Chapter 14: Learning
The cool afternoon breeze gently blew against Videl's face as she sat in the middle of one of the many gardens in the castle. The Ox King and Lime had left to attend to other duties whilst Chi Chi had gone down to the kitchens to prepare the next feast for the food vacuums known as her sons. Her Father had left rather quickly after a short conversation with the Ox King, leaving Videl alone to her thoughts. After settling into her room, she had taken a walk around the castle grounds, eventually finding the spot in which she was now sitting. It was extremely peaceful, the way the leaves were rustling gently in the wind was almost soothing to her ears.
Due to being built into a raised side of the mountain, the castle had a grand view of the city sprawled out below it. It was almost picturesque especially compared to the urban jungles of Satan and West City. There were fewer high rise skyscrapers and a lot more of the old Eastern Style buildings and the city was bordered by an expanse of tall trees and vast plains. To think that Gohan would be the leader of not just this city but this country in less than a year's time. To think that she would be right there with him.
'Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself' she thought.
A buzz in her pocket broke her out of her stupor. She flipped out her phone and found a text message from Erasa.
'Hey girl, how's everything? Call tonight?'
Videl wasn't sure how long her conversation with Gohan tonight would go. If he even came back at a reasonable time. And she was definitely not looking forward to talking to Erasa right now. She'd probably ask a million questions about the Prince, if he was handsome, how big the castle is, if his body is amazing. A light blush graced Videl's cheeks.
'It is pretty amazing…' she thought before she mentally slapped herself for acting like Erasa and every other girl at school.
Besides, she wasn't all that sure if Gohan was comfortable with people knowing who he was. At least that's what she assumed. He had always been someone to shy away from attention. It was in his character.
'Not sure if I'll have time this weekend. Catch up on Monday?'
Videl knew that she couldn't put this off for too long otherwise Erasa would constantly nag her for answers. She was similar to Videl in that aspect. And especially considering it had to do with Videl's love life, Erasa was definitely interested. She just needed to talk to Gohan first to see where things were at. She wasn't even sure she liked him that way. Erasa's reply soon came which Videl scoffed at.
'Too busy making out with the Prince huh? Fine fine, see you Monday ya sloot ;)'
'Fuck off lol' she replied before shoving the device back into her pocket.
It had already been an hour, maybe two since Gohan had left the castle and she was starting to get impatient. Perhaps she could go find something to do in the castle, maybe talk to Lime if she wasn't too busy. She seemed like a nice enough girl. Though a part of Videl wondered what the relationship was between the Ox King's assistant and Gohan. Lime was pretty enough and was close to the Royal Family.
"Gah, don't even be like that!" she yelled at herself.
"Don't be like what?" a small voice asked, startling Videl.
She turned around to see large black eyes staring at her. Gohan's little brother Goten was looking at her, head tilted to one side, wondering what the teenage girl was doing.
"Why are you talking to yourself, Videl?" he innocently asked.
Slightly embarrassed at being questioned by a child, Videl shook her head at the boy.
"Err nothing, sometimes it just helps me to think. Do you understand?"
"Not really but okay" Goten replied with a smile.
'That damn smile' Videl laughed 'Just like Gohan's'
"Mum said you're going to be my sister. Is that true?" the lad asked.
Videl lightly blushed. Did the kid want her to be his sister? In all honesty, she had always wanted a younger sibling growing up. Especially with her Mother gone and her Father out with his endeavours, Videl felt a little bit lonely.
"I'm not sure yet but… do you want me to be your sister?" she asked.
Goten vigorously nodded, a large grin appearing on his face.
"Yeah! I do!"
Videl gave the boy a soft smile. His good mood and happy go lucky nature seemed to be almost infectious.
"Why do you want me to be your sister?" she asked.
"Well because then that's something else I beat Trunks in! He always has everything just because his Mum is super rich and even though Mummy says I'm a Prince, she doesn't let me have all the toys or things I want but Trunks doesn't have a brother and he's a bit jealous that Gohan's my brother and then if you're my sister he'll be jealous too because you're really pretty even though your Dad has that really funny haircut and Gohan will be happy if you marry him" Goten said, all in one breath.
"Uh okay wow."
Videl was stunned. How did that boy just say all of that in one go?
"Do you really think Gohan will be happy if I marry him?" she asked, trying to gauge if Gohan had told Goten anything about her.
"Well yeah. Girls are kinda icky but you seem alright and Gohan told me once you fight crime with him which is really cool! If Gohan doesn't want to marry you then I'll make him! Or Mum will."
"I see" Videl said, trying to hold in her laughter.
The boy was just too adorable.
"How old are you Goten?"
"I'm 6 and a half" he replied.
Videl giggled at the 'and a half'. When growing up, the fraction added onto your age was definitely important. But then she remembered the Cell Games was 7 years ago, almost 8. Goten must not have met his Father if Goku died at the Cell games. The thought struck at Videl's heart.
"I see. I'm 17. Gohan's the same age as me right?"
"Yeah but he told me that his body's older because he spent a year with Dad inside the Hypertronic or Megatonic or something like that Time Chamber. I forget"
Videl blinked.
"The what now?"
"I don't know" Goten said "He just told me this story that before he and Dad fought Cell, they trained in this big white room for a whole year!"
"Wow, have you ever been in there?"
"No but I've been near it once. It's on the Lookout but I've never had to go in there. I want to though!"
"The Lookout?" Videl asked "What's that?"
"It's where Dende and Mr. Piccolo live. That's where they watch over the world. Gohan's gone there right now."
"Watch over the world? Like Kami?" Videl asked in astonishment.
The boy nodded.
"Yeah that's what they call Dende. He's been Big Brother's friend for a while."
On top of Gohan being the Ox Prince, Delivery Boy and Gold Fighter he also knew Kami? Good lord, what couldn't this guy do.
"That's… that's amazing" Videl said in astonishment.
"Yeah Big Brother's pretty cool."
Noticing the tone of admiration in Goten's voice, Videl smiled at the boy.
"You really love him, don't you?"
"Of course! Gohan's the best big brother in the world! He always looks after me and plays with me too!"
The boy's enthusiasm was definitely addictive. Videl lightly ruffled his hair and bent down to his level.
"He must be amazing then."
Goten smiled at her.
"Do you want to play with me too? Then you can be the best big sister in the world!" he asked.
Videl laughed and nodded, holding out her hand towards Goten. If Gohan was going to take a while then she might as well do something to pass the time. Maybe she could learn more about Gohan through Goten.
"If that's the title I get then sure, let's go play."
Goten beamed at her and took her hand into his smaller one. It was a lot softer and more delicate than Gohan's but the feeling was the same whenever he held his Big Brother's hand. Goten was very happy with his new Big Sister.
A white blur sped through the open sky towards the direction of the Land of Korin. Gohan could have been flying at a much faster speed but there was quite a bit on his mind. He needed the peace and quiet, even if it were just a few minutes. Surely Vegeta and Piccolo could wait a little longer. They were probably just punching the living daylights out of each other. Piccolo was one of the few people that Vegeta would spar with, especially considering Gohan was so busy with his studies and now school. The Saiyan Prince had changed quite a bit over the years. Though he was still proud and arrogant, he respected the Z fighters a lot more and even acted like a proper father to Trunks, albeit in his own harsh Saiyan way.
Piccolo was one of the few strong enough to spar with him which improved both fighters' skills. Vegeta had even taken to being an almost Father-Uncle like figure towards Gohan and Goten in Goku's absence. He often lambasted their 'third class warrior' heritage and soft upbringing, especially when it came to Chi Chi forcing them to study but still looked out for them, hoping that they would continue to train to uphold the legacy of the Saiyan Race. Though they had their differences in the past, Vegeta respected Tien's attitude towards constantly training and honing his body and craft, something the Prince of All Saiyans prided himself with. He even found Krillin's attitude to always trying even when he was grossly outmatched to be admirable though he would never let the Baldy (who wasn't even bald anymore) know. All in all, Vegeta in his own way came to be on friendly terms with the Z Fighters. Except Yamcha. In Vegeta's own words
"Fuck that guy."
Gohan laughed at the memory of Vegeta's constant dislike of the former Turtle School Student turned Professional Baseball player. Purely because he used to date Bulma. Gohan began to wonder if Videl had any previous relationships or experiences with guys. Did she used to have a boyfriend? Does she currently like someone? And if she did, what would happen now considering their arranged marriage and their almost but not really kiss. The thought of Videl having someone else in her heart made his drop for a moment. Why was he feeling this way? His mind was still set on the blue eyed girl. She was so beautiful and he almost…
'Gah, get it together Gohan.'
Luckily enough, he had reached the Lookout causing his attention to be focused on the two figures that seemed to have been waiting for him, quite impatiently, he might add.
"Took you long enough" Piccolo said.
Vegeta growled.
"I don't like to be kept waiting. No matter if you're at your stupid school or finding some girl to fuck."
Gohan's face instantly flared red.
"I wasn't doing that! And Videl isn't just some girl!" he yelled back.
The trademark smirk of Vegeta graced the elder Saiyan's lips.
"Oh Videl is it? I see you've already fallen head over heels for her. Tell me, do you prefer when she uses her mouth or her…"
"NOT LISTENING TO THIS!" Gohan screamed as he covered his ears.
"Enough" Piccolo interrupted "Let's just get to why we're here and Gohan can go back to his… mate."
"Fine, follow us Brat" Vegeta said as he took off, the two other fighters soon following.
"Where are we going?" Gohan asked.
"Earlier this year, I came across this confusing area. It seemed normal enough at first, just one of the many canyons that litter this part of the Earth but there was something more. I could feel this faint energy pulsing. At first it was almost non-existent but over time it was gradually getting stronger."
The trio flew even faster with their destination almost in sight. Piccolo continued recounting the events.
"I was originally going to bring you here when it started to feel stronger but your Mother turned me away. Said something about you needing to study and getting ready for your Future Wife."
"Wait when was this?" Gohan asked.
"About 8 months ago" Piccolo replied.
"Wait you knew about the Arrangement between Videl and I?"
Piccolo nodded.
"Yes. I was there when they first brokered it."
"And you didn't tell me?" Gohan asked.
"Why would I? Not exactly my place to and besides, I don't particularly want to get on your Mother's bad side… again."
Vegeta grumbled in agreement at the last statement.
"Stupid harpy."
"I guess. Anyways, go on with your story" said Gohan.
"Right, well since you were unavailable at the time. I called on Vegeta. We weren't sure yet if this was a threat so we kept it under wraps for a while. We both tried to figure out what the energy was. It almost felt like spiritual energy of some kind. Naturally we both tried to commune with the spirits but to no avail."
The three of them touched down as they reached the canyon. It was scarce, with very little vegetation or water. There were no animals around and the whole area seemed almost dead.
"Wait so why Vegeta? I get you trying to commune with this spirit energy or whatever, Piccolo but why…" Gohan asked before he stopped as he felt the energy softly pulsating from the area.
"Because this energy feels Saiyan" Vegeta stated.
Piccolo walked forward towards a Cliffside that was overhanging the canyon. Two trees protruded out the side of the cliff, barely giving off any shade but between them was a cave. Gohan peered into the cave but there was very little light inside.
"This is where the energy feels the most consistent" the Namekian said "We're not sure what it is but we figure you can get a better feel for it than either of us."
"Wait, why me?" Gohan asked "Why not just keep Vegeta if this energy is of Saiyan origin?"
"Because every time I get close. It rejects me" the Prince said.
Gohan looked at the man in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not all that sure to be honest. I can feel the energy like it's familiar to me but it pushes me away. Besides, all that meditating crap is more yours and the Green bean's thing. I've spent too many days here instead of training."
Vegeta grunted and began to walk away.
"Update me if there's any progress" he said before flying off.
Gohan turned to his first mentor.
"So… you want me to stay here and try and figure this out? I'm not sure I'll have much time for this to be honest" he said.
"No it's fine. I don't expect you waste the next few days, weeks or months here. Your Mother would probably tear down the Lookout tower if we got you to do that. Just come here when you have time and meditate. Maybe you can sense something we can't"
Gohan nodded as he took in the weaving energy once more. It felt different and unknown yet familiar at the same time. That was extremely strange.
"Right well, I should head back then. I'll come back here when I have time" Gohan said as he walked out of the cave.
"Good. Oh and Gohan?"
"Yes Mr. Piccolo?"
"Congratulations on your engagement."
Gohan sighed as the Namekian moved away.
"Oh you got jokes now, huh?" Gohan said, laughing by himself before calling out to his mentor.
"Before you go. I need to clear something up."
"What is it?" Piccolo asked, turning back towards his former student.
"All those years ago when you told me not to oust Hercule Satan. I understand some of the reasons why now that I'm older but there's something more to it, isn't there?"
"Yes. I won't lie to you, we probably could have handle this better but at the time, it seemed like the best option."
"And what option was that?" Gohan asked.
"Dende and I asked Hercule Satan to take credit for Cell's Defeat" Piccolo replied.
A part of Gohan already knew it would have been something like this. Whilst it may have been in Hercule Satan's character to do something like that especially considering his past treatment of the ancient Ki arts and his the scrutiny and insults he had previously given the Z Fighters, his past few meetings with the World Champion were quite civil and respectful. Perhaps there was a lot more to Hercule than a pompous, arrogant and loud man.
"I… I see. I trust your judgement Piccolo but… I do want to know why you asked him to" Gohan asked.
"A few reasons. Mainly, you were just ten years old and had just lost your Father. The Cell Games was the first time a threat had gone public since the days of the old Red Ribbon Army and my predecessor King Piccolo. The world needed to know that Cell had been defeated and needed a face to attribute the victory to. We all knew that you didn't need to shoulder that burden. You wouldn't have been able to live with peace, not to mention your Mother would go crazy at any given time being pregnant with Goten at the time."
"I guess" Gohan replied "But I'm still not sure I'm comfortable with lying to the world like this."
"Think about it Gohan. How would the world accept the power that you have? That someone of your age could blow up the world if he really wanted to. Heck, how about what they would do to Goten or Trunks? The world isn't ready to accept our powers."
"Yeah, maybe if somebody wasn't out there telling the world that Ki usage is just tricks then maybe they'd be more accepting" Gohan retorted.
"You seem to be overestimating the world, Gohan" Piccolo responded "There are very few out there that are accepting of what we do."
"Videl seems to be handling it okay. I mean, she wanted me to teach her" Gohan said.
"Your girlfriend? One person isn't exactly going to change the world."
"She's not my…" Gohan started before stopping himself "Look, I get it. It's for the best. I guess I just have to trust in your judgement for now."
The large green hand of the Namekian rested itself onto Gohan's shoulder.
"Just dig deep and deal with it the best you can. Besides, Hercule actually believed you deserved the world. He didn't want to do it at first but well, he did it for you I suppose."
Gohan nodded at his mentor as he felt a weird instance of respect for Videl's Dad.
"Hey, were you in on the whole engagement thing with Videl?" he asked.
"Oh no" Piccolo snorted "That was all your Mother."
'Typical Mum' Gohan chuckled.
"If that's all, then I'll be heading back to the Lookout" Piccolo said.
"Right, I'll see you next time, Piccolo."
Gohan watched as Piccolo flew off, leaving Gohan alone at the entrance of the cave. Turning slightly, he peered into the darkness and took a deep breath. Gathering a feel for the energy, he exhaled before taking off towards Mt. Frypan. A thousand thoughts began to circulate in the young Saiyan's mind.
'Oh god, I don't know what I can tell Videl. Do I tell her everything? About my heritage. The journeys I've gone on. The battles I've fought. I'm not exactly comfortable with telling her my life story, at least not yet. I've only known her for like a month and we haven't even really been close. I still can't believe her Dad never told her. I mean, I sorta get why but Videl's the kind of person that doesn't like to be kept in the dark. She's smart too, I mean she figured out that I'm the Gold Fighter and the Delivery Boy. And she's accepting of Ki usage too. She even wants me to teach her. Gah what do I do?'
Gohan slowed his flight down. He didn't want to arrive there just yet.
'But I should be honest with her, right? Especially because her Dad had lied to her too. I get why he had to take the credit for Cell but he could have at least told Videl. She's his only daughter. I shouldn't lie to her. Or I could at least tell her things at a pace that's comfortable with me. Yeah, that's a good idea. I mean being honest is what makes relationships work right?'
That last thought caused Gohan to mentally slap himself.
'Gah what are you doing Gohan? You're not even in a relationship with her. I mean she's not even my girlfriend but she's my fiancée? Man I shouldn't even be thinking about her like that. I mean it was just all arranged by our parents. There's no way she wants to go through with it. She told me so earlier. But then she almost… her face was this far from mine and… her lips… ahh why are girls so confusing.'
Figuring he needed a bit more time to collect his thoughts before talking to Videl, Gohan began aimlessly flying around the world.
The sun had all but set as Videl sat in her new favourite spot in the castle. Her hair was slightly dishevelled and her muscles were aching slightly from her earlier play session with Goten. The little guy had been so excited to play with his 'new big sister' that he wanted to do the same kinds of things he did with Gohan. Clearly Videl did not know what she had gotten herself into. If not for Chi Chi calling the two to dinner, they probably would have 'played' for hours. The food they had for dinner was just as good as the ones they had for lunch and with only one human eating machine present, Videl was able to have a much more enjoyable meal.
She had learnt during her dinner conversation with Chi Chi that the Ox Princess cooked everything herself. Videl wondered why royalty would even want to cook considering they could probably hire all the chefs they needed like Videl's household but the older woman insisted as she enjoyed cooking for her family. She had told her future daughter in law that she spent years cooking for the World's Hungriest Man and naturally, their children had similar stomachs. It gave the woman great pride that people enjoyed her food as much as they did, especially her children. She even jested that Videl might learn a thing or two about cooking while she stayed at the castle for her future husband causing the Satan girl to blush brightly.
Speaking of her so called fiancé, where in Kami's name was he? It had been hours since he had left the castle. Surely whatever he was doing wasn't going to take this long. Bulma said this Vegeta guy only wanted to talk to him. She was starting to get bored as Chi Chi had taken Goten back to their house at Mt. Paozu, yelling something about him having studies to catch up on whilst both the Ox King and Lime were nowhere to be found, most likely doing something of royal importance. Videl didn't want to intrude if that were the case.
A large grumbling noise emanated through the garden, startling the poor girl. She quickly turned her head to face whatever threat it was, arms up in a defensive stance. To her confusion and annoyance, it was merely Gohan stepping out of the shadows of several trees, having come back from his trip to this 'Lookout'.
"What in Kami's name was that, Gohan?!" Videl shouted "That nearly scared me half to death."
Gohan sheepishly laughed, scratching the back of his neck as he shot Videl a nervous smile.
"That was heh my stomach. I haven't eaten since lunch."
Videl almost fell over in amazement. He had eaten a banquet for at least a small party of people earlier and he was still this hungry?
"Fine, your Mother said there's leftovers in the kitchen but I expect you to tell me what you were up to that took this long! I have a lot of questions for you and you better answer them."
Gohan almost cowered in fear at the narrowing eyes of Videl Satan. He had better play his cards right.
"Alright, let me just eat first then."
For the next twenty minutes, Videl sat opposite Gohan in one of the castle's kitchens, studying the male's behaviour which currently consisted of a lot of slurping, chewing, burping and shovelling of food in his mouth.
'Where does he put it all? I mean he must have an amazingly fast metabolism to burn all that food off. Especially with his body.'
The last thought brought a slight tinge of red to Videl's cheeks which thankfully, Gohan had been oblivious to.
"Ah that was good!" Gohan exclaimed as he finished his last plate, patting his stomach proudly.
"Now will you answer some of my questions?" Videl impatiently asked.
Gohan nervously scratched the back of his head as a bead of sweat dripped from his temple. How was he going to handle this?
"Err fine. Just not here, let's go back to that garden where I found you earlier."
"Fine by me" Videl dryly stated.
The two dark haired teens made their back through the halls of the castle, back to the garden that Videl had quickly grown fond of. They both sat down on one of the benches that overlooked the city below them. There was an awkward space between the two who were clearly a little uncomfortable at being close to one another. A few minutes had passed before the taller of the two finally spoke up.
"So uh, what did you want to ask me?" Gohan asked.
"Right um…" Videl began, unsure of what to ask first "Okay first, what took you so long? Why did this Vegeta guy want to talk and who is he?"
"He and Piccolo, the other guy Bulma mentioned wanted me to check out something with them. Some sort of energy was being emitted from this cave in a pretty remote location and it felt familiar to us."
"What do you mean felt familiar?" Videl asked.
"Right, you don't know how that stuff works…" Gohan began before seeing Videl's expression change, he quickly added "yet. I told you about Ki earlier yeah? Basically Ki is energy or more specifically spiritual energy. It's different to like the energy you get from electrical generators for example. Ki has a specific feel to it. It's hard to explain but when you've been trained with Ki, you can also learn to feel it, like a sixth sense."
"So you can sense where someone or something is if they have Ki? Is that how you were able to find me when we had that run in with Pardus?"
The boy nodded.
"Wait, so even though I don't know how to use Ki, I have it?" Videl asked.
"Yes that's right. Every living thing has Ki whether it be people, animals or plants. Some have higher Ki than others."
The curious martial artist in Videl got the better of her, wondering if he was referring to her.
"How high is my Ki? Even though I haven't learnt how to use it" she asked.
Gohan pondered for a moment, taking in the girl's Ki signature and comparing it with the other times he had felt it when they were working together in Satan City.
"Well if you compare it like this. The average human has about a Power Level of 10. Power Levels are a sort of way to determine how strong someone's Ki and physical abilities are but it's not always accurate as some of us have learnt to control our Ki output whether it be raising it or supressing it."
Videl nodded that she understood, motioning Gohan to continue.
"Right well Martial Artists and other warriors tend to have higher Ki because they train their body and continuously fight. Since you're untrained , you don't know how to control your Ki output so I'd probably put yours around 80 or 90, maybe pushing 100 when you're at your peak."
"I… wow, really?" Videl asked.
She didn't think she was that strong, especially considering she had asked him to train her for that very reason. She had been called the second strongest person after her Father by the World though she clearly wasn't with what she had seen Gohan do. Still, she was a curious person by nature and wondered what her Father's level would be at.
"Wh-what about my Dad? What would his Power Level be?"
Gohan thought on this for a moment. She had already found out that he had lied to her for seven years. How would Videl take it that she was actually stronger than her Father?
"I'm not sure to be honest. I mean I've sensed his Ki whilst I've been around him but I wouldn't be able to guess without having a proper feel for it, especially since I haven't seen him fight since the Cell games."
"Just give me an estimate" Videl said, almost in a demanding tone.
"Err fine. Well today it was at about a 50? I mean that's still pretty strong for a Human with no Ki Training, though he is a martial artist."
"A.. a 50?" Videl stammered.
That couldn't be right. She wasn't just stronger than her Father but she was almost double his power? That couldn't be right. Though a part of her did accept it a little. She hardly ever saw her Father train, at least diligently and when he was teaching at his dojo, he mostly watched and performed only a few moves, mostly for showmanship.
"I… wow okay, what's your power level then?" Videl asked.
Gohan paused. Did he really have to reveal this? In all honesty, he hadn't measured it in a long time. There wasn't really any way to accurately do it anymore. Their power levels hadn't really mattered to them since their days against Frieza.
"Err I actually don't know anymore but at my peak it would've been… pushing one billion…"
"ONE BILLION?!" Videl exclaimed "How in Kami's name…"
Gohan nervously scratched the back of his head as Videl's eyes surveyed him. Even in the dim lighting of the garden, he could make out those blue eyes boring into him.
"Yeah heh" he nervously laughed "But it's probably much lower now. I haven't really been keeping up with my training these last 7 years."
"So your peak was 7 years ago? That means your power level against Cell was one billion?!" Videl yelled.
'Dang she's good' Gohan thought.
Videl had a pretty good habit of piecing things together when given the information. He kind of admired that about her. She was smart and intuitive, not to mention she was pretty accepting of Ki and his powers. She was pretty accepting of him, at least as a friend.
"Yeah it was. I managed to achieve that strength to beat him" Gohan commented.
"Wow and my Dad… tried to fight Cell when the difference in their power was that vast. I'm not happy with what he did after the Cell Games but… I'm glad he lived through it" Videl said with a weak smile that soon turned to a grimace.
The thought of her Father and what he did made her stop in her tracks. Why did he do it? Did Gohan know about it? She looked at the boy sitting beside her. He was slightly slouched with his eyes looking out in to the distance with his elbows resting on his knees. The soft glow of the lamp shone against his skin. The shadows the light was creating was almost making him look even more handsome than he already was. Videl cursed at herself for acting like some hormonal teenage girl before facing away from him.
"So um…" she began "Why are you so strong? It isn't just all training with Ki right?"
Gohan gulped audibly. He figured she would ask something like this. Was he really ready to reveal these things about him to her? That he was a half-alien descended from a warrior race that had been space pirates for the past few centuries. That he had enough power to destroy planets and could honestly get much stronger than he was if he truly attempted it.
"I…" he began but no other words came out.
His mouth was starting to get dry, his palms were sweating a little, even in the cool autumn air. He silently thanked Dende for this bench as his knees were getting a little weak. His strong arms even started to feel like lead. They felt so heavy. Why was he always so nervous around Videl? It was almost like she had this effect on him. He prayed to Dende that he wouldn't feel sick from his jittery state. Vomiting in front of Videl was something he didn't want to do.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Her voice was almost harmonic to his ears. The concerned tone in her voice felt genuine, causing his heart to flutter. He turned his head to face Videl, her large blue eyes gazing into his own. Sweet Kami, she was so beautiful. Why did he feel this way around her? Was he really falling for Videl Satan? He blinked a few times, breaking eye contact.
"Ye-yeah" he mumbled "Yeah I'm just trying to figure out how to go about this."
Videl fiddled with the red bracelet around her wrist. It had been a habit of hers whenever she was nervous or was contemplating something. How was she going to get him to talk to her? Damn her curious nature. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries by hounding him for answers. There must be another way she could approach this. She remembered a conversation she had with Erasa a year ago.
'Now Videl, you should know that most men turn to mush whenever you put on a little feminine charm. Maybe flirt a little with them. Honestly, you're Videl Satan. You could probably get any boy to do something for you just by asking them to.'
Videl mentally groaned at the memory. Erasa could be such a flirt when she wanted to though she never did it maliciously. She felt a little dirty that she was even considering doing something like this to get answers from Gohan. He wasn't just any boy. He was the Ox Prince, the Delivery Boy and the Gold Fighter all in one. He was her fiancé and… wait!
'Maybe that's it' she thought.
"Gohan, I really want you to be honest with me. I mean, we're getting married aren't we? Surely you can tell me these things" she said, trying to sound as flirtatious and genuine as she could though she could feel herself mentally vomiting at her words.
A gulp of saliva had made its way down the wrong pipe as Gohan started coughing, choking on his own spit. This had definitely caught him off guard. Since when did Videl talk like that? And why was she bringing up their engagement all of a sudden. Did she want to go through with it? She did have a point though. It reinforced his thoughts earlier that he needed to be honest with her.
"I… okay. I'll tell you" he stated, steeling himself as he prepared to tell her his life's story.
He took a deep breath as the Satan girl sat beside him, eyes gazing upon him intently.
"Well as you know Goku Son is my Father and I'm guessing since you're big into Martial Arts, you know about his tournament participation as well as the things he did against the Red Ribbon Army and King Piccolo."
"Wait the Red Ribbon Army? That was him?"
Videl had recalled from History classes in the past that decades earlier, there was a private army terrorizing the world, bent on World Domination called the Red Ribbon Army until they were destroyed in a massive battle. Goku Son was the one that defeated them?
"Yeah, he did it almost singlehandedly at the age of 12" Gohan said with pride.
"Holy… he took out a whole army as a kid? That's… that's amazing" Videl exclaimed.
Gohan smiled. He had always felt proud whenever his family's achievements were being marvelled at. He wasn't one to brag about it but it felt nice when someone acknowledged it.
"Yeah… anyways, they'll come back into play later in the story. First I want to tell you about my how my Father became this righteous defender of peace and justice. You see, Dad wasn't always a good kid. In fact, when my Great Grandfather found him, he was wild and untamed and quite violent to be honest."
Videl gasped. The legendary Goku Son was both adopted and was an unruly child? From what she had heard of him, he was an amazing person.
"Yeah it wasn't until he fell down a cliff and hit his head that he changed to become the kind hearted guy he grew up to be. Also kind of made him dumb to be honest" Gohan added, laughing a little.
Another drop of sweat cascaded down Gohan's forehead as the words to his next sentence formed on the tip of his tongue. He was about to reveal one of his life's greatest secrets, something only privy to a few close friends and family.
"You see… my Dad was sent to Earth as a child to destroy all human life and take over the planet" he stated.
"Wait what?" Videl blinked "Your Dad was… sent to Earth? Like… from another planet?"
Gohan nodded.
"Yeah that's right. He was one of the last remaining members of a warrior race known as the Saiyans hailing from the Planet Vegeta."
"Saiyans? Wait Vegeta, he's a Saiyan too right? And he's named after a Planet? Or is he the planet? What in the…" Videl began.
Gohan chuckled lightly.
"Yeah Vegeta's a Saiyan too. The last pure blooded one left that we know of actually. And from what he told me in the past, his Father was also named Vegeta as well as his Father's Father and so forth."
"That's too many dang Vegetas" Videl commented causing Gohan to smirk in amusement.
"Yeah I think one's enough for us."
"But wait!" Videl interrupted "Last pure blood so that makes you and Goten half? And that boy Trunks from earlier is half too right?"
"That's correct" Gohan said with a smile. He was kind of proud that Videl had figured that part out, even with Trunks.
"So the Gold Fighter transformation has to do with being Saiyan? Damn, I was kind of hoping you'd teach me that too."
Gohan nervously laughed at the pouting girl. It was kind of adorable how slightly upset she was over not being able to learn that.
"Yeah sorry. It's actually called the Super Saiyan transformation and it's supposed to be the legendary peak of the Saiyan Race so naturally, we've surpassed it" Gohan said, kind of confidently showing off his power.
"Wow… so that's how you beat Cell? You went beyond Super Saiyan?" Videl asked in amazement.
"Heh yeah that's right. I was the first one to do it as well."
"Holy… and you were only 10."
Videl gaped at the young man sitting beside her. He was unbelievably strong and had been extremely humble about it.
"So um… that's not all there is to you, is there?" Videl shyly asked.
"No, do you want to know the rest of my story? It might take a while."
Videl pulled out her phone from her pocket and checked the time. 8:43pm. Still plenty of time. Not like she was doing anything else tonight.
"We have time" she said with a smile "do go on."
"Alright well I suppose you already know about my Dad and his fight against King Piccolo. Not long after that, he got married to my Mum and soon after they had me. My story begins not long after I had turned 4."
Gohan began with what had happened that day his Father took him to Kame Island. He explained how his Father was childhood friends with both Bulma and Krillin as well as being Master Roshi's student to which Videl already knew. She listened intently as Gohan described his Uncle Raditz and how the revelation of their Saiyan heritage had changed everything. She was amazed to learn that Goku had actually died prior to the Cell games and was wished back by these magical artefacts known as the Dragon Balls.
"I know you guys can fly, shoot beams and are an alien but… bringing people back from the dead? I… wait, that was what happened after the Cell Games right?" Videl asked.
Her Father had spun a story that those that 'died' had actually been knocked out by a gas with hallucinogenic properties that Cell had used that caused them to disappear for a period of time, making it look like entire towns and cities were devoid of life when in fact… people actually did die and they came back. She remembered Janice, one of the maids at their mansion had family that experienced that… they experienced death.
"That's just… really hard to wrap my head around" Videl breathed.
"It's pretty crazy yeah. The Dragon Balls don't just bring people back to life. In fact you can wish for anything as long as it's within the Dragon's power. We just use it nowadays for emergencies like that."
She smiled at Gohan's response. At least they were being used for good things and not selfish wishes like world domination or a lifetime's supply of ice cream though the latter wish didn't seem too bad to Videl. Gohan continued his story, explaining that two more Saiyans had overheard a conversation about the Dragon Balls on Raditz's scouter and proceeded to invade Earth which caused Piccolo to take Gohan and train him for a year whilst Goku was still dead.
"There were two of them. One was called Nappa. The other was Vegeta."
"Wait Vegeta invaded Earth? You fought him?" Videl asked in astonishment.
"Yeah, Saiyans were actually kinda terrifying to the rest of the universe. In fact, they were starting to grow in power that their employer blew up Planet Vegeta, killing everyone except 4 Saiyans."
"That's crazy…"
"It is… sometimes I wonder how it'd be like if the Saiyan race survived but I guess I can't dwell on that. I mean I'm half Human too so you know… I'm actually surprised you're taking this whole alien business pretty well" Gohan said.
"Well you and your six and a half year old brother can change your hair and eye colour at will, you shoot energy beams, fly and have a power level of a billion. I think I'm passed being shocked but I'm sure you'll surprise me" Videl replied.
Gohan chuckled lightly.
"Well does me going to outer space with Krillin and Bulma surprise you? Because that's the next part of the story."
Videl's jaw dropped a little but she did half expect something like that. Gohan had lived such a fantastical life. It was quite amazing in all honesty. She continued to listen to him as he told her what happened after their battle with the Saiyans. Their group had travelled to Namek to use their Dragon Balls to wish back their friends that had died in the past year. Gohan explained that the previous Kami as well as Piccolo were of Namekian origin and as such, the Dragon Balls were created by the green skinned race. There they had encountered two others looking for the Namekian Dragon Balls: Vegeta and Frieza. Gohan explained that it was Frieza that had essentially enslaved the Saiyan race before destroying them, afraid of their potential. Both Vegeta and Frieza were hoping to use the Dragon Balls to gain immortality with Vegeta hoping to finally overthrow and defeat Frieza while the Space Tyrant wanted to solidify his iron grip on the universe. Eventually, their group was able to overcome Frieza and his army but not without losses. Vegeta who had joined forces with them was killed by Frieza, as was Krillin which caused Goku to ascend to Super Saiyan, the very first in thousands of years.
"Your Dad sounds amazing" Videl said in awe of the man.
"He was. He just had this way of finding new strengths and breaking through his limits."
"Makes me wish I had met him."
Videl looked at Gohan with a sad smile as the young man continued to reminisce on his memories with this Father.
"Yeah. It's crazy. Anyway, the ironic thing about Frieza was he destroyed the Saiyan race because of the legend of the Super Saiyan. His actions ultimately lead to Dad becoming one and defeating him."
"So what happened after?" Videl asked.
"Well my Dad's fight with Frieza started to destroy the planet so he ordered me to take all the survivors back to Earth with Bulma. Because we had used the Namekian Dragon Balls while we were on Namek, we had to wait a year to bring Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu and Krillin back. I'm glad we had Dende with us to translate our wishes though I'm sure any of the Nameks that came with us would've been happy to do it."
"Wait Dende? That's the name of the current Kami right?" Videl asked.
"Uh yeah" Gohan answered "Where did you learn that?"
Videl smirked a little.
"I was talking to Goten and he told me a few things. That kid is energy personified."
Gohan laughed heartily.
"Yeah he's a handful at times but he's great. Anyways, where were we?"
"Uh you just wished back Krillin and the others" Videl responded.
"Right. So we tried to wish my Dad back too but it turns out he survived Namek blowing up and was off training in space. When it came time for him to come back ,we had an unexpected visitor."
"Unexpected? How so?" Videl wondered.
"Well, you remember Trunks? Bulma and Vegeta's son."
Videl nodded.
"Well" Gohan began "He was the visitor… exactly 2 years before his birth."
"Wait what?!" Videl shouted "How in the…"
"You know how Bulma's a genius right?" Videl nodded as Gohan to continue "Would you believe me if I said time travel is real?"
"Honestly Gohan, your life has had aliens, intergalactic tyrants, magic balls that can wish people back to life and battles that can destroy planets. I think I'd believe almost anything right about now" Videl dryly retorted causing Gohan to laugh a little.
"Alright well, Trunks came to us from a future in which 2 Androids had killed everyone except him and Bulma and was destroying the world. He came to the past to warn us as well as give my Dad an antidote for a heart virus that killed him in the future timeline"
Gohan then began to explain how Trunks had travelled in time with a machine of Bulma's making and the events that happened in the future timeline that Trunks had told him about. Videl was horrified to learn about the atrocities those two androids committed and how destroyed and desolate the future had become.
"I'm glad that didn't happen here" she commented "Androids are robots right? Which means someone had to have made them."
Gohan nodded. Her intuitive nature surprised him more and more.
"You're right" he said "They were created by Doctor Gero who was a member of the Red Ribbon Army."
"Them again?! Geez you'd think they would give up after being stopped by a kid. Please tell me they don't do anything else" Videl said.
Gohan grimaced a little.
"Err actually Doctor Gero has more to do with the story but that comes soon after."
"That's insane… Man, as much as I would have loved to help you guys out there, a part of me is glad I've never run into any of these Androids."
"Actually…" Gohan started "You've met one already. At least the counterpart in our timeline."
"Wait really? Who? When?" Videl wondered.
"Eh did you ever wonder why Eighteen is named Eighteen?"
"Of.. course… I should have seen that one coming. So the Eighteen in our timeline ended up being good?"
"Yeah but not at first" Gohan replied "She joined our side once Cell appeared."
"And I suppose Cell has to do with all of this too?"
"That's right. You see, Cell was Doctor Gero's ultimate creation" Gohan stated.
"CELL WAS CREATED? THAT MONSTER WAS ACTUALLY MADE BY SOMEONE?!" Videl shrieked, jumping out of her seat and looking at Gohan with eyes the size of the moon.
"Yeah it's disgusting I know. The worst part is all of these creations. The Androids, Cell and that. They were created by Gero just to take revenge on my Dad."
Videl sat back down on the bench, a large breath escaping her lips as she sighed. The evils of revenge had no limits. She was disgusted someone had created a being of pure destruction that had wiped out cities just to take revenge on someone.
"Yeah, the Cell that you know about actually came from another future timeline where he stole Trunks' Time Machine. Luckily we were able to destroy the Cell of this time before it was fully formed" Gohan explained.
"Wow…"
Gohan continued recounting the events surrounding Cell's appearance and their battles both fighting against and with the Androids. He explained the Cell required absorbing both Seventeen and Eighteen to reach his complete form, leaving out the details of his huge vacuum like tail as to not disgust Videl.
"So while Cell was on his quest to absorb the two, my Dad, Vegeta, Future Trunks and I took turns training in this room called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber." Gohan said.
"Oh so that's what it's called!" Videl exclaimed.
"I… I'm guessing Goten told you about it?" Gohan guessed to which Videl confirmed with a nod.
"Yeah but he couldn't get the name right" she said with a laugh.
"Anyways, while Dad and I trained in the Chamber, Cell had managed to attain his Perfect Form by first absorbing Seventeen and then Eighteen because Vegeta let him."
"Wait what? Why would he do that?" Videl asked in shock.
"What you need to know about Saiyans is that they live for battle, especially full blooded ones. They always want something to test their limits, to see how far they've grown in strength and Vegeta epitomizes that in his own sometimes ridiculous way."
"Are you like that?" Videl asked, a slight hint of worry in her voice
"No actually" Gohan affirmed "I.. I've always had power but I've never really liked to fight, at least not when I can avoid it. Maybe it's because I'm only half that I'm like that."
Videl smiled at him. Gohan Son had such immense power and had been fighting his whole life but was as gentle as they come. A rare kind soul that had grown up in a world filled with violence. The world did not deserve Gohan Son.
"Anyways, where was I? Oh right, Cell had just attained his perfect form and my Dad and I were still training in the Time Chamber. That's where I first achieved the state of Super Saiyan. It was intense to be honest, my Dad didn't ease up when it came to training. It may have been for the survival of the world but… training with my Dad for that full year was one of the happiest times in my life."
A sad smile appeared on Gohan's face as Videl gazed upon the boy beside her.
"He… he was almost always off on some adventure or training for his next big fight. He may have been a happy go lucky kind of guy but he lived for fighting. There was too much Saiyan in him even though he grew up on Earth. My Mum as you could probably figure out never wanted me to be a fighter. She always wanted me to be a scholar of some sort so she drilled as much education as she could into my head. Between the constant training, battling and studying I had to do, I never really had much of a childhood but… when I was with Dad in the Time Chamber, just the two of us. I really felt like his son. Even though we were training to beat a monster, I achieved things that he was incredibly proud of. It kind of made things worth it."
Videl smiled softly at the boy. For some reason, she wanted to comfort him. Without thinking, she placed her hands on top of his and held it gently. Gohan turned his head towards hers and was met with the azure eyes of Videl Satan. He looked deeply into them, as if they were the unending ocean view from Kame Island. He smiled back at her.
"Well, I guess you know about what happens next with Cell" he continued "After he achieved his Perfect Form, he announced the Cell Games. It was the first time since King Piccolo that a threat had made itself public. Vegeta, Trunks and Piccolo continued to train but my Dad said we had done enough so we actually took it easy for the week leading up to the Cell Games."
"Did you know why your Dad was like that?" Videl asked.
"I do now but back then no. He said we were strong enough as it is."
Videl nodded as Gohan continued to explain what had happened at the Cell Games. She winced at his recount of Cell's battle with her Father, the android essentially bitch slapping Mr. Satan into a mountain before Cell began his fight with Goku. Gohan did not need to explain too much about this fight or the start of his as Videl was able to watch it on the broadcast. What he did have to tell was what had happened after the feed had cut off.
"Basically Cell had been trying to get me to unleash my hidden power so he spawned those smaller Cells to beat up my friends, torturing them and trying to break their bodies just so I'd explode."
"But I'm guessing you didn't?" Videl asked.
"Correct" Gohan confirmed "I mean it was getting to me but it wasn't until I saw this large hairy man with an afro throw the disembodied head of Android Sixteen that it finally happened."
"Wait what? Sixteen? Who's he? And… wait the guy that threw his head… that was my Dad?"
"Yeah, he actually helped us out with that. I'll be honest, I didn't think much of him when I first saw him but he kinda did pull through there" Gohan replied with a smile.
Videl's lips curled up slightly as she felt a slight sense of pride in her Father, something she hadn't felt in a while especially with the revelation of his defeat of Cell being a lie. At least he was useful for something.
"Guess he did have a hand in Cell's defeat somehow. Anyway, who's this Sixteen?" Videl asked.
"Right, so he was one of the five Androids. I should have probably explained that more. There was Seventeen and Eighteen who were the ones that Trunks warned us about. Technically they're Cyborgs because they were born human and were upgraded to have machine parts as well as a bunch of other things. I think Android 20 was the same as them who also happened to be an upgraded Doctor Gero. Sixteen and another android Nineteen were both purely mechanical but had human like qualities attributed to them."
"So that explains how Sixteen's head could have made a difference somehow? Because he was purely mechanical?"
"That's correct, Videl. Sixteen had been programmed with one mission which you can probably guess involved destroying my Dad. The only thing was he overcame that programming and was actually the most gentle of the androids. He loved nature, specifically birds and adored all things that lived" Gohan explained, reminiscing on the friendliness that Sixteen had with animals.
"Anyways, the reason why he had no body was because he tried to use his self-destruct function on Cell but didn't know he had those bombs removed when he was fixed up by Doctor Briefs when he joined our side. So then Cell destroyed his body but his head had survived and had managed to make its way to your Dad who threw it at me after I think Sixteen asked him to."
Videl laughed internally at the image of her Dad handling a head and throwing it towards Gohan. Her Dad had always been a little bit squeamish.
"So what happened next?"
"Well, Sixteen gave me this speech about letting my restraints go and protecting the life that we both love. And then… Cell stepped on his head and destroyed him forever."
"He couldn't be brought back? Is that because he's purely machine?" Videl asked.
Gohan sadly nodded. He had wished Sixteen would be able to live again. Even if he was just a machine in some people's eyes, he would have found peace somewhere in the world, living amongst the animals.
"Yeah it sucks but when Cell killed him I just snapped and unleashed all of the power I had hidden within me. It was when I first ascended to the level beyond Super Saiyan."
"So this was your peak then? This ascended level?" Videl asked, eyes gazing upon the Saiyan in wonder.
"It was. I'm still probably around the same ball park now but not as strong as I used to be. I think Vegeta's probably at the same strength now. I'm pretty sure he's ascended too."
"Wow… so after you ascended was when you beat Cell?" the Satan girl asked.
Gohan hesitated for a moment. He was about to talk about what would lead to the lowest moment in his life. He grit his teeth and exhaled sharply, the memory of both his greatest triumph and failure still etched in his mind as if it were recent. In all honest, he was over it. Time does indeed heal all wounds but it didn't make it hurt any less.
"No I… I got arrogant and drunk on my own power. I guess my Saiyan instincts took over once I had ascended. I wanted to make Cell suffer. I wanted to make him pay for what he had done, for all the lives he had taken, for all the families he had destroyed. I wanted to torture him until he begged for mercy."
Videl was speechless. In the month that she had known Gohan, she knew him to be one of the kindest souls she had ever met. He was always respectful and courteous, never got angry and was overly shy. Who knew he had held this much darkness in him?
"Dad wanted me to end it but I didn't. I kept beating Cell up. And you know what he called me, Videl?" Gohan murmured, his voice starting to get lower and lower "He called me a monster."
"You're not a monster" Videl instantly replied.
Gohan felt the sudden touch of Videl's delicate fingers against his head, cupping his cheeks. She looked at him, straight into his eyes and stated with conviction.
"You are not a monster, Gohan. You wanted Cell to get what he deserved. I don't think many people would blame you for wanting him to suffer a little more. You're a hero no matter what, Gohan."
Gohan smiled a little at Videl's words. There was just something about her voice that could change Gohan's mood just like that.
"Thanks Videl" he said as the girl detached her hands from his face.
"You're welcome, now, what happened next?"
"Well… I punched Cell so hard he spat out Eighteen" Gohan bluntly said.
"Like… out of his mouth spat out?" Videl asked in shock.
"Yup."
"That's nasty."
"Yeah, I think Krillin was the most freaked out. Dude had a crush on her even when she was our enemy" Gohan said, internally laughing at the memory of him accidentally blurting out that Krillin had feelings for the beautiful blonde woman.
Gohan suddenly stopped in his tracks when he remembered Krillin would try and get him back and now… he had the perfect way to tease him now that Videl was around. Oh boy.
"Right well anyways" Gohan said, trying to push the conversation along to get his mind off all the future teasing he would receive "When Cell spat out Eighteen he was really on the ropes and pretty much lost because he wasn't as strong as he was in his Perfect form"
"So this is where you beat him?"
"No… he actually… transformed himself into an inflated bomb. If he couldn't win then he was going to blow up everything. Me, my friends, the planet. Everything."
Videl noticed the change in Gohan's demeanour. What had happened to him?
"I… I failed then. I took too long, I played around too much and now he was going to blow himself and the planet up. We couldn't stop it because if we tried to move or destroy him, he would blow up."
A single tear streamed down Gohan's face as he relived the memory of it in his mind. Videl looked at him with worry.
"But, we're all still here right? You must have saved us somehow."
"Actually, it was my Dad" Gohan stated "He knows this technique called Instant Transmission. Basically lets him teleport anywhere he wants to as long as he can lock onto the Ki signature someone or if he's familiar with the place."
Gohan's lip began to quiver a little. He hadn't talked about this in years and it was starting to get to him a little. But he had to get it out. He had already told Videl so much of his life story and he couldn't leave her in the dark, especially when it had to do with something important to him like this. Their parents were planning to marry them off and she deserved that knowledge. Besides, he needed to get past this memory again. It wasn't just for Videl but for his sake too.
"He… he teleported in front of me just before Cell exploded, told me that he was proud of me and… teleported away with Cell."
"I… I'm sorry." Videl said softly, leaning her head against Gohan's shoulder.
She felt really bad. She had asked for his life story and made him relive probably his worst memory. So that's how Goku died. The legendary warrior she had heard so much about died as he had lived. A hero through and through. And Gohan had seen his Father die in front of him, probably thinking it was his fault.
'But wait…' Videl thought 'why didn't they wish him back?'
"Gohan? Your Dad was wished back before right? How come they didn't wish him back again?"
Gohan shook his head, causing Videl to be lightly nudged off his shoulder. She readjusted herself as he spoke.
"No, the Earth's Dragon Balls don't allow the same wish twice so we couldn't wish Dad back since we already did that. I'll get to the rest of that part later though."
"Alright, go on then."
"So… Dad sacrificed himself and at first we thought that was it, Cell had been defeated by his own self destruction but… he came back. I don't exactly know how he did but Cell could reform his body by leaving a part of himself intact or something like that."
"No fucking way?! How overpowered is this guy?" Videl exclaimed.
"Incredibly. He ended up killing Trunks as soon as he came back which sent Vegeta in a rage. Keep in mind that this was the old Vegeta who hardly cared about anyone but himself. I think this is what changed him for the better. He's a little more mellow now and though he won't admit it, he loves both Bulma and Trunks. He's just a bit of a hardass."
"That's one hell of a redemption arc" Videl commented "Would be perfect in a movie or TV show, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't know, I've never really watched TV" Gohan said shyly to Videl's astonishment.
"That's ridiculous."
"Yeah I know. So when Vegeta went berserk, I thought he might have been able to defeat Cell for a moment but Cell was too strong. Vegeta ended up blowing all of his energy in that short period of time and Cell almost killed him. He would have to if I… didn't jump in the way and took the shot for him."
"Selfless to a fault. Is that how you got this scar?" Videl asked as she traced her finger down the scar located on Gohan's shoulder.
"Yeah it was. It's one hell of a reminder."
"So after you took the blow for Vegeta, what happened?"
"Well, Cell and I got back into our fight and we ended up in what we call a beam duel. To simplify things, we used the same move called the Kamehameha. At first neither of our attacks could break the other's even though I had lost the use of my left arm but gradually Cell began to overpower me. It wasn't until my Dad contacted me from Other World that I could start to get anywhere. The other guys, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien and Yamcha had tried to distract them with attacks of their own but he would just flare his aura and brush them off like they were nothing. They tried again and again but it was no use. It wasn't until Vegeta sent a powerful blast that knocked Cell off balance that my attack finally engulfed him."
"So… that's how you beat Cell" Videl said, her head still resting against Gohan's shoulder.
"Yeah I guess, it was a team effort though. It wasn't just me. Vegeta, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha… My Dad… Sixteen… even your Dad helped."
Videl smiled. He was modest and selfless to a fault, even including her buffoonish Dad in the list of heroes.
"I guess, still doesn't make it right that he took the credit for defeating Cell by himself when it was all you guys."
"Actually…" Gohan began "I learnt something today about that."
Videl popped up from Gohan's shoulder and looked at him.
"Did Piccolo or Vegeta tell you something?" she asked.
Gohan nodded.
"Well Vegeta didn't. No offense to your Dad but Vegeta hates him but I guess that's to be expected. No, Piccolo did. He actually told me that the reason your Dad took credit for Cell's defeat was… because they asked him to."
Videl's mind went blank.
"Wait what?"
The people that her Dad had spent his career criticizing had asked him to do it and he listened? That definitely didn't make sense to her.
"I was shocked too but… what Piccolo told me made sense. I wasn't ready to shoulder the burden of a public hero. I was ten years old, having just lost my father and my Mother was pregnant at the time. It… it makes sense, now that I think about it."
Videl didn't know what to feel. Earlier that day she was angry at her Father for taking the credit of Gohan's greatest triumph but now she's being told that he did it because they asked him to.
"Does anyone else know?" she asked.
"I don't think so. Only Piccolo, my Mum, I guess Grandpa and Dende. Vegeta sure as hell doesn't know, maybe Bulma does. I mean she did seem pretty civil with him today and Bulma's known to have a bit of a temper at times."
"I see…" Videl said.
It made sense. She recalled the day she met Krillin after the encounter with Pardus at the mall. He seemed apprehensive to meet her so he most likely thought that her Dad had taken the credit of Cell's defeat for selfish reasons. It wasn't like she had complained about what had happened because of it in her life. At least, while she did have problems with her Dad and the fame that the Satan name was accustomed to, she had always lived a privileged life. A life built on lies that should have belonged to Gohan.
"I guess I should be thankful" Gohan said, causing Videl to look at him in confusion "Piccolo told me that your Dad… he didn't want to do it at first. He wanted me to actually get the credit but Piccolo convinced him to take it."
"I see" Videl said, resting her head against Gohan's shoulders once more.
It seemed like her Father had wanted to be a hero still and took on a burden based on lies. He had always been proud and arrogant but how much of that had been a façade for the past seven years? Was that the reason he was drinking and partying more and more after Cell's defeat? She thought it was just him enjoying the rewards of being the World Saviour but no, now it looked like he was… drowning his sorrows. As if the escape to alcohol was easing the burden of lying to the world on his shoulders. The burden of lying to Videl.
"I still wish he told me" she whispered, a little tear dripping down her cheek unto Gohan's skin.
Gohan shifted at the sudden wetness on his shoulder.
"I know" he said softly.
It seemed that was what hurt Videl the most. She was starting accept that her Father needed to lie to the World. The people still needed a hero after Cell went public and Gohan couldn't do it. Why couldn't any of the others do it? She supposed that none of them wanted the fame or fortune so that made her Dad the best candidate. Still, he could have told her. Several minutes passed as Videl and Gohan sat in silence, the head of the Satan girl still resting against the shoulder of the Ox Prince.
"Hey Gohan?" Videl asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"Can you teach me how to fly tomorrow?"
Gohan smiled.
"Sure, we'll have to teach you how to control Ki first but we can start tomorrow."
Videl smiled too. It seemed like this marriage to Gohan was her Father's way of atoning for what he had done. She could at least make the most of it and learn how to use Ki. That way, she could be a hero like Gohan too. They sat once more in silence until Gohan felt the pressure against his shoulder feel a little heavier. He looked down at Videl to find that she had fallen asleep. It was probably really late now. It felt good to get his life story off his chest tonight. Videl had pretty much accept all of it and it felt like he made the right decision trusting her. He smiled softly as he rested his head against hers, the dim light of a nearby lamp illuminating the two quiet souls.
Author's Notes:
Well I actually didn't expect that chapter to be as long as it was but it felt good to get it out of the way. I didn't want to spend too much time explaining the events of Dragon Ball Z as we all pretty much know what happened but there were some parts that I felt had to be described as well as having Videl's comments on it. Otherwise it'd be skimming over things too much.
EleazarTheUnforgotten, thanks! Yeah that last chapter was pretty hard for me to write but thanks for thinking I did an adequate job! I hope this chapter is good as well.
Brainless1, that's actually more or less what I was aiming for. She's definitely conflicted and it'll probably be taken into account in how she approaches this in the future. Yeah I agree about that with her hair. That's a very valid point.
James1996, thanks dude! I think she looks better with long hair too.
thedarkpirateking, haha you got that right, mate! I powered through the game and finished it so quickly. Gotta wait for DLCs now!
Thanks to everyone else that left a review. I think long hair is definitely the option I'm going with and as one of the Guest reviewers said, it does allow for more options for styling.
As always, if you're enjoying the story, have any criticism or want to let me know your thoughts, do leave a review! Almost all reviews bring a smile to my face (except the mean ones. Don't be mean guys).