-Gohan-
This is a nightmare!
He couldn't imagine a worse possible situation. Videl had already been suspicious of him the entire day before, so seeing his teacher here would make for even more damning evidence that whoever this 'Golden Warrior' was definitely had some involvement with the school.
The demi-saiyan's heart thundered against his chest as he struggled to make heads or tails within the dark room. The teen shifted, trying to gather his bearings as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. He could feel that he'd landed on his back with brooms, bottles and other cleaning material having cushioned his fall. He could also feel something heavy and soft resting on top of him. Had a duffle bag full of cleaning supplies fallen onto him? He couldn't tell where Eighteen had landed. He'd been too panicked in his haste to get them here that he hadn't paid attention to the speeds they'd been going. She was probably somewhere further back, he reasoned.
The saiyan's body stiffened as he could hear voices outside, one of them unmistakably belonging to Videl.
She's so close!
If even one of those hostages had managed to catch their escape into the janitor's closet, then Videl finding them was a very real threat! He knew that he had to get up and go. He let out a soft grunt as he began to sit forward, pressing his hands into the duffle bag to roll it off—
He blinked. That did not feel like a duffle bag. Finally, his eyes began to adjust to the dim light. Gohan's eyes became two dark specks within seas of white as he saw what he was pushing against—or rather, whom.
The teen stiffened, his frame frozen in place as a look of panic flooded his features. He'd been pushing against the upper center of what he'd thought before to be a duffle bag, and had he been correct in his assumption, then he likely wouldn't have found one hand cupped around the soft, round breast of his first period english teacher.
Before the student could react, his face slowly forming a look of terror, he saw Eighteen's eyes, which he'd only just noticed had been closed, her head slumped against his shoulder as if asleep, fluttering open.
There were not many things in Gohan's life that had caused the young man to scream in panic before. Even his uncle kidnapping him only ever made him cry. Despite this, the Golden Warrior couldn't help but let out a shrill squeak as he immediately yanked both hands away, releasing the slowly awaking Eighteen from her propped position and dropping her back down to his chest.
There was a distinct crack as their foreheads collided.
"Ack!"
"Ngh!"
"What the—"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—" Gohan began in a frantic, desperate whisper.
Eighteen's hand covered the student's lips before he could continue. She lowered her face to his, her eyes dangerous slits. "Quiet." she whispered dangerously. Her eyes continued to blink open, seemingly shaking off her daze. Gohan's chest continued to thunder nervously, both at the fact that they were mere feet away from being discovered, as well as the fact that Eighteen's face was so close. He could feel the heat of her breath against his face as she slowly pulled back her hand, the pair sharing a look of understanding that they both needed to be silent.
His teacher shifted awkwardly, before crawling off of him slowly, to ensure they remained silent and unnoticed. Somehow, it seemed that Videl hadn't heard the commotion they'd made a few moments earlier.
Or, so he thought.
"Is there someone in there?" Videl's voice called out. Gohan could hear the sound of steps coming closer.
"Get up!" Eighteen whispered sharply, before the pair were both to their feet. "Try and find an exit." Gohan found himself unable to meet her eyes as they both searched frantically within the dark room, but it didn't appear as if this janitor's closet had a second exit.
"We're trapped." Gohan said in a desperate tone, his head snapping from side to side as he felt like his chest was going to explode from the pounding. His classmate was about to open that door, and discover both him and their first period teacher in a dark closet, mere feet away from the remains of an organized bank heist
"Pffft, trapped?" Eighteen remarked, raising a hand until it was facing the opposite wall to the door. In a bright flash that shook the building, the wall exploded outward, revealing daylight.
"Did you forget we can do that?" Eighteen commented dryly. Gohan could feel some of his anxiety drain away, giving the teen the confidence to turn back to his teacher. His mouth opened to speak, a sheepish grin on his lips when the daylight allowed the student to see Eighteen's face, giving him pause. She was looking away, her cheeks shaded lightly red as her pale blue eyes refused to meet his own. Something told the student that his teacher had been aware of their awkward positioning earlier. He decided not to comment on it as he stepped past her, casually sticking his head out of the new opening before turning to look back over his shoulder to her.
Her back was to him as she stood with arms crossed, peering with slits for eyes at the door.
"Alright, the coast is clear. Let's get going—"
Just as the words left his lips, the door leading out to the rest of the bank swung open, revealing a suspicious Videl with narrowed, blinking eyes adjusting to the light.
The demi-saiyan's panicked mind exploded into action, reaching out and wrapping an arm around Eighteen's waist before pulling her along with him, exploding out from the entrance the android had made and out into West City.
-Eighteen-
Not again!
Before Eighteen could protest, she felt Gohan's arm wrap around her once more, and his steely grip yanked her from where she stood. The world around the new teacher blurred as suddenly she could feel the air whistling through her golden strands of hair. Eighteen stumbled as she tried to move with Gohan's greater speed, but was thrown off by her student's admittedly impressive strength. Finally, Eighteen resigned herself to being pulled along by the two powerful arms pressing the teacher's back into what she could feel was chiseled muscle underneath his otherwise baggy shirt. She sucked in a sharp breath of air as they flew, and an understanding for why she hadn't been able to keep up with the demi-saiyan dawned on her.
His speed made her feel dizzy as she tried to keep up with how fast the ground was racing past beneath them. She almost felt she could puke—if not for the fact that she hadn't eaten anything in weeks.
The teacher was forced to shut her eyes as the world spun, understanding all at once that, despite her powers having at one point rivaled 'gods', she was far less impressive a force when compared to the man just behind her.
Student.
She corrected in her mind. He wasn't a man, he was a student. The android decided the distinction was important.
It was only with her eyes closed, her arms pulled to her chest as the winds whipped at her face, thrashing her hair behind her, that she noticed something else. It was a pressing sensation, just below Gohan's hips, brushing against the voluptuous curves of her rear.
Eighteen's face turned scarlet as she realized what it was. Panic set in as the android desperately tried to determine what she should do. Should she try to rip herself away from the student? She could feel its length pressing against her, and couldn't help but begin to question just how long—
No!
Eighteen refused to explore that thought any further.
Before the teacher's anxiety could reach critical mass, she felt the ground beneath her feet and quickly broke away from the teen.
Her lazuli-colored eyes found the cement a moment later, unable to face the young man who she realized in that moment she had just unintentionally aroused.
From her peripherals, she watched Gohan awkwardly turn his back to her, clearing his throat as he looked down, red-faced.
The pair were silent for a handful of seconds, which Eighteen used to study their surroundings, wanting to distract herself from her closeness to the young man mere moments ago. Gohan had landed them atop a modest-looking office building no more than three stories tall. The android's eyes narrowed as she scanned the streets below, watching the people walk past, unaware of her gaze. Her eyebrows hitched ever so slightly as she read a street sign and realized just how far the young demi-saiyan had taken them. They'd flown no more than twenty seconds, and yet they were all the way on the other side of town. The android couldn't help but question why the young man had decided to take them so far out.
The teen cleared his throat from over her shoulder, prompting Eighteen to cast a curious stare in his direction. Despite herself, the teacher's eyes flickered to Gohan's pants—to make sure he was no longer...excited, of course.
Much to her relief, she found that the young man had managed to calm himself. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Videl has a jetcopter." Gohan said with a nervous tone, his eyes unable to meet hers. "That's why I had to take us so far away—in case you were wondering."
Eighteen nodded, turning her head to stare out towards where they'd come from. Sure enough, the teacher could faintly make out a speck in the distance, only barely visible for her eye enhancements.
"Oh, and sorry, by the way." the Golden Warrior said awkwardly, turning away with the beginnings of red on his cheeks. "I didn't mean to grab you so roughly. I panicked. I hope I didn't hurt you or make you, um...uncomfortable." As he finished the sentence, his head was downcast, his face a scarlet red.
She cleared her throat, turning away as she understood what he was really apologizing for.
AKA, Sorry for getting a hardon while we were escaping.
"It's fine. You know I can go through a building or twenty and still be okay."
Gohan smiled politely at her joke, but his teal eyes flicked away in discomfort a moment later. Eighteen tilted her head slightly, confused as she noticed the teen's struggle to meet her gaze.
"Yeah, but it's not right that you should have to." He breathed out a sigh, a thoughtful look in his eyes as he glared down to the ground, his fingers curling into fists. "No one should have to go through these things. There's so many criminals nowadays, so many people willing to hurt others for their own gain." Gohan shook his head, before turning back to her. "It shouldn't be this way...but it is. Thank you, Eighteen. Really. I know you didn't have to help me back there, but...it was definitely appreciated."
The new teacher felt a warmth beginning to fill her cheeks. She'd been feeling good about her first day going so well, and that high had driven her to decide to help her student out when she'd noticed him going in before. But...looking into those teal eyes, full of indignation and conviction, she could tell that he really cared about these people—that he really wanted to make a difference.
"It's no problem." The android flashed the young saiyan a smile, which he returned. "It was actually kinda fun. It's been a little while since I last used my powers. I enjoyed it."
Gohan's hand went to the back of his head, rubbing his neck as he let out a soft, nervous laugh. "Well, admittedly, I wouldn't really consider it 'fun' most of the time. Usually, it's pretty stressful." He shook his head, sighing again.
Eighteen tried to picture what it might be like for this young man, to want so desperately to change the world for the best, to have the power to destroy the very Earth several times over, but still be limited to being just one man, going through high school—and based on what she experienced earlier, whatever the saiyan version of puberty was, as well.
"I understand that. I know you don't do it for fun. You really care, don't you?"
He nodded, flashing a sad smile before looking down at his watch. He frowned. "I think I need to start heading home soon. I still have homework and chores to do."
Eighteen's face flashed with surprise. "The other teachers gave you homework?" What jerks! And on the first day, too.
He shrugged, letting his golden head of hair relax as it returned to its dark, onyx color. "Yeah, but what are you gonna do? I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Lazuli." He flashed a smile before lifting into the sky.
She smiled, wishing him a farewell as he flew away. Eighteen found her eyes trailing the young man until he was no more than a small speck, a considering look on her face.
Lazuli's sneakers splashed into one of the many puddles littering the cold cement sidewalk, splattering her legs with droplets of water from the evening's rainfall. The teen paid the chilling sensation little mind, however, as she continued to dart forward, her breathing heavy as she tore down the empty road.
The street was dark, with the crescent moon providing an eerie glow from the stars above. Aside from the stars, her only source of light came from the street lamps that were few and far between, giving Lazuli just enough light to not slam into an oncoming fire hydrant or street sign as she ran. For reasons she did not know, each and every building she raced past appeared to be completely empty—judging by the fact that not a single one had a light on, as well as when she'd pounded on several of the doors for help, none answered. In fact, Lazuli was certain she hadn't spotted a single other person since she'd started running—not even a passing car.
The blonde could feel droplets of sweat running down the sides of her face as her legs burned from the strain, but she didn't dare stop. Lazuli knew what was waiting for her if she did.
This is so fucked!
This wasn't the way it was supposed to go! She'd done plenty of shoplifting in the past, this time had been no different—at first. Lazuli had entered the jewellery store, pretended to take interest in one of the high end necklaces, before making a break for the exit. Sure, there was always the security guard, but those guys were normally out of shape and she'd never had a problem ditching one of them before.
Then again, Lazuli wasn't running from the security guard anymore.
She was running from the thing that ate him.
The blonde looked over her shoulder, her ice-blue eyes brimming with fear as she tried to search through the darkness, looking for the monster that she prayed had lost her trail.
Did I lose it?
The burning sensation in Lazuli's legs and chest finally forced the teen to stumble to a stop, leaving her hunched over with hands on her knees, gasping for breath. She couldn't tell how long she'd been running; it had all felt like one long, nightmarish blur. Despite feeling completely exhausted, the teen's piercing gaze remained focused on the direction she'd come, searching for even the slightest hint of movement.
Lazuli didn't know if she'd have the energy to keep running if it had followed her all this way, but that didn't mean she was going to be taken unaware.
The teen swallowed, her mouth feeling dry as she finally caught her breath, stranding straight as she surveyed the night road.
The complete and utter silence was overwhelming as she waited stiffly, listening for—
Click, click, click, click, click, click
The blonde sucked in a sharp breath of air as fear ignited in her chest once more. Immediately, the teen spun on her heel, ignoring the roaring protests of her exhausted legs and burning chest as she took off in a sprint. She knew what that noise was. She'd seen it make that noise as it had crept up on the security guard who'd only just given up the chase. Lazuli had watched, horrified, as the creature came up from behind the obese and sweating man, moving up on all fours, its legs shuffling like those of a spider. Before the man could react, a disturbing tail emerged from the monster, stabbing into the guard and melting the man until he was nothing.
Lazuli did not want to share his fate.
I can't run forever…
She could already feel the burning in her legs growing worse than she could stand, as well as the sensation that her lungs were about to explode. Spotting a four-way intersection up ahead, the blonde had an idea.
Upon reaching the intersection, Lazuli grabbed a street lamp at the corner of the road, using it to make a sharp right turn as she whipped around it. When her feet hit the ground again, the teen forced herself to sprint as hard and as fast as her weary body could muster. Her eyes found the entrance to what appeared to be an alleyway. Immediately, the blonde shifted her course and made for it—all the while hearing the sinister clicks of her pursuer drawing closer behind her.
Lazuli could only hope that she would reach the alley before it rounded the corner. She knew that if she didn't, she wouldn't have enough stamina left over to keep running. Her legs already felt like they wanted to give out right then and there, but, determined, Lazuli found herself dashing into the alley, stumbling and nearly crashing into the dumpster. The teen's eyes grew large as she regarded the receptacle, hearing the sinister clicking of the monster's rapidly approaching footsteps, and immediately made the decision to climb in.
Lazuli moved with a careful but exhausted haste as she lifted the lid and climbed inside, slowly lowering the heavy plastic so that it didn't make a sound as it shut.
Finally masked in darkness, Lazuli slowly pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face pulled in her lap to make herself small. She sat, doing her best to ignore the foul, pungent smell of vomit all around her as the teen listened closely to the sounds outside.
The blonde sucked in a sharp breath as she could hear the sinister clicking of the monster's hard carapace striking the asphalt. She waited with held breath as she heard the monster approach from the direction she'd come, the sound of it's pursuit more frantic now as it had lost sight of its prey.
The chilling sound of the creature's steps grew ever closer, until finally, Eighteen could hear it right outside of the dumpster. The teen flinched, screwing her eyes shut as she tried to stop the tremble in her shoulders. She listened as it stalked the alleyway, curiously, as if it somehow could smell where she was. Nervously, she remained quiet as she could hear the sound of its steps drawing closer, inspecting the alley of its contents.
Lazuli's heart thundered in her chest as she sat there, her eyes wide open and filled with panic. A part of her was afraid that her frantic heart would be what gave her away, that the creature would be able to somehow hear it, through her chest and the dumpster walls..
Despite knowing how insane that was, it didn't help when she felt a hand press itself against the side of her dumpster. Her eyes snapped to the flimsy sheet of hard plastic above her, the only thing separating her from it.
In those moments, Lazuli prayed to whatever god was listening for that lid to remain closed. She promised that she would change her ways for the better, that she didn't in fact deserve to die here.
For a moment, Lazuli felt that her prayer had worked.
Then, the lid opened.
The teen let out a blood curdling scream as she tried to scramble back and away from the figure, but had nowhere to go. She realized in that moment that she'd effectively trapped herself for it. Now, there was nowhere to go, nowhere to run. She was a rat trapped in a cage, and she knew it. The teen braced herself, bringing her arms up above her head in a defensive posture when—
"Um, are you alright?"
The voice made her jump before she frowned and took the handful of seconds needed to study whoever this was who had opened the lid.
She found before her a young man roughly her age—maybe a year or two older. He stood hovering over the dumpster, shooting her a strange look as he held the top open.
Lazuli swallowed, before nervously whispering. "There's something dangerous out there. Please, get away while you still can."
The man with the onyx hair frowned at her, a solemn look on his face as he regarded her. "So, you had to deal with that." He sighed. His gaze shifted out towards the road, eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as he stared out. After a short time, his attention returned to her.
"I'm sorry that you did. It's safe now. You can come out."
He offered 77out a hand, which prompted Lazuli to stare blankly at it. What did he mean it was safe? Nothing could be safe with that thing free to terrorize the city, right? It was unstoppable. Why should she put any faith into this random boy?
Despite herself, something within her felt as if she could trust those two dark orbs that were his man's eyes. The teen felt something deep within stir, the thundering in her chest having returned but for a different reason this time as she slowly reached out and took his hand. A sensation of relief washed over the girl as she did, an immediate sense of safety having crashed down on her like a wave. The young man gently aided her in her climb out from the plastic haven, graciously not commenting on some trash that had gotten stuck to her bottom.
She turned to him, still holding his hand as she didn't want to lose whatever this magical feeling was. "Who are you?"
He smiled, one hand reaching over his shoulder to rub the back of his neck. "I'm Son Gohan. What's your name?"
-Eighteen-
Her eyes came open slowly, revealing irises like sapphires as she regarded the ceiling above.
Well, I've never had the dream end like that before.
Always, in any dream which contained the monster Eighteen feared, it would only ever end once she was his. To have finally found an end to the dream that so haunted her that didn't involve her reliving that nightmarish experience almost a decade prior was like a breath of fresh air for the woman. Like the taste of walking out of a cage after being locked away for years.
It felt like freedom.
The blonde rolled over, frowning as she reflected on that fact. Despite feeling better rested than most days, the android couldn't decide if the dream was actually a good thing or not.
Sure, it meant she didn't have to relive a nightmare, but...it also meant that she was dreaming about her student, which she did not feel was a good thing.
Immediately, Eighteen's mind flashed back to the bank incident the day prior, thinking back to how fast Gohan had been flying when they left, how powerful his arms had felt wrapped around her waist, how large his manhood had felt pressed against the curves of her—
The new teacher bolted up out of her sheets, her cheeks scarlet red as her bedsheet came shooting away from her. She buried her face in her hands, groaning as she shook her head from side to side.
No, no, no, no, no, no!
She was not going to be thinking that way about a minor. Son Gohan was Ms. Lazuli's first period student—and that was all he was ever going to be. Eighteen hated that she'd been thinking about the boy in such an inappropriate way. She absolutely had to make sure that she didn't accidentally act on them in some way. Such an outcome would be disastrous, and would probably mean the end of her career.
The blonde bombshell sucked in an anxious breath, nodding to herself before climbing out of bed to get ready for the day. She just needed to make sure she didn't talk to Gohan. That shouldn't be too hard, right?
-Three Hours Later, Orange Star High School-
Entering class A18, Eighteen could immediately tell that something was going on from the voices speaking excitedly all about the room. The teacher raised a curious eyebrow as she walked through the room, wearing a collared blue shirt and some simple white kapris that she thought looked cute on her. She did not want a repeat of the other day with the skirt. A pity, she decided. Eighteen quite liked that skirt. She thought she filled it out well.
The teacher caught a few friendly waves from the students greeting her into the class and returned their smiles as she made her way to the desk. Sitting down, the android took the time to survey the room, seeing which students were here as her internal clock told her that there were only five minutes left before the bell.
Her eyes landed on Gohan as she was counting, and paused there. The demi-saiyan was sitting beside a cute blonde girl with a pixie haircut—Erasa was her name, Eighteen recalled. The two were engaged in a conversation that was muffled by the sound of the rest of the class's voices. Eighteen did, however, notice how often the teen was making an excuse to reach over and touch Gohan's arm, to which the young man often let out a nervous laugh before reaching around to rub his neck. It was strange to Eighteen to see it appear so similarly to her dream.
The android's eyes continued to take in the sight of the conversation, noticing only then that the girl next to Erasa, the one in the pigtails and…! Eighteen's eyes grew wide as she realized who this student was, sitting only two seats away from Gohan.
Videl Satan?
The teacher hadn't realized it before as she'd let the student's pick their own seats, but Videl Satan, the very girl who had nearly caught her and Gohan the day prior, was sitting mere feet away from the Golden Warrior. Eighteen's eyes narrowed as she noticed the suspicious glare Videl was shooting Gohan, almost as if she was already suspecting him…
The android sucked in a sharp breath of air. Should she do something about that? Eighteen supposed she could change the seating arrangement if she wanted to. Would that be suspicious, though? No, she doubted it. It wasn't like Videl was suspicious of her own involvement.
...Right?
It was only then that she picked out a name being said all around the classroom, one that made her jump.
Closest to her desk were two students, Scisa and Cayon, two girls who were in a very excited conversation about a mysterious 'Golden Goddess' that emerged last night. Eighteen swallowed nervously, but decided to lean forward, listening in as she used her enhanced hearing to cancel out the other students.
"-a total bombshell, too."
"What? No way. How do you know that already?"
"Because that's what the rumor is! That the Golden Goddess is super hot, just like the Golden Warrior is!"
"So? That doesn't mean that he's immediately going out with her!"
"Oh, come on." Scisa said, shooting her friend a flat look. "They're totally going out. Why would she be called the Golden Goddess, otherwise? She's his Goddess." As the girl said the final word, she leaned her face wistfully onto her hand. "I think it's kinda romantic."
Cayon crossed her arms, frowning. "I don't. I think they might be siblings."
"What? No way."
"It's possible."
"You just want to go out with the Golden Warrior, don't you."
"..."
"Hah!"
Eighteen blinked, tuning out of the conversation as the bell abruptly rang overhead, followed by the normal announcements. It was during these that Eighteen reflected on what she'd just heard. So, people had already come up with a name for her? The teacher's head tilted slowly to the side as she considered the new name. The 'Golden Goddess'. She supposed the 'golden' part was tied to her hair, which she guessed made sense. Gohan was only the 'Golden' warrior due to his hair, so it made sense that she would receive a similar treatment.
A coy smile pulled at the teacher's lips as she leaned back in her chair, lifting a pencil to her lips as she thought. It sounded like rumors also made it sound as if she and Gohan were already in a relationship. A part of her questioned why this was. Was it simply because they were different genders, and that's what drew the speculation—or was it something more? The android resolved to find out later, amused by the rumors being spread about her. Finally, the announcements came to a close, prompting Eighteen to rise to her feet, clapping her hands together as she regarded the class with a smile.
"Alright! Second day, students. Let's get this show on the road."
-Fifteen Minutes Later-
Eighteen had been midway through reading the opening chapter of, 'To Kill a Micro-Raptor', when a beeping from Videl's watch drew her attention away from the novel.
The student, in turn, suddenly jumped to her feet, casting a serious look down at the teacher. "Ms. Lazuli, I'm sorry for the interruption, but I have to go." Without waiting for permission, she began to make her way down the steps, her pigtails bouncing against her shoulders as she raced out the door.
Eighteen's eyes lingered on the exit for a time, before turning back to the class. She'd been told by the principle that this was something that would be happening from time to time, and not to worry too much about it. Apparently, Videl Satan was a skilled enough martial artist for Satan City's police force to call on her services from time to time. The teacher didn't know how she felt about the police force so regularly calling upon a minor to handle such dangerous criminal activity, but, then again, Gohan was doing the exact same thing, and he was the same age. Then again, he could also bench press a planet. Was Videl secretly strong, too? The android shrugged to herself, deciding not to give it too much thought as she looked back to her book.
Eighteen's lips began to form the next question when her peripherals caught a hand being raised abruptly. She frowned, noticing that the hand belonged to Gohan, of all people.
"Yes, Gohan?"
The demi-saiyan's hand fell, and it was only then that she noticed the anxious expression on his face. "I really have to use the restroom, Ms. Lazuli."
She watched as the teen's eyes flickered to the exit, chewing his bottom lips nervously as she caught a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. It didn't take a genius for Eighteen to know that something else was going on. She met his eye, and could see that whatever this was, it was serious.
She smiled brightly, before gesturing out with a single hand. "Of course. Please be careful not to run in the hallway."
Gohan was to his feet in a heartbeat and down the stairs in the next. As he passed by where Eighteen was standing in front of the chalkboard, she caught his lips forming the words: 'thank you'. She flashed him a smile that said that she understood before he disappeared from her classroom.
The android found her eyes lingering on the door for much longer now, before Eighteen's gaze shifted to look out the windows and see that the day was sunny, with blue skies and breeze that ran its fingers through the leaves as it passed. She slowly lifted her pen to her lips, an idea forming in the back of her mind as she watched a leaf fall from a branch outside.
"Um, Ms. Lazuli?" Scisa said.
Eighteen's gaze shifted to the girl. "Yes, Scisa?"
"Did you lose your place?"
Eighteen let out a gentle laugh, shaking her head. "No. No, I have not." her eyes turned back towards the window. "But, I couldn't help but feel like it's a waste to spend such a nice day indoors…"
-Five Minutes Later-
It hadn't taken much to round up the class and bring them down to the main courtyard at the center of the school. Eighteen could hear the class eagerly whispering amongst themselves, many of them smiling, delighted to get to enjoy some fresh air to start off the morning.
It was only once she was standing before them, the soft, recently cut grass providing them with comfortable seats as she raised the book, her eyes tracing over the words as if preparing to read, when she blinked.
"Oh dear, I completely forgot." She made an embarrassed smile play across her face as she pushed the back of her hand there. "I left without telling one of our students where we were going." She looked to where a girl with two braided pigtails going down her back was sitting. "Cayon, do you mind continuing where we left off with the rest of the class while I go collect Gohan?"
The girl nodded, smiling as the teacher turned on her heel and made her way back inside. Despite knowing that this was a very stupid idea for her to be attempting, and that leaving her students unattended outside of class could get her in a little bit of trouble, she couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement course through her as she made her way over to a classroom that wasn't being used before slipping inside and flying through the room and out of one of its many windows.
The new teacher was grinning ear to ear as she rocketed up into the sky, the wind tossing her hair back as she cut through the air with a twiling grace. After finally reaching a height where she was certain no one would be able to distinguish her features, she came to a stop, looking out over the city with a critical gaze.
She stretched out her senses, looking to see if she might be able to distinguish a sound, or maybe even a noise that might—
There!
The android's head snapped to the side, curiously staring out towards where she'd been able to hear the faint crackle of gunfire. The teacher grinned confidently, before turning that direction and blasting off.
-Gohan-
This is bad!
There were way too many people for Gohan to keep track of. The sound of gunfire cut through the air as the man wielding an Uzi in one hand and grasping the throat of a feeble-looking old man in the other, shouted commands. "I want 100,000 zeni in unmarked bills delivered with an escape car, or this guy loses his head!" Gohan watched as the man pushed the barrel of his weapon up against the elderly man's temple, and Gohan had never felt more disgusted.
As if to make matters worse, the gunman wasn't alone. On either side of the cowardly criminal was a thin man and a rather larger man—each with their own hostages and weapons.
Gohan cursed under his breath as he regarded the scene. Thankfully, the police had managed to create blockades for several blocks, ensuring no other bystanders got involved. Unfortunately, the scene was attracting a crowd to those blockades, and despite being so far back, the young demi-saiyan wasn't convinced a rogue shot couldn't travel down the road if all three gunmen started spraying wildly
The demi-saiyan groaned, running one hand through his hair as he continued to inspect the situation from the clouds above.
"So, what's the plan?"
The young demi-saiyan startled as he heard the voice suddenly next to him, letting out a squeak as he whirled around. His eyes widened as he regarded the snickering form of android Eighteen before him.
"You should see the look on your face." She scoffed, covering her smiling mouth with one hand.
Gohan stared at her, aghast. "Wait, shouldn't you be teaching a class right now?"
She shrugged. "You know, I really should be, so let's make this quick so I can get back to that, 'kay?" she flashed him a smile and a wink, both actions sent a flutter down into the teen's stomach.
He swallowed and then nodded. "Fair enough." pointing a finger, he continued. "Right now our problem is the three gunmen. We need to somehow take them down without endangering their hostages."
The android shot him a curious look. "Can't you move faster than the speed of sound?"
There was a pause as Gohan's stare hardened on the criminals. "All it takes is for one of them to pull the trigger while I'm going for the other two."
"But…" Eighteen trailed off, noting the hesitation in the teen's posture just beside her. There was something there, a flicker of nervousness in his voice, was that...fear?
Why should the strongest man in the world be afraid?
It was a jarring realization for the android. She decided not to focus on the realization any longer, listening to the aggressive shouts below.
Eighteen peered down at the scene unfolding, her eyes narrowed into slits as she studied the three men. "It looks like a robbery gone wrong. Probably robbed the joint, and their escape car bailed on them. Do they have any more hostages?"
"It doesn't look like it."
She nodded, biting the bottom of her lip in a way that made Gohan's eyes linger there for a time. After a few moments, her eyes found his, before raising a curious eyebrow at his staring. He blushed, turning away.
"So, I think I know what to do."
Gohan looked back to her, studying her curiously. "What do you have in mind?'
-Videl-
The daughter of the greatest fighter on the planet hopped out of her jetcopter in one fluid motion, before making her way through the crowd and towards the police barriers ahead. She made eye contact with one of the police officers, who immediately broke off from where they were talking to other officers to come her direction.
"Fill me in on the situation." Videl stated flatly as the police officer fell in step.
"Three gunmen, each have hostages. We've created a perimeter, but they have demands and it's getting harder and harder to stall. We're afraid they might start shooting hostages."
She nodded, absorbing the information with a hardened stare as she regarded the three men in the center of the road.
Where are you, Golden Warrior?
The daughter of Mr. Satan hated that she felt she couldn't handle the situation on her own, but knew when the situation was outside of her scope. The three gunmen were each several blocks away from where she now stood beside the barrier. There was no way she would be able to close that distance in the time it took them to pull the trigger on their hostages.
Unless…
An idea began to form in Videl's mind as her eyes narrowed, and a devious smile split her features.
Here goes nothing…
-Gohan-
The young demi-saiyan didn't know if he necessarily thought this was a good plan, but he did see the logic of how it might work, so he decided it was worth a shot.
Currently, he was waiting where he'd been before for Eighteen to return with the stolen car. Until then, he would just have to hope that the gunmen didn't get too antsy and—
The pit of Gohan's stomach dropped as he watched someone abruptly leap over the barrier and begin approaching the three armed men.
What are they doing?!
Immediately, the trio of criminals pushed the barrels of their weapons harder into the back of their hostages' heads.
"Don't move!" bellowed the larger man. "I'll blow her brains out if you take another step." Thankfully, whoever had foolishly thought to leap over the barrier listened to the man's words as they halted in place, their hands posed above their head. Gohan frowned as he studied the individual. It was hard to distinguish specific facial features, but he could tell that they were definitely not in a police uniform. In fact, it didn't look like they were in a uniform at all. Despite this, the demi-saiyan knew he'd seen that outfit somewhere before…!
Videl?!
The teen's jaw dropped as he recognized the young woman he'd been sitting next to in class not twenty minutes earlier. His mind reeled as he tried to understand just what exactly Videl intended to do now that she was there. He hoped it was nothing reckless, since he didn't know if he would be fast enough to save her.
Gohan's fingers tightened into fists as he continued to peer down at the situation, his body going stiff as his hair tensed, before his entire body was enveloped in bright, golden light. Gohan knew that soon it would be time for the 'Golden Warrior' to make an appearance.
-Videl-
The teen could feel her heart thundering in her chest as she stared down the three men, her gaze pausing for only a moment on the tearful elderly man, young woman, and obese teen they were holding at gun point.
I promise, I'll get you guys out safe.
Keeping both hands firmly in the air, Videl tried to flash a reassuring smile. "Now, how about we lower the guns, huh? I just want to talk."
"There ain't nothing to talk about!" One of the crooks roared. "Get us our demands or they get it!" He punctuated his point by shoving what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun harder against the obese teen.
"Hey, look, I totally get it." She said, trying to appear calm as she took a cautious step forward. "But, I don't think you guys are gonna get too much for three random people." She sighed, shaking her head as she decided to lower her hands to her hips.
"Oh, we'll get our money!" the thinner man growled. "Otherwise, these three are dead!"
"Yeah, I get that part." Videl snapped back, growing agitated. "What I'm saying is that you guys are aiming way low. 100,000 Zeni? How long is that gonna last the three of you, really. Shouldn't you be after a job that sets you up for life, rather than some chump change like that?"
She could see looks of uncertainty flash between the group. "What are you getting on about, girl?"
"What I'm getting at," Videl began, trying to keep her tone calm as she watched the woman with a pistol to her head whimper out a prayer. "Is that if you were to trade your hostages for someone like, I don't know, a celebrity, then maybe you'd have more luck getting more cash."
"And where are we gonna get ourselves a celebrity?" the fat one called out.
Videl smirked. "Right here." She made a sweeping gesture to herself. "My name is Videl Satan. I am the daughter of the world savior, Hercule Satan, who this city is named after."
Immediately, she caught stunned looks crossing the three criminal's faces before they traded considering glances.
"How much more?" the center man with the Uzi asked.
Videl smiled, taking another casual step forward and leaning in. "My dad is one of the richest men in the world, so I'd say try adding another couple zeros to that number." She grinned, shooting them a wink as she saw excited looks from all three. "So, how about you trade me for those hostages, and get more money than any of you would know what to do with."
Hook, line and sinker.
The daughter of the world's savior could already tell that her plan had worked. In their eyes she could see them each envisioning the life of luxury they would live once they were rich beyond their wildest dreams. She doubted even one would turn down such an offer. Slowly, she watched as the barrels of their weapons began to lower, their postures shifting to move and collect her, abandoning the hostages.
Videl tried to hide her devious grin, she just had to wait a few more moments, then she would dash in and-
Then, a truck suddenly fell from the sky just beside them.
"Enjoy the getaway truck!" Called out a voice from above that made Videl's eyes snap upward, but the sun stopped her from seeing who it was.
The men jumped as the massive vehicle slammed into the ground, bouncing once and causing the three men to point their weapons at the vehicle as they regarded the strange sight.
Videl saw an opportunity, and seized it.
With their backs turned she suddenly shot forward, moving so fast that she was nearly a blur, before she was leaping over the first hostage, performing an elegant front flip that ended with her planting the sole of her foot straight into the back of the center gunman's head.
"Run!" she screamed out to the other hostages, watching out of the corners of her eyes as they began to scramble to their feet.
The man gave a call of pain as her foot struck and he fell. Videl rode the man's momentum to the ground, kicking off of the man as his two companions spun back around from the commotion.
Both men pointed their weapons directly at the young woman. Videl grimaced as she managed to spin into the air, kicking the pistol from the thin criminal's hand, but knowing as she swung for the other's weapon that her attack wouldn't make it in time.
Her ears nearly ruptured as the sound of the shotgun erupted like an explosion, showering her in a cascade of tiny metal beads that she knew would tear her to bits.
It came as a shock to the young woman when suddenly, she was no longer standing before the shotgun barrel, but rather several feet away, in someone's arms, no less.
The teen blinked, before looking up and finding the Golden Warrior there, peering down at her with those piercing teal eyes.
Videl's eyes were two large orbs as she stared up at the man carrying her effortlessly in his arms, as if she weighed next to nothing. For a moment of time Videl could not discern, she found herself staring up at him, utterly hypnotized by his incredibly powerful and confident appearance. Finally, after what felt like an eternity spent in his muscular, chiseled arms, the man wrapped in a flame of gold lowered her to the ground.
For a moment, the teen almost forgot how to walk, before gravity made her remember again.
"Stay put." He said simply, before turning his back to her and blurring from sight. She gasped, watching as he suddenly appeared next to the two remaining gunmen. The first was trying to grab a hold of their hostage, before quickly realizing that they no longer had a weapon and doubling back instead for the pistol Videl had kicked away.
By that time, however, it was already too late.
Videl winced as she watched the Golden Warrior deliver a brutal backhand to the man's face, spinning him on his heel three times over before he finally fell. The man with the shotgun was next, not bothering with trying to catch the fleeing hostages as he turned the weapon to the Warrior's face. A chill ran down Videl's spine as, once more, an explosion ejected from the double-barrel, completely engulfing the Golden Warrior's face with buckshot.
Videl's mouth fell open as she realized the gun had left literally not a mark on him.
The man with the golden hair reached out and crushed the weapon in his hand, letting it fall away like shattered glass as the crook fell to his knees, terrified and babbling about not being hurt and that he would never do it again.
Videl could see a frustration in the Golden Warrior's eyes then, a deep rooted desire to do more to the man, but resigned not to as he closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh. Turning his hardened gaze towards her, she felt the nervous pounding in her chest increase.
"I trust you'll handle the rest."
She swallowed, trying to calm her nerves as she nodded. "R-right. I'll take care of it, Golden Warrior." Videl mentally scolded herself for sounding so nervous. How was it that she could stare down the barrels of multiple guns pointed at her, but somehow this turned her into a sputtering school girl? She scowled at herself.
Without another word, the man nodded his head before disappearing into the sky, ripping through a cloud as he did.
Videl stared up after him, wanting to see the man again, and knowing that she would.
-Eighteen-
I have to get back to class!
The android cut through the air like a jet as she made her way in the direction of the school. Ahead, Eighteen saw Gohan closing in on the building's rooftop, already.
Damn, he's fast!
After a short flight, Eighteen landed next to the young man, who let out a slow breath as he shut his eyes, letting his hair relax to its normal style. When his eyes opened again, they had returned to their typical onyx color.
The teen flashed an appreciative smile. "Thanks again, Eighteen."
Eighteen felt a rising heat in her cheeks as she regarded the young man's warm smile. The android quickly looked away, clearing her throat before finding her words. "It was the least I could do, considering."
Gohan lifted a curious eyebrow. "Considering?"
Eighteen let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Considering you're the reason I'm still here today, Gohan."
She watched a flicker of realization cross the teen's face, his mouth forming an 'O', before forming words. "Oh, Eighteen, you don't have to feel indebted to me for that. Everything was on the line back then." The demi-saiyan let out a nervous chuckle, reaching one hand behind his head to rub his neck. "I was just trying to survive, same as you."
Eighteen nodded, looking towards the sky as the smile slipped from her face. "I know that. I do, but I'm also pretty sure that no one knows just how much everyone owes you." The teacher turned back to her student, searching his eyes as she asked. "Have you told anyone?"
She could tell by the way his gaze turned away that he hadn't.
"You saved the world, Gohan." Eighteen said in a soft voice.
"I know that." The teen said, his eyes cast downward. She could see that, for whatever reason, this subject was sensitive for the young man.
"Don't you want the world to know your greatest accomplishment? Shouldn't they know?"
The android's eyes flickered to the teen's sides, where his fingers had curled into fists. Finally, Gohan lifted his head and met Eighteen with a glare that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Maybe I don't want the world to know. Maybe, I don't think I deserve it."
Eighteen blinked, stunned by the harsh tone compared to Gohan's typically jovial or good natured one.
As if noticing her surprise, the teen's face brightened, the tension in his body bleeding away as he let out a laugh that sounded just a little forced to Eighteen. "Sorry, I just don't want the fame to affect my family, really."
Eighteen didn't buy that excuse for an instant, but decided not to press the matter. Whatever Gohan's reasons for keeping such an important secret hidden were, they were his to keep, she decided.
"We should start heading down." She said, motioning towards the door leading into the stairwell. "I said I was going to come get you since I took the class outside." She checked her watch, before wincing. "It's only been twenty minutes. Maybe if we hurry we can make it look like we've been back for longer."
Gohan nodded, and the pair rushed into the school.
-Six Hours Later, Classroom A18-
The teacher pushed back a single strand of golden hair that had fallen past her face as she leaned over to collect some folders off of her desk. The golden-orange glow of the sun shaded the now empty classroom with its warm tone. Overall, the android found the space to be quite calming.
Eighteen paused as she heard a knock at her door. Raising an eyebrow, she called out. "Come in!"
The handle twisted, and in stepped none other than Son Gohan, wearing a nervous expression.
"Gohan?" The teacher set down her bags. "Is there something I can help you with?"
The teen looked over his shoulder and into the hallway, before closing the door quietly behind him. Turning back to her, he asked bluntly. "Do you still want to do this superhero stuff?"
Eighteen blinked. She hadn't been expecting such a direct and honest question. Did she? "I'm not sure." She answered honestly, shifting her weight to one hip as she rested a hand there. "It's definitely fun, but I know I can't keep ditching class to play superhero." The teacher sighed, shaking her head side to side. "Why do you ask?"
Gohan paused before clearing his throat and looking away, seemingly embarrassed. "Well, uh, there's this whole rumor going around about a new superhero." A hand went to his face where she could see his cheeks were scarlet. "And with what happened today, people are definitely going to think you and I are-well, er...you know."
Eighteen blinked, realizing what the young man was saying before her eyes grew wide. Gohan was trying to comment on the fact that everyone was saying that the Golden Warrior and the Golden Goddess were romantically involved.
The teacher let out a nervous laugh. "Kids say the craziest things, right?"
Some of the awkward tension she felt bled away as Gohan joined in with her laugh, nodding. "Right, right. I just thought I should bring it up… just so you know what's going on."
Eighteen scoffed. "Pfft. You think I didn't know what was being said? You kids are not stealthy, at all. I get all the juicy little rumors." She made a skittering motion with her fingers as she spoke, prompting a chuckle from the young man.
"Well, they're kids I guess." He shrugged. "But yeah, they're not very good at being quiet, huh?"
Wait, what did he just say?
Eighteen lifted a hand. "Wait, back up. What do you mean? You're not a kid?"
Gohan blinked, seemingly not understanding her confusion before brightening with realization. "Oh! That's right, you don't know about the Room of Spirit and Time."
"The...what?"
The young man smiled, gesturing with his hands as he began to explain. "You see, leading up to the fight against Cell, me and a bunch of the other fighters entered this room called the 'Room of Spirit and Time'. Essentially, twenty-four hours out here translates to a year's worth of time in there. Me and my dad went in there for a whole year when I was ten, so I'm technically eighteen, even if on paper I'm seventeen. Weird, right?"
The android stared at the young man with a curious wonder. "Right…weird…" She trailed off.
"...Anyway," Gohan began, shooting her a weird look at her sudden silence. "I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me over to Capsule Corp.."
Eighteen blinked, before frowning. "What's going on at Capsule Corp.?
"Nothing, but I have a friend there that might be able to hook us up with some outfits so we don't have to go around showing our faces all the time." The teen paused, before adding nervously, "if you choose to keep helping, that is."
Eighteen smiled warmly at just how considerate this young man strived to be in all he did. Despite this, the teacher couldn't help but pause at his offer. Was this really something she wanted to do? She'd only just started her new job as a teacher, and knew that by doing this, she would be putting her career in jeopardy. The android had to admit that the past couple of days had been quite exciting—more exciting than her life had felt in a long time. But, was it a wise move to put all she'd worked for on the line, just for a little bit of fun?
The tip of her thumb found her mouth after a short time, her teeth beginning to idly chew on the nail as she tried to make a decision.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, Eighteen." The android looked up, and was met with sympathetic eyes. "I know that you just started out as a teacher. This superhero business could get in the way of that. I don't want you to risk your job just to help me, even if it has been fun the last couple of days." The demi-saiyan flashed her one last smile, before turning towards the door to go.
Eighteen felt a panic in her chest that she couldn't explain as she watched the young man go. Looking into those eyes, the eyes of such an honest, earnest, and good-hearted person, yet still haunted by a pain so deep-rooted that she doubted anything could shake it, Eighteen knew that that type of person deserved to be helped.
Before she knew it, the android scooped up her belongings before flying across the room, reaching the door just as Gohan was opening it and startling the young man.
"E-Eighteen?" He stammered as she appeared beside him.
"Yes?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.
"What are you doing?"
She smirked. "Following you, obviously. You said we're going to Capsule Corp., right?"
The young man blinked, before understanding washed over his face. He smiled warmly. "Thank you, Eighteen. It means a lot."
The android felt a warmth in her cheeks as she stared back into those honest, onyx eyes. Suddenly, the teacher became aware of just how close she was standing to her student, and decided to take a step back. She motioned to the hallway. "Lead the way, Golden Warrior."
The teen smirked, before responding. "Right away, my Golden Goddess."
The way the demi-saiyan said it made something in Eighteen's chest begin to pound excitedly.
-Author's Notes-
Well, it's been a little bit of time since my last update, eh? I'm sorry for that. My life has been a never ending rollercoaster recently, and I'm only just finally starting to get settled down again. I entered a relationship, got fired, got a new job the next day, nearly died, my bed stabbed me, I got a new bed, and now I'm finally back to writing again (Oh! And it's my birthday in a few days!). I'm going to try and focus my attention on the next chapter of "Talking With A Monster" next, and then return to this story.
I feel like this chapter flowed well into each scene, and I'm quite happy with it for the most part. There are a few scenes I wish I could have done differently, but overall, I feel it's a solid update to where the story is heading. I'm sure many of you are speculating now, lol.
I would also like to address a question I really should have answered in the last author's aote (my bad). The reason this story is going up on this profile as opposed to my main profile is because of the fact that I am not in complete control of the plot of the story. Due to the fact that this story is being commissioned by a benefactor, they, obviously, get a say in how they want to see the story told. They have been very understanding with my situation, as well as understanding the storytelling process, but it is for this reason that I do not post this story on my main profile. Only concepts of my own creation go on that profile. Also, looking at all the other stories on this profile, you will find that all were commissioned pieces and/or concepts by other people.
They are also quite lewd, and yes, that will be true for this story as well. That makes for another reason for why it doesn't go on my main channel, lol. I'm also sorta trying to shake off a few fans of mine that belong to a radical organization on the site which have threatened to spam report my stories when they found my stories responded to review in the AN back in the day (For guests). Hate those guys. I can only imagine what that fan of mine would do if they had been personally responsible for taking the story they enjoy down.
As always, Ben Thryss has been a delight to work with this chapter, and we all have many thanks that it came out as clean as it did thanks to him. Many thanks to the edit god!
Lol, well, outside of that, I don't really think there's much else to go over. I'm sorry for not responding to the reviews in the last chapter. I plan to go through and answer them all once this drops. I didn't expect the incredible reception of the first chapter in what will be quite the series I presume. Thank you, everyone who's been a loyal fan of my work. It means the world to me that people enjoy my writing so much. Thank you, truly.
Until Next time!