Chapter 4
The Plan

That evening after dinner, Gohan, along with Bulma, Chichi, and Vegete, sat in the living room watching the news. Nothing interesting came on except a little more about the flying car incident from the day before. However, at the end of the news, they were told to stay tuned for a special press conference from Mr. Satan.

Gohan had been so caught up working on his new invention that he forgot all about Hurcule's special announcement. Gohan remembered that Hurcule was going to demand that Capsule Corp hand over the satellite and everything they had discovered to the government. He was going to tell Bulma about it, but the speech started before he got the chance.

"Good evening, fans," Hurcule begun with his usual greeting. "I guess you're all wondering why I called this little press conference." It was being covered by every major and independent news group in the country. "Well, as most of you have heard, yesterday a satellite crashed into the grounds of Orange Star Middle School. As it was coming down, it nearly hit my daughter, and as such I want nothing more than to find out who this satellite belongs to so I can make sure they pay. However, as much as I would like to do this, the Satellite in question is being held at Capsule Corp, where they are supposedly trying to find out where it came from. I, for one, do not believe this."

Gohan looked over and saw the look on Bulma's face as he said that. The way her eyes narrowed was reminiscent to whenever Vegete blew up the Gravity Room or Trunks played one of his pranks. Part of Gohan was glad that he hadn't told her about the conference earlier.

"I believe," Hurcule continued after a somewhat dramatic pause, "that, at this moment, Capsule Corp is trying to hide the evidence that it was one of 'their own' satellites that crashed. That is why I have come here to ask you, my awesome fans, to help force Mrs. Briefs to turn over the satellite and everything they have discovered so far to the government. That way, true justice can be served and the real culprits can be punished for what has happened."

Before Hurcule had even finished his speech, Bulma was on the phone. Gohan wasn't sure what she was saying but she seemed to have calmed down a little. She had finished the phone call just as Mr. Satan finished his speech, and the TV had turned back to a reporter on location where the speech had been given.

Gohan asked what the call was about but she simply pointed to the report on the TV.

"I'm just getting word now," the reporter said, putting a finger to her ear so she could hear her boss. "Come first thing Monday morning, Capsule Corp will be making a public response to what Mr. Satan has just said. At this time we don't know what the response from Mrs. Briefs will be, but I can tell come Monday morning everyone will be glued to their TV sets."

Bulma turned off the TV. Everyone looked at her, all wondering the same thing: what is she going to do? However Gohan saw a small smile on Bulma's face; the type of smile she would get just before coming up with the next big scientific innovation.

"I must say," Chichi said, shocked about what had just happened."If I didn't know any better I would say he was intentionally trying to make the world hate Capsule Corp. It also seemed like a personal attack against you, Bulma."

"Oh, it was," Bulma said casually. Seeing the confused looks on everyone's faces, she went on to explain. "I don't think he is at all worried about who the satellite belongs to – he is just trying to get back at me." "Get back at you … why?" Gohan asked, just as lost as Chichi and Vegete were.

"You guys remember I had that special gathering last week with a bunch of important people?" They all nodded silently ready for her to continue. "Hurcule was there, and throughout it, he kept looking at me in a less-than-appropriate way."

"I'll make him rue the day he looked at you like that!" Vegete said, half way out of his seat, ready to pay Hurcule a visit.

"You will do no such thing!" Bulma threw in, forcing Vegete to retake his seat. "Anyways, as I was saying, he was looking at me in a very inappropriate way. Going up to him, I asked him kindly to stop looking at me in such a vulgar way. However he continued to do it so at the end of the day I informed him that he was no longer welcome near Capsule Corp property or he would be removed. I guess this is just his way to try and get back at me."

"So what are you going to do, come Monday?" Chichi asked.

"I have a few ideas as to how to make Hurcule think twice about attacking me like that, but first I have to talk to Gohan."

"About what?" Gohan asked, surprised by Bulma's statement. "It's you he's after. I don't know what I can do."

"Well it's about the satellite and whether you want to turn it over. I mean, you know what's on it." Gohan looked shocked for a moment. He had forgotten about everything that had been recovered: almost his dad's entire life.

Gohan thought about it for a moment. Right then, he didn't care if it came out that he had been the one to take down Cell. However, he realized that at the same time, it would be revealing everyone else as well. He couldn't do that to his friends. Gohan knew that they valued their privacy just as much as he did. Not sure how to answer, he voiced his concern and was surprised by the answer.

"Gohan, we never did tell you this, but a couple days after the Cell Games, the whole gang was here getting ready to go confront Hurcule for taking your credit. We were just about to go when Piccolo stopped us, reminding us that it was you who won and it should be your desertion. We were going to ask you but we saw you were grieving so we figured that you would say something if you cared about the credit. You never did say anything about it, so we just let the whole matter drop and got on with our lives."

"I see," Gohan said clearly taken aback by this. If he hadn't been so busy beating himself up about his father's death, he could have taken the credit for Cell's death; he could have made the world see that Hurcule was lying about their techniques being tricks. Gohan felt bad that because of him, they were considered tricksters instead of warriors.

Gohan wanted to make things right, and was about to tell them that, but then he thought of Videl. Sure, he hadn't known her long, but she was the closest thing to a friend he had. If he came out with it now how would it affect her? He couldn't just make this desertion while thinking only of himself.

"I still need to think about it a little," Gohan said, stalling for time so he could consult Videl.

"Sure thing," Bulma said. "I know this is a tough decision for you. Just let me know before Sunday night."

Gohan was glad he had a couple days to talk to Videl about it. But how was he going to ask her? 'Hi Videl, I was just wondering how you would feel if all of a sudden it came out that your dad didn't beat Cell and he has been lying for all these years?' Gohan knew he couldn't ask like that. He went back to his bedroom so he could think.

XXXxxxXXX

Gohan sat down on his bed when he got in his room, he didn't know what to do. How was he going to ask Videl? When was he going to get a chance to ask her? Would she even believe him? Gohan ended up laughing at himself. He realized just how silly he was being. This was his chance to show the world that Hurcule was a fake and KI techniques were very real.

'I don't need to ask for Videl's permission,' Gohan thought. 'So what if she is Hurcule's pretty little daughter? It's his fault if things get rough for her. Wait, really, did I just think that? No, I couldn't have, but I did. I need to stop thinking about this. Fine, if I get a chance to ask her discreetly I will, but if not I'm going ahead with it anyways.'

Glad to have sorted that out, Gohan laid down, deciding to enjoy one of the magazines from under his bed. As he was getting one out he heard a beep. It was his phone telling him someone had texted him. Looking at the caller display, he fell apart again: it was Videl.

She had texted him to make sure they were still meeting up to talk tomorrow. Seeing how fate was trying to tell him to talk to her, he ended up just calling her, hoping that taking to her would help him figure how to ask her about 'it.'

"Hello," Videl answered.

"Oh, hi Videl. I just got your text and figured I'd call so we can plan where to meet."

"Ah, OK. Did you have anywhere in mind?"

"No. I don't even know my way around Satan City yet."

"Why don't we meet in the tourist district? There's signs every ware there so I'm sure you can find it. We can meet right outside the Hurcule action figure shop. It's the easiest place to find."

"I think I can manage that?"

"Good, so I will see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow. Good. I need to talk to you." Gohan said that last part in a quiet voice, but Videl still heard him say it.

Gohan hung up the phone with that, not sure what would happen if he continued to talk to her. Laying back down, he heard his phone give another beep. It was Videl telling him to meet at 11 o'clock.

XXXxxxXXX

'That was weird,' Videl thought to herself. 'I didn't expect Gohan to call me like that. But I wonder if he's OK, he sounded a little off at the end there and then he just hung up. I'm not mad but it's the way he said it, as though he needed to talk to me. Oh well, come tomorrow I'm going to get all the answers I want. No more secrets Gohan, come tomorrow, you're mine.'

Videl had been walking around her room when Gohan called. She had just finished her own workout that she had recently started doing in secret after sparring with her dad. Sparring used to be all the workout she needed, but lately it wasn't enough. She would come out of the sessions having beaten her dad over half the time and she still had a lot of energy left.

Hurcule, however, looked like he was about to drop. She couldn't understand how he was the strongest person in the world, but after a few simple spars with her, he was done. Videl pushed the thoughts from her mind, moving into bed to get a good night's sleep. Her special training sessions really tired her out.

Lying in bed, she let her mind wander as she tried getting to sleep. She thought about what she was going to ask Gohan. She wanted to know who had trained him. The way he had survived the workout in gym and didn't look the least bit tired surprised her.

She remembered the scars that ran all over his body. 'How could someone get so beat up?' she started thinking. 'I train everyday and spar with my dad but the worst I have ever had is a good bruise. There must be something behind them.'

After musing about the scars, she refocused on the muscles themselves; the way they were clearly defined. She had never seen anything like it. No one at her father's gym had muscles like that, not even her dad. She continued to think about how smooth Gohan's skin looked, despite the scars, as she slowly drifted off to sleep. A good dream was sure to follow.