A/N: Apologies/Excuses are at the bottom. I expect by now all you want to do is read the chapter.

So, here it is!

Chapter 3 – The Paper

"The truth is out there, but so are the lies". -- Dana Scully

"And if you take this ratio and divided it by r, you will see that the sum equals…" Mr. Mitchell's voice droned on and on as the advanced algebra class of Orange Star High slowly went to sleep or gazed out the window daydreaming. The fact that the highest grade in the class was a B+ came as no surprise to anyone, including Mr. Mitchell. He'd just shrug his shoulders and continue with his lecture.

"So if you divide c by a, the eccentricity will be…"

'Man, what a boring class,' thought Videl Satan, as she pretended to take notes and pay attention. Actually she was doodling. Why take notes of gibberish when she wouldn't understand them later on anyway? Much better to do something creative. She glanced at her watch.

This watch was different than any other watch in Orange Star High school. Besides telling time, it was also a two- way communicator between her and the Chief of Satan City Police. When she first got her Junior Police badge, they called her every single day, regardless of the time. Not anymore. While they still called her, it was always before or after school. They didn't want to disrupt her studies, especially since there was another hero in the city that could fight during school hours.

Which meant she was stuck in school while some blond airhead patrolled the city. Not that she had anything against blonds. Two of her best friends, Sharpner and Erasa, were blonds. But this one just pissed her off to no end.

She looked at the drawing she had finished, looking like she was going over her notes. She mentally laughed. It was a doodle of her beating up the Goldfighter. The blond haired, blue eyed, magician fighter had first shown up in Satan City two years ago when he stopped a fourteen-year-old girl from getting raped. At first the story could only get on tabloids, right alongside with alien babies in space pods being sent to Earth to destroy it. He finally made it to the Satan Tribune by stopping a robbery in broad daylight, taking down eight armed robbers without a scratch.

No one knew what to feel about the new hero. His intentions were unknown, his past undiscovered. No one had even really spoken to him or gotten a close up photo. But his deeds had been nothing but good. After two years, not one law suit or complaint against him. In fact, at least a dozen or two people in the city owed their lives to him.

And then there was Hercule. He had made a public speech about the young fighter.

"This boy is nothing more than a magician. A fake. If he were a real fighter, he wouldn't have to use all those mirrors and wires and disappearing acts. He probably made up all those crimes so he could become famous. He's just trying to steal all the glory from my Videl, who's the real hero of the city. And everyone knows that he doesn't stand a chance against me, the defeater of Cell!" Here, Hercule had struck a pose and fans and the press went wild. They loved their hero. "And if those things couldn't fool me or destroy Cell, then he has no right to be in my city!"

Videl more or less had the same feelings. She added a few more bruises and tears to her drawing for good measure. This man, more of a boy at the time, just waltzed right into the city and started fighting crime and using his fancy tricks. There was no way a person could disappear or fly or go from one place to another in a split-second. It was impossible.

She stabbed at the drawing angrily. He didn't even have the courage to talk to her or approach her, asking if it was okay for him to fight in her father's city. The closest she'd ever gotten to him was two months ago when she ran onto the scene of a robbery, only to see the Goldfighter finishing up. And then there was the time that a new reporter asked if he was her fighting partner. Videl heard he was released from the hospital a few days ago.

Videl felt something tap her elbow. She looked over and saw a folded piece of paper. Knowing who it was from, she picked it up and read;

Cool drawing, Videl.

Sharpner, that's not funny. Videl, while I admire your artistic abilities, you need to just let it go. After all, he really hasn't done anything to you.

She rolled her eyes, picked up a pencil and replied;

Sharpner, thank you.

Erasa, I'll let it go when he leaves for good.

She got the note back a few minutes later.

Whatever suits you.

She scrunched up the paper and threw it at the trashcan. Yes, it did suit her. That punk needed to be taught a lesson, the sooner the better. She was Videl Satan, daughter of Hercule Satan, the defeater of Cell and savior of the earth. She would not let this freak show her and her father up.

"Videl, are you coming?"

She glanced up from her drawing to see half the class was empty, and that everyone was heading towards the door. The bell must have rung and she had probably ignored it. She stuffed the notebook in her bag and followed her friends to their next class.

Gold fighter bashing could be done later.

"You should really teach that guy a lesson," said Sharpner as they walked to Orange Star Elementary. It was Sharpner's job to pick up his little sister everyday after school. Sometimes, Videl and Erasa would tag along for the hell of it.

"Sharpner, knock it off," whined Erasa. "The guy hasn't done anything bad, why does he need to get beat up?"

"I would," said Videl, ignoring Erasa's comment. "If the little bastard actually stuck around. He pulls his disappearing act right after he saves someone. It makes you wonder what he's really up to."

"What if he's not up to something?" persisted Erasa. She was the only one who seemed to hold any respect for the young fighter. It made sense. After all, he had saved her father, who had been a hostage during a bank robbery. Not a day goes by in her house without thanking the Gold Fighter for saving his life.

"Everyone's always up to something. All you have to do is be patient and they'll eventually show their true selves. Besides, why would he run if he didn't have something to hide?" asked Videl.

"Maybe he's shy?" she suggested.

"Shy! Erasa, in the time I've known you, you have said some pretty dumb things, but that is the worst."

The rest of the way to the school, Erasa remained quiet and thought about what she'd buy during her next mall trip, while Videl and Sharpener continued to talk about the Gold Fighter.

"Maybe he hires people to commit the crimes, and then he comes in like a hero?" suggested Sharpner as they reached the school. "It would explain how he never gets hurt or loses."

"That could be it, but it doesn't seem right," said Videl. "None of the people we've arrested have said anything like that, and we've got some pretty tough interrogators."

"Then maybe…" Videl tuned Sharpner out as he spewed out dozens of obscure theories. What would it matter, anyway? Until the Goldfighter actually decided to stay long enough for an interview, no one would ever truly know what he's doing here.

As she was thinking of different techniques to catch and question the glowing hero, she forgot to look where she was going and walked right into someone, derailing her train of thought as she fell to the ground.

"Hey, watch where your going!" she yelled at the still stationary figure in front of her while trying to ignore the pain in her body. Whoever she walked into was as hard as a brick wall.

"Sorry," she thought she heard him mumble, and he started to quickly walk away.

"Videl, are you all right?" asked Erasa as she held out her hand to help her friend.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she grunted as she ignored the hand and pushed herself up, gritting her teeth as she did. Cement was not a good place to fall.

"Who was that guy? I haven't seen him around school. He sure was a cutey," sighed Erasa with hearts in her eyes. Videl snorted at her best friend.

"Don't know, don't care. But whoever he is, he should watch where he's going next time."

"But Videl, you walked into him."

"Well, he shouldn't stand in the middle of the sidewalk like that."

Before an argument could start, Sharpner returned with a blond seven year old and they started their separate walks home.

And Videl momentarily forgot about the man she bumped into.

"And tomorrow your essay on the theme of injustice is due, as well as…"

Ms. Steven's english class was almost as dull and lifeless as Mr. Mitchell's algebra class. The only difference was Ms. Stevens was a fairly new teacher and still had some idealistic enthusiasm in her voice.

Not that it made any of the material more interesting.

"Psst.. hey Videl, did you do your essay yet?" Sharpner whispered.

"Of course not, I've had about ten calls this past week alone," she whispered back.

"Damn. I was hoping I could copy yours."

"Maybe you two could work on it now since your not doing anything," Erasa interrupted. "If you don't you guys will fail."

Videl rolled her eyes. Fail? Yeah right. Not one teacher in the school had the guts to fail her unless they wanted to deal with the wraith that is Hercule Satan. Not even the time she managed to blow up the science lab when they were making volcanoes in the eight grade did she fail. In fact, she received an A+.

"Class, may I have your attention please!" Ms. Steven shrilled as she banged a meter stick on her desk, effectively gaining everyone's attention. "Now, I know this is your final year at Orange Star High, well, at least for most of you. So, I have something special in mind."

"Yipee," muttered Videl, only loud enough for Erasa and Sharpner to hear. They both snickered.

"I expect this assignment to be taken seriously," she continued, ignorant of the three friends, "especially with the amount of the time I'm giving you to complete this. It will be due during the last week of school, which is in three months."

Most of the class shifted forward in their seats. Three months for an assignment? This must be big.

"This will be a written assignment," the class groaned, but she continued, "and I expect it to be at the very least two pages and one thousand words long."

A boy in the front row raised his hand, and the teacher nodded at him.

"Ms. Steven, what's the subject of the paper?"

"Oh, silly me. Thanks, Mr. Noles, for reminding me. The subject is anything." The class broke out into murmers. A paper on anything? "Yes, anything. It can be about a person, a place, a short story you've created, a paper on your summer vacation, absolutely anything."

"So, you're saying," asked a jock in the back, "that I could write a paper on my dresser, if I wanted to?"

"Yes, Mr. Willard, you can, as long as you can find a thousand words to say about it."

At that moment, the final bell of the day rang, and the class started to leave. "Have a good weekend, and I hope to read some very good papers from you all," she called out after them.

"So Videl, what are you going to write your paper on?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, I do," interrupted Sharpner. "I'm going to write about my exercise regimen, and how it helped me be in the shape I am today." He flexed his arms, causing a group of cheerleaders to start giggling flirtatiously.

"What, you mean how your all brawn and no brains?" asked Videl, and she and Erasa started laughing as he seemed to deflate with embarrassment. "What are you writing your paper on, Erasa?" she asked after they managed to catch their breath.

"I was thinking on doing a paper on how I want to be a model and become more famous than Stella Jewel," she said enthusiastically. Stella Jewel was the world's most beautiful supermodel and Ms. Universe thirteen times in a row, and was also Erasa's hero.

"Good luck with that. See you guys later," she said as she started to walk home.

"Bye Videl," her friends called back.

'What am I going to write about?' she thought as she walked home. A thousand different ideas circled her brain, but none were enough to get her excited about writing the paper. Sure, some would be easy, like writing about her father or the Cell Games, but it had all been done before.

Across the street, she could see a group of people crowded around a television display. "What could be so interesting over there?" she wondered aloud. Deciding there was no other way of finding out, she walked over and stood on tiptoe to look over someone's shoulder.

It was a news broadcast. Videl resisted the want to snort in annoyance. She was about to turn back and leave when she finally heard what the reporter was saying.

"And earlier this afternoon, another miraculous save by the Gold Fighter, who managed to take down thirteen armed robbers in Satan Mall without a single casualty. And now we have some footage from the security cameras in the wall. Viewer discretion is advised."

As the tap played, and Videl watched the young fighter take down each robber effortlessly, her hatred for him grew, and she turned and stormed away from the crowd of people, who were unaware she had even been there.

How dare he? How DARE he show up in this town and take over? It was her job, HERS, Videl Satan's, daughter of Hercule! It was her job to take down the bad guys and save the day, not some freaky kid that liked to play hide and seek with the city. Someone should expose that son of a bitch so thateveryone would know how terrible his being here was.

She stopped dead. That was it. That's it! She knew what she would write her paper on. The Gold Fighter! She'd write about everything he'd done. She would find him, interview him, find out his past and intentions. She would write and let everyone know who the Gold Fight really is.

She started to walk again, a bit more pep in her step than before, when a problem crossed her mind. What if she couldn't find him and force him to speak? She wouldn't have the material to write the paper.

Oh well, she could write enough just explaining everything he's done, and that would get her a passing grade. But it went beyond school know. A paper on the true habits of the Gold Fighter would be of national, maybe even world interest. The people deserved to know who this fighter was!

"We'll find out who you really are, Goldfighter. Even if I have to make it up."

A/N: I am sorry this took so long.

First, I think I mentioned before (if not here than it's in 'Remember the Good Times') that back in April I had a big state test. Well, that lasted two weeks, and then before we knew IT the end of the year was approaching and the teachers were just cramming all this homework in at the last minute. So, I decided to wait until the end of the school year, and post on the last day of school, which was June 10. Why'd it take so long?

Second, I know I've said before I'm having problems with the plot. However, I've made some progress and was able to get this without ruining other ideas that may come later. And this one proved difficult to write, and I don't know why.

So, sorry again for making you wait so long. I have absolutely no idea when Chapter 4 will come out. Suggestions are welcome.

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