A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! I'm glad that I'm doing a better job now than the first one. *smiles* Now I just hope that more people will read this one. ^^; Oh, and before I forget, I managed to draw some of the characters already -- Lorelai, Thanatos and Keeney, to mention -- and you can check them at my site. Just click on Fanart under Kaz. *grins* Oh, and to everyone else... this is AU, so scenes will change, events will change, the Buu Saga will not happen, and there'll be a lot of original characters running around very soon. I hope you'll like it, despite the fact that I'm going to turn the DBZ world upside down. ^^; Now, on with the fic!

DRAGONBALL Z: RENASCIMENTO
Rebirth of the Future's Only Hope
by Kaz Valkyrie

Chapter One: The Trouble With Women
Earth, 774 AD


"Concentrate. Draw the energy from within you. That's it, that's it. Open your mind, free all your thoughts, and most importantly, focus. You're doing great, doing great... Nuh-uh, don't do that. Concentrate. Feel the power within you. Feel it fill your entire body, from head to toe. It's giving you a different kind of power, not a physical force but the power of your inner strength."

"Cut the crap, Gohan."

Son Gohan smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Oh come on, Videl! You know how hard it is to teach a beginner in flying who doesn't even know what ki is! I'm doing everything I can to make you understand all this---"

"Are you trying to insult me?!" Videl Satan snapped, arching an eyebrow. She then put her hands on her hips, and scowled. "Are we going to continue or shall we spend the whole day talking about nonsense things? Remember, Gohan, if I'm not satisfied with your training then I would have to tell the whole world that you are the Great Saiyaman!"

The look on Gohan's face immediately changed from sheepish to worried and partly panicked. "Aw c'mon Videl! I was just kidding!" he blurted out as he tried to calm Videl down. "Please don't tell anyone that I'm the Great Saiyaman! I promise I'm going to do everything in my power to make you fly! Please?" he asked with pleading eyes.

"Hmmm..." Videl mumbled as she looked up, seemingly thinking. And then, she turned to look at the pleading demi-saiyajin with her bright blue eyes, and smiled. "Alright. Just tell me what I have to do --- NO FOOLING AROUND OR GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES --- and let's get this done."

He let out a sigh of relief, which was quickly replaced by his always gleeful smile. "It's really simple, Videl. Practice is all it takes to perfect this technique. Very few martial artists know the art of flying, and they are all extraordinary warriors at that. Technically, flying is called Bukujutsu and---" his voice trailed off as Videl's glare pierced through him, and after letting out the Son Grin™ for a moment, he went back to making his explanation simple and direct.

"Step one: focus. Step two: draw your inner power. Step three: gather your inner strength then use that energy to propell you upward. Just three steps, all very simple! When you've managed to do that, let me know, and it will be time for lesson two. Meanwhile, I have to rest up. Is everything clear, my apprentice?" Gohan asked mockingly.

"Yes, master," Videl sarcastically said in reply, and proceeded to her self-training. If I hadn't seen Gohan fly with my own eyes, I would have thought that this was one of those tricks used by those golden-haired warriors during the Cell Games. But what I don't understand is the fact that someone like Gohan knows such a complex thing, when my father --- who has been into martial arts for most of his life --- is ignorant with this. You're hiding something from me, Gohan. And I'm going to make sure I uncover every secret you keep...

Meanwhile, Gohan sat against the boulder as he closed his eyes to rest up for even just a few moments. As he rested up, his mind began to drift off and he started to ponder on the recent happenings in his life. There was school; Videl; his job as the Great Saiyaman; Videl; the upcoming Tenkaichi Budokai; Videl; his father's return from the Afterlife; Videl; Vi---

What the---?! Gohan snapped with his mind as his eyes jolted open. What was that all about? Well... Videl IS important to me, and she had been a part of my life recently. But... why... why is she in my thoughts a lot more often recently?! Something's... something's not quite right.

He turned his dark eyes to look at the raven beauty at a distance, and his eyes widened in total surprise as he saw Videl successfully hovering a few feet up in the air. Wow! That was... fast. I knew it, I knew there was something in Videl that made her different from all those martial artists at Mr. Satan's fighting institute! But I have to be careful, I have a bad feeling that she's going to beat me in the Tenkaichi Budokai...

Chikyuu-sei. Earth. The planet in the North Galaxy inhabited by humans. A planet that had been the target of so many evil and power-hungry beings, mainly because of seven powerful artifacts that summons a dragon that grants almost any wish. A planet that had been threatened countless times. And one of those times... was now.

A class-A starfighter sped towards the planet --- a ship with no markings, and no name for that matter. The only bearing it had was a strange character at its tail, which was written in the language of the Lyriajins --- a race of technical geniuses who were wiped out when their planet collided with their own sun.

And yet, one of them survived, Rui Shujimoto by name. She piloted the mysterious starship, her pale yet slender hands running about the controls with much ease. Her eyes were bright yet stern, oppressive and mysterious at the same time; and she had long, silver hair that cascaded past her shoulders in curls which radiated beautifully.

Her face brightened noticeably as their ship approached Earth, although her eyes had a mischievous gleam in them. Once she finished doing the basic check-ups with the ships location, invisibility shield and all, she took out her transmitter, and said with a cool voice, "Ladies of Fraulein, we are now in orbit of the planet Earth. Standing by here for orders. Commander?"

"You did a good job, Rui. I have nothing more to say, you know exactly what you should do. Please keep the invisibility and guard shields up until we complete our mission. Sonia and I shall descend in half an hour. After all, we've got saiyajins to fry."

"Roger, Commander. The invisibility shield is already up; putting up the guard shields now," Rui replied as she pressed a couple of buttons in a certain sequence, then a loud hum was heard as the guard shield started functioning. She then flicked to another channel. "Francine? Something wrong there?"

An enthusiastic voice boomed through the control room's speakers. "Clear here, Rui! So far, so good! I've got the weapons ready, but of course, there's no need for them. After all, it's our Commander and Sonia heading this mission, and have they ever failed? Never! Never in Fraulein's history! Our success is a sure thing!"

Rui could not supress her grin as she averted her eyes to look at the planet that lay before them. "Well, I can't wait for it myself. Those powerful saiyajins will be in for a great surprise. They're no match for us. Three Sabreurs and a Lyriajin will be too much for them to handle," she sneered in total amusement.

"Was that okay?" Videl asked as she landed back on the ground. "I... I thought it would be very hard. But I made it, right? I mean, that was a good start, right, Gohan?"

Gohan nodded as he smiled brightly. "That was great, Videl! You really amaze me, you know," he blurted out, and that made Videl's face turn crimson. "I've never met anyone who learned how to fly after one session... I mean, anyone outside my family," he said as he remembered that Goten also learned how to fly after just one lesson with him. Of course, the young demi-saiyajin knew what ki was, so it was easier for him to learn how to fly.

"Hey," she interrupted the ranting Gohan by waving her hand in front of his face as she glanced at her wristwatch for a second. "The dinner's in half an hour, and my father will kill me if I'm late!"

"Dinner? What dinner---" Gohan asked in confusion, but when Videl glared at him, he immediately remembered every single detail of the dinner. It was a dinner hosted by Mr. Satan as his birthday treat for his fans. However, Videl asked him to go with her so he would be able to get to know the family better. It confused Gohan greatly, but he did not have time to figure the mystery out because Videl's cold eyes were still turned to him. "Oh! The dinner!" he exclaimed, and then he laughed in the usual Son manner.

Videl could only roll her eyes. Sometimes, Gohan, you're just too naive, too clueless. And I thought you were a genius, having perfected all our entrance exams. Either I'm wrong, or there are times when you're plainly forgetful.

"Well then, Videl... I'll be going now... I'll see you there!"

Her eyes widened noticeably as she heard his words, and when she finally got the meaning straightened out, her eyes narrowed and she felt like she was about to explode in anger and frustration. "What do you mean, SEE YOU THERE?!" she thundered.

Gohan, who was already leaving, stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around, and a nervous smile escaped his features as he shifted his partly nervous and partly confused gaze at the young woman before him. "Umm... See you there. At the dinner," he blurted out, when almost immediately, he found himself running for his life, and a furious Videl was hot on his tail.

Oh no... I'm dead.

The grand ballroom of the biggest hotel in Satan City was a spectacular sight --- except for the fact that a huge portrait of Mr. Satan hung behind the long buffet table. After all, he defeated Cell, and thus that made him the hero of the city that was now named after him.

A group of reporters --- as well as his fans and other curious people --- crowded around him at the moment, and he apparently enjoyed all the attention. After he gave out a long yet annoying speech --- which the people seemed to enjoy greatly --- the hall rocked with thunderous applause. However, that applause quickly died down as everyone's attention was shifted towards Mr. Satan's daughter, Videl, who entered the room with the tall, dashing Son Gohan.

What shocked everyone was that she was in a look they have never seen her with, not even once. Her long, black hair cascaded past her shoulders in some dramatic manner; her sparkling blue eyes were beautifully accented by her emphasized eyelashes, and her gorgeous body curves were stressed magnificently by her flowing dark blue gown.

Soon the reporters flocked around the two, and they popped all sorts of questions ranging from Gohan being her boyfriend to her relationship with the Great Saiyaman. Those questions irritated the young crimefighters --- after all, Gohan was Saiyaman and Saiyaman was Gohan --- but it was Videl who was got really ticked off. "Please! I am here to enjoy, not to undergo third degree," she told the reporters as she held up her hands to make them stop, and then she turned to her date. "Let's go, Gohan. Excuse me."

The reporters tried to follow them, but another famous figure who walked in the room caught their attention. He was Lucius Levenheit, who was rumored to be one of the richest and most successful businessmen in the world, and at the moment, he was with his daughter, Kauri, a famous commercial model.

"Those reporters are annoying and troublesome," Videl commented as she and Gohan sat down by one of the tables. "I just hate them. If I had things my way, I would beat them up with your help. Unfortunately, I cannot do that, because I have an image to maintain. That's the downer of being the daughter of a hero."

Gohan, who obviously wasn't listening to her and was looking at the buffet table the entire time, asked, "When do we eat?"

She wanted to be mad that he wasn't paying attention to her, but she found herself not being able to do so. However, it came to her mind to make fun of him instead. Her plan was interrupted, however, when her father came striding towards them. "Videl! My dear, who's this... this... skinny kid you've brought with you?"

I'm the kid who defeated Cell, you dimwit, Gohan thought with a grimace. As he turned slightly to look at Mr. Satan --- who gave him a party disgusted look --- he found himself irritated and ready to eliminate him. He thought about announcing to the world --- thanks to the media coverage available at the very moment --- that he defeated Cell at the tender age of 11, but he stop to examine the pros and the cons.

The pros: It would put an end to Mr. Satan's lying spree. It would put an end to his career. It would make Gohan famous, and Mr. Satan famous because of his lies. And if Mr. Satan would not believe him, he would get the opportunity to beat him up and show him who's boss.

The cons: It would blow his facade. It would destroy the reputation of Videl's family, and it will affect her greatly. It would ruin his relationship with Videl. It would give him and his family more problems. It would make girls follow him around in such an annoying manner. In short, it would be disaster.

Nevermind, I'll just shut up...

"He's Son Gohan. He's my classmate, who perfected all our entrance exams --- and all our exams for the entire schoolyear, for that matter. He's also the son of the legendary martial artist and the world champion before you, named Son Goku," Videl replied with a smug look on her face, and in a tone full of pride, in a way. "And he's as strong as he claims."

"Son Goku?" Mr. Satan asked, then he burst into maniacal laughter. "SON GOKU?!? That warrior who uses cheap tricks for his victory?! That martial artist, my dear, is genuinely a fake one. He's more like a magician than a martial artist, and he has only brought disgrace to our society, to us martial artists!"

Gohan began to fume as the World Champion bombarded Goku with insults not even Vegeta would say. He sent a silent prayer to Dende, requesting him to stop the demi-saiyajin from killing the human, and then, he shot coldly, "He did not use cheap tricks, Mr. Satan. Apparition, as what you call it, is actually a technique called Shunkan Idou, which allows the uses to teleport from one place to another using ki."

"Hmph, so we have a combat smart-ass here!" Mr. Satan commented with a snort, and once again, he laughed until his sides hurt. "How unfortunate for you, my boy. You're living in an illusion of your dead father, a useless, good-for-nothing man who is a trickster and li---" his voice was abruptly cut off as Gohan angrily slammed his fist on the table, splitting it into two.

"Don't. Insult. My. Father," he hissed in a very cold tone that sent shivers down everyone's spines. To prevent himself from exterminating the human, he merely left the room.

"You seem upset," a soft female voice greeted Gohan as he walked up into the balcony to get some air. He turned his head to the side slightly to see who it was, when he saw a stunningly beautiful young woman who stood by the railings. She had long black hair that reached to her waist, and gleaming sapphire blue eyes. She was wearing a beautiful scarlet and ebony gown that almost touched the floor, and in a very graceful manner than Gohan could not seem to take his eyes off her.

Then the spell broke as she turned around to look at the scenery that spread before them. He then walked towards her, and then he slumped against the railings as he heaved a sigh. To his surprise, he found her presence comforting, and the next thing he knew, he was pouring out what he felt at the moment. "How would you feel if someone insulted your father, called him a useless and good-for-nothing when he isn't?"

"Well, I'd feel really bad, so I'd give that person a good kick in the head," she replied in a dead serious tone. She then turned to look at him for a few moments, and then she held out her glass. "Champagne?"

"No, thank you," Gohan replied as he shook his head slightly, and then he returned to what they were talking about. "Well... I would have done that, really. But... it'll only cause me trouble."

She took a sip from her glass, then she put it down on the railing. "At least you've got common sense. Many people have been hurt because they let their anger cloud their common sense. A mistake so easy to make, unfortunately." She paused, and then she smiled. "By the way, I'm Kauri. Kauri Levenheit."

"Son Gohan."

"You're Son Gohan?!" Kauri asked with wide eyes, and when Gohan nodded, she shook his hand. "I'm so honored to meet you, Gohan! I've been wanting to meet you for quite some time already! After all, who would not want to meet the martial artist who beat Cell when he was only 11 years old?"

Gohan paled as he heard the words beat Cell and 11 years old. He looked at Kauri with a look of disbelief on his face. How... how did she know? She... She can't read minds, can she? Oh no... I'm in big trouble... I'm in BIG trouble!

At that very moment, they heard someone clear her throat loudly, and they spun around to see Videl, who was walking towards them with a stern look on her face. Her eyes were filled with jealousy, but Gohan was too naive to notice it. "Kauri Levenheit, I presume?" she asked the other girl with a sharp tone.

Kauri smiled, despite of Videl's coldness towards her. "Yes, that is I. And undeniably, you're Ms. Videl Satan, Champion of Justice and daughter of the martial artist who saved the world from Cell," she blurted out as she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you in person at last."

Videl did not move. She just stood there, the coldness still reflected on her features. However, something else was going on in her mind. It was Kauri, and it was not only because of her flirtatious acts with Gohan. If I'm not mistaken... Levenheit and I already met before, a few years ago. And... something's not quite right with the way she looks. Oh I don't know, I'm not really good in remembering names and faces, but why do I have this feeling that... something's not right with her...?

Trying to hide her embarassment, Kauri immediately put her hand away, for obviously it was not a pleasure on Videl's part to meet her. She then backed away from them, to give them the opportunity to talk, although she still kept close enough for her to hear their every word.

"I'm sorry for my father's rudeness, Gohan," Videl began, as she turned her back towards Kauri. "His ego is as big as he is, so I wouldn't take him seriously if I were you. Let's go back inside now, the dinner is nearly finished and you haven't---" her voice trailed off as both Gohan and Kauri stiffened, and she clearly noticed that. "Gohan, what's---"

The demi-saiyajin then put his finger to his lips, and he shut his eyes as he tried to detect the owner of the ki signature he was feeling at the moment. Then his eyes snapped wide open, as Kauri tackled both of them to the floor.

And a short second after, an energy beam shot up from below. The blast hit the floor above the balcony, sending debris flying towards them, and fire began to blaze. Chaos soon erupted in no time.

Gohan then helped Videl up, as he made sure that she was safe and unhurt. He then turned around to face Kauri, to mumble a few words of thanks to her, but she was gone. Again, that puzzled him, but he knew he had no time to think about it. He turned back to Videl, who was trembling in fright and in shock. "Videl, get out of here. I'll go check things out. Leave me, now!"

"But Gohan---" Videl objected, but her voice trailed off as Gohan pressed his lips against hers but a moment, and when the kiss broke off, they both had puzzled looks on their faces. For Gohan, he did not know what made him do start up such an act. For Videl, she did not know what made her give in to his act when she could have just pushed him away.

Videl, you have to leave. I will take care of this matter. Please, go. The people need you, Videl. They need the Champion of Justice to help them out. The Great Saiyaman isn't available at the moment, so they'll have to make do with you.

Gohan, please, take care! I... I don't want you to go, but... I know that you have to. Just... come back to me. Come back to me alive. We've got so much to do, and so much to talk about. I... I...

"GO!" Gohan yelled with his voice this time --- he did not know that they had been talking to each other with their minds --- and in response, Videl immediately got up to her feet, and ran off to save the citizen of Satan City.

The demi-saiyajin, on the other hand, jolted up into the air as he searched for his target. The moment he found it, he took off at top speed, determined to catch up with the person behind it all. He forgot to transform into the Great Saiyaman as he flew across Satan City, but because of his speed he merely looked like a blur from down below.

I have to hurry, he told himself as he tried to increase his speed in vain. If I won't, I'm going to lose him, the evil-minded being responsible for the commotion at Mr. Satan's dinner. Not that I really care... but... Videl was nearly hurt. And I'm going to make sure that he's going to pay for it.

Advertisement: I forgot the story ID, but it's Frozenflower's new fic, and it's called Wishes Never Do Come True... Wait. Does it have the do or not? Oh nevermind. Just check out her latest story, it's about Goten, and it's really angsty, and so far, it's the second fic that made me tear up. *sniff*

Next chapter: Gohan battles the mysterious person who's behind the assault on him at Mr. Satan's dinner! For those of you who read the original version already -- Kat, Christa, Miss Lous, Vsd2oc -- you'll see that Gohan's battle will be longer and more detailed. I want to really show how powerful his enemy is, and that's what I'm going to be doing in the next chapter. So until then, everyone!