Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Early Morning of a Life Together ❯ Mr. Satan's little chat ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama does. This fan fiction means no harm to the anime or manga.

Early Morning of Our Lives Together

Author note: Thanks for the continued support of everyone who's reviewed on this!

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Hercule Satan noticed his daughter had arrived with tears in her eyes. When he attempted to ask her what was wrong, she simply ran past him, sobbing even more. Even his insistent knocks on her door yielded nothing. Two and two added together in his mind, and he reached for the phone.

Fortunately, Goku answered it. “Hello?”

“Goku, what's gotten into my little princess? She's in tears. Did she and Gohan have a fight or something?” Hercule asked.

The answer was a sigh. Hercule sat down in his recliner, stealing himself for the inevitable answer. Goku replied, “I guess so. He was crushed. From what Chichi and I can gather, they must have had a doozy. Is she there?”

“Videl's here, but she won't come out of her room. She was crying her eyes out, poor thing. I thought they were going steady and engaged! Just as I've gotten used to the idea of Gohan as my son in law this happens!” Hercule complained.

“I know. I wish I could do something to help, but something tells me it's something Gohan needs to face by himself,” Goku answered.

“That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! I'm going to talk some sense into Videl before she makes the biggest mistake in her life!”

“Wait, don't!” Goku responded.

“Say WHAT?” Hercule blinked at the phone, blue eyes wide.

“Chichi said she was going to talk to Videl. She thinks Videl's scared of getting married because she's afraid she doesn't know what it's like to be a good wife. So I just… I'm not sure what she has planned but maybe it's better to…”

“I guess that makes sense. I wish her mother were still around but… oh man. Where's Gohan now?”

“He flew away, in tears,” Goku answered.

“And you just let him fly away? Are you insane?” Hercule yelled at Goku.

“But…”

“Someone's got to talk some sense into him! He has to fight for my daughter. It's the only way she'll know how serious it is!” Hercule shouted through the phone. Slamming it down he suddenly realized he had no idea how to find the boy. Then he turned to the dining room area where Mr. Buu was flipping channels on the TV.

“Hey, Buu, could you do me a big favor?” Hercule asked.

“What Hercule want? Buu's help?” Mr. Buu answered, as Mr. Satan rushed into the living room. Bee leapt down from the creature's lap, and wandered up to place his paws on Hercule's boot. Bending over, Hercule scratched the dog under the chin.

“I need you to use your special tricks or whatever to find Gohan. Videl and he had an argument. Can you help me out?”

“Sure, Buu help Hercule!” Mr. Buu responded. Rising from the couch, he grabbed Hercule's hand and walked him out the door. Stumbling after his friend Hercule realized how literal Buu could take things sometimes. Before he could protest, Buu had marched out the front door, and took a minute to sling Hercule over his back.

“Now wait a minute… let me catch my breath Buu!”

“If Videl is sad, Buu has to help find Gohan,” he answered. Pink ki wreathed them, and the hearty Ex Majin blasted off to become a pale pink star on the horizon. Bee glanced up, barking anxiously before sitting down on the front step to wait.

Miles away, Son Gohan sat Indian style, legs crossed as he buried his head in his hands. Energies crackled around him, and the surrounding landscape bore witness to his continued anguish. In and out, he heaved, trying to grip his self-control.

“Gohan, you have to focus,” Piccolo answered, hovering next to him.

“I can't, Piccolo. I feel like I'm losing my mind,” Gohan panted.

“Don't. Shape up and listen to me!” Piccolo shouted sharply in a tone that Gohan dared not disobey. Instantly he snapped out of his funk, clinging to the harsh call of his teacher.

“What do I do, Piccolo?” he asked.

“First, calm the hell down before you blow something else up. You're better than this, Gohan. What happed to the self-control I taught you? You've been slipping,” Piccolo scolded.

Breath heaving in and out, Gohan closed his eyes. He focused on the inward motion of his breath heaving in and out. All senses narrowed to a pinpoint of the inhalation of his breath hissing past his teeth. Every muscle tensed, yet one by one Gohan's concentration tuned into the fibers contracting. Little by little, he eased them to unclench to their relaxed sate. Slowly he levitated from the earth, until two feet above the grass he sat on a cushion of ki like his mentor.

Piccolo floated until he hovered right before his pupil. Dangerously high power levels dropped gradually to more comfortable levels. Judging from the sweat on Gohan's brow, he had acted just in time. Sweat soaked through the weighted shirt and pants of his student's clothes, saturating them so they stuck to his muscular body. Even after years of living among humans, Piccolo still failed to fathom the relationship between man and woman.

“What's he doing here,” Piccolo growled, snapping his head up at the sense of a familiar ki signature fast approaching. Gohan still hovered, yet he opened his dark eyes to stare skywards. Minutes later, the distant pink star blew up to the size of a pink blob carrying a trembling blob on its broad back.

“Oh great, it's Hercule and Mr. Buu. Wonder what they want?” Gohan despaired.

“Stay here,” Piccolo answered. He rose towards the interlopers, blocking their descent to Gohan's private meditation.

Mr. Buu slowed gracefully to a stop, and innocently beamed at Piccolo. Mr. Satan glanced around his transport's pink head to say, “Oh it's you! Is Gohan down there?”

“Yes, but why do you want to know?” Piccolo grimly answered, inclining his turban crowned head to them.

“Hercule want to find Gohan and make Videl happy,” Buu answered for them.

“Maybe Gohan doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. He's trying to control his powers and now's not a good time,” Piccolo answered.

“You tell that boy I want to talk to him, man to man,” Hercule firmly declared, shaking his fist at Piccolo. “As his future father in law I have a right to do so.”

“I'm going to say this once more. Gohan's not to be interrupted right now! He's pretty upset thanks to your daughter,” Piccolo defended, a bit of parental pride swelling inside him.

“Piccolo, what does he want?” Gohan called from down below.

“I want to talk to you, boy. Find out what's happening, and how I can help,” Hercule shouted down, cupping hands around his mouth. “Now can we just land somewhere and have a chat, man to man? Or is this big bodyguard of yours going to make it difficult?”

“I'll talk to him, Piccolo. I think I can keep a lid on it,” Gohan announced.

“Fine. But I'll be watching… from a distance just in case,” Piccolo relented. He drifted to the side, no longer obstructing Hercule's view of Gohan sitting there or rather levitating there under a tree. Buu soared down to hover next to him, allowing Hercule to leap off his back and land on both feet pressed into the grass.

“Thanks Buu. Give us some time alone, will you? I'll call you when we're ready to go,” Hercule told him. Buu nodded, and then rose into the air once more. Piccolo glanced down from overhead, staring at the duo with dark eyes.

“Is he going to stay there the whole time?” Hercule whispered, hiding his mouth with one hand.

“Piccolo, can you give us some privacy?” Gohan asked.

“Fine, whatever,” Piccolo grunted. Nodding to Buu, both powerful beings flew out of sight. Once alone, Hercule paced a half circle around his prospective son in law, still levitating in the power of his controlled ki.

“Now, look here, Gohan. I just wanted to have a father son chat. Considering we're going to be in the same family… why don't you tell me just what happened between you two,” Hercule asked, hands on his hips.

“Videl said she didn't want to see me anymore, that's what,” Gohan flatly answered. “I thought she would have told you.”

“She didn't say anything to me. She just ran up to her room crying and slammed the door,” Hercule snorted. “I haven't seen her that upset since someone stood her up for the junior turn about dance!”

“I'm sorry, Hercule, but I'm just not in the mood to talk. She's made it clear she doesn't want anything to do with me,” Gohan answered.

“Gohan, just listen to me will you? I like you. I like you a lot in fact. You're a good kid, and I can't think of anyone better for my daughter to end up with. I bust your chops because of that, don't you get it? Now will you tell me exactly what the heck happened with you and Videl so I can help out?” Hercule asked.

“There's nothing you can do, Hercule,” Gohan firmly answered.

“I can listen. And maybe give you some advice? After all, she is my daughter, you know. I was looking forward to having you in the family, believe it or not. I want the best for her, and you ARE the best for her,” Hercule confessed. Gohan smiled through the tears threatening to form in his eyes.

“Thanks Hercule. I needed to hear that. But Videl… everything was going so well. I was having some doubts last night… and she um…”

“You spent the night in this cabin, didn't you? I hope you used some good sense,” Hercule answered.

“I… it's not like…” Gohan answered.

“Look Gohan, just skip ahead to the argument, all right?” Hercule slapped him on the back. “What changed her mind?”

In hesitant tones, Gohan related the events of the past twenty-four hours. He skipped the more intimate details, to which Hercule waved his hand dismissively. It was very strange to be speaking to Mr. Satan so casually, and so comfortably. He was the last person in the world Gohan expected to be so open minded and good of a listener. Slowly Gohan felt more in control as he voiced his anger and disappointment.

“So it looks like my little girl's scared to get married. I figured that would be the case,” Hercule sighed, shaking his head. He now sat side by side with Gohan, with his knees drawn up to his chest. Two bottles of his sport drink sat half consumed, from a capsule cooler he had in his pocket. Gohan hadn't realized how thirsty he'd become. Wrappers from prepared sandwiches and bags of chips also were stuffed into a paper sack.

“What do I say to her, Hercule?” asked Gohan forlornly, hanging his head. “She says she loves me and then…”

“Women are strange creatures kiddo. Sometimes you think you have `em all figured out and that's when they pull a last minute move outta nowhere and you're kayoed,” Hercule nudged him. “Look Gohan, it's simple. Videl's never been the marrying type. She's a tomboy. Without any mom around you'd kind of expect that, wouldn't you?”

“I don't want to pressure her. It was this very reason I thought I'd take the pressure off. But I don't want to live without her,” Gohan answered.

“Who says you have to? That's why it's a good idea to wait, boy,” Hercule nodded understandingly. “You love her, right? That's what matters. And if you get married in one year or five, that's all I want is for you and her to be happy.”

“Tell that to my parents,” Gohan sighed, hiding his face in his hand.

“Well, it's not their call. You're old enough, and man enough to make that choice. Whatever you decide, Mr. Satan's behind you 100 percent. I trust you'll do the right thing. The only thing is, we've got to convince Videl to stop being so stubborn. She's just like her mother in that way,” Hercule shook his head.

“Thank you sir,” Gohan answered, reaching over and shaking his hand. “I really appreciate you doing this.”

“No sweat kiddo. I'll just have a chat with her…”

“I don't think that's going to help, do you? Once she's made up her mind…” Gohan began.

Hercule nodded, his blue eyes filled with sympathy. He sighed, “Yeah, it's hard to change it. I don't want you giving up on her. Maybe she needs you to show her how much you care. Women sometimes want the opposite of what they say. It's all about feelings and things. What you need to do is to show her just HOW much you can't live without her. And if anyone knows about how to charm a woman, especially his own daughter, it's me!”

“I'm not good at this,” Gohan lamented.

“Are you kidding me? You're better than any of the other idiots in treating my princess like a woman. What you need to do is drop the nice guy act and stop being so shy. Even though she doesn't care for the ol' tough guy act, deep down maybe you need to show some backbone and show her you mean business.”

“She said I was too nice. That I had no idea of what I wanted. And she says I'm all wrong for her,” Gohan lamented.

“Show her she's wrong. Show her you're the right man. Stand up and don't give up, Gohan. And I think I know the way to do that,” he answered, patting Gohan's shoulder. “Here's what we'll do.”

“I'm doomed,” Gohan groaned. Could he trust in his future father in law to make things better or worse? Against his better judgment, he decided to hear Mr. Satan out. Who better than her own father to help him out of this mess. Still Mr. Satan's record of accomplishment showed he was great at deception and less than stellar on delivering. Yet since he helped save the universe, he had shown his true bravery taking on someone like the evil Buu. Only he had tamed and befriended Majin Buu, when others had used violence.

Hercule Satan was giving him a chance. The least he could do was let him help. After all, Hercule had listened to him like the father he never had. Just having a simple chat under the trees was far more then Goku or Chichi had ever given. In their own ways they'd done their best to raise him, yet this one normal human had cut through the years of pain and self doubt to treat him like a man, not a precocious boy or half Saiyan hybrid. Gohan's strange nature meant nothing to Hercule. All he saw was the real him trying to do what was right.

Miles away, Videl wiped red rimmed eyes free of tears, and sat up on her bed. Still she wore the dark blue gi borrowed from Gohan. His angry words still rang in her ears, filled with hurt that hit trigger points so painfully. In trying to save him pain, she had only hurt herself. Was she being selfish and petty, or just realistic?

“He didn't tell me Saiyans didn't age the same rate as humans,” Videl whispered. Lying on her side once more, she hugged the teddy bear closer.

Someone rapped on the window, causing her to leap up and freeze into a fighting pose. She glared towards the heavy brocade curtains, seeing the most unlikely person hovering outside her window. Since when could Chichi Son fly, Videl wondered. Sighing she walked over and shoved up the sash.

“Videl, I was wondering if I was bothering you.” Chichi asked sweetly. Glancing over at her visitor, she flinched in surprise to see Chichi was wearing strange armor. Since when did Gohan's mother ever wear such an outfit? A silver helmet gleamed overtop her dark hair, while a long pink cape flapped around her body.

“Where on earth did you get that… armor?” Videl asked in wonder.

“I was glad it still fits me,” Chichi answered proudly. Her shapely body filled out the blue and pink armored top and bikini bottoms nicely. Not an ounce of fat appeared on that muscular figure, and Videl suddenly realized Chichi was far more then she appeared. Slung over her chest was a strange holster that held a red pole she recognized from where it had hung over the fireplace of the sun home.

“What's the occasion? I'm sorry, but now's not a good time,” Videl answered. “I thought I'd be the last person you wanted to see.”

“Look, please listen to me a moment,” Chichi said. “I understand you and Gohan had a fight.”

“Please Chichi, I can't be with him. I don't want to disappoint you, but you could do better for him,” Videl answered.

“That's not true, young lady,” Chichi said firmly. “And I would like to know why such a notion entered your mind.”

“Don't you get it?” Videl snapped up at her. “I don't want to marry him!”

“All right,” Chichi answered. “Care to talk about it?”

“No,” Videl snapped.

“Well, I'll say this, you're one stubborn woman,” chichi laughed, and then reached in and snagged Videl around the waist. Protesting, the young woman kicked and struggled, but felt the golden cloud suddenly whizz away. Chichi's grip on her waist was like iron, and Videl could fly away. Yet she knew that chichi wasn't someone you said no to, not without a fight.

“Are you nuts? Hey! Don't make me hurt you!” Videl yowled.

“Just hear me out, young lady, if you will?” Chichi asked, giving her waist a squeeze. “I think what you need is a woman to woman talk. Explain to me just what's on your mind. And I'll promise I won't get angry.”

“Fine, have it your way,” Videl relented. Chichi released her, and she sat down on Nimbus behind the Ox Princess.

“I'm not taking you to see Gohan. In fact, I'm taking you to spend an afternoon at my Pa's home. There's something I want to show you,” Chichi answered.

“What?” Videl blinked, noticing they were in fact not soaring towards Satan City or Mt. Paozu. Unfamiliar landscape stretched under them as they whizzed along at an appreciable clip. Staring past Chichi's swirling cape, she then saw huge blocks of stone and half towers with battlements curving into view. The ghost of a long dead volcano curved around the cracked castle ruins, suggesting an unfamiliar story that Videl knew Chichi must be anxious to tell.

“That's where my Pa's castle used to be,” Chichi pointed with a pink-gloved finger. “Mt. Frypan. 20 or so years ago. Pa's house isn't too far away. However, it was wiped out by a mountain of fire. More correctly a volcano.”

“Chichi, look, what's the deal? You didn't just bring me to sightsee! Why are you being so…”

“Stubborn? I want you to understand more about the family. More about Gohan. I thought if you saw where I came from, you might come to know us better,” Chichi interrupted.

“Is this more about the Ox Princess business?” Videl asked as Chichi brought the cloud in for a landing. She had to admit her curiosity was piqued, and her inclination to run away diminished with each glance at the once grand castle, now reduced to bare bones. Chichi leapt off the cloud, and then landed with relative ease. Videl leapt off as well, and then landed across from her.

“So, I guess I don't have much choice but to listen? Okay, I'm listening. You're trying to plead with me to save your precious Gohan's feelings from getting hurt,” Videl answered.

“That, and other things, Videl,” Chichi said quietly. Sweeping her arm out she indicated the surrounding village stretching for a good mile or so.

“What other things? You have an hour of my time to plead your case. I'm still sticking by what I say. I don't want to marry Gohan. I'm all wrong for him!”

“This is exhibit A. Ox Castle, or what remains of it. Just to show you that you and I aren't so different after all. We both came from very wealthy backgrounds, and are the daughters of very proud men and fighters well respected by our communities,” Chichi explained.

“So?”

“Exhibit B,” chichi said, reaching back and unsheathing the red pole. She whirled it around her head with both hands before sweeping it down.

“That's the Power Pole, isn't it? Gohan mentioned that Goku stopped fighting with it,” Videl blinked.

“Right. This represents the sole heirloom that Gohan got from his father. That and Nimbus,” Chichi angled her head up, sunlight gleaming off her wicked looking helmet.

“Why don't' we skip this and cut the crap?” Videl snorted, arms folded across her chest.

“All right, if that's the way you want it, then I'll deal,” Chichi laughed, a gleam in her dark eyes. “You say you're not right for Gohan. Are you saying that because you really believe it or are you trying to keep him from getting hurt?”

“Now what makes you say that?”

“Are you really making an excuse to cover your own fear, Videl Satan?” Chichi asked, whirling the pole dangerously close to Videl. “Are you woman enough to tell me the truth, or are you going to continue to lie to yourself and to me? I thought you were better than that!”

“Now don't you DARE call me a liar!” Videl snapped.

“I'm not the one who invented a ridiculous story about not being right for my Gohan. You are right for him, but you don't want to admit to yourself that you are. You're scared of marriage, aren't you? Scared to make a lifetime commitment to a man who only wants to love you, and you can't tell him to his face, Videl.”

“You've got no right to butt into our business!” Videl snapped, backing away. “Are you insane?”

“Our business?” Chichi laughed, still whirling the power pole menacingly. “All of a sudden you're possessive for a woman who wants nothing to do with my son.”

“I don't' have to stay here and listen to this!” Videl snorted, levitating up. She blasted off, leaving the Frypan mountain far behind.

“You're wrong, dear,” Chichi brightly chirped, suddenly drifting into view on board nimbus. “Sooner or later you'll tire out, and I'll chase you till you can admit to me the truth.”

“You can't follow me everywhere!” Videl taunted, struggling to increase her speed. A sudden burst of ki shot her a half mile before Chichi. Unfortunately, the gold cloud increased its own velocity, chichi calmly standing on its surface and riding it with consummate ease. Videl dove, weaving her course in and out of trees in a forest far below. In and out, Chichi swerved, managing to keep just behind her. Videl abruptly slowed to a halt, then launched herself headlong at Chichi.

Two solid kicks slammed into her, but Chichi easily blocked with the power pole. Whirling it around she created a burst of wind that knocked Videl back. Vide countered with another charge, and Chichi caught hold of her boot. Still standing on nimbus, she spun Videl around like an Olympic hammer and hurled her towards the ground.

“Goku taught me a few moves, my dear. And don't forget who taught Goten to fight?” Chichi called down, propelling nimbus after her. Neither woman would give up the relentless chase that had grown between them. A concerned mother fought to understand why the woman her son loved had turned on him. Simultaneously a confused woman struggled to keep her secrets to herself without realizing how more complicated she was making the entire situation. What was apparent was the equal magnitude of their stubbornness.