Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ
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Videl sat atop her bed, her knees pulled in to her chest as she contemplated everything she had bore witness to earlier that day. That is to say, everything that she couldn't believe that she had witnessed. Stuff that, were she to talk about it with anyone, they would say she was crazy for even thinking such a thing was possible.
It had been with these thoughts in her mind that she had understood why Gohan had allowed Erasa to join her on the adventure. It was to allow her to discuss what they had both seen with one another. Not that they had talked much during their flight back and Videl had wondered whether Erasa had been suffering from shock given how quiet the flight had been.
Even when Videl had dropped her home, Erasa had not said a word of goodbye, simply unboarding the vehicle and heading inside her home. Videl had at least had some exposure to just what Gohan was capable of beforehand, Erasa had had quite little in comparison.
That however raised another point, just what was Gohan capable of? What was Krillen capable of? Just how people in the world had the ability to slice the top off a mountain! What else could these people do!
It took a few moments to realize that sweat had formed on her brow and she swallowed harshly at the lump that had found itself in her throat.
Mister Popo's words suddenly reverberated in her mind, the statement regarding how often the planet itself had been in danger. Images of Cell announcing his tournament on the news before obliterating the wall and town behind him with minimal ease. Her father had convinced her that it was all a trick, promotional stunts made in order to make it sound as if it was far more important than what it was.
At the time she had believed him.
Now she felt as if Cell was indeed one of these individuals who had threatened the planet.
Getting off of the bed, Videl found herself walking on shaking legs towards her ensuite. Switching the light on, she stared at herself over her vanity before turning the cold water on and splashing handfuls of water into her face. After switching the tap off, she simply remained in place and allowed the water to fall from her skin and into the basin.
There was so many things to contemplate that it was almost impossible to get her head around. Trying to focus solely on Krillin's technique, she wondered just how many times he had saved the world be severing an opponent in two? If it was capable of slicing through a mountain cleanly, she dared not consider what mess it would leave were it to slice through a body.
She had told Gohan that she had wanted him to show her everything but that had been before his friend had released what he called a 'Destructo Disc.' She knew her father had an attack he called his 'Dynamite Punch' but she severely doubted that it made their opponent feel as if their insides had exploded! Did Gohan have a signature move that released some high powered attack capable of rendering the landscape to ash? 'Nuclear Flare?' 'Toxic Wave?' 'Ultra Mega Beam of Ultimate Destruction and Devastation?'
The last one Videl knew was a long shot but her point still remained!
Taking some calming breaths, Videl left her bathroom before collapsing on her bed once again.
She thought that she was strong. What would happen to her if a criminal she tried to apprehend had any skill with ki she could get absolutely annihilated. She needed Gohan to teach her and teach her quickly. There was no telling just how many people in the world were keeping such a power hidden.
Videl's phone began to ring and she lifted the device up to her ear, answering it as she did. Before she got the chance to utter a single syllable however there was a cacophony of jumbled words thrown together blasting into her eardrum.
It seemed Erasa had found her voice.
"Calm down," ordered Videl, ignoring the urge to simply end the call.
"Yes, yes, of course, sorry," said Erasa as she took some hurried breaths in an attempt to calm herself. "It's just that I figured it out."
"Figured what out?" asked Videl, not sure if she wanted to know just what it was that Erasa had stumbled on.
"He was at the Cell Games."
"Who? Krillin?" asked Videl as she tried to rack her brain back to the footage of the fighters. It seemed like a lifetime ago but she could somewhat recall a smaller individual amongst the line of competitors. Said person hadn't stepped foot into the ring though so it was difficult to recall if it had been the same fighter given how little screen time they had been given.
"Probably considering he could have sliced Cell's head clean off."
On an island hundreds of miles away, Krillin found himself sneezing whilst attempting to put Marron to bed.
"But no, that's not who I'm talking about," continued Erasa. "I'm talking about Gohan. You know the Gohan who went to goes to our school. The Gohan who's supper strong. The Gohan who, years ago, would have looked very much like the..."
Whatever Erasa had left to say went unheard as the phone dropped from Videl's grasp, landing atop her blanket by the time she was on her feet and moving. She needed to speak with her father. She needed to talk with Hercule now!
It would be much later in the evening that she discovered that Hercule had gone away for a few days for a business meeting.
...
By the time Monday morning had come around, Videl felt as if she had discovered the greatest of conspiracy theories and was determined to find out the truth no matter what. It was for that reason she now stood atop Orange Star High School half an hour before the bell indicating their first class even rang. It felt absolutely absurd to be waiting for one of her peers on the roof of the school but considering she recently learnt that Gohan could FLY it made sense that this was where he would land.
She didn't dare consider the possibility that he could land in a nearby alleyway and walk from there to the school.
He would arrive here.
He had to.
Thankfully, for Videl's sanity, he did.
Videl watched as he landed onto the rooftop as if he had merely jumped up and down as opposed to descending hundreds of feet in a matter of seconds. "Hey Videl," he said as nonchalantly as possible, infuriating Videl.
"Don't you 'hey Videl' me mister!" shouted Videl as she marched up to him and pointed an accusing finger at his chest.
"Did I do something wrong?" asked Gohan, confused as to what had gotten Videl so riled up in the first place.
"You were at the Cell Games!" declared Videl adamantly, not even considering the option that Gohan hadn't been there.
"Yeah, so what?"
Videl found herself momentarily at an absolute loss of words, having not predicted that Gohan's response to have been so lackluster. "You were there, with the whole world watching in fear that the planet would be destroyed and all you can say is, 'so what?' Not only that but you fought against Cell!"
Again, it wasn't a question.
"Yes I did," answered Gohan.
"Could you give me some sort of emotion here Gohan for the love of Dende!"
"Oh, you've been to see Dende," said Gohan, showing some manner of happiness. "How's he going?"
"Don't you change the subject on me Gohan!"
"Videl, what do you want me to say?" asked Gohan sincerely. "Yes, I fought Cell and he nearly killed me on multiple occasions." Videl found herself solemnly silent as she looked into Gohan's eyes. "All things considered, I should have died on the battlefield and it was only when your father acted when he did that I managed to pull through."
"My father...saved you?" asked Videl, unsure of what it was she was hearing.
"In a sense but I can tell you right now that if Hercule hadn't done what he had then chances are that none of us would be here today."
Videl lowered her gaze as she processed this new information. She had been heard over and over again about how her father had been the one to defeat Cell. Hearing another person's perspective, an unbiased and, more importantly, somebody who had actually been there at the battlefield, made it feel all the more as if her Dad was truly a hero. After hearing about his valiant battle against Cell it had almost sounded like a fantasy.
Little did she know that the act Gohan was referring to was Hercule tossing Sixteen's severed head across the battlefield.
Gohan's hand found itself on Videl's shoulder, causing the smaller girl to shiver slightly at the touch. "That's all in the past now, what's done is done."
"Gohan," said Videl softly, all prior aggression having left her body. "Why didn't you come forward as the boy who fought Cell?"
"I imagine hundreds came forth," said Gohan sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his head. "I can picture all of them pretending to be me in an attempt to get popular or famous. I didn't want either of those things at the time and if I tried to make it known now, after everything that's gone on, how many people do you think would believe me?"
Videl found herself biting at the inside of her lip, unable to fault Gohan's reasoning. Even if it was the truth, tabloids would just make it sound as if Gohan had found his fifteen minutes of fame and wanted more. Given what the teenage magazines were already saying about him she could imagine that they would try to dig up any dirt that they could. Saying that he had fought Cell would merely be pouring fuel onto the fire.
"I'd ask you to forget that I was at the Cell Games Videl but I figure by this stage that would be asking the impossible," said Gohan with a light smile. "What I can ask you though is that you just ignore the fact. At the end of the day I'm just me. It doesn't matter if I fought Cell or not, it doesn't change who I am."
Videl wanted to argue with him, she truly did but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. "Alright."
"Thank you Videl," said Gohan as he removed his hand from her shoulder. "Tell me, does Erasa know?"
"Ah, yes," said Videl, slightly taken aback. "Do you want me to try and convince her to keep quiet?"
"No, I'll do it," assured Gohan, flashing her a warm smile before he walked past her.
Videl meanwhile remained rooted to the spot, that single smile having hit her harder than any punch ever had. She would remain in place until the bell rang and brought her back to reality. Consequently, despite being the first person on premise that day, she had to apologise profusely to her teacher for running late.
...
Hope you enjoyed.