Disclaimer—I don't own DB/Z/GT

A/N—Don't glare at me like that!  Everything I put in this chapter was NECESSARY!  ::prepares for flames::  Two chapters in one day!  Aren't you proud of me?

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Gohan touched down lightly on the lawn of Capsule Corporation.  The day had been long, and rumors had flown wildly about the Gold Fighter.

Putting a tired hand to his head, Gohan walked up and knocked on the Brief's front door.  It was opened a second later by a purple haired child who squealed and threw himself at Gohan he second he saw him.

"Whoa!  Hey there Trunks," Gohan said, tossing the laughing child into the air, "Is your mom around, kiddo?"

Trunks was a bit let down that Gohan wasn't here to play with him, but he nodded and led the way to Bulma's lab anyway.  Anything for Gohan.

Bulma looked up, startled, as Trunks and Gohan walked into the room.  She studied the dark haired boy before her, then sent Trunks off to get them some refreshments.  "So, Gohan, what brings you here today?"

Gohan looked at his feet and blushed as the question that had been on his mind all day popped out of his mouth, "Why didn't you tell me that Hercule Satan was the one who took credit for the Cell Games?  I mean," Gohan hesitated, "Were you afraid of what I'd do or something?"

Bulma saw the mortified half-fearful look on the teenager's face and rushed to reassure him, "No!  Oh, no Gohan, that's not it at all!  I thought that Chi-Chi would tell you, but—now that I think of it, she might not know…"

Gohan's eyes grew confused, "What do you mean?  Why wouldn't she know?"

Bulma's eyes grew soft with sympathy as she replied, "Well, Chi-Chi was very—out of it after you….died.  She wouldn't talk to anyone, she wouldn't eat—she only managed to pull herself together when she found out that she was pregnant with Goten.  She—took it all very hard.  I think that if it wasn't for Goten…" Bulma trailed off as she saw the look of horror and self-blame growing in Gohan's eyes.  "Now don't you dare young man!"  Gohan's head jerked up, "Don't you dare blame yourself for that, I won't let you!"

Gohan blinked and took a step back at Bulma's vehement tone, then ventured a small, tremulous smile.  He could certainly see why Bulma and Vegeta had ended up together.  "Actually," Gohan started over, "That wasn't what I came here to ask you about." 

Gohan explained about his day, and his need for a disguise.  Bulma looked at him wordlessly for a moment, then nodded, and smiled.  "Like father, like son," she said with grin as she pushed him out of the room, "Go play with Trunks or something.  I'll cook you up something good!"

Gohan blushed at the compliment as she compared him to his father, and let himself be pushed.  After an hour playing with the exuberant Trunks, Gohan felt like he'd been the recipient of a 'training' session with Zarbon.  Bruised and singed, he pulled himself into Bulma's lab and flopped down on a convenient couch.  "Urgh," he replied intelligently to Bulma's questioning look.

Bulma stifled a giggle at the beaten teenager on her couch.  Trunks sure had done a number on him!  The smirking scientist proudly pulled out a watch like device and thrust it at Gohan as Trunks bounced into the room to peer at the weary Gohan curiously.  "Go ahead, try it on!  I designed it myself," she grinned smugly.

Gohan shyly took the watch from her outstretched hand and put it onto his wrist.  Listening to her explanation, he pressed the little red button, and turned to the mirror.  He saw himself—in a black, spandex under-suit, with a baggy green neon top, and a flamboyant red cape.  On his head, he wore what looked to be an orange-ish motorcycle helmet with two antennae protruding out the top.  In short, he looked ridiculous.

Gohan turned back to Bulma, not really sure what to say, "Uhh, thanks?"  Gohan quickly nudged Trunks in the ribs to keep the boy from laughing.  Bulma was so proud of her creation—he just couldn't tell her what he really thought.

Well, at least it was a disguise.  No one would expect quiet Son Gohan to show up in such a flashy (tacky) outfit.  Vegeta, attracted perhaps, by the fact that his son was rolling around on the floor, convulsed with laughter, walked into the lab.  Seeing Gohan standing there in his suit, Vegeta quirked an eyebrow ironically.  Suddenly, Gohan got an idea.  Swinging into a complicated routine of cheesy maneuvers that only Vegeta would recognize, Gohan grinned questioningly at the Saiyan Prince.

Vegeta was silent for a moment, then replied in an amused tone, "The Ginyu Force would roll over in their graves if they saw that."

Gohan smirked, "I know."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, but nodded.  If the boy wanted to mock the Ginyu Force by performing their elite moves while in that ridiculous costume, Vegeta wasn't going to stop him.  First, the Ginyu Force deserved the mockery.  Second, Vegeta found it sort of funny—not much amused the Saiyan Prince, and he certainly wasn't going to chase away those things that did.  But there was no way he was going to let the boy get away with even a small amount of self-deception.  He knew why Gohan mocked the Ginyu force.  Vegeta glared significantly at Gohan and saw the boy flush under his gaze.  Good.  Mocking the morons that had caused him pain in the past was one thing, deceiving himself as to the source of that mockery was another.  Vegeta grabbed Trunks by one arm and pulled him out of the room and towards the gravity room to train.

Gohan gazed angrily after Vegeta.  Why did he have to have that knowing look?  Why couldn't he just let well enough alone?  Gohan made his hasty goodbyes to Bulma, and started off towards home, Vegeta's knowing eyes slamming through his head.  Far below on the city streets, Gohan faintly heard the sounds of a woman screaming.  Quickly, he pressed the button on his watch, transforming into the thus far unnamed Superhero.

Quickly descending, Gohan felt rage boiling beneath his skin as he saw the source of the screams.  It was a young woman in a fetid side alley.  She was being raped. 

The thoughts that he had been trying to suppress since his little 'conversation' with Vegeta surged to the surface.  Larger then life images of Zarbon, Jeice, Recoom swam relentlessly through his head.  It was just another form of torture—a form of pain, humiliation and shame.  Just another way of making him to bow to Frieza's will.  Nothing more.  It was disgusting, it was vile, it was painful and humiliating, but it was no worse than the beatings he had received, Gohan tried to convince himself. 

But if that were true, why were THOSE faces the ones that still haunted his dreams?

These thoughts stabbed through Gohan's skull as the girl's screams echoed painfully in his eardrums.  The screams hurt all the more because they were so familiar.  Setting down beside the monster that paraded in human form, Gohan mercilessly blasted the rapist into a pile of ashes.  Some people deserved to die.  Carefully, he knelt and pulled the shivering girl into his arms, cradling her gently as she tried to wince away.  Landing at a nearby hospital, Gohan silently turned the girl over to the hospital staff.  When asked his name, Gohan pushed aside his raging emotions and replied stiffly after a moment, 'Saiyan Man' as he turned and left the hospital.

Flying home, Gohan focused on controlling the anger that was swamping his thoughts.  The incident with the girl had disturbed him more than it should have.  He should be over it by now, but he wasn't.  He knew her pain.

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The next day at school, Gohan heard rumors of a new superhero named, 'Saiyaman.'  He shrugged and returned to his studies.  It didn't really matter what they called him.  Gold Fighter, Saiyan Man, Saiyaman.  No matter the name, he would protect the citizens of Satan City.  His thoughts flashed back to the girl from the day before, and the pencil splintered unknowingly in his grasp as his classmates gasped in shock, and Videl looked on with suspicious eyes.  Sometimes help came too late.

***R&R Please!***

*Advertizing*--Alrighty!  For a change of pace, read "Temptation Waits" by Vegeta Goddess.  storyid: 736993  This is one of the most incredibly amusing fics I have ever read.  Oh, it hurts to read it it's so funny.  Vegeta and Bulma, stuck on a spaceship in the middle of nowhere, Vegeta's in heat, and he's SOOOO flirtatious, Bulma punishes his bad pickup lines by playing BARNEY over and over again…..Inevitably, Veggie's going insane—so what does he do?  Develop a secret friend of course!  Lucas, the incredibly good looking elf is here to help you Vegeta—or, ::glares suspiciously:: Does he just want to steal Bulma?!