Review Responses:
To Lookie: The trick isn't to have Gohan defeat his enemies, but let his enemies' flaws be their own undoing. He knows that through experience. That…and he didn't want anything to appear on his permanent record. Gotta keep his mother happy, you know.
To NinjaFang1331: I hate Barry for the wrong reasons because while he was an interestingly realistic villain, he was a filler villain in Super. But here, I'm planning to make Barry a character that you love to hate.
To SuperSaiyanFever: See, that would be telling. And I can show you better than I can tell you. So, keep reading.
That's all for now, on with the show.
Last time on Dragon Ball Z PRIMAL, Gohan and his friends resumed their daily lives as senior students of Orange Star High. But things got interesting as a popular spokesmodel and internet personality, Barry Khan Yanagi arrives as a new student. Gohan's kindness of helping his new fellow classmate was paid for in full by Barry intervening in a scuffle between our hero and a group of bullies. Just who is Barry Khan, and where does he stand amongst Gohan and the Orange Star Trio? Find out, now!
Hanuman Café, Hercule City, Age 774
A black Capsule Corporation issued hovercar modeled after a mustang was driving through the streets of Hercule City.
In the driver's seat was Barry Khan Yanagi, wearing a black leather jacket, a plain white t-shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of brown work shoes.
Next to him on the passenger's side was a thin pale skinned girl with chestnut hair and dark eyes. The girl had a dark brown scrunchy to tie her hair, a light tan jacket, a dark brown shirt, brown overalls, and a pair of white sneakers with orange accents.
"...T-Thanks for giving me a ride, Barry." Stuttered the girl. "It's nice to t-travel together every once in a while. You know, like a family."
Barry only sneered, not even bothering to look in her direction.
"Tch. Whatever…" The blond said. "I'm just doing what Father ordered. And it's Zeta while we're in private, Alpha. You can drop the sisterly act unless we're in the public eye."
The girl looked down at her feet, muttering "...But my name is Cocoa."
"Ha! Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night, big sis." Barry heckled while purposely hitting a bird on his windshield, causing her to jump.
"Oh no, that poor bird!" The girl, now named Cocoa, gasped.
The young spokesmodel simply shrugged as he shamelessly said, "Eh. Not my problem. It should have watched where it was flying. Damn animals."
Cocoa could only sigh as she stared out the window in a longing manner.
After fifteen minutes of driving, they eventually made it about two blocks away from her job as per Cocoa request..
"I still don't understand why you have to work at this dump. Father is already loaded enough for you to not have to work for the rest of your days. It's unbecoming of our family name to even be associated with such a low-class joint." Barry chided.
"It's a change of pace, okay?" Cocoa answered evenly. "Dad sent you to school as a student, and I work at a café as a waitress. Besides, it's not like I'll be of any use to him while he has you and his other projects. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
With that, she exited the car, taking her crimson purse with her.
"I'll see you later, little bro–"
Before she could finish her sentence, Barry took off, leaving her to awkwardly stand in place.
"–ther."
Cocoa sighed again, thinking to herself, 'Why does he have to be this way? I only want to be a sister to him. Isn't that what we were made for?'
Cocoa began to walk in the direction of her occupation, unaware of her surroundings. Instinctively, the young woman wanted to get to work as quickly as possible, so Cocoa decided to speed walk, only for her to bump into a group of thugs, made up of six people.
Their leering gaze with a hint of malice sent chills down her spine.
"Hey, baby. Where do you think you're going?" The tallest thug asked, with his other lecherous friends walking behind him with not-so-subtle intentions.
Without warning, Cocoa took a few steps back before darting to the nearest alleyway as a means to a getaway route.
Of course, that led to her finding herself trapped and cornered given that there was a dead end.
Cocoa yelped as one of the men went to grab a hold of her left arm and turned her around to pin her down.
"N-No! Let go of me!" The girl screamed.
The young woman seemed to have been surrounded with nowhere to run or hide. All seemed lost…
Pow!
Down went the group's tallest member.
The five remaining thugs and Cocoa's eyes widened as they stared at the form that was Cocoa's savior.
Standing tall in front of Cocoa defensively was Son Gohan, with his eyes burning golden yellow. While Cocoa couldn't quite see the schoolboy, she noticed the distinct messy black hair and body build while the rest of him was shrouded in the shadows of the surrounding buildings.
"What the–!?" The second thug blurted before getting sent to a wall by a well-placed punch by the half-Saiyan.
The last three tried their hand at taking Gohan down by charging at him, hoping to tackle him to the ground. But instead, they fell to the ground upon being tricked by an After Image.
Reappearing in front of them, Gohan blurred to each of the fallen three thugs, striking the pressure points that rendered them unconscious in a matter of seconds.
The last man leaped forward, going for a stab at Gohan's, and successfully made contact.
Cocoa screamed as the nameless thug grinned widely with excitement, desiring to see his handy work.
'Oh no! He's been stabbed!'
However, much to Cocoa and the thugs' bewilderment, Gohan took the man's hand and showed the idiot the bent stabbing weapon with no damage inflicted on Gohan's person.
"Y-You're a m-monster!" The last crook stammered in horror.
"I'm not listening to a coward who preys on innocent women," Gohan stated as he proceeded to break the man's hand and knee him in the gut.
When the thug sank to his knees and coughed up blood, tiny bits of genki poured out of his mouth and came to Gohan's left hand.
Looking at his hand and inspecting the faintest bit of energy, Gohan thought, 'It seems that I can do the technique after all. But I have a lot of work to do in order to effectively use it.'
"U-Um, excuse me."
Turning around, he saw Cocoa, now standing with a look of gratitude, uncertainty, and anxiety.
Walking over to the girl, a bit of sunlight graced Gohan's face to highlight his more caring and gentle expression.
"Are you okay?" Asked Gohan. "They didn't do anything indecent to you, did they?"
Cocoa quickly shook her head as she stumbled on her words.
"N-No! I, uh, I mean, they didn't get the chance to. You c-came just in time."
A strange heat rose from Cocoa's cheeks while her heart pounded. Her savior's muscular physique and gentle voice made see the young man in a heroic and attractive light. The compassion in Gohan's eyes was so great that she nearly fell back down from how weak her knees were.
'What's this feeling? I feel so weak, yet I feel so…safe. What is this boy doing to me?'
"Thank goodness." The half-Saiyan sighed in relief.
"How d-did you know I was here?" Cocoa asked the schoolboy. "The alleyway was too long for anybody to hear me.
Truth be told, Gohan sensed the distress in Covoa's spiky ki nearby while he was on his way to school early.
But, of course, she doesn't need to know that he uses ki.
"Well, it's a good thing that my hearing is better than most people." Gohan chuckled before turning to the knocked-out group of thugs.
Glancing at them with disgust, Gohan took out his phone and called the policy's number. Particularly, Krillin.
"Hey, it's me! I'm fine. Can do me a favor and bring your squad over to Kirin Street in the alleyway? Uh-huh. There had been an attempt of sexual assault and mugging. Mhm. Yeah. There are six suspects that are currently unconscious. Yeah, she's right next to me. In three minutes? Okay. Thanks, Krillin! Bye."
Gohan hung up, then turned to Cocoa and gave her a friendly smile.
"Help is on the way, miss. You just have to wait three minutes. Think you can hang in here by yourself?" The teen asked.
"I-I think so." Cocoa said.
Instinctively looking at his watch, his eyes widened in concern as he slapped his forehead.
"Crap baskets, I'm going to be late!"
Using Rapid Movement, Gohan swiftly rounded up the thugs that he knocked out and used chains that were in the floor to restrain them, then waved Cocoa goodbye as he made a dash out of the scene.
"Wait!" Cocoa called out but to no avail.
The next thing she knew, Krillin pulled up on his police jet bike while the other policemen came in a normal police car.
As the police went to apprehend the chained crooks, Krillin walked to her and said, "Good thing we came just in time. My colleagues are booking these creeps as we speak. Now, you have nothing to worry about."
"R-Right! Thanks so much, Officer." Cocoa said with gratitude. "Do you think you c-can escort me to work?"
"That's not a problem, ma'am."
And with that, Krillin took Cocoa to her job. While the two walked out of the alleyway and went to the café, the girl couldn't help but think back to the mysterious young man that stole her heart.
Meanwhile, Gohan made his way over to a nearby park where Videl had been waiting for him.
Crossing her arms, Videl shot a suspicious glare at the half-Saiyan that sent shivers down his spine.
"Well, you sure took your sweet time. What took you so long, Gohan-kun?"
Scratching his head, Gohan answered, "I, uh, lost track of time?"
She only glared at him further before letting go of the thought.
"...Right. You better not make this a habit. School is one thing. Now, are we going to grab that coffee or what?"
Nodding, Gohan said, "Yeah, of course, Videl-san?"
Turning her back on the boy, Videl formed a scandalously evil smirk as she said, "By the way, you're buying the coffee and the donuts."
"What? Aw, Come on Videl-san! Have a heart!"
As she walked, Videl replied in a single song fashion., "Should have never left me waiting!~ Besides, you can teleport so there's no excuse! Now, suck it up and come on! Chop chop!"
With that, Videl spent early morning content with her favorite sweets at the expense of Gohan's allowance money. But deep down, seeing the daughter of Hercule happy made the financial sacrifice worth it to him.
Orange Star High, Hercule City, Age 774
It was sixth-period PE class with the students being outside. Since the class was able to follow the instructions of the teacher, Mr. Ateele gave the class of Age 774 free time, allowing everybody to do their own kind of physical activity just so long as it was PE related and it was safe.
While Videl worked on her own kata she was developing over the course of three months. Erasa, on the other hand, decided to grab a mat and performed yoga as a means of making the grade. Sharpner and a couple of other kids were practicing their pitching.
Meanwhile, Gohan was jogging around the baseball field track. His mind was around the visions of the Golden Oozaru that still plague his dreams to this day.
'That Oozaru. The one with the golden fur. It's still in my dreams. Like it's following me. But why? Lord Shin said that my previous visions were merely projections of him observing the past. If that's true, then why does it continue to appear directly to me when I'm dreaming? Is it a sign? Was it trying to tell me something?'
Gohan shook his head at the thought.
'Maybe I'm thinking about it too hard. I have been training nonstop since the invasion. I should take my mind off this stuff.'
"Yo, Son boy!"
Gohan was immediately taken out of his thoughts as he saw Barry Khan jogging next to him on the hybrid's right side.
The blond young wore green sweatpants and a blue sleeveless t-shirt, showing off muscles in order to swoon the female students outside of Videl.
"Oh, Khan-san! I didn't see you there." Gohan smiled.
Looking up, Barry asked, "Beautiful day out, huh?"
Gohan nodded in agreement, admiring the scenery of the blue sky, shining sun, and the birds flying about.
"Do you have anything planned for Friday night, Son?"
"No, I don't. Why?"
"My Dad's hosting a party for my, uh, older sister's birthday," Barry stated, mentally rolling his eyes at the thought of considering Cocoa as such a thing. "He's allowing me to invite anybody that I consider a friend or trustworthy. You wanna come over?"
Gohan blinked in shock as he turned to his face.
"Huh? You're inviting me?" Gohan questioned. "Wow! I have never been to a party before. I'm flattered. But why pick me, Khan-san?"
"Well, I won't lie to you. I'm not exactly the studious type. So, when my dad checked my grades going up after two weeks, he told me to bring the guy who's been tutoring me." Barry explained before he slowed down the pace of his jog.
Smiling, Gohan asked, "Do you think it's alright if I bring my friends?"
"Is one of them that blonde girl?" Barry responded with another question almost immediately.
"Uh…yeah?"
"Then, by all means, go right ahead and bring them." Barry nodded as he walked in the direction of the water fountain.
But before he left the hybrid, he turned to Gohan and said, "Oh! And feel free to bring something pretty to have to hang off of your arm, eh, Son boy?"
Gohan blushed at that, missing the wording of the sentence as the idea of bringing a date to a party brought a stir of heat appeared on each cheek.
"...Well, that happened. I wonder how the others will react to this."
-Timeskip, After School at Sweet Delights-
A loud feminine squeal that was so loud that the birds became startled and flew away came from a lone table under an umbrella. There sat Gohan, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner. The Orange Star Trio were processing the fact that their friend was invited to a famous aristocrat's party.
And Erasa couldn't be more elated.
"Oh my gosh!~" Said the giddy Erasa, clasping her hands together. "This is great news!"
'And there she goes…' Videl and Sharpner thought to themselves while sweat drops appeared behind their heads.
Turning to Gohan, Erasa leaned forward with sparkles in her eyes.
"Are you sure that it's okay for us to come?"
Growing nervous from how close Erasa was to his face, Gohan warily answers, "Y-Yeah! Khan-san said so himself! In fact, it seems that h-he was keen on seeing you there, Erasa-san."
With her eyes lighting up with a bright smile on her face, Erasa's mind drifted off into her own blissful fantasies. While Videl turned away, shrugging off her best friend's antics, Sharpner scowled at Erasa's behavior.
"...Great. Now the new pretty boy's already gotten into her head." He muttered to himself. "Just peachy."
Looking into Gohan's eyes, Videl asked, "You're not planning to go to this guy's party, are you?"
"Well…um…"
Gohan wasn't so sure. Sure, he was used to normal gatherings with his family and family friends, but this is a high society event filled with people that he doesn't know. It was far away from his comfort zone. And to top it off, a man high in the social food chain wanted to meet him personally.
"...I-I'm not sure," Gohan answered truthfully. "While it's not something that I have experienced before, Khan-san told me that his father was interested in talking to me. And he is a scientist, so maybe I could learn a thing or two from Khan-san's father."
"Wait, the guy's dad is a science nerd? Didn't see that coming." Sharpner said, causing Erasa to bop him in the back of the head.
"Quiet, you!"
Shaking her head, Videl said, "I, for one, am not the type to fancy big shindigs due to my dad's over obsession with pleasing his fans, this would be a great way for you to step out of your comfort zone a little. Especially when you go"
"Um, about that…" Gohan said, scratching his head sheepishly.
Narrowing her eyes at the boy, Videl said, "Son Gohan…what are you hiding from me?"
"W-Well… he did advise us to bring…dates with us." Gohan stammered, blushing as a result.
Videl almost choked when hearing this, not expecting the requirement. Sharpner, of course, saw this coming given that he was suspicious of Barry's true nature since the spokesmodel came to school.
Erasa, processing the sentence, turned to her two friends that she knew longer and stated, "We're going."
"Huh?" Sharpner blurted out.
"We're going to that party." She repeated with finality.
"Woah, wait a minute! I never agreed to this!" Videl shot back, not liking the idea of bringing a date to some stupid rich guy's party.
A crack could be heard from Erasa's neck as she stiffly turned to Videl with a sickly sweet smile.
"Videl, sweetheart. I've just been given an opportunity not only to dress classy and have fun at a fancy party, but I get to meet an absolute hottie who's taken an interest in me. And I'm not letting this chance slip through my fingers because you refuse to get over your stupid code about boys and dating. So, shut up, put on your big girl panties, grow some tits, and let me have this one thing!"
Upon seeing the daughter of Hercule turn ghostly pale and go silent, the blonde girl glanced to see if the boys were to dare oppose her choice.
"Any other objections?"
The boys shook their heads quickly.
"...Good." Erasa said, going back to her original personality.
"...W-Who am I supposed to go with as a…date?" Gohan asked in a semi-normal state, not used to such a word. "I-I don't even have a… you know."
Giggling a little, Erasa explained. "You don't need to be dating someone to bring a date to a party, silly. A friend is an option. I can take Sharpie with me as my date. Since you and Videl seem close, you two can go to the party on each other's dates."
"Eh!?" Gohan and Videl flusteredly shouted before glancing at each other.
Sharpener dryly glanced at the blonde as he said, "We don't have a choice in this, do we?"
"Nope~!" Chirped the perky girl. "Relax, guys! This is a for us chance to finally hang out as a group and have a good time. No training, no crazy alien monsters, no family drama. Just the four of us being teenagers and enjoying it. Besides, it's not going to mean anything in the tabloids if we all appear together. It'll be fun!"
Videl sighed in exasperation with Sharpner massaging the bridge of his nose.
"I guess it won't be too bad," Gohan said slowly.
"See, that's the spirit!" Erasa cheered.
While smiling innocently, Erasa deviously thought, 'Great! Now I can finally use my list of all of the dresses I have picked out for Videl. There's no way I'm missing this perfect opportunity! If I play my cards right, then Son-kun will be all over her at the end of the night.'
"Huh. I wonder what Mom will think about all of this?"
-Timeskip, At The Son Residence-
"EEEK! HOW EXCITING! MY BABY BOY'S GOING TO HIS FIRST PARTY!"
Gohan and Goten covered their ears, wincing in pain at the joyful bliss their mother was in.
The Son family sat at the dinner table after Gohan came back from school. Their nightly meal was prepared and they prayed to Dende before consuming their food. Of course, this led to their usual conversation regarding their day. When it was time for the teen to talk about his day, outside of his exploits saving a random girl from being mugged and worse, the invitation came up and well…
Chi-Chi was pulling an Erasa.
Whispering, Goten asked, "Big Brother? Why is Mommy acting so weird? It's just a party."
"Mom's just…eccentric is all, sport."
"What does that mean?"
"She's expressing herself in her own way. Kind of like you."
"Oh."
"This is wonderful news, Gohan-chan! You're at the very first party!" Chi-Chi beamed. "I take it that one of your friends from school is hosting it, right?"
Swallowing a portion of his food, Gohan replied, "Actually, Mom, the father of a student who I have been tutoring for a while, is throwing a party for his daughter's birthday. Erasa urged that I take the offer and go with her and the others as a group."
"Oh? And who is this student?" Chi-Chi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He's a new student. His name is Barry. He said that his dad was interested in meeting me." Gohan said while he scratched the back of his head. "From what I heard, he is a fulfilled scientist and a wealthy businessman."
From the moment Chi-Chi heard the word "wealthy" and thought about the man's supposed daughter, the former princess could only imagine the possibilities of her son's future as a successful scholar with a wealthy and loving wife with plenty of grandchildren to spoil and lavish with love.
"So…is it really alright if I go to this party?" Gohan questioned in a hopeful tone. "I don't want to disappoint my friends."
"Absolutely!" Chi-Chi said automatically. "And I have just the thing for you to wear! But, I want you to make sure that you're well kept, responsible, and most of all, safe. Understand?"
"Yes, mother."
"Good!"
"What am I going to wear to the party, exactly?"
Chi-Chi's smile only brightened at her son's question.
Yanagi Estate, Three Hours Away From Hercule, Age 774
Gohan had arrived at the front of the estate relatively early, per Chi-Chi's orders. There was no way that Chi-Chi would allow her son to come to social events late. Not unless he'd wanted to feel the back of his mother's trusty frying pan.
One of the butlers Bulma owned had dropped him off after pulling up to the driveway in a black limousine.
Stepping out of the car, Gohan wore his father's dark blue suit, a white buttoned shirt, crimsoned tie, and black dress shoes. Due to his mother's antics, he ended up having his hair slick back with gel in his hair.
After thanking the driver and giving him a three hundred zeni tip, Gohan walked near the entrance, but not too close as he awaited his friends to arrive.
'This seems to be the address Khan-san gave me. Not to mention I can sense his ki from here. Now, to wait for Videl-san and the others.'
"Oi, kid."
Turning around, Gohan found himself looking at a large burly security guard, wearing a black suit.
"Are you coming in, or what?"
Gohan replied, "I will in a moment, sir. I'm just waiting for my friends to arrive."
"There is a lobby where you can stay while you wait for them. State your name." The guard said.
"Son Gohan, sir."
Taking out his tablet, he found the teen's name and staggered a bit at the importance of the name listed.
"A-Ah!" The guard cried out nervously before clearing his throat. "Yes, Mr. Son! Mr. Yanagi was expecting you. Come in, please."
When security stepped aside, Gohan entered the lobby which had an interior reminiscent of a European castle.
While there was a long stretch of a red carpet, the floor was completely made out of marble. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling to bring light into the halls. Brown tables were sat on opposite ends of one another while two chairs were placed on each end of the tables for visitors and guests to sit. Vases were often seen in a corner just before passing by a door. Portraits of people unrecognizable to Gohan were on both sides of the hall's walls. And at the end of the hall was a corridor that was behind two other butlers.
"This place is extravagant." Gohan whistled. "It's like a miniature version of a noble's home in the Ox Kingdom.
"Yo, Son! You made it, man!"
Gohan turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Next to him was his friend, Sharpner Crayon, wearing a white suit, a dark red shirt under that, and black shoes. A notable feature was that his hair was tied down.
"Sharp-san! Good to see you!" Gohan responded kindly, while he proceeded to give the man a firm handshake.
"Alright, Brains! I see what you're rocking! You got the hair slicked back, the suits looking all fresh! And oh! Is that cologne? Yeah, you've come a long way in your clothes game since the beginning of the year." Sharpner complimented, looking at Gohan's outfit.
Smiling, Gohan said, "I learned from the best, didn't I?"
"Ahhh!?" Sharpner and Gohan at the same time before high five each other.
"Come on, let's get to the party. The girls are running late and said they'll meet with us." Sharpner said as he walked to the corridor.
Gohan followed, watching the butlers open the door for them.
Upon doing so, Gohan and Sharpner were greeted in a large multipurpose room filled with many faces. Some of those were middle class while some were members of high society. The place had round tables that were placed away from the center of the room, which would be used as a part of the ballroom floor. These tables had lamps and small vases with beautiful flowers in them. Over to the front left side of the room were four rectangular tables filled with all kinds of foods and beverages.
Walking around, the two boys were admiring the classy atmosphere.
"Msn, this place is high-end. Is this one of those nightclubs that you were talking about?" Gohan questioned.
Sharpner said, "Nah, man. This place is more like a rich kid's frat party. Night clubs are hot urban raves that other teens go to kick it and have fun."
"Yoo Hoo~! Hey boys!"
Turning around, Sharpner and Gohan were greeted by the missing people in their group.
Erasa, being the fashionable one, was decked out in one of her favorite dresses. She wore a beautiful light blue ball gown with white frills with matching Bloch character shoes. For accessories, she had on a pair of white opera gloves, a pair of diamond-studded earrings, and a silver plastron.
The mere sight of her caused Sharpner's jaw to drop, considering he never noticed just how gorgeous his fellow blonde was.
'Damn! Since when did Rasa get so hot all of a sudden? Wait, did I just think that Erasa's hot? What's going on!?'
"So, what do you think?" Erasa said, spinning around playfully while holding her dress by the skirt part. "Am I stunning or what~?"
Gohan casually said, "You look great, Erasa-san!"
"Aw! Thank you, Son-kun. You look quite dashing yourself." Erasa winked with a bit of a giggle added, causing Gohan to slightly blush.
Turning to Sharpner, Erasa quickly saw the boy who had his mouth parted quickly close it and turned the other way to catch his cool. Erasa shook her head as she could see the smallest hint of red on his cheeks.
'Well, that's new.' Erasa said with a Cheshire smile.
Gohan chuckled at Sharpner's grumbling, only for another person to call his name, and tapped on his shoulder.
"H-Hi, Wonderboy."
Gohan gasped at the sight of the final member of their group.
Videl now stood in front of him, looking irritated yet bashful with pink cheeks on her face.
The half Saiyan now glanced at the attire of the girl, which clearly was the product of Erasa's meddling, er, assistance. The daughter of Hercule had on a beautiful red halter dress that went past her knees and showed off the curvature of her physically fit body. On her feet were a pair of black d'Orsay Pump shoes. As for her accessories, Erasa took one of the golden clips and used it to tie up Videl's hair on the back of her head to form a single long braided ponytail. On her wrists were two golden bracelets each, and a black choker with a gold metal chibi devil smiling.
"V-Videl-san!?"
Gohan thought, 'Oh, wow! I almost didn't recognize her for a moment. She looks amazing!'
Sharpner turned around with a similar shocked expression to Gohan. Then, a bit of his old self returned as let out a wolf whistle.
"Hot damn, Videl! As if you weren't already a babe before." The former jock stated.
Videl's ki rose a bit out of irritation as the girl gritted her teeth.
"Shut it, Crayon! We are not doing this here. Not tonight."
Sharpner raised his hands, saying "Sorry, sorry! Old habits are hard to ditch. It's not my fault that your dress fits you in all of the right places."
Her ki only continued to rise as it eventually became visible enough to comedically leak a red aura, causing Sharpner to jolt back a little and go towards Gohan for protection out of fear.
With Erasa walking towards the agitated Videl without a care in the world, the blonde clasped Videl's shoulders with a bright smile on her face.
"Simmer down and take the compliment," Erasa said. "While Sharpie may be a hit shallow–"
"–Hey, I resent that!"
"–You cannot deny the results of my handiwork. You're killing it in that dress, Vi."
Scoffing, Videl looked at her outfit and grumbled, "I still can't believe you're making me wear this stupid thing. It feels so…weird! How am I supposed to fight in case there's any trouble while I'm wearing this?
"Girl, all you think about is fighting," Erasa said, rolling her eyes. "It's time to grow up and explore something else besides punching bad guys' lights out for once. And this kind of setting and your clothes are just the kind of thing you need to develop more of your womanly side.
"...'Rasa, this is a birthday party, not a fancy ball. Besides, I'm Videl Satan, the most dangerous girl in all of Orange Star High. Boys generally cower in fear of me by my name and presence alone, and that's without even considering that I beat down grown men at least two to three times my size as a hobby. With the exception of clout chasers and the occasional degenerate creeps, there are no boys whom I know about that view me as "womanly", let alone attractive in a dress."
"I don't know about that, Videl. The way you're looking right now is leaving Brains speechless over here." Sharpner snickered, pointing at a silent Gohan, who seemed to be in a trance-like state.
"What are you talking about?"
Videl's eyes darted to Gohan and immediately noticed a different kind of look in his eyes. Bringing the famous figure that she was, the girl had an experience of learning who had a genuine interest in her from those who are greedy pigs lusting after her father's pockets.
But the gaze that Gohan gave her was significantly different, here. Not only was the attention he was giving her through his staring genuine interest, but there was a shimmering of admiration. Admiration in her appearance. His eyes caused her heart to stir in a way that she hadn't felt before. And for a brief moment, the raven-haired girl saw the boy's tail twitch around the area where a belt would loop in his pants.
Forming a sinister mischievous grin, Erasa grabbed Videl's shoulders as she grabbed Gohan's attention by saying, "Tada~! What do you think, Son-kun? I finally got this sourpuss in a dress and made her show off a bit of her feminine side. Come on, admit it! She looks drop-dead gorgeous in this outfit, huh?"
Of course, the boy was internally screaming from the amount of anxiety Erasa pushed upon him. But rather than stutter or stammer about, Gohan swallowed his fear and composed himself properly like a man.
Gracing Videl with his signature Son family grin, he said, "I wholeheartedly agree. You look absolutely stunning in the dress. And red looks great on you, Videl-san."
Videl's eyes widened in shock. She resisted the urge to hold her chest, with her heart began to race further and the heat on her cheeks continued to rise.
'D-Damn it, Gohan! Why did you have to go and say all of that, you sweet idiot?'
"Aw, isn't that nice~?" Erasa gushed as she turned to Videl. "See, girl? What did I say tell you? And you said nothing good that comes from dressing up."
"T-This means nothing! G-Gohan was just being Gohan!" Videl denied albeit in a weaker tone.
She then muttered quietly, "...thanks for the compliment anyway."
"Whatever you say, Videl." Sharpner shrugged. "Let's just go and find the pretty boy already and eat. I'm starving."
The group agreed unanimously and continued their walk around the multipurpose room together, with Erasa tagging along with Sharpner while Videl stuck with Gohan as her "date".
Using his superior ki sensory, Gohan led them to a couch where a group of young teenage girls was sitting; with three girls flocking around Barry Khan on each side. One of these girls happened to be their fellow classmate, Angela, who wore a bodycon dress in order to pronounce her curves.
"–And then when this wise guy tried to flex on me with his 'roided out muscles, I said, does I look like I give a crap? I'm Barry Khan Yanagi. I can take your ass to court and sue your ass so Kami damn hard, your loser dad would be washing my car by the end of the week."
The girls giggled at Barry's pompous flaunting.
Angela swooned, "You're so funny, Barry-kun."
Barry smirked before looking around and finding a familiar sight. With his devious smirk deepening, he stood up and said, "Excuse me, ladies. I got some new guests to welcome. Keep my seat warm, will ya?"
Winking to them, Barry walked over to great Gohan and the Orange Star Trio as he heard the girls arguing over his seat in the background.
"Well, what do ya know? You all made it to the party after all! Welcome to my home, Son and friends!" Barry said with his arms outstretched in a dramatic flare.
"Thanks for inviting us," Gohan said. "You're too kind."
"It was the least I can do for helping me with my schoolwork and grades," Barry said, patting Gohan's shoulder. "You're a good man, Son boy. And like my father always says, no good deed should go without a reward."
"Hi, Barry-kun~!" Erasa purred, waving at the spokesmodel."
Turning to face the blonde, Barry leered at the girl in an almost lustful manner, "And he-llo to you. I've always seen you around the halls at school but I never had the chance to meet you before."
"Oh! Right." Gohan blinked dumbly, "Khan-san, these are my friends. I assume that you already know who Videl-san is, right?"
Barry looked at Videl and commented, "I won't lie. I never knew that I would live long enough to see the day you wear a dress."
"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Videl verbally jabbed back.
"Ooo! Feisty!" Barry "playfully" mocked, earning himself to be at the receiving end of Videl's famous glares. "You have a hell of a taste in dates, Son boy."
Ignoring Barry's last comment, Gohan turned to Sharpner while Barry did the same, saying, "This is Sharpner-san."
"Yeah, we've already met," Sharpner said in a flat tone. "He took over the Gym Club as the new president after I left a while ago."
"Hey, somebody had to do it. No hard feelings, right?" Barry shrugged. "Nice hair. Did you bleach it yourself?"
While Erasa and Videl resisted the urge to giggle, Sharpner tactically kept his poker face on, saying, "...No comment."
"Hey, I don't judge. It's merely an observation." Barry said as he then turned to Erasa.
"May I have your name, belle?" Barry said in a suave manner as he took her right hand.
Blushing, Erasa answered bashfully, "U-Uh, my name i-is Erasa."
"Erasa, that's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Barry continued, causing the likes of Sharpner to scoff silently. "A pleasure to meet you, Erasa-chan."
Erasa couldn't help but giggle on the outside, but squeal on the inside.
'EEEK! This is a dream come true!' The teenage girl swooned.
Having enough of the brown-nosing and sweet-talking, Sharpner cleared his throat loud enough for the others to hear.
"So, uh, Brains. Didn't you say that there's an important guy who wants to meet you?"
"That's right!" Gohan said as he asked Barry, "Could you take us to your father, Khan-san?"
"Dad will join us soon. He's currently helping my, uh, sister prepare." Barry stated before coughing into his arm, which causes Videl to glare at him suspiciously. "But I can take you guys over to my dad's table where the cake is. Meanwhile, we can go over to the food tables to help ourselves with any dishes we want."
Nodding to this, the group went over to the food tables and checked whatever food and or beverages they desired, and made their way to a fancy dining table where they sat in their designated chairs.
After another fifteen minutes of waiting, a voice came from the speakers in the room.
'Ladies and Gentlemen. Now, introducing Dr. James Yanagi and his daughter, Ms. Cocoa Yanagi.'
Walking from another corridor was a pair, a father and a daughter.
The man stood taller than his daughter, but still considerably shorter than most men except for Krillin and Vegeta and had skin paler than common humans. Dr. Yanagi's wavy light gray hair was combed neatly. His eyes had a unique hue of pale yellow in the irises. He wore glasses, wore a dark gray business suit, a white collared shirt, and a navy blue work tie with black work shoes. On his waist was a brown belt with a gold belt buckle, and on Dr. Yanagi's face was a pair of black eyeglasses.
Cocoa, who was next to her father, wore a sleeveless pink jacquard silk dress that went down to the middle of her ankles. The dress had white accents while the sash that was tied around her waist was also white. There were also frills on the dress while designs of rose petals appeared to be woven into it. She wore a pair of matching colored Mary Janes, white stockings, and matching opera gloves with a red ribbon to tie her hair into a ponytail instead of her usual scrunchy.
"Oh, wow! That's your sister, Barry-kun? She's so cute!" Erasa gushed. "I love her dress!"
Sighing, Barry evenly said, "Yeah. That's Al–, I mean Cocoa. She's my…older sister."
"What's wrong, Khan? Is your big sis hogging too much of the spotlight?" Sharpner snorted.
Barry chose to ignore that comment while smiling at the result of Erasa kicking Sharpner's shin from under the table.
Gohan was fixated on Cocoa's face, which he almost instantly.
'...Wait a second, is that who I think it is!?' Gohan thought to himself while he began sweating a bit.
Videl noticed this and started to ponder, 'Okay, what's up with him? And why is he staring at that girl like that? He never brought her up before so he must have encountered her recently. Does he find her cute? Would he be interested in someone like that girl? Tch, yeah right! There's no way! My Gohan-kun is too busy training with me to–wait, did I just call him my Gohan-kun!?'
The girl shook her head and decided to eat her food to clear her mind before the questions and confusion drive her crazy.
As the guests and visitors clapped, Dr. Yanagi walked over to the podium with his daughter beside him.
Taking his stand to the microphone, Dr. Yanagi said, "Good evening, everyone. I hope that this event is to all of your liking. Judging by the full house that we have here tonight, I see that some of you fine gentlemen have brought your lovely wives and precious children with you. That's fantastic! Many of you who work at the BioStem Department of Willow Industries know just how important family is to me. Because that is what it's all about at the end of the day. Spending time and savoring each significant moment with your family. Tonight, we are gathered here on this joyous night to celebrate the nineteenth anniversary of the life of one of my greatest creations. Please, give a round of applause for my beloved daughter, Cocoa!"
Cocoa blushed and waved at the crowd who clapped for her, feeling a few lights flashing at them as a few photographers were present among the crowd.
The rest of the Yanagi family left the podium and made their way to their reserved table where they met up with Barry Khan and his fellow classmates.
Getting up, Barry Khan came to meet with his father in his casual nonchalant manner.
Barry clapped his hands, saying, "Bravo, Pops. I give that little speech a seven out of ten."
"Oh? And what has happened to the remaining thirty percent of this supposed score?" Dr. Yanagi mused in a similar vein.
"Eh, it could have been less wordy. You've had better speeches in the past with those fancy sentence enhancers." The internet celebrity waved off.
"I'll keep that in mind." Dr. Yanagi as he turned to his guests. "Why don't you acquaint us with our guests, son?"
"Of course." Barry nodded as he gestured to the others to come and meet his father and sister, which they did.
"These are my classmates." The blond declared, going by the Orange Star Trio. "The belle in the ball gown is Erasa. The bleach-blond schmuck beside her is Sharpner."
"Hi!~/Yo." Erasa and Sharpner greeted the scientist and businessman in their own ways respectively.
"How do you do?/ Nice to meet you." Dr. Yanagi and Cocoa responded.
Barry then turned to Videl as he said, "I'm sure this girl needs no introduction."
As Videl gazed at the pretty boy's father, there was a glint in his eyes and a certain way that he smiled at her that gave a subconscious sense of familiarity. Though, Videl's thoughts were halted by the man speaking to her.
"...Ah, yes. The daring and fearless Videl Satan!" Dr. Yanagi said in a lively manner. "You know, I've read the newspapers about you. You've done a fine service for the city. Let it be known that I am a full supporter of your efforts to keep the streets safe from crime."
Videl formed a full-blown smile, hearing that her work was being praised without the constant comparison of her father's so-called "achievement" being thrown at her face. It felt nice.
'Finally! A higher up that likes me for my work alone! Dad could learn a thing or two from this guy.' Videl said, temporarily discarding her previous thoughts about Dr. Yanagi.
Finally, Barry then turned to Gohan.
"And here, we have the guy who is the sole reason why I'm not only still in school, but kept my grades afloat in my class," Barry said.
Taking a step forward with his hand out for a handshake, "H-Hello there, sir! My name is–."
"–Son Gohan." Dr. Yanagi finished, taking the young man's hand and shaking it earnestly. "It's a pleasure to finally greet you in person. I've heard nothing but great things about you. And your paper on the Theory of Vital Life Force? Brilliant."
Gohan shook the scientist's hand with one hand while scratching the back of his head with another.
"Gosh, I didn't think anybody would pay attention to that outside of teachers. I'm honored to meet you, Mr. Yanagi."
"Dr. Yanagi. Mr. Yanagi was my father."
"O-Oh! Forgive me, Doctor! I didn't know–" Gohan said as he was in the middle of bowing formally.
However, this was seized by a hand on his shoulder, which belonged to James himself.
"Don't you dare apologize, son. I never do." The biochemist said with a smooth and confident tone from his smirking mouth. "If you don't mind me asking, you wouldn't happen to be related to the late Son Goku, would you?"
"Uh, yes sir. He was my father. Why did you ask, Doctor?"
"Contrary to popular belief, I happened to be a bit of an admirer of the martial artist. I used to watch Tenkaichi Būdokai back in my younger days. The combatant who always piqued my interest happened to be Goku-san. It's a shame that his time has passed… I would have been honored to have been in his presence in my lifetime."
The Saiyan hybrid the doctor a hopeful "If it makes you feel any better, I have a few stories that I can share about him and his adventures."
Smiling, Dr. Yanagi said, "Oh, I'd be more than delighted to hear them, Gohan. Come, let's talk at the dinner table."
While everybody seated themselves and listened to Gohan remembering his father, Cocoa silently stole glances at the hybrid, with a smile never leaving her face.
'There's no questioning it. It's him. I know it!' The chestnut-haired girl thought to herself.
While Gohan was wrapping up the conversation about Goku's first attempt at the Kamehameha Wave, his smartphone went off.
Checking it, Gohan realized that his mother was the one who was calling him. He excused himself, then asked where was the quietest place to take the call.
Barry said, "There's a small garden out at the back. Cocoa can show you the way. Right, sis?"
The girl nodded with a bit of excitement shimmering in her eyes. Guiding him to the garden, Cocoa waited patiently for the hybrid to finish his call with his mom.
"Hey, Mom! Yeah, I'm having a great time! Yeah, I've got to meet Khan-san's whole family, actually."
Gohan's face soon grew a bright red upon hearing his mother's fantasy and raves.
"Mother, I've just met her! Why must you insist on saying such things?"
Sounds of passionate chastising caused Gohan to pull his phone away from his ear as Chi-Chi's incomprehensible shouting was heard from the other line. When the shouting ceased, Gohan sighed and put the smartphone close to his ear.
'Oh my! His mother must have high expectations of him.' Cocoa said while still near the doorway.
"...I am aware of your age and your longing for grandchildren, but I can't get too far ahead of myself. But I have to learn how to socialize and adapt to the customs of this life before I can worry about settling down... It's okay, I know you just want what's best for me. You're welcome. I will. Love you too. Bye."
Hanging up the phone, Gohan could only sigh again as he rubbed his face tiresomely.
"Good grief! I can never catch a break…"
"Um, p-pardon me."
The hybrid turned around to see Cocoa, who stood a few feet from him outside of the garden's doorway.
'Crap! I remember now! She's definitely that girl from a few days ago!'
"Oh! …Hi there." Gohan said, standing stiffly, waving at the girl awkwardly. "I, uh, take it that you've heard all that?"
Rubbing her neck, she nodded just as awkwardly.
"The screaming was loud, yes." Cocoa admitted.
"You'd have to excuse me. My mother's very outspoken when she wants to be." Said Gohan.
"No, no. Y-You're so fine—, I mean it's fine!" Cocoa stammered, with her cheeks turning red.
'Come down, Cocoa! He's a high schooler, you're nineteen! Stop looking at him like he's a piece of meat!'
"...Right," Gohan said, clearing his throat. "I thought you'd be back at the table with the others by now. Shouldn't you be with your family?"
Cocoa found the ground interesting. Mustering the courage to look at Gohan, she took a few steps forward as she spoke.
"Well…truthfully, I wanted to talk to you earlier this week. About what happened back in the alley…"
"Oh… T-That." Gohan muttered. "Listen, can we keep what I did back there under wraps? The person that I called from the police department was a family friend and he made up a cover story to keep me out of the public eye."
Tilting her head, Cocoa asked, "Why? What you did was amazing! You moved so fast, those thugs didn't know what hit him! You were almost like Saiyaman back there! Why didn't you take the credit?"
Mentally praising Dende at the fact that Cocoa didn't connect the dots, Gohan answered, "I don't care for such things. Besides, I come from simple folk in the mountains. We live humbly and earnestly. What's a cover page in the newspaper when I saved a life?"
"There must be something I can do. I believe that good deeds should be repaid in full." Cocoa insisted, now standing close to the hybrid's face.
Swallowing hard at the close proximity of the young lady, Gohan stuttered, "U-Uh, you don't have to give me anything. How a-about we keep my involvement with Monday's incident quiet and be friends instead?"
Smiling, Cocoa happily answered, "Sure! I love to be your friend!"
In agreement, Gohan and Cocoa reintroduced themselves.
"I'm Son Gohan, it's nice to meet you. Well, officially anyway. "
"Charmed. Cocoa Yanagi."
The two walked back to the table where everybody was waiting for them.
Being the skeptic, Videl threw a glare at Gohan while asking him, "And what held you two up, hm?"
Before the hybrid could answer, Cocoa said, "I had to use the restroom while he was on the phone. We ended up coming back here after that."
"Yeah! Did we miss anything?" Gohan asked Videl.
"...Not really." The crime fighter responded as she watched Gohan and Cocoa sit back in their seats and eat their food and desserts.
Soon enough, the same voice that came from the speakers beforehand announced that it was the time for the couples and pairs to waltz on the ballroom floor.
When the couples and young adults with their partners walked to the dance floor, orchestral waltz music began to play, allowing people to partake in the event with their partners.
By this time, the Yanagi family, the Orange Star Trio, and Gohan were all finished with their food and stood nearby the dance floor.
"Oh, and the classy shindig has started," Sharpner muttered.
Expecting his date to be nearby, he asked, "Hey Rasa, do you fancy a d–?"
"Uh, Sharpner? She's already left." Videl pointed out.
The next thing he knew, Erasa was not on the sidelines with him, but already waltzing away with Barry Khan.
"Are you kidding me!?" The long-haired fighter complained. "She was supposed to be my date!"
'I don't know what's worse, losing my date or the fact that she's dancing with a prick.' The blond grumbled mentally as he sulked.
Gohan patted his back as support, flashing a sympathetic smile.
However, Videl scoffed at Sharpner's pitiful behavior, thinking, 'I'd feel bad for you if you weren't such a massive asshole in the past.'
Dr. Yanagi walked over to his daughter and offered his hand to her.
"Shall we join your brother, daughter?" He asked.
"Y-Yes, father." Cocoa said, slightly anxious at the notion of dancing.
Just like that, the two joined the waltz.
Out of the blue, Angela walked over to a downtrodden Sharpner, who was taken by surprise.
"Hey there! Come and dance with me!"
Snapping out of his funk, Sharpner asked, "Huh? Why would I want to do that?"
"Well, we were both ditched by our dates so…wanna just get out there and have fun instead?"
The blond looked to his friends for help. Gohan gave him a thumbs up while Videl gave him the 'Just do it' stare.
Being given the information that he needed, Sharpner made his decision.
"You know what? Screw it! You only live once." Sharpner concluded, wrapping his arm around hers. "Lets,"
Squealing in delight, Angela whimsically strutted over to the ballroom floor with her new dance partner, leaving the two crimefighters to themselves.
Gohan and Videl blinked in awe at the sight of Sharpner actually going through with the offer.
"You know…I was expecting Sharpner to bail at the second given that this is Angela, of all people." Videl confessed. "I didn't actually think he would go through with this."
"Yeah… I wonder why he seemed upset about Khan-san dancing with Erasa-san? We came here together as dates so things won't seem awkward." Gohan pondered, scratching his head in confusion.
"Ugh… How dense can you get?" Videl facepalmed. "E and Sharp are into each other."
Jerking his head in Videl's direction, Gohan exclaimed, "Eh!?"
"I guess you haven't been around long enough to really take the hint. Erasa has had a massive crush on Sharpner since, like, forever. Sharpner's just now figured out his feelings for Erasa at the worst time. I swear the angst and drama is gonna suck all kinds of ass." Videl explained, sighing in frustration at the end of the last sentence.
"...Gosh, that sounds unbearable. I hope things will turn out alright between them in the end." Gohan said.
"Eh. They'll be fine. I bet that E and Sharp will kiss and make up by graduation." Videl shrugged, not worried in the slightest. "But I know one thing. Ain't no way in hell am I getting involved in their mushy lover's spat. I have no time or patience."
"Understandable. These city kid traditions and social rules seem so bizarre to me. Not to mention, complicated. " Gohan said.
"Preaching to the choir there. I wish things in life could be simple for once,"
"Agreed,"
Looking at the others' dance and back to Videl, the hybrid mustered up his confidence and stepped forward to the spunky girl. He extended his right hand to who, catching Videl off guard.
"May I have this dance, Ms. Videl?" Gohan asked politely, using his deep and smooth Great Saiyaman voice.
Videl stuttered a bit, bashfully saying, "W-With me? ...I don't know, Gohan-kun. I'm not the dancing type of girl."
"Come on, Videl-san. The night's still young." Gohan encouraged. "And I rather spend it having fun with my closest friend."
Videl's heartbeat skyrocketed by his words.
'...He sees me as his closest friend?'
She averted her sapphire-colored eyes for a few seconds before taking Gohan's hand slowly.
"...I-I guess I'll give one dance a go if it's with you."
Giving the daughter of Hercule his family's signature grin, the son of Goku took Videl to the dance floor and began to teach her how to ballroom dance, much to the surprise of Erasa, Sharpner, Cocoa, Barry Khan, and even Dr. Yanagi.
Due to learning something out of her comfort zone, doubt started to appear in the form of insecure thoughts. This led to a few miss steps and staggering. Yet, Gohan remained patient and held a large smile on his face.
Sensing a lot of ki signatures facing them, sweat began to appear on the girl's forehead, which Gohan took notice of. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat off.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"...I-I'm sorry, Gohan-kun. I'm just not cut out for this kind of thing." Videl said, shamefully looking away.
Gohan quickly grabbed her hands and gave them a gentle and supportive squeeze.
"Videl-san, please don't back out. I know you can do it." The half Saiyan said. "If you can draw out your ki, you can learn how to ballroom dance. Don't think of this as dancing, but as extensive footwork training."
'...Training. Right, this isn't a dance. This is training. I can do this!'
Videl nodded, giving Gohan the sign that she was Rex for another go. Seeing this, Gohan took it to the top as he directed her throughout their dance.
Both partners straightened their postures and glanced over each other's right shoulders while confidently smiling at one another. Gohan took his raised left hand to hold Videl's right hand with their palms facing each other. Gohan's free hand cupped the girl's shoulder blade with his fingers together while Videl's left hand held Gohan's right shoulder. Videl then took a step to be just to the right of Gohan.
Hearing the music starting up again, Gohan asked, "You ready?"
"Always," Videl answered
"Okay. Five, six, seven, eight,"
And thus, the pair began their basic waltz. With Gohan taking the lead, Videl was guided through a dance that moved in a small square box, not once stumbling, tripping, or stepping on Gohan's shoes.
"Yeah, that's it! You're getting the hang of it!" Said the hybrid.
"I am, am I?" Videl smiled cutely.
"Mhm, just remember to keep your posture straight and stay in the square."
What helped Videl keep up with him was Gohan's telepathy, keeping her on beat with the repeat of the mantra, "one, two, three" at the tempo of the waltz.
Once Gohan felt that Videl was comfortable as the dance went on, he began to turn towards the right, making them spin as they waltzed along the dance floor.
While Cocoa and Dr. Yanagi remained silent, Erasa suppressed the urge to squeal out loud as she was near her dance partner and internet crush.
"Oh, my, god! I can't believe what I'm seeing!" She gushed softly.
"Yeah…tonight is just full of surprises," Barry admitted in genuine shock.
"You know what, we can actually agree on something. I never knew that Videl had it in her. She's not exactly the type to waltz." Sharpner agreed.
Although a bit envious of the moment, Cocoa said with admiration, "When you have a partner like that to dance with, you may be able to do things you never knew you could."
Dr. Yanagi thought, 'Isn't this such beautiful irony? The daughter of a fraud waltzing away into the night in the hands of the unsung savior. I suppose that life works in mysterious ways.'
Many of the audience also partook in the event, watching the well-known hotblooded heroine dancing the night away. Such a rare occasion was too interesting for them to take their eyes away.
"Look at this,"
"That Videl Satan, and she's ballroom dancing! With a date, no less!"
"Did Mr. Satan approve of this child? Is he aware?"
"I don't know but that young man has an exceptional talent,"
"Those two are in perfect sync,"
The comments about them caused Videl to imitate a tomato. Seeing this caused Gohan to chuckle a bit.
Videl only glared at his reaction, further earning his amusement.
"Stop laughing at me, Buckethead! It's not f-funny!" She harshly whispered.
"Hey, relax," Gohan said in a soothing and gentle tone. "I didn't mean to laugh. It's the way you were looking."
"W-Whatever, you stupid goof." Videl huffed, looking over her shoulder to see everybody staring at them.
Seeing what she was worried about, Gohan used his voice to grab her attention.
"Don't worry about the others that are looking. It's just me and you. Okay?"
Smiling, Videl nodded as she happily waltzed the night away with her new friend until the music was finished.
-A Three Hours Later, At The Frontyard-
Everybody was heading home. Capsule cars took off one after another, slowly leaving the Yanagi Estate barren. This left Gohan and his friends as the only ones left, standing outside with the Yanagi Estate.
"I'm glad to have you all come to the party. It was a pleasure to have come to know each of you." Dr. Yanagi said politely.
"Same to you, Dr. Yanagi." Videl responded, bowing her head a bit.
"Did you all have a good night?" Barry asked.
"Oh, yes! I know I sure did." Erasa cooed, batting her eyes at the blond. "Thanks to you,"
Barry winked at her, causing the blonde to blush like a younger schoolgirl, much to Videl and Sharpner's disgust.
"We feel the same. And I hope to get the chance to spend more time with you all. Thank you so much for coming to my party." Cocoa expressed, bowing her head humbly.
"It's no problem, Cocoa-san. I'm sure we'll see each other real soon."
Soon enough, Erasa and Sharpner rode off in Sharpner's capsule car. Videl flew in her jetcopter. Meanwhile, Gohan was picked by the black limousine a minute after Videl left.
Watching this, Barry Khan sighed in relief.
"Phew! Glad that's over. That ditzy chick was starting to get on my nerves." Barry spat. "I can't believe you're making us go through all of the trouble, old man."
"Now, now, Specimen Model Zeta. We've been over this." Dr. Yanagi said, never losing his cool, posh and articulate tone. "This is all going according to plan. And your efforts in befriending Videl, the subhuman, and their associates allowed us to move on to the next phase."
Cocoa's usually perky face then turned downtrodden, realizing that the fun that she had, albeit a ploy, was over. It was all a farce, though she wished it was real. It felt real to her, at least.
Turning to the girl, Dr. Yanagi called to his "daughter" coldly.
"Specimen Model Alpha."
"Y-Yes, Father?"
"You've served your purpose for the day. Retire to your living quarters and be ready for your next directives at dawn tomorrow. Understood"
"Yes, F-Father."
Cocoa, with her head down, walked back inside where she left for her room. Barry sneered gleefully at the sight of the hollow eyes, enjoying every minute of her misery.
Dr. Yanagi then turned to Barry and asked, "How long will you stay active tonight?"
"Give or take, another three hours tops." Barry shrugged.
"Very well, I'm heading downstairs to the laboratory. Do not stray too far from the Estate. And whatever you do, entering that man's city at this time of night is forbidden. Is that clear, Zeta?"
"Loud and clear, Father."
"Good."
Barry walked the back of his creator as he entered the Estate, shutting the door behind him.
Beneath the Estate, Yanagi Estate, Age 774
After opening a secret doorway in his large living room via a bookcase, Dr. Yanagi descended along a staircase which had forty two steps in total.
From there, he found himself standing in front of a metal door with an automated security system. Next to the metal door was a pad that had an outline of a right hand.
Walking forward, a robotic female voice appeared on the intercom.
"Biometric handprint required. Failure to meet standard protocol upon wasting three attempts will result in termination in T-10 seconds."
Dr. Yanagi took his right hand, and placed his on the pad, allowing a green right to capture the print of his hand.
"Scanning… Scanning complete. One hundred percent match. Welcome back, Dr. Wheelo. Please, do proceed." The voice stated, opening the door vertically.
Entering through it, Dr. Yanagi, now called Wheelo, found himself in an environment surrounded by chrome machinery.
There are areas with large containment units designated in the Greek alphabet, a station full of strange equipment, a large table with nothing but flasks, vials, breakers, and jars full of unknown compounds. There were other doors with labels like "STEM CELL BANK"," "PROJECT HARDLIGHT", and "BLUTZ WAVE PROJECT" within the area.
Walking around his sub-lab, Wheelo went over to his computer and spoke to it.
"I want an update regarding a possible consumable formula based on the blood sample of the subhuman and my own blood."
"We have yet to discover a viable alternative for the compound to be safe for human consumption. As of now, it's impossible."
Dr. Wheelo sighed in frustration.
"Damn it! That's not good enough. I have not wasted most of my life struggling with my frail body and come close to a solution, only to be stopped by some mundane factor of whether or not I can drink my own creation!"
"Doctor, may I suggest going back to formula."
"...Back to formula?" Wheelo echoed quietly before getting louder. "Back to formula!? No! That compound is my life's work! Do you know how much I sacrificed!? I will not have my crusade squandered! There must be a way to fuse the S-Cells into my body without consumption!"
"...If I may, perhaps there is the dangerous option to splice the S-Cells that Tao Pai Pai extracted while infused with your genes through the use of radiation." The computer's AI stated.
"...Yes. Yes! Of course! With radiation, it can cause the merging of the DNA at the cellular level with the formula injected in my body. …But I'd have to build a machine." Wheelo said. "Sketch out the schematics for a machine that can be powered by tritium."
"Yes, Dr. Wheelo."
Wheelo then set his sights on a board that had old newspapers of Hercule and his exploits as a businessman.
"Soon, Mark, I'll show the world just how much of a pathetic excuse of a man you truly are. And when I do, I'll take everything from you."
To Be Continued…
It seems that all is not what it seems as Dr. Yanagi may appear to be more than meets the eye. But just who is he? And what did he mean by calling his children Models Alpha and Zeta? What are his motives? What does he have against Hercule? One thing is for sure, trouble may rear its head yet again in the future, To we what will happen next, find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Note: Hey guys, DGS451 is back again! And congratulations to those who still are following this story! We have officially entered the Wheelo Saga!
For starters, I'd like to point out that I forgot to mention before regarding character designs. Goku is wearing an adult version of his original gi from the Dragon Ball anime but updated to fit his age. Goten's hairstyle is based on MasakoX's Dragon Ball R&R series.
But back to this chapter. For one, this incarnation of Dr. Wheelo is not the same as the old man from the World's Strongest Movie. While not spoiling anything, they are completely different characters, but they are connected.
I like to state that I know next to nothing about cells, radiation, and science except for what I was taught in back high school and bits and pieces in a second-year city college. So, take what has been stated with a grain of salt and remember that this is fictional. Thank you.
And yes, Cocoa is in the PRIMAL universe! She'll play a role in this saga and no, she will not be with Gohan. Pan is canon.
While Gohan is a smart and gifted young man, he will not instantly learn techniques like Forced Spirit Fission on the fly. Nor will Videl get Kaioken down on her first try. There will be more scenes of characters training to hone their skills, which will pay off soon. And be sure to be on the lookout for certain familiar characters to make an appearance in the future of the saga.
Anyways, let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas by either PMing me or reviewing the story. I'd also like constructive criticism so I can improve the story and my storytelling. Let me know who is your favorite character here, why, who you want to see more of, and what you predict will happen as the saga continues.
See you guys later!
-DarkShadowGames451