A/N: I won't be using A/N very often, so if you guys want to read them I'll leave them in my profile if you want check it out. That is where you will stay updated for chapters and future stories and what not. As for the story, enjoy.

Chapter One:

Recollection For A Heavy Heart

Oh God…

I really did it now. For sure she is going to stay mad at me after what I did to her, that means no dinner for sure. Ok, maybe it wasn't really anything that bad, but knowing my wife she is bound to throw a fit even if a feather landed on her head.

Really now, the boy deserves it. I mean sure, his grades aren't that impressive compared to Gohan's back when he was fifteen, but she really needs to cut the boy some slack, he isn't a machine. Not to mention, even at his young age Goten is still smarter than his old man, and believe me nothing makes me prouder than watching him succeed.

Though regretfully, he's the root of the issue. It appears Goten grew a bit too attached to his gadgets, aka video games. And as it turns out, there was a limited new release of some game called… what was it? It was Sword something… well whatever.

The boy wanted to buy the game badly. So as the proud, barely literate parent that I am, had the balls to wear the pants and decided to buy him the game. Even though he already had a serious discussion with his mother, who obviously didn't allow it.

So after not getting what he wanted from his mother, he decided to come to me. Honestly, that little rascal knows the deal. If you can't take the big one, simply go after the smaller one. Not to mention, I'm the one who is going to get his ass handed, by my wife no less.

…Damn, the years sure have passed by.

It's really quite astounding I have been married to Chichi for almost thirty years now, "That's love for you... And the frying pan of doom, too."

Haha- glad my wife wasn't here to hear that. But I guess there is no chance, I'm too far away from home in the woods training, though only as a pretense so I can go hide.

…It's weird. Deep inside of me, I know from the bottom of my heart that I love her. But every time I try to show my affection to her, be in bed or even during the day, she tosses me away and leaves me hanging.

Sure, I guess it's partly my fault that's happening now. I mean, I did neglect her very often to go train, especially after I died and was away for seven long years. The excuse being my presence would only attract more evil. Though that was only partly true, it was something else that held me back at that moment. Something painful to remember…

But where was I? Oh yeah.

On the portion Chichi may be slightly to blame, is on the fact that she pretty much decided to settle down with a man with a child like mind. To top it all off, the reason being an innocent promise we made to each other back in our youth.

Hehe, unfortunately for her, she would end up realizing too late it wasn't going to be the way she expected it. I guess she ended up raising three children all by herself in the end. Kind of feel sorry for her in that sense.

But that's where all the problems for me come in.

Suddenly I realized one day, after many years of gradual maturing. That I wasn't the husband, and probably never was in her eyes. But another child she needed to dress, feed, and teach. I think at some point she did try enroll me in my part as the husband, but I didn't make the cut for it. At the time I guess it was like trying to teach a baby to walk before it learned to crawl.

Not surprisingly at some early point in our marriage she gave up, and I was stuck with the role of a child. Depressingly enough, it feels like she tolerates me at most at this point, I don't really remember the last time she said she loved me.

Damn. Well that was depressing.

…

I should probably head back now. Being away for too long won't help my case, I really will get what's coming to me if I get any later than this.

I use instant transmission. After the afterimage dissipates slowly I see that I arrived in front of the door outside. I gulp and take a deep breath, just as I pull the handle and open the door slightly so not to alarm anyone.

Everything appears to be quiet for now. So I push the door closed with my left hand and head over to the kitchen without thinking. The moment I arrive there I cursed my stomach as I shiver from the bottom of my heart at the terrifying sight in front of me. Chichi was sitting in a chair in front of the fridge, on her right hand she was firmly holding the frying pan, swinging it harshly until making contact with her left hand.

Before I could muster a word or thought she spoke. "So how was the training Goku, did you have fun?"

Oh great, her sarcastic tone has aggression written all over it. I shouldn't have run away when I did, and what's worse there is nowhere for me to run to this time. I guess I might as well get it over with. "Chichi, it's not like that. I just thought you needed some time to cool your head, that's al-"

"Cool my head from what Goku!" she screeches harshly, making me flinch as the piercing sound resonates through my sensitive hearing, she knows how much that hurts! "You do realize that you wasted our income in some ridiculously expensive toy for your son, who isn't even doing that well in his classes to begin with! Maybe if we were rich like Bulma I would allow it, but I just don't see that happening with the miserable income you make as a farmer. Honestly, I care about my sons education unlike you Goku, I have always been there for the two of them, and what about you? Training in another planet and what not? Do you see why I'm so mad at you now, Goku?"

I couldn't muster a single retort to lash back at her, not even the fact that I have saved the world countless times felt like it could have any effect… It was all true, after all. I'm a terrible provider and father. That's why now more than ever, I have been trying to change myself by being there for them more often, even if it meant neglecting my training.

But I guess she hasn't noticed... She isn't used to such a change, my presence simply goes unregistered in her mind and she finds me as a nuisance when I roam the house… my own house!

"Goku! I asked you if you understand?"

"… Yes Chi…"

-o-

"Hey, Earth to dad? Are you in there?"

"Huh, oh yeah, I'm here. What's up Goten?" I was spaced out sitting on the sofa, merely thinking about life.

"Hehe, it's here, it arrived this morning. Come on I want you to check it out with me, it's in my room," I get up from the sofa and follow my son as he leads me through the stairs, "I heard it all last night dad, you got your head bitten off by mom again didn't you?"

"…Yeah, pretty much."

"Hehe yeah, but don't worry about it too much, she just worries about me a lot, but she means well. And I know it's my fault for begging you to buy it for me, so I'm going to make it up to you dad."

"Geez, can you really do that? Because as far as I know not even the Eternal Dragon can grand me that," it's true, I would need a real miracle to make my wife love me for who I am, but I guess it's never too late, right? Maybe if I stop doing things that she finds annoying it could work. Step #1- Stop breathing.

"I'm serious dad, I'll go talk to her today when we go shopping. I'll convince her that I'm one hundred present responsible for it, saying it was all my idea. Not to mention I'll tell her all the good that will come out of it, now she can threaten to take it away if I don't get all A's."

We reach his room, and the first thing that grabs my attention is some sort of helmet, similar to the one Gohan wore placed on the bed along with a few papers. "Hm, it could work son, but only if you promise to get all A's."

He moves his right fist rapidly to where his heart is. "I promise dad!"

"Alright then I guess it's a deal then, make me prouder son," we reached a pretty good conclusion, if all goes well maybe Chi will apologize and thank me for it later. "Say is this what you wanted to show me?" I turn back to the helmet device. He grabs it and hands it over to me very gently, I inspect it from angle to angle.

"Pretty awesome right?"

To this I give him a genuine smile, "You do know I still don't know what this is, right?"

He blinks. "Oh, right. To put it simply, it can teleport your mind into a completely different world, connecting all your nerves into a single component in the Sword Art Online world, SAO for short. Actually what you are holding is called a NerveGear, which is the counsel for the game. But, wait for it. Here is the best part, you get to fight many monsters and other players and level up, the beta testers all said it was the most incredible experience ever!"

Man he is really hyped about this, "I'm glad son," I then toss the NerveGear back at him, which he catches in a very comically fashion.

"Careful with this, it's delicate!"

Man, not like you bought it, "Sorry, sorry. Well, I guess I'll be going now, don't wanna keep you from your game."

As I'm about to head to the door he stops me, "Wait dad, didn't I say I wanted to make it up to you. The reason why I told you about this was so you'd be the first to play it, meanwhile I'm out talking to mom."

I turn around and look back between him and the helmet, "Hmm, I'm not sure Goten. I don't even know how this things works a-"

"Oh come on dad, don't be lame. I'll teach you really quick with the instruction manual, you will know how everything works when you get there," he looks at me pleadingly. "Besides, I hear there is beautiful landscapes that can't be compared, not even to the real thing, it's super realistic."

Yep, he knows me too well, besides if it does have that then I guess I could use a place to rest my mind away a little, "…Fine, I get it. But only this once."

He smirks, "Said no one ever. Come here, let me teach you how it works old man."

After thirty minutes or so, it was finally time to get down to business, "Ok, so I make an account and log in right. After that I get to customize my character, but I guess I'll just ignore that," I put the NerveGear on my head, almost ready to depart.

My son holds out the door ready to take his leave, "That's right. When you get there you will be surrounded by many others. I would recommend you to go out and start fighting low level monsters to start leveling up. You may be the strongest man on the planet but in there, you are just like anyone else."

"Got it. Well son, take care of your mother and come back safely from your shopping trip, don't forget our deal."

"Of course and no problem. Have fun dad, see you soon," he closes the door and makes his exit. I decide to wait and listen until I hear them leave through the entrance door. "Alright, really hope he can convince her and help his old man out."

I settle on the bed and begin to get comfortable, it was going to be quite a trip if all my nerves were going to be connected at once. I take deep breaths and relax. Ready.

"Link Start."