Training

Only a few weeks had passed since Gohan had seen Hogwarts when Hermione had appeared in Paozu with Videl clasped worriedly on her arm.

"it's okay, Videl, it's over," Hermione laughed. Videl sighed and released her arm.

"Hey Gohan! Hi, Mrs. Son,"

"I tell you," Chi-Chi said in English. "You call me Chi-Chi. Don't call me missus. You make me feel old."

"Sorry, Chi-Chi. This is Videl," Hermione said, gesturing at her friend. Videl half hid shyly from the woman.

Chi-Chi would have none of it. She grabbed her arm and pulled her out. "Well, at least you are stronger than the bragging bum!" She said as she stalked around Videl like a predatory cat.

Videl blushed at the mention of her father, but her embarrassment gave way to a surprised look. "Stronger?"

Gohan choked on his favorite juice. "Mom! Stop it! You're scaring Videl."

Chi-Chi shrugged and returned to the sink. "If you go out, Gohan, I want you back before seven. You've got those college correspondence classes, remember? Bed by ten. Got it?"

"Right, Mom." Gohan said as he turned to leave.

"Oh, and if you go by Capsule Corp, pick up Goten from his play date with Trunks."

"Got it," Gohan and the two girls entered the yard.

"You've got a nice mom, Gohan," Videl said with a small, teasing grin.

"Yeah, I know," Gohan said earnestly. "Wait until you've had her cooking."

Videl raised a brow.

...

Seconds later, the three had arrived at Capsule Corporation. Gohan gasped, pointing.

"Hey, It's Professor Lupin!"

Lupin chuckled. "Yes, but I'm not Professor anymore, Gohan. So call me Remus."

"Okay. What're you doing here, Remus?"

"Always direct. Miss Granger invited me here to help her with a project she's working on. She's doing research on lycanthropy."

"Werewolves? I get it. She thinks there's a connection between the virus and blutz waves."

Remus frowned. "Virus?"

Gohan nodded, pointing at his nose. "My dad had a heart virus. I've been around other people with viral infections, too. My nose is usually right. The night you began to transform, I smelt it. It's actually one of the last things I remember before…I made an ape out of myself." Gohan chuckled, looking back at Videl nervously.

"It's okay, Gohan. I told her," Hermione said. "So you think it's a virus? That's interesting. Thanks, Gohan. I'll look into that. By the way, Bulma wanted to see you." Gohan, Videl, and Remus followed Hermione.

"Hey, kiddo!" A familiar voice said as a blue-haired woman stepped into view. "Wow! You get taller everytime I see you. Keep this up and you'll definitely outstretch Son-kun, little guy!"

Gohan scratched his head and chuckled, shuffling his feet shyly. Hermione suppressed a giggle.

"Well, I guess I've been busy, because I forgot to give you the chip for your birthday."

"Huh? Chip?"

"The chip for your Virtual Kiosk…the one Son-kun made." Bulma reached into her pocket and handed Gohan a small black chip.

"Thank you!" Gohan said enthusiastically. "So, what have you been working on?"

Bulma smiled, evidently pleased with herself. "Well, I thought it might be fun for you guys to be able to communicate from a distance, so I've been modifying some Saiyan technology for you to use. The scouters had communication devices embedded within the software. I've been streamlining the design. I hoped you and your friends would test the prototypes. If successful, Capsule Corporation could revolutionize communications within the next few years."

Bulma handed Gohan a flat, square box. Gohan opened it. It contained ten earpieces.

"They are simple enough to make. The design will allow me to reproduce fairly inexpensively. I'm also working on your Christmas presents for this year. Dende agreed to enchant them so they'd be usable within magical barriers."

"So, we'll be able to use them in school?" Gohan asked.

"You got it, kiddo. This is crazy! I still remember when I used to call Goku that! Man, I'm getting old."

"I don't understand, Bulma. You don't look old to me," Gohan said, staring at her.

"You are sooo sweet, Gohan. Chi-Chi's influence definitely shows," Bulma giggled.

Gohan scratched his head, laughing shyly.

Over the next month, Hermione worked in the lab with Bulma and Remus, while Gohan trained Videl. Her progress was gradual, but above average. She was, after all, human. Gohan, Videl, and Hermione watched Goku's five hour preparatory for the Kaio-ken technique. Gohan mastered the training in less than four hours. Hermione got it in a week. Videl finally managed by the end of the month. Gohan guessed he'd receive the actual Kaio-ken the following Christmas.

...

Meanwhile, the Weasleys were preparing for the large number of people who were planning to stay during the Quidditch World Cup. Ron and Ginny were sitting, relaxing after a long day of chores 'Muggle style,' because they weren't allowed to do magic outside of school.

"Blimey, you'd think we were preparing for royalty," Ginny said in exasperation.

Ron laughed nervously, thinking about a certain bushy-haired someone.

Ginny sat up. "Ron, why do you keep doing that? You keep acting like you know something I don't."

"Oh," Ron said with a jolt. Ginny had always been as perceptive as her mother. "Nothing."

"Don't give me that, Bilius! You've been acting weird for nearly two months. So spill it!"

Ron glared. He hated when people referred to him by that name.

A voice interrupted. "Would you two stop bickering? You're hurting my ears."

Ron looked up in surprise. Ginny yelped and toppled from her chair.

"Heeeeeyy, Piccolo! Whazzgoinon?" Ron said, relieved to have something else to focus his attention on.

"A certain young woman informed me that you requested training instruction? If that isn't the case, I could be persuaded to leave—"

"No no no no, stay please! We have plenty of food," Ron stammered.

Piccolo smirked. "Thanks, but Nameks drink water."

"Oh. I knew that. So, er, have you heard from Harry?"

"The last I saw of him was watching his face get smushed into the grass by one thirtieth of Vegeta."

Ron laughed. "So he's training too? I reckon I've got a lot to catch up on."

"His face smushed?" Ginny said in alarm.

Ron ignored her. "So, what do we do first?"

Piccolo smirked again. "I figured I'd start you out on the same training the girl started out on…but I seriously doubt you'll progress as fast as she did."

"Er, well, let's get started."

Ron's eyes bugged out when Piccolo told him Hermione's old regimen. "Are…you…mental? I'll never survive doing that all in one day!"

"She did," Piccolos said simply. "Oh, and that's just morning training."

"Bloody hell! Just morning? Besides, she's mental, too. Look what's she's got for a Da-"

"RON!" Piccolo barked suddenly, causing them both to flinch.

Ron looked at Ginny fearfully. Ginny looked from Ron to Piccolo in interest.

Piccolo sighed. "That's something you need to come to terms with, Ron, if you wish to continue your friendship. It would be most unkind and unwise for both of you to leave this issue unresolved," he said calmly before changing into a brusque bark. "Now shut up and pay attention! The afternoon training is a four hour meditation. I'm cutting it down to two, against my better judgment. That give you two hours to finish your house chores or rest. I will show up during the evenings and teach you the fighting style of my clan."

"Wicked! Sounds like fun!" Ginny said, mentally inviting herself.

Piccolo stared. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to the bizarre nature of females.

Harry trudged upstairs after another wearisome training session with Vegeta. It was a good thing the Saiyan prince thought to bring food every day, because he wasn't getting much from the Dursleys. Petunia was enforcing Dudley's diet on the entire family.

"Harry," a familiar voice said flatly.

Harry sighed, turning to face his porker cousin. "What is it, Dud?" he mumbled in a monotone.

"You know Videl Satan," the boy said.

Harry sighed again. They had been having the same conversation for weeks. It started with Dudley saying, "You know Videl Satan" and ended with Harry replying, "Yes, I know her." He inhaled and spoke in a deliberately patient voice, "Yes, Dudley. I know her." Harry turned to enter his room.

"Harry?"

"Dudley, I can't have this conversation anymore," Harry said in agitation.

"Where do you go every day?"

"Training," Harry said in a bored voice.

"M-magic?" Dudley whispered in horror.

"No, Dudley. Muggle fighting…martial arts."

Dudley fidgeted. "Well, er, can I watch?"

Harry raised a brow. "It's pretty intense, Dud. What about your…lot?"

Dudley shrugged. "They don't like me much anymore, now…now that I'm—"

Harry grimaced. Was he actually feeling sorry for his cousin? "You can come, Dudley, but don't get too close. And whatever you do, don't piss off Vegeta."

Ron collapsed for the tenth time that day, panting wearily. Ginny sank down beside him.

"Come on, Ron," she said, panting. "You've got to keep moving."

"I'm bloody dying. This was a bad idea," he said in a strained voice.

"We're almost finished," she said.

"You've been saying that for an hour," Ron grumbled.

"You've been saying that you're bloody dying for an hour, too. Fine. You lay there. I'm going on. See you at the Burrow. Bilius!" She laughed and sprinted away.

Ron sat up, furious. "DON'T CALL ME BILIUS!" He bellowed and raced after her.

Piccolo chuckled as he watched from above. She understands him. She knew exactly which button to press to get him moving. A rustling caught Piccolo's attention. A pair of identical red-heads emerged from the bushes and sprinted up the dirt road after the other two. Hmm. From the looks of things I'll soon be training a small army.

Vegeta fell from the sky with a smirk. "So, who's the porker?"

Dudley eyed the fridge hungrily.

"This is my cousin, Dudley Dursley."

"Really? So I get another punching bag today?" Vegeta said, eyeing the boy hopefully.

"No, Vegeta. He's only here to watch."

"Pity. He looks especially squishy, the best kind of punching bag…kind of reminds me of Dodoria."

"Is there food in there?" Dudley asked suddenly.

Vegeta's wicked grin widened. "That depends. How bad do you want some?"

Dudley gulped.

…

Two hours later, a bloody mass the size of a young killer whale collapsed in exhaustion. Harry approached him. He glared at Vegeta. "Honestly, Vegeta! That was brutal! You could have killed him! Give him a sensu, right now!"

Vegeta feigned a look of innocence. "But you said he wanted to lose weight. I was doing bacon boy a favor." He offered Harry a sensu, who snatched it angrily from the Saiyan prince's hand.

"Here, Dud. Eat this. You shouldn't have agreed to it," Harry said quietly as he poked the bean into Dudley's mouth. Dudley gasped as the sensu took effect and stood up.

"Do I get to eat now?" Harry fell over.

Vegeta grunted, motioning to the capsule fridge with a grin. "Help yourself."

Harry groaned as he followed.

Hermione dodged as the defensive tactical robots bounced her ki blast back at her in her capsule GR room. After nearly six months of training, she had finally broken past fifty times gravity. Gohan was in his own capsule nearby, training in 500X. She sighed as she thought about it. Maybe Gohan's right. Maybe I should take it up a bit, especially with my better schedule this upcoming term.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. As of late, she had begun sleeping one less hour each night, bringing her total hours of sleep down to five. It seemed that she was requiring less sleep, which was strange, considering that her puberty had finally kicked in over the summer. In the last month alone, she had grown five inches in stature. She was also having to wear chest-supporting equipment for the first time, one of the more annoying consequences of a young girl beginning in bloom.

She recently had Bulma order some unitards in the same material that Vegeta's Saiyan uniform was constructed, with some subtle differences. Hermione's unitards were designed for a growing young woman's body. They were styled like the modest skirted bathing costumes she favored, a single-piece solid-colored ensemble with a gentle, flowing skirt that stopped mid-calf. When her first set arrived, Hermione was surprised to see that they were in feminine colors: pale pink, pale blue, lavender, sage green, and white.

She had tried the pink one one as soon as they arrived, surprised at how comfortable they were. Bulma had thought of everything, as usual. Each had a built in bra. She pulled her Muggle clothes on over them, tucking the skirt into her jeans and viewing herself in the mirror. No one would be able to tell, unless someone came from behind and yanked off her pants or looked up her robes. She had smiled at herself.

"Perfect!"

She was training in the sage-colored one. Even though she loved them all, it was her least favorite. The cloth was amazingly resilient for the trauma Hermione was putting it through.

She heard a banging on the door. She said, "Cancel All."

The female computer voice responded, "Canceling current actions. Please stand by."

Hermione hit the kiosk to open the door. Lupin averted his eyes. "Miss Granger, Bulma said to bring you in for lunch." Having forgotten, Hermione jumped from the door frame and pulled on her Muggle clothes. Blushing furiously, she reemerged.

"Sorry."

"It's perfectly understandable. I was the same at your age." Lupin said mildly as they entered the kitchens.

"If you two are going to spy on us, would you at least do it quietly?" Ginny said in frustration at the sniggering bushes. She snapped her eyes shut angrily as she sat. She was supposed to be clearing her mind.

Fred popped from the bush. "!" he shouted, grinning broadly.

Ginny's eyes shot open and she got to her feet. "That's it!" She approached her brother and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him several inches from the ground.

"Come on, Ginny!" Fred said in a mockingly fearful voice. "I were only joking."

"Two things! Leave us alone…and LEARN TO SPEAK PROPER ENGLISH!" She tossed him away from her. He landed shortly away with a soft thud on his backside, grinning happily.

Ginny sat back down and closed her eyes, her nostrils flaring.

George emerged from the bushes and squatted next to his identical sibling, grinning evilly. "I reckon it's safe to say which parent she takes after."

Ginny's eyes shot open. "I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU!" She shot up and chased the two all over the wooded hills.

Piccolo watched the antics of the red-heads with a smirk. At least I don't have to worry about finding entertainment for the next several weeks.

Dudley and Harry reached Number Four Privet Drive with a identical moans. Completely exhausted, the two meandered slowly up the sidewalk and numbly opened the door.

Petunia shrieked. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BABY?" Her eyes taking in the bruises and scrapes on her son's porky flesh.

"I'm fine, thanks," Harry muttered irritably.

"You! Explain this, now!"

Harry opened his mouth—

"There's a bully…on the playground. He beat us up," Dudley said, cutting Harry off. Harry stared.

"Who is he? I'll call the police! I'll call his parents! Who is it?" Petunia demanded.

"No, Mum. We'll handle this. Harry and me."

"Harry and—" Petunia repeated, staring at her son as though he had gone insane.

"We're really tired, Mum. We're going to bed. Good night," Dudley said absently as he strode up the stairs, leaving a completely bewildered Harry and Petunia behind.

Harry pointed at his cousin's back, stammering. "I-I…agree…with…whatever he just said. Goodnight, Aunt Petunia." Harry took the steps as fast as his weary feet could handle.

Hercule Satan frowned. He wasn't at the local bar to pick up beautiful women, as usual. He wasn't at his personal training dojo, slamming challengers and admirers against the wall, as usual. He wasn't on the closest television broadcast telling the world about his legendary defeat of Cell, as usual. No, Hercule standing next to his fireplace mantle, frowning thoughtfully at a picture of two people, one of whom was himself.

The other was a small girl with raven-black hair and brilliant blue eyes. Of course, the picture had been taken several years before the defeat of Cell, several years before Hercule's life had become so complicated. Videl had been a pretty, precocious, feisty daughter. And she was still the same…only she wasn't. Since Hercule's pompous declaration of Cell's defeat, Videl had been avoiding him.

He knew she'd get the letter to that school eventually. It was once all her mother ever talked about: her childhood adventures at Hogwarts. Hercule smiled as he remembered the first day they had met. He was the arrogant jerkwad he always had been, and she was the beautiful, clever, sweet thing she had learned to be. He had boasted that no woman would ever beat him. She had laughed. It had angered him. She had him on his back in less than ten seconds, not even using the thing she called magic. No. She had beat him with her own physical strength and strategy.

How he had been humiliated! He fumed for weeks over the audacity of the woman. He finally saw her again, weeks later in an alley with a man in a black robe. He approached boldly, wanting to insist on a rematch. But something caught him off guard. She was on her knees, crying. The hooded man was standing over her with a wooden stick, sneering unpleasantly. He pointed it at her, saying something that sounded like, "Cru-see-oh!" The girl shrieked in agony.

"It's a shame such a pretty face be wasted on Muggle filth," the man said softly. Hercule had watched as the man raised his wand. A hot fury suddenly rushed through his veins, and Hercule charged the man, wrenching the stick from his hand and crushing him into the wall. Hercule punched the man's teeth out, gathered the unconscious girl into his arms, and ran like hell. She had come to on his sofa, in his plain apartment, in what was once called East City. They had talked all night, and the night after, and the night after. Shortly after, they had married.

She had changed him. He was once a better man. He didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't chase women, didn't approach opponents with the arrogance he was now well known for. But most of all, he never took credit for what other people had done.

But she had died, leaving him to raise a baby girl on his own. He sank into a deep depression. He had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. He was a nobody, but she had made him feel special. She had soothed his agitation, tamed his bruteness, quieted his insecurities. But she was gone, gone forever. All that was left of her was a toothless wailing effigy that was a constant reminder of his loss.

She greatly resembled her mother. Hercule had tried, tried not to get close to the child, tried to emotionally detach himself. But Videl Satan refused to be ignored. She was a lot like him, as well. He fell in love with the drooling, snotty, loud toddler that could kick as hard as a mule. As much as he pretended, Hercule was so proud of his little girl.

Thinking back over the year, he remembered the strange looks Videl had given him the rare moments she had seen him. She knew. She knew he was a fraud, a charlatan. He knew she knew. A stony feeling of dread filled his stomach as he clamped his hand over his jaw. If she knew everything, would she ever forgive me?

He sighed wearily. If he had known what he was getting himself into, he would have never said that he had beaten Cell. But now that he had, how could he take it back? If he told the truth, his titles, his fortune, his belts, his reputation…would all be out the window. But all those things, were they worth losing the only important thing he had left?

She, at least, deserved to know the truth…about everything…including her mother. Hercule never told her how she really died.

Hercule's eyes darted toward the bodyguard who went with him everywhere, except to the toilet. He snorted. The supposed Strongest Man in the World shouldn't need a bodyguard. I have to get out of here.