Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or anything else except for the characters I make up. Thank you for your time.-M.
Gohan screamed through the air. He was late again. If Videl found out, she'd be furious and there'd be no stopping her! He checked his watch again in disbelief. That's the third time this week, and it's only Wednesday, he thought. After several excruciating minutes he finally landed on an island out in the middle of the ocean. The hilltop was perfect for sparring and besides, Videl picked this spot. He looked around and was surprised when he couldn't sense her ki, or energy (bad translation in the English version of the anime-M.) and glanced at his watch again. He shook it to make sure it was working, but it was running fine. The time was exactly 4:45 P.M. and he was fifteen minutes late! He looked around again and broadened his sensing power to try to pick up her ki, but she was nowhere to be found. She wouldn't have forgotten, would she? No, she always looked forward to these training sessions, she was never late! Gohan's confusion rose to concern as he felt a sharp spike rise in the ambient ki of the area and he jumped right before a ki blast exploded where he stood! He flipped in mid-air and landed in a defensive crouch. Dust and rock exploded in the air due to the blast, obscuring his vision.
"Show yourself!" Gohan demanded.
"You're late!"
The dust settled revealing Videl's floating form. Her arms were crossed her chest and her expression was definitely angry.
"Videl?"
"Who else?" she shot back, "What's the excuse this time?"
Gohan was very impressed at how well Videl has done in her training. She was now able to mask her ki signature and her ki blasts were getting stronger by the day. He smiled at her, then realized the position he was in. Her demanding stare bore through him. "It was my turn to do the dishes tonight, and we ate all the food in the house. You've been there, that's a lot of dishes!"
"That's the third time this week Gohan! The World Tournament is only a week away and I want to be prepared for it!"
"Don't worry Videl. You shouldn't have any problems at the tournament. You have a great chance to win it, I'm sure!"
"Oh, there's just one problem, Gohan," she said sarcastically.
"What's that?"
"YOU'RE IN THE TOURNAMENT TOO DUMMY!"
"Oh, yeah! Sorry, Videl! Well, are you ready to begin?"
She nodded and powered up to her fullest. The ground around her rumbled as her ki sent shockwaves out. Her aura glowed white-hot with her power! Gohan smiled, impressed. He powered up as well, staying at her level. "Let's go," he said, then attacked.
The day wore on and soon became night. The two combatants squared off a final time and flew at each other. Videl blocked a forward thrust and sent a roundhouse kick in response. Gohan blocked the blow with his forearm and blurred to super-speed. Not to be outdone, Videl did the same. The concussive shockwave of their hits and blocks rocked the hilltop! They moved throughout the island, weaving in and out of palm trees at blazing speeds, punching, kicking, and blocking. Finally, they exited super-speed on the beach. Videl was breathing heavily, and her ki was slowly dropping. She's lasting longer, he noted. Her ki was growing by leaps and bounds every day, even his father, Goku, commented on her strength. She was growing tired, he could tell. She spun at Gohan with a whirlwind kick, instead of blocking, he ducked the attack and brought his fist up. She connected with his fist, causing her to stop the attack and sent her sprawling to the ground. He blurred and caught her gently before she struck the harsh sand.
"It's…still not enough…to…beat…you," she huffed.
"You're getting stronger day by day," he said gently. "Don't worry, you did great!"
She smiled at him weakly. She put her arms around him and smiled. "Really? You think so?"
"Yeah, trust me. You're a great fighter."
She giggled in delight. He leaned over to allow her to stand, which she did, but she was a little dazed. She leaned against his chest, almost falling into him. The feeling of his muscles sent shivers down her spine! She looked up at him and noticed that he was blushing like crazy! She grinned at him and traced his chest muscles with one finger. He shivered and she took the opportunity to kiss him full on the lips. Gohan lost his balance and fell to the sand, Videl on top of him.
"What was that for?"
"Nothing in particular." She went back to tracing his muscles with her finger. "So, are we still going abroad together after the tournament?"
"It's okay with my parents. I don't resume my studies for at least another three months, so I don't see a problem with it."
"Great!" She sighed and leaned her head down on his chest. His hand ruffled her short, dark hair. He lightly kissed her head and wrapped his powerful arms around her.
"It's a beautiful night out," he said.
"Mmmm," she replied dreamily. "I don't want it to end."
Gohan smiled and closed his eyes. Slowly he raised his ki enough that the air swirled around them. Videl raised her head and looked at him questioningly. "Gohan, what are you…"
"Hush," he replied gently and concentrated. His ki feels different, she thought. His aura blazed blue and enveloped the two of them.
"Now…concentrate," Gohan said quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"Just…concentrate."
She relaxed and rested her head back down on his chest. She closed her eyes and concentrated, raising her ki to the same level as his. Her aura blazed green as they melded together. The rising ki energies caused Gohan to slowly rise and float above the ground. Videl was totally unprepared for what hit her! She trusted him and that belief caused their ki to merge. Gohan opened his eyes slowly and smiled at her. He gently brought her face up to his. "Now, kiss me," he said quietly. She did, passionately.
She was assaulted by waves of ki that touched every nerve in her body! It felt like a constant ki blast, but instead of pain there was nothing but pleasure! After several seconds she released him from her kiss. They gently hovered back down to the ground. She looked at him wide-eyed.
"What…what was that?" she asked breathlessly.
"Oh, just a little something I've been working on," he said nonchalantly.
"Just a little something?"
"Yeah," he grinned, "you like it?"
She just nodded her head and sighed as she rested on his chest again. She was breathing hard, it was like another training session, but different! She felt spent and her body tingled all over. Gohan held her, listening to the waves crash against the beach. He felt her steady heartbeat and the gentle throbbing of her ki. He could tell that she had fallen asleep. It amazed him at times how they had started their relationship. Her competitive nature clashed with his on more than a few occasions, but, somehow, they gravitated towards each other. He was quite thankful for that! He really loved her, despite the heckles he got from Trunks and Goten. Even Goku got into the act after a while, but it was all in fun. The sounds of the waves crashing against the beach were calming to the strong warrior and he drifted off to sleep, Videl in his arms.
A large dousing of salt water rudely awakened Gohan! He sputtered and coughed. He heard giggling and wiped the stinging salt water from his eyes. In the night light he could make out Videl standing over him, giggling to herself.
"What'd you do that for?"
"It's one of those things that had to be done," she replied laughing.
"Look at me! I'm drenched!" He stood up and wiped the sand off from his training clothes.
Videl clutched her sides she was laughing so hard.
"You think this is funny, huh?" She shook her head and laughed even harder.
Gohan grinned, "Thanks honey, I love you too." He raised his ki and his aura blazed white. Videl stopped laughing as she looked at him. She read his ki level as it clearly surpassed her own. He held his ki for a few seconds then de-powered. His hair and clothes were as dry as they were before her sneak attack.
"You've really gotta teach me how to do that kind of thing! Just think on how much money we could save getting rid of all the hairdryers and stuff! My energy bill would go down enormously!"
"It's not hard," he said matter of factly, "I'll teach you later."
"Okay."
Gohan inhaled sharply. "Man, what time is it?" He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost 3 in the morning! "Look at the time! God, mom's gonna kill me!"
"Don't worry about it," she said. "I told dad that I'd be gone for a day or two. He doesn't mind. Besides, he knows I'm with you and I'll be safe. Your dad, Gokuu, talked to me earlier while you were out and said that I could spend the night at your house for a while, so they know."
"Well, it is getting pretty late," he commented. "Shall we head back?"
"Ready when you are."
"Let's go then!"
They powered up and took to the air. On the way back, Videl flew in close to Gohan and asked, "So what other 'special techniques' have you been working on?"
He grinned, "You'll have to wait and see!"
The pair got back later than expected, they helped some farmers douse a fire on the way home. The sun was already poking over the mountaintops when they touched down at Goku's house. They were surprised to see Goku outside going through some training exercises. "Hi, Gohan! Hi Videl!" he said smiling and waving at the weary pair.
"'Morning dad," Gohan said. Videl nodded at him.
"How'd your training go?"
"It went well," Gohan replied. "I see you're training too."
"Yep, I gotta be at my best if I'm going to win at the Tournament," Goku replied as he stretched.
"I heard from Trunks that Vegeta entered too." He watched as his father's smile grew, "I know you're looking forward to that."
"You bet, son. We'll see who's better then." He let out a flurry of punches and began his training in earnest.
"Watch out," Gohan warned smiling, "you might wind up facing me instead!"
Goku smiled but didn't say anything.
Videl stared in wonder at the powerful saiyan. His movements were so fast and his strikes were so sure and powerful. She barely saw his fists and kick amidst the blurred movements, but she heard the air snap with each strike. She shook her head in disbelief wondering if entering the World Tournament was such a good idea. She shuddered at the thought of having to go against him in a match; she didn't stand a chance! She came back to reality, realizing that the door to the house was left open. She shook her head and went in, quietly closing the door behind her.
The house was small compared to the one she lives in with her father, the former World Champion, Mr. Satan. He was still one of the richest people in the world and was instrumental in helping the world rebuild after the fight with Buu and later when the dead rose from the grave and caused quite a bit of havoc. He knew who really saved the world but respected Goku's decision to remain nameless. He had mellowed as of late, concentrating more on philanthropic pursuits rather than on himself. He has also slowly warmed to the idea of her and Gohan going out. It didn't really matter to her, but she was glad he finally approved. She saw Gohan step out of the shower, water dripped from the towel around his waist. She took a moment to admire his body, noticing all of the scars that ran down his back; evidence of the many horrific battles he endured over his life. He was only a year older than she was, but he'd seen more of the galaxy than almost anyone else on the planet.
Gohan noticed Videl staring at him, and gave her a quizzical look. "Is something wrong, Videl?" He looked around himself to see if anything was amiss, but he couldn't find anything.
"N…no," she stammered. "It's my turn," she said stretching as she went to the shower.
"All right," he said as he yawned. He was tired, and he knew she was as well. He wanted to go to sleep, but he also wanted to go outside and train with his dad for a while. He debated for a second or two before deciding to go to sleep. He and Videl had a good training session and they'd need their rest if they were to continue again later.
He walked past Goten's room and poked his head in to check his little brother. Goten snored peacefully in his bed that was cluttered with all sorts of toys. He smiled as he looked at the messy room and knew that Chi-Chi would be throwing a fit when she woke up and saw the state of his room. He eventually reached his room, changed into his pajamas and slipped into bed. He was fast asleep by the time Videl joined him.
The sun was going down when they awoke. Chi-Chi had dinner made and the smell was what woke Gohan. His grumbling stomach was what woke up Videl. The got dressed and joined the rest of the family just in time for dinner. "It's about time you sleepy heads woke up," exclaimed Chi-Chi with a smile. "You almost missed dinner!"
Chi-Chi had prepared their places at the table and she made sure there was enough food for everybody. Goku and Goten were already wolfing down huge quantities of food and Gohan joined them with a gusto like he hadn't eaten in days. Videl noticed that since Gohan had started training her that her appetite had grown as well. She wasn't close to the appetites of the saiyans but she ate all of her food and took seconds as well. She also noticed how casual Chi-Chi and Goku were in respect to Gohan and herself around their house. Her dad would never let her sleep with anyone, let alone her boyfriend! Goku and Chi-Chi didn't seem to mind though. She knew Gohan sure didn't, and she grew quite accustomed to having another body next to her, keeping away the night's cold chill.
"…And that's the story," Gohan finished.
"Wow," Goku said. "You're coming along great Videl!"
"Huh?" she asked. She felt herself blush as she caught herself staring at Gohan. "Sorry, I didn't hear you." She blushed even harder when she saw Goku's smile.
"I said you're coming along great," he laughed.
"Uh…thank you," she stammered.
"If you keep this pace up, you'll be as strong as us in no time," he said.
Videl brightened a bit, "Really? You really think so?"
"Sure," Gohan replied. "We both know what a great fighter you are."
"Yeah," Goku said, "Krillin told me yesterday that he dreads meeting you in the tournament. You got him running scared!"
Her eyes bugged wide. "Is EVERYONE in this tournament?" she said in disbelief. To her horror both Goku and Gohan nodded.
"Yaumcha and Tien are the only ones who haven't entered yet," Goku said. "I don't think Yaumcha will enter anyway, but I wouldn't be surprised if Tien shows up."
"Even…Piccolo?" she asked, her voice now barely a whisper.
"You bet," the saiyans answered in unison. "He wouldn't miss this for the world," said Gohan.
"Great," she said sullenly. "There's no way I could stand five seconds against any of you guys!"
"Remember," Goku said lifting a finger, "we're not allowed to go super-saiyan, so that should even the field a bit."
"That's some consolation," she said sarcastically. She hurriedly finished her food and got up from the table in a rush. She grabbed Gohan's arm and tugged it.
"What're you doing Videl?" he asked.
"We're going to go train," she said matter of factly.
"B-but," he stammered as he was forced out of his chair, "I haven't finished dinner yet!"
Goku smiled inwardly as he heard the protests of his son slowly die out as they left the house. He looked over at Chi-Chi and saw her looking over at the open front door with a wistful expression on her face. "What is it Chi-Chi?" he asked as he got up from the table and started gathering the dishes.
"Those two," she said sighing. "Isn't it wonderful?"
"Huh?"
"Videl will make a great wife," she said. "They're perfect together!"
"I hope he knows what he's getting into," Goku muttered.
"What was that?" Chi-Chi said angrily.
"What? Uh…nothing dear!" Then he dropped the dishes.
"OH! Goku!" she yelled.
Gohan and Videl spent the next two days at their little island retreat, spending most of their time training. The pair lay in each other's arms on the beach at the end of the second day, resting after a full day of exhaustive training. The waves gently crashed against the beach and a cool breeze kept most of the hot night air at bay. She lay on top of him, her head resting contentedly against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair affectionately and noticed that she was sleeping contentedly. She was pushing herself pretty far, he thought. She was able to raise her ki higher now and she was getting faster. Still, she needed more rest to recover than usual. She's pushing too far, he thought. If we keep up at this pace she could injure herself, or worse, I could if I don't watch what I'm doing. He resolved to cut back on the intensity of her training starting in the morning. She'd be upset, but he couldn't take the chance that something might go wrong.
He was drifting off to sleep when he felt the ambient ki in the area start to rise. Instantly alert, he felt Videl wake up too. "What is it?" she asked quietly, her eyes darted across the beach.
"I don't know. The ki is rising here."
"I feel…violence," she said as they got up and assumed defensive stances.
He nodded in acknowledgment. She was already able to feel the different auras of ki he noticed. But he'd have to congratulate her later. "Stay behind me," he said.
"There's no need," a guttural voice said from above.
The pair looked up and they smiled in surprise. "Piccolo!" they exclaimed in unison.
"What're you doing here?" asked Gohan.
"I gathered everyone I could on such short notice. New Namek's in trouble."
"New Namek? Let's go!" He raised his ki a bit and shot off into the air.
"Gohan, wait up!" Videl yelled. She raised her ki and sped off after them.
"It's too dangerous," Piccolo said angrily. "You should stay here."
"I'm going," she shot back, "and that's final."
"Videl, maybe you should stay behind on this one," Gohan said, trying to be diplomatic about it, but seeing her look told him that it was no use.
"So, what's going on Piccolo?"
"I'm not sure Gohan. Dende lost contact with New Namek and we're going to find out what happened."
The trio quickly made it to the Lookout Tower where Goku, Krillin, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten were already preparing to leave. Dende and Mr. Popo were filling in the rest of the group on what happened. Goku saw them land and raised his hand. "Hey Gohan! Are you ready to go?'
"Yeah dad." He looked around him with a quizzical look. "Where's Yaumcha, Tien and Chaozu?'
"We don't have the time to find them," Piccolo answered. "We have to go now."
"Hey," Videl spoke up, "what about me? I want to go too!"
Goku shook his head, "I'm sorry, Videl. It's too dangerous. You'll have to stay here."
She looked at Gohan pleadingly, but all he could do was shrug his shoulders. She saw the looks of grim determination on all of their faces, but she really wanted to be there with them…no…with him. She walked up to Gohan and took his hand in hers. "Gohan," she started.
"Yes Videl? Look, I'm sorry you can't go with us. I'll make it up to you when we get back, I promise." She couldn't stay mad at him when he smiled like that.
"I'll wait for you then," she replied. He squeezed her hand gently, blushed a bit, then leaned over and kissed her.
"I promise I'll make it up to you," he said quietly.
She smiled and nodded.
"Gohan!" Piccolo barked.
"I'm coming!" he said as he ran over to the group. Everyone joined hands then Goku raised his index finger to his forehead and in a flash, they were gone.
Videl looked over at Dende and Mr. Popo and saw their anxious looks. Dejected, she powered up and flew off towards home. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"They're gone, my lord," a gruff voice reported.
"Excellent. That was almost too easy. Earth stands defenseless before us now. Commence Operation: Overlord. The remaining defenders will be easy to subdue now that the real threat is taken care of. Even if they defeat our ally at New Namek, it will be too late for Earth. Go."
"Yes, my lord."
"Soon I will have the dragonballs and the populace in my grasp. No one can stop us now!"
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Gohan screamed through the air. He was late again. If Videl found out, she'd be furious and there'd be no stopping her! He checked his watch again in disbelief. That's the third time this week, and it's only Wednesday, he thought. After several excruciating minutes he finally landed on an island out in the middle of the ocean. The hilltop was perfect for sparring and besides, Videl picked this spot. He looked around and was surprised when he couldn't sense her ki, or energy (bad translation in the English version of the anime-M.) and glanced at his watch again. He shook it to make sure it was working, but it was running fine. The time was exactly 4:45 P.M. and he was fifteen minutes late! He looked around again and broadened his sensing power to try to pick up her ki, but she was nowhere to be found. She wouldn't have forgotten, would she? No, she always looked forward to these training sessions, she was never late! Gohan's confusion rose to concern as he felt a sharp spike rise in the ambient ki of the area and he jumped right before a ki blast exploded where he stood! He flipped in mid-air and landed in a defensive crouch. Dust and rock exploded in the air due to the blast, obscuring his vision.
"Show yourself!" Gohan demanded.
"You're late!"
The dust settled revealing Videl's floating form. Her arms were crossed her chest and her expression was definitely angry.
"Videl?"
"Who else?" she shot back, "What's the excuse this time?"
Gohan was very impressed at how well Videl has done in her training. She was now able to mask her ki signature and her ki blasts were getting stronger by the day. He smiled at her, then realized the position he was in. Her demanding stare bore through him. "It was my turn to do the dishes tonight, and we ate all the food in the house. You've been there, that's a lot of dishes!"
"That's the third time this week Gohan! The World Tournament is only a week away and I want to be prepared for it!"
"Don't worry Videl. You shouldn't have any problems at the tournament. You have a great chance to win it, I'm sure!"
"Oh, there's just one problem, Gohan," she said sarcastically.
"What's that?"
"YOU'RE IN THE TOURNAMENT TOO DUMMY!"
"Oh, yeah! Sorry, Videl! Well, are you ready to begin?"
She nodded and powered up to her fullest. The ground around her rumbled as her ki sent shockwaves out. Her aura glowed white-hot with her power! Gohan smiled, impressed. He powered up as well, staying at her level. "Let's go," he said, then attacked.
The day wore on and soon became night. The two combatants squared off a final time and flew at each other. Videl blocked a forward thrust and sent a roundhouse kick in response. Gohan blocked the blow with his forearm and blurred to super-speed. Not to be outdone, Videl did the same. The concussive shockwave of their hits and blocks rocked the hilltop! They moved throughout the island, weaving in and out of palm trees at blazing speeds, punching, kicking, and blocking. Finally, they exited super-speed on the beach. Videl was breathing heavily, and her ki was slowly dropping. She's lasting longer, he noted. Her ki was growing by leaps and bounds every day, even his father, Goku, commented on her strength. She was growing tired, he could tell. She spun at Gohan with a whirlwind kick, instead of blocking, he ducked the attack and brought his fist up. She connected with his fist, causing her to stop the attack and sent her sprawling to the ground. He blurred and caught her gently before she struck the harsh sand.
"It's…still not enough…to…beat…you," she huffed.
"You're getting stronger day by day," he said gently. "Don't worry, you did great!"
She smiled at him weakly. She put her arms around him and smiled. "Really? You think so?"
"Yeah, trust me. You're a great fighter."
She giggled in delight. He leaned over to allow her to stand, which she did, but she was a little dazed. She leaned against his chest, almost falling into him. The feeling of his muscles sent shivers down her spine! She looked up at him and noticed that he was blushing like crazy! She grinned at him and traced his chest muscles with one finger. He shivered and she took the opportunity to kiss him full on the lips. Gohan lost his balance and fell to the sand, Videl on top of him.
"What was that for?"
"Nothing in particular." She went back to tracing his muscles with her finger. "So, are we still going abroad together after the tournament?"
"It's okay with my parents. I don't resume my studies for at least another three months, so I don't see a problem with it."
"Great!" She sighed and leaned her head down on his chest. His hand ruffled her short, dark hair. He lightly kissed her head and wrapped his powerful arms around her.
"It's a beautiful night out," he said.
"Mmmm," she replied dreamily. "I don't want it to end."
Gohan smiled and closed his eyes. Slowly he raised his ki enough that the air swirled around them. Videl raised her head and looked at him questioningly. "Gohan, what are you…"
"Hush," he replied gently and concentrated. His ki feels different, she thought. His aura blazed blue and enveloped the two of them.
"Now…concentrate," Gohan said quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"Just…concentrate."
She relaxed and rested her head back down on his chest. She closed her eyes and concentrated, raising her ki to the same level as his. Her aura blazed green as they melded together. The rising ki energies caused Gohan to slowly rise and float above the ground. Videl was totally unprepared for what hit her! She trusted him and that belief caused their ki to merge. Gohan opened his eyes slowly and smiled at her. He gently brought her face up to his. "Now, kiss me," he said quietly. She did, passionately.
She was assaulted by waves of ki that touched every nerve in her body! It felt like a constant ki blast, but instead of pain there was nothing but pleasure! After several seconds she released him from her kiss. They gently hovered back down to the ground. She looked at him wide-eyed.
"What…what was that?" she asked breathlessly.
"Oh, just a little something I've been working on," he said nonchalantly.
"Just a little something?"
"Yeah," he grinned, "you like it?"
She just nodded her head and sighed as she rested on his chest again. She was breathing hard, it was like another training session, but different! She felt spent and her body tingled all over. Gohan held her, listening to the waves crash against the beach. He felt her steady heartbeat and the gentle throbbing of her ki. He could tell that she had fallen asleep. It amazed him at times how they had started their relationship. Her competitive nature clashed with his on more than a few occasions, but, somehow, they gravitated towards each other. He was quite thankful for that! He really loved her, despite the heckles he got from Trunks and Goten. Even Goku got into the act after a while, but it was all in fun. The sounds of the waves crashing against the beach were calming to the strong warrior and he drifted off to sleep, Videl in his arms.
A large dousing of salt water rudely awakened Gohan! He sputtered and coughed. He heard giggling and wiped the stinging salt water from his eyes. In the night light he could make out Videl standing over him, giggling to herself.
"What'd you do that for?"
"It's one of those things that had to be done," she replied laughing.
"Look at me! I'm drenched!" He stood up and wiped the sand off from his training clothes.
Videl clutched her sides she was laughing so hard.
"You think this is funny, huh?" She shook her head and laughed even harder.
Gohan grinned, "Thanks honey, I love you too." He raised his ki and his aura blazed white. Videl stopped laughing as she looked at him. She read his ki level as it clearly surpassed her own. He held his ki for a few seconds then de-powered. His hair and clothes were as dry as they were before her sneak attack.
"You've really gotta teach me how to do that kind of thing! Just think on how much money we could save getting rid of all the hairdryers and stuff! My energy bill would go down enormously!"
"It's not hard," he said matter of factly, "I'll teach you later."
"Okay."
Gohan inhaled sharply. "Man, what time is it?" He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost 3 in the morning! "Look at the time! God, mom's gonna kill me!"
"Don't worry about it," she said. "I told dad that I'd be gone for a day or two. He doesn't mind. Besides, he knows I'm with you and I'll be safe. Your dad, Gokuu, talked to me earlier while you were out and said that I could spend the night at your house for a while, so they know."
"Well, it is getting pretty late," he commented. "Shall we head back?"
"Ready when you are."
"Let's go then!"
They powered up and took to the air. On the way back, Videl flew in close to Gohan and asked, "So what other 'special techniques' have you been working on?"
He grinned, "You'll have to wait and see!"
The pair got back later than expected, they helped some farmers douse a fire on the way home. The sun was already poking over the mountaintops when they touched down at Goku's house. They were surprised to see Goku outside going through some training exercises. "Hi, Gohan! Hi Videl!" he said smiling and waving at the weary pair.
"'Morning dad," Gohan said. Videl nodded at him.
"How'd your training go?"
"It went well," Gohan replied. "I see you're training too."
"Yep, I gotta be at my best if I'm going to win at the Tournament," Goku replied as he stretched.
"I heard from Trunks that Vegeta entered too." He watched as his father's smile grew, "I know you're looking forward to that."
"You bet, son. We'll see who's better then." He let out a flurry of punches and began his training in earnest.
"Watch out," Gohan warned smiling, "you might wind up facing me instead!"
Goku smiled but didn't say anything.
Videl stared in wonder at the powerful saiyan. His movements were so fast and his strikes were so sure and powerful. She barely saw his fists and kick amidst the blurred movements, but she heard the air snap with each strike. She shook her head in disbelief wondering if entering the World Tournament was such a good idea. She shuddered at the thought of having to go against him in a match; she didn't stand a chance! She came back to reality, realizing that the door to the house was left open. She shook her head and went in, quietly closing the door behind her.
The house was small compared to the one she lives in with her father, the former World Champion, Mr. Satan. He was still one of the richest people in the world and was instrumental in helping the world rebuild after the fight with Buu and later when the dead rose from the grave and caused quite a bit of havoc. He knew who really saved the world but respected Goku's decision to remain nameless. He had mellowed as of late, concentrating more on philanthropic pursuits rather than on himself. He has also slowly warmed to the idea of her and Gohan going out. It didn't really matter to her, but she was glad he finally approved. She saw Gohan step out of the shower, water dripped from the towel around his waist. She took a moment to admire his body, noticing all of the scars that ran down his back; evidence of the many horrific battles he endured over his life. He was only a year older than she was, but he'd seen more of the galaxy than almost anyone else on the planet.
Gohan noticed Videl staring at him, and gave her a quizzical look. "Is something wrong, Videl?" He looked around himself to see if anything was amiss, but he couldn't find anything.
"N…no," she stammered. "It's my turn," she said stretching as she went to the shower.
"All right," he said as he yawned. He was tired, and he knew she was as well. He wanted to go to sleep, but he also wanted to go outside and train with his dad for a while. He debated for a second or two before deciding to go to sleep. He and Videl had a good training session and they'd need their rest if they were to continue again later.
He walked past Goten's room and poked his head in to check his little brother. Goten snored peacefully in his bed that was cluttered with all sorts of toys. He smiled as he looked at the messy room and knew that Chi-Chi would be throwing a fit when she woke up and saw the state of his room. He eventually reached his room, changed into his pajamas and slipped into bed. He was fast asleep by the time Videl joined him.
The sun was going down when they awoke. Chi-Chi had dinner made and the smell was what woke Gohan. His grumbling stomach was what woke up Videl. The got dressed and joined the rest of the family just in time for dinner. "It's about time you sleepy heads woke up," exclaimed Chi-Chi with a smile. "You almost missed dinner!"
Chi-Chi had prepared their places at the table and she made sure there was enough food for everybody. Goku and Goten were already wolfing down huge quantities of food and Gohan joined them with a gusto like he hadn't eaten in days. Videl noticed that since Gohan had started training her that her appetite had grown as well. She wasn't close to the appetites of the saiyans but she ate all of her food and took seconds as well. She also noticed how casual Chi-Chi and Goku were in respect to Gohan and herself around their house. Her dad would never let her sleep with anyone, let alone her boyfriend! Goku and Chi-Chi didn't seem to mind though. She knew Gohan sure didn't, and she grew quite accustomed to having another body next to her, keeping away the night's cold chill.
"…And that's the story," Gohan finished.
"Wow," Goku said. "You're coming along great Videl!"
"Huh?" she asked. She felt herself blush as she caught herself staring at Gohan. "Sorry, I didn't hear you." She blushed even harder when she saw Goku's smile.
"I said you're coming along great," he laughed.
"Uh…thank you," she stammered.
"If you keep this pace up, you'll be as strong as us in no time," he said.
Videl brightened a bit, "Really? You really think so?"
"Sure," Gohan replied. "We both know what a great fighter you are."
"Yeah," Goku said, "Krillin told me yesterday that he dreads meeting you in the tournament. You got him running scared!"
Her eyes bugged wide. "Is EVERYONE in this tournament?" she said in disbelief. To her horror both Goku and Gohan nodded.
"Yaumcha and Tien are the only ones who haven't entered yet," Goku said. "I don't think Yaumcha will enter anyway, but I wouldn't be surprised if Tien shows up."
"Even…Piccolo?" she asked, her voice now barely a whisper.
"You bet," the saiyans answered in unison. "He wouldn't miss this for the world," said Gohan.
"Great," she said sullenly. "There's no way I could stand five seconds against any of you guys!"
"Remember," Goku said lifting a finger, "we're not allowed to go super-saiyan, so that should even the field a bit."
"That's some consolation," she said sarcastically. She hurriedly finished her food and got up from the table in a rush. She grabbed Gohan's arm and tugged it.
"What're you doing Videl?" he asked.
"We're going to go train," she said matter of factly.
"B-but," he stammered as he was forced out of his chair, "I haven't finished dinner yet!"
Goku smiled inwardly as he heard the protests of his son slowly die out as they left the house. He looked over at Chi-Chi and saw her looking over at the open front door with a wistful expression on her face. "What is it Chi-Chi?" he asked as he got up from the table and started gathering the dishes.
"Those two," she said sighing. "Isn't it wonderful?"
"Huh?"
"Videl will make a great wife," she said. "They're perfect together!"
"I hope he knows what he's getting into," Goku muttered.
"What was that?" Chi-Chi said angrily.
"What? Uh…nothing dear!" Then he dropped the dishes.
"OH! Goku!" she yelled.
Gohan and Videl spent the next two days at their little island retreat, spending most of their time training. The pair lay in each other's arms on the beach at the end of the second day, resting after a full day of exhaustive training. The waves gently crashed against the beach and a cool breeze kept most of the hot night air at bay. She lay on top of him, her head resting contentedly against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair affectionately and noticed that she was sleeping contentedly. She was pushing herself pretty far, he thought. She was able to raise her ki higher now and she was getting faster. Still, she needed more rest to recover than usual. She's pushing too far, he thought. If we keep up at this pace she could injure herself, or worse, I could if I don't watch what I'm doing. He resolved to cut back on the intensity of her training starting in the morning. She'd be upset, but he couldn't take the chance that something might go wrong.
He was drifting off to sleep when he felt the ambient ki in the area start to rise. Instantly alert, he felt Videl wake up too. "What is it?" she asked quietly, her eyes darted across the beach.
"I don't know. The ki is rising here."
"I feel…violence," she said as they got up and assumed defensive stances.
He nodded in acknowledgment. She was already able to feel the different auras of ki he noticed. But he'd have to congratulate her later. "Stay behind me," he said.
"There's no need," a guttural voice said from above.
The pair looked up and they smiled in surprise. "Piccolo!" they exclaimed in unison.
"What're you doing here?" asked Gohan.
"I gathered everyone I could on such short notice. New Namek's in trouble."
"New Namek? Let's go!" He raised his ki a bit and shot off into the air.
"Gohan, wait up!" Videl yelled. She raised her ki and sped off after them.
"It's too dangerous," Piccolo said angrily. "You should stay here."
"I'm going," she shot back, "and that's final."
"Videl, maybe you should stay behind on this one," Gohan said, trying to be diplomatic about it, but seeing her look told him that it was no use.
"So, what's going on Piccolo?"
"I'm not sure Gohan. Dende lost contact with New Namek and we're going to find out what happened."
The trio quickly made it to the Lookout Tower where Goku, Krillin, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten were already preparing to leave. Dende and Mr. Popo were filling in the rest of the group on what happened. Goku saw them land and raised his hand. "Hey Gohan! Are you ready to go?'
"Yeah dad." He looked around him with a quizzical look. "Where's Yaumcha, Tien and Chaozu?'
"We don't have the time to find them," Piccolo answered. "We have to go now."
"Hey," Videl spoke up, "what about me? I want to go too!"
Goku shook his head, "I'm sorry, Videl. It's too dangerous. You'll have to stay here."
She looked at Gohan pleadingly, but all he could do was shrug his shoulders. She saw the looks of grim determination on all of their faces, but she really wanted to be there with them…no…with him. She walked up to Gohan and took his hand in hers. "Gohan," she started.
"Yes Videl? Look, I'm sorry you can't go with us. I'll make it up to you when we get back, I promise." She couldn't stay mad at him when he smiled like that.
"I'll wait for you then," she replied. He squeezed her hand gently, blushed a bit, then leaned over and kissed her.
"I promise I'll make it up to you," he said quietly.
She smiled and nodded.
"Gohan!" Piccolo barked.
"I'm coming!" he said as he ran over to the group. Everyone joined hands then Goku raised his index finger to his forehead and in a flash, they were gone.
Videl looked over at Dende and Mr. Popo and saw their anxious looks. Dejected, she powered up and flew off towards home. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"They're gone, my lord," a gruff voice reported.
"Excellent. That was almost too easy. Earth stands defenseless before us now. Commence Operation: Overlord. The remaining defenders will be easy to subdue now that the real threat is taken care of. Even if they defeat our ally at New Namek, it will be too late for Earth. Go."
"Yes, my lord."
"Soon I will have the dragonballs and the populace in my grasp. No one can stop us now!"
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