#and now I’m just like THIS IS A VEGETA HOUSEHOLD!!

[loverinthesnow]

That feeling when your partner asks you what you’re up to and you look at him straight in the eyes, lie, and pretend that you’re not reading Vegeta/Bulma smut.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Risky Business

Buckle up, because this is going to be a long one. In my boundless dead time at my job because I am way too efficient at what I do, I came across an article about how Hollywood just doesn’t understand the popularity of anime and manga. Putting that sentiment through the capitalist filter of corporate Hollywood, it basically translates to US executives do not understand how to monetize the fervor anime has across the younger generations. For me, as a fan of the genre going on three and a half decades, it’s a no-brainer for me. Of course the Old Guard can’t wrap their heads around anime, they think it’s for “kids” because they see us, the Millennials and younger, as kids. Bro, I’m forty this year. I have friends with whole ass teenage children. We are not “kids”, just very nostalgia driven and the Zoomers are just now entering “real adult age.” I’m talking graduating from college, entering the workforce, and renting cars without a co-signer. We are not children. We are adults who are shaping, and have been shaping, pop culture for decades. Considering we, as Millennials, have raised our younger Zoomer siblings (or children in some cases), they grew up with anime and video games as a household mainstay, not some niche, geek, fetish to be enjoyed in the dark. Now ask yourself, how many mid-Forties movie executives are there in the industry? Now ask yourself how man mid-Sixties Execs there are? That’s your answer. Try selling the allure of, say, a proper, live action, Dragon Ball Z adaption to Bob Iger and he’ll scoff at the budget necessities. There’s no way something like Reincarnated as a Slime get made here, let alone the likes of the immediately controversial EVA with all of the biblical imagery. There’s no way you can adapt the vast amount of anime based strictly on the fact that the US was founded by closed minded prudes, and that sentimentality has carried over into present day Middle America.

My beef with Conservatism has long been documented on this blog. I don’t understand why so many people in this country, look back with rose colored glasses on an America that was staunched in hate and cruelty. I mean, I do, they’re white, but still. It’s insane to think that, in this, the year of our lord, two thousand and twenty-four, that cats still get their dander in a froth over something as ridiculous as being a Furry, even though bugs bunny in a dress was a sexual trigger for just SO many of these Boomers growing up. Sh*t like that speaks volumes toward the repressed mentality of people in that age range, the people basically in charge of everything. They are set in their ways and refuse to accept anything new. I see a microcosm of that with my mom. I try to introduce her to anime I believe has merit and she just scoffs at it. Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Howl’s Moving Castle (even though I don’t like Ghibli films), and even Vampire Hunter D. She hated all of them. Refused to engage because they are cartoons. And that, right there, is the crux of the issue, I think: Boomers don’t see the difference between Mickey Mouse and Goku, it’s all just cartoons. On the surface level. For those who actually give anime a chance, they’re greeted with some of the most aggressively offensive content, to their very narrow, counter-culture, Reaganomics influenced, Televangelist inspired, senses.

My favorite anime is Neon Genesis Evangelion. My favorite anime character is Rei Ayanami. Or Vegeta. They’re basically one-A and one-B for me at this point but, for the sake of this essay, I’m going Rei I. EVA is brilliant. It’s extremely well written, has fantastic world building, is f*cking GORGEOUS to look at, and deals with some pretty heavy sh*t. I’m talking borderline blasphemous, alternate biblical sh*t. How do you sell a fourteen year old, piloting a cyborg mech with the soul of his dead mom trapped inside it, punching through the Sefirot, in order to trigger the end of humanity so everyone can return to primordial goo, so his widowed father can reunite with said trapped mommy soul in eternal oblivion? How do you market that to a devoutly Mormon trad wife from Idaho or that stereotypical, god-fearing, coal mining husband from West Virginia? There’s no way, and that’s not counting the overtly homosexual (I guess?) Kowru or the hyper sexualized relationship between Shinji and Asuka, or the wildly inappropriate situationship between Gendo and Rei. This sh*t will not fly with US audiences., which brings me to the main reason why anime adaptions fail here: Americanization. The bane of any foreign adaption. Hollywood has this incessant need to change sh*t when adapting anything, which is fine to an extent, but when you butcher the spirit of the source material chasing after US sensibilities, why even adapt the sh*t? To this day, my mom thinks the original Godzilla is dog sh*t but that’s because she saw the version re-cut with Perry Mason. I showed her the original and, while she admitted it was much better than the one she saw as a kid, the damage was done. Tokusatsu was just goofy ass Japanese people., stomping on miniatures with fireworks popping off in the background. Godzilla came out in 1954. The Americanization of Japanese cinema has been poisoning entire audiences for at least that long. Guess who grew up watching those terrible f*cking adaptions? Guess who has a built-in bias because everything they saw coming out of Japan, was treated like goofy, campy, unserious, children’s fair? Guess who’s making the business decisions in adapting this sh*t going forward?

Ultimately, Hollywood can’t make anime adaptions because don’t understand anime. They don’t see the value in the source material outside the superficiality of the admittedly beautifully animated genre. No major studio is going to commit legitimate resources to any anime adaption because of the risk involved. In their minds. Look at Battle Angel Alita. That film was rather successful and stayed true to the overall source material. As an anime adaption, it’s one of the best. However, since it didn’t make a billion f*cking dollars, the studio has refused to revisit it at all. They’ve chocked that “failure” up to not connecting with audiences. No, it failed because you didn’t market it the way you should have. You didn’t believe in the franchise potential and basically just dropped the thing into the theater. Even so, Alita: Battle Angel made a profit and has garners a strong cult following which hasn’t stopped their calls for a sequel to this day. On the other end, you have the disastrous ScarJo Ghost in the Shell. There are a myriad of reasons why this thing sucks but it basically boils down to how lazy the adaption turned out. The original anime film is a staple of cyberpunk existentialism. None of that heady, deep, and challenging content is found in the remake. It’s just generic sci-fi identity thriller but pretty that usual. No substance, all flash. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t fantastic adaptions out there. Netflix has done a brilliant job, by comparison, in turning anime into live action. The Yu Yu Hakusho joint was decent. It felt culturally appropriate and didn’t squander the time they had with the characters. It was definitely on the cheaper side but that was Yu Yu, all day. I think the biggest issue people had was comparing it to the absolutely perfect One Piece outing which released just a few months earlier. That show, that take, was perfect. F*cking everything, down to the last, minute, detail. Brilliance, through and through. But it also cost Netflix a pretty penny. They took on the risk and reaped the well-deserved rewards.

But, as much as they would like to be, Netflix ain’t Disney or WB Discovery or Paramount or any of the major studios. All three of them. They don’t have the cash to drop on a sweeping fantasy adaption of Berserk or high adrenaline, hyper stylized, run at Eyeshield 21. Do you see Disney putting in the necessary resources to make a strong adaption of One-Punch Man? How about Paramount letting Secret Base take a shot at something like Gundam? Wait, I think Netflix has it’s mitts on that already. Alright, we’ll go Macross instead. Imagine if someone gave Tim Burton enough loot to adapt f*cking Big O! How dope would that be? But it’ll never happen. Even though Pacific Rim did gangbusters and the Monsterverse proves there’s an audience for Mecha/Kaiju content, no one is going to drop the sheckles to make that stuff happen. Too much loot, too much risk, not enough appreciation for the source material. It sucks because there are so many US audience friendly franchises out there which are good, can be made on the cheap, and potentially thrive here. I already mentioned One-Pinch, but f*cking Slam Dunk is right there. Overlord can definitely scratch the current DnD itch Baldur's Gate 3 has set ablaze across the nation. Chobits is another one and I think City Hunter can do well here for adults. Appleseed is right there and, if you want to go niche but full of potential, AD police and Bubblegum Crisis. The Castlevania show all but paved the way for Vampire Hunter D to get the live action treatment. There are so many franchises out there ready for adaption, ready for the gamble, almost all of which will pay off. It just takes someone in the big chair to seriously believe in that content. Someone with the foresight to commit the necessary resources to really give these adaptions justice. Believe in what is there and respect the content. Follow those rules, and you will unlock a cash cow of brand new, monetizable, media to exploit. But stay away from Akira. That sh*t is a masterpiece and doesn’t need any grubby American Corpo fingers anywhere near it!

[smokeybrand]

Risky Business

Buckle up, because this is going to be a long one. In my boundless dead time at my job because I am way too efficient at what I do, I came across an article about how Hollywood just doesn’t understand the popularity of anime and manga. Putting that sentiment through the capitalist filter of corporate Hollywood, it basically translates to US executives do not understand how to monetize the fervor anime has across the younger generations. For me, as a fan of the genre going on three and a half decades, it’s a no-brainer for me. Of course the Old Guard can’t wrap their heads around anime, they think it’s for “kids” because they see us, the Millennials and younger, as kids. Bro, I’m forty this year. I have friends with whole ass teenage children. We are not “kids”, just very nostalgia driven and the Zoomers are just now entering “real adult age.” I’m talking graduating from college, entering the workforce, and renting cars without a co-signer. We are not children. We are adults who are shaping, and have been shaping, pop culture for decades. Considering we, as Millennials, have raised our younger Zoomer siblings (or children in some cases), they grew up with anime and video games as a household mainstay, not some niche, geek, fetish to be enjoyed in the dark. Now ask yourself, how many mid-Forties movie executives are there in the industry? Now ask yourself how man mid-Sixties Execs there are? That’s your answer. Try selling the allure of, say, a proper, live action, Dragon Ball Z adaption to Bob Iger and he’ll scoff at the budget necessities. There’s no way something like Reincarnated as a Slime get made here, let alone the likes of the immediately controversial EVA with all of the biblical imagery. There’s no way you can adapt the vast amount of anime based strictly on the fact that the US was founded by closed minded prudes, and that sentimentality has carried over into present day Middle America.

My beef with Conservatism has long been documented on this blog. I don’t understand why so many people in this country, look back with rose colored glasses on an America that was staunched in hate and cruelty. I mean, I do, they’re white, but still. It’s insane to think that, in this, the year of our lord, two thousand and twenty-four, that cats still get their dander in a froth over something as ridiculous as being a Furry, even though bugs bunny in a dress was a sexual trigger for just SO many of these Boomers growing up. Sh*t like that speaks volumes toward the repressed mentality of people in that age range, the people basically in charge of everything. They are set in their ways and refuse to accept anything new. I see a microcosm of that with my mom. I try to introduce her to anime I believe has merit and she just scoffs at it. Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Howl’s Moving Castle (even though I don’t like Ghibli films), and even Vampire Hunter D. She hated all of them. Refused to engage because they are cartoons. And that, right there, is the crux of the issue, I think: Boomers don’t see the difference between Mickey Mouse and Goku, it’s all just cartoons. On the surface level. For those who actually give anime a chance, they’re greeted with some of the most aggressively offensive content, to their very narrow, counter-culture, Reaganomics influenced, Televangelist inspired, senses.

My favorite anime is Neon Genesis Evangelion. My favorite anime character is Rei Ayanami. Or Vegeta. They’re basically one-A and one-B for me at this point but, for the sake of this essay, I’m going Rei I. EVA is brilliant. It’s extremely well written, has fantastic world building, is f*cking GORGEOUS to look at, and deals with some pretty heavy sh*t. I’m talking borderline blasphemous, alternate biblical sh*t. How do you sell a fourteen year old, piloting a cyborg mech with the soul of his dead mom trapped inside it, punching through the Sefirot, in order to trigger the end of humanity so everyone can return to primordial goo, so his widowed father can reunite with said trapped mommy soul in eternal oblivion? How do you market that to a devoutly Mormon trad wife from Idaho or that stereotypical, god-fearing, coal mining husband from West Virginia? There’s no way, and that’s not counting the overtly homosexual (I guess?) Kowru or the hyper sexualized relationship between Shinji and Asuka, or the wildly inappropriate situationship between Gendo and Rei. This sh*t will not fly with US audiences., which brings me to the main reason why anime adaptions fail here: Americanization. The bane of any foreign adaption. Hollywood has this incessant need to change sh*t when adapting anything, which is fine to an extent, but when you butcher the spirit of the source material chasing after US sensibilities, why even adapt the sh*t? To this day, my mom thinks the original Godzilla is dog sh*t but that’s because she saw the version re-cut with Perry Mason. I showed her the original and, while she admitted it was much better than the one she saw as a kid, the damage was done. Tokusatsu was just goofy ass Japanese people., stomping on miniatures with fireworks popping off in the background. Godzilla came out in 1954. The Americanization of Japanese cinema has been poisoning entire audiences for at least that long. Guess who grew up watching those terrible f*cking adaptions? Guess who has a built-in bias because everything they saw coming out of Japan, was treated like goofy, campy, unserious, children’s fair? Guess who’s making the business decisions in adapting this sh*t going forward?

Ultimately, Hollywood can’t make anime adaptions because don’t understand anime. They don’t see the value in the source material outside the superficiality of the admittedly beautifully animated genre. No major studio is going to commit legitimate resources to any anime adaption because of the risk involved. In their minds. Look at Battle Angel Alita. That film was rather successful and stayed true to the overall source material. As an anime adaption, it’s one of the best. However, since it didn’t make a billion f*cking dollars, the studio has refused to revisit it at all. They’ve chocked that “failure” up to not connecting with audiences. No, it failed because you didn’t market it the way you should have. You didn’t believe in the franchise potential and basically just dropped the thing into the theater. Even so, Alita: Battle Angel made a profit and has garners a strong cult following which hasn’t stopped their calls for a sequel to this day. On the other end, you have the disastrous ScarJo Ghost in the Shell. There are a myriad of reasons why this thing sucks but it basically boils down to how lazy the adaption turned out. The original anime film is a staple of cyberpunk existentialism. None of that heady, deep, and challenging content is found in the remake. It’s just generic sci-fi identity thriller but pretty that usual. No substance, all flash. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t fantastic adaptions out there. Netflix has done a brilliant job, by comparison, in turning anime into live action. The Yu Yu Hakusho joint was decent. It felt culturally appropriate and didn’t squander the time they had with the characters. It was definitely on the cheaper side but that was Yu Yu, all day. I think the biggest issue people had was comparing it to the absolutely perfect One Piece outing which released just a few months earlier. That show, that take, was perfect. F*cking everything, down to the last, minute, detail. Brilliance, through and through. But it also cost Netflix a pretty penny. They took on the risk and reaped the well-deserved rewards.

But, as much as they would like to be, Netflix ain’t Disney or WB Discovery or Paramount or any of the major studios. All three of them. They don’t have the cash to drop on a sweeping fantasy adaption of Berserk or high adrenaline, hyper stylized, run at Eyeshield 21. Do you see Disney putting in the necessary resources to make a strong adaption of One-Punch Man? How about Paramount letting Secret Base take a shot at something like Gundam? Wait, I think Netflix has it’s mitts on that already. Alright, we’ll go Macross instead. Imagine if someone gave Tim Burton enough loot to adapt f*cking Big O! How dope would that be? But it’ll never happen. Even though Pacific Rim did gangbusters and the Monsterverse proves there’s an audience for Mecha/Kaiju content, no one is going to drop the sheckles to make that stuff happen. Too much loot, too much risk, not enough appreciation for the source material. It sucks because there are so many US audience friendly franchises out there which are good, can be made on the cheap, and potentially thrive here. I already mentioned One-Pinch, but f*cking Slam Dunk is right there. Overlord can definitely scratch the current DnD itch Baldur's Gate 3 has set ablaze across the nation. Chobits is another one and I think City Hunter can do well here for adults. Appleseed is right there and, if you want to go niche but full of potential, AD police and Bubblegum Crisis. The Castlevania show all but paved the way for Vampire Hunter D to get the live action treatment. There are so many franchises out there ready for adaption, ready for the gamble, almost all of which will pay off. It just takes someone in the big chair to seriously believe in that content. Someone with the foresight to commit the necessary resources to really give these adaptions justice. Believe in what is there and respect the content. Follow those rules, and you will unlock a cash cow of brand new, monetizable, media to exploit. But stay away from Akira. That sh*t is a masterpiece and doesn’t need any grubby American Corpo fingers anywhere near it!

[nella09archive]

Marriage. 120

Chapter 120: Universe 7 Vs 6

The day was finally here, and I was so excited. I can’t wait to see Goku fight. I’m even super excited. I also decided to bring grill with me. From what Goku tells me about how Whis travels, it might be a long trip. And knowing those two sayians, they’ll probably want food before the fighting beings. It’ll almost be like a space picnic. So cool. Once, everyone gather around, we were still waiting for the boys. Even Bulma looks worried. But the moment the boys did show up, it was shocking.

Oo! Goku with facial hair looks… interesting. Maybe a little too interesting. When this is over, I wouldn’t mind knowing what we on in that room. And finding out how he grew facial hair. I doubt he’ll keep it, but it does look dreamy on him. After the whole shock of seeing him a beard went away, I finally took noticed of the smell. Did those boys forget what a shower was? When they finally came back, my husband was clean shaved again. Well, it was nice while it lasted. Wish I took a picture of it.

When we finally set off, I could help stay close to Goku, and maybe sneak a few peaks at him. You see something you like? Shut up. Once we got to, what supposedly was, Beerus planet, I couldn’t help to admire how it looked. It was so pretty. Purple trees, and blue grass. It looks so magical. Even the flowers looked wonderful. oh, how I wish I could take a picture. But sadly, I left my phone at home. I barely use that thing, so, I end up forgetting it a lot. I should be more mindful of that. It would be so lovely if I could come back again. If only just to the whole place, and it’s many wonders. I almost feel like a kid again, and just want to go exploring.

Just then, Lord Beerus shows up, with someone walking a long side him. This little guy is supposedly stronger than my Goku. What a laugh. He looks so weak. How could he even fight with those skinny arms of his? Then again, I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. But the face Lord Beerus gives when Goku isn’t looking does hint he’s lying. I’m not going to be the one to call him out. Not my place. That’s when I finally looked over to Goku, and he just made a fool of himself. On top of that, we learned why Whis referred to this guy as the one with great pontas. When he tells Goku, even I’m left shock. I don’t know who’s more embarrassed. Me, for my grown husband acting like a fool. Goku, for finding out what pontas means. Or this guy, for having to deal with my husband.

On the ride to the next location, I finally start up the grill. It was so wonderful seeing everyone enjoy themselves. I was even praised by Beerus and Whis. Even got a thank you from Vegeta. Today was just becoming lovely. Then when we got to the nameless planet, it was kind of neat. Even though Bulma pointed out the bland seating. I don’t blame her, but it was still nice. But when Whis took over it was so cool to watch. Today was just full of amazing things. And my boys, and friends deal with this on a daily basis. No wonder they don’t like staying home. I know my Goku likes going on adventures, but sometimes I feel left behind. Not in a bad way, I know he doesn’t mean it. But, I’m the responsible one, and always trying to keep my boys safe and happy. Maybe I should take a break from my household duties for a bit, and go on my own little adventure. My boys can take care of themselves. Mind set up; I’ll start planning my little getaway once we get back home.

Goku was first to fight, and it was exciting to watch him. Come on, you got this. Did Vegeta just called Goku ‘Goku’? I wonder when that happened. Either way, Goku ends up throwing the big guy out the ring. Now he’s facing some weird guy, that looks like a scaleless lizard. Goku, and everyone around seem very worried about this Frost guy. He sounds like a hero, but the way Goku is looking at him, makes me question what could possible the truth. As the match goes on, Bulma is between cheering for my husband and Frost. But something doesn’t feel right. I can even feel Goku’s uneasiness.

Oh no! My Goku! Out of impulse, I rush out of my seat and run to him. Forget everything else, my Goku needs me. When I reach him, I try to shake him up. “Goku?” I feel so scared. But the moment he sits up, I’m so over joyed. “Goku!” I couldn’t stop myself from hugging him. My Goku ok.

“Chichi, everyone is watching.” Uh? He usually doesn’t have problems with hugging in front of friends. But one look at his face, I know the really reason why he said that. His face was red, and he was biting his lip. I’m sorry. Don’t be. Now could you please. I get up, and watched him stand up. He’s a little wobbly, but he waves off my help. After he takes a few deep breaths, he carries me back to my seat. Once done, I watched him go sit between Beerus and Vegeta. They seem to be talking about something.

I soon watch on the next match, which reveals that Frost cheated. I felt my anger raising. How dare he! He not only cheated a win from my Goku, he also hurt my Goku! I was fuming. I could feel Goten trying to calm me down, but I just not having it. That guy hurt my Goku. He cheated! Chichi, calm down. Please. I quickly looked over to Goku, and he was smiling at me. I know that smile. It’s his smile he uses when he tells me it’s ok. I tried to calm down, but I’m still mad.

Once the match was over, which Piccolo forfeit, it was Vegeta’s turn to face Frost. During his match he was able to take down Frost. That’s right. Even if he’s not doing it for my Goku, it still felt so good to see Frost beaten. Then Vegeta went up against someone that reminded me of his brother, just without the tail and different outfit. Then comes find out, that guy is their universe’s sayian. So cool. Awe, I think Vegeta taken a liking to that one. He’s be so nice, and giving him a demotion of super sayian, and even trying to help the little guy reach that level. Did Vegeta just adopt a new sayian? I think so. I couldn’t help smile at that. But it seems Bulma was confused on what was going on.

After that little match, Vegeta is going against someone named Hit. What a weird name. Soon that matches with Vegeta being overwhelmed, and losing. Well, he put up a good fight. Now, since the whole Frost thing got resolved, Goku got another chance to fight. Watching my husband take on this guy was amazing, and super intense. It was so intense that Goku did something unbelievable. He went Kaiō-ken times 20. That’s insane! My baby is going to hurt himself. No. Not again. Last time I saw him use it, he ended up all beaten up, and hurt. After this Goku is staying home. He’s going to hurt himself, and so he’s staying home. He needs to rest and heal any injuries this may cause him. My husband is going to worry me sick with all this.

I know he knows what he’s doing, but it still worries me. Did he even master this yet? I quickly look over to Vegeta, and even he seems worried. Not good. Soon the match comes to a draw, and Goku ask for a change in ruling. But that was denied, and Goku forfeits the match. The moment he goes to sit down, I see how exhausted he really is. My poor baby. When we get home, you’re going straight to bed mister. Ok. With that said, it was that Monaka guy turn. He didn’t even seem to want to fight. But when he did it ended quickly. Soon we got to see the great dragon, and that was super amazing. Then we went home.

On the way home, I was trying not to scold my husband. I’ll let him celebrate this victory, but once home it’ll be a different story. When we got home, I tried my best to fix something quick for dinner. Thankfully my habit of preparing dinners paid off. Once dinner was done and over with, I sent Goten to bed. Now to deal with a certain husband of mine. Before I could even open my mouth, he said sorry. “Do you know what you did wrong?” he nodded. “Are you going to do it again?” He looked away. “Goku.”

“Yes. But I’ll build up to it slowly this time.” I still had my arms cross, and ready to say something. He pulled me into a hug, before I even had a chance to react. “Did you enjoy the trip?” Uh? Why he’s asking that, when I’m mad at him? “Would you like me to take you somewhere? You know. If not as a family, but at least you and me.” I tried to look up at him, but he held me super close. “I’m sorry for worrying you. Didn’t mean it. You know how I get. I just got so into the fight. I felt challenged, and it excited me. I was trying so hard. The fact I did anything to the other team was amazing. But please.” He loosen his hold, and looked at me. “Please forgive me. I’m really sorry.”

I couldn’t help smile. “I forgive you, you big goof. Now come on. Get ready for bed. You have to go back to working tomorrow.” He started pouting. “You really think you’ll get away that easy. Nice try mister.” He smiled, and kissed my forehead. With that, we finally went to bed. But as we trying to fall asleep, it seems Goku is trying to stuffocate himself between my boobs. “Is something wrong?” Everything would be fine, if you start humming. I really miss you. “Goku?” He finally looks at me. “Tell me what’s wrong?”

“I wanted to continue fighting, but there’s were a lot of reasons that I couldn’t.” He looked sad. “I want to fight Hit again. But where he’s able to fight at his fullest, and without rules getting in the way. Also, that fight took more out of me, than I would like to admit. And that’s what made it fun. I had to think around a new challenge, and it pushed me to the edge of what I thought I could do. Each fight forced me into a corner, and it made me thrilled. Also, I feel bad for making you worry. I’m sorry. But other than that, did you enjoy yourself?”

“Oh, Goku.” I kissed his forehead. “I’m glad you had fun, but you’re not allowed to scare me like that. Now, big guy. You need to take it easy for a while.” He looked sad for a moment, before pressing his face back between my boobs. “I mean it mister.” I started to scratch his head. “You did a lot, and so you need plenty of rest. Remember what happened after your first fight with Vegeta. You went off training when you still wasn’t fully healed.”

“Ok, ok.” He looked at me. “I’ll take it easy for a few days. but what if a fight starts? Or I have to go off training?”

“Hey. I’m sure Whis wouldn’t mind letting his students rest for a few days. And no fighting.”

“But?” He started pouting before going back between my boobs. I continued scratching his head, and started humming. Before long he finally fell asleep. My poor Goku. You do so much. I’ll make you a super huge breakfast tomorrow. With that happy thought in mind, I finally fell asleep.

…

It was finally the day of the tournament. Me and Vegeta just wanted to squeeze one more session in before taking a full rest. Once we took two days in the ROSAT to rest, we finally heading to meet everyone. When we did, everyone seem surprised for a moment, before Bulma told us to go take a bath. When we did go inside, I was having a slight problem. I never shaved before. I’ve seen Chichi shave plenty of times. I wonder if that’s how it’s supposed to be done everywhere. Like that foam like stuff, and a razor? Thankfully, Dr. Brief supplied us with that. Now, comes the part I was worried about.

I then remembered that one time I saw Krillin shaving his face. How he did it again? Oh yeah! As he shaved, he held down his face. After some time, I finally got through with the first half of my face. not bad, if I do say so myself. I did miss a few spots, and I tried to get those. Then I started on the other half, which was much easier. Once done, I was just proud of myself. I did something completely new, and it felt weird. I hope it takes many more years to grow that. actually, I wouldn’t mind letting it. Just not any time soon. It feels good to have smooth skin again. With that out the way, I quickly took a shower and joined everyone outside.

Once, with everyone I met this strange octopus king guy. I thought I was shaking his hand. But when I found out I wasn’t, I didn’t want to ever do that again. Gross. Then on the way to Beerus’ planet, I notice Chichi trying to sneak peaks at me. You see something you like? Shut up. I couldn’t help smile at that. I really need to focus on this tournament, but I really wish I could be alone with Chichi. I miss her so much. Those 4 days in that room, felt like a lifetime away from my wife. When this is all over, I’ll get to be smothered by her. I already can’t wait.

When we got to Beerus’ planet, I saw the look of wonder in Chichi’s eyes, as she looked around. That’s right! This is her first-time leaving earth. Maybe she’ll like it if I took her other planets. I also saw Goten’s excitement. Well, maybe it could be a family trip. Me, Chichi, our boys, Pan, and Videl going on a little space trip. That sounds so exciting. It won’t be a training trip, or even a trip like Namek. It’ll be just a good old family fun trip. Just then Beerus walks up to us with our other team member.

I just want to erase that new piece of information. Whis was joking around this guy being known for having large nipples! To top it off, this person is a GUY! If they didn’t tell me that I would have believed him to be a she. I have gotten better at telling the difference by now, but this is insane. But if he’s as strong as Beerus claim he is, I want to test him out. Wow. Not really a good impression, but maybe he’s just faking it. Maybe he’s like the type who only fights when he’s put into a fight. That would make sense.

I was surprised Chichi brought the grill, and very happy. I think after like the second, or third, day we ran out of food. At that, I even learned how Vegeta had to do missions where he lived off of scraps. Luckily, we pulled through. But now, having actually food, we couldn’t help ourselves. It was like the best thing ever. I think I might have over done it, but I just couldn’t stop. And now the we’re about to being fighting, it turns out I’ll be the first one to fight. Awesome.

The test part wasn’t too hard, thanks to Vegeta helping think faster on that. Now for the fun part. Nothing I throw at him did anything. But then again, my mind was still trying to focus on the fight. How could I beat this guy? Pure strength isn’t cutting it, this time. What if… I got it! I ended up throwing him out the ring. That’s one way to win a match.

Next came a Frieza look-a-like. That match seem weird. How could this person be a good guy? I don’t believe it. Frieza was a schemer, most likely so is this guy. When I finally got him to take on his final form, is when the match actually got exciting. That was, until I felt dizzy, and my version blurred. Before I knew it, I was hearing my name being called. Uh? I’m so tired. Five more minutes Chichi. Chichi? That’s when I finally snapped, and sat up. Uh? I lost. How? “Goku!” Now Chichi was hugging me.

CRAP! Not good. I could already feel my body reacting to her touch. Damn it! “Chichi, everyone is watching.” She looked at me confused. But right now, all I could see is a beautiful wife, that I really badly want to kiss. It’s like a habit whenever I wake up to her, I just kiss her. But now is not the time. If I kiss Chichi now, I wouldn’t want to stop. And I definitely don’t want people to see that. I’m sorry. Why is she apologizing? She did nothing wrong. Don’t be. Now could you please. She gets up, and I soon follow. Wow. I still feel dizzy, but I try to shake it off. She tried to help, but now is not the time for that. After taking a few deep breaths, mostly to brace myself to hold Chichi, I took her back to her seat.

Once I was back next to Beerus and Vegeta, I was getting an ear full from Beerus. Hey, it’s not my fault. I really don’t know what happened. During Piccolo’s turn, Jaco pointed out that maybe the ref should check Frost. That’s when we found out that in a sense he cheated. What! No fair! I felt more disappointed that I didn’t pay closer attention to his moments. Maybe I could have caught it, and avoided it. But then again, there was no way I could spot that in such a short time. I then felt Chichi’s rage building up, and looked her way. Goten was trying really hard to calm her down. My poor Chichi. Chichi, calm down. Please. She looks over to me, and I try to give her a smile. She starts to calm down, but I could tell she’s still troubled. I can’t blame her.

Soon Vegeta is facing Frost, and he wins. Then he’s fighting that Cabba kid. Kid not half bad. And it looks like Vegeta taken a liking to him. Even going as far to make him go super sayian, and showing off his power. Did Vegeta just adopt a new sayian? I think so. Looks like I’m not the only one who could tell what Vegeta is doing. But when I took a quick look to Bulma, she seems confused. She seems slightly confused. Probably wondering why Vegeta is doing this. But after that match, looks like Vegeta got himself a disciple. So, wonderful. Then it was time for Vegeta to go against this Hit guy.

Now this was interesting to watch. Since, I could already tell Vegeta was on his last legs, due to using a ton of energy in the last fight, I need to pay close attention. As I watched the fight, I witness something completely new. It’s almost like he knew what would be Vegeta’s next move. And since this guy is pretty much a hitman, he’s probably using a technique he uses for his missions. So interesting. But I could tell he’s not fighting at his maximum. What would it take to make him do so? Soon, Vegeta had lost, and I was allowed to step into the ring.

As I fought, I finally figured out what he was doing. It’s almost like he could control time. I wonder if I could do something similar. I was really pushing it, as I tried to force myself further in time. It got to the point I thought maybe I should raise my power even higher. Thinking that would make this a bit of my advantage. But that soon became not enough, and I was force to use the one thing I was hoping to use against Beerus. But the moment I did so I could feel my power draining as fast as I rose it. This match soon became a tied, and that didn’t sit well with me. Maybe if he could actually fight at his fullest, we could truly see who’s the strongest between us. But to my disappointment, and relief, they said no to changing the rules. So, at that I forfeit. Which was a shocker to everyone, but I just couldn’t continue. Man, was I beat.

Then it was Monaka’s turn, and it took some encouragement for him to get into the ring. The fact he beat Hit was one punch was incredible. I definitely would like to face him, the next chance I get. But right now, I would really like some rest. We got to see the super dragon, and even got to speak to this Zeno person. Whom seems very friendly. It was so much fun, that there might be a future tournament. That would be amazing. Zeno was even kind enough to give me something I could reach directly. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. But the moment we left him, I got an earful from both Beerus and Whis. They told me how bad that was, and how much trouble I could cause. All I did was make a new friend.

Once home, I could tell I wasn’t the only one exhausted. The fact Chichi was even cooking, made me feel bad. But as we sat down to eat, it was very quiet. I was even too exhausted to do an after-dinner work out, but I still did it. Can’t really miss a day now. It also gave me a chance to hear what Goten thought of the whole thing. He liked the whole going outer space part, and seeing all the fighters. But even he was super worried after my fight with Frost. And how worried he got when Chichi got super angry. Plus, how cool the dragon was. “Dad?” I looked to him, as we finished our last set. “One day, could be go into space again? But not for fighting or anything. Just to explore and have a little adventure as a family.” I couldn’t help smile at that. And told him, that we definitely will, someday.

Once Goten was sent to bed, and I was left with Chichi, I could feel her anger building up. And I know exactly why. I didn’t waste anytime and told her sorry. She then asked if I would ever do that again. “Yes. But I’ll build up to it slowly this time” She still looked man, and I couldn’t help bring her into a hug. I really don’t have the energy to have an argument with her tonight. “Did you enjoy the trip? Would you like me to take you somewhere? You know. If not as a family, but at least you and me. I’m sorry for worrying you. Didn’t mean it. You know how I get. I just got so into the fight. I felt challenged, and it excited me. I was trying so hard. The fact I did anything to the other team was amazing. But please.” I loosen my hold, and looked down at her. “Please forgive me. I’m really sorry.”

She smiled at me. “I forgive you, you big goof. Now come on. Get ready for bed. You have to go back to working tomorrow.” Is she serious? I was feeling somewhat sad about that. “You really think you’ll get away that easy. Nice try mister.” My Chichi is something else. We took a quick shower, and headed to be. Now that we’re home, I could finally smother myself in her. I really miss her. “Is something wrong?” Everything would be fine, if you start humming. I really miss you. “Goku? Tell me what’s wrong?”

“I wanted to continue fighting, but there’s were a lot of reasons that I couldn’t. I want to fight Hit again. But where he’s able to fight at his fullest, and without rules getting in the way. Also, that fight took more out of me, than I would like to admit. And that’s what made it fun. I had to think around a new challenge, and it pushed me to the edge of what I thought I could do. Each fight forced me into a corner, and it made me thrilled. Also, I feel bad for making you worry. I’m sorry. But other than that, did you enjoy yourself?” I’m so glad I could talk to her about these things. But right now, I just really want to be smothered to sleep.

“Oh, Goku.” She surprised me by kissing my forehead. It felt nice. I really love my Chichi. “I’m glad you had fun, but you’re not allowed to scare me like that. Now, big guy. You need to take it easy for a while.” I knew she was going to say that. So, I went back to the comfort of her boobs. The best pillows in all the universe, and they’re all mine. “I mean it mister.” I felt her scratching my head. That’s always a nice touch to a long day. “You did a lot, and so you need plenty of rest. Remember what happened after your first fight with Vegeta.” How could I forget? She never let me down about it. “You went off training when you still wasn’t fully healed.”

“Ok, ok.” I looked at her, and gave her a smile. “I’ll take it easy for a few days. but what if a fight starts? Or I have to go off training?”

“Hey. I’m sure Whis wouldn’t mind letting his students rest for a few days. And no fighting.”

“But?” So, mean. I just smothered myself again. She continued scratching my head, and started humming. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. This is just what I needed. To be in the comfort of my wife. The next morning, I felt really refreshed and energized for the day. After eating Chichi’s wonderful breakfast, and seeing Goten off, I give Chichi I quick kiss before heading to the fields. The days was going by great. Until I got a call from Bulma, stating everyone was celebrating yesterday’s win. They could celebrate without me. I did promise Chichi I’ll get back to work, and so that is what I’m doing.

I was just in the middle of taking a small break, when I felt Monaka’s ki was on earth. I got super excited. Maybe I could get a quick match today. Only one way to find out. When I got to his location, it turns out he was joining everyone at the party. Before Monaka could answer my request, Chichi yelled at me to clean up and change. Well, Chichi knows best. I quickly went home, and tried to rush through everything. When I got back, it seems Monaka got taller. No matter. I was even delighted he agree to a match. During our match it was incredible to say the least, but ended short when Whis called it.

I ended up enjoying the party, after all. And when we got home, is when I felt something was off. Very, very off. But I ignored; thinking it was nothing.

---------

Ch119

[okarawrites]

So this was something I had in mind but never got around to write it myself, but since you're such an awesome writer you'd probably do a better job than me 😆 A one shot or HC of Piccolo and s/o, but their relationship is secret. S/o is actually Vegeta's little sister, hence them hiding it since Vegeta is overprotective of her. They finally get caught by none other than Vegeta. Sorry if it's too specific!

Hey! Sorry, it’s taken me so long to get this done for you! Hope it was worth the wait!

You woke up with a smile on your face. Body entwined with your large green lover. As you began to move, Piccolo's eyes fluttered open before closing again and pulling you closer to him. You were both still naked from the night before and you could feel that, like most mornings, the majority of his blood was gathered at his crotch. You let out a small giggle as large hands began to roam over your chest and lips began kissing the soft skin of your neck. 

“As much as I would love to stay here all day, Bulma will be here soon for a catch-up and the last thing I need is her telling Vegeta that she caught us in the act.” You said pulling away reluctantly.

Vegeta wasn’t the sort of brother the be overly involved in your business, however you knew he would be critical of any partner, especially one that he knew. You and Piccolo had been in a relationship for a while now. Vegeta knew that you were friends with the Namekian, but he (and everyone else) was completely oblivious to the fact that you were intimate. 

“Hmm, let him find out. I’m not afraid of him you know?” He murmured against your ear, trying to convince you to stay there. 

“I know. But, I just want to be able to enjoy this without his opinion.” you felt bad. It wasn’t that you were embarrassed. It was just that you knew, had you been on planet Vegeta, your partner would have been selected for you by your father, or in his absence your older brother.

Piccolo was understanding, it was one of the things you loved most about him. He gave you a soft kiss on the forehead and said “It’s ok, I know.” letting you finally move from his grasp. 

The two of you got dressed and ready for the day but Bulma arrived before Piccolo had the chance to leave. 

“Oh hey, Piccolo. Didn’t expect to see you here” Bulma greeted him. 

“I was just leaving. I just came by to ask Y/N if she wanted to train today, but I can see you’re busy. I’ll come by another time.” 

Bulma was just about to tell him to not leave on her account and invite him to join the two of you, but he was gone before she could say anything. She shrugged off his abrupt departure as him just being him and settled down on your sofa as you made some coffee for you both.

You both spent the majority of the day gossiping, watching TV, and just generally enjoying each other's company. You were glad to get along with your sister in law. It made you feel slightly more involved in your brother's life, he would never tell you if anything bothered him, but you knew Bulma would keep you in the loop. 

It was dark when Bulma stretched her arm out “I should get going, Chichi is probably waiting for me to pick Trunks up.” 

“Ah, tell him his Auntie love him and give him a big hug from me” Just the mention of your nephew was enough to bring a smile to your face. 

Bulma said her goodbyes and left. Even though you had had a lovely day, you couldn’t wait to be in Piccolos arms any longer. 

You quickly dialed his number.

~~~Back in the Briefs household~~~

Bulma let out a groan as she realised something “Vegeta!” she called out.

“What is it woman?” he replied gruffly. 

“I’ve forgotten my purse at Y/N’s house. Could you fly over and get it for me?” she asked, giving her best puppy dog eyes. 

“Hmpf, I’m not some delivery boy.” he said, turning his face away.

Bulma moved closer to him, placing a hand on his chest “I’ll make it worth your while” she cooed. She knew exactly how to get him wrapped around her little finger. “Fine! If it will stop your whining,” he said before he flew towards your house. 

~~~return to your house~~~

Piccolo was there within minutes. He had obviously missed you too. You found yourself straddling his hips as he sat back on the sofa. His hands made quick work of your top and his mouth latched onto a lace-clad nipple. 

You were both too preoccupied to pay attention to Vegeta’s energy getting closer. Vegeta normally knocked on your door before walking into your house, but he could sense Piccolo was there. He assumed, seeing as though you already had company, you would be decent and probably just chatting to the Namekian, so he decided to walk straight in.

“Bulma forgot her pur-”  It was as if time stood still when Vegeta opened the door.

Vegeta stood wide-eyed as you flew off of Piccolo and moved your arms to cover your torso. You were both then staring at the floor, but still, no one spoke. Piccolo’s eyes were darting between the two of you when you finally broke the silence. “Her purse is on the table.” 

Vegeta's face was bright red and he nodded slightly as he quickly grabbed the purse of the table and left without saying anything. You stood there for a moment after he left, mortified at what had just happened.

~~~later at the Briefs household~~~

 “Piccolo?!” Bulma asked, shocked at what her husband had just told her. 

“Apparently so.” Vegeta was a lot calmer now “It makes sense. He’s a powerful warrior and the males of your species are pathetic. Saiyan women prioritise physical strength in a mate.”

He didn’t say any more on the subject after that. He would never say it directly to anyone, but he approved of your choice. And from then on he always knew to knock if you were with Piccolo

[turkeyspamsandwhich]

With all of the new information from chapter 290, I was thinking about what could happen after the arc. And I don’t have anyone to talk to about my thoughts so I’m posting about them. This will be long and probably won’t want to read it but I hope that you enjoy it!

Even though everyone probably already knows *Spoiler Warning*

All of the debate about Dabi/Touya and what’s to happen to him, is he going to die, get consequences of his actions, or be redeemed? Honestly having him killed off would be a lazy route, since Twice is gone and Shigaraki mostly is going to die as well. And personally I wouldn’t like it because I feel Endeavor wouldn’t actually face his past. Kinda like punishing the abused and rewarding the abuser.

I also feel like the LOV will be done after this arc in a way because they’ve lost a lot of members and it may be set for the time skip after this arc with Shigaraki and AFO gone. So the idea of Dabi/Touya becoming the new main threat doesn’t make sense to me, but it’s still a possibility.

Dabi/Touya isn’t mentally well. He’s dealing with PTSD of his past and because of never getting mental help, his mind only got worse. His sense of reality is not right and he hasn’t had anyone to help him for years. Even during his abuse he had Natsuo, but after his death there was no one. His abuse broke him so severely, he only thought of ways to hurt the person who caused it and how he could get revenge. He wasn’t thinking of his family and the actions could affect them. He just wanted the world to know what Endeavor did to him. And he has every right to expose his abuser, he is the victim when it comes to the past and Endeavor cannot atone if he’s going to hide what he did. Still it does hurt the rest of the family, because it seems like they didn’t want it to go public, except maybe Natsuo but he was willing to try for Fuyumi. Does that mean Dabi/Touya doesn’t care about them? I think he does in a sense, he couldn’t stop his negative feelings for his father, so how could he stop his positive ones for the rest of his family. He may have surprised them but not gotten rid of them. I believe he cares about Natsuo the most. I’m unsure about Rei, it seems he does care with the information we have but still eh. Fuyumi, I have no idea honestly. And we know he sees Shoto as a puppet. Just because the way he outed his abuse in a selfish manner doesn’t mean he hates his family. I also feel Natsuo would play a big part if there is a redemption.

Now some of the things I’m thinking could happen. He faces the consequences of his actions. He may go to prison, because he did murder innocent people. His abuse doesn’t cancel out the wrong he has done. Thirty people lost their lives because of him. Even if those people were villains as well, doesn’t mean he had the right to take their lives. If he does go to jail I could see it similar to Overhaul, chained up forever. Or maybe the family’s influence/money could help him out and instead he’s put in a mental ward. He may be stuck there forever but he would get the much help he needs badly. I feel this is likely if he’s not killed in the arc, just like Overhaul.

Redemption. That’s a huge conflict with many people. Personally.......I want to see it, I want to see the victim get help so badly. I want to see them get help and become a better person. He still would need to face consequences of his actions of murdering people, and every terroristic act he has done while in the LOV. His actions are still his own regardless of the trauma he has faced, but if he didn’t have this trauma he wouldn’t have done any of these things. He was a broken child turned into a broken adult, all he knows is his pain of the past, he can’t move on and now he’s stuck in the cycle of abuse.

He has a problem with Shoto due to him becoming Endeavour’s new “favorite.” He doesn’t see Shoto as a person but a doll of his father’s, and he had planned to kill him, because he thought it would get him his father's love and attention. Which isn’t that strange, because I’ve seen that happen with children in abusive households. They still crave their parents' love and want it regardless of the parents hurting them. They turn their anger towards the person they think is taking that away from them, example the favored sibling.

Yet even though he's done and planned horrible things, that doesn’t mean he can’t get redeemed. Horrible people have been redeemed in anime before, ones that have done even worse things than Dabi/Touya. It’s possible for him to become a better person, maybe a good person, I don’t see him changing over to the hero’s side but more neutral. I think it’s possible, I don’t know if it will happen though. But we have seen it before and the character that came to mind was Gaara.

Now despite being a huge Naruto fan, I haven’t read the manga since the ending which was a loooooong time ago. And I’m not watching Boruto like at all, I refuse. I still remember a lot of it and there’s so many complex characters in Naruto that have done terrible things, but we’re saved and redeemed. Some even become fan favorites. Most of the characters I’m going to get into are from Naruto but I’ll get to them in a bit but right now I want to focus on Gaara.

Neglected by his family, and hated by everyone else. He was taken advantage of by his village and abused to become the perfect weapon. He killed so many people, regardless of who they were, if they had a family or not. No he wanted bloodshed and chaos, because that’s all he knew. Gaara became a psychotic killer whose goal was to everyone in his way to prove his own existence. It could be argued that he was a child at the time he did these things but that still doesn’t excuse his actions. Plus he mostly killed many more than Dabi/Touya, yet he was still redeemed. Naruto saw the pain in him and could understand why he became the way he was, even admitting he could have ended up like him if it wasn’t for his friends. He saved him and Gaara became a new person free from his past and pain. He got to have a family and gained friends. He became the Kazekage and was loved by his people, who once looked at him in fear and disgust now looked at him in admiration. He did unspeakable things but he got a second chance and did amazing things with it.

Itachi killed his whole clan, yes he did it so they couldn’t start a war but that doesn’t erase that he murdered innocent people. Even though the reason he couldn’t kill Sasuke was because he loved him too much he still left his little brother with no one and trauma. That’s horrible for a child to go through. Sasuke had nobody to turn to now he lost not only his family but he got to see his brother, who was the one person who he idolized the most. And yes later on, both the audience and Sasuke learned the truth about Itachi. He really was such a good person regardless of him being a good person he did bad things even if it was for the greater good. Once the truth was out people could relate to him, understand why he did the things he did, and he also became a fan favorite and now is seen as a hero. His trauma made him want to do good and his motives were different than Dabi/Touya’s but he still took innocent lives.

Now I want to touch a bit on this character, because they were a favorite of mine. However, I wasn’t the biggest Soul Eater fan so my knowledge isn’t as good. Crona actually had a very similar situation to Shoto and Dabi/Touya, their mother experimented on them and made them into her perfect weapon kind of like how Endeavor wanted to make his children into the perfect tool to dethrone All Might. They were mentally unwell and were made to kill people, and took many lives. Still Maka and her friends, spared them and took them in and showed them love.

The last one I want to get into is Zabuza. He was a killer for hire and did unspeakable things for money. He was willing to kill the team Kakashi, which had three children for his mission. Killing children is one of the worst things. During his journey, he met Haku and formed a bond that I don’t think he noticed until it was too late. And while his redemption doesn’t seem as grand as others, he got a pretty amazing one for what kind of person he was before. After Haku’s death, he turned on Gatō and his gang, and killed them. That saved the village directly even though he just wanted revenge. At the end, as he’s dying he gets to lay next to Haku and have a moment and that changed the way people viewed him. It left an impact on Naruto as well. His story has similarities to Dabi/Touya, they both killed to get their goal even though it wasn’t right.

There are so many more characters I could get into like Vegeta, who literally destroyed planets with whole civilizations. Isabella from the promised neverland, who fed children to demons. Obito and Nagato, who tried to end the whole world. So many JoJo characters, I can’t even begin to think of, but the point is redemption is possible.

So honestly a redemption isn’t that far fetched for Dabi/Touya, even with his crimes, and it would be nice for a villain to be redeemed because we haven’t really seen that in this series. And yes I’m a bit biased but I enjoy his characters, but now it’s mostly because I want the victim to find peace and be able to let go of the past. He is still a victim of Endeavor’s abuse, because he is still trapped in it. I want to see a victim get a second chance, but he still has to face the consequences of his actions. He doesn’t get a free pass because he was abused, it’s a reasoning not an excuse.

Also you could say the same for Endeavor deserving a second chance, but I can’t get behind a child abuser and wife beater. That’s the same reason I don’t like Overhaul like many others, touching a child in any way doesn’t sit right with me. So I was never behind Endeavor’s redemption, but I supported and understood the people who were into it. In the end, it’s up to Horikoshi about what will happen to both Dabi/Touya and Endeavor. I know either way it will be an amazing story.

Thank you to anyone who actually read my ramblings. Sorry if the formatting is weird, I typed it out in my phone. I hope you enjoyed this too long rant. And to anyone who disagrees with anything I said, I understand and respect your decision. But don’t be immature and rude about it, it’s not hard to debate people in an adult manner. We all have our own options and it’s fine to disagree but don’t be hurtful to those whose opinions differ for yours.

[duhragonball]

Chi-Chi

I think I’m gonna wrap these up today so I can get back to work on my fanfic.    For the record, I got Buu, Frieza, Jolyne Kujo, Father Pucci, and Jobin Higashikata left to go, and then I’m done.  

But I hate to call it here, because this has been fun.   Maybe I’ll bring this back some time.  

Give me a character and I will answer:

Why I like them: I started watching DBZ back in the fall of 1998, and I didn’t get very serious about it until 2000.   Chi-Chi didn’t have a very big role in the Saiyans or Frieza arcs, and I wasn’t making a point of watching every episode, so it took a while for her character to be fully revealed.   Starting out, she was basically popping in every so often to remind us that she wanted Gohan to study.   She stood up to Garlic’s henchmen in Movie 1, but didn’t really get a chance to do anything.    In the Garlic Junior Saga, it’s stated that Chi-Chi is the strongest woman in the world, which sounds pretty impressive as long as you don’t think too hard about how many women are on the show.  

I don’t think I really understood Chi-Chi well until I got to the part where Goten spars with Gohan, and he reveals that Chi-Chi had been training him while Gohan was studying.   That was where it became clear to me that she only emphasized book-learnin’ over ass-whoopin’ because she knew Goku had that side of things covered.    With Goten, Chi-Chi had to be both mother and father to him, and she didn’t shirk from that.   

I guess what I’m trying to say is that Chi-Chi’s a great supporting character.   She maintains a presence in the story whether she’s on-screen or not, and you learn about her gradually through these short appearances.    And when she does show up, it’s just a treat to see.   She’s always got something to say, and she’s cute and she can beat your ass.    What’s not to like?  

Why I don’t:  Yeah right.   Look, the biggest gripe people have with Chi-Chi is that she makes her son do homework, which is dumb.    She explains this a number of times: There’s more to life than fighting, and she wants that for her son.   And Gohan’s not exactly worse off for her style of parenting.  

I think the disconnect here is that people watch this show and they want to see Goku and Gohan screw around and go on adventures, and they feel like Chi-Chi is here to kill their buzz.   I guess it’d be like watching a football game, and every so often some guy wanders out onto the field and scolds everyone for playing football.    But that guy would be right, because football is dangerous, yo.   Everybody keeps telling Chi-Chi that the only hope for the world involves her little boy getting his ass kicked by aliens, and she’s like “no, that’s bullshit,” and she’s absolutely right.   She’s a saint for tolerating it as much as she does, but I think a lot of fans refuse to look at it from her point of view.    They just want the fighting.  

I remember Lanipator observing that he used to hate Mr. Satan when he was younger, but the older he got, the more and more he appreciated the character.    I can’t relate to that, because I was old enough to drink when I started watching this show, so for me, there is no “when I was a kid” perspective on Dragon Ball.    I thought Mr. Satan was awesome from the start, and I never had much of a problem with Chi-Chi either.  

They did tend to overexpose both characters in the anime, cutting to them when they needed a filler moment to pad out an episode or five.   So maybe that’s got something to do with it.   But that’s not the fault of the characters.    But yeah, if I was watching the Cell Games at age 10 I’d probably get really sick of them constantly cutting to Mr. Satan or Chi-Chi for analysis.    

Favorite episode (scene if movie):  It’s probably hard to top the one where she fought Goku.   That was one of the last Chi-Chi moments I got to see, because I didn’t get caught up on OG Dragon Ball until 2004.   It’s an excellent use of the character and her lengthy absence from the show.   By the time she reappears, no one recognizes her, and she’s upset about being forgotten.  

Favorite season/movie:  I think I’d have to go with the Buu Saga, on the grounds that she got more time to shine, mainly due to so many other characters being unavailable.    It was a real roller coaster ride for her too.    Her husband’s dead and she’s raising two kids on her own, then he comes back, then he leaves again, and maybe Gohan’s dead too, and now Goten has to fight, and then she’s dead, and then they’re all back together in the end.     Wild.

Favorite line:  In the Cell Games Saga, there’s a TV show where Mr. Satan drags three buses onto the set, cuts a scathing promo on Cell, and then punches one of the buses to put an exclamation point on the whole thing.   Wait, I take it back, I’m pretty sure 10yo me would have loved Mr. Satan.  

Anyway the live audience is marking the fuck out for Mr. Satan, but at Kame House Yamcha and Krillin are unimpressed, because they punch holes in like fifty buses every morning as a warm-up.   But in the dub of that episode, Roshi remarks that Mr. Satan’s theatrics are “sad”, and Chi-Chi goes “It sure is.   Somebody could have used that bus.” Classic, total classic.

Favorite outfit: It’s hard to pick, honestly.   I like the Buu Saga yellow, but I prefer the way her hair looked in the Saiyans Saga.  And that outfit she wore near the end of DBZ was pretty great too.

OTP:  Goku. come on.

Brotp: I think Bulma sort of stepped into that role after Trunks was born, but Chi-Chi seems like a loner to me.   She basically rolled in, got Goku to marry her, and then retreated deep into the mountains to interact with as few people as possible.   I need me a freak like that.  

Head Canon: I think she’s genuinely proud of Goku and the boys being so great at super-karate-laser wars.   She doesn’t talk about it much, because there’s plenty of other people to congratulate them on that sort of thing, and I think they sort of look to her for as someone who grounds their family.  

To put it another way, I don’t think Goku wants Chi-Chi to talk a lot about the androids or the Saiyans or whatever.   I think he wants someone to bother him with household matters and chores and ordinary stuff.   And Gohan and Goten just want a regular mom to balance out their alien monomyth dad.    And she plays that role well, because that’s who she is.   But she’s still proud of them for saving the world and so forth. 

Unpopular opinion: Chi-Chi was right. 

Look, how was Gohan going to make a life for himself as a fighter, in a world where Goku and Vegeta have that market cornered?   

Where’s he live?  In a big-ass mansion.    Why?  Because he married a rich man’s daughter.   Where’d he meet her?   In the school Chi-Chi made him go to.  How’d he get in to said school?   He aced their entrance exams.    How’d he do that?   Chi-Chi made him study.

What does Goku do all day when he isn’t training?  He drives a tractor?  Why?  Because his wife has a thing for farmer aesthetics.   Why does he just do whatever his wife tells him?   Because he didn’t study.

A wish:  I wish all the Chi-Chi haters would stay out of my soup, because it’s salty enough as it is.   (Heyoooo!)

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: I’ve been seeing Manalorian spoilers lately, and I don’t want to give anything away, but it seems like every time something happens on Mando, all the chuds come out of the woodwork to complain about Episode VIII and/or IX.     They’re like “thank you, Disney, for giving us the [Star Wars thing] that Disney refused to give us.” 

My fear is that Star Wars has become balkanized into this thing where people praise half of it as fixing or undoing the damage caused by the other half.   Used to be, people would either like the Ewoks or hate them, but they couldn’t ignore the fact that they were there.   Now it’s like any movie that doesn’t feature Ewoks is done to cater to the anti-Ewok crowd, and any movie that does is solely for the purpose of keeping the pro-Ewok side engaged.   

My point is that I worry that this will happen to all media franchises, and Dragon Ball Q will feature a Chi-Chi that gets turned into a hateful she-hag to satisfy the haters, and then Ultra Dragon Ball Deluxe will feature a more nuanced version of Chi-Chi as a make-good, thereby pissing off the haters.   And they’ll go back and forth trying to please everyone while the character ends up becoming an incomprehensible mess from it.  

5 words to best describe them: Adorable tiger mom/bus advocate.

My nickname for them: Cheech. 

[wr1tersblock42]

White Christmas

A Vegebul Fanfic One-Shot

It’s the annual Capsule Corp Christmas Ball and Bulma should be celebrating. The world is safe, the company’s profits have doubled year on year, and she is finally being named CEO. Unfortunately, she’s also not sleeping, stressed out, and oh, not on speaking terms with her own husband. Best Christmas ever? Yeah right.

Vegeta knows he fucked up. Royally. Astronomically. But he is determined to fix things, even if it takes him a lifetime. Unfortunately, it’s looking more and more like he’s going to need longer than a lifetime to fix what he broke. Or maybe what he needs is a Christmas miracle… of his own making of course!

Breakfast was a noisy affair in the Brief's household. The clinking of cutlery, the sloppy sounds of eating (particularly from his Saiyan son who had yet to learn any manners), and several inane conversations that took place at once, with each person talking over the top of the other.

Vegeta had learnt to tune it out.

In the beginning, when he was just an alien houseguest and they were merely those inferior humans he had to put up with, he'd only dragged himself along to breakfast because it involved food. Lately though, Vegeta found he didn't mind the time spent with the Briefs. He even found himself actively listening to what they were saying - not that he'd even deign to join in.

Right now, Trunks was blathering away to Dr Brief about a sports competition at school. He was going to "wipe the floor of his opponents" which Vegeta could only assume he meant to defeat them. Of course the boy would, he expected nothing less of his son. Dr Brief's was responding to Trunks, but seemed to think the boy was talking about a science competition that involved experimenting with cleaning products - something Trunks would have had no interest in, much to Bulma's disappointment.

Meanwhile, Bulma and her mother were discussing some kind of Capsule Corp event. The kind Vegeta usually managed to avoid at all costs.

"I'm just not going to enjoy it, Ma." Bulma threw her hand, fork and all, into the air. A piece of sausage went flying off and Vegeta smothered a smirk as Scratch tumbled across the room towards it. "It's going to be a bunch of men judging me, thinking I only got to where I am because of my father."

"Now, dear," Mrs Brief chided softly, topping up Bulma's plate with another sausage. "Thirty-five percent of the board are women. And you've been practically running the company for years. This night is important, not just for them to see and accept you as CEO, but for you as well."

It was a coronation ceremony, Vegeta realised with a start, jerking his attention away from the cat. She was being crowned queen of Capsule Corp. How had he not known this was happening? She normally would have talked his ear off non-stop about it. He would have pretended not to listen, but that wouldn't have put her off. Of course, that was before...

Bulma snorted rudely and stabbed a hash brown like she was spearing an enemy in the jugular. "I didn't say I wouldn't go. I'm just not going to enjoy it."

Her gaze met Vegeta's for a split second, but she looked away hurriedly. That was the third time she'd done that this morning. A new record. She'd barely acknowledged his existence in months. If it didn't have anything to do with Trunks she wasn't interested in communicating with him.

He could hardly blame her.

"I'd much rather hole up somewhere snowy and enjoy a white Christmas this year." Bulma turned her concentration back towards her mother. "It rarely snows in West City. I used to love it when we'd go up to that cabin in the northern mountains." She sighed wistfully, prodding her food around her plate.

Vegeta frowned to himself. What was the correlation between this human holiday and snow? Everywhere shop windows put up paper snowflakes and fake trees were adorned with even faker white frosting that smelt of that stuff Bulma put on her fingernails.

He couldn't stand snow, personally. The number of times he'd been stranded on a freezing planet with no appropriate outerwear had solidified that dislike. Vegetasai had been warm, even desert-like in a large part of the planet. Hot, humid climates suited him.

"You'll come, won't you Vegeta?"

Vegeta glanced up from his meal, shocked to be addressed. Mrs Brief stated expectantly at him and he realised he'd tuned out the rest of their conversation. Bulma's gaze remained on her plate, her jaw clenched as if she wanted to say something but was holding back in front of the rest of the family.

"To the Capsule Corp Christmas Ball next week." The blonde woman answered his unspoken question. She grinned and flashed him a wink. "It was certainly eventful the last time you came."

Vegeta felt his cheeks flush and he shrugged noncommittally and stared back at his food. The last time he'd been to the annual ball had been before Trunks, before the androids…

Before he'd destroyed the only meaningful relationship he'd ever had.

Read the rest on FFic or AO3!

[zerolympiustrife]

ZOS’ short stories 34

Title: More Magical Wedding Ring Shenanigans! (SSBU x Various)

Note: This is a sequel to my 27th short story, “The Magical Wedding Rings!”

————————————————————

Juno (excited): This is splendid! Not only do I get to meet mother and father here in the world of Smash, but I also get to meet my uncle and my grandparents!

Chrom (holding his head): I-I-I’m too young to be a grandpa...

Reflet (rubbing her forehead): You’re telling me...

Mark: I never knew I would eventually have a niece! She looks so lovely! Hm...I wonder where Cloud and Lucina are...?

*Meanwhile, in another room...*

Cloud (contemplating): I can’t believe this...

Lucina (happily): Me neither!

Cloud (raising an eyebrow): You hid that wedding ring in my pocket, didn’t you?

Lucina: I couldn’t wait any longer, Cloud!

Cloud: Really? You literally couldn’t have waited for me to say “Lucina, will you marry me?” and give you a wedding ring that came from YOUR world?

Lucina (blunt): No.

Cloud (sighing): ...Well, at least you’re honest...

Lucina (looking at her ring): But just imagine...if rings like these were to exist everywhere else in the entire universe! In other worlds, and in other timelines!

*Meanwhile, in Mementos in the Persona world...*

Ren (holding a glowing wedding ring): Makoto Niijima, my queen...will you stick by my side for the rest of my life?

Makoto (blushing): I...I don’t know what to say...!

Ren: Just a simple answer, is all.

Makoto (taking the ring): Y-Yes! I will! I shall be with you forever! *Slips in the ring*

Ryuji (yelling): Joker! Look out behind you!

*Ren turns around, and sees that a shadow is about to attack him, but a dark portal appears, and a figure springs out of the portal and attacks the shadow with a Persona that looks like a female, child version of Arsene*

Makoto: W-What the...?

Ren: Was that...Arsene?

*Suddenly, the figure reveals herself to be messy-haired, brown haired teenage girl wearing a Metaverse Garb similar to Joker and Queen’s*

Yuko (Shumako child): Mom! Dad! Are you alright?

*The Phantom Thieves’ eyes widened*

Ryuji (shocked): Wait a minute...”dad”?!

Ann (shocked): “Mom”?!

Yusuke (shocked): Joker and Queen had a child...?!

Haru (smiling): She looks so cute!

Futaba (smirking): Oooh!

Morgana (eyes widened): Where did that portal come from...?

Makoto (shocked): That’s...our daughter?

Ren (internally): What should I say...? >”Who are you, really?” >”You can’t be our daughter!” >”Doesn’t she look lovely?”

Makoto (blushing): W-What?!

Yuko (blushing): Ehehe! Thank you, dad!

*Meanwhile, at Capsule Corp in the Dragon Ball world...* *Note, this takes place during the time gap between Z and Super*

Bulma (yelling): Vegeta! Have you found my wedding ring?!

Vegeta: I’ve looked everywhere, Bulma, but I haven’t found it yet!

Bulma: Well, KEEP LOOKING!!!

*Vegeta mumbles to himself, then finds a glowing wedding ring in one of her drawers*

Vegeta: Hm, that’s funny. I don’t remember owning a wedding ring like this. Oh well...I FOUND YOUR RING!!!

Bulma (walking in): Ah, good! *Sees the ring* Huh, I don’t remember this glowing!

Vegeta: Me neither, now put it on so I can get back to training.

Bulma (slipping the ring in): Ok, sheesh. No need to rush me-

*Suddenly, a dark portal appears and a future version of Bulla appears from the portal*

Future Bulla (smiling): Mother! Father! I’ve come from the future!

Vegeta (eyes widened): WHAT?!?

Bulma (shocked): I-I have a second child?!?

Trunks (walking in): Hey, mom. What’s with all the- huh?

Future Bulla: Hi, big brother!

Trunks (shocked): B-B-Big brother?!? That’s my sister?!

*Everyone freaks out as Future Bulla just stands there, smirking*

*Meanwhile, at Beacon in the RWBY world...*

Jaune (hiding three wedding ring boxes in his pocket): Hm...I think I’ll give these three to Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha as gifts...

Nora (appearing behind him): Hi, leader!

Jaune (freaks out): AH!!! Don’t scare me!

Nora (smirking): Sorry, just wanted to check on you.

Jaune (sighing): I-I’m doing fine, th-thanks...

Nora: Soooo...whatcha doing?

Jaune (nervously): I’m gonna give three girls a...friendship ring.

Nora: Ooh! Sounds fun! *Sees Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha in the distance* Hey, guys!

Ruby: Oh, hey, Nora! What’s up?

Nora: Jaune, show ‘em what you’re gonna give to them!

*Jaune shows Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha the wedding rings, and they’re glowing with an awesome power*

Pyrrha (eyes sparkling): Ooh! They look quite lovely!

Yang (smiling): Quite! So, vomit boy, are these wedding rings or something? You finally gonna propose to us or something? *Giggles*

Jaune (blushing): What? No! They’re friendship rings!

Ruby (smiling): Well...I wouldn’t mind wearing something to remind me of you, Jaune~...

*The three girls slip in the rings, then suddenly, a dark portal with three teenage girls appear*

Nora (freaking out): Ah! What the?!

Lily (to Ruby): Hi, mom! *Hugs her*

Yin (to Yang): Hey, mom! *Hugs her*

Athena (to Pyrrha): Hello, mother! *Hugs her*

*Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha’s faces all turn super red, as they’re wondering to theirselves how this even happened*

Lily/Yin/Athena (to Jaune): Hi/hello, dad/father!

*RYP look at Jaune, who’s blushing madly as much as they are*

Jaune (blushing): D-D-Dad?! F-F-Father?!

*The three teenage offsprings all hug Jaune, as RYP freak out even more*

*Also, Nora.EXE has stopped working*

*Meanwhile, back in the world of Smash, in the Chrom’s household...*

Cloud (shuddering): Aw, jeez...

Juno (next to him): What is it, father?

Cloud (flinching): Ah! Don’t scare me like that.

Juno (worryingly): Ah, I apologize. I was just concerned, is all...

Cloud (sighing): Don’t worry, it’s not your fault, it’s just that...I couldn’t help but get the feeling that hundreds - nay, THOUSANDS - of other fighters out there are currently going through the same dilemma as me.

Juno: Ah...I see.

Lucina (walking in): Honey! My parents wish to speak with you!

Cloud (internally): Hoo boy...I hope this goes well...

Juno (smiling): Goodbye, father!

*Cloud walks out*

[sarahw-writing]

“Let It Snow” - 02 Mistletoe

Well guys, here's the second prompt!

I'm sorry it took a bit longer than I was hoping for, but I've had a really bad flu, and I've literally written this one in bed. I had a little story planned for this fic, but now I wonder if I'll be able to finish all the prompts in time for Christmas. I'll just try to do my best, so please bear with me.

I'd also like to give special thanks to those of you who left feedback in the first chapter, since I wasn't entirely sure if you'd be interested in this story.

Anyway, I really hope you like this one!

Summary:

Vegeta decides to accept Bulma's invitation, joining her and her loved ones for her mysterious Christmas Eve celebrations, and encountering a few unanticipated events along the way.

You can find it on AO3 or on FF.

Or you can keep reading under the break:

02. Mistletoe.

A gust of frosty wind blew him in the face when he stepped outside the Gravity Room, a thick layer of snow creaking under his feet as he walked like a ghost in the dark, struggling to swallow down a familiar flood of murderous emotions that he hadn’t truly battled ever since his Master’s disgraceful downfall.

Vegeta crossed the luxurious gardens of the lavish house which he now called home, bruised hands buried in his pockets, nothing but a slouched, defeated figure, furiously lost in thought, a frenzied string of angry feelings that he couldn’t even begin to understand, much less try to make some rational sense of.

His pace was sluggish, deliberately slow, desperately striving to stretch out his arrival to the mansion’s entrance for as long as he could, all of it while praying with all his might for the scarred-faced idiot, who’d completely ruined those so-called ‘Christmas Eve’ celebrations, to have left the place by now. He didn’t know, he really didn’t know if he’d find the strength not to murder the dumb bastard in cold blood, right there and then, or if he’d even want to restrain himself, not after the grotesque spectacle that he’d witnessed firsthand tonight.

The Saiyan warrior may have been well aware, at all times, of his alien condition, and there surely was an innumerable amount of ridiculous Earth customs that he wasn’t yet familiarized with but, by the Gods, whatever it was that this ‘Christmas’ celebration was supposed to be, it sure as Hell could not have been about seeing the only goddamned creature who’d ever shown him any real kindness ending the evening on the verge of tears.

His feet stopped automatically a mere few steps from the dwelling’s majestic door, and he took his hands out of his pockets, blowing roughly on his stiff fingers while getting one last eyeful of the cascade of picturesque lights shamelessly hanging from the building’s smooth façade, mocking him, mocking them all, announcing a deceiving happiness that never materialized, after all.

The dreadful celebrations had begun for him a few hours before the actual dinner party, with an unnervingly cheerful Panchy Briefs inviting herself into the privacy of his room, with an audacity that no sane human being would have ever dared to display. She’d proudly announced that her ‘beautiful daughter’ was getting dressed already and, after getting a lecherous glimpse of his fully naked body, dripping wet from the shower, and only covered by a modest towel from the waist down, she’d strongly recommended that he thought about getting ready too, encouraging him to choose a formal attire for such a special occasion.

With a wardrobe mostly consisting of sportswear and loose pajama pants, the Prince had finally settled for a pair of dark blue jeans, a tight-fitting grey sweater, and the only pair of dress shoes he owned, pacing nervously from one side to the other of his bedroom for a few hesitant minutes, before making the bold choice to get out and face the music.

The Briefs home had been as bright as it could be, filled to the brim with even more colored lights, exotic plants and flashy decorations, all of it enveloped by the most mouthwatering aroma he’d ever smelled in his entire life, an intriguing combination of warm, savory dishes, and exotically sweet treats.

Vegeta walked the long corridors of the splendid first floor with cautious steps, keenly following the appetizing trail of inviting foods, while his hypersensitive Saiyan senses sharply perceived the recognizable voices of the numerous guests already gathered downstairs. He easily identified most of them as those belonging to the woman’s peculiar gang of warrior friends, together with a handful of foreign murmurs and, most disturbing of all, the absence of the one and only sound which had been captivating his typically limited interest for longer than he was willing to confess.

 Bulma’s voice.

 When the Prince had roused from sleep in the suffocating solitude of that cold infirmary, the morning after she’d first introduced him to that lovely, comforting beverage, he’d done so utterly alone, the only evidence of the earthling’s dreamlike company being a cold, empty flask laying forgotten on the wooden nightstand, and traces of her unbelievably delicious scent spread all over his soft bedsheets.

He’d buried his nose into the still warm pillow, showing no qualms in making the most of the only thing she’d left behind, and groaning tiredly as he wondered if the strangely intimate moment they’d both shared the previous night would have meant something to her, and whether he’d actually want it to mean anything at all.

Much to Vegeta’s disappointment, things had carried on with more or less normalcy around the Briefs household from that moment on, with Bulma spending most of her time in her hectic laboratory, while he slowly eased his way into the punitive training regime that his new existence had become.

Every now and then, Bulma would make one of those routine check ups on his precious training room. And though, on the surface, her behavior towards him didn’t seem to have changed much at all, and the mysterious little female hadn’t brought up the subject ever again, the Prince had most definitely caught clear hints of that old, heartbreaking sadness in her, the very same sadness that had once pushed her to ask to share the bed of a former homicidal maniac, in the middle of the night.

The woman undoubtedly possessed a special gift for keeping herself together at all times, and yet, some of her natural spunk had gotten lost along the way, that irresistible grit always making her treat him like an equal, challenging and bumping heads with him in ways no other creature, not even those infinitely stronger than she was, would have ever risked to.

Vegeta could count with the fingers of one hand the number of times they’d lately engaged in those harmless, heated quarrels that he’d grown to enjoy so damn much, thoroughly amused by the woman’s bright spirit and brilliant sarcasm, that promising spark of blue light constantly reminding him that there was life beyond everything he’d always known, a happier way of life which he may perhaps get to savor one day, once he’d achieved his promised Ascension, recovering his long-lost honor, once and for all.

But tonight, as he’d walked down the flight of stairs of his temporary home, joining the rest of the woman’s visitors at the ground floor, he’d seriously started to consider the disappointing possibility that, all this time, he’d been stupidly deluding himself into believing that he held some sort of special significance in the earthling’s life when, in reality, he was just as unimportant to her as every other chump assembled around the luxurious house.

The warrior’s irate memory could barely recall what happened in those early moments, right after he joined the idiotic celebrations, only his agitated turmoil, furious with everyone, especially with himself, for being stupid enough to care about what the silly woman, or any of her insignificant friends, really thought of him to begin with.

After all, she was just an instrument, a genius brain whose incredible inventions would allow him to reach his goals, defeat the third-class idiot that she called her ‘best friend’, and get out of the worthless mudball keeping him prisoner, in search of his righteous place as Universal Ruler, perhaps even burning this blasted planet to ashes on his way out, once it served no further purpose to him anymore.

Vegeta leaned cross-armed on the door frame of the main living-room, with the detached indifference of the outsider he truly knew himself to be, having the time of his life as he enjoyed his inner pity party, chewing irritably on whatever yummy appetizer was served in front of him while wondering just where the Devil was the diabolical creature who’d put him in such a humiliating position, when he could have just as well been employing his valuable time into far more useful activities tonight, such as pounding his already abused body even closer to the brink of death.

He should have been careful, he should have known by now that a man should treat his wishes with great care for, just as he was about to throw in the towel, ready to make a surreptitious exit from the deplorable charade that the night was quickly turning into, Mrs. Briefs’ perky voice brought him straight back to reality, making his most forbidden wishes come true with only a few, well-chosen words of admiration.

“Oh my!” She exclaimed vivaciously, holding a half-full tray of canapés in one hand as she stared at the small figure already standing at the top of the stairs, ready to make her triumphant entrance into the night’s festivities. “Doesn’t she look lovely tonight?” Panchy asked to everyone and no one in particular, the unmistakable naughtiness in her tone making the Saiyan’s hair stand on end, terrified of the irresistible temptation that he knew he’d encounter when he turned his sights on the alluring woman.

 She’d been wrong.

Dead wrong.

 ‘Lovely’ didn’t even begin to describe just how ridiculously beautiful Bulma had looked tonight, with that demure smile glowing regally on her lips as she proceeded to cautiously walk down the stairs, her mesmerizing skill not to slip with those impossibly high heels adorning her feet hypnotizing even the coldest of men.

With each step, her spellbinding beauty got just a little closer, offering him the honor to luxuriate in every bit and every detail, in every single one of the unforgettable curves of that flawless body, hips swinging seductively, undulating like fluid water under the shimmery fabric of her electric blue dress.

Her hair, that glossy waterfall of turquoise curls that she usually enjoyed wearing down, had been tied up this time, coiffed into a stylish French twist that emphasized the elegance of her long neck, and of those long, sparkly earrings, hanging graciously from her small ears.

And, when she finally joined him on the main floor, her light hand brushing one of his tense biceps with the litheness of a breeze of fresh air, the Prince almost chocked on his shrimp cocktail when he discovered the erotically low cut of the back of that misleadingly modest gown.

He tried, he desperately tried not to gawk like a fool at the way she moved, leaving his side as she worked the crowded room like a Queen, playing the part of the welcoming hostess to perfection, and greeting every one of her varied friends and distant relatives with that warmth that belonged to her alone, awakening inside of him the most bizarre sense of jealousy whenever she smiled at anyone other than him.

At the beginning, Vegeta had feared for his early worries to be true, and for Bulma to end up spending the rest of the night snubbing him, or treating him purely with the same courtesy as all the others. But relief washed over him when, just as soon as she was done with her first round of introductions, she instinctively sought his presence through the crowd, shooting him the most dazzling grin as she approached him determinedly.

“You made it!” She beamed at him, a bold hand finding his wrist and squeezing it with gentle reassurance, a subtle, unexpected gesture of intimacy that made his heart rabbit furiously in his chest.

Vegeta wasn’t entirely sure about what it was that she initially talked about, all he knew was how honestly happy, dare he say grateful, Bulma seemed to be, infinitely happier than she’d been in the gloomy darkness of their last night together in that infernal infirmary.

She chose to spend most of her time with him, constantly making the effort to get the servers’ attention, in the hopes that her guest of honor would get to sample as many different kinds of traditional foods as possible, enlightening him about an eclectic selection of curious tales and human folklore that his poor alien mind had found wholly impossible to understand.

Even now, as the lonely Prince stood all by himself in the midst of a sad garden fully covered in snow, Vegeta had to admit that, although he’d been so overwhelmed that he could remember not even one of such exotic stories, there was an infinity of details that, try as he might, would never leave his giddy memory.

He could still vividly evoke her refreshing giggles, and those dainty hands touching him in ways no one ever had. Whether she’d be casually picking off a lint on his sweater, saucily complimenting him for his choice of clothing, or resting a hand on his shoulder as she leaned over, trying to reach for one of the many drinks circulating across the room, offering him another glass of that sparkling ‘champagne’, fizzy bubbles tickling his nose as she talked, and talked, and talked about all sorts of old family anecdotes, involving her mischievous, carefree childhood and, more often than not, some unknown cousin that she hadn’t seen in ages.

It’d been overwhelming, utterly intoxicating, drowning his senses in heaps of nectarous foods and heady alcohol, in golden lights and surreal festive songs and, above all, in her, and in how awfully comfortable she appeared to be by his side, unashamed of spending most of the occasion with him, and clearly oblivious to the sporadic glances of mistrust and disbelief that the rest of the warriors would occasionally throw their way.

Still, the most surprising emotion of them all had been the rare pride engulfing him at the obvious realization that, within a house full of people, she’d much favored his company to any other, a foreign, yet pleasant sentiment, tricking him into believing that, perhaps, this exotic celebration would end up being far more tolerable than he’d first anticipated.

And then, just as he’d gradually started to feel himself relax, quietly surrendering to the calm assurance that Bulma’s company inspired in him, he had to come along, completely destroying the woman’s happiness along the way.

Vegeta could still see her turning her eyes curiously to the side, that charmingly familiar gesture that she did whenever the luxurious doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of yet another one of her increasingly larger group of noisy guests, only, this time, her reaction to her mysterious visitor hadn’t been a polite smile and some cheeky gossip whispered in his ear, but a horrified expression of sheer dismay.

Her candid smile froze on her lips, the corners of her lively mouth falling with the rest of her gorgeous face, staring in disbelief at the only man who held the destructive power to dim the light of her striking blue eyes.

The sudden shift in her attitude had been such, that it’d forced the Saiyan to instinctively leave behind his well-practiced aura of disinterest, promptly following her glance and discovering, straight away, where the little female’s incredulity stemmed from.

Right there, by the large mahogany door, stood the cowardly human who used to be her ‘boyfriend’ and, though his shocking visit should have been enough to spoil anyone’s party, it soon became self-evident that it wasn’t the idiot’s presence what had ruined Bulma’s coquettish mood, but the unpredicted attendance of his even stupider companion, none other than some random, blue-haired bimbo, already taking off her cheap coat with the useless fighter’s help.

Vegeta’s own mouth twisted in disgust, repulsed by the scene unfolding before his very eyes, both by that drooling grin spreading across the man’s dumb face, and by the way he ogled the indecently young-looking woman, as if she were nothing but a worthless piece of flesh.

Romantic relationships of any kind were out, way out of the Prince’s area of expertise, but it surely didn’t take a genius to intuitively guess that it was in incredibly poor taste to bring his side-piece of the month to the home of a woman who’d shared more than ten years of her life with him, an exceptional creature who, by all accounts, had given the moronic loser far more than he deserved.

When Vegeta’s gaze rushed back to Bulma, all color had left her rosy face, and she was but a glum shadow of the bubbly woman she’d been just seconds ago, with those disenchanted eyes staring absentmindedly at the polished floors, losing themselves into the miserable wave of depressing thoughts sweeping her away, allowing herself a selfish instant of self-pity before choosing to bravely compose herself, one last time.

“Will you excuse me for a second?” She shyly asked, a cold, clammy hand enfolding his wrist in silent apology while the most heartbreaking smile drew itself on her tense lips, one of those smiles that wouldn’t reach her eyes, and that would remain sadly trapped in her features through the rest of the night.

He saw her walking discreetly towards the door, welcoming her undesirable guests with a graciousness that the insensitive bastard clearly hadn’t earnt, and making the admirable effort to engage in some minor chitchat with the absurd couple, before excusing herself and disappearing into the kitchens, offering to assist her mother with the final details before dinner was served.

 That was all.

 The Prince barely had the chance to see much of her ever since, only once during the copious Christmas dinner, when she’d sat at the table, right beside him, hardly tasting her food, and making the most delectable meal he’d ever tasted feel like dusty gravel sanding down his throat with the way those jittery hands kept fidgeting miserably with her fork, choosing to focus on the red wine instead, and almost embarrassingly dropping her drink on the table more than once.

His last vision of her had taken place sometime after the extravagant banquet, when all the guests had left the table, at last, spreading out throughout the comfortable salons while the Briefs matriarch made her rounds yet again, giving away even more sweets and candied treats to the already bursting guests.

He saw Bulma standing in front of one of the large windows, swirling her last glass of champagne distractedly while her eyes wandered longingly all over the dark gardens, a poignant air of nostalgia saddening her exquisite face when the first signs of white started to fall from the frozen skies. Her head fell back languidly when the last sip of alcohol touched her sullen lips, eyes closing as tired fingers idly rubbed her neck, only to open them back again, contemplating the jam-packed room with dreamy eyes, as if a great part of her had already drifted away from it all.

It was then that it happened, it was then that they found each other, their eyes meeting across the distance, two strangers sharing a secret that no one else in that cussed room would ever light upon.

Vegeta held her stare with a confidence that still staggered him to this moment, a frightening intensity that contradicted the apparent nonchalance of the coldhearted warrior leaning cross-armed with his back against the wall, letting her know, with not even one word, that he understood, that he could feel her unbearable pain in his own mortal flesh, and that, if only he were a noble man, instead of the emotionally stunted wimp that he knew himself to be, he’d wrap his arms around her and he’d get her out of there, taking her to a hidden corner of the world where no harm would ever touch her.

And in her eyes he saw that she knew, he didn’t even know how or why but, in those bottomless pools of blue, blinking dreamily at him, like a hypnotized nymph awakening from an illusive dream, the Prince found a woman who’d just discovered, not only that her most intimate secret had been laid bare, but that the man in possession of such a skill was the least expected, an enigmatic equal who’d never betray her shattered trust.

Bulma watched him for an absorbed instant, gifting him with the most devastating smile, a watery smile of disillusionment and heartfelt gratitude, before the spell was broken, and she turned around, walking defeatedly towards her mother, whispering a few furtive words in her ear and vanishing from the crowded room, taking all that was bright with her.

 And now here he was, standing alone in the dark, spying through the still illuminated windows like some lowlife thief looking for some magical signal, anything that would help him decide on whether he should take a chance and get back into that cursed house, or follow his first instinct and subject himself to a good old-fashioned session of self-abuse.

Vegeta’s most stubborn self was growing increasingly inclined towards the latter, but the night’s surreal events had zapped every bit of energy left in him and, after an exhaustive scan of the Briefs home, and its spacious surroundings, concluded that the entirety of the irritating guests had already left the party, the Prince made up his tired mind, choosing to go to bed and call it a day.

That is, of course, until a whiff of the most delicious aroma suddenly pervaded his senses, a sweetly creamy scent only savored once before, during that oneiric night spent with the little earthling, a treasured night whose memory, try as he might, he’d found himself incapable of forgetting.

“Hey…” Bulma greeted him in a pleased whisper, not at all surprised by the snoopy stranger floating smoothly before her, the intrigued warrior who’d just discovered her not-so-secret hiding spot, sitting on one of the few stairs located right at the top of her home’s colossal rooftop. “Do you want some?” She generously offered, holding the cup of that flask he knew so well by now, and pouring him some of that mouthwatering hot chocolate, long before he even had the opportunity to accept her invitation.

His feet touched the slippery ground with great care, secretly marveled at how foolishly brave the woman was, wholly unafraid of such great heights, especially for someone who couldn’t fly if her life depended on it.      

Her audacity should have offended him, that strange overconfidence that always made her assume, and rightly so, that he’d follow her instructions like a docile Saiyan puppy. But Vegeta soon realized that, tonight, after everything the softhearted woman had been put through, he’d much rather sit obediently by her side, taking up her offer for one last enjoyable treat before going back to his room.

“This one smells… Different…” He noted, sharp nostrils flaring like those of a hound as he held the drink in his cold hands, eyeing it with suspicion before venturing to take his first sip.

“Ah, yeah…” She giggled timidly, the first honest laughter he’d heard from her in a while. “I may have spiked it just a little bit…” She admitted, with the cheekiness of a silly teenage girl who’d just gotten caught in her first mischief.

The Prince said nothing, merely grunting softly as he tasted the soothing drink, easily picking up on the subtle touch of liquor, blended to perfection with the natural sweetness of the rich chocolate flavor.

‘Not bad…’

“Sorry about tonight, by the way…” Bulma murmured warily, hiding her small hands in the tight space between her small body and the knees protectively pressed to her chest.

Vegeta remained silent for a second, absolutely dumbfounded as to why it was the woman, of all people, the one apologizing for the monumental fiasco of the night’s celebrations.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” his sincere reply came at last, loathing himself for getting emotionally involved in a situation that shouldn’t have been his business to begin with, but powerless to just sit down and watch her take responsibility for something that had been everyone’s fault but hers.

“Yeah, I know…” She agreed in a slightly more confident tone, honestly surprised by the Prince’s open support. “It’s just that… I don’t know…” She shrugged weakly, the Moon’s majestic glow reflected in those sad eyes of hers as they lost themselves into the clear sky. “I guess I just wanted everything to be perfect tonight, since this was your first time celebrating Christmas and all…”

Her words of disappointment almost made him choke on his second mouthful of hot chocolate, openly gaping both at her defeated stance, and at the captivating blush spreading across her cheeks as she kept timidly avoiding his stare.

 For him.

She’d gone out of her way just so she could please him.    

 “I knew it was a bad idea to invite him,” Bulma carried on, forcing herself to keep talking when she intuitively sensed the Prince’s quiet discomfort with such an intimate conversation. “But my Mom insisted, you know? She said that… That it’d be good for us to be friends after… After all those years together…” A long, melancholic sigh fled her lips, shivering vulnerably when a rush of cold air suddenly hit them both. “I guess she didn’t think that he’d bring some girl along. Mom was pretty disappointed in him too. It was just… I don’t know…”

“Disrespectful,” Vegeta pointed out, the coolness in his voice poorly concealing the vicious rage boiling beneath the surface as his fingers tightened angrily around his drink.

This time, it was Bulma’s chance to turn her sights on him, her touching aura of amazement and gratitude reawakening some of those yearning emotions inside of him, the ones making it impossible for him to catch a wink of sleep when she’d spent the night lying beside him in that lousy infirmary.

The warrior’s calloused hands gingerly offered her the half-full mug, just in the same way he had on such a fateful night, a night that was the catalyst for the greatest change of their lives, even if neither one of them suspected it yet.

“Yeah, I guess you could call it that…” The earthling murmured bashfully, a flock of butterflies fluttering nervously in his stomach with the way she smiled at him in understanding, eagerly accepting his invitation as she took the cup from his jittery hands.

It was hopeless, it was ludicrously hopeless to try to stop himself anymore from mooning over her, so he just sat there like a besotted fool, pursing his mouth in frustration when those full lips, still lightly swollen from crying, kept blowing at the steaming cup, tasting her first sip from exactly the same spot his own mouth had just touched seconds earlier.

“It’s funny because… I don’t… I don’t even love him anymore…” She admitted with surprising calmness, her sureness in her lack of feelings towards her ex-lover confusing the Prince even more. “I guess what hurt me the most is that… It’s not just that he brought her to my house but… I don’t know…” She mumbled huskily, almost as if talking to herself, trying to make some coherent sense out of her own restless feelings. “I guess it’s the fact that he found someone else so soon. It makes me feel like… Like I’m just forgettable, you know?”

 Forgettable.

She could not be serious.

The woman may have been the most vulgar, exasperating creature he’d ever chanced upon, with her sassy banter and brazen meddling, always screeching, scolding and overprotecting him, to the point of treating him, at times, like nothing but a reckless little brat. Vegeta might not have the faintest clue as to what dangerous adventures would await him once he attained his obsessive goals, reaching his prized Super Saiyan form and annihilating that useless pair of artificial tin cans but, the Gods help him, whatever it was that Destiny threw his way, when the time finally came for them to part ways, putting an end to the surreal experience that their coexistence had become, he was damn sure that he’d never, ever, forget the unshakable Force of Nature that was Bulma Briefs.    

 “Perhaps, it’s the other way around,” he reflected out loud, chiming into her emotional troubles before he could even stop himself, absolutely loathing to see her belittling herself like this.

“Uh?” She gasped feebly, still in mild disbelief at his clear attempt to comfort her in his own reserved way. “What do you mean?”

His fists clenched on their own, eyebrows knitting as he scowled in chagrin, not even knowing what was even more perplexing anymore, the woman, who was supposedly some kind of genius, not seeing the obvious, or that new, irrepressible need overriding his spirit, urging him to take away the pain eating her alive.

“I meant that, maybe,” Vegeta clarified. “The weakling found that idiotic woman because he can’t forget on his own…”

He kept his mousy eyes cowardly hooked on the ground, letting his smart words sink in as he took the empty cup from her small hands with a gentleness he didn’t even know he possessed, pouring himself a second glassful of the heartening beverage and guzzling most of it in one single gulp, gathering some liquid courage before he ventured to give her a second glance, discovering the most extraordinary metamorphosis blossoming all over that beautiful face.

Smiling, the woman was smiling at him, not one of her usual dazzling smiles, but a smile nonetheless, shy but resplendent, wide blue eyes sparkling with the playful twinkle of a woman who’d just found a loyal ally where she least expected it.

“You really think so?” Bulma asked daintily, her spirits rising, but still hoping for that final little push to give her the morale she so desperately needed.

“I do,” Vegeta quietly reassured her, lips curling into the ghost of a lopsided smirk at the sound of her tiny, triumphant chuckle.

“I guess you’re right,” she agreed, her newfound confidence instilling the rarest sense of pride in him, pride at being the one to rekindle some of that zesty fire back.

“So…” She ventured once more, invading his most sacred space, as only she knew how, when she stuck one of her bold little fingers into the leftovers of his creamy chocolate, sliding it across the empty cup and carelessly sticking it right into her mouth. “I figure I’m not the only one who thought that the girl was… You know…” Bulma prodded him, her innate feistiness pushing aside some of the sorrow haunting her still. “Not the brightest bulb in the tree, uh?”

By now, most of Vegeta’s blood had abandoned his body, fascinated by that wicked tongue licking off the chocolate from his mug with such naivete, by all means oblivious to the flood of impure thoughts coursing his veins, and to the fact that she could so easily arouse him like this with such a harmless gesture, both terrifying and exhilarating.

“Hn…” He groaned in frustration, choosing to play her game and go along with her, after all, there was nothing like a common enemy to make the woman feel better. Besides, it wasn’t as if he’d have to lie in order to agree with her, anyway. “She was the stupidest creature I’ve ever encountered,” he snarled, visibly repelled by the mere memory of the female’s moronic topics of conversation that, together with that grating nasal voice, were enough to test his endurance in ways not even Frieza himself ever had, making him spend the rest of the evening struggling not to break her exasperating neck just to make it stop.

And he must have said the right thing, if only for once, for Bulma chuckled even louder than before, the sound pure and luminous, getting a whole lot closer to her real vivacious self.

“Yeah, I know…” She admitted, making him wish he’d never followed her goddamned scent to the rooftop the moment she stuck her blasted finger into his chocolate, yet again, running her tongue all over it, like the most natural act in the world. “I guess no one cares about some topless model using her brain anyway…”    

“A what?” Vegeta promptly asked back, genuinely intrigued by a concept he’d never heard of before.

“A topless model.”

 “…”

The blank look on his face, together with that hilarious tic that always made his cheek twitch uncontrollably whenever he felt uncomfortable, or faced by a situation he knew nothing about, made Bulma unconsciously press her lips together, bottling up a string of laughter at how ridiculously adorable he looked right now.

Out of all the countless, tongue-in-cheek arguments that they’d enjoyed throughout those past few months, she’d never once brought up anything related to nudity or human sexuality of any kind, after having noticed, right from the moment she’d teasingly called him ‘cute’, back when she’d first invited him into her home, that the warrior seemed to be surprisingly prudish about such matters.

Whether it was because he was one of those men who considered sex something strictly private between a man and a woman, or if he was perhaps simply not interested in it, she wouldn’t know. For all she knew, he might even be a virgin and, though she’d mostly kept such a tricky subject off grounds all this time, something about the unreal intimacy of this moment was awakening her most impish side, wondering what would happen if she dared to discuss naughty body parts with the Prince of All Saiyans himself.      

“Yeah, topless”, she described, casually waving one of her hands while inwardly roaring with laughter. “She’s a model who poses with her boobs out…”

“Boobs?” He frowned, blinking uncertainly as he tried to figure out where exactly he’d heard of that particular term before.

“Yeah, boobs. You know? Breasts…” Bulma explained in her best serious face. “She poses with her breasts out…”

Vegeta’s mouth gaped wide open in sheer shock, his upper lip twisting in the most comical manner, looking at her like a twelve-year-old boy who’d just been given ‘the talk’ for the first time in his life.

“She poses with her breasts out…” He murmured numbly to himself, quickly realizing that he was missing just one last piece of crucial information. “She poses where with her breasts out?”    

“In magazines, silly!” She replied, smacking him playfully in the arm. “You know my Mom’s magazines, right? Well… It’s the same, but for men. And the girls have no clothes on…”

“A-Are you…?” He stuttered in disbelief, his ingenuous, wide-eyed expression making her want to hug him silly. “Are you telling me that…? That the woman appears naked in magazines?”

“Yup!”

“What…? What for?!”

A devilishly amused smirk finally cracked up on her lips, lowering her chin and flashing him the cheekiest look in her repertoire. “What do you think?”

“Tch!” He huffed, face flushing crimson as his eyes returned to the ground, shaking his head to himself in mortified incredulity. “You humans are vile…” He mumbled irritably.

“Tell me about it…” Bulma openly giggled, wrapping her arms around one of his and leaning shamelessly against him while resting her chin on his shoulder, ready for some extra teasing of her own. “You’re really funny, did you know that?”

“Hn…” He hmphed, side-eyeing the woman, and those brazen hands of hers, with wary skepticism.

 Funny.

Him.

She thought he was funny.    

 There was a really strong possibility that she was mocking him, as usual, and while this should have been the perfect moment to give her the slip, removing himself from a situation that was getting more out of hand by the second, he simply couldn’t, finding it harder and harder to stay mad at her when she kept leaning and holding onto him, quite literally, for a support that he wasn’t quite convinced yet if he could provide.

“Look…” Bulma whispered in wonderment, turning her delicate face to the sky as her head still rested on his strong shoulder. “It’s snowing…”

The Prince impulsively followed her movements, raising his gaze to the dark skies, and to the light dusting of snow slowly beginning to fall over them both, a tight lump knotting in his throat at the sound of her childish laughter.

“When I was a little girl, I used to get out of the house whenever it snowed,” she gladly recalled, with the contented nostalgia of those privileged enough to have enjoyed, and carefully stored, quite a few happy memories of their own. “I used to run through the gardens, sticking my tongue out. It used to drive my poor Mom insane, because she could never catch me…” She confessed proudly, chuckling at her own silly stories, willing to give him a glimpse of her idyllic childhood. “Like this…”

Bulma closed her eyes and tilted her head back, sticking her pink tongue out, ready to catch a handful of those white, fluffy flakes while Vegeta watched her with infatuated attention.

Her splendid blue dress was nowhere to be seen anymore, the only evidence of her earlier dolled-up appearance being the elegant upsweep still restraining the wilderness of her hair, and failing miserably, judging by the few loose curls already trying to escape, framing her lovely face in the most charming way as she smiled softly into the night. There were no more expensive jewels or glittery high heels, only a thick sweater and some old pants, topped by her favorite worn-out jacket, and a pair of cozy pink boots.            

And yet, although she’d completely taken his breath away when he’d seen her making her grand entrance before, dressed to the nines as she walked down the stairs, Vegeta had to admit that he much preferred her this way.

He liked this Bulma, the one with her messy hair and shabby winter clothes, reenacting her favorite memoirs of youth just for him, with a couple of puny little arms firmly wrapped around him, and a gorgeous face covered in snow.

“I’d say…” She spoke in a hoarse whisper, the shadow of an enigmatic smile curling her mouth as she looked at him intriguingly. “This is a real mistletoe moment…”

One of her hands let go of him, wiping a minuscule white pebble off the tip of his nose with her index finger, allowing herself the luxury to brush his cheek with those soft fingertips, before grabbing onto his trembling arm once again, bringing herself even closer to him.

“Do you…?” She murmured inaudibly, languorously, nipping at her bottom lip as her hazed eyes skimmed through his anxious mouth. “Do you know what that is?”

Vegeta slowly shook his head no, barely able to assimilate, or to even listen to her cryptic words anymore, mesmerized by the luring effects of her dangerous proximity, and by her earnest heartbeat, pounding in his ears as if it were his own. He couldn’t deny to having indulged in a woman or two, back in his heyday, but it’d always been cold, quick and impersonal, never like this, never like her, never this terrifying emotion making him fall apart, the frightening certainty that, if he ever let his guard down and let this woman in, he’d never be the same again.

Time stood still for an eternal moment when her lips found his, her mouth soft, light as a feather, the world disappearing around them as she stole a first kiss from the man whose mysterious presence had seduced and fascinated her from the day she’d welcomed him into her vibrant life.

He was inexperienced, clumsy, just as she’d always expected him to be, too unused to love, or even kindness, to truly know what he was doing. But, Kami, something in that innocent kiss told her that there was more to this obscure man than met the eye, and that whoever would one day succeed in deciphering that inscrutable heart, might strike gold.    

“Mhmm…” Bulma moaned, with the faintness of a woman living in a dream, idly dropping her dizzy head on the curve of his shoulder, without even trying to open her eyes. “You’re so warm…” She slurred sleepily, rubbing her small, reddened nose, back and forth, into the surprisingly smooth skin of his neck, while gently grasping his captive arm, lifting it carefully and inviting him to shield her shivering shoulders with it.

The couple sat silently in the dark, with the heavy-eyed earthling drifting off with no trouble at all, and a very bewildered Saiyan, staring at her sleeping figure while wondering just what all of this had even meant, yet powerless to neglect her wishes, feeling himself steadily relaxing in her presence as he softened his tense arm, pulling her even closer to him.

He knew that he’d soon have to carry the fragile woman back to her bed, or she’d end up freezing to death but, for a moment, just for one selfish little moment, he greedily luxuriated in all that was Bulma, in that balmy, calm breath embracing his needy skin, in those tousled blue curls carelessly tickling his jaw and, most of all, in the miraculous way in which she was inexplicably dissipating the gloomy emotions crushing his spirit under that heavy veil of white snow.  

Aw! Christmas smooches!

Fun fact: we have no mistletoe tradition in my country, but I just couldn't help myself...

Anyway, the next prompt will take place on Christmas Day, so stay tuned!

And, in case I don't update the story before Christmas Day, I just want to wish you all an AMAZING Christmas with your families and all the people you care for, with lots of presents, yummy things and delicious food comas included, of course.  

Thank you so much for all the support in the past year, it means a lot!

MUCH LOVE!!!

[scarletraven1001]

Retribution

[Book 1] [Chapter 1]

Summary: Raised in the shadows, Vegeta’s sole purpose in life was to avenge the destruction of his family. The key to his victory laid in the hands of Bulma, the daughter of the enemy, and not even the strange connection he feels with her will keep him from raining his furious retribution upon all who had dared cross his bloodline.

A Vegebul Mafia AU Fic, for the @vegebulocracy Big Bang Challenge, 2018

Story Rating: E

Chapter Warnings: Violence, Swearing

Also on Ao3

All Chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

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Notes: Hello! Welcome to my contribution to the Vegebulocracy (VBO) Big Bang! This has been super fun (though at times rather difficult) to write and I am so excited to share this with all of you today! This story is complete, and I will be posting all chapters until the 24th of December. I would like to thank the incredible, amazing @blacksheep1105​ for her help as a Beta for this story, as without her help, this fic would not be anywhere near the story that it is right now! Thank you, girl! And to all of you, please check out Blacksheep's stories! With that, please do let me know what you think, for this first chapter of Retribution: Book 1!

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Chapter 1

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The coffee was fantastic.

He was no connoisseur – far from it, in fact – but he could definitely see that the tiny coffee shop that he had been sitting at for the past hour had the potential to become a big business if it kept making coffee this good.

The aroma of it was exquisite. The taste, liquid gold on his tongue, both soothed and kept him alert at the same time.

And Vegeta Saiyan needed to be alert, for what he was about to do.

He straightened his suit, adjusting his tie and checking his coat as he watched his target stroll leisurely up the street.

She was without a care in the world, her blue hair in a loose ponytail that flowed whimsically down her back. Her brilliant blue eyes shone like the most precious of sapphires, and her full pink lips beckoned like the petals of the rarest blossoms.

Her pale skin, vibrant even in the dying light of the twilight sun, was a clear indication of her wealthy upbringing.

Her family’s wealth… that should have been his.

That carefree manner, and the easy life that had given her all the things her heart had desired… those should have been his.

Resentment bubbled up from the deepest pits of his hardened heart, and he straightened as he watched her take her clueless steps into the comfortable apartment building where she resided.

He seethed, his hands clutching convulsively around his coffee mug, teeth grinding in his rage and excitement.

She was probably not even aware of the fact that she had been part of the conspiracy that had brought about the destruction of his family, the horrendous murders that had taken away everything that he had known and loved.

Oh, but she will know.

If all went well, before the night gives way to the next dawn, he will begin his revenge.

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Bulma sighed as she dropped her purse onto a small table at her apartment’s entryway, cursing slightly as the contents spilled out from its broken zipper.

She really ought to replace that bag.

But she didn’t have the will to, as it was one of the little knick knacks left behind by her mother, Panchy, after she passed away a few years ago.

It had already been rather well-used before Bulma had received it, as Panchy had been very fond of it as well. Bulma had hinted at liking the design, and her mother had promptly gifted it to her the next day.

The yellow leather bag was starting to grow too worn for use, and if Bulma were being honest to herself, the bag really was broken already.

Yet, broken or not, the one thing that she can never let go of, was the small, handwritten note that her mother had scribbled onto the main pocket inside.

Live well and stay beautiful, my baby girl.

Bulma had already lost so many people from her life, that she really didn’t want to start losing their mementos, as well.

She had left her home town of West City behind, as it had given her too many painful memories. To cope with her losses, she had moved to East City, where she began to work as a free contractor for rebuilding houses and infrastructure damaged by a recent earthquake that destroyed most of the downtown city proper. She received only food and transportation allowances, and was more than happy to keep it that way.

It wasn’t that she was generous… Working for next to nothing was her way of atoning for the sins that she knew that her family had been involved in for several generations.

She possessed a brilliant mind, and it did not take much for her to realize that her mother’s family, and now her own father, were involved in the workings of a crime syndicate.

Her father, Dr. Trunks Briefs, was a scientist who had occasionally dabbled in politics, under the stern and watchful influence of the West City Syndicate.

This was another reason why she had left West: To escape the syndicate. It was a convoluted group of corrupt officials and crime lords who had been in and out of the Briefs household since before the moment she had drawn her first breath.

Releasing a wide yawn, Bulma headed for her bedroom, intent on changing out of the denim jeans and simple white shirt that she had worn to work.

She was barely out of the living room when she heard her mobile phone ringing, and it took less than a moment for the ringtone to register in her mind and fire adrenaline through her veins.

It was a unique ringer tone that she had set for a private number that no one but her and her father knew about. He never used it, unless there was an absolute emergency.  

She lunged forward, tripping over her own feet in her haste, and immediately answered.

“Hello,” she greeted, breathless from the panic that now surged within her body.

“Bulma!”

He sounded stressed, ragged… he was a little breathless, from what Bulma could tell, and she immediately knew something major had come up.

“Dad? Is everything alright?”

“No, baby,” he said, and Bulma’s hand flew to her chest, trying to still her now erratic heartbeats.

“What happened? Are you ok?” she asked.

“Yes, but you won’t be!” he said urgently. “I need you to get out of your apartment, right now. I have received intel that some people are after you. You need to get out, now!”

Her panic dwindled slightly at the sheer ridiculousness of her father’s claim.

However, his words made her take a glance around the room, her eyes that had been raised in the heart of danger making a quick sweep of her surroundings and quickly noting the locked doors and reinforced windows.

“Dad, that’s impossible,” she said brightly into the receiver, even while her brows furrowed in concern. “This flat isn’t even named after me. I’m not using my real name here!”

“That doesn’t matter! Leave, now!” he yelled, his desperation bleeding into his shouted words. “Go into the woods, whatever. I am sending men to fetch you right now.”

This was not the first time that her father had been so paranoid, and Bulma was skeptical.

“Dad, really, I don’t think-”

Bulma cut herself off with a shrill little scream, when the lights in her room suddenly turned off, plunging her into pitch blackness.

“A power outage?” she thought in confusion.

“Bulma!” her father screamed.

“Dad, I’m fine!” she placated. “The lights just went out all of a sudden. Lemme grab my flashlight-”

“No!” Dr. Briefs yelled. “Don’t! If the lights went out, that means they are there, Bulma! You need to go! Walk in the shadows… draw no attention to yourself. Get out of there, now!”

This time, she believed him, and did not need to be told twice.

“I will call you when I get to safety,” she said, turning off the call.

She grabbed her bag, felt around for her keys and wallet, and she stuffed those and her phone into her pockets before she made a break for the door.

8-8-8-8-8

The phone vibrating in his hand was their signal.

The power had been cut, and it was time to make their move.

Vegeta stood in the lobby of the apartment building, watching the small bit of panic on the patrons’ faces as the lights went down.

They needn’t worry… it was not them that he was coming for.

The public addressed system pinged, and a clear voice rang out to address the residents.

“All residents, please vacate the building,” it called. “We are experiencing technical difficulties in the electrical circuitry. We are now working to restore the power. We advise you to vacate to ensure your safety. ”

The same message was repeated twice more as the small communication link in his ear beeped.

“We’re in, big brother ,” a voice said in his ear, almost cheerful-sounding in spite of the serious nature of events. “Emergency lines are down, as well.”

“Good job, Kakarot,” Vegeta said, his deeper baritone humming into the line. “Lapiz? Are you ready?”

“Of course,” a smooth, calm voice called in. “Piccolo and I are underground. Waiting for your move, Prince.”

“Don’t call me that,” he growled as he began to walk in the opposite direction of all the tenants rushing to leave the building.

A staff member was ushering people out, telling them to vacate due to a short circuit in the building, and Vegeta smirked as he recognized the guy as one of the people he had paid off to help let them into the maintenance rooms.

He smirked as he made his way to a side room, leading into the emergency maintenance stairwell. He calmly climbed the stairs, his dark eyes narrowed in concentration as he approached the correct floor.

She was still there. He could practically feel her.

A flow of people greeted him as he alighted on the fifth floor, their excited chatter annoying him, the beams from their flashlights blinding him as they flashed across his face while they moved.

Vegeta knew that Briefs would tell her not to use a flashlight. The old man was predictable, that way.

A small movement off to his left alerted him to a slight, dark silhouette trying to make its way through the darkness.

He pulled his night vision glasses out of his coat pocket even though honestly, he didn’t truly need them quite yet.

Even in the pitch-black halls, he would recognize that strangely-colored fall of hair, anywhere.

With a devilish smirk, he begins the chase.

8-8-8-8-8

Trying to navigate the halls in the dark was hell.

She took tiny, measured steps, hands feeling along the walls as she did her hardest to not trip over anything.

It had been easier to move around when she was still among the people who had their lighting implements on, but as she strode further away from the flow, she realized that she may have made a mistake.

She had thought, if people were after her, they would probably try to find her among the sea of people. Nobody would have guessed that she would try to make her way out using the smaller stairwell in the maintenance areas.  

“For a genius, I could be really dumb sometimes,” she muttered, feeling a small wave of relief wash over her as her eyes began to adjust to the darkness.

She could make out the faint outline of a door, and knew from the blueprints that she had of the building that this was the main entryway to the maintenance areas.

Slowly, she turned the knob, not making a sound.

She closed the door behind her, taking a deep breath before she leaned back against the wall beside the door.  

Bulma looked around, realizing with trepidation that something was… off.

This was the maintenance area. She had expected the maintenance men to be swarming this place, trying to fix the broken circuits so they could restore power to the building.

Why then… was it empty?

Not a sound, not a soul in sight.

Her heart beat harshly within her chest, as she began to suspect that, in her over-thinking her escape, she may have screwed herself, instead.

The soft click of the door behind her, followed by the soft sound of hushed footsteps that like her, remained unguided by light, confirmed her suspicions.

Suppressing a gasp, Bulma tried to find a place to hide, feeling around for any apparatus large enough for her to plaster herself against.

To her horror, the silhouette of the intruder started walking closer.

She took off in a panic, trying her best to run in the pitch black darkness, holding in her panting breaths as she fought to clear her mind, to think…

She was Bulma Briefs, and she refused to acknowledge that she somehow may have been outsmarted by one of her father’s thuggish rivals.

Her keys jingled softly in her pocket, but in the absolute stillness of the dark, the sound seemed as loud as sirens to her terrified ears.

As if hearing her distress, the person chasing her mocked her by stomping once, a little loudly, almost making her shriek.

Her hands groped in the darkness before her, and on impulse, she felt around her pocket, grasping at the tiny charm that held her noisy keys together.

Her lucky charm. An old, round spaceship toy that she had turned into a keychain as a memento of her dearest friend that she had lost when they were just children. For all the years after he had died, having the toy with her made her feel like he was still right there, and with her heart in her throat, she begged the heavens for him to keep her safe once again.

She hoped against hope, that he was still watching over her, right at that moment.

Her footsteps sounded too loud and heavy to her ears, and she was sure that the person chasing her could find her on the sound of her footfalls alone.

She turned a corner, and she let out a loud, desperate gasp when her hands pushed forward…

And found a solid, brick wall.

She was trapped.

The despair went through her just as she felt the thick, large hands grab hold of her shoulders, and she finally let out a scream as she tried to struggle away from her captor.

“Kyaaa!” she yelled “No! Don’t touch me!”

The person let out a snicker, a low, man’s voice that sent terrified shivers up her spine, before he effortlessly pulled her by the waist with a single arm, and with the other hand, she felt him lift a cold metal cylinder to her head.

A gun.

Her screaming subsided with a choke, her hands helplessly flying towards her chest to still the erratic beating of her heart.

“Please,” she whispered, “Don’t shoot.”

She felt him pull her closer, pressing her against an unyielding body, as a chuckle vibrated across his chest that was right against her back.

From what she could tell, he was not too tall, but was made of a thick wall of pure muscle that she, in her frailness, had no hope of getting away from.

She felt the gun leisurely caress her cheek, until it pressed up against the side of her throat, followed by the hot sensation of a gust of his breath against the back of her neck.

“Now, why would I want to go and kill you now, Ms. Briefs?”

His voice, low and throaty, terrified her…

And for some reason, brought a strange twinge of familiarity to twitch at the back of her mind.

“Who are you?” she demanded, trying and almost succeeding at keeping her voice from trembling.

“That does not matter,” he answered. “What is imperative right now, Princess, is that you cooperate with me. And we shall start by walking back the way you came, into your apartment, so we can make a little call.”

She sucked in a breath.

“And if you know what is good for you,” he hissed, “you will not make a sound.”

She pushed at him slightly, before she hissed back.

“Do not call me Princess.”

8-8-8-8-8

Ah, so she still had that fight within her, after all.

“Very well,” Vegeta answered, taking a discrete whiff of her hair as he pulled her more tightly against him.

She smelled glorious.

Even more so than he remembered.

Then again, his memories of her scent were always mixed with the smell of grass, the scent of sweat, sunshine and childish delight.

She was definitely no longer a child, now.

As quickly and gently as he could, he forced her to walk back the way they had come, his small night vision glasses helping him see perfectly in the darkness.

He had to admit, that toying with her, giving her hope that she had even a slim chance of getting away when he could clearly see her struggling to take her tiny steps, was rather enjoyable.

The whole area was still dark as they trudged down the hall leading to her room.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice strong and demanding even in her compromised state. “Are you gonna rob me? Kill me? Rape me?”

He chuckled darkly at that. “Oh believe me, Ms. Briefs… If I were to decide to fuck you, it would not be rape. You would be begging for it.”

She scoffed, pulling a smirk from his lips.

“I highly doubt that, you brute.”

He could see the door. They were almost there.

“Who are you?” she asked again. “Do I know you?”

Amidst her question, he sensed an underlying note of genuine curiosity.

She knew. Or at least, a part of her did.

She had always been too smart, even for him.

“You are in no position to be demanding answers, Ms. Briefs,” he said simply.

He finally pushed his way into her apartment, and found his men waiting for them in the living room.

“Lapiz,” he called out, pulling off his night vision glasses, sticking them into his jacket pocket. “The lights.”

A small halo of light appeared from a single lamp in the middle of the room, giving off a faint illumination that was just enough to see by.

“Piccolo,” he called.

“Yes, boss,” a tall, thin man with a tall nose and a white turban round his head stepped forward, holding the ropes, just as planned.

He felt Bulma gasp against him as Piccolo came forward, quickly tying her hands together, before he knelt down to bind her legs while Vegeta held her steady.

After Piccolo was done tying her up, Vegeta ushered her down onto a chair, patting her pockets, and pulling out her phone, wallet, and keys.

It was as he was placing her things down onto a table to leave them behind that the small trinket dangling from her keys, hanging beside a tiny flash drive, caught his eye.

He paused, lifting it closer to his face, disbelieving…

The small, white toy, a miniature alien spacepod from a silly television show he had watched as a kid, cheerfully taunted him, causing him to gasp inaudibly.

He turned it over, and saw exactly what he had hoped, or perhaps dreaded, staring back at him.

A tiny “V”, carved onto the back of the toy.

A marker, carved onto the trinket with a small kitchen knife.

He glanced surreptitiously at the woman who was glaring at his men.

She had kept it.

All those years…

Vegeta cleared his throat, steeling himself.

It was not the time for sentimentality.

However, unable to help himself, he found himself surreptitiously putting the woman’s keys into his own pocket instead of leaving them behind.

Before him, Lapiz was already setting up the small netbook, loading up the video call that would connect them to the man who had helped destroy his family.

The cheerful sound made by the application was like an alarm, fully pulling him into the moment, reminding him of his long overdue revenge.

He cracked his knuckles, situating himself behind Bulma’s chair, both of them directly in front of the small computer that was currently placing a video call request to none other than Dr. Trunks Briefs.

Lapiz took his position behind the computer, his short black hair falling primly behind his ears as he aimed a gun at the woman, just as Vegeta had instructed.

Vegeta was trembling from his excitement, but he reined it back, forcing on a placid expression as the face of the man finally appeared on the screen.

“Hello?” the older man called into the screen.

“Dad!” Bulma called, on cue.

Vegeta’s smirk widened.

“Bulma? Bulma, it’s dark. Did you make it out?”

“Dad-”

“No, Dr. Briefs. She did not make it out,” Vegeta finally called out, and he watched in glee as the scientist’s eyes widened, first in fear, and then, in horrified recognition.

“You…?” he choked out. “The Dark Prince…”

He almost sneered at the tile.

Oh, how he hated it.

At the moment though, he relished in the terrified reverence that he heard in Briefs’ voice as he stared in petrified horror at him through the computer screen.

“Yes, me. Surprised, doctor?” he taunted, placing a hand on Bulma’s shoulder for show.

“My daughter! Please, don’t hurt my daughter-”

“Does she look to be in pain, doctor?” he asked. “She will remain unscathed, if you tell me exactly what I need to know.”

8-8-8-8-8

Bulma blanched as she saw her father’s eyes widen on the screen.

He had been looking at her, but then his eyes became riveted on her abductor, standing guard right behind her.

“I knew it,” she thought to herself. “Something about him is familiar. My father knows him…”

The man behind her began talking again, and Bulma strained her mind, trying in vain to think of where, where and when, she had heard that voice before.

It was not entirely familiar… like an echo of a long-forgotten memory that had been distorted by time, but she had known from the start, from the very first time that he had spoken to her, that she knew that voice…

“I will ask you, only once, Briefs,” he snarled. “Where is the third?”

Her father looked shell-shocked. “The third… you have found the second?”

“As I have said to your daughter… you are in no position to be demanding answers from me,” the man bit out. “Answer my question, Briefs.”

Bulma watched her father through the camera…

He was tight-lipped, his eyes wide in terror and agony… and she realized with a sinking feeling that she knew that look.

It was the face he made whenever he had to keep a terrible secret from her and her mother… his face whenever he knew that the syndicate’s business was far more important than anything he had on his plate.

At once, she came to the startling realization that whatever it was that her kidnapper was asking about, her father knew exactly what the answer was.

And yet, even with her sitting there in mortal danger, he would not talk.

She was absolutely sure.

The horrifying thought raged inside her head, and she understood that whatever it was, was bigger, more important, than her.

She began to despair as she watched the emotions run amok on her father’s face.

She closed her eyes as she heard her father speak the words that would spell her doom.

“I am sorry, young man. I do not know,” he answered, and she heard his plea through his softly-whispered words.

I am sorry, Bulma.

She shook her head in disbelief.

Her father had just sold her out… to keep a secret for the syndicate.

“Tch,” the man behind her spat. “Yes you do, Briefs. I am rather disappointed that you would allow your own daughter to die for a secret that we can unfold soon, anyway. I had just been hoping that you could make the search easier.”

Bulma felt his hold on her shoulders tighten, and she peeked, seeing the thin, severe-looking man behind the netbook still pointing his gun at her in warning.

“I know you do not think much of your existence, Briefs,” the man said, “but let me see how well you hold out when I have your daughter with me.”

With that, he gave her shoulder a sharp, painful squeeze.

“Aah!” she cried out, trying to hold back tears at the unwelcome sensation.

“Bulma!” Dr. Briefs cried.

“You had your chance, Briefs!” he said again. “And if you value your daughter’s life, even a little… make sure that the details of this little chat never reaches Frieza.”

“What do you plan to do with Bulma?” Dr. Briefs asked.

The man simply walked away from her, and with a menacing smirk, answered:

“We will be in touch.”

He then reached down, and disconnected the call.

He turned to the other two, who simply nodded and began packing up their computer and lights, as he approached her again, and before the lights went out, she finally caught a decent glimpse of the man who had been holding her captive.

Bulma’s breath caught in her throat as the sense of recognition began to relentless nag at her mind.

Her eyes took in the broad shoulders that made up for a rather compact stature, his hair a dark, controlled flame above his head. His large hands lifted to conceal his eyes behind what seemed like a set of high-tech night vision lenses.

She shook in denial. It couldn’t possibly be…

His eyes… she needed to see his eyes.

She didn’t even fight him when he untied her legs, then forcefully pulled her up with him, a gun to her side as he made her walk briskly beside him and his men.

It seemed like a small eternity, but soon, she felt the breeze of the cold autumn night on her cheeks, and she had barely realized that she was out of the building before she felt herself being pushed into a sleek, black car.

The man followed immediately behind her.

“Drive,” he growled, and a blond seated at the driver’s seat nodded, speeding them off into the night.

Bulma looked around, noting another dark car following closely behind them, and she took a deep breath, gathering her will before she turned to face her abductor.

Now, in the sparse lights of the few streetlamps littering what looked to be a back street, she gazed at his face, turned sharply towards her while his gun remained trained on her.

“Please,” she tried to reason with him again. “Why are you doing this? My father already told you that he doesn’t know anything.”

He smirked, an eerily familiar expression that made her chest constrict.

She needed to see his eyes!

“Come now, woman. Did you honestly believe that he was being truthful?” he asked, and Bulma viciously pushed her tears back, as desperation filled her.

She tried to discreetly move her hands, hoping to loosen the binds.

“I would not attempt to escape if I were you, Bulma.”

She stilled.

It can’t be…

She looked at him again, her heart hammering in her chest…

The way he said her name… it was unmistakable.

A slightly teasing cadence, the “u” sound deeper and a little longer than necessary.

There was only one person who had ever spoken her name that way…

“My name… why did you say my name that way?” she whispered.

He pointedly looked away.

Bulma felt her lower lip tremble. “Please… may I… will you let me see your eyes?”

He glanced at her, and with a hesitant sigh, lifted his free hand, and pulled off his dark glasses.

Her very breath stopped, and she stared.

Those eyes… narrowed, slanted, with thick brows… the darkest eyes she had ever seen.

The sight of those eyes transported her mind back to her youth, to happier times, before all the complications began, and she finally felt the tears fall unbidden down her cheeks.

She would know those eyes anywhere.

Bulma choked, her emotions too much, running too high…

It should not have been possible. But she couldn’t possibly be wrong…

“Ve… Vegeta?”

His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, and that miniscule affirmation was all that it took to make her tears fall harder.

“Oh God… you’re alive?”

8-8-8-8-8

To be continued…

[tgunn64]

Speculating the Jump Force roster

Because I’m hype as HELL for this game

One Piece has Luffy and being one of the biggest universes in all of anime there’s a LOT to pick from. The Straw Hats alone could put in Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Robin or Franky (Usopp, Chopper or Brook maybe? Probably assist characters). Then there’s Jimbei, Shanks, Hancock, Mihawk, Ace, Law, AND THEN there’s villain like Akainu, Crocodile, Doflamingo, Blackbeard…...there’s a lot to pick from. Depending on the size of their roster this could go a lot of different ways. Any number of folks from the pool above. Dragon Ball is a similar case. Goku and Frieza are there and I don’t feel unsafe even remotely assuming Vegeta will hop in soon. From there there’s a big pool. Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, Trunks--maybe Cell or Buu for more villains? I wonder if even Beerus since DBS is being backwards adapted into a manga. Naruto also has a huge cast but I think it’s much easier divided into folks who are safer to make it than the above two. I think Sasuke is a safe bet. Madara was in J-Stars but if they swapped him for like Pain or Orochimaru I wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe Kakashi after that? Mayyyyybe Rock Lee or Gaara if they feel like really throwing us a bone? Frankly I’m a little surprised Boruto didn’t show up here all things considered but I can’t complain. Death Note I just doubt is getting anyone else. I’m assuming Light will be getting help from Ryuk Ice Climbers style and...I guess they could pull Misa with Rem? I guess that’d be a little redundant. Let’s see how these two we have even play out, I’m really curious. Now for the stuff that isn’t confirmed but I think probably will be...

My Hero Academia is WSJ’s newest and biggest hit and it’s overdue for at least a few reps. Right out of the box Midoriya, Bakugou, and Todoroki seem like an easy and solid trio to represent--All Might maybe but he feels a little ‘above’ being a full fledged fighter, y’know? They might throw in a girl too--Asui, Yaoyorozu, and/or most likely Uraraka could all be fun. Mayyyybe Eraserhead? Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure I feel least certain guessing on because it all depends on which part(s) they feel like pushing. Jotaro is the most popular Jojo, but they went with Jonathan and Joseph in J-Stars, but Josuke was the most recent anime adaption, BUT Gionro is getting one soon (maybe? hopefully?). Then corresponding villain. Could be Dio, could be Kira, it all depends. Hunter x Hunter will have Gon and Killua...will they make Hisoka fully playable already? Don’t blue ball me and make him an assist like in J-Stars. I don’t really see them going beyond there...maybe Meruem. Bleach is a weird case because while it’s still a part of WSJ’s history, it’s very clear that they’re trying to push it to the back. It had a rushed ending and evidently, Kubo isn’t fond of his time with the magazine. This makes me wonder how many spots they’ll give it. Ichigo for sure, from there it could be Rukia, Aizen, Byakuya, or Kenpachi? I never made it so, so far in this series so I don’t know exactly who the biggest characters really are by the end. Yu Yu Hakusho should have Yusuke, from there his friends are kinda on the same footing. Could be Genkai, Kuwabara, Hiei, or Kurama and I wouldn’t be so surprised. But if Sensui makes it in over Toguro I’ll go on a rampage. Rurouni Kenshin SO elephant in the room--I know, I know. But I think we will end up seeing Kenshin. Watsuki’s arrest was less than a year ago and this game must’ve been some way along by then and I think it’d be too late to remove all representation of Kenshin, which is one of the biggest WSJ properties of the 90s and has a revival manga going, which Watsuki has been released from prison to continue (uughhggh). BUT. If Kenshin and Shishio make it in and there’s nothing we can do about it I still love them and playing them won’t hurt anyone. I wonder if they’d throw a curveball and maybe add Sano and Saito? I hope we see Shishio again--he’s my main in J-Stars, he’s not an unpopular villain but he’s not a household name like Frieza so I guess we’ll see. Fist of the North Star will probably have Kenshiro. J-Stars had Raoh but I don’t strongly feel he’ll return--maybe though. Rei, Shin, Mamiya, and Toki are all pretty believable candidates. And even though it’s awful we’ll probably see Black Clover in this. They’re trying really hard to push it and make it work so yeah we’ll probably have to endure screams from Asta and maybe his brother will be there too and no one will care. Food Wars has really shot up in the consideration of everyone. Sure, Soma is a chef but I never thought I’d see Light knuckle up, either. They could get creative. Speaking of less conventional fighters, maybe we’ll get to see Yu-Gi-Oh’s Yami Yugi in the ring. He could summon monsters and that’d be neat. From there there’s some of the smaller series that will probably have just one character--Korosensei, Arale, Kinnikuman, some of those surprises and retro folks.

[ladyvegeets]

Edible 3

[read from ch.1 here]

“Papa, potty!”

It was becoming a familiar greeting for Vegeta when he returned from training. His wife was sat at the kitchen counter, one eye on her work laptop, the other on dinner. Next to her, Bra was doodling with crayons, but she abandoned them the moment Vegeta entered the room. Her face lit up, and little chubby hands raised towards him in expectation of being picked up. 

“Again?” he asked, casting his wife a disgruntled look. “What do you do all day, hook her up to the faucet?”

“Hey, don’t look at me,” Bulma replied, glancing at him over her laptop screen. “I tried to take her potty fifteen minutes ago, but she refused. She’s as stubborn as you are.”

Vegeta huffed, not needing to voice who he thought the more stubborn one was. He scooped Bra into his arms and carried her off to the bathroom. 

“Papa, you smell,” Bra complained, her little nose crinkling.

“That’s what happens when you don’t let me shower first.”

They arrived at the nearest bathroom, the one with the little pink plastic child’s toilet that Vegeta thought was ridiculous, but Bulma insisted was a necessary tool. He wanted to complain that Saiyan pups didn’t need such molly-coddling devices, but then again, he had no experience in the matter. Since Bulma raised Trunks mostly on her own, and — as she so often liked to point out — had read extensively on child-rearing, Vegeta was forced to defer to her expertise. 

He set Bra down and crossed his arms. “Do you need any help?” he asked gruffly.

“Nuh-uh,” she enthused, and with clumsy determination pulled down her pants and wiggled her way onto the pink potty. The little tinkle of water filled the silence.

Once finished, Vegeta helped lift his daughter to sink-level so that she could wash her hands.

“Did I do good, Papa?” she asked, looking up at him with hopeful blue eyes.

He ran his hand over her hair. “Yes, princess.”

Bra beamed and pressed her face into his chest, demanding to be carried back to the kitchen. 

The next day was much the same, and the day after. Bulma offered to take Bra in his place, but their daughter puffed out her cheeks and replied shrilly, “No, I want PAPA!”

With a beleaguered sigh, he complied. 

The following evening as he made his way towards the kitchen, Vegeta felt something… off. Both his wife and daughter’s ki was elevated. Alarmed, he dashed into the living space. Bulma was standing in the middle of the room at a loss, watching as their daughter sobbed, crouched down, face to the wall. Bra only did that when she was really upset. The broken cries she muffled against the wall were that of a child whose whole tiny world had ended and nothing could ever make it right again.

It tore his heart into shreds.

“What’s going on?” he demanded.

Bulma sighed. “I told her that you couldn’t take her potty, and she threw a fit.”

“Why did you tell her that?”

“Because she’s been holding on all day, waiting for you. That’s not healthy, Vegeta. She needs to learn to go without you holding her hand.”

Bra’s crying continued, and Vegeta headed over and put his hand on her heaving back. “Echalotte.”

“Pa…pa…” she sobbed, and turned around to bury her face in his neck. “Mo-mmy s-said—”

“I know,” he replied, pulling her into his arms and carrying her off to the bathroom before she had an accident. After that was taken care of, Vegeta lay Bra down, the poor thing so exhausted from crying that she had fallen asleep on her plastic toilet.

Back in the kitchen, Bulma was reading something on her laptop, her brow furrowed. Vegeta knew that look of concentration, it meant she had something to say and that he probably wasn’t going to like it.

“Potty-training was your idea,” he said, not keen to be blamed for Bra’s meltdown.

But she didn’t come at him with accusations. Instead, Bulma spun the laptop around and pointed at the screen. “I know. And I think I have the answer: it’s a matter of positive reinforcement,” she said in that tone which meant something was very obvious — if you were a genius. As much as Vegeta liked to pride himself on his intelligence and strategic thinking, he knew that genius-levels of intellect were slightly out of his reach.

“What?”

“Bra’s behavior,” Bulma explained. “That’s what it says here. You know how you reward her for going potty? I think you need to do something else with her to positively reinforce her.”

“Positively… reinforce?” Vegeta repeated slowly, as if saying the words would help him understand their meaning.

Bulma rolled her eyes. “Oh my god. It means be nice to her, encourage her. She’s desperate for your approval.”

Vegeta scowled, taking the words to heart. Was he failing his daughter? The notion was a bitter pill to swallow. He had been so distant for Trunks’ early childhood, he didn’t care to repeat those same mistakes again.

“Hey.” Bulma’s hand touched his arm, and she gave him a soft smile. “You’re a good father, Vegeta. We just need to find a better way for you and her to bond that won’t result in a urinary infection.”

His frown turned contemplative as he considered his options. “I have an idea.”

~xox~

 “Again.”

Bra scowled in concentration as she struck Vegeta’s palm with a chubby fist. They were in the gravity room (with the gravity turned off, mind you, but it was the principal of the matter that they practice in the appropriate setting). Vegeta had bargained with his daughter to train her for an hour each day if she promised to go potty with her mother when she needed to. Bra had been ecstatic.

“Good,” Vegeta said as her fist connected nicely. “Remember, visualize your hand going through mine.”

“What’s viz-ju-lies?”

“It means imagine.”

“Oh.” Bra narrowed her eyes at his palm, but hesitated. “I won’t hurt you?” she asked nervously.

Vegeta reached out and adjusted the positioning of her thumb. “No, princess. Who’s the strongest in the universe?”

She perked up. “You are!”

He smiled. “Exactly. So don’t hold back.”

“Okay, Papa.” Her little face scrunched in fierce determination. Vegeta held up his palm, and Bra cried out and punched. “Ha!”

“Good. Again.”

“Ha!”

“Again.”

“Haaa!”

“More! Your brother just stole your dessert. How do you feel?”

“AAAAAAAAAGHHHH!”

The smirk of satisfaction he gave was sinister.

~xox~

 “-And then - and then I helpit Papa with his push-ups!” Bra announced proudly as she came back from the bathroom hand-in-hand with Bulma.

“Wow, Papa’s really lucky to have your help,” Bulma told her.

“Uh-huh! I sat on his back and yelled, AGAIN, AGAIN. And then he said roth gaer!” Bra said, making her voice deep and gravelly to mimic her father’s tone as she repeated the Saiyan curse.

Crap. The girl had good ears, and a good memory.

Bulma shot Vegeta a suspicious look. “Did he really? That sounds an awful lot like something a little princess shouldn’t be saying.”

“She must have misheard me,” Vegeta lied, and stuffed his mouth with dinner to avoid further questioning. 

“Mm-hmm,” Bulma said, not buying it, but she spared him the talk about swearing around the children. There was a tug on his leg, and Bra climbed awkwardly up to sit in his lap instead of her own chair. Vegeta allowed it. 

“Where’s the boy?” he asked as Bulma busied getting her own plate of food.

“Where do you think?”

At Kakarot’s, of course. Trunks and Goten were near-inseparable. 

“Mommy?” Bra asked, peeking out from around her father’s arm. “Can I have a suit like Papa’s?”

Vegeta paused mid-bite, looking down at his daughter, then up at Bulma. The question blindsided him. Bra wanted Saiyan battle armor? 

Something hot swelled in his chest, filling him with a warm and almost suffocating sensation: pride.

Bulma gave both of them a knowing smile. “Hm, let’s see. If you eat all your vegetables, I’ll think about it.”

Bra squealed in delight and reached for a potato on his plate.

“Hey,” he chastised, knocking the spud from her hand and replacing it with a fork. “This is not the Son household. We are not animals.” 

Bra did her best, although she had to use her left hand to put food on her fork, something which Vegeta pretended not to see. Together they wolfed down his meal and two more plates which Bulma was kind enough to serve. It didn’t escape his notice that Bra ate the same things he did, mimicking him even when he drank. She let out a satisfied little ‘ah’ when she finished gulping down her water.

An affectionate smile formed on his lips before he could stop it, which he hid by pressing his mouth to the top of her soft hair. “Good. It’s important to take care of your body if you want to be strong.”

“Uh-huh. That’s what Tunks says too.”

Did he? So the boy hadn’t forgotten everything, that was good to know.

“Mommy, I’m done. Can I have a super duper suit now?”

Vegeta’s cheek twitched, feeling the ghosts of his ancestors turning in their nonexistent graves. Bulma barely held back a laugh. “Well, did you eat all your vegetables?”

“Yes, mommy!”

Several spoonfuls of peas on the floor would disagree with her, but Vegeta nudged them out of sight with the toe of his boot. If Bulma noticed, she said nothing.

“Okay then. Let’s get you measured.”

Bra shrieked happily, and inadvertently kicked and elbowed every sensitive part of Vegeta she could as she clumsily climbed down him. Once situated on her feet, she glanced back up for one final question.

“I did good today, right Papa?”

He reached out and stroked her hair. “Yes, Echalotte. You made me very proud.”

Her face split into her brightest smile yet, and then off she ran towards Bulma’s lab, singing some made-up song about being super duper. Bulma came over and bestowed him with a soft kiss. 

“She’s going to grow up to break hearts, and now bones.”

“Hn,” he agreed, though not in the way Bulma might have imagined. The only broken heart he feared was his own, the day Bra no longer looked to him for his approval.

~xoXox~

 AN: I swear I never intended this to be more than a one-shot, but cute ideas keep cropping up.

[wallturkey]

What If Vegeta Trained Gohan After The Cell Games?

This idea has been in my head for a while, and I figured Tumblr was a good place to put down the stories inside my head.

A few weeks after the Cell Games, Vegeta is at Capsule Corporation. He is still despondent after the death of his longtime rival. Without Kakarot, the urge to train is diminished. He still does so, but spends more and more time trying to figure out how to be a father. That is until Gohan walks in. Gohan is in Super Saiyan form, retaining his ability to stay in the transformed state indefinitely.

“What are you doing here?” Vegeta is incensed simply by the boy’s presence. It reminds him of the man he will never get to beat.

“I respect my father’s decision,” Gohan’s tone was respectful, but determined. “But he was wrong. His absence does not protect the Earth from danger. There will be new threats. If I want to be ready, I need to be stronger.” He locked eyes with Vegeta. “I need to embrace my heritage. I want to train with the rightful King of the Saiyans.”

Vegeta's eyes widened. His heart raced. All the old feelings returned. He had a new future. He smiled his vicious smile. “Prepare for punishment. I will make an elite Saiyan warrior out of you.”

Years pass. Gohan spends most of his time at Capsule Corp, training constantly. He spends an hour a day with Bulma being tutored to satiate Chi-Chi, who eventually visits as well, after Goten and Trunks have joined Vegeta and Gohan’s training. Because of this, all four of them become immensely powerful. All three boys have also learned under Bulma’s tutelage, keeping up their intelligence.

At Chi-Chi’s insistence, Gohan enrolls in Orange Star High School as he does in the anime. Day 1 starts as it does in DBZ proper. Gohan runs into bank robbers, goes Super Saiyan, and dispatches them easily. He returns to normal and goes to school. All goes well until Videl questions him. “The Gold Fighter was wearing a white shirt, a black vest, and red pants.”

“But he had gold hair.” Erasa chimed in.

“Like this?” Bolstered by the Saiyan pride fostered by Vegeta, Gohan transforms right there in the classroom, and brings the world to a halt. Gohan, the Gold Fighter is immediately a household name. It quickly comes out that he is the son of former World Martial Arts Champion Son Goku, and Videl steps in to help him handle the publicity... On the condition that he train her.

The next day, Videl arrives at Capsule Corp. Vegeta refuses to train her, so he focuses his attention on Goten and Trunks, who are decked in Bulma’s rendition of Saiyan armor. Gohan trains Videl, and within a day she learns the basics of ki control. The next day, she has taken to the air, if only barely. Suitably impressed, Vegeta steps in.

“Who are you?” He asked incredulously. “Very few earthlings are this naturally adept.”

Videl stood strong. “I’m the daughter of Mr. Satan, the World Martial Arts Champion!”

Vegeta stared, confused, before a sudden spark of realization hit him, and he burst into laughter. “That oaf? He’s about as strong as an Arlian beetle!”

“I know him!” Goten chimed in. “He’s the strongest guy on Earth not like us!”

Vegeta looked angry. “Then he isn’t strong.”

Videl mirrored his rage. “It’s his training that made me this good. If he learned this stuff he could outclass you!”

Vegeta laughed once more before regaining his poise. “I very much doubt that, girl. But you have potential. Keep it up and you could find yourself among Earth’s ACTUAL warriors. I will train you.”

Videl’s first instinct is to refuse, but seeing Goten and Trunks flying and firing blasts, throwing punches and kicks way above her head convinces her that she wants that power.

3 days into Vegeta’s training, Videl is almost destroyed, but feeling incredibly strong. Feeling bold, Gohan helps her up and wipes her hair from her face.

“You’ve come so far, Videl. I’m impressed!” Gohan smiled. “But you should consider cutting your hair.”

“You like girls with short hair?” Videl stared into Gohan’s eyes.

“Uh, I don’t know.” Gohan was stupefied. “But as a fighter your hair is just getting in the way.”

“And those pigtails make free weapons for your enemy.” Vegeta chided without looking.”

“WHAT’S IT MATTER TO YOU?” Videl yells before angrily leaving and flying off, not even realizing this was the first time she flew home on her own.

The next day the Saiyans were surprised to see Videl show up with the pixie-cut.

“Who’s the new boy?” Goten energetically blurted out.

Videl ignored him. “I have an idea!” All eyebrows quirked. “We should all enter the Tenkaichi Budokai!”

“The what?” Vegeta was already agitated.

“It’s the tournament my dad one decades ago.” Gohan replied.

“Videl’s dad won the last tournament, but that was before I was born.” Goten added.

“And why should we enter?” Vegeta scoffed.

“For one, first prize is 100 million Zeni.” Videl quickly added.

“My wife is heir to the biggest fortune on the planet. I don’t need money.”

“More importantly, I need someone to knock my dad off his high horse.”

Vegeta smiled. “That’s almost worth it.”

Videl got angry. “Come on! What will it take?”

“What if I join in?” A familiar voice echoed through the room.

“Dad?”

“Kakarot?”

Goten, Trunks, and Videl looked around confused as Vegeta and Gohan looked with sudden hope and excitement.

“It turns out that due to my heroic efforts in life, I've earned a bit of credit! I can spend a full day on Earth. I think I’ll use it to fight in the tournament!”

“At last! I can prove that I have surpassed you!” Vegeta shouted with glee.

Goku laughed. “You can try.”

Fast-forward to the tournament. Pretty much everything proceeds as normal, with a few changes. First, Gohan enters under his real name. Second, Tien enters the tournament as well, eliminating Mighty Mask from reaching the final 16. Third, as Gohan’s abilities are public knowledge, and speculation about his presence at the Cell Games has already started, the no-Super Saiyan rule isn’t instituted among the Z fighters.

Goten and Trunks dominate the Junior Division, and meet up in the finals. But this time, Trunks’ hubris gets the better of him, and Goten is victorious. In the exhibition, Goten takes to Mr. Satan’s antics, and hits him softly. Mr. Satan plays it up(although it did really hurt), and the “Let Goten win” narrative holds true.

The main tournament begins proper, and the 1st round looks like this:

Krillin Vs Pintar

Ma Jr(Piccolo) Vs Shin

Videl Vs Spopovitch

Gohan Vs Kibito

Vegeta Vs Goku

Tien Vs Yamu

18 Vs Jewel

Mr. Satan Vs Killa

Krillin eliminated Pintar with a single kick.

Piccolo again discovers Shin’s identity as the Supreme Kai, but at Gohan’s insistence goes through with the fight. It is an intense battle, but in the end Shin uses speed and tactics to outplay Piccolo and overpower him, winning by ringout.

Videl beats down Spopovitch, and once again kicks hard enough to spin his head around. He returns his head to proper position, then assaults Videl mercilessly. However, under Vegeta’s tutelage, Videl has grown smarter and tougher. A surprise energy blast blinds Spopovitch, and a swift kick gives Videl the win by ringout. She is still heavily hurt, and Goku retrieves Senzu Beans to help her out. Spopovitch almost attacks in rage, but Yamu reminds him of their mission.

Kibito once again asks to see Gohan’s power. Gohan goes full power Super Saiyan 2, then Yamu and Spopovitch attack. However, this time, Gohan overpowers Supreme Kai’s hold, and easily knocks away his attackers. Yamu is disqualified, but it doesn’t matter. Enraged at their failure, Babidi blows up their heads from afar. Kibito, unsure of how to proceed, forfeits the match.

After an intermission due to mysterious cranial combustions, Vegeta battles Goku. This battle is by far the most exciting of the 1st round. Vegeta and Goku both battle at full power Super Saiyan 2, shaking the very earth beneath them. Eventually, Goku uses Instant Transmission, which Vegeta specifically trained for. He counters the move, and drives Goku into the ground for a ringout. Vegeta is victorious.

Tien advances automatically due to Yamu’s disqualification and subsequent death.

18 eliminates Jewel with ease.

Mr. Satan, though rusty from lack of training, overpowers Killa and wins a hard-fought victory.

Between rounds, Supreme Kai explains what happened with Yamu and Spopovitch, about the wizard Babidi and their purpose here. Goku, hopeful for more fights, says he’ll go, but Vegeta convinces them to let the tournament play out first, as he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to face Gohan, who he now views as Kakarot’s(and possibly his) superior.

Round Two begins.

Krillin faces the Supreme Kai, and although he puts up a decent fight, Shin defeats him handily.

Videl goes all-out against Gohan. He pulls his punches and avoids direct attacks, enraging her. Her ferocity is eventually enough to force him to go Super Saiyan, and he throws her out as gently as he can.

Tien battles Vegeta, and is enough to force Vegeta to Super Saiyan 2, where he easily beats Tien unconscious.

Before the final match of the 2nd round, 18 corners Mr. Satan. She reminds him that he’s screwed, period. She makes him an offer. She can make him look good in defeat for 50,000,000 Zeni, or she’ll throw the match for 100,000,000 Zeni. Mr. Satan, not wanting to face Vegeta, chooses the first. 18 fakes great effort, but knocks Mr. Satan out of the ring. The crowd immediately assumes he would rather give up his title than hit a woman, protecting his reputation.

Supreme Kai challenges Gohan in the Semi-Finals, and puts him through paces. However, he is no match for Gohan at Super Saiyan 2, and Gohan is victorious.

Vegeta, upon seeing 18 across the ring, remembers the humiliation she put him through in the Android Saga, and immediately assaults at Super Saiyan 2. 18 only holds out for a few minutes before Vegeta begins a vicious beatdown. He relentlessly hits her, years of aggression unleashed, to the dismay and boos of the crowd. Krillin screams for him to stop. Vegeta looks to mock him, but sees Gohan, his final opponent. He tosses 18 out of the ring, mercifully ending the fight.

There’s a short intermission as anticipation builds for the final match. People throughout the world are tuning in for the fight of the century. When the fight begins, Vegeta and Gohan both start at Full Power Super Saiyan 2. The fight is so intense most people have trouble following. Slow-Motion cameras are brought in just to capture clips of the battle. Things escalate when Vegeta attempts a Galick Gun, which becomes a full-on beam struggle as Gohan counters with a Masenko. Vegeta appears to have the advantage, pressing down on Gohan, until Gohan starts to transform. Vegeta abandons the struggle as Gohan goes Super Saiyan 3. Vegeta mocks Gohan, claiming him to be desperate. Gohan counters by telling Vegeta he already lost. Gohan transformed first, and he won’t give Vegeta the chance. Vegeta instantly realizes his error. He tries to go Super Saiyan 3, but Gohan eliminates him before he can do so.

Gohan wins the Tenkaichi Budokai.

Gohan accepts the title, but refers everything else to Chi-Chi, who is ecstatic. Goku locates Babidi’s hideout via Instant Transmission, and Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, 18, Videl, Kibito, and Shin warp to that location, with Goten and Trunks grabbing on at the last second to come along.

The door to Babidi’s hideout was open. Supreme Kai warns them of the obvious trap, but the team doesn’t care, and steps right in. Piccolo and Krillin protest Trunks and Goten coming along, but Vegeta intercedes.

“The boys are stronger than either of you. If you can go, they can go.”

They enter the hideout, and Pui Pui welcomes them. He explains the 3 fighters before Babidi system.at the Z Fighters have to beat 3 fighters on 3 levels to get to Babidi. Trunks aggressively steps forward to fight Pui Pui. They are transported to Pui Pui’s home, thinking the gravity(10 times that of Earth) gives him the advantage. However, under Vegeta’s tutelage Trunks has dealt with several hundred times Earth’s gravity, and quickly dispatches Pui Pui with the Galick Gun.

Goku gets the opportunity to fight Yakon, and defeats him by going Super Saiyan 2. Yakon eats so much light energy he explodes.

The final warrior is Dabura, and Gohan goes against him. At Super Saiyan 2 Gohan is easily outclassing Dabura, and Babidi is terrified that his plan is failing and he’ll be wiped out. He desperately urges Dabura to do something. Thinking quickly, Dabura turns and spits on Videl, turning her to stone. Gohan breaks down, and goes full rage mode, transforming to Super Saiyan 3. With an instantaneous strike, he decapitates Dabura.

In this moment, Babidi sees his chance, and enters Gohan’s mind. He latches on to Gohan’s rage and tries to awaken the darkness within him. Gohan fights and resists, but Babidi sees an opportunity in Gohan’s mind. Using his magic, he regrows Gohan’s tail and shows him a full moon. The entire team is terrified as they have to fight the most powerful force they have ever seen...

Majin Golden Great Ape Gohan.

The raging Golden Oozaru levels mountains and knocks the Z Fighters around effortlessly. Babidi woops in victory as his power needed to revive Majin Buu goes from zero to full instantly.

Trunks and Goten go Super Saiyan 2, Piccolo, Tien, Shin, Kibito, and Krillin charge up to full power, and Vegeta and Goku go Super Saiyan 3, and they are still barely holding on. They barely notice Majin Buu’s awakening, as they are relentlessly beat down. All seems lost until Vegeta sees Videl awakening from her petrification.

“Kakarot! The girl!”

Goku looks confused until he also sees Videl. He quickly grabs her and carries her up. Explaining the situation as best he can, he tells Videl she is the only one can reach him.

Videl calls out to Gohan, and does get his attention. After some loving words, and finally recognizing that she is okay, Gohan regains control.... and starts to transform.

His eyes go yellow, his hair grows long and red fur adorns his chest.

Gohan has gone Super Saiyan 4.

Everyone stands in awe of Gohan’s overwhelming power.

The team moves on to face Babidi, who transports everyone out of the hideout. He boasts about the awakening of Majin Buu, who looks around happily and yawns. Babidi commands Buu to destroy the Z Fighters, and Gohan obliterates Buu with a single ki blast. Babidi is shocked and scared frozen. Piccolo moves forward and chops Babidi in half. In his final breaths, Babidi pleads for mercy.

“Where was mercy when Buu was unleashed upon the galaxy?” Shin spat through gritted teeth. “Where was mercy when he slaughtered my fellow Kais?”

“Please... That was my father’s doing....”

“And you sought to set him loose on the universe once more. You give no mercy, and you shall receive none.”

And Shin annihilates Babidi.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Buu reforms in front of everyone, and seems unfazed by the previous event.

“You strong! You play with Buu some more?” Buu’s stomach rumbles. “Buu Hungry!”

After much deliberation, Goku convinces the team that Buu might not be a threat so long as he is satiated. However, he burned most of his remaining time, and leaves to spend the rest of it with Chi-Chi and Goten. The rest take Buu to Capsule Corp for a post-tournament/post-saving the world feast.

[fandom-trash-xl]

One-Shot: The Thankfulness of Saiyans

Time Placement: Thanksgiving Day, 1 Year After the Tournament of Power (Age 781)

The doorbell at Capsule Corporation rang as Bulma approached her family's dinner table, interrupting her current train of thought. "I'll get it!" 

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "What could it be now? You've been keeping me waiting for ten straight minutes and I still can't take a bite of this succulent roasted bird?" He continuously eyed up the juicy turkey in the center of the table.

"Ugh, be patient, Vegeta. You'll get your food soon enough. It's a time for family, you shouldn't be entirely thinking about that bottomless pit you call a stomach." Bulma opened the door to the Capsule estate as her husband grunted in response. To her surprise, she saw a family of three at the door. A spiky-haired man in an orange fighting gi was at the front of the group. "Goku, Chi-Chi! What a surprise to see you here!" Vegeta nearly choked on his own saliva.

"Yep. We're here. Sorry, it's on such short notice. We're only here because someone," Chi-Chi glared at Goku. "ate the entire turkey last night." 

Goku scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "You can't blame me, Chi-Chi. The way you set it out made it look so appetizing..."

"Goku, it was in the back of the fridge for a reason." She turned away from her husband to face Bulma again. "Of course, we couldn't head to Gohan and Videl's because they're off in the city to see the other side of the family. So, we came here as a last resort."

"Oh, of course. Thanksgiving is always a challenge when you have a Saiyan for a husband, am I right?" The two wives laughed in unison.

As Goku and his family walked up to the Briefs dinner table, Vegeta attempted to turn out his seat and leave. "Umm, I-I don't think I'm feeling so well..."

"Sit back down, Vegeta!" Bulma insisted. "You're not fooling anyone with that act." 

Vegeta growled and returned to his initial position in the chair. "Fine, but there is no way that I'm sitting next to Kaka--" The Saiyan was interrupted by the unfolding of a metal chair between him and Bulla's highchair. Of course, the person who sat in said chair was none other than Kakarot himself. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"Hey, Vegeta." Kakarot, a.k.a Goku, was partially slouched in the folding chair. "How's your Thanksgiving going?" 

"It was going fine." Vegeta held his head in his palm.

Once everyone was seated, Goten, who was sitting on the other side of the table next to Trunks, raised his hand. "Oh! Can I say grace?" He asked. 

"Aww, sure thing, Goten." Bulma cooed. "Go right ahead." 

"Okay. We have a traditional saying of grace in our house." The half-Saiyan closed his eyes. "Thanks for the grub!" He reopened them no less than a second later. Bulma and Chi-Chi facepalmed. There was no doubt he learned it from his father. 

"Let's just get to eating..." Bulma sighed. Within seconds, the two Saiyans had managed to swipe two bowls of food from the center of the table.

By the time an individual bowl came to Chi-Chi and Bulma, it was already approaching the bottom. Typical hungry Saiyans.

As the mashed potatoes started going around the table, Chi-Chi began small talk.

"So, Bulma, how are the kids?"

Bulma frowned. "Well, this week, Bulla picked up a new word."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Is it wrong to ask what word?"

The young child answered for her mother. "Kakawot!" She squealed, raising her hands in the air and kicking out her feet. "Kakawot!"

"Holy cow!" Goku seemed alarmed. "How does Bulla know my Saiyan name?"

"She learned it from Mr. Saiyan Pride over there." Bulma pointed to Vegeta from across the table, who stopped scooping mashed potatoes onto his plate and blushed. 

After a few seconds, Goku piped in. "Hey, Vegeta. Pass the mashed potatoes." Without giving Vegeta a chance to process, the Saiyan grabbed the bowl and started serving himself.

"Hey! I wasn't done with that!" Vegeta barked.

"Well, you were taking longer than five Mississippi's." Goku continued to pile on potatoes. "So, you snooze, you lose." He stuck out his tongue, which was very unlike him. 

"Oh ho ho... You want to go, Kakarot?!" Vegeta stood up. 

Goku did so as well. "Bring it on!" Both Saiyans' hair lit up and turned solid gold. Vegeta swung his arm in an attempt to hit Goku, only for him to duck and attempt to punch the Saiyan in the gut in return. Neither one managed to land a hit before they were interrupted.

"Goku!"

"Vegeta!"

The two Super Saiyans turned to see their not-so-happy wives. 

"No Super Saiyan at the table!" The two women yelled in unison.

Vegeta and Goku's hair returned to their black color and they sat down in embarrassment. 

The two Saiyans were sitting awkwardly next to each other. Not speaking. Not even looking at each other. Just eating in awkward silence. That was until there was a loud thump from the basement. 

"W-What was that?" Trunks asked.

"I don't know." Bulma turned to Vegeta and Goku. "You guys want to check it out?"

"Of course, you ask us." Vegeta rolled his eyes and continued to chow down on some sweet potatoes. He didn't know why humans continuously requested the strongest Saiyans on the planet to take care of their simple tasks. It was probably due to cowardice. 

"Will you go down there or not?" Bulma growled.

"Fine, but I'm going alone." The Saiyan stood up. 

"No. You're going down with Kaka-- I mean, Goku!" She pointed towards the stairs. "You too need to get along or at least take your fighting elsewhere."

"FINE!" Both Saiyans grumped, as they went downstairs, surprisingly, not taking their dishes with them. They ave each other glares strong enough to create sparks. Bulma knew things probably weren't gong to turn out so pretty and she was having second thoughts. But, it was too late. The door had already closed.

In the basement, they discovered a tall figure in a dark coat. 

"W-who is that?" Goku asked.

"I don't know." 

They approached the figure further, before it sharply turned around, revealing its face, which was familiar and a menacing purple.

"Hit!" The two Saiyans yelled in unison. They charged towards the assassin, both wondering how he got into their universe. However, the Universe 6 fighter disappeared in a blink of an eye and reappeared to leave twin scratches on their cheeks.

"What are you doing in Universe 7, Hit?" Goku asked, as he brushed a bit of blood off of the scrape on his face. 

"Wondering why Saiyans have fighting as their built-in first instinct." Hit made a not-very-obvious sarcastic remark.

"Why are you here for real?" Vegeta rolled his eyes. 

"Fine. I'll tell you." Hit put his hands in his pockets. "I'm searching for the Super Dragon Balls."

"Why didn't you say that to start?" Goku inquired.

"Because you tried to beat me up." The assassin shrugged. "I was told a woman who lived here had a detector for them."

"Oh, you mean the Super Dragon Radar?" The younger Saiyan opened a box and pulled out a small glowing disc. "Here you go!"

Vegeta swatted it out of his hand. "Oh no, you are not giving that to Hit of all people. He's probably going to wish for immortality or to murder us in the blink of an eye!" The Saiyan stopped himself. "Crap. I'm giving him ideas."

Hit shrugged, picked the radar up off the ground, and turned away.

"Kakarot, you just gave an assassin the gateway to the most powerful Dragon Balls in existence. Remember what happened with Zamasu?!" Vegeta barked.

"It'll be fine..." Goku started walking towards the steps. "He can't do something that bad. Besides, we should be getting back to the good food. Come on!" Vegeta immediately forgot what he was talking about.

As they headed upstairs, Vegeta turned to his rival. "Kakarot?"

"Yes?"

"I'm actually kind of thankfully that you came. I have a lot to thank you for. Had you not prompted me to go to Earth, I'd probably not have the life I have now. I'd never had met Bulma or started this family of mine. To be honest, I'd probably still be working under Frieza and believing I was a Super Saiyan."

"Aww, that's thoughtful, Vegeta." Goku scruffed the shorter Saiyan's hair.

"Don't make me regret my words."

Vegeta and Goku stood shocked at the sight on the dinner table. There was absolutely nothing left on the table with the exception of the two plates they had abandoned.

"W-Where is everything?!" Goku yelped.

"I see you didn't kill each other. But, where'd you two get the scratches?" Bulma changed the subject.

"We were fighting raccoons. Now, where's the food?! The turkey? The stuffing? The cranberries?" Vegeta demanded, slamming his hands on the table.

"We ate it all!" Goten explained.

"What?!" Goku nearly passed out until Vegeta caught him. 

"Then, what are we supposed to eat?"

Chi-Chi pointed to the two plates of cold food. The two Saiyans sighed in disappointment. All they had left of the precious Thanksgiving dinner were clots of room temperature potatoes, the stalks of collard greens, and a few intermittent corn kernels. They had not even eaten a smidgen of the succulent turkey breast with an aroma strong enough to fill a whole household. It was now gone in an instant, as if it had teleported away. Vegeta and Goku sadly took their seats and feasted on the remains on the meal that had escaped their grasp.

The next day, somewhere in the cosmos...

Hit, accompanied by Vados, stood in the interior of Super Shenron, sweat engulfing his body from the mere presence of the divine dragon. Part of his body's sweaty coating was from concern... concern that his wish may not be granted.

"Hit-san, have you prepared a wish? We're inside the dragon now, so I guess there is no turning back." Vados turned to the trembling assassin. She had never seen Hit in this state before. "Whisper it to me and I'll translate."

"Yes." The assassin finally spoke. "But, never tell anyone I requested this wish." He whispered something into Vados' ear. When he pulled back, the angel seemed surprised. 

"My! That's not a wish I'd expect from you!"

"Just say the wish already." Hit wasn't himself. He was never nervous, nor one to to get frustrated easily.

"Okay. I understand." Vados cleared her throat and began to speak in the divine tongue. "Xis Esrevinu fo Nijeci eht Tsorf fo efil eht erotser!" 

Super Shenron was quiet for a moment, racking up Hit's anxiety further, before declaring, "Detnarg neeb sah hsiw ruoy." Hit gave a small smile. Of all the divine language he knew, he understood that it meant that his wish was granted.

The golden dragon dispersed into light, allowing Hit and Vados to land safely down on top of a small moon-like planet. A few seconds passed before another glow appear and melted into a mortal being rather than a dragon. It was a blue lizard-like creature with what seemed to be a gem encapsulating its head. Two black horns stuck out from the head's sides. The being also wore a set of gray armor. Hit marveled the form as it fully completed itself and drifted slowly to the ground. 

"Welcome back to existence," Hit paused dramatically. "Frost."

"Hit!" Frost yelped as he began to stumble backwards, almost off of the small moon. "W-What are you doing here? W-What are you going to do with me?"

"Relax, Frost. I didn't wish you back to kill you--"

The Icejin interrupted. "Wait a minute. You brought me back?" 

"Yeah." Hit shrugged. "Is there a problem with that?"

Frost dashed up to Hit and squeezed him by the waist. "Thank you..." He whispered. 

"No problem."

[joan-frias]

Busted

A Gohan x Videl Fanfiction

.

The people of the world had seen the interview of the Great Saiyaman. Each of them has their own reaction and opinion on what the new superhero said.

.

A CERTAIN HOUSEHOLD, WEST CITY

A family of four, consists of the parents and one boy and one girl children, are watching TV. They see the interview of the Great Saiyaman.

BOY: (to his father) Do you think the Great Saiyaman can defeat the zombies?

FATHER: I'm not sure, Son. But I think we should listen to what he said.

MOTHER: I agree. Let's stay here at home until the zombies has disappeared.

The mother hugs her daughter, which the young girl reciprocates.

.

A HOUSE IN THE WOODS

The mother and son that the Great Saiyaman helped earlier are also watching TV, and they saw his interview as well.

BOY: Look, Mom! It was the man we met earlier.

WOMAN: Yes, that's him.

BOY: Do you think he was able to send Daddy back to heaven?

The woman smiles, then hugs the kid.

WOMAN: I know he did.

.

AN OFFICE, METRO NORTH

Some employees of a certain company are watching the interview through a computer.

GIRL STAFF #1: So that means we're stuck in the office?

BOY STAFF #1: Well, if you want to be gobbled up by zombies, you may go out now and try to go home.

BOY STAFF #2: Heh! Go home or go to hell?

GIRL STAFF #1: You two are impossible!

.

FITNESS GYM, SATAN CITY

Some men on the gym are watching the news about the Great Saiyaman. A poster of Mr. Satan can be seen beside the wide flat screen television.

MAN #1: Heh! That Saiyaman seems like he's tough. I still believe Mr. Satan is the only one who could defeat the zombies.

MAN #2: But, Mr. Satan has never showed himself ever since the zombies appeared.

MAN #3: Of course, you idiot! Maybe he's thinking of some strategies on how to defeat those monsters.

MAN #1: Yah! Or maybe he's fighting but no one caught him on camera because he's too fast.

MAN #3: Exactly my thoughts, too.

The second guy seems unconvinced, though.

.

MR. SATAN'S MANSION, SATAN CITY

Telephones keep ringing on Mr. Hercule Satan's office adjacent to his room. The world champion is at a corner in his bedroom, under the sheets. Yes, he is hiding in the dark room watching the news about the zombies.

MR. SATAN: Why do I have to be the one to save the earth on these times? Can't one event be enough for the world martial arts champion to prove that he is the strongest?

The news about the Great Saiyaman is shown on the TV.

MR. SATAN: Hmn? (watches the news) Who is that fool who thinks he is better than me? Addressing the public like he is the world champion?

Mr. Satan suddenly stands up.

MR. SATAN: I can't let that boy steal my reputation as the world's champion! For sure he is no match for the Great Mr. Satan. That's the reason why he's hiding his face on that ridiculous helmet and costume.

Mr. Satan goes out of his room and proceeds to his office. He picks up the receiver of the phone that is labeled PRIVATE.

MR. SATAN: Hey you!

WOMAN: (on the phone) Sir! Everyone is asking about you.

MR. SATAN: I am aware of that. That is why I am doing a press conference today. Gather all the media and tell them to come here at my house.

A press conference was then arranged on Mr. Satan's mansion. All of the media outlets have gathered to witness the world champion's address amidst the crisis that the world is now experiencing.

MR. SATAN: I am here today to address the situation about the zombies. I, Mr. Satan, has vowed to rescue this planet in any danger that comes in its way. That is why I am saying this to you now... I will kill all the zombies until the very last one!

Over at Capsule Corporation, Bulma, Trunks, and Bulma's parents Dr. Brief and Panchy are watching the live coverage on Mr. Satan's press conference.

BULMA: That clown! How can people still believe that he was the world's savior?

DR. BRIEF: Maybe because no one knows what really happened back there with Cell.

BULMA: I wonder what will happen if everyone finds out that the man behind the Great Saiyaman is the one who really defeated Cell?

TRUNKS: Mom, aren't they going to show Daddy fight the zombies, too?

BULMA: I don't think so. Your dad might appreciate being praised as the strongest, but at least he still has the decency to fight not because of fame but because he really just needs to protect us. And besides, those reporters are not interested in fighters other than that clown Mr. Satan.

Back to the press conference…

REPORTER: So, Mr. Satan, how are you planning to beat the zombies?

MR. SATAN: Well, I need to make a strategy first.

REPORTER: The Great Saiyaman said that we should not let the zombies hear or see us.

MR. SATAN: That is a very lame strategy! That punk sure is just showing off pretending he's strong. The way to fight those zombies is to attack them head on. But we need to know where those zombies come from. That is why before I attack, I will first find the source of this invasion so that I will finish these monsters from the source itself.

At the Capsule Corporation…

BULMA: (long sigh) I wonder how the others are doing.

.

All the Z Fighters are doing their part in defending the planet from the zombie invasion. Vegeta is at the city, and Piccolo is at some rural areas. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu are also there to help with the fight. Even Krillin and Master Roshi are in as well.

KRILLIN: (panting) How long do you think these zombies will last?

MASTER ROSHI: I have no idea. I'm just hoping Goku will be able to stop this before we lose all our strength to this fight.

KRILLIN: Leave it to Goku. For sure he is about to finish that Jamenba monster at the check-in station.

.

CHECK-IN STATION

Goku is currently fighting the monster Janemba who caused all the chaos that's now happening on the land of the living. The two seems to be at par strength, giving Goku a difficult time in dealing with him.

JANEMBA: I must commend you, Goku. You are giving me a challenge here.

GOKU: Heh! I always try my best.

JANEMBA: But I'm sure your best is not as good as mine. I'll finish you now so that I could go to the land of the living and do my revenge.

GOKU: As if I'm letting you do that.

Goku transforms to Super Saiyan.

JANEMBA: That form again, huh? Well, however you transform yourself, you still will not be a match for me.

GOKU: We will see.

Goku powers up again, transforming himself to Super Saiyan 2.

JANEMBA: If that's the best that you can do, then really. You're no match for me.

GOKU: I am not done yet.

Goku powers up some more, until he is in Super Saiyan 3.

JANEMBA: What...

GOKU: I won't let you destroy the land of the living. I'll end this madness of yours. Now!

Goku charges to Janemba.

SATAN CITY, EAST DISTRICT

Videl is with the police officers fighting the zombies. The police fire their guns at the zombies, but since they are not affected by bullets the zombies just continue to advance.

POLICE OFFICER #1: What are we going to do?

CAPTAIN: Let's just continue this.

POLICE OFFICER #1: But Sir, we're about to lose all the bullets we have.

The captain stares at the zombies worriedly.

VIDEL: Then we need to fight.

Videl attacks the zombies. She was able to knock down quite a few, but they still keep on coming back. She was starting to worry but continues to fight. Until she was completely overpowered.

POLICE OFFICER #1: We need to help Videl!

POLICE OFFICER #2: But if we fire, we might shoot her instead.

Suddenly, the Great Saiyaman arrives. He fights with Videl, tossing the zombies a few meters away.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Are you okay?

VIDEL: Yes...

The Great Saiyaman looks at the zombies who are about to attack again. He's breathing deeply, and Videl noticed it.

VIDEL: I should be the one asking if you're okay. You seem tired.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: I'll be fine. I just need some time to rest a bit.

The Great Saiyaman extends his right arm to the zombies, blasting them off. That move causes quite a strain on him, as his breathing becomes more fatigued.

VIDEL: You seem to be doing a lot of fighting already.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: I can't stop if I know the Earth is in danger.

VIDEL: My father is already looking at the source of this thing.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Oh yeah?

VIDEL: Take it easy. I'm sure he will solve this problem in no time.

A group of zombies starts to advance again.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: I'm not quite sure.

The Great Saiyaman looks at the bunch of zombies.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: (on his mind) I've used a lot of energy already. These things are endless! If I don't take a rest even for a few minutes then I'll run out myself. But... what to do?

Knowing he's already about to run out of energy, the Great Saiyaman still prepares to blast off the zombies. When suddenly, they stopped advancing. Not only did they stop. It seems like they are troubled.

VIDEL: What is happening?

It seems like the zombies are being pulled back by some invisible force. The Great Saiyaman looks on and tries to analyze the situation.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: They are being pulled back.

VIDEL: But how?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: They are being pulled back to where they come from.

VIDEL: Dad... he made it! He found a solution to defeat the zombies.

The Great Saiyaman smiles.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: (on his mind) Dad... he finally did it.

.

CHECK-IN STATION

Goku catches his breath as he watches Janemba turn back into the ogre Saike Demon.

GOKU: I guess... that does it...

He sits down, then lay on his back as he continues to catch his breath.

KING KAI: (voice over) Goku!

GOKU: Huh?

KING KAI: The zombies are being pulled back to the check-in station. Earth is safe again.

Goku smiles.

KING KAI: No casualty was reported. Just some damages on certain properties, but no living was harmed. Your friends have done a good job containing the zombies.

GOKU: Good job, guys. I'm so proud of you.

.

SATAN CITY, EAST DISTRICT

The zombies that the Great Saiyaman and Videl are watching out slowly faded away.

POLICE OFFICER #1: The zombies are disappearing!

POLICE OFFICER #2: Could it be that they're being defeated?

POLICE OFFICER #3: Mr. Satan has done it again!

The Great Saiyaman looks at the police. He smiles.

VIDEL: My father is still the defender of the world.

The Great Saiyaman looks at Videl.

VIDEL: You can try, Great Saiyaman, but nothing beats the champion.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: You talk about your father like you adore him very much.

VIDEL: Of course, I do! Not just because he's my father. He put his life on the line a lot of times for the sake of this world. Don't you think that's something to adore?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: (thinking about Goku) You're right about that.

The Great Saiyaman remembers Goku, his smiling face as he gives him a thumbs up. He is suddenly overwhelmed by emotions that he stays still for a while. Videl kind of felt like the superhero beside her is quiet.

VIDEL: Are you alright?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Yeah… (looks at her)

VIDEL: You're quiet all of a sudden.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Just remembered something… Well, thank the Great Mr. Satan for me. I have to go now.

VIDEL: Wait! You're leaving just like that?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Well, what should I do then?

VIDEL: (blushes) Nothing... I just... I just thought you want to celebrate or something... You can praise my dad yourself.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: No, I think I'll pass. I need to make sure this situation is really over.

The Great Saiyaman flies up the sky.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: See you!

He flies away.

.

MR. SATAN'S MANSION, SATAN CITY

Mr. Satan is once again doing a press conference on his mansion.

MR. SATAN: People of the earth, once again your peace was brought back by your greatest champion Mr. Satan. Fear no more. The zombies have returned to where they supposed to be.

REPORTER: Mr. Satan, how were you able to suppress all the zombies?

MR. SATAN: Easy. I meditated very hard. I reached the wavelength of the zombies' minds and I told them that if they don't go away, they will perish through the hands of the Great Mr. Satan. They were very scared that they immediately pulled back and they promised they will never come back again.

.

CAPSULE CORPORATION, WEST CITY

Bulma and her family is watching the news again.

BULMA: That jerk! The only beings that could connect with him through that shallow brain of him are the insects!

PANCHY: Honey, please take it easy with Mr. Satan.

BULMA: I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't help it. Vegeta and the others are fighting truthfully with their lives on the line and then there's this goofy guy who is taking all the credits. Urgh! So annoying.

Vegeta comes in.

TRUNKS: Dad! (runs to him)

BULMA: Vegeta! Are you alright?

VEGETA: Tch! Have you forgotten that I came from the elite warrior force Saiyan race? Those zombies are not match for me.

BULMA: Well, I'm glad you're okay. I hope the others are, too.

.

EAST DISTRICT SKY

The Great Saiyaman is flying around looking for potential zombies around. The sun is already setting down at the sky and the day is about to end.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: It seems like they are really all gone. I better visit the Lookout and ask Dende for confirmation.

While traveling to the Lookout, the Great Saiyaman comes across Piccolo, who is also traveling to the same destination.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Piccolo!

Piccolo stopped.

PICCOLO: I didn't know you transformed to the costume.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Well, yeah. I figured I might meet a lot of people, so I put on my disguise.

PICCOLO: You can transform back now. The chaos has ended, and you deserve to take a break.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: I guess you're right.

The Great Saiyaman transforms back to his alter ego.

PICCOLO: Let's go. Dende has been waiting for us.

The two flies to the lookout.

.

LOOKOUT

Piccolo and Gohan arrive at the Lookout. Dende and Mr. Popo comes to them.

GOHAN: Dende! Mr. Popo!

DENDE: It's nice to see you again, Gohan. And congratulations on a job well done with the zombies.

GOHAN: Everyone did their part, so I had to do mine.

DENDE: The situation at the check-in station has been resolved. Goku was able to stop the monster Jamenba.

GOHAN: Dad...

DENDE: King Yenma and his subordinates were able to fix the flow of the souls and those that came back here on earth were pulled back to the check-in station.

PICCOLO: How about the soul cleansing machine?

DENDE: It was repaired and is now running again.

PICCOLO: That's good. At least we know that everything's back to normal.

GOHAN: I have to go back home now. Mom is sure worried about me.

DENDE: Okay. Take care, Gohan.

GOHAN: I will. Bye!

Gohan flies away.

.

SON RESIDENCE, MOUNT PAOZU

Gohan is met by his mother and brother.

CHI-CHI: Oh Gohan! (hugs him) I'm glad you're safe.

GOHAN: Thanks, Mom. I'm glad you're safe as well.

GOTEN: Gohan! I saw you're interview on the TV. You were awesome! I want to be like you and be a superhero!

Gohan smiles at his brother's enthusiasm.

CHI-CHI: So, the zombies are really gone?

GOHAN: Yes, Mom. Dad has taken care of the source of the problem.

CHI-CHI: (smiles) Goku… Even at death, he still saves us.

GOHAN: That's right, Mom.

And so, the earth is back to its peaceful state once again. The zombies are gone. There are some damage, though. Work and classes were suspended for a week not only to have enough time to rehabilitate the society, but also to make sure that no zombies remain.

The check-in station is also back to business. After the soul cleansing machine was repaired, the souls are continued to be cleaned and reincarnated, restoring the order not only from the land of the dead, but also the land of the living.

.

ORANGE STAR HIGH SCHOOL

After one week of class being suspended, everything is back to normal at the Orange Star High School. And since the students missed one another, they all share their experiences with each other as they wait for the class to start.

ERASA: Mr. Satan has done it again, Videl. He doesn't only have a strong body, but his mind is strong as well! Imagine reaching out to those zombies! They looked dimwitted to me, literally.

SHARPNER: I can't imagine the intense meditation that Mr. Satan undergoes during his training.

VIDEL: Yeah. No one is even allowed to see his training. Maybe that's because he doesn't want to be bothered while he's meditating.

ERASA: He really is the best.

Gohan comes in, walks directly to his seat beside Erasa.

ERASA: Gohan!

GOHAN! Hi everyone! It's nice to see you again.

ERASA: Nice to see you, too.

SHARPNER: How were your mother and brother?

GOHAN: They are good.

ERASA: Good thing they were not attacked by zombies.

GOHAN: Yeah, they were able to avoid them.

SHARPNER: Good thing you were able to go home immediately. At least they have someone to defend them.

GOHAN: (awkward laugh) Yeah…

VIDEL: You immediately went home?

GOHAN: Uh… Yeah! Need to check on my family.

ERASA: Isn't he sweet, Videl? He said no one is there to make sure his mother and little brother is safe. So he asked for permission to go home early.

SHARPNER: You know Gohan, I'm sure your father is proud of you, wherever he is. You being the man of the family is not easy.

GOHAN: (awkward laugh) Thanks.

Videl looks suspiciously at Gohan.

The teacher arrives, and the class started. Thirty minutes after, Videl's smartwatch beeps. Videl answers the call.

VIDEL: Videl here.

POLICE OFFICER: (voice over) Videl, the mayor is being held hostage here at the City Hall.

VIDEL: I'm on it!

Videl immediately excused herself.

ERASA: Why do people do such things?

SHARPNER: I heard that there's this big syndicate who was run over by the mayor. Maybe those were the ones who attacked the city hall.

GOHAN: (on his mind) A big syndicate? Videl might be in danger. I've got to help her.

Gohan looks at the teacher and raises his right hand.

GOHAN: Sir! Can I go to the restroom?

TEACHER: Oh no you don't! The last time you go you haven't return until we're about to end the class. You're not doing it this time, Gohan.

Gohan is embarrassed by what the teacher said. He looks down and does not continue asking to be excused. However, he really is concerned about Videl that it's making him agitated. His anxiety is making him stomp his foot on the floor.

Due to his unusual strength, the stomping of his feet is causing the floor to tremble. Some of his classmates have started feeling the ground shaking.

ERASA: Is this an earthquake?

Gohan realizes what is happening. Knowing that it's his feet that's making the ground tremble, he stomps it even harder, making the ground shake some more.

TEACHER: Quick! Dock on your desks! Don't panic!

Everyone docks down the tables, including the teacher himself.

GOHAN: (on his mind) Now's my chance!

Gohan takes that opportunity to go out of the classroom. He goes to the rooftop and transforms into the Great Saiyaman.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Let's rescue Videl!

The Greats Saiyaman flies to where Videl is.

.

CITY HALL, SATAN CITY

Videl arrives at the City Hall. The police have made a barricade not too far from the crime scene, anticipating the move the hostage takers will make.

VIDEL: Captain, what happened?

CAPTAIN: A group of men was about to kidnap the mayor. Someone saw them and they informed the police about that. However, because the hostage taker could not go out and escape, they then made the whole City Hall their hostage.

VIDEL: I see. I'm going in.

CAPTAIN: It's too dangerous.

VIDEL: Don't worry. Just be alert.

Videl goes into the City Hall building. Everything is quiet and no person could be seen on the main hall.

VIDEL: (shouts) This is Videl! I came to speak to you.

A man goes out from the left side of the room.

MAN #1: Oh! So it's the daughter of Mr. Satan. Should we request for him as well?

VIDEL: My dad's busy. He has no time to deal with crooks like you.

MAN #1: Ouch! That is quite offensive.

VIDEL: Release everyone and let's settle this within us.

MAN #1: You are too brave. I'm not sure you should be.

Two other men go out as well. They have guns pointed out to Videl.

MAN #2: You see, Missy. We're not jokes like the ones you fight everyday. Let's just say... we're more brutal than those zombies who attacked recently.

VIDEL: Then that means I can handle you easily.

MAN #3: (laughs) This girl doesn't know how to be scared.

MAN #2: Talk about being naive.

MAN #3: Naivete killed the cat.

VIDEL: Then, why don't you try me?

MAN #2: (sneers) With pleasure.

Man #2 puts down his gun and goes to Videl. They fight, and Videl knocks him down.

VIDEL: Are you still confident about defeating me?

The two men just sneer. After that, three men join them in the hall, also carrying some guns. Videl steps back, kind of a little worried about the situation she's in.

MAN #1: I'll tell you a secret. This is a planned kidnapping.

Man #1 points at a spot on the right. There on that spot was a man holding the mayor who is tied down and gagged on the mouth.

MAN #1: We came prepared for anyone like you.

VIDEL: Then why are you still here?

MAN #1: Because of the police.

VIDEL: You're scared.

MAN #1: We're not. We were just ordered to make sure that the mayor is safely taken to where we need to take him. It's the client who wants to kill him with his hands.

VIDEL: Release him and everyone else.

MAN #1: We wouldn't. We'll take you down instead. Boys!

All four men point their gun to Videl. They fire simultaneously, and Videl knows that even if she dodge, she can't avoid the bullets they fire. She still dodged, and fortunately, someone from the inside comes in through the window, knocking the men with guns.

The Great Saiyaman crushed a window on the left side of the building, landing perfectly on the crooks themselves. He kicks them away, making them fall and their guns point to other directions instead. Videl was saved, and the Great Saiyaman goes in front of her to cover her.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: (to Videl) Are you alright?

VIDEL: Yes.

MAN #1: And you even asked your friend to come? I'm flattered, Mr. Saiyaman. We're humbled by your presence.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Release the mayor and the others. I might give you a chance to escape.

MAN #1: That is a very tempting offer.

VIDEL: Are you serious? They're going to kill the mayor any chance they have. They can't escape.

MAN #1: Listen to your friend, Great Saiyaman. She's too assuming.

VIDEL: I'm not assuming anything! You're the one who said you need to get the mayor, and your client will kill him.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Who is this client of yours?

MAN #1: If I were you, I would not waste my time knowing. Politics is messy, Mr. Saiyaman. Don't get your hands dirty with it.

The other men have now recovered from the attack the Great Saiyaman did to them.

MAN #2: Boss!

MAN #1: You fools! Taken down with just one sweep! Why did I even bother getting you?

Man #1 takes out a bomb from his pocket.

MAN #1: This should do it. Adios, Great Saiyaman! And you too, daughter of Mr. Satan. Hope you have a good trip to hell.

Man #1 is about to pull the pin off the bomb, but before doing that the bomb just disappeared. It turns out the Great Saiyaman took it from his hand.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Videl!

The Great Saiyaman tosses the bomb to Videl, who catches it apprehensively.

VIDEL: Don't you ever do that again!

GREAT SAIYAMAN: (to Man #1) Now, it's your time to be tossed down the prison cell.

The Great Saiyaman beats all the hostage takers, sending them in a pile on one side. After knocking them all, he goes to the mayor.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: You're safe now, Sir.

MAYOR: Thank you so much. Please check on the others as well.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: I will. (to Videl) Take the mayor out. I will search for the other hostages.

Videl nods and follows his order.

All the hostages were taken out by the Great Saiyaman. He then searched the whole area for some potential victims that remained and not yet rescued.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Feels like everything is good in here.

VIDEL: Everyone is safe now.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Oh yeah? I didn't know you came back.

VIDEL: I wanted to make sure myself.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Okay... I guess I better go now.

VIDEL: Wait!

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Huh?

VIDEL: There's something that I want to ask you. Can you be honest with me?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Sure.

VIDEL: Are you the Golden Fighter?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: No I'm not. How can I be the Golden Fighter?

VIDEL: I just thought maybe, that could be the case.

GREAT SAIYAMAN: It's okay, but I'm not him.

VIDEL: Are you going back to school now?

GREAT SAIYAMAN: Yes. The teacher might get mad again to me if I don't come back soon.

VIDEL: Then tell him you're with me... Gohan.

The Great Saiyaman is shocked.

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