Field Trip To CampHercule
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Previous chapter…
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Videl wandered in from the main room, Gohan in tow, while Sharpener peeked his head out from the boy's bedroom. "Yes, sweet pea?" he said in a slightly sarcastic voice.
Erasa shot a glare at her boyfriend. "Hey, you don't have to get all jealous just 'cause I can cook and you can't," she snapped back. Sharpener muttered something obscene under his breath and sulked off back into the boy's room.
Videl and Gohan looked at each other meekly, then back to Erasa.
"Okay, you guys, since Sharpener is being an ass," She said it in an obnoxiously loud voice, grinning from ear to ear when Sharpener grunted in return; "We'll fix everything up for now. Okay, you guys, get ready to take home the first prize!"
With an enthusiastic snort, both Videl and Gohan went to work, preparing Erasa's creations for the Baking Contest, only hours away.
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Bring It!
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Rob gently smoothed down his locks of hair, placing a white chef's hat on top once he was sure it wouldn't pop back up. That task finished, he then tied an apron over his form, one that clearly stated how he felt about himself on the front in big, black, bold letters; The cook is the sexiest being on earth.
Just in case anyone has any questions, he did write on that title himself with a permanent black pen. It was starting to smudge a little, but that didn't really matter, just as long as he got the point across. And what's the point? The point is that he's dead sexy, and that every woman who walked the earth should want to get in his pants.
Grinning from ear to ear as he sported his beautiful, yet still masculine chef's outfit, complete with little white boots that, even though they were too big for his feet, looked damn good. To him, at least. He then paused for a second, and grinned.
Stretching his body as he lifted his left leg off the ground in a 'graceful' arc, he held his left hand out to the side to balance himself and his right hand up, wielding a spatula. He smiled a bleached-white-toothed grin to finish off the pose.
Holding it for several seconds, he eventually realized it'd be a good idea to go start up the contest. Dropping his left foot to the ground, he attempted to crack his neck with a brief jerk of his head (he considered it to be a very masculine movement considering he'd seen a buncha' big fancy-schmancy hot TV guys do it), then soon discovered it wouldn't crack. He settled for cracking his knees instead.
"Alright, my little pretties," he smiled as he strode confidently through the door. "Prepare to meet the wildest cooker of the west; Robby the Kid!"
"Erasa, do I really gotta--"
"Yes!"
"But Erasaaaa!" Gohan whined as the girl continued to pile stacks of food into his arms. Several pans were at the bottom of the pile, with some covered bowls over them. On the very top of the pile were the pitchers of tea and the shakes.
"Gohan, just deal with it," Erasa growled through clenched teeth as she turned to give Videl some paper plates and napkins, along with plastic utensils. "Since Sharpener's being a jerk he can't come out and help, and it really doesn't look like you're having any trouble holding that!"
Gohan shook his head in response. "Erasa, it's not that, it's…" His stomach rumbled loudly, and Gohan smiled sheepishly. "I'm starving!"
Erasa shoved a laughing Videl out the door with a push, than ran into place behind Gohan to push him forward as well.
"I'm sorry, Gohan. But Sharpener refuses to carry anything at the moment because I insulted his little ego. I promise that as soon as this contest is over, I'll make you a few plates of food alright?"
That was enough to make the Saiyan cooperative for the day. An imperceptible line of drool running out of the corner of his mouth, Gohan obediently fell into step behind Sharpener, Videl and Erasa.
The crew tromped on over towards the main hall, which would be the grounds for the contest. Erasa found herself repeatedly smacking Gohan over the back of the head to distract him from the food in front of him, while Sharpener grumbled as Videl continued to urge him to walk faster by kicking his sneakers on the heels.
Within a time that seemed very long to everyone involved in the walk, they were standing inside the main hall. Erasa bustled Gohan off to a table with a sign that said 'Cabin #7' over it, Videl following not too far behind. Sharpener decided to make himself useful by pouting on a bench in a corner that was relatively near by. At least he was even gracing the room with his beautiful presence.
Soon, all the food was laid out on the table with little decorative quirks to it. Videl placed the utensils and paper plates in a pile next to it, along with plastic cups, and Cabin #7's table was complete.
Erasa gave a satisfied sigh, then went off to complete her next mission; getting Sharpener to stop being a dolt. This left Gohan and Videl alone, looking very lost while standing in front of the food.
Gohan was eyeing the food hungrily while Videl eyed Gohan; not in exactly the same way, exactly. More like sudden interest. Actually, she had been interested for awhile, but she just now decided to act on it. She had a few questions to ask that she'd demand to be answered! No getting away! She wanted to know then and now and… well, immediately.
She cast a few glances around, making sure no one was looking, then suddenly reached out to grab Gohan by the hand as she sprinted for the door. The demi-Saiyan had no warning of the 'attack', considering he'd been staring at the food only previously.
As they popped out of the building, Videl tugged Gohan over to a clump of trees before stopping once in complete cover. Gohan stumbled to a stop, looking to the girl curiously. What was up now?
Videl peeked around the tree once to check for anyone else, than turned back to Gohan. She raised an eyebrow; "Why."
"W-what?" Gohan tilted his head to the side in a very cute manner, frowning a little. "Why what?"
Shaking her head, Videl gave an exasperated sigh. "Why you haven't showed off any of this stuff that it looks like you really can do? I mean, everyone just thought you were some guy who knew his academics, but it turns out it's more than that. It's just so… weird."
Gohan gulped uneasily. What was she getting at?
"You can swim really, really fast, and I've seen you play baseball before. Not anytime recent, but during gym. You have skills that are comparable to a Major League professional player! You train in Martial Arts, and it's obviously paying off…"
She eyed his body for a moment while Gohan blushed in turn. Well, he tried not to notice it since it always made the girls act funny around him.
"It's like you have split personalities."
The boy waited for Videl to continue, then realized that was it. She just wanted to know why he was so different and why he didn't just merge everything together instead of hiding some stuff, from the looks of it. He nearly heaved a sigh of relief, before noticing that Videl was still holding one of his hands.
His eyes widened, and his blush instantaneously deepened. "Umm."
"Huh?" Videl blinked azure-colored eyes, then followed Gohan's gaze. "U-uh, oh… Err." Drawing her hand back quickly, she turned around and covered her face with a hand while gently biting her bottom lip.
Good Lord, that's embarrassing.
Gohan scratched the back of his head sheepishly, resisting the urge to laugh for some unknown reason. He coughed once, shifting his feet restlessly in the leafy ground, than decided it'd be a good time to answer that question of Videl's.
"Well, about that question. I've never been one to really go out and brag about what I can do, you know? Because of that, people don't normally find out what I can do. So it all works," he stated, nodding his head once. "People just look at me and assume I'm a nerd who can only ace tests and do good in nothing else. The guys already hate me because, for whatever reasons, I'm being followed by girls." To this he frowned, then continued. "If everyone knew exactly what I could really do when I wanted to, than they'd either hate me, be scared of me or be obsessed. The people here only know a little about me and already they can be classified in one of those groups. Most of 'em think I'm a freak by now, probably."
Videl turned to look at Gohan, the embarrassment fortunately gone from the situation, replaced by guilt. She couldn't help but feel bad; she'd been one of those people to 'classify' him in the nerd section to begin with. She could see now that he definitely wasn't a nerd, but a really cool guy who just didn't want to be noticed by the masses.
She didn't fear him or hate him or anything, and she was pretty sure she wasn't obsessed--just interested. Sheepishly running her hand over her hair to draw back several strands of jet-black, she coughed once, uneasily.
Damn it, I'm feeling embarrassed again. Stupid, too. I feel like such a jerk…
Gohan eyed her warily, almost expecting her to burst out about how corny that sounded. When she didn't, he blinked onyx-colored eyes, carefully cocking his head to the side in a gradual movement. Man, he would dish out big bucks to just get a hint of what she was thinking at the moment.
Videl, now staring at the ground, didn't notice the silence. She was too busy thinking to herself, and that made the small clearing seem very loud and noisy to her.
…So that explains it! And he really is that innocent, he's not faking it. And, and… I'm so going to kill the next guy who says he's a nerd, he isn't!
I wonder where she's ticklish. Gohan's thoughts were considerably different, and were on subjects that had no relation to what he just said, but his thoughts all the same. His theory was that it would be something common that no one would try to do, since it wouldn't be exactly the most sane action to tickle the city's crime-fighting heroine. Somewhere that had may have been hit, but never tickled.
How could've I been so mean to him? He probably thought that I thought that he was a major geek and a loser! Well, I did for a little while but he's not, and that's the important part. Hey, waitta' second… Videl paused in her ranting thoughts to eye Gohan quizzically. He was looking at her with the oddest smile on his face, one that she'd like to know the thoughts behind.
I wonder… Well, only one way to find out! All rational thoughts dashed from his mind, Gohan suddenly lunged forward and tackled Videl to the ground, catching her by complete surprise.
"What are you--!" She stopped mid-yelp as her eyes widened in complete astonishment, before she burst out laughing.
Gohan grinned widely as he continued his assault of Videl's stomach, tickling her mercilessly. She continued giggling and kicked out at him, trying to knock him away, but he neatly swung his body to the side just in time to avoid the hit.
"Gohan!" Videl gasped between laughs, completely confused as to why the teen had chosen that moment to tickle her. Wasn't exactly like him…
"Hm?" he managed as his mischievous smile grew wider. He was right, his theory was completely correct! But, wait a second… Realization hit him, and a very large, crimson-red blush spread over his cheeks as he yanked his hands back, locking them behind him. However, considering that he had been leaning over her and that his support was now gone, this caused him to collapse on top of her.
"Oof!" Videl grunted as Gohan completely dropped onto her, forehead's bonking against each other. "Ow!" she yelped as she placed a hand on her head, trying not to laugh when she saw her friend do the same. "Yeah, that kind of hurt…" she muttered, trying to sit up. However, Gohan had yet to move, and until he did she was trapped under him.
Gohan groaned as he rubbed his forehead, eyes squinted shut. Completely oblivious to Videl who was squirming under him, he lightly cracked his neck to one side. "That one was a doozy," he decided, nodding his head once.
Gritting her teeth, Videl placed both hands on Gohan's chest and shoved up, hard. Since the boy was caught off-guard, this was enough to cause him to topple to the side, hitting his head again on a tree. With a relieved sigh, Videl sat up, dusting dirt off her shirt. Gohan, rather, gave another groan as he rubbed the second bruise now forming on his head.
"Videl!" he whined, making a face. "That wasn't nice!"
Smirking, Videl got to her feet. "Whoever said I was nice?" She cast a look to the Main Hall, noticing that the judging was about to begin. She nodded towards Gohan; "Later." Turning, she strode easily towards the Hall.
Gohan remained on the ground for a moment longer, watching Videl's retreating form. "Well, you can be nice."
"Ladies and gentlemen! This is the time that all of you, yes, all of you, have been waiting for… The judging of the Baking Contest!"
The crowd gave a response of sarcastic clapping.
"I, the Head Camp Counselor, Rob, will be one of your judges for the evening! Several other counselors will join me in this grand task and we will select the Cabin with what we believe to have the best food!"
Rolling her eyes, Erasa glanced over at Videl. "Well, duh," she grumbled, her raven-haired friend snickering under her breath.
"Alright, folks, this is it! Go ahead and mingle as we judge your food!"
The room burst into instant chatter as the large group of gathered students separated to go their own ways, many meeting in small clusters at their tables. The set of four did just that, eventually coming to a stop in front of the feast.
Gohan stared openly at the food, eyes gradually widening as he began to inch towards it. "Must… have…" he mumbled almost incoherently, arms reaching forward for the first platter of food.
"Oh, no you don't!" Erasa's spatula came swinging downwards, slapping Gohan hard on the exposed skin on the back of his hand. The boy yelped and yanked his now red hand back, cradling it gently. Shaking her spatula at him, Erasa growled. "Can't touch, can't have!" She paused, then grinned evilly, eyebrow arcing. "And if you do touch, believe me, you won't ever be able to eat again!"
Gulping, Gohan nodded. Erasa reminded him of a miniature version of his mom sometimes; always trying to hook him up with someone, namely Videl… wields a kitchen utensil… Shaking his head, he took a seat on the bench, now in all-out pout mode because food was so near, but he couldn't have any.
Videl gazed to Gohan sympathetically. After being in the same cabin with the guy for awhile, she finally realized that his food intake was no joke and that he seriously needed to eat that much. Erasa caught the glance and grinned knowingly before turning to Sharpener, instructing him to protect the food from Gohan while handing him the spatula, Gohan jumping to his feet as he realized Erasa was about to leave. Grabbing Videl by the hand she marched off, friend in tow, while Sharpener blinked at the item now in the palm of his hand.
"Women," he muttered, chucking the spatula over his shoulder onto the table. "I can keep him away from the food, Sharpener style." Rolling up the arms of his sleeves, he struck a Mortal Kombat pose. "Try me if you dare, boy!"
A large sweat drop rolled down the side of Gohan's forehead, and the teen decided to let his blonde-haired friend be. He knew he could take the guy easily, but didn't really want to embarrass him… then have to face Erasa's wrath afterwards. Groaning, he plopped back down on the bench, shoving his head into his hands. Dende hates me.
Erasa, meanwhile, had cornered Videl in the girl's bathroom with a triumphant smirk on her face. Resting her hands on her hips while tilting her head to the side, she grinned. "You so, so like Gohan!"
Videl's jaw dropped and her eyes widened while Erasa tried not to laugh at her friend's stricken expression. "I do not!"
"Denial!" Erasa decided, delighting in the incredibly annoyed look on Videl's face. "And if you didn't like him, you wouldn't get so defensive about it, Miss Satan!"
Sighing, Videl hid her face in her hands. She couldn't believe this. Hadn't she had enough torture from Erasa already? Hadn't they already gone through multiple 'Gohan Talks' already? She needed a break!
"Erasaaaa…" she groaned, hoping that the girl would give her some relief.
Naturally, the girl did not.
"'Del, you're so, so obvious. But, whatever. If you don't want to get with the guy of your dreams, that's your choice, not mine. I'm sure some other chicky will pick him up sooner or later." Erasa smirked once more in Videl's direction before abruptly turning, sauntering off.
Oh. My. Kami. I can't believe she just did that. Videl looked around for something to tear into shreds, and settled with a tiny piece of paper which she made even tinier in her irritation. Erasa knew exactly what she was doing when she had basically said that Gohan was going to be snatched up by some other adoring fan if she didn't move fast. She, for some reason, knew that she didn't want that at all, but she also wasn't sure if she really wanted him.
Let's recap. Did she want him? Well, she had to admit, he was pretty adorable sometimes. And was smart, and respectful, and nice, and cute, and, well, hot. Okay, now she was beginning to sound like one of those fan girls. Mentally slapping herself, she continued her train of thought, unawares that she had been walking out of the bathroom due to habit.
Okay, so maybe I do sorta like him. Just a little. Just a teeeensy bit. I mean, he is kind of perfect… and if he has any flaws I kinda like 'em. Like the innocence? That just makes him cute. So, if I ever did go out with him, I wouldn't have to worry about him being a creep…
"Ouch!" Videl bounced back, toppling over backwards to land on the ground. Groaning, she rubbed her back as she sat up, squinting her eyes as she tried to see who, or what, she'd run into. It felt like she freakin' ran full-speed into a stupid steel wall.
"Oh, sorry about that Videl. I thought you saw me…" A hand reached down into her line of vision and she accepted it gratefully, the source of the voice pulling her back up to her feet. She recognized that voice from somewhere…
"Gohan!" Videl brushed the strands of hair away from her eyes as she blushed, ducking her head down sheepishly. "Don't apologize, it was my fault, I should've been watching where I was going." Okay, embarrassing, embarrassing, embarrassing! I was thinking about if I liked him or not and I freakin' ran into him… And now I'm acting like an idiot. Someone, shoot me. Now.
"Uhh…?" Gohan scratched the back of his head curiously, now looking at Videl. Did she just apologize to him? Well, it actually wasn't that surprising, but what was surprising was that she was looking very shy at the moment. The last time he checked, he didn't see Videl as a shy one. Shrugging, he decided that it was a mood swing.
"It's not a problem, Videl. Honestly. Anyways, we've gotta get back to the competition. They're starting up soon, and I wanna eeeaaat..."
Shaking off her sheepish exterior, Videl laughed, turning Gohan around before steering him forward by the shoulders. "So let's go eat, Superboy!"
Why is Videl always around those nitwits? And especially… that one?! Can't she see I'm so much better?!
Rob grumpily flipped a burnt hamburger into the air, pausing when he realized it didn't come back down. Glancing up slightly, he looked around, than frowned, placing his hands on his hips. Where in the hell did it go?
Well, it had actually landed on top of his poofy-white chef's hat, and was now leaking oil through the cloth onto his hair, but no one noticed. And if they did, they didn't care. Not like he didn't already have oily hair to begin with.
He nearly screeched as he saw Videl leaning back against Gohan, using him as a temporary cushion. The demi-Saiyan didn't seem to notice as he eagerly sampled each random piece of food that had been spared to the classes while the judges each took only a small portion for their decisions.
"She should be using me as a pillow, not him! Heck, he shouldn't even be within a mile of that babe…" he glowered to himself, oblivious to the stares he was receiving from students that were close enough to hear what he spoke.
Slamming his burger-flipping thingy on the table next to the mini-barbecue (called the 'Bachelor's Barbecue; make the hottest burgers for the hottest chicks!'), Rob decided to break up what he considered to be a love-fest between 'the whore-boy' and Videl. He didn't like what they were doing, not at all… that kid was allowing Videl to practically lay herself all over him while he fondled her!
Actually, Gohan wasn't doing a thing but reaching over the table to reach the remaining food by leaning back behind Videl, his arm slipping behind her back for a moment before he snatched the plate back to eating-range.
He was right about to bring the smack-down on the daring boy when the microphone squealed. It was time for the judging to begin.
"Hey, kids." One of the several judges was speaking, and it was obvious that he could care less about what he was doing. "We judged your food. Wanna know who got what place or what?"
There was some whooping and hollering in response. Hey, how could you blame them? The boys were competitive and the girls wanted to show off their cooking; 'nuff said.
"Okay. Starting off with honorable mentions…"
The man listed off two Cabins, numbers one and six, each receiving a tiny pin for their efforts.
"Now, for the first, second and third places. Our main gourmet judge will announce these winners." The mic was handed over to the gourmet judge, a man who was wearing a strikingly blue suit decorated with various foods. Well, no, the food wasn't real, but it was enough to make Gohan start drooling again.
The man coughed once, tapping the top of the microphone, before talking. "Hellloooo, Orange Star High! I bet you all can't wait to find out who's won what! Well, we'd better get to it. We'll begin with the cabin that's taking home third place…"
A small cart that was loaded with trophies rolled out onto the stage, the third place prizes being in front for receiving. "Third place goes to Cabin #10! Their food was exquisite; the spaghetti dish, sure to surprise many, had a slightly tangy taste in its sauce; the meatballs were juicy and delicious, not dry and hard as they can become if one is not careful. Also, the salad that accompanied was delightful, the lettuce being very crunchy and appealing to all who gave it a try."
The members of Cabin #10 walked up to the stage, each being given a trophy before returning to their seats. The judge nodded approvingly, before talking once more. "Second place will be awarded to… Cabin #3! Their dish was a wonderful steak marinated with a spicy sauce, accompanied by mashed potatoes, which had a dash of herbal spicing in the potatoes to bring out the taste. The steak was tender but not so much so as to lose the taste; perfect, rather! The potatoes also were commendable, being full of exotic tastes that varied with each bite. An impressive concoction!"
Several members of Cabin #3 waved their trophies in the air triumphantly, smiling at the applause, before retaking their seats. Now, everyone was on the edge of their seats, the girls grinning madly in hopes of a win, the boys now anxious to get back to the Cabin. After all, they did want to get ready for the tournament which was supposed to take place tomorrow…
"Okay, now that those are over and done with, time for the best of the bunch; the first place winners!"
A cheer arouse from the crowd. Nodding approvingly, the gourmet judge continued. "First place, this year, will be awarded to a spectacular dish. The cabin that created this is very talented; whoever made the additions of specific spices and various fruits and vegetables is brilliant, I must say! The winner for this year's Baking Contest is Cabin number sev--"
Rob stopped the cook, tapping him on the shoulder before whispering into his ear while handing him a piece of paper. The judge frowned, placing a hand over the microphone, reading the paper before responding, apparently displeased. Gesturing with both hands to the crowd, Rob eventually persuaded the man to continue.
"Ah, excuse the interruption. Anyways, the winner this year is…" The judge paused, looking down at the paper in his hand. "Cabin #8!"
Erasa blinked as the Cabin that won jogged up to the stage, each grabbing one of the trophies for first place. Leaning back, she poked Sharpener on the side. "Uh, wasn't he about to say seven? I mean, he said sev, and sev does not go with eight."
"Really now," Sharpener drawled sarcastically, not caring a bit. He just wanted to get back to the Cabin so he could do his 'before-fight' ritual, which consisted of lots and lots of push-ups, sit-ups, food and sleep.
"Yeah, that's just weird…" Videl crossed her arms over her chest, now looking suspiciously at Rob. It didn't look like the gourmet judge wanted to do as the Head Counselor said, but was forced to due to the fact that he was at a level that was inferior to that of the Counselor. "Don't you think so?"
Gohan looked to Videl, slightly startled, before nodding slowly. "Yeah, sure…" he muttered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. He hadn't exactly been listening; he'd been busy delighting in the wafting scent of the many foods that still wafted through the Main Hall.
Rob retook his place at the podium, eyes scanning the crowd before landing on Videl. He frowned a little; why wasn't she more upset? What surprised him even more was that she was looking back at him, with a glare even.
Grumbling to himself, he shook his head. The girl was supposed to be pathetically crying, in pain; he was to be the savior, one who reassured her in her time of need and that would give her an award with he considered to be priceless. Yes, exactly that, you hentais.
Hey, wait, wasn't he at the podium for a reason? Blinking rapidly, the man cleared his throat before the snickering crowd of students uncomfortably, before tapping the microphone.
"Uh, was just waiting for y'all to settle yourselves on down," he muttered, before continuing. "Anyways! Since all the winners have been announced, everyone, winners and losers," Rob shot a significant look in Videl's direction. He cursed to himself, realizing that it hadn't phased the girl at all; instead, another girl in the back of the room burst into tears.
"Err, yeah. Just, go back to your Cabins or something. See y'all tomorrow morning, kiddies, bright and early! Don't forget Hercule, the world's savior, will be coming to host the fighting tournament tomorrow!"
A roar of approval came from the crowds as they bolted from their seats, running for the Cabins. The boys to prepare for the big fight, the girls to pout over their loss or gloat about their win.
Fortunately for the two boys that tagged along behind Videl and Erasa, the girls weren't upset. Erasa looked only mildly irritated, thinking that that 'stupid man with icky hair' had cheated them out of a fair win, while Videl seemed troubled.
As they turned into the Cabin, Gohan took several long strides to catch up to Videl as Erasa ran for the shower, Sharpener going for the weights in his room instead. The demi-Saiyan tailed Videl into her room and she was about to begin changing into her pajamas when she finally realized that he was there.
"Ack, Gohan!" she shrieked, yanking her shirt back down as the young man blushed a deep crimson. "Why are you following me?!"
Scratching the back of the head, the Saiyan looked sheepish. "You looked upset, and I thought you wanted to talk or something…"
Videl blinked azure eyes once, than relaxed as a small smile crept onto her face. Aww, he was worried about how I was feeling! That's soooo sweet! After she thought this, she made a mental note to slap herself once he left; she was beginning to even think like Erasa.
"Well… yeah, I'm upset, and I wouldn't mind talking with you about it if you wouldn't mind listening."
Gohan grinned and nodded, taking a seat on the bed while clasping his hands in front of him. "Hey, that I can do!" he joked.
Grinning back in return, Videl took a seat next to her friend, leaning back on the mattress with her palms face-down on it to support her weight. "Well, it began like this…"
Rob flung his chef's hat into the corner of the room, soon following up by chucking his apron in the general direction. Why oh why didn't that girl notice him in the way he wanted her to?!
The looks she gave him weren't of a nature he was expecting. Instead of complete and utter devotion, he saw instant dislike; instead of admiration and wonderment, there was the displeasure and laughter at what he considered to be his genius. Growling under his breath, Rob took up a trashcan and whipped it across the room into the wall, merely sneering when the plastic material shattered. That girl didn't understand who she was refusing.
All she saw was that… that boy, with the gravity-defying hair and the habit of eating tons of foods at a time. That idiotic, shy, mild-mannered… What was his name? Oh, right. Gohan. He'd looked the kid up in the files a few days back just to see who his competition was, and he had to admit, it didn't look like much.
Taking a seat on the corner of his bed, Rob rubbed the side of his head wearily. How to get Videl to go to him was running through his head; he had to make her his. He just had to. The benefits would be so much, Hercule would be an adoring -- and rich -- father-in-law, and everything would be good and well. If Videl wouldn't come to him willingly, he'd make her. He would.
And to do this, he would chuck his only other competition from the rink, toss him into a trashcan and compact the freak. That boy was sure to enter the tournament tomorrow. No matter how stupid he seemed, he knew how boys thought, how they worked, and had worked with them for years. He knew that the kid would either be wanting to strut his stuff or would be pressured into the job. It was a guarantee that this Goham or Gohad, whoever, would be there.
Rob stood once more, rolling a fighting glove onto his hand as he grinned evilly.
"Oh, what fun it will be to tear you apart," he began, fist recoiling back slowly as he faced the wall; "piece, by, piece!" Lunging forward, his fist shot towards the wall. With a loud, sickening crack, the wood gave before his hand, splinters of wood flying through the air.
An air of ferocity and jealousy about his form, Rob merely smirked, turning away from the newly formed whole in the wall. While he may not look it, he was incredibly strong for a human due to… modifications.
"He what? Are you--"
"Yeah, I'm completely serious. No joke!" Videl held her hands before her in the air as she gave a small shrug. "Why would I lie about something like th--wait, no. How would I think up something that idiotic?"
Gohan paused, than smiled weakly, nodding. "Yeah, you're right." He heaved a sigh while his rational mind wondered why he was feeling even remotely jealous--he was actually very, very irritated about the whole thing--then continued staring at the ground before Videl poked him on the shoulder.
"Err, Gohan? You didn't die on me, did you?"
The teenager hesitated, than realized that it was his sudden change of attitude, along with his silence, that had given Videl reason to think his brain had left the building. Rubbing the back of his neck, he nodded, trying to force a small grin.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. Just spaced, y'know?"
Eyebrow raised suspiciously, Videl returned the nod with a slow one of her own. "Sure, Gohan. Sure."
What's up with him? He looks ready to jump off a cliff.
"Videl, I hafta go get ready for that big thing tomorrow, okay? I just wanna get some sleep…" Gohan hoped that she wouldn't see through the lie; he really didn't need any preparation since he wasn't even going to participate. It was more a matter of him wanting to get away from the girl that was currently on his thoughts, since he didn't exactly know what he thought of her to begin with.
Videl looked a little surprised, before grinning smugly. "You're entering, Gohan?"
"Well, u-uh, not exactly…"
"Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun!" Really fun when I get to spar you, too, she added mentally while her smile grew wider.
"Not really."
She was prepared. Videl instantly took on a sad expression, lips in a full-pout. "Gohaaaaan!"
Oh, man. She did not just… She didn't--she did! "O-okay," Gohan stammered out. Within several seconds after he realized what he'd said he paused, than slapped himself on the forehead. Why did the stupid puppy-face work on him when Videl did it, anyways?
Laughing, the raven-haired girl patted Gohan on the back as she stood up, walking from the room. "No worries, Gohan, none at all. Actually, you might have to worry when you get around to sparring against me." With a wink she slipped out of the door, leaving a stunned Saiyan sitting on the bed.
It took the teen several moments to collect his scattered thoughts and when he did, he was shocked. Does she think I'm Saiyaman… again?! I mean, it seemed like she'd totally forgotten about the martial arts deal but I guess not… and, and! Earlier, she called me Superboy… and she only does that to Saiya--ohhh, rats!
Pounding his fist repeatedly against the palm of his other hand, he gritted his teeth to keep from yelling out his frustrations. Honestly, he wouldn't really mind if Videl knew, but he was terrified of what she'd do with the information--and him. After all, if she knew, she could blackmail him to heck and back or attempt to beat the crap out of him, considering that he had supposedly taken away the limelight when she'd been on a mission.
But she did apologize for getting so mad at your Super-self, and she did explain what was up, his inner voice argued. Gohan sighed, shaking his head. Even though a part of him believed that everything would be okay if she knew, he still wouldn't tell her. It'd be easier for the both of them if she didn't know.
Gradually pulling himself to his feet, Gohan stumbled from the girls' room to the boys', relieved that Sharpener had gone outside to continue his training. Falling face-first onto his bed, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling.
Dende, why do you have to make things so hard for me?
Next morning was, to say the least, stressful.
Well, not to him of course, but to his honored assistants. He had them carry the baggage from plane to plane before, until he found a suitable jet, and then they were on a flight to take them to their destination in which he'd have to strut his stuff for a bunch of adoring fans.
Yep, that's right; he was Satan, Hercule Satan, and he was preparing to enlighten high school students on the true-meaning of a savior of the world. In fact, he'd show them just what he was made of, and would hopefully pick up a few new students along the way. Yeah, that's right, more kids who'd follow in his footsteps and who would probably cling to his each and every word with an insanely large grin that dripped of respect.
"Ah, this looks like it's going to be a great day!" Hercule stretched his arms back, cracked his neck, than sauntered towards the camp which was appropriately named after himself. "And do you know why it's going to be such a great day, Lott and Ment?"
The two body-guards clothed in black, while clutching several suitcases in their arms, clenched their teeth as the one in front spoke up. "Sir, my name's Scott and he's Brett."
"Oh, right, Smock. But, do you know why it's going to be such a great day, Bread?"
The second body-guard, who stood behind Scott, rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses and grunted in response.
"Because I'm here! Aha, ha ha! I made a funny!"
Scott and Brett looked to each other, sighed, than looked back to their boss before them. It was going to be a long, and painful, five minutes.
Fortunately for the boys, they reached the quarters that Hercule would be staying in for the last two days of the camping trip, and were able to drop off the luggage before high-tailing it to be Main Hall, leaving Hercule to examine himself in the full-length mirror that hung in his room--well, one of them, anyway.
The large man heaved a sigh of contentment as he flexed one of his arms, wiggling his eyebrows for effect. "Ooh, yes, you are so great!" he cooed at himself. "Oh, yes you are! Ooooh, yes you areeee!"
There was a cough from the door, and Hercule paused in his self-admiration. Looking to where the sound came from, he realized that someone had entered his room and was now waiting patiently by the door. Hercule shrugged, flashed one more award-winning grin in the mirror's direction, before flouncing towards the door.
"I'm a-comin'! Hold your horses!"
"This, my children, is a great day!"
Rob stood valiantly at the podium, a single clenched fist raised as he shook it once.
"A very, very great day this is! A day in which we can compete in a manner that shows how strong we are! How brave we are! How… manly," he shot a significant look in Videl's direction; "we are! And now I, with great, great, esteemed pleasure, introduce you to the magnificent, wondrous, powerful savior of the world; Hercuuuule!"
A roar of applause echoed through campgrounds as the burly man took his place at the center of the raised stage that stood in a large clearing. He raised his two large hands for silence, which was eventually granted. It was then that he cleared his throat with a low cough, and began to talk.
"Hey, all! I'm here, your champion!"
Clapping and whistles could be heard in the crowd before silence came about once more.
"It is today that you, the future of this world, will be able to show what you've got! It is today that you, who may have not ever received recognition before even though you deserve it, will be able to get that which you should!"
Another round of applause.
"And, today, ladies and gentlemen, not only will the finalists of the tournament get awarded with money and recognition, but also, a free months' worth of classes with me!"
It was then that many boys in the audience leapt to their feet, whooping and hollering at the top of their lungs.
"So, kids, let's see some real fightin' out there! Let's rummmmblllleeee!"
The arena exploded into cheers as Hercule descended from the podium, a smug grin upon his face. Dang, he was good. Even though technically it was his speech writer that was the brilliance behind the mask, he was still damn good.
As Hercule took his seat in the main stands that stood before the raised platform, the contenders walked to the boards. The names had been submitted before Hercule had entered and, while the speeches had taken place, the fights had been planned.
Sharpener smirked as he cracked his knuckles, seeing who he was to contend against. Some kid named Skylar; he knew about him and, thanks to his sources, had plenty of information. The kid had entered primarily to kick his ass and he'd been lucky in getting who he was going for. Ever since freshmen year, he'd been harboring a crush on Erasa. Unfortunately for Skylar, Erasa had never known he'd existed since he never had the guts to speak up until after she was happily going with Sharpener. By junior year, Skylar was known to be a loud smart-ass that had no problem with chasing the ladies, especially those that were taken. This gave Sharpener enough reason to want to beat him down and take him out.
Videl, on the other hand, had Yugisho. She shrugged inwardly; she was pretty lucky, going up against one of the guys she was on friendly terms with from school. They had physical education together and talked a little. At least there'd be no reason to want to kill the kid.
Gohan, meanwhile, was attempting to gulp down the lump in his throat. Dominic? … Dominic?! Why in the heck do I gotta spar Dominic? For cryin' out…! Gohan shot a meaningful glare in the direction of the sky as he inwardly cursed Dende's rotten prank. Out of all people, he had to spar the football captain 1. He didn't know much about him except that the guy was a perv, hit on Videl too much for his liking, and that he thought Gohan was an unbelievable dork.
Dende, I swear, if you ever come down here for a visit, I'll get you!
Naturally, Gohan was going to have to fight last. From the way Videl was looking at him, he could tell she wished she had his place. After all, she was the one that had to put up with Dominic's constant flirting at school.
The late-comers finished filing into their seats at the sides of the platform, far enough back from the walls that ringed the area so that they had no worries of getting hit by a body that became airborne due to a powerful hit. The talking ceased about the arena as the announcer, also posing as the newscaster for S.N.D. 2 took his place in the center of the platform, microphone raised to his mouth as the camera-man
"Hey! It's great to be back for another sunny day at Camp Hercule, where the tournament is just about to begin! As you can see, fans of the famous Hercule at everywhere! In just a few, mere seconds, the tournament bell will ring, announcing the beginning of the tournament. I will be your announcer as well as newscaster for the event, giving you a live showing of the fight! Now – ah, well it looks like we're ready to go! Get ready, folks, this is sure to be an exciting show."
The bell clanged loudly as the stands erupted in applause, whoops and whistles.
"Time to begin! Our first contestants today will be Sharpener and Skylar! Both seniors at Orange Star High, its sure to be a good match – sources say that there's been a long-lasting feud between the two, regarding a certain love interest. Folks, this may get pretty personal. And now, if we may begin…!"
The pair approached the platform, both entering from opposite sides of the area. Stepping smoothly up the stairs, Sharpener's outfit was simple, identical to that which he wore for street brawls; a loose pair of jeans, a tight tank, and several wraps around each of his fists to keep the skin from tearing too much. Skylar wore something similar to that of his opponent, considering he had participated in several of the street fights as well.
Stopping at the center in the circle of the platform, each before their proper lines, they stanced. Sharpener grinned slightly as Skylar sneered, eyes narrowed.
"Time to take you out, bitch, and show your chick what she's been missin' out on."
"Keep your mouth shut, kid. Talk with your fists."
The announcer spun, dark sunglasses flashing as a ray of light rolled over their reflective surfaces. "One, two… Fight!" A loud gong rang through the arena.
As the two teenagers lunged at each other, Gohan buried his face into his hands. It was now, out of all times, that he remembered that he had left most of his gi at home.
By the time the fight was over, Skylar had suffered a broken nose, multiple cuts and slashes, bruises all over his frame and a jammed finger. Sharpener had a stubbed toe.
Grinning widely as he sauntered (with a slight limp) over to Erasa, Sharpener struck a quick pose. "No one's gonna take me away from you, babe," he announced as he before giving her a quick peck on the lips.
Giggling, Erasa nodded in a bubbly-like manner. "I know, Sharpy! Just next time, try not to stub your toe in the process of kicking the crap out of him, okay?"
"Not a problem!"
Videl couldn't help but smile cheerfully in the direction of the couple as she tugged on her gloves, checking to see that they were secured properly. They were adorable. She was distracted from the cute sight by Gohan, however, as she realized he was slapping his hand against his forehead repeatedly while mumbling under his breath.
Taking a seat next to him, she gingerly tapped his shoulder.
"Baka, baka, baka, ba – Videl!" Gohan hastily brought his hand back down, a sweat drop rolling down the side of his head. Well, if she didn't think he was crazy before, she probably did now.
"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to the side with a quizzical look on her face.
Bowing his head, Gohan heaved a sigh. At least she didn't think he was crazy. "My…gi, I left it at home. My fighting gi," he finished, once again smacking himself half-heartedly upside the head with the palm of his hand.
"You mean you didn't know about the tournament?"
"No…"
Videl mentally hit herself. Of course he didn't know, he'd only transferred to Orange Star High recently. Not like he'd known what to expect at the annual trip to Camp Hercule.
"Actually," Gohan started, breaking into her thoughts. "I didn't forget all of it. I packed a pair of gi pants, since they're comfy and I sometimes wear them to sleep. I didn't think to bring the top part, though."
"Then just wear the pants." Videl tried to keep herself from grinning widely as she said this. After all, she had no complaints about the prospect of seeing Gohan without a shirt again. Please just smile and nod, damn it! I need a break already!
"Just the pants?" Gohan repeated, not fully understanding the concept of what she was saying.
"Yeah, just the pants. You know… Just, I dunno. You don't wanna get your other stuff dirty, do you?"
"Well, no –"
"So just wear the pants!" It was then that Videl hopped to her feet as her name was called, walking towards the door that led to the outside arena. "Wish me luck!"
A small smirk spread across Gohan's face in an odd change of character as he responded; "Not like you need it."
Turning slightly to flash a final grin in Gohan's direction, Videl stepped out into the open. A roar of approval was heard as she easily sauntered towards the platform, not paying any attention to the announcing that could be heard in the background.
"…our very own Satan Videl! She will be competing against Yugisho today, a fellow student of the city's heroine. Apparently, Yugisho is fairly experienced in martial arts as well, so we should be able to see a good fight for today!"
Coming to a stop at the center circle, Videl lined her feet with the slash mark that the circle into quarters, separating her from her opponent. As she stretched an arm behind her head, she nodded in Yugisho's direction.
"How's it going?" Yugisho asked as he stretched a calf-muscle, raising his head slightly to look to Videl.
"Pretty good, I've been taking it easy. And yourself?" She added casually, now swinging both arms at her sides to loosen the joints.
"Alright, I'd say. I got Keisha to promise me a date for when we get back." The teenager flashed a small grin as he slide into a stance, looking at Videl. "So try not to bash me up too badly, eh? I don't want to look like a wreck for our first night out."
Laughing, Videl followed suit as she moved into a stance of her own. "Done deal."
The gong sounded and the pair lunged at each other. Videl took the first opportunity of attack; it was a relaxed match, so she wasn't concerned about going all out on the guy she knew from 4th period. Besides, she really didn't think that Keisha, someone else she talked to occasionally, would appreciate it if she broke his nose.
She began by first swinging her first in an arc towards his neck, a predictable move that gave him plenty of time to react – had she been doing it in the first place. Instead, she drew that hand back before it would hit and jutted up with her second, fist clenched, to jab it at his stomach.
Yugisho had watched enough of her training matches with friends to expect it, even though he wasn't prepared for the speed at which it was executed. Barely dropping back out of reach, he stepped forward once more, curling his hand around her own before allowing his hand to move in a circular motion, brushing hers smoothly away. He continued, using his previous momentum, to send a quick chop towards her exposed neck with his free hand before turning rapidly, a spinning knuckle-punch darting towards her forehead.
He sent them to the same side… Easy enough to block. Reading his second attack as he was still moving with the first, Videl smoothly ducked under the chop of his hand, narrowly avoiding the first of the pair of attacks. The second she caught, twirling it around effortlessly before yanking him forward by the arm. Bending down, she allowed her second arm to continue the motion, dragging back on the arm that still held Yugisho, tossing him over her back. She was going to go for an easy win, and that would be by knocking him out of the ring.
Unfortunately for her, Yugisho caught himself before flying from the ring, instead springing off the edge to land before Videl. "You're not gonna get me outta here that easy!" he grinned, before sending a flurry of punches and kicks in her direction.
The exchange of blows and attacks continued for several minutes, each patiently testing the other's endurance. Once twenty minutes had passed, Videl could tell that Yugisho was beginning to tire. She couldn't blame him; she'd begun to increase the intensity and speed of each hit after the first ten minutes until it was at a pace that she'd normally train at, one that was meant to force the victim to either give in or pass out trying.
His attacks were getting slower and more gradual by the second, less sharp, and Videl found herself looking for an opening. She should be able to take him out easily soon, without any damage that would mess up his 'first date' with a new love interest.
As a fist followed closely by a roundhouse sped towards her, she begin the first of what she hoped to be the last exchange of blows. Ducking under the first of the two, she allowed it to swing over her head, narrowly missing her form itself. The second had slowed, due to the lack of power behind it, and was running at a reasonably slow pace.
Videl placed a hand on top of his leg, using it as a lever to leap into the air. She executed a single flip as his leg was forced down and he was caught off-balance; by the time she'd landed behind him on the edge of the rink, he had just begin to stumble.
Reaching forward she grabbed him by the back of the shirt, ducking her upper body down as she squared her shoulders. Rolling the joints as she flipped him over her back, she pulled back up quickly as she released Yugisho, flinging him gently into the air.
The man landed with a soft thump on the grass, breathing heavily as he stared to the sky in a dazed manner, still mildly oblivious to what had happened. It took the blare of the gong to wake him from his reverie, bringing him back to the present.
Dragging himself to his feet, he leaned against the edge of the platform as Videl quirked an eyebrow at him. "Tired already, Yugisho?" she mock-frowned. "Keisha wouldn't like to know that her date's too tired to take her out, y'know."
Panting under his breath, Yugisho grinned at Videl. "Hey, no worries," he shrugged. "For one, she'll probably give me a hug because she'll probably feel bad for me having to go up against mini-supergirl, and two, there's no way I'd miss out on a chance to take her somewhere!"
Rolling her eyes, Videl straightened as she walked back towards the back rooms. "A hug? How cute." She laughed at the expression on Yugisho's face as she re-entered the rooms for those that entered the tournament, narrowly avoiding getting tackled by Erasa first thing as she stepped past the curtain.
"Videl!" Erasa squealed as she launched herself at her friend a second time, catching her in a hug. "You were awesome out there, girl! You really kicked some guy-butt!"
"Erasa…" Videl gasped for air as the girl's hold around her frame remained tight. "Need… to… burrreeetthhh!!"
"Oh, oops!" Giggling, Erasa released her grip on Videl, trying not to laugh outright at the look on her friend's face. "Well, you still kicked butt even if you can't handle a hug here and there, so go you." Giving her the thumbs-up, she made her way back to her boyfriend who was still nursing an injured toe.
Videl, now able to breathe properly, cast a quick look around the room. Where'd Gohan go? After all, he did basically say that he expected her to win and she did… now all she needed was her 'congratulations' from him, or something like that. So… where the hell was he?!
A low voice behind her broke into her thoughts; "Hey, good job."
Gohan couldn't help but nod as he watched each of Videl's movements, seeing by the way she swept in such a relaxed manner that she was taking it easy for her opponent's benefit. As he tugged on his gi pants from within the changing room, he paused to watch a particular move that caught his interest as she first tried to drop him out of the ring, being unsuccessful.
She's good, he realized for the first time. Well, he always knew she was good, but he'd never meant really good when he was thinking before.
Normally, just 'good' meant that she could do pretty well against a human. The kind of good he was talking about here was the kind that meant that she could hold her own against someone of his kind; a Saiyan. She had the skill, determination, the guts – exactly what was expected of the Saiyan race in order for them to survive.
And, oh, we can't forget her pride, his inner voice added as a small grin appeared on his face. Sometimes the girl almost reminded him of Vegeta with the entire attitude that screamed out, 'I'm damn good and I know it! Try me if you dare!' to the world. He had to admit that he kind of liked it on her, considering that most of the teenaged girls he knew were too prissy to say that or just too busy worrying over their looks to want to get into that kind of stuff.
See now, Videl could be a challenge to him, and him to her. It would be a perfect situation.
A splash of water in his face brought him back from his trance as he glanced out the window again, just in time to see Videl fling her opponent out of the ring with a graceful movement, the match ending as soon as he hit the ground.
The crowd roared, and Gohan smiled again. Tying the sash around his pants as he left his upper-body and feet bare, he walked from the locker room to where he'd meet up with Videl and congratulate her on her win.
Man… Videl's great.
"Hey, good job."
Videl spun around, startled before realizing just who it was that had appeared soundlessly before her. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed – quite happily, by the way – that Gohan had taken her advice and had decided to only wear the pair of training pants.
"Um," she began, unsure of what to say next since her mind had gone conveniently blank. Okay, what comes after 'um'?! Wait, wait… Close mouth, stop drooling, look away from Gohan's really, really nice body, and then talk! Yanking her gaze away from Gohan's form as her brain had suggested, she finally found the breath to continue. "Thanks," she finished, as her gaze helplessly traveled back to the chiseled body of her friend, Videl groaning inwardly. This was not easy.
"Videl?" Gohan, leaning forward as he blinked curiously at Videl's blank expression, crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to lean forward. "Videl? Hello?"
Snapping out of her temporary moment of being in dreamy-land, Videl blinked, realizing that Gohan's face was directly in front of hers. Giving a small squeak she toppled backwards, falling awkwardly into a chair. Completely and obvious flustered, she glared up at Gohan.
"What was up with scaring me like that, Son Gohan? Not like I don't have enough nerves already with all the… uh, the… well, you know!" she yelled, gesturing wildly with her hands.
Confused, Gohan eyed her warily. "I'm sorry, I didn't think of that, it's just you blanked out on me there for a second. You had this weird smile on your face…"
Oh, Kami. Please don't let him guess what I was thinking about…
"Thinking about how it's gonna be if you win the tournament, huh?" Chuckling, Gohan straightened, arms remaining crossed over his form.
Thank you, oh-mighty-person-who's-up-there. Gradually, a well-used smirk spread across Videl's face. "If I win?" she repeated, as if Gohan didn't know what he'd said himself. "If? Hey, this isn't an 'iffy' matter. It's a 'yes, I'm gonna win and I'm gonna win it good' kinda matter."
"Eh?" Gohan quirked an eyebrow before narrowing his eyes playfully; a small, barely perceptible yet familiar tinge of an aqua-marine flash ran through his onyx-colored eyes. "Hey, you're going to be up against me, and you really shouldn't think it's gonna be all that easy."
"I shouldn't?" Videl's voice had a challenging tone to it that Gohan didn't miss. "What makes you think that?"
"Because." Stepping forward smoothly as Videl retreated in response, a predatory smile formed on Gohan's features. "I'm better than you think…" He stopped in his forward advance, now that the girl was pinned up against the wall. Slipping his arms around her waist he tilted forward, his lips gently brushing her cheek before he whispered into her ear; "A lot better." Grinning wickedly, he released her as he walked from the room with a slight swagger, his form vanishing as the curtain fell closed behind him.
Videl remained frozen in place, mouth agape as she leaned against the wall for support. What the hell had just happened there? He'd done it before, but this time – well, to think of it, it brought a certain encounter with a particular superhero to mind. But… Gohan? Ahhh! Stop having bad thoughts! He's just too innocent – wait, scratch that. If that was innocent five seconds ago, then someone can beat the hell out of me. Good Kami.
The girl walked from the room, barely noticing the odd looks she was getting from Erasa and Sharpener.
"I'm going to take a shower," she explained in a low voice, rubbing the side of her forehead as she finished the sentence with mumble; "A very, very cold one."
"Come on, kid, come on…" Rob muttered through gritted teeth. Gohan couldn't back out on the fights; if he left and didn't beat this Dominic boy, he'd never have a chance to go up against him. After all, he did have to show Videl who was the boss.
He continued rolling the bandages over his fists, but not after sliding in the brass knuckle-covers that would give a little 'boost' in the battle. Hey, couldn't hurt, could it?
Well, it may hurt him, but not me. And that's what matters. Chuckling under his breath to himself, Rob resumed his planning.
He was wishing and hoping that Gohan would be able to beat Dominic, or whoever. He already knew from the way the chart was drawn out that the boy would then advance on and, after several rounds, would go up against him. After all, he had every intention of getting into the finals. He was going to make sure that Gohan did as well.
Some of the contestants had been bribed; everyone that he thought may be going up against Gohan was offered money in exchange for giving in easily after faking a fight with the boy. The others and those that didn't agree, one being Dominic, would just have to be put away in the usual manner.
Rob finished tying the bandages over his fists, than stretched his arms back over his head. He'd heard that Gohan had some fighting experience, so he wasn't too worried. Chances are that he'd be able to make it past the few that hadn't been bribed, and then it would be his turn to take a whack at it.
Boy, I'll be giving you more than a whack, he thought with a snarl. You'll be going down, and it's going to be painful as hell. You'll be wishin' that you were never born by the time I'm through with you.
"Hercule deserves only the best for a son-in-law. After all, all the fame and fortune should be rightfully mine. Besides… Videl's not such a bad catch." He spoke lowly to himself while gazing at his own form in the mirror, lazily flexing a muscle.
"She's hot, rich, and sexy – how can you go wrong? You can't. Which is why I'm going to make her mine."
A roar rose from outside, followed by whoops and hollers of cheering. Rob paused, taking a step away from the mirror to look to the window. Gohan had entered the arena; the fight was about to start.
Let's see how you stack up against Dominic, little boy.
Now why'd I do that? As Gohan had walked from the room, his sly, wicked grin was reduced to an all-out, adorable blush. His minds weren't on this Dominic kid as he walked towards the platform, his gait a slow one.
I can't believe I… ugh. Bopping himself on the forehead, Gohan shook his head once, trying to clear his thoughts. His Saiyan side was becoming more of a part of him and was beginning to show up more often without warning, even with small things. At least he didn't act like that all the time; otherwise he'd have a heart attack.
"She probably thinks I'm a freak now!" he muttered out-loud to himself.
"Hell, if I was anyone but you, I'd think so too."
Blinking, Gohan raised his head to gaze at the one who'd talk. Since he'd been deep in thought, he hadn't noticed that he'd made his way up the stairs onto the platform and was currently standing on his side of the small divider that separated the platform into two.
"Huh?"
Dominic ran a hand over his black hair that was slightly spiked – not anything like Gohan's, considering it was shorter and had to be spiked with gel – and that was bleached a pale yellow at the tips. He grinned darkly, eyes narrowed.
"You heard me, kid. Gohan, is it? Nice meeting the boy who's gonna get his brains beaten out. You've been around my girl too long, boy. I don't even see what the bitch sees in you. I'm gonna give you an example of what I do to premature teens when they get fresh around one of my chicks."
The football captain, Dominic, slid back into a stance. Loose shorts adorned his lower body while he had a tight muscle-shirt for a top. A cocky grin was on his face as he shook his fists before his face. "You gonna stand there all day, or y'gonna fight, ya wimp?"
Ooh. That does it. Gohan's features instantly hardened as his eyes narrowed to slits, a low growl emitting from the depths of his throat. There was a brief crackling at his clenched fists as he gradually allowed his legs to drop back, shoulders raised as his biceps flexed.
Following Dominic's lead as he too moved into a fighting stance, Gohan allowed a smirk to creep onto his lips as his eyes took on the trademark teal color. The sudden change flashed for a moment, before dulling slightly as the power level was kept at a minimal level.
While Gohan was pissed, he didn't want to kill the guy. All he wanted to do was smack him around a bit, and show him just what he was made of.
"Don't ever call her that." His voice was calm, controlled; inwardly, however, he was fuming in fury. "And she's never going to be yours unless she wants to be… and at the moment, I doubt that anyone would want to be with you."
The anger in Dominic's face only made Gohan's smug grin to widen and he spoke, loud enough to be heard over the sound of the gong that signaled the battle.
"Bring it."
To be continued…
1: Reminder: S.N.D. stands for Satan News Daily.
2. The character Dominic is from a previous story I wrote.
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'The Moment I Saw You Cry' – By Little Ricecake
Commentary: Heh, I just like this one… even though there's quite a bit of OOC-ness, it's well-written and is pretty dang funny at some points. And, plus, it's a G/V. How can that possibly go wrong?!
Author's Summary: AU – He's the most popular guy in school and captain of the football team. She's the captain of the swim team and hates the guy's guts. Is there anything that can bring these two together? G/V
'What a Sight' – Daughter of Chaos
Commentary: I like this one too! Well, umm, obviously, since I'm advertising it and all. Anyways, if you like cute fics about how Gohan and Videl are doing when already together, check this one out.
Author's Summary: Our Favorite half Saiyan seems to be having a problem… What will it take to make the world a clearer place for Gohan? G/V fresh.