Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with any of the Dragonball series.

A/N: Hello readers! I'm back from the wedding, complete with a hangover that would floor Nappa...

Chapter 6

Train me Son Goku!

Appura took a deep breath to calm her nerves and straightened her skirt a little, knowing her stutter was going to be terrible if she didn't calm down. "Ok, Ms. Vegeta, you're on in three," said a stage hand. Appura was about to appear on a chat show in Satan City for the first time to plug her new album. 'Transformation' was finally recorded and would be on the shelves the following day. From the side of the stage she could see the audience. On the front row were her mother, Yamcha, her father, Bulma and Trunks. Bulma and her mother had wedged themselves between Vegeta and Yamcha in order to prevent any fighting between the pair. Bulma had been delighted to hear her ex-boyfriend had finally settled down with someone and was happy for the pair of them, but, like Appura, she just wished Vegeta would make peace with Yamcha once and for all.

"And please welcome my next guest, Apple Vee!" said the host. Appura took another deep breath, slapped a smile on her face and walked out. She could see her mother, Yamcha, Bulma and Trunks all cheering and clapping. Vegeta just sat on the edge of the row with his arms folded, looking thoroughly bored. Appura shook hands with the female host of the show and then sat down in one of the chairs. "Well, welcome to your first TV interview," said Miki Sato, the hostess, "So tell us about why you're here."

"Well, b...basically, I have a new album coming out tomorrow and I'd like for lots of people to b...buy it," Appura answered. The audience laughed.

"Yes, your new album, Transformation, is the follow-up to In The Looking-Glass the album you released three years ago, correct?"

"Yeah, it's a lot different now, it's much more adult and mature..."Appura started.

"Is that why Mom won't let me listen to it?" called out a voice. The cameramen swung round and focussed in on Trunks.

"P...probably, little brother," said Appura quickly, wanting to get focus off Trunks before he did something stupid.

"Is that your little brother?" asked Miki, pointing at the boy.

"Err, yeah, that's Trunks, my half-brother," said Appura as the camera's swung back round. She saw Bulma talking into Trunks' ear, probably telling him not to shout out.

"He's adorable!" said Miki, smiling.

"Thanks, I...I think he's pretty sweet," said Appura.

"So, will you be touring with this album?" Miki asked. Appura stopped and looked over at her family. Her mother nodded to her and Appura exhaled. "Not...not right away," she said, "Erm, I'm..." She caught Vegeta's eye and felt her resolve crumbling away. "I'm actually going to be taking some t...t...time off," she forced out, "To...to...to learn Martial Arts." She spat out the last four words as fast as she could before she chickened out. Her father looked furious and she avoided his gaze.

"M...martial arts, really?" said Miki, also very aware of Vegeta's scowl.

"Yeah," said Appura, starting to panic a little, "I need to learn..." She couldn't bear it any longer; she had to get away from her father's furious face.

"I...I'm sorry, I have to go," she said, standing up and running off stage. She ran through the backstage area and through the building and out a back door. She slumped against a wall and put her head in her hands.

Moments later the door flew off its hinges and Vegeta stormed out. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?" he snarled at her. Appura slid down the wall and sat on the ground and looked up at her father. "You are a princess dammit, not a soldier and it's time you started acting like one!" he barked at her, standing over her, making her feel even smaller, "Stand up!" He grabbed her by her upper arms and dragged her to her feet, squeezing her arms so hard she thought he was trying to break them. "Now, shut up, give up this music crap and start acting like a lady," he spat. Appura's temper finally snapped. Her hand flew through the air and slapped him across his arrogant face. Vegeta let go of her arm and stumbled back. The slap had caught him completely off guard. It had actually hurt a little. He touched his hand to his cheek where she had hit him. "I'll start acting like a princess when you start acting like a father," she said in a cold voice. Vegeta stared at her. She hadn't stuttered once and was staring at him with a look he knew all too well. It was the same look he saw when he looked in the mirror and Trunks had started adopting it a lot when he was training. She marched past him as Yamcha, her mother, Bulma and Trunks appeared. Yamcha and Ima immediately followed Appura as she walked off half in a daze. Bulma stared at Vegeta. "What?" he said when he caught her staring. A bright red hand-shaped mark was starting to appear on his right cheek.

Later on that night, Goku was walking around the house with Goten, doing the 'monster check'. Goten was terrified that monsters came out during storms and tonight the mother of all storms had hit Mt. Paozu. Goten was just about satisfied that there were no monsters when something started banging on the door. Goten started screaming so Goku scooped him up, assuring him monsters wouldn't knock at the door. Goku walked through the kitchen and opened the door. "It's ok Goten, it's not a monster," he said, "It's a princess." A rather bedraggled looking Appura stood in front of him. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes were completely drenched and she looked thoroughly miserable. She was barefoot and one of her ankles was a little swollen from a fall she had taken on her way through the mountain. Goten looked over his shoulder. "Hi Appura!" he said, forgetting all about the monsters. Goku stepped to one side and let Appura in.

He was just shutting the door when Gohan walked in, intending to show his father something. He stopped dead when he saw Appura. He could see his father looking at the almost black bruises on Appura's upper arms. Gohan could see the finger marks. The book in his hands fell to the floor. He felt a fury build up in his stomach. "Did HE do that to you?" Gohan said through gritted teeth. He'd seen the interview and knew that Vegeta would have been pissed off, but he'd never thought Vegeta would actually hurt Appura. Appura said nothing, just looked at the floor. "Gohan," said Goku, breaking the silence, "Take Appura and give her some of your old clothes to wear while hers dry. Wash her arms with some iced water, that'll help the bruises. I'm going to put Goten to bed then call her mother." Gohan nodded.

Appura felt much better when she was in some dry clothes. She was sat on Gohan's bed. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she wore some old training pants of Gohan's and one of his shirts. Gohan had put some ice packs on her arms and was now putting a bag of frozen peas on her left ankle which rested in his lap. He was fighting with himself. Part of him wanted to track Vegeta down and beat him senseless or at least beat into him that he couldn't forbid his daughter from getting stronger and then man-handle her. He could hear his father on the phone, explaining to Ima that Appura had somehow managed to hitch a ride out to Mt. Paozu and made her way to the Son house, despite never actually having been there and all in under six hours. The door opened as Gohan was lifting the bag of peas to check on the swelling. "How's the patient?" asked Goku, leaning on the door frame.

"Ok, no thanks to Vegeta," said Gohan coldly.

"Appura is there any particular reason you came here?" asked Goku. He knew damn well why she had come all the way out here but he needed her to say it. "I...I...I need you to train me, please," she said, "I...I need to learn to fight, Goku, and I couldn't think of a better teacher." Goku smiled.

"No problem kiddo," he said, "I'll make you into a Saiyan warrior your dad can be proud of." Gohan snorted at the mention of Vegeta.

"Th...thanks, Goku," said Appura, smiling.

"Ok, Gohan, you ok with sleeping on the couch tonight?" said Goku.

"Oh, I d...d...don't want to kick Gohan out his own bed," said Appura quickly.

"No, you are our guest, and guests get a bed," said Goku, "Besides we'll get a spare bed put in Goten's so Gohan won't be on the couch forever."

"Oh, goody!" said Gohan sarcastically, putting the bag back on Appura's ankle.

"Good night you two," said Goku.

"Goodnight," replied Gohan and Appura. Goku left, shutting the door behind him. As his footsteps faded, Gohan looked up and saw Appura's head in her hands and her shoulders shaking. The towel slipped from her head. He gently put her foot on the bed and crawled up the bed to her. "Don't...don't cry," he said.

"I'm sorry, Gohan," she choked, "He just makes me so angry! My dad! He wants me to be w...weak and pathetic! And I don't w...want to be anymore!" Gohan sat next to her and pulled her into his arms. He gently stroked her hair. "I felt so pathetic and useless after the home invasion and I hated it," she sobbed, "And I hate him for m...making me feel this way! And then to blame my mom for me being hurt!" She broke down in sobs and buried her head into his shoulder. Gohan tightened his hold on her, stroking her hair. She brought her arms up and circled his neck with them, despite how tired and heavy they felt.

Gohan gently pressed a kiss to her forehead with the intention of comforting her. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and looked up at him. He looked down at her. His hand slipped from her hair and caressed the sensitive skin of where her neck met her ear. She pulled his head down and kissed him. Gohan moaned a little and kissed her back. Kami, she smelt good. Any intentions of comfort were gone now. He didn't even register what he was doing; he just acted on instinct, pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss, gently running his tongue along her lower lip. She opened her lips gently and met his tongue with hers. He laid them down on the bed, on their sides. His hand left her neck and went to her back, trailing down her spine. He cupped her butt with his hand and pulled it closer so their hips met. Appura gasped as Gohan closed the space between them and rolled them over so she was underneath him.

Appura pulled away from the kiss suddenly. Gohan realised what position they were in and rolled off her. "Sorry," he muttered, looking away from her. Appura blushed and looked away as well. Gohan climbed off the bed. "See you in the morning," he said quietly. He was about to leave when he felt her grab his hand. He looked at her. She was kneeling on the bed. She looked so beautiful in his shirt it actually made his chest hurt. She pulled him back a little bit and kissed his cheek. "Good night Son Gohan," she whispered in his ear. Gohan smiled as he left. He waved her goodbye as he left for the sitting room. "G...goof ball," she laughed.