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"Stop fidgeting, you're going to wrinkle your shirt!"
The woman grabbed her youngest son by the wrists, trying to rein in his boundless excitement.
Today was one of the most important days for the family, the one Chi-chi had dreamed of ever since she first held her child in her arms. She couldn’t help but smile despite her stern expression as she scolded Goten.
"I told you and Trunks not to play so much. Don’t forget you have to bring the wedding rings, okay?" She looked the 9-year-old boy in the eyes.
"Yes, ma’am!" Her son replied with a big smile and his signature laugh.
Chi-chi straightened up, adjusting her long lavender dress as she did so. The color was beautiful; Bulma had told her it made her figure look slimmer and that the color made her look younger. Her black hair was pulled back as usual into a neat bun, with strands framing her pale face as always.
"What’s Gohan doing?" Goten asked, pacing back and forth in the hallway.
“He’s getting ready with your father and Piccolo,” Chi-chi explained gently, glancing at the large wooden door a little further down the hallway.
Mister Satan had helped—as the bride’s father—with the wedding arrangements and had chosen to hold the ceremony at one of his mansions, located outside the city. The venue was opulent and beautifully decorated; its grandeur had a welcoming feel, nothing stuffy. Chichi had to admit that it made her feel nostalgic for her own childhood in her castle on Mount Frypan.
"Mom, can we go see him?" Goten asked.
The mother nodded, and her son began flying down the hallway, laughing with excitement. She felt like laughing a little too, and felt a twinge of envy that she couldn’t float through the hallways like him.
“Hurry, hurry, Mom,” he said, opening the large door to the room where his brother was getting ready.
“Your shirt, Goten!” she replied with a smile.
Piccolo watched them enter with a neutral, even menacing expression. In her youth, Chi-chi had feared him, and she would have immediately fled upon seeing him look at her like that, but now she allowed herself to laugh and sometimes even feel relieved at the sight of him.
"Hey, you could at least smile for my son’s wedding," she said, crossing her arms. "Didn’t you put on your suit?"
“Too tight,” he muttered.
“Even for your protégé? The one you watched grow up? By the way, where is he?” The woman turned her head to look at the large hall.
Goten settled onto the small sofa, swinging his legs in the air.
“With Goku, wait-” The Namekian turned toward the small bathroom door. “Gohan, your mother’s here!”
No sooner had he spoken than two men opened the door with two big, identical smiles. The sight jolted Chi-chi, and she remembered the little boy clinging to his father’s neck as she patted his back to comfort him. So much time had passed since she’d had that little boy who’d made her life even more perfect than it already was. That little boy who’d started to stand up to her and, despite his mother’s objections, had never backed down, all to save those around him and the whole world.
Now that he was standing before her, all smiles and full of joy, Chi-chi told herself that in the end, she should never have worried about him, but rather about the passing of time and how it was changing her little Gohan.
"You look so cool, bro!" Goten exclaimed, looking at his brother with admiration.
"Thanks a lot, Goten," Gohan smiled at him.
The two brothers high-fived each other, laughing happily. Gohan then looked at his mother with a nervous smile.
"What do you think?" he said, crossing his arms in front of him, just like when he was a kid and would show her his homework.
Her eyes misted over, and she walked toward her son, who was looking at her with the same eyes that Goku said she had.
“You’re wearing the same suit your father wore when we got married,” she said as she reached him.
“Yes, Dad told me,” Gohan replied, and his father laughed.
He hugged her tightly, and she held back her tears so as not to stain his beautiful white suit.
"Thank you, Mom," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "For everything you've done for our family, I-"
"Oh, come on, enough with the tears." She pulled away from him and smiled as she smoothed out his suit.
"Ah, there you are!" Krillin's cheerful voice echoed through the room as he walked in, followed by Yamcha and Tien.
"Big day for you, champ!" Yamcha said cheerfully. "You must be nervous!"
"Congratulations, Gohan" Tien smiled at the young man.
Gohan excused himself to his parents and walked over to his friends with a big smile.
"He sure has grown, huh?" Goku put an arm around his wife’s shoulders, as they watched their son.
"That’s true," she said, resting her head against her husband’s chest.
He laughed, and all of Chi-chi’s tension melted away. It was silly to say, but having him by her side made this day even more special. For seven years, she had believed she would have to face this day alone, without him to see their eldest son get married.
"I wouldn’t have missed this for the world," he told her, as if reading her mind.
"You’d better have come back," she replied, and he squeezed her shoulder in response.
Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin were laughing as they teased Gohan, who blushed.
"Would you have wanted to have a wedding with your friends?" Chi-Chi asked Goku.
"Hmm... I don't know. Actually, I didn't even know what a wedding was. I was just happy to eat during the ceremony back then."
"Glutton," she tapped his arm, half-seriously.
"But I guess I'd do it again, it's good to have everyone gathered around!"
He smiled at her, and she planted a kiss on his cheek. Goku looked at her with surprise, but he still leaned to press a quick peck to her forehead.
Suddenly, Mister Satan’s head poked through the doorway, and his blue eyes scanned the room anxiously.
"Is everything okay, Mister Satan?" Yamcha asked him, approaching him.
"Huh? Yes, everything's fine, thanks, Yamcha. Oh, Gohan, you look so handsome!" The man kept looking around without stopping for his soon to be son-in-law.
His expression softened when he saw Chi-chi.
"There you are, Chi-Chi! Could you come, please? I need a favor."
“Videl, open the door—it's Dad. Chi-chi's here with me, too!” Mister Satan knocked gently on his daughter's bedroom door.
“Could you please explain—” Chi-chi began, but stopped when Videl opened the door.
The young woman had a polite smile on her clear face, her hair pulled back into a braided bun. One had to remember the days when her hair was as short as Bulma’s—no one had ever really known if it was to make fighting easier or for Gohan’s sake. Her hands were clasped on her thighs, no doubt out of nervousness. She still wasn’t wearing her beautiful white dress, which hung on a hanger somewhere in the room; truth be told, it was too early for her to put it on yet.
In short, everything seemed normal, and yet…
Without saying a word, Chi-chi took Videl’s hand and went inside with her. The two women sat down on the big bed, neither of them speaking.
“Are you having second thoughts?” Chi-chi gently squeezed the young woman’s hand. “You and Gohan are still young; it’s okay if you want to postpone it. We can always just have a party without the wedding—”
“It's not that,” Videl shook her head with a pout.
“Are you sick?” Chi-chi placed a hand on her forehead.
“No,” Videl sighed.
“Don’t you like your dress anymore?”
“No,”
“Then what’s wrong? Do you need help getting ready?”
Silence: Chi-chi had hit the nail on the head.
“Do you mind?” Videl looked at her, a little embarrassed.
Chi-Chi smiled kindly at the young woman, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“No, sweetheart. Not at all.” She helped her up and sat her down on a chair in front of a mirror.
Videl glanced quickly at herself in the mirror, her eyes filled with wonder and... sadness. No matter how good she was at hiding certain things, nothing escaped the watchful eye of a mother like Chi-Chi.
“You’re hungry,” Chi-Chi declared, offering her some water and cookies from the table.
“No,” Videl politely declined, “My stomach’s in knots.”
“I’ve never heard anyone around here say that,” Chi-Chi joked. “The boys at home eat everything until there’s nothing left; I even wonder if I need to wash the dishes.”
Videl laughed a little, but kept twirling her hands.
“At home, it was always just the two of us eating. I like seeing you all eat together; it’s so lively,” she explained.
“You’ll get used to having Goku and the others around you.”
That seemed to please the young bride for a moment.
“Is Gohan ready yet?” Videl asked, looking at Chi-Chi through the mirror.
“Yes, Goku helped him. He looks so handsome in his suit, you have no idea. And he can’t wait to marry you.” Chi-Chi placed a reassuring hand on her future daughter-in-law’s shoulder.
The gesture had the opposite effect, and Videl let out a disappointed "oh."
"Are you sure you don't have second thoughts?" Chi-Chi asked worriedly.
"No!" Videl turned her head away.
"Then tell me instead of making me play guessing games!" Chi-Chi scolded her.
Tears immediately welled up in the young woman’s eyes as she looked down, avoiding Chi-Chi’s gaze.
“What’s wrong? Couldn’t your father help you? What’s the problem? Why am I the one who—”
Suddenly it hit Chi-Chi. She’d had the same problem at her wedding. And her whole life. From childhood through adulthood, in the back of her head. “Oh...” was all the woman could say.
“You don't have to, Chi-Chi. I feel a little guilty asking you this when you should be with Gohan, but it's just that... I wanted to know what it felt like to have a mom...”
Videl was still wringing her hands when she jumped to her feet, rushed to the window, and watched the crowd helping with the preparations in the mansion’s gardens. Everyone was there, right before her eyes, and it was a perfect day—not a single cloud in the sky, nor any potential threat to the Earth. Her expression was gentle but tinged with nostalgia.
"Mom died when I was only two, from a sudden illness. I have nothing to remind me of her, except for a few photos of her youth with Dad. I never really suffered from her absence; Dad always made sure I was loved and well-raised. But—"
She couldn’t finish her sentence because Chi-Chi immediately hugged her with all the strength she could muster and all the compassion she could muster.
“You don’t need to say any more,” she whispered, stroking her hair. “I know what it’s like. And I’m honored to be able to help you, okay?”
Videl nodded, her blue eyes shining with emotion and gratitude. The two women remained in their embrace until Chi-Chi pulled herself together.
"All right, come on. We have to get ready now!“ She picked up the wedding dress and placed it in the young woman’s arms. ”Go put it on, come on!"
“Okay,” Videl laughed, wiping her eyes, before disappearing into the bathroom.
Now alone, Chi-chi sat down on the sofa with a sigh. She, too, had never been able to experience the joy that other girls felt at having a mom to hold her hand, brush her hair, or just be there for her every day. It was true that she had been lucky to have her father, who had done everything to make sure she never wanted for anything, but there were things the little girl she once was would have wanted.
On her wedding day, she would have wanted her mother by her side too, and wearing her dress had reminded her of that. And when she had Gohan, she would have wanted her there to hold her grandson.
Maybe that was what Videl wanted, deep down. And maybe that was also what Chi-Chi had always wanted for herself.
“Could you help me, please?” Videl’s voice rang out, interrupting Chi-Chi.
The young woman stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in white, and stood with her back to her future mother-in-law. Chi-Chi chuckled slightly at the automatic gesture and nodded, fastening the back of the dress with a force that quickly took Videl’s breath away.
“I won't be able to eat a thing during the whole ceremony,” she laughed half-heartedly.
“That's too bad, considering how much food we planned,” Chi-Chi joked as she helped the girl sit down.
“I’m sure the Saiyans will take care of it,”
“That’s for sure!”
The two laughed in front of the mirror. Videl watched Chi-Chi search for makeup tools suitable for the bride. Seeing her flustered state, Videl laughed again.
“You should have called Bulma for help; I’m not good with those things,” Chi-Chi sighed.
“Neither am I. But I trust you.” Videl smiled. “Well, I think so,” she added when she saw the woman looking lost.
For nearly an hour, the two got ready, laughing at their absent-mindedness and their ignorance of silly little things. But they finally finished getting ready, and Videl now stood in front of Chi-Chi looking happier and more relaxed.
When she turned around, Chi-Chi was so taken aback that she gasped. Before her, there was no trace of the tomboy she had come to know over the past few years. Her blue eyes were sparkling, a little shy, and her dress perfectly highlighted her fighter’s figure. Her arms were crossed in front of her—just like Gohan had done earlier—and she was shifting from side to side with a little girl’s impatience. Chi-Chi remembered when she had warned the young girl during their first meeting, thinking she would take her little boy away from her. Now, she felt a maternal instinct toward this young woman, whom she had come to know—through life and death—growing to love her a little more each day, and her heart ached at the mere thought of anything happening to her.
She had envied Android 18 for having a little girl, though she would never tell her that, but now she felt more than fulfilled to have Videl standing before her.
“Well?” Videl smiled.
“My princess,” Chi-Chi hugged her tightly, letting a few tears escape.
Their embrace was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door.
“Come in!” Videl said as Chi-Chi wiped her eyes.
Goku’s distinctive hair peeked through the crack in the door before he stepped fully into the room.
“Bulma told me to come check on you two,” he explained before his eyes widened at the sight of Videl. “Wow! You look—”
“Gorgeous,” Chi-Chi finished, stepping aside so her husband could hug the young woman.
“I'm really happy for the two of you. I knew you'd end up together as soon as I saw your fight against Spopovitch. And don't even get me started on the fight against Majin Buu.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can't wait for you to be our daughter.”
Videl's eyes filled with tears, and Goku smiled.
The door swung open again to reveal Mister Satan, who immediately burst into tears at the sight of his daughter as he hugged her as tightly as he could. The couple excused themselves to give the father and daughter some privacy.
“How did you know?” Chi-Chi asked him.
“Knew what?” he replied, folding his arms behind his head.
“That she needed to hear it.”
He looked at her with a smile as they walked down the stairs to the ceremony.
“I was just saying what we both think, right?”
His wife took his arm.
“Besides, I figured something was bothering her. I felt the same way with my grandfather, you know? And you too, with your mother.” Goku continued, a little more seriously.
They sat down in their seats, in front of the altar.
Their son stood there, nervous, smiling at them with all his teeth. Piccolo was right behind him, his arms uncrossed this time, and with a small smirk toward the crowd. Goku gave them a thumbs-up, which moved Gohan more than he wanted to show.
Dende stood in the center, ready to officiate, murmuring his lines aloud while Bulma and Vegeta—Chi-Chi would never have believed she’d see him here a few years ago—briefed Goten and Trunks once more on their duties.
“Drop this, and Kakarot’s wife will kill you.”Vegeta handed the wedding ring to his son, exchanging a serious glance with his wife before going to sit right behind the couple.
Little Marron scattered flower petals down the aisle, under the tender gaze of her parents.
“That's my daughter,” Krillin said to Yamcha, his voice choked with emotion.
“I know, dude,” his friend replied, handing him a handkerchief.
Everyone stood up as Videl, on her father's arm, followed the little girl forward. She was radiant, striding forward with determination.
Chi-Chi was ashamed of the tears falling from her eyes. She turned to her son, who was just like her, his face happy and full of serenity.
The little boy she had raised appeared before her, and she felt an immense sense of peace.
Goku took her hand and leaned in.
“You always wanted a daughter. Look what life has given you for all you’ve done.”
Chi-Chi smiled at him as she squeezed his hand.
It was true that she had the little girl she’d dreamed of.
Her beautiful girl.