A.N. So I was taking a break from writing this chapter and reading a Goku/Vegeta fan shrine, when it suddenly dawned on me. There's some general speculation over Celipa/Fasha being Bardock's sister, and therefore Gohan's great aunt! Apparently, it's hinted in the Bardock movie, which I still haven't seen. *Dodges stones!*

So erm, in the nature of this AU fic, consider Celipa/Fasha not in the least bit related to Bardock's bloodline! Or things would really be pretty icky. I actually always thought that if it hadn't been for Toma, then she would've been Goku's mother. I even remember seeing a doujinshi scan of her holding a baby Goku (which was really cute by the way). I guess in that case, her being Goku's Aunt does actually fit the canon universe quite nicely.

Phew! Glad that's sorted. Really do learn something new every day, ehehe.

Anyway, on with zee story with continued love and appreciation to the (impatient) reviewers (:P)

~ Anorelei~

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Chapter 22: The Eye of the Storm

In the outer depths of space, two matching space pods raced towards their shared target; one just minutes behind the other. Both occupants had long since passed into the realm of dreams, under the strain of their own Trials. For one of the half-breeds however, the hazy chimera was riddled by a series of very unexpected occupants. It started with a black abyss, until a spark of light birthed the face of a strong woman who Videl had greatly admired. Her light, auburn locks fell in gentle waves to her shoulders, while smiling, celadon green eyes completed the compliment of her milky complexion. The gentle 'Mana Geneta' had been a middle-class, educated woman in the areas of psychology and sociology. She had attended the highly esteemed West City University, and settled into her first position as councillor within the Orange Star Police Force. It was there that she'd met the vigilante crime fighter and wrestling heavyweight champion, Hercule Satan. Somehow, brain and brawns had formed an uncanny coalition of unified marriage. But the young couple had never been blessed with child, until the fateful day that the heavens opened to the prayers of the woman. Into the backyard of Mrs Mana Satan's country manor, a spaceship containing the answer to her prayers, was spat from the overcast rain clouds. The baby girl cushioned by the womb of red velvet, had appeared to be perfectly humanoid. Not to mention rather malnourished, and these facts alone had been enough to tug at the wanting mother's heartstrings. But as Mana Satan had looked deep into those large cerulean eyes with her own, emerald green hues, her mind was made up. The child was her very own little princess. Her precious little gift from Kame.

Ironically, Hercule had seen it fit to name the child 'Videl,' which had hardly been the angelic name Mana had hoped for. But anything to please her sometimes rather difficult and stubborn husband, especially if it meant he would gradually begin to accept the space child as his own. For he had simply returned home that day to find the baby in his wife's caring arms. But how could it be, when he was sure she had not been with child these last nine months? The woman had chuckled and declared that the baby had been left in a white basket on their doorstep, without a single note. The cover-up was exquisitely done, and the simple man was fooled. The years would roll by, and certain events would change the state of the Earth as the child grew. The sudden illness her mother had contracted, would then lead to her slow decay and final death by Videl's twelfth birthday. That had led to the closer bonding with an over-protective father, until at last, Satan's daughter was a headstrong teenager.

The background worthy of a superhero comic, fast forwarded to the most recent timeline. In a room of pure white, stood the frowning face of the half-breed named Gohan. Fists clenched as the female he so desperately tried to train, collapsed once more. Videl got up again without a seconds thought, and their sparring continued relentlessly. Yet the male morphed into a shorter being, and the voice of a Kari spread across the white walls of the dream. Scowling, the apparent 'Earthling' confronted her rival in a flurry of enraged attacks which constantly missed. The dream had swiftly become a nightmare, as her urge to defeat this foul being was only answered by failure. Videl was oddly reminded of the incident with the Seoxyrium; the sharp jabbing of needles and the mocking observations of the twisted woman. In the reality of the space pod, the female Earthling flinched in reaction to the uncontrolled images flashing through her mind. Even in the unconscious realm, the presence of Kari persisted in haunting her.

Yet the battleship's infirmary faded into the third vision of a grand palace built of smooth, white and amethyst coloured stone. Homing in through to the top of one tower, various humanoid figures clad in rocky armour with tails swishing, occupied a circular throne room. Saiyans. In the centre of the room, a brooding man sat atop his throne, glaring at the two figures in front of him. A cloak of red and black flapped behind him, and though she couldn't see his heavily shadowed face clearly, he did boast extremely gravity-defying hair in tall, tuft like spikes. It reminded her of a vegetable, like the leafy end of a carrot or radish. The Saiyan armour he wore was also slightly different; the golden shoulders stuck out wider, making his small stature seeming far greater. Videl suddenly realised that he must've been the King. Another thing though, was how she appeared in the room. Mostly, it was how she was in the present timeline. Her black hair cropped short in thick, tangled masses, and her body clad in the cerise two-piece suit complete with leg-warmers, boots and gloves. Yet the only difference was how there seemed to be a furry, dark brown tail, wrapped securely beneath the bottom of her chest armour. A rather serious Videl turned, to cast her cerulean eyes on the woman standing next to her. Her mother. That is, the only woman she knew who was worthy of such a title. Mana Satan cast her smiling celadon eyes down on her slightly shorter daughter, and reached out with a hand, strangely cast in a white glove, to ruffle her mass of black hair. But from the arm upwards, the Earth woman slowly transformed. Replacing her simple business suit of lavender and cream, was the trademark cerise and white armour of a certain Saiyan female. At first, Videl thought it was her own image being mirrored in front of her. Sharp and jagged, pixie-like features replaced the smooth, milky skin of Mana's delicately pretty face. But then, light auburn hair spiked into chestnut brown locks, and the very last feature to change, where the large almond eyes. They stretched and slanted, losing their pale green tone in the abyss of onyx black irises under a sultry scowl. In the dream world, Videl didn't move, though in reality she was frowning considerably.

For no apparent reason, the King suddenly extended his arm, snarling with unrestrained rage, as he pointed at the 'other' woman.. The energy blast charged in the blink of an eye, suddenly soaring towards her smirking face. As the beheaded woman fell backwards in a slow motion effect, her attire changed once more. Videl watched in horror, as the lavender and cream body of her Earth mother, descended with a dull thump against the throne room floor. In a sudden outburst of her own, Videl's fists clenched, and her head snapped back with her intense cry that reached the parting heavens. A torrential wave of golden light suspended the dream into a blank canvas once more. In her space pod, the unconscious daughter shed a single, crystal clear tear.

For the Saiyan battleship that sped through space, the worst storm had mostly passed behind it. At the helm of the ship, sat a more than relieved Kakarot. Half way through his rescue mission to Gelidus, the two space pods containing the last survivors of the Elite Trials, had more or less found him. For once, Kari had managed to do something right, and despite his strong dislike of the woman, Kakarot was beyond grateful. As soon as both Gohan and Videl were safe onboard the ship, he'd spent the rest of his time dismantling any remaining tracking devices that could lead back to Vegetasei. It meant he had to manually guide the ship, but that was a breeze. Especially when the destination he intended to reach, had never been inputted into the auto-piloting systems. The delicacy of the location's secrecy was too vital to jeopardise, and so the series of co-ordinates were imprinted forever in his mind.

Down the corridor in the infirmary room, Son Gohan patiently watched over the female who occupied the recuperation chamber. When he'd arrived on his father's ship, the stoic Gohan had focused solely on Videl's recovery. Few words were shared between father and son, even after three days since their reunion. True to her allegedly half-Saiyan blood; on the second day, Videl's statistics had started to pick up considerably. But a persistent and still concerned Gohan left her sedated under the toxins. For one, he didn't want to take any risks after she's spent so much of her ki. Secondly, as much as she deserved the calming rest, he just wasn't sure how he was going to face the storm that would greet him when she finally woke up. So on the dawning of this third day, he'd finally cancelled the sedative toxins, and left the female to awaken naturally while he prepared himself mentally. Just two hours later, and her pulse quickened with the unique re-birthing process. Brows twitched before eyes carefully opened and fluttered to the initial sting of water surrounding her. Yet she clearly begun to recognise the blurred figure behind the curved glass, and lifted her hand accordingly to press her fingertips against the solid texture. Gohan needed no further convincing of her awareness, as he hit the release button. While the water was drained from around her naked form, he approached with a towel to catch her falling body, as soon as the door slid open. The shivering and stuttering newborn was wrapped in soft, snow white cotton, and then lifted into the cradle of sincere arms. The infirmary held too many bitter memories in a negative and cold aura. Gohan wanted his woman to feel safe in her surroundings, and so his feet took him back to the privacy of their shared pod.

On the short journey down the dimly light yet stark white, familiar corridor, Videl re-experienced the after effects of the Hel's Chamber. Her senses re-awakened one by one, allowing her to hear light footsteps across the solid surface beneath her: To feel the cold prickling over her skin in contrast to a fluffy and soft texture. To taste the coppery, medicinal film on her tongue, and even smell the strange liquid mixed with synthetic and carbonated water, lingering on her breath. Then came the sound of a door opening, followed soon after by the strong arms that held her, laying her down on wide cushioning that moulded to the shape of her body. She recognised the young man and his boyish features, as he sat over her, and released her body entirely from his grasp. But Videl wasn't too happy about him leaving her again, and she demonstrated her dismay with the hand that reached out, and grasped at the gathered, navy blue material over his chest. A light smile lifted and relaxed his frowning features, and the convinced Gohan came to rest one hand over hers. The other hand reached to gently cup the side of her perfect, pixie-esque face. It would be so easy for him to just gather her against him, into the sanctuary of his protective arms. To just hold her there, without any need for words. Simply to feel her heart beat against his chest, and allow his own pulse to fall perfectly in line with her own. But, as she stared up at him with oddly reflective eyes that brimmed with moisture, a single bead of water slid down her cheek. Gohan had seen the reaction before, and he misunderstood it now as much as he had before. Only this time, as he traced the single droplet down her cheek, he hunched a little more over her in clear concern.

"You're leaking," he announced. Dark eyes searched her face, erratically pondering over the cause of this illness. Had something gone wrong in the chamber? Was she still suffering some sort of injury still? But to his surprise, Videl only smiled.

"I am." Her rhetorical question spoken in a casually sweet voice, as though nothing could possibly alarm her now. Yet it did alarm Gohan, who was more confused than ever over her status. He remembered how this had happened before. How the liquid from her eyes had tasted like salty water, but a call from King Vegeta had caused him to forget all about it afterwards.

"Are you hurt?"

Videl just lightly chuckled, before the Saiyan could fuss over her more literally with searching touches.

"I'm happy," she breathed a lazy sigh. Her expression declined the statement however, as her smile faded. "I.. think."

If she was truly happy, then why were her eyes stinging with unexplained remorse? Gohan was hardly convinced, but she managed another smile as she squirmed under his relentless observations, with the lifting of her knees.

"You've never felt tears of joy before?" His blank gaping spoke the answer for him, and so Videl's smile grew more genuine again. "It's… a feeling."

"A feeling can make your eyes lose water?" She just continued to gaze adorably, while he tried to understand what these 'tears of joy' were with a deep frown. Another one trailed a slithering path down the other cheek, and she merely blinked as he stopped it by the corner of her mother. "Hmph…"

"I think I… saw an Angel." The sudden announcement again caught Gohan by surprise, as the Videl inhaled another deep breath. "But his wings were pure gold and," she reached up to press her fingertips against the Saiyan's cheek. "Yeah, he had your face."

Her recovery was far quicker than before, though the first time in the tank was always a unique experience. Now, her voice was growing in strength, along with the return of her most recent memories. Yet Gohan swallowed back, knowing the calm before the Storm was about to pass. Soon there would be questions, and the one truth he would never be prepared to deliver to her. But he had to, he knew he did; even though he also knew that it should've been the sole responsibility of another person entirely.

"I don't know what these… Angels are, but I do think I overdosed the toxins maybe a little too -"

"I'm fine," she interrupted, leaning back again to flop her raised arm above her head instead. "Though a little, empty?"

"You're hungry?"

"N-No. Well, maybe a little. I mean, I don't know. It's almost as though, it feels like something's missing or… maybe you're right." She laughed at her own stuttering, "maybe I am just really hungry."

Gohan stared at the Earthling for a moment; the corner of his lips twitching slightly along with the matching side of his brow. Maybe she was right; maybe food was a good idea. Calming her stomach would be a good start to keeping her calm throughout the revelation of the secret he had for her.

"I'll be right back," he stated, and she didn't doubt it either. When these Saiyans raided a kitchen, they knew exactly which jars to pick to be devoured in almost impossible timing.

"I'll be right here," she countered with a light smile. He took it as a comforting cue to leave her, letting the pod door slide shut behind his brisk exit. Videl also took that as her cue to slowly sit up, allowing her lightly dazed eyes to finally look around the oval, familiar room, while her hand found the back of her slightly dizzy head. Memories were coming back to her in jaded flashes; particularly the events of Gelidus. Such as the strong emotions she'd felt swelling naturally for the Saiyan, and then the battle with the total stranger who'd disrupted their sanctuary out of nowhere.

"Isn't this…?" She spoke her thoughts aloud, and narrowed her eyes in light confusion. Either she was wrong, or this was the exact room previously shared with Gohan, on their journey from Earth to Gelidus. So why was she back in this exact same spot, and more importantly, where were they headed for next?

"We're going home," she remembered the 'Angel' had said to her. No, it wasn't an angel, and 'home' hadn't meant the 'Earth' she'd imagined it to be. Had the Golden Gohan been referring to his own home planet? Videl shuddered at the thought. If that was the case, then the worst part was yet to still come. Didn't that mean she still might face a trail and sudden death? The thought deepened her frown. Would Gohan really put her through the danger of all that, after what he'd told her about bonding to become inevitable mates?

"Argh!" She unleashed the agitated sound, and shook her head vigorously as though the action would erase the concerns from her mind. One word remained on her tongue; a name to which she growled with pure loathing.

"Kari."

Of course, it all pointed to that twisted bitch and her inconsistent, totally random conniving. If Gohan was still following the witch's orders like a little puppy, then Videl was going to be really peeved. There was only one way to find out though, along with dealing with a grudge of her own. In seconds, she'd leapt from the bed, and ignored the stinging of her weight placed on her tingling feet. Taking brisk strides out of the pod and through the winding corridor, she ignorantly passed the clattering sounds coming from the open kitchen. Then the fact that Gohan was quickly on her tail, as soon as he had to double-take at the blur of her storming past the doorway.

"Videl, wait!" He called after her, following in high anticipation as she stopped by the door that led to another pod chamber. Before she could hammer her fist against the sealed door's control panel, Gohan caught her wrist and spun her. "No. You don't want to go in there, trust me."

"I don't care if they're at it like rabbits again," she spat back, pulling herself free from his relatively light grip. "I need to speak to her!"

His nostrils flared at her stubborn determination, but he made no further attempts to stop her, as she slammed her palm against the control panel. Heaving a deep, preparative breath, Videl braced herself for whatever sight awaited her, as the door slowly slid open…

The room shared by Kari and her mate, was empty.

At least it was on first appearance, save for the unoccupied bed and couch. Still, Videl strode in after her briefly stunned response, and took a moment to stand in the middle of the room, as if expecting someone to just appear out of nowhere.

"They're not here," came the reasoning voice of Gohan, as he stepped in slowly after her. He could see how the Earthling heaved a rather shaky breath, from the inflection at her shoulder blades, and then how her head turned as she inspected every single nook and cranny of the minimalist's dream. At last, she spun, hands on hips, and still wearing just a towel wrapped around her. Perhaps the sight of her like this would've been comical, had the situation been different. Gohan failed to see the humour though.

"The training room?"

"No," he quickly shot down her assumption, and took a step forward. "You won't find her anywhere here. Kari … isn't on this ship."

A brief silence complete with Videl's sudden, rather deep nasal inhaling, spread between them with an air of tension. She should've been happy that the Saiyan who had so obsessively claimed her, was no longer around. So then why did she care so much about questioning and pushing this even further?

"What happened? Where is she and, speaking of which. What are we doing here again? Where are you taking me next? What happened to that -"

During her questioning, he closed the gap between them with two more strides, and rested his hands on either sides of her shoulders.

"Shhh," he tried to soothe her rapidly rising emotion. "Don't strain yourself." Naturally, she refused to listen, as she shrugged out of his grasp on her with a simple step back, and shook her frowning head in refusal.

"Then why don't you start explaining everything to me! You're always keeping me in the dark, expecting me to just work out things on my own. Well I'm getting tired of it! For once, please just be honest with me!" Pausing a moment to inhale a much needed breath, Videl furiously wiped her moist eyes with the back of her hand. It infuriated her more that they were still 'leaking' so involuntarily.

"You should sit down," he advised in a calm voice. When she refused with the tensing of her shoulders and still folded arms, Gohan mentally shrugged. If that was the way she wanted it, then so be it. "Two small pods were sent to retrieve us both from Gelidus, from this ship. Apparently, it was Kari's doing."

"Hmph!" Videl breathed her distaste, but Gohan just continued without fault.

"You gave everything you had in your attempt to defeat Kale. When I finally found you both, you were in a bad shape. By the time I'd… dealt with the problem, the two other pods had landed. Taking you with me, and seeing that they bore my father's sigil, I wasted no time in placing you in one pod, and myself in the other. I had no idea where they would take us, but I trusted that this was a sign for us to leave the planet. Sure enough, the pods brought us back here. My father explained; Kari had programmed the co-ordinates precisely, as soon as she learnt that our Elite Trial had been tampered with."

"Wait," she quickly cut in before, even lifting her hand for him to stop right there. "Our trial? Okay, hold up a sec. You never explained exactly why I was caught up in what was meant to be your Elite trial. Right?"

"When we were brought onboard this ship again," he continued as though he was just ignoring her questions completely. "My father made sure the tracking bugs were removed from both my arm, and yours. It was my test as well as your own. Technically, this would make us both worthy of the Elite ranking. Though… in your case, you're somewhat missing all the training. Not to mention the various pre-tests..."

"….Right."

"It was my task - no. It was my choice to protect you, though I had no idea we were both being watched." He stopped again, lifting his arms to her shoulders once more, as he sighed lightly. His voice adopted a lighter, more relaxed yet rueful undertone.

"It is never my intention to always keep you in the dark. Don't you realise? Sometimes I have to work these things out myself, too? Other times, I just…" Frowning eyes closed, and he shock his head slightly. "It's not always my responsibility, to tell you. I never asked for any of this."

Videl was quick to realise than even when Gohan was telling her the truth, he still managed to be rather cryptic. Now he was having some kind of guilt trip too? She inhaled another heavy, lightly agitated breath, and was reminded of the reason why she'd originally stormed in this room. It still smelt of Kari and the sultry activities that the chamber had bore witness to.

"So who was watching us? Obviously Kari, and your father? Who else?"

"Everyone," he uttered quite simple. "Anyone of importance: The council, the King. No doubt the Nobles and a handful of powerful Elites. It was your test. All of this, would assume your worth, as a… As Kari's project."

"So then, we're going to your home planet now?" Her colour drained from her cheeks, as she now fretted over what all this really meant. "D-Did they, make a decision?"

"No," he spoke so quietly, causing Videl to strain her ears with a single frown. Gohan even looked like he was in some sort of painful, inner turmoil, as he closed his frowning eyes again. He looked down into confused cerulean eyes once more, and lifted his hands from her shoulders, to cup either side of her face. "We're not going home. Even though, I really did want you to see it. At least once."

"Your home, you mean," she corrected him sternly.

"No. Our home," he retorted, just as seriously. Videl swallowed back her immaturity before the argument turned childish.

"Whatever." Dark eyes followed he, as she turned towards the wide bed, and rested her hands on her hips. "So that must mean I wasn't accepted? Even after they put me through so much? What the hell did they expect from me?"

"I… don't know for sure, what happened. My father left before…uh…" He paused, lowering his eyes as he shook his head once more, and trailed off. This was all confusing for him as well as her. He'd barely even spoke to his father, who'd tried his best to fill the gaps for his son. It was just hard to listen to what had sounded like a mission de-briefing, when all Gohan cared about, as seeing to Videl's health.

"Look, all I know is, something serious happened. Serious enough for my father to leave the planet, and come looking for us, while Kari remained. If anyone knows anything, then it's her."

Unsure why at first, Videl found herself needing to sit, and so her rear found the comfort of the bed. All this information was like a puzzle in its own right, but she was torn between even wanting to attempt to figure it all out. To top it all off, Gohan just silently watched her.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me something?" She suddenly asked, speaking her deepest thoughts aloud to him. His frown grew, and though his lips parted in preparation for words, he seemed to be struggling more than ever. Dark eyes flittered away, while Videl only stared with complete concentration. The pieces of the puzzle begun to slot against each other gradually, as flashing images of the dream she'd experienced in the most recent space journey, recalled themselves in her mind. No, not entirely a dream. Some sort of, strange vision. In a sudden flash of bright light, she saw it again; how a beheaded Kari had fallen in a room surrounded by a circle of faceless Saiyans.

"She's dead." The words startled both of them, as Gohan lightly gasped while Videl only continued to stare at a fixed spot on the white floor. She saw the image again, as if her mind was confirming the unsure statement. "Kari is, dead. Isn't she."

Gohan had no idea how to respond to such a sure statement, but if Videl of all people knew this, then he had no reason to doubt her. Very carefully, he constructed his next words, in an attempt to tactfully deal with baiting the truth out. If he didn't need to tell her outright, then this would be far easier for him. For both of them.

"You're sure of that?"

"I don't know!" She spat, raising her voice as she rose to stand again quite abruptly. A hand lifted to smooth her fingers through tangled hair, and now it was her time to struggle over the shaping of words.

"I… m-maybe I'm just, hoping so? Oh Kame, no. That sounds so cruel. No, I could never wish that on anyone." He could hear her escalating breathing, as she panicked both mentally and physically with what was only natural. The loss of blood relations, was always difficult to comprehend.

"But you feel it, don't you." He calmly countered, watching as she found a new spot to focus on. This one didn't grab her attention for long, as her eyes snapped to him instead, along with her voice.

"I saw it," she corrected, only to stumble. "I saw something. I don't even know if it's true or… this is ridiculous! How could I know this?" Teeth grit, and Videl growled as she reached a new accusation.

"Did she do something to me? When she jabbed me with that damn drug and, a-and how it was mixed with her blood! I remember… you said it was dangerous. That her blood was, too strong or, something."

It had alluded Gohan for some time afterwards too, but there were far too many theories regarding the potency and effects of Saiyan blood to even begin to go into it more. Far too many 'ifs' and 'maybes,' and then the more important distractions that had caused the casting of a blind eye towards the whole ordeal. He didn't care to start entertaining any of these theories now either, when he knew it would only lead Videl onto the wrong track. No, she was right where she needed to be, and she needed to stop distracting herself with ulterior explanations.

"What did you see?" He attempted to re-steer her, and she accepted the baiting hook with a light sigh.

"It was weird. Some kind of… tower and then, a room, filled with your kind. Only, they were completely faceless. I was standing in the centre and," she swallowed back. Certain details had to be left out; such as the fact that she had not been herself, and there had originally been another standing next to her.

"And?"

"I thought it was someone else but, no. It was definitely Kari standing next to me. Then, a short man, in a red and black cloak. He seemed important. He just, lifted his hand and, pointed at us. Then, she just, fell. Right next to me." Brows re-knotting, Videl looked back to Gohan, and nodded to both herself, and him. "That was it."

"Someone else?" Her brows twitched as he pushed her further, and she expelled an irritated breath.

"It's just a stupid dream! It doesn't mean any -"

"But you saw someone else. Who?"

Videl bit her lower lip; it wasn't often that this one particular person occupied her dreams. Not since the funeral. Refusing herself the privilege of thinking about her had helped with the overall grieving process, and now it was particularly strange for her presence to be found in an alien place altogether.

"My mother."

It took a moment for Gohan to realise which of the two mother's Videl was referring to. But even as he realised she must have meant her surrogate Earth mother, there was no going back now. The trap was laid, and he had to give one final, completely matter-of-fact push.

"Kari, is your mother."

At first, Videl wasn't even sure that she'd heard him correctly. So she did a double take with her blinking eyes, and then even breathed an ironic laugh. Well, it was laughable that he should say such a brave statement. Laughable and insulting.

"Is that your idea of a sick joke?" She breathed another incredulous and short tempered laugh. "Did she put you up to this? Is this another one of her stupid tests?"

His silent spoke mountains of truth, but Videl only hated that even more.

"Say something!" She finally demanded, but what else could he tell her?

"What do you want to hear?"

"That you're lying! That she put you up to this or…. something!"

"I wouldn't lie to you," he calmly retorted, wanting to much to be closer to her. But her temper told him it was best to keep his cold distance. "Or joke about such things. I swear to you, I had no idea. It was before the trial that she told me, and even still, I didn't believe her. I didn't want to believe it. While at the same time, I won't deny that the facts weren't appealing."

Videl suddenly sat down again, her focus darting all over the place. Then, she stood up, and begun to pace without even realising. All the while, Gohan watched, unsure of what he could do to make this easier on her. He swallowed the lump back in his throat, but he was irrevocably mixed up into Kari's shenanigans. Now, more than ever.

"You were… acting so strange. On Gelidus." She finally said, muttering mostly to herself, but loud enough for him to clearly hear. Again, he swallowed, as she proved her knack for remembering what others would call trivial. "So this is why? Because you knew?"

"It didn't matter what you -"

"So that's why you suddenly decided to protect me? Because finally I was more than just a worthless human?"

"No -"

"How could she be my mother? How could.. Who's my… my real father then? How did I end up all the way on Earth, if any of this is even remotely true! How could you… Even after we…w-we… You kept this from me?"

It was hard to even try to interrupt her when she was hyperventilating with so many thoughts and questions at once. Especially when her eyes spilled with so much conflicted emotion. When Gohan found a brief opening, he tried to talk some sense through to her at last.

"Videl -"

"Get out!" No luck there then, and for the briefest moment, he just stared back at her in disbelief. Had she really made such a demand? But as he stalled for that brief moment, she only grew more agitated. Storming towards him, her hands thrust out to roughly push against his chest. Over and over again she pushed, until she used enough brute force to uproot his stumbling feet. Close combat really was her strongest point.

"That's right, you heard me! I need to.. I need space and… just, go away Gohan!" Again, another shove, until she heaved a violent breath that projected her final, assaulting shout. "Just, leave me alone!"

It was hard to be ordered around like he was such a lesser being, but Gohan had to bite the harsh bullet. In doing so, he had to accept the battering to both his Saiyan pride, and male ego. In his mind, he knew that this would be difficult for her, but he'd hoped that she would see reasoning. In fact, the scenario had played out far differently in his perfect world. Clearly it would be a long time until she was ready to discuss this with a more levelled head, so he did as he was told.

As the rejected Saiyan finally disappeared through the closing doorway, Videl sunk down to her knees with a heavy sigh. She'd never been such a drama Queen before, not even when her teenage hormones had first kicked in. Sure, she knew how to yell at people, but never in such a childish manner. But she told herself it was all rational, even as her head now throbbed with the straining of her veins. Arms folded to let her hands grip at her sides, and she leant forwards as if she were about to throw up. No, not 'about to.' Even though she hadn't eaten anything, her stomach muscles found it appropriate to tighten and convulse. Veins in her neck strained, followed by the rush of blood to her head. With no other warning, the retched bile suddenly spilled from parted lips in retching chokes, while the correspondingly bitter realisation finally kicked in.

Kari, was her mother.

To be continued….