Chapter X: The Next Round
Gohan didn't know how long they had been sitting there. They were in the same exact position as before, but hadn't uttered a word since Gohan spoke. Both of them were content holding each other. For the moment at least.
Off in the distance, Gohan heard the beginning of the eighth match. Which meant the second round would begin. Which meant his next fight would soon be starting. He glanced down at Videl. She had also heard the announcer.
He smiled, "I'm sorry for the way I acted."
"I'm sorry the way I treated you." Her voice was quiet, almost broken. Videl moved so her head could rest easier on his chest, "What did you think?"
"About what?" Gohan just couldn't resist the urge to run his hand through her hair.
". . . Us."
That was a rather bold expression. Other than telling stories about their lives, Gohan and Videl hadn't really talked about their feelings. Personally or towards others. Gohan didn't know what to say, "Are you sure you'd like dating an alien?"
She smirked, "Half alien. Besides, this alien happens to be nicer, stronger, and cuter than all the normal boys that are out there." Sharpener crossed her mind as a prime example. She placed her hand on him to help her lift up. She stared into his eyes, "Well?"
What do I say? Ten minutes ago we were screaming that neither on could trust the other. Now . . . what about now? Despite our argument, has anything really changed? Have my feelings changed? Gohan decided not to say anything. He pulled her head in and gave a gentle kiss. It wasn't overly dramatic, but it also wasn't shy. Videl reveled in the moment it lasted.
Gohan leaned back, "I'd like that a lot." Saiyan hearing was much better than any human's. Gohan heard the eighth match come to an end. He glanced down on his girlfriend, "I guess it's time we got back. Second round is starting soon."
Videl stood up. She took Gohan's hand in her own, and they began walking back to the waiting room.
* * *
The second round was to begin within a few minutes. Goku paced feverishly, wondering where his son could be. He would be disqualified if he didn't show up soon. Vegeta found the situation amusing, "Your brat has probably run off and eloped with that girl. I suppose this makes you the automatic world champion, right Kakarott?"
"That's not very funny!" Goku pouted, "I was really looking forward to testing him out. Don't give me that look! I know you wanted to fight Gohan almost as much as you wanted to fight me."
"It seems that I'm pretty popular."
The fighters' eyes turned to the rear entry of the waiting room to see Gohan and Videl hand in hand. It brought a smile to the father's face. The announcer at the ring began to speak, "Ok, I know you all enjoyed that first round, despite some unforeseen incidents. Let the second round begin! As Jugger was disqualified, and then killed, Shin will advance to the semi-finals. So we will now move to the tenth match; the Great Saiyaman versus Spokovitch!"
A loud grunt came from behind everyone. There stood Spokovitch, seething in anger. He glared down on Gohan and Videl before moving to the ring. Videl grabbed Gohan's arm, "Gohan, please be careful. I don't want you to-"
He silenced her by pressing a finger to her lips, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." He gave a smile to the rest of his friends before entering the ring. The cheers and compliments that were shouted out to Gohan were almost embarrassing. He especially felt his cheeks redden when he heard a bunch of guys calling him 'The Savior Against Cell.'
I shouldn't be surprised. Everyone's seen the Cell Games at least once I would think. Videl pieced it together easily enough, even though she did have a little more information than they do.
Videl stood next to Goku for this match. She eyed him curiously, "Did you really have a tail?"
"Huh?" Goku laughed in his own cheery way, "Gohan told you, did he? Just how much did he talk about? Everything?"
"Well, if by everything you mean from when your brother killed you, to him beating Cell."
Goku nodded, "Yeah, that would pretty much be everything." His expression softened as he said, "Are you all right with all of this?"
Videl nodded, "I am. It's all a little overwhelming, but I can deal with it. But I will say this," Her eyes drifted upwards, "it does explain that halo of yours."
Their attention turned back to the ring as the announcer began the tenth match of the tournament. Spokovitch didn't move from his spot, but Gohan did. He began walking towards the monstrous fighter. Slowly, with well placed steps. Flashes of fear played across Spokovitch's face. He was trapped.
Gohan stopped only a few feet from him. He looked up into Spokovitch's eyes, "Hit me." Where there was fear now there stood bewilderment. Gohan frowned, "Hit me! I want you to give me everything you have in one punch."
Spokovitch grinned in triumph. He pulled back his arm and cried out as he put all of his strength into the motion. It struck Gohan in the temple at blinding speed, forcing the teenager to bend back sharply. Videl gasped in horror at pain that must have caused him.
Gohan wasn't in pain. His energy swelled as Gohan began to float an inch or two above the ground. He righted himself, now staring at Spokovitch at an eye level. He grinned, "Ouch, I can see why you qualified. You have a lot of power." Not one scratch could be found on Gohan's face.
Spokovitch began to step back in terror, but Gohan shook his head. He lifted an index finger and waggled it side to side, "You know, I should have some fun with you." He took a step forward, "I should do to you what you did to Videl." Another step, "You know that phrase, don't you?" Step, "Do unto others," step, "as you would have them," step, "do unto you." He stopped.
"But that would be lowering myself to your level. My dad never did that with any one he faced, and neither have I, nor will I." Gohan phased out and reappeared behind Spokovitch. His leg whipped around in a blur and hit the bald man's head. Spokovitch flew off and rammed into a wall. He did not get up.
The announcer raised his hand up high, "The Great Saiyaman is the winner!"
Gohan walked back to the waiting room. His mood brightened as he saw Videl waiting for him. She smiled, but it vanished as she looked over his shoulder. Gohan turned around to see his dad and Hercule walking off. He gave her an understanding smile, "I wouldn't worry. My dad wouldn't hurt him."
She shook her head, "That's not it. He's going to lose, and everyone out there will see him for the lie that he is."
"Hey, I wouldn't put it like that. I'll admit I was a little angry that he would just go off and take all the credit for Cell, but watching him today I can understand why the people like him. He's a really nice person."
"Well," Videl beamed him a smile, "that's very nice of you to say."
"All right, everybody, this is it! Former world champion against the current world champion! Who will claim victory?"
There were mixed feelings when it came to cheering on their champion, Hercule. Most of the people had realized that the group of fighters that had fought Cell were participants in this tournament. And so far, they had all shown themselves to be beyond belief. That brought skepticism on their hero.
Hercule felt it all, but kept a victorious grin on. Oh, shit, what am I going to do? I can't beat him, not with a million years of training! How do I get out of this one? Hercule stopped at his starting position. He untied his cape with a flick of the wrist, and threw it outside the ring. He held up a victory sign for his fans. The people seemed to warm to him instantly.
Goku did a few mild stretches, "So you won the world tournament three times in a row?"
Hercule nodded, "Yep, undefeated champion of the world."
"Well, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to end this quick. I'm pretty anxious to face off against my son."
Those words cut right through Hercule. I'm doomed. Something Goku registered in his head, "Huh? You mean that Great Singing man over there is your son?"
Goku leaned over to stretch his side muscles, "Yeah. His name is Gohan, he's a good kid." He winced as he attempted to stretch to the other side, "Man, Vegeta really did a number on me."
Hercule looked back on the teenage couple with a new light. Son of the former champion? Well, that makes more sense. Of course he beat Cell, he was taught by the best fighter in the world. Aside from myself of course. Oh, who am I kidding!? I need a way out of this.
"Fighters, begin!" The announcer shouted.
Goku dropped into an offensive stance, moving himself closer to Hercule. Hercule went on the defensive, but opted not to move. Ok, Hercule, this is it. Think of something or your gonna get dropped faster than when Cell . . . Cell? That's it! He grinned, "All right, here I go!" Hercule leaped forward and charged Goku.
Videl turned her head, "This is going to be embarrassing . . ."
Hercule paused in mid attack, and collapsed to the ground. Goku stared blankly as the champ rolled about the ruined tiles complaining to all who would hear about his agonizing pain. The announcer ran up to his side, "Hercule, are you all right?"
"No. Stomach pains! From the Cell Games. I thought they wouldn't come back for today . . . oh the pain!" He rolled around some more.
The announcer didn't know what to do, "Can you recover?"
Hercule shook his head, "I need to rest for the pains to go away. I'll have to forfeit, as I can't fight like this."
The announcer nodded, "I understand." He held the microphone back to his lips, "Folks, don't panic. It seems that the stomach pains Hercule suffered during the Cell Games are a recurring condition. The champ says he will be unable to fight, so he has decided to forfeit." Gasps and groans resounded throughout the people who had wanted to see their champion fight.
A medic came up to Hercule's side and helped him to his feet. The champ gave a crooked smile to Goku, "Guess we'll have to rematch some time, so you can say you won this tournament after fighting the best." He waved to the people as he was escorted off the ring, receiving deafening cheers in return.
Goku had to admit, Hercule knew how to play a part.
Hercule asked the medic to stop when they reached his daughter. He gave her a wink, "Don't worry about me, sweetie. I'll be back at the mansion resting up." He looked over to Gohan, "Hope you have some fun against your father, kid. I can tell you're both great fighters."
"Um, thanks." Hercule nodded and continued on past them, and through the waiting room. Gohan glanced down to Videl, "You were right. That was embarrassing." He received an elbow in the ribs for that.
"Well then, let's get the final match started! It's Eighteen and Pentar, give them a hand!"
Videl leaned in and whispered, "A hundred zenny says she drops him faster than Killa." Gohan refused to take that bet. He was very wise. No sooner than had the match started, Eighteen buried her right fist into Pentar's massive gut. He collapsed.
"Oh, and Eighteen sets yet another new record! She may go all the way with this streak!" Eighteen promptly left the ring, bored with the competition. The announcer too center stage as Pentar was hauled away, "This is it, folks! The semi-finals. The thirteenth match has the Great Saiyaman facing Shin, and the fourteenth matchs has Eighteen against Goku. Let's not waste time, Shin and Saiyaman get out here!"
Gohan started out, but didn't feel the Supreme Kai following. He turned around, "Shin?"
"I refuse. I forfeit the match."
The announcer frowned at the inactivity from the waiting room, "Is there something wrong?"
Gohan turned back and yelled, "He's forfeiting!"
"Forfeiting? This is bizarre. We have seen the time for fastest knockout broken twice today, but also the record for most forfeits. But the rules state that a fighter has the right to give up if they so choose. Very well then, let the fourteenth and final match of the semi-finals begin! Goku versus Eighteen."
Gohan watched his dad walk off. Before being brought back to life, the last notion his father had was that all the androids were evil. While Eighteen still had a bad girl streak to her, she was kind hearted and gentle. Krillin was a testament to that. Gohan turned and scowled Shin, "Why did you forfeit!? Do you Kais just have something against fighting people who happen to be stronger than you?"
Shin shook his head, "No, it is not that. There is something very wrong here, Gohan. I can't place my finger on it, but it is there. I must remain fully alert to find it. That means I can not fight you."
It sounded logical enough, and that only pissed off Gohan even more. He had a total of two fights, one of which his opponent was trying to kill him. He had joined this tournament mostly for the enjoyment of it, not to sit on the sidelines while the other side gave up without trying.
"Fourteenth match, begin!"
Eighteen charged Goku with her full speed, lashing out with a fist. Goku dodged to the side with ease, and kicked her in the stomach. Eighteen suspended herself in the air and tried to do a roundhouse on Goku's head. He caught her fist and threw her into the air. Grinning, Goku gave chase.
Gohan couldn't help but nudge Krillin in the side, "I thought you guys were training."
"We were!"
"That's not considered training." Gohan might as well enjoy himself as he had to put up with this from the small man occasionally.
Krillin's cheeks turned a bright pink, "That is not what I meant!! You're as bad as I am, Gohan." Krillin looked back t the ring, wincing to see Eighteen giving her all and not managing to touch her opponent, "Besides, what can you do when pitted against Goku?"
As though he had heard that, Goku sped behind Eighteen and planted both fists on her back. She plummeted to the ground, and hit it hard. She struggled back to her feet, glaring at the high and mighty Saiyan who was thoroughly enjoying himself. The Eighteen noticed the ground felt very soft, unlike stone. She had hit the grass outside the ring. She had lost.
"And Goku is the winner!"
Goku landed next to Eighteen offering a hand, "Good match. Are you hurt?"
She snorted, "I can see why Dr. Gero wanted you dead so much." She took his hand all the same.
"Yes! This is it, everybody! The moment you have all been waiting for, the final match! It's Saiyaman versus Goku. Who will claim the title of the greatest martial artist in the world!?"