Disclaimer: I don’t own Dragon Ball Z. The anime/manga was created by Akira Toriyama, and is owned by Shonen Jump and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This is a work of fan fiction and means no harm to the anime or manga it pays tribute to. I’m not making money for this.

Royal Namekian Blues

Videl’s Second Fateful Encounter

A day after Android 13’s broadcast; Videl Satan rode in the back of a black limousine towards a place she had heard of in rumor. Sightings of the Saiyans were whispered from one person to another, and she followed their sources diligently. She had to see for herself if these Saiyans were misunderstood, and somehow warn them of the whispered gasps of her Father.

“If you want to see us again, here’s how to find us,” Fasha had said to Videl. Hastily Videl had scribbled down Fasha’s directions on the skin of her arm. Later in her room she had copied her notes onto one of the maps, and then scrubbed her improvised notes off before her father could ask her why she was drawing on her own skin.

He feared them, and many fans flocked to him for protection. Although most of those who had seen the Saiyans save the bridge victims stuck up for the aliens, others had fallen under the spell of the one called Android 13. Many began to question just who to believe, and others thought at least the Androids seemed human enough while the space aliens hardly seemed trustworthy.

“Mistress Videl, your father will have my head if you go off again,” the caretaker, named Ginger Root protested.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be gone long,” Videl fibbed. She climbed out of the door of the limousine, and grabbed the pair of roller skates at her feet before her caretaker could protest. Ginger Root rushed out after her charge, knowing Mr. Satan would fire her if Videl got too far from her.

Videl’s hover skates carried her only a few feet from the ground. Too young to drive a hydro jet, she wasn’t too young for alternative means of transport. Overhead flew several pterodactyls, and she saw they were flying quickly away in the direction opposite of where she was headed. In her hand she held a printed map, with markings she’d made the last few days.

“The Saiyans said they were two hundred kilometers from Orange Star City. That’s why they were able to save us the other day,” Videl nodded.

“Let her go. She’ll be back soon,” the limo driver said as Videl skated far out of sight. “That’s why she has a cell phone on her remember? We can track her no matter where she goes!”

“But she’s going towards the nature preserve!” Ginger protested.

“Not to worry,” the driver said, motioning her to get back into the limo. “Let’s just follow her from a distance. She’s the strongest child in the world. There’s very little that can stop her.”

This had happened before, they both knew well. What they failed to realize was that strange flashes and sounds of combat echoed in the lands that Capsule Corps had purchased as the Orange Star City preserve. Only five hours from West Province 439 it lie, within flying distance of the Saiyan training camp and the tracts of land where the Saiyans were said to go.

Through thickening trees she followed what seemed to be a trail towards small hills. Shading her eyes with one hand she stopped. Quickly she referred to the map, and then peered up at the twin peaks nearby. “Fasha said that I was almost near their camp when I saw these,” Videl nodded. “Now I just have to turn eastward and look for the river, and then the cave will not be much further.”

Loud screeching diverted her attention, causing her to whip her head around. Out of the brush thundered a large two legged dinosaur. It stopped short of her, greedy yellow eyes landing on the girl hovering near the thicket of trees. Videl quickly spun around and activated her skates overdrive. Quickly she raced away, trying to outrun a dinosaur hot on her heels.

“This wasn’t what I had in mind!” Videl cursed. In and out of trees she weaved, realizing that this chase was taking her in the completely opposite direction of the Saiyan encampment. Loud snarls and roars accompanied crashing splinters of trees knocked aside by the now angry dinosaur. All it wished for was the small morsel eluding it. What would be a tantalizing mouthful was getting quickly away, and the dinosaur was too ravenous to find anything else.

“What does it take to SHAKE this thing?” Videl complained, only managing to outpace the charging monster hot on her heels. Suddenly she banked hard, almost missing the huge tree that soared out of nowhere. Around her the forest was getting thicker, and there were no more markers or trails she could recognize. Although her skates put her at a greater pace, the dinosaur was rapidly gaining. Her leg muscles twitched in pain, and a steady bleeping alerted her that the auxiliary thrusters on her skates would run out soon.

“All right, this is it,” Videl decided. Sharply she veered around, rocketed towards the Dino. It grunted, dipping its head down. Crouching low, Videl shot herself between its back legs, trying to avoid the long tail. With a roar of anger the Dino whirled around, realizing the meal had tricked it and was rapidly racing away into the forest where they had just been.

Videl suddenly turned back her head to look. What she failed to see was the Dino’s long tail slashing around. It caught her like a whip, slamming into her mid back and tossing her headlong. She spun out of control, slamming into a cluster of tree branches. Ground knocked her breath from her as she landed on her side, pain erupting from her shoulder and hip. Loud booming vibrations shook the forest floor, knocking her back and forth, battering her bruised body further. Dazed, Videl pushed herself over and saw the gleaming teeth of a powerful jaw looming overhead. Beady eyes blinked, and a large tongue dripped drool as the dinosaur snapped towards her. Videl struggled to stand, but only could get her body to crawl backwards. Shards of white hot pain cracked through her legs, and she keened against it.

“Dammit,” Videl cursed. Snapping her hips to the left she rolled out of the way of the clamping jaws. As the Dino bit dirt, it snarled, jerking its head back towards her. Angrily Videl swung out, her fist slamming hard into its eye, which was the only part she could reach with a snap of her whole body propelling the hit. It howled, shaking its head in its own pain from being blinded. Videl quickly slithered away, only able to pull herself on her hands deeper into the woods.

Tree trunks cracked under the force of the tail whipping wildly back and forth. She struggled to move her legs, finding that it was difficult to do so. A numb sensation spread from the base of her back where the hit had landed. Was she paralyzed? Her heart pounded and only the desire to survive kept her scrambling towards the nearest tree trunk.

Other loud noises echoed through the woods, sounding ever nearer and overpowering that of the raging half blinded dinosaur. Grabbing the bark she dug her fingers in and used her hands alone to pull herself up to kneel. Then she reached down and tried to untangle the laces from her skates so she could throw them aside. Perhaps it would be safer to climb a tree. Judging from the crashes and shudders in the earth other dinosaurs might be headed towards her.

Yet the sounds nearing her were not saurian, but resembled the shouts of something smaller. What sounded like explosions resounded, along with flashes of light? Videl squeezed her eyes shut as one blast flared bright blinding through the canopy of trees. Then the roar of the dinosaur sounded again, increasing in volume with the thumps of feet slamming into dirt. Her body bounced, indicating it had heard whatever was coming from the other direction.

“Oh crap!” Videl shouted, struggling to pull herself up and climb the tree. She didn’t need her legs to grab fistfuls of wood and haul herself up. Blood seeped from the splinters piercing her fingers, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to pull her body hand over hand upwards. Hanging on with fingers of her right hand forced into the tree bark she swung her other hand to grab the lowest branch.

Then the world trembled with the light of a bright flare, without heat but the shockwave slammed into her. Leaves and dirt sprayed her, and a huge BOOM splintered the nearest tree into toothpicks. She squeezed herself to the tree, her fingers closing around the branch, praying to Kami that it wasn’t another dinosaur. Aloud she screamed, squeezing shut her eyes. An instant later a howling roar of the dinosaur sounded, indicating something more akin to pain then hunger.

“Down there! Someone’s hurt!” called a loud voice, high pitched.

“We don’t have time for this! I told you that you had to control your ki blasts!”

“But that dinosaur was trying to HURT someone! Don’t you feel the ki, Mr. Piccolo?” shouted the first voice. Videl blinked up.

“HEY! HELP!” she hollered, her eyes blinded by the flare. Another yelp from the dinosaur was suddenly truncated with a meaty punch, and then she smelled something burning. It resembled the scent of hamburgers grilling on her father’s picnic barbecue.

“Hey, I heard someone!” the youthful voice continued.

“Help!” Videl cried. “I’m down here! Who are you?”

“Hang on, I’m coming,” the voice of the boy sounded. “Are you hurt? I’m here to help! The dino’s gone!”

“I can’t see! And my legs won’t move! Please!” Videl hollered back.

“Easy, just stay still. We won’t hurt you,” the voice answered. Suddenly she felt the gust of air from something and two hands brushed against her waist.

“Who… are you?” Videl demanded.

“Don’t worry, miss! I’ve got you. Are you okay?” came the voice again.

“I… my legs are hurt,” she panted.

“Can you move them at all or are they numb?” he asked. “Stay still… you might have broken bones.”

“I’m cold,” she chattered her teeth.

“I won’t leave you. Mr. Piccolo! It’s a girl, and she can’t move her legs!” called his voice. She felt someone wrapping what felt like a blanket around her, and small hands reaching.

“Hey!” she protested. “What are you doing?”

“Sorry, but I’m just checking for something broken. Relax, I won’t hurt you,” he reassured her.

“Dammit,” snorted the deeper voice she had heard before. “We don’t have time for this. Hurry up and find out who it is, Gohan. Before the smell of its blood draws more nuisances!”

“Hold onto my neck Miss,” said the boy. She guessed he must be close to her age, for his voice was still high pitched. Gently someone reached under her back and knees, lifting. Videl reached out, touching a face and long hair in her blindness, but a hand guided her arm to wrap around someone’s neck. Then she landed against a small body, and felt a lifting sensation.

“Today, Gohan,” said the low rasping grunt. “Great, another bystander who got lost. Just what we need.”

“Mr. Piccolo she needs our help. She’s in shock… I’d better take her to my home so Mom can help her… is that okay miss? Did you come here and get lost, or should we wait for someone?”

“I can’t move… and I lost my phone,” Videl stammered.

“Don’t worry. You can call someone when I get you to my house. My name’s Son Gohan. Who are you? You don’t’ have to worry because you’re safe now. And don’t’ worry about Mr. Piccolo. He might act grumpy but he’s really nice,” the boy reassured her.

“I’m Satan, Videl,” she introduced herself. “I didn’t realize anyone was out here! What were those explosions?”

“One thing at a time, okay, Miss Videl,” the boy politely soothed. She felt wind whipping against her face and hung tightly to the boy carrying her.

“Fine kid. Just hurry up. We’ve only got a few hours left for training,” said the one called Piccolo.

“Piccolo,” she gasped, squeezing his neck. Light danced before her sight and she realized a shape nearby had taken on the appearance of a green blob. It sharpened into the image of a tall green man with two antenna sticking out of his bald head.

“Who… what the hell…” she gasped. “You… you aren’t some kind of animal or human, what ARE you?”

“Oh great,” Piccolo snorted. “I don’t have TIME to explain this! You were the one getting lost in the middle of nowhere, kid!”

“Mr. Piccolo, please, she’s scared!” the boy named Gohan chided. Videl clung to his neck, feeling her fingers sink into long black hair. Dark eyes met her blue gaze and she realized the boy holding her was hovering nearly a thousand feet above the forest floor. Her gasp died in her throat as she squeezed his neck. Her other hand squeezed the white ruff of cloth around the kid’s neck, and she realized he was just about her age.

“How… are you flying? This must be a trick!” Videl gasped.

“Don’t worry it’s okay!” Gohan said, holding her tightly as she squirmed and gaped at the tall green being glaring at her.

“Get her out of here before I really get annoyed,” Piccolo grumbled, shaking his head. “We don’t have time for these games!”

“Maybe you should train with my Daddy then. I’m sorry Mr. Piccolo,” Gohan apologized.

“Who… what IS he?” Videl whispered, hanging tightly to her rescuer.

“Hold on tight, I’m going to go fast, Miss Videl,” said Gohan with the same politeness as before. Yelping she clung to the blue gi clad boy as they blasted off.

Videl slowly blinked more clearly up at her rescuer. Young Gohan touched down near a mountainous home, a fusion of old and new. Videl marveled at the dichotomy, unused to seeing many rural homes. She was a city girl through and through, though she had traveled much with her father in younger years. When her mother was alive… Out of the house rushed a woman in silk tunic with her hair pulled into a bun, wearing an apron. Behind her trailed two boys, both wearing orange karate gi. "Gohan, who's that with you?"

"Mom, she was hurt, and she needs help," said Gohan quickly, carrying her towards the house.

A stab of pain worked through her and Gohan saw the tears in her eyes. She then realized she had held back the fear of her near death encounter at the hands of the dinosaur, and started to tremble. The effort it took to maintain a brave front cracked, and she buried her face in Gohan's neck. "Hey, don't cry Miss," he suddenly stammered. Realizing he was holding a girl in his arms he wondered what his mother would think.

"My goodness are you okay?" Chichi suddenly gushed, reaching down towards the young Videl who was still squeezing her son tightly. "Bring her in!"

"I'm sorry," Videl said, pushing away tears as she struggled to maintain the veneer. But Chichi quickly reached down and swept up the girl in her arms with no effort.

"Gohan, go get the first aid kit. You two young men, don't dawdle… your mother and father should be coming home soon… and the twins are still down for their nap," Chichi said.

"Right Aunt Chichi!" they nodded.

"Is the girl okay?" asked one, who had concerned eyes.

"A girl, Gohan? Where'd she come from?" Fermi asked.

"I'm sure Gohan will tell you later. Now dear, just relax, I'll take you into Gohan's room. I'm sure he won't mind giving up his bed to a young lady… you're all scratched up!" Chichi gushed. Such a rush of protectiveness made Videl feel strangely uncomfortable and sad, realizing how long it had been since any sort of woman other than her 'nanny' had paid her such mind.

Gohan moved off, but Videl grabbed his top, "Someone call my daddy he'll be worried sick."

"Don't worry there's a phone in the room. You need to rest, you're ice cold," Chichi insisted.

"I don't want to be a fuss, Ma'am… I'm not THAT badly hurt!" Videl protested. She told Chichi her phone number and the woman rapidly repeated it to herself.

"Don't be silly!" Chichi sniffed, setting Videl down on a clean bedspread in a small tidy room. Cases choked with books filled entire walls, while a desk was stacked with more piles and stacks of paper. Chichi pulled another comforter overtop Videl and propped her back up with pillows. But first she carefully probed the girl's body for injuries.

"You need a bath you poor thing… and your right leg's broken," Chichi mumbled. "Good gracious what WERE you doing out in the middle of the woods without your parents…"

"My mom's been dead for two years," Videl said matter of fact. "And my dad's going to throw a fit if I don't contact someone…"

"Your dad? Oh yes… I'll just use the phone. You relax and I'll send Gohan to get you some soup from the kitchen. Don't worry it’s NO trouble!" Chichi waved a dismissive hand. Videl leaned her head back, realizing she wasn't going to get anywhere with refusing such generous hospitality. Judging by the home they weren't very wealthy, but far from poor. She allowed herself to slip into sleep because she was too tired from the adrenaline crash to do much else. Wrapped in a clean sheet she dropped off, hearing Chichi's voice on the phone. In and out of sleep she drifted, wondering just who these people were that had children who could fly.

"Mom, we could give her a sensu bean," Gohan said.

"Do you realize how stupid that would look?" Chichi sighed exasperatedly. "She's so young, and those beans just push the body too much! It's one thing for your father to use them, because he's so strong… but so much help to the body's natural immune system can't be good!"

"Mom, having her in pain won't work much either," said Gohan.

"I know dear, but the poor thing's been through enough as it is," Chichi whispered back.

"You okay?" asked a voice later on. Chichi leaned over her, fussing with a splint. Videl yelped in pain, and someone's hand grasped hers. It was the boy Gohan, who was now wearing some sort of white shirt and pants with suspenders, his hands neatly washed. One of them gently closed around Videl's. She looked down and realized someone had taken off her torn T shirt and replaced it with neatly stitched girl's clothes.

"My clothes," Videl stammered.

"Don't fuss dear. I'm sorry to shock you, but I thought it best to get you out of those dirty clothes and put you into some of my own old ones. I chased the boys out of the room, so you needn't feel embarrassed," Chichi whispered in her ear.

"Ouch… don't make a fuss Miss, I'm the daughter of a champ I can handle it," Videl protested. "Hold her hand Gohan. This is broken clean through…"

"Nonsense!" Chichi answered. "Just sit back and let me help you. You might be some sort of tough girl, but you're still a child, and right now you need to sit STILL or this will get worse! My goodness your father would be even MORE worried sick that nobody took good care of you!"

"My dad…"

"He's sending someone to pick you up. I tried to convince him you shouldn't be moved, but…" trailed off Chichi. She then realized Chichi's fussing had taken her attention away from the splint tying, which was now neatly finished. Gohan still held her hand, his dark eyes filled with concern that she thought few boys her age would have. Most of them were her friends at play, for she was a tomboy, but they didn't act the same way Gohan did, treating her like a girl.

"Relax, Miss Videl. It'll be okay. My mom knows what she's doing," Gohan said.

"I'm guessing it will be a five hour flight at the least, from where you said you lived. Orange star City it was?" Chichi said, glancing at the small clock on Gohan's bedside table. "So just rest and let yourself heal. I'll bring you some soup later…"

"Mom?" asked Gohan.

"You sit with her and see if she needs anything. But remember you have to study," Chichi told him. Mumbling to himself Gohan let go of her hand and wandered over to his desk. Videl continued to lie there, feeling sore all over but glad to be resting comfortably. There came the noise of something clinking by her bedside table.

"Dear, here's something that will help ease the pain, I mixed it in with the tea," Chichi said, gently shaking Videl's shoulder. Passing a strong arm behind Videl's neck she propped the girl up and touched the edge of a cup to her lips. Videl smelled something bitter mixed in with peppermint and what smelled like ginseng, but knew better then to argue. After all this woman was doing her best to help, above and beyond what most other people had done, for a stranger. While her father would have rushed her off to the hospital he would have left her to the care of nurses and doctors while fielding questions from dozens of reporters. She loved her father dearly, but often times he left her to her own devices after giving her a lesson in fighting.

That very day she had won the tournament, as Youth champion, he had all but ceased giving her private lessons. Instead he paid for her own personal trainer and gym, leaving her to learn on her own while he practiced his own secret techniques. Since he was convinced she was a natural, he figured she would do well enough learning from other trainers and incorporating their own techniques into hers.

"Get the best you can. You're my daughter all right, and there isn't anything they can't teach you that you can't make into your own style. Besides, you're strong enough you'd break them anyhow," Hercule had joked. Videl had accidentally punched her father hard on one occasion, and was sure she had heard a cracking sound. He had chuckled, but Videl could swear when she walked past his bedroom later on she heard him howling. The doctor had chased her out saying her father was practicing some new battle cry, but she could swear it hardly sounded like his usual Mr. Satan kick.

Still she pushed the doubt aside. Yet she had seen a green monster and a boy fly today. What else would happen?

"Hey," she said quietly, glancing over towards where Gohan sat, head tucked inside a book. His bent elbow propped up the hand pressed to the side of his face, while his other hand held a pencil.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked, turning his head slightly.

"Just a very big painkiller, but your mom already took care of that" Videl joked weakly.

Sliding down off the chair Gohan quickly moved to her bedside. He picked up what looked like another cup and saucer holding it up. "That reminds me, Mom told me to give you another dose of tea. She says it's her special blend and it'll continue to help keep the aches gone."

"Is your mom always that… pushy?" Videl asked, then felt a bit embarrassed. Gohan handed her the cup, and she took it carefully. Strangely he let her raise it to her lips herself and drink. The hot sweet brew tasted heavenly, and she realized how thirsty she was. As before it left a bitter aftertaste on her tongue, but her body relaxed considerably.

"Mom's just very protective. She goes overboard a lot of the time, but she still thinks of me like I was 5," Gohan said with a slight blush.

"My daddy sometimes does that. But since I've won the world championship he treats me like I'm either his little darling or like I'm the toughest in the world. He tells me to suck it up and go get it," Videl laughed.

"You mean you fought in the world tournament?" Gohan blinked. "No wonder you're so strong."

"Don't you know who I am?" asked Videl.

"You told me your name," Gohan shrugged.

"You've never heard of Mr. Satan?" she blinked. "My Dad's one of the greatest fighters in the world!"

"Wait a minute, your Dad fights in tournaments?" asked Gohan, his eyes widening.

"He's the strongest in the world! I mean he beat the reigning champion! And he had to knock down this big jerk Spopovitch to do it! With one PUNCH! Don't tell me you didn't see that?"

"Mom says television rots my brain," Gohan shrugged. "I'm supposed to study."

To this Videl widened her eyes in disbelief. "Wait you don't have a TV?"

"No," Gohan confessed. "I mean we do have one, but Mom doesn't let me watch anything on it except one hour a day. And it's educational television."

"Your mom's pretty strict about studying. Wish my dad gave a darn about that. He just wants me to train so I can kick butt next year. Studying's not something he cares a whole lot about, but I like to read a lot myself," Videl confessed.

"You don't study?" Gohan asked. "Do you go to a school with a lot of other kids?"

"Yeah! Don’t' you?"

"No, I'm home schooled. Mom teaches me, and checks my homework. She orders my lessons and I send them back by mail. She says it's because it makes someone smarter that way," Gohan shrugged.

"No wonder you don't act like the boys at my school," Videl said plainly.

"How so?"

"You're too polite," Videl giggled. "The boys at my school just want to play sports and fight. You look like you fight too… what do you do all day? And how did you do that flying trick?"

"It's not a trick. I really CAN fly."

"Did the Saiyans teach you?" Videl asked. Gohan stammered and stepped back.

"You know about SAIYANS?" he gasped.

"Uh huh! They saved my school bus from a wrecked bridge! They can fly like you did, that same trick. And that green monster!"

"He's not a monster, he's Piccolo, and he's from Namek," Gohan interrupted. "Like the Saiyans are from planet Vegeta. They're all alien beings."

"No way," Videl blinked. "You mean alien beings are REAL? My dad says it was all some trick!"

"It is real," Gohan said. "Cause I've been to Namek. I haven't been to Vegeta… it blew up…"

"Wait a minute, that's crazy! How could YOU who lives in the middle of nowhere end up in space? That makes NO sense!" Videl spluttered, sitting bold upright and glaring at him.

"Well you know about Saiyans, don't you?" Gohan countered, folding his arms over his chest and staring back at her in wonder.

"Okay, you got me there, smart guy," Videl relented, narrowing her eyes at Gohan. "But there's something strange about you. How can YOU fly when you're NOT an alien?"

"Because Mr. Piccolo taught me how," said Gohan. "And anyone can learn to fly, if they know how to channel ki."

"What the heck is ki?" Videl blinked.

"Um… you know, the energy in your body…" Gohan blinked.

"Ugh, what the HECK are you talking about my body, you…"

"Easy, I don't mean anything perverted by it, I mean life energy like strength!" Gohan negated quickly waving his hands in front of his face. "Like this!"

Videl's jaw snapped shut when she saw energy crackling between his hands. The boy thrust them towards her, and she gaped in disbelief. Any other words of protest were silenced because her mouth moved without sound. "That's… impossible! You're just like those Saiyans!"

"Um… well… I guess I am. My dad's a Saiyan. But he grew up on earth," Gohan confessed.

"You mean, you're from outer space?"

"It's a long story," Gohan confessed.

"Do you know where they are? Because they told me I could come visit, I mean Fasha did and…"

"Fasha?" Blinked Gohan. "Wait, you actually know their names?"

"Fasha said that I could come see them if I wanted to. And I've got a lot of questions to ask them. And since you know about them, maybe YOU could take me to see them?" Videl said, grabbing his wrist.

"Now WAIT a minute, you're still hurt! Mom would freak!" Gohan protested.

"Please Gohan, you've GOT to help me on this! I need to ask them questions because I think they might be in BIG trouble," Videl continued, fixing her blue eyes into his.

"But Mom called your Dad to come get you… and if we just run off…" said Gohan weakly.

"You can carry me, like you did before. Please Gohan?" Videl asked, putting the sweetest plea into her voice like she'd seen some of the female friends of her father do. While she couldn’t' stand her father's multiple girlfriends, she could learn something from their 'wiles'.

"Maybe I can find a sensu bean and heal you up," Gohan said, squeezing her hand. "Wait here."

"A what?" Videl blinked, and he released her hand. Turning his back to her, Gohan started to open various drawers around the room, digging through them.

"Aha!" he shouted, tugging a small brown bag out of the top drawer of the small lacquered dresser. Returning to the bedside, he tipped a small green object out of it that fell onto his palm. He thrust his hand in front of her face, presenting her with the view of what appeared to be an ordinary green bean.

"A bean? You're kidding me. As if a bean could do anything," she rolled her eyes.

"It'll make you good as new. Trust me. You were the one who wanted to see the Saiyans, and this is the best way," said Gohan.

"So this means you will take me?" she asked, reaching with small fingers sheathed in a fingerless glove. As she picked it up her hand brushed Gohan's and she noticed his slight blush. Just short of putting it between her lips she hesitated.

"If you eat the bean, that is," Gohan nodded seriously. "I promise it will be okay. But we have to hurry before your dad's friends pick you up…"

"We're in West Province 439, right?" she asked.

"Yes. And you said you lived in Orange Star City?" Gohan nodded. Glancing down at his fingers he quickly counted an invisible calculation off on them, face screwed up in concentration. "That's more than five hours away from here. And that's with the fastest hydro-jet. A normal car would take more than ten."

"Then we'd better hurry," Videl nodded, popping the bean into her mouth. A few nibbles later, and she swallowed the fishy tasting legume. No sooner had it slid down her throat then she felt a strange burst of energy flooding her limbs. Heart pounded and breath surged mightily along with the tidal wave of vitality far greater then a kick from fighting a round with her father. In disbelief the ponytailed girl glanced down at her hand then to her leg, which she felt twitching.

"You feel better? You won't need those bandages. It works like that," Gohan snapped his fingers. He turned away while she slid up the loose leg of the pink silk pantaloons. Pieces of wood along with bits of bandage fell to the floor as Videl removed her dressing.

"Wow, that's incredible, I feel all better," she laughed, leaping up on the bed and standing on her healed legs. This caused Gohan to back away again, worried his mother would somehow sense someone was jumping on a bed and pop in to scold him.

"Shh, keep it down!" Gohan said, grabbing a shirt and pulling it over his head. "Mom might hear you. We should go out through the window!"

Instantly Videl clamped her lips shut, and leapt down from his bed. Around her legs swirled the skirt of the borrowed tunic Chichi had loaned her. Grasping the sneakers that Gohan retrieved for her she slid them on, then watched him slide open the windowpane. Surprise filled her yet again to see him rise silently till he hovered two feet above the carpeted floor. After he floated out over the windowsill, he extended one hand towards hers. Momentarily she doubted her decision, yet pushed those reservations aside when she caught the honest look in his ink black eyes. Again their hands touched, but this time his grip firmly seized her fingers, followed by the sensation of millions of tiny pinpricks erupting over her skin. Not unlike the sensation of walking across a carpet and feeling her hair stand on end, Videl realized. Was a faint white energy sizzling around his body, and hers, or was it her imagination. The reason hardly mattered because the next minute she found herself rising into thin air so she flew alongside of him. Words of doubt swallowed in her throat clearing the way for her cry of surprise.

By now the house fell away with the gust of wind hitting her face, blowing her ponytails behind her. Videl squeezed her eyes shut, grabbing instinctively at Gohan's arm. Relief filled her to feel him slide that arm around her shoulders, tugging her body against his. "You can open your eyes, Videl," he urged.

Through her opening dark lashes she stared at a vast green chessboard of tiny trees and irregular pools of water used for rice farming. Not only did she see the landscape shrinking away, but also Videl spied the rounded dome merging with the brown roof of Gohan's house. Digging her fingers into his back she squeezed tightly to him for fear she would fall. Yet Gohan's steady dark eyed gaze filled her with relief because she saw the sincerity of protectiveness present in their depths. Here was a boy who had saved her from death itself like a knight in shining armor, and her instincts told her she could trust Gohan with her life. A funny tickling sensation crept through her stomach feeling like she had swallowed a dozen live eels. They must be electric ones for she could not discern the cause of the tingling sparks shooting up her arm.

It must be this 'ki' Gohan spoke of, she decided later, noticing the thin glowing aura surrounding both of them. Under them the vista of ground blurred into the same streaks one saw when flying in an air car. Thanks to the envelope of strange white no air slashed her in the face, and she could strangely breath though she guessed the air must be thinner. Videl laughed with mingled fear and excitement to fly freely like a bird.

"You like it? It's really neat isn't it?" Gohan laughed, relieved she was not longer terrified. Somehow it made him very happy to see her smiling because of something he was doing. The only females Gohan had spent any time around were his mother, Bulma, and any children he had met during his training with Piccolo. Yet those meetings had never been by choice, rather circumstance. Videl wasn't like those girls. In fact she was pretty much like a boy, except for the long ponytails and the fact that whenever he spent time around her he felt a strange tickling sensation in his stomach. Krillin on their voyage to Namek had spent long stretches of time answering Gohan's questions about life in general. Especially when Gohan asked him why Bulma was always so bitchy.

Krillin in his experience whispered, "Girls just get like that. Bulma's missing Yamcha. And Bulma's pretty high strung… I mean she complains about EVERYTHING…"

"But why do you look at her in that funny way? I mean do you like her like my mom likes my dad?"

"Well, yes… but she's always gaga over Yamcha. I just want a nice girl who wants to get married. I don't think Bulma's my type," Krillin blushed profusely.

"She's pretty nice, but she gets mad so easily. Like my mom does when Dad makes her annoyed. I think she's just lonely and scared," said Gohan.

"Yeah, but she sure scares me sometimes. Gohan, women are a real mystery even to guys who think they've got them figured out. But they sure make life more fun," he sighed wistfully. "Naw, Bulma's just too… high maintenance…"

Which Bulma had promptly inserted herself into the conversation and clobbered Krillin over the head with a water bottle, shouting, "HEY, watch your mouth!"

"Never mind," Krillin had grumbled, while Gohan sighed and decided it was best to play peacemaker.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about her like that," Gohan scolded him. "It's not nice."

"At least GOHAN has a clue about women, and he's less than HALF your age," Bulma had huffed, then rubbed Gohan's bowl cut hair. Still Gohan felt embarrassed to think that most women WOULD act like that when he got old enough to even think of dating them. Nevertheless Videl seemed nothing like them, and it might be because she was his age.

"It's this way," Videl pointed, tugging the cloth of his blue sleeveless shirt. "Two mountains…"

"Yes that's right," Gohan nodded. "Hold on…"

***

“Champion?” Raditz marveled. Binding his arm around Stellari’s waist he shot towards their destination, Capsule Corps. It seemed like an age ago that he’d come there, and his mind reeled with the anticipation of the Prince’s reaction.

Swinging Stellari around to the front again, Raditz then unfurled his gold tail from around his waist. He let go of her causing her to yelp with shock more than fear. Instantly it dissipated, when she grabbed the front of his orange gi glowing from within. Turquoise pools intently flickered down to peer at her long flowing strands of brown hair. Around her waist he twined his tail, freeing his hands to slide tantalizingly up and down her back.

Stellari’s breath escaped in small fits of giggling. They increased with each pass of his questing fingers busying themselves with unfastening whatever catches or clasps or clothing fastenings in their way. Although Raditz continued to fly, his main attention focused on keeping her closely bound to him, his ki envelope warming the female in his protective grasp. Was he trying to show supreme control, she wondered. A viselike grip tugged her wrist towards the blue sash binding his workout pants up. Still dazzled by the pulses of Super Saiyan energy Stellari hesitated. Raditz brought his mouth to her ear, emanating a rumbling growl that inflamed her base desires. It was rare t hat he positioned her hands to move his clothes aside, but Stellari knew he was anxious to mate with her again. Just why she continued to deny him she wasn’t sure.

“Enough of this shyness,” he rumbled. Stellari could no longer argue with the strong hands curving around her backside and pulling her thighs to hitch around his own hips. Although he poured far more power into her body to bridge the vast gap between them, she still knew it was an exponential gulf. Visions of his training with Burdock flooded her mind through their bond all the while. Perhaps that was why she feared him.

Was it fear, or arousal? Raditz wouldn’t take no for an answer, and she found herself feeling the same as she had that first night they had given their selves to one another. Fortune had turned full circle, bringing them in a primal pull. Stellari indicated her assent to the coupling by tugging his twin shirts out of where they were tucked into his sash. The instant her hands touched his granite hard blistering muscles his tension evaporated. Radditz’ growling purr increased however, along with the squeezes of his fingers on her flesh just shy of hurting.

Clothing was quickly repositioned. Stellari reached through the tangle of his twin shirts, massaging her way up his chest to his massive neck. Then she plunged both hands into the golden mane swirling around his prominent brow. Great spikes lit from within glistened like soft cold fire, unbelievably silky though they looked as if they would pierce flesh with their prickliness. Whatever force pushed the bulk of his hair to point upwards the long cascade down his back still weighted the rest down.

Chest heaving mightily, Raditz screeched to a stop. This tossed Stellari against his chest, pushing their bodies deliberately together while his hair shot forwards and tangled momentarily around her. Stellari’s nose flooded with the scent of the flowing locks, blinding her to the open sky around them. Trying to span his thickened waist with her legs invoked a satisfying pressure to an itch growing uncomfortably and tantalizingly sweet in her awakening body. Rapidly from her nether regions and his the burn grew, crying out for satiation.

Raditz knew her too well. She tugged hard on twin fistfuls of golden hair, yanking upwards at the same time his face angled downwards. A larger hungrier mouth claimed hers, hot breath invading her open mouth that struggled for dominance. Muscles tensed along her back and Raditz moaned with relief to feel her reluctance vanishing. Especially when he felt the circle of her thighs tightening around him with pressure that would crush the ribcage of a mere human. Clothing was a barrier that would no longer be tolerated. Stellari protested the ripping sound of Raditz fingers shredding her civilian earth garments hiding her armor. Annoyed she grabbed at his shirt, trying to rip the cloth the same way and only succeeded in ripping the outermost top. A blue sash fluttered earthwards with bits of orange and light green cloth next.