Chapter Four
His New Role
Videl couldn't tell what the absence of dreams meant, but she sure was glad for the good night of dreamless, much-needed sleep. Maybe she had been simply too exhausted to dream anything after her intensive training session, or maybe, hopefully, it meant that she was on the right path by staying away from Gohan.
Regardless, she was determined to keep things that way.
The hallways buzzed with gossip that morning, and for a moment, the girl got worried that they were talking about Gohan and her and how he'd run after her through the hallways after school. The last thing she needed was for people to start making the wrong assumption that something was going on between the two of them. As Videl got to her locker, however, she soon found out that a new, much juicier piece of gossip had overshadowed what happened the day before between Gohan and her.
"Hey, Videl!" Erasa greeted her cheerfully.
She eyed her friend, unsure if she should forgive her after yesterday. Not that Erasa knew what she had done wrong, but she should've taken into account that Videl wanted nothing to do with the "new kid" instead of ignoring her feelings completely. Nonetheless, Videl decided to let it go. She was in a better mood, what with not being bothered with unwanted visions of her possible future life during the night.
"Hey," she replied simply, taking her things from her locker before pushing the door shut.
"Did you hear? There's a new superhero in town!" Erasa declared, her eyes glimmering with excitement.
Videl raised an eyebrow as the two started toward their classroom together. "Another one?"
"They say his costume looks weird, but he's super strong. I heard he lifted a car with one hand like it was nothing!"
Sounds like Gohan, Videl thought, unable to stop the logical deduction from popping in her head. But why would he create another superhero alter-ego?
"His name is the Great Singing Man," Erasa finished her account.
A moment passed and they got to their classroom. Videl's forehead creased as something clicked in her head. "Don't you mean, the Great Saiyaman?"
"Hm? Maybe. Weird name either way," Erasa said with a shrug.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Videl caught sight of Gohan grumbling to himself, up in their row.
"But, wait, how do you know?" Erasa questioned. "Did you hear it from the police?"
Videl simply shrugged, but her gaze stayed trained on the boy who she was ninety-nine percent sure was the new superhero. He seemed to sense her stare, but Videl was quick to look away and avoid any eye contact with him.
She'd seen him in a few of her dreams. Gohan would hit a button on his watch to transform into the Great Saiyaman, kind of like the technology of the hoi poi capsules, and make a fool of himself to make their baby daughter laugh.
Was that why he'd been at Bulma's yesterday? It made sense. But Videl couldn't be one-hundred-percent sure just yet. The Gohan from her visions might have just been cosplaying the superhero. After all, if the Cell Games were any indication, Gohan wasn't the only one with superpowers. Still, the probability that any one of those other fighters was also in Satan City was pretty low.
She got to her seat from the other side of the row, unwilling to pass behind Gohan like the day before. Erasa didn't shy away from him, however, and greeted the boy ever-so-cheerfully as she got to their row.
Videl kept to herself, not joining in the casual chatter before class. She couldn't help glancing at Gohan's left wrist, to see if he was wearing a watch, but his long sleeve was in the way.
She frowned at her closed notebook. Pushing down her curiosity about him was easier said than done. There was so much mystery surrounding that boy and his abilities. Everything she'd been able to foresee wasn't nearly enough to understand how he could transform or how he got so strong ━ or if he really was the boy from the Cell Games like she suspected.
His father was still a big question mark, for that matter, and Videl was aware that asking Gohan about him would've been the simplest course of action. After the clash between them yesterday, though, the girl couldn't imagine how she could bring up such a sensitive matter. Not to mention that any contact with Gohan was just too risky.
Her shoulders slumped. This was going to be a very long year… Maybe she could ask to transfer to another class and be done with it. At least it would make things easier if she didn't have to see Gohan every day.
Videl kept that idea for later. It was too soon to do something so drastic, and she didn't want to upend her life just because of some guy.
As it turned out, focusing on Philosophy class was a difficult task when one suspected their classmate might have the ability to read minds. Gohan fought the urge to let his leg bounce in place and tipped up his sleeve to look at his watch.
Over half an hour until the morning break: that was the time he had left to think of a way to somehow ask Videl if she was psychic. He'd been racking his brain over it for the past two hours and had nothing to show for it.
He shot her a quick glance. Was she reading his mind right now? Was she even psychic at all?
How would he even begin to ask her such a question? 'Hey, Videl, I know we hardly know each other, but I was wondering if you might be able to read minds or see the future by any chance?' That sounded ridiculous in his head, let alone daring to say it out loud.
And what business did the daughter of Hercule Satan have being psychic, anyway? He was quite sure it didn't run in the family ━ at least from her father's side. Mr. Satan was known for his open hostility towards what he called 'magic tricks,' so Gohan couldn't envision his daughter dabbling in that kind of thing. It just didn't make any sense. Nothing made sense in any of this.
Two boys in the row below started whispering about the new superhero in town. Gohan started to smile to himself. Heh. They're talking about me.
But then he frowned when they got his name wrong. Again. Everyone was getting it wrong. It was the Great Saiyaman, not Tireman, not Singing Man, not Swinging Man, definitely not Sardine Man, or whatever version Gohan had been hearing since he got to school today. Was it that hard to remember? The boy he'd corrected earlier at his locker had given him a weird look, so Gohan pursed his lips and refrained from telling his classmates in the row below that they got the name wrong.
He suddenly stopped his train of thought and glanced nervously at Videl; Erasa was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed behind her head and didn't seem to be interested in taking notes, so she wasn't in his way as he checked to see any reaction on the possible psychic girl.
She was listening to the lecture and ━ he may have been wrong about this ━ but her expression didn't feel forced. It didn't look like she had "heard" his thoughts, or Gohan figured she would have reacted in some way.
Then again, right before class started, unlike everybody else, Videl had actually got his superhero name right, so maybe she already knew it was him.
Or maybe he was just working himself up over nothing. Gohan's brow furrowed as he turned away and looked down at the teacher. Either way, he needed to talk to Videl ASAP and find out what she knew. Or, if anything, whether she was willing to keep it to herself. She hadn't said anything so far, but Gohan didn't know what or if she planned to do anything with the information she seemed to have about him.
A beeping sound interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to look at Videl in confusion as she answered a call in her wristwatch. "Videl here."
"Two criminals spotted in Randcell Town!" a distorted male voice informed her. "They're trying to escape to the mountains on route eighty-one!"
Next thing he knew, the teenage girl rushed off, throwing a quick apology at the teacher who told her to be careful.
Gohan blinked. He turned to Erasa and Sharpner and asked what just happened.
"Oh, Videl always does that kind of thing," Erasa said casually, leaning her elbows on the desk to rest her chin in her hands. "She's a crimefighter, so the police call her for help if needed. She's really strong! She's Mr. Satan's daughter, after all."
"What? Her?" Sure, he had sensed that Videl was strong, but he couldn't imagine that tiny thing of a girl fighting big, armed bad guys.
Sharpner chuckled, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "You shouldn't underestimate her. Videl is much stronger than me. She's even as strong as her father."
But what should've reassured Gohan ━ what would've comforted anyone else ━ only made his worry grow. What he remembered from Mr. Satan's level in combat was… not too glorious, to say the least. If Videl was only as strong as her father and was going up against the type of armed criminals he had been dealing with since he started coming to Satan City to enroll in this school, the demi-Saiyan feared for her life. He had to go help her.
Gohan stared at his open notebook, hunched over, his shoulders tense, his fists tightly closed on top of the desk. He knew it would look suspicious if he followed Videl right away. Distractedly, he heard Sharpner point out, "With the Gold Fighter, the new Great… Something, and Videl, that's three heroes for one small city. Strange, huh?" Erasa laughed at that.
He pinched his lips together. Should he go now? Should he wait longer? The class had resumed, but Gohan wasn't hearing a word that the teacher was saying. Videl could be in danger. What was she even doing, fighting ruthless criminals on her own? What were the police thinking, asking a teenage girl for help? Even if she was strong, she shouldn't be risking her life like that. And if she was only as strong as Mr. Satan… Gohan couldn't imagine things ending well for her.
His chair screeched on the floor as he stood all of a sudden, not quite controlling the volume of his voice as he all but shouted to ask if he could use the restroom.
Everyone gave him weird looks, but Gohan didn't notice. He rushed out of the classroom and took long and quick strides as he ran through the hallways then up the stairs, reaching the roof in no time.
It was time for the Great Saiyaman to make his entrance!
Pushing the red button on his watch as he called, "Transform!" (he was a superhero after all!) Gohan then shot off from the roof, now clad in the disguise Bulma had made for him yesterday. On his head was an orange helmet with a black top and white antennas on each side. He was wearing a black spandex suit beneath a green tunic, which was held at his waist with a stylish, thick black belt that had a round, golden buckle, as well as white gloves, white boots with golden ridges at the tips, and, of course, the red cape, hooked to his green tunic with golden pins at his chest level. The smooth, crimson fabric flowed gracefully as he soared through the sky.
Gohan had instantly loved the attire and had practiced cool new moves for two hours last night in preparation for his brand-new role as a superhero. Admittedly, he was quite eager to try them out in action too.
Now, off to route eighty-one!
And then Gohan stopped in mid-air, his fist still outstretched in the patented flying pose.
"Wait… Where's route eighty-one…?"
Grumbling to himself, the superhero settled atop a high, circular roof. He had no choice but to wait until Videl's ki flared once she started fighting.
Luckily, he didn't have to wait too long. Gohan soon perked up when he sensed Videl's ki and took off at once. He was getting closer to the mountains, following the trail of a sinuous road which he assumed was route eighty-one. From the distance, he saw an idle air-car and a yellow jet-copter, as well as three people in between the two vehicles. Videl was fighting a bald giant who wore an eyepatch like a pirate, while his accomplice stood aside; he was short and skinny and had dark, frizzy hair that stuck out of a wooly hat.
Now hovering over the action, Gohan found himself staring. The girl easily evaded a right hook by lowering herself and used the momentum to shoot up and deliver a powerful punch that threw her opponent several meters back.
"Huh… She's really good," he commented to himself. "She's much stronger than her father, for that matter."
Videl provoked the criminal to get back up and keep fighting, while the accomplice approached him nervously and asked if he was alright.
"Of course I'm alright!" the giant snarled, standing on unbalanced legs as he faced Videl again. She sneered at him while he claimed that he was just getting started, that she had yet to see what he was made of.
But he was nothing to Videl. Gohan watched as she toyed around with the gigantic muscle-head, delivering hit after hit without a miss. It was quite the sight, this tiny girl dominating an opponent who looked at least three times her size. And there he'd thought she was in danger.
He cracked a smile. Sharpner was right ━ Videl could handle herself just fine.
People always assumed she would be an easy target because she was a girl and didn't really look like a fighter, but Videl was happy to prove them wrong.
This one instance was particularly satisfying. After the turn her life had taken since meeting the boy that her dreams had designated as the love of her life, Videl more than welcomed the opportunity to unwind her frustration at her possible but unwanted future life on the criminal. This piece of scum made for a more than decent punching bag; as luck would have it, the guy was resilient enough to take a beating.
Alas, her luck seemed to have turned. The giant crashed on the pavement with a loud thud, and this time it didn't look like he would be getting back up. The teenage crime-fighter scoffed at the pitiful sight.
"Get up! You wanted to show me what you were made of, didn't you?" she taunted, but the crook was out for the count.
And then the hair at the back of her neck rose in alert; Videl swiftly turned around just as the weak-looking accomplice pulled out a gun. At that precise moment, a caped figure dropped from the sky, literally, and in his momentum delivered a swift chop on the criminal's wrist to make him let go of the lethal weapon, not giving him the time to cause any harm, or even to disable the security lock.
The scrawny man howled in pain while holding his wrist. The caped vigilante, his face concealed beneath a weird-looking orange helmet with antennas, picked up the gun and crushed it in his gloved hand like it was made of play-doh, rendering it worthless.
Videl couldn't help gasping at the display of strength. This guy was no joke.
"What the… Who the hell are you?" the perpetrator demanded as he held his sore wrist, his wavering voice reaching higher notes.
A chuckle escaped from the disguised man's lips ━ the only visible part of his face.
"That," he said, the amusement clear in the familiar inflection of his voice, "you will find out in the next chapter."
… of Distorting Destiny! Hehe xD This joke was actually in the manga, so I couldn't resist making it too lol.
Hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to reading your reviews! ^^
I would like to thank ie heretic, Mr. Me, and Rockstone for their help with this chapter. Mr. Me gets credit for thinking of Sardine Man, and ie heretic for beta'ing the chapter and for writing some of the beginning of the scene where Gohan wonders if Videl can read minds, which was her idea for that matter.
May 6, 2020
So, I know the chapter is shorter than usual, but that's really because of the "next chapter" joke lol. The story picks up where it left off in the next chapter, so stay tuned for it!
November 30, 2020
