Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! It's finally done, and even better than the first "final draft!" I actually have so many scenes I'm really proud of in this chapter but I'll say more about it at the end. The first two scenes are largely unchanged except for a few grammatical corrections and some phrasing changes for clarity, so if you read that last week, you're probably find to just skip to scene three. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the full Chapter 22!
Chapter XXII – This is My Future
"So!?"
Videl sighed and held her head with one hand. Erasa's excited voice sounded through the speaker on her phone, her determination to learn something – anything – about the night before unmatched in a way she'd never experienced.
"…so?"
"Oh, come on," her best friend chided, "you can't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! You. Gohan. Last night. Tell!"
"'Rase, you promised you wouldn't ask me anything that would make me uncomfortable…" There was a long silence before a reluctant sigh came from the other end of the line.
"Okay, okay, you're right. I'm not trying to force you to tell me about your entire private life…just most of it! So…tell me a little then! How'd it happen? Weren't you at the King's party last night?"
That was something Videl could explain, fairly comfortably too. And maybe the absurdity of the situation would be enough to throw the blonde off the scent of gossip. Unlikely. But it was worth a shot at the very least.
After she repeated the tale – Erasa dissolving into laughter a few times at the idea of Videl kicking a haughty Royal across the King's party – she thought maybe she'd bought herself some time. Alas, the girl who had known her longer than any of her friends, her closest and staunchest supporter since childhood, was completely undeterred.
"Lucky for you that prince guy was such a jerk! It landed you both home alone for the night," she teased, her sly tone just oozing through the phone speaker. Videl blushed badly but managed to keep her voice steady.
"Well…yeah, I guess so. Especially when you put it that way."
"Okay. I promised nothing too uncomfortable, but you have to tell me…how was it?" 'Rase's voice had dropped significantly. Videl wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or deference, but she appreciated it nonetheless. Forcing down the intense heat she felt radiating from her cheeks, she took a slow breath and decided to answer truthfully. She'd never hear the end of it if she didn't.
"It was…really great," she managed, the volume of her own voice having dropped by orders of magnitude.
Erasa was silent for about five seconds before her usual, teasing voice returned, a sly quality to it. "It was just 'great,' huh? Sounds like the way you'd describe the party – 'oh, it was great! I'm so glad Papa invited us along! It was just a really great time! Did I mention how great it was?'"
"Okay fine, I get it!" Videl sulked, rolling onto her side and bracing herself as her best friend giggled, pleased with her antics. "It was absolutely amazing and I can't stop thinking about it…"
Erasa squealed loudly, so loudly, in fact, that Videl had to yank the phone away from her ear. She could just imagine the way the blonde was kicking her feet and hugging her pillow tighter than she had when she'd learned that Gohan had become her boyfriend.
"Oh, Vi! That's so wonderful, I'm so happy! And it's so cute to hear you like this!"
"H-hey!" she managed weakly, though the burning embarrassment she felt rendered the rest of her response useless.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you. Really though, I'm so thrilled for you! Both of you! That's a big step, especially for people as shy as the two of you are!"
"Y-yeah…you're right. But overall I think things went…really well, so I'm glad it wasn't as awkward as it could have been."
"Ah, you don't give yourself enough credit. After everything the two of you have gone through, I'd have been surprised if it hadn't gone well."
"You really think so?"
"Of course! How many other couples have literally saved each other's lives and have each other's backs against hardened criminals?" Videl grinned a bit.
"I guess you have a good point. Thanks 'Rase."
"Of course! Now! Tell me a bit more! Who made the first move?" What a surprise…she still wasn't done.
"Uh…me…"
"Yeah, that's not a big surprise. At this point, if Gohan was the one who brought it up, I think my brain would implode. So…how'd you bring it up? You'll tell me that much, right?"
Videl sighed and braced herself. It was going to be a long night…
A week later, Videl found herself on the Lookout once more. Gohan had brought her for her training session with Piccolo, as promised. She hadn't been here since November when they had wished everyone's memories of Buu away, but it felt strangely comforting to be back again. She didn't have exclusively good memories of this place, all things considered; it had been the base she'd been confined too while her Gohan had nearly been killed by a monster and where she'd been eaten alive (she still shuddered if she thought about that for too long), but it was also where she had been reunited with her Darling and where they had first confessed their love to one another. Perhaps she needed to reevaluate her feelings on this place; a lot of good happened here, too.
"Hey Piccolo," Gohan called out, waving across the expanse at his mentor. The Namekian, waiting by the main entrance to the interior, gave a warm smile and strolled towards them, raising his hand in response.
"Hey kid, good to see you. You too, Videl."
"Hi Piccolo," she called out, "how have you been?"
"Can't complain. The world is peaceful and neither Dende nor I sense anything ready to threaten it."
"That's great," Gohan agreed.
"So, you ready to get started?" Piccolo asked, gesturing towards the building behind him. "Dende and Mr. Popo are deeper inside; I asked them to give us some time to ourselves so nothing interrupted our training."
"I hope I didn't put them out," Videl offered, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. He chuckled and shook his head.
"Not at all. Those two have their own duties to take care of. Besides, it's only for a few hours; Dende and I can stare down at the Earth again after that."
"You'll have to explain how you do that sometime," Videl noted. Gohan grinned widely from beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You'll be able to do it soon, too! It's mostly just ki sensing, though this location allows for a lot more precision than being down on the ground. Don't worry, Angel; you'll get there before you know it!" Videl felt herself light up at his words. He always made her feel so supported.
"Gohan, did you want to stay?" Piccolo asked, eyeing him curiously. "I can't say it'll be much fun to watch but you're always welcome here."
"Nah," he said casually. "'Del and I were talking on the way up here; I think she'll get more out of it if I'm not here distracting her. Besides, I trust you completely with her training!"
"Glad I've got your vote of confidence," he joked dryly, a twinkle in his eye.
"I won't be far; I'm gonna go visit Bulma and Twelve, see how things are going down at Capsule Corp. after a week. Just gimme a minute to say goodbye and I'll get out of your hair." Piccolo grinned at him.
"Take your time; I'm in no rush. Videl, I'll wait over by the main entrance, just come find me when you're ready."
"I will!"
Piccolo strolled away, his cape billowing in the wind, as Gohan stepped closer to Videl and pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back and nestled into his chest, sighing contentedly. "Say hi to Bulma and Twelve for me, okay?"
"Of course I will! They'll be sad you couldn't come with me today."
"Don't worry, I'll come visit with you soon!"
"Good; I'll be sad you couldn't come with me today, too." He grinned at her as she scoffed playfully.
"Oh, please. We'll be together again before you know it! We're making dinner together tonight, right?"
"Yeah! We have to try our new dish for Buu! I wonder if he'll like it…"
"I guess we'll find out soon!"
"Okay, Doll. I don't want to intrude into your training too much, so you have fun with Piccolo and I'll see you in a few hours." Videl gazed up at him with sparkling eyes.
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
Before she could even rise onto her toes, he leaned down and kissed her softly, a shiver of delight and happiness making its way down her body. She couldn't help the enormous smile that appeared on her face as he pulled back.
"I love you, Sweetheart."
"And I love you, Angel. I'll see you soon, okay?" And with that, Gohan rose gently into the air, waving as he disappeared below the base of the Lookout. She gazed after him for several seconds before remembering where she was and what she was supposed to be doing.
"You know, you really are perfect for him." Piccolo's low voice resonated around her and she jumped in surprise, blushing a bit at the compliment. She knew Piccolo was like a second father to Gohan though and it made her elated to hear him speak like that.
"I do my best to make him happy," she replied, her smile still in place. "I just hope it's enough." The Namekian watched her with a knowing twinkle in his eye.
"It's more than enough. I've known Gohan for a long time and I've never seen him like this." Videl felt her cheeks darken more drastically.
"I'm sure it's a lot of things that all add up though, right? Like Goku being home again, everything with Buu being settled, that kind of stuff." Piccolo laughed lightly and shook his head.
"Don't sell yourself short, Videl. I'm sure he's thrilled for Goku to be alive and home again and I'm sure he's grateful for the peace he's rarely known in his life. But like I said, I've known him for a long time. And he's never been this happy, even after he killed Cell and saved us all. You're the only person he's ever looked at like that or spoken about the way he does."
Well, that did it. Her face was very red now but she couldn't help the wide smile that stole her lips. "Thank you for saying so, Piccolo. I trust and love Gohan a lot but I've only known him since last April. I always wonder what everyone who's known him longer thinks of the way things are for him now."
Piccolo finally stepped next to Videl, gazing at the spot Gohan had just left from. "Aside from his family, I'd argue I know him best. Maybe Krillin. But I think all of us would agree that we've never seen him as overjoyed as he is now. And if you think that's not almost entirely to do with you, then I've got a big surprise for you."
Videl couldn't help the genuine laughter that escaped her and Piccolo joined her, chuckling lightly. "Thank you, Piccolo. I don't doubt him at all; I hope it doesn't sound like I do. I just want him to be truly happy, you know? He deserves it so, so much."
"I know. But you do deserve that same happiness yourself. I remember your reaction when Goku told us Gohan was gone." She wilted for a moment. Even after all this time, the memory of that moment caused her heart to sink to the pit of her stomach and a cold shiver to race down her back.
"Yeah…I took it a lot worse than I expected back then…it was the first moment I realized…"
"Sorry to remind you of that," Piccolo offered, grimacing a bit. "But seeing you be so devoted to him was the first time I noticed how very much alike the two of you are."
"Like Gohan?" she asked, her eyes widening curiously.
"I'd say so. Both of you have a tremendous sense of justice from what I've been told. You both care a lot for the people around you. And you love with your whole hearts. That's not something many people can say they have to begin with, much less that they have in common with someone they care for."
"That's a really nice thought," she admitted, smiling softly. Piccolo flashed a satisfied grin back.
"Glad you're in a good headspace, then; my training will be a lot more effective if your mind is relaxed." Videl lit up at his words.
"Well, I'm ready to get started if you are!"
"That's another thing you have in common with Gohan – your enthusiasm. Let's go ahead and get started then."
Videl wasn't sure how many hours had passed. It could have been minutes or days since she had started her training with Piccolo; time seemed to have slipped from her understanding. He had focused on image training with her, just as he'd promised back at Bulma's party in November. The words he'd started their session with still echoed through her mind.
"The reason you can't generate a ki blast is because you struggle to see yourself using this power actively. Flying, deflecting ki, raising your aura – all are passive uses of this power. But now you have some experience with using ki in a real fight. Your conflict with that new android allowed you to see how you can actively tap into your potential, too. So today, we'll focus on convincing your mind that you can do anything that we can."
To that end, they had sat down by the edge of the Lookout and he had begun his instruction. "Envision yourself flying in the sky in front of us. Imagine an enemy you're fighting. And see yourself firing ki blasts from your hands at that enemy. They keep deflecting them, but they can't approach you, so you keep firing. Keeping them out is your goal for now."
"I'm not sure how it feels to fire a ki blast though," she admitted, grimacing. Piccolo wasn't perturbed though.
"It doesn't matter just yet. You just need to believe you're capable of it first. See yourself actually doing it. That's the most important part of this process for right now. Until you trust this power with your own heart and mind, you won't be able to tap into it completely. But once you break through that mental barrier, you'll be so much closer to achieving your goal than you've ever been before."
And so, they had done just that for a long while now. Occasionally, Piccolo would chime in with some suggestions to guide her mind – slowly envision the actual idea of launching a ki blast, generating that energy in your palm and letting it fly forward. Now imagine yourself doing it without any hesitation or thinking at all. They were all different ways of guiding her towards the same goal of removing her mental block.
The image training was working in that regard, she had to admit. Of course, it was only in her mind's eye, but she was starting to become accustomed to the idea of darting around in the sky, blasting that gold energy from her hands the way Gohan had done for most of his life. If she really could get used to the idea, maybe it was possible…
"Okay Videl, I think that's enough for now," Piccolo's voice resonated around her suddenly. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking several times against the light of the day. The sun had moved significantly across the sky, but she felt satisfied by the progress she'd made so far. It felt like she really could do what she set her mind to with enough time.
"I think image training was definitely the right way to go about this! I feel a lot more confident in the idea of doing this now!" Videl told him excitedly. A calm smile spread across the Namekian's face.
"I thought that might be a big contributor in your training. Oftentimes, we make things harder for ourselves than they are objectively. Hopefully with some more time doing this on your own - plus your training with Gohan - you'll be well on your way to firing ki blasts of your own."
"I think you're right! I'll definitely keep doing this myself; it was starting to feel much more natural in my mind. Like I was really doing it."
"Try it." Videl's eyes widened in surprise.
"Huh?" Piccolo just nodded at her.
"Try it. Raise your hand and do what you've been imagining." Videl felt a little nervous but quickly shook it off. What was the worst that happened? He hadn't promised her immediate success; there were no stakes right now.
"Okay, I'll give it a shot!"
She raised her hand and pointed it towards the horizon closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath in. As she exhaled, she let images of her firing blasts from her hands dance through her mind again. She knew the theory of how to do this already; she'd spent weeks on it with Gohan. She just had to trust herself and do it.
Opening her eyes, Videl drew her ki in and focused as sharply on her goal as she could. She felt the warmth of her energy rise within her and boil beneath the surface of her skin. She had wanted to do this for so long, to accomplish what had been such a lofty goal for her.
'Just focus. See yourself firing this blast. Don't get in your own way. Trust yourself.'
With a quick shout, she surged her ki forward. She felt the tingling warmth race down her arm, coalesce in her palm, and…a tiny spark of energy jumped from her hand. It was pretty pathetic, all things considered. She grimaced and rolled her eyes before taking a calming breath and smiling.
"Well, that wasn't quite what I was hoping for…but you know what? That's better than where I started the day!" Piccolo laughed lightly beside her.
"That's the spirit. You're a lot closer than you think, too. The way you shape and move your ki is exactly right. All you need now is practice. It's just like when you first learned to fly." She grinned and nodded, feeling eager again.
"Yeah! I can do it! I was terrible at flying at first and now I can do it without even thinking about it! I'll figure this out too!"
"I think you've made excellent progress today. Just keep doing that image training in between your physical training sessions and you'll get there before you know it. For now, though, what do you say we wrap things up? You've been sitting there for hours and Gohan will be upset with me if I don't take better care of you than I did him."
The two laughed together before Videl felt a familiar presence closing in on the Lookout once more. "Hey, speaking of…that's him, isn't it?" Piccolo raised an eyebrow before nodding.
"Looks like your ki sensing is improving too; yeah, that's him. He's been killing time with Bulma for a little while but I guess he just finally got too impatient and had to come see you." She was all but certain the stoic being was teasing her. It worked a little but she still managed to laugh in response.
"I can't say I'm not always impatient to see him when we're not together, too!"
"He's real lucky to have you in his life, Videl. Thanks for taking care of him and making him this happy. I'm glad you have each other." Something about the sincerity with which he spoke finally caused her to blush. A gentle smile stole her lips and she met his surprisingly warm gaze.
"And thank you for always being there and looking out for him. And for me, now, too."
"Heh, someone's gotta keep you kids safe and sound, right?"
She couldn't be sure – she didn't even know if Namekians were capable of blushing – but she could have sworn Piccolo's cheeks darkened just a bit.
Gohan wasn't looking forward to the conversation he needed to have with his parents…especially where his mom was concerned. He had dragged his feet for months now on telling her what his plans were for college. He knew she had her own idea of what his future would look like but the truth was it was his life. And he had to tell her that. Gently. Very gently, in fact, lest he set off her temper. He had faced world-ending monsters multiple times in his life, but nothing instilled fear in him (or his father, for that matter) like Mom's anger.
Hopefully, she wouldn't actually be angry, though. These were things Gohan very much wanted for himself. She would understand that…probably. It didn't stop nervous butterflies from racing around in his stomach for the entire flight home from Videl's. They had decided to each talk to their families tonight and put everything out in the open. They both wanted the support of those closest to them and, with entrance exams only about a week away, it was time to tell them.
Throughout dinner, Gohan shifted around anxiously in his seat. He didn't want to betray his nervousness but one good look at him probably would have done it. Luckily, his mom's cooking was so delicious that he was able to distract himself for a little while. Goten's usual happy-go-lucky mood eased his nerves and he was glad to see that everyone was in a good mood tonight. That would probably make the conversation go much more smoothly than it otherwise could have.
After dinner, Gohan helped his parents out with the dishes (as Goten ran off to play) and hoped he was playing off his trepidation well. Dad could probably sense something was affecting his ki if he paid close enough attention, but hopefully he wouldn't. However, the topic of the evening came up earlier than he would have liked. Just as they finished up in the kitchen, Chi-Chi made an innocuous comment about entrance exams.
"I can't wait to see how well you do and how many schools you get into! I wonder where you'll wind up going?" There was a wistful excitement in her voice and Gohan knew he had to break the news before she went too far down the rabbit hole, so to speak.
"Uh, actually, I…kinda wanted to talk about that. With both of you," he managed, trying to keep himself calm and steady. Goku, relaxed as ever, just nodded.
"Sure, son! I dunno much about this kinda thing, but I'm excited to hear your plans!" Gohan suppressed a grimace. Hopefully Dad wouldn't be the only one excited to hear them.
"Why don't we go to the living room?" Chi-Chi proposed, a smile glued to her face. "I'm so eager to hear what you're planning!"
Timidly, Gohan followed his parents out of the kitchen, taking up a spot adjacent to them on the couches. He had never outright defied his mother's expectations before. Sure, he had gone away with Dad to train and fight against her wishes sometimes, but there was always the unspoken understanding that he would come back home safe and sound and things would return to normal. Home schooling, studying, tests, planning for the future. And college was just another part of those plans.
These days, though, college was more than just something Gohan wanted planned for him. He had dreams and aspirations for his academic future. He knew what he wanted to focus on and how he wanted to achieve his goals. He had a school he wanted to attend, one that gave him a great opportunity to succeed in the ways he wanted. And…he had a partner, someone he wanted to share his life with, someone he didn't want to be apart from. Mom would just have to understand. Ultimately…this was his life. He had to convey that.
Finally feeling a small bit of confidence building up within him, he took a steadying breath and recalled Videl's parting words to him: 'your mom loves you, Darling. Just be honest with her and she'll understand. Even if she's a bit upset, she'll still respect you for choosing your own path and sticking to it. And she'll always love you.'
"Mom. Dad," Gohan began, earning the curious and excited gazes of his parents. One last deep breath, just for good measure. "I'm going to attend North City University with Videl in April and study Sports Psychology. I want to use that knowledge and my own training to apply it to martial arts and ki use. And eventually, I want to figure out a way to spread knowledge of ki to the general public."
Goku's face lit up with a giant grin. "I think that's great! You could really change the world like that! Isn't that great, Chi?" Gohan chanced a look at his mother and saw her face, which seemed to have found the exact midpoint between extreme pride and having eaten something terribly sour.
"I…I'm not disappointed or anything, but…you don't want to be a doctor…or a lawyer? Something like that?" she asked, with a hopeful lilt to her tone. Gohan laughed a little at her words. It had been something she'd always mentioned casually.
"I don't," he admitted softly, trying to let her down easily. "The reason I asked for the specific books I did for my birthday last year was because I was already laying the groundwork for my research. I've been pretty interested in this idea for a while, and I think it really could make a difference in the world in a really tangible way!"
Chi-Chi finally gave him a very genuine smile. He could still detect the subtle surprise in her eyes, but she was taking to the idea a lot better than he'd expected. Faster, too. "Gohan, if that's what you want, then I support you. I've been thinking a lot, too, especially since everything with Majin Buu wrapped up. I've always been pretty tough on you." Gohan just gave her a smile.
"Only because you wanted the best for me."
"Of course. But I've started to realize…maybe what I want for you isn't exactly what you want."
Gohan was a little surprised. He knew his mother wasn't so stubborn that she would ever actively ignore his own wants and desires, but she was being so much more agreeable about the idea than he'd expected, especially given her penchant for casually planning his life out for him every time her mind got going. He was glad there wasn't an argument to be had, but it was a struggle to keep the wide-eyed disbelief off of his face.
"Hah!" His mother laughed suddenly, grinning at him. "You thought I'd tell you that you were wasting your time and disappointing me if you didn't do what I wanted, didn't you?" Gohan grimaced and avoided her eyes.
"N-no…I just thought we might argue about it a little. I've been a little hesitant to bring it up…"
"Gohan," she continued, earning his gaze again. Her expression was warm and caring. "I've always wanted you to be happy more than anything else. I had my own ideas of what would give you the best chance to have that happiness, but if you have your own path and your own wants…then I couldn't be happier about that. You don't have to feel hesitant to ever tell me anything; I'm your mother, after all! Your happiness means more to mean than any career or title ever could."
"Thanks Mom," he managed, feeling his throat tighten a bit. Something about the conversation was pretty bittersweet. It was a precursor to him leaving home, after all. And for all his doubts, it felt wonderful for her to support his dreams so readily and so actively. Of course, he never doubted his mother's love for him, but he was still surprised by how well she seemed to be taking the news. It wasn't all going to be sappy and sentimental, though.
"You're sure you don't want to go to a private university though? It would look so good going forward," she insisted, winking at him. Gohan laughed lightly before shaking his head.
"Honestly, I thought about it. But all those schools are so rigid and uptight in the way they do things that I'd never get what I wanted out of a program like that."
"I thought you might say something like that," she conceded, smiling warmly once more. "And if North City University is where you think you'll get the best experience, then that's where you should go! I'm sure you've been researching the program for months now." Gohan chuckled a bit.
"Yeah, since September, honestly. I wanted to make sure I knew for sure where I really wanted to be before I brought it up."
"That's so like you, Gohan."
"It was Videl's idea, actually. I was a little paralyzed from all the options out there. I knew what I didn't want, but not what I did." Goku chimed in once again, a knowing smile on his face.
"It's tough when there's so many possibilities, right? Sometimes, it really helps to have someone guiding you a little."
"So Videl's going too?" Chi-Chi asked. Gohan nodded.
"She is. The school has a great criminology program too; that's what she wants to study."
"Well, that sounds perfect for her! She's already got such a strong sense of justice and she's so smart when it comes to figuring out mysteries and such. She figured out you were the superhero running around the city in just a few weeks, after all." Gohan reddened but laughed at his mom's teasing. Videl really was something special.
"She'll be amazing. When we started searching for schools, we wanted a place that had really high-quality programs for both our majors so we could go there together. It took a little while but we found it eventually." He had wondered if his mother would disapprove of their decision to go to school together, but she just nodded her understanding, her eyes closing as she pondered a thought.
"I guess that makes sense. When I look at the two of you, I certainly don't see a high school fling that'll fizzle out in a year. In fact, the two of you remind me of your father and I…sort of."
"We do? Is that a good thing?" Gohan asked, genuinely unsure. Chi-Chi shot him a smirk.
"Why do you think I said 'sort of?'" They laughed together, something that quelled the remainder of Gohan's nerves. It was amazing to know Mom was so supportive, even if he wasn't doing exactly what she had always wanted. It made this whole conversation so much more relaxed than it could have been. There was only one thing left to tell her.
"Well, I'm glad you think the same way about us that we do! Which is why we talked about it and…we kinda…were planning to live together once we start college," he admitted, feeling more and more awkward as the thought continued.
Chi-Chi sputtered immediately. "D-d-don't you want to live in the dorms your first year? You know…make some friends and…a-and experience that kind of living?"
"Not really," Gohan admitted, his cheeks darkening a bit. "It was my idea, actually. Videl was all for it, though. We won't really be able to see each other in class anymore the way we do at Orange Star since we'll be pursuing different majors. But…it's like you said: we're definitely not just a high school fling or anything like that."
"B-but still!" she interrupted, her eyes wide with shock. "Aren't the two of you a bit…young to be living together…?" It was Goku who spoke up next, laughing lightly.
"Don't worry so much, Chi! We got married younger than they are now!"
"Don't help, Goku!"
"What?"
"I know when we got married!"
"Then what are you worried about?" She paused and chewed her lip for several seconds.
"Just…what if something happens?" Gohan was curious now, speaking again.
"What could happen?"
"I just wouldn't want anything to interrupt your studies! Either of you! What if something unexpected came up?" Goku seemed to light up with recognition.
"Oh! You mean like when we had Gohan?"
The young Saiyan felt his face burn very red and he averted his eyes again, sputtering. "M-mom! We're not ready to be parents or anything like that! We have our own goals for school and our careers first! We're not gonna take any chances with that…"
Chi-Chi hit Goku's shoulder, fuming at him. "Now look what you did! Gohan's all flustered and so am I! I told you not to help me!"
"It's no big deal," Goku tried to persuade her, his face twisted with confusion. "Bulma told me at the party she has some invention that keeps couples from having kids if they don't want them! They're even Saiyan proof!"
"Goku!"
"I would love for this conversation to stop there," Gohan pleaded, still staring pointedly at the floor.
Chi-Chi took a steadying breath before speaking again. "Your father's lack of tact aside…I suppose I won't be able to talk you out of this, huh?" Gohan took a moment to calm himself before meeting her eyes again. He owed it to her to be just as honest as she'd been, after all.
"…I'm afraid not, Mom. I know we may not be all that experienced in life but…I love Videl. More than I can put into words. I see myself by her side for the rest of our lives. And I don't think we should pretend to not feel so certain of things when we both do."
"Well…I suppose I can't argue with that."
"Besides, no matter what happens, this is my future. All the choices I'll weigh, the mistakes I'll make, the experiences I'll have…it's all my responsibility." Chi-Chi's face softened again as she met his eyes.
"I know. You're absolutely right. But that doesn't stop me from worrying and wanting the best for you, you know?"
"Of course I know that. And I'm so lucky that I have such wonderful parents who care so much." His mother sighed and grinned at him.
"Well…I guess I don't have any reason to disapprove then. But as your mother, I have to ask: this is absolutely what you really want, right? You don't feel pressured into this?" Gohan shook his head gently.
"Not even a little bit. I'm so excited for college and I'm really happy with the path I'm getting ready to go down."
"Then I couldn't be happier, Gohan. And you know if you ever need anything, your father and I are always here to support you and help you."
"I know. Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad."
Back in Satan City, Videl was preparing to have her own conversation with her father. She was pretty used to just ripping the band-aid off of uncomfortable problems and laying them at Papa's feet with little to no delicacy, but this time she wanted to have a little more tact. She knew the topic of college was something that made the man very wistful. The idea of his only daughter leaving the nest was probably a terrifying prospect for him, especially given how long it had just been the two of them.
To that end, she asked Buu if he would give them some time alone together and the pink giant happily collected Bee and went outside for a walk. If Papa had any uncertainty about the topic of conversation for the night, he certainly didn't show it. In fact, it seemed as if he already knew exactly what she was going to bring up.
As they sat down on the couch together, he turned towards her, giving her his undivided attention. "So," he began, a grin on his face, "tell me what's on your mind, Sweetpea!"
"Well, with entrance exams next week, I just wanted to talk about college a bit – what my plans were, where I want to go, all that stuff." He grimaced for just a moment before nodding.
"Don't get me wrong; I'm so excited for you! It just won't be the same without you here every day…" Videl gave him a gentle smile.
"I know, Papa. It'll be strange for me too. But don't worry, I'll come home and visit as much as I can! I can fly faster than our jet copters, you know?" They laughed together, her father's smile returning full force.
"I know you can! I'm amazed by how far you've come with that power that Gohan's teaching you. I can only imagine how strong you'll be in a few more years. But first…we've gotta focus on what happens this next year. So! I'm all ears. Tell me everything."
"Well…I want to go to North City University with Gohan. I want to study criminology and maybe become a detective someday."
"That sounds perfect, Pumpkin. You've always been so naturally clever and you've been helping out the police here for years now. I think you'll be amazing!"
"Thank you, Papa!"
"And I think North City University is a great choice! I didn't go there, but I know a few people who did and they all said great things about the school! And North City is beautiful!" Videl grinned up at him.
"I'm excited! I've always wanted to expand my horizons a bit and see more of the world! But don't worry; I won't stay gone for too long at once, I promise." Mr. Satan chuckled and shook his head.
"Now don't you go worrying about me too much. Of course I'll miss you while you're in school, but I have Buu to keep me company now! And we can see each other as often as we like!"
"Yeah! Exactly!"
"Well I think all that sounds wonderful!" he cried out, laughing raucously the way he usually did. Videl drew his attention back with a quick sentence, though.
"There is one more thing, Papa." His eyebrow raised and he turned towards her again, curious.
"What's that, Sweetpea?"
"I want to live together with Gohan when we start college in April."
"I think that's a great idea too."
Videl was stunned. So stunned, in fact, that her mouth fell open and she eyed her father in wonder. The man began laughing loudly again, amused at her reaction. How could she not be shocked though? She had expected every response aside from this one – red-faced anger, absolute shock and horror, breaking down in tears and begging her not to do it. But casual, instant support wasn't something she had prepared herself for.
"Y-you…you do?"
"Course I do!" he told her, collecting himself again. "Did I ever tell you that your mother and I moved in together in college too?" She felt her eyes widen again in surprise.
"What? No, I didn't know that!"
"It's true," he assured her, staring wistfully into space as he recalled his time with Miguel. "I know I already told you your mother and I met during high school and started dating before college. But we went to the same school after that, too. The first year we stayed in the dorms, did the whole college thing, but we didn't have a lot of time to spend together. So the next year, we decided it'd be smart to try living together."
"Smart?" Videl echoed, raising an eyebrow. The man simply nodded.
"Yep! We were pretty sure by then that we wanted to get married, just not until we finished school. But we thought living together would be a good way to see how we handled life as real partners together. And we found a lot we had to work on! Your mother was tidy and I was a mess! It nearly drove her crazy the first few months! But slowly, we found ways to meet in the middle and make sure we were both happy."
Videl nodded her understanding. "I see. So you and Mama treated living together kind of like a test for the future?"
"In a way, yeah! It was less of a test, though, and more a way to show us where we still needed to improve together. It was the smartest thing we ever did, I think."
"So that's why you're so supportive of me and Gohan?"
"Sure is. I know Miguel and I were a year deeper into college than the two of you will be, but we were also a bit slower to warm up to each other in the first place. You and Gohan are inseparable and you're happier every day than the last. There's no doubt in my mind that the two of you'll wind up married by the time you graduate!"
Videl felt her face burn scarlet and she rubbed the back of her head, grinning sheepishly. Papa chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "Sorry if I embarrassed you, but I think I'm right! That's why I think the two of you living together will be a great thing for you! You can figure out how to exist side by side and how to best make each other happy. Better to learn that now than later, after all."
"Y-you really think we'll wind up married?" she managed at last, her eyes sparkling and a feeling of unabashed joy surging in her chest.
"Without a doubt. I remember how in love with your mother I was back then and that feeling never faded. Even now, I still feel the same way about her. But you and Gohan were drawn to each other a lot faster and more naturally than Miguel and I were in the beginning. There's not a doubt in my mind that the two of you are perfect for each other. And seeing you be so happy every single day is the greatest gift I could ask for."
Videl actually felt tears well up in her eyes. This was the same Papa who had once been so depressed he would drink himself to sleep alone in the basement for years. The same Papa who had threatened any boy who had ever so much as looked at her, even if she didn't even know them. The same Papa who had once been so much harder to please. That he was so open and supportive of her now truly made her feel extremely lucky. It hadn't always been the easiest road to get to this point, but she wouldn't trade her relationship with her father for anything else in the entire world.
He pulled her into a warm hug and she sniffed, trying to calm herself down. "Sorry for crying, Papa. I just started remembering so many things…I'm really glad things between us are the way they are now."
"Me too, Videl. And I'm so proud that you've grown into the responsible, motivated young woman you have. Whatever makes you happy, you'll always have my complete support. I promise."
"Thank you, Papa."
"So," he called out after several moments more, pulling back and grinning at her, "why don't we figure out where the two of you should stay? I won't have my little princess in some dingy little apartment in the bad part of town!"
"Papa, I'm a superhero," she reminded him with a sly grin. The man scoffed all the same.
"Even still, my Sweetpea needs someplace acceptable to come home to every day! I insist you let me find someplace nice!"
"…all right, just not too nice, okay? We want to at least seem normal to everyone else at school."
"Okay, okay, deal."
"Thank you, Papa."
"You don't have to thank me! I'd move Heaven and Earth for my little girl!"
"I know you would. You always have."
"I have to!" He paused for several seconds before lowering his voice and smiling warmly at her. "I've always been trying to give you love and support from me and your mother." Videl felt her throat tighten again.
"I know. And you've always done that."
Videl wasn't sure exactly where things might go from here. She wasn't sure what her view would look like in the morning, what sounds she would wake up to, what feelings she would have about college itself. She didn't really know if her career would pan out the way she thought it would right now. There were so many variables that she could never be certain. And while that uncertainty was exciting, it was also a little intimidating. But there were things she could hold onto with confidence, as well.
Papa's love and support – unfaltering, unwavering – and the love she had for him. A safe place she could always call home and her father waiting there to welcome her back with open arms. The intense feelings she held for Gohan. The prospect of their future together, side by side. The fact that no matter what sight she woke up to in the mornings, she'd also wake up to her boyfriend's handsome face. The sounds of his gentle breathing right behind her. The rest didn't matter. As long as she had the most important people in her life, no amount of uncertainty could ever phase her.
In fact, she was even more excited for the future now than she had been before.
Chi-Chi had been a bit surprised by Goku's sudden invitation: "you wanna come on a walk with me?" The boys were already asleep and the mountain was silent. Still, she had to admit, they hadn't been on a walk around Mt. Paozu in a long while. And it was a beautiful night, if a little cold. Nodding, she rose to her feet and grabbed a warm jacket before following her husband outside.
The night air was brisk and invigorating, the moonlight spilling across the grassy earth with a silver sheen that almost made the individual blades glow. Without much warning, she felt Goku slip an arm around her shoulders and pull her close. This was a bit unusual. Chi-Chi wasn't entirely used to Goku being outwardly affectionate. She knew he loved her very much but he wasn't always sure when or how to show that affection physically. Tonight, though, he seemed more sure of himself than usual. Maybe he had taken notes from their oldest.
"What's going on Goku?" she asked softly, trying to preserve the calmness in the air around them. The man just smiled down at her.
"I just thought it might be nice to get outta the house together. I know you weren't upset about what Gohan told us earlier, but I figured maybe you could use a chance to unwind. I know I've been gone for a while, but I gotta imagine it's different for Gohan to be leaving for school than when I left."
She hadn't honestly expected that. Goku being emotionally intelligent? That was a bit of a rare sight. That wasn't entirely fair, either. He just didn't have much experience in those kinds of things. But…she did appreciate it.
"Thanks, Goku. I guess it really did just hit me tonight that our little Gohan is growing up and going away for college soon."
"Are you worried about him?"
"I'm not worried that he won't succeed or something bad will happen, no. But of course I worry about him. How could I not?" Goku chuckled lightly.
"That's just like you, Chi. Our son could be the strongest man in the universe and you'd still worry about him like always."
"You were the strongest man in the universe once and I still worried about you."
"I hope you'll keep worrying when I am again!"
The two laughed together and Chi-Chi nuzzled just a bit closer to her husband. It had been a little while since they'd had time alone together like this. Taking care of Goten was a full-time job in and of itself, not to mention all the training Goku had taken to doing with Vegeta and the others lately.
"Of course I will. But are you surprised I worry about Gohan?"
"Nah, not at all. How come you were so surprised that he and Videl wanted to live together though?" She chewed her lip a bit.
"Well…I'm just…"
"It wasn't really about them accidentally having a kid, was it?" Sometimes he was a lot more observant than she gave him credit.
"No. I know they're both much too smart to take chances before they're ready. You made everything worse by bringing that up," she teased, cutting her eyes towards him. He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand and chuckled awkwardly.
"Yeah, I kinda put my foot in my mouth with that one, huh?"
"Maybe just a bit, but it was a good excuse for me to grab onto."
"What do you mean?" Chi-Chi sighed.
"I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed at the thought of someone else being there to take care of Gohan. It's always been my job, you know? But he's about to go off to college and move in with Videl…I dunno, it feels like my job is over."
"Hey, that's not true," Goku consoled her, rubbing her arm softly.
"You really think so?"
"Of course! Gohan isn't disappearing or anything! He'll be gone a few months then he'll come home and things will feel normal again. And we'll just do that for a while! But Gohan'll always need you, Chi. You're his mother; you raised him all by yourself for years and years while I was dead. He's grown into the young man he is today because of you."
She smiled up at her husband. "Thank you."
"And besides," he continued, "I doubt living with Videl would make him think he doesn't need you anymore. Maybe it'll help if you think of it like Videl's helping you take of Gohan instead of replacing you or something."
"Heh. That's a good idea, Goku. Thank you."
"Course! And if we ever really miss him too much, I can just use Instant Transmission to go out to North City and grab him for a few hours!"
"Just no teleporting inside buildings, got it?" she chided gently. Her husband laughed and nodded.
"I promise. That first time I surprised Videl so badly was enough to make me remember that!"
They continued walking, a comfortable silence falling between them. The crisp air chilled Chi-Chi's face and she nestled a bit closer. It almost felt like they were a new, young couple again. Just like Gohan and Videl.
"Hey Goku," she began.
"Hm?"
"Do you see the two of them winding up married, too?"
"Gohan and Videl, you mean?"
"Mhm."
"Sure do! I think you're right; they do remind me of us! Just that Gohan has a lot more social awareness than I do!" They laughed together again before she responded.
"Well, he did spend more time with me growing up than you, I suppose."
"Probably a good thing he did!"
"I wouldn't say that, exactly."
"No?"
"He's as strong as he is because he had you to look up to and model himself after. You know, he's never said it directly to me, but I'm certain the reason he wanted to keep training with you after Buu was because he wanted to be able to protect Videl and us, too."
"That sounds just like Gohan," Goku agreed, smiling.
"You know, the two of them really are quite a pair. Gohan's very lucky to have Videl – she's sweet, dependable, caring, tough, brilliant. But she's just as lucky to have him."
"Course she is! And the good news is, even if she never quite gets strong enough to take down the kinds of opponents we're used to fighting, Gohan will always protect her."
"I hope you know I was just kidding when I poked fun at you back on Gohan's birthday," she admitted suddenly. Goku racked his brain for several moments before just looking at her in confusion. She laughed. "You know, when I said I raised Gohan right?"
"Oh yeah! You absolutely did!" She shook her head deliberately.
"I did, but I wasn't the only one. We raised Gohan right. And that's why I know he'll be okay this coming year, no matter what the world throws his way." Goku grinned and nodded, squeezing her closer.
"I know he will be, too. But even if something did get thrown his way that he couldn't handle alone, he'll have us. Just like always."
"Just like always."
She relaxed into her husband's shoulder and they continued walking down their favorite path on the mountain. Even though things were changing around her, some things were always consistent. Goku had been gone for seven long years but now it felt as if he'd never left to begin with. Gohan was growing up right before her very eyes, but he would always be her little boy. Goten…well, he wasn't changing much just yet, thankfully. But the time would come eventually when he, too, would start growing up and becoming his own person.
But this time…this time, she'd be a bit better prepared for it. And she'd have her strongest supporter to back her up, no matter what. Unless he died again. Or disappeared somewhere for years of training. Okay, so maybe that was up in the air as well. But for now, Chi-Chi was content as she continued to walk alongside her husband, much more accepting of the possibilities the future might bring.
Videl was already sound asleep. The smile she had worn earlier had made her look just like her mother. It warmed his heart to see his daughter so happy and satisfied in life. Especially for the struggles they'd both endured over the years.
Mark sighed to himself and recalled the evening once more. There had been a time that Videl probably wouldn't have wanted to talk to him very openly about her plans for the future. If he were still a depressed drunk, for example. He shook his head hard and dismissed the memory from his head. She had snapped him out of that stupor years ago and things had been a lot better ever since. Especially once she and Gohan had started dating.
He still couldn't quite come to terms with the palpable irony – the person his daughter had fallen in love with was the very same young man that saved them from Cell all those years ago. The same person he had called a liar once upon a time. Disparaged his name and made the world think he was a con artist. He and his deceased father, both. He tried to clear his mind of those memories as well. Both Gohan and Goku had already forgiven him his arrogance in the past. It made no sense to dwell on it any longer.
No, what he really wanted to focus on was how happy that young man made his daughter, his pride and joy. And the way she had lit up when she'd told him of her plans for the future really did make her look like Miguel. It didn't hurt to notice the striking resemblance anymore. There was a time when seeing just a photo of his wife had caused him so much anguish he could barely breathe. But ever since Videl had started high school, he'd been able to look back on his memories of his time with his partner fondly. It still hurt to know she was gone, that their life together had been cut so tragically short. But she had made him the happiest man in the world for a long time. She still did, honestly. And it made him immeasurably ecstatic to see Videl experiencing the same extraordinary happiness that he used to feel every day he was with Miguel.
"Mr. Satan okay? Look sad," Buu commented from nearby, eyeing him curiously.
Mark blinked several times before coming back to reality. He had completely forgotten where he was – sitting on the couch with Buu, watching television as usual. The little scamp, Bee, was rolling around on the cushions nearby, panting and wagging his tail merrily.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine Buu. I was just thinking about some stuff."
"What Mr. Satan think about?"
Someday, he should probably tell Buu that his real name wasn't 'Mr. Satan.' He was used to hearing it, especially from Buu, but he wasn't entirely sure if his new best friend was entirely aware of the fact that it was just a stage name. Of course…the thought of him wandering around the city casually yelling the name 'Mark' after him might do more to harm his image than anything else, even more so since Buu was meant to be his student from far away now. Maybe he should just sit on that one for a while longer.
"Just thinking about the conversation I had with Videl earlier." Buu smiled and nodded.
"Buu happy Videl like Buu now! Buu like Videl too!" Mark chuckled and grinned over to his friend.
"I'm glad too! It sure makes the atmosphere around here a lot more relaxed! Uh…hey Buu. Do you, uh, know what's gonna happen in a little over two months?" It occurred to him that Buu might have no concept of what 'college' was, even if he'd heard them discuss it several times before.
"Hoh?"
"Videl's gonna be going away for a while." His eyes opened wide and he turned completely away from the TV, something he rarely did.
"Videl leaving? Where Videl go?"
"Well, she's not leaving forever, don't worry. But she is going away for school soon. See, she's graduating from high school in March and starting college in April. It's something a lot of people that age do. I did it back when I was young and so did Videl's mother."
Buu seemed lost in thought for a moment. "So…Videl not going away forever. But Videl going away for a while?"
"That's right."
"Buu glad Videl not leaving forever. Buu would be sad!" Mark laughed at the unfiltered honesty.
"Me too! But I'll probably still be a little sad when she's not here every day."
"Hoh?"
"Videl's my little girl, after all. She's been with me for almost nineteen years now. We've survived a lot together. It just won't feel right without seeing her face in the mornings." Buu nodded his understanding.
"Videl come back to visit?"
"Of course! She and Gohan both! I know how much you've been enjoying their cooking since last summer!" The pink being gasped suddenly.
"Buu didn't even think of that! No more Videl and Gohan dinners!?" The shock on his face was deeper than Mark had ever witnessed.
"Not for a while, I'm afraid. But they'll come back and make you dinner again as soon as they can, I'm sure of it!"
"Good. Buu will miss homemade dinners…"
"Maybe we could learn how to cook ourselves in the meantime-"
"That okay." His response was far too quick to have even considered the option.
"What, you don't wanna learn how to cook?" he teased. Buu grimaced and stuck out his tongue.
"Buu hate working for food. Could just turn something into chocolate much easier." Mark rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"But how would that ever compare to the kinds of meals you're used to these days? I'm just sayin' that if we put in a little effort, we could probably make meals almost as good as they can!"
"No thanks."
"Come on, you shouldn't be so stubborn!"
"Mr. Satan can make dinner for Buu though!"
The two laughed together for several moments before a comfortable silence fell between them again. Well, silent aside from the television still playing whatever movie Buu was watching. A few moments later, though, the volume cut out. Buu had muted the movie and had turned back to Mark.
"You mention Videl's mother before," he started.
"Yeah, I did."
"Where she go? Buu guess she not here anymore?" Mark just smiled sadly at his friend.
"She's not, no. She passed away years ago from a heart disease. There was nothing the doctors could do about it." A long silence hung in the air before he spoke again.
"Buu sorry that happen."
"It's okay. It was a long time ago and I've mostly come to terms with it. I still get a little down thinking about it sometimes, but these days remembering the good times makes me a lot happier than it used to."
"You tell Buu about her?" Mark was stunned into silence for a moment.
"Y-yeah, I'd love to!"
"Yay!"
Maybe it was the idea of Videl leaving or maybe it was just the influence of the many people in his life, but Buu had really come into his own in terms of comprehending things and making efforts to truly understand those closest to him. It took him by surprise, sometimes, that Buu had progressed so far from where he'd started.
"Well, funnily enough, we didn't always get along. We met back in high school but she thought I didn't take life seriously enough, that I always had my head in the clouds. But I thought she took things too seriously and never lightened up enough to have some fun. So we butted heads from the first day we met."
"How you meet her?"
"We just happened to sit right next to each other in our first class!"
"Hoh!"
"Yeah, the universe was really looking out for me!"
"What her name?"
"Miguel."
"Buu like that name!"
"Me too."
"So what happen next?"
"Well, over the next two years, we slowly became friends and by the end of our second year of high school, I'd fallen in love with her. So I asked her out and we started dating. I was a little surprised; I didn't expect she'd feel the same way about me, but I guess I musta done something right!"
"Dating what Videl and Gohan do, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. So we dated for a year before we graduated high school, then we went to college together. It wasn't really something we planned; it just happened to work out that way!" Buu considered his words for several moments.
"That happen a lot?"
"Not really! I'm telling you, there was some higher power looking out for me back then!"
"Not Buu though!" Mark laughed jovially.
"No, I suppose back then you weren't looking out for me just yet! I gotta say, I feel a lot safer now!" Buu puffed himself up and nodded, grinning.
"You tell Buu more?"
"Sure, I'll tell you as much as you like!"
And so, the evening continued. Mark relived his time with Miguel for Buu and found that the usual bittersweet taste of his memories was dulled significantly by sharing the stories with his new best friend. In fact, it was some of the most fun he'd ever had just talking. Buu hung on his every word and laughed at the ridiculous stories he told. For how socially tactless he'd once been, Buu was almost a different person these days.
Maybe things would still be fine once Videl went off to school in April. He had always believed that Buu would keep him distracted at the very least, but this conversation tonight was starting to make him feel like Buu might do a lot more than just that. Perhaps his misunderstood friend was a lot deeper than he'd ever realized. Or perhaps he was just becoming more well-rounded the more time passed.
But whatever the reason, Mark found himself dreading the day Videl started college just a little bit less as their conversation continued that night.
The next week passed in a blur for Videl. With entrance exams right around the corner, she, Gohan, Erasa, and Sharpner were studying after school every day. Sharpner still wasn't planning to take the exams but wanted to keep up with his studies…though it was far more likely he just didn't want to be left out of their sessions. Before she even realized it, the end of January was upon them, the time for them to put their knowledge and abilities into practice.
The exam itself went very smoothly. Videl had never really struggled with school or tests and she hadn't expected to this time either. There had been a few curveballs and she certainly hadn't avoided every mistake entirely, but she felt great about her performance and could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The exams were the last real challenge she had to survive in high school. The rest of their last trimester would be very simple by comparison, even finals.
Gohan, unsurprisingly, felt great about the exam as well, though he downplayed his own intelligence as usual. To her delight, Erasa had felt quite confident about it too. She had really buckled down and studied hard after deciding she had a path she wanted to follow back in the Fall. Videl couldn't have been more proud of her best friend. They had all met up with Sharpner after that and grabbed some food together, intent on celebrating their (hopeful) successes.
And so, time marched on. The results of their exams would take about two weeks to be sent out to them. Finally, the weekend before Valentine's Day, they arrived. Recently, the move had been made to send them digitally rather than by mail, so all they would have to do was sign into the exam site. Both Videl and Gohan had promised not to do it until they were together, though. Luckily, she wouldn't have to wait very long.
Videl had planned on heading to the Son household for the afternoon that Sunday for several reasons. First, she was intent on continuing their training so she could manifest a real ki blast. She was closer than ever and, even though she was still struggling, she could feel it was only a matter of time. Second, Papa was gone for the afternoon with Buu, doing some sort of meet and greet at the palace. But most importantly, they could figure out the results of the entrance exams together.
She was nervous and excited for her entire flight over. Gohan had offered to come pick her up as usual but this time she asked if he'd just wait for her at home. She was too worried the temptation to peek at their results would get the better of her and knew that he'd feel guilty if his mom wasn't also around to hear the results right away. She had always been his staunchest supporter when it came to his academic pursuits.
Videl rarely flew alone, she realized as the landscape below her raced by. Gohan was basically always right next to her whenever she took to the skies and there was something a bit lonely about flying by herself. At the same time, though, it was a wildly freeing experience. To know she had this power for herself without any help from anyone else was just incredible. She did a few loops and twirls just for fun on the way out to Mt. Paozu, hoping to quell some of her anxious energy at the same time. It didn't really work.
Descending towards the familiar little home on the mountainside, she saw Gohan eagerly waving at her from the front lawn. Of course, he had sensed her coming. She needed to get better at that. She hadn't felt him before she saw him. It was still something she had to focus pretty hard on doing. Though she had found it much easier to do following Piccolo's image training a few weeks ago. There was probably something to that, but she'd get there.
Touching down, she leapt into Gohan's arms and hugged him tight. He held her close and spun her once before kissing her sweetly and setting her down. "Good morning, Angel," he told her in a soft voice. She felt chills that had nothing to do with the brisk winter air around them.
"Good morning, my love. Are you excited?"
"Of course! We've been waiting for these results for weeks now!" She giggled in response.
"I know what you mean! Waiting for these was almost as hard as waiting for you to get to the Lookout back in May…almost."
The two headed inside and Gohan led her to the kitchen table where his mom was waiting nervously. Goku was casually rifling through the cabinets without a care in the world but Chi-Chi knew the significance of this moment. It was the culmination of all her oldest son's academic pursuits.
"Good morning Chi-Chi, Goku! How are you?" she called out, trying to diffuse some of the older woman's anxieties.
"Hey Videl, I'm great," Goku answered through a mouthful of something. She couldn't get a good enough look at the packaging in his hands to figure out what it was.
"Hi Videl. I'm so nervous and excited for you both!" was Chi-Chi's expected response.
"Well, I'm sure you won't have to worry about Gohan! He's pretty brilliant after all!"
"Hey," he pouted, poking her shoulder gently. She just giggled and pulled a chair out, making sure to leave the one next to Chi-Chi for Gohan.
After they were settled in, the two of them grabbed their phones and logged into the exam website. Was it just her or was it taking a lot longer than usual? Finally, they had located the proper page and just needed to open their results.
"Okay, who's first?" she asked with a wide smile. Goku had strolled over to see the news as well and stopped behind Gohan's chair. Chi-Chi opened her mouth to respond but Gohan beat her to it.
"Actually, do you wanna go first, 'Del? I've been more excited to see your results!" She laughed (partially at the expression on his mother's face) but agreed, pressing the button and opening her results.
She was quite pleased to see that she had been accepted everywhere she'd applied. They had needed to select the schools they were sending their scores to prior to the exam and had both agreed that it was smart to choose more than one school just in case. But there it was – North City University, highlighted in green with the world 'accepted' next to it.
"Congratulations, Doll!" Gohan cried out, pulling her into a tight hug. She hugged him back and nestled in closely, grinning widely. She hadn't felt bad about the exam but it was nice to know that her plans for the future were well underway now. She had no doubt that Gohan would be accepted too. He would be accepted anywhere.
"I'm so happy for you, Videl," Chi-Chi sang from nearby, though the smile she wore looked slightly forced. She knew it was just from impatience, though.
"Yeah, congrats! I figured you'd be fine! You and Gohan are brilliant!" Goku added.
"Thank you both!"
"Okay Gohan," his mother interrupted quickly, "your turn!"
Videl pulled back and settled in next to him again, eagerly awaiting him to press the button himself. He paused for a long moment before clearing his throat and speaking.
"Actually, I've been a bit nervous to open these. That's why I made Videl go first."
"Why are you nervous, Darling?" she asked, her eyes widening. "You're a genius! There's no way you didn't get in!"
"It's funny you say that," he began, "I actually wanted to test something with this exam."
"Test?"
"Yeah. See, everyone around me has called me a 'genius' my whole life. I never really thought I was all that special, though. Good at studying, sure, but I always thought 'genius' was a bit too much. So…I sent my scores everywhere, just to see how I did." Videl smiled widely. That was very like her Gohan to do. He always doubted himself even though he had no reason to. His mom, on the other hand, was a bit more surprised.
"E-everywhere?"
"Yep! I just highlighted every school on the list! Even the ones you had wanted me to go to, Mom. So I guess I'm a bit anxious to see if I really could have made it anywhere or not…" Videl latched onto his arm and smiled up at him.
"Oh, come now. You absolutely could have! And I know you'll see a wall of acceptances when you press that button. But you should probably press it soon; you're gonna drive your poor mother crazy with all the anticipation otherwise!" She suppressed a giggle as Chi-Chi nodded fervently from next to him.
Gohan drew one last steadying breath before pressing the button at last. Chi-Chi's eyes widened and Videl felt a huge smile cross her lips. As expected, her boyfriend really was a genius, certainly if the sea of green was anything to go by next to every school's name.
"W-wow," Gohan stammered, rubbing his neck.
"That's my son! You're great at everything you put your mind to!" Goku encouraged him, clapping him on the shoulder.
"I told you you'd have no problem going anywhere you wanted," Videl reassured him, pecking him on the cheek.
"I'm so proud of you, Gohan!" Chi-Chi cried out suddenly. Her eyes were brimming with tears and she was chewing her lip. "I always knew my little boy was a real, honest-to-goodness genius! Other people may have just said it as a compliment, but I knew it was true!"
Gohan's face reddened deeply at her words. "Uh…thanks, Mom. I wouldn't be where I am now without you."
A nagging little thought had formed in the back of Videl's mind as she read through the list of acceptances, though, and she knew it would drive her crazy if she didn't ask now. Besides, they had worked hard to be more open with each other about their doubts and fears. She shouldn't just sit here and let her worries fester until she was climbing the walls.
"Hey, um…Gohan?"
"Yeah, Love?"
"Do you…want to go to one of those other schools instead? You could still go wherever you want, you know…" There was a short pause as Gohan met her worried eyes.
"That might be the silliest question you've ever asked me," he assured her, smiling widely. "This doesn't change anything at all. I just wanted to know if I could do it. Being at North City University with you is exactly where I want to be."
Videl felt her heart flutter. She hadn't realized it, but she had actually become quite nervous at the prospect that she might not be with Gohan after all. Just like she had reassured him back in September, though, here he was doing the same for her.
"Thank you, Sweetheart. I couldn't be happier."
"What's going on? Why's Mom crying?" came the curious voice of Goten as he wandered into the kitchen, likely searching for something to eat as well. Chi-Chi was in no condition to answer so Goku shot him a wink and thumbs up.
"She's just proud of Gohan, that's all! He got into the school he wanted to go to in April!"
"What!? That's awesome! Congratulations Gohan!" Goten jumped across the room and crashed into Gohan, hugging him hard. Videl laughed and smiled at the display. Goten really was such a sweet kid.
"Thanks! But don't think that means I'm not coming back home as much as I can to visit you!" Gohan promised, earning a huge smile from his little brother.
"Yay! I can't wait! You've gotta bring Videl with you, though; I'll miss her too!"
"Oh, of course I'll come back and visit you!" she assured him.
"It'll be real easy, too! Remember how I told you that Videl and I are gonna be staying together?" Goten nodded after a moment.
"Oh yeah, that's right…hey Gohan, I have a question."
"Shoot."
"Does this mean Videl's gonna be my actual big sister?"
Videl felt her face glow red immediately and was amused and unsurprised to see Gohan's follow suit. Perhaps if Chi-Chi hadn't begun bawling into her handkerchief a few moments ago, she might have been able to help them out of the slight awkwardness of the situation. It was Goku, however, that came to their rescue.
"Okay Goten, don't you think that's enough for now? I think it's time for some training!"
"Training? Yay! Let's go!" And that's all it took for the little Saiyan to lose his train of thought and rush from the room, eager to continue his lessons with his father.
"T-thanks, Dad," Gohan managed. Goku just waved easily.
"Ah, don't worry about it! Besides, he probably wouldn't understand that the answer is 'yes, but not just yet.'"
This time, Gohan's face burned a deeper scarlet a split second before Videl's did. Goku, laughing jovially, hurried from the room after Goten. She couldn't tell if he was just rushing after his youngest son or if he was giddy from how pleased he was with himself. Either way, at least that little moment was finally over. Of course…it wasn't the first time Videl had wondered what it would be like to be 'Goten's actual older sister.'
And that thought was always enough to make her weak from anticipation and excitement.
2/17/2023
Post-Chapter Notes: Thanks for reading the newest chapter! Only three more to go! It feels kinda wild that we're this close to the end, especially since it also feels like I just started writing this story yesterday. So, a few thoughts on this chapter.
I loved writing Chi-Chi with Goku and Mr. Satan with Buu. Those were some of the most fun scenes I've written in the whole story, I think. They actually got me a little emotional as I read them back, imagining being in that situation. It was so interesting to get into the headspace of Chi-Chi as a mother watching her firstborn grow up and 'Mr. Satan' becoming more open about his life and honest with himself. Also, I figured since that scene was written from his perspective, it made a lot more sense for him to refer to himself as 'Mark' instead of his stage name. Hope that didn't throw anyone off too hard!
To give a little preview, the next three chapters are all going to be basically celebrations of certain dynamics and the ways they've changed. As I hinted a little bit, the next chapter will include Valentine's Day (the Japanese celebration of it) and another very special event, so I hope you'll look forward to it! Barring any unforeseen chapter deletions (though I think I've fixed that problem), there are only three weeks left of this little story of mine. And I hope I can keep it engaging and entertaining all the way until the final word!
So for now, thank you all so much for reading and supporting and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! See you next Friday!