"Your food is flying everywhere," Tai snapped at Gohan, who reacted with his typical Son grin.

They sat on top of the little hut that was built around the roofs entrance, waiting to see if Mr Moore would show up or not. Being Saiyans, they would never skip lunch. His stomach was what distracted Gohan and led to this situation in the first place. Tai sighed.

"We need to talk," Tai said.

"About what?"

"You're weak."

The bluntness of the statement took Gohan back. "I know I haven't been training for the last-"

"Not just that, but you're also stupid and negligent."

Gohan's fist clenched at the insults being hurtled by the Saiyan in front of him. He was used to it from Vegeta, in fact, that's what he expected. Tai, however, was his friend, one who he had been patient with back when he first arrived on earth, and even more so now.

Tai hadn't shared much about his return with him or even what he had been doing for the past 7 years, something Gohan was okay with for now. However, Tai had gotten worse and more Vegeta like. He was more impatient, rude, dismissive, arrogant and refused to interact with anyone outside of Dende or himself.

He grabbed Tai by his shoulder, then lifted him into the air, "What are you going to do now?" Tai asked. "Punch me. Go ahead," Kai challenged, dropping his guard completely

Gohan charged a ki blast, preparing to throw it into Tai's chest, but thought better of it. Words usually didn't get to Gohan, and he wasn't going to allow Tai to make him angry.

"I'll give you that I'm weaker than I was in the Cell Games, but I know I'm not stupid?"

"You went into this superhero business half-cocked, and you didn't think it through. You claim you want to keep it a secret, but you haven't done much to do that."

"I wear a disguise and act differently. I even do those poses," Gohan defended.

"Then why do Videl and the blonde think your Saiyaman," he almost shouted.

"Videl has been suspicious of me since the beginning. The timing of Saiyaman and me showing up couldn't be helped, I'm not going to stand by while people get hurt. And Erasa is her best friend, so of course Videl could convince her."

"We wouldn't be having this conversation if it was just suspicion."

"Then does she have proof?"

"No, but the next time Videl talks to you, she's going to have questions for you that you can't answer. Unless you want her to find you out, you'd have to lie, and we both know how bad you are at that."

"How do you know this?"

"Because I've overheard her."

"Questions like what?"

"How come Saiyaman only shows up before and after school? Why does he show up when the Chief calls her whenever she's in your class, but when she's not in your class he's nowhere to be seen? How come now that her leg is hurt, and the Chief stopped paging her, Saiyaman has stopped helping during school hours? Why does he only show up on school days, the only days you're in the city? Where was he on the training day even though the city was filled with crime? A day when you weren't in the city."

Gohan's face slowly changed to one of horror, as Tai rattled off the questions that Videl had. He found it odd that she had been easy on him the past few weeks. She was building a case against me. Who does that to someone they don't know?

"And those are just the ones I heard. She probably has more, what were you going to do when she did ask these questions?"

"I don't know."

Tai's eyes shot open suddenly, making Gohan a little nervous. Seconds later another being materialised in front of them, and it looked exactly like Tai from head to toe. "He's on his way now, and he's with a red-haired human woman."

"Good," Tai acknowledged before putting his hand on the other Tai's chest. The clone began to glow a bright white before being absorbed into Tai.

"Tien's multiform technique. We'll talk this through later," Tai explained before the pair took off into the air. They got far enough that they couldn't be seen and concentrated their ki into their eyes to improve their vision.

The excursion turned out to be a waste of time, it was just Mr Moore and Mrs Laplace smoking on the roof. Nothing incriminating or worth harassing Gohan over.

-X-

The next day

Hercule City wasn't lively that morning, the rain could take the credit for that. It pounded against the screen of the roof that Tai was using for shelter. It was his free period, and the last thing he wanted to do was spend any more time with teenagers. Their problems are all so small, and they make them out to be the end of the world. He hadn't spent time in the city outside of the incident, and that time Erasa kicked him.

He walked through the same street where the convenience store was but was distracted by the litany of flowers that lined the street. Some had wilted and died, but most were new, vibrant and colourful. Opposite to the shop was a graffiti spray painting of an old man. That's the old man who tried to stop me from eating. Why would someone put that up?

The image of him bought a small smile to Tai's softened features, remembering what had happened the day they met and the words he spoke to him. There aren't many earthlings like him around.

In his trance, he failed to notice the small power level that approached. Erasa wordlessly walked past Tai and placed her bouquet of flowers in front of the shop on top of some that had died. He half expected her to ask him an arbitrary question or look at him curiously. But she didn't. She just stood in front of the store solemnly.

"Hey Erasa-" someone shouted from across the road, but she didn't take her eyes off the store, and her intensity never wavered. Tai took the opportunity to observe her features. Short, blonde, blue eyes, athletic frame, ridiculous shoes that you can't run or fight in and revealing clothing. Just like your typical teenage girl.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she teased with a wink.

Tai shook his head slightly to bring him back into reality. In his trance, he also failed to notice that Erasa's umbrella had stopped the rain from soaking his clothes. She stood on the tips of her toes and struggled to find a comfortable position to keep herself in.

What does she want? Tai scoffed before walking away from the bubbly blonde. Whatever she was trying to do I don't want anything to do with it. The further away from her, the better off I am.

"What is your problem!?" she stormed up to Tai, who himself didn't stop walking away. He was only halted when she stepped directly in front of him.

"Move!"

"No way. Not until you tell me what your deal is. I've tried to be nice to you, and all you've ever been is rude."

"Then stop trying to talk to me."

"The only reason I'm talking to you is so you'll answer my question. Once you answer it, then I'll be out of your hair."

"Then out with it."

"How did you know my grandfather. The man who's in the mural."

So that was her game. She just wanted to know my connection to the old man. "I only met him once. I didn't have any money, and I was hungry, so he let me have some food." It's only part of the truth, but it will do. Explaining the whole day's events would be problematic.

"That sounds like him. He couldn't turn away the needy."

"I never said I was needy."

"Well it sure sounded like it," she teased with a smile, one that soon faded at remembering something. "Grandpa was killed by an armed robber. He shot my grandad then fled the scene. He's even the guy that hurt Videl's leg."

Tai looked at her wearing a vacant expression. He knew the old man was dead, but he never found out how he died. Tai figured it was from all the excitement and his heart just gave out, but he was wrong. The fact he was shot alerted him to one truth. Tai had nothing to do with his death.

"The worst part is that the creep got away with all of it and the Red Shark Gang have everyone scared stiff, so no one's giving any information. He got away with murder, and he's still out there. My grandad's killer is still on the loose."

"Knowing who the killer is doesn't always help," the Saiyan said looking at the ground.

"What?"

"Knowing who killed your grandfather doesn't mean you'll have peace of mind. It could just make you angrier. Especially when you know there's nothing you can do to the killer."

He clenched his calloused fists while his normally black eyes eyes slowly turned a light teal. Images of a crying boy, desperately clinging to his father's corpse with a single hole through the heart flooded his mind. As did the cruel laughter that echoed in the ships CIC. I was such a coward. I should've fought until my dying breath.

The sight of her gaping mouth was enough to make Tai return to his usual bored demeanour. "Forget it," he began to walk away but was stopped by a gentle hand tugging at his wrist. "What do you want?"

"I don't know what to say, but I feel like I should say something."

"Why?"

"You just looked like you were in so much pain, and I wanted to help."

The sentiment wasn't new to him, in fact, it was often repeated by Bulma when he was on Earth waiting for Goku to return. Whenever she wasn't angry at him, she would try and make him feel more at home and try to ease him out of his nightmare stage. Being raised under Frieza's rule left him plenty of scars, and not all were physical. His face contorted, recalling his time with the Ginyu force, as well as his training sessions with Dodoria. They treated him like a punching bag, with their relentless assaults, they snapped his bones and crushed his organs. Whenever they were done, they would just throw him into the healing chamber, and the cycle would start again.

Tai couldn't help but grimace while grabbing his rib cage, grateful that it wasn't crushed.

She cupped his chin gently, her palms felt like satin sheets gliding over his cheeks, slowly melting away his anguish.

With his other hand, Tai slapped her soothing touch away. He held back enough that she wouldn't be hurt. "Stay away from me," he snarled.

-X-

Tai stood on top of the tallest skyscraper in the city, the telecast building, where Cell announced the Cell Games observing the cities inhabitants. The cold air was refreshing compared to the stale air he had to share with the school's inhabitants. He had a hard time getting Erasa out of his head after what she had done. Her… palm was gentle… and warm. Stupid Woman. Get out of my thoughts.

He spread his arms causing his wrist to become exposed. The watch he wore stuck out like a glowstick in the dark, making his eye to twitch uncontrollably. Of all the stupid ideas he could've come up with.

#flashback# 1 hour earlier

"Tai, I've been thinking about what you said yesterday about Videl. And I have an idea."

"Okay what is it?"

"Videl is convinced that I'm Saiyaman and she's got enough info to corner me."

"I already know that, I'm the one who told you about it."

"Well I thought about how I could disprove all of her potential questions then it hit me. What if she heard news about Saiyaman defending the innocent while I'm with her, or even better if she sees me speaking to him."

"I don't like where you're going with this Gohan."

"Come on."

"No."

"I'll give you my voice modulator."

"No."

"You can use the multiform technique, so she won't suspect you either."

"No."

"You only have to do a few poses."

"No."

"Come on."

"No."

"Come on."

"No."

"Come on."

"No."

#back to the present

How the hell did I end up agreeing to do this? Parading around in this ridiculous get-up fighting crime like those dumb superheroes they put on the billboards. This couldn't be more humiliating.

He pushed the button and the Great Saiyaman's attire materialised on his body. I stand corrected. He enjoys parading around in a cape as if it's not ridiculous.