Rising to the Challenge - The Legacy of Son Gohan

by TheGodfather93

After seven years of peace the Earth comes under threat from a foe powerful enough to frighten even the Gods of Creation, leading to Son Gohan taking up his mantle as defender of the planet. In the meantime, he has to contend with going to high school and keeping his superhero identity a secret. Can he rise to the challenge? A Boo arc where Goku survived the Cell Games.

10. Disturbing Discoveries

Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan

Chapter 10 – Disturbing Discoveries

The first sight that greeted Gohan and Videl upon floating down the mysterious hatch was pure darkness. All the two teenagers could see was the opening above them that led to the surface. The almost unnatural lack of visibility gave the whole place an eerie feeling, on top of the mystique that surrounded it.

"I don't suppose you've brought a flashlight?" Videl asked Gohan, who merely chuckled in response.

"No, but I have the next best thing," he replied, holding out his hand and generating a large ball of bright blue ki. The simmering energy slowly expanded outwards until it was about the size of a basketball. "Ki can be used to create a very faint light. It's nowhere near as effective as a flashlight, but it can provide a light in dark places if need be."

As if to elaborate, Gohan moved the ball of ki he was holding in a circular motion around his body, weakly illuminating the area around them. After a full rotation, a picture began to form of just where exactly the pair of martial artists were.

It appeared they had descended into a relatively small and tight chimney-like tunnel, walled in by the same metallic material that the hatch was made out of. The only path they could take from here was the downward one, and to whatever lay in its shadowy depths.

"Guess we have our destination then," Videl said, trying her hardest to keep nervous edge out of her voice. While she was still looking forward to the adventure, she couldn't help but feel a tad claustrophobic in this enclosed space.

She let out a tiny gasp when she felt a comforting heat wrap itself around her left hand. Gohan clasping her hand with his was somewhat startling, but a much-appreciated gesture, loathe as Videl was to admit it. And the darkness did at least one thing right in hiding her slight blush.

"Ready to go?" Gohan asked, the warmth in his voice matching that of his touch.

"You bet," Videl responded, her tone now strong and confident. She felt butterflies floating around in her stomach, no doubt due to her friend's proximity, but she ignored them. This wasn't the time to be acting like a gushing schoolgirl.

"Down we go then."

Videl felt herself get dragged down into the darkness as Gohan descended, but she quickly matched the pace of her own descent with his. All the while, his right hand, which still contained their only light source, was held outwards, paving the way down.

A few minutes of this went by before Videl spoke, "What do you expect we'll find down there?"

"Hmm," Gohan pondered out loud, "could be anything, really. When my dad was a kid, he, Bulma and Krillin uncovered a pirate's lair in an underwater cave while searching for the Dragon Balls."

Videl let out an impressed whistle at the tale. "That sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale. Did they have to fight undead pirate skeletons cursed by ancient gold?" she asked with a chuckle.

"No, they had to fight a pirate robot with a machine gun and flamethrower," Gohan admitted nonchalantly. Videl blinked, not at all phased by how absurd that sounded. "Oh, and they had to fight some weird blond guy with telekinetic powers who was also after the Dragon Balls," he added.

"Huh, how about that," Videl remarked, still unsurprised by the revelation. After all it, it wasn't the weirdest thing she'd been exposed to since meeting Gohan. "Well in any case, I doubt we'd have to worry about pirates down here. This place is definitely manmade, and with modern technology at that."

Gohan nodded. "You have a point. Although I have to wonder whether that's a good or bad thing…" he trailed off.

After a few more moments of comfortable silence, the tunnel became brighter, and this light only increased the further down the teenagers travelled, until their makeshift torch became unnecessary. The ball of ki Gohan was holding faded away into nothingness, and the boy halted his descent, Videl following suit. The two cast their gazes downwards, and both pairs of eyes instantly widened upon what was below.

"I guess I was right when I said whoever was staying down here had to be a major recluse," Videl muttered in shock. "They clearly don't seem to want any company."

"No arguments here," Gohan added, a slight hint of disgust in his tone.

Underneath the two martial artists lay a bed of grotesque metal spikes of varying sizes and shapes, looking as though they were crudely carved by some sadistic torturer. Among the razor-sharp instruments of pain were several skeletons – evidently disfigured if the broken and twisted bones were anything to go by. Whatever poor souls they belonged to didn't have a pleasant death by any means.

Videl felt a rush of sadness at the sight, and at the thought of how badly those people must have suffered. Her heart instantly went out to them. She didn't look away though; being a trusted ally of the police she had borne witness to many atrocious acts of human depravity, and as a result was mostly desensitised to such sights.

"Come on," Gohan beckoned, gently guiding Videl over the ground towards where a large platform free of any spikes rested. Along the way, the raven-haired girl scanned over the area, keen to get an idea of where they were.

After having left the narrow tunnel that led down from the surface, the two teenagers had found themselves in a large open space with a floor full of spikes. If Videl was to calculate how big the room was, she'd equate it to the size of her school classroom. It, like the tunnel, was manmade, also from the same metallic material as the hatch. Far across the room, where she and Gohan were heading, was a smooth brown platform with a metal door at the far end of it, that rested atop the bed of spikes. It was the only thing in this damnable room that didn't make the girl sick to her stomach with righteous fury.

However, much to the martial artists' shock, the moment their feet touched the platform alarms started blaring out of nowhere. The sound was deafening, causing Videl to instantly let go of Gohan's hand – which she was unaware she'd been holding the entire time – and cover her ears. To her further shock, she saw the metal panels on the wall by the door collapse into themselves, and from them emerge several destructive looking turret-like devices, all pointed in their direction.

"No!" Gohan shouted, his eyes brimming with almost tangible panic.

Videl instantly saw her vision darken as a comforting warmth engulfed her petite frame. The turret guns opened fire, letting loose with a cacophony of what seemed like never-ending thunderclaps. Whatever the guns were firing, they clearly weren't normal bullets.

Unbeknownst to Videl, Gohan had wrapped his arms around her and covered her smaller body with his own the moment he noticed the turrets on the wall were about to unload on them. Having initially expected to feel the harmless sting of bullets clatter against his body and roll helplessly on the ground, the boy was left surprised when he felt a slight burning sensation on his back from the repeated barrage of projectiles. It didn't hurt him, but it was getting increasingly hotter at a rapid rate.

Gohan grit his teeth in annoyance as a vein throbbed on his temple. Ever since discovering this blasted hatch his anger had been building. First it was the minefield that had wounded an innocent monkey and killed who knew how many other animals. Then it was the electrified trapdoor of a hatch that had hurt Videl. Afterwards, he was greeted by the sickening sight of a bed of spikes upon which several people had been brutally impaled. And now… now they had activated several hidden machine guns that were trying to riddle him and Videl full of holes.

As Gohan felt the sweat mount on his back, reminding him of just what would've happened to Videl had he not been there to shield her, his body rumbled in rage, and in one brief moment his eyes flashed teal. He buried his chin on top of the girl's silky raven hair, calmed slightly by its softness, and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry."

Then, with a yell of unbridled fury, Gohan let go of Videl, swung his body around, and sent forth an enormous kiai wave that crashed upon the wall like a tsunami. The sheer pressure of the invisible blast blew back the harmful, golden beam-like projectiles and utterly flattened the turrets from which they came. The steel wall and door, ordinarily impenetrable by conventional weaponry, weren't safe either, as Gohan's immensely powerful attack shot through them as though it were fired from a canon, instantly vaporising the sturdy metal and leaving a gaping hole were they once stood. Such was the force of the kiai that the ground above trembled – the earthquake reverberating through a large part of the forest – and the leaves on the trees shook.

The thunderclaps ceased, and silence reigned supreme; the only disruption to the quiet being Videl's heavy breathing and quickened heartbeat.

But it wasn't because she was frightened, or because she was concerned for her wellbeing. It was because the sight in front of her left her paralysed in shock. "G-Gohan… your back…"

The entire back part of Gohan's blue gi was gone, having been completely disintegrated by the turret gun fire, leaving the boy's muscular back exposed to the elements. Videl's eyes briefly trailed admiringly over her friend's powerful lats and well-defined traps, causing a light blush to form on her cheeks, but she quickly came to her senses as her mind put two and two together. Whatever lust she was feeling vanished, only to be replaced by a mixture sadness and gratitude.

The girl lightly pressed her palm against Gohan's reddened back, not yet sure whether he was feeling any pain. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Gohan replied, shuddering as Videl's soft finger ran gently down his spine.

That was all the confirmation Videl needed before she wrapped her lithe arms around Gohan's sturdy midsection and pressed her cheek against his skin. She let out a faint sigh as a jolt of strange sensations coursed through her being. "You saved me…"

"I'll always save you," Gohan said tenderly, grabbing her hands with his own and delicately stroking them with his thumb, as though they were a piece of fine porcelain. "I'll always be there to save you."

Videl said nothing in response and simply tightened her embrace, wanting to relish the feel of her warm new pillow – who clearly didn't have a problem with it – for just a bit longer. Eventually, she had to break the soothing silence. "From what I could gather, those guns fired lasers at us. How are you not hurt?"

"Ki shield," was Gohan's reply after what she thought was a moment of hesitation.

"Will you teach me?"

"Of course."

Videl let a smile spread across her lips. "Thank you… for everything." Before Gohan could reply, she let go of him and stepped away. She had gotten far too comfortable resting against his back. Normally that realisation would've scared the crap out of her, but she didn't care anymore. She was past the point of caring, at least for today. And that aside, it was about time they moved on.

Gohan sighed as he slipped out of the top half of his gi. "Another one ruined, and by a few laser guns? I hope Piccolo doesn't find out about this…"

He then pressed the red button on his watch and his tattered gi was instantly replaced with the colourful garb of his Saiyaman outfit. Videl frowned at this new development, a small part of her wishing Gohan would've chosen to walk around shirtless. At least then she'd have something pleasant to look at in this dreary underground lair.

"Come on, let's go," Gohan said, picking up the backpack he'd thrown on the floor when he moved in to protect Videl and heading towards the gigantic hole that he'd made.

Videl trailed behind the boy, shaking her head to clear the shade of red tinting her cheeks, and slightly mortified at the fact that she'd had such perverted thoughts. "That was some blast," she exclaimed, awe seeping into her tone.

Gohan chuckled. "Yeah, ki can do some pretty amazing things if you know how to use it. I'm just glad you're ok."

Videl's cheeks flushed once more at the sheer sincerity in the boy's voice, and she inwardly cursed herself for behaving like a giddy schoolgirl. It was so unbefitting of the calm, cool and confident demeanour that she had adopted for the entirety of her teenage life. No boy had ever invoked such feelings within her, and the thought terrified her to the core. How was she supposed to act? What was she supposed to say? What would her father say, for that matter? That last thought sent a shiver down the martial artist's spine and shook her from her musings.

After stepping past the destroyed wall, Gohan and Videl found themselves staring down a long corridor, walled in by the same steel plating as the previous room. That was where the similarities ended though, as two doors adorned the wall on the right side of the narrow space, while a solitary door was situated on the left. Down the very end of the corridor, near the isolated door on the left, was what looked like a crest of sorts. A blocky red K was etched into the middle of a black shield, above which lay two daggers crossed at the blades – much like the crossbones on a pirate flag – pointing upwards.

Videl narrowed her eyes at the sight, wanting to pound the ever-loving crap out of whatever sick bastard the crest belonged to. A quick glance to her side showed that Gohan bore a similarly pissed off expression as he scanned the door to his right. The boy's fingers trailed over the handle, which rested besides a computerised fingerprint scanner.

Videl was then startled when her friend suddenly booted the shiny, metallic door with his foot, sending it flying into the room and thumping against something solid. She shuddered at the unexpected ferocity on display. Such subtle yet terrifying rage was a part of Gohan she'd never seen before. It didn't frighten her though, not in the slightest. If anything, she almost felt sorry for the unfortunate bastard stupid enough to invoke it – almost being the key word there.

"I approve of your approach," she commented with a smirk. "Nice, simple and quick to the point."

Gohan flashed her a quick smile, but the underlying anger never left his face. "I'm past the point of doing things subtly. Whoever is in charge of this place must be stopped, and quickly," he admitted with finality. He then stepped into the darkened room, inadvertently activating a light switch, and grit his teeth at what he saw. Videl simply gasped.

Weapons of all sorts were stacked meticulously along the walls of the medium-sized room, arranged by size and type. The left side of the room was covered by what looked like hundreds of pistols and submachine guns, ranging from relatively unassuming handguns to deadly Desert Eagles. On the opposite side of the entranceway, where the door itself had crashed into, was a wall filled entirely by machine guns and sniper rifles, some of which looked powerful enough to tear through solid steel. To the right of the destroyed doorway rested a stockpile of heavy weaponry such as grenade and rocket launchers, Gatling guns and flamethrowers. The collection didn't end there either, as the wall which contained the doorway was loaded with swords, polearms, knifes, scythes and all manner of bladed weaponry.

It was sickening.

"It looks like there are enough weapons in here to militarise a small country," Videl muttered in disgust.

Gohan nodded his agreement. "To think that one person is in control of all this firepower…" he trailed off, clenching his right fist in barely restrained fury.

"We're going to blow it up, right?" Videl enquired.

"Oh yeah."

Videl smiled at that. She liked this assured, confident side of Gohan. Well, she liked the naïve, clueless side of him too, but this side lit a roaring fire in her belly. It was, dare she say it, sexier. Her face flushed red at the thought, and she quickly shook her head to clear it.

The two teenagers stepped out of the room and proceeded down the corridor, wanting to see what the other rooms contained. However, the moment they made it have, they were forced to clasp their hands to their ears as another siren rang out.

"Darn, not again," Gohan cursed.

Before the pair of martial artists could respond to any imminent threat, two panels on the ceiling at the beginning and end of the corridor opened up, and two hulking, silvery beings dropped down onto the ground, their sheer bulk denting the metallic floor with audible thuds.

Two pairs of piercing, crimson, socketless eyes glared upon Gohan and Videl and flared menacingly, illuminating the two horrifying metallic faces they belonged to. The two beings, evidently robots of some sort, had a humanoid shape to them, but were much taller and broader than the average person.

Their sleek, chromed heads were moulded to look like human skulls, but that was where the comparisons ended, for they lacked any discernible human features – most notably skin. Where their noses were supposed to be were two teardrop-shaped holes, and the skulls didn't have any lips either, each revealing two rows of pristine, white teeth fixed into ever-present smirks.

The robots' bodies were held together by tough looking metallic alloys, and they too were human in shape only. Various assortments of screws and wires connected the endoskeletons' various parts to each other, giving the robots a most inhumane appearance. There were even clearly visible metal spinal cords connecting the bodies' upper and lower halves. To top off the ominous look, both robots wielded in their hands a pair of flamethrowers.

The robots then started walking down the corridor, their gaits strong and uncompromising; walling in Gohan and Videl and pointing their devastating weapons right at the teenagers, primed to fire.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this," Gohan stated confidently, holding out both hands and pointing each one towards a robot.

Videl shook her head. "No, let me take one of them. I appreciate the help, but how am I ever going to improve if I need you to save my ass every time I'm in danger?"

Gohan paused for a brief moment, then nodded in resignation. "Alright. I trust you."

"Thanks," Videl smiled, just as the mechanical menaces opened fire, sending forth two torrents of flames that rushed towards the dark-haired duo. Gohan and Videl responded with simultaneous ki blasts that sped towards the flames.

Gohan's simple one-handed ball of energy blew back the pillar of fire that was shooting towards him with ease, and completely vaporised the robot from which it came. Videl, meanwhile, knew she didn't have the skill or stamina to muster such firepower, but she had a compromise. With narrowed eyes, the raven-haired girl thrust out both hands and let loose a beam of ki that rocketed towards the robot on her side, pushing back the flames coming her way.

Panting slightly as she felt her already dwindling reserves deplete even further, Videl then sped towards the incoming robot, her skin glistening faintly with sweat from the heat. Just before she was about to crash into it, she dropped to her back and agilely slid across the floor, right between the machine's legs. Just as Videl was passing directly underneath the dangerous automaton, she raised her right hand, lifted her upper back off the ground, and levelled a hammerfist blow upon its crotch, only to wince audibly as a shot of pain ran down her wrist, the robot clearly unaffected. 'Well that plan was a bust,' she mused grumpily.

However, Videl chose not to dwell on those thoughts, and quickly sprang to her feet once she was directly behind the robotic threat, scowling viciously at its back. "You're dead!"

With a battle cry, the petite martial artist directed two swift snap kicks to the insides of the machine's knees, channelling all her hatred, fury and frustration into the strikes. Two harmless thumps later and the robot was no worse for wear, causing Videl's scowl to deepen.

As it began turning its head to face her, she pulled back her right arm and smashed her elbow into its crimson eye; the attack not having a debilitating effect, but momentarily stunning the robot. Videl took this opportunity to grab the machine's thick arms, plant her feet on its steely back, and pull with all her might, hoping to wrench the mechanical limbs from their sockets.

Veins began to throb along Videl's temple as she was met with strong resistance, the robot's strength still far above hers as it slowly gained the upper hand in their impromptu tug of war. The girl would not concede defeat though, and as her face reddened in exertion and her teeth grit together, a sudden idea came to her.

Just as she was about to lose her grip on the mechanical limbs, Videl gave a pained yell and let go of the arms, then began clambering on top of the tall robot's broad back as though she were scaling a mounting, making use of her small frame and superior agility. One she was in a relatively steady position, she then snaked her left arm around the machine's neck, grabbing it in a sleeper hold, while wrapping her legs around its thick chest.

The robot began to swap rapidly from side to side in an attempt to shake off the disruptive martial artist clinging to its back, but Videl was having none of it. With a spirited battle cry and adrenaline coursing through her, possibly inhibiting her common sense, she thrust out right left hand and then swung it back, impaling the automaton's glowing red eyes with her index and middle fingers, which she had attempted to infuse with a faint amount of ki.

Videl winced audibly as flesh broke glass and an electric shock zapped her fingers, causing the digits to go numb. However, she ignored the pain and ripped back her hand, then started pummelling the top of the robot's head with her elbow. Brutal thuds resounded through the corridor as she relentlessly hammered her target, channelling all the rage that had been building up throughout the day into the blows.

With each strike, Videl felt a stinging surge of pain, and realised that her attempt to cave in the machine's metallic skull was going to fail. She cursed under her breath as her elbow reddened and numbed. All the while, the now blinded robot was flailing madly, shooting out flames from his weapon every now and then.

Videl's eyes suddenly widened. 'That's it!'

With a strenuous groan, the raven-haired girl gripped the robot's shoulders and pressed down hard, not even making an indent into the steel endoskeleton. However, wounding the machine wasn't her goal. With a deep exhalation, Videl lifted her body upwards, until she was doing a handstand on the automaton, using its shoulders as a base and resting the top of her skull against its own. The frantic machine, meanwhile, kept thrashing about, this time in an attempt to throw her off. Taking another breath to steady herself, Videl then launched off the robot, doing a somersault in the process, and landed a dropkick to its hard head mid-flip.

The attack knocked the disoriented machine onto its back, while Videl landed gracefully on her feet. Just like she'd planned, the robot had dropped its flamethrower as it was falling backwards. Feeling heavily fatigued at this point, Videl mustered up the last ounce of her stamina and dashed towards the downed weapon, picking it up while the robot was still on the ground, gathering its bearings.

With a victorious grin, the teenage girl, who was panting furiously, glared down at the defeated automaton and pointed the flamethrower directly at its cold, expressionless face. "I've always wanted to use one of these things… and I can't think of a better target to use it on."

Videl then pressed the trigger, spraying the robot with a torrent of searing hot flames. The machine was silent as the orange fire torched its metallic exterior, the only sign that they were having any effect being the gradual cessation of its movements as it struggled to stand up. Evidently, its only purpose was to harm others, as it lacked the capacity to express any emotions. Videl was all too pleased to roast the abomination.

Eventually, after sustained exposure to the flames, the robot's sleek, silvery skin turned black and charred, and with one final twitch of its fingers it was rendered completely motionless.

Videl let out a sigh of relief as she threw the flamethrower to the side and dropped down to her knees, the extreme fatigue she was feeling finally brimming to the surface. Just as she was about to fall forward, the girl felt the powerful yet comforting hand of her friend on her shoulder, stopping her tumble.

As Gohan gently helped Videl to her feet, she turned to the boy and smiled warmly. "Thanks for letting me have that one."

"I knew you could handle it," Gohan chuckled. "You are my student after all."

Videl laughed, but instantly regretted it when she felt her chest constricting. Her stamina drain was clearly worse than she'd initially suspected.

"Take it easy," Gohan said kindly, a hint of worry in his voice. "You've exhausted yourself completely, both mentally and physically. Your body needs time to rest. No more fighting for today."

Videl waved off the boy's concerns. "I'll be fine. Just give me a senzu and I'll be good to go."

"No," Gohan declared sternly, surprising the girl with his tone. His features then softened. "While senzus are great for healing wounds and recovering energy when you need it, they're best saved for emergencies. And in the case of training, it's much better to let your body recover naturally – that's how you'll get the best results."

Videl sighed, but conceded. Gohan's explanation made sense, and as a martial artist herself, she knew fully well the benefit of a proper recovery period… even if she was sometimes too impatient to wait. "Alright. You win. I won't take a damn senzu," she grumbled.

Gohan smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Now let's get a move on. I don't want to stay in this wretched place any longer than I have to."

Videl nodded her agreement, also wishing to get out of the hideout as quickly as possible. The two teenagers then proceeded cautiously down the hallway, coming to a stop at the second door on the right.

Gohan glared at it for a few seconds, then booted it open in a rare show of anger. Clearly he was far beyond subtlety at this point, and Videl honestly couldn't blame him.

The duo then peered into the destroyed doorway, only to have their eyes widen slightly at the relatively tame sight within. A large, extravagant king size bed took up most the room, adorned with all manner of fluffy pillows, and stacked with intricate looking blankets. The rest of the space was surprisingly empty.

"Well that was… anticlimactic," Videl remarked.

"I know what you mean," Gohan said. "I was expecting something a little deadlier, or more evil for that matter."

Videl's lips quirked upwards. "I guess even bad guys like to indulge in simple comforts sometimes."

Gohan merely shook his head. "Well, unfortunately for this bad guy, their extravagant little setup will be blown to smithereens once we're done with this place."

Videl chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it."

With that the pair resumed their trek down the corridor, heading towards the last remaining room. This time, however, neither Gohan nor Videl could shake the feeling that some big revelation awaited them. The girl felt a slight twinge of worry, but suppressed it, and took comfort in the knowledge that they were nearly done with their exploration.

"Ready?" Gohan asked once they reached their destination.

Videl simply nodded in response. Gohan took that as confirmation and booted the door open, exactly like he had the previous two. Once that was done, he cautiously stepped through the doorway, seemingly wary of any traps. Seeing that there were none, Videl followed after her friend and came to a stop at his side. Her eyes shot open.

"Well… this is a big upgrade from the last room," she gaped.

"No kidding," Gohan murmured, equally stunned.

The two teenagers found themselves in a large, dimly lit room, about twice the size the two rooms they saw earlier. The space in the middle was occupied by a large, rectangular table, which was neatly arrayed with several stacks of papers, various folders and other such documents, and numerous writing utensils. It appeared to have played host to much activity in the past, and was certainly noteworthy.

However, the most captivating sight in the entire room was without a doubt the enormous monitor covering the wall opposite the entrance. What was currently on display was a map of the world, marked with all the major cities, landmarks and other notable places of interest. What was most curious, however, was the multitude of crosses dotting the display. Below the monitor was a simple keyboard and mouse; a striking contrast to the grandeur of the screen above.

Videl walked up to the monitor, her eyes keenly scanning over the various markings. "Go check out what's on the table," she told Gohan. "I'll see what I can find out from here."

"You got it, boss," was the boy's reply, a hint of humour seeping into his tone. Videl smiled briefly at the comment, but it went as quick as it came, as she steeled herself and focused all her attention on the screen before her. She was in detective mode now.

Videl skilfully tapped away at the keyboard with practiced ease, navigating the map in the hopes of finding some worthwhile information as to what the purpose of this abominable hideout was, and which sick bastard was behind it all. Pictures of all sorts flashed across monitor, detailing blueprints of famous or high security locations, as well as ideal entry points and persons of interest. Among the places on display were King Furry's castle, Capsule Corporation, what looked like a large army base near the Land of Korin, a destroyed laboratory next to North City and, to Videl's shock, Satan Manor.

The girl's eyes narrowed as the sinking feeling that had been building up in the pit of her stomach rose even higher. She'd had her suspicions, but now the signs were clear as day. Before she could voice her thoughts, she heard Gohan gasp from behind her.

Videl swung her head around and darted towards her friend, who was gaping at a series of photographs strewn haphazardly on the large desk in front of him. She instantly grimaced when she saw their contents, completely understanding Gohan's surprise.

The pictures could only be described as ghastly, if not revolting in the purest sense. They contained images of deceased people who clearly hadn't died natural deaths. From slit throats and severed limbs, to burnt holes in chests and bullet wounds… they were the tell-tale signs of murder. And, judging by who the victims were, the killer didn't discriminate when it came to age or gender.

Videl's initial fears were now confirmed. "We're dealing with an assassin," she stated grimly.

"And a sick one at that, who seems to take pleasure in compiling a scrapbook of their kills," Gohan added sadly. A few moments of silence passed between the pair of teenagers as they both came to terms with this discovery, before Gohan broke it. "Anyway, have you found anything?"

Videl nodded. "Blueprints and schematics of famous locations. Whoever this twisted son of a bitch is, they do their research."

Gohan sighed. "Great. A murderer with brains. That makes things easier," he commented sarcastically.

Videl gently grabbed his arm and guided him over to the monitor, wanting to get her friend away from the grisly photographs. Gohan was too nice and naïve of a guy to expose to humanity's depravities, and Videl wanted to keep him uncorrupted for as long as possible. "Come on, let me show you what I've found," she said gently.

Gohan nodded, and scanned his eyes over the screen. After just a few seconds, they shot open and his face turned an ashen white.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Videl asked worriedly.

"That's Capsule Corp, where Bulma and her family lives," he stammered shakily, pointing towards West City. "And that's Muten Roshi's island. Even my grandfather's castle is marked on this map." The panic was now flowing off him in droves, and Videl felt her heart ache at the sight.

"What does this mean?" she enquired softly.

"It means that they might know about us." Gohan quickly shook his head before Videl could ask him to clarify, and immediately noticed something else. "Hey, could you please bring up the details for this?" he asked, pointing towards the army base she'd spotted before.

Videl nodded, curious, and did as her friend asked. "Red Ribbon Army base," she read as the words appeared at the top of the screen. She then whistled appreciatively at the images of destroyed hangars, demolished fighter planes and tanks, and smashed buildings. "I've read about these guys. They were some seriously nasty business, classified as a potential threat to the world. Then they suddenly disappeared… vanished like it was nothing. Not that anyone was complaining though."

Videl could've sworn she saw the faintest quirk of the lips from Gohan, but she dismissed it. "Let's see if I can dig anything up," she mused, more to herself than anything, her curious nature getting the better of her.

She clicked on a security camera and a video popped up on the screen, showing a small, red blur zigzagging down a corridor, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Videl watched flummoxed as uniformed soldiers, armed to the teeth with heavy weaponry, were thrown aside by the dozen, unable to contend with the wrecking ball bulldozing through their ranks.

Entranced, the girl paused the video, and gasped when the red figure on the screen became discernible, its familiar, childlike features illuminating the display. "Goten?"

"Look at the date," Gohan said softly from beside her.

Videl did just that, and saw that it read 12 May, Age 750, which was almost two decades before the youngest Son child was born. "Then… Goku?"

"Yep," Gohan stated proudly, joining Videl in observing the footage of his father. The man – now boy – was the spitting image of Goten, with the only difference being that Goku looked a tad pudgier, and his gi was of a slightly different design. There was also a strange, brown, belt-like object waving behind him.

"Wow," Videl breathed out. "So Son Goku, who can't have been what, more than 15 at the time, singlehandedly destroyed the most dangerous terrorist organisation to ever threaten the Earth? Using just martial arts?" At Gohan's nod the girl couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle. "At this point, I really shouldn't be surprised. Any more child heroes in the family I should know about?" she asked her friend, who gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"Maybe. Even I don't know everything about my family."

Videl smirked and returned her attention to the screen. She clicked on Goku, only for the screen to suddenly start beeping and flashing a menacing red, the words 'DANGER' appearing above the still image of the boy.

Videl slowly backed away from the machine, a bit startled by this new development. "Guess whoever's running this place is smart enough to know when they're out of their depth," she remarked, her tone mocking.

"That might not necessarily be a good thing," Gohan said. "If this assassin came after my dad, then my dad could put a stop to their nefarious ways for good, so they couldn't hurt any more people."

Videl quirked a brow. "You have that much faith in your father?"

"Of course," Gohan stated confidently, no trace of doubt in his voice.

Videl laughed. "I know exactly how you feel."

Gohan smiled at her admission, but Videl could've sworn the smile didn't reach his eyes like it usually did. She blinked a few times.

It was probably her imagination.

"Have you found out anything else about who we're dealing with?" Gohan questioned, seeming a bit eager to change the subject.

"No, unfortunately," Videl frowned. "All I can gather from this computer, and the photographs you found, is that the bastard in charge of this place is an assassin, and a clever one at that – very meticulous in their research. They're also smart enough to not leave any trace of information that could reveal who they are, what they look like, or what their next target is. We're pretty much dealing with a shadow here."

Gohan sighed, rubbing his temples exasperatedly. "Fantastic. And we can't even wait this person out, because who knows how frequently they even come here."

Videl gently patted her friend's shoulder. "Cheer up. We still get to blow this place up, and I can always go speak to my police contacts to see if they can dig up any information on this assassin."

Gohan's lip twitched upwards at that. "You have a point. Plus, I guess I could always ask Bulma to see if she can figure anything out."

"That's the spirit," Videl chirped. "Now I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

"Excellent idea."

With that Gohan turned around and started making his way towards the room's exit, but stopped when he felt Videl stay where she was. Curious, he glanced back at the girl, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw her holding out a hand, a faint ball of ki forming in front of her palm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gohan said gently, grabbing Videl's wrist and moving it downwards, the tiny bit of visible ki dissipating. He saw the faintest beads of perspiration running down her temple. "Like I said earlier, your stamina is pretty much spent. Any further use of ki could be dangerous."

Videl grumbled under her breath, while at the same time letting out a few pants of exhaustion. "That's lame."

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's visible dissatisfaction. It was so in character for her, and he honestly found it somewhat endearing. "I know how much you were looking forward to blowing this place up, but there will be other chances, other bad guy hangouts to destroy. Especially if you keep hanging out with me."

At that Videl's lips quirked up. "Good point. Guess you won't be getting rid of me any time soon."

'I wouldn't want to,' was Gohan's unsaid response. He then shifted his hand to Videl's shoulder and guided her out of the room. Once she stepped into the hallway, he stood in the ruined doorway and menacingly held his hand out towards the centre of the room.

Videl watched, transfixed, as a large sphere of ki formed almost instantly in front of Gohan's palm and rocketed towards its target. The first object hit was the table, which vaporised instantly upon contact with the dazzling ball of energy, the vile photographs adorning it burning away into nothingness.

Not even a second later, the ki ball ploughed through the large computer screen, shattering it into countless pieces and exploding against the back wall. Videl observed with great satisfaction as the large map on the monitor promptly faded to black amidst the flying shards of glass, all evidence of the assassin's dirty deeds being wiped from existence.

A second explosion then reverberated around the steel-walled room, but Videl was protected from the aftershock by Gohan's body, which was blocking the doorway like some impenetrable block of iron. However, even the muscular teenager couldn't prevent the heat of the blast from seeping out of the now-destroyed area, making Videl flush from its intensity, and reminding her yet again of just how much power Gohan had at his fingertips.

"That should be that," the boy stated firmly, stepping out of the doorway and making his way down the corridor.

Videl quickly glanced inside the now-destroyed room, but was unable to see anything other than thick, black smoke. Satisfied at the destruction, despite not being able to take part in it herself, she caught up to Gohan and watched as he came to a halt outside the assassin's room and sent another large ki blast directly into it.

Peering over the tall teenager's shoulder, she bore witness to the once-fluffy and extravagant bed disintegrating completely upon contact with Gohan's ball of ki, the plasma-like energy leaving no traces of the elegant silk blankets and cotton pillows. Videl smirked, gleefully imagining what kind of face the assassin bastard would make after finding their hideout completely trashed.

Gohan, meanwhile, was not yet done with his systematic destruction of the assassin's hideout, and strode purposefully towards the last room that was left to blow up: the armoury. He reached the doorway and held out his hand once more, but before he could fire off a ki blast Videl grabbed his wrist and pulled it down, mirroring his actions from before.

The boy looked at his friend curiously, to which she replied with a slight glare. "I may not know as much about this ki business as you, but even I can guess that if a ki blast clashes with all the explosives and firepower in that room, there's going to be a huge ass explosion." Her glare softened. "I don't want you to accidentally hurt yourself."

Gohan's eyes widened briefly before a smile found its way to his face. "You concern is touching, but you don't have to worry about me. I got this." He then scratched the back of his head. "Although, now that you mention it, you might want to stand away from the doorway."

Videl gave him one last look, then sighed and began trudging towards the hallway's entrance. She would take her friend's word for it. She trusted him. Once she was sufficiently far away, Gohan let loose a ki blast into the armoury, which created a massive explosion within the small space. So loud and deafening was the noise, that it felt like a mini nuke had gone off, and Videl had to grit her teeth and cover her ears so as to not sustain any internal injuries. Despite the discomfort she was feeling, she could clearly see that Gohan was completely unfazed by it all, calmly flaring his shining white aura and blowing back the billowing black smoke that threatened to pour out into the corridor.

The crime fighter was impressed, and didn't even try to hide her amazement when the blast had died down and Gohan made his way towards her. "I underestimated you," she admitted with a smirk. "You really are a monster."

Gohan laughed and scratched the back of his head. "That's not the first time I've been called that."

"And something tells me it won't be the last," Videl chuckled. "Anyway, good job. A bit flashy for my taste, but effective."

"It'll grow on you," Gohan responded, smiling.

"In your dreams, maybe," the girl retorted with a smirk.

The two fell in step side by side as they walked towards the spike pit. Once they reached the edge of the platform they both blushed and looked away from each other.

"I still can't fly, can I?" Videl asked.

Gohan gulped, glancing at the thorny bed of spikes before him. "With your ki reserves this low, it would be… unwise."

"I figured."

The male of the pair scratched the back of his head and let out a nervous chuckle. He then held his arms up awkwardly. "Grab on."

Videl stared at him for a few seconds and swallowed. "Grab on to where?"

"Ahh, wherever you feel most comfortable," he replied.

"Ok…" The crime fighter briefly contemplated her next course of action. Usually her interactions with the opposite gender involved her beating the crap out of crooks. Never before had she needed to get even remotely close to a guy, let alone in such an intimate position – the boys at school were either intimated by her, or too awestruck by who her father was. This didn't bother Videl too much, as she never had an interest in any of them to begin with… until Gohan came along and shattered her preconceived beliefs about the male gender.

The girl sighed, cursing her awkwardness about the topic, and missing the days where she was always calm, collected and assured. Gathering her bearings, she decided to get it over with and latched onto Gohan's midsection, wrapping her arms around his firm abdomen, a part of her relishing the feel of his rock-hard muscles.

Videl suppressed a yelp when she felt Gohan's hand slide down and gently grab her waist. Her first instinct was to pull back and sock him in the jaw, but she held it in. She knew her friend didn't have any perverted motivations behind his actions. He was simply being considerate and kind, like he usually was.

"Up we go," Gohan informed her, lifting off the ground and hovering over the spike pit. Before he ascended to the entrance, however, he thrust out his free hand and sent forth a cylindrical beam of blue ki that sped down the corridor and exploded over the assassin's crest. Much to Videl's surprise, Gohan didn't stem the flow of his energy, but simply maintained it; an act which only increased the size of the initial blast.

With wide eyes, the crime fighter watched as the smoke cloud expanded and rushed towards them, accompanied by a cacophony of booms that made her wince. She wanted to say something, but she was too transfixed by the sight to open her mouth. Besides, she trusted Gohan to know what he was doing.

Once the rapidly-moving smoke cloud breached the hallway, Gohan ceased his ki output and shot upwards and out through the hatch, landing softly on the barren land surrounding it. Mere moments later, a plume of thick, black smoke spiralled out of the tunnel with a final ear-piercing explosion and rose into the air, merging with contrasting blue of the sky.

Videl blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with what she'd just witnessed. "That… looked like something right out of a movie."

Gohan chuckled. "An apt description of my life."

Videl mentally nodded her agreement with a slight smirk, pleased that she could sate her thirst for adventure by hanging out with her spiky-haired friend. She then noticed that her arms were still wrapped around his chiselled lower torso and immediately let go, a light red tinting her cheeks. "Thanks for the lift," she said shyly.

"No problem," Gohan responded in an equally nervous tone.

A sudden sea of hooting drew the teenagers' attention to the edge of the clearing, where they saw a large collection of monkeys staring at them in awe and hopping about enthusiastically, the excitement among them almost tangible.

"Looks like we have an audience," Videl observed.

Gohan nodded and walked over to the jubilant animals, his eyes scanning the crowd for something. They then widened in recognition, and Videl could make out that his attention was focused on the limbless monkey who he'd fed a senzu to. The poor little mammal no longer had a despairing look upon its face, and was simply as awestruck as the rest of its troop. Her eyes then caught a glimpse of orange in its hand and she couldn't help but let out a gasp.

It was the Dragon Ball.

The injured monkey hopped over towards Gohan and stared up at the tall teenager with an unreadable expression. Then, without warning, it leapt up and wrapped its arms around the boy's neck and started wailing – whether it was from happiness or gratitude, Videl didn't know, but it was a heart-warming sight all the same. The crime fighter felt another spike of warmth in the pit of her stomach.

Gohan merely chuckled and ran his hand down the weeping primate's back. "There, there, it's alright," he said soothingly. "Videl and I took care of everything. No one will be getting hurt by this place anymore."

The monkey let out another cry and tightened its grip. Eventually the little creature let go of Gohan and hopped over towards Videl. The girl stared down at it, not really sure what to expect. However, much to her surprise, the monkey didn't jump up to hug her like it had her friend, but instead held out its hand, offering her the Dragon Ball it was holding.

"You're really giving this to me?" Videl asked, wanting to make sure this wasn't another prank. The monkey bobbed its head up and down in response. She smiled and knelt towards it, then took the ball from its hand. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

The primate seemed to regain some vigour from the raven-haired girl's words, and began hopping on the spot. It seemed the rest of its friends and family took this as some sort of sign to celebrate, as they started jumping about joyously as well.

Videl laughed and took a step back from the group. She started rolling the Dragon Ball around in her hands, admiring its almost unnatural smoothness. The three red stars etched seamlessly into the ball shined up at her, adding to the mystical object's allure. Even without the power to summon a wish-granting dragon, the Dragon Balls themselves would've made for a perfect piece to put on display at a museum simply due to their beauty.

The girl grasped the ball tighter. Even though she didn't technically win the game against the monkey, she couldn't help but feel as if she earnt the victory regardless, and that was a comforting feeling.

"Ready to go?"

Videl was interrupted from her musings by a smiling Gohan, who had made his way towards her. She nodded in his direction. "Let's do it."

However, just as Gohan put his hands to his mouth to call something out, a barrage of screeching halted him in his tracks. Curious, he and Videl turned to the source of the noise, only to spot the group of monkeys vigorously shaking their heads. "Guess they don't want us to leave," he noted.

"Yeah, but why?" Videl pondered out loud.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long for an answer, as within seconds several monkeys emerged from the trees, dragging along the ground an enormous leaf stacked with a humongous pile of bananas. The teenagers stared, transfixed, as the primates pulled the leaf towards them and then stepped aside, grinning proudly at the food.

Videl couldn't help but gape at the sight. "It's like Donkey Kong in real life…"

"What?" a confused Gohan questioned.

The girl shook her head. "Never mind. I'll tell you later."

Gohan merely shrugged and turned back towards the literal mountain of bananas. "Guess these little guys want to have a feast before we go."

Videl glanced at the sky, noticing that it was starting to redden ever so slightly. "Are you sure we have the time?"

Her answer was a tremendous, dinosaur-like roar that shook her to the core. Stunned, she stared at the source of the noise, where a blushing Gohan was holding his stomach with one hand and scratching the back of his head with the other.

The raven-haired girl chuckled. "Well in that case, I guess we don't have a choice."

---

"Ahh, that really hit the spot!" a giddy Gohan exclaimed, patting his belly contentedly as he soared through the sky.

Videl, who was sitting cross-legged on Kinto'un and flying beside him, glared jokingly at the boy. "You sure about that? I mean, you only won four separate eating contests, and ate about half of that banana pile yourself. Surely you could've kept going."

"Well, I wanted to leave some for the monkeys," Gohan stated casually.

Videl stared at her friend blankly. "You know I was joking, right?"

"Oh? Of course. I was joking too, heh," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Sure you were," Videl said sarcastically. "Your stomach really is like a bottomless pit. Have you ever considered going into competitive eating?"

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Competitive eating?"

Videl was a bit taken aback. "You've never heard of it? I figured your family would be into this kind of thing." At his confused expression, the girl chuckled. "Competitive eating is pretty much exactly what it sounds like; you compete with other people to see who can eat the most food in the shortest time possible. A lot of people do it casually and post videos of it on the internet, but there's a professional league for it too, in which you can earn money as a prize."

Gohan gaped at her, blinking a few times as his eyes slowly lit up. "Seriously? Whoa, that's so awesome! And it sounds like so much fun! I never knew there was a profession where you could get paid for eating!"

Videl smiled, the boy's enthusiasm infectious. "So are you going to do it?"

To her surprise, Gohan shook his head, appearing to have calmed down a bit. "While it would be fun, I wouldn't want the publicity. Besides, I'm not sure I'd have the time for it anyway, what with school, being Saiyaman and training with you."

Videl's heart skipped a beat at that last admission, pleased that Gohan considered training with her such a big deal – especially if he mentioned it alongside his studies and crime fighting.

"But I'll tell my dad about it," he said, interrupting Videl's musings. "I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it."

"I'm sure he would," the crimefighter agreed.

After that the teenagers flew in silence for a bit, having left Fukurou Forest not too long ago. Once they'd finished eating with the monkeys, Gohan informed Videl that the final Dragon Ball they were searching for was out past the ocean to the west, in the direction of East City.

Since Videl's current ki reserves were almost non-existent, Gohan had called down Kinto'un to give her a lift. She didn't mind, as the magical golden cloud was much faster than any jetcopter she'd piloted before, which would drastically cut down on travel time. It was a lot more comfortable, too.

Before too long, the martial artists rocketed past East City, with Videl being able to make out the large metropolis' skyline in the distance, and came to a halt in the sky above the Spinach Wastes.

"Is the Dragon Ball here?" Videl asked, shivering slightly in the early evening breeze.

Gohan furrowed his brows and surveyed the area. "No, but it's close. Looks like it's near one of the villages."

Videl followed his gaze and studied the land below. The Spinach Wastes, also referred to by some as the Northern Wilderness, was a large, grassy area that consisted of vast swathes of farmland, several mountain ranges, and a few small, rustic villages. A huge river flowed down from the Northern Mountains, acting as something of a natural border splitting the more modern and urbanised East City, and the more natural and rural Wastes. It was quite a beautiful, picturesque place, Videl had to admit.

However, sightseeing was the last thing on the girl's mind. Thankfully, because she and Gohan had the Dragon Radar, they wouldn't have to traverse the entire Wastes looking for the Dragon Ball. That would've been torturous.

"Alright, looks like the Dragon Ball is a bit to the south," Gohan stated, turning Videl's attention to him.

He then took off in said direction, Kinto'un following after him. After just a few moments, the pair of teenagers found themselves flying above a moderately large village, walled in by a few small mountains and bordering a big lake. Several tiny, thatched wooden huts interspersed with pine trees dotted the area, indicating that the village was quite populous.

"Pretty place," Videl commented.

"Agreed."

"Are we going to be making a stop in the village?" she enquired.

Gohan shook his head. "Won't have to. The Dragon Ball appears to be somewhere in the mountains."

"Cool." Truth be told, Videl had become rather fond of exploring mountains as of late, and she wouldn't mind getting the chance to see another one.

The dark-haired duo waved between a couple of large peaks before the air became noticeably hotter, and the further they went, the more they were forced to sweat. It was a drastic contrast to the chilly winds they'd been feeling just minutes before.

"Oh, that's interesting," Gohan suddenly remarked.

"What is?" Videl asked, wiping her wet forehead with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Looks like the Dragon Ball's inside of that volcano ahead of us," he stated nonchalantly.

The girl paused. "You're kidding, right?"

Gohan chuckled. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"No," Videl responded hotly, putting on a brave face. "I just wasn't expecting to be exploring a volcano when I woke up this morning."

"Oh? Were you offering to get the Dragon Ball this time?" Gohan questioned, an uncharacteristically cheeky grin on his face.

"Normally I would have, but it's your turn to get the next Dragon Ball," Videl said smugly.

Gohan scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Well alright then, if you insist. I don't mind."

A victorious Videl floated higher into the sky while her friend sped off towards the volcano. She saw him ascend to the peak and then gasped when he casually shot down into the crater. A flash of pain passed through her chest, the girl immediately fearing the worst. Normal people didn't usually fly directly into volcanoes – she was expecting Gohan to be a lot more cautious about it.

However, her fears were short-lived and ultimately amounted to nothing, as mere moments later Gohan rocketed up out of the crater in all his costumed glory and made his way towards her. He then presented her with a familiar orange ball, seven red stars gleaming on the surface. "All too easy," the boy exclaimed proudly.

Videl stared at the Dragon Ball, at a bit of a loss for words. "That's it?"

"Yeah, it wasn't too hard to find," Gohan admitted. "The Dragon Ball was nestled in a small indent near the top of the volcano."

The crime fighter blinked. "A bit anticlimactic."

Gohan laughed. "What did you expect was going to happen? That I was going to have to fight some kind of hulking lava monster that was guarding the Dragon Ball?"

"No!" Videl retorted, a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "Nothing that extreme. I just expected something a bit more adventurous, that's all."

Images flashed through her head of Gohan having to hop across floating rocks to get to the Dragon Ball, which would be located on a small platform in the middle of the lake of lava, all the while fighting off weird creatures who were also trying to get the Dragon Ball. That was the kind of cliché stuff that immediately came to mind… not that she was going to say so out loud. 'Maybe I should lay off the cheap action flicks,' she mused inwardly.

Gohan studied her face for a few seconds before shrugging, a small smile adorning his handsome features. "If you say so. In any case, I guess this wraps up our little adventure."

"I guess so," Videl agreed, a matching smile across her lips. Today was the most excitement she'd had in a long time, second only to the day she flew for the first time. "Thank you, Gohan, for letting me in on this adventure. I really appreciate it." And she did, from the bottom of her heart.

"Aww, no need to thank me," Gohan mumbled bashfully. "I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself." He then looked up at the darkened sky and pursed his lips. "Good thing we found the Dragon Ball when we did. It's getting late."

Videl nodded her agreement as the two teenagers took off towards the south, in the direction of Satan City. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from the Spinach Wastes, so it would be a relatively short trip.

As they left the mountains and flew over the nearby village, Videl felt a chill run across her body. Now that they were out of range of the volcano's warmth, there was nothing to protect her from the elements. The clothes she was wearing only made matters worse, as they weren't suited for cold temperatures.

"Those were some impressive ki blasts you threw back at the forest," Gohan said suddenly, distracting Videl from the weather.

The girl smirked proudly. "Damn straight. I've been practicing in my spare time. I guess you could say I'm working on a secret weapon."

"Really?" Gohan asked, curiosity brimming in his voice. "What kind of secret weapon?"

Videl laughed. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret weapon anymore, would it?"

The boy pouted. "Well, no… but I'm your sensei. Can't you make an exception in my case?"

She let out another laugh. "Don't worry, I'll show you soon enough. I just need to perfect it first."

Gohan sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "If you say so. I'll be looking forward to it."

The pair flew side by side for a little longer before Videl felt something wet plop onto her bare arms. A second later the same wetness impacted upon her head, causing her to grumble. 'Great. Just what I needed.'

Within seconds, the two teenagers were assaulted by a light rain, much to Videl's displeasure. Being the strong girl she was, she tried to not let it show how much the weather was affecting her, and conversation ceased for a few minutes as the dark-haired duo soared towards their destination.

Gohan chanced a glance at Videl out of the corner of his eye, and immediately noticed her shivering vividly in the breeze, the rain dampening her silky raven locks. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her body, and her teeth were chattering audibly. It wasn't a pleasant sight

"You ok?" Gohan asked, concerned.

"Peachy," was the girl's terse reply.

He frowned. "Really? Because you look kind of cold."

"You're imagining things."

Gohan chuckled. "Move up a bit."

She eyed him oddly. "Why?"

"So I can warm you up," he responded nonchalantly.

Videl felt a blush coming but suppressed it. "I-I don't need your help," she stammered.

Gohan merely smiled kindly in response. "Videl, you don't have to act tough around me."

She glared at him. "Who's acting? That's your forte, with your goofy dances and cheesy one liners. Something I can't tell whether you're trying to be a superhero or a ballerina."

"Ouch. My pride." Videl smirked, and Gohan let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well alright then, if that's the way you want to be. I was just trying to be a good superhero and offer my help, but I guess I'm not needed."

'Damn straight,' Videl thought triumphantly. A few seconds passed, before a faint pink hue found its way to her cheeks, and a newfound sense of rationality overrode her pride. "Gohan…"

"Yes, Videl," the boy asked, fighting to keep a grin from splitting his face.

She paused, then looked away from him meekly, not wanting to see his reaction. "Can you please help warm me up?"

"Of course!" Gohan laughed. Within moments, he had planted himself directly behind her on Kinto'un, and sat down cross-legged. He then draped his red cape around her body like a blanket. "Lean back against me," he said softly, his breath tickling the back of Videl's neck.

The crime fighter was glad Gohan couldn't see how red her cheeks had become, and did as he asked, tilting backwards and resting her back against his firm, muscular chest, which she could still feel beneath the fabric of his outfit. A sudden added warmth flowed across her petite body, cloaking it like a second skin. The girl instantly recognised it as the familiar sensation that was Gohan's ki.

"There, isn't that much better?" he asked in the same soft tone he used just moments before.

Videl grunted an affirmation, not trusting herself to speak lest her voice squeak from nervousness, and hoping with all her heart that Gohan wouldn't hear the thumping in her chest.

Minutes passed without a word spoken between the two teenagers, the pair keen to take comfort in each other's presence and gaze down at the passing scenery below. Eventually, Videl turned her attention to the red cape covering her frame, looking it over closely for the first time. "You know, when I first saw your Saiyaman outfit, I wanted to do nothing more than burn it," she admitted fondly. "That's how stupid it looked."

Gohan let out an amused chuckle. "You wound me, Videl."

She just smiled. "But I have to admit, the outfit is growing on me."

The superhero lit up like a light. "Really? That's great! If you want, I can ask Bulma to make you a Saiyaman outfit of your own!"

Videl's smile morphed into a scowl. "Don't even think about it, buster. I may not… dislike the outfit as much as I once did, but I'm still sane enough to not want to wear something so garish."

Gohan laughed. "So you say now. But I think you'll change your mind eventually. The suit has a certain charm to it."

"Ha. You're dreaming," Videl retorted, unable to suppress a smile. She ran her hands along the cape protecting her from the elements, relishing the feel of the soft, elegant silk. A thought then came to her. "The cape's a little counterproductive though, don't you think?"

"Huh? How?" Gohan asked, clearly confused.

"Well, it doesn't really seem necessary," Videl replied. "If anything, I think it's more of a hindrance than a help." She took her friend's silence as an indication to continue. "Imagine you're flying next to a plane and your cape gets sucked into the engine."

Gohan grimaced audibly. "Point taken."

Videl chuckled. "It doesn't stop there. Aside from getting caught on things while flying, a cape could cost you in a fight. It'd give your opponents something to grab onto, and if you're moving around a lot your legs could get tangled up."

Gohan said nothing, and Videl could almost feel the disappointment radiating off him. She felt a tad guilty at being the cause of it, but she was a realist. "Capes have their uses," the superhero suddenly said.

Videl quirked a brow. "Oh? Like what?"

"They help with aerodynamics," he replied. "They… ahh… pick up the wind better which increases your speed."

The crime fighter pondered this answer briefly before snorting good-naturedly. "Gohan, I know you're super smart, but you just made that up. If anything, a cape would slow you down due to the drag. Besides, you don't use the wind to fly, you use ki to fly. You know that."

She could hear the boy grumbling behind her and smiled. It was always fun getting under Gohan's skin. "They can act as a parachute if you're falling," he said. "That's pretty helpful."

Videl pondered this. "True… but that's only if you're dumb enough to exhaust your ki reserves while in the middle of flying. And before you say anything," she mentioned, raising a hand to stop Gohan from speaking, "you can't bring up what happened on my first day of training, since I was just a beginner who didn't know any better. I've learnt my lesson."

A few more unintelligible grumbles caused Videl to smirk. Another victory for her. "Capes look cool," the superhero said with finality.

"Well… maybe sometimes, I have to admit," she chuckled. "But in this case, aesthetics has nothing to do with productivity."

Gohan kept silent, and Videl felt yet another slight tinge of pity for the boy who'd just had his illusions shattered. "You really like your cape, don't you?" she asked.

"I do," he replied slowly.

"And nothing I say is going to stop you from wearing it?"

"Nope."

Videl laughed. She found such conviction admirable, and even a little endearing. "Fair enough I guess. And I suppose capes do have their uses." She gripped Saiyaman's cape and hugged it closer to her body, taking comfort in the warmth it provided. "Like now."

The girl heard Gohan chuckle. "Told you so." She felt his breath tickle the back of her neck once again, sending a shiver running up her spine and causing goosebumps to form along her skin, bringing to the surface feelings she was wholly unfamiliar with.

A few more minutes of comfortable silence passed, before Videl lifted her right hand and placed it against the side of Gohan's helmet. She could hear him gulp. "Yes, Videl?"

"Take off the helmet."

"Why?"

She shrugged in response. "I think you look better without it."

Gohan did nothing for a few seconds – she could sense the hesitation in his body language. Eventually though, he conceded to her request, and took the helmet off his head, exposing his spiky locks to the evening breeze, and allowing the raindrops to pelt against his skin. Videl took the helmet from him, eyed it briefly, then placed it on her head.

Her view instantly darkened from behind the black visor, but she could still see clearly enough. There was also plenty of room inside the helmet so as to not limit her mobility. But it still wasn't comfortable, so she promptly took it off and rolled it around in her hands. "As I thought. Not my thing. Quite silly looking, too."

Gohan paused. "But you understand why I have to wear it, right?"

"Of course," Videl replied. "Doesn't mean I like it."

Another pause from Gohan. "Is that the only reason you don't like it? Because it looks silly?"

'No, you dolt. I don't like it because I'd much rather be looking at your face… into your eyes… instead of a black visor,' was the answer that first came to mind, but not the answer that came to mouth. "Yes."

"Huh," Gohan responded. "Well, I still like it though."

"Of course you do," she chuckled. Then, without warning, the crime fighter brought her right hand up once more and gently ran it along the boy's cheek, relishing the feel of his smooth, soft, clean skin. Videl was stunned at her actions, but couldn't help herself. If was as if her body was moving on autopilot. She gulped, and heard Gohan do the same – but her hand never moved from its place.

Neither teenager moved to put a stop to this, and before long an uncharacteristic giggle slipped from Videl's mouth.

"What?" Gohan asked, curiosity overriding his nervousness.

"Oh nothing," she answered. "I'm just trying to imagine what you'd look like with facial hair."

"Ehhh?" Gohan gaped, flabbergasted at the sudden thought. That came out of nowhere. An image flashed through his mind of himself dressed like Muten Roshi, reclining against a tanning chair and flashing the victory sign, a glorious fu manchu moustache and beard combination flowing down his chin. A collection of dirty magazines was scattered across his belly, and a perverted grin adorned his features.

The boy shivered – not from the cold – and immediately banished that picture from his head, which he shook vigorously. "No thanks."

Videl let out another giggle. "Yeah, you're right. You look fine just the way you are."

Gohan felt his cheeks flash crimson. "Thanks," he mumbled nervously. "You look fine the way you are, too."

"W-what?" This time it was her turn to mumble, caught off guard by the sudden admission. "You really think so?"

"Of course," Gohan replied with conviction. 'You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met, both inside and out.' But he didn't tell her that.

"Gee. Umm… thanks?" she stammered.

A pause. "You're welcome."

Silence reigned, as neither teenager knew where to steer the conversation from here. Luckily for them, they didn't have to, as the Satan City skyline soon came into view. The sky was now completely dark, exposing the millions of stars above. If Videl had to warrant a guess, she'd say it was nine in the evening.

Once the pair passed across the city's borders their ears were immediately greeted by the familiar hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Cars littered the streets below, lights illuminated the surrounding buildings, and the billboard bearing Mr Satan's grinning face bore down upon the city that shared his name, acting as a symbol of hope to any who dared to look upon it – at least, that was the justification he gave Videl for having the billboards commissioned in the first place. Honestly, she thought he was just being vain.

The crime fighter put that thought aside when the outline of her house appeared in the horizon. She smiled. Even though she had fun today, she was beyond exhausted, and was looking forward to getting some well-earned rest. Not even the fact that her father was away for the night could sour her mood.

Kinto'un lowered itself to the driveway at the front of the mansion and Videl hopped off. "Thank you, Kinto'un," she told the cloud gratefully, to which it seemed to purr in response.

Videl smiled, then turned her attention to Gohan, who had also just landed. "Ahh, well, I guess this is goodnight," the boy mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"I guess so," Videl said slowly, before a thought sprang to mind. "Say, Gohan, do you mind if I keep that Dragon Ball we got from the monkeys?" she asked her friend.

The boy stared at her strangely from behind his visor. "Huh? Why would you want the Dragon Ball?"

"Because technically, I'm the one that got it," she explained with a tiny smirk.

Gohan scratched his cheek. "That's true, and you do have a point… but what if the same people who are causing the Dragon Balls to disappear come after you?"

Videl's smirk faded and she frowned. "Then let them come. I'll just kick their asses if they try to take the ball from me."

Gohan sighed. "But Videl, what if they're dangerous? We don't know what kind of people we're dealing with."

The crime fighter felt a tiny pang of betrayal, and the familiar feeling of inadequacy from the past few days reared its ugly head. "Do you have so little faith in me that you think I can't take care of myself?" she asked harshly. "What the hell have I been training for if not for this very purpose? Was everything I learnt for nothing?"

Gohan let out another sigh and took off his helmet to rub his temples. He then met Videl's angry glare with softened features. "It's not like that at all. I have the utmost faith in you. I just… don't want you to get hurt. You're one of my best friends and I…" He swallowed. "I care about you too much."

All the anger Videl felt instantly evaporated, and she gave Gohan her warmest smile. "I understand how you're feeling, but you're not always going to be there to have my back. I need to learn how to take care of myself. I'm a big girl after all," she chuckled.

Gohan opened his mouth a few times, struggling with his words, before eventually sighing and bowing his head slightly. "You're right. I'm sorry for underestimating you." He set his helmet on the ground and reached behind for his backpack, extracting the Three-Star Dragon Ball and offering it to Videl.

The crime fighter took the mystical object and placed it under her arm. "Don't worry about me, Gohan, I'll be fine," she assured the boy softly.

He sighed. "I know you will. But just in case, I'll give you my number so you can call me if anything happens. Do you have a phone?"

Videl almost snorted in amusement, but then remembered that Gohan was a country bumpkin who was mostly unfamiliar with urban life. The concept of every single city-dwelling teenager owning a mini supercomputer – that was always within arm's reach – would surely be baffling to him. She reached into her pocket and handed him the thin mobile device.

He took the phone and started tapping away, and when he was done he gave it back to Videl. "There you go. That's my number. If any problem arises, please give me a call. Oh, and you should probably have this, too." He dug into his backpack again and pulled out a senzu bean. Videl grinned and reached to grab it, but before she could do so Gohan pulled his hand away and gave her a stern look. "You have to promise me that you'll only eat it if it's an emergency – and no, wanting to train is not an emergency."

The crime fighter grumbled in response but nodded nonetheless, and gratefully took the offered morsel of food. She then stepped back and looked at the boy. "Anything else you want to tell me, oh wise sensei?"

Gohan scratched his cheek ponderingly and picked up his Saiyaman helmet. "No, that's about it. Good night, Videl."

Before the superhero could take to the air, Videl grabbed his arm and stood up on her tiptoes, then placed her lips to his cheek and gave him a light, tender kiss. "Thank you for everything, Gohan," she whispered softly. "I really do appreciate everything you've done for me."

Gohan's face reddened like a tomato and he staggered backwards, gaping like a fish. "A-a-aha, it's no problem, Videl. I'll s-see you tomorrow. Bye!"

With that the now crimson-coloured superhero took to the sky and blasted off into the distance. Videl watched his retreating figure for a few moments until he faded into the night sky, then chuckled to herself and walked to her front door. Making Gohan uncomfortable was starting to become a favourite pastime of hers. He got flustered so easily and it was, dare she say, adorable.

The girl unlocked the door and closed it behind her, then set off towards her bedroom, moving robotically like some kind of zombie as the fatigue accumulated throughout the day finally caught up with her. Exhausted, she trudged up the stairs and stumbled drunkenly into her room. She had enough sense to hide the Dragon Ball inside her bedside dresser and the senzu bean under her pillow.

Videl then stood in the middle of her room, contemplating what to do next. She was feeling unusually hot right now, and decided that, despite her tiredness, a quick shower would do her good.

Once she was done, she put on striped pyjama pants and a loose white singlet, and collapsed onto her bed. She was out like a light the moment her head touched the pillow.

---

Videl was jolted awake by a strange noise in her room. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and was just barely able to make out a familiar outline standing beside her bed, its features cloaked by the darkness. "Dad? Is that you?"

"It's me, sweetie," came the gruff voice of Mr Satan. However, it felt much different than she was used to. It felt… cold, and there was a niggling sensation in the back of Videl's mind telling her something was wrong.

"But Dad, I thought you were on a business trip," she said cautiously, trying to assess the situation.

"Oh, that ended sooner than I expected, so I thought I'd come home," responded the figure.

Lightning suddenly flashed outside, illuminating the shadowy figure's features for just a second, revealing them to indeed be those of Mr Satan. However, the look on his face was unlike anything Videl had ever seen on her father. His smile was cold and calculating, and carried the faintest trace of maliciousness. It was a stark contrast to the warm, caring, yet unabashedly proud smile she was so used to seeing

Videl suppressed a gulp and reached under her pillow, pretending to stretch and grabbing the senzu bean in the process. "Well, alright then," she told the man. "Do you need something?" A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her the time. "It's one in the morning, Dad, you should get some sleep."

The figure said nothing for a few seconds, simply choosing to observe her. Videl felt a chill run down her spine as lightning flashed once more, and the shadowed man's eyes met her own. "You can't fool me," he said suddenly.

Videl blinked. "What?"

The man chuckled darkly. "I can see it in your eyes… in your body language. You know I'm not your father, so there's no use trying to deceive you. And you, young lady, can cut the act."

Videl's eyes narrowed, the girl trying to ignore the hammering in her chest. "Who are you?"

"I am someone searching for the same thing you are," the man stated firmly. "The Dragon Balls. I know you have one. Give it to me."

"What makes you think you can order me around?" Videl shot back. "You clearly know who my father is, so you should know that threatening me is the stupidest thing you can do."

The man chuckled once more – a cold chuckle that reverberated around the room. The click of a handgun was heard in the darkness. "You're in no position to be making to be making counterthreats."

Videl exhaled loudly, trying to keep her nerves under control. "Alright, you win. I'll give you the Dragon Ball. Just please don't hurt me."

"That's the spirit," the man said, an achingly fake kindness in his tone.

Videl slipped off her bed and walked to her bedside dresser. She opened it up and leaned down as if to rummage through it, but stealthily popped the senzu into her mouth and swallowed without chewing. In an instant, all her energy came back to her, the fatigue from earlier completely dissipating.

Her hands found the familiar orange ball, and she pulled it out of the draw, turning to face the man as she did so. Another bolt of lightning flashed outside, revealing a sharklike grin on his features. "That's a good girl. Now hand it over."

Videl looked down at the Dragon Ball, then back at the man. Without a word, she threw the ball at the gun-wielding figure like she would a basketball, putting all her strength into it. The man gasped as the object crashed against his chest, dropping the gun in the process. However, he was still able to catch the ball, just barely.

"Eagle Kick!"

Before the stunned figure could respond, a powerful flying foot collided with his chest, sending him hurtling out the window, shattering the glass, and plummeting to the ground below.

Videl panted heavily, struggling to catch her breath as her barely-suppressed nerves shot to the surface. "Who… the hell… was that!?"

"A very dangerous man you've just managed to piss off."

The crime fighter gasped and stared out the now broken window, shocked beyond belief to see an exact copy of her father hovering in the air, glaring at her with eyes brimming with almost tangible bloodlust. His brown gi top cloaked his broad-shouldered figure, and his championship belt was proudly wrapped around his waist. But his eyes… his eyes were downright murderous.

Videl glanced at her phone, sitting on her bedside table, out of the corner of the eye, and sighed. 'Forgive me, Gohan, but this is my fight.'

With that she leapt out the window and floated directly before the fake Mr Satan, fixing him with her most fierce glare and paying no heed to the vicious raindrops pelting against her skin. She ignored the chill penetrating her to the core – the temperature now far colder than it had been the previous evening – and turned her full attention to the flying figure in front of her.

"Oh ho, well isn't this something?" the impostor exclaimed, genuine surprise showing on his face for the first time. "Looks like the spawn is a far cry from her phony of a father."

Videl scowled ferociously, a fury she'd never felt before coursing through her veins. "I will break you," she seethed with barely restrained rage.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground beside the Satan Manor, signalling the beginning of the battle.

---

AN: Well. That happened.

Hi all. First off, I'd like to apologise for waiting so long to bring out this chapter. The past few months have been hectic, what with work, sickness, personal issues, and the dreaded writer's block all ganging up to kick my ass. But I persevered, forcing myself to write a little bit every now and then until I got my groove back. This chapter is the end result.

A lot of stuff happened, and the chapter ended up far longer than I originally envisioned, but I couldn't bring myself to end it at an earlier point. I didn't want to rush anything either. In any case, I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

I should also note that I went back and reread this fic from the beginning, fixing up any grammar mistakes I found. I think I got them all, but typos and the like are tricky, and pop up even when you don't expect them.

There will be no omake featuring the adventures of the Saiyabrats this chapter, as I was struggling to come up with a good one, and didn't want to delay the update any longer or put out something subpar in a rush. However, they will return next chapter. If you have any suggestions for what kind of mischief the Saiyabrats can get up to, I'd be glad to hear them, and might even include them in future chapters.

The next chapter shouldn't take anywhere near as long to come out as this one did, as I quite enjoy writing fight scenes, and they actually come easier to me than writing the rest of the story. I've also been looking forward to this upcoming one ever since I first got the idea for it early last year.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. You guys are awesome, and my biggest motivation to keep writing. As always, I would greatly appreciate any further feedback, even if it's just people making guesses as to who the Mr Satan lookalike Videl is about the fight is.

Until next time!