When You're a Superhero

6. Your Life Isn't a Romance Novel


Videl wondered how long she had left to find out more about Saiyaman. Dani seemed to have followed her advice; she was taking her time and enjoying a nice, long bath, but it had already been a while, so she might come out soon. Or not. It was impossible to tell.

She observed the helmeted superhero, pondering what they could talk about next. So far, she learned that he liked reading, that he had younger siblings, and that he was single and childless. And he had a difficult childhood, she recalled. At least, that was what he told Dani.

Videl was unsure as to what he could have meant by that. Were his hardships as a kid similar to Dani's, or was it something else? Was it maybe in relation to how he got so strong? He told her earlier today that he trained a lot, which meant he wasn't born that way, that he had to work for it. Was it the same for his abilities? Were they taught to him, or did he develop them himself over time? If that were the case, was that why he didn't have it easy as a kid? Did he have to go through something terrible to attain his superhuman level? Or was she completely off-base?

She wanted to ask him about his childhood. He was probably going to try and evade her questions again, but that hadn't worked too well for him up to now. Perhaps they could keep this up.

So she went for it.

"What was your childhood like? You told Dani that you didn't have it easy, and that you knew how she felt."

He shook his head. "Sorry, I can't answer that. I already told you too much tonight."

Videl frowned. He didn't even slip up this time. Did he figure out her intentions?

"What are you trying to accomplish anyway, asking me all these questions?" he inquired, tilting his head to the side. "It's not like you have any lead as to who I am. You don't know me; you've never met me ━ the me behind the mask ━ and there are tens of thousands of men in Satan City who could possibly be my real identity. Learning more about me won't help you figure out who I am."

She couldn't help but smirk at that. He really had no clue. Which worked in her favor, because if he thought he had nothing to worry about, it made him more prone to slipping up.

"You're right, I have no leads," she shamelessly lied. "So what's the harm in answering my questions? I just want to get to know you."

His lips pursed slightly; Videl figured he was frowning.

"Why?"

"Because you're interesting, and I'm curious. And, I mean, it'd make it easier for me to trust you when we're out fighting crime together if we're friends, even if I don't know who you really are."

Yet, she added for herself.

Saiyaman scratched the back of his neck. "I guess that's fair… I was hoping we could be friends too, to be honest."

Videl smiled. He was so easy. She still felt bad for manipulating him like this, but it wasn't like she didn't mean what she said. Working together would go more smoothly if they had a real bond, and that could only be a plus when facing danger every day.

"Then it's settled. We're friends now." She held out her hand and Saiyaman let out a chuckle as he leaned closer to shake it.

"Right. Friends."

She drew her hand back. "So, about your childhood…?"

He smiled. "How about you tell me more about yourself first? We've talked enough about me for now."

She frowned slightly. Well, even if she didn't get to question him more tonight, surely she would get more opportunities in the future. After all, Saiyaman planned to visit Dani often, and they would also be seeing each other while fighting crime. And since they were friends now, it was only natural that she would want to get to know him better.

"What do you want to know?"

He asked about her life, whether she had siblings, what she liked to do for fun, and if she was close to her parents. He could've found all of the answers to these questions in the many interviews that she had given over the years, but Saiyaman seemed not to know a thing about her.

She supposed it made sense, since he wasn't from Satan City and she wasn't as famous outside of her hometown. Even though she was the current world champion, many people probably believed her father still held the title.

"I'm sorry to learn about your mother," he said in sympathy. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, it sucks, but I barely remember her. You can't miss something you never had."

He nodded, solemn. Videl cracked a smile. It was nice talking to him like this, without any ulterior motives. Just two friends getting to know each other. And it was surprisingly easy to open up to him. She was usually much more guarded with people, and she wouldn't usually let her walls down that easily.

But with Saiyaman, the words just slipped out. Maybe it was the soothing and warm aura about him. Maybe she was influenced after seeing the way he was with Dani. Or maybe she just liked him as a person.

"But enough about me," she decided. "I want to know more about you too."

Saiyaman chuckled. "Fair enough. Well, about my childhood…" He paused, his lips forming a straight line; he was probably thinking of how to phrase what he wanted to say. He scratched the side of his neck. "I really don't know where to start."

She didn't say anything, patiently waiting for him to find his words. Inwardly, though, she was bubbling with excitement. Saiyaman was finally letting his guard down with her. This was her chance to learn as much as possible about him.

"Well, I got into martial arts really young ━ but it wasn't my choice, or my parents' for that matter. I was… Well, to put it bluntly, I was kidnapped by my father's worst enemy at the time."

Videl stared at Saiyaman, her eyes wide. She certainly didn't expect that turn of event.

"What?"

"We had a common enemy; they were on their way and were messing with his plans," he explained. "So he decided to train me because he saw my potential ━ and it was brutal. He would basically beat me up until I learned how to strike back, and that was when he wasn't leaving me to fend for myself in a jungle filled with hungry predators."

He smiled at the look on her face, which Videl could only assume was an expression of pure bewilderment.

"Just… how old were you back then?" she uttered out.

"I was four; the training lasted a year."

Videl's breath hitched. No wonder Saiyaman knew what it was like to feel lost and hopeless. How did he survive something so horrible at only four years old? How did he not come out of it completely traumatized?

His smile softened. "But, believe it or not, it wasn't that bad. Spending that one year with him, we became close, and he's one of my dearest friends now. He's always looking out for me." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "To tell the truth, that time was nowhere near the worst part of my childhood."

She swallowed. "You're kidding me."

What could be worse than being forced to grow up and fight as a friggin' toddler?

He turned his head toward the window. His voice lowered, his tone serious, solemn. "The back-to-back battles to the death that followed were definitely much, much worse."

Back-to-back… battles to the death? she repeated in her mind, too dumbfounded to make her voice work. Starting from when he was five?

What the actual fuck?

"I brushed with death more times than I could count," Saiyaman went on. It was like a switch was flipped on inside of him, untying his tongue. Once he got started, the words seemed to just flow out. "I got my neck broken once, got nearly stomped to death another, got beaten to an inch of my life more than once, got toyed with by much, much stronger opponents… And I saw… a lot of good people die. Including my father."

Videl reached over and grabbed his hand with both of hers, feeling her eyes well up as she thought of all the horrible things Saiyaman had to go through at such a young age. It was a wonder he had remained so naive and good-natured after witnessing so much horror and bloodshed.

His lips parted, and he seemed to get redder. He turned his helmeted head away and pulled his hand back.

"Did I say too much? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burden you with all that."

"Burden me, it's okay. If it can unburden you just a bit, then I don't mind."

He looked back at her and seemed to pause. Videl smiled; a tear slipped from her eyelashes. Saiyaman reached over and brushed it away with the back of his fingers. His gentle touch, even through the fabric of his glove, left a tingling sensation on her cheek.

"Thank you," he said, his voice low and hoarse. His hand was cupping her cheek now.

Videl found herself wishing he wasn't wearing gloves, that she could feel his touch directly. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and she felt a lump rise in her throat. She couldn't help staring at the one part of his face that wasn't masked. His lips looked so… tempting.

Her heart was pounding. She couldn't tear her eyes from his mouth. Her hand started moving on its own accord, rising slowly. Unable to resist a sudden urge. Saiyaman's breath hitched when she grazed his lips with the tip of her fingers. They were soft and plump, and slightly humid; the contact left a tingling sensation on her skin.

Videl felt a fire burn vividly in her lower abdomen. Her breathing deepened. She swallowed thickly, unable to tear her eyes off his tantalizing lips as she traced their shape with her fingers.

How was she so attracted to this man?

He jerked his head back, like a nervous reflex, and withdrew his hand from her cheek. Even with his helmet, Videl could tell his face was completely flushed. She couldn't help the smirk that tugged on her lips. She liked how much she affected him, and how obvious he was about it.

At that moment, Dani appeared in the doorway. "Ah, you'd stayed here," she said.

Saiyaman quickly stood up and put some distance between him and Videl. He coughed into his fist, visibly flustered by what just happened.

Dani gave a small smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. She was wearing the bathrobe Videl had given her and had a towel wrapped around her head. "Sorry I took so long. I never got to take my time like that before… not to mention in such a big tub."

Videl felt a pang, but she was glad Dani had enjoyed herself taking that long bath. From now on, Videl wanted to ensure Dani got to enjoy her life as much as possible.

"I, um, I was waiting for you to wish you a good night," Saiyaman told Dani, stepping toward her. "And I'll stop by sometime tomorrow, alright?"

Dani blushed and nodded. "Thank you for everything. You really do keep your promises, huh?"

He pinched her nose softly and grinned. "Always."

So… freaking… cute. Videl couldn't help the thought. The way Saiyaman was with Dani was just the most adorable thing.

"Well, I better get going." He turned to Videl and gave a nervous smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um… I'll see you around."

Videl chuckled. His awkwardness was endearing. She got up from the bed.

"Thanks for the chat," she said with a fond smile. "It was nice."

He nodded his head, scratching his cheek. He was blushing again.

That man was just too cute.

"Yeah…"

Saiyaman went to the window. He reached over the desk to open it, and then he hopped out. Now floating outside, he turned to them and gave them a sign of salute with two fingers to his helmet.

"Have a good night."

And then he was off, flying away into the night sky. Videl sighed softly, scratching the side of her neck. She felt a little weird, not like her usual self. And she didn't know what to think of her own actions. It was so unlike her.

She had touched Saiyaman's lips. How did that happen? What had gotten into her to do something like that? To think she actually thought of kissing him… She must be out of her mind.

"Um…" Dani's hesitant voice brought her out of her musing. "Did you find me some pajamas…?"

Videl blinked. "Oh, sorry, it kinda slipped my mind." She started toward the doorway and looked at Dani over her shoulder. "I'll be a minute."

She went to Eri's bedroom and opened the dresser drawer. Quickly finding something that would fit Dani, Videl went back to the young girl's room. Dani was drying her hair with the towel when she got there.

"Here. This should be your size," she told the teen, handing her the dark purple shirt and pants set.

"Thanks…" Dani touched the fabric in wonder. "It feels so fancy… Are you sure it's okay for me to borrow it?"

"Of course. My friend Eri isn't stingy about her stuff, she won't mind." Videl smiled and patted the girl's head, like she'd seen Saiyaman do. "Are you hungry? I can heat up something for you. I'm not much of a cook so I buy a lot of pre-cooked meals."

Dani nodded, a tiny smile on her lips. "That sounds good."

"Alright then. How about a plate of lasagna?"

The way Dani's eyes lit up at the suggestion made Videl grin. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll go heat it up for you while you get dressed."

"Okay."

She was almost out the door when Dani's small voice made her pause.

"Thank you, Videl… for everything."

Her heart glowed. She looked at Dani over her shoulder and gave her a wink. "I'm happy to help."


Lying in bed in the dark, Gohan was staring at the ceiling, wide awake.

Videl's touch haunted him.

What was that about? Why did she do that? She wasn't even trying to take his helmet off this time. And the way she leaned closer, her breathing deepening, her face flushed, and the glint in her eyes as she stared at his lips…

Gohan rubbed his face with both his hands, letting out a groan. What did that mean? Did she just get caught up in the moment? Was she only trying to comfort him after he told her about his childhood?

Did she actually mean to kiss him, or was he making it all up in his head because he wished it were the case?

His hands slid down his face; Gohan sighed in longing. Goodness, how he wished he could kiss her. He was going crazy. He was way too attracted to that girl.

No, it wasn't just attraction. It was everything about her. Videl was the most amazing woman he had ever met. She was beautiful, strong, brave, clever, stubborn, graceful, talented, kind-hearted… He liked her so much already. It killed him that he could never act on his feelings for her.

Being just friends wasn't enough. He wanted more. He wanted to be with Videl. He wanted to tell her how he felt.

Gohan sighed and turned on his side, hugging his comforter. He was being unreasonable, he knew that. He couldn't be with Videl ━ not unless he met her as himself, he supposed. If lying to her and hiding the truth from her wouldn't have bothered him so much, he could have just been with her as Son Gohan.

And as much as he abhorred the thought of being dishonest, at that moment, Gohan actually considered that option. Maybe it wouldn't be so terrible as long as he planned to tell her the truth eventually. Maybe Videl would understand why he had to lie to her. Maybe she wasn't going to hate his guts once she found out he'd been deceiving her from the start.

He sat up and let out a deep, dejected sigh. Yeah, right. As if he could actually go through with that. Videl would probably figure him out in two seconds with how bad he was at lying anyway. It would never work.

It was never really an option anyway. Gohan knew he was just fooling himself.

Figuring he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, he got up. Walking to the glass doors, he slid them open and stepped out on the balcony. He was only wearing sweatpants, and the night was chilly; the cool breeze felt nice on his bare skin. He breathed in deeply. While the air was nowhere near as pure as in the mountains where he grew up, high up here, it was less polluted than in the streets below, and Gohan welcomed the breath of fresh air.

He wondered if Videl had trouble sleeping because of him too. He chuckled dryly and shook his head in self-derision. As if. She probably only meant to comfort him because she felt bad for him. She had no reason to stay up at night thinking about him. He was mistaking his dreams for reality.

He leaned his forearms against the railing and slumped his shoulders, a tired sigh slipping through his lips. Was this his life now? Obsessing over a woman he couldn't have? He hoped not. This stupid crush would surely pass with time, right? His feelings for her weren't going to grow and deepen every day, were they?

A wistful smile formed on his lips as his eyes glazed over, staring at the quiet streets below without really seeing them. Videl had such a good heart. To think she didn't even give it a second thought when she offered to take Dani in. She saw someone in trouble and her first instinct was to lend a hand. She truly was something special, that Videl.

Gohan sighed dreamily. He just never stood a chance, did he?

He recalled how easy it had felt to open up to her. It had been relieving to share the weight of his past with someone else. Gohan didn't talk about his childhood often ━ he preferred not to dwell on the bad times. He had so many good memories too ━ with his father, his mother, Piccolo, Krillin, Bulma, Yamcha… and later Goten and Trunks. He even had some tranquil moments with Vegeta ━ even if it was just sitting in silence in the same space. He knew he had it hard as a kid, but Gohan also knew that he was lucky to be loved by so many amazing people. And despite all the tough times, he still got to play a lot and have fun as a boy. In comparison, Dani had a much harder life. Unlike him, she didn't have anyone. She was all alone.

Well, not anymore. Thanks to Videl's generosity, Dani now had a safe home and people who cared about her. She finally got to be a kid.

He sighed in longing, resting his chin against his forearm on the railing. Videl… He closed his eyes as his cheeks pigmented with red. He recalled the look on her face as she leaned closer and touched his lips with her fingers. Was it really to comfort him? Why would she look flushed, then? It wasn't all his imagination, was it?

Gohan straightened up swiftly and stomped back into his room. Even if it wasn't all in his head, what difference did it make? He still couldn't do anything about it.

He got back to bed and pulled the comforter over his head, shutting his eyes tightly.

Why was it so hard for him to accept this? He couldn't be with Videl, period. How many times would he have to remind himself of that fact? It shouldn't be that hard to understand that nothing could ever happen between them. Why wasn't it getting through his thick skull?

He groaned in frustration. Why, why did he have to feel this way about her?


His eyes blinked lazily as he watched the brown liquid slowly fill his mug. This was Gohan's third cup of coffee, and it was only nine-thirty in the morning.

He barely got any sleep last night. His brain just wouldn't shut down; he couldn't stop thinking about a certain crime fighter. Normally, the lack of sleep wouldn't affect him much, due to his Saiyan genes he assumed, but Gohan felt more exhausted emotionally than physically.

He was so tired of thinking about Videl all the time. He wanted to put this pointless, stupid crush behind him already and get his goddamn life back.

Gohan knew he was fooling himself. At this point, it was more than a mere crush. His feelings for Videl ran much deeper than he was willing to admit. It was crazy how much he liked her already. It just made no sense. He had only known her for two days! How could he be in so deep that quickly? What was this, a romance novel? Was he going to get a rival soon too? And the cliched misunderstanding that would lead to unnecessary drama?

Seriously. This was just ridiculous; it was almost laughable.

He took his now full mug and went to sit at the counter of the kitchen corner in the break room. He waited for the coffee to cool down, staring blankly at the steam coming from his cup. Gohan let out a tired sigh. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Someone walked into the break room; their steps were slow and zombie-like. Gohan lazily raised his head, more as a courtesy than in curiosity. He managed a tired smile at Eri, who didn't look in a better shape than he was.

"Good morning, Dr. Son," she greeted him.

"Good morning. And, Gohan is fine ━ I'm pretty sure we're the same age."

Eri smiled slightly as she placed her used mug on the coffee machine and turned it on. "We are," she confirmed. "But you're still my superior."

Gohan shrugged, before taking a sip of his cup. He could feel the caffeine clearing the fog in his mind. "Yeah, and I'm still not used to it. There's no reason to be so formal with me though. I've always called Bulma by her name even though she's the big boss, and I'm not the only one. So just call me Gohan." He smiled warmly. "We're not stingy about that kind of thing at Capsule Corp."

Eri averted her eyes, her cheeks tinged with pink. "If you insist."

She took her mug, walked over and sat on the stool beside him. Gohan took another sip of coffee while Eri blew on the steam of her own cup. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes and recalled that neither she nor the blonde who lived with Videl were home last night when he was at their place. It hadn't been that late when he left, but judging by how tired his employee looked, he thought it was safe to assume that she got home quite late and didn't get much sleep.

He was a bit surprised. He may have been wrong, but he had assumed Eri was the serious type. Her career choice and her academic records seemed to confirm that assessment. He wouldn't have expected her to be out so late at night on a weekday.

Then again, he didn't know what she had been up to. Maybe she suffered from insomnia; maybe something else kept her up last night. He shouldn't be too quick to judge.

"You didn't get much sleep either, I assume?" he asked.

She made a face and groaned. "It's all my roommate's fault. I told her I wanted to go to bed early, but she insisted we go out to celebrate my new job. By the time she was all partied out, it was almost four in the morning." Eri sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I wish I was better at saying no."

He smiled in sympathy. "Yeah, I have the same problem."

"Then when I wake up this morning, I find out that my other roommate has decided to take in an orphan, and a teenage girl at that." She rubbed her face with both hands. "I mean, yeah, she owns the place, and it's great that she wants to help a kid in need, but she doesn't even know what she's doing ━ she has zero experience caring for kids, she's never even worked as a babysitter. So guess who will have to pick up the slack? This is the last thing I need right now…"

Eri suddenly straightened up and her eyes widened. She flushed, waving her hands in front of her. "I'm so sorry, here I am complaining about my personal life to my boss. I didn't mean to be inappropriate."

He chuckled. "It's alright, I don't mind." Especially if it meant he got to learn more about Videl. "But what your roommate is doing is quite commendable, taking in an orphan. Especially if she's not used to caring for kids."

"That's Videl for you. She always does the right thing, no matter what it takes." Eri raised her gaze to the ceiling, and a fond smile curved her lips as she spoke of her friend. "I honestly adore that about her, and I've always admired her for it." She glanced at him and rubbed the side of her neck. "I know it's selfish of me to think like that, but working here is going to keep me pretty busy, that's why I'm wary of her decision."

His heartbeat had picked up the more Eri talked about Videl. It really was no wonder he liked her so much. She was everything he never knew he wanted.

And yet she was off-limits. Life was so cruel.

"She was with me yesterday before you left, for that matter ━ the brunette ━ and she really wants to meet you. So does my other roommate, the blonde one, Erasa. We're having lunch together later at the Capsule Corp. restaurant. Do you think you could maybe join us?"

"Um… Well…"

He scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with a good excuse not to go. But it was pointless. Now that Eri brought it up, Gohan knew he couldn't avoid meeting Videl as himself any longer. Even if he somehow managed to weave his way out of having lunch with them this time, which was quite unlikely given how bad he was at lying and acting, he would still have to meet Videl sooner or later. He was trapped.

"I guess… I could join you, yes." He sighed, running his hands through his hair. There went his plan not to ever lie to Videl… Why was their situation so complicated? Was the drama inevitable?

Although, he supposed that as long as they stayed away from the topic of Satan City's new superhero, he would have no reason to lie to her or pretend he knew nothing.

An idea was starting to form in his mind. He finished his cup, went to put it in the sink, and told Eri that he would see her later before walking out of the break room.

He got his phone out and made a call. He wasn't sure Raven was available, but she was his best bet if he wanted his plan to work. He couldn't do it alone ━ he needed someone to change the subject subtly and seamlessly if his superhero alter-ego was ever brought up in the conversation, and Gohan was neither subtle nor seamless, about anything.

"Hey, Gohan."

He sighed in relief when she finally answered. "Hey, Raven. Are you free for lunch today?"

"What, you miss me already?" Her playful teasing made him chuckle. Raven always knew how to make him feel at ease.

"Obviously," he replied, bantering along. "But actually, I need a favor, and you're the only one who can help me."

"I'm intrigued. And you're in luck because I happen to be free. What do you need help with?"

He breathed in relief. Thank goodness for Raven. He knew he could count on her.

"Well, one of my employees asked me to have lunch with her and her roommates, who apparently really want to meet me."

Raven snickered. "I told you you'd get groupies."

He blushed but tried to ignore the heat on his cheeks to keep going. It helped that Raven couldn't see him. "Here's the thing. I know it's going to sound weird, but you can't ask why. I need you to change the subject if someone brings up the Great Saiyaman in the conversation. Do you think you can do that?"

"Huh? But why…?"

"Don't ask why, Raven, I mean it. This is important."

"But…"

"Raven, please. I need your help."

A sigh. "Fine… Will you at least explain why later?"

He pursed his lips. He wished he could just say yes. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

She grumbled, but accepted nonetheless. "Alright, I'll help you. But you owe me."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Raven."

He told her where to meet him and at what time, and then they hung up after bidding goodbye. Gohan felt a weight lift from his chest. If Raven was by his side, this could work. He wouldn't have to lie to Videl.

Sure, he couldn't become friends with her as himself ━ it wasn't like he could drag Raven along whenever he got together with Videl just to avoid talking about Saiyaman ━ but having lunch with her and her friends sounded pretty nice. And Dani might be coming with them too, unless she had started school already. In any case, this could turn out to be a very pleasant lunch hour, and now that he was a lot less worried about meeting Videl, Gohan actually looked forward to it.


Videl glanced at Dani, who was standing aside and shuffling her feet while her guardian browsed through the racks. They were at the mall for some shopping. It wasn't her favorite activity, but Dani needed new clothes.

Erasa had been pretty bummed that she wasn't free to come along, but, to be honest, Videl was kind of glad her blonde friend had to work. Erasa was an exhausting tornado whenever they shopped together, and Videl always made a point to avoid such occurrences if she could. And while Erasa's insight and good taste in fashion would have been a big help, Videl would much rather shop on her own, even if it meant she wasn't going to choose the best looks.

Dani had been quite flustered all morning. She insisted that she didn't need the latest smartphone or a brand new laptop, that buying something second-hand would still be better than she could have ever hoped. Videl kept assuring her that it was fine, that she was filthy rich and that Dani didn't have to feel embarrassed about it, but the teenage girl still tensed up and widened her eyes whenever she looked at any price tag. It didn't get any better in the clothes department. Videl even brought her to a cheaper shop, just to put her at ease, but it barely made a difference.

She just wasn't used to being cared for, and that thought alone broke Videl's heart. It made her want to pamper her even more.

Her phone chimed, and she got it out to check the new notification. It was a text from Eri. Videl's eyes lit up as she read it. She turned to Dani and grinned.

"We're going to Capsule Corp. for lunch."

Dani stared at her, her jaw hanging. "Cap… Capsule Corp.?"

"That's where Eri works. She's a bigshot scientist and all." Videl smirked proudly.

Dani blinked. "Wow… That's amazing."

Videl's expression softened. "You could become a scientist later if that's what you want to do. You can do anything if you set your mind to it."

Dani shrugged, lowering her head again. Videl looked at her with sympathy. She could only imagine the kind of life Dani had had, but she figured the girl never thought an academic career was an option for her. Things were different now, but it made sense that Dani was still wary of the future.

"We're going to meet her boss, so I can trust you to be on your best behavior, right?"

Dani nodded wordlessly.

"I really wanted to meet him, too. He seems like an incredible person," Videl went on, unwilling to let another uncomfortable silence hang between them. "He's my age too ━ only twenty-three ━ but he has no less than five doctorates."

The impressive account made Dani look up at her in wonder. "For real?"

Videl cracked a smile. "He gave a compelling speech at the new branch's grand opening. I'll show you later ━ I'm sure you'll like hearing it."

Dani nodded, her features relaxing slightly as she tucked her thick red hair behind her ear. She seemed less tense already. Videl felt like she was doing something right, and it was a gratifying feeling.

"I also have reasons to believe he might be the Great Saiyaman."

Now that caught the teen's attention. She stared at Videl with wide eyes.

"Wh… What?"

Videl smirked as she resumed browsing the clothes on the racks. "I managed to get together a list of all the possible candidates who could be him based on things he's told me in passing. The list is very long, there are over three hundred names, but he's in it."

Dani frowned, crossing her arms. "Out of three hundred other names, though. It's probably not him."

"But it might be. His voice sounds very similar, he's the same build, the same height, and the lower part of his face, the one that's not covered by Saiyaman's helmet, I'm pretty sure it looks the same. Also, he's not on social media ━ as though he maybe had something to hide."

Dani blinked at her. The skeptical look on her face had faded away. Videl's smirk didn't waver.

"But don't tell anyone about it, especially not to Saiyaman or to Eri's boss, since they might be the same person. I don't want him to be guarded with me if he figures out that I suspect him."

Dani nodded dumbly.

"But I'll be curious to know what you think after we've met him. Eri's boss, that is. You spent a lot of time with Saiyaman, so you might be able to tell whether it might be him."

Dani blinked again. Then she chuckled; an excited glint was shining in her eyes. "I feel like I'm on a top-secret mission."

"But you are," Videl bantered along. "And it's a very important one. We should probably come up with a code name, too."

Dani snickered. Videl was grinning. It felt so awesome to put a smile on that girl's face.

"How about…" Videl held her chin in thought. Then her face lit up and she hit her palm with her fist. "Oh, I know! Operation: Coo-Coo Bird."

Dani snorted laughing into her hand. Videl snickered at her reaction.

"It's perfect, don't you think? He can fly like a bird, but he's also really silly, so the coo-coo bird fits perfectly."

Dani was still laughing into her hand, her shoulders shaking. "A coo-coo bird! Fighting crime? You're putting a really weird image in my head! Hahahaha!"

Videl cracked up, unable not to get infected but Dani's mirth and the mental image she gave her. She saw a tiny coo-coo bird wearing Saiyaman's silly helmet and a red cape beat the crap out of criminals, like a little feathery ball bouncing at them from all directions.

Operation: Coo-Coo Bird it was, then. It really was the perfect code name.


July 27, 2021