Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The History of Bulma ❯ Chapter 1

The History of Bulma

By: Bulmafox

Chapter 1

Thirteen years later…

Gohan had just finished a grueling battle with Androids Seventeen and Eighteen and was in heavy need of rejuvenation. On his way back to his makeshift home in the middle of nowhere, where a regeneration tank would be waiting for him, he decided to stop by Capsule Corporation and talk to Bulma for a while.

"So, has he changed his mind yet?" Gohan asked, referring to Bulma's fifteen-year-old son, Yamcha Jr.

"Of course he hasn't. He has no interest in fighting at all. All he cares about is looking good and picking up girls." The older woman told him despairingly.

"I'll go have a talk with him." Gohan told Bulma as he walked down a series of hallways to Yamcha Jr.'s room. Gohan opened the door and saw a tall, lanky teenager-who easily towered over his mother-styling his long, black hair. "Yamcha, we need to have a man-to-man talk."

"Can't. I'm busy," Yamcha Jr. said between mousse applications.

"Now," Gohan said sternly.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." Gohan led Yamcha Jr. to his bed and sat down beside him. "You know, Yamcha, with those androids running around, I sure could use some help."

"Sorry man, but my book's filled up."

"Your book's filled up? What kind of lame excuse is that?"

"Simple. I don't have time to train. I'm filled up, see?" Yamcha shoved his little black book in Gohan's face.

Gohan snatched the book and flipped through it. This is gonna be tougher than I thought. He tried another approach. "Yamcha, I bet your mom would feel really safe if you trained for the androids."

"Nah. She has you, Gohan."

That remark angered Gohan. He grabbed Yamcha by the arm. "That's it. We're going to take a little trip."

"W-wait, Gohan. I'm not done ye-e-et!" Yamcha protested as Gohan dragged him across the compound to a large, round training room.

"Whoa, this place is huge," Yamcha said in awe when he saw the training room.

Gohan threw Yamcha in the room and closed the door behind them. "Yamcha, fight!" he yelled as he charged toward Yamcha Jr.

******************************************************* ***************

An hour later, Yamcha Jr. stumbled into the kitchen, black and blue from head to toe, and sat down at the table to eat. Gohan followed Yamcha with a disappointed look on his face.

"Oh my gosh, what happened, Yamcha?" Bulma asked, shocked at his injuries.

"Gohan beat me up."

Bulma glared an evil glare at Gohan.

"Yamcha refused to train, so I had to force him to fight. A fat lot of good that did him. I give up. He's hopeless." Gohan headed toward one of the back doors.

"Wait, Gohan, aren't you going to stay for dinner?" Bulma asked.

"No. I don't associate with hopeless losers. Goodbye." Gohan left the compound quickly and quietly.

After Gohan left, Yamcha piled on a heaping bowl of rice and began chowing down. "Gohan's mean, isn't he, Mom?" he said in between mouthfuls.

Bulma sat down across from Yamcha. "Gohan is just trying to look out for everyone, that's all."

"Then why'd he beat me up?"

"Because he figured that was the only way to get you to train."

"Why's he so hot on training me?"

"Because you're the only one besides him who might stand a chance against the androids. You know Gohan won't be here forever."

'Yeah, but he can beat the androids now, can't he?"

"No, he can't, and that's why he tried to recruit you. There's a very real chance that the androids will kill Gohan soon, and if you don't train, there'll be no one left to protect the Earth."

"What about you? Can't you use your machines or something?"

"Yamcha, I haven't found a way to deactivate the androids yet, and unless I find their blueprints or something, I won't be able to. And I have no fighting power to speak of."

"Oh. Well, good night. Mom." Yamcha rushed off to bed before he could think about such bad thoughts as his mother and Gohan dying.

******************************************************* ***************

"Uh Bulma, are you sure about this?" Gohan asked of Bulma's strange request.

"I'm sure. She's the daughter of the so-called strongest man in the world," Bulma explained, referring to Gohan's blind date. "Her name's Videl Satan. You should take a peek at her. She's a knockout, and she's bold, too-just your type."

"Yeah, but are you sure you'll be all right while I'm gone? I mean, I'll stay here and look after you if you need me to. No silly date is worth finding you dead."

"Gohan, you're twenty-three years old. It's about time you started dating. You deserve a happy life. You deserve to meet your soul mate, fall in love, and start a wonderful family together."

"Oh, like you did with Yamcha, huh?"

Bulma sighed. "I only found out after I married him that he wasn't the one for me. By the time Yamcha Jr. was born, I knew we weren't meant to be. I wanted to settle down and raise a family, while Yamcha was destined to be the eternal party animal. I think that's why the marriage barely lasted a year." She leaned on Gohan's shoulder. "Oh Gohan, I don't think I'll ever find my soul mate. I tried dating various men-you know, give Yamcha Jr. a suitable father-but I never clicked with any of them. That certain `something' was never there. Maybe I'm destined to be an old spinstress."

Gohan hugged Bulma tightly. "No, it's never too late to find happiness. You'll find your soul mate…someday."

"Listen to me rambling on like a fool. This is your date, Gohan, not mine. Now hurry up or you'll be late. "

"Sure thing, Bulma." Gohan picked up his cell phone on the way out. "Call me if you need anything."

"Put down your phone, Gohan."

"But why?"

"…Because your date'll get mad if your quality time is interrupted. Now go. Bye now, and have fun!" Bulma shooed Gohan out of his makeshift home. As soon as Bulma made sure Gohan was out of sight, she checked her coveralls to make sure her phone and weapons were within easy reach, then she jumped in her car and sped off for the last known whereabouts of the androids.

******************************************************* ***************

"C'mon, Seventeen", the irritated blonde, Android Eighteen, grumbled, "Let's get out of here. All the humans are dead."

Eighteen's black haired twin, Android Seventeen, leveled another three buildings. "Aw sis, you're no fun. You gotta lighten up sometimes."

"For your information, I am `lightened' up." Without warning, Eighteen suddenly convulsed in agony as twenty thousand volts of electricity attacked her from out of nowhere.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Seventeen demanded.

Bulma shouted from a distance, "Come and get me, you rustbuckets! You don't stand a chance against The Great Bulma!"

Eighteen snarled, "Who does that impudent peon think she is? She needs to die." She extended her right arm in front of her and prepared a ki blast.

"Wait," Seventeen said, "Let's have some fun with her. After all, it's not every day a mere human brazenly challenges us, and playing with Blondie is getting old, anyway."

Eighteen dropped her arm. "Fine, so what shall we play this time?"

"Hide and Go Seek," Seventeen told his sister. He yelled to Bulma, "Hey Bloomers, you have ten seconds to run for your pathetic little life before we hunt you down!"

Bulma gunned the engine and drove away as fast as her car could possibly take her, dropping mines along the way to buy herself some time. As soon as the ten seconds were up, she called home.

"Hello, Capsule Corp", a young man on the other end answered.

"Yamcha, this is Mom. You gotta help me. The androids are after me and I don't know how long I can hold them off. I'm in Nickeltown-"

Seventeen snatched Bulma's phone away. "So, calling for reinforcements, eh?" He crushed the phone. "Don't worry, you'll be long dead before anyone can save you."

******************************************************* ***************

"Mom? Mom? Are you still there? Mom!" Yamcha Jr. asked. All he got in response was a dial tone, then silence after he heard a crushing sound come from the phone. He hung up the phone and officially started panicking. "Ohno whadoido whadoido whadoido? Where's Gohan when I need him? Yes! Gohan!" Yamcha dialed Gohan's cell phone. No answer. "C'mon Gohan, you have to be there. Where are you?" he asked in a panic-stricken voice as he jogged in place. After the third ring he hung up, grabbed one of his mother's motorcycles, and sped off to the city in search of Gohan.

******************************************************* ***************

Bulma panted in terror. Nothing worked. She tried bazookas, land mines, even electro-guns, and still nothing really fazed them. All her weapons did was buy her a few seconds to find a new hiding place before the previous one was demolished. She readied her trump card and looked out the door of her current hiding place. If this didn't work, that was it. There were no more weapons to hide behind. She would have to hope the androids didn't find her before her son did. Yamcha, you idiot, where are you?! You were supposed to be here over an hour ago! She looked out again and gasped. They were headed straight for her! As soon as they reached the doorway, Bulma stood up and started firing at them. The androids looked at her in confusion as she shot a volley of bullets with very poor aim. Worse yet, they were all blanks. After Bulma ran out of bullets, she popped another capsule car and sped off as fast as it could handle. Seventeen started chasing her, but then the blanks shot out lines of electricity connecting each bullet to the next one, effectively trapping him and Eighteen in an electrical net.

Bulma threw her gun out the back and raced home. After she was what she thought was a safe distance away from the androids, she stopped and looked back. A couple of seconds later she heard a loud explosion, hopefully engulfing the androids in flames. She turned around and…Seventeen and Eighteen stood right in front of her car.

"Well well well, if it isn't the old `exploding gun' trick; that one almost had me. Good thing sis here threw a rock at it, or we would've both been toast. Well, sly fox, do you have any more toys to throw at us? Huh?" Bulma responded by speeding off in the opposite direction.

"You're not going anywhere!" Eighteen shouted. She pointed at the car and zapped it into flames. She and Seventeen walked to the car to inspect the damage.

Eighteen pulled a soot covered Bulma out of the car. "Pity. She's still alive. Not for long." She shoved her fingers to Bulma's throat and prepared another ki blast.

"No," said Seventeen, "I'm not done with her yet."

"Darn it, Seventeen, why do you always have to ruin my fun?"

"Your fun? What about my fun? Can't I enjoy myself once in a while?"

"'Once in a while'? Seventeen, you're like a little kid. You think this whole world is just fun and games, don't you? Well it's not! I have things to do too, you know."

"Oh, like try on fifty million dresses for hours on end when I have better things to do?"

"Or wiping the planet clean of humans and claiming it as our own, which we would've done by now if you didn't whine at every turn about not having fun!"

"You're just an old frump, that's all."

Eighteen dropped Bulma and turned to face Seventeen. "What did you just call me?!"

"You heard me, frump. Oh frump frump frumpity frump-frump frump."

"Why I oughtta-" Eighteen dove for Seventeen, fully intent on smashing her brother to pieces. Bulma crawled away as quickly as possible, hoping they would not notice her in their sibling brawl.

Eighteen suddenly realized what Bulma was doing, and zapped a piece of ground before Bulma. "So you thought you could get away, huh? Well think again. We haven't forgotten about you. Seventeen, you can have her, but remember the next town's mine."

"But it's no fun without you. Join me."

"Oh fine, why not? I've been looking for something to pound all day, anyway." She picked Bulma up and immediately delivered a blow to her stomach.

They each took turns pounding on Bulma, with one tossing her like a rag doll to the other when the one was tired of her. The androids finally decided they tired of her and Eighteen threw her to the ground and prepared yet another ki blast, hoping she'd actually get to shoot it this time. "Say goodbye," she said in a cold, mechanical voice. She fired the blast at Bulma.

Right before the blast hit Bulma, she saw a man wearing an orange gi block it. "Go…han?" she asked weakly before she passed out.

******************************************************* ***************

Bulma awoke with a start. She tried to sit up, but it hurt just trying to will her muscles to move. She painfully moved her neck sideways to see if anyone was there.

"Mom! I'm so glad you're all right!" Yamcha greeted with tears in his eyes.

"Bulma," Gohan scolded, "What on Earth were you thinking taking on the androids all alone? You could've been killed!"

"But I wasn't, was I? I don't know how I made it," she said lightly.

Gohan frowned. "You almost didn't. When I got you to the hospital the doctor on call ordered an immediate blood transfusion. Yamcha here gladly volunteered to give you his blood so you could live. Afterwards, the doctor examined you and found your broken ribs had punctured your lungs, so he did surgery to fix that. Next he reset every joint in your body, and treated you for second degree burns, then wrapped you up like a mummy so you could heal. You were very, very lucky, Bulma. You were this close to death. Now tell me, what reason could you possibly have to fight the androids alone? Don't tell me you're suicidal?"

"No, Gohan, as hard to believe as it might be, I have no intention of ending my existence. I faced the androids to force Yamcha into training."

"Say what?"

"Well, my reasoning went something like this: if Yamcha knew my life was in danger and you were unavailable, he would have to save the day if he didn't want to see me die. Then he would realize the importance of training. He would realize you couldn't protect me twenty-four-seven and my life could be threatened at any time, so he would have to be ready."

"That's a very convoluted line of reasoning, Bulma. No matter what your intentions, what you did was stupid and reckless, and I don't ever want you doing something like that again."

"Thank you very much for the lecture Gohan, but I can take care of myself. Now how was your date?"

"Uh…I kinda…left her standing."

"How could you?"

"Well, halfway into the movie, Yamcha burst in the doors crying and blubbering about you being dead. I made him calm down and tell me everything he knew, then I raced out of the theater to Nickeltown because I knew if you weren't dead already you were going to be very soon. I'm sure Videl understood."

"Well you need to make it up to her."

"But how? I can't just run off and have you do a repeat of last week's incident."

"'Last week'?"

"Yes, I forgot to tell you. You were out for eight days. The doctors finally got you stabilized on the third day."

Bulma ignored the rest of Gohan's sentence. "Eight days?! Oh Kami, that's way too long!"

"Too long for what?"

"Oh…nothing. Never mind."

The three of them sat in silence for a while. Bulma casually glanced at Gohan's body and noticed something was wrong. "Oh no, Gohan, what happened to your arm?!"

"Well, I lost it."

"I already know that. Don't tell me you lost it trying to save me."

"C'mon, my left arm is nothing compared to your life. I'd sacrifice it again in a minute."

The trio sat in silence one again. A while later, an unfamiliar blue-eyed woman with short, black hair walked in. "Hey, Gohan, how's she doing?"

Gohan smiled at the woman. "Much better than she was a week ago."

"Well that's good to hear." She walked over to the mummified woman in the bed. "So you're Bulma, huh? You must be so glad to have such a devoted son as Gohan."

"Gohan? My son? No, he's not my son. I only have one of those. Gohan is my best friend-uh, ex-best friend's son."

"Ex? What happened?"

"Well, she basically hid from the world when the androids first started destroying everything. And on top of that, we had a huge blowout. By the way, Videl, what brings you here?"

"Well, I wanted to check up on you. Ever since Gohan and your son rushed out of the theater, I've been worried sick about you. Well, not ever since. I was mad at first because Gohan left me, but then I realized I would've done the same thing if it were my mother. Oh, and I brought you some chicken soup. I know you're a scientist and all and that you probably don't believe in old wives' tales, but I figured, what's the harm?" Videl set the soup on a table next to Bulma's bed and headed toward the door. "Well, I guess Gohan and I better leave you alone with your son for a while."

"Don't be too harsh on him, Bulma. He obviously loves you a lot. I just think he doesn't have a knack for fighting." Gohan left with Videl, leaving Yamcha Jr. alone with his mother.

After Yamcha Jr. finished feeding the chicken soup to Bulma, she scolded him. "Yamcha, I am very disappointed in you."

"But why?"

"Because you were supposed to save me last week."

"But I did save you-"

"Without Gohan."

"How was I supposed to do that? I'm weak and you know it. I would've just gotten myself killed out there!"

"Well if you had started training like Gohan and I asked you to, none of this would've happened."

"Well I'm sorry Mom, but I don't fight, and you'll just have to accept it!"

"Yamcha, what's wrong with you? Why are you so dead-set against fighting?"

"Because I can't fight."

"What do you mean you can't fight? Is it against your principles, are you too afraid, what?"

"I'm physically incapable of fighting! I know my father was a party animal--you said so yourself-and that the androids killed him with only a few hits. Besides, I'm a human and Gohan is a-what did you call it?-a Saiyan, a Super Saiyan, even, and if he can't defeat the androids, then what chance do I have?"

"Gohan's girlfriend Videl knows some martial arts. She can start you off easy--"

Yamcha Jr. stood up. "I just said I wanted nothing to do with fighting!!"

Bulma sighed. "Since Gohan and I obviously can't force you do anything, I guess it's your choice. Even so, I will not have you walking around with a target on your head. From now on, I want you to keep a low profile and stay inside if the androids are anywhere near our house. And when we get home, I'm going to show you how to use some of my weapons so you'll at least stand a little bit of a chance should you ever run into them. Deal?"

Yamcha Jr. smiled. "Deal."

******************************************************* ***************

The next day, Gohan brought his rejuvenation tank to Bulma's room to speed up the healing process, despite fervid protests from the doctor, who conceded only after Bulma pointed out its healing properties. Gohan stayed by her side the whole time, cursing Bulma for deceiving him, and cursing himself for letting himself be deceived. Although they both agreed not to start anything serious until Bulma was healed, Videl visited Gohan every day, bringing him food or entertainment, or just sitting with him for a while, basking in his company.

One day, approximately three weeks after Bulma had healed, Videl planned something special for Gohan. The two had been dating for nearly a month and a half, ever since Bulma had set up that blind date where they first met, and Videl wanted to show Gohan something special, something she usually didn't show her friends, or what few she had.

"C'mon, when are we gonna get there?" Gohan asked anxiously as Videl led him blindfolded through the woods.

"Just hold your horses. We'll get there soon," Videl reassured him. A couple of minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Videl took the blindfold off.

Gohan gaped at the huge, eloquent palace before him. "Whoa, did you just buy the Taj Mahal or what?"

"No, silly. This is my home. Come in, make yourself comfortable."

Gohan walked awe-struck through the magnificent hallway into the grand chamber. Whoa, and I thought Bulma's place was huge! Along the way he glanced at the walls, covered with portraits of a macho, grizzly man adorned with a black beard and an afro. "Hey Videl, who's this?" Gohan asked, pointing to one of the portraits.

Videl stopped on her tracks and glanced downward.

"Oh, sorry. If you don't want to talk about it-"

"It's okay, Gohan. That man adorning the walls was my father."

"'Was'?"

"Yeah. His name was Hercule Satan, world famous champion and the strongest man in the world. When the androids first started their rampage about thirteen years ago, he felt it was his duty to get rid of them and save the world. He rushed out the door and never returned. A couple weeks later, his body was found and a huge memorial was held in his name. I swear I'd never seen that many people packed into one place in my life. I was only ten years old when he…."

"You don't have to say anything. I understand. I know how hard it is to lose a loved one."

"Y-you do?"

"Yeah. I lost my dad, my mentor, and my best friend when I was ten."

"To the androids?"

"The second two. My dad died from some kind of heart virus. I guess he picked it up in space. My dad stayed in space for a year and a half, and the disease started manifesting itself about a year after he returned."

"And no one could cure it?"

"We tried everything to get rid of it…oh, I am so stupid. The dragon balls! If only we used the dragon balls, he might still be alive today! I can't believe I didn't think of that until now!"

"Dragon balls?"

"Yeah, mystical orbs that can grant any wish under the sun when all seven are brought together."

"Then use them now to wish your father back."

"I can't. They're gone now."

"What? I don't understand."

"I'll tell you the full story later. Right now I wanna see the rest of this house, not mope around about things we can't change. So, lead the way."

Videl finally let Gohan to the grand chamber, where she was greeted warmly by a tall, gray haired, balding man dressed in butler garb. "Gohan, this is my most trusted servant, Yancey. Yancey, this is my boyfriend, Gohan."

Yancey shook the young man's right hand firmly. "So, Mistress Videl has finally found herself a suitor. Congratulations, young sir."

Gohan blushed a bright red. "Uh, thanks sir."

"Madam, won't you and the young mister have some tea and we can all get acquainted with each other? I'll have the servants prepare the tea and snacks. I'll also summon Miss Erasa and Mister Sharpener "

"Sure thing."

Videl's friends, a short-haired blonde named Erasa and a buff blonde with long hair named Sharpener, regarded Gohan curiously as they walked down the stairs. "Oh my gosh, Videl," Erasa said, "You did it. You actually did it."

"Uh, did what, exactly?" Gohan asked.

"Oh, you must be the lucky man. My name's Erasa, what's yours?" Erasa asked Gohan as she winked at him.

Gohan felt himself blush again. "Uh…Gohan. Nice to meet you. Now what exactly did Videl do?"

"Never mind her," Videl growled, "She's just causing a stir."

"She actually found herself a man. She spends so much time cooped up in that little gym of hers, it's a wonder she's not white as a bed sheet by now."

"Ignore her," Videl growled again, "She just wants to gossip."

"The way Videl keeps to herself, you'd think there were no more men left. Actually, before I met you, I thought she…you know…" She put her hand up and told Gohan in a scandal-type whisper, "Walked the other side of the fence."

"HEY IF YOU'RE GONNA ACCUSE ME OF BEING GAY, WHICH I MOST CERTAINLY AM NOT, COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY IT TO MY FACE LOOSE LIPS!" Videl exploded. "Like I said, ignore her," she told Gohan, "She tends to think that just because I have short hair and fight and never socialize that I must be into women."

"Face it, Videl," Erasa said, "You're manlier than most men I know."

"For your information I happen to be a very feminine woman." Videl turned to her boyfriend. "Let's go, Gohan. Yancey, take care of them."

"Well fine! You're dull anyways!" Erasa stuck her tongue out as Videl and Gohan left. "C'mon Sharpener, let's go have some fun."

"Urrgh!" Videl groaned as she led Gohan out. "I better not return tonight if I value my lunch. All that moaning and groaning makes me sick."

"Whoa, you have one weird family."

Videl glared at Gohan.

Gohan waved his hand in front of Videl. "O-of course, weird is good!"

"C'mon, Gohan. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me. It's not like I'll blast your head off or anything."

"So, you wanna talk about them? Are they your siblings?" Gohan asked Videl as they walked through the woods.

"Might as well be. Sharpener and Erasa were orphaned like myself, and Yancey took them in. He's been like a father to all of us. So what about you, Gohan? Do you have any family besides your mother?"

"Yeah. My maternal grandfather. As far as I know he's still alive."

Videl smiled. "Great. Then let's go visit them."

"W-what? Visit them?"

"Aw, what's wrong, Gohan? You got some skeletons in your closet?"

"N-no, it's not that…"

"Then what?"

"Well, I haven't visited my mom in so long, she probably thinks I've forgotten about her."

"Well all the more reason to see her, right?"

"But uh…" Videl sped out of the woods dragging Gohan by the arm before he could say another word.

Videl stopped in the middle of the clearing. "Where exactly is your mom's house?"

"Uh, this way." Gohan led Videl to Chi Chi's home on Mount Paozu.

******************************************************* ***************

"Gohan?" Chi Chi asked when she saw a tall, black-haired man and a short tomboy walking up the mountain. "Is that you?"

"Hi Mom."

"My baby!" Chi Chi tackled Gohan to the ground, then got out her frying pan and whapped him a few good ones. "Gohan, where on Kami's green Earth have you been all this time?! You almost gave your poor mother a heart attack! I thought you were dead!" Chi Chi broke down and cried on Gohan's shoulder.

"Uh, no Mom, I'm just fine. See?" Gohan pulled Chi Chi away to give her a better view.

Chi Chi's eyes went as wide as dinner plates and she shrieked upon seeing where his left arm should've been. "Gohan…what happened to your arm? Did those monsters cut it off? My poor baby!" Chi Chi started sobbing once again.

"Uh, Mom, I promise everything's fine. Really." He put on a boyish smile and tried to change the subject. "Uh, Mom, this is my girlfriend Videl. Videl, my mom."

Chi Chi almost had an aneurysm right there. "What did you say?! GIRLFRIEND?! So you're telling me you've been gone all this time just breaking poor little girls' hearts? At least when your father was gone he didn't cheat on me!" Chi Chi whapped Gohan a few more good ones with her frying pan.

"Now hold it right there," Videl scolded Chi Chi, "Gohan may not be the perfect scholar you wanted him to be, but he ain't no heartbreaker, either. In fact Gohan has dedicated his life to protecting you!"

Chi Chi glared fire at the unwelcome guest. "Why you little-HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO ME!! I'll have you know it's witches like you who lead my dear dear Gohan astray!"

Gohan got in between the two feuding ladies and tried to separate them. "Now now Mother, Videl, you really shouldn't be fighting over such trifles…"

"We're not fighting over trifles, son!" Chi Chi bellowed. "We're fighting over your purity! Tell me, Videl, how many children do you and Mr. Manly here have?"

"What?! We're complete virgins, both of us. And I don't have to take this. The only reason I came is to meet his family, but now that's done, so goodbye." Videl walked away from Chi Chi.

"Oh no you don't! No one argues with Chi Chi Son and walks away!" Chi Chi tackled Videl to the ground and initiated a nasty wrestling match.

"Well," Gohan said to himself, stupefied that two of his favorite too-strong-willed women were engaged in such a raw wrestling match, "I guess I better see how Grandpa is doing." He walked in and sniffed the air and followed the mouth-watering aroma straight to the kitchen.

"Grandpa!" Gohan shouted with joy, "Is that you? Are you really cooking?"

"Gohan!" Ox King cried joyously, "You're back! It's been too long since I saw you last. Have a seat. How's everything going?"

"Well, I lost an arm and gained a girlfriend. Not much progress on the android front, though…Grandpa, why are you cooking?"

Ox King blushed and put a hand behind his head, a la Goku. "D'ya like it? It's my very own special spaghetti. Your mom doesn't feel like doing much of anything anymore so I try to help out when I can. Besides, she needs to keep her strength up."

Gohan looked down at the table. "Oh. I didn't know it was that bad. If I knew she would get this bad I never would've moved out."

"Oh don't blame yourself, Gohan. You only did what you had to do. The Earth needed a protector when there was none. Don't beat yourself up over things you couldn't control."

"But it's my fault Mom is so depressed. If I hadn't fought with her every chance I got and ran away, she'd be a lot better now."

"Come now, Gohan, don't think such sad thoughts. It's dinner time now and only happy thoughts are allowed." Ox King went outside with a small metal triangle. He rang it and bellowed, "Girls, Dinner's ready!"

Videl and Chi Chi walked into the house all dirty and bruised up. Gohan asked, "Uh Mom, are you okay?"

"Whoo," Chi Chi said, "I haven't felt this good in a long time. And you don't have to worry about us, Gohan. Videl and I patched things up."

"Yeah," Videl added as the two women sat down and Ox King served dinner, "Seems like all she needed was a good fight to let some steam out."

"Hey Videl, why don't you be my sparring partner? How would you like that?"

"I'd like that very much ma'am." Videl and Chi Chi chuckled as if they'd known each other forever, then everyone dug into their dinner.

After everyone cleared their plates Gohan asked Chi Chi a very important question. "Hey Mom, how would you feel about me moving back in?"

Chi Chi's eyes welled up for the third time that day. "Oh Gohan, do you really mean it?"

"Yes, Mom. I really do want to move back in with you, so can I?"

"Oh course you can, son. I'd like nothing better."

"Thanks. I just have to grab some stuff from my house and I'll be set. In fact…I think I'll go right now. See ya later, Mom."

"Bye Gohan," Chi Chi called out after her son, "And watch out for the androids!"

"I wiiillll!"

******************************************************* ***************

Gohan reached his ramshackle home in no time and started loading up his stuff, trying to carry as much with one arm as possible. He was debating on how to carry his rejuvenation tank when he felt a stream of ki graze his face. He turned his head around and saw Seventeen and Eighteen standing close behind him.

"Well well," Seventeen sneered, "If it isn't Blondie. Only he's not blonde today. And oh, we seem to have found his hiding spot. Whatever shall we do, sis?"

"Let's just trash it," Eighteen suggested.

"Aww, but playing with him is so much better than trashing this worthless box."

"Whatever. Do what you want. I'm gonna destroy his home and whatever's inside. Maybe then he'll stop recovering."

Gohan panicked. No! Not the rejuvenation tank! "Stay away!" he yelled as he rushed towards Eighteen.

Seventeen phased right in front of him. "Not so fast. You'll have to get by me first."

"Gladly." Gohan threw the first punch. Seventeen punched Gohan back and engaged him in a fierce match, leading him further and further away from his home. When he was far away enough, he winked at Eighteen, giving her the signal to burn down the home. Eighteen pointed her finger at the residence and set it on fire.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his house and all his possessions--including his precious rejuvenator--go up in flames. He faced the burning house, wide-eyed, and screamed a blood-curdling "NO!" and darted toward the house.

Eighteen flew up and uppercutted Gohan, sending him flying back to the ground. Then, as if in silent agreement, she and Seventeen ganged up on Gohan and pounded him while he was still down, taking full advantage of the fact that he had only one arm.

A while later Seventeen felt a tingle at the back of his head, and turned around to see what caused it. He saw Videl in a battle stance, baring her fangs as if to scare him away. "So it was you, Miss High-And-Mighty. You think that hurt?"

Videl was taken completely aback by his sentence. "What?! O-of course that hurt you! Why wouldn't it?"

"In case you haven't noticed, we're androids. We can't be hurt. Now this--" he kneed Videl in the gut "--is hurt. You want some more?"

"Seventeen," Eighteen scolded, "Just kill her already. She's too weak for anything."

"No. This little upstart needs to be taught a lesson. No one opposes us and lives."

"Except Blondie."

"Bah, we'll take care of him next." Seventeen turned back to Videl, who was still hunched over on the ground. "Now what shall I do first? Pull out your hair? Gouge out your eyeballs? Ah, I know, I'll break every last bone in your body, one by one, until you scream for your mommy." Videl growled at him.

Without warning, she saw Seventeen fall over and suddenly she was swept up by a strange blonde man wearing Gohan's clothes. She opened her mouth to speak, but he told her, "Shh. Be quiet now." He ran across the wasteland trying to elude Eighteen, who was in hot pursuit. He looked back and saw an ever-growing ki ball in Eighteen's hand, obviously meant for scorching the whole area to get to them. He waited until Eighteen let it loose, then one second before it touched him, the blonde man flew close to the ground as fast as possible and didn't look back.

******************************************************* ***************

When they made it to the woods with no Eighteen and Seventeen in sight, Videl made the strange man stop and explain himself. "Okay bud, before we go any further, who are you and why are you wearing Gohan's clothes?" She looked at him suspiciously.

The strange man answered, "I am Gohan."

"Uh, no you're not. Gohan doesn't have blonde hair."

"Just watch." The man willed his blonde hair and green eyes to go black, revealing himself as Gohan.

"Ho-ly cattle, how did you do that?"

"I'll explain on the way." Gohan said. As he bent down to scoop Videl up, he was forced to kneel on one knee and catch his breath.

"A-are you all right, Gohan?"

Gohan got back up. "I'm fine." Right after that, he collapsed.

Videl told the unconscious Gohan, "No, you're not fine, you big liar." She hefted Gohan upon her shoulder and laboriously made her way to Chi Chi's home.

******************************************************* ***************

"Oh great Kai!" Chi Chi shrieked when she saw Videl carrying Gohan, "What happened to my poor baby?"

"He got beat up by the androids. Outta the way." Videl shoved past Chi Chi and led Gohan to an empty bedroom upstairs while she still had the momentum to do so.

After she lay Gohan on the bed, she painfully made her way downstairs and sank into a huge recliner in the living room. "Ooh, remind me never to do that again," Videl winced, "That boy can walk himself next time."

Chi Chi sat down across from Videl. "Mind telling me what happened? You ran out of here pretty hastily."

"Well, I decided to follow Gohan after all, you know, to help him with his stuff, and then I saw them. I tried to fight them, I really did, but they didn't move one inch. And the boy said it didn't even hurt! And worse, they destroyed the whole house!" Videl's eyes welled up. "Chi Chi, I was too weak! I couldn't even save Gohan; he saved me!" She dried her eyes before the tears could drop. "Well, I better check on Gohan now."

Videl stood up, only to have Chi Chi sit her back down. "No Videl, let me. You need some rest. I imagine you're not feeling too hot either." She left for the kitchen, then to Gohan's room.

When Chi Chi came back, she said, "Videl, Gohan wants to see you."

When Videl made it up to Gohan's room, she immediately noticed all the bandages he was dressed in. "She did a good job," she said. "Gohan? I just wanna say I'm sorry--"

"And I wanna say thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving me. I would've died out there if it weren't for you."

"No, please don't. I didn't do anything. I couldn't even make the male one hurt."

"But you did buy me enough time to recover and get us out of there."

"Gohan, I didn't even make him budge. How am I going to beat them if I can't even do that?"

"Wait a minute. Beat them?"

"Yeah, beat them. I've been training my whole life for that. Why do you think I stay cooped up in that gym all the time?"

"So you wish to become stronger?"

"Yes, as strong as you."

"Videl, no one can be as strong as me," Videl's eyes widened, "But you can become much stronger than you are now."

"Wait--whaddya mean no one can be as strong as you? I can if I want!"

"What I meant is I'm an alien, which makes me stronger than anyone else. However, like I said, you can still become much stronger. Strong enough to hold your own against the androids."

"Really?! Tell me how!"

Gohan nodded his head toward the door. "Across the hall, in my father's room, there's some turtle shells and some weights. You can use them."

"I hate to be rude, but what do turtle shells have to with anything?"

"My father's first sensei made him and his best friend wear fifty-pound shells while they did their chores. I can remember Dad saying it worked wonders for them."

"So all I have to do is wear 'em?"

"No. You must also make everything you do as hard as you can. For example, when you go out to get water, don't go to the nearest stream; go to the one five miles away. Same for woodcutting, or any other activity. Do this until it becomes as easy to move with the shell on as it is now. Then put on a bigger shell."

"Okay. Can I learn to fly and turn my hair blonde, too?"

"Turning into a Super Saiyan--the blonde state--is a trait unique to my race. But you can learn to fly."

"Can I learn right now?"

"It would be best if I recovered first."

"But that could take a whole month. I don't have a month! I need to learn now!"

"If you really must learn now...to fly you must be able to tap into and control your ki."

Videl looked puzzled.

"Your energy. You must listen carefully to your body and become aware of the power flowing through you, and then bring it out."

"And? And?"

"Whoa, easy there. Let's bring your ki out first, then we'll work on the rest. I'm going to rest now. Wake me up when you do it. Oh, and wear your turtle shell!" he called after Videl as she rushed out of the room.

Chi Chi stopped Videl as she came down the stairs wearing a huge pink turtle shell. "Videl, it's almost dinner time. Why don't you wash up and eat?"

Videl jogged in place. "Um, I gotta go now. Bye."

Chi Chi grabbed Videl's shoulder. "Hold it. You're going to eat and you're going to like it."

"No, I'm going to train."

"Do you want a rematch, Missy?" Chi Chi glared daggers at Videl.

"Bring it on." Videl glared daggers back.

Suddenly, Chi Chi cooled down as soon as she flared up. "Well don't blame me if you go hungry tonight."

Videl was taken a little aback by Chi Chi's mood swing. "Say what?"

"You heard me. You go out and train, but when Dad and I get done eating we're done. I'm throwing the rest out. Then you can forage for your own food."

"Um, no thanks. I'd rather eat here."

"Good. That's what I thought." Chi Chi fixed everyone's plates while Videl washed up.

******************************************************* ***************

The next evening Videl rushed up to Gohan's room, eager to show off her new skill. "Hey Gohan," she said excitedly, "Look what I can do!" She aimed her hand at some poor chair and incinerated it.

Gohan's eyes widened as he saw the chair turn to ashes. "What--Videl, how did you learn that?!"

"Let me tell you, it wasn't easy. I stayed up half the night doing nothing but trying to tap into my ki. Then I remembered you said something about controlling it, so I spent the rest of the night and this morning learning to control it. All with my turtle shell on, too."

"Wow, I'm impressed. Don't you feel tired?"

"Nah. Chi Chi made me take a long nap when I came in. Can I learn to fly now? Hey, can I use this 'ki' of mine to fight the androids?"

"Sure, I think you're ready, and yes, it can be used as a weapon."

"Cool!"

"Okay now, to fly all you have to do is push your ki out under you; will it to propel you through the air."

Videl was a little surprised. "Is that all? That sounds easy."

"It is, once you learn to control your ki."

"Well I almost made myself pass out learning to control it, so flying should be a snap. I'll be back in a bit." Videl rushed out to learn how to fly.

Not even an hour later, a few pebbles flew into Gohan's room, landing on his bed. He looked out the window and saw Videl hovering at eye level. "Wow Videl, you did it."

"Of course I did. I told you it'd be easy. Now is there anything else I need to learn; any more super-secret tricks or anything?"

"Um, not for the moment. Why don't you work on flying and training with your turtle shell on? I'll spar with you as soon as I get better."

"Sure, Gohan."

"Oh, and Videl?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure not to run yourself ragged. Remember to eat and sleep sometime."

"Okay, I will." Videl flew back down and started her training regimen right away.

******************************************************* ***************

"Oh Gohan I'm such a dunce!" Videl scolded as the idea struck her like a bolt of lightning while she sat in Gohan's room one day, taking a break.

"Why? What's going on?"

"The rejuvenator! Bulma can build you another one! Oh I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner! I've been so busy training I didn't think of anything else!"

"Well don't beat yourself up; go and get one if you want."

"'If you want'? Gohan, don't you wanna get well?"

"Of course. I just don't want you to beat yourself up over it."

"Okay. I'll be back after a while." Videl ran out of the room. A minute later, she ran back in and asked, "By the way, do you know which way Capsule Corp is?"

A few hours after Videl left the Sons', she saw the familiar yellow dome of Capsule Corporation from a distance...and two suspicious figures making their way to it. No, are they who I think they are? Videl crept a little closer. "Oh Kai, it's them! This can't be happening!" She flew at breakneck speed to warn Bulma.

After a second or two of frantic pounding, a tall, lanky man with unruly black hair opened the door. "Oh Yamcha," Videl sighed, "Is Bulma in?"

"Sure, she's in...somewhere. She's off in her little hiding place again, doing heaven-knows-what. Lemme get her." Yamcha buzzed his mom on the intercom.

"What is it, Yamcha?" Bulma scolded over the intercom. "I told you not to interrupt me unless the androids are coming."

"See, that's the thing," Videl told Bulma, "They are coming. I saw them with my own two eyes."

"What?! I'll be right there," Bulma said. Videl heard metal rustling around right before the intercom turned off.

Yamcha started freaking out. "Oh no they're coming, they're really really coming! I need my gun!" He rushed into his room to retrieve his precious weapon.

Just then, Bulma ran up the stairs from her little hiding place. "Okay, where are they?" Bulma pointed one of her guns at the front door.

"They're not here yet," Videl said. "Hey Bulma? We'll probably lose, so pack up everything you can and hide. I'll hold 'em off." Videl walked to the door.

"But Videl, you can't take them on alone--"

Videl was already outside.

Bulma grabbed some empty capsules and ran to Yamcha Jr's room. "Yamcha, take these capsules and save everything you can, then hide in the bunker," she ordered him,.

"What're you gonna do?"

Bulma picked up Yamcha's weapon and headed out. "I'm helping Videl."

Bulma raced outside just in time to see Seventeen and Eighteen close in on Videl. "So Bloomers is alive, too," Seventeen commented. "You humans are like bugs. We keep killin' ya and you keep crawling out of the woodwork. We were educating Miss Upstart here on the futility of attacking us."

"Bulma," Videl whispered harshly, "What are you doing here? I told you to hide."

"Listen," Bulma whispered back, "You're no Gohan. You can't win."

"I'm not trying to. I'm trying to get you and your son out alive."

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Seventeen yawned egregiously. "Can we get his over with? We have things to do, places to go, cities to demolish."

Eighteen sat on the nearest structure. "I think I'll sit this one out."

Seventeen mock-gasped. "Aw, but that's not fair."

"No one said we were fair."

Seventeen looked at Bulma and Videl. "That's right. No one did. Hey Uppity," he said to Videl, "I'll cut you a deal. I'll fight you one-on-one if Bloomers over there keeps out of it."

"Don't hold back on my account. I can take you both on."

"Aw, but where's the fun in that? I like to have a little fun with my prey before I dispose of it. Come on, whaddya say? If you want, you can fight my sister when we're done."

"Alright, deal."

"Fine, but I warn you, if Bloomers steps in, well, I can't be held responsible for Eighteen's actions."

"How do I know she won't jump me when I'm not looking?"

Bulma butted in. "Because I have my finger on the trigger." She aimed Yamcha's huge gun straight at Eighteen.

Seventeen asked Videl, "So, are you ready?"

"Yeah." Videl charged at Seventeen and unleashed a barrage of attacks, including some new ones she learned while training.

Seventeen just stood there blocking all of Videl's attacks. "You know, that actually stings a little bit," he taunted.

That made Videl angry. "You want sting? I'll show you sting!" Videl punched in Seventeen's nose as hard as she could, and his head moved back a just a little.

Seventeen's head snapped forward. "Now you've done it." He went on the offensive with gusto, forcing Videl to retreat closer and closer to the dome, until her back was against the wall. Videl ducked right before Seventeen punched in the wall behind her.

"Well well well," Seventeen said as he looked inside, "What do we have here? This is gonna be a field day!" Seventeen rushed inside and started destroying anything and everything in sight.

"No!" Bulma yelled. She shot Yamcha's huge gun directly at Seventeen, making him crouch over in pain. Right at that moment, Eighteen charged at Bulma, fully intent on striking her dead. Videl intercepted Eighteen and started fighting her, giving Bulma time to retreat deeper into the building.

Bulma ran to the back of the building, toward the bunkers. On her way, she encountered Yamcha Jr, who was carrying a hard drive with him.

"Hey Mom, are you here to help?"

"Yamcha, you have to hide now. The androids are inside!"

"What?! But-but I didn't..."

"Never mind. It can be replaced, now go!" Bulma pushed Yamcha down the bunker and shut the trap door, then hid right around the corner, waiting for the androids to show their faces.

She didn't have to wait long. Videl came crashing through the wall right in front of the bunker. She looked over and saw Bulma aiming the gun straight ahead, and she nodded in understanding, just before Seventeen and Eighteen showed up. She lured the androids in such a way as to put them both together and in close range of the gun. As soon as Bulma saw her opening, she went for it. She quickly fired two shots nearly point-blank at the two androids, then while they were still paralyzed, Videl poured out all the ki she could muster and launched them through the roof, to Kami-knows-where.

As soon as Seventeen and Eighteen were out of sight, Bulma ran to catch Videl, who was on the verge of collapse. "Videl, oh dear, are you all right?"

Videl caught her breath for a second before she said, "Yeah. They're not dead, are they?"

"I doubt it. You know them."

"We gotta get you outta here then. They'll be back, I just know it." Videl got up and opened the trap door.

Yamcha climbed out. "Is it over?"

"No," Videl said, "We gotta go before they come back." She panted a little before continuing. "Do you have everything?"

Yamcha patted his front jean pocket. "Right here." He turned to Bulma. "Ready, Mom?"

"Just a minute. I'm...uh...gonna see if I can salvage anything. You two go on without me."

"Just hurry up. I can't fight them if they come back." Videl started walking and nearly collapsed. Yamcha Jr. caught her and put her arm over his shoulder.

When Bulma was sure Videl and Yamcha wouldn't look back, she opened up another trap door and capsulized something top secret before climbing back out. She caught up to her son and helped him walk Videl to the mountains, per Videl's directions.

******************************************************* ***************

Bulma's face blanched upon seeing Videl's destination. "No. We are not going there," she ordered.

Videl asked, "Aw, why not? I'm sure whatever fight you and Chi Chi had thirteen years ago has resolved itself by now."

"Not if I know Chi Chi. Man can she hold a grudge."

"Who knows? Maybe she forgot all about it." Videl wriggled out of Yamcha Jr and Bulma's arms and ran to the house.

"Videl, is that you?" Chi Chi asked as she ran outside. Her face went flat upon seeing Bulma. "Oh, it's you. What are you doing here?"

"I'm flattered you're so glad to see me, Chi Chi."

"What's going on?" Videl asked.

"I'm surprised you showed your face here, home wrecker," Chi Chi said.

"It's not my fault Gohan ran away," Bulma retorted.

"Will someone please tell me what the heck is going on?" Videl asked insistently.

"I'll tell you," Chi Chi said, "Little Susie Home-Wrecker here aided and abetted a runaway thirteen years ago. And she's not sorry about it, are you?"

"Why should I be? You were obviously not going to help him."

"Help him? Do what, be a little delinquent?"

"No, he needed your support back then and you refused to give it to him."

"So you'd rather I let him die?"

"It's in Gohan's nature to fight! It's also in his nature to help people, so of course he would fight the androids. But no, you had to shut him up in his little room, away from the world. That's what drove him over the edge."

"No it isn't and you know it! You encouraged him to run away!"

"All I did was give him a place to stay when he needed it! I encouraged nothing! In fact, he was the one who came to me!"

"Poppycock! If you'd sent him home like you should have, he'd have stayed here!"

"If I sent him home he would've run away again, except now he'd be living in a cardboard box because he'd never trust me again."

Chi Chi crossed her arms. "Oh. I see what this is about. Yamcha's son wasn't good enough for you, so you had to take mine too!"

Bulma groaned audibly before she said, "I am not doing this with you, Chi Chi! Videl, I'll be in my lab if you need me." She went into the woods, looking for a good place to set up her lab. Yamcha followed her.

Chi Chi huffed. "Fine. She can take a long walk off a short pier for all I care." She went inside.

Videl followed her. "Can't you both just forget about this?"

"I'm not the one who contributed to Gohan's delinquency. I shouldn't have to apologize for trying to be a good mother." She got out some poor vegetable and chopped it furiously.

Videl wisely left the kitchen for Gohan's room. She pulled up a chair and said, "So Gohan, I hear you were quite the delinquent back in the day."

"It's true, I used to be such a troublemaker when I was a kid. It started when the androids came. I had just come back from fighting the androids, barely alive. My mom took me straight home, nursed me back to health, and thoroughly scolded me for rushing off and almost getting myself killed. Of course I had taken it upon myself to save the Earth. The next time I fought the androids she grounded me for a month. We had horrible fights about it, with my mom grounding me for insane periods of time and me sneaking out anyway. I eventually got so fed up with her I ran away."

"And?"

"One day, while I was wandering the streets, Bulma saw me and started taking me back home. I begged her not to, and told her why. After seeing if she took me home I'd just run away again, she took me in, and treated me like her second son. She saw to it that I was well fed and clothed, and that I got a good education, but she also knew how important is was to stop the androids. Sure, she'd get worried when I came back all bloody and bruised, but she never punished me for it. She even hid me--at my insistence--every time Mom came over to take me home."

"No wonder you're so devoted to her."

"Anyway, after the public school system had been dissolved--because the androids destroyed a few too many schools--Bulma hired a tutor and made sure Yamcha Jr. and I were home-schooled well. When I turned eighteen I moved out to the middle of nowhere. So that's my life story in a nutshell."

"Wow, I wish my life story was half as exciting. All I did was train, train, train...when Sharpener and Erasa weren't trying to turn me into a socialite." Videl just sat there for a moment before remembering her original goal. "Oh, right! I almost forgot! The tank! I'll go get it." Videl ran out to look for Bulma.

Videl found Bulma's small lab a bit into the woods. She knocked on the door and was greeted by Yamcha Jr.

"Hi Videl, how're you doing?"

"Much better now. Is your mom in?"

"Yeah. Let me get her." He called Bulma on the intercom.

"Yeah what is it Yamcha?" Bulma asked as she entered the room. "Oh, it's you, Videl. Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I meant to get a new rejuvenation tank 'cause the old one was destroyed."

"Destroyed? How?"

"Androids--"

"How's Gohan?"

"Well, he's all bandaged up--"

"Where is he, Videl?"

"In his room, at Chi Chi's home--"

"Yamcha'll build you a new one. I gotta see Gohan." Bulma rushed out of the lab.

Videl looked at Yamcha. "You can build a rejuvenation tank?"

Yamcha put a hand behind his head and laughed. "Sure. Mom taught me how to build stuff when she got out. Now I'm practically a pro. You know that big gun Mom used? I built it in my spare time. Wanna see it?"

"Um, sure."

Yamcha brought out his weapon. "See? This is a neural disruptor. Mom's tried all this time to off the androids from the mechanical angle, but nothing worked very well. Also, from what I heard, they had free will, which meant they weren't totally artificial, so I started thinking if I build biologically based weapons..."

******************************************************* ***************

Bulma ran into the house and up the stairs, intent on seeing Gohan.

Chi Chi caught her out of the corner of her eye and glared fire at her. "Where do you think you're going, missy?"

"I'm going to see Gohan."

Chi Chi blocked her way. "Oh no you're not. You're not stealing him from me again."

"Chi Chi, I am forty-five years old. I'm a grown woman. You can't tell me what to do."

"Maybe I can't," Chi Chi got into a wrestling stance, "But this can. I can still throw a mean tackle."

"Whatever. Bye." Bulma walked out.

Chi Chi relaxed. "Well, I never thought she'd be so obedient."

Gohan heard a person climb up the wall to his room. He tensed up in anticipation of an attack. He relaxed when he saw Bulma stumble through his window. "Bulma?" he asked. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"Shh, keep it down," Bulma whispered, "There's a reason I snuck in. Now how long ago did this happen?"

"About a week and a half ago. Don't worry, I'm fine."

"No you are not fine," Bulma scolded, pointing out Gohan's bandages. "Yamcha is building a rejuvenator as we speak, and we are putting you in as soon as he gets done."

"Wait a minute. Yamcha can build?"

"Yeah. I taught him when I got out. I really shouldn't have been so surprised he'd take to science so easily."

"Of course not. He has a genius for a mother."

"So, anything else you wanna tell me? Like why Videl is wearing a big pink turtle shell on her back, and like why are you here?"

"About the shell, I'm training Videl; as for your second question I moved back in."

"After all this time? Why?"

"Because Mom is suicidal. Grandpa said she didn't feel like doing much of anything anymore."

"Oh Gohan, I had no idea."

"Yeah, I have a feeling if I leave again, she really will kill herself."

"Well, I'll go see how Yamcha's doing on that tank. I'll see you soon. Love ya, Gohan."

"Love you too, Bulma."

And so life went on at the Son's. Gohan recovered in a week, thanks to the rejuvenator, and started sparring with Videl. Yamcha took over the small lab in the woods, while Bulma worked on her top secret project as much as was feasible, and kept her distance from Chi Chi. She also visited Gohan and Videl on a regular basis. Chi Chi renewed her interest in life, now that her son was back home, and the Ox King went about as usual, who remained blissfully oblivious to the androids, thanks to Chi Chi's 'no outside communications' rule.

******************************************************* ***************

One day, after an especially sweaty sparring session, Gohan and Videl decided to take a break. They started running through the woods like little kids playing tag. Gohan soon caught up to Videl and wrapped his arm around her, then grew deadly serious. "Hey Videl?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't wanna play tag anymore."

"Well then, what do you want to do?"

Gohan nipped Videl's ear and whispered, "I want to make love to you, Videl. Now."

Videl leaned back into Gohan. "Oh, Gohan...but where?"

That jolted Gohan out of his reverie. "Oh. Good question. We can't do it anywhere around here. Bulma or my mom might catch us. How about your house?"

"If they'll let us back in. I haven't been there in so long."

"Well if they don't let us in we'll just have to sneak in."

******************************************************* ***************

"Videl, what are doing back here?!" Erasa asked with surprise as Videl and Gohan walked through the front door of Videl's mansion.

"Yeah, we thought you died," Sharpener added.

"Um guys, can you please...go to the mall or something? I'll give you some money."

Erasa winked at Videl. "Oh, getting rid of us, are you? Don't worry, we'll go. I'll even take Yancey with us." As she and Sharpener left to search for Yancey, she sang out, "Videl's getting so-ome! Videl's getting so-ome!"

After Erasa, Sharpener, and Yancey left, Gohan put his arm around Videl's waist and said, "So, we've got the whole house to ourselves, eh?"

"Yeah. So where do you wanna do it?"

"In your room."

"Me too." Videl led Gohan to her room and locked the door, and the two leisurely gave their virginity to each other.

******************************************************* ***************

"Ahhh, I never knew it could feel so good," Gohan basked as he lay beside Videl.

"Yeah, you said it. It it just you, or is it an alien thing?"

Gohan put on a mock hurt face. "I don't know whether to be flattered, or insulted." He rolled over and held Videl tightly for a while.

"Hey Videl?"

Videl looked up at Gohan. "Yeah?"

"Know what I wanna do?"

Videl chuckled. "Oh you dog!"

"I wanna watch TV."

Videl looked surprised. "TV?"

"Yeah, why not? It's the perfect topper to the perfect workout." Gohan got up and looked for Videl's remote. When he found it he lay back down and channel surfed.

"What the blazes?" Gohan exclaimed as he heard the androids were attacking a nearby mall, after he had stopped it on the nearest news channel. "Videl, is that where you sent your housemates to?"

"I...don't know."

Gohan rose from the bed.

"What? No, Gohan, don't leave. Maybe they're not there."

"But maybe they are. I gotta go."

"No you don't. I don't want you to die!"

"Videl, where is all this coming from? Don't worry, I'll survive. I'll see you later." Gohan said as he put on his clothes.

"Fine, Gohan, but you better come back alive!!!" Videl shouted after Gohan.

A few unnerving hours later Videl heard footsteps downstairs. She rushed down the stairs--having long since been dressed--eager to see Gohan. Instead she saw a dirtied up Sharpener, Erasa, and Yancey.

"Oh Videl, it was horrible!" Erasa cried out. "The androids came after us! The blonde one tried to behead me and steal my clothes! She said I was ugly!" She started wailing uncontrollably.

"And--and that black haired dude tried to fight me! I'm strong, but I ain't no fighter!" Sharpener blabbered. "Then Gohan saved us, just in time!"

"Yeah," Erasa butted in, "He was flying and everything; doing all kinds of light tricks. Did you know he can go blonde?"

"Gohan!" Videl asked, "What happened to Gohan?"

"He was amazing!" Erasa crooned, "He saved us from the evil robots! Whatta guy! I wish he was my boyfriend. "

Videl grabbed Erasa and shook her. "Erasa, stop talking? What happened to Gohan? Where is he? Do you know?"

Yancey finally spoke up. "Miss Videl, after the androids left we went back to the rubble...and...and...oh I'm sorry Videl!"

"Sorry? Sorry?! About what? Gohan told me he'd make it back alive! He's gotta be alive. I know he is!"

Yancey teared up. "I'm so sorry, Videl. I know how much he meant to you. I wish he were alive."

"No. Don't talk like he's dead. He's alive, and I'll prove it!" Videl stomped her way to the front door.

"Let me go!" Videl shouted as the others piled upon her. "I gotta go see Gohan!" She strained to make it to the door.

"Listen, Videl! If you could've seen Gohan's body you'd understand! Gohan is dead and we can't bring him back!" Yancey shouted.

"No, no, no! He told me he's come back!" Videl finally broke down and pounded the ground. "You said you'd come back, Gohan! Why didn't you? Why? For Kai's sake tell me why!" She broke out of the tackle and ran for the gym while she still have face left to save.

"Videl, wait--" She said as she ran after Videl.

"Stay back!" Videl shoved her then disappeared in the gym and locked the huge doors.

Yancey broke down and sunk to the floor. "Oh my stars, I wish there were something I could do for her."

Erasa and Sharpener huddled around him. "You know Videl isn't gonna let you help her," Sharpener said.

"Yeah, he's right," Erasa told Yancey, "What could you do? She's too pigheaded for her own good."

"I feel like I failed her. No father should have to tell his daughter her lover's dead."

"C'mon, Yancey, let's get some hot cocoa." Erasa and Sharpener lifted Yancey up and led him to the pantry.

******************************************************* ***************

"Curse you, Gohan!" Videl shouted as she knocked around a poor punching bacg. "You lied to me! You said you were coming back! I hate you I hate you I hate you!" She decimated the doomed bag in the process. Videl didn't care. She pummeled the mat itself. "No I don't I love you. I always have. You're so selfish! You know Chi Chi will kill herself! I wanna go with her!...no I don't...yes I do!...no, I can't...arrgh, make up your mind will ya! I'm the only one left. I'm the only one who can fight them now. I don't wanna tell her; she'll kill me. And then she'll kill herself. Please tell me what to do, Gohan. I don't wanna die. And I don't want her to die..." Videl wordlessly pounded the floor until she utterly exhausted her muscles, then she lay in the gaping hole and cried by herself in the big room.

******************************************************* ***************

"Oh," Chi Chi groaned as she sleepily trudged toward the insistent knocking at the door, "Who could possibly be here this time of morning?" she yawned as she answered it.

"Chi Chi?"

"Oh Videl, where have you been? You look like death, come on in." Chi Chi ushered Videl to the door and had her father put on a pot of tea. "Now tell me what you've been doing these past couple of days. Whatever it was couldn't have been good."

Videl sat there for a minute, trying to find the best way to break the news to Chi Chi--long enough, in fact, to make Chi Chi wave her hand in front of Videl and say, "Yoo-hoo, Earth to Videl. Come in, Videl."

Videl snapped out of it. "Oh, sorry, it's just I don't know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what? Videl, what happened?"

"First you have to promise me you won't do anything rash."

"Huh?"

"Promise."

"Okay, okay, I promise. Now what happened?"

"Um...I don't know how to tell you this...but...Gohan is dead. He was killed by the androids two days ago."

Chi Chi's face turned white. "My baby...dead? Um...um...I gotta go." Chi Chi made a dash for the stairs.

"Chi Chi no!" Videl tackled Chi Chi on her way up the stairs.

Chi Chi wriggled in the younger girl's firm grasp. "No! Let me go! I know what I have to do!"

"No! I won't let you! I'd rather lose my right arm first!"

"Then so be it!" Chi Chi threw Videl off the stairs, then came down and knocked her unconscious for good measure.

******************************************************* ***************

Videl woke up with a throbbing pain in her neck. The last thing she could remember was Chi Chi throwing her off the stairs, then feeling a chopping sensation on the back of her neck. She knelt up, trying to remember what she was doing. Of course! Videl rushed up the stairs to the bathroom, praying to whatever deity still existed that was was not too late.

Videl slammed the bathroom door open and gasped. She saw Chi Chi stiitng on the toilet, with her head bowed and each arm holding the other. She pulled Chi Chi to the floor and rolled up her sleeves and noticed the copious amount of blood that lined her kimono's sleeves. Sureenough, Videl's worst nightmare had come true: Chi Chi had slit her wrists. No. God no, I'm gonna be sick! Videl emptied her stomach in the sink and sat down dizzily on the cold floor. No, this can't be happening. First Gohan, now her. It's all my fault. I couldn't save her. What do I do now? Someone, tell me what to do...No, the Ox King! Videl rushed downstairs desparately looking for Ox King, praying the same fate hadn't befallen him. No no no no, he can't be dead. Not him too! Videl ran to a nearby stream, hoping to see him fishing of something. No sign of him. She craned her neck all around, then on an extremely off chance, she looked inside the strean. She saw at the bottom something huge that appeared to be hunched over. Her heart leaped to her throat as she jumped in and fished it out of the water. It was Ox King, dead as a doornail. Videl ran her little butt off straight for Bulma's lab.

******************************************************* ***************

Yamcha got up from his tinkering and answered the frantic pounding on the door. "Videl?" he asked, "You don't look so good. Want me to get Mom?"

"Yes, get her. It's an emergency."

"Mom?" Yamcha asked over the intercom. "You need to come up here. It's important."

Yamcha heard his mother sigh. "Is it more important than this?"

"Um, yeah. Videl look like she's been through a meat grinder."

"I'll be right up."

In a few minutes Bulma was in the main room, looking over Videl like a protective mother. She immediately led her to a couch in the living area and made her lie down. "Videl, you look worse than death. Mind telling me what happened?"

Videl groaned just thinking about telling Bulma everything again

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything." She turned to her son. "Yamcha, go see what's got Videl so shaken up, will ya?"

"Okay, Mom."

"Videl, would you like anything to eat? To drink, perharps?" Bulma offered.

"No! Anything but that!"

"You need to keep your strength up."

"I'll just throw it up again."

"Again? Videl, what exactly happened to you? Are you pregnant?"

Bulma heard the door close and Yamcha say "Mom?" in a really weird voice.

"What's wrong Yamcha? Tell me; I can take it."

"You migh not wanna cook dinner tonight. Chi Chi and the Ox King commited suicide."

Bulma's face blanched. "Gods no..." She got up and went to the door.

"Please don't do it too," Videl said.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to bury them. I never knew Ox King well, and Chi Chi and I have been enemies for thirteen years, but I owe them this much. I'll be back. I promise."

"Don't worry, I'm gonna follow her," Yamcha reassured Videl. He followed his mother out.

******************************************************* ***************

Bulma came in from her trip and gave Videl a letter. A month had passed and only recently had Videl wanted anything to do with anyone other than her and Yamcha Jr. After Videl woke up from her unnaturally long sleep and Bulma finally got her fed she insisted that Videl not just shut herself off from life. She and Yamcha made training equipment especially for Videl and they tried every chance they could to get Videl outside. Videl balked at all their effors for about a week before the literally dragged her outside. Even then, all Videl would do was curl up and rock back and forth. Still, they dragged her outside every day, insisting the fresh air and sunshine would do her good. They made slightly more progress on the food front. After their first meal together, Bulma had threatened to force the food down Videl's throat. Videl gave in and fed herself from then on. Bulma and Yamcha Jr. practically jumped with joy when they finally heard her talk again. That's when Bulma tried to get her to reconnect with her family. Videl hadn't written much, but it was something, and Bulma left it at Videl's deserted mansion, hoping someone would appear and answer it. The next day Bulma returned and saw a letter addressed to Videl. Erasa had written back, explaining that her, Sharpener, and Yancey had retreated to deep in the woods and would Videl please leave her mail at the mansion and that Yancey felt sooo guilty for leaving his little girl behind. After Videl got done reading it, Bulma insisted se wriet them every day, even if it was only one sentence. Bulma and Yamcha Jr. made special trips every day to deliver her mail.

"Bulma," Videl said after she read the letter, "Erasa wants to know what happened to me. What do I tell her?"

"Anything you want, dearie. Anything you want."

So Videl finally told the three of them about the double suicide. And then she began getting drastically better. She also recieved a letter from Sharpener, Yancey, and Erasa expressing their utter sympathy, and also a little white teddy bear.

******************************************************* ***************

One day, Yamcha was feeling especially defiant and he asked his mother if he could go out to the nearest mall.

Bulma pounded the table. "Of course you can't go! Seventeen and Eighteen could be anywhere! I don't want you getting killed!"

"But you let me deliver Videl's letters."

"Because we go the back way; through the woods. Yamcha, if you go to a city, you'll be killed."

"I know I'm chicken, but even I know we shouldn't have to hide forever! What are we now, a bunch of cowards? Sure, Videl's been training, but she stays here all the time."

Bulma clenched her teeth. "I'm working on it, but until then you will stay here."

"You're becoming just like Chi Chi."

"You're darn right I am. I already lost one son, and I'm not losing another. Do you know how much it ripped me apart when Videl finally told me Gohan was dead? Yamcha, what's gotten into you?!"

"I've been doing some thinking, and I don't think I should have to put my life on hold because of a couple of androids. I haven't gotten out in months, really out. I miss my social life, Mom."

"Oh I see where this is going. You can pick up chicks when the androids are dead!"

"Which'll be never at this rate! So I might as well just shrivel up and become an old spinster like you."

Bulma was taken aback by her son's bold statement. "Don't you dare talk back to me like that! Go to your room!"

"No! You can't stop me from seeing my friends!" Yamcha stormed out the door before his mother could say another word.

"Yamcha, you come back here. I'm not done with you yet--" She heard the mighty roar of the one vehicle they had managed to save.

"Videl?"

Videl looked up from her lunch. "Yeah?"

"Follow Yamcha. Make sure he's alright. Bring him home at the first sign of trouble, even if you have to knock him out."

"Yes'm." Videl flew out the door after Yamcha.

Bulma immediately turned on the TV to the only news station still brave enough to trail the androids, anxious to hear any news about them. she perked up when a reporter sighted Seventeen and Eighteen at a nearby mall. Not even five minutes later, Bulma had secured her secret project and headed out the door, praying to the nonexistant Kami that Yamcha had not gone to that particular mall.

When Bulma finally reached her destination--after swiping the nearest deserted car--her eyes widened like dinner plates. She recklessly parked the car and ran to the rubble, rumaging her way around, hoping her son's body wasn't under there, but knowing it probably was. She found what looked like Videl's shirt and started digging. Videl was definitely dead, it looked as if a single beam had shot through her heart. She rolled Videl over and found her son lying below her. Bulma's worst nightmare had come true; her son had also been killed, the same way Videl had. From the way Bulma found Videl over Yamcha and the lack of wounds save the one, she figured Videl was trying to protect Yamcha and the androids decided not to waste any time. Bulma curled over and cried for a good five minutes before heaving them in her car and driving home.

After she buried Yamcha and Videl, right next to Chi Chi and the Ox King, Bulma locked herself in her lab, pouring herself into her secret project, not really caring for herself; only eating when she was absolutely too hungry to work, and sleeping only when she passed out, hunched over her machine. Other than that, she worked on it constantly.

After some undefined period of time--which seemed to blur into one very long day for Bulma--she finally finished her prize creation: the Time Machine, which she hoped to change history with and end the andriods' reign of terror. She had also been working on a huge, ultra powerful weapon in conjunction with the time machine. She inscribed 'Hope!!' on the side of her machine, picked up her huge weapon, and got in and disappeared into the past.