~Tournament Saga~
Chapter 24 – First...er...Second...well...First Impression
Gohan quietly walked down the busy streets of Satan City, thinking about the past weeks and what lay infront of him. The cold air reminded him that fall was here and that winter would be following soon. Boxing practice had gone rather uneventful lately, as Konkichi made sure to treat Gohan like everyone else. Word of how good he was at boxing traveled through the school quickly, but nothing had changed because of it. People seemed to look at him the same way. Apparently beings good at boxing did not mean that he wasn't any less of a nerd in their eyes.
Sighing thankfully, Gohan weaved his way across the highly populated streets. Erasa had taken being kidnapped very well, and had gone back to school the next day like nothing had happened, though she did get kind of shocked when she heard that Gohan had been the one to fight and defeat Cell. She had apparently not made the connection to him and the Golden fighter. After Videl forcibly covered her mouth from informing the rest of the school, she had calmed down. Gohan went on to explain to Sharpner and Erasa what Videl had already figured out, but left what she hadn't stay secret.
Sharpner seemed to have always believed that Hercule had been the one to do it, so it took him some time to come to terms that his hero had not been what he had claimed to be. But after a few days of being unusually quiet, he returned to his normal self, finding a new respect for Gohan.
That had also been something that had stumped Gohan. Videl seemed to deal with the fact that her father had lied to everyone quiet well. He never heard of her having confronting him about it. He couldn't help but feel guilty for potentially ruining the father daughter relationship. And that brought him to his current problem.
Both Gohan and Videl would be taking off school to train for the tournament. Well, Gohan would be taking off school to train Videl. The actual tournament wouldn't pose that much of a problem. Gohan smiled to himself at the fact that even he could notice that his friends were rubbing off on him. He had to play with some words and do some convincing to get Chi-Chi on his side, but he had some how come out on top.
But that was the easy part. Knowing that he would be spending a few months on end training Videl, he couldn't help but feel that he had to tell her father about it. Whether it was from the way he was raised, or it was just his nature, Gohan couldn't help himself.
And that brought him to the present. He could have flown closer to Videl's house, but he needed time to think of the best way to talk to the man. They had already kinda met before at the Cell games. Well, they had seen what the other had done. Maybe that wasn't for the best either. With a sigh, Gohan slowly made his way towards the rather large mansion.
As Gohan made his way to take the last turn to the Satan Mansion, he happened to pass a flower shop. His newly very sensitive nose caught the sent of the last flowers that the shop was trying to sell before winter finally came, causing the teenage saiyan to sneeze. In the blink of an eye, the boys hair changed to white, his posture slumped, and slightly dark rings surrounded his eyes.
Gray blinked, looking around. "...that's weird...why am I here? Gohan?"
-DBZ-
Gohan blinked, looking around him. He was in a relatively familiar spot. His core where his energy's were stored. But something felt different about the place. Turning from left to right, the darkness around the area seemed thicker than it had before. More soupy. Calling out, Gohan tried to talk with Gray who he assumed to be outside and in control.
"Hey Gray, you out there?"
Moments of silence passed. Gohan blinked, tilting his head to the side. That was weird, usually Gray answers back when this happens...I wonder why he can't here me now?
-DBZ-
Gray blinked, confused as to why Gohan wasn't answering back. Maybe he got knocked out or something? But what could do that to Gohan? Maybe he had sneezed so hard that he lost consciousness?
As weird as it was, it was possible...maybe. Digging into his pockets, Gray tried to figure out what Gohan had been doing. Maybe that would clue him in on what was happening. Finding something, Gray pulled out a piece of paper with directions to Videl's house. Gray looked them over and then around himself, finding that he was pretty close to the destination.
That's when he spotted the flower shop. Gray looked at all the colorful plants before him. Maybe...maybe Gohan was going to visit Videl, and he wanted to get her some flowers first...ya, that must be it. Well...I guess I could do that for him.
Walking into the shop, Gray eyed some blue flowers that reminded him of Videl. He didn't really have any knowledge of flowers, since Gohan didn't, but he figured those would be the best...whatever they were called.
After buying a few of the flowers, Gray made his way out of the shop and around the corner. Finding the Satan mansion in all its glory before him, Gray could only stand there for a spit second in awe. It was huge, and rivaled the Capsule Corp. in size. Quickly regrouping, Gray walked up to the front gate and looked around for a door bell or something of that nature. Spying a small button, he pressed it. After a few moments of silence, a voice coming seemingly from no where started to talk to him.
"This is the Satan Household. May I ask who you are and what your business is?"
Gray blinked, trying to think of what Gohan would have said. "Um...m-my name is Gohan...and I'm...um...here to see Videl..."
"Ah yes, Videl has placed your name on the list. You may enter." And with that, the large iron gates opened up before Gray, allowing him access to the large yard of the mansion. As he neared the main doors to the building, they swung open and a man who was dressed like a butler bowed to Gray. "Welcome to Satan Manor Master Gohan. Shall I get Videl for you?"
"Yes please...thank you sir." Gray slowly bowed back and entered the building. The butler closed the doors behind him and then walked up a staircase, disappearing as he turned to the right. Gray was in awe at the spender and detail that everything in this house seemed to have. Everything was fancy and big and exaggerated. Gray looked down at the few small blue flowers he had gotten for Videl.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good...ah..ah..achoo!"
-DBZ-
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Gohan had finally bored himself to death. Gray wasn't answering his calls for some reason, and the darkness that surrounded him kept giving him an eery feeling. He needed to do something. Anything.
Standing up, Gohan held out a hand towards his energies. The three energy globes stopped circling each other, reacting to him. Focusing slightly, he started to draw out...er, in his energy. The white energy quickly responded to his calling, flowing to his arm. Turning his focus to the black energy orb, Gohan tried to draw out that energy as well. But it wasn't reacting to his calling. Closing his eyes, Gohan tried to control his emotions. It wasn't an easy thing to do for sure, but it was better than just sitting there waiting for Gray to sneeze.
He allowed his anger at his personal failings to protect his friends flash through his mind. He allowed his anger to enter the equation. The black energy wavered, slowly starting to react to him. Gohan remembered his training with his father. He had told him to allow his anger to flow through him, to use his entire being to fight as one. Body, mind, and spirit as one. Concentrating harder, the black energy started to extend itself towards Gohan. Just as it was about to reach his hand however, a flash blinded Gohan. Covering his eyes, he groaned in protest as his eyes clamped shut.
-DBZ-
Slowly, Gohan opened his eyes. Where he found himself was a fancy entrance to a rather large home. Blinking, the teen scanned the room. Not one spec of space was not detailed or furnished in one way or another. Looking at his hand however, he noticed he was holding something. Um...why do I have flowers?
"Gohan!...Why do you have flowers?"
Gohan's head shot up when he heard a familiar voice asking the same question he had been asking himself. Videl? So I must be at her house already? Gray must have figured out I was coming here...but why do I have flowers?
"Uh...well...I thought...maybe...um...I'm not really sure." Gohan's free hand went behind his neck, scratching at it. He had been so close to getting a handle on using that dark energy too. Now Gohan was trapped in a silence that didn't seem to want to end.
Videl blinked, slightly confused at Gohan's choice of words. What did he mean that he wasn't sure? They must be for me...maybe Erasa was right about him...
"Um...well, we should put them in a vase or something..." Reaching for a vase near by that was full of one of the largest bouquets Gohan had ever seen, Videl started to walk away. Quickly following after her, he found himself in a heaven of sorts. Videl had lead him to the kitchen, but not just any kitchen. It was by far the largest kitchen that Gohan had ever seen.
While Gohan's mind was racing over all the food his mother could make with this kitchen, Videl found the garbage and tossed the fake flowers into it. Turning to the sink, she filled the vase with water and then turned to Gohan while holding it out to him.
Gohan looked at it for a while before it clicked in his mind of what she wanted. Holding his hand up, he placed the three small blue flowers into the vase. Turning to a table, she placed the vase onto it and stepped back to Gohan's side. The silence returned as they both looked at the small flowers that were trying to look as big as they could with no success. The small flowers didn't look bad...they just didn't fit with the large fancy scale of the house.
Gohan wanted to say something to get rid of the silence, but for the life of him he couldn't think of anything to say. Videl was the same. Guys had been showing up at her doorstep with flowers for years now, but this just seemed different for some reason. Gohan rubbed the back of his head, looking down at the gift that he still had no idea where it came from. "Maybe I should have gotten more..."
"No...no...they look...nice." Videl forced the words out. They did look nice, but there was just something strange about getting flowers from Gohan.
"Anyway...is your dad here Videl?" Gohan looked down at his student...friend...girl...thing. Although the thought of flowers for Videl had never entered his mind, he couldn't help but feel a little odd at the fact that she took them. The whole situation was weird, and Gohan just wanted to move on.
"Why do you want to see my dad?" Videl turned to face Gohan, curiosity on her face.
Gohan continued to rub the back of his head, feeling the nervousness in his stomach start to make itself known. "Well...I wanted to talk to him about your training. Its gonna be hard, and we'll be away for a while, so I just wanted to run it past him."
"We're going somewhere? Where? Will you tell me what we'll be doing already? Will it have to do with some really cool laser blast of death or something?" Videl's eyes lit up with every question. Gohan had been somewhat secretive about what they would be doing while they were out of school. And with Videl being herself, she had a near uncontrollable urge to try and figure out what it was.
Gohan chucked, waving his hands infront of himself in defense. "You know I cant say. That would be telling. I at least want to tell your dad about it first to make sure its ok."
"Oh, it'll be fine with him. He always goes on 'training sessions' right before the big martial arts tournament by himself anyway. I don't see why I can't..." Videl grumbled to herself, already running through her mind how it would go. He wouldn't have a problem with her taking off of school...but having a boy her age training her...that would be the hard point to sell. He wouldn't accept that in a million years.
Gohan smiled, chuckling. "Well, I think it still would be a good idea to tell him."
"You're too honest. Let me talk to him first." Videl grabbed the vase of flowers and started to walk out the room. "I'll be right back. Wait here, ok?"
Gohan nodded. He didn't plan on leaving this grand of a kitchen until he had to. As Videl left, he started to nose around the kitchen. It was stocked with everything that could possibly be used for cooking. Gohan's mouth was watering just thinking about all the food this thing could kick out. Opening the next cupboard, Gohan was started when a plastic container fell out towards him. Reacting quickly, his hands shot up and caught it before it could hit him in the face. The top of it however fell off, letting some of the white powder to escape into the air. Blinking, Gohan looked into the object.
"Flour?...ah...ah...acho!" In an instant, Gohan transformed into Gray. Gray blinked, looking around at his new surroundings. The last thing he remembered was walking into Videl's house with flowers. But now he was holding actual flour, and he seemed to be in the kitchen. Blinking, he placed the plastic container down with the white powder and peeked his head out the door.
"Bless you...wait...who are you boy?" Gray turned to the speaker finding none other than the savior of the world, Hercule Satan himself. He looked relatively the same from Gohan's memories of him from the Cell Games. He still had a big Afro on his head and he still carried himself like the world was his oyster.
Gray pointed to himself. "Me?"
Hercule blinked. "Well of course you boy, do you see anyone else around here?"
"No...sorry..." Gray shrunk a little in response to the large man. "I was just looking for Videl...do you know where she is?"
This caused Hercule to raise an eyebrow in confusion. Why was this scrawny looking boy looking for Videl? Was he a tutor? But Videl had great grades...so that couldn't be it. The saviors brain started to turn as he tried to figure out why...not to mention how...he had came here. "What do you want with my daughter?"
His glare intensified as he finished off his sentence. He had to make sure this kid understood that Videl was off limits, something didn't feel right about this kid...not to mention he couldn't shake the feeling he had seen him some where before.
Gray backed up again, his lack of confidence getting the best of him. "Well...I had brought some flowers for her...but I don't know where they've gotten too..."
"Flowers? Listen kid, you don't have a snowballs chance in hell with Videl!" Hercule's eyes bore down on Gray, letting him know that this was no joke. "I don't know how you get in here, but I suggest you leave. Anyone who want's to date Videl has to fight me first! Ya, that's right! You have to be stronger than the man that beat Cell to get even a chance at Videl. And even if you did win boy, which you wont, there is no way Videl would fall for a nerdy little pip squeak like you!"
And to finish it all off, Hercule ended with a huff, smiling to himself. Just like every other idiot that tried to get Videl to date them, this kid was no different. After hearing that they would have to fight him, they would offer their apologies and leave, maybe ask for an autograph too before they left.
Gray, however, stopped in mid retreat. His eyes lit up a little bit at the words Hercule had said. Now, Gray was short on self confidence, but even he could tell when an offer was to good to pass up. "So...all I have to do is beat you and I can date Videl?"
Hercule's smile disappeared. What? That's not what they say, he's suppose to be scared...right? Hercule looked at the boy before him, very confused. He had pure white hair, and bags around his eyes. He looked like a pushover with the position his body was slouched in. Shaking the stun off, Hercule laughed. "Whahahahah! You wanna fight me kid? I'll admit, you got guts. Sure, I'll have a friendly spar with you I guess. I got nothing better to do right now anyway. Follow me!"
As Hercule turned, Gray followed behind him. Hercule kept an eye on the boy, trying to figure him out. He had never seen this one before, so he must be a new fanboy or something. At first glance, the boy looked like he would trip over at any moment and take himself out, but for some reason Hercule couldn't shake this feeling of dread. Surely this boy just wanted to tell his friends that he had sparred with the Hercule Satan...right?
-DBZ-
Videl walked into her room and placed the vase of flowers on her desk. Taking a few paces back, she looked at the simple arrangement of flowers Gohan had brought her. They were simple blue flowers. Nothing special. Other people had came to her house with carloads of rose petals in fail attempts to woo her. But for some reason, these three little flowers seemed to be beyond words for her. Was it because they were from Gohan?
A slight rush of red covered her cheeks as she kept staring at the flowers. Maybe this was his way of complementing her hair cut? Gah...boys need a handbook.
Making her way back down stairs, she made her way into the kitchen to find Gohan was missing.
"Uh, I even told him to stay put! Where'd he go?"
Videl exited the kitchen, starting to wander around her large house to try and find the missing boy...friend...thing.
-DBZ-
Gohan blinked, groaning to himself when he found that he was back where he had been before. Damn it, he was going to have to stuff his nostrils or something so that he wouldn't sneeze so much. His nose had always been sensitive, but not like this.
"Gray! Answer me if you can hear me!"
Silence filled the area once again. With a helpless sigh, Gohan made his way over to the orbs of energy to try and figure out how he could get a hold on using that dark energy.
-DBZ-
Hercule made a turn and exited the house, followed quietly by Gray. Just outside the mansion in the backyard Hercule had a ring that was up to tournament standards. Jumping up, he turned to face the boy. "So kid. Tell me your name! You must have lost a bet with some buddies or something if they have you trying to beat me! Ahahhahah!"
"No not really..." Gray rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I'm doing this cause I really like Videl, sir. My names Gra-Gohan. Gohan."
Hercule stopped laughing, looking down at Gray...very confused to say the least. This kid was serious about this? But...he was the champ. Didn't this kid see him...er...hear about him fighting Cell?
"Look kid...I won't go easy on you. I can't just let you take Videl that easily. You won't beat me." Hercules glare was evident. He wasn't gonna let his baby go out with this guy if he had anything to say about it.
Gray jumped up onto the ring alongside Hercule. "Don't worry sir...I understand how you feel...We'll just both...have to try our best to win then..."
Just who the hell is this kid? Hercule couldn't figure him out. He wasn't from the city, that was for sure. He was way to nice for that...but even so. This kid...was honest about what he was saying.
Picking up a small bag of chalk, Hercule patted his hands down in it, getting ready for a fight. Though he couldn't figure out why he was bothering. This kid had thrown him off his game somehow...just who was this kid? He said Gohan right? Gha! Where had he heard that before?
Gray sniffed, his nose tingling as the chalk particles started to tickle his nose.
-DBZ-
Videl looked out a window to her back yard, and what she saw made her none to happy. There was Gohan and her father, staring each other down in the ring.
"No! What did Gohan say to dad to make him want to fight? I was suppose to talk to him about training first!"
This was bad...something in her stomach told her that this was not going to end well. Taking off, she ran as fast as her legs would carry her towards the door to the back of the house.
-DBZ-
Hercule took a stance, looking at Gray rubbing his nose. "All right boy, last chance to back out. You can still tell your friends that you got a spar with the world champ. You don't have to do this."
Gray however was focused on his itchy nose. Hercules warnings had gone in one ear and out the other. That chalk had really made his nose feel funny, and he didn't want to lose control until he had won.
Hercule slowly started to grow impatient with the boy before him. Something about this Gohan character had been getting on the champs nerves ever sense he had saw him, and now he was reaching the breaking point.
"Fine, I'll go first! Eat my Satan Punch!" With all his frustration and anger, Hercule thrust his right fist right at Gray's face. As his fist closes in however, the chalk in the air finally forces Gray to sneeze, causing Gohan to come back into control. Opening his eyes, Gohan's first sight is a fist only inches from his face. Reacting on pure instinct, Gohan ducked down and shot forward, landing his own punch into Hercules stomach. The champ looked like he had been shot out of a cannon as he passed over the ring and towards the house. Just as Videl opened the door to the back yard, Hercule crashed into the wall just to the right.
Videl's eyes widened, in awe at what Gohan had done. Turning to the guilty party, she flailed her arms around.
"What the hell did you do that for? Are you trying to kill my father?" Videl's eyes were as big as dinner plates as she looked in disbelief at the display of her poor father half way through the outer wall of their house.
If it was even possible, Gohan's eyes were even bigger. Smoke slowly rose from his outstretched fist that had done the deed of beating the champ with one hit.
"Uh...um...I...ah...I'm...not...sure?" Not even Gohan's brilliant mind could come up with a reason for him to be doing what he had been doing. Why had Hercule tried to hit me, and why did I have to change back just as he was about to? Gray...? Gray? What in Dende's name where you doing?
As if it were an answer from his childhood friend, the butler that had let Gohan in emerged from inside and spoke up. "This young master here challenged your father for your hand, Miss Videl. And he even won! I'm quite happy for the both of you. Congratulations!"
Hercule groaned slightly, his body twitching as it slowly slipped down and hit the cold hard ground. The champ would be out for quite a while by the looks of it. The butler rushed back into the house to get the needed items to care for Hercule. The two teens, however, couldn't move.
Videl blushed, looking at Gohan. He fought dad so we could date? That's why he came today?
Gohan blushed, looking at Videl. I fought him so we could date? That's not why I came today!