The Erased Chronicles

The Devil's Initiative

Son Residence, Early Morning, The Following Day

If Gohan's life could get any more complicated, he wasn't going to tempt Dende by asking him to try. After Videl had arrived at Elche Island, the teenage Saiyan had managed to convince Videl to sleep elsewhere on the island for the night to avoid having to explain anything to Chi-Chi. However, Videl was exactly like Chi-Chi, and she arrived at their home at five in the morning — mercifully, after Erasa had woken up and gotten started training — to demand they begin.

"You're going to be the death of me, you know that?" Gohan quipped bitterly as he opened the door to let the ebony-tressed girl.

"I'm only ensuring you keep your part of our deal, Golden Fighter," Videl stressed that last four syllables with a sly smile on her face. "You teach me how to fly, and Satan City's mystery Superman remains a mystery to everyone but Erasa and me."

Gohan couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration at Videl. Running a hand through his hair, he led Videl into the kitchen, and they were soon met with a rich, earthy aroma; the scent of brewing coffee. "Would you like any?" Gohan gestured to the brew, determined to be at the very least hospitable to his unwelcome guest.

"Sure," Videl replied, pulling out one of the wooden chairs at the table and sitting in it, inclining backwards.

"When I think about it, Gohan's actually cute when he's visibly frustrated," Videl thought to herself, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks as Gohan busied himself irritably over the kitchen sink, gently filling a cup with the vigor of an angry adult human. "W-Wait, what I am thinking!? This is the guy stealing Erasa from me and making a mockery of justice in my own city! Focus, Videl, remember why you're here!"

Gohan poured the coffee into the mug, the steam created an odd feeling of warmth at this early hour. "Cream and sugar?" He asked in an off-hand manner.

"Black," was Videl's simple reply.

With a shrug, Gohan took the mug to Videl, who drank it with something resembling gratitude. He then took a seat as well, and the two sat across from each other in the most awkward silence — the blackmailer and her victim. If Videl had astute hearing, she would have been able to hear the gears in Gohan's head turning, formulating a way to introduce this new girl to his mother.

The sound of footsteps, however, told Gohan that he didn't need to plan, and that Dende had a very sick sense of humor.

"Gohan, are you in there?" Chi-Chi's voice sounded from the doorway, Gohan turned to see his mother standing there in a flowery pink morning kimono, with a light blue towel wrapped around her head. The scent of shampoo wafted around, telling him she'd just come out of the shower; the towel must have been to dry her hair.

"Hi mo-," Gohan began, only to be cut off by Videl.

"Hello, Mrs. Son," Videl smiled, making a polite, brief bow. "I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion, but Gohan failed to give me the correct address. I was going to come with you all to train, but I had some issues I had to take care of first." This was true enough; the injuries Videl had sustained when she attempted to stop those two thieves in her exhausted state had been severe. The fact that she was up and moving now was a miracle; and then there was a miracle that she'd avoided something far, far worse.

Before Gohan could even acknowledge the two-faced nature of this girl, he saw his own mother's draw jaw in brief surprise before she gathered her composure and steeled a polite smile onto her face.

"Birds of a feather," Gohan thought bitterly, seeing Chi-Chi fall right into Videl's trap.

"Oh, of course!" Chi-Chi replied with a cheerful façade that she reserved for guests. "I'm so sorry my son was so thoughtless," She flashed Gohan a very brief glare that went entirely unnoticed by Videl, causing Gohan to shrink back on reflex.