Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Teal Eyes ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

mystic_writer: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed the newly posted Teal Eyes: Moon Princess (How many times did you review?! Thanks! ^_^), Elenek, twin blades, Vegetas Bondage Queen, petite_angel, LionHeart823, Kachie-chan, and DBZ Lover!

Enjoy!

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Teal Eyes

Chapter 16

By mystic_writer

mystic_writer@hotmail.com

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"VALERIE!"

Gohan and Videl jumped from within their small space. Their heads cracked together, sending them writhing with pain.

"What's your head made of?!" Videl whispered harshly.

Gohan grinned slightly. "Er… bone?" He sighed, trying to forget just how close he was to total humiliation if the closet door was opened. And the fact that the current situation was the closest he had been to a girl… EVER.

"Valerie!!" the `wicked witch of the west' yelled once more. "Have you seen my Premium Spa face lotion?! VALERIE! Get in here!"

The teens' eyes widened when Crystelle's hand reached for the closet door.

"I'm here, Crystelle," a voice called. "And I have it."

Gohan and Videl relaxed when Crystelle turned away from their hiding space and exited the room. The duo squeezed from the tiny space and rushed to peek out the bathroom door.

Crystelle approached Valerie, who held a tube of lotion in her hand.

"It was in your medicine cabinet downstairs, ma'am," the brunette said, frustrated. "I thought you might would want it."

Crystelle stared at her, frowning. "I didn't put it there!" she retorted, pointing a red painted fingernail toward the older woman. "…You… You took it!"

Valerie shook her head. "I found it lying around this morning so I put it there for you, just like your other things." She stepped closer and held the container to her. "You know, it's not nice to leave your belongings strewn about. I wouldn't do that any more if I were you."

Crystelle's eyes narrowed. Without warning, she slapped Valerie, sending the bottle from her hand. Valerie fell to the floor and held her face. Crystelle bent down, her eyes burning as she gazed Valerie's shaking mass.

"Don't ever tell me what I can and can't do again, bitch," she hissed, grabbing the lotion from the floor and stalked out of the room. Valerie slumped farther onto the floor until she lay over completely and began to sob.

Videl fumed. "Valerie…" She turned to Gohan, her blue eyes pleading. "I have to help her Gohan!" she whispered.

Gohan nodded.

Videl slowly opened the door and ventured out. Valerie didn't budge as she mumbled to herself. Gohan emerged too, somewhat glad to be out of there.

Videl knelt on the floor beside Valerie and put a pale hand on her the shaking woman's shoulder. "Valerie, are you okay?"

Valerie looked up. "V-Videl!" She lunged at Videl, hugging her tight. "Oh sweetheart," she cried, "I was worried about you!"

Videl hugged her back. "It's okay. I'll think twice next time I go off like that again without telling anyone." She pulled back and looked at Valerie's tear-stained left cheek where a red handprint had started to show. "I think you should be more worried about yourself," Videl soothed. "Has Crystelle done this before?"

Valerie became quiet. "N-No. She has threatened me but… never like that."

"Have you told dad?" Videl asked, clinching her fists.

Valerie shook her head. "You know he loves-"she halted, and glanced over her shoulder toward the doorway before uttering, "-his precious gem. Do you think he would believe me? Has he even listened to you, his own daughter?"

"No," Videl answered. "…But I mean look at you! You have proof. Why don't we go tell him now?" she said, helping the woman to her feet. "Let's at least give it a shot!"

Valerie nodded, hugging Videl once more, this time noticing Gohan. "Who is that?"

Gohan cracked the Son â"¢ grin.

"Oh, that's Gohan," said Videl, "He's, er, a friend."

Valerie managed to smile. "Ah, so this is Gohan." She held out her still trembling hand. "Thank you for taking care of our sweet Videl."

Gohan shook her hand. "Uh, you're welcome."

Valerie looked back at Videl. "Aw, such a gentleman! …I approve!"

Videl's eyes grew big and Gohan fell over. Valerie just continued to smile through her pain.

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Crystelle wrapped her pink robe around her curves, ready for a long soak in the spa room. As she made her way along the downstairs hall, there stood Videl, Valerie, and Gohan.

"What is this, Valerie? Got yourself a lil gang now?" She looked from the brunette woman, then to Videl, and finally Gohan. "You!" she said, pointing a finger at the saya-jin. "You're not welcome here!"

"Maybe not, but I stand by my friends," the teen replied.

"And I stand by my family," said another voice, this one deep. Suddenly, Hercule stepped out from a nearby room and crossed his arms. "I can't believe you would treat my best worker-OR my daughter like you have. I just don't know what to make of it."

Crystelle's mouth dropped. "B-But sweetie! I don't know what you are talking about! They must be plotting against me!" she cried, clutching her clammy hands together.

"And they have good reason too," the champ added, producing a long piece of paper that rolled to the floor with rows and rows of numbers. He shook it at Crystelle. "Reason number one-I can't believe you would steal from me!  Thirty-thousand Zeni in all!" he whined. He thought for a moment. "Course that's just a drop in a pail compared to all the Zeni I have… It really doesn't matter."

"Dad…" Videl stared, breaking him from his muse.

"Oh yeah! That's not the point! The point is you've attacked dear Valerie-who's been here way longer than you have!" he roared as he gently rubbed Valerie's sore cheek with the back of his hairy hand.

Valerie put her hand on his. "Remember what I told you about her mistreating Videl?"

Hercule nodded, his anger rising. "That's right! You've violated my trust!" He looked down at Videl and placed his other hand on her head. "I'm glad I taught Videl how to fight… cause I ought to let her at you right now!"

Crystelle poked out her bottom lip, mustering huge crocodile tears. "But… but that's not true!" she whined, sniffling. The look on the champ's face didn't change.

"O-Okay…" she confessed. "I have made some mistakes… I was greedy… and I'm sorry!" She threw herself to the champ's feet and cried. "Please forgive me!!"

Hercule listened as she sobbed and his face drooped. He scratched his head. "Well… if you're sorry…"

Videl clenched her fists. "DAD! Don't let her fool you! Remember what she did!"

"Er… Oh yeah, right!" Hercule looked down at the `crying' woman and pointed to the doors that stood at the end of the long hall.

Videl felt her stomach tighten, her heart pounding. `This is it!!! This is what I've been waiting for!!! Get her dad!!!'

"I want you outta my house by this afternoon!" the champ commanded. "And I don't ever want you here again!"

Crystelle stared up at him for a few moments, shocked. She slowly got up, her jade eyes narrowing. "Fine!" she spat, making her way to the stairs. Her heels thudded even on the soft carpet of the stairs as she stomped to her room.

Hercule held up his hand. "HEY! Only get what's YOURS-Not what you bought with MY money!" he said as Crystelle stopped and stared at him. He looked over at Valerie. "I know a LOVELY lady that deserves such nice things for all the hard work she's done around here. I'll give all of it to her…"

Valerie closed her eyes, blushing.

Crystelle let out a sigh of frustration as she disappeared down the upstairs hall.

Videl latched onto her father's large arm and squeezed it tight. "Dad I'm so happy!! This is the happiest I've been in a year! I can't believe you finally did it!!"

Hercule laughed. "Me too. She was a little bitchy, huh?" He sighed. "Even though she was so mean to you guys… I'll admit I will miss her… The part of her I knew so well!"

"The part you thought you knew," Videl reminded as she hugged him harder.

Hercule nodded. "Yeah… But this is all history!" He curled one arm around Valerie and the other around Videl. "I had no idea I was neglecting those who needed me most… I'm sorry. But now, we can start over!" He smiled and then seemed surprised when he finally noticed Gohan standing by the sidelines, grinning. "By the way…who the hell are you and how did you get into my house?"

Gohan's eyes got as big as saucers. "Erm… I was just leaving?"

"You better be! Videl! I've told you not to bring a boy to this house unless he's stronger than me! Look how scrawny this one is! I don't believe this!"

Videl chuckled. `It's good to have dad back to his old self again…'

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mystic_writer: Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I know the GF didn't appear… Well we had a change of plans! Oh well, until next time! (Hopefully really soon)