Dragonball Z Alternate Path: Epilogue
Chapter :1
6 years had past since the 24th World Tournament, over 5 1/2 since the Intergalactic one, and 7 years since The Cell Games. And since then, things have changed. With the outing of the Z-Fighters and their "tricks" revealed as reality following the 24th World Tournament. Human fighters were getting stronger as the avenue for new strength was discovered. Though, nobody yet had cracked the barrier of over 200. About the strength the Z-Fighters found themselves at during the 23rd tournament.
After the success of the World Tournament, and later even the Intergalactic Tournament, the renewed interest in the public caused the authorities to change from 3 years, to 2 year intervals between World Tournaments. The 1st tournament after this new rule, the 25th Tournament, occured 2 years after the 24th. Goku faced Brody this time, Piccolo fought with Vegeta in the 1st round, and then Gohan faced Vegeta in the next round. They both won decisively, and Gohan faced Goku in the finals once again. And this time, Gohan won decisively. Fulfilling Goku's prophecy of Gohan finally surpassing him, and unifying the World Title belts as one. The next tournament after that, Gohan fought Brody in the final round, and Goku once again fought Vegeta in one of the initial rounds. Goku and Vegeta fought each other to a draw once again, and Gohan went on to defeat Brody in the Finals. Defending his championship and becoming the 1st ever triple champion in the tournament's history.
And currently one Videl Satan, now 18 years old, and now sporting a new "old" look in the form of pigtails, was sitting very bored in a Highschool classroom. She was flanked by her school friends, Erasa, and the new boy who moved in and wormed his way in to her life a few years ago, the muscled up blond, Sharpener. But Videl's thoughts drifted to another boy she knew. A boy she hadn't seen for a long time.
It'd been four years, FOUR YEARS since she'd seen her boyfriend, Gohan. Not since since the 25th tournament. Not that they had broken up or anything, or at least not un-officially. It was just that their lives and schedules didn't allow it. With Gohan going on a career as World Champion, coupled with the duties as an emerging prince of a country, along with time for training and helping taking care of Goten. And along with Videl taking up a career with fighting crime and becoming a local hero in her native city, along with school work. There was just no more time for them to see each other.
Although Videl still saw him, he was now sort of a superhero. Rescuing people in the cities and stopping every little crime he came across in addition to his other duties of occasionally saving the world. He was now reverred to by the people, Videl still saw his image on the billboards.
His cool pose, looking cool with arms crossed and overlooking the people with that red cape and shoulder pads flapping in the wind, still wearing the awesomely cool Turtle School outfit of his father's underneath, and still sporting that wild, but now only longer, spikes of mane that he had been wearing since The Cell Games. (A/N: Basically imagine an older, taller version of Cell Games Gohan with the outfit I gave him in the previous sidestories.) He still cut a very heroic figure.
But currently, as Videl was sitting bored, thinking thoughts about her still-but-not-quite-right-now boyfriend, something happened to change her thoughts.
"Class, we have a new student transfering in today. Pay attention because this one might actually be able to READ. Come on in here my boy." announced the teacher at the front of the class. At last! At least a little something new in her life, at least for the day, for her to sink her teeth into. At least in the form of a new student.
And next walked in a boy, with white shirt, black vest, orange pants, a spiky straight up haircut, and glasses. He looked lanky with the way his clothes were wearing on him.
"Hello, my names Hango. Hango Sonsatta. Pleased to meet you." politely bowed the student.
"Ooh, He's a cutie." commented Erasa, marvelling at his face, even with the glasses.
Videl had a surprised look on her face. "He... looks... familiar?" questioned Videl, her face then immediately getting suspicious about the newcomer. 'No, that face? It couldn't be!?' thought Videl, looking at his face and almost recognizing it through the glasses. Close, but not quite.
"Probably saw him at a High School spelling bee." dismissed the blond jock Sharpener. Always ever dismissive of what he clearly thought of as a nerd in front of him.
"Now young man. Why don't you take a seat?" instructed the teacher. "Yoohoo! New boy! Over here." called out Erasa, the bubly blond pointing at the open seat next to Videl. Clearly the blond wanted to be closer to the boy she had jsut dubbed "cutie". Now normally Videl would protest, but since she wanted to get closer to the mystery of this latest student, she didn't mind.
But meanwhile, the boy's attention turned to the girl in pigtails. 'Oh Crap! Pigtails? Is that Videl? Going back to the pigtails?' thought Gohan, almost instantly recognizing the pigtails for what they were, even if it was from long ago when they'd first met. Though Gohan still hoped she wouldn't recognize him.
Videl had this suspicious look to her as he sat down next to them.
"Hi, I'm Erasa, with an "E". And this is my friend Videl." Erasa introduced.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." greeted "Hango".
"Hey new boy, I guess you should know. But we have here a celebrity in our midst! You see Videl here? She's the daughter of Mister Satan!" Erasa pointed out.
"Huh!? You mean the famous former Martial Arts champion?" Gohan playing dumb.
"Huh? Well I guess he was famous for that, I guess? But now he's more famous for his roles in movies. Hihihihih! His role as the goofball hero character is always so funny." Erasa giggled at that last part.
Although Videl felt good that her dad was recognized again for being famous, and on his own skills no less. But she was kind of disappointed now that it was no longer for his martial arts skills. He'd really turned himself around as far as his skills in that department these days. And although he started late, and was already at, or near his prime. He'd been trained by the likes of Krillin, and Yamcha, Tien, and even Master Roshi the old veterans and Earthly masters. And now Hercule was so strong, that he was undoubtedly among the strongest of the new Elite fighters that were cropping up. He was so strong now, that the old veterans, Goku included, complimented him y saying that if he had been around in the old tournaments like that they participated in? In the way that he is now? He would've been a force to be reckoned with. A higher compliment did not exist.
"Well, that must be nice? You being a celebrity's daughter and everything." addressed "Hango", trying to play it off that he hadn't known before.
"Videl's a special gal. She's even quite the local celebrity herself too ya know? She volunteers at the local plice station and fights crime!" further informed Erasa. "Oh really?" said "Hango", once again trying to sound impressed.
"You know "Hango"? You have quite the name connection to a celebrity yourself! Your name is basically the backwards rendition from "Gohan"." Videl pointed out, the suspicious look in her eye.
"Oh? Wow! Your parents must've been psychic or something to come off with a name that reflects off a celebrity's name like that?" Erasa ditzily said, looking naive to what was really being played out.
"You know? I used to have such the crush on that boy. ~Gohaaaaaannnnn~... He was soooo dreamie. And he still is! He's the most handsomess, dreamiest, hunkiest, dreamboatiest, superhero prince charming in the whole world! When I was a kid, I used to own his poster of when he was a kid in my bedroom. Those beautiful muscles from his shirtless mag were incredible! He was sooooooo cute, even back then for a kid." sighed Erasa, getting starry-eyed as she went into her own little world.
Gohan for his part only hid in embarrassment and tried to shrink in his seat as much as possible. He should've never listened to Videl when he did that photo shoot for that mag. He was only told that it was for his tournament magazine. But when they asked him to do it shirtless in the middle of the shoot? He couldn't exactly refuse. He never imagined it would've gotten the responce it'd gotten. Fortunately the others didn't notice or figure why he was trying to go unnoticed at that moment. Oh boy, Videl should've killed him for it!
"Oh please, spare me. Poindexter here probably doesn't even know who we're talking about. He was probably too busy learning his ABCs to notice anything about celebrities." dismissed Sharpener with a wave of his locks of blond hair, again, alwas ever dismissive about anything about a nerd in his books.
"Besides, I never knew what you saw in that guy any way? I mean, why settle for a guy who probably dumped you and who you've never seen in years, when you have a perfectly gorgeous hunk of Man Meat right here?" arrogantly waved Sharpener, arrogantly flexing and showing off his arms.
"Oh spare me." dismissed Videl, clearly not impressed by his show. It was clear that this "show" of flirting and rebuking had been going on for a while between them. Gohan would have to make a note of that.
"Speaking of which? By-the-way Videl, whatever happened between you and Gohan to split you apart? You had it so good with Mr. Prince Charming, how did you ever let a guy like that slip through your fingers?" asked Erasa, apparently having wanted to ask that question for years.
The attentive audience of the present company, Erasa, Sharpener and even Gohan. Closed around Videl as they were eager to hear the reason. Though each for their own reason. Videl had her eyes closed and looked entirely composed and ready for the questioning.
"To be honest, things change. Our lives were going in separate directions, so we just broke apart." stated Videl, as if there was no simpler answer in the world. But to the rest, it sent a bombshell and they all anime fell as they had expected more "complicated" issues to be the source. Not the same, everyday, whitewash of an answer that most couples of teenagers use.
But for Gohan, it was a different reason that he was stunned. I mean sure, she told the truth more or less, but not the "breaking up" part! What was she doing? Did she intentionally mislead them t protect him from their truth? Did she already know that it was him? Videl was flashing a victorious smirk at him.
The rest of that first day went on pretty much without incident. Well... except for the baseball game at gym. No matter how much Gohan tried, he still managed to slip up and show bits of his power in at least two instances. The hit to the face and flying catch were dead giveaways. But thankfully, nobody picked up on who his real identity was, and they just chalked it up to freak incidents. (A/N: Basically imagine the same thing as happened during the original series.) Gohan thought
Gohan was cleaning out his locker after school, whennnnnnn. "Hey Gohan, here's the book you wanted." came a sweetly familiar female voice. "Oh hey, thanks." Gohan absentmindedly thanked as he just took the book and went right back on cleaning out his locker of books.
. . . . .
"Huh? Hey!? Didididididit!?" Gohan yelped out and sounded in consternation as he realized just what a blunder he'd just done!? Gohan was absolutely cursing himself in his head!
"YES! I was right! It IS you!" exclaimed Videl, victorious in her suspicions.
"What gave me away?" Gohan said, now sunk and resigned to his fate now that he had been found out.
"Well first off, your name! It's the backwards rendition of your name! "Hango", backwards from Gohan. Your apparently not that good at coming up with names. And second of all, there was no way I was going to miss your face. Even IF you try to hide it behind glasses. And thirdly! You're not that good at hiding your powers. I would've had to have been pretty blind in order to miss THAT at the baseball field today." declared Videl, pointing at him. Gohan honestly felt like an idiot that they had been so simple.
A little later, Gohan was walking along the streets, accompanied by Videl. Now usually, anyone of the student body seeing them together, or of Videl with ANY boy, was considered a hot topic and the air would be rife with people whispering and gossiping about Videl going out with whoever it was. But fortunately, since Gohan, or "Hango" as he was known, was a new student, people only assumed that Videl was only hanging out with him only to show him around. So there was no danger.
"So? It's been four years. What have you been doing since then? I mean besides the usual stuff?" asked Videl, trying to make conversation.
BOY! If only she knew what he was up to a WEEK ago!
*Flashback*
He was out in a field somewhere, an extra large clearing with a treeline out back. And he was surrounded by at least a hundred ninjas all cloaked in black and wearing the typical generic outfits for ninjas, with black masks.
"You'll pay for your transgressions!" threatened the one ninja he had just downed, laying in the middle of the circle the other ninjas had formed around them. Gohan was wearing his typical "Hero" outfit, with red and blue cape and all.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Your stupid men started the fight. I was just walking through." Gohan apparently once again tried to reason with them. But apparently it wasn't working, because no matter how slight the slight might have been, these seemed determined to continue fighting him. More out of "just for the heck of it because we don't want o b looked at as weak" sorta reason than anything else at this point.
But nonetheless, Gohan didn't feel compelled to beat them up just for the sake of it, even though he could veeeeeeeeeeery easily do that. These guys were weak. But if they continued to insist, then he would have no choice.
Gohan was about to cup his hands to his side. When suddenly, out of nowhere, a three-pronged kunai, leaving a trail, a streak of yellow, emerged and cut a semi-circle swath through the army of ninjas.
A second swath was cut using the same arc from a different direction was used.
And then, in a flash a figure appeared next to Gohan. The figure was wearing the same flak jacket and uniform from a Hidden Leaf Jonin outfit. But this figure was wearing a long red jacket with black wedges along the tip of the bottom. And this figure had bright blond, spiky hair, with large spiky bangs framing the sides of his face. He was crouching down on one knee, with one hand on the ground and the other one in the air, each one holding a three-pronged kunai. Now, the figure Gohan wouldn't quite have recognized, until he raised his head and Gohan noticed the wisker marks.
"Long time no see? Do you need any help with these wackers?" asked the figure, in an adult, more mature version of the same scratchy, annoying voice he had met years ago.
"Aww, not at all. These guys are easy. But if you don't mind? I wouldn't mind any help in helping any way to make thi go faster? But any party animal can come in and join in on the action!" playfully returned the banter did Gohan. The two were now back-to-back next to each other, ready for any combat that was coming.
One of the ninjas immediately froze, and was beginning to shake at he sight of the new entry.
"Ruh-ruh Ruh-ruh-ruh-RUN! It's Naruto Uzumaki! The Leaf's Second Flash!" yelled out in panic. Both Gohan and Naruto smirked at this. A pair of dangerous, twin smirks that promised much pain on the battlefield.
The reunion was complete, and Gohan cupped his wrists and charged up the ball of blue energy. And Naruto prepared his stance with the kunai, with one arm pointed diagonally to the ground and the other pointed in the air. Oh yes! Much PAIN was promised on THIS battlefield.
*Flashback End*
"Oh, nothin' much. Just bounced to transfer from one school to another over the last four years." finally responded Gohan, after going through his moment of private flashback.
"And? What's with you? Like what's up with you and that Sharpener guy?" then asked for his turn did Gohan.
"Ugh! Don't remind me. The little worm wormed his way into my life about two years ago. Was saying something about me being his girlfriend. And he's been hanging around me ever since. Erasa's taken a bit of a liking to him now, so we let him hang around." explained Videl.
"Sooooo? What's with the silly glasses and the nerdy look Gohan?" asked Videl. Taking his pair of glasses and putting a finger through the hole, proving that they were in fact non-corrective glasses.
Videl knew that Gohan wasn't always the most stylish guy in the world. But she knew that he knew better than to dress up like a dork. Videl KNEW that Gohan could look MUCH better than that.
"Well, let's just say I "stood out" too much in the schools I was in." answered Gohan, not overly proud of that statement as he took back his glasses and placed them on himself.
'Poor Gohan, even with all his powers. Looks like even HE can be bullied.' concluded Videl in her mind. Even if he wasn't famous, his good looks and body, would've earned him legions of girls following him, and earned him the un-ending scorn of the boys. And Videl could even imagine it. His locker getting wrecked by anonymous persons, his school shoes wrecked. Any number of anonymous little deeds of bullying would've made Gohan's life a living hell in school. He may have been the ultimate warrior, but even he wasn't a match for typical highschool bullying apparently.
"That, and plus the "fame" thing didn't help things much. Let's just say I was forced from many schools in my time." continued Gohan. Ah yes, Videl could very much reciprecate with the whole "fame thing".
"So? I see that you've cut your hair now? Too bad. I kinda liked it the way it was." remarked Videl. Gohan then popped up his hairline to show that it was a wig, and that his real original haircut was in fact still there, hidden underneath. He then popped it back down.
"Oh!? I see... Well that's good at least. But I see that you look a little bit lanky now. What's the matter? Losing all your muscle?" teased Videl. As she then pulled out the hem of his shirt. Revealing six-pack abs in the process. Looks like Gohan's muscles hadn't left him. It was just that his build nowadays was such, that it was tall with just definition. (A/N: Think like Ichigo from Bleach. Or Kenichi Shirahama from History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.) Looks like he was built more slim and built for speed nowadays than for anything else, Videl surmmized just from that brief look.
"VIDEL!? WHAT THE HELL!?" screamed out Gohan as he frantically grabbed back his shirt. "Come on, not in public." embarrassingly said Gohan in a soft voice now so no one could hear, briefly blushing as he did, as he held the hem of his shirt. He then went to tuck back in his shirt.
Videl could only laugh her ass off on the inside, after the stunt that she'd pulled and especially at the scene afterwards.
"HA ha ha ha ha hah! Looks like your still a little shy about that." Videl giggled. Looks like Gohan was still shy about exposing himself, his gorgeous abs, in public. Well at least he was never shy about it with her. But with the whole "fame" thing now, it didn't help matters if he exposed himself in public, not with the new identity he apparently wanted to keep. Which, speaking of which.
"Gohan? Don't you realize that you're dressing up as a nerd in that outfit? If hiding out as a nerd is what you want? Then your only hiding your true self? Is that what you want?" questioned Videl.
Gohan looked annoyed at the question, judging from the scowled look and the closed eyes, and the twitch of the right eyebrow. "It gets the job done." only said Gohan. "Besides, I want my friends that I'm going to make at school to like me for my own attributes. And if that form is in the guise of a "nerd", then so be it." stated Gohan.
"But it's not your true self! Only an identity that you pass off." protested Videl.
"My "true self" is what got me in this situation in the first place! With all the fame I'm getting now, it's almost impossible to make "true" friends anymore. Only people who for some form or another, wnat to be with you for the fame. And if hiding out in another identity is my only way of making true friends, then that will be my true identity. And if it be it a a nerd, then so be it." determinedly said Gohan. Looks like at least Gohan has an understanding with what he's doing. It was a good thing. Because Videl was worrying with that outfit he was still operating without much sense of the social functions.
"By the way? How did you hold back during that gym class? You looked like one of them! I couldn't even hold out without exposing myself at least twice!" questioned Gohan, turning to a different subject.
"Years and years of practice." smugly said Videl, with a catty smirk as she walked by past him. Gohan caught up and they continued discussing things over other subjects, more over about what has been happening with them in their time away.
The 2nd day of school was went by pretty typically. Until lunch time that was.
Gohan was sitting at the lunch table along with Videl, Erasa and Sharpener. Now Gohan mostly stayed out of the conversation, just electing to eat his rice in peace and stay out, but still keeping his ear otherwise to the ground. The conversation with Erasa had somehow gotten to boys and first kisses, whennnnn...
"Videl? What about you?" suddenly asked Erasa.
"Huh?" came the instant reaction of Videl. Having tuned out Erasa a bit earlier, Videl hadn't been following what Erasa had been saying, and responded as if she had just been waken up.
"Videl, what have your experiences with a first kiss been like?" once again re-asked the question did Erasa.
"Yeah! Right!? Like as if Videl has ever been kissed before. She's so prickly about boys and such a commited tomboy, I bet she's never yet let herself get kissed by a boy." dismissed Sharpener, putting his hands behind his head and lounging back in his chair, totally confident in that he was right, and showing the view that most males had about Videl at school. Looks like Videl still acted mostly as a tomboy at school, and showed the world as mostly as a tomboy. But Gohan knew otherwise in private.
Now, Videl had gotten annoyed with Sharpener's arrogance at thinking that she'd never been kissed, but that mischievious, pedatory grin on Videl's face, showed that she was about to show him what for.
"Actually, I have had a first kiss." declared Videl, the smirk on her face never wavering. This broke the two blonds into a stuper.
"What!? Really?! Well then don't hold back girl!" excitedly broke out Erasa, eager to hear this tidbit. Sharpener also broke out of his seat, leaning in to hear more. He wanted to hear this! Gohan just stayed put, acting disinterested. She wouldn't really tell this story would she?
"Well... He was a prince, when we were little..." Videl began to say. "Oouh OOuh! Was it Gohan? That hunky prince charming you dated?" exclaimantly and eagerly guessed Erasa, the excuberant blond raising her hand in the air as if she was wanting to picked for question time in class.
Videl grew annoyed that Erasa could so accurately guess who it was, the twitch to her closed eyebrow indicating. But then again, what other famous prince was she known for going out with?
"No, it wasn't Gohan, it was another prince." annoyedly corrected Videl. But these two didn't need to know that. "But anyway, back to my story. He was a prince, and we had known each other since we were kids. We had gotten to know each other pretty well over our time. Then one day, on his birthday, he invited me over to his castle. We had come in his room. We were still kids ourselves back then, but even so, we had come to know one another so much, that we stripped down to each other and showed ourselves naked!" declared Videl.
Gohan spat his rice right out when he heard that! But not for the reasons that the two blonds were thinking it was for.
But meanwhile the two blonds were positively scandalized at hearing this revelation. Erasa had her mouth covered with her hand, looking positively scandalized at that declaration, not believing that Videl so young, would've gone that far. And Sharpener had his mouth hanging open and his eyes bugging out! Positively hammered that someone else had gotten that far instead of him!?
"We showed ourselves naked to each other, and in the passion of that moment, under the moonlight, we kissed." Videl continued and finished the story. Making as if not making anything of it, Videl just calmly and collectively took a sip of her evening tea.
Both blonds could not believe the story they had just been told, and Gohan couldn't believe that Videl had gone so far to tell that story. Well... at least she made sure to confirm that it wasn't him in her story.
"Wow that was totally romantic. A kiss with a prince. Naked and with nothing between you but the moonlight..." said Erasa, fawning as she did so into her own little world of romance.
"Yeah, but whatever became of you and that guy?" asked Sharpener, that was what he wanted to know.
Videl just finished a sip of her tea before answering. "Well after that night, you could say we just grew apart. We started not seeing each other as much. You know how it is. Life's just that way sometimes. Looks like we were just never meant to be." responded Videl. Again, acting as though it wasn't anything big to her.
Now, the blonds would have to digest that information they had just recieved, because to tell you the truth they felt pretty overwhelmed by it. But they would deal with it in their own ways in time. But with Gohan? His thoughts were all over the place with this!
Like why did she have to tell them that story? Didn't it mean nothing to her their speial night? Why did she have to leave him out of it? Was she only playing with him? Why did she have to tell them at the end that it didn't work out between them? Was she protecting them or was it because was she really having thoughts about breaking themselves up? All these questions were dancing around in Gohan's head as he pleadingly looked over at Videl for answers.
But with a teasingly mischievious look to her eye, and a devious smirk headed his way. Gohan realized that she was only playing with him. As much as she had been playing with the blonds, she had been playing with him, with her telling them a skewd, but protected version of their story.
The rest of the day passed by pretty mundanely.
The 3rd day of school however, would have itself a much more interesting occasion.
Everyone was seated in their homeroom. The students were chattering away as usual at the start of the day. Until when then the teacher called for the students to settle down.
"Now, we have another new student today. Don't ask me why they're sending us so many this time? Please, put your hands together and give a warm welcome to..." the teacher was about to say, but the "student" came out the door.
"Brody!?" Gohan breathlessly finished for the teacher, as he immediately recognized the figure.
Brody came in, looking more Broly-like then ever. His hair was done almost the exact same way as Broly himself now. And now he was wearing gold earings on each of his ears. His body had grown, as he towered over the teacher and stood at almost the exact same height as his father. He was wearing the exact same ceramonial-like pants and boots that Broly wore, and he had his chest exposed just like Broly did. But different from him, Brody was wearing a dull grey, what looked like indian vest. But one that still left his muscular and impressive chest exposed. Everyone of the students were blown away by his appearance, he looked tough.
"*You wanted to know how I got forced out of so many schools? Well then look no further as to a BIG reason.*" whispered Gohan into Videl's ear.
"*Brody?*" questioned out Videl. Her tone sending the impression that she was questioning of whether how that could be done? How could Brody cause enough trouble to cause someone to transfer schools? At least, not without blowing it up, that is.
"*He kept chasing me at whatever school I went to. He would denounce me in front of everyone and otherwise cause trouble in the background. He would out my secret identities when I would try to hide out.*" went to informed did Gohan to Videl.
At that point, Brody was coming up the stairs in order to find his seat. That was when Gohan stood up from his seat and they locked eyes. Despite the fact that Brody was still a few steps down, with his height they stood level with their heads.
"And who do we have this now?" almost sarcastically called Brody.
"His name is Hango Sonsatta!" called Erasa, immediately going to her friend's defense, and looking at Brody with a scowl.
Brody gave her a quick look before locking horns back with Gohan. ""Hango Sonsatta" eh? Well "Hango", I hope your new friends don't find out who you really are." almost cryptically said Brody, as then he walked past. He went to sat back on a seat somewhere behind, back at the back of the class.
Gohan sat back down, almost in relief, that he hadn't been outed right back then. Gohan was sure Brody had recognized him, so why not out him like usual? Looks like Brody wanted to have some fun with him. But the hidden meaning of his little encounter was clear to him. 'I know who you are. I see through your disguise. I can out you right now but I want to have some fun with this now. I hope your new friends that your trying to make this time can handle the fact of your secret identity. I'm going to sit back and wait for my opportunity to humiliate you.' was the message, both by his tone and his body language in addition to what he'd said. It was his little threat.
But meanwhile... "Way to go Brains! I can't believe you stood up to that guy! That guy looked tough! Looks like you've gut some guts after all." congradulated Sharpener as he gave him a big ol' slap on the back.
It was a good thing that Brody and his matches with him weren't very well reported by people in the media. They were always onl interested in the hero of the hour, not the defeated. It was a wonder that Brody got reported on anything at all! Gohan sorta felt sorry for him in a way. Not getting the attention he deserved for being his main rival. So nobody knew who he was outside of the Z-Fighters and those who really watched the World Tournaments.
But they, him and Brody, had engaged in numerous encounters. Not only did they fight their matches in the World Tournament scene. But they also fought in little league tournaments! Brody fought him in exhibition bouts and even in non-official fights out in the desert or somewhere. Any place and at any time was when Brody came to challenge him. They'd fought so much over the past several years that they were practically intimate with each other and their moves. They knew each other so well that they could practically read each others thoughts in battle.
At first their rivalry had been rather professional, or at least Gohan's part. Maybe Brody's was personal from the start? Gohan didn't know. But what he did know was that on his part things had started out with only engaging in physical contests and a having some degree of respect and even admiration for the opponent. But now Brody was taking their rivalry to a new arena. The arena of Highschool. And it had gotten very, very personal between them now.
"Hope your friends on't find out who you really are?" quoted Erasa, wondering as to what it could mean?
"Well let's just say we have some history together. And I don't want to talk about it. But I'll just say that he thinks that I'm some sort of weakling that'll fold at any sign of pressure. And that, as my new friends, you'll not like me once you find out." lied Gohan. Or at least it wasn't but a partial lie. Brody really did think that he was a weakling according to his own designs.
"Well that's just a silly way of seeing things. We wouldn't stop being your friends even if we did think you were weakling." assured Erasa.
"Yeah! I don't know about "friends" yet Brains. But I'd say that I'm stuck with you hanging around with us. But I think I've sen be strong enough to be your own man. So your okay in my books." said Sharpener, who in his own round about way, was only confirming their friendship.
Gohan felt glad. Looks like he might just have found the solid group of friends he'd been waiting for. Looks like Brody would have his work cut out for him this time.
Author's Thoughts: Well? What do you think? Gohan in highschool my way. It's a rather different approach isn't it? What did you guys think of the idea to have him hide out due to his fame? And the part of him being a nerd is part of his disguise? I know the new name could've been better, but give me credit? Neither I nor Gohan it seems are too creative with new names. And the part about Brody and their school rivalry? Now the idea for Gohan to wear fake rimmed glasses actually came from Miu, Miu Furinji from History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi. A character in which she has to de-attraction-ize herself by wearing fake glasses and wear braids in her hair. You've got to admit it's a rather novel concept. And quite fitting given Gohan's position in life. And with the added fame? Why wouldn't he hide out?
Well now, I talking to you from my new abode! It's not to my tastes. But at least I'm still with my computer and stuff and I can still write. I'm living in a transitional housing until "they" can find me a new apartment in a few months. It's not my decision, and I'd still much prefer living with my mom in our condo. But what can you do?
And for those of you who have been asking for a Gohan and Videl rematch? Never fear, because next chapter I'll be answering your wishes! This is me, signing out for now.