Disclaimer:- I don't own Dragon ball and related series or products.
A Big SHOUT OUT to ZFighter18 for taking out time from his busy schedule and beta-reading it. He's super busy but I keep pestering him :D Anyway, it's a great learning experience whenever he works on the story.
Note: Due to a glitch in FFN, I was forced to delete and re-upload chapters 5 to 9. I apologize for the inconvenience. If possible, Kindly use the browser for reading story. BY THE WAY, THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED.
-oooooo-
The lush green forests supported by a beautiful mixture of green and yellowish grasslands, and as if acting as a guardian over this otherworldly beauty, were the plateaus and other hilly structures; this was the view Videl, Sharpner and Erasa took in as far as the eye could see.
Erasa and Sharpner were totally awed by the breathtaking beauty of nature, their mouths hanging low and eyes shining in delight, the blonde girl was recording every sight in her Cc-cam.
I should've listened to dad. Videl recalled every time her dad asked her to take a look at this view when they used to fly to Ox-King's annual ball, but on every journey, she just sat back in the jet, her mood sour due to her argument with her dad on what she should wear.
However, now, being the front seat spectator in the jet, she could easily see this perfect creation of nature, a strong urge arising in her to leave everything in the city and begin living here. No wonder he adores the place.
Immediately, a frown appeared on her face, and her mind drifted to the memories of the day before. The whole Tao Pai Pai ordeal before discovering that her friend had lied…
"I can't believe it! How could he do this? Lying to us, especially Videl… " Sharpner, sitting in his seat, slammed the palm of his hand on his thigh, his face showing displeasure and flashes of anger.
Videl found herself nodding, the hurt and anger compounding even further. Even now, she had a hard time believing it that Son Gohan…
"Cut him some slack, would ya? It's been only three days since he joined the school."
Two pairs of eyes immediately shifted to Erasa, disbelief written boldly on the muscleful blonde's visage. "Are you seriously taking his side? And how does that even matter, ha?"
Seeing Videl's face shifting into a frown, Erasa took it as a signal that at least she was understanding. "Oh for Kami's sake! Do you really expect him to brag about his father after being with us for just three days? Moreover, his family was never brought up. At least not directly."
Sharpner too frowned. "But he knows about ours… " The words meekly coming out of his mouth indicating the blond was getting it.
"Correction: he only knows about Vi's dad, and you know why. He doesn't know about our families. Also, he has lived a sheltered life, never had friends of his age and on top of that, place him in the same place as Videl was when Mr. Satan was famous."
Ok… not lied. Erasa was right. Gohan didn't outright lie instead didn't tell them on his own. However, Videl could understand the reasoning behind that, being in Gohan's place just six months ago.
Son Goku was the only Ki using martial artist whose rapport wasn't as affected as the others' when her dad used to trash talk about them. During these last six months, the former WMAT champion's popularity shot off the charts. I can easily imagine the paparazzi hunting for Son Goku's child.
However, there were some things that Gohan definitely lied about; a rented house, not knowing martial arts and that apprenticeship with Capsule Corp among the major ones. And today, I'm going to get the answers one way or another. He…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Thoughts interrupted, Videl glanced at the cockpit, a screen the size of a tablet displaying the incoming call of police chief arising her curiosity. Why is he calling me?
Still curious as well as slightly confused, Videl pressed the green button. "Hello, Chief. I hope it isn't an emergency."
''Nothing like that Videl. I clearly know you're out of the town and that works for me… or rather the location you're at.''
"An errand of a sort?"
''More like surveillance.''
Any other emotions that were consuming her being were dwarfed by utter seriousness, the cop in her jumping into action. "I'm listening chief."
''For the past two weeks, reports have been there of increased movement into the city from the countryside at night… ''
Videl found herself frowning, where an increased movement to the city was not something to be concerned about; migration for better opportunities and all that, but at night, it was definitely alarming.
''... And last week, one of our informants managed to capture a shot of one of the vehicles; the image was hazy but one thing was obvious… their insignia; it was a Red Shark but with a yellow bullet overlapping it… you get what I mean.''
Yeah… it's troubling. The Red Shark gang, Videl could understand but the yellow bullet… "What are the Snipers doing here?"
"Woah! You mean the gang in West city? The same Snipers?!" Sharpner jumped in, knowing the police chief wouldn't mind his interruption or the fact that he was listening to the information.
''Indeed. But what they are doing here is out of our reach but it's definitely troubling considering the resources they have at their disposal.''
Videl couldn't agree more with the chief. The Snipers were as notorious as the red shark gang but what made them more dangerous was the advanced weaponry they had due to the city of their origin.
"But why use Mt Paozu? And how did they reach here without alerting the authorities?" Erasa who was silently listening till now, couldn't help the question knowing the security checks between two cities.
''We believe they arrived off-road… ''
"Uhh… " The chief stopped and Erasa continued. "Pardon me chief, but even if they used jets, the radars would've definitely captured them."
"The radars only work in proximity to a city otherwise there would be a lot of traffic overlapping."
''Videl's right. We also suspect they used wheels for moving out of the city and jets to reach Mt Paozu before using the cover of mountains and night to reach the city.''
"Nevertheless, this spells trouble," In bold letters too. The teen thought to herself worriedly. "Don't worry chief, I'll make sure to look for any such activity."
''Alright, Videl. I know we can always count on you.'' The chief hung up after that. Okay. Time to gear up, Videl. Deciding to take a look as she had a bird's eye view of the area, Videl tightened the hold on the steering handle before turning it to the right.
"Hey! Is that… Gohan?!" Sharpner exclaimed loudly, arm stretched and pointing towards the front.
Videl quickly halted in motion before undoing her action, the jet slightly jerking due to the motion. Two pairs of eyes turned in the direction the blonde male was pointing and immediately widened.
There was Gohan… actually floating before them. Knowing was one thing but actually witnessing one of your associates able to use Ki and so effectively was stunning.
Slight jealousy reared its ugly head, but Videl immediately crushed it, knowing that the black-haired boy had a lot more experience than her in the area. I'll definitely catch up to you. Just you wait.
Determination flooding her being, Videl began pulling the lever slowly, lowering the attitude when Gohan motioned for them to follow him.
"He sensed us, didn't he?" Sharpner muttered in amazement, immediately trying to find his Ki in the hope to imitate the raven-haired boy. Videl didn't reply, too focused on the figure landing in a small clearing while Erasa just shrugged.
Landing in the clearing, Videl didn't waste any time in getting out of the copter, the blondes following her, before capsulizing it and whirling around to focus on the spiky-haired boy, a glare already present on her face.
Erasa though was immediately drawn to his muscles, his sleeveless Gi totally helping her case, slight drool appearing on the threshold of her lips. OMG! JUST LOOK AT THEM!
"... Hey, guys," Gohan asked, breaking the silence but only Erasa nodded, the buxom blonde's eyes still drawn to his muscles while the other two just kept a straight face.
A couple of awkward seconds passed by silently before Gohan let out an awkward chuckle and began rubbing the back of his head. "Uhh… I hope the journey was fine."
Again, Erasa nodded once, this time smiling meekly while the other two didn't even blink. Immediately, all traces of cheer vanished from Gohan's expression before the teenager let out a defeated sigh. "So... what exactly do you want to know first?"
"Your family. Why didn't you tell us about it?" Not even wasting a second, Videl shot her question. "And it better be the truth."
Although knowing what to say, Gohan took a couple of seconds to construct his thoughts before nodding, more to himself than to others. "The first thing that I want you to remember is that I am not very… uh… socially adept person or what they call it… ah yes! introvert."
Not waiting for their reaction, Gohan continued. "Now to the question, I really wanted to tell you but things happened and I… "
"What things?" Videl sharply interjected, taking a step forward and already adding to her imposing figure.
"Uhh… We… didn't actually became friends till the first day, the next day, the whole cyclone matter happened, and yesterday, I was going to invite you to my place but spent the first half in thinking on how to approach you and when I was ready, Erasa's outburst during lunch killed whatever confidence I had."
Erasa gave a bit sheepish smile, looking anywhere but at him. Gohan's face brightened a bit at the continuous support of the blonde girl. Thank You, Erasa. "Then, we met your father and I really couldn't bring myself to tell you and then Tao appeared."
What is he saying? The whole ordeal with Tao Pai Pai was a valid excuse but the other one wasn't. Gohan and her dad had interacted quite well, even bringing a smile to her face a couple of times. "Now, I know you're lying. Your talk with dad went without a hitch, so there's no way… " She halted when Gohan meekly raised a hand.
"I…" Gohan sighed again, letting out a hiss of air before speaking once more. "I saw both of you were very happy to see each other; you and your dad… but the state he was in… I felt guilty because it was due to Ki users, and my dad and I are one of them… I-I couldn't really help it."
Wait! What? Videl tried to form a coherent sentence from the clutter of words that Gohan just sprouted. Taking a couple of seconds, she finally jumbled out of the mess. He thinks dad is in jail because of his family?
Most of the questions that she had in her mind suddenly seemed unnecessary. I can't believe it. Here I thought he didn't tell me because my father insulted his family and he thinks… She shook her head. I am an idiot and, "Gohan," he looked attentively. "You're an idiot." Too.
"... Huh?"
"Yeah, a certified one."
"No, I think it's quite romantic," Two pairs of eyes turned to her in a 'what the fuck' kinda look. "What? Oh c'mon! Videl is pissed off and Gohan is trying to convince her, and over a misunderstanding too; it's totally romantic."
"Gohan," Videl spoke, rolling her eyes at the blonde girl's absurd but usual antics while effectively ending the raven-haired boy's embarrassment. "Whatever happened is my dad's doing; just don't think about it again, ever. Understand?"
The tone of her voice leaving no qualms, Gohan nodded quickly though knowing what Videl spoke was right. However, seeing the way both her and her father had interacted – the longing and other obvious emotions – he just couldn't help it.
"Okay, we understand about this," Sharpner trying to be as imposing as Videl was, crossed his arms while tilting his head high. "But, what about 'I don't know martial arts'?"
"I never said I don't know martial arts… Wait!" Gohan blurted out as Videl and Sharpner looked ready to blow up. "I said I don't like fighting or hurting people and that is the truth."
"But you're like the legacy of one of the most prominent families when it comes to martial arts; what you're saying doesn't really make sense to me… I'm not saying you're lying either but… " Erasa trailed off, her face morphed into that of a frown.
"Yeah, mountain boy, If you don't like fighting then how do you even know martial arts? And how do you even expect to get stronger?"
Videl nodded visibly, completely in accord with the points raised by the blondes. So far, Gohan hadn't lied; the words and emotions in between making it blatant. However, there were too many dead ends.
"I know what you mean Erasa," Gohan replied looking directly at her. "But it's just the way I am. I just don't take martial arts with a passion; there are many other activities for that like drawing, exploring nature and many more."
Shrugging with a small smile, he shifted his vision to Sharpner. "Not only have I grown seeing my father and his friends spar but also participated in them; all the katas and sequences are imprinted into my mind. I have a mentor too."
"Regarding strength, while it's true that martial arts make you stronger but real or rather hidden strength comes from a need not a desire. For me, it's my family and friends," Gohan contemplated for a second before looking at Videl. "I am sure you can relate."
Having listened to the conversation among the trio, Videl blinked when suddenly addressed. Relate? A contemplative expression dawned on her visage but lasting only for a second. Yeah, I can.
Jumping into fires, over buildings from her copter, dodging bullets; a lot of other memories of her ventures in the city flashing in her mind, she realized what was common in all this or rather what Gohan was implying. The people of the city; They're my motivation for strength.
"Still, training with the same persons, again and again, becomes passive over time. Unless you seek stronger opponents, you won't know your limits let alone surpass them." Videl pointed out, having experienced the same thing herself.
You don't even know the half of it. Gohan felt a bit put off at keeping the better part of the truth to himself but shook away the thought, knowing very well that this wasn't the time. Glad I talked with Bulma. "You're right. In fact, most of the time it's only my mentor; family and friends join occasionally."
He slightly chuckled seeing their expressions. "My mentor and I work on the weaker areas while rehearsing the stronger ones. When I'm not with him, I do image training. This compensates for the need of stronger opponents."
"Image training? Don't tell me you make paintings of yourself doing martial arts," Sharpner interjected loudly, raising an eyebrow in mock-disbelief.
"No. There's more to that Sharpner," Videl noted, her eyes still fixated upon the son of Goku. "I recall reading about it in one of the books in the crane school. It's like a virtual… representation of you and your opponent in your mindscape or something like that, right?" The blue-eyed girl looked at Gohan for confirmation.
Composing his humour at the blonde male's absurd comment, Gohan nodded. "Yeah. Basically, you imagine your opponent and fight with him in your mind provided you are able to recall their movements. It's a good technique; almost all martial arts masters use it. "
"Then, how come we don't know about it?"
"Your training has just begun, Sharpner," Gohan replied calmly. "You have a long road ahead. Ki is very diverse and for its full usage, both mind and body needs training which takes years. Even before you began working on this technique, you need to calm your mind. I believe you know about meditation."
Sharpner and Videl nodded, the blue-eyed girl's face shining with determination. This technique is handy but there isn't much info in the library and with Gohan busy all the time, I guess I can only ask Tien.
"Alright, enough of martial arts," Erasa not able to take it anymore, loudly exclaimed. "I am also here, ya know."
Gohan sheepishly rubbed the back of his head while Videl shook her head and Sharpner rolled his eyes. "So, about that rented house and Capsule Corp apprenticeship… " The buxom blonde trailed off, shooting Gohan a meaningful look.
"Ah… about that, I am sorry. The rented house thing was my cover-up for the distance," Gohan again chuckled awkwardly seeing the 'I knew it' look that appeared on the trio's faces. "And about Capsule Corp…"
"Yeah! What about that? Huh, Huh?" Erasa butted in, wearing an expression closer to a kid eagerly rushing for candy more than anything else.
"... Uhh…"
"I won't squeal, Gohan. I promise," Corroborating her words, she tightly clamped her lips while giving a sharp nod.
I guess it's safe to go ahead and tell them now. Though still unsure, Gohan accepted her words, not noticing the deadpan expressions on the faces of the remaining duo. "The apprenticeship was there but only because of me. Bulma does everything really big but I've gotten used to that considering she's also… my godmother."
Erasa squealed.
LOUD.
-oooooo-
"Ah! It's really good," Erasa sighed contentedly, her feet submerged in water, one hand on the ground supporting her figure and other raking through hair, the cool and gentle breeze tickling the scalp.
Totally agreeing with Erasa, Videl looked around the place where Gohan just brought them. To the east were mountains acting as a gateway for a river filled with fresh and clear water into which they had their feet submerged. The banks of the river were filled by trees of all types from which birds could be heard chirping.
A gentle moistured breeze was flowing carrying the scent of the soil and trees in it. Enjoying the scenery for a couple of seconds, Videl looked towards her left where Gohan and Sharpner were chatting and laughing. He's… really something.
Now able to think more rationally, her mind clear from any doubts and question, she realized Gohan was not only a selfless and kind-hearted person but good looking too.
She knew that he had a good physique from their brief spar at school but seeing for real the well-defined muscles was quite astonishing. As if somebody sculpted them.
The girl in his life would be the luckiest. Though, she shrugged away the thoughts, knowing it was the raven-haired boy's personal life. I guess it's the moment. "Gohan," the raven-haired boy cut off his talk and turned his head to look at her.
"There's something I need to say," Gohan nodded curiously. "I… want to apologise for yesterday; I shouldn't have reacted that way." A guilty expression marred her face as she finished.
Gohan smiled. "No worries. Besides, I should've told you earlier. Though, I will be lying if I said that I wasn't surprised by your reaction." Gohan immediately waved his hands placidly when the blue-eyed girl's face morphed into that of despair.
"Wait! I mean you just… left; that surprised me," Videl's face shifted into that of mild curiosity. "The Videl we all know would have, you know, asked everything then and there… " Gohan trailed off.
Oh… Videl sighed deeply "I understand but… learning that my entire life is based on lies and the one to lie… is the person I trusted and loved the most in the world wasn't easy. For the last six months, I've borne the distrust… the anger of the masses. I began to believe that it'll my fate for the rest of life."
"Then suddenly, out of nowhere, you came in, all supportive of not only me but my father also; it surprised me but, at the same time, I felt honored that a person like you is my friend… I started feeling hopeful again."
She sighed again. "However, yesterday… trust and hope became mere words with no meaning. I just couldn't take it anymore and had to leave…"
She had to put up a brave upfront because it gave hope and comfort to her father and friends while deterring the criminals. However, inside she was a whirlwind of emotions; they were not stable and Gohan's actions only made it visible.
Nothing mattered yesterday, nothing made sense; she just couldn't stay there anymore. It didn't matter if she had overreacted; nobody could blame her, she was also a human in the end.
Gohan cringed visibly, not knowing that it would be this bad. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't…"
"Stop!" The blue-eyed girl cut in loudly. "Why are you apologising? It should be me. Moreover, I realized later that I was a bit melodramatic," She suddenly chuckled. "Heck, I even forgot about Tao."
"Yeah. I had to remind her that we left that robo-geezer in the middle of the forest," Gohan laughed at Erasa's title for Tao.
"It was only then, I called the authorities and informed them."
Gohan chuckled but no later, began rubbing the back of his head. "I can relate. I also forgot about him and left. It was only mid-flight that I remembered before flying back but the cops were there by then."
"Don't worry, the bastard is now rotting in the same jail," Sharpner supplied. "Last we heard, they're using some kind of device to disrupt his Ki or something like that."
"Anyway, Gohan," The raven-haired boy looked towards her while Videl cleared her throat. "Can you tell us about your dad? What was he like?" The way Tao's face had paled upon hearing Son Goku's name had raised her curiosity.
Gohan didn't even blink. "Dad was a carefree person, kind-hearted and always there for me; teaching me every little thing whether it was forest exploration, hunting, martial arts or bailing me out from mom," He chuckled fondly remembering his mom's rigidness about studies and Dad's whisking him away.
A smile forming on her face, Erasa hugged her knees. "And your mom?"
"Mom's… also kind-hearted but strict too. She's a strong-willed lady," Gohan added recalling how she had supported the family despite how hard their life was. "Also, she's a great cook… "
"Amen!" Sharpner solemnly added, Videl and Erasa nodding in unison. Gohan chuckled whole-heartedly. "Right. She's the one in charge of the house. Though, she's a bit spirited about our studies but overall she's the best."
The feminist in her roaring in approval at the fact that Son Chichi was the top dog in the house, Videl nodded. "She must be. Almost all female martial artists look up to her."
"Really?!" Gohan blurted out, genuinely surprised.
"What?" Videl exclaimed in shock, visage confirming the words. "You really don't know?"
Gohan shook his head, the reaction prompting Erasa to stand up. "How is that possible? Your mom is an icon; a perfect combination of beauty and might, and coming from me that's really something."
The blonde girl liked martial arts as much as Piccolo liked laughing, so Gohan could understand what Erasa was implying. "I don't know; to me, she's always been just… mom," Gohan shrugged. "Moreover, she gave up on martial arts a long time ago; now she barely talks about it."
"About that," A frown was present on the blue-eyed girl's face. "Why did she do that? She could've been a great martial artist," Videl voiced, recalling the tapes of the old tournaments, Son Chichi being the only female fighter to reach quarter-finals by cleaning the tough competition before.
Come to think of it, mom never talks about it. Gohan contemplated for some moments. "I guess she just decided to dedicate her time to the family and all that; even I don't know much," he summed up with an apologetic expression.
Videl inclined her head. I guess interests shift… she must've found solace in her family. Though disheartened by the answer, she knew she couldn't do anything about it. What about me? Would it happen…
"Your Dad," Sharpner suddenly butted in, ending the raven-haired girl's musings. "He's famous too, you at least know that, right?"
"Yeah... "
"Thank Kami," The muscle bound blonde sighed dramatically.
"... but only for six months," Gohan gave a cheeky smile. Three faces morphed into 'What the fuck' kinda look. "You're kidding," A stunned expression appeared on Erasa's face when Gohan shook his head. "How is that even possible? Your dad was famous even when Vi's dad used to speak against Ki-users!"
"Yeah mountain boy, I recall some countryside folks approaching Mr. Satan and urging him not to speak against your dad, so how?"
"Well, just like mom's always been mom to me so's been dad; our's quite ordinary family. In fact, I came to know that my dad was famous while walking in the city; in a couple of showrooms, some action figures were on the display."
"Then, in the school, when all the teachers went crazy asking me again and again if 'I was really the son of 'The Son Goku'," Gohan shook his head. "I'm sure even dad didn't know anything."
A surprised look appearing on her visage, Videl couldn't help but compare Son Goku with her dad, the way he used to brag, looking down upon others among other things; polar opposite to Son Goku. The title of legendary fits him perfectly. "He's really one of a kind… "
"Yeah," Gohan cut in, not even noticing while fondly looking at the skies. "Bulma once said that when with him, you get this weird feeling that everything's gonna be fine even if it were the end of the world," A smile adorned his face as he finished.
Such faith… While her dad also commanded such praise, it was actually built on fake foundations whereas Bulma's words were the result of knowledge of what Son Goku was really capable of.
"I wish I could meet him… Gohan," Videl called for his attention after a pause, the raven-haired boy bobbing down his head. "If… you don't mind, could you tell me how did he…"
Gohan immediately looked down, a couple of seconds passing away in silence making the blue-eyed girl curse herself for her stupidity. "I'm sorry, Gohan. I shouldn't have…"
"It's alright," Gohan cut in, the blue-eyed girl closing her mouth after a moment. "It's just that… when someone asks me… I," He halted for a moment before shaking his head. "Anyway, It was my fault; I got arrogant and dad had to save me… it cost him his life."
Sharpner and Erasa glanced at each other, the blonde girl having a hand clamped over her mouth while Videl looked distorted. I'm an idiot. "I'm sorry… " She again trailed off not wanting to repeat the same thing again.
"It's okay. I've gotten used to it." An eerie silence descended among the group, nobody knowing what to say.
"I got it," Erasa suddenly shouted after a couple of seconds, breaking the silence and ending the somber atmosphere. "Gohan can help us," The raven-haired boy blinked in confusion. "These two," She pointed at Videl and Sharpener."... are always arguing about their schools; sometimes driving me nuts."
The blonde girl shook her head. "But finally, we have someone who can help; please tell us which martial arts school is better?"
A blank look appeared on Gohan's visage. There's no way I am getting into this. He was about to decline but stopped when Videl and Sharpner gave him a determined look.
"You promised to tell the truth, remember?" The blue-eyed girl pointed out, seeing the expression on Gohan's face.
Gohan swayed his eyes between Sharpener and Videl for some seconds before sighing. Guess there's no way out. "Fine. So, what do you want to know first? About style and school or master?"
Videl and Sharpener glanced at each other, even Erasa looked confused. "There's a difference?" The muscle bound blonde summed up the thoughts of others, the girls nodding in accord.
"There is."
"Style and school is it, then," The blue-eyed girl replied after a moment.
Gohan nodded. "Okay. So, there's a bit of history that'll help you understand better; you okay with that?" Three heads bobbed down in unison. "Now, I don't know if you know it or not but Master Shen and Master Roshi created their martial arts styles around the same time."
"But where Master Shen opened an actual school, Roshi didn't; he just settled on Kame island. As a result, very few knew about Roshi but Crane school was recognised worldwide, receiving works of all kinds… even assasination."
Gohan took a breath. "And, in no time, Crane school was only producing assassins with little to no training, follow so far?" The trio nodded in accord. "Now, as I said, Roshi wasn't well known but enough to warrant the attention of a few like my great grandpa Son Gohan."
"Grandpa learnt and not only mastered the style but took it to greater heights, adding to its finesse. Some decades later, my grandpa Ox learnt under the tutelage of Roshi; though he didn't master it but learnt enough to add the element of weapons; ya know, axe and all."
"Gohan," Erasa interrupted. "We read about your grandpa; he's said to be a bit violent in his days, if it is true, what caused the change?" The Ox kingdom was thriving peacefully, no violent ruler could achieve that.
"The books exaggerate," Gohan replied. "While it's true that he used to wield an axe and all that but only to drive away the poachers; back then it was a huge problem. He settled for a peaceful life when Roshi asked him to, in return for martial arts training."
Satisfied, the bubbly blonde nodded. Taking this as a sign, Gohan decided to continue. "Then came my father and Krillin."
"What I mean is, although the students of Turtle style can be counted on the fingers but each of them added their touch and improved it whereas Crane school produced only half-trained students; there were no masters until Tien." Never knew, the history lessons with Roshi'll come in handy.
"Ha!" Sharpener immediately shouted, pointing towards Videl. "I said so; Turtle style and Master Krillin are the best."
"I never said anything about Masters, only schools," Gohan noted, halting the blonde's euphoria. Videl who was a bit disheartened immediately sprung back to life. "You mean Tien is… "
Gohan nodded. "Yeah. Tien is the better master," Seeing the blonde male about to protest, he raised his hand. "The reason is simple: Tien has always adhered to the goals of improving his skills and becoming stronger; he is one of the sharpest minds. Moreover, he dedicates almost all of his time to martial arts."
"Whereas Krillin is a carefree person; I am not saying he isn't strong but he tends to take martial arts lightly. Then, there is his family; most of his time goes in that," Glad my Saiyan genes cut the time. "I guess, that's all."
Erasa glanced at the satisfied faces of Videl and Sharpener and immediately gave a thumbs up to Gohan, quite happy that now she won't have to deal with the tiring arguments. The demi-Saiyan only smiled.
"Mountain boy," Gohan sighed at the name but nodded to the blonde male. "What about your dad? Master Roshi speaks of him in very high regard, crediting him as his best student ever. Where does he stand in all this?"
Videl nodded in accord. "I agree. He's also highly revered in Crane school. Moreover, the only modern era martial artist to receive the title of 'legendary'."
"Hmmm… I really don't know about legendary but he's definitely on another level; it isn't about strength but the way he took martial arts; excited about stronger opponents, always surpassing his limits, pulling out amazing strategies in the middle of the battle… I'll say he was natural in that."
The trio nodded, the urge to meet the legendary fighter stronger than ever but knew they couldn't do anything about it. "And, you?"
"... Me," Gohan surprisingly looked at Videl, the blue-eyed girl nodding. "Yeah. What about your skills?"
-oooooo-
Please support and REVIEW.
I apologise for a bit short chapter but there was too much to write. Since I mostly prefer around 5k to 6k words chapter, I decided to make two chapters of the content. Also, I apologise for leaving Tao's issue undecided in the previous chapter, I… uh… forgot. Hehe, sorry.
ONE THING I FORGOT IN PREVIOUS RANT :D
In many fics, I've seen Gohan apologise to Videl because he didn't tell her his secrets. The writers make Gohan a criminal and Videl a messiah of sort. I mean, C'mon! Videl hounds him all the day making him a nervous wreck, doesn't even talk properly to him. Hell, in some fics, she outright slaps him and treats him like a bitch and when he chooses not to tell them, it's his fault.
I know you'll say, I used the same thing but in my defense, Videl believes Gohan as good friend on par with Erasa and Sharpner. She even told him about his crush and if you read the story, you'll understand. Now, about Gohan feeling guilty, I stated that he knows it wasn't his fault but a part of him which we all know comes from Goku, seeks out the good in others. He can't help it.
NOW ABOUT DRAGON BALL SUPER:
I know many hate DBS but I believe it had some good things that make its potential equal to DBZ if not more.
Villians/Anti-protagonists
Beerus and Whis: I believe Beerus is the most badass character; the way he acts and his attitude; it's just super cool and hilarious. Then there is Whis, a calm looking angel whose potential is barely scratched despite the 130 episodes we got.
Frieza: Frieza lived upto the hype in DBZ but a question was there if he actually trained what kind of prowess would he achieve? I know it wasn't officially stated in DBZ but the fandom had the question which was answered in DBS. We got a Frieza who could rival Gods after only four months of training.
Zamasu/ Goku Black: Many verses have done the evil-protagonist arcs but I believe Goku black was unique. Use of a Kai, dragon balls, time lines, it all worked greatly.
SSG Goku: Goku rising to the realm of Gods was also a refreshing concept. Moreover, Goku with red hair was wildly thrown around in the fandom.
