Chapter 3

"Let Me Train Him"

Chi Chi was rushing around the kitchen, hair falling loose as she tried desperately to keep up. A party of ten had just been seated, and that wasn't even counting the two other tables that were already there. She was bustling like she'd never been before, and she could feel exhaustion creeping up.

Desperately she filled the orders, eyes squinting as she made sure that each ticket was done right. She quickly glanced at the clock, and heaved a big sigh. It was just now four. There was nothing she wanted to do more than to go next door, grab Gohan, and pass out.

Shaking her head, she hurried even faster to get the orders out. By five all of the orders were out, and the customers were gone. During this dead period, she gathered up all of the dishes, tips, and began scrubbing at the tables, unsure of when the next group would come in.

She knew she should get to work on the dishes, but instead she was seated at a booth, eying the door warily. This small moment to herself was wondrous, and she even had the time to take out her phone, glancing at the messages.

One from Goku—delete. They all said the same thing, as far as she was concerned. It was always something about how he missed them, but surprise there was another match happening elsewhere that he just had to attend and didn't she understand how important it was?

The next message… She blinked. It was from Junior. Roughly two weeks had passed since she'd gotten his number, and she'd only heard from him once, (apparently Gohan had been hungry again, and Junior had taken him out). Clicking on the icon, she opened up the thread, and felt ice pour into her stomach.

Shoving her phone in her pocket, she ran out of the restaurant, only stopping to flip the sign from OPEN to CLOSED, locking the door in a frantic hurry. Her feet flew across asphalt, and she came tumbling into Junior's shop.

"He hasn't been here?" Chi Chi demanded, flying past all of the precariously hanging plants. Junior's eyes widened momentarily, before his face set into a grim mask.

"No. He hasn't." Junior grimaced, and rose from his seat. "This is not like him. He normally comes straight here from the bus." Chi Chi was frantic beside him. Her hands shook as she tried to drive away every foul thought that plagued her head.

—You drove away your husband why not your kid, too? Who would stay with you?

Chi Chi rushed for the exit again, ready to hurl herself into the city in a desperate attempt to find her baby. She was stopped, however, as a rather large hand encircled her arm. She jerked to a stop, and turned in a wave of fury upon Junior, who silenced her immediately.

"Are you going to go searching for him on foot, through a place you don't know?" Junior demanded, glowering down at her.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to find my son!" She snapped, attempting to pull free from his vice grip. He didn't relent.

"Knock it off," he commanded, and that simply made her anger flare up more.

"Look, just because you're an inconsiderate asshole doesn't mean I'm going to sit here and let my child get kidnapped or—or—or—," Her voice broke, and she gave one last, half-hearted tug. Junior exhaled heavily through his nose.

"I'm not suggesting you sit here," his tone was flat, neutral, but Chi Chi could sense aggravation underneath. He dug his free hand into his pocket, retrieving a set of keys, which he deposited into Chi Chi's hand. "Your car is still broken down, right?"

She nodded, mutely, hand closing around the key ring.

"Take mine. I'll go on foot." He released her, and she rubbed at the spot that he had held.

"You're going to look for him, too?" Chi Chi didn't mean to sound quite so surprised, and apparently Junior took it offensively.

"Of course I'm looking for the damned kid! I'm not going to sit here and file my nails while the damn thing is missing!"

Chi Chi almost reprimanded him for referring to Gohan as a 'thing', but decided that it was better just to let it go. She gulped, nodded, and quickly headed for Junior's car. Sliding into a seat, she attempted to adjust it, hands still a shaky mess as she jammed the keys into the ignition. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Junior taking off, and wondered where he was going to look.

Backing out, she began roaming town, ignoring the honks she got as she slowed down every time she saw a little boy with black hair. Her face was pressed close to the window, and she parked a few times, wandering around areas like parks. Inside she kept pushing down the panic that kept rising in her throat.

While she was checking a playground, her phone gave a loud, sharp buzz. She hurriedly hit the Call button, and crammed the phone to her ear, audibly gulping as she recognized the voice on the other side.

"I found him."

She wanted to cry with relief, and she wasn't even entirely certain that she didn't. Her hand was clapped to her mouth as she muffled some noise, and tried very hard not to scream into the receiver.

"Where was he?" Chi Chi demanded, almost hysterical.

There was a pause. "Meet me at Porunga's Post."

Chi Chi felt her stomach drop, and cold dread seeped through her. "Where are you? Wouldn't it be easier for me to come pick you up?"

Another pause. "No. He wasn't that far from home." She was certain she heard crying in the background. Was that crying?! "Look just. Hurry up. All right. I'm not good with the brat when he's like this."

His voice sounded heavy with disgust, and Chi Chi felt fire in her belly at once. Junior hung up on her, however, and she was left foolishly holding her phone. Flustered, she crammed it back into her pocket, and hurried back to the car, mind flurried with all the possibilities that awaited her back at home.

As soon as the car was parked back in front of Porunga's Post, she was inside. Chi Chi's feet slid just a bit, and she saw that Junior and Gohan were already there. Junior stood off to the side, just a bit, looking incredibly uncomfortable, while Gohan's gaze remained locked on the floor.

Chi Chi hurried to him, knees hitting the tile faster than anticipated. Her hands were immediately at Gohan's chin, forcing him to look up at her.

She gasped, recoiling from the sight.

His eye was large and swollen, an ugly purple hue that looked incredibly painful. From his nose down to his chin was covered in dried blood, though his busted lip still continued to ooze. She saw that his arms were bruised as well, and that there seemed to be a cut just above his eyebrow. Chi Chi stared in horror at her son, unable to comprehend what was happening.

Her mouth opened, closed, and continue to work in such a fashion as she quickly looked to Junior, desperate for answers.

"What…" her voice was a hoarse whisper, and her eyes were looking a bit glazed. "Where did you find him…?"

"He was in an alley nearby." Junior's voice sounded deeper than normal, and he was watching both Chi Chi and Gohan with his arms crossed. "He was crying so much when I found him, I haven't gotten anything out of him." His voice dipped into a snarl. "And believe me, I tried."

Chi Chi turned back to Gohan, her fingertips skittering lightly across his wounds. He flinched at her touch, and he sucked in his bottom lip, tears starting to pour from his face anew. She gulped, and hurriedly took him into her arms, whispering soft words to him.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay…" Chi Chi patted his back, trying to ease him up. "We'll go to the hospital—it'll be all right."

"Unnecessary," Junior commented. "The kid's not hurt bad enough."

Chi Chi turned a rather fierce glare on him. "His face is—,"

"His face is fine," Junior returned, looking a little huffy. "All of that will heal. What is more important is what put him in this state."

Chi Chi gave a slow, begrudging nod, and braced her hands against Gohan's shoulders, pushing him back just slightly. Her eyes searched his face, but he wasn't looking at her, instead he chose to stare at his lap, silent as his jeans were covered in tears.

"Baby… You have to tell us what happened…?" Chi Chi was attempting to keep her voice low and coaxing, keeping her hand going in warm, comforting circles on his back. Gohan gave a pathetic little hiccup, hands clenching in his lap.

Gohan scrubbed at his uninjured eye, and shifted in his seat. When he finally did speak, his voice cracked, but he kept going.

"I-I felt so bad about… About Mr. Junior p-paying for my food s-so I… I told them th-they couldn't have my lunch money a-anymore…" He started sobbing again, and Chi Chi heard Junior shift. When she looked at him, his face was completely averted from the boy.

Chi Chi took this information in, before asking her next question. "Baby… is this… 'they'… are they the reason you've been coming home so hungry?"

Gohan didn't answer, and merely stared resolutely at his lap.

She sighed, then, long and hard, her entire shoulders heaving with the effort. Trying, and failing, she attempted to pick Gohan up, as he seemed more than unwilling to walk. Grunting, she crouched down beside him, unsure of what to do.

She heard footsteps behind her, and Junior was there, scooping Gohan up. The boy hiccuped once more as Junior cradled him, and Gohan turned his face into the Namekian's shirt, sobs wracking his whole body.

Chi Chi glanced at Junior. "You're going to carry him…?"

"I carried him all the way here," Junior grunted. "I don't think a small trip to your shop will be that much more taxing."

Chi Chi nodded, numbly, but reached up, resting her hand against Gohan's shoulder. Then she began walking, leading the duo towards her house. She led Junior inside, and all the way to the door, then up the stairs. Their trip was in silence, aside from Gohan crying, and Chi Chi kept it that way.

Once inside, she pointed Junior to Gohan's room. Junior kicked open the door, and ducked his head, attempting not to hit any of the model airplanes or planets dangling from the ceiling. He bent down, and Chi Chi watched as he placed Gohan in the bed. Junior quickly stepped back when Chi Chi came closer, tucking her son in underneath his comforter. She smoothed her hand over the emblem—some weird movie that he loved—and pressed one last kiss to his forehead.

She left the room then, and Junior followed, leading them both to stand awkwardly in the living room. Chi Chi hesitated, just for a moment, and noticed that Junior seemed unaware of what to do as well.

"Would you… Uh… Want some tea?" she offered, but Junior shook his head.

"Just… Just water. If you have any." He grimaced at his words, but Chi Chi paid it no mind, and instead led him into her kitchen. She pulled a bottle out of the fridge for him. As he drank his water, she set about boiling herself some tea, keeping busy, not wanting to discuss what had just happened.

"I um… I think I'll keep him out of school for a few days." Her voice was quiet, and she kept her back to her house guest. "I wanted to thank you… For helping me find him. And I'm sure that you didn't do it out of kindness, or whatever, but…" She finally turned to him, resting her hip against the counter top. "Thanks."

Junior grunted, staring at his bottle, apparently finding whatever pattern the water was making to be far more stimulating then Chi Chi.

"I know you'll probably say that you're just adding this onto his debt," Junior looked ready to argue, but Chi Chi kept going, "but I'd like it if you gave him a break for a bit. I think he should stay home, at least for a week."

Junior sneered at that. "I think that's an idiotic decision. It's just going to teach the little bastards that beat him up that he's scared."

"He is scared," Chi Chi huffed. "He's a little boy."

"And I'm telling you I know what little boys are capable of—especially once they know that someone is weak." Junior downed the rest of his water, and swiped the back of his hand against his mouth. "They've already been harassing him, they've already stolen his money, and now they've most certainly resorted to violence. I say you teach the kid how to fight."

Chi Chi felt a hot flush creep up her neck and into her cheeks. "I most certainly will not! Gohan is not going to do any sort of fighting, whatsoever!" Her fists clinched, and to distract herself once more she began pouring her tea, taking her cup into her hands, and tried very hard not to fling the hot drink onto Junior.

"Gohan is already fighting," Junior remained seating, but his tone was definitely defiant, "this is just a matter of whether or not he loses."

"Some delinquents beating him is not him fighting! It's him being attacked! And I will definitely call the school over it!"

"And if Gohan's too scared to give you names? Or too worried what his classmates will think of him for snitching?"

"So it's better for them to mock him over how beat up he looks?" Chi Chi pressed the ceramic to her mouth, eyebrow twitching as she accidentally knocked it against her teeth.

"I'm not saying that," Junior crinkled the water bottle up in his hand, "I'm saying that with how kids think, Gohan's not going to want to risk that. And say you call the school board on this one, well what happens next time? Or the next time?"

"Then we continue to do the right thing," Chi Chi narrowed her eyes. "Anyways, this is no concern of yours!"

Junior straightened up in his seat. "I know that. I'm trying to help you. I'm not telling you to encourage your kid to fight—what I am saying is that he needs to know how to be able to handle threats when they come his way. Physical or verbal."

"And I'm saying that he will not learn such things in this household!"

"Well he could learn them in mine."

Chi Chi physically stopped, staring at him. "Excuse me?"

"I could train the kid." Junior glanced towards the door, finger drumming against the wooden table.

She said nothing, and stared down at her cup. Her mind was full of images of her son's face, and how her husband always looked like that when he came home. Oh, it was always fine, full of laughs as he attempted to kiss her with a swollen lip, but…

There was the paralyzing fear that Gohan would become like Goku. That he would emulate that—that weird need to roam and fight. She didn't know if she could handle that a second time. Didn't know if her heart would take that. Another fighter—another leaver.

Chi Chi was struck by the urge to cry again. She set her cup down, and pressed her fingertips to her temple. Her lips were dry, and she licked them, unsure of where to go now. Junior said nothing, though, and sat there, apparently waiting for her decision.

"It's… Been a long day," her voice was hoarse. It didn't sound like the voice of someone that had been drinking tea. "We can talk about this another time. Right now I just…I want to lie down."

Junior hesitated, but just for a moment, before he nodded in ascension. There was only two seconds after that before he was gone down the stairs, presumably back to his shop.

Exhausted, Chi Chi let down her hair, and quickly changed her clothes. She stepped into Gohan's room, and crawled next to him in the bed. He was no longer crying.

When Chi Chi settled herself in, Gohan slowly turned to her.

"Mom."

"Mm?" She could feel her eyes already slipping closed, despite Gohan's attempts to talk to her.

"I think I want Mr. Junior to train me…"

"So you heard us?"

He was silent, but she cracked open one eye and saw that he was nodding, staring fervidly up at her. Chi Chi said nothing, opting to instead snuggle closer. She pressed another kiss to him, and smoothed back his hair.

"Baby, let's talk about it in the morning."

Chapter 4

"Like a Father?"

Chi Chi woke, eyes blearily staring at her cellphone chiming. Her face was buried in Gohan's hair, and his limbs were thrown around her neck. She attempted to reach for her phone, fingers scrabbling helplessly at her jeans, trying not to jostle her son.

It seemed the movement and sound were finally enough, though, and he released her, eyebrows furrowing in consternation as he rolled over. Her heart ached at the sight of his little face, scrunched up and bruised…

She quickly crawled out of the bed, exiting the room before she opened her cell's lock screen. Glancing down, she saw that she had three missed calls from Junior. As she prepared to call back, she was interrupted by her phone blaring once again.

Chi Chi grumbled something rather rude, and slid the call icon up, pressing it to her ear.

"It's about damn time!" Came the now familiar voice, and she rolled her eyes.

"What do you need?" Chi Chi asked, making her way downstairs. She still had some dishes left over that she needed to get working on before Gohan was up for the day. Her mind was whirling with all of the things she had to do, and the decisions that had to be made. Cleaning was the best way to get her focused.

As she pushed open the door to the restaurant, she was surprised to see a rather disgruntled Junior standing outside, one hand shoved in his pocket as the other held his phone into place. Through the glass she could see his angry gaze.

She giggled, momentarily forgetting she was on the phone with him.

"Don't laugh, you damned woman!" Junior snarled, face twisting up. Chi Chi couldn't help herself, though, and laughed even louder, making her way to the front door. She lowered her phone, hitting the disconnect button. Unlocking the door, she moved to the side, allowing Junior into the room, face flushed purple as he glared angrily down at her.

"Yes?" She asked. After locking the door once more, she headed back towards the kitchen, Junior stomping along behind her. He was blabbering on about how obnoxious she was, footsteps hard behind her on the kitchen tile.

Her hand was already on the faucet when he finally quieted down, and she could hear his foot tapping behind her. She'd never realized how loud it was in here, since she was usually playing music of some kind. She hunched up her shoulders, rolling up her sleeves as she tried to ignore the unfamiliar presence in her restaurant.

Chi Chi sucked in a deep breath, shoving dishes into the water. After a few attempts, she was able to get her voice working again, and felt her spine straighten itself out. She was Son Chi Chi—badass culinary goddess, who took no man's shit, not even an alien's. She had this.

"If you're just going to sit there," Chi Chi began, pouring enough tone into her voice, "you could at least help me." The scrub pad was in her hand as she began attacking plates, grateful for the distraction. Behind her, there was a very sharp noise of complaint.

"Listen, Milk, I did not come here to trade pleasantries with you!" Junior sounded very offended, but Chi Chi stared resolutely at the plate in front of her. She lifted to her face, scrunching up her nose as she did so. These spots were rough—she should never have left them over night. Now it was going to be hell…

She glanced over her shoulder, catching Junior's attention. He bared his teeth at her, but she scoffed, then shoved the plate in his face.

He reacted violently, jerking back, eyes crossing to the point of the plate as his entire body convulsed. She glanced at his arms, ram-rod straight at his side as he flexed his claws. Chi Chi bit her lip, bangs falling across her eyes just so, as she hoped her amusement wasn't too obvious. It wouldn't do good to frighten the poor thing.

"What're you playing at, woman?" Junior snapped, collecting himself enough to realize his embarrassment, his face flushing purple.

"C'mon—you've got those big strong arm muscles, let's put them to use!" Chi Chi waved the dish under his nose once more. He muttered something that sounded incredibly offensive, but snatched the plate out of her hand. She observed, only interrupted when his long fingers scraped against hers, pulling the scrub out of her hand.

Chi Chi quickly turned her back, moving on to the next plate. This one was putting up less of a challenge, and she decided she could tackle it.

"Look, dammit, I came over here for a reason," Junior grunted, depositing the now spotless plate in the water beside Chi Chi. "I want to know your answer about the kid."

"Gohan," Chi Chi retorted, up to her elbows in suds, "is upstairs and asleep. I had hoped to talk to him about all of this but…" her voice quavered, and she paused in her pursuit of cleanliness. "I'm not really sold on the idea…"

"You're being ridiculous."

"Pardon me, but I suppose it's a human thing to not want our children hurt."

C'mon, Chi Chi! You can beat that Son boy! I know it!

"If you don't want your child hurt, then he needs to learn to defend himself."

"Violence leading into violence. Like I said, I don't want him hurt."

He beat me dad... That Son boy beat me...

"He's already been hurt," Junior snapped, and Chi Chi could feel him looming behind her. "What I'm offering his preventive measures and—would you just give me the damn plate? You're not getting it clean."

Chi Chi blinked, startled at the quick transition. Not really thinking, she handed the plate over, and passed the scrub with it this time. She switched to her other scrub, seeking easier dishes in the pile. Behind her, the sounds of scrubbing were heard.

"I don't know why you're so against this, but I'm telling you that whatever the hell you do—if it's not those kids, then it'll be another group—the kid's going to get his shit beat again." Junior tossed another clean dish into the middle sink to be rinsed. He reached around Chi Chi's shoulder, snatching up another dish that had a layer of crud.

"I'm not saying you're wrong…" Chi Chi figured if she didn't comment on it, then maybe Junior wouldn't realize that he was slipping so easily into domestication with her. His face was screwed up, and he seemed rather focused, grabbing new dishes after he was done.

She was happy to see, however, that her commissioning him had been in good faith. He was blasting through dirt, arm flexing as he pushed the plate closer to his stomach.

Chi Chi sighed. "But it's just a bit more complicated than that…"

"It's most certainly not," Junior huffed, pausing for a moment. "I could even demonstrate on you what I plan to teach him."

Chi Chi blinked, but quickly held up her hands, waving him away in a defensive posture.

"No, that's not necessary…"

"Fine. Then just agree." Junior stared down at her, crossing his arms. Water and soap dribbled down a line onto his shirt, and she wondered if he noticed. If he did, he said nothing, and so she looked back up to his eyes.

"If… If Gohan agrees, then I won't fight it."

"Good," Junior smirked, and it was a broad thing. His fangs flashed, while his eyes narrowed in on her.

Cocky bastard… Chi Chi grumbled to herself, and all she could do was to nitpick all the ways it was different from Goku's own lilting smile. When Goku looked at her, it was a lop-sided, goofy grin, eye-lids drooping as he maneuvered closer. This was predatory—almost rapacious, exuding self-confidence.

At least he looks a little less ugly, she thought, and turned her back to him. She had to have a talk with Gohan soon.

Gohan had, of course, agreed. She had noticed a bit of reluctance in him, though she didn't press too hard on the topic. Taking advantage of his few days off from school, she sent him over to Junior's, and occupied herself on fixing the shop up more thoroughly. She figured that by tomorrow things would be back to normal, and she could open up once more.

Chi Chi was taking a small break, feet tucked underneath her as she sat at a table, sipping away at her tea. She had pulled up a recent article over gang-related youth incidents, when there was a knock at the door.

She blinked, closing out the browser on her phone as she looked to the door. The CLOSED sign was very obvious, as far as she was concerned, and yet there stood a customer. It was a woman, waving avidly at Chi Chi through the glass door.

Chi Chi stood, slowly, reluctantly. She made her way to the door, and pointed at the sign, hoping that her face had the perfect amount of remorse to appease a customer. The lady motioned even more frantically, tapping on the window.

Sighing, Chi Chi unlocked the door, taking up residence in the doorway, blocking the way into the restaurant.

The woman said something like 'finally', and Chi Chi pursed her lips. Whoever this was, she was young and beautiful, with long blue hair spilling down her back in big curls. Her legs were over half of her body, long and shapely underneath her chic red dress. She shifted her hips, jewelry clicking, as her perfectly glossed lips quirked upwards in a smile.

Chi Chi suddenly felt very self-conscious, in her raggedy jeans and oversized shirt, hair sticking to her face from the collective sweat of working at the shop. She gulped, and shifted her weight, attempting to not be intimidated by this woman.

"Hi," blue hair shook across the girl's shoulders, "I'm Bulma Briefs—I'm sure you've heard of me."

Chi Chi furrowed her brow, and gave a slow nod. The Briefs family were incredibly famous, having a hand in every aspect of business. Science, politics, writing—everything was covered by their conglomerate.

"Um… Yes," she replied, shifting again. Her mouth was a bit dry at imagining how rich this woman was, and what it would be like to have that much money. Hell, to have that stability. She and Gohan could want for nothing with that amount of cash…

Bulma propped her hands on her hips, squinting past Chi Chi into her shop.

"Well—I saw that you were hiring," she paused midsentence, digging into her purse. Soon she arose with a wrinkled up newspaper, presenting the circled ad to Chi Chi. "And I want the job."

"Um—," Chi Chi sucked in her bottom lip, staring at the ad she'd placed. Honestly, when she'd put that out, she could never have imagined someone like Bulma Briefs appearing at her doorstep, demanding a job. "Why… Why do you want to work here?"

A giggle was Chi Chi's reward. "Well, look, if I'm entirely honest—I would never work here of my own volition. But let's just say that I have a reason to be here, okay?"

Chi Chi felt a bit offended at that. Here this girl was demanding a job, and yet she couldn't even bother to explain herself. Feeling her cheeks redden, she crossed her arms, matching Bulma's gaze.

"Do you have any work experience?"

Bulma arched an eyebrow. "Really? I mean… I guess it's normal procedure to ask that but, no. I don't. The only experience I have would be all of my impressive schooling, and my father's own tutelage in astrophysics and engineering." Her smile was a cocky. "It's a pretty amazing—I know. But! Nothing to do with this job."

"Exactly…" Chi Chi dragged the word out. She couldn't very well tell a rich heiress to 'fuck off', could she?

"Look," Bulma sighed, "I can guess what that look means. But, I'm just letting you know, that I've been scouting this place. I wanted to see my competition, y'know? Turns out, there isn't any. I know for a fact you haven't had any other applicants. I've also noticed a spike in business." Her face looked like a cat that had just trapped a mouse. "Which it seems you're having trouble keeping up with."

Chi Chi pursed her lips, but gave a slow nod. It left a bit of a sting to feel that thrown back in her face.

"I also know you've been busy with your kid—so, just to save you some time and all that, why not just hire me? If you need a resume to put on file, I'm sure I can have one sent to you—it's of no matter to me." Bulma stopped then, leaning back, eyes surveying Chi Chi.

For her part, Chi Chi was struggling with part admiration for Bulma's thoroughness, and part disgust at how well this girl had dug into her life, inserting herself without Chi Chi's expressed permission. She wasn't even going to ask how Bulma had 'scouted' her restaurant, because she was pretty certain it had been through third party agents, and that made her skin crawl.

Chi Chi sighed, glancing first from the shop, to Bulma, and then over to Porunga's Post… An extra set of hands didn't seem so bad, really… Especially with this newest development of Gohan's. Then again, she'd have to train Bulma from the ground up—there was no telling what, if anything, this girl knew…

Gritting her teeth, Chi Chi sighed. "Fine. When are you free to start training?"

Bulma grinned, beaming down at Chi Chi as she extended a hand. They shook, though Chi Chi wondered if it was obvious how pruny and calloused her hands were. "Great! I'll start tomorrow!"

"Make sure you wear something… less like that," Chi Chi advised, to which Bulma snorted, and agreed. She just hoped she was making the right decision…

Junior was crouched down next to Gohan, and, for the eight time, snarling at him to actually form a fist. Gohan was struggling, however, hand meekly curling its fingers. The thought of hitting anyone scared him, and he didn't feel comfortable with the thought at all.

No matter how many times Junior assured him it would be all right.

"C'mon, kid!" Junior snapped, his own grip just a bit rough on Gohan's hand. The boy bit his lip, trying not to whimper as his hand was forced into the proper shape. "Now, let's try this again." Junior stood, motioning at his stomach. "Hit me."

Gohan shook, reared back his arm, and stumbled forward, hand bouncing uselessly off of Junior's stomach. He heard a loud groan above him, and fought down the wave of nausea that was rising up. Between being a disappointment, and actually having to hurt someone, Gohan was caught on which one was worse.

He gulped, as Junior crouched down beside him once more. The alien was massive, eyes burrowing into Gohan's. He made sure to aver this eyes, staring down at his scraped hands. There were waves of anger rolling off of his mentor's shoulder, and he didn't know how to feel.

"Kid, I'm eight times your size, you won't hurt me if you hit me, all right?" Junior's voice cut through Gohan, and the boy hunched his shoulders. He didn't understand himself why this was so hard…

"B-But… What if I'm…" Gohan's voice trailed off, and he felt tears pricking the corners of his eyes. In front of him, Junior shifted his weight, vocalizing more of his aggravation at Gohan. "What if I'm like my daddy…" his voice was now a hoarse whisper.

Junior didn't make a noise this time.

"What do you mean, kid?" a question, and it didn't sound as mean as it normally would have.

Gohan twined his fingers together. "My… My daddy hits people all the time…" he gulped, more tears leaking out. When they hit his cuts, they stung, just a bit. "I know it upsets mommy…" He was talking like a baby but he didn't care. "Daddy's always hitting people so he's never there… What if I'm like that?" His eyes were big and wide as he upturned his bruised face to Junior.

The Namekian shifted, looking a bit uncomfortable as he regarded Gohan. His antennae twitched, and he drew together his large brows. "I'm not teaching you how to hurt people," Junior's voice was slow, and measured, "I'm going to teach you how to not let people hurt you. Your mother agreed to let you learn this, so you can stay safe."

Gohan blinked, and rubbed furiously at his eyes.

"And anyways," Junior was speaking again, and Gohan glanced nervously back at him, "there's no guarantee that because you do something similar to your father, that you'll be anything like him." A sneer stretched Junior's features. Gohan felt as if he should hug him, but he refrained.

Instead he looked down at his shoes once more, waiting.

Junior coughed, and stood once more. "But fine. If you're that upset about it, we'll start with more defensive works. I figured a punch would be the easiest place to start." A snort. "But you and your mother can never be easy, can you?"

Gohan found himself giggling at that, and gave a slow nod. At least for now, he could hold his fists down at his side.

C'mon Gohan! Don't you want to be just like daddy?

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