt better that 'Rase's family was going too.]

[She was worried I would drown.]

Several moments passed as Videl drafted out her message. Gohan had to stop himself from bursting out in laughter when her words finally popped up before his eyes.

[But…you can fly…]

[That's what I said! Dad had to convince Mom I would be completely fine but she still said "just be careful not to get sucked out by riptides." So I reminded her I could fly.]

[LOL! How'd she take that?]

Gohan laughed at the memory of the conversation. It had happened during dinner and she had pointed her spoon at him, brandishing it and waving it around in indignation.

[She said, "do not get smart with me, young man! Just because you could literally destroy the world does not mean I won't worry about my little boy!" I suppose I understand that one.]

[I think it's sweet! She cares so much about her little Gohan!]

[You would have gotten a good laugh out of the surprise on my face though when she told me that was what she was worried about.]

[I can imagine it and I'm laughing right now, don't worry!]

Though the whole smartphone thing was still fairly new to Gohan, he was definitely a fan of messaging Videl like this. Before, he would have had to wait until the next morning to talk to her again, but this wonderful little device let him stay with her even when they were apart. He was far past the guilt of accepting the gift he'd felt on his birthday; he was tremendously glad she had given this to him.

[So when is the trip again? The first weekend of August?]

He wanted to make sure he got the actual date right. Videl answered moments later.

[Yep! We'll leave the Sunday morning after school's out and stay overnight till Tuesday afternoon. I knew 'Rase's family was pretty well off, but I've never been to their beach house before.]

[It really does sound impressive! I have not been to the beach in a long time unless you count Kame House. Which I definitely do not.]

He thought about inserting a little laughing emoji but was worried it might be a little too…awkward. So he opted not to, instead adding a simple "lol" as an afterthought.

[You text like an old man LOL!]

Gohan couldn't stifle his laughter. She did so delight in teasing him and he never got tired of it himself.

[You will have to teach me how to do it right then! This is all so new to me!]

[You've taught me how to use my ki a lot better, I'd be happy to teach you how to type like you actually belong to our generation! You can start by not always typing academically, you know. Don't be afraid to use a contraction here or there!]

I winking emoji followed her message and he chuckled again. Glancing back at his messages, he realized he was absolutely writing like this was an essay instead of a casual chat. He also noticed she didn't always type in complete sentences either. Maybe that was part of what he should be doing too?

[Teach me over lunch next weekend before our training?]

[Do you mind if I teach you after?]

[Sure, that's no problem!]

[Thanks! 'Rase wanted to take me shopping next weekend and I told her I'd have lunch with her after that. We can still do our training like usual though!]

Another message from his girlfriend popped up quickly.

[P.S. Good use of "that's," you're getting there already!]

He smiled and took his book off his chest, marking his page and closing it. Videl would definitely be his focus for the rest of the night. He wouldn't be able to tear his focus away from his perfect partner again before she slept.

[That sounds great, I'm glad you're spending time with her! What are you shopping for?]

[If we're going to the beach, I'll need a swimsuit. I haven't worn one in a long time now.]

For the first time, Gohan was tremendously glad Videl wasn't in the same room as him. His face had flushed a deep scarlet as he had imagined his vivacious girlfriend in a swimsuit on the beach. Somehow, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind earlier. He quickly found himself quite eager for their trip, even more so than he already had been.

Taking a calming breath, he finally managed to reply, his proper texting disguising his racing mind.

[That makes sense, I'm sure you'll find something great!]

It was a good thing he wasn't trying to drink water or something similar, Gohan thought once she answered. The way he sputtered as he read her reply would have been enough to cause him to choke.

[Any requests?]

Thinking fast, he offered what he hoped was a measured response…though his mind was now swimming with images of her in different styles of swimsuits…

[Anything you pick will look perfect on you!]

[Okay, okay, I'll take that for now. Next time, you should come with me though. I wouldn't mind modeling a bit for you.]

Gohan's eyes widened as he read and reread her message. Was she flirting so directly because they weren't in person? Maybe she was lying in her bed, blushing fiercely, but still managing to tease him. She was clearly enjoying herself at the very least. He decided he'd try his own hand in return. Despite the deep blush that remained on his cheeks…

[I wouldn't mind taking you up on that. I'm sure you'd be quite the sight.]

[Smooth talker.]

Followed quickly by another wink.

[Seriously! I'm honestly pretty jealous of Erasa!]

[Don't worry, maybe I'll send you a little preview…?]

Gohan felt his face grow impossibly hot again as he imagined what she might look like in something so…revealing. He had never really seen her wear much outside of her school clothes or casual outfits. He shook his head, clearing his mind. If he thought about it for too long, he wasn't sure he would be able to bring himself back to reality very easily.

[I definitely won't say no. But only if you're comfortable!]

[Hehe, that's so like you Darling. Maybe you'll get a little something next Sunday then…]

A wink, followed quickly by another message.

[But hey, I'm really tired after our training today, so I think I'm gonna roll over and pass out.]

Gohan smiled as he imagined her settling into her mattress, her eyes fluttering closed like they did the week before while they snuggled so closely together.

[You should, you worked really hard today! I'll pick you up in the morning at the usual time?]

[Sounds perfect! Goodnight Gohan, I love you SO much!]

She even sent a little kissing emoji.

He felt a warm smile cross his lips as he read those words. Their relationship had become pretty natural lately. He felt comfortable with her, more so than in the very beginning. They were closer than ever before. They could laugh and joke together, tease and mess with each other, relax and cuddle together, even train and fight crime together. But it still made his heart skip when she said those words to him. Those three little words that made him feel like the luckiest person on the planet.

[Goodnight 'Del, I love you too! See you in the morning!]

And a heart for good measure.


11/11/2022


Post-Chapter Note: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Here are a few more fun naming etymologies:

Shokumotsu = Japanese word for "food" = Shoku

Gijutsu = Japanese word for "technology" = Dr. Giju

Greed = Reed (this can be interpreted as a misdirection on the character since it initially seems like money was the whole reason he helped the Black Gloves, or it can be a commentary on the Black Gloves' boss since he exploited a desperate man to get what he wanted)

I had a lot of fun with this chapter! The Videl arguing with Mr. Satan scene just kind of happened while I was writing and I liked it a lot. The last scene is pretty experimental though, and I'm not sure how well it came across. I gave Gohan a phone but then never used it, so I thought it might be fun to explore the different ways the characters might text back and forth. I hope it was clear who was speaking and sending which message. Also I can't make text emojis here so I had to just write with words that they existed. Let me know if it worked or if it was fun or not if you want to!

Thanks again for reading! Next week's chapter should be super fun and also more on time lol, gotta get it done before the new Pokemon games come out! Until then, take care and have a great weekend! Thank you again for reading!