Lesson #3: Don't Stare

Videl wondered through the forest with a thousand thoughts rushing through her head. Goku, she thought, surely Goten couldn't have meant 'THE' Goku who won the martial arts championships before my dad? I mean, since I haven't watched the footage I can't confirm that they even look alike but I do know of his reputation. Rumours have spread that after winning the championship Goku left with his new wife in secret to live in the mountainside. Were they the mountains that Goten was talking about?

Videl brushed away some nearby leaves and found herself within an open area. She was surprised to find a fire burning brightly surrounded by rocks in order to keep it contained. She found herself kneeling near the fire since a slight breeze had brought a sudden chill through the air. She looked around the campsite and found a pile of clothes neatly folded on the ground near where the lake was. She was about to creep forth and reach for them when a figure burst out of the water.

Frightened, Videl huddled back towards the fire and watched in awe as the water returned to the lake revealing the hunky body of one Gohan Son. Videl's eyes widened as she saw Gohan's chiselled form in all its glory, sadly only from the back. Water dripped from every curve from the body which the any man would be jealous of. Gohan stood there, running his fingers through his soaked hair which still miraculously stood on end. Videl eyed off his body from his head to kneecaps where the water level was at, only then did she realise that he was naked.

Screaming she averted her eye as Gohan turned around in confusion. He stood there awkwardly, baring all for the world to see. A few moments passed before he covered himself up with his hands, ran through the water, with a free hand picked up his pants and sprinted into the forest. Videl however had sealed her eye shut but the naked form of Gohan was imprinted onto the inside of her eyelids. Bad Videl, stop thinking about him, she thought. It was an accident, but his back looked perfect I wonder what the front, NO STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!

Her thoughts were disrupted as a rustle from behind her and the steady beat of footprints informed her that Gohan had returned. "It's okay now," said Gohan in his charming voice. Slowly, Videl opened her eyes around and turned to face him. Instantly she turned away again, he had been sitting on the other side of the fire facing her, but thankfully he had pants on so he was semi dressed but it still embarrassed Videl to see a half naked man not working out or showing off.

"Do you want something to eat?" offered Gohan as he pulled a de-scaled fish out of a make shift bag he had picked up near his pants. Videl turned around and stared at the fish for a while until a growl from her stomach made up her mind for her. Reluctantly she turned her body around to face Gohan, she still couldn't believe how different he was to the study freak that he had been labelled in school. She stared at him with lust filled eyes as he shoved a stick through the fish's mouth and held it over the fire. He looked up at her and their eyes connected.

Only then did Videl realise that she had been staring again and looked into the fire. Her mind quickly raced trying to think up some way to avert her attention elsewhere. "Nice fire you have here Gohan," she complimented not knowing what else to say.

"Thank you Videl," Gohan replied politely.

Something instantly triggered in Videl's mind. "How did you make a fire without any equipment?" Her eyes once again focused on Gohan but they were back to their usual glare of suspicion.

Gohan sighed. "When you live in a forest for six months you pick up a few survival strategies."

"You were serious about that? That seemed so much out of character."

"Videl, you've only known me for a week and even though you've tried to figure me out like you have figured everyone else in class out, you have no idea who I really am. Even the way I am acting now, would you not say that it differs from the way I act in the city?"

"Is that because you are adjusting to the city?"

"I've never had too much contact with people my own age so I've had to make a lot of adjustments in order to look normal."

"Are you implying that you aren't normal?" Videl was happy since she felt like she had trapped Gohan.

"Define normal," smirked Gohan.

Videl wanted to answer back but she couldn't since her perspective of normal differed from everyone else's ideas. She knew that Gohan had played a game of wit and had trapped her well by countering her trap. Already she was learning that Gohan was far different from what he was like at school.

Casually, Gohan lifted the fish from the flames and offered the stick to Videl. Blushing, she took the stick and began to nibble on the fish avoiding the bones. She tried to offer some back to him but he simply shook his head and said that he had already eaten.

Videl finished the fish and threw the remains into the fire where the bones crackled and snapped. "Thank you Gohan," she said in a gentle voice. She knew that she had let her guard down but somehow she felt safe when around Gohan, as if he gave an aura of warmth around him.

"My pleasure," he said with a bow of the head, making Videl giggle. Whatever was left of her defences were destroyed in an instance.

"So how do you know Bulma Briefs?" Videl asked. Unlike most of her questions where she had interrogated him this question came out as a friend talking to a friend.

"My dad and Bulma went on a lot of crazy adventures before I was even born," he answered.

"Your father...was he ever the champion of the world?"

"Martial arts champion, yeah he was once upon a time but he wasn't into titles and the limelight as such. He much preferred his privacy than living in the spotlight every day."

Sounds just like the opposite to my father, Videl admired. "Did he train you?"

"Yes, he started training me when I was seven years old, three years after I had been training with his closest friend."

"You started training to fight when you were four years old? That's amazing!"

"Just because I know how to fight doesn't mean that I like fighting."

"Does that mean that I can't ask you to spar?" asked Videl.

A voice emerged from behind them, "Girl, you have no chance of winning against him." Videl was shocked as she turned around but Gohan simply looked up and into the eyes of Bulma.

"Hey Bulma how's it going?" asked Gohan.

"Not bad, you should see what some of the other groups are doing. Honestly, city people do not belong in the wilderness," said Bulma with a vicious smile.

"Then why bring us out here Mrs Briefs?" asked Videl.

"Please, none of this 'Mrs' business, just call me Bulma," said the blue haired woman nearly giving Videl a heart attack. "The objective of this month training is to open the eyes of the new generation to the possibilities. Speaking of which, Gohan since you already know everything don't worry about coming to any of the lessons."

"Cheers Bulma," he replied casually.

"Anyway, I need to go check on some of the equipment. I'll see you both soon," she concluded as she walked into the forest.

"Bye," the two students said in unison.

"What training was she talking about?" asked Videl.

"You'll find out tomorrow," replied Gohan getting to his feet and kicking some dirt into the fire, causing it to die slightly. Videl stood up and followed suit and soon only a few small embers remained.

"Where am I sleeping Gohan?" she asked.

"Come with me," said Gohan as he picked up the rest of his gear. The pair walked through twenty metres of forest until they came to a smaller clearing where Gohan had constructed a simple roof out of branches and vines. The roof hung perfectly balanced between the surrounding trees.

Gohan chucked his shirt to the ground and fell upon it using it as a pillow. Videl stepped over him and found a soft patch of grass and laid down on it. She felt comfortable but something was missing. Suddenly she felt her head lifting off of the ground as Gohan gently held it above. Had it been any other man, including a certain someone in particular, they would have wound up in a world of pain but she felt secure that it was Gohan. Slowly, he placed her head upon his shirt which he had placed there for her comfort. She wanted to argue but found that he was already starting to doze off by the time she had turned to face him.

Videl smiled as she watched the sleeping form of Gohan in front of her. She turned to the side and felt the fabric of Gohan's shirt against the side of her face. Slowly she lifted a few fingers to the fabric and toyed with the material, feeling the same warm radiance that Gohan emitted. A few moments passed before she fell asleep, a smile on her face.

It's been a while since my last chapter but I've been out of town and I still don't have a laptop to write my stories on. Anyway hope you enjoyed and will try to update soon. Please review.