AN: Well, I'm back with another chapter! And its way overdue! Man, I really suck at predictions of my own work. Well, not really. Turns out, my laptop basically has become a massive piece of crap when it comes to running the software I needed for my remaining projects, to the point I had to invest way more time than expected into them just to make sure they were finished, and one of them I can't say I'm in anyway proud of, despite the circumstances.

Either way though, thankfully all that's behind me, and I can focus my full attention on my fics. I promised you guys two chapters in April and two in may before this story takes a bit of a backseat to another fic of mine. That's changed now. the three remaining chapters I haven't done are all coming out in both this month and June, alongside some updates to my other stories. That, and a new story that's already debuted, involving a fusion of the RWBY and Dragon ball universes for anyone interested. As for this story after those three updates, I may very well keep the updates rolling alongside other fics throughout July and August as well, we'll have to wait and see.

Also, before we start the chapter, I believe I've made a continuity error when it comes to the timeline for prison school by accident. I was watching the prison school anime subbed while I was writing earlier chapters, and either the subbers made a mistake or I just didn't catch the translation properly when I was watching it, but apparently, Kiyoshi's date with Chiyo isn't supposed to be this weekend in canon, but rather two weeks ahead roughly of where I have it now, as that's what gives him the time to widen the hole enough to fit through for his escape. Having less than a week to pull that off and escape is too short, so therefore, I will be going back and altering that detail in any other chapter that I mention it being this weekend, because it isn't. This won't really change anything about the chapter or chapters though, so there's no need to re-read them for any changes. Its just a minor hiccup that I'll clean up now before it becomes a bigger one later on.

Also, for those of you that hadn't been paying attention to the amount of days that had passed, including myself humorously enough, it was a Monday when Gohan got to school, and looking back, without realising it, I'd made it so that school days were taking place on the weekend as well by mistake. I'll be fixing that up too, but would you guys rather me coming up with an explanation in story for why that is, since Hachimitsu is meant to be a top tier high-school in prison school canon, so it could be entirely possible that they have weekends as optional days for classes as well. Or do I go back on the last few chapters and alter some dialogue/descriptions to better fit an actual school? Neither of these actually change anything about what I'm going to be doing with this fic, but spotting these silly mistakes, particularly the second one bothers me. So I'll be correcting them both, just wanted your guys opinion is all.

With all that out of the way though, lets get on with our latest chapter!

A Saiyan's Prison Ride:

Chapter 12: A Scheme

Within the principal's office that same night…

A sigh cut through the chairman's lips shortly after entering his office, as he took notice of, and picked up the USC guidebook left behind on his desk. His eyes trailing up to the computer screen showing the latin woman in a compromising position once more. "It looks like Mari must've seen this."

The chairman's temple creased at this as he placed the guidebook to his left on the desk. A look of shame briefly entering into his eyes as he sat down on his chair behind his desk.

Damn his own luck. First he'd had to deal with some meetings for the board for the last few days, and now he comes back to know that his eldest daughter had been in his office and had seen the latest porn site he'd chosen to visit.

"Could this have been the reason she took the boys free time away…?" Despite his absence, he'd had some people in the school to notify him of the goings on while he was away dealing with his duties. It hadn't taken long since he'd left for one of them to contact him about Mari cutting the boys free time at the weekends away, reportedly because they were underperforming in her eyes.

Seeing that she'd been her though, and had clearly seen his latest site visit, he was already starting to doubt that was the case.

As embarrassing as this was though, he was fairly certain when he'd left his office, he'd left his pc on the other page with his message so he could get straight to it as soon as he got back. If he was remembering that right, than it was a guarantee that Mari had also seen that as well. At the very least he didn't have to worry about that though, since it had nothing in it yet. His daughter would more than likely assume he was sending something to a business associate. Or at least he hoped she did anyway. He'd rather not have to explain to her what was going on here. At least not yet anyway. It was too soon.

"Well, as bad as this is, I mustn't leave this any longer." He thought as he changed the page over to the message sending site. His document still open with nothing inside, other than the woman it was addressed to. "My apologies for taking so long with this Chichi. I should've foreseen some delays given my work as the chairman."

He hoped she wasn't annoyed at how long it took him to message her. Granted, she was a very reasonable woman, so she most likely would understand if he just left a quick note in it as to why it was over two days late.

After a short while typing away at the keyboard, he left a side note at the end explaining the delay, before finishing it off and sending it over. "There, its sent. I do hope she's pleased with… that!" He emphasized at the end, before another small sigh cut through him as he opened up a side drawer next to him with a thin black book inside it. One that was unassuming to the naked eye, that read on the cover 'Conditions and challenges in south American fields of education'. "Hmm. I better take this home with me as well, just in case."

Picking up the thin book, he opened up the cover, and right inside on the first page, still as pristine as ever, was his most cherished ass shot, from the very woman he's just sent a message to. The high-def photo of pearly white panties snuggling close into the most perfectly structured, plump ass he'd ever seen. Those two butt-cheeks so flawlessly round and juicy that he and just about any other man of his 'refined' taste in the true greatest part of the female anatomy could roll their face around in that magnificent swell for ages and never get tired of it!

There were many other pristine ass-shots in this book that he'd compiled after deciding just having them in a pile within his desk was a little too messy as well. The book itself being a good way to hide and smuggle them out of his office when needs be. Yet none of the other pictures present within could compare to hers.

After taking a small moment to admire the majesty of the picture, he placed the cover back on the book and tucked it away beneath his armpit as he made his way out of his office.

Within the prison… around that same time…

"I'd like to see some commercial TV for once." Shingo sighed, leaning back against his chair with his feet up on the table and arms crossed behind his head. His gaze becoming increasingly bored as he had no choice but to watch educational programming, as that was all they were allowed in the prison, which just sucked.

Joe and Andre paid the punkish looking boy no mind as they sung a song together about a tanuki they'd known for years to pass the time on his right. Both seeming to have a bit of genuine banter as they did given the humoured smiles on their faces.

As for Kiyoshi and Gakuto on the other hand, the two sat across from each other to Shingo's left with what appeared to be a copybook in between them atop the table that they were playing what looked to be a plain game of gomoku with X's and O's.

That however, was just a cover for them.

"Yours truly does not seek a craven motive like a sumo date with a girl." Gakuto remarked, as he drew out another 'X' on the sideway-turned page. His gaze staring straight at the paper as his glasses seemingly tinted red for a brief moment in Kiyoshi's eyes, before the wiry teen turned his gaze up to him and left him to draw out his own 'O' on return. "Kiyoshi-dono, do you know 'The Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?"

"Well, I know the name, at least." The boy replied honestly, vaguely remembering the title from a boring history class that he'd zoned out of some time ago.

Gakuto upturned his head slightly, as if he was looking at something beyond Kiyoshi with a fond look in his eyes. "The time is the Later Han Dynasty, at the end of the 2nd century. The might of the emperor descends beneath the soil, and the eunuchs known as the Ten Attendants seize power-"

"Get to the point!" Kiyoshi aggressively cut in, not in the least bit interested in a long-winded history lesson.

Non-plussed by his friend's lack of interest in his favourite historical period, Gakuto pressed on. "What I'm saying is that after an eternity, a once-every-four-years Three Kingdoms figurine fair is being held in Akihabara!" Glasses glinting once again underneath the light of the room, the wiry teen gained an almost sagely expression as he revealed his desire. "Yours truly must go there to procure limited edition Guan Yu and Red Hare figurines!"

Kiyoshi couldn't have looked more incredulous if he tried. "Wait, that's your craven motive?"

When Gakuto had found him out using the note that Chiyo had thrown him, and both he and Gohan had forgotten to collect, Kiyoshi had been quite worried about the bespectacled youth exposing him. The boy's downright weird and creepy actions in the showers with him about two days ago where he'd spouted some crap about Yokozuna having an assistant to wash their back after offering to do his himself. Sufficed to say, Kiyoshi couldn't have bolted out of there quicker.

Then there was the day following, where he'd purposefully done several attention grabbing poses related to sumo right in front of him, as if he couldn't make it obvious enough already that he knew, and as mocking him for it. It didn't really inspire confidence in him at the time. He knew he could trust Gohan, since the guy was sincere and hadn't said a word, otherwise he would've been busted y now.

Gakuto though might as well have been bloody advertising what he was trying to do with Chiyo in a sense, and he'd firmly believed he was taking the piss out of him for fun until he finally decided to rat him out. Which would've dragged Gohan down along with him, as the guy was aware that Gohan had come out with him that day, and there was little chance he hadn't figured out about the hole and his plans to escape, but had done nothing to warn Meiko or Hana about it.

He wouldn't have doubted Gakuto being capable of it at the time, since he and Gohan weren't on the best of terms, and he could've used it as a way to stick it to him. Getting him thrown in prison as a result for conspiring with a prisoner.

Instead, the glasses-wearing teen had made it clear he wanted in, so long as Kiyoshi did something for him when he made it to the outside two weeks from now. How it was a 'momentous one' for him as well.

There were plenty of things that Kiyoshi could've thought of that Gakuto desired, all of which having to do with girls. Perhaps he wanted him to smuggle in some special kind of porn he was interested in that came out that day, he'd thought, or something along those lines.

But of all the things he could want in return for keeping quiet, and even helping him out… it was just some stupid figurines about ancient Chinese figures?

Seriously…?

A comically outraged scowl made its way across Gakuto's face as his hands balled into fists and shook like someone who'd just been deeply insulted. "What do you mean craven?! It's a once-every-four-years limited edition!"

"And that's why you want to break out with me?" Kiyoshi asked as he drew out his own latest circle for their mock X's and O's game, unphased by Gakuto's overzealous attitude, having been around him long enough already to get used to most of his eccentricities.

After drawing out his own 'X' below Kiyoshi's 'O', Gakuto calmed down quick as he gave the boy across from him an annoyed look as they continued drawing out shapes randomly on the page. "Kiyoshi-dono, you really are a buffoon. During work-"

"What are you guys up to?" The two suddenly halted as Shingo randomly joined the conversation, having grown bored of the educational crap on the TV, a smile on his face as he leaned over to the duo.

Turning to look over at him both, it was Gakuto who quickly came up with an answer to hopefully dissuade the punkish looking teen. "Playing gomoku."

"You want next?" Kiyoshi asked, playing along knowing that Shingo would never take part in a boring strategy game.

"Man, how dull. Count me out." And he was proven right about his friend, as the boy tapped out of that option quick, leaning away from them and no longer paying them any mind.

Once sure that he wasn't going to listen in on them, and a potential clusterfuck of a situation where Shingo got involved as well avoided, Gakuto turned back over to Kiyoshi with a serious expression. "Kiyoshi-dono, it's a one-hour trip one-way from this prison to Ryogoku Gymnasium, where your sumo date will be. Positing that watching the matches takes one hour, that's a total of three hours." Gakuto's eyes narrowed as realisation began to dawn on his partner-n-crime about what that meant. "Kiyoshi-dono, if you go missing for three hours during work, you are certain to be found out."

"That's true…" Kiyoshi agreed, wondering if his break-out could even work now. Thinking about it like that, he hadn't even considered how long he'd be gone…

Gakto gave a brief glance over to the others to make sure again nothing had been heard, and immediately turned back as soon as he saw the trio in the far corner away from them with Andre having his arms raised up high while the other two pointed at certain areas of his chest. He didn't bother putting any thought into what they were talking about, as he didn't want to know. "In other words, it is categorically impossible for you to break out alone. That is why I said earlier I would help abet you. Saturday afternoon, during the three hours when you will break out and go on your date, as well as buy yours truly's Three Kingdoms figurine, yours truly will distract the overseers' gaze!"

"Distract them? But how?"

A cunning smile broke out on the bespectacled youth's face, as he rose his pencil up near his face. "Hmph, I have two stratagems." Motioning down to the page they were drawing on as he made his next 'move'.

Kiyoshi's eyes widened in surprise however when he did, and saw the particular way the two shapes were lined out on the page. "I-Is that…? A map of the school made to look like a gomoku game?!" He could see it clearly, almost as if each individual shape made by the X's and O's had its own colour through his eyes, and it was clear what each shape was meant to represent too!

How in the bleeding heck had Gakuto managed to lead him on to help make that without him realising until now?!

Back within the school…

Her school uniform once again adorned, Mari's long flowing, raven-black hair swished to and fro behind her as she walked down the hall of the school, headed towards her room after her latest bathing session with Meiko.

One of the more pleasant ones she'd had in a while she might add, despite the current circumstances to do with her concerns over the boys. Especially a certain spiky-haired boy that had effectively been planted into her USC without her true consent, but that would hopefully be dealt with soon enough.

It didn't take her even a second too notice her father coming into view from the opposite side of the hall with his hands inside his pockets, and currently walking towards her as well.

"So father has returned then… I wonder why he's still here this late?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. She had a hunch, but she needed to confirm it.

The man had spotted her at the same time she had, and as they got close to one another, they stopped right in front of the other's path, just a few short metres away from each other. She noticed he had something held beneath his arm, but chose not to comment on it.

"Patrolling the school building, are we?" He asked, his tone even and neutral. Though she didn't fail to see the small lick of surprise in his eyes at her being up this late without being in her room.

"I suppose you could say that." She replied back vaguely. "I would've thought you'd just go home now that you're back, father. Given how late it is…"

"Ah yes." The man nodded understandingly. "It's nothing for you to worry about or anything. Just a message I had to send off to a colleague of mine, is all." He said, not realising his grip had slackened over the book…

"I see." She nodded with understanding of her own, a certain twinkle entering her eye that the chairman failed to catch. "I suppose you'll be going home then?" She asked rhetorically, knowing the answer already, but wanting to be polite seeing as he was her father. "Be careful-"

Right then, she heard something clatter to the floor next to her, cutting off her sentence and drawing her attention downwards.

His was too, though she didn't get to see how his forehead creased in aggravation at what he saw, nor the silent curse that left his lips at his rotten luck.

Now on the floor, was the closed book that the man had been clutching to his side. Unfortunately, a good portion of its… content had spilled out unto the floor anyway. Totalling at just over a dozen pictures of asses that were of various sizes, all with a different coloured underwear that was basically a thong given how little they covered, and in one case it was just a naked ass with nothing on it. At the centre of them, standing out from the pack was a picture of the roundest, biggest rump of the lot, but instead of being naked or adorned with thong-like underwear, it had a pair of pearly white panties snuggling up against it, somehow holding it in whilst emphasizing both perfectly circular cheeks at the same time.

The silence from then on was crushing to say the least. The chairman didn't sweat at his major error letting her see that, but on the inside however... "Oh shit… Maybe taking that home with me was the wrong move after all…" Forget wrong, now in this position, that may very well have been one of the dumbest calls he'd made in a long time. "Dammit…"

The president of the USC didn't so much as glance back at him after that. Rather, she just stared at the mess of photos on the floor, her gaze darkening with each passing second.

After a moment or so, Mari looked forward and away from all the ass-shots on display, walking past her father and stepping on some of the pictures intentionally as she did. The picture with the biggest ass in pearly whites getting the worst of it. "Starting tomorrow, the boys will be treated even more harshly." She said icily as she trekked past him.

The man made no move to stop her, or even protest at her declaration as she continued down the hall. "To ensure that, as if their crimes weren't bad enough, they will not become the deplorable kind of person that you are." She finished as stoically as she could, but it wasn't difficult to hear the frostbitten edge in her tone as she all but threw that insult at him. Not even bothering to look back and see if he reacted to her words.

If she had, she would've seen the look of dismay in his eyes as he watched her leave. "You don't… say!" He grumbled under his breath, feeling like slapping himself in the face for letting that happen, not that Mari knew, or cared, about that fact.

Mari continued forth, and it wasn't until she knew the man couldn't see her anymore as she traversed the halls of the school, that her mask began to show cracks now that she was alone. A sneer of disgust and disappointment morphing unto her face as her hands balled into dainty, shaking fists by her sides as she strode along.

That man… that bloody man… sometimes she couldn't stop herself from wondering how he was her father. "I doubt he had even a wink of shame that I saw those disgusting pictures."

Men, they really were all the same at the end of the day.

It didn't take her that long to arrive at the man's office door, and to her dismay as she twisted the knob, for once, the man had remembered to lock the door.

Of all the days he'd finally remember to lock his office so someone else didn't have to do it for him, it had to be after he'd sent that message she was interested in. What a nuisance.

"No matter," She thought, her features schooling themselves back into her normal visage, pushing her frustrated anger at her dear father to the side for now. "the message isn't really going anywhere. So long as I get into his office tomorrow when he's not there, I can take a look at the outbox to see what's going on here."

Whoever this Chichi woman was, she knew it wasn't just some 'colleague', and that message no doubt contained some clue as to who she really was, and she'd be a fool to pass up an opportunity like this.

Back at the prison…

"Kiyoshi-dono, the hole that you are digging," Gakuto began, pointing his pencil down at the shape made of X's and O's that represented the refuse site, aka, the open shed. "if you can extricate yourself through there, you can make your escape from school without anyone seeing. The problem is, how do I distract them for three hours? The underground student council is unlikely to not notice."

Kiyoshi bowed his head in thought at this, doubt entering his eyes despite Gakuto saying he had two strategies, given what he'd just said, the boy had some serious doubt that this could actually be pulled off no matter what they did. "Hey, Gakuto, not to kill the mood or anything, but given what you're saying, I'm starting to think that breaking out might just be impossible."

This got a genuine chuckle out of Gakuto that caught Kiyoshi's attention, one that was far from despondent, but genuinely amused at his words.

"Never you fear!" The wiry teen remarked confidently, pushing the rim of his glasses up his nose, a sharp look in his eyes that showed how uncowed he was by what seemed like terrible odds. "Yours truly has been called the most resourceful general in Nerima."

He was what?

"Besides, my first strategy is simply a contingency in case I have to do this on my own."

"Huh?" Now that really caught the soon-to-be-jail breaker's interest. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh Kiyoshi-dono," The boy shook his head, as though to show disappointment in the boy across from him once again. "I knew you could be a bit thick-headed, but come on! Have you already forgotten about the third man involved in this?"

Third man? Who could he…

Kiyoshi's eyes widened when the answer came to him then. "Gohan-san…"

"Indeed." The other boy nodded back with a grin. "He knows of this as well, and judging from the fact we've not heard a peep from the underground student council, he hasn't told them either."

"He promised me he wouldn't…" Kiyoshi let slip, a questioning look on his face. "But that doesn't mean he'll directly help us, it just means he won't tell on me."

"On the contrary, Kiyoshi-dono." Gakuto's smile at this point was practically face-splitting. "I see very little chance of our muscly friend not giving us a hand. In fact, I guarantee he will be quite forthright in helping us!"

"He will?" Kiyoshi knew that Gohan was a good guy but… "No offence man, but I'm pretty sure he'd prefer to stay out of the crossfire if I get caught, you know?" He was grateful to Gohan for keeping it a secret, but he had doubts that Gohan would get directly involved, considering how bad it would look.

"That's where you're wrong, my friend. It is precisely because of the chance of you getting caught, that I fully believe he'll help us!" Gakuto was quick to counter. "Think about it for a second, Kiyoshi-dono, if you get caught, what do you think will happen?"

"We'll get punished?" Quite severely, at that.

Gakuto nodded. "Yes, but not just us in here, he'll get burnt as well if things don't pan out. Especially if the others in the underground student council find out he knew about this, and did nothing to stop them."

A bad feeling started to crawl up Kiyoshi's spine at the implication there. "Gakuto, please don't tell me you're thinking of…"

Catching on quick, Gakuto raised a hand placatingly. "I won't try to blackmail him, if that's what you're thinking." Kiyoshi breathed a sigh of relief at that. "But I will give him an argument I believe is convincing enough that he'll be compelled to help us, I hope." He added at the end, on the off-chance negotiations went south. "Just make sure I can get him alone tomorrow after school hours, and I'll explain the situation to him then. Around the time we go to put the refuse over at the site would be as good a time as any, since that'll fit in with the first stage of my strategy."

"Right." Kiyoshi nodded. "If you're sure."

"Definitely." Gakuto threw out a thumbs-up. "I'll convince him, don't worry about it." He couldn't afford to let an opportunity like this slip away. If Gohan was helping them, then with some proper time to get ready and plan their attack, Kiyoshi's escape and safe return without notice was more than plausible.

There was no way he was letting assistance like that slip through his fingers if he could help it!

"Now then, as for the plan itself…"

The next day…

The bell rang out through his classroom, signifying the end of the school day yet again for the progeny of Son Goku.

Today in the last class had been a quiz on history, specifically dating back around the Sengoku period, which Gohan had had little bother answering every question of, though some of them did require him to genuinely think for a bit, even after all the education his mom had pushed on to him.

Instead of getting him stressed though, it actually made Gohan happy, knowing that despite the short time he'd been going here, there was already some small hints of challenge in there testing his knowledge, which was a welcome sight for him. It showed that there was definitely going to be plenty of stuff for him to learn still that his mother hadn't yet gotten him to touch on, which made things interesting.

As he got up and handed in his answer sheet to the teacher, he thought to himself about how he'd like if things went more positively from now on.

And then he remembered that he had to go outside as part of the USC. Which, sufficed to say, had led to the most awkward parts of his teenage life without question. Showing him that no matter how normal he wanted this school life to be, he was already involved whether he liked it or not, in absolute lunacy with what he witnessed and had been a part of.

Especially with a certain blonde…

After she'd ran out of the toilets yesterday, they hadn't spoken to, or looked at each other yesterday, which he'd sort of expected after he'd finally said his piece.

He honestly had no clue how she was taking it, but one thing was for sure, he was glad he'd finally gotten that off his chest. It had needed to happen after what had gone down between them.

Putting that to the back of his mind for now, Gohan made to leave before he felt someone grab on to his sleeve.

"Uhm, your Kiyoshi-kun's friend, right? Gohan-san, wasn't it?"

Gohan turned to look back at the girl who addressed him, only to find none other than the subject for Kiyoshi's drive to escape the prison standing right before him with a cheery smile on her pretty face.

"Yeah, I guess so." Gohan nodded affirmatively at the sumo loving girl.

"Come on, Chiyo-chan!" Her friend appeared at the door waiting for her. "What's the hold up?"

"I'll be there in a sec!" Chiyo called back to her short-haired pal, before refocusing her attention back to Gohan for the moment. "Hey Gohan-san, I know this might sound a little selfish, but would you mind sending a message on to Kiyoshi-kun for me?" She asked innocently.

"Uhm… sure. What is it?"

"Could you tell him that I'm really looking forward to our sumo date?"

"Ah…" Gohan was suddenly given a reminder of something he'd forgotten to do, and now had the perfect opportunity to address. "About that…"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" She asked curiously, her chocolate brown orbs staring straight into his coal black pools, waiting for a response.

The half-breed paused at that look. Those eyes were full to the brim with innocence. Staring into them from here he was once again reminded that the girl was like an open-book, with it being so easy to read her. A hopeful optimism brewing clearly when it pertained to her sumo date with Kiyoshi, which she fully believed was going to happen. Not even an ounce of doubt that it might not come to pass.

"No. Not at all." He gave her a friendly smile back. "I'll uhh, be sure he gets your message."

"Thanks!" She beamed with enthusiasm. "I'll see you around!" She said as she passed him by with a friendly wave, before she joined her friend and walked out of the room.

Gohan's smile waned as he watched her go. "Wait a go Gohan, you completely flubbed it." So much for letting her know about Kiyoshi's circumstances so she wouldn't be too beat up over it if he couldn't make it…

Seeing how happy she was at the prospect of going out with Kiyoshi, he just couldn't say it. Even though he wanted to help Kiyoshi out in some way other than keeping his actions near the refuse site secret, he just couldn't do it. "Suppose I'll just have to hope that Kiyoshi succeeds and gets to go on that date with her." And also that he didn't get caught, as that wouldn't end well for the guys or him if he was discovered.

He guessed it was about time he got out there though. Best not to keep them waiting, even if he'd rather not be involved with the shenanigans that went on outside.

As Gohan made his way out of class and traversed his way down the hall, he had the stairwell in his sights within a small moment. As he turned the corner to go down the stairwell however, eh had to stop himself from walking into someone else by accident as they came up the stairs.

"Oh sorry, almost didn't see you there." He apologised quick, ever the polite boy his mother had taught him to be, stepping to the side as he allowed the slightly short girl to reach the top of the floor and walk past him.

Instead of doing that however, the girl stopped and looked over at him as she reached the second floor. Giving Gohan a proper look at her in the process.

Like every other girl in the school, she wore the female uniform, only she chose to do away with the stockings and socks, leaving her thin, but curvy legs bare. Two lean towers of milky-pale skin that held not even the tiniest of blemishes or imperfections, and seemed to go on for days before reaching up into some noticeably wide hips and a very slim waist. A modest C-cup bust showing through her uniform around her chest. Her hair an orange-ish scarlet colour, worn in long drill curls, tied into two ponytails with burgundy ribbons, with some of her bangs forming together and swerving to the left over her temple, just above her eye. Her face itself was immaculate, with a small chin and round, sleek cheeks. Once again without any blemish of deformation to speak of, with a cute button nose in between strikingly emerald eyes with prim, thin eyebrows and long, curlicue-like eyelashes.

Even if Gohan still didn't really care for this sort of thing, he had to admit, whoever this girl was, she was remarkably beautiful from appearance alone. Enough to where she was undoubtedly one of the prettiest he'd seen in the school, with looks that in his opinion were close, if not on par with that of even Mari's.

"Well now, aren't you sweet." The orangette commented wryly. A bemused smile quickly darting over her glossy lips. "Not hard to see why you're the odd one out."

"Eh? Odd one out?" A look of mild confusion crossed Gohan's features.

The girl rose a perfectly groomed brow at him, and with the look in her eyes, if he didn't know better, he might've accused of being mocking. "Oh, you know what I mean. The only guy in school right now that isn't in confinement?"

"Oh, right. Hehe." Gohan chuckled a little at his moment of being a touch slow on the uptake. A trademark Son grin passing over him as he rubbed the back of his head, slightly embarrassed on not catching on right away.

The girl smiled at him eerily. "I heard you've had to work for the underground student council whilst the other boys are incarcerated, is that true?" She asked innocently enough. Her voice sounding both sweet and saccharine. It might have been Gohan's imagination though, but he could've sworn she'd emphasized the underground part there with a sliver of venom.

"Uh, yeah. That's right." He nodded affirmatively, choosing to brush aside her underlying tone there, as they'd only just met, and he'd likely just imagined it. "Its… been interesting, to say the least." He said somewhat awkwardly while scratching the back of his head, his words putting the whole experience so far mildly, to say the least.

"Hmph. I'll bet." She smirked, emerald orbs gaining a calculative gleam. "Your name is Son Gohan, right?"

So she already knew his name? Well, that probably wasn't too surprising. He was one of only six boys attending after all, and as she'd said, he was the only one right now not imprisoned, so his name had probably caught some traction among the girls because of that.

Yeah, that was likely it.

"Yep, that's me." The half-breed nodded again, choosing to maintain his own Son grin that had often been compared to his deceased father's. "What's yours, if you don't mind me asking?" Gohan was aware that he should be getting down and out near the prison for his 'duties' to the USC, but he didn't want to seem rude to the girl in front of him.

The attractive girl batted her eye-lashes at him, as she offered her left hand while flashing him what appeared to be a bashful smile. One that, for some odd reason, a part of Gohan couldn't help but feel like was more plastic than the girl let on, but he quickly brushed that to the side again. The demi-saiyan taking the hint to take her own hand in his as a show of good will. The girl's a well-manicured, dainty looking hand while his was more gruff and calloused from all the training he'd done in his youth. "Ah, where are my manners? My name's Kate. Kate Takenomiya."

"Nice to meet you, Kate-san." The spiky-haired teen remarked earnestly, whilst being inwardly surprised a little at the strength she held his hand with. "Wow. For someone who isn't using Ki, she's got a really strong grip! Guess you can't judge a book by its cover!" There was clearly more to her than just being pretty! With a grip like this, there's no way she didn't practise extensively in some form of martial art, one that likely involved a lot of grappling, if he had to guess.

"I'm sure it is." Kate giggled slightly with some humour, as she broke away from the handshake first. Bringing the hand onto her hip. "Nice meeting you as well. Although, perhaps this isn't the best time for us to be having a chat." She said, casting a glance out the windows of the second floor down below.

Catching on to her meaning as he followed her gaze, the boy couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, you're right. I probably shouldn't keep them waiting any longer." He made to pass her by, before inclining his head towards her just as he was about to make his way down the stairs. A pleasant grin on his face. "I'll see you around, Kate-san. We'll chat again some other time, if that's alright with you?"

It would be nice to have someone else to talk to after all. Outside of Kiyoshi, he hadn't really made any friends, and leaving aside again those strange vibes he got, she came across to him as a pleasant person to be around so far. Certainly making a far better first impression than anyone in the USC did, that's for sure.

"I'd love to." She waved back at him with a kind looking gaze that made the boy's smile upturn a bit more in relief, giving her a somewhat grateful look as he turned away and made his trek down the stairs.

Once the half-saiyan was gone, Kate's smile lost any semblance of kindness it had had, morphing more into a much colder and shrewd one, as the calculating gleam in her emerald pools replaced any sense of friendliness she'd been putting on.

"Son Gohan, hmm?" She all but snorted with mocking amusement as she turned away from the stairwell. "You should be of some good use to me." She remarked cooly, an ominous air around her as she walked off with a low chuckle.

AND CUT!

Well now, there's some setup right there. We have Mari on the cusp of getting her hands on some information, and I wonder what that message will say if/when she gets to read it? Kiyoshi and Gakuto are laying out plans, and Gakuto seems convinced he can get Gohan to start helping them directly. We'll find out what it is next chapter.

And finally, it looks as though a certain someone has been introduced much earlier than in canon. For those of you who've read the manga, you'll know all about Kate, and as for those who haven't? Well, lets just say you'll find out soon enough and leave it at that.

Next chapter will be longer than this. Likely about 8K or so, so it'll be a meaty chapter for sure.

Anyways, see you guys in the next chapter!