*~*
Disclaimer: I don't won DBZ. The plot is mine, so ASK before you use an idea of mine.
*~*
EDITING COMPLETED: 4/10/2004
*~* Chapter Three *~*
Saturday with Videl
Gohan awoke the next morning to the sound of his mother's voice shouting loudly. "IF YOU DON'T GET OFF THAT PHONE RIGHT NOW, SON GOTEN, I'LL-"
He then heard his brother reply, "I gotta go, Trunks. I'll talk to you later."
Gohan smiled and shook his head. It was just another normal day in the Son household. His mother's shrieking at something Goten did was most certainly not out of the ordinary. He stretched and climbed out of his bed. As he opened his door, his little brother streaked past him in a blur.
"Morning Gohan! Better not make Mom mad! She's got her frying pan out today!" With a giggle, he headed outside to play, far from the wrath of Chichi.
That kid . . . No wonder Mom is so frazzled by the time I get home after school!
Gohan walked into the kitchen where his mother stood at the stove, flipping pancakes. "Hey, Mom."
She turned around, a huge smile on her face. "There's my GOOD boy! How are you this morning, Gohan?"
"Just fine. But I'll feel a whole lot better when my stomach is full of that delicious food you're cooking . . ." replied Gohan.
She beamed. "Oh, well, here!" She handed him a plate full of pancakes. "Your brother will just have to wait for his. He's been such a naughty boy lately . . ."
Gohan grinned as he sat down at the table and began to eat. It had taken him a few years to learn how to win his mother over when she was mad, but he'd finally mastered it.
*~*
Goten made sure he was out of sight of the house before he pulled the cordless phone from underneath his clothes. "Hey, Trunks! You still there?"
"Yeah. Gee, what took you so long?"
"Sorry! I wanted to make sure Mom couldn't see me."
Trunks sighed. "Never mind! Look, I'm bored. Dad refuses to train with me today and Mom wants me to READ. Yuck! Can you come over here?"
"And how am I supposed to do that, genius? I can't fly!"
"Gohan can, STUPID. Ask him if he can give you a ride over here. Then we can spar and maybe you can spend the night."
Goten grinned. "I'd like that. I'm afraid I'll end up dead if Mom hits me on the head with that frying pan again!"
"Go-"
*BEEP*
"Uh, hold on Trunks! Someone's on the other end!" Goten pushed the flash button. "Yeah? Hello?"
*~*
Videl woke up early that morning, remembering her mission-- to find out anything and everything about the mysterious Son Gohan. She took Gohan's number from its hiding place- underneath her pillow- and stared down at it. Then she looked at the clock. Seven.
No . . . it's too early to call someone.
She put the piece of paper back in its hiding place and went down for some breakfast. By the time she returned to her room, it was eight fifteen.
I suppose that it's late enough to call. She picked up the phone and stared at it. For some reason, her heart was pounding in her chest. She shook her head furiously. Come on Videl! It's just GOHAN!
She forced herself to dial his number. As it began to ring, her palms began to sweat.
Finally someone picked up. "Yeah? Hello?"
"Um . . . is this the S-Son residence?"
"Uh . . . yep! What can I do for you?" The boy on the other end giggled. Videl blinked at the childish action. Who was this?
"I-is Gohan there?"
"Yeah . . . you wanna talk to him or something?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Hold on. I was talkin' to my friend on the other end and he's gonna be mad that I have to go. Hold on, don't leave . . ."
After a minute or so, the person on the end of the phone came back. "Hey, are you still there?"
"Yes."
"Good. You wait a little more, okay? I gotta go back to the house. You see, I'm not supposed ta be on the phone right now and I ran away to talk to my friend. I'll probably get hit in the head with the frying pan again . . ."
O-kay . . . This MUST be a younger brother or something . . .
There was some shuffling from the other end. "Okay. Lady, are you still there?"
"I am."
"Good. You, uh, wouldn't happen to be Videl, by any chance? Would ya?"
"That's me kiddo. Why?"
The young boy on the other end giggled uncontrollably. "We've been talking about you for the past couple of days . . ."
Videl raised an eyebrow. So Gohan has been talking to his family about me? "Really? Why?"
"Well-"
"SON GOTEN!!!! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY OFF THAT PHONE! SOMEONE ELSE COULD BE CALLING HERE!! DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE OUT THE FRYING PAN?!!"
"Gee, Ma, there IS someone on the phone. And it's not Trunks. It's a GIRL named VIDEL for GOHAN!" The young boy made kissing noises.
Videl laughed.
"GO-ten! Give me that phone now!" she heard Gohan cry.
"Nope! Come and catch me!"
There was more shuffling and then-
"Aww, man! No fair! You're faster than me!"
There was even more shuffling and THEN-
"V-Videl? You here?"
"Yes, Gohan. I'm here."
"Oh, good. I thought my little brother scared you away." He entered his room and shut the door behind him.
"No. He was cute. Goten, huh?"
Gohan chuckled. "Yeah. He's a little demon."
She chuckled. "Ah, Gohan, I was wondering . . . if I could come over to your place today."
Gohan panicked. "W-why?"
"You're really good at . . . math, and . . . well . . . I basically suck at it. So I was wondering if you could tutor me today before that test we're having on Monday."
Gohan rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. Oh, gosh, she wants to come OVER HERE? "Uh, okay . . . at what time?"
"How about . . . an hour? Is that okay?"
"Y-yeah, sure! That's just . . . peachy!" Peachy? That sounded so stupid . . . One would think that Saiyaman would be able to come up with something better than 'peachy'!
"Let me . . . give you my address." Gohan told her where he lived.
"Excellent! I'll be over in an hour. See you then."
"See . . . you . . ."
Gohan hung up and placed the phone on the bed next to him. He got up and, like zombie, walked into the kitchen. Goten, who was seated in front of a plate of food and his mother who stood at the stove looked at him.
"So?" asked Chichi eagerly. Her son had received his first call from a young, eligible girl his age, so naturally she was curious.
Gohan sank into a chair. "She's . . . coming . . ." he whispered.
"Excuse me?"
"He said she's coming!" exclaimed Goten. "Videl's coming over? Huh?"
Gohan nodded.
Goten jumped up out of his seat. "Oh, yeah! Cool! Now we finally get to meet her!"
Chichi gasped. The daughter of one of the richest men in the world was coming over to HER home. "Oh my . . . what should I wear?" She began to frantically pat her clothes and hair, trying to decide if her appearance was acceptable.
"You look fine, Mom," said Gohan. "Just make sure Hurricane Goten here doesn't cause too much trouble."
Chichi sent Goten a wicked look that caused the young boy to shrink back. "You, mister, will be on your nest behavior. Don't mention Saiyaman or Cell, or else you won't be able to use the phone for a month."
Goten gasped in horror. "You wouldn't! I'll be good! I promise."
*~*
Forty-five minutes later, Videl was in her copter, flying overhead of the area where Gohan said he lived. She began to search for his house, which wouldn't be too hard to spot. There was nothing but trees and fields and the occasional little home.
Videl was proud of her newest plan to find out Gohan's mysterious secret. She would try to find out as much as she could about Gohan's family and, if she was ever left alone, would snoop around a bit. Her goal was to get into Gohan's bedroom and have some time alone in it. Who knew what she would uncover?
The phone in her copter rang. She pushed the speakerphone button, keeping her eyes on the land below her.. "Videl here."
"Hey girl!"
"Hey, Erasa. What's up?"
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to go shopping with me today."
"Oh, sorry Erasa. I'm going to spend the day with Gohan," Videl said, instantly regretting it.
" . . . As in a DATE?!" shrieked Erasa in surprise.
"NO! He's helping me with some math," said Videl, firmly sticking to her story.
Erasa snickered, instantly recognizing Videl's statement as a lie. "Math? Right. You know, you can tell me the truth, Videl. How long have we been friends?"
"I know you like him, Erasa. We're NOT going on a date. He's yours."
Erasa did not reply for a while. "I guess you haven't noticed."
"Noticed what?" Videl asked distractedly. Was that Gohan's house down there?
"The way he stares at you during class. And how he's always nice to you even when you're mean to him."
Videl's copter almost dropped out of the sky at Erasa's accusations. "So?! This is Gohan we're talking about. He's nice to everyone."
"It's obvious that he's got a crush on you!"
Videl laughed. "GOHAN? No way. Don't be silly Erasa."
"Okay, Videl. Don't believe me. But you'll see soon."
"Come on . . ."
"No. Why do you think I haven't asked him out yet? It's not because I'm shy- you know me better than that. I'm not going to throw myself at a guy who doesn't want me. Sure, I flirt with him, but that's it."
"Oh, Erasa . . ."
"Shut up and have fun on your DATE, Videl," replied her friend with laughter in her voice. "See ya!"
As Videl ended the call, she spotted a boy standing just in front of a dome-like house, waving his arms up at her. That must be Gohan. She carefully landed her copter a safe distance from his house.
Gohan shoved his hands into his pocket and smiled at her as she climbed out of her vehicle. "Hello, Videl."
"Gohan," she said in greeting.
"So . . . why don't you come inside and meet my family?"
She nodded. Gohan opened the door for her and led her into his house. Videl looked around, her eyes taking in every detail.
His home was way smaller than hers, but it was very cozy. The furniture was arranged with care and sweet country air flowed throughout the rooms. Videl smiled. "This is a lovely home, Gohan. You're very lucky to have a place like this."
Gohan nodded. "I guess a big mansion like yours could get a bit lonely. My Mom and little brother are inside the kitchen." He hesitantly took her hand and led her to the kitchen.
Videl put the voice with the face when she saw a little boy with unruly, black hair in a strange orange and blue outfit sitting at the kitchen table with a phone sitting next to his elbow. Aww . . . isn't he cute?
"Uh, Videl, this is my mother, Son Chichi and my little brother, Son Goten."
Chichi sized the girl up. She could use a little work with her hair and clothes, but I suppose she'll do . . . "Hello," she said, holding out her hand. "Pleased to finally meet you. Gohan mentions you a lot."
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow and shook Chichi's hand. "I heard that from Goten. I've been meaning to ask him about that . . ."
Gohan flushed. "Did you have to mention that, Mom?" he hissed.
Goten slid out of his seat and walked up to Videl. "Wow. You sure are pretty!" he exclaimed. "No wonder Gohan likes you!"
"I think . . . I'm going to pass out," murmured Gohan as he rubbed his temples.
Videl glanced up at Gohan. Was Erasa right? Did he really have a crush on her? She shook her head and dismissed the thought. She wasn't there to find out about the boy's love interests.
Chichi let out a sigh. "Go on outside, Goten. And take the phone with you."
The little boy let out an excited YIPEE and ran off.
"No need to be embarrassed, Gohan. He's just a kid," said Videl.
"Sure. If you say so. Let's just go to my room and get started, okay?"
Good, his bedroom. She nodded and followed him down the hallway. When she entered his room, Gohan ran a hand through his hair. He'd never been so nervous about anything before in his life. For some reason, having Videl in his home, his bedroom, seemed very intimate and a little uncomfortable . . .
Videl looked around, careful to take note of every little thing. His bed was made, the carpet was vacuumed and the soft scent of sandalwood drifted throughout the room. Besides the bed, he had a large bookcase, a dresser, and a desk facing the window. So, he's a neat freak . . . and everything is so simple . . .
"I like your room," she said to him.
Gohan felt some of his apprehension slide away. "R-really?"
"Yeah." She wondered over to the bookcase. Advanced Algebra . . . Calculus . . . Physics . . . other boring school-oriented books. Videl noticed several photos on the shelf above her. She stepped back to get a better look.
The first one was of a man who looked like an older version of Goten and a young boy hanging form his arm. Her gaze moved to the next one. She raised an eyebrow. This must be a picture of his friends . . . they're all really old though . . . A large group of people stood in that one- ten people in all, if you counted the little baby. She pointed to the picture. "Who are these people? Especially the green guy."
Gohan reached above her and took it off the shelf. He remembered the picture. The group had taken it shortly after the Cell Games and before Mirai Trunks had returned to his own time. Gohan had managed to gather Android 18, Krillin, Bulma and Chibi Trunks, Vegeta, Yomcha, Tien, Piccolo, Mirai Trunks for a picture. He'd forced Bulma's father to take it for him so that he could be in the picture. Ack, Gohan! You should've taken that down! But now he was going to have to answer her question.
"They're my . . . friends. They're really like second family to me, I guess. Most of them were friends of my Dad's who sorta grew on me. And the green guy is Piccolo, one of my best friends."
Dad? She hadn't seen another man in the house. Maybe he was at work? "Did you say your dad? Where's he?"
Gohan placed the picture back carefully and picked up the one next to it. "This is my Dad. He's . . . dead."
Videl gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry! I wouldn't have asked if I'd known-"
"No, it's alright. I know he's okay where he is."
"Still . . ."
Gohan chuckled. "Don't worry about it. How about I go get some snacks before we get started?"
Perfect. "Okay." Videl waited until Gohan left and then almost attacked his desk. She shuffled through the papers on his desk. She frowned when she realized that they were all blank. "Where does he keep his juicy stuff?"
She began to put the papers back in their place when her eye caught sight of a drawing lying on the desk. Videl gasped. It was beautiful, yet disturbing at the same time. There was a fierce looking dragon emerging from seven balls, each with a different number of stars on it. Did Gohan do this? If he did . . . it's amazing!
Videl set down the drawing and sat on the floor. It looks like there's more to Gohan than I'd thought . . .
*~*
"What are they doing now?"
"Shhh!" hissed Goten into the phone. "Shut up! I can't hear." He crept up to Gohan's window and peeked inside. "Looks like they're sitting on the floor doing some homework."
"That's all? They're not kissing or anything?"
"No. If they WERE, then I would have TOLD you."
"Shut up, baka."
Goten pressed his face against the glass window. "Oh, oh, oh! They're saying something!"
"What?"
"Something about . . . the square root of negative one . . . I don't get it. Is that some sort of teenage slang?"
Trunks let out an exasperated sigh. "That's math, Goten. Math."
"Oh."
The two boys were silent for a while.
"Go-ten! Now what are they doing? Mom keeps asking me about them and I don't have anything good to tell her!"
Goten's eyes widened. Gohan and Videl were leaning closer to each other. "I think they're gonna kiss . . .!" He leaned even more on the window, trying to get a better look.
*SQUEAK* *CRUNCH*
The hinges on Gohan's window snapped, and little Goten fell into his brother's room, hitting the floor with a thunk. He sat up and rubbed his head. "Ouchie!"
Videl's laugh caught Goten's attention. He looked up, straight into his brother's furious eyes. "Oh, hi, Gohan . . . What's up?"
Gohan picked up his little brother and took the phone out of his hand. "Spying, were you?" He then turned to the phone. "GOODBYE, Trunks!" He hung up.
"And you . . ." said Gohan, turning back to his little brother.
Videl stood up. "Let him go, Gohan. He's too cute to be mad at."
With a sigh, Gohan set down the younger boy. "Get out of here, squirt."
Goten stopped to thank Videl for saving him from the evil clutches of his older brother before he bounced out of the room.
Videl stretched. "How about we take a break, Gohan? We've been studying for hours."
"That sounds like a good idea. Uh . . . We could watch tv or something . . ."
Videl shook her head and plopped down on his bed. "How about we talk?"
Gohan blinked. "Okay . . . about what?"
"You."
Where is she going with this? Gohan regarded her a little suspiciously. "What do you want to know?"
Videl pulled on Gohan's hand, forcing him to take a seat on the bed next to her. "I was . . . admiring the drawing on your desk. The one with the dragon and the seven balls . . ."
"Oh . . . that."
"Did you draw it?"
Gohan nodded.
"It's very good. I didn't know you were so gifted, Gohan. Where'd you the idea for it?"
The young Saiyan fell back on his bed, getting comfortable. "From a legend. I don't think you've ever heard about it."
Videl smiled. "We have time. You could . . . tell me."
Gohan thought this over. I suppose it won't hurt to tell her about the Dragonballs. "Okay then. My Dad told me all about this when I was just a little kid, younger than Goten. It goes like this: There are seven legendary magical balls scattered all over the world called Dragonballs. They are each labeled with a different number of stars on them as a way to . . . I don't know, keep track of them or something. Anyway, when all seven balls are gathered and are in the same place, the Eternal Dragon arises from them and grants the person who found the balls two wishes. And when the two wishes are granted, the Dragonballs scatter to be found again."
Videl raised an eyebrow and looked down at Gohan. "And you believe that? There's no such thing as magic. That stuff is all smoke and mirrors and light tricks. And dragons don't exist."
Gohan just chuckled. Boy, is she wrong . . .
"What? What's so funny?"
"How do you know magic doesn't exist? Just because you've never seen it before?"
Videl rolled her eyes. "Have YOU?" When Gohan didn't answer, she looked at him suspiciously. "Gohan . . . have you?"
He sighed. "You're not going to stop bugging me about this if I don't answer, are you?" She shook her head. "Fine. Just . . . promise you won't tell anyone about this."
"I promise!"
Gohan rolled off of his bed and knelt down on the ground. He reached under his bed and pulled something out. He sat back down on the bed and showed Videl what he held in his hand.
She gasped. "I-is it a Dragonball?"
He nodded. "It's the four star ball. I went and found it after . . . someone made a wish. This ball is special . . . it's been passed down through my family for a while."
"Wow . . . I've never seen anything like it!"
Gohan put the Dragonball back in its place. "Now do you believe me?"
"Yeah. But . . . have you ever made a wish on it?" asked Videl.
Gohan nodded slowly. "I . . . tried to wish back my Dad once."
Videl's eyes widened. "But-"
The young Saiyan shook his head. "Forget I said that. That doesn't make any sense, does it? If I made that wish, then he'd be here right now, right?" It's not like I can tell her that my Dad had already died . . .
"Oh, Gohan . . . I just keep saying the wrong thing . . ."
Neither of them said anything.
Videl nibbled on her bottom lip. Maybe this was a mistake. I feel so bad, coming here and being nosy like this. She hesitantly glanced at Gohan, who'd turned his back to her. She suspected that he could be crying, but she couldn't be sure. You can be such a bitch sometimes Videl . . .
Before Videl could say anything to console Gohan, Chichi called them for lunch.
Gohan stood. "Come on, we don't want to keep my mother waiting. She might just pull out her frying pan again . . ."
*~*
When everyone had taken their seats at the table, Chichi began to dish out the food. As she did so, she noticed the frown on Videl's face and the way Gohan hadn't said a word to her yet. She began to wonder about what they'd done in Gohan's room.
Goten began to wolf down his rice immediately, stopping in between bites to take a chug of water or grab a drumstick from the plate in the middle of the table.
Gohan picked at his with his chopsticks. Chichi frowned. That is so unlike a Saiyan . . .
"Is something wrong with the food, Gohan?" asked Chichi.
Her eldest son looked up. "No. Not at all. I'm . . . not really hungry, that's all."
A look of guilt passed over Videl's face. She set down her chopsticks. "Look, I'm sorry Gohan. I shouldn't have asked about your Dad or the Dragonballs-"
Goten's cup hit the table with a clank and rolled to the floor and Chichi's jaw dropped.
"-and I'm REALLY sorry. I didn't mean to get you upset."
"Videl-" began Gohan.
"No, no, no. Let me finish. I have to admit that I was snooping around your desk a bit, or else I wouldn't have found your sketch. And I was just being plain nosey when I asked about those photos on your bookshelf."
"Videl, I-"
"And I feel REALLY bad about everything. It's just that . . . you never talk about yourself at school, Gohan, so I couldn't help but be a little curious."
Gohan smiled at her. "So are you saying that you only came here to gather some information on me, huh?"
Videl blushed. "Well . . . yeah."
Gohan's laugh shocked Videl. "I knew something wasn't right. Math is your best subject."
"But . . . you let me come over anyway?"
"Yeah. I understand."
Chichi clapped her hands, not really sure of what had really passed between the two earlier. "Well! With that said and done, let's eat, huh?"
*~*
An hour later, Gohan stared up at the sky as Videl's copter flew out of sight. She'd decided to leave after lunch. Gohan hadn't protested- he could tell that she was a bit embarrassed about being caught snooping.
Chichi joined her son outside and shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked up too. "That was . . . interesting."
"Yeah."
Chichi glanced at her son. "And you really don't mind? I mean, she was basically-"
"I don't mind."
"Well, she doesn't seem all that nice to me," huffed Chichi.
Gohan smiled. "It was just harmless curiosity, Mom. She's really not that bad. After all, she confessed and apologized, didn't she?"
"Hmm . . . Sometimes, Gohan, I think you're just too understanding."
Goten clutched his mother's skirts. "Don't worry Gohan. I like her too. It's okay if you marry her now."
