Review Responses:
To Hamza9236: PM me a scenario on how would you recontextualize Cooler. I didn't consider Cooler at all, and he's one of my favorite villains.
To jazcoti: Thanks, appreciate the comment. I hope you enjoy this story as it goes on.
To Ushindi: I wanted to take a different approach to the Great Saiyaman since Gohan is going through a phase in which he's taking his training seriously as much as he's taking his studies. Goku's death has effected him so much that it took Vegeta to convince him to keep training for the safety of the Earth. Gohan also realized that he'll never fully have a normal life, so he might as well begin embracing his Saiyan heritage.
Anyways, keep commenting and ask questions. I'm also open to suggestions. However, I already have a main villain planned, so I can pretty much take anything outside of that.
Now, on with the show.
Last time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL, Son Gohan paid a visit to Bulma at the Capsule Corporation in order to create a masked persona in an attempt to overshadow his Super Saiyan crime-fighting persona. While in the Gravity Room, the young teenager had made a deal with Vegeta that made the Saiyan Prince his teacher of the fallen race's culture for Gohan's Archives in an exchange over their fated fight that will force the boy to transform back into Super Saiyan Level Two. In the end, Bulma and Vegeta's efforts to create a disguise gave birth to a new crime fighter, the Great Saiyaman. Because of this, Gohan has made a name for himself Saiyaman, but at the cost of being pursued by none other than Videl Satan herself. What will come of this new development? Find out, now!
Orange Star High, Hercule City, Age 774
A month has passed since Son Gohan has been enrolled in high school, and all things were going smoothly in his life.
As Gohan, he helped his mother and brother tend to the radish farm they own as a way to pay the bills. He also makes time to spend with his younger brother, Goten, by exploring the surrounding mountains and playing games using various ki exercises.
On top of that, the hybrid stayed true to the deal with Vegeta and sparred with the Prince for three hours. After the said session, Vegeta gave Gohan a lecture about Saiyan biology, including a Saiyan's tail and why it doesn't grow back due to the rarity of the chance being 8%.
Go figure.
As his student, Gohan's grades were excellent as they should, being on top of his class academically. And as his alter ego, Gohan made appearances on the regular as a vigilante. He saved lives and stopped crooks around Hercule City. The people, although perplexed at his abilities, mostly welcomed him with open arms
However, things weren't always sunshine and rainbows.
Vegeta, although having lost to Gohan, gave him a run for his money as he was close in Battle Power.
Not to mention that some of the citizens saw Saiyaman as a freaky trickster. This also leads to a one-sided rivalry with Videl. Day in and day out, it was a game of cat and mouse with Videl trying to corner Saiyaman to unmask him, only for him to give her the slip and pull a vanishing act.
Get her everything.
Regardless of the inconveniences, Gohan was overall happy with his life.
After the final bell tolls three hours earlier than usual, the students who came back from Physical Education exited the locker rooms and made their way to their normal lockers.
Gohan, alone once again, gathered his materials from the locker. As he shut it, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Hey, Brains!"
Turning around, Gohan was approached by Sharpner, Erasa, and Videl.
"Oh, hey guys," Gohan greeted kindly. "I didn't see you there. What's up?"
"Erasa, Videl, and I are planning on hanging out. So uh…"
Sharpner fell silent, only for Videl to elbow the long-haired boy in his gut.
"Ack!"
"Just ask him already!" Videl barked.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Sharpner asked, "Do you wanna...I don't know, come with or whatever?"
Gohan responded by saying, "Uh, I don't know guys. I'm not sure how my mother would feel about going out after school,"
"Well, you heard the momma's boy," Sharpner said, shrugging as he turned around to walk off. "He can't go, so let's head ou–"
Sharpner immediately up when Erasa shot a glare that was so deadly that it could rival the likes of Chi-Chi.
"Come on, Son-kun," Erasa said, getting Gohan's attention. "It's been four weeks since you came here and not once have we spent time together outside of class. I mean, aren't we supposed to be friends?"
Gohan blinked stupidly.
'...Wait, they see me as a friend? But I thought that they were helping me out because I'm new. I didn't anticipate them actually being interested in me outside of Videl. ...Aw, crap baskets! I feel like a jerk now.' The half Saiyan thought to himself.
"...Gosh, Erasa-san, I'm sorry I made you feel that way. To be honest, I thought you guys were only speaking to me because I was new and I didn't know anybody. It didn't cross my mind that you took an interest in me."
Sharpner then said, "Isn't that what we're doing, though?"
"You're not helping, Sharpner!" Videl barked angrily.
"Well," Erasa spoke. "Here's something you should know about me. I only hang around people I believe to be worth investing time in. Some of us may not admit it outright, but all of us can see that there's something special about you, Son-kun. And we want to learn more about you."
Videl, growing impatient, ordered, "Enough of the mushy stuff! Gohan, you can't be avoiding life because you're too scared to live it. You're a teenager for Kami's sake! Learn to have
e fun for once! You know what, call your mom! You're coming with us."
"Eh?!"
Now Gohan was staring at the daughter of Mr. Satan as if she grew another head. Of course, Gohan would have argued if that she hadn't given him the same glare that Erasa had given Sharpner before.
Sighing in defeat, he took out his Cap-Phone and dialed his family's house number.
(Son Residence. Goten speaking.)
"Hey, Goten. It's Gohan," The older brother said, forming a small grin.
(HI GOHAN! How is big kids' school?)
"It's going great, squirt. Say, can you put mom on the phone? I want to speak to her."
(OKAY! MOMMY! GOHAN WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU ON THE PHONE!)
The dark-eyed scholar sweatdropped at his younger brother's antics as he waited for his mother to come on the phone.
(...Hello? Gohan?) Asked a motherly female.
"H-Hey Mom," Gohan greeted, albeit nervously. "Today is a-an early school day. Listen, I just want to let you know...m-my classmates are taking me out to look around the city."
(...It's the same three people, right? About darn time! Better late than never, I say!) Chi-Chi said after a short pause.
The confused scholar then asked, "Wait, what? You're fine with it?"
(Of course, I am. Gohan, you've done everything I say without an inkling of disobedience. Now it's time for you to get out there as a young adolescent. All I ask are two things from you.)
"Oh, and what's that?"
(Bring one of your friends over to dinner and start coming home around five-thirty. I want to meet one of them myself.)
"W-what!? B-but Mom!"
(No buts, young man! You better ask them right now or you'll be feeling the back of my frying pan and your dinner portion will be reduced!) Chi-Chi promised.
Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa saw Gohan cringe and lose color from his face for a split second.
"Oh, alright." Gohan relented. "I'll let them know."
(Wonderful! You children run along and have fun! Be safe and stay out of trouble. I don't want my son to become a delinquent.) Chi-Chi chirped.
"Okay, I'll see you later. Bye, love you." Gohan finished, hanging up the phone.
Turning to his classmates, Gohan smiled wearily.
Videl, with a victoriously smirk, looked at Gohan with her hands on her hips.
"Well? Out with it! What did she say?"
"S-she's surprisingly okay with it," Gohan answered with honesty. "Though, she'd been given a curfew of five-thirty. Also, she wants to meet one of you over dinner tonight."
Erasa and Videl gasped while Sharpner raised an eyebrow at this. Immediately after gasping, Erasa squealed in excitement.
"Oh my gosh, I'd totally love to meet her," Erasa. She paused, then placed a hand on her cheek in a sad manner. "Darn it, I just remembered that I promised my parents that I would head back after hanging out. Sorry, Son-kun."
Sharpner took the time to explain, "Don't look at me. Even if I was stared down by these chicks, my dad made arrangements for me to look at Universities. My hands are tied."
A pit was formed in Gohan's stomach.
'Oh no...please don't tell me that Videl's going to–'
"–I'll go then." Videl volunteered.
'Dende why!? Why Dende!?'
Erasa then turned to Videl with a bit of a scandalous stare and a sly grin.
"Videl! I didn't expect you out of all people to jump on board with this," The blonde said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to make a statement~!"
A small red blush appeared on her cheeks. Videl shouted, "What!? I'm not making any kind of statement!"
While walking up to Sharpner added, "Yeah, Erasa. She doesn't need to because I'm her only statement. Right babe?"
"For the last time, Sharpner! I am not your babe! When will you learn to take a hint!" Videl barked, punching him in the gut.
Gohan could only watch in slight amusement but was still nervous.
"Uh, it's okay if you can't make it. I'm sure my mom will understand, Videl-sa–"
Before Gohan finished, Videl interrupted.
"–Oh, no you don't! You're not gonna weasel me out of this, mister! The only reason why Erasa is making a big deal out of this is that I have no time for girly stuff like makeup, shopping, and chasing boys. In fact, my dad absolutely refuses for me to date anybody that is weaker than him. Not that I care about that kind of stuff."
"O-Oh," Gohan realized, mildly understanding where Videl was coming from. "That makes sense."
"Look, I'll handle my dad. But I'm going to meet your mother… unless my coming over to your place is a burden on you?"
"N-no, it's nothing like that at all!" Gohan defended, holding his hands up and waving them negatively.
Erasa then walked in front of the three with her hands clasped together in a happy manner, and said, "Then it's settled! Now, onward to the greatest place in the world!"
A sudden dread washed over Videl and Sharpner.
"...Oh boy, here she goes again…" The crime fighter and jock said simultaneously.
Needless to say, the hybrid was at a loss.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Asked Gohan.
Both fighters glanced at each other, then turned to Gohan as they said, "Just wait until we get there,"
Orange Star Mall, Hercule City, Age 774
'...Why me?' Was what echoed through the mind of Son Gohan.
The four had driven in Sharpner's Capsule Car downtown to Orange Star Mall in Hercule Plaza, the Hotspot where all the city kids were dwelling.
As it turns out, Gohan learned that the blonde female's favorite place was in fact the mall. Apparently, this was where she performs one of her hobbies
What Sharpner and Videl failed to communicate to their...classmate turned-friend...ish… was that Erasa Papel's hobby was shopping.
Lots of shopping.
The group was in a clothing store where Erasa was picking out the most trendy yet stylish clothing and accessories for herself (and for Videl, much to her chagrin) while the daughter of Hercule watched in slight embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Sharpner and Gohan were stuck holding the bags when everything was said and done. Fortunately (and unfortunately), Erasa wasn't done yet.
"Eeek! This would look perfect in my wardrobe!" Erasa squealed as she picked out a rather appealing black dress.
"Give me a break, 'Rasa. Don't you already have like a thousand dresses? Why even get a new one?"
Erasa then rolled her eyes in a mocking fashion. "Because, this one, in particular, is made up of a specific kind of fabric that's not been in for at least twenty years! It's rare, vintage! And throwbacks are the new thing that's hot!"
"...Or maybe it's because you're crazy obsessed with the fad." Videl poked fun with a dry tone.
"Hey, I resent that! Maybe if you get in touch with your feminine side, you wouldn't be having trouble finding a boyfriend."
"And I told you that I don't want a boyfriend!"
"Whatever you say, Videl."
Over where the boys are, Gohan looked around the store while he unintentionally picked up the "girl-talk" from his Saiyan hearing. Not understanding most of it, he blocked it out while Sharpner walked up towards him.
"Oh, hey there. What's up?" He asked politely.
Sharpner pointed at the changing room.
"Get to changing, Brains. I picked out four different outfits for you to try on."
A questioning stare formed on Gohan's face as he asked, "Huh? That's awfully nice of you, Sharpner-san, but what's wrong with the clothes that I have?"
Sharpner scoffed at Gohan's cluelessness.
"Please, what's not wrong with it. Dude, it looks like your mom picked your clothes out for you. And I can't hang out with you looking like that."
"But my mom did pick these out for me, though."
Shaking his head, Sharpner place a sincere comforting hand on Gohan's shoulder and walked him over to the changing room.
"That, Brains, is a problem. Now move right along. We've got work to do."
Gohan then proceeded to try out at least ten different outfits which thankfully all had long-sleeved shirts and or jackets. He worried about the potential of lacking any was due to the scar that Cell gave him on his arm from shielding Vegeta from a ki blast.
Needless to say, out of the ten, Gohan picked out what he liked. From there, Sharpner told Gohan to choose the outfit that he'd like the most to wear and stay in it for a few minutes longer while hiding in the changing room.
"Hey Videl, Erasa! Over here! I got something to show you two."
The two girls stopped whatever they were doing and made their way to Sharpner's location.
"What's the big idea, Sharpie? I was in the middle of a really important breakthrough with Videl!"
"No, we weren't!" Videl denied it in a huff. "Just tell us why you brought us here already."
With that being said, Sharpner called out to Gohan.
"You can come out now, Brains."
"Okay!"
Stepping out of the changing room, Son Gohan in his new attire had parted the lips of both Erasa and Videl to the satisfaction and credit of Sharpner Crayon.
Gohan now wore a dark purple jacket with black accents over a gray t-shirt. He also had on navy blue jeans with a black leather belt that sported a rectangular buckle that had a design of an eastern dragon's head on it. Lastly, he wore a pair of brand new all-black sports shoes. For accessors, Gohan had on red fingerless gloves and black sunglasses on his shirt.
"Uh...so, how do I look?"
Erasa was the first to respond as she immediately squealed in delight at the hybrid's new look.
"Wow, Gohan! You look amazing! Those close really do you justice! You're not just cute anymore, you look downright sexy~!"
Gohan's face turned extremely red from Erasa...enthusiastic compliment. Videl just stared at Gohan's new look. For a split second, a blush of pink touched her cheeks once more. But it went as quickly as it came for she reinforced her room rules for her "no boyfriends" policy.
'Damn it, Erasa! Stop putting thoughts into my head!' Videl screamed internally as she spoke to Gohan.
"Although I wouldn't word it exactly as Erasa did, I have to agree with the change. The new-look suits you."
In classic Son fashion, Gohan scratched his head while modestly admitting, "Thanks, but it was actually Sharpner who picked out the clothes for me to wear,"
Sharpner, placing his hands on his head, said, "No need to thank me, Brains. I was just doing everybody a favor. Besides, that's what friends are for."
Friends…
A bright smile formed on Gohan's face as he went back into the changing room to put on his normal school clothes.
Sharpner turned to the girls and asked, "So what's next after this? We still got another four hours left,"
Videl then suggested, "I got an idea. How about we go to the Arcade nearby, then go for some ice cream down at the Parlor after?"
Erasa chirped, "That sounds like a plan to me!"
'Dad, I've got my own friends! What would you think of me if you were here now?'
"Gohan! Are you coming or not?"
Said teenager snapped out of his thoughts as Videl and the others waited for him.
"Oh! Sorry about that! I'm coming!" Gohan responded, scurrying out of the changing room and sped walking over to his new friends.
With that, the four friends paid for the clothes and left the store.
-Time Skip, Sweet Delights, Three Hours Later-
Gohan, Erasa, Videl, and Sharpner spent most of their time at the arcade having fun.
Thanks to Videl's wealth, they were able to purchase enough tokens to participate in various activities and games.
Erasa had her moment to shine in the crowd. Another hobby that Erasa had was dancing and the following beats and rhythm. So when the spot for the dancing game was open, she spent quite a bit of token playing on the machine against other people. By the time she was done, she had beaten ten other competitors and set a new record every time.
For Sharpner, he spent his time playing a whole lot of sports games. The most he played were racing games, air hockey, and hoops (shooting basketballs). By the end of it, he bought Erasa a stuffed poodle plushie, which was her favorite toy animal.
The most interesting event at the arcade involved Gohan and Videl. You see,
Videl has a tomboy streak. And believe it or not, one of her hobbies was to play video games as a way to destress that didn't involve tearing through sandbags.
Gohan also plays video games in a casual fashion due to Goten coming along in the family.
So when a classic fighting game opened up, both teens jumped up and participated in a small tournament. Now, the battle may have been close, but Videl ended up pulling off a special combo that ended Gohan's fighter, winning the match.
And the weird part about the whole ordeal was that Gohan's heart pounded in excitement from the fight. Seeing that competitive nature in the girl made him want to keep on his toes…
...It was kind of like he was sparring with her mentally in a battle of wits.
He concluded that it must have to do with his Saiyan instincts acting up.
But now they were outside sitting on their chairs at a table in front of the store in which they fed on their ice cream cones.
Videl and Gohan had chocolate-flavored ice cream, Sharpner had mint-flavored, and Erasa had vanilla.
Erasa said, "Wow, I haven't had that much fun in a long time!"
"You know what, I had a great time too. Sometimes, it's kind of nice taking a break from crime-fighting and just being a normal teenager." Videl admitted with a small smile.
Sharpner commented, "Mhm…like these that bring me back to our good days in junior high,"
Gohan stopped licking at his frozen dessert and asked, "Wait, how long have you three known each other exactly?"
Smiling, Erasa said, "I'm glad you asked, Son-kun. Videl and I have known each other since we were 7 years old. We've been childhood friends for ten years."
"That's right," Videl said with pride in her voice. "She's my first friend and my best friend."
Sharpner took his turn to speak, "I've met Videl at Mr. Satan's Dojo right before the Cell Games. She used to train there with the other guys and I happened to have recently joined around that time. And–"
"–Got his ass kicked by me regularly." Videl snorted.
"...Met Erasa in junior high three years later with Videl. The three of us have been hanging out together since." Sharpner finished, trying to avoid that subject while the other two girls giggled.
"That sounds cool, having a friendship so strong." Gohan complimented.
"It sure is, and now you get to be a part of it," Erasa said sincerely. "But enough about us, let's talk about you instead."
"Me?" The spiky-haired Saiyan asked. "What do you want to know?"
Videl took this opportunity to interrogate him.
"I've got a few questions. I heard a 'Goten' during your call with your mother. Who is that?" She questioned.
Gohan blinked stupidly, "Oh, Goten? He's my kid brother, born seven years ago."
"Huh," Said Sharpner, "I didn't take you to be the older brother type."
Erasa cooed, "You have a little brother? Aw~! I bet he's as adorable as you are a cutie, isn't he?"
Gohan scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "Goten can be charming in his own unique way. He's a very excitable little guy with a big honest heart. You can't live without him…"
Videl could only bite her lip, feeling a pang of jealousy from deep in her heart.
'If only I had a sibling…maybe things wouldn't be unbearable at home with Dad.' The crime fighter blooded inwardly.
"What's living life up in the mountains like, Brains? I heard there could be some crazy, large, rare, and dangerous animals up there." Sharpner inquired.
"My home is very peaceful. I wake up to see the sunrise and the gentle songs of the birds as the sun's rays touch my home. Then when I go outside, I get to be greeted by the fresh air and the beautiful view. There's even a lake and a waterfall nearby that my brother and I get to play by. The serene atmosphere makes it feel very relaxing too," Gohan started to explain "And of course, the rare and dangerous animals being deep in the mountains and forest are in fact real. But they are only dangerous if they feel like you are a threat to them and/or their offspring. So it's best if you try and operate at a safe distance away from the creatures."
Both Erasa and Sharpner were intrigued at Gohan's description, now slightly envious at the fact that they won't be able to see the kind of place Gohan lives.
On the flip side, Videl's curiosity made her excited to see if Gohan's words do his place of living justice.
"Is there anything else you would like to know?" The half-Saiyan asked.
"Sure," Erasa answered. "Like, what kind of career are you planning on pursuing? I want to be a fashion designer and own my own magazine for fashion!"
Sharpener went up next, answering confidently, "You're looking at the future champion MMA fighter, Sharpener Crayon! Nothing's gonna stop me."
"Unless you flunk Calculus, Physics, and Japanese Literature before graduation," Snorted Videl, much to the chagrin of Sharpner.
Gohan then looked at Videl, wondering what she wanted to do in the future.
She finally responded by saying, "Well for one, I'm taking the title from my Dad and surpassing him martial artist… Then, I think I'll take a crack as a cop while I'm at it."
"Woah," Gohan spoke in awe. "Those are some pretty ambitious career paths… They sound great. ...I guess since I study a lot I'll be some sort of professor. Maybe work at a private university?"
Erasa, seeing that Gohan was currently indecisive, said, "Hey, it's okay to not know what you want to do yet. You've got plenty of time to think of it. Besides, with the kind of test scores you have, universities all over the place are gonna be sending scholarships your way like crazy,"
Gohan nodded with a thankful stare.
Time passed, and the sun began to set. It was four forty-five, and the teens decided to split up from there.
While Sharpner and Erasa were in the Capsule Car, Videl and Gohan stood nearby.
"Gotta say Brains. I didn't like you at first. ...But you're okay in my book." Sharpner admitted with a genuine smile.
"Thanks for the chance, Sharpner-san. Your honesty is much appreciated." Gohan spoke.
Erasa said, "Alright guys, we'll see you two on Monday! Oh, and Videl?"
"What is it, 'Rasa?"
The blonde's face turned coy, saying, "Try not to do anything naughty while we're away, okay~?"
"ERASA!"
Erasa laughed at the blushing yet seething Videl as she and Sharpner drove away from the ice cream parlor. This left Gohan and Videl all by themselves.
Gohan noticed the familiar piercing stare that Videl was giving him with her vivid blue eyes.
It was the look of a curious, yet determined fighter.
"Uh…so what now?" Gohan could only say as he swallowed hard nervously.
'What's with this girl? Why is she so intimidating to me? It's like she's mom...but somehow scarier! It makes no sense.'
Videl, not wasting any time, took out a DynoCap, clicked it, and tossed it.
This revealed her signature Jetcoper.
"Hop in, we don't want to keep your mom and brother waiting." She said with finality.
"R-Right!"
Gohan did so with haste. From there, Videl left a voice message for her dad about the occasion before entering her vehicle. Once the two boarded the Jetcopter, they flew all the way to Gohan's house in under an hour and forty-five minutes.
Son Household, Mount Paozu, Age 774
Chi-Chi and Goten were just about done with setting the dinner table. Of course, Chi-Chi had her youngest son change from his training gi into something a bit more formal.
Goten, who was now in the living room with his mother, wore blue sleeveless changshan with a teal trim and a lavender long sleeve shirt underneath with white folded sleeves and a long red sash tied around his waist which it was hidden underneath his changshan, lavender Chinese pants with white folded sleeves and black Kung-Fu shoes.
Ch-Chi's clothing remained unchanged.
The mother in question was currently explaining to her little boy the rules for the next few hours of the dinner. This included no mentioning Saiyans, Bulma or her last name, or anything about his strength, or anything related to Gohan or the Cell Games. Now, Goten, who was just as clueless, asked why. Chi-Chi explained that people today don't understand people like him or their friends and they don't want to go and scare Gohan's friends off.
And the last thing Goten would want was to upset his older brother.
Goten smiled brightly and made a zipping gesture near his mouth with his hand.
Five minutes later, a knock was heard at the door.
"Oh!" Chi-Chi cried. "That must be them! Goten, go sit at the table! I'm going to greet our guests! ...And don't touch your plate until we're all there."
"Okay, Mommy!" The mini-Goku clone chirped, heading to the table, and sat there patiently.
Heading to the door and opening it, Chi-Chi was greeted by Gohan, who stood next to Videl.
"H-Hey, Mom. Are we late?" Gohan asked.
"No, dear you're actually on time! We've just finished setting up the dinner table. And who's your lovely friend?" Chi-Chi asked, turning to Videl with a polite smile. Videl's face turned red a little bit, but quickly shook it off
With Videl stepping forward, she answered, "Hello, ma'am. My name is Videl, a classmate of Gohan. It's nice to meet you."
"Come on in, I'm sure you and Gohan must be starving after today. Gohan, be a dear and closed the door. Be sure to seat her as well."
"Yes, Mom. Let me just put these bags to the side,"
After entering and shutting the door, Gohan and Chi-Chi led the daughter of Hercule to the kitchen where Goten sat with his hands folded. When he locked eyes with his brother, he greeted him enthusiastically.
"Hi, Gohan! Welcome back!"
Gohan waved at Goten, saying, "Hey, squirt. Were you good today?"
"Uh-huh, I was extra good today! You can ask Mommy too!" He chirped with a little giggle to it.
Chi-Chi nodded, confirming, "That's right. He was helping me get ready for dinner tonight. He even learned how to make vegetable soup, right Goten?"
"Yeah!" Goten said with a fist pumped into the air.
Videl couldn't help but find the young child adorable mentally.
'Heh, cute kid. ...Wait, his face, that haircut! Where have I seen it?' She began questioning in her mind before the child in question spoke to her.
"Hiya, pretty lady! I'm Goten!"
Videl blinked as she answered, "Hi, Goten. My name's Videl."
Once introductions were met, everybody sat at the dinner table and was given permission to eat. Much to Videl's shock, Gohan and Goten ate like normal people even though they had large amounts of food.
"Wow..." She muttered. "...Even little Goten eats that much. Where does it all go? Where does this come from?"
Chi-Chi decided to strike a conversation.
"I know, I was taken aback when I first saw this too. But don't you worry, you'll get used to this." Chi-Chi explained.
Videl then further questioned, "But how, though? How can these two eat like crazy and not get insanely robust?"
"My sons get their eating habits from their father. He could eat twice the amount of what either of them can and still retain their build. It also helps that their metabolism are extremely high and they are quite active in their exercises." The Son matriarch smoothly explained.
Videl could only nod as the two brothers were slowly whittling away at their food.
"Gohan, sweetie," Chi-Chi spoke to her son. "How was your day? Tell me what you did,"
Gohan, after wiping off his mouth with a napkin, told her what his day was like with Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner and how they went shopping, played at the arcade, then went to eat ice cream. Videl also helped him out with certain contexts of the story.
Needless to say, Chi-Chi was more than satisfied with the results. Finally, her son made friends of his own. Her boy was growing up, she could nearly burst into tears filled with joy.
Goten then spoke, "Aw! I wish I went with you, big brother! Can you take me there next time you're going out? Pretty please?"
After the sharp stare his mother gave him, Gohan said, "Of course, buddy. But only if you're good."
"Yay!"
Videl was enjoying the dinner as well. She finally got to see the home of the mysterious boy from the mountains. The area in which his house was was breathtaking. The air tasted cleaner, which was a contrast to the city's smoke and gas fumes. She could clearly see the full moon and the stars in the sky from the window. And Gohan seems to have a normal family…
...Yet, this felt too normal. Almost like all three of them were holding something back from her.
"So, Videl," Chi-Chi spoke, gaining the teenage girl's attention. "Gohan told me quite a bit about you. I've heard you're a skilled martial artist for a person your age. But he never mentioned certain things that I'd like to know,"
A sharp glare flashed on Videl's face towards the oldest brother's direction, making him flinch.
"Really? ...What do you like to know, ma'am?" Videl asked, turning to Chi-Chi.
"Please, dear. Call me Chi-Chi. What I like to know is for one, about you and your background. And a little bit about your parents."
Videl was in shock. Why didn't Gohan tell her about her father? Wouldn't his mother like to know that he's friends with the world's savior?
'Unless he doesn't want her to know about it.'
Gohan, realizing what Videl was about to say, thought to himself, '...Kami in Piccolo's name, she's gonna say it. This is not going to end well!'
Videl answered with pride, "Sure thing, Chi-Chi. In case you weren't aware, I'm the daughter of Mr. Satan."
Chi-Chi's looked at Videl, then to Gohan, who was sweating bullets, then back to Videl. She then recalled the "movies" that depicted her husband, son, then his friends fighting Cell which ultimately led to the "heroic" Hercule stepping in to save the day. A vein appeared on her forehead, allowing her own Battle Power to surge. She would have reacted in an extremely negative manner if Goten hadn't spoken up next.
"Mr. Satan? Is that the funny hairy man with the giant poofy hair in those commercials?"
Upon hearing, Chi-Chi and Gohan could help but laugh lightly at the youngest Son's comment.
"Yes, that's him squirt,"
Videl, obviously, wasn't amused despite her understanding that Goten was only seven years of age.
"Excuse me, but am I missing something here?" Videl wondered aloud in an offended tone, causing Chi-Chi and Gohan to cease their laughter. "I don't see how you can find the person who saved your sorry lives to be taken as a joke!"
Gohan, feeling bad tried to apologize, only for Chi-Chi to intervene.
"It's okay, that's fair." The mother of Gohan and Goten spoke. "We apologize if we offended you. That was very rude of us. However, you also need to understand this, young lady. Not everybody is going to respect you or your father. And to be honest with you, our family doesn't care about such things as celebrity status or titles. Besides, I don't see your father being all that special to me in my opinion."
"Ob yeah, What makes you say that?" Videl question, now curious about Chi-Chi's opinion. "My dad was the winner of the 24th Tenkaichi Budōkai, not to mention he destroyed Cell!"
"So?" Chi-Chi retorted with a smirk. "He's not the first one to have those feats. I'll let you know that more people are stronger than Mr. Satan. In fact, I can name one."
"And who's that!?"
"Well, My Goku-sa of course!"
Videl's mind began to process that information. She then whipped her head around to see Goten's hair and face. Her mind then went back to the videos of the 21st, 22nd, and 23 Tenkaichi Budōkai featuring a boy, then a grown man, with the same spiky hair and eyes Goten had. Putting the pieces together, Videl turned to Gohan, who looked at Videl with the familiar meek exterior on his sweaty face.
"..Your dad is the Son Goku!? The champion of the Tenkaichi Budōkai before my father!? You didn't tell me?!" Screeched Videl, forcing Goten and Gohan to cover their ears.
"...Y-You didn't ask?" Gohan stuttered, feeling the girl's glare intensify.
Chi-Chi could only smile at the interaction between the two, thinking back to the old days between her and her husband.
'Oh, Goku-sa. Look at them, it's only been a month and our boy has already attracted a girl! She's even as lively and strong as me. If only you were here.'
The Ox-King's daughter then said, "That's right, Videl. He was not only a former champion, but he also saved the world by defeating the Demon King, Piccolo."
Videl was at a loss for words. Never in a million years would she have guessed that her classmate and a new friend would be the son of one of the most controversial yet strongest martial artists of all time. There was so much mystery shrouding Gohan, and now she knew why partially.
He was Goku's kid.
'Wait...was?'
"Wait," Videl asked noticing there were only three members of the Son family. "You said 'was'. Is Goku-san not around anymore?"
Gohan and Chi-Chi remained silent somberly. Goten, however, answered Videl's question in a positive fashion.
"Daddy is always with us! He's all the way up in the skies! Where all the stars are! He watches us every day and night. Big brother says that we'll see him again someday, right Gohan?"
A small smile formed on Gohan's face as he nodded silently.
The daughter of Mr. Satan instantly apologized to the family for bringing up such a sensitive topic. Chi-Chi waved it off, saying it was water under the bridge.
The remaining Son family then spent that remained of dinner learning about Videl's efforts as a crime fighter and her career choice in joining the police force. Chi-Chi's smile could only beam as she started to for the desire to push Gohan into dating her.
Not now ...But in time, that's for certain. Mark her words, Chi-Chi will have her grandbabies one way or another.
Videl then asked if Gohan was a fighter himself, suspecting that he might be Saiyaman. Chi-Chi's response went as follows.
"My Gohan-chan, a fighter? Sweatheart, I've spent all my life steering my son away from such things. I love his father to death, bless his soul, but all that man knew how to do was fight and train daily. Sometimes, Goku-sa would get into situations that put himself and others' lives on the line. I didn't want that kind of life for Gohan. So, I've raised him to be the best scholar with the best education I could afford. He has no time to indulge in such affairs!"
This through Videl off of her theory...for now.
Once dinner was over, Chi-Chi washed everybody's dishes. Gohan walked Videl to the door with Goten and Chi-Chi right behind them.
"It was nice having you over here, Videl," Said Chi-Chi. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night here? It is getting late outside."
Videl says, "Thanks for the offer, Chi-Chi. But I really got to get a move on. I'm pretty sure my dad got my message and is expecting me home by now. He's a bit...overprotective of me, being his only daughter and child."
"I know that feeling," Chi-Chi spoke. "Well, Videl. You're always welcome to come and visit if you want. Have a safe trip. I'll go and let Gohan-chan see you off."
Videl smiled at Chi-Chi's hospitality.
"Thanks so much, ma'am. Catch you later," Videl said before crouching over to Goten. "I'll see you later too, Goten."
"'Kay~! Bye-bye, pretty lady!"
Videl and Gohan left the house as they went off to where Videl's Jetcopter was parked. The two were silent during the walk. Gohan, yearning to know how she felt, spoke up to his friend.
"Hey...Videl-san?"
Videl turned around to face the tallboy.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Are you mad at me or my family?"
As she went to the pilot's side of the vehicle, Videl responded by saying, "At first, I was. But after I thought about the stuff your mom said, it feels refreshing knowing that there are people out there who don't kiss my dad's ass and treat me like a person instead of the daughter of the "savior of the world". It's really nice."
She turned to Gohan with a small smile.
"And I got to know a little bit about you along the way, too."
Gohan back smiled at her, blushing slightly as he stared at her blue eyes.
Videl entered her Jetcopter and turned it on.
"Hey, Gohan!" She cried out to him. "Don't think this changes anything! I'm still watching you, got it? Anyway, I'll see you next week!"
Gohan waved, saying, "Okay! Bye, Videl-san!"
And like that, Videl's Jetcopter took to the skies and flew in the direction of Hercule City.
Gohan simply stared, not taking his eyes away while he tracked her ki until it moved far enough for him to be comfortable to head back inside.
With a push of encouragement, Gohan has finally gained the trust of a few people unassociated with Goku or any of the Dragon Team. And from the look of things, it seems to be the start of a beautiful friendship. However, Videl doesn't seem to be giving Gohan any room to breathe, still yearning to uncover his secrets. What will the future hold for Gohan and his new friends? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Notes: This chapter happens to be one of my favorites so far. I had Gohan's father be revealed for a reason which I won't explain. But I will say that it makes for another plot point which we'll get into in the upcoming chapters.
If you enjoy this chapter, leave a comment. I'll catch you guys later! Have a blessed day!
-DarkShadowGames451