Mount Paozu, Earth
Gohan stood at the gate, staring at his own house, too scared to go in.
In his mind's eye a ferocious beast opened a bottomless maw to swallow him whole. A shiver ran straight down his spine.
"Live or die, I have to face it. Here goes." He grit his teeth, braced his legs, and shuffled toward the door on trembling knees.
"You unfilial brat, you still dare come home!"
Right on cue, a thunderous roar greeted him the moment he stepped inside.
Chi-Chi, belly round and high, wielded a rolling pin she hadn't used in ages and swung it with all her might at Gohan.
Smack!
"That's for ditching school!"
Thud thud thud!
"And that's for disappearing for a whole month!"
Clang!
"Videl was worried to tears!"
Smack, thump, crack!
It didn't take long for Chi-Chi to swap in a fresh rolling pin.
"Ma'am, this is the last rolling pin. If it breaks, there will be no tool to make noodles tomorrow," the cooking robot chimed in as if it had developed feelings.
"Out of my way. I'm teaching my son a lesson. What's that to you?"
Smack smack smack, thud thud thud!
Snap!
The second rolling pin broke in two.
Defend? Not a chance. Absolutely not.
Gohan didn't dare raise a guard for fear a careless ripple of ki might cause Goten to arrive early.
"Mom, mercy, I'm wrong!" he begged pitifully.
Beerus's Planet
"Haha, Whis, who would've thought? Gohan is terrified of a powerless Earthling," Oracle Fish laughed, slurping noodles.
"Serves him right. That sly brat needed this. One thing always checks another," Whis said, surprisingly delighted to see Chi-Chi lay down the law.
Then his expression softened; he understood what Oracle Fish meant.
"Mm. A child that filial won't go astray, unless someone tramples his bottom line," Whis murmured.
At the moment, without Whis or Beerus intervening, Gohan was practically the strongest in Universe 7. Who dared, or could, cross that line?
Seeing this, Whis felt even more certain he had chosen well.
"Keep an eye on the planet. If Lord Beerus even twitches like he's waking up, tell me at once. A rousing fight, is it? There are twelve universes. Simple." He tapped his staff.
A ribbon of seven-colored light flowed over him, and Whis slipped out of Universe 7 to find Gohan a proper opponent.
Mount Paozu
The ruckus at the Son house had already drawn the neighbors. Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa all looked on with complex faces.
"Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Earth women are scarier than Saiyan females," Raditz whispered.
"Ain't that the truth. But a regular woman probably couldn't handle us either," Nappa muttered, equally spooked.
"Hmph. A mere Earthling making Gohan this afraid is a disgrace to Saiyans," Vegeta snorted, though his eyes were wide.
Inside the Son home
"Mom, hit me, scold me, I won't complain, but please be careful of your body," Gohan said anxiously. He didn't care about the blows, only Chi-Chi's safety.
"Don't think you can wheedle out of this. You've gone bad. When your brother is born, he won't turn out like you," Chi-Chi huffed. After venting a while, her strength waned and her scolding took over.
"Yes yes yes, you're right. I was wrong. Please don't be angry," Gohan said, hurrying to help her sit.
Every motion was cautious, terrified that a slip could harm Goten.
After a moment to calm down, Chi-Chi spoke earnestly. "Gohan, I know you're gifted. But there's a time in life for everything. You're only ten. I don't want you to miss the joys of childhood. School is the proper path. I don't care if you top the class. I just don't want you to lose the experiences you should have, your youth. Do you understand?"
Ah, the hearts of parents. Once steady again, Chi-Chi poured her worries out with patient care.
What could Gohan do but listen like a good son?
"Yes, Mom. I get it. I'll go to school tomorrow. Please don't be mad," he said quickly.
"You sound impatient."
"No, no, I wouldn't dare," Gohan said helplessly.
"Boo hoo, that tone is impatient. My Gohan has changed," Chi-Chi sniffled, pregnancy mood swings turning like mountain weather.
Gohan was at his wits' end.
He suddenly thought of Videl.
One instant and he vanished, then reappeared in less than a second.
He brought someone back with him. Videl.
Backed into a corner, he could only ask for help.
Videl was happy first, then furious when she saw him.
But then she saw Chi-Chi's teary, aggrieved face and put everything else aside.
"Auntie Chi-Chi, what's wrong? Don't cry. Gohan's back. That's good news," Videl said, rushing over to comfort her.
Satan Mansion
"Grrr! That wretch Gohan, stealing my Videl!" Mr. Satan howled at the ceiling.
They had been halfway through lunch when Gohan showed up and whisked her away.
"Boo hoo. Videl, good child, when did you get here?" The moment Chi-Chi saw her, she cried harder.
Like a little girl herself, she hugged Videl and sobbed.
"Auntie, please don't cry. When you cry, I feel like crying too," Videl said, quick on the uptake as always, already working a plan.
"There there, good child. Hush. It's all Gohan's fault. Gohan, get over here and take your punishment," Chi-Chi said, tears stopping on a dime as she grabbed the broken rolling pin and swung again.
Gohan could only take it. The blows would not hurt him anyway.
What he could not endure was two women crying. If a beating stopped the tears, that was the best deal going.
Thud thud thud!
The fractured rolling pin split again.
"Huff, huff. Videl, sweetheart, don't cry. I've taught him a lesson," Chi-Chi panted, then turned to soothe Videl.
"Thank you. Please don't stay angry. You're expecting, so happy thoughts," Videl said, like a little adult, coaxing Chi-Chi gently.
"What a good girl. Come here, let Auntie hug you," Chi-Chi said, deeply moved.
And sighed inwardly that she had not had a daughter.
"Whew. Finally over. That was harder than fighting," Gohan exhaled.
"This is the terrifying Saiyan? You're joking," Vegeta muttered, eyes bulging. They had witnessed everything.
"Auntie Chi-Chi, I can tolerate Gohan cutting class, but I can't stand him not coming to see me," Videl said, deliberately pouting a complaint.
"Uh oh," Gohan thought, face falling.
Thud thud thud!
This time Chi-Chi grabbed the mop.
"You brat, making Videl unhappy."
Gohan took another round.
Videl watched with a mix of glee and a tiny pang of sympathy.
"I brought you here to help, not to make it worse," Gohan yelped.
"Hmph. I solved Auntie Chi-Chi's problem. Now it's time to solve mine," Videl sniffed.
Smack smack!
"Still talking back?" The mop handle, once round, flattened with every whack, the sound ringing like a drum.
Truly, when mother and future daughter-in-law stand as one, their edge cuts through steel.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Your support keeps this story going leave a 5★ review, add it to your library, and feed it some Power Stones!
"Want to stay ahead of the game?Advanced chapters are up on my Patron. If you're enjoying the ride, swing by and check them out."
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"