The sky outside Capsule Corp was a deep navy canvas, scattered with stars like silent spectators. Inside the gravity chamber, the air was thick, pressing against the lungs like a weighted blanket. A dull hum resonated as the chamber remained locked at 200 times Earth's gravity.
Two warriors danced in the pressure.
Sweat rolled down Gohan's temple, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with his footwork. He twisted to dodge a jab from Vegeta, countering with a low sweep, but the Prince leapt over it, snapping his heel downward.
Gohan raised his forearm just in time to block it, bones vibrating from the impact. No Ki. No explosions. Just hands. Just raw movement, pressure, and pain. The kind that demanded precision and punished hesitation.
"Don't get slow on me now," Vegeta grunted, launching forward again, fists flying in rapid succession.
Gohan weaved left, ducked a roundhouse, then drove a fist into Vegeta's side but the older Saiyan twisted mid-blow, grabbing Gohan's wrist and yanking him into a short, brutal elbow to the gut.
"Better," Vegeta muttered, stepping back. "But your footwork's too soft. Again."
They clashed once more, movement after movement, strike after strike. Their bodies blurred within the chamber's crushing gravity, each action a test of will.
No talking.
No breathing room.
Only the raw tempo of war, of Saiyan blood, echoing through every move.
When it was over, they collapsed outside the chamber on a bench beneath the Capsule Corp veranda, soaked in sweat, their shirts clinging to their backs.
The moonlight painted pale halos on the grass.
For a moment, nothing but silence.
Then Gohan spoke, his voice quiet. "Vegeta… what makes you the most happy?"
Vegeta scoffed, reaching for a water bottle. "Winning."
Gohan gave him a look.
Vegeta didn't meet it.
Gohan leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "No, seriously. What really makes you happy?"
Vegeta was silent for a moment. Then, reluctantly, his eyes drifted toward the glowing windows of the Capsule Corp building. Inside, Trunks was likely asleep. Bulma probably buried in her work, humming some half-forgotten tune.
"…My family," he said finally, the words landing with the weight of truth.
Gohan blinked. That wasn't what he expected, not from Vegeta.
Vegeta glanced at him sideways, irritation returning. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't say I was soft. I fight for them. That's strength."
Gohan nodded slowly.
Then Vegeta added, "You should go see your mother."
Gohan stiffened.
Vegeta's voice lost its bite but not its edge. "It's been years, boy."
"I can't," Gohan said, voice low.
"You can," Vegeta snapped, standing. "You just don't want to."
"She'll look at me like she doesn't recognize me. She'll see what I've become and..."
"She'll see her son," Vegeta interrupted. "The same way Kakarot would've. And maybe it's time you stopped hiding behind guilt and remembered who the hell you are."
Gohan looked up at him, startled.
Vegeta's expression darkened but not with malice. "You're a Saiyan. Start acting like one. Be proud of your strength. Be proud that you're alive."
Then he turned, stepping back inside Capsule Corp, the door sliding shut behind him with a hiss.
Gohan remained on the bench, unmoving, his breath cooling in the night air.
He looked up to the stars.
Each one a memory. Each one a ghost.
Piccolo. Goku. Cell. The mistakes. The sacrifices.
His heart thudded.
He clenched his fists.
He didn't know if he was ready to face her.
But maybe… he was ready to try.
And somewhere far above, beyond the stars, a flicker of peace stirred.
The next Morning...
The sun rose over West City in a soft orange hue, stretching long shadows across Capsule Corp's expansive lawn. The weight of the previous night still lingered but the morning brought its own kind of clarity.
Inside the training yard, metal clanged against metal.
Gohan stood beneath a makeshift rack, veins bulging as he hoisted weights that would crush a normal man. Next to him, Vegeta grunted through his own reps, sweat dripping from his brow as he pressed the bar with flawless control.
"You're still compensating with your shoulders," Vegeta muttered.
Gohan grunted in response, adjusting his form slightly.
The silence between them wasn't awkward, it was earned. Sharpened by battle, bonded by pain.
Then a voice called from the Capsule Corp doorway.
"Gohan! You've got a visitor!"
Bulma's voice was light and amused.
Gohan looked up and froze.
Videl stood next to her, arms crossed, black spandex training gear replacing her usual school outfit. She looked every bit as determined as the day before, her eyes locking onto his with unwavering focus.
Gohan immediately set the weights down and moved toward her. "Videl."
Vegeta scoffed behind him and didn't even turn. "You move faster for her than you do in a fight."
Bulma giggled. "Oh, leave them be. It's adorable."
Vegeta rolled his eyes and resumed his reps, muttering something about "distractions."
Outside, Gohan and Videl stood in the open yard beneath the shade of a towering capsule tree. Videl cracked her knuckles.
"I'm ready," she said. "Show me how to use Ki."
Gohan gave a nod, stepping back. "Alright. First, clear your mind. Feel the energy inside you. It's not just strength, it's intent. Focus on your breathing. Control it."
She closed her eyes and he watched as her brow furrowed. The wind gently ruffled her bangs. The faintest glimmer of energy flickered around her palms.
"Good," Gohan said, quietly impressed. "Most people don't feel anything for weeks. You're close."
Videl opened one eye. "I've been practicing. A lot. I'm not going to fall behind."
From behind the outer wall of the Capsule Corp training yard, two small figures crouched low, hiding behind a stack of unused gardening crates.
Trunks peeked around the edge. "Tch. She's actually doing it."
Beside him, Goten stared with a twisted expression, his small fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight.
Trunks turned and noticed it.
"Hey… what's with you?"
Goten didn't answer.
"She's your brother's student, not his girlfriend, if that's what you're mad about," Trunks teased.
But Goten's voice was low, sharp. "He left us. He doesn't deserve this. He gets to act normal now? After what he did?"
Trunks blinked, surprised by the venom in his best friend's voice.
"…We should train somewhere else," Trunks said, after a beat. "Tournament's coming up anyway. Let's get serious."
Goten nodded, eyes still locked on Gohan and Videl, his scowl deepening. Then they slipped away into the trees.
Back in the yard, Videl was managing to form a faint orb of Ki in her hand. It sputtered and vanished but she grinned in triumph.
Gohan smiled. "You're doing great."
She wiped her brow. "I'm gonna beat you in the tournament."
He chuckled. "You'll have to beat Trunks and Goten first."
She looked at him. "I'm not afraid."
There was a pause, then Gohan tilted his head.
"…You changed your hair."
Videl blinked. "Excuse me?"
"It's shorter. Looks better longer."
Her face twitched.
A long, sharp breath escaped her nostrils. "Unbelievable."
Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed off.
"Wait, what did I..." Gohan called after her, confused.
Vegeta stood in the Capsule Corp doorway, arms crossed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Boy," he said with absolute satisfaction, "you never talk about a woman's hair."
Gohan ran a hand through his own, face twisted in mild horror.
"…She's gonna kill me."
Vegeta smirked. "Maybe she'll beat it into you."
Gohan sighed, but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.
"Alright," he said, cracking his neck. "Back to training."
The gravity chamber hummed again, calling them back into the storm.