Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
Authors: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner
Edited by: StevenBodner and SparkerLightning
Chapter 140: The Ginyu Force Returns
Mt. Paozu, a few miles away from Gohan's house…
Shenron briefly pondered Gohan's wish. Then he spoke. "I can bring those belonging to the Ginyu Force back to life. But there is a small concern. The four of them lost their lives long ago. So, if I were to bring them back, it would being in the state they were in right before they died."
Gohan cocked his head. "I… guess that's okay. I can't think of any way that could go wrong…"
He smiled. "Go ahead, Shenron!"
Shenron's eyes flashed. "Very well."
It took a moment, but then four bursts of light shot off. Guldo appeared first, flopping flat onto his chubby, green face. Then Jeice crouched on the ground. Then Burter, looking confused. And finally, Recoome, who came back screaming at the top of his lungs. "… BOMBER!"
Gohan's eyes went wide as his father's sudden dismissal of Recoome flashed through his mind. He cried out as the explosion from Recoome's attack blasted off. "OH CRAP!"
Gohan threw up an energy barrier and braced himself for impact.
In West City, Bulma and Vegeta's bedroom…
Vegeta suddenly jerked his head toward the east, a look of confusion in his eyes. The Saiyan Prince reached up to his head and pulled a black, cloth hood from over his face. "What the hell was that?!"
Bulma sat up, entirely naked and locked in a pair of medieval wooden stocks. "What was what?"
Vegeta scratched the back of his head. "I thought I just felt Recoome… of all people."
Bulma cocked her head, as best she could. "Re…coome?"
Vegeta turned to her. "Member of the Ginyu Force."
Bulma was drawing a blank. Vegeta clarified. "The yellow one."
Bulma seemed to be thinking back really hard. "So… not the one I shot?"
Vegeta shook his head. "Not the one you shot."
Vegeta glanced eastward once more. "It was there for a second… and then it was gone…"
Bulma sighed. "You need to take a few minutes to investigate? You could let me loose, and-"
Vegeta shoved her over with his foot. "Mt. Paozu isn't my problem. Gohan or Raditz can handle that if it's a problem. You… are not being let loose until you tell me what I want to know…"
Bulma giggled. "Make me~"
Vegeta pulled his hood back down. "Gladly~"
Back at Mt. Paozu…
Gohan lowered his arms as the dust from Recoome's attack cleared away. He found himself rather unaffected that the explosion that would have killed him a decade ago and sighed in relief seeing that his energy barrier held up. Once the dust fully settled, Gohan stared at the Ginyu Force, watching them regain their bearings and look around in confusion. Recoome crossed his arms. "Where are we?!"
Burter scowled. "It isn't Namek…"
Guldo scratched his head. "It isn't Hell. W-We were in Hell, right?"
Jeice narrowed his eyes. "Kinda looks like Brench VI. Has more trees, but it feels like home…"
Gohan called out. "H-Hey guys!"
All four of them snapped their attention to Gohan, adopting grim expressions. Jeice sneered. "And you are?"
Gohan smiled. "O-Oh! We've met before! My name is Son Gohan. I'm the kid from Namek, remember? Y-You guys are on Earth, my home planet! Welcome!"
Recoome seemed stunned. "The kid from Namek? The… one I was fightin'?"
Gohan nodded. "The very same! I, uh, wished you guys back because I need to request some help on an important matter! I brought a nice house capsule for us to sit in and talk, so-"
Gohan felt his muscles all tighten as an extrasensory hold bound itself around him. Guldo scowled. "Screw you!"
The other three rushed in. Burter hissed. "If you're who you say you are…"
Recoome finished. "... THEN WE'RE GONNA BEAT YOU INTO A BLOODY PULP!"
Jeice screamed. "AND THEN WE'LL TURN THIS PATHETIC LITTLE MUDBALL INTO-"
*BAM* *BAM* *BAM*
Guldo flinched. Jeice, Burter, and Recoome all fell to the ground in a heap. Guldo stumbled back. "Wha…?"
Gohan's fist slammed down onto Guldo's head and he cried out, stumbling forward as a massive, steaming bump bulged from between his extra eyes. Jeice, Burter, and Recoome all sat up, similar bumps on their heads. Gohan sighed. "Come on, guys! Can't we just relax and talk about stuff? I don't wanna fight you four. That fight ended over a decade ago… "
Jeice was visibly shocked by that comment. "A… decade?!"
"Well, it should be obvious since I'm not a kid anymore."
As the four soldiers collapsed on their rears to take in the news, Gohan crouched down, a sympathetic glimmer in his eyes. "You guy okay? Anyone need a bottle of water or something…?"
Jeice sneered. "What the hell is going on here?! Why are we on this Earth?! Where is Captain Ginyu?! WHERE IS LORD FRIEZA?!"
Gohan scratched his cheek, not really thinking about tact and just simply answering Jeice's query. "Captain Ginyu is probably alive. My dad seems to believe he is, at least. But, uh… Frieza is definitely dead. My dad and Vegeta killed him together."
Jeice screamed. "FRIEZA IS DEAD?!"
The other three behind him shrieked. "FRIEZA WAS KILLED?!"
Gohan nodded silently. Jeice stammered. "U-Uh…we need to inform King Cold right away! He's needs to-"
Gohan interrupted. "My Grandpa Bardock killed King Cold."
All four of them shrieked. "BARDOCK KILLED KING COLD?!"
Gohan watched on just a tad guiltily as the four members of the Ginyu Force seemed to be dissociating over what had occurred since they had died. They tried to deny it, but why would this welp be standing on Earth and trying to befriend them if Frieza were still alive?! Surely Frieza would have killed him and his entire wretched planet a long time ago if he were alive and able. Recoome eventually recovered and snarled. "Even if you're telling the truth, what difference would that make?! Why shouldn't we burn this stupid little planet to the ground in revenge?!"
Gohan was blunt once more. "I'd beat you up if you tried that."
The Ginyu Force collectively flinched. Gohan spoke again. "Or Vegeta would straight up murder you. O-Oh! By the way, try and keep your power levels down! Don't shoot any blasts or anything! If Vegeta gets to thinking that you're actually alive, he would probably kill you for fun!"
The four of them fell silent, clearly intimidated. Gohan nodded. "Okay, now that we've gotten all of that covered… onto why I wished you guys back. Basically… I need your help~"
Burter cocked his head. "Wh-What?!"
Gohan smiled, clasping his hands in front. "I'm trying to be a superhero, what with the flair and the poses and the bravado and all. But… I kinda suck at it. And I remember you guys being pretty cool before you started trying to kill us all on Namek. So, I was wondering if you would kindly be my superhero instructors~?"
The Ginyu Force was dead silent. A harsh, cold wind blew. Gohan smiled a warm, friendly smile. "Please?"
A spider-web of veins erupted across Jeice's forehead and he leapt to his feet, screaming at the top of his lungs. "HELL NO!"
Gohan flinched in shock. "B-But… why?!"
Jeice sneered, glaring down at Gohan with such pure anger that, for a moment, Gohan was genuinely intimidated by the much weaker man. Jeice snarled. "Do you think so little of us as warriors?! Are we just a joke to you?! A sideshow that you think you can wheel out after a decade to dance and sing at your beck and call?! EH?! EH?!"
Gohan stammered. "N-No! That's not what I'm saying at all! I promise! I just… I thought that seeing as I'm so much stronger than you now, if would be safe to-"
Jeice roared. "PISS OFF!"
Gohan yelped, falling back onto his butt. Jeice was seething. "Not a chance! You hear?! Not a bleeding chance! You might have wished us back to life, ya smarmy little whelp, but you don't owe you shit! Not a single thing! How dare you?!"
Jeice turned his back to the others, motioning to the three of them. "Burter! Recoome! Guldo! We're leaving! I'm in charge while the Cap'n ain't here, so come on!"
Gohan reached after them. "W-Wait a minute! Guys!"
He stood up. "Y-You can't leave! I need your help!"
Jeice flipped him off. "Shut your mouth or kill us again. Those are ya options, boy!"
The other three flinched at the words "kill us". Jeice was set in stone. He glared back at Gohan over his shoulder. "But I know you won't kill us. Friggin' soft touch. Soft in the head bringing us back in the first place…"
He jerked his head away, a mane of white hair flapping around. "Vegeta will kill us. We know that. But we can lay low and avoid him until we leave this miserable shithole."
The four of them started to march away and Gohan cried out. "W-Wait! Please! I… I need you guys! This is important! I need to become a proper superhero before someone I care about gets hurt! I need the flair to inspire them that the city will be safe! P-Please!"
A soft thump made the Ginyu Force turn and they saw Gohan on his hands and knees, his forehead planted on the ground. He spoke again. "P–Please! I need help!"
Burter and Guldo both looked rather sad. Recoome swallowed a lump in his throat with an audible click. Jeice shook his head. "C'mon, lads. We have things to do."
And then, in an instant, all four of them were gone. And Gohan fell into a sitting position, burying his face in his hands. "What do I do now…? I… damn. What a waste of a wish…"
Sadly, Gohan looked up at Shenron. "Y-You wouldn't be able to teach me how to be a proper superhero through a wish, would you?"
Shenron hovered there, mouth agape, a bead of sweat running down his scaly face. "Uh…"
Gohan sighed. "Okay. See ya later, Shenron. I'm done."
Shenron nodded. "Fare well."
After watching the Dragon Balls beam into the air and fly away, Gohan got up and brushed off his pants. He was suddenly very tired and flew off home to go to sleep.
Left alone and forgotten, Giru stared up at the stars, reflecting on everything his little robotic eye had just recorded. And then, the little robot spoke to himself. "Transmitting…"
Months later, in early November…
The Z-TV banner flashed across the screen with the title of its latest piece:
A HERO IN SATAN CITY?! WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS SAIYAMAN?!
Clips of the antics and actions of Saiyaman flashed across the screen as talking heads discussed the so-called superhero in the background. "This Saiyaman obviously a force for good! But the problem is he's such a goofy guy that you can't take him seriously!"
"I would argue that Videl is still the better symbol of heroics for the criminal element to fear! That girl is all business!"
"I would personally argue that neither of them need to be a symbol of protection for the people! Mr. Satan is the one who defeated Cell in the Cell Games 7 years ago! He's also the one who defeated those alien invaders on Gyosan Mane island not long after! If those two weren't on the streets goading criminals, surely Mr. Satan's reputation would keep crime at bay!"
"Why are we not discussing the lackadaisical police effort under Commissioner Tomato?! That woman is unfit to serve her office!"
"Sexist!"
"What proof do we have that Saiyaman isn't an alien himself! How could he be as strong as we've seen!"
"It's all a trick! Some avant garde film stunt!"
"Mr. Satan should be ashamed that his daughter is out there dodging bullets!"
"Shut your mouth about Mr. Satan!"
"This Saiyaman is a menace! Probably a criminal in some way himself!"
"He's a goofball and a klutz!"
"CRIME FIGHTER!"
"CLOWN FIGHTER!"
Coming up next:
THE STUDENTS OF ORANGE STAR HIGH PREPARE FOR THEIR FALL CULTURE TRIPS!
At St. Gentleman Cafe…
Gohan, Erasa, Videl, and Sharpner all gathered at their usual table and busily began to dig into their lunches. Sharpener drank from his Cuppa-Soop and took a bite of his sandwich. He looked annoyed. "So where the hell are we doing this stupid fall trip anyway?"
Gohan and Erasa both looked to Videl for an answer, a bit confused. Videl rolled her eyes. "Sharpner's pissy because our fall trip is a week earlier because East City Prep's. He doesn't get to hang out with his S.O. like he planned."
Sharpner slammed his head against the table. "I was going to get a nice weekend with my babe only to find out that the dates didn't match up. This sucks…"
Erasa gave him a pat on the back. "At least you and Stencil still get to have Christmas break together…"
She smiled. "Or, you two could join us for a double date~"
Erasa turned and kissed Gohan's cheek, hugging his arm tight. Gohan blushed and sipped his caramel cappuccino, taking a bite of his croissant sandwich. Videl raised an eyebrow. "Bragging about your relationships in front of the fifth wheel, huh? You guys suck."
Erasa put on a cat smile and pulled Videl into a hug. "It's never too late to make an Erasa sandwich! I'm open for anything~"
Gohan coughed mid-sip and coffee came spurting out of his nose. Videl groaned and shoved Erasa away. "Get real."
Erasa kissed her on the cheek. "Open offer~"
Gohan was glowing fire-engine red. Sharpner was growing impatient. "Could we put our heads together and come up with something to do for our culture trip, already? Something easy and simple so I don't have to spend too much time on the stupid report…"
Erasa tented her fingers, but didn't say a word. Videl ate a forkful of her Caesar salad and glanced off into space. None of them had any real clue what to do. Finally, after wiping his face and thoroughly blowing his nose, Gohan spoke up. "Whad aboud a cambin' trib…?"
Videl glared over at him. "Huh?"
Gohan blew his nose again, dislodging the last of the coffee, and sniffled. "What about a camping trip? Fall camping can be a fun time~"
Erasa beamed. "I like that idea! It sounds like a lot of fun!"
Sharpner nodded. "Better than the zero ideas we had going on before. Where would we do it?"
Gohan pressed his fingers together and mumbled sheepishly. "Um… we could do it at my place…"
All three of them cocked their heads. Gohan looked really nervous, for whatever reason. "My uncle has turned a good portion of Mt. Paozu into farming land, but there's still a lot of nice, scenic places to do camping and stuff. My dad made them promise to preserve some of the nicer spots…"
Erasa was clearly on board, smiling and nuzzling her head against Gohan's chest. Sharpner and Videl looked at each other and shrugged. And then Videl spoke. "That sounds pretty fun, honestly. A nice escape from big city hustle and bustle."
Sharpner sighed. "It would have been nice to bring Stencil along. But I guess I can do that later if your family wouldn't mind…"
Gohan nodded. "We wouldn't mind. My mom always says that my friends are welcome over whenever. I just… I dunno. I just feel nervous is all…"
All three of them smiled. Erasa giggled. "Sweetie, you don't have to worry about anything. We like you. If your family is a bit weird, whenever we meet them, I'm sure they won't be weird enough to drive us away~ Right?"
Sharpner winked and shot Gohan a thumbs up. "Damn straight!"
Videl smiled and nodded, opening her mouth to say something but being cut off by the ringing of her smartwatch. "Shit. Duty calls."
She picked up her cup of darjeeling and downed it in a single gulp as police sirens screamed by below. "We'll talk more about this in class! Don't wait up on me!"
Videl leapt over the rail and went running. Sharpner sighed as he looked next to her chair. "She left her backpack."
Erasa nodded. "Mhm. You grab Gohan's…"
Sharpner did as he was told, lift and lugging his own backpack over his right shoulder, and then Gohan's satchel over his left. Erasa craned her head, watching for Videl to be out of sight, and then turned to Gohan. "She's gone. I'll chase her next time, okay?"
Gohan nodded. "R-Right…"
Erasa stood on her tip-toes and planted a kiss right on Gohan's lips. After a moment of shock (he still wasn't quite used to that) he reciprocated. Erasa pulled back and smiled. "I love you~"
Gohan nervously smiled. "I love you too~"
And then he went rushing off as well. He waited until he was sure that Erasa and Sharpner could no longer see his face, and then his nervous smile changed to a brutal grimace. "Great. Time for more uninspiring superheroics…"
Minutes later, atop a skyscraper in Orange Star Plaza…
A shadowy figure glared down at the plaza below. Several dozen armed criminals were subdued, some bound, some beaten, and a couple even floating in the water fountain nearby. Videl was furious, her cheeks cherry red as she screamed and shouted and stomped her foot. She was covered in fire retardant foam.
Saiyaman stood across from her, also covered in foam and desperately dodging as she tried to snatch his helmet off.
Akai Tomato was enjoying the show, dressed in the outfit of a Satan Burger employee for whatever reason and squealing about what a cute couple Videl and Saiyaman were. Her police captain had his face buried in his hands. He looked like he had a headache.
And Burter, atop the skyscraper, said nothing as he watched. He simply closed his eyes, shook his head, and vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
A few days later, Chazke Village…
The autumn sun beamed down on the bright blue chassis of Videl's custom, 3-wheel convertible coupe. The entire body of the vehicle was in splendid condition, shining out from miles away and smelling heavily of car wax and fresh scent. Videl sat behind the wheel, sipping water from a sports bottle. Her pigtails blew in the wind, her intense eyes hidden behind a pair of shades. Sharpner sat next to her, staring out at the countryside. His long blonde hair was bound tightly in a ponytail.
In the backseat, Gohan and Erasa were lost in their own little world. Gohan was enjoying the feeling of the wind in his hair and Erasa was enjoying the warmth from Gohan's chest as she sat in his lap and leaned against him. Videl turned in her seat. "Is this the place, Gohan?"
He nodded. "Yup. Chazke Village. We can get the last of our camping supplies here. Mainly just food and stuff."
Videl nodded. "Sorry my car isn't bigger. We should've taken my Capsule Plane or something instead…"
Erasa shook her head. "Are you kidding? That would take away so much of the fun in all of this."
Sharpner snorted. "Says the girl who's been planted in her boyfriend's lap for over 3 hours. Aren't your legs getting numb, dude?"
Gohan chuckled. "Nah, I'm good. Heh."
The car came to a halt and all four of the teens were out and on their feet. Gohan pointed toward a large wooden building. "Mr. Lao's store is right there. He should-"
A husky, feminine voice called out. "We-hell! If it ain't the World's Savoir himself! How ya been, Gohan?"
Gohan, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner turned to see a large, broad shouldered girl with reddish-brown hair approaching. She wore a large sunhat and was just finishing off the last of a cigarette as she approached. She beamed at Gohan. "Been a while since ya stopped by, huh?"
Gohan smiled wide, rushing toward her. "LIME!"
As Gohan ran, he saw a massive beast approaching from the side. A four-horned monster of a bull with a nasty look in its eye. Before he could react, Lime got between the two. She grabbed a hold of the bull by two of its horns and wrenched it headfirst into the ground. "Hold it! We ain't in the business of attackin' family friends, ya miserable cuss! Git!"
The monster bull mooed long and disinterestedly, and then it went clomping back toward the field. Lime pulled off her hat and scratched at the base of one of her braid. "Shit. Girl cain't even have a smoke break without one o' them critters gettin' in a mess o' trouble…"
Gohan nodded. "Good form though. You took that one down quick~"
Lime sniffed and chuckled. "Shoot…"
The two of them looked back toward Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner and saw three silent looks of shock and surprise. Lime thumbed at them. "Who're these gawkers?"
Gohan smiled. "They're my friends from school! They'd be your friends too, if you'd attend."
Lime rolled her eyes. "I know how to read and write and do math. I ain't need the rest of that fluff to have an easy-goin' life here. So, how's your daddy? Still 'dead'?"
All three of Gohan's friends flinched back in shock. Erasa slapped her hands onto her cheeks. "WHAT?!"
Gohan slugged Lime in the arm, whisper-yelling at her. "Way to go, big mouth!"
Lime was confused. "What?!"
Gohan quickly raised his hands up. "She meant, like, dead to the world. My dad tends to just wander off sometimes and we lose track of him. He always turns back up though!"
Videl stroked her chin. "Oh! So your dad's a bum?"
Sharpner flinched. "Jeez, dude!"
Erasa shrieked. "Videl! You can't just say things like that!"
Gohan flinched back as well. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Lime, meanwhile, was laughing her head off. "Shoot! I like these cityfolk! Maybe they would make good friends!"
She wiped a tear from her eye. "Y'all busy tonight? You could come to my place. My mama is makin' steaks and potatoes with fresh cheese 'n butter on top~"
Videl smirked, looking out to the fields. "Benefits of raising cows, I take it?"
Lime beamed. "Damn skippy~"
Videl pulled out her phone. "I think I do like you, actually. Let's exchange phone numbers."
Lime pulled out her phone. "Kay~"
Erasa pulled out hers. "Wait, me too!"
Gohan and Sharpner both watched on from the sidelines, wondering and failing to determine how girls almost immediately knew whether they liked or hated each other. Less than 3 minutes and they were already gossiping and taking hefty slaps on the back from Lime's farm-worn hands. Gohan cleared his throat. "It's a nice offer, Lime. And please tell Mrs. Kooky we're sorry we had to miss out, but me and my friends are going camping~ We just stopped by for some food and supplies."
Lime stroked her chin. "Oh, I get it…"
She leaned in close to Gohan and loudly whispered. "You and your two girlfriends and your boyfriend are gettin' up to stuff in the woods, eh? I get it! I'm hip~"
All four of them blushed at that insinuation. Videl shook her head. "N-No! No way! Not until marriage! I…"
Sharpener stammered. "... would never cheat on Stencil like that, are you crazy?! I…"
Erasa pressed her hands to her cheeks. "... wouldn't be against that. I mean, what happens in the woods stays in the woods, unless you didn't want it to stay in the woods. And that's fine too, I mean… who doesn't love their friends like that, and…"
Gohan erupted. "LIME!"
Seeing all four of them flustered gave Lime an even greater laugh than she had enjoyed before. She fell back onto a pile of hay, cracking up and holding her stomach. She groaned. "Aw shoot. A cramp. I gotta cramp!"
Gohan snapped back. "Serves you right!"
Lime took a deep breath, standing up and sighing. "Don't get all bent outta shape. Just wait here."
Lime quickly lumbered off, still breaking into fits of the giggles. Videl leaned against her car, her face bright red. Sharpner cleared his throat. Erasa twiddled her thumbs, now kind of hoping that no one heard what she said in all of the ramble. Eventually, Lime came back with two big boxes resting one her shoulders, one on each. She motioned to the car. "Pop yer trunk!"
Videl did so and Lime set down the crates, one containing a styrofoam cooler and a couple of jugs of water and the other containing a variety of vegetables, fruits, and spices, as well as four big jars of milk. She smiled. "Pasteurized and treated, but free of any o' that preservative crap! Thanks fer makin' a girl laugh~"
Erasa's eyes went wide. "Holy crap! That's a few thousand zeni worth of food!"
Videl turned to Lime. "You aren't charging us for it?"
Lime smiled. "Naw. Yer Gohan's friends, and Gohan's my friend. And Gohan killed Cell, so we probably owe him a few free meals, I'd say!"
Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner all looked confused. Behind them, Gohan's jaw dropped. Lime saw the faux pas she had managed and nervously cocked her head. "Sorry. Another joke we have between us~ I shouldn't be makin' in-jokes in front of strangers…"
Silence for a moment, then Videl laughed out loud. She firmly clapped her hand on Lime's shoulder. "I like you, Farm Girl. If you ever make it into the city, hit me up for a nice lunch~"
Erasa nodded. "I better be invited too!"
Lime smiled wide. "All five of us! Plus Stencil! It'll be a date!"
Another laugh was shared between the group. And then, Gohan and the others piled into the car and continued their journey into the wilderness of Mt. Paozu.
Meanwhile, at Capsule Corp…
Vegeta shouted at the top of his lungs and fired a massive ki blast from each hand, right at Trunks and Bulla. The two kids, both dressed in their training clothes, shouted right back and each summoned an energy shield in front. Vegeta's attacks hit the shields and there was a stalemate. Bulla's began to crack, and then Trunks'. Finally, they both shattered.
Trunks leaped out of the way and Bulla crossed her arms in front. The blast aimed at Trunks exploded and Trunks smirked, only for Vegeta to appear behind and chop him across the face. "Damn it, boy! You can't be overconfident because you dodged one attack!"
Trunks bounced off of the concrete walk, but landed on his feet. He called out. "Yes, sir!"
Vegeta zipped down into the dust cloud surrounding Bulla and pulled his fist back. "And you need to better gauge when to dodge! Who do you expect to fight when you've been critically injured!"
He threw his punch, but was shocked to see it caught by a glowing hand. Bulla stuck her golden crowned head through the smoke and smiled, Vegeta reflecting in her emerald eyes. "Sorry! You must be confusing me with your other daughter~"
Trunks, also a Super Saiyan, latched onto Vegeta's back and held his father into a headlock. "You also let your guard down, Dad!"
Bulla chuckled and pulled her fist back, punching Vegeta in the stomach over and over with a light-hearted laugh. Vegeta sneered, and then he reached up and grabbed Trunks by the shirt, yanking the boy off of his shoulders and smashing him down atop his sister. Both kids lied on the ground, dazed. Vegeta smirked. "I'd be impressed with that little stunt if you had made me go Super Saiyan. Too bad you're still too weak~"
Trunks and Bulla both sat up, rubbing at their bumps and bruises and glaring at their dad. Vegeta wiped his gloved hand across his forehead and scowled. "Don't look at me like that. If you're upset that I called you weak, then join me in the gravity chamber after lunch and become strong! You're already Super Saiyans, so I'm not going to baby you as if you were mere Earthlings!"
The scowls on Trunks and Bulla's face quickly became smiles and Vegeta beamed at them with pride. "That's what I like to see. Now go in and make something to eat. Whatever you make, make me some too! Understood?"
Trunks and Bulla both stood up. "Yes, sir!"
And then they raced each other toward their house. Vegeta started to follow along, until he heard a sharp sound. It was like a rock smashing into a steel beam. Vegeta walked to the source of the noise, behind Panchy's gardening shed, and found a familiar sight. There was Ranch, smashing her fists against a post made of Geromantium and cushioned by cloth. The same post that Vegeta had had his kids practice on when they were just starting out. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Not that I've ever fought you, but I'm sure you're skilled enough that such a basic training device isn't doing much…"
Ranch punched it again. Vegeta cocked his head. "If you're going to hang around my house, you can join us. You're not my kid, but I'll train you if you're willing to be trained."
This time, Ranch did respond. "Eat shit."
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Adult language for an 8-year-old. Not that I particularly care. Why don't you come in and eat lunch, at least? You've been out here since before we woke up. I heard you last night."
Ranch snapped at him again. "Eat. Shit."
Vegeta scowled. "Whatever."
Once Vegeta left, Ranch was all alone outside. Alone with her thoughts and her own devices. Her strikes against the post became more frantic, more savage and much stronger. She heard Vegeta's words ring in her head with crystal clear clarity. Words that made her absolutely livid. It wasn't even the words themselves that made her angry, but the inflection that they carried. The sounds of pride and wisdom and fatherly love. Ranch snarled and pulled her fist back again, only to stop at the sound of something clattering on the concrete behind her.
Slowly, she turned around and saw a glass plate with a simple sandwich on it. Spelled out atop the bread, in what appeared to be grape jelly, were the words "Eat Shit". Ranch stared at the sandwich, suddenly looking very tired and very hungry. She hadn't been home in 3 days and didn't want to face a lecture from her Aunt Chi-Chi or Grandma Gine. And she couldn't make herself go into that house. At first, she acted like she was going to stomp the plate, lifting her foot high into the air. But then, Ranch sat down. She picked up one of the sandwich halves with her tail and bit into it, slowly closing her eyes as the taste of peanut butter and grapes and honey washed over her tongue.
From the kitchen window, Vegeta watched Trunks and Bulla bicker at the dining room table. He also watched as Ranch slowly ate the sandwich he had made for her… and as she began to shudder. Vegeta felt a chill go down his spine. "Goddammit, Raditz…"
And then he pictured a younger Raditz on the ground, his nose bloody, his eyes staring up at Vegeta with hurt and sadness and fear. Vegeta bit into his sandwich and it tasted bitter. "Shit…"
Back with Gohan and friends…
Videl's car pulled into a clearing and the doors flew open once again. The four of them piled out of the car and glanced around at their surroundings. Sharpner cocked his head. "Damn, dude. Your family owns all of this?!"
Gohan was hefting bags and crates out of the trunk. "Only recently. We common-law owned it before, because my dad was the only person who really lived here, but recent successes in the farming business have allowed my mom and my uncle to buy it outright."
He smiled. "This is a spot my dad cleared out. He used to take me camping here all the time when I was little. I think he brought my little bro and little sis here a few months ago~"
It was a nice campsite. A mostly flat piece of land with clear access to a nice section of the Paozu River. There were already spikes driven into the rocky ground for pitching a tent and a carefully manicured fire pit for hosting campfires or cooking food. Busy hands flashed back and forth across the area and, soon enough, a nice campsite for four was set up. Gohan and Sharpner tossed their packs into their tent. Videl and Erasa stowed theirs away as well.
Videl took a deep, deep breath of fresh mountain air and turned to Gohan. "Sorry if what I said was offensive before. I tend to shoot off at the mouth…"
Gohan cocked his head. "Huh?"
Videl sniffed. "About your dad, I mean. I didn't mean to talk shit about your dad like that. I just… can't stand absentee parents, ya know?"
Gohan waved her off. "It's fine. Though, I do want to stress that my father isn't an absent parent. He's a great guy. Whenever he gets back, I'd love to introduce him. Maybe…"
Videl closed her eyes. "You're always so wishy-washy about introducing your family. What's the issue there?"
Gohan smiled. "You haven't exactly introduced your dad either. You keep talking about how we're welcome over anytime, but you never invite anyone but Erasa."
Videl was silent for a moment, but then nodded. "You're right. You're 100% correct."
Videl cracked her neck. "So, we gotta worry about wild animals attacking us while we camp?"
Gohan shook his head. "Nah. My dad tamed them all~"
Videl snorted and chuckled. "Maybe you are just concerned that your family is weird…"
Erasa suddenly jumped in, hanging off of Gohan like a backpack. "Weird is good, though! Normal people suck!"
Sharpner climbed atop a nearby rock and crossed his arms across his chest. "So, we're here and we're set up! What now? Are we having fun yet, Gohan?"
Videl smirked. "Yeah, Gohan, what do we do for fun out here?"
Erasa kissed him on the cheek. "What all do you have planned for us, Gohan?"
Gohan smiled and scratched the cheek that Erasa didn't kiss. "Well…"
++CAMPING TIME++
Gohan and Sharpner both emerged from their tent wearing nothing but swim shorts. Seeing Gohan shirtless, Erasa stuck her fingers into her mouth and gave a sharply approving wolf-whistle. The two boys leapt into the water and Videl, floating atop the water, stared in shock. "Holy crap, Gohan! Is that what's alway hiding under that dorky vest of yours?"
Sharpner chuckled. "I know, right?! Why haven't you joined the baseball team yet?!"
Gohan blushed. "Come on guys, stop it…"
Erasa puffed out her chest. "I think you two are downplaying the real muscle star here! Right, Videl?!"
She ran her fingers down Videl's pronounced abs and Videl shuddered, thrashing and briefly submerging. She exploded out, grabbing Erasa into a headlock. "You know I'm ticklish! Stop it!"
While Sharpner seemed genuinely disinterested in the girls thrashing around in the water, Gohan was watching with a normal amount of teen boy interest. Erasa, his girlfriend, was a shapely and curvaceous young woman. For the first time, Gohan noticed that she had a small tattoo of a UFO on her right shoulder blade. Videl, meanwhile, while certainly having a feminine allure to her body not unlike Erasa, she also sported a toned, athletic frame. Lean, well-conditioned muscles that spoke of years of discipline training. He also noted that she had a matching UFO tattoo on her left shoulder blade. Gohan mumbled to himself. "If she trained in ki, she would-"
Almost immediately, Gohan became self-conscious that he was staring and dunked his head under the water.
The rest of the afternoon was spent doing various activities around the whole of Mt. Paozu. They went spelunking through the various caves that were nearby. They hunted around for bigger and more exotic animals, Sharpner and Erasa watching in shock as Videl killed a sabertooth cat with a kick and Gohan sliced a piece of tail off of a cowering, stubby-tailed T-Rex.
Together, they swung through the trees like jungle men and dived from the top of the waterfall into the cool water of the Paozu River. Erasa pulled her head from the water and found Videl and Sharpner staring in shock and surprise. She cocked her head. "What's up?"
Sharpener shakily pointed his finger. "G-Gohan…"
Videl's face had a slightly green glow. "He…"
Fearing the worst, Erasa raced forward and shoved Videl and Sharpner out of the way. The sight she came upon was shocking, but not what she expected at all. There, stood Gohan, concentrating on the water with his hand raised high. And behind him, to their collective shock, a brown, bristle-haired tail was wagging back and forth. Gohan's swim trunks had slid down in the back, and he hadn't noticed. Like a bolt of lightning, Gohan's hand struck down into the water and came back up with a fish tightly gripped into it. He turned with a satisfied smirk. "My father taught me how to do that when I was 7! Pretty cool, huh?!"
He noticed that they were all staring at him, shocked and concerned. He flinched. "Wh-What…?"
Erasa pointed. "You…"
Videl pointed. "You…"
Sharpner shouted at the top of his lungs. "YOU HAVE A FREAKING TAIL!"
Videl laid in the cool grass, basking in the warm autumn sun as Erasa picked wildflowers and weaved them together into a neat little crown. Gohan had no answer for them as to why he had a tail. He just stood there stammering and stuttering, visibly damning himself for ever letting it slip out.
Not wanting to watch him struggle, Videl quickly spoke up and suggested that one of Gohan's parents, maybe his father, was a beastman. Gohan quickly agreed to that. Too quickly. Videl repeated what he had said to herself. "My father is a real monkey boy…"
Erasa smiled. "What'd ya say?"
Videl sat up, stretching her shoulders. "Nothing. Just… a monkey boy from the mountains sound eerily familiar. How goes the flower crown?"
Erasa smiled and popped it on top of her head. "Going great~ And you should drop that, Videl. Being constantly paranoid about things isn't good for your health."
Videl scowled. "It's not paranoia."
Erasa leaned in, slotting a miniature flower wreath around each of Videl's pigtail rings. "It is, Videl. Not everything is a mystery, love. Sometimes a sexy boy with a tail is just a sexy boy with a tail~"
Videl glanced away. "I… guess you're right."
Erasa giggled. "You just indirectly admitted that you think Gohan is sexy~"
Videl dope-slapped Erasa across the head, and then carefully adjusted her flower crown back into place. Erasa smiled. "Thanks~"
And then she pulled Videl in close and took a selfie of the two of them. Videl looked at the resultant picture and smiled. "Text that to me."
Erasa winked. "Gotcha!"
While Videl and Erasa did their thing, Gohan and Sharpner were hard at work getting the campfire set up and the cooking supplies ready. Absently, Gohan lifted a heavy iron pot with his tail and hefted it over. Sharpner chuckled. "Like a third arm, eh?"
Gohan smiled. "Yeah. It's pretty useful. My grandpa taught me all about that…"
Sharpener smiled. "Man, for what it's worth coming from me, your family does sound pretty cool. I'd love to meet 'em sometime."
Gohan laughed. "They're pretty cool. Wait until you try my mom's recipe for campfire stew. With these ingredients that Lime gave us, it's gonna be a great dinner~"
Later that night…
The stars twinkled like diamonds in the nighttime sky as Gohan, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner all sat around the fire. The stew bubbled away in the pot and was putting the heartiest, most delightful smell into the air. On a second, smaller fire off to the side, Gohan had sliced some of the beef that Lime had given them, spiced it up, and skewered it to slow roast over the open flame. All twelve of them hovered over the crackling flame, sizzling and becoming succulent.
Videl cocked her head. "And this is all safe to eat, right?"
Erasa snickered. "You run head-first into bullets and you're worried about food poisoning? Really, Videl?"
Videl's eyes narrowed. She seemed a bit annoyed at the comment. "Yeah, Erasa. Maybe you'd understand that better if you spent a day in my shoes…"
Erasa remained cheerful. "Doubt it! It's pretty dumb to run towards gunfire~"
Videl grinded her teeth. Erasa smiled at her. Sharpner raised his hands. "Calm down. Calm down. No need to fight."
Gohan set his chin into his palms. "Well… rather than getting upset, why not just explain it to us, Videl? Why are you so intent on constantly putting yourself in danger?"
Videl was silent at first. Gohan, Erasa, and Sharpner all gave her their full attention. She took a long sip from one of the water bottles Lime had given them and sighed. "Because my dad changed. That's why. Because my dad changed…"
Erasa and Gohan both cocked their heads. Sharpner was confused. "Mr. Satan… changed?"
Videl nodded. "Yeah. After my mom died. My dad used to encourage me to become as strong as possible. Learn martial arts, beat people who were bigger than me. He told me that I could be just as strong as him. Hell, he trained me to be just as strong as him. But now…things are different…"
Videl sighed and traced her finger along the log she was sitting on, dragging her nail through the grooves of the bark. "He always doted on me, I was his princess. But now, to him, it seems less like I'm a princess and more like I'm a damsel. He's constantly worried I'm going to hurt myself… or something is going to hurt me. He's constantly near panic. He's even started suggesting things I could do…not just with my free time, but with my life. He… wants me to be a housewife, or an office worker, or something else placid and miserably mundane…"
Erasa rolled her eyes. "So, you constantly risk your life because your dad is worried about you. How does that-"
Videl slammed her fist against the log, shattering the bark. "No, Erasa! That's not it at all!"
Erasa flinched. Videl sneered, not at her, not at anyone. She stared at the sky and shouted. "I WANT TO BE GREAT, GODDAMMIT! I WANT TO BE GREAT FOR MY MOM AND EVEN FOR MY DAD! I WANT TO BE GREAT FOR YOU GUYS! I WANT TO BE GREAT FOR ME!"
She calmed down a bit. "I'm strong. I'm meant to be strong. The best. That's what I want to be. That's what I was always encouraged to be! I want to be the greatest martial artist in the world!"
She took a deep breath and sighed. "And… I want that belt. I really want that belt. I want to show that I'm strong, that I can face any challenge, that nothing can phase me and that I'm not afraid! I… want that belt… and I want my dad to look at me and tell me that he's not worried about me anymore…"
Finally, Videl's shoulders went slack and she finished her rant. "I just want him to have confidence in me like he used to. I want him to believe in me, cuz I believe in me. Ya know?"
And then she whispered to herself. "... and then maybe I'll get to see that angel again too."
Hearing all of that, Erasa backed down. She had visible concern and sadness melted into her eyes. She reached out and grabbed Videl's hand. Videl squeezed hers right back. "I'm sorry, Erasa. I know I must worry you…"
Erasa nodded. "You do."
Videl whispered. "I love you."
Erasa whispered back. "Love you too."
Gohan smiled, happy to see the two of them make up. Even if only a little. He spoke up, grabbing four bowls. "Okay! Time to eat, guys!"
With his free hand, Gohan reached out to grab the skewers and his hand recoiled slightly. "What… the hell?"
To Gohan's shock, the twelve meat skewers had been reduced to eight. Gohan cocked his head. "How the heck did that happen?"
Videl leaned over. "Huh. Four of the skewers are gone…"
Sharpener frowned. "Some damn animal must have snuck up and taken 'em while Videl was talking. I guess that's on us for not paying attention…"
Erasa smiled. "It's okay though, Gohan. A few less skewers doesn't make what all is left any less tasty~"
Gohan nodded. "R-Right…"
But as he passed out the skewers and Erasa began to ladle out the stew, Gohan found his attention locked onto where the other four skewers had been. Gohan would have sensed any carnivorous animal approach, and yet he sensed nothing. Absolutely nothing. Gohan narrowed his eyes at the vague outline of a hastily covered up footprint. There was something else funky going on here.
But that was all quickly pushed to the background as the four teens began to eat their dinner. For Gohan, it was nowhere near as good as some homestyle Chi-Chi cooking. But for the other three, it was the best meal they had ever had. Videl smiled wide, her eyes sparkling. "Y-Your mom taught you to make this?!"
Gohan nodded, giving a light chuckle. "Uh-huh~"
Videl closed her mouth, but her smile didn't fade. The look on her face was childish, and more serene than Gohan had ever seen before. Videl mumbled to herself. "This is fantastic…"
Back at Capsule Corp…
It was deep into a chilly autumn evening. Vegeta was marching home from the gravity chamber, a few hours of personal training well-enjoyed after hours of wearing the kid gloves for Trunks and Bulla. It was an hour past their bedtime and they were definitely asleep by this point.
For a moment, Vegeta thought of his evening schedule. Had he and Bulma planned something…or had they planned something? It took a moment, but Vegeta eventually nodded. "She wanted to cuddle and binge watch that infernal program of hers…"
He grumbled, a vein bulging in annoyance from his forehead. "'Cuddle'… is such an embarrassing thing for a warrior to say aloud…"
Vegeta mumbled to himself. "I hope she uses that strawberry shampoo tonight…"
Vegeta continued to walk, mentally cursing himself over becoming so domesticated. And then… he heard the sound of stone striking steel again. Vegeta shook his head. "No…"
The prince peered around the corner and watched as Ranch's fist crashed into the post once more. The only light all around was the light of the overcast moon. Vegeta smirked. "Intense. I like it."
But then that smirk quickly faded. The clouds moved from in front of the moon and Vegeta saw that the cushion around the post had changed color. No longer a dull beige, but now bright red. Ranch punched the post again and again, little spurts of red exploding out with each strike. Her breathing was heavy and labored. Dry streaks were very quickly being made wet again as more tears streamed down her face. Vegeta scowled. "Too intense, perhaps…"
Taking a deep breath and silently sighing, Vegeta sat in the grass and remained out of sight. And then he texted Bulma that he would be a bit later than he thought.
Thirty minutes later…
The front door of Vegeta and Bulma's house flew open and Vegeta stepped in, the limp and exhausted form of Ranch gently half-slumbering in his arms with her cut-opened knuckles tended to and bandaged up. Carefully, Vegeta laid her down onto the couch, removed her toque, and covered her with a blanket that Bulma kept nearby. Almost immediately, Ranch curled into a ball and fell into a motionless slumber.
Vegeta stared down at her and, for just a moment, a real explosion of guilt flickered in his eyes. Vegeta closed his eyes slowly, placing a pillow under Ranch's head and rubbing the back of his hand over her hair. And then, Vegeta stood up and walked upstairs to join his wife in bed.
Back on Mt. Paozu…
It was now the wee hours of Saturday morning and Videl was out by herself. The air on Mt. Paozu was warm, but with a slight, biting chill that suggested winter was nigh. Videl dipped her toe into the water of the Paozu River and gauged the temperature. It was the satisfying warmish cool of a swimming pool that had cooled down after a hot day. Videl sighed. "Am I really going to do this…?"
She nodded. "Yup!"
And then, Videl quickly stripped down all the way and waded into the cool, moonlit stillness. As she waded out, Videl had a satisfied smile on her face, mentally checking "skinny-dipping" off of her bucket list. She sighed. "Could never do this in Satan City. Always some gawker around. Can't do it at home either, cuz of Dad."
Videl reached up to undo her pigtails, but stopped short once she felt the flower ringlets that Erasa had made for her. She splayed her arms to the sides, open and naked and entirely exposed by the shining moon. "Am I a bad friend…?"
She pictured the look of terrified worry on Erasa's face. "… am I a bad friend?"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And then, she opened them and was stunned utterly silent by the sight of Erasa, dressed in her swimsuit, floating over her. "Of course you aren't a bad friend! I love you, girl!"
And then Erasa cocked her head. "Why are you naked? Did you lose your swimsuit?"
Videl face turned into a burning inferno. She didn't even notice that Erasa wasn't in their tent when she herself had left. Taking a standing position in the water, Videl reached up and grabbed a low-hanging tree branch, using it to shield the majority of herself from sight. "Wh-What are you doing here?!"
Erasa nervously chuckled. "S-Sorry we didn't say anything. I managed to talk Gohan out here this late because there's, like, a waterfall. And I always thought it would be super romantic to make out under a waterfall during the full moon. And, for the record, the full moon seems to be making Gohan more… savage… so-"
Videl interrupted. "Gohan… is…"
Gohan came rushing into sight. "Erasa! What's up?!"
Gohan caught sight of Videl. His face turned beet red. Steam practically shot out of Videl's ears. And then, Videl screamed at the top of her lungs.
In the guys' tent…
Sharpner snorted, his eyes fluttering opening and then clamping back shut. Then he rolled over into an even deeper sleep.
Back in the river…
Gohan shied away like a demon from holy light. "Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry…"
All but the very top of Videl's head was submerged and curled up under the water. She was apologizing right back. "Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry…"
Erasa was in the middle, nervously trying to calm them down. "Guys! Guys, it's fine. D-Don't panic…"
Videl stammered. "I just… I always saw teenagers wanting to go skinny-dipping in movies that I would watch with my parents and I've always wanted to try it and…"
Gohan bellowed. "I didn't see anything. I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear I swear…"
Erasa gently patted them both on the back. "It's okay, guys. Let's just be open and honest, okay? Just take a deep breath and be open about it…"
They both took a deep breath, straightening up just a bit. Gohan spoke quietly. "I… I, accidentally, saw your…"
Videl swallowed a lump in her throat. "I accidentally flashed you my…"
Videl covered her breasts and turned around. Gohan turned as well. And then they both immediately snapped back into a rational mindset. Not because of any sudden realization, but because Erasa was gone. Gohan looked around. "Erasa?"
Videl dropped her arms, not caring about modesty at the moment. "Hey, Erasa?!"
They both continued to look around, and then Videl noticed that that water was dripping. Videl looked up and gasped. "WHAT THE-"
Gohan looked up as well and gasped. There was Erasa, floating high in the air, paralyzed so tightly that she couldn't breathe and looking at Gohan and Videl with utter terror. Videl cried out. "ERASA!"
She reached up, but then hand suddenly clamped around her wrist and wrenched it behind her head. Videl winced in pain and glared behind her, finding a shadowy figure holding her hostage. Very quickly, Videl scanned their surroundings and discovered three more shadows standing at various points in the wilderness. The one behind her spoke in a very pronounced accent. "You've made a big mistake skinny-dipping on our mountain, chickie."
Across the water, Gohan was shaking with rage. Videl had no way of knowing that the half-Saiyan immediately knew who they were dealing with. He knew by the power that was currently restraining his girlfriend. "Let her go, dammit! Drop her right now!"
Gohan leaped into the air and his fingertips barely traced across Erasa's as she suddenly flew out of reach. One of the shadowy figures quickly began to run, an act which seemed to be a particularly great effort for it. Gohan snarled and leaped from the water, scaling up the side of the waterfall and giving chase. The two larger shadows quickly followed behind.
Videl glared after them. The shadow behind her bellowed. "Now then, clearly you're a hostage in this. So why don't we get you back to shore, get you dressed, and-"
Without a word, Videl did a standing crunch, yanking her legs out of the water and smashing them into her captor's face. The man behind screamed cried out in pain, letting her go to grip his face. Now free, Videl raced back to shore, pulled on her jacket to cover her nudity, and gave chase after Gohan and Erasa.
The moonlight shined on Videl's former captor… and Jeice groaned and wiped the blood from his face. "Dammit. What the hell is up with this screwy planet?!"
And then he rushed off in pursuit as well.
Deep in the woods…
Gohan bursted out into another clearing with murder in his eyes and immediately came upon a sight that filled him with rage. Erasa was unconscious and hanging over a tree branch. Her inability to breathe while in paralysis had rendered her unconscious. On the ground beneath the tree were the four missing skewers, their metal glowing in the moonlight. And standing around the tree were Recoome, Burter, and Guldo.
Gohan snarled, clenching his fists. "I let you guys go in peace and this is how you repay that?! By attacking my friends?!"
The half-Saiyan summoned a blast in each hand. "I oughta-"
"Lesson 1, mate. This is Lesson 1 on what your performance is lacking."
Gohan turned to see Jeice walking up, dabbing his bloody nose with an irritated look on his face. Jeice shot him a piercing look. "Passion, mate. Urgency. That's what your little 'Great Saiyaman' act is missing. You put on the face of being righteously angry as injustice, but it comes off as hollow. You aren't being a hero, you're being an actor. You're not putting off any real feeling that you give a damn about the injustices being committed."
Jeice leaned against the tree, reaching up and grabbing Erasa's limp, hanging arm. "Cute girl. She seems to take good care of her nails, but Guldo chipped one. Sorry about that."
He released Erasa's hand. "She reminds me of my Brihe. I… wonder if Brihe moved on over the past decade. I hope she hasn't been waiting on me…"
Gohan quashed the blasts and splayed out his arms. "So… you attacked my friends… kidnapped my girlfriend… as… what?! A TEST?!"
Jeice nodded. "Yep. And you passed the test. So good job."
Jeice gently pulled Erasa from the tree branch, carrying her over and handing her to Gohan. "Congrats, boy. I think you might be ready to face what we have to offer."
Gohan cradled Erasa. "AND WHAT WOULD THAT BE?!"
Jeice smiled and crossed his arms. Burter, Recoome, and Guldo all smiled as well. "Ginyu Force Style Training, mate. You've shown real passion. The type of passion that Captain Ginyu always insisted was a must. Now we will train you! Train you in flair!"
Guldo called out. "Style!"
Recoome called out. "Posing!"
Burter hissed. "And passssssion!"
Jeice thumbed his nose. "We'll make you one of us! So be prepared for our call! It will be coming soon~"
Jeice turned. Recoome turned as well and smirked. "Not gonna take it easy on ya~"
Burter chuckled. "You'd better learn fast!"
Guldo sneered. "And always remember your place on the totem pole, STUDENT! Below me, but above that buzzkill Bonyu!"
Gohan looked down at Erasa and then up at the retreating Ginyu Force. "But… why now? It's been months!"
Jeice waved him off. "We'll tell you next time. Until then, be well and stay fit! And we give you permission to tell ya harem that you beat us up, okay~?"
Very quickly, the Ginyu Force vanished. Gohan blinked a couple of times and then shrieked. "IT'S NOT A HAREM! WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP IMPLYING THAT?!"
Then all fell quiet until a couple of minutes later when Videl burst through the trees and immediately took on a fighting stance. "WHERE ARE THEY?! WHERE?!"
She turned. "Gohan! Where'd they go?!"
Not having an answer to provide, Gohan just… kinda shrugged.
The next morning…
The golden-orange light of dawn shined bright as the coffee pot boiled over the morning campfire. Gohan, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner all sat around, talking about the events of the previous night. Sharpner was stunned. "I slept through all of that?!"
Videl nodded. "Yeah, you did!"
She slugged him on his arm. "Dumbass."
Erasa rubbed the scrape from the tree bark on her tummy. "I'm going to have to make sure I keep this covered until it heals. I don't wanna Mom and Dad to thinking you guys got rough with me. They might say I can't hang out with you anymore…"
Gohan glanced away, feeling guilty. "That wouldn't be fun…"
Erasa leaned over and nuzzled Gohan, pulling him in for a gentle kiss and only slightly pulling away afterward. "I could always just tell them that you were my knight in shining armor~"
Gohan smiled. "I… love you."
Erasa gasped. "Well, that's a new thing to hear. Normally you end that with a 'too'. Do you love me, Gohan?"
Gohan smiled and pressed his forehead to hers. "Yeah…"
Sharpener smirked. "Nice one, Gohan. Chasing those guys away."
Videl smiled. "Yeah. Even if you're being a bit bashful about it. You're sort of a hero for saving Erasa like that. I'd love to call you a co-crime-fighter if that was your thing~"
Gohan gripped his fist tight and then loosened it. "Coffee's ready."
He chuckled as they each took a turn pouring themselves a cup. Gohan poured his and stared at his reflection, thinking to himself. 'Maybe I have it in me to be a real superhero after all…'
