Chapter Six
Gohan blinked his eyes, and all of a sudden another month of school had past. At least that's what it felt like anyway. Time seemed to move at a much quicker pace recently than Gohan was use to experiencing. That could've been contributed to the fact that for the first time since the passing of his father, Gohan for the most part was happy and content with his life. His mother watched on happily as the change slowly came over her son, and that was all the proof she needed to know that sending him out into the world was the best choice.
As the weeks past Gohan found himself getting closer to his two new friends, especially Videl. Her personality had done a near three sixty since Gohan's first day of school, at least towards Gohan anyway. Her attitude pretty much stayed the same towards most every one else, but now Gohan seemed to harbor special treatment no one could really understand. If it were any other girl most of the students probably would've accused her of having a crush on Gohan, but they refrained out of fear Videl might kick the living tar out of them if they dare try to tease her about it. Gohan noticed the change from the cold hostile young lady he first met, to the sweet and cheerful girl Gohan wondered why she didn't show more often. Only around him it seemed, and Ryo to a lesser extent. Gohan wasn't complaining though. He might not have been sure why but he felt good when he was around her, and that's all he really cared about.
Whenever a boy and a girl even appeared to get close in the high school world, the rumors are bound to start flying that those two people are more then just friends. At Orange Star High in particular this was an occurrence that was practically unavoidable, and it didn't help matters much that the two teens had been practically joined at the hip for weeks now. It happened so suddenly, what else could they tell people? It literally happened over night. Of course both Gohan and Videl both denied the rumors, both in their own subtle and not so subtle ways. Videl would usually get irritated and sometimes even angry whenever the subject was brought up, sometimes even tossing threats at persistent and repeat offenders. This wound up doing her more harm then good for the people who knew Videl best knew a Videl quick to anger was usually a Videl hiding something. Well… Different types of anger from what they were use to. Gohan had a much simpler approach, one that, much like Videl's, fit his personality. He'd simply brush it off like it was nothing, or even laugh at times as if it were some kind of joke.
While most of the student body thought the pair would make a cute couple, regardless whether the rumors were true or not, there were a few who didn't care much for the idea. Sharpner for instance wasn't even wild about the idea of the two even being friends… Especially considering he seemed to get pushed out of the picture to make room for him. Sharpner noticed Videl passing by him in the hallway and called out to her, but keeping consistent with the way she'd been acting recently, she totally blew him off. However, Sharpner wasn't the type of guy that was ignored easily.
"Hey Videl wait up!" Videl didn't turn around until she felt a strong hand touch her shoulder. She frowned when she saw Sharpner standing behind her, arrogant grin and all. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"
"Excuse me?" Videl cocked an eyebrow. She honestly wasn't aware Sharpner was even in school that morning until that moment. One of the means she developed to adapt to her popularity was by toning out many of the countless voices that called out to her on a daily basis, only responding to the important voices she wanted to recognize. It was a short selective list, and needless to say Sharpner hadn't made the cut.
"Videl I'm hurt."
"What's the matter, did you pull something staring at yourself in the mirror again?"
Sharpner sweat dropped. A brief wave of discomfort quickly gave way to his usual cocky expression. "Um… No. I was just wondering why you've been avoiding the guys and me. You don't ever sit with us during lunch anymore, and I never see you outside of school now-a-days."
"I've found better things to do with my time," Videl stated flatly, as she started back down the hall.
"And what would that be?!" Sharpner shrieked, finding himself growing agitated with Videl's constant attitude with him. After all, he deserved better then that. He was Sharpner, the object of every woman's affection, or at least that's the way he saw himself in his own eyes. Satan or no Satan, Sharpner believed Videl should be throwing herself at his feet rather then giving him the cold shoulder. "Getting buddy-buddy with those two loser friends of yours?! Really Videl, when did you decide to start hanging out with dorks anyway?!"
Videl stopped and growled softly, intimidating Sharpner enough that he took a couple steps back. "You know I really don't appreciate you talking about them like that, but if your going to persist on calling them dorks Sharpner then… I have more in common with them then I do anyone else in this entire school, so I guess that means that I'm a dork too."
Sharpner's eyes widened in confusion. "No, that can't be right… Your Videl Satan, your one of us."
"Ha!" Videl snorted, a smug grin crossing her lips. "One of you... The only thing I am is what you just said. I'm Videl Satan, and nothing else! For your information Sharpner I'm not hanging out with dorks, I merely stopped that's all."
"But… But… You still talk to Erasa!"
"That's because I actually like Erasa… For some strange warped reason." Videl walked away from Sharpner with that, leaving him with his mouth hanging open as he stared after her.
"That… That didn't go like I hoped at all…"
----------
Study hall… Pretty much a pointless time of day when there's really nothing to study at that time. When faced with that situation it was pretty much a time for friends to sit around, and talk about whatever comes to mind. That's what Gohan, Videl, and Ryo were doing as they all were gathered together at the table in the library they normally shared.
"Have you guys ever had a lucid dream?" Ryo asked out of the blue.
"What does that mean?" Videl asked.
Gohan answered for him. "He means a dream where you can control the outcome. Actually take part in what's happening."
Videl frowned. "But that's impossible, you can't control your dreams! The question's irrelevant then, it's not possible to have a lucid dream."
Ryo smiled confidently. "Come on Videl, you have no imagination! Believe it or not I've had a few."
"You have not! Do you really expect us to believe that you can control your own dreams?!"
"I have to agree with Videl Ryo. It does seem rather far out of the realm of possibility. I've had dreams that have felt so real it almost feels like I've actually lived them, but I've never been able to dictate the outcome of any of them… They're always preset, we never have any control or idea to what's going to happen next."
"Well, that's kind of what I'm getting at. I'm not saying that I can control my dreams necessarily. What I mean is that sometimes I know what's going, I know I'm dreaming and I know I'm going to wake up eventually. It's kind of like I'm semi-conscious even though I'm supposed to be in the middle of the dream stage of sleep."
"But if your conscious then you can't really be asleep can you?" Videl asked, her curiosity starting to peak.
"That's a good question… Maybe that would explain why I'm so tired all the time," Ryo joked somewhat seriously. "Anyway, I have a rather fertile imagination, and I believe my dreams are kind of out of whack because of it. I don't have normal dreams like most people do, there's always something out of place that doesn't belong that tips me off that I'm dreaming. Like the school would be set up in a different formation in just about every dream for instance, or their would be a tele-tubby or something dancing around in the background. Trust me, if I really could control my dreams I would've pulled out a shotgun and shot the damn thing!"
"I think I understand what you're saying," Gohan spoke up, trying to remember some of his own dreams. "I've had a few dreams where for one reason or another I knew I was dreaming…"
"Well, I haven't. My dreams are pretty basic, so I guess I'm just boring compared to you guys in that department." Videl blushed as she thought about one particularly racy dream she had about Gohan just recently.
"But that's not all!" Ryo said, very much into and excited over the subject he was discussing. "Because my dreams are so strange more times then not, I usually can always tell when I'm dreaming or when I'm actually awake. I've always been pretty adept at distinguishing reality from fantasy anyway. Anyhow, I've actually had dreams where I've forced myself to wake up when I didn't care for where the dream was headed. I remember one night when I woke myself up six times, but every time I'd fall back to sleep the dream would pick up right where it left off. I've actually dreamt about waking up in my room before a few times. I know it was a dream because my room was set up all wrong, or I'd look out an open door that was supposed to be closed and see my brother walking by. I know this has to be a dream because I don't have a brother!"
"That would make it rather difficult to see him wouldn't it?" Gohan kidded, as he and Videl both smiled.
"I'll have to hand it to you Ryo," Videl added. "Even your dreams are unique."
Ryo smiled at the conclusion of his speech, and that smile only widened when he noticed how close together Gohan and Videl were sitting. Ryo was about as observant of a person you would ever meet, and he could pick up on things that would completely go over even the greatest thinkers head. You could probably have fit three or four more chairs on either side of Gohan or Videl, and yet here they were with their chairs so close they were practically sitting in each other's lap. Never one to miss an opportunity to make his friends blush, Ryo jumped all over this one.
"So… I know the rumor mill has been churning out stuff about you guys for a month now, hell Erasa and I supplied most of the lumber." Ryo paused to take in the expressions coming over his friend's faces. Videl frowned, while Gohan smiled sheepishly as a bead of sweat dripped down his cheek. Nether one of them was thrilled with him or Erasa for getting the school started on that kick, not that the rumors wouldn't have started up if they hadn't anyway. "So tell me… From the looks of you two sometimes I wonder… You guys haven't been doing anything behind my back have you?"
Ryo held back a laugh, as they both saw red. Gohan was mostly embarrassed while Videl looked ready to kill. "Of course not Ryo! If something was going on, I wouldn't have any trouble telling the world, but there isn't! We're just friends got it, and we don't need you and everyone else talking like there is! Right Gohan!"
"If you say so…" Gohan said reluctantly. Something about the tone in her voice hit a soft spot somewhere. Gee, I don't think the ideas that hideous Videl… It may not be true, but it's nothing to get so worked up over. I guess she really doesn't think that much of me…
"Okay, if you guys insist, I guess I'll have to believe you," Ryo said sarcastically, making it clear he didn't believe them. "Gohan's still rather new here, but what's your excuse then Videl? Your one of the most popular and well-known girls in this animal house we call a school, yet somehow you've managed to squeak through all this time without a boyfriend…"
"So what?!" Videl barked, blushing ever so slightly. "I don't need a guy, nor do I want one! That's the reason why I've never had a boyfriend!"
"Okay, okay! I was only kidding with you, no need to shoot me the death glare now!"
"I don't know Videl… That was a rather brash comment. Maybe that's just Ryo's way of hinting that he likes you." Gohan gave Videl a wink, asking her to play along. Videl picked up on the hint, sensing an opportunity to get back at her smart-aleck friend.
"Now that you mention it, it would explain some things." Videl grinned evilly. "You're a cute guy, but you've never had a girlfriend Ryo. Is that because you have a crush on me? Oh, isn't that cute!"
"No, I didn't mean for it to sound like that! I mean… I…" Ryo's face went red when he heard her call him cute, but things only got worse with the accusation that followed. As he began to defend himself, he almost forgot whom it was he was talking to. Not wanting to make her angry, Ryo decided to just tell them the truth no matter how difficult it might be for him. "Don't get me wrong, you're a sweet girl Videl but I… That is I mean to say that I'm kind of… Spoken for."
Expressions of shock and surprise fell over Gohan and Videl's faces. They looked at each other, and then back at Ryo as small mischievous grins crept onto their lips. "You're kidding! You mean to tell us you have a girlfriend?!"
"And you never told us about her?" Gohan added.
"Well you see the thing is… She's not really my… We're not together officially per say… Let's just say I have someone I really care about, but as for right now as far as I know she doesn't feel the same way about me. I'm hoping that either one day she'll come around and realize I'm right for her, or that I'll eventually get over her and be able to get on with my life. Until one of those two things happens, I'm just kind of hanging around and waiting things out."
Videl frowned slightly with concern "I see… So, she doesn't feel the same way about you?"
"I'm not sure," Ryo sighed. "I know she cares about me, hell she's my best friend really. She was kind of shy and quiet like me, and was very uncomfortable about romantic things like that… She's a lot more open about it now, but she's still never said anything to me if she ever felt anything for me. It doesn't help matters much that I've had to move around so much. By the time she learned my phone number, I was already switching to a new one. It's hard to keep in touch with someone who's on the move all the time like I was… I've finally gotten settled into one place now, but by now it's probably already too late."
"I wouldn't worry about it much. I know this is going to sound cheesy, but if it was meant to be she'll come around," Videl encouraged. "If she doesn't then she's a fool to let a guy like you slip away from her. Just do us all a favor, and don't keep yourself waiting for something that might never happen for to long."
"I won't," Ryo smiled.
"Don't get discouraged, you never know how she might feel about you," Gohan chimed in. "Remember what they say. Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Ryo frowned. "That's a load of crap if I ever heard it. Absence sucks!"
As part of a delayed reaction, Gohan and Videl couldn't help but giggle. Ryo lowered his brow in agitation initially, but soon Ryo found himself laughing right along with them.
"So, would you mind if I asked you what her name is?" Videl asked, after the laughter had ceased.
"If it's all the same to you I'd rather not at this time… It's still kind of a touchy subject for me. I can't believe I actually sat here and talked about her this much."
Gohan could sense Ryo really didn't want to be talking about this subject anymore, and from the looks of Videl she wasn't quite set on taking no for an answer. Understanding as well as anyone how important it could be to keep certain things to yourself, Gohan decided to intervene on behalf of his friend. He'd been stalling on giving this invitation long enough as it was anyway. "Hey guys, I just remembered something."
Mission accomplished. Videl's attention left Ryo, and diverted towards him. "What?"
"Well I was just wondering," Gohan began, as he looked Videl in the eye. "My mom's been bugging me for days now to meet the new friends I've made at school, and I figured today would be as good a time as any. I was just wondering if you'd like to come over to my house for dinner tonight?"
"What? Really?…" Videl blushed slightly, and responded almost shyly. "Gee, I'd love to…"
"Great! How about you Ryo?"
Videl face faulted. "Ryo?!"
Ryo cocked an eyebrow, wearing a rather odd smirk on his face. "Oh really now Videl?! He did say friends mind you. From the sound of it you make it seem like my presence is a burden to you. Well, it's nice to know what you really think of me."
"That's not what I meant Ryo! It's was just that I…" Videl stopped herself before she could say something she'd regret. It was true, she had thought Gohan was asking her at first, and was a little disheartened to hear that invitation extended to Ryo as well.
"Don't worry about it. I'm tied up this evening anyway. You two kids have fun tonight." Ryo made a clicking noise with his tongue as he fled from the table. Both Gohan and Videl knew what he was insinuating with that comment, but for this one time they ignored it.
"Crap, I didn't mean to make him think I didn't want him to come along," Videl said, as she watched Ryo disappear into the reference section of the library.
"I'm sure he knows that Videl. Besides, he did say he was busy tonight anyway."
Videl groaned at Gohan's apparent social ignorance. "Gohan, he's not busy tonight! That's what everybody says when they feel they're not welcome somewhere."
"It does?" Gohan asked, an innocent look of confusion on his face.
"Forget it. I'll talk to him about it in a minute… So, what time did you want me to come over?"
"Hmm… About seven o'clock. I do live kind of far out, so that should give you enough time to get there and back. Oh, and there is one more thing… I haven't exactly told my mother you were a girl yet."
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"At first possibly, until she gets use to the idea. She'll most likely jump to conclusions, and assume the wrong thing when she finds out I'm bringing a girl home with me."
A wicked smile crossed Videl's lips. "Oh yeah, like that's not something the entire school hasn't done already, and that we're not completely use to by now!"
Gohan sweat dropped. "You don't understand Videl… My mother's kind of different. In fact, you remind me a little bit of her."
"Really? How's that?"
Another bead of sweat rolled down his face. "Well… I'd tell you, but I'm afraid you might smack me if I did."
"Should I do it know, or wait until you tell me!" Videl barked, a frown burning into her face. "I'm going to smack you around either way, so you're better off just telling me!"
"Didn't you say you needed to talk to Ryo?"
Ryo spied on Gohan and Videl from the sanctuary of all the rows of books , softly snickering to himself. He knew why Videl had gotten upset when she found out Gohan's offer wasn't directed solely towards her , but he wasn't angry with her at all. In fact, he thought it was rather cute, especially her pathetic attempt to cover it up after she put her foot in her mouth. Poor Gohan too, oblivious to everything as usual. Maybe some time alone would get those two kids out of their shells. Ryo watched as Videl and Gohan started to laugh about something, before she finally got up out of her seat and headed in his direction. Ryo knew instantly she was coming to find him, so he quickly hid his nose into a book he yanked randomly off the shelf.
"Hey Ryo?… Can I talk to you a second?"
Ryo put on his best smile, trying hard not to laugh. "No problem Videl. What's on your mind?"
Videl wasn't normally the nervous type, nor did she ever really worry about saying something that might offend somebody else. However, Videl had developed some different views on these types of situations over the past month or so, at least when it came down to her friends. "I didn't mean to imply that I didn't want you to come along with me to Gohan's tonight… If I did I'm sorry. If you want to come, that's fine with me, I'd rather you do! Please don't stay away just because you think I don't want you around or something. I really don't want you to think that…"
Now Ryo couldn't help but chuckle. Videl frowned at his nerve. Here she was legitimately concerned about him, and he was standing there laughing at her. "I know you didn't mean it that way Videl. I'm flattered that you're worried about offending me, but I honestly have previously arranged plans this evening."
"That's a relief…" Videl sighed in acceptance. "As long as you're just not coming because of me."
"Well that does have a bit to do with it." Videl should have known what was coming by the devious grin that attacked the boy's face. "I hate being a third wheel, and I wouldn't want to intrude on you two. I can only imagine you guys would appreciate getting some time alone."
"Ryo! You know it's not like!" Videl growled through gritted teeth. "We're just friends! That's it!"
"Sure you are. Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you'll start believing it yourself. Come on Videl, you can tell me. You like him don't you? Why else would you be blushing right now?"
Videl's face got even darker. "Well… I'll make you a deal! You tell me what your girlfriend's name is, and just maybe I'll tell you what you're wanting to hear!"
Ryo blushed himself, and turned his head away in defeat. "Okay, you win. I'll drop the subject for now. You have fun tonight okay."
"You too. Later Ryo."
********
Goten felt the adrenaline surge through his body, every ounce of it at one point or another seemingly settling in the pit of his stomach before injecting itself back through his veins. A by product of his Sayian heritage, the half of him he either knew nothing about and what little he did know he was rather young to understand. He didn't know that little not even seven year old body already held more power then most adult humans could ever dream of possessing. He wasn't aware of the destructive past his people use to reek across the universe. He had no way of knowing that with just the slightest bit of training he could easily destroy the very earth itself. No seven year old should have to worry about things like that, and Goten wouldn't have to worry about those things until hopefully much later in his life. His only concerns were making sure he was inside the house before dark, and what was for dinner on a nightly basis.
That all changed once Vegeta got a hold of him. At least to the ignorance of the half of his heritage he knew only bits and pieces of from his brother Gohan. Vegeta left out just about all of the details Goten had no need to know about at this stage of his life, such as the purging of planets for the planet trade and his father's original mission to purge the very planet he called home. What he did share with him was the art of fighting, and the Sayian reputation as one of the fiercest warrior races to ever raise a fist in combat. Vegeta had even admitted to Bulma once that the technique his mother had taught him to that point was impressive, for a human woman anyway. Vegeta never forced anything on Goten either. Everything Vegeta had taught him was completely voluntary on Goten's part. The Sayian blood coursing through his veins had always been laced with the desire to fight, even at such a youthful age, and that was a side to Goten he was never fully able to satisfy until he began training with Vegeta and Trunks.
A bead of sweat dripped down Goten's face, as he looked at his friend who was panting just as hard as he was. Trunks looked back at him, their eyes asking each other what they should do next. Vegeta, waiting for their next move from about ten feet away form them, stamped his foot impatiently with his arms crossed against his chest.
"Come on boys, I don't have all day!" Vegeta tried to goad the boys into resuming their offensive. "Are you two quitting already? If you're giving up already then that's just fine with me. I'll take you over to Bulma so she can change your diapers for you!"
That little insult seemed to be all the motivation the boys needed. They rushed Vegeta again, throwing punches and kicks that didn't even come close to landing. The much more experienced Vegeta smirked, as he maneuvered out of the way of everything the two boys could throw at him. Once he felt he had played with the boys enough, he swatted at the boys sending them both crashing to the ground again. They were pretty much Sayian love taps, of course a Sayian love tap was enough to break most normal humans in half, but strong enough to rattle the kids cages.
"Hmm… Impressive. You two must be improving, I almost broke a sweat that time!" Vegeta was taken back a bit, when Goten and Trunks quickly charged at him again unexpectedly. He smirked, recognizing what it was. Sayian pride, the drive to continue fighting until the end even when you knew there was no way of winning. He was proud to see that instinct wasn't lost in the human side of the Demi-Sayians.
However, Vegeta was completely unprepared for what would happen next. He noted that the boy's attacks were becoming slightly harder to dodge, but that wasn't much of a problem. Little did he now it was merely building up to something much bigger. The two boys suddenly exploded into a golden light, eyes changing into a bright turquoise, and sending their hair burning into a golden blonde. Vegeta's eyes widened at the sight of their transformations, and that distraction gave Goten and Trunks ample opportunity to land two punches dead into his face, sending the Prince of the Sayians flying. Trunks and Goten froze in complete shock that they even managed to land a punch on Vegeta let alone knock him half way across the gravity room.
"That was certainly unexpected," Vegeta groaned, as he sat up and shook the cobwebs out of his head. He glared at the two young Super Sayians who quickly powered down, and hovered to the ground wearing looks that said they had just done something wrong.
"What? How?…" Vegeta stuttered as he stalked over to the boys, the shock finally settling in as he reached them. Vegeta's demeanor calmed before he asked his next question. "How long? Has this been going on I mean. I know I'm not that good of a teacher, and from the looks of things going Super Sayian seemed almost natural to you."
Goten gave Trunks a look that begged him to be the one to answer his father. Trunks looked rather meek underneath his father's gaze, as he dragged his foot against the ground. "For a while now… As long as I can remember really."
"Me too," Goten said innocently.
"We didn't say anything because we were worried how everyone might react if they found out we were Super Sayians already… Okay, I was worried. Goten didn't seem to care, but he never worries about anything…"
Vegeta barely understood his son, as he found himself cycling through various emotions. Surprise. A tint of jealously that his son could already achieve a level of strength it took him years to reach. Disappointment that the peak of the Sayian race had been apparently reduced to a child's toy. Mostly, he just felt pride that his son turned out to be a chip off the old Sayian block. Eventually, Vegeta decided to go against all of them and began to laugh.
"Don't sound so nervous Trunks. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You are my son after all, and I should've expected no less from you. Nor should I have probably expected any less from the youngest brat of Kakarott."
Goten's eyes lit up at the mention of the name Vegeta referred to his father by. He'd gotten use to the occasional brat remarks, and had learned to tone them out. "Really? Hey Vegeta… What was my father like?"
Vegeta smirked slightly, as he cycled through his memories of his archrival. Goten and Trunks looked up at him with curiosity in their little eyes as Vegeta began to speak. "He was a good man Goten, and a strong warrior. Though it pains me to admit it, he was the strongest in the world at his time. Even me, and held that title until your own brother eclipsed him. However, that was then, and this is now. I've trained hard over these past six and a half years, and I do believe I have surpassed both of them by now. I hope to meet your father again one of these days in combat, and prove my Sayian abilities once and for all by beating the tar out of him. No offense kid."
"Sure," Goten giggled.
"Now, enough of this idle chat. Both of you! Transform and come at me again! Don't hold anything back! I want to see how strong you two really are!"
Goten and Trunks looked at each other, and smiled in a way that was purely Sayian before powering back up to Super Sayians.
********
Videl was glad you didn't have to deal with traffic in the air like you did on the ground. If she had been driving a car instead of her helicopter she probably would've caused a twelve-car pile up on the highway by now. She hadn't the slightest clue why she was so nervous. She was just going to friends house for dinner, and that was it. But then why was she a bundle of nerves at the moment? Why was she acting so funny? She had never worried about what she wore before. She had never once worried how her hair looked before. Eventually she realized just how silly she was being, and decided to present herself as she normally would. It was only Gohan after all… Right?
"Get a grip Videl, there's nothing to be afraid of! Its just Gohan, and he's only a guy!… A cute, hot, attractive guy but he's still just a guy… Why am I even thinking like this?! I sound like some kind of tipsy Jr. High girl with a crush!"
That's because you are one, the only difference is you're a high school student.
"What do you know?! Lousy smart ass, know-it-all inner voice…"
Videl sighed, and refocused her attention on locating Gohan's home. She knew she was in the area, she had flown by his house once before when she practically had to force him to let her fly him home when he was stricken with the flu. She knew the approximate area of his home, but finding it in the jumbled mess of trees and mountains wasn't an easy task. If only that twit hadn't pulled what he did the month before she wouldn't be feeling or acting this way right now. He couldn't just leave her alone, he just had to reach out to her and touch her in a way no one had before. Videl wasn't quite there yet, but she was dangerously close to admitting it to herself. Of all things, Videl Satan was falling for a guy… Yuck.
"Take it easy Gohan," Chi-Chi ordered her son, who was busy pacing back and forth from the living room to the kitchen nervously. "These are your friends after all, so I don't see why you're so nervous."
"Actually I do have a good reason," Gohan said shakily. Actually he had a couple reasons. He was slightly nervous over Videl coming over to his home, but he didn't have the time to worry about that much. She was do to arrive any minute now, and there was still one fact about her Gohan had neglected to mention to his mother. "I'm just a little nervous about you meeting my friends and vice-versa."
"I don't see why," his mother continued. "Based off what I've heard you tell me about this Ryo boy, he sounds like a fine young man to me. If he's as intelligent as you've said he is, then he sounds like a good influence on you if anything."
"Um… Well about that, Ryo couldn't make it today. He already had a previous engagement."
"Oh really?" Chi-Chi appeared slightly confused. "Then who's coming over then?"
"Another friend of mine…" Gohan said with short breath.
"Is that so? I haven't heard you mention any other friends by name before. What's his name?"
"Well, that's the thing mom. Please don't overreact or anything but… *Her* name is Videl…"
"What?!" Chi-chi screeched, slamming the spoon she'd been using to stir the rice down on the counter next to the stove. She whirled around to face her son, glaring daggers at the boy. "You mean to tell me you've had a girlfriend all this time, and never even told me?! What are you thinking Gohan?! You're supposed to be concentrating on your studies, not running around with some teenaged bimbo! How do you expect to get into a good college with distractions like that?!"
"Whoa, whoa, mom calm down!" Gohan begged off, as she advanced on him. "First of all she's not a bimbo, and she's not my girlfriend! She's just a good friend honest…"
"She isn't your girlfriend?… If that's the case then why not?! Have you been too afraid to ask her out or something? I remember how I practically had to force your father to go out with me… What's she like anyway? Maybe I should bring out the good china for dinner instead?"
"Hold on a second mom! A second ago you were yelling at me because you thought I had a girlfriend, and the next your getting on me because she's not! What's going on anyway?!"
"Don't change the subject Gohan!" Chi-Chi looked her son up and down. "You might want to change clothes to. You don't want to look like a slouch when your girlfriend arrives do you?"
"But mom! I just told you she wasn't… " The argument might have continued if the sound of helicopter blades cutting through the air hadn't caught Gohan's ears. He knew it was probably Videl when he heard the chopper being to land seemingly in their front yard. "That must be her. I'll go greet her, and please don't give her the third degree the moment she walks through the door!"
Gohan greeted Videl at the front door, and despite his own anxiety noticed a distinct difference in her demeanor. Though she put on her best half-smile half-frown, her normal aurora of confidence was replaced by a noticeable air of discomfort. She almost seemed shy standing there before him. Gohan invited the girl inside, and of course his mother did the exact thing Gohan hoped she wouldn't do. She circled Videl like vulture hovering above a soon to be corpse, scrutinizing every last outward feature of the young lady who was a guest in her house. Videl watched the woman with a puzzled frown on her face, not quite able to decide what the occasional hmm, or grunt Chi-Chi would let out meant. After about her third trip around, Chi-Chi finally seemed to finish her examination of Videl.
"So your Gohan's friend Videl hey? I'll admit I was kind of surprised when he told me you were female a few minutes ago. Well I thought it would be best to tell you that this family is relying heavily on Gohan's success in the future. I don't need some girl diverting him from his path to the top, if you know what I mean?" Chi-Chi punctuated the end of that statement.
Videl scoffed at her. "I'm not sure what your insinuating, but Gohan and I are only friends. I'm not after him if that's what you're getting at."
"Oh, and so your not!" Chi-Chi fired back. "And why the hell not?! Do you think you're too good for him or something? My son just happens to be a very intelligent and attractive young man so what's your problem?!"
"Mom, please stop!"
"But you just…" Videl was taken back. Gohan had warned her that his mother was a bit overbearing, but this was absolutely ridiculous. One minute she was mad over one thing, and the next even angrier at the exact opposite from what she was originally miffed over. This woman was definitely out there.
Gohan had to admit the little scene in front of him was rather amusing. His mother and Videl were scowling at each other, literally wearing almost the exact same frown. Finally, he decided it was time to end it, and stepped in between Videl and his mother. "That's enough ladies! I don't think I've properly introduced you two yet. Videl, this is my mother Chi-Chi. Mom, this is Videl. I'd like to see you two get better acquainted but I rather it not be with your fists, so mom if you could please head back to the kitchen and finish dinner, I'll show Videl around the house.
"Fine," Chi-Chi said, shooting Videl one last glare before heading back into the kitchen. Videl blinked, completely perplexed by what had just happened.
"Don't mind her Videl. She's just overprotective like any parent, only ten times worse. I'm sure your father is like that with you too."
"Are you kidding?!" Videl laughed. "If I had told him I was going over to a boy's house for dinner tonight, he would've locked me in my room for a month! Actually, I think they have that in common. Maybe we should introduce them…"
Gohan wanted to retch at that idea. "I don't think so Videl… My mother's a one man woman, and will be the rest of her life no matter how long dad's gone."
"That's nice to hear." Videl frowned as she thought of her father, and all the flusey women he hung around with. "Wish I could say the same thing about my dad."
"Yeah… Just try not to pick any fights with her tonight, and don't let her goad you into any. She'll warm up to you eventually, just give it time."
Gohan walked Videl past the kitchen table, ready to begin his tour, when Videl spotted what looked like a smaller version of Gohan sitting at the head of the table. Goten smiled up cheerfully at the pair.
"Hi! That was cool, I thought you guys were going to through punches there for a minute!" the boy chirped in one of the cutest voices Videl thought she'd ever heard. "My name's Goten. Your Videl right?"
"Yeah, I'm Videl. It's nice to meet you Goten," Videl smiled at the boy. She had always liked kids, and this one was absolutely adorable even by children's standards. "Gohan's told me a lot about you."
"Gohan's told me a lot about you too," Goten chuckled almost evilly. "Gee, Gohan was right. You are cute!"
"Goten!" Gohan snapped, turning bright red. Videl blushed slightly herself, and looked up at Gohan suspiciously.
"Wait, there's something else I want to see," Goten giggled, as he leapt from his chair. He raced around behind Videl. His usual smile changed into a bit of a frown as if he was disappointed in what he saw as he examined Videl's backside. She turned her head slightly and cocked an eyebrow as if to ask the boy what in the world he was doing.
"Goten what are you doing?" Gohan asked for her.
"Well, you said she had a cute butt too, but I don't see the big deal. It just looks like an ordinary butt to me."
"Excuse me?!"
"GOTEN!" Gohan scooped his baby brother up in his arms, and covered his mouth to prevent Goten from embarrassing him any further. He looked over at Videl and laughed halfheartedly. To his surprise she didn't look angry at all, just slightly embarrassed and surprised. "Ha, ha! Kids say the darnedest things don't they?!"
Videl watched on in amusement, as Gohan raced up the stairs with his little brother squirming in his arms. She might've considered knocking the block off of any other guy that might have dared say something like that about her, but for the moment… All she could seem to do was smile.
********
They were called the Ray Lien, the most brutal and effective horde of assassins ever to terrorize the universe. Their reputation for savagery and achieving results were legendary enough that even the tyrant Frieza called upon their services several times when he hadn't the time to rid himself of a pesky problem or two himself. For centuries they had sent everything from politicians to warriors considered the strongest in a particular solar system to their graves. They weren't warriors by any stretch of the imagination. Oh they could fight if the situation ever called for it, but it rarely got to that point. They preferred to sneak through the shadows and stab their prey in the back, or slit their throats as they slept. At times, they'd even slaughter their victim's families just for kicks. They rarely botched an assignment either. In fact, none of their ninja warriors had failed on a mission for close to two hundred years.
He knew all about them. All about their viciousness, all about the misery they could inflict without the victim even noticing they were a target until it was too late. The only thing he didn't know was why they were here on Earth, and just who had sent them here. It killed him to admit it, but he just couldn't see the big picture no matter how hard he tried. He was fairly sure he knew who they were after however. Luckily, two of the three were more then capable of taking care of themselves, but the third worried him. He'd ventured here every night for almost two weeks now, watching their every move from the little compound they made their base in. He blended in rather nicely with the shadows wearing his dark purple Gi. He didn't care for the color much, but it was the outfit given to him by his sensei so he wore it with pride regardless.
He was just about to leave for the night when he sensed a respectable sized Ki lurking around in the shadows with him. Damn, he'd finally be found out after all this time. Luckily for him it appeared to be a mere guard, given that position for they weren't the strongest or most effective of the breed of ninja assassins. He was doing an excellent job of sneaking up on him to, completely out of sight and not making a sound. Sadly for him, there wasn't any known mode of stealth to hide yourself from someone how could sense your energy. So the boy waited, pretending to be oblivious to the guard's presence, but in reality he was lying in wait. He waited until the guard leapt out of the shadows, and sliced the tree limp he'd been perched on off of the tree with the sharp edge of his blade. The boy landed with both feet on the ground, and the guard quickly followed suit.
"You're trespassing," the ninja informed him. He was wearing a brown Gi, similar to the boy's, expect the matching mask to go with it that covered everything but his eyes. The color of his Gi confirmed his suspicions that this one was merely a lowly guard.
The boy smiled smugly at his opponent. "Well, duh."
The guard lunged at the boy in the purple Gi again, an attack he easily dodge. The boy's quickness was remarkable, turning on a dime and striking the guard in the back with a hard roundhouse kick, cracking two of the guard's vertebra. That blow would've killed a human, but this one was from a race whose spinal column was constructed differently from humans. Either way, just like that the battle was over, and much quicker then the boy would've thought. He couldn't decide if he was stronger then he gave himself credit for, or if this guard was much weaker then he originally thought. Never being the arrogant type he chose the latter.
Now the boy had a decision to make. The guard was still alive if barely. He wanted to show mercy and leave it at that, but he knew deep down he couldn't. He couldn't take the risk of this one informing the others someone had been sneaking around their hideout. He wouldn't be able to survey this area anymore if they found out about him. He'd become a target of theirs for sure if he wasn't one already. Plus, he knew the penalty for a Ray Lien who failed in any type of mission, even guard duty. They were executed despite the case, and it wouldn't be a quick death either. Slow and brutal torture was their method. He'd be doing him a favor if he put him out of his misery right then and there.
"Well Ryo boy… Looks like you don't have a choice…"
Ryo charged up an energy attack, and fired the purple wave of Ki at his downed adversary. He made sure the blast wasn't bright or loud enough to draw any attention, but made it strong enough to reduce the guard's body into ashes. It was his first real kill… It didn't feel good either. Something was very unsettling about it, but Ryo shook it off. It probably wouldn't be the last time he had to take a life. He looked back at the compound where the Ray Lien where hiding out. They'd be on the move soon. She would most likely be their second target, and he needed to act fast. The first could take care of himself. The only way they were going to get to her was over his dead body.
********
Dinner started without a hitch, Gohan only hoped it would stay that way. He held his breath every time he'd watch his mother give Videl the evil eye, and would have to watch Videl try her best not to say something about it. Eventually a seemingly innocent conversation started up, and Gohan let out a sigh of relief. At least the conversation seemed innocent at the time…
"Your house has fifty rooms in it?!" Chi-Chi marveled. "Your family must be loaded! No wonder you're so popular around school."
"Well, that's part of it," Videl sighed sadly. "But having a father who's a world famous fighter doesn't hurt either."
"Oh really? And just who is your father?"
Gohan nearly chocked on his food.
"Hercule Satan. You mean Gohan didn't tell you?"
"Oh crap…" Gohan muttered under is breath.
"HERCULE SATAN?!" Chi-Chi shrieked as she bolted up from her seat, and slammed her hands down on the table. "You mean to tell me that, that no good cowardly fraud is your father?! Gohan, did you know about this?!" Chi-Chi glared at Gohan who sunk into his seat in a pathetic attempt to hide himself from the impending explosion.
"Yes he does, and how dare you speak about my father that way!" Videl shouted back, as she repeated the same motions Chi-Chi just had. "Need I remind you that he saved you and everyone else on this planet from that monster Cell!"
"For your information my Goha…" Chi-Chi was silenced as her eldest son covered her mouth with his hand.
"Mom please! Come into the living room, so we can talk for a minute… If you'll excuse us Videl we'll be right back."
"What do you think your doing Gohan?! Don't you ever cover my mouth like that again! I raised you to have more respect then that!"
"I know mom, and I'm sorry but please calm down! Videl's my friend, and you've done everything you can to drive her out the door since she got here! Just please give her the benefit of the doubt mom. She's a nice girl if you'd only give her a chance!"
"But Hercules's daughter?!" Chi-Chi whined. "What were you thinking?! Your father died trying to stop that android, and that worthless coward took all the credit and got rich off of everything you two accomplished! How can you blame for being upset?!"
"I don't blame you at all mom, I feel the same way about him as you do," Gohan stated softly but firmly. "But Videl's nothing like him, and it's not fair for you to judge her because of what he did. She doesn't know he's a fraud mom, and it would break her heart if she knew. I know the idea is going to take some getting use to, but she is my friend Hercules daughter or not. Can you at least try to get along with her for my sake please?"
Chi-Chi sighed in defeat. "I'll give it a shot… But only for you Gohan… If this girl is that important to you…"
Mom! She is, but it's not like your making it sound! We're not a couple of anything except for friends! You just jumped to conclusions when you found out she was a girl!"
"Oh did I?" Chi-Chi smiled evilly, a smirk Gohan knew she only used when she knew something that he didn't. "That's not what I heard from your friend Ryo… He called about the exact same time Videl arrived this evening. He apologized for not being able to make it, and commended me for doing such a fine job raising my boys as a widowed mother. A real sweet young man really. He told me he thought it would better if he stayed away to give you two some time alone. He also said I might want to keep an eye on you two if I don't want to become a grandmother prematurely. It sounded like a joke, but I wanted to ask you anyway. Do I need to be worrying about that Gohan?"
"What?! No, no! I, I, I…" Gohan's mother gave him the look. The one that locked him in place, telling him he wasn't going anywhere until she got the answers she wanted. "That little…"
I'm going to kill him! I'm going to kill him, drag him into the forest, and bury his rotting corpse where no one will ever find it! No court in the world would be able to convict me! After some intense wiggling, explaining his relationship with Videl and Ryo's sometimes warped sense of humor to his mother, Gohan finally assured her he had no secondary motives when he invited Videl over that night. He definitely owed his so-called friend payback for the little stunt he pulled… It would be months before his mother let this go…
Gohan walked back into the kitchen hoping Videl wasn't too upset after his mother's mini-blowup. Mini for Chi-Chi that was. To his surprise, all he found was Goten sitting at the table, shoveling food into his face like nothing out of the ordinary even happened. "Hey squirt. Did you see where Videl went off to?"
"Rahe…" Goten mumbled with a mouth full of food, before swallowing the contents in one gulp. "She said she was going outside for a walk."
"Thanks bro," Gohan said. His brother had already resumed stuffing his face.
Gohan homed in on Videl's Ki as soon as she walked out of the front door. She hadn't gotten very far, only a couple dozen feet from the house. Gohan found her laying on her back against a cool pallet of grass, staring up at the starry night sky. Videl didn't even really acknowledged him as he lie down next to her, only responding to his presence with a simple hey.
"I'm sorry about that," Gohan apologized right off the bat. "I hate to sound like a broken record, but my mother tends to overreact sometimes. She's just protective, and she worries about my school work."
"Not that I care, but she doesn't seem to like me very much does she?" Videl sighed.
"It's not you she doesn't like Videl. She's not crazy about your father that's all…"
Videl frowned. "What does she have against my father? He's never done anything to her!"
"Well…" Gohan thought about it a moment and decided to tell her the truth. Well, at least part of it. The parts it wouldn't hurt her to know. "Do you know who Goku is Videl? Does the name ring a bell at all."
"Are you kidding?! He's a Tenkaichi Budokai legend! He finished second at eight years old, and won the thing a few years later! Goku Son was…" Videl paused as the name of the man stuck in her head. "Son… He has the same family name you do huh Gohan?"
"He should," Gohan laughed. "He was my father."
Videl's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. "What?! No way! You're lying!"
"I'm not lying Videl… We've got pictures of him all over the house, and Goten looks just like him. I didn't tell you before because it didn't seem important at the time. He's gone now, and he was never one to care about the fame anyway."
"So that's where you learned how to fight…"
"Exactly." Gohan's brow sunk low over his eyes. "I'm glad you had some nice things to say about him, because I know your father hasn't. We've heard a lot of things he's said about my dad. Calling him a fake, a cheater, and a coward who uses tricks to fool his opponent to win his matches. Needles to say, mother and I don't appreciate the way Hercule speaks about him. My father was a good honest man who trained hard since he was five years old to reach the strength he achieved. He was a brave man who was protecting this world from those who wished to harm it when your father was still in grade school flicking his boogers at the kids sitting in front of him. That's why my mother reacted the way she did… That's a grudge she's probably going to hold for the rest of her life, but she shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sorry for that…"
Videl lowered her head almost guilty. "I'm sorry too… My dad tends to let his mouth run away with him at times. He really believes there's no one alive on Earth that can beat him, and there probably isn't. He's too strong for his own good. I love my dad, but he can be such an ass sometimes… Listen to us. We're both laying here apologizing for our parent's actions. It's ridiculous."
"Yeah," Gohan snickered again. "Don't worry about my mom though. Once she gets adjusted to you, you'll have a whole new set of problems. She'll have you having her grandkids in no time…"
"Yeah whatever," Videl giggled, a smile forming on her lips. "I've been getting a lot of that lately you know. It ridiculous really, a guy and a girl can't be friends anymore without there being something romantic involved."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Gohan looked over at Videl, who was still wearing the same smile on her face. She rarely smiled when he first met her, but lately she seemed to smile all the time. Of course, he had no idea she only acted that way around him. "You know, you have a beautiful smile Videl, you should really consider showing it more often."
"Maybe I will…" Videl blushed slightly, wondering what exactly Gohan meant by that. Gohan acted so naïve at times she wondered if he even realized he sounded like he was hitting on her. Videl decided to let the issue sit for the moment, and looked back up at the sky. "I wish I could see the moon… At least one more time… The last time I saw it I was so young that I hardly remember what it looked like. I remember stories my parents use to tell me about how beautiful it was, especially when it was full and bright orange hanging up there in the sky. I wonder what happened to it anyway?"
Gohan thought twice before answering, but again decided telling her the truth was the best course of action. "I don't know. Maybe some alien with green skin from a planet called Namek blew it up with an energy blast or something."
Videl frowned ever so slightly, before breaking out into a giggling fit. "You have a very rich imagination there Gohan."
"Fine, don't believe me. You never know though, it might've happened."
"Believe whatever you want to Gohan."
The next few moments passed in an uneasy silence, both teens thinking over just what they wanted to say next. Videl heard sound coming from Gohan's mouth, but she didn't hear what he said. She was too preoccupied with her own thoughts, fighting with her own anxiety to whether or not she should express those thoughts out loud. Videl had never been a coward, so in the end she decided it wouldn't hurt to at least give it a shot. She turned on her side slowly, so she was facing Gohan. He turned his head in response, finding their faces were mere inches apart. Her breath was rather short as it gushed into his face, reeking of the steamed rice they had for dinner. He noticed how uneasy she looked. Almost shy in a way, and that was very uncharacteristic for her.
"Is something on your mind?" Gohan asked. He was hypnotized in a way, forgetting his own anxiety. All he could focus on at the moment was Videl's eyes, and watched her lips move as she spoke.
"Yeah… I was just wondering Gohan… This might sound kind of stupid but… I don't mean anything by this, I'm just wondering… You're aware of what people have been saying about us lately right? I just wanted to know if you ever… You know… Thought about us as more then just friends?"
Panic. That's the only thought that came to mind, as he was completely ripped out of his stupor. He blushed a little, unsure of what to say. Videl was a hard one to figure out, and a wrong answer could mean he'd be sucking his meals through a straw for the next several months. Well, anyone else besides Gohan anyway. He wasn't sure how to answer. Was she hoping he'd say yes, or was she merely trying to trap him so she could make a fool out of him? No, he knew her better then that. She wouldn't do that kind of thing to anyone let alone him. Then again, she could get upset if he had been having some sort of unwelcome thoughts about her behind her back. Either way, a wrong answer could crush the seedling friendship they started, and it was just now beginning to bloom in recent weeks. Gohan could tell she was getting annoyed that it was taking him so long to answer, so he decided to go somewhere in between them both.
"Oh, come on Videl, get real! You're kidding me right? That's a good one!"
"I'm not kidding, I was serious!" Videl growled, shooting up into a sitting position. "You find that funny?!"
Gohan followed suit, and regretted his chose of words immediately when he saw the look of anger on her face. "No, no not at all! Of course I've thought about it from time to time, but I mean it's impossible right?! Come on, you and me?! The idea's completely ludicrous right?"
"So I'm just a joke to you huh?! Well, I'm glad you got a laugh out of it, because I don't think it's funny! Why is the idea ludicrous, you think your too good for me?!"
"No! I just can't imagine someone like you going for a guy like me that's all!"
"So, now I'm shallow too?! Well fine! I'm glad to know how you really feel about me now! Do me a favor! Take a pair of your mother's chopsticks, and shove them up your ass! I'm out of here!"
"Videl wait!" Gohan called out to her as she stomped away. "I can't win can I?"
That's a woman for you Gohan. You can never win, so get use to it.
After regaining his senses, Gohan stood up and chased after Videl who was already climbing into her chopper. Chi-Chi and Goten were standing in the doorway, and looked up at the sky as Videl's helicopter flew off into the night. Chi-Chi looked back at her son who stared up into the sky stunned, looking like someone had just shoved a piece of paper into his face with the worlds longest calculus problem scribbled all over it.
"Man, she was really mad," Goten squeaked, holding his mother's hand.
"Yeah… Figures. I guess she's gone for the night then."
"Too bad…" Goten looked up at his mom cheerfully. "Can I have her desert then?"
"Sure why not." Chi-Chi sighed, while Goten cheered and raced back into the house. "That's life for you I guess. I have one son worried about his love life, and the other's just worried about desert."
End.
-As I promised I've finally began to develop the actual plot to the story with this chapter. Seven and eight will stray a bit away from the main storyline in order to develop the relationship of Gohan and Videl, along with Ryo to a lesser extent. Every chapter will have at least a small part that moves the story along. Well thanks to everyone for reading, I appreciate you, especially the ones who reviewed. See you next time!
