Both fighters met in the centre of the mat. Gohan had suppressed his Ki, disallowing him from using it to enhance any of his attacks, something he had trained hard with Piccolo to do. Even as a Saiyan, the boy had honour and did not pick fights he could win with a single gesture. He had also brought his power level down low enough to be in perfect sync with Videls, now the two were perfectly equal in terms of strength, this would be a matter of skill and strategy above all else. But the boy did not intend to lose despite giving the girl a fighting chance.
Opting for the traditional Satan stance, Videl brought her hands up high, guarding her head primarily and stood firm on her front leg. She took the moment to observe her opponents stance as they circled each other, getting a feel for one another's movements. Gohan went for a boxing and karate hybrid stance. His left arm hung down low by his front leg, whilst his right hand was up by his chin, he employed a wide leg base and bounced around on his toes. Suddenly the boy circled the other direction and switched stances, he swapped his feet to be opposite configuration. He then arched his back so he was lower to the ground and had one arm out to his head, confusing Videl as to where his first strike would come from.
The students watched the exchange, intrigued. Those who did not have sufficient fighting knowledge did not quite understand. "He's switching stances to confuse her" Sharpner explained to Erasa. "One of his biggest strengths is that he can fight from any position. Most martial artists have a single stance they are most comfortable with. Gohan however can use multiple stances. By changing stances frequently then you can't predict what he's going to do next."
'Damn it stand still!' Videl cursed internally. She was waiting to find an opening to land a clean blow, but every-time he moved or changed direction he would switch the side of his stance or move his arms to different configurations. Having enough of this, Videl charged forward, throwing a straight left hand, followed by a right hook and finishing it with a high kick.
Gohan effortlessly tilted his head for the left to miss, leaned back to allow the right to sail past his face and ducked under the high kick. He then pushed forward and darted behind the girl back to the centre of the mat. He then reset himself and decided to continue on with his strategy. The boy proceeded to throw feints, faking a right hand, moving forward quickly and pretending to throw the left after. Videl quickly reacted, bobbing and weaving at the fakes.
"He's feinting to gain a reaction. He pulls back his attacks at the last second to gauge how she reacts to different strikes, he's reading her movements hoping to use it against her." Sharpner said smirking. "Brains is trying to outsmart her"
Videl leaned down to her left side, expecting a wild left hook from Gohan to sail over her head, but yet again the boy was throwing another feint. Growling the girl charged forward again, this time Gohan decided to make her pay. As the girl moved in, Gohan slid back gracefully, throwing his lead hand up, pumping a series of jabs onto his opponents face each time she moved forward. The last jab snapped Videls head back and seemed to visibly stun her.
His movements reminded the crowd of a cobra or viper. He would pounce only when he needed, remaining graceful and stoic in his stance before counter striking when given the opportunity. He did not waste a single motion, he only used his attacks when he needed, never throwing anything that he knew wouldn't land, it was perfect technique and fight IQ.
"Why does Gohan keep moving away like that?" Erasa asked, watching Videl rush forward again whilst Gohan kept her at bay with his hand and moving back.
"Because he's counter striking her" Sharpner explained. "He waits for her to make the first move and uses her technique against her, finding openings and forcing her to use more energy. He's also showing her that she doesn't have the speed advantage like she thought."
Just then Videl cornered Gohan, cutting him off from escaping. She threw a kick to hit Gohan in the stomach, but he was faster, the boy extended his leg and front kicked her body, knocking her off balance and pushing her to the ground. She quickly recovered and ignored the series of gasps at the move. 'Why can't I hit him!?' Videl growled, quickly getting to her feet, watching Gohan switch stance again.
"You going to dance all day or actually fight back?!" She called out, ignoring the fact that her nose was red from all the jabs she had received.
To her dismay, Gohan remained locked in, his eyes, a deep predatory gaze. The sight sent shivers down Videls spine, it was almost like an inhuman stare. Shaking her head from the thought Videl tried a new tactic, she started moving around, throwing feints of her own, but not getting a single reaction out of the boy, it was as if he could read she was faking.
The sight made Gohan smirk, this is what he wanted. The boy stepped in, faking with a high left hand, the act made Videl cover her head with her hands expecting the impact, but at the last second Gohan leaned down and let loose a viscous right punch to Videls midsection, followed with a left hand to her liver, the result made Videl grunt in pain. Gohan pivoted to his left, cutting angles masterfully so he was on the girls left side. Having had the wind knocked out of her Videl's hands had slumped down to her body to protect the area she had just been hit, leaving her head open where Gohan unleashed a brain rattling right uppercut.
Time seemed to slow down and the audience gasped aloud as Videl crumpled and fell backward, dazed. She wasn't unconscious yet, but she was struggling to get back to her feet, stumbling and wobbling with each step she tried to get her footing back. This was the first time Videl had ever been cracked as badly as this. She could feel the blood pouring from her mouth. It tasted bitter. The thought fired her up even more. ' This is impossible, I can't lose' Videl thought to herself before regaining her feet.
Things however were different. Gohan remained light on his feet, bouncing around and continuing to change stances, showing no signs of fatigue thanks to his ability to use as little energy as he needed. Videl meanwhile was flat footed, she was tired, her movement was slow and hands were no longer guarding herself. But that would not deter her.
The daughter of Hercule decided to blitz, she threw everything she had, jabs, uppercuts, hooks, kicks, elbows, knees. Everything was easily dodged. Gohan slid back, moving his head and cutting angles swiftly to avoid Videl, a true master. Sharpner couldn't help but marvel at the impeccable head movement. Gohan had often described martial arts as a physical game of chess, he had never understood it until know. The boy was making moves in anticipation of how Videl would react, he could see the raven haired girls moves before she made them, because he was always one step ahead.
Videl finally snapped, she had one final move, one that had never failed her. She had self taught herself this as a last resort. The girl eyed her opponent who seemed calm as ever, she cursed his name. "Take this!" she yelled.
Pivoting to her right, Videl uncorked a spinning right hand punch, before ducking down and turning to her left where she leapt high, throwing a kick which would easily floor the Son boy.
The crowd grew silent.
Gohan had ducked down, allowing the kick to move over his head again. Videl gasped at the feeling of hitting nothing but air. It couldn't be possible, Videl was sure she had him. No one could avoid that.
But Gohan had.
Without having time to react, Gohan pounced on his opponent, throwing yet another feint. This time a left hand, and just like earlier Videl reacted, leaning down expecting the fist to go high. But it didn't, she was wrong again. Seizing the opportunity, Gohan switched his attack and threw a kick of his own. His shin landed on the side of Videl's head as she leaned down, not at all seeing the change happen.
It wasn't enough force to knock Videl out, Gohan had made sure of that, he only intended to knock her down.
Once again on her back, Videl bounced to get back up, but this time Gohan was on top of her. He had straddled the girls back, locking his strong legs around her midsection in a body triangle. Videl tried to buck the boy off, but his large frame made it too difficult and the girl slumped onto the mat face first with Gohan on her. She covered the sides of her face with her hands, expecting more punches, instead Gohan sneakily slipped his forearm and bicep under her chin and proceeded to lock in the rear naked choke.
Videl could feel her head start to go faint, the tighter Gohan squeezed the more she could feel her brain slipping. She tried her best to fight his hands, gasping trying to get air, but to no avail, Gohan's grip was locked in. It was only a matter of seconds before Videl's eyes had shut and she was unconscious.
Videl awoke some seconds later, her eyes clouded and burning from the gym lights. Just what had happened? She was being tended to by Mr. Bones. "You okay Videl?" he asked with concern.
The poor girl couldn't recall a single thing, last she remembered she was fighting Gohan. Then nothing, did she win? She couldn't remember, being choked to sleep had that effect. She looked up to see Mr. Bones smile in relief as the girl seemed only a little confused, but otherwise in one piece.
The teacher motioned for Videl to stay where she was before walking to the tall teen boy and raising his arm. "Winner by technical knock out, due to a rear naked choke. Gohan!" The man announced to a crowd of stunned onlookers.
"What!" The girl croaked, her voice still groggy from the fight.
"Good fight you two, it was hard fought" Mr. Bones congratulated, although he was aware the battle was as one sided as possible. In truth, the tall man had expected Gohan to be victorious, although not officially a fighter any longer, Mr. Bones did know talent when he saw it, and the Son boy was practically oozing knowledge and skill. Frankly, he didn't foresee an outcome Videl could win, but neither did he suspect the affair to end as easily as it had. "Everyone is to partner up and continue light sparring whilst I tend to Videl" He bellowed wandering to the still woozy girl.
"I really lost?" The girl asked herself, looking up to see her opponent watching her intently, Videl couldn't contain a gulp at the sight. It was hard to tell how large the boy was when blinded by anger, but from this position it was very clear. Videl eyed him carefully, expecting a quip about his victory. "Come to gloat?" She snapped.
To her surprise the boy merely smiled and bowed to her. "It was a good fight." he claimed sincerely.
Videl watched the boy wide eyed, she was about to allow the comment to slide until she noticed the remainder of the class witnessing the interaction, she at least had to save some face, she had a reputation to uphold, regardless of how it was not in tatters after that display.
"Don't mock me!" She snapped. "Just because you won, you think you can fake good sportsmanship?"
"It's not about winning" She heard the boy mutter with a sigh. "Martial arts is about learning, discipline and dedication. If everyone relied on winning as a motivation then some of the best fighters in the world would never have existed, they would have quit a long time ago. The greatest martial artists lost just as many battles as they won before cementing their legacies." Videl couldn't contain her surprise at the lecture. Since when did he become a life coach?
"Excellent lesson. Though the desire to win is still a strong motivator, having a goal to reach is more appropriate." Mr. Bones chimed in. "Why don't you pair up and continue the lesson while I escort Videl to the nurse."
Gohan merely nodded and wandered off to find a suitable partner, however most students chose to steer clear of the boy after witnessing him effortlessly defeat one of the strongest fighters in the world, someone who many were considering as the dark horse to win the upcoming world martial arts tournament. "Tutoring starts at 3:40 in the library study room" Gohan gestured to the clock before walking off.
Videl groaned, she had lost sight of the bet she had made, now she would be forced to endure a torturous after school session with someone she chose to avoid at all cost. 'Great, I've spent so long distancing myself from him, now I am forced to sit in a small study room with him'. She was then swiftly escorted out of the room by her teacher despite her objections. "Sorry Videl, but we need to ensure there is no serious damage" He explained.
Meanwhile still in the gym, Gohan was approached by his two blonde friends, each itching to get some serious details.
"Gee Gohan, did you really have to go and choke her out like that?" Erasa asked, worried for her best friends health.
The boy just rubbed the back of his head in response. "Sorry, I thought she would have tapped out before going out. Guess I underestimated her toughness" he chuckled.
"Well you should be more careful. What if she has some sort of injury?"
"I didn't do it to hurt her" Gohan claimed finding his voice. "I did it to avoid having to hurt her"
At that statement Erasa tilted her head in confusion, as did Sharpner who was listening intently. "What do you mean?"
"When I took her back I had two options, continue to strike or finish it through other means. I had her controlled on the ground and if I decided to punch her while she was down then I could easily have knocked her out then and there" He explained.
"Then why didn't you?"
"Two reasons, one; I don't agree with attacking someone who turns their back. The fight would not have been called unless she gave up, and hitting her from behind would simply have been a cowardly act. Two; if I had inflicted more damage to her then she would run the risk of future concussion symptoms or even brain damage. The choke I used cuts off blood and air supply to the brain, basically giving the sensation of forcibly going to sleep. If held on for too long it can kill someone, however as soon as I felt Videl's body go limp I released the hold, she was never in any danger and she will be back to normal in no time with no serious lingering injuries." Both blondes gaped at the explanation.
"Wow, strong and chivalrous" Erasa swooned. "You're such a cutie, being all worried for Videl" The last comment made Gohan blush lightly, he was no good when it came to girls.
Videl had spend the rest of the period recovering from her fight. Despite her insistence that she was fine, the teachers had protocol to follow and could not run the risk of skipping any steps. At least she had time to ponder the fight. It took a few minutes for Videl to remember the fight in full before it ended. The key elements she could recall were the constant switching stances and movement Gohan had employed. 'Who the hell taught him to fight like that?' She wondered. Those studying under the banner of Hercule Satan himself certainly did not fight like that, so she could scratch her dad off that list. Her mind listed multiple fighting schools, but none replicated what Gohan had done, in fact Videl wasn't even able to identify the insignias on the boys gi, they were unlike any she had ever seen. 'Private dojo? Family member maybe?' The girl growled in frustration, she needed answers. Mainly how had he beaten her? She had to know.
Whilst most students filed out of the school grounds, Videl was forbidden from joining them, instead this time heading to the library against her will. Initially the Satan girl tossed around the prospect of going against the deal and simply leaving. However there were two issues she found with this. One was that there were many witnesses to this bet, if word got out that she had broken her promise then she would lose her image that she had spent so long building. Second was simply that Videl Satan was a girl of her word, even in the eyes of a two-bit nerd-boy.
Said boy was waiting patiently for his pupils arrival, a series of papers laid out on the table in front of him. He smiled widely as Videl entered the room, however the toothy grin faltered slightly when the girl slammed her text books on to the desk, a loud thud resonated through the library, earning a few disgruntled noises from the occupants of the room.
"Lets get this over with" Videl ordered with about as neutral of a tone and face as one was able to muster.
Gohan meanwhile had not noticed the tone she used and quickly dove into his noted. "Okay so, I thought it be best to start with a few practice questions to see what areas we should focus on, nothing difficult. Just use the proper formulas to solve these." He then handed over a paper which contained a series of hand written physics problems.
Videl was on the verge of retorting but remembered the deal, she did say she would 'humour' the boy, that meant no back talk. And quite frankly, the less social interaction they had the better. There was no point being here any longer than she needed. Swiftly the girl snatched the paper from the boys hand and glanced over each question, her brows furrowed with nearly every problem, physics was just a load of gibberish and analytics's as far as she was concerned. Who needed to know the drag coefficient of something in the real world anyway?
Gohan ran his eyes over her answers… It was not impressive.
"Okay, so…" The boy trailed off, resisting the urge of gulp at her answers. "It seems like we have some work to do. Why don't we start with some simple formulas?" he suggested, noting the heated glare he was receiving.
"How did you do it?" Videl questioned, the tone she chose to use was heavy with authority.
"Do what?" Gohan replied puzzled.
"No one has ever beaten me before, let alone the way you did. How did you do it? Who trained you?"
"I thought we were here to study" Gohan shot back with a shrug.
"Well I'm not studying until I get answers" Gohan almost sighed at how stubborn this girl was.
"Tell you what. As soon as you score a perfect ten for ten from the practice test I gave you, I'll answer all the questions you have. Fair?"
Videl was about to protest further but chose to hold her tongue. She at least had an opportunity for answers, she wasn't willing to lose it by arguing further. Also, despite her stubbornness, she had made a deal which she needed to keep, it was the only part of her reputation she could grasp onto at the given time. Her eyes met the boys with a determined stare.
"Fine"
Videl couldn't believe it. She was reading over a series of questions in her physics text book and the words actually made sense. It had only been an two hours of study and she was now able to translate terminology that she wrote off as gibberish earlier in the day. Her eyes grew wide as Gohan proceeded to present her with the very same problem she was unable to answer in front of the class and Mr. Vector. Only this time, everything was clear, the diagram, the numbers, it all fit. Just how the hell had Gohan done it?
Videl quickly jotted down the answer with great efficiency.
"Very good." Gohan nodded approvingly. "I'm impressed, it usually takes a few sessions to work someone up to this level."
Videl had to greatly resist the urge to break into a smile. However she forced the idea down, she had held up her end of the bargain, now she meant business. She quickly snatched the ten question paper from the table and scribbled down formulas to answer each correctly. Several minutes went by before she handed the paper back and was pleased to see her tutor leave a satisfying tick beside each question.
"Well, looks like I owe you some answers" Gohan chuckled handing back the paper. In honesty, the questions he had given were very low level. However Gohan wanted Videl to give it her all, and when presented with a challenge she would do just that. He had expected her to want answers from their fight and saw it as an opportunity, he smiled to himself, fighting really did help you understand someone.
Without hesitation, Videl started from the top of her list of questions, using a tone reserved for interrogating criminals. "Who trained you?"
"Well I have had two masters since I was a kid, but I have studied other styles over the years. I was first trained by a close friend, then my father. However I have picked up a few things here and there from other friends, but I never officially studied under them." The boy replied.
"How many styles do you know?"
Gohan began slowly counting with his hands, listing off the people mentally. "I've mastered three, however probably know roughly six or seven styles."
Videl was impressed, but did not let it show. Normally she would have denied his question to be possible. But after being handed defeat, she was in no position to argue.
"What are the names of those schools?"
"Well the first was a very private school. It's called the Demon School or Evil Spirit, the translation is open for interpretation. Second is one of the oldest schools in Martial arts history, it's called the Turtle school. The last one is a specialist style devised by a long lost race of fighters. There is only one full blooded man left from their race and I learnt from him. Those are the three I have mastered."
Videl made a mental note to do her research on those names after she got home.
"How did you manage to beat me?" She asked, this question was hard for the girl to say aloud.
"I capitalised on your weaknesses and set traps." Gohan shrugged thinking back to his original strategy. "Every martial artist has inherent flaws in their style. Sometimes it's a habit or a opening in their form other times it's a product of being incorrectly trained."
Videl watched the boy expectantly, wide eyed, hoping to understand just what he had seen in her that was so easy to counter. "And what are my flaws?"
"Your technique is not suited for your skill set" The tall boy replied, he noticed Videl was on the edge of fuming so he swiftly proceeded with his explanation. "You have tremendous speed and fast reflexes. However you fight like a boxer, hands up high and a heavy stance. The problem is that it restricts your movement at the benefit of being able to generate more power, something that you should not be relying on."
"Well that stance is the very same my father uses, the same he used to win the world tournament and the same he used to defeat Cell" Videl stated matter of factly to put Gohan in his place.
Gohan cringed at the last part of that statement. Even though he was willing to remain open with his school and not worry about hiding himself away, he still had secrets to uphold. "I understand that. However you are not your father. He is much larger and physically stronger. He benefits greatly by having that extra power available to him, however you cannot hope to fight the same way he does, you need to rely on your speed above all else. If I were in your position I would search for another master to train under."
The Satan girl nearly broke into a tirade at the answer. "You realise my father is the WORLD CHAMPION. There aren't going to be any better teachers than that thank you very much!" she snapped, earning a loud 'Shush' from the librarian. Gohan however was not fazed as ever.
"The student is the product of the teacher. Even the greatest trainers influence others to fight in similar ways to themselves, and it is irrelevant whether they have the best intentions for their pupils or not. Habits and tendencies are hard to break, especially when you have been learning them for years. I was never able to fight to my fullest potential until I used what I had learned to create a style that suits me. My stances allow me to use quick footwork and cut angles, whilst throwing kicks."
"How many stances do you actually use?"
"More than I can count off the top of my head" Gohan chuckled whilst rubbing the back of his head. "I typically use several when I fight or spar. It depends on who I am fighting."
"Such as?" Videl questioned now fully intrigued. She had long abandoned her cold attitude of shutting the boy out, she was invested in what he had to say.
"Well the stances I primarily used against you were designed to protect the side of my body which is most vulnerable against you. You use a southpaw stance and as a result your back leg is where you throw most kicks from. Due to the height difference it was likely you would target my midsection more often as it was the target within your reach. By hanging my left arm lower it protects my liver which is the best place for you to attack. Secondly it also forces you to focus on both my hands, with one hand high and the other low you need to worry about punches coming from different angles."
"Why keep switching stances then?"
"It was strategy. The more I switch my stance the more it confused you. The easiest way to beat an opponent you have studied is to pattern their movement. Like I said, tendencies and habits play a major factor. By switching stances you aren't able to find any patterns in my game." The girl nodded her head, now understanding.
"So you have studied me then?" She asked. In all honesty this was a question she wanted great insight in.
"I watched all your fights at the tournament. So I could recall all the openings you left and the way you fought." Gohan replied.
"And? What did you see?"
Gohan pondered the question thoughtfully. Videl was stubborn and he did not intend to offend her by being disrespectful to her fighting abilities. "Well like I already said, your style is that of a boxer. I've noticed you leave an opening right down the middle when you charge forward and tend to defend your head rather than your body. However, most of what I used I learnt in the fight we had. All the feints I threw out where to get your reactions, you instinctively lean down and to your left when I would try a left hook, that's how I was able to land the kick on your head that nearly ended the fight." Videl stared wide eyed, had he really gauged her whilst fighting her? "Feints are the best way to judge opposition you need more information from."
Videl simply couldn't believe it. She had never been handed a defeat before, then all of a sudden this guy turns up and is not only able to beat her, but outsmart her mid fight.
"Anything else?" She questioned.
"Martial Arts is as physical as it is mental. Your method of fighting is fuelled by your emotions. You tend to fight with anger, though its a great way to maximise your attacks, it also served to hinder you. My strategy had you confused and as such you got frustrated, wasting energy to try and hit me, as well as getting sloppy with your movements. I knew I had you when you started throwing feints trying to mimic me, you abandoned any strategy you originally had, that showed desperation on your end."
Videl nodded her head at the explanation, eyes fixed to the desk in front of her. She never would have imagined the possibility of being bested so easily, let alone receiving a lecture about her fighting style.
"What about my father?" She questioned, eyes turned up with determination.
"What about him?" Was the reply she got, coupled with a confused glance.
"You said every fighter has flaws. What about my father, you must have seen him fight at some point. What did you see?" Videl could not recall a time she was so indecisive about the answer she would receive. On one hand she wanted to prove Gohan wrong, she wanted to prove that there are fighters who do not have a weakness and what better example than her father. On the other though, a small portion of her wished that the boy in front of her held some sort of clue to her fathers power.
Gohan meanwhile mentally weighed his options. He was not fond of Hercule Satan. He could deal with him flaunting around claiming false credit for his achievement of defending the world from Cell. Despite this, he was what the world needed, a hero to idolise. Not one member of the Z-Fighters could fit that role, they solved problems when it was required but remained hidden to the public in times of peace. However Gohan held some animosity toward the man for his total disregard and disdain for the art of Ki. The man instantly labelled the techniques as 'Light Tricks' and those who utilise them as 'Cheats'. Sure enough it wasn't long before the world turned its back on such power and it was lost to history. That as well as the fact that Hercule boasted about Son Goku being a false champion and coward was enough for Gohan to question Hercule and his ideals. In the end though, Videl was his daughter and he wouldn't bad mouth the man in front of his own flesh and blood, he would however answer the question.
"Your father has his share of weaknesses of course." He replied, the act of doing so had Videl shuffling slightly forward in her chair, blue eyes staring widely at him. "He is a big man with plenty of power, so his boxing stance and style is better suited to him. However he has three major glaring weaknesses. One; He seems to favour his straight right hand. The issue being that when he uses it, he leaves the left side of his body exposed. He does not mask this attack either, he steps in heavy on his leg, so its easy to predict and set up a counter. Two; His boxing style leaves his legs vulnerable, he generates a great portion of his strength by distributing his weight onto the front leg, however he is more often than not a stationary target. So although he guards his head relatively well, his front leg is there to be kicked. And lastly; He does not show much understanding of different styles. I feel he is comfortable with his own ability he refuses to adopt any other techniques. Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, Karate. These are all legitimate forms of martial arts, mastering them all may be a daunting and even impossible task, but learning the basics goes a long way. When a fighter is presented with a style they don't know things can change quickly."
Videl soaked in every word like a sponge. She had barely expected even a single fault, yet Gohan had managed to supply several and everyone of them seemed fair. Surely studying the style and putting it into practice her two totally different things right? It's not like Gohan would actually be able to beat Hercule…
Only one way to find out.
"Say you were to fight him, what would be your strategy?" Videl asked. She was surprised that the boy did not hesitate to ponder the question, he already anticipated it.
"I would employ a similar strategy I used on you. Plenty of footwork and stance changes. But the main difference would be my target area, I would kick his legs whenever I got the chance, and would wait for his right hand. As soon as he drops it and steps forward I would move to my left and try to hit right here" Gohan trailed off gesturing to the lower part of his sternum. Videl meanwhile did not identify the area. "This is where your Xiphoid Process is. It's the part where your rib cage split is, it's a very tender area and a well placed punch or kick can cause a whole world of pain. It can cause harm to the liver, disrupt breathing and even mess with your heart. Your dad rarely protects this area and it would be the best available place to hit."
Videl nodded slowly with wide eyes, as far as she had been told over the years, her father had no weaknesses. After all, he defeated Cell. But what if Gohan was right? What if someone could take her father down, what would that mean?
Just then Gohan glanced at his watch. "Wow, it's already five thirty" he declared. "Sorry to cut this off, but I promised my brother I'd spar with him tonight." Getting up from his chair, the boy grabbed his coat and packed his bag. "Good work today Videl. If you have any questions about the material feel free to ask, see you tomorrow." He then dashed off with a large grin on her face.
Videl meanwhile was entirely silent through the whole ordeal, wrapped in her own thoughts. Thoughts that carried her home in silence.
It was no surprise to Videl that her dad was not home for dinner. He rarely made an appearance around here any more. Most likely he was off attending some function with promises of money just for showing up. Hercule indulged in the 'finer things in life' as he liked to put it. It irked Videl to no end how he had grown comfortable with his fame and how he abused it, turning to drinking almost every day and enjoying the company of women on a nightly basis. Tonight however she was not focused on her fathers absence, this time she needed information. Despite getting answers from Gohan, it only left her with more questions. She did have to admit though, he surprised her with his in depth knowledge and understanding of martial arts.
Wasting no time, Videl found herself in the archives of her fathers library. He often boasted about having ownership of the largest collection of martial arts material in the world. He had hours upon hours of footage dating back to the earliest years of publicised fighting, shelves of books detailing every style and dojo in the known world and biographies of some of the greatest fighters to live.
Walking through the library, Videl grumbled as her search for this supposed "Demon School" came to a dead end. Not one lead. 'Maybe, the Turtle school' She thought to herself, recalling her conversation with Gohan. She was pleasantly surprised to find a single book on the shelf.
"The Turtle School - History of the Hermit" Read the front cover of the book. The design of the book was in the pattern of a turtle shell. Videl quickly skimmed through the first few chapters of the book which detailed the origins of the school, apparently it was founded by a man known as Roshi, also known as the turtle hermit. It was a style created to allow the body to reach its fullest potential and promoted balance with all things. It continued detailing an eventual rivalry with an infamous dojo known as the Crane School.
It was the following few pages where things became even more interesting.
"The turtle school was responsible for adopting and teaching future world tournament competitors and even champions. Fighters including:
- Roshi (13th World Martial Arts Tournament Champion)
- Jackie Chun (21st World Martial Arts Tournament Champion)
- Son Goku (21st and 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Runner-Up. 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Champion)
- Krillin (23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Quarter-Finalist. 21st and 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Semi-Finalist)
- Yamcha (21st, 22nd and 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Quarter-Finalist)
Other students and affiliates include:
- Ox-King (King of Fire Mountain and father of 23rd World Martial Arts competitor Chi-Chi, otherwise known by her ring name 'Anonymous')
- Gohan (Adoptive grandfather of Son Goku)
Videl re-read the passage again, Gohan, father of Goku?
It wasn't possible for that to be the Gohan she knew from school. However there was so mistaking it, her classmate was related to Son Goku and the Gohan mentioned in the book. It all fit. It was rare these days for someone to have a last name at all, and the fact that Goku and Gohan shared the same family name as well as the fact that Goku's grandfather was also named Gohan lead no room for doubt.
Gohan is the son of Goku.
Fitting, it was merely hours ago that the children of former champions had fought one another.
'So, his dad is a former champion too. And three time competitor to add' Videl was slightly impressed. Not many competitors had even managed to qualify multiple times to compete. And yet Goku had made it to the final bracket three years in a row before eventually winning the whole thing. She had to admit though, it was puzzling why a long time veteran like Goku did not show up for the most recent tournament. Or anyone mentioned on this list for that matter, Yamcha, Krillin, Roshi, Jackie Chun. Not one of them made another appearance at the 24th tournament, what had happened to the Turtle School? They were home to the highest calibre of fighters and now they had faded to anonymity.
Continuing her reading Videl was engrossed in the words on the page. Listing off more achievements of the schools fighters and its teachings. It was then that the girl came to a page explaining a variety of techniques used. Most were very self explanatory and appeared to be altered martial arts styles.
However there was one thing that caught Videls eye.
"The signature technique of the turtle school was created by Master Roshi himself. Dubbed the Kamehameha or Giant Turtle Wave. In the words of Roshi himself, this attack requires the access of ones inner Ki and focus, combined with greater physical strength to perfect. The devastation of this technique was on full display during the World Martial Arts Tournaments and has been widely regarded as the greatest technique in the history of martial arts."
Videl raised an eyebrow at the statement, unusually high praise for something that she had never heard of until now. Beside the explanation was an out of focus black and white photo from an old newspaper. The shot seemed to have Goku clad in a Turtle school gi, seeming to be shooting a beam from his hands during the 23rd tournament.
Instantly Videls brows furrowed and a glare reached her face. "That lying jerk!"