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2 a : an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end b : disaster; especially : DEATH
This time when she woke up, it was early at six. The room was pretty dark, which was perfectly fine with her. However, when she realized a new day had come, she bounced up and flicked on the bedroom lights.
Slamming her fist into the wall, she cursed. So, it wasn't a dream. It was real—she had been really abducted. She swallowed hard, becoming suddenly distracted when she noticed the amount of junk—no, not junk—feminine products lying about the room. Her expression scrunched up in twisted confusion while she approached one of the many racks of clothes.
It wasn't hers… they were new, ranging from silk pyjamas to summer dresses. Videl's eyes widened when she had found a large pile of boxed shoes, sandals, and boots. She almost cried when she found the newest Pentium 4 computer in the corner of the room. She felt like a child in a candy store—all of this was for her. Suddenly her slight smile reverted back into a nasty frown. It was all from Gohan.
Did he actually believe that he could buy her out? "What a jerk," she muttered, opening numerous packages from highly idolized stores and companies. As she did so, she noticed a trend. You could have found all these products in magazines. Hair products—to feminine hygiene necessities (like sanitary napkins)—to a collection of seasonal attires—to CD's (which included a personal CD player)—were the very least of the gifts Videl received. How could he have the money to afford all of this? How could he have the nerve to actually do this? It outraged her.
It gave her no solace that this didn't come from his heart, from sincerity. It was to shut her up and to divert her attention. But…but wasn't that a good thing?
No. Not to her. That was one less argument she could have used against Gohan. She had what she needed to survive and take care of herself. Gohan would see that it was enough.
While disappointed and annoyed, Videl was still busy ripping packages open. When she looked up she found her two maids, Christina and Salina, looking at her with sweet, delighted smiles.
"Can we help you clean up?" they asked in unison.
Videl frowned softly. "Clean up, yeah. If that means throwing it out!" She pointed to her many offerings.
They looked confused for a moment. "We were ordered to put them away for you."
Videl sighed, collapsing onto the lower half of the bed. "I thought as much." She knew once those two were ordered to do a task from Gohan, they wouldn't give up. Damn, it looked like Gohan was one step in front of her.
Gohan was one step ahead of an army of robots, walking into Capsule Corporation. With a bored, yet happy-deceitful look, he pushed past people to make his way to the public sale for the rich. People gave him uncanny stares, but did not say anything, nor did he care. He had business to take care of and he intended on fulfilling the task at hand.
"I'm too old…" Gero told him.
"You could still fight." He told him.
"I don't want to mingle with those humans."
Gohan gave him a cold stare in response. "You have to give me a better reason than that."
"They won't buy as much as they will with you."
"Why?"
"You're young. You're pleasing to look at."
He laughed. The old man had some humour still. "Alright. Fine. But I'm only doing it because I have nothing better to do and the androids are looking for the dragonballs."
Then the old man thanked him.
Gohan refrained from sighing as he halted at the red double doors. Then his mood changed. He slightly smirked, cracking his knuckles before entering. When his foot touched the ground all eyes were on him. Again he didn't care. His only physical reaction was his smirk deepening.
Bulma, who was standing at the podium, was in somewhat of a shock. How dare this man bring her speech to a halt! It was definitely rude and gauche. And he didn't even appear to be a scientist! Slowly her jaw rose up and she began to grit her teeth.
"Who are you?" the host asked sourly. If he was a scientist, he was late by over an hour.
Gohan slid off his shades and slipped them in his long coat pocket. He licked his dry lips and looked up at a blue-eyed, angry woman. "I'm representing Gero," Gohan answered pleasantly. Despite his 'rebellious' image, his smooth, deep voice had slightly calmed down Mrs. Vegeta Briefs. Instead, now, it left her intrigued. Where did Gero find him? Why would Gero work with other people (Bulma found him as a loner) and more importantly, why a young adult?
Gohan saw her unbelieving and confused look. Fortunately for the older woman, he had the decency to explain. "Though I am young, I can too create the feature product."
Everyone stayed silent, waiting—or was just uninterested.
Bulma's eyes narrowed down to slits. That almost sounded like he was offended or challenged. She swallowed lightly before speaking in the microphone. "Well, kind sir, would you like to tell us about Gero's creation." She gave him a practised smile.
Gohan ordered the bunch of robots to the side of the room. With some grace and silence he walked to the podium, right next to Bulma and waited until she slightly moved away from him. Then he stared down at the rich, profligate and snobby people, who were seated at the right half of the room. Those who weren't apparelled with fine clothing and jewels were obviously the scientists and intellectual individuals.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "get ready for one of the most life altering and prominent improvement of the century." He suddenly stopped to call upon the bots. Each was assigned with three digit numbers, which perplexed Bulma. No one knew that they were robots, since they acted quite naturally—and that was different compared to the ones out in the market. The crowd stared gapingly at the dozen people on the stage with this man who called all the shots.
"These people can help shape the future," Gohan simply said, which caused the crowd to be in a state of confusion. "They aren't humans. They're robots."
One man stood up and looked annoyed. "So what if they're robots? I have some already! What's the bloody difference?"
Gohan frowned and glared at the pompous man. "These models are the newest versions out there. They're so real that one could mistake them for real humans. If you douse them with water they won't combust or react thanks to Gero's new technology. In the works there are some bots fifty times smarter than any of you." A buzz of whispers was heard throughout the crowd.
"These ones," he paused and pointed to the robots, "are servants. They do exactly what you want them to do."
This created a stir of excitement. Bulma was the only one unimpressed, as she seemed more sceptical and more curious. She had robots as well, but they didn't look as real as the ones Gohan presented. They were so real.
An obese lady stood and asked fastidiously, "Can they do my laundry?"
In his head, Gohan cursed her. Didn't he just say that they could do anything? Physically he put on his pleasant smile. "Of course. They can do dishes, mop floors, pack and move, do about just anything. They are stronger than us, after all. And the best part is that you don't have to pay them as you usually do with employed humans. Once you buy them from me, they're entirely yours."
The crowd began to get louder with glee. From the excited whispers that Gohan could perceive, there would be a very good outcome to this. He smirked while his dark eyes scanned all over the crowd. Dollar signs rang in his head.
Vegeta chewed on a chicken leg when he saw his son and Kakarott's son stroll carelessly in the kitchen. Trunks gave him a cheery smile (which slightly disgusted him) before looking nervous. This made Vegeta a bit curious. Never was Trunks to feel insignificant in his father's presence. He was a child who did not understand anything about the Saiyan culture.
"What is it?" he suddenly snapped. Even Kakarott's child seemed partially troubled.
Before Trunks had a chance to mention anything about a forgotten order or Goten's older brother, shouting were heard nearby. One became irritated by it, the other two were curious; together they all headed to the source of the noise. It came from a large room. The entrance closed by red doubled doors. When Vegeta opened them to bark and silence the crowd of people, he found loads of cash flying about. Trunks and Goten laughed and smiled, instantly jumping (trying to mask their flight) to catch the numerous bills in the air. When their tiny hands had reached maximum capacity they threw it up, treating it like confetti. No one seemed to mind.
Well, except Bulma.
"Trunks and Goten! You two stop it RIGHT NOW!" Her screech silenced the room like echoing thunder.
Gohan didn't pay attention to the children as he folded legal papers and cheques and inserted them in secured pockets. Rolls of cash were securely placed in an envelope. He was more than satisfied with his earnings for today.
Bulma raced beside the two misbehaving boys and pinched their ears, forcing them to move towards the door. As she reached there she found Gohan standing in front of an irritated Vegeta.
"Woman, why are these fools making so much noise?"
The half Saiyan, Gohan, did an eye roll. "Can you move," he stated, which only aggravated Vegeta more.
Trunks and Goten's whimper soon halted as a smile soon spread onto their youthful face. This man—whoever he was—had disrespected Vegeta and was going to get it from the Prince. That was if Bulma does not interfere.
Vegeta's attention turned to Gohan. He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring what the man had just asked. "Woman, I asked you a question!"
Bulma sighed and let go of the boys. At the same time, she ignored her husband. She turned to Gohan and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to her with a harsh look. The sudden change of emotion caused her to flinch. "I'm sorry about my husband, Vegeta. He can be a jerk." Vegeta's glare went back at Bulma. He was a cantankerous man.
She continued to ignore him and continued. "Well, I'm certainly impressed with your sales of… robots today." Then she quickly added, "And future orders." There was another practised smile on her face. "You must be glad."
Gohan kept a blank look, feeling his annoyance being tampered with. Why must she make conversation? He just wanted to leave. "Yeah, surprisingly I am."
"And you work for Gero? I didn't catch your name…" she left her sentence unfinished, hoping the man would just answer her.
Vegeta didn't like the thought of being overlooked. If he wanted an answer, he might as well get it later. The food in the kitchen was getting cold, he remembered. Presently, he despised human appliances like the microwave.
"Yeah I've been working for the old man for a while. And my name…" It was almost like he had very temporary amnesia.
Vegeta turned to leave until he heard something that roused his curiosity and stirred shock.
"It's Kakarott."
It took Videl an hour of exhausting pondering for her to accept that Gohan was only trying to make her feel comfortable. After all, she didn't want to wear the same clothes everyday (that was disgusting), and it was nice to use pleasant scented shampoos for her hair… and nice soap for her body.
Videl made sure Gohan wasn't 'home' when she took another shower, lavishing herself with much-needed conditioners and soaps. Afterwards, she dressed herself in black fleece jogging pants and a baby blue tank top before heading to the second floor, then the main floor. Those were the two places that were unknown to her.
Videl did not trust the 'transporters', so instead she used the stairs.
On the second floor, it was as Gohan told her. There were many rooms, empty and undecorated. Some did have beds but they were for androids. She supposed even they needed rest once in a while.
The library wasn't difficult to find. It was underneath the upper kitchen. The walls were extremely tall; the room was large and cozy. The colour scheme opted to tan, a neutral hue that could match almost anything. There was a medium-sized table in the center of the circular room. Light coffee-coloured one-seat sofas enclosed it, yet faced the unlit fireplace. The tall shelves full of thick hard-covered books fascinated her, but she wondered if Gohan actually read, or did this come with the house? When she circled the room, she ran her fingers over the exposed book edges. She wasn't too surprised when she didn't find dust on her fingertips. Ready to explore further, she exited the room, looking for the recreation room.
She found it in ten minutes. The concept was simple. A large television was at one end, closed by black sofas. Half of the room was empty still. She could think of many items that could occupy this space. This room wasn't anything special, nor was this level. Videl headed to the main floor.
When she walked downstairs, the long main hallway led her to grand kitchen. Videl, awestruck, observed the huge enormous and sparkling appliances. The fridge held her interests the most. The size… the sheer number of refrigerators… how much food was in the house? She advanced and opened just one of the many doors, and gasped. Everywhere she turned she found a food belonging in one of the four food groups. It was like a mini-grocery. And she thought her kitchen at home was big.
One thing bothered her when she realized it. There was no candy or chocolate! She frowned and pulled out slices of meat and bread, tomatoes, cheese and mayonnaise to make a sandwich. Considering that she didn't eat breakfastearlier she was feeling a bit hungry now. So she ate.
And she picked at her food. There was no real joy eating anymore. Moreover, she felt irritated not finding any pop or soda in the house. She was forced to settle with orange juice, and she sat on the island counter, sipping on her drink. Her manners didn't kick in to sit at the table, or at the counter. The young woman was too annoyed and peeved to follow rules. It was then that she saw another man who also had a mud-coloured tail.
The blue-eyed woman carefully watched him sit at the marble counter. So far he didn't notice her, or he did not care to acknowledge her presence. Videl did just the same but continued to observe him from the corner of her eye.
He called upon Salina, and ordered for many bowls of rice and other foods; Videl could no longer overlook him.
"I thought slaves couldn't eat and order other servants around," she commented loud enough that it forced the man with the tail to look at her.
Raditz did look up at her, the girl that had interested his nephew, and kept a neutral face. It was laughable that she thought that he was a servant in this house. It was more laughable that she came out of the room, able to accept her kismet. He gave her a sharp frown before responding. "I'm Gohan's father. Not a slave." The toned his used was stern and unpleasant.
Figures.
Videl already came to a conclusion that he would be as bad as Gohan—most likely worse. She got off the counter to put her glass in the sink and then turned her attention to the Saiyan. "And what do I call you?"
Her slight sound of respect had temporarily caught him off guard. "Raditz."
She made one of those desperate smiles. "And I suppose you're the one who persuaded Gohan to capture me?" From the hurt look in her eyes, to her slight trembling, Videl was ready to pound on something.
Raditz didn't nor could not care what she was feeling. He held no mercy or compassion for her. The man continued to chew before defending himself. "Actually, I told him that there was no point to mate with a weak human. I told him to let you go."
That startled her a bit but she didn't let him see it. "If you're his father, then why can't you order him to set me free?" she argued back.
And she had a point, which caused annoyance. Raditz couldn't take her away from Gohan. "Because Gohan has a right to what he wants."
Wow. Gohan, high and mighty alien, wanted her. Videl snorted and rolled her eyes. "And except for being his mate, is there any other reason why he wants me?" The moment that sentence came out of her mouth, she felt foolish and naïve.
Raditz was becoming more and more annoyed with this girl. To bring silence an urge to kill her harboured inside. However, he knew if Gohan came back and found her bloody and maybe mutilated body on the floor, he wouldn't be too happy. "I don't have the answer. Ask Gohan."
"Ask me what?" Gohan asked upon entering the kitchen. He let his expression show what he was feeling: confusion and curiosity.
Raditz didn't bother to look at him. "Your woman wants to know if there is any other reason why you want her—either than being your mate."
Gohan looked up at Videl, who was sitting on the counter. She was still in a sour mood. "Gohan," she called, staring at him, "Answer the question."
He shrugged. "I can't find one right now."
She narrowed her eyes and headed out of the kitchen, giving Gohan a heated glare. He watched her closely, wondering what she was up to. "Where are you going?" he asked with a frown.
She raised her hands, palms facing the ceiling to indicate she wasn't sure. "I'm discovering this house. I might as well know what else I can do here."
Gohan followed her. "I'm coming with you then."
"I don't want you to be my guide." She refrained from walking for a moment and allowed him to catch up.
"I know." He gave her a half-smirk. "I'm just her to see if you get into any trouble."
Videl sighed, accepting his company. There wasn't much else that she didn't see. On the main floor alone Videl already found the heavily locked doors (which she wasn't sure where that led to), a smaller recreational room, dinning and living room. The blue-eyed woman even found the other entrance to the gigantic training room. The only thing that she didn't find was outside.
Gohan pushed opened a pair of doors that situated near the kitchen. He walked out onto the grassy ground. When he didn't find her following him outdoors he turned and waited. "There's nothing poisonous out here."
Videl looked at him, confused and baffled. Outside? Was he stupid? He taught her how to fly yesterday. She could easily escape by flying over the tall brick walls. Hope tingled inside. She smiled feeling the cool, jade grass beneath her feet. She continued to walk until she heard Gohan's voice.
"Flying over the walls isn't an option. I have guards everywhere. They'll catch you before you have a chance to escape." His credibility was pretty good, especially since S alina alone could take Videl out.
Videl's new hope simmered down, and again her eyes dulled, disappointment flooding in. She turned back at Gohan, giving him a fierce look, silently accusing him to be cruel. For some reason, he ached.
Why?
Why did he feel hopeless when she looked like that? So depressed and spiritless. It was so unlike her. He watched her collapse to the ground, staring at the lush grass bending back and forth as a soft breeze swept by. She brushed her hand over it loosely as if this is the last time that she'll be seeing or touching it.
He took a seat beside her. Gohan wouldn't be surprised if she began to cry, and he was half surprised that she didn't. He could tell that she was trying to keep it in. He watched her fall back, her head hitting the ground with a little thud. Again, he ached but he was good in ignoring it. "What's wrong now?"
A laugh slipped out. Her teeth bared. "Oh nothing Gohan. I got abducted by some alien who wants me to reproduce his child." Then suddenly Videl sat up and turned to stare at him. "Everything is wrong," she whisper-hissed.
He looked at her with a frown. It wasn't the ones that he normally used: the sharp "I'm annoyed-angry" frowns. This one almost pitied her. Almost. He knew apologizing would make her feel a bit better, but he couldn't bring himself to that. Instead he did something that surprised the both of them. He reached out and touched her sides. He poked at her ticklish areas.
Videl didn't see it coming, and when she felt it, she laughed so much that she couldn't stop him. When the tears sprang out of her blue eyes, he halted. She stared at him unbelievingly, half choking, half laughing. "Why in the blue hell did you do that?" At the moment he didn't look so cold and icy.
Gohan shrugged; having an urge to… what do you call it… smile? "I was curious. I was never ticklish—and I wanted to see what it's…like." He paused, shifting himself uncomfortably for what he was about to say. He had courage. "And you do look…better… when you smile—or laugh for that matter." It was the spirit he wanted to see and keep alive.
That totally hit Videl by surprise. She would have expected the first half of his answer, but not his confession. She wanted to ask more, but somehow she knew he wouldn't say anything else that may bruise or taint his reputation. "Well I would smile and laugh more often if I wasn't under this circumstance," she waved her hand around, "that you put me in." Videl tried to hide her smile. She wasn't happy. Just pleasantly surprised. For some reason, his acknowledgment and act of defying his cold personality made both of them lighten up a bit.
Gohan nodded, trying to put a neutral mask on his face. "I understand." Or he tried. In this case came surprisingly—even shockingly as if he could relate to her. "What else can I offer you that will make you… content?"
If Videl was astounded again with his words she didn't let it show this time. Was it just she or was his trying to comfort her? That thought only wanted to make her laugh. He already gave her clothes and accessories. What else could he possibly give her?
Something that will break his defences and may allow her to be in a better position to break free…
Something that will be very useful to her…
Soon it clicked in her brain and as much as she didn't want it from him, she needed it. Videl took in a deep breath, throwing her head back. "I want a friend," she whispered with a soft sigh. She allowed her desperation to show at its maximum. This was part of the act that needed more tricks.
It was Gohan's turn to be startled. What compelled her to be so… needy? Were all women were like this [1]? He noticed during his time on Earth that humans needed and couldn't live without friends, companions and human contact--- people. He lightly pondered on it before coming to a conclusion. "Friend?" he repeated. There was some silence, and then he broke it. "Explain what you're asking for."
Her mouth hung open a bit. No friends, Gohan? She knew why he wouldn't know. He distant himself too much from people—or scared them a lot. Though it was a wonder that Sharpener wasn't intimidated by Gohan. But then again, Sharpener was a guy who didn't give a shit, which was probably why she found those two males' relationship on an acquaintance level. "Oh come on Gohan. How do I describe a friend?" When she came to an answer a few moments later she looked up at Gohan and found his curious gaze.
"A friend is a person who's always there for you. A person who you can count on, trust, and like. A person who try to comfort you in your darkest hour. They're not supposed to be liars, backstabbers and make their life hell…" Okay, she knew she was bad at this. She saw Gohan's blank expression so she decided on a new tactic. "You know what an enemy is?"
He nodded silently.
"Well it's the total opposite of an enemy"
It took him a while to say, "Okay. I'll try."
She let a slight crooked smile show, expecting the answer. Gohan couldn't possibly say "no," now could he? He said himself that he would give her anything within reason.
Gohan stared at her, lifting an eyebrow up in curiosity. "What are you thinking of now?"
Her smile dulled. "How did you know I was plotting?"
The man smirked. "The little sparkle in your blue eyes made it obvious."
"Oh," Videl whispered. "I never knew you were an observer."
"I am. I can see your heavily scheming something. What is it?" he prodded, his curiosity for her growing immensely.
Videl looked at the bare landscape. The green grass was nice, but there had to be more. "I was thinking about this landscape." She paused. "Can I make a garden?" She gave him practised smile that had to be forced in front of the spotlight.
He blinked, remembering his past words. "Why?" Flowers? Pretty plants? He wasn't too fond with the idea marring his perfect green yard.
She frowned disappointedly. "It'll make me… satisfied… staying here and I'll have something to do."
Gohan heard her points clearly. His hesitance vanished reluctantly as the wind rushed past them. "Fine. You can have a garden…"
Her hair brushed back. She was sure even his spiky hair was bent over in the same direction. Then he quickly added, "Do what ever you want." If she was occupied, it would be good.
Videl walked beside Gohan, heading to the training room. With the help of Gohan's bankbook, she was beginning to accept that she had to stay and live here. Videl will never give up the idea that she'll escape one day. It'll take time for her plan to be effective, and she was willing to hold on and wait.
Patience is everything.
At the moment that they crossed through the kitchen, Videl remembered Gohan's father, Raditz. She decided to start a conversation—you know the friendship she asked for will a lot take work. Gohan didn't look like an easy guy to become close buddies with. "He doesn't look like a father," she commented.
Gohan looked down beside her. "Raditz?"
She nodded, not giving him eye contact. "Yeah. Though you two have similar personalities as far I've seen, you two don't resemble much."
He looked interested in her thought and only showed so with a small smirk. "You think so?"
Videl nodded. "Yeah, he looks so bulky and reminds me of a blood thirsty primal beast. You… for an alien you look more human than he. Though I called you a beast earlier, I was talking about your personality. As far as looks, compared to your dad, you can pass for a Greek god." Videl regretted complimenting him but didn't say anything to take it back. It was honest, and it was meant to make him like her more. An ego boost. Everyone likes those.
Gohan only lifted an eyebrow up, half surprised and half pleased. "I'm flattered."
"Do you like him?"
His attention moved elsewhere, intentionally. "He clothed me, fed me, and gave me shelter. What's there not to like?"
Videl crossed her arms under her breasts, slightly cradling them. "He never read you stories or gave you piggy back rides?" Should she even ask?
The hybrid made one of those pitiful small laughs. "No. None of that. He just gave me what I needed to survive until I could do it on my own."
Videl looked up at him as they walked. For a tiny second she saw sadness sprawled on his face. Raw sadness. She pitied him. 'No wonder Gohan is such a jerk,' Videl thought hauntingly, shuddering. She would hate to have such a hostile father. And for once, she didn't want to give him a hard time. She wanted to cheer him up, just a bit. After all, she was his new friend. "And who's stronger? You or your dad?" She had a hunch that he was.
Gohan saw what she was doing, and half-smirked. "You want an honest answer?"
Vide nodded and said an encouraging and eager, "Yeah."
The half Saiyan looked around before his smirk broadened and even sharpened. "I am."
The proud look on his face reminded her of something said before. Now she knew why Videl was still here, alive and kicking… Gohan was stronger than Raditz. Raditz couldn't possibly take her away from Gohan. Videl wanted to laugh at Raditz but, instead, she kept it to herself. Her thoughts and curiosity went on other things like: just how badly did Gohan want her, which he even defied his own father for?
The thoughts, the possible answers, put her on a whole new level of understanding. She realized that there was so much that she didn't know… couldn't see from the surface… Would she dare meddle and try to? Would she dare tangle herself into Gohan's life?
She had to.
She had to be his friend.
She had to make him like her.
She had to… because her chances to be free depended on it.
Vegeta paced in the kitchen, glaring at Trunks and Goten. They looked terrified of Vegeta in this mood. Never have they seen him so… shaken up.
"Another man called Kakarott? Impossible!" Vegeta said, suddenly looking up at Goten and Trunks.
They raised their hands up defensively, giving Vegeta a cheesy smile. "We don't know him!" they said in unison.
Vegeta rolled his eyes at the boys' fear. It was slightly amusing, though he had other thoughts fresh in his mind. 'Kakarott is a Saiyan name. There are no more Saiyans on this planet,' Vegeta thought, frustrated. "And I let him go, just like that!" Truth be told, Vegeta had been feeling too numb to protest against Gohan's request.
The Prince exhaled loudly, sitting down. "And what if he was a Saiyan? What does that mean?"
"It means nothing!" Bulma said loudly, trying to be the voice of reason. "Who cares Vegeta? I'm sure not all Saiyans want to destroy humanity." She had heard Vegeta ranting but wasn't really paying attention. She was thinking about other things.
"I'm not worried about that," Vegeta barked back.
"And don't even think he'll be your sparing partner. What if he isn't interested in fighting?" Bulma pointed out as she slumped into a chair.
The Prince of Saiyans stared at Bulma, not believing what she just said. "Are you mad woman?" He shook his head slowly, his laughing growing more and more audible. "A Saiyan… not interested in fighting?!" Vegeta continued to laugh manically. "That's like Saiyans without food."
Trunks looked bored as he raised a lavender eyebrow up, questioningly. "Uhh, Dad. What if he isn't Saiyan? People these days have whacked up names. Like… Vegeta. What kind of name is Vegeta?" His father stopped laughing and looked like he would kill. "I mean," Trunks said quickly, "like… P Diddy… Isn't Diddy the name of the monkey in Donkey Kong? And why would you name a monkey 'Donkey'?"
The room became quiet.
"Trunks has a point," Bulma said.
Goten frowned, feeling left out, and possibly more bored than Trunks. Pondering to himself, he remembered some unforgotten business. "Hey Trunks, did we tell Uncle Vegeta about Gohan?"
Trunks face lightened up in excitement. Eager with the idea, his fingers curled into tiny fists. "Yeah dad. There was something we were gonna ask you earlier. Did you know Goku has a son named Gohan."
The woman frowned. How did the boys know about Goku's lost son? Curious, she let them talk on.
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. Normally he wouldn't be concerned of these matters, but they were talking about a son of a Saiyan. This definitely caught his attention.
Goten nodded with a cheery, contagious smile. "We were hoping if you knew Raditz so we could find Gohan," then promptly added on, "Since you're the Prince." This caused Vegeta to smirk. Flattery could get you almost anywhere.
Bulma's heart melted at both of the boys' concern. Even so, her curiosity never simmered down.
Vegeta did find some awareness with the name Raditz, but when or if they met it'd be decades ago. "I don't know this Raditz character." After he said that, something old clicked in his head. His mouth hung opened. "Raditz is your Uncle," he stated to Goten.
The little boy nodded. "Just as you hated my dad, Raditz did too. When Gohan was four, Raditz kidnapped him."
Bulma already knew this. "And how did you two find this out?" Her eyes narrowed.
Trunks looked back at his mother, frowning. "In Goku's attic. Goten found pictures of Gohan."
The blue-haired woman just nodded, and did not ask anything else.
Vegeta stared at nothing in particular, attempting to remember possible answers for the boys. It was defying his normal behaviour, but he couldn't put the boys in the dark now. Well that was if he knew something about Raditz or Gohan, but he did not. "No. I know nothing about those two." Without saying anything else, Vegeta headed to the gravity chamber. He needed to be alone.
As much as he tried to let that "Kakarott" man out of his head, he simply came back. And now, Goku had another son, Gohan?
Was it possible…?
Ah, though Vegeta was a man that was hard to deal with, he was not stupid or foolish. He would come to a certain conclusion. In time of course.
Gohan sat beside the female in silence. She had loose, tangled, black silky hair from the previous work out. Now she was unconscious. The hybrid thought it would be a good idea to bring her back to the bed. For the next ten minutes, in his sleeveless shirt and jogging pants, he sat still staring at her unmoving form.
She was a human. She got to him, messing with his common sense. He realized this.
Gohan closed his eyes tightly, and then opened them. She was still there in the same spot.
He shouldn't have tangled her in his life. He knew Raditz was right. She was going to make everything more complicated for him. But was it too late to let her go?
Yes. It was.
Never in his life did he want something like her. And the frustrating part was he didn't know why. Yeah, he said for mating purposes, but deep down it wasn't exactly for that reason. His eyebrows knitted as he thought further. He became more irritated at himself. And that led to more confusion.
Gohan was beginning to lose grip of him. He felt these feelings. They were so new to him. None were sexual, thank goodness, but nonetheless, he wanted them to go away.
He gulped, remembering there past training session. They started off light, with just punches and kicks. Roughly after an hour of warm up they stretched in silence. After thirty minutes, Gohan helped her control her ki and fly more efficiently. Three hours or so later (time flies by when you're having fun), Videl passed out.
Gohan suddenly looked down and she began to stir awake. He still stared at her. That caused her to freak out. She instinctively rolled away from him. Initially he wondered why, but he could tell by her frightened face that she thought he was going to try something.
The hybrid frowned, but his dark eyes were warming up. "Don't you get it yet? I meant what I said. I'll only mate with you when you're willing," he paused and then added, "and conscious."
Videl pacified a bit, sitting up. She did not feel comfortable lying there at his disposal. Uncomfortably she cleared her throat. "Uh, why were you staring at me like that?" she asked softly.
Gohan, for some reason, looked blank and lost. He suddenly got up, went to the bathroom and changed his clothes to his regular attire. When he came back to Videl he still did not reply. "I have to visit someone right now. You don't have to wait for me for dinner." He said it so strangely that it made Videl wonder.
She looked up at him, and nodded. She didn't know what else to do. When he left, she collapsed on the bed and did some much needed thinking…
Gohan was walking in the outskirts of Satan city, mindlessly. He welcomed the bitter wind biting his cheeks as a fellow android stayed by his side.
"Seventeen," he began, "Did you find Yamcha?"
Seventeen nodded. "Yeah. He's in the building coming up ahead."
Gohan stopped a minute later and observed the building close by. The one that held importance reached fifty stories high and was well kept. "Does he own it?"
Seventeen nodded again. "Yeah."
The half-Saiyan licked his dry lips while he cracked his knuckles with anticipation. He was about to take a step to alter Yamcha's fate. And then the android said something.
"Are you sure you want to do it?" Seventeen asked in a monotone voice.
The hybrid looked back at him, lifting a brow. "Are you questioning my power?"
Seventeen slightly crossed his arms. "No." He almost sounded like he was lying. "You just look out of it."
Gohan stood up straight and held in his breath. "Explain."
"You don't look focused."
He almost smirked. "I never knew you were an observer."
Seventeen smiled. "I knew you for quite some time, haven't I?"
He chuckled dryly. "Even if my head wasn't clear, I could still annihilate Yamcha. His power is pathetic." He knew Seventeen wanted to do the job.
"I guess you're right."
"And you got to mess with Hercule."
The android almost laughed. "But that wasn't fun."
Gohan raised an eyebrow.
"Okay. It was." He then exhaled loudly. "I'm coming with you. Just in case."
"And…" He left his sentence unfinished.
"And I love watching people die."
Yamcha walked on the rooftop, heading towards a candlelit table. He smiled as he saw his date for the night, sitting there as beautiful as ever. As fighting was what Goku was good at, romancing the ladies was Yamcha's thing. Tonight was going to be a piece of cake.
"Sorry I was late, babe," Yamcha apologized, kissing his blonde date on the cheek before sitting across from her.
Yamcha's date smirked at him, holding up her watch. "You weren't late, my watch was just fast." She received a gorgeous smile from the baseball player.
The fighter took her right hand in his, holding it gently. "You know Candy…. You have the most beautiful, emerald eyes that I find myself getting lost in…"
The female giggled. "Oh stop it Yamcha!"
His smile broadened. Getting her into a trance, they pulled closer and closer for a kiss until they felt that someone was watching. Confused and annoyed, they looked to the side and saw Gohan and Seventeen looking at them.
Gohan only frowned when he saw Yamcha's face expression.
Seventeen was smirking. He was amused. "Oh sorry, were we interrupting something?"
Yamcha lifted an eyebrow, trying to keep his cool. "Did you read the sign buddy?"
Now the hybrid smirked. "We didn't use the stairs."
The scarred-faced man dropped his jaw a little, not believing what he was hearing. Who the hell were these guys? How dare they try to mess up this night with Candy?
Suddenly, Yamcha almost laughed, looking at what the tall man was wearing. It reminded him of something. "Hey! The Matrix called. They want their coat back."
Gohan's smirk vanished since a frown replaced it. Just what was the Matrix? Radtiz's nephew took a couple of steps forward and asked, "Are you Yamcha?"
Yamcha stood up to the man. "Yeah. What's it to you?" When he said that he found a gruesome smile on the man's face.
Gohan glanced back at Seventeen. "You have a job. Dispose of the girl." He received a look of disgust from Seventeen.
The android went to take Yamcha's date, but Yamcha only stood in his way with arms outstretched, defending Candy. "Whoever you are, you're not touching her!"
The android looked back at Gohan, who looked oddly bored and calm. "Listen. You have to let him take her so she can't watch you die. Do you really want that?"
Yamcha immediately became weak in the knees from tension. Why did he have a feeling that this guy was dead serious? "And who says I'm going to die?"
Gohan smirked and used his super speed to stand face-to-face to Yamcha. Immediately he upper-cutted him in the gut. Yamcha coughed and doubled back, unable to stop the saliva and blood pour out of his mouth. Just one strike from this man caused Yamcha to be temporarily handicapped, unable to defend himself. Tears stung his eyes as the pain came, overwhelming him.
Candy looked down at her boyfriend, who was now trembling on the ground. Wide eye and appalled, she stared at Gohan. She wanted to beg Gohan for mercy, but her senses were frazzled, disturbed and frightened. She wanted to scream.
Before she had a chance, Seventeen used his extreme, inhuman speed to close her mouth. Looking down at the blonde beauty he grabbed her waist and flew away. She kicked and cried, not knowing what her kismet would be.
And watching all this, Gohan didn't have a shred of compassion for the girl—or for Yamcha.
Gohan slowly strode to the weakened Yamcha and offered him a hand. Silently Yamcha took it and half expected betrayal. The hybrid—Gohan—drove his hand into of Yamcha's stomach, waiting to feel warm blood paint his tanned skin. Yamcha hadn't cried even though his eyes were glued opened. The pain… it was unbearable. Nothing he ever felt before. He couldn't get out of it. Yamcha could only scream.
He looked at Yamcha, trying to figure ways to extinguish the screaming piercing his sensitive hearing. He had to destroy Yamcha's vocals. An eyebrow was lifted up with a grotesque idea.
While Gohan's left hand was positioned on Yamcha's right wrist, Gohan added more pressure, enough pressure for Yamcha's bones to crack painfully, quickly…and loudly. When 'crunch crunch crunch' was heard, it oddly reminded Gohan of chewing on chicken bones. Yamcha let out another shrill scream. It was so haunting as if the devil slowly possessed him. In an attempt of defence, he immediately brought his left hand to ki blast Gohan's face. Unfortunately Gohan saw it coming and the easiest way to prevent it from happening was to direct more pain in Yamcha's wounded stomach. Gohan added ki in his right hand and slowly pushed it further and deeper in Yamcha's insides. Yamcha yelled louder, bringing his free hand to the source of his pain. He was barely able to shout, "Stop it!" It came out as a hoarse cry—and again it sounded like the devil possessed him.
Gohan heard the plea, the blood and even the pain. How could he comply and stop? This half-Saiyan was never taught of compassion of mercy. It was a shame that Gohan was a man that only did things that he knew of.
The hybrid continued to grind in his right hand while he reached for Yamcha's throat. He had enough of the human's cries and screams.
Yamcha was choking now, feeling numb yet burning all at the same time. He was dying… being killed, and he couldn't prevent it from happening. Why? What did he do to this man? With blurry vision, Yamcha looked down and saw the deep blood puddle underneath him and stained on his expensive attire. This was it… It was over for him.
Gohan was surprised to see the man try to fight… even till now. Maybe he should have reached for the heart, or at least try to pull out the older man's intestines. Well it was too late now. Yamcha was on the verge of entering death. And Gohan didn't feel guilty about it.
The half-Saiyan finally decided to put the scar-faced man out of his misery before any of the locals became suspicious. Expelling energy out of right out of his hand, Gohan blasted the life essence away from Yamcha, while breaking the man's neck almost effortlessly. It was almost as easy as crumbling chocolate-chip cookies. Well, he would have thought so if he was familiar with this junk food.
In the final moments of his soul residing on Earth, Yamcha twitched, as it was impossible to breathe. The pain was worse, enveloping his whole senses and body. It was weird… experiencing death. As he kept his eyes opened from the starling and growing aches, he was gradually entering darkness…
Finally Gohan let go, dropping the soulless Yamcha to the wet ground. He stared at the bloody mess, not quite sure if he what he was feeling. He was expecting the outcome, knowing he was the better man, though he felt slightly empty. Was it the lack of challenge? Was it the blood dirtying the concrete rooftop and his hands? Or was it the horrible, coppery stench of the blood all around him? He just murdered a man, a famous baseball player and a Z fighter, but Gohan didn't know if he should be satisfied with his sinful deed or not?
Something had changed. Slowly. Surely. If it wasn't obvious yet, it will later on.
[1] I think almost ALL women are needy. Hehehe. Even if they don't admit it.
Yes. I know. I'm late. I'm sorry. I just got it back on Friday. Anyways, there are a number of things that I'd like to point out.
One, thank you all for reviews. You can never have too much. And I LOVE them to death.
Two, this chapter was REALLY effin long. I think it's the longest.
Three, I know I know, it's moving slowly. I need to fix that. That will take a while.
Four, I started to write two side stories (I haven't uploaded it yet, check out my bio). This may be another reason why the chapters may come out later.
Five, I really need your opinion on something. My beta suggested for me to stray from the G/V. I think she says the truth. What do you think? What should I do? I'm biased. Of course I want G/V, and I feel bad deleting stuff 'cause it took time to type. And I'm lazy. What should I do?
Okay, that's it I think. Hope you enjoyed it. I hoped you really enjoyed Gohan's murder scene. Yes, if you must know, it was fun writing it. I may be back between two weeks to a month or something. Oh yeah, the treat for next time… since yesterday was V-day, how about chocolate and strawberry filling mutilated hearts?
Kiss kiss.