Puppy Love

Ch.3

Disclaimer: Do not own.

After a couple weeks of training, Gohan already felt better about himself. Who needed a gravity room when he had an entire mountain to use as his playground?

Although, the boy did admit it would be nice to have the luxury of training within that gravity room like Vegeta was. Gohan looked past the vast mountains as he halted his punching exercises. It was as if he could envision the Briefs' home at the edge of the horizon. He wondered how Vegeta was doing with his training anyway.

It then occurred to him that he forgot to mention to the prince that they shouldn't transform into a Super Saiyan during the tournament. Surely the man would know that on his own, right? Then again, Gohan wasn't so sure. Vegeta was pretty close-minded when it came to brute strength; he decided he probably should remind him after all. It would also give him an excuse to check the gravity room out for himself.

Bulma greeted Gohan at the door like it was déjà vu. She was cradling baby Trunks in her arms again as she beckoned him in. Except this time, she led him to straight to Vegeta. The boy patiently waited outside the gravity room, knowing all too well how badly the prince's temper would turn if he were to interrupt his training.

"While you're waiting, let me go grab your new disguise for you, Gohan," Bulma suggested.

"Oh, great! Thanks, Bulma," he grinned ear to ear.

A few moments passed and the blue-haired mother walked back in the room with an outfit dangling off a clothes hanger. Gohan tried to peer through the clear, glossy covering that sheathed his disguise, but the plastic was too thick to make out much. Bulma slipped the plastic covering off and revealed to him his awaited garb.

"U-uh, Bulma?" Gohan eyed the questionable suit.

He could feel his eyebrow twitch involuntarily as he gazed upon the colorful outfit she had constructed for him: Black spandex, a green tunic, white gloves and boots – which didn't look that bad, in all honesty. It was the two other decorative pieces that really threw the boy off.

A red cape… and an orange helmet with antennae sticking out…?

Bulma cocked her head to the side, naively questioning the boy of his reaction. Gohan wasn't sure what to say at first. He knew he had to tread lightly when it came to fashion senses with Bulma. She was always aware of the current trends, after all. But this? Hm. Gohan couldn't help but wonder if she was beginning to lose her taste.

"Um, Bulma? I'm not sure this will work out for the tournament," He quietly mentioned.

She frowned in reply, "Why not?"

"W-well," he hesitantly began, "the tournament doesn't allow protective gear..." He couldn't help but go the easy way out on this one. "And the cape could backfire on me – what if someone tries to grab it during a match?"

Pausing for a moment to think, Bulma cradled her chin with her finger. "I suppose you're right. I guess I'll have to alter the suit. Would you mind trying it on quickly to see if I got the measurements right, at least?"

Holding back a cringe, Gohan knew he had to comply. Bulma left the room so he could change. The half-Saiyan took off his clothes and pulled the black spandex on. He draped the green tunic over and secured it with the belt she supplied him with. After slipping the boots and gloves on, he decided to go through with it and snap the red cape onto his shoulders, letting it drape over his back. Gohan hesitated on the next and final step. He stared into the blackness of the helmet's visor as he furrowed his brow in shameful regret.

Just as he positioned the orange helmet above his head to plop onto himself, a door flew open.

Vegeta, who was wiping the sweat off the back of his neck with a towel, froze in place at the sight of the half-Saiyan. His jaw fell slightly as his brow crinkled. His eyes darted up and down the boy's figure, wondering what in the hell he was wearing.

"H-hi, Vegeta," Gohan greeted him as his forced smile twitched at the slightest.

Unsure of how to respond, the prince felt his jaw shift before he decided to clamp his mouth shut, not wanting to accommodate the boy's questionable nature with his words. Before he could make his leave, Bulma blocked Vegeta's exit as she entered through the doorway.

"So, Gohan, how does it fit?" She peered over, checking his costume out.

"I-it, uh, it fits nicely."

Which was true, it did. It just… didn't appeal to many people's tastes – including Gohan's.

"Great! I'll just have to ditch the cape and create a new mask for you. How about a cloth-version of this one?" She pointed at the orange obstruction on his head.

"N-no, that's OK!" Gohan was quick to wave his hands in front of him, denying her solution. "I'll, uh, I'll just wear a pair of sunglasses."

"Well, you need to cover your hair, dear. What about something like this?" Bulma reached over for a nearby towel and walked up to the boy. Taking off his helmet, she replaced it with the white sheet, wrapping it around his head and tying it in the back. She cupped her hands on his shoulders and twirled his body around to face the full-length mirror.

Gohan met his reflection with a mouth and brow twitching like never before. Through the mirror, he could see Vegeta standing behind him, who seemed to decorate his own face with a similar expression. Gohan's shoulders slumped at the ridiculous headdress that adorned his outfit. "A-ah, um, I'm not sure. This feels a little flimsy… I'm sure Vegeta's Ki could easily rip this off my head within seconds."

The prince wanted to smirk at the boy's indirect compliment, but his impatience got the best of him as he listened to another one of Gohan's excuses.

"Just tell the woman it looks like shit, already." He sneered.

Bulma violently swung her head towards her husband. "Shit?" She roared. "I'll tell you what's shit, Vegeta! You! Go shower already, you're stinking up the entire house. Oh, and did I mention your attitude is, too? Who asked you, anyway?" She rolled her eyes before she turned her attention back to an extremely embarrassed Gohan.

He swore, if that blue-haired bitch weren't his mate, Vegeta would teach her a lesson or two. Well, that's what he wanted to think. But, he couldn't, and he knew it. It baffled him how a mere human was able to lash at him like that without feeling the repercussions of his wrath. The prince crossed his arms and scowled as he attempted to control his anger and frustration.

"Vegeta, before you go, I need to tell you," Gohan piped up, "Don't turn Super Saiyan at the tournament, OK?"

The prince redirected his menacing glare from his wife to the boy. "Don't tell me what to do, brat."

"But, Vegeta, everyone will recognize you from the Cell Games. Unless you want a disguise like mine, then I guess there wouldn't be a problem if you did transform."

Quick to react, Vegeta's eyes bugged out as he bore his fangs. "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing something like that!" At that, he stomped out of the room to shower off the 'shit' that was allegedly stinking up his home.

Wanting to veer away from the topic of his tournament outfit, Gohan peered up at the blue-haired woman, who was still shaking her head at her Saiyan prince. "Hey, Bulma? I was wondering if I could check your gravity room out, now that Vegeta's not using it for the time being."

She looked over at the boy and smiled. "Of course, Gohan. Use it as much as you like. That dumbass husband of mine will just have to learn to share, now won't he?"

Gohan cringed, knowing all too well she was planning on using this as artillery against the hot-tempered man. Nevertheless, he accepted her offer and stepped into the gravity room. Taking off the red cape and towel wrapped around his head, Gohan loosened up before he decided to mess with the gravity chamber's controls.

After a good stretch, he peered at the panel of buttons, eyeing the screen above them. 'I suppose I should start with two hundred times Earth's gravity. Don't want to push myself too hard at first.' He assessed to himself as he punched in a few commands.

Bracing himself, Gohan felt a sudden mass of weight fall on his entire being. His legs trembled underneath the immense gravity as his back and shoulders slumped involuntarily. Regaining his composure, the half-Saiyan gritted his teeth before he tensed his muscles in order to resist the weighted pressure. He could feel the muscles in his thighs and arms burning as he rebelled against the gravity.

"Oomf… man, this is kind of hard! It's definitely been a while," He muttered to himself with some needed effort. Mustering up his Ki, Gohan's energy surged as he utilized it to manipulate his strength. The beads of sweat on his forehead diminished as he felt less resistance against the gravity. He stood himself up straight as he casually rolled his shoulders back, loosening the tension around his neck.

"Much better!" He grinned to himself, as he bounced in place, ready to train his heart out.

o (o) (O) (o) o

After a hardy workout, Gohan changed back into his clothes and took his leave from the Briefs' residence. As he walked down the road, he thought to himself, wondering what he would do about masking his face at the tournament. Maybe he should just wear a sheet over his head. Or just have Bulma make that mask she suggested. It's not like anyone would connect the hideous mask to himself, seeing that he would be disguised, after all.

Gohan would have pondered on that thought longer, if he didn't just slam into someone.

Rebounding from the impact, Gohan stumbled over his feet as he regained his balance. Shaking his head a couple times to get a sense of direction again, he laid eyes on a flattened out Videl, who winced as she rubbed her back.

"V-Videl?" The boy remarked in surprise.

Looking up from the ground, the pigtailed girl gasped in similar surprise. "Gohan?"

She stood up from the ground with the help of his hand. She suddenly looked past the half-Saiyan, swiveling her head side to side in search of something. Scrunching her face up, she cursed under her breath. "Damnit."

Gohan looked at her quizzically, cocking his head to one side. He wondered if she had just come around the corner, hence why he didn't see her run into him.

"I lost him." She growled.

"L-lost him?" He questioned.

"Did you see a kid run past here? About your height, with a buzz cut?"

Gohan thought for a moment. He couldn't recall anyone walking past him once he left Bulma and Vegeta's, so he shook his head.

Huffing out a defeated sigh, Videl's eyes went downcast as her shoulders slumped. "Stupid kid. I was with my papa, visiting some dojos here in West City when I caught him stealing from the arcade back there." She then looked up at Gohan. "What about you? Shouldn't you be at school where you live?" Her eyebrow cocked as she glared at him.

"Y-yes, but I'm home-schooled," he explained, not even bothering to ask her why she wasn't in school either. It seemed the life of the famous family had it easy.

"Oh," Videl peered at him in curiosity and slight envy. "Wish I were home-schooled. Public school's such a drag sometimes."

"Heh, I guess home-schooling has its perks, doesn't it?" Gohan sheepishly laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Quick to change the subject, Videl asked, "So, what are you doing here, anyway?"

"I was visiting a family friend of mine." The boy pointed at the Briefs' home directly in back of him.

"C-Capsule Corporation?" Videl stammered, "B-but, doesn't that famous inventor live there?"

"The Briefs? Yup." He replied nonchalantly. "They're good people."

Unsure of how to respond to his lax answer, Videl stared at the boy with her mouth slightly ajar.

Gohan continued, "I was just training for the tournament inside there. They've got some nice equipment," he hesitated on mentioning the gravity room itself.

"Really? That's great! I've been training too, you know," Grinning, Videl pumped her fist in the air as she took a hold of her bicep with her other hand. "Bet you can't out-train me, Gohan," she teased.

Letting out a coy laugh, Gohan grinned at her innocently as he laced his fingers together at the base of his neck.

"Hey, let's have a sparring match!" Videl suddenly suggested, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Befuddled by her sudden outburst, Gohan wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to accept her offer. After all, he didn't want to show her his real powers. But then again, this might have been a great opportunity to practice suppressing his strength for the upcoming tournament.

Taking a moment to think, Gohan finally nodded in agreement – tentatively.

Pointing to the park nearby, Videl motioned him to follow her there. He watched her bounce around in delight as they walked (well, I guess you could say she was skipping – Gohan was walking). She was clearly pumped up for this. The half-Saiyan gulped as he hoped he wasn't going to give himself away.

Entering the park, the two stood at a decent distance from each other, bodies aligned, eyes connected. Videl quickly stepped back as she showed off her fighting stance. It was clear to Gohan that she had almost mastered the technique of minimizing any openings in her posture. The blue-eyed girl certainly impressed the boy. For a normal kid their age, it was rare to feel the type of combative Ki Videl emitted. Grinning at the discovery, Gohan also stepped back into a slight stance.

Videl eyed the onyx-haired boy, studying his less-than sturdy composure. Surely this wasn't his actual fighting spirit, was it? He barely looked as though he was prepared for a strike. His stance looked nothing close to the fierceness in hers.

'I'll just have to see for myself, I guess!' At that, Videl lunged at the boy.

Quick to act, the pigtailed girl shot her fist out, attempting to jab at Gohan with a direct punch. Unable to connect her fist to his face, Videl attempted again, hurling a right-hook. However, Gohan was able to dodge her attack again with ease.

Frowning at her failed attempts, Videl tensed her body as she bombarded him with multiple attacks – fiercely swinging her legs and arms in hopes to land her kicks and punches.

However, as expected, the raven-haired girl was unable to succeed. Gohan managed to dodge and block every one of her shots.

Distancing herself from the impressive boy to regain her composition, Videl growled. "Why won't you hit me? C'mon! Lay it on me. Don't hold back because I'm a girl."

'If only it were because you're a girl…' Gohan sighed in his head.

Angered that he wasn't responding the way most fighters would, Videl decided to initiate the first strike again and hurled herself towards the inactive boy. Thinking she was cunning with her attack, Videl was sure of herself that she was going to be able to land a punch. However, once again, she was proven wrong. Gohan maneuvered himself to the side at the last second, letting her powerful punch whiz past his ear. He quickly grabbed her arm and twisted himself around, catapulting the girl over his back.

Videl landed with a big thud by a park bench.

Gohan had to blink a couple times before he registered what he had done. He didn't think he was going to hurl her across the park like he did.

"Crap…" he muttered under his breath as he ran up to her. "Are you OK? Did I hurt you?"

He crouched down to level his eyes with hers. Worried and concerned, anxiety washed over his face as he watched Videl's face scrunch up in pain.

"I'm so sorry, Videl, let me help you," Gohan reached his hand out to help hoist herself up. But his hand was quickly slapped away. Startled, he looked up at the girl, unsure of what to say, or how to act as he watched droplets of water cradle within the crevices of her eyes.

As Gohan panicked at the fact he had just made her cry, Videl slowly hobbled upwards to stand on her feet as she clenched her fists into a ball.

"Don't…" she said through gritted teeth, "Don't baby me!" She roared.

Taken aback, Gohan literally jumped in place due to her outburst.

Glaring at him, Videl's glossy blue eyes were practically shooting daggers at the poor boy. "You… you think you're so good, that you have to come ask me if I'm OK after an attack like that?" She hissed.

Little did Gohan know, Videl was feeling an immense amount of pain shoot up her spine from the impact. But she would never allow herself to show her weaknesses to anyone. Those tears weren't because of how badly she was hurting, they were because of how frustrated she was with his coddling.

Yeah right.

But, Gohan didn't need to know that.

"I-I'm sorry," the boy hushed as his eyes fell to gaze at the grassy ground.

Videl peered up through the corner of her eyes, studying his genuine remorse. She couldn't help the light blush that grazed across her cheeks as she suddenly felt bad for lashing out at him.

Still wanting to keep up with her tough-girl image, Videl huffed as she crossed her arms, her button nose high in the air. "Just don't do it again, OK?"

She then peered through one open eye at Gohan for a response. Still looking at the ground, Gohan stayed motionless.

Videl uncrossed her arms, relaxing her stern composure. She walked over to stand by his side and slapped a hand on his back, grinning. "Hey now. Don't be sore about it. Just don't hold back at the tournament!"

Gohan looked behind him at the smiling pigtailed girl with dumbfounded eyes. He quickly transformed his curious gaze to a hearty smile, glad to see she wasn't crying – or frowning for that matter.

There moment of silence was quickly interrupted by a loud, imposing, throaty voice.

"Angel! There you are; I've been looking all over for you, Pumpkin!"

The two twirled around, only to see a bulky figure flailing his arms as his legs violently pedaled to a run. Gohan immediately caught eye of Videl's shake of the head – clearly disproving of her father's embarrassing pet names.

"Hi, Papa," she mumbled as the World Champion approached the two kids.

"Where did you run off to? I thought you wanted to grab some ice cream after visiting the dojo? C'mon, Sugar-pie, let's go do that, huh?" Mr. Satan quickly planted his hands on Videl's shoulders to guide her out of the park.

Shrugging her father's hands off of her, Videl frowned as she looked up at the martial artist. "Papa, I didn't want ice cream, you did."

Quickly dismissing her claim with a boisterous laughter – a claim the two knew was all too true – he continued to shoo his daughter away from the unacknowledged half-Saiyan. Gohan's eyes met Videl's as she was dragged away by her father, and couldn't help but feel a little flustered as she flashed a quick smile at him before she disappeared in front of Mr. Satan's hulking body.

For some reason, whether he was aware of it or not, Gohan couldn't wait to see Videl again.

o (o) (O) (o) o

The onyx-haired boy was glad that Mr. Satan didn't recognize him when he came to pick his daughter up. It was likely because Gohan wasn't transformed into a Super Saiyan, but nevertheless, one could never be too careful.

"So, Gohan, how was visiting Bulma's?" ChiChi interrupted his thoughts as she laid out several plated meals in front of him on the kitchen table.

Already stuffing his mouth, Gohan babbled, "Mmf, ir wus gud… ghmff… she mah mre a gosdoom… rmf…"

Slapping the boy upside the head, she almost made the half-Saiyan choke to death. "What did I tell you about talking with your mouth full?"

Feeling as though he was going to suffocate, Gohan quickly grabbed his drink and chugged down the food lodged in his throat.

"I said," he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "Bulma made me a costume."

"A costume? What for? It's not Halloween, is it?"

Gohan was puzzled at the fact his mother actually had to think about what month it was. He then clarified, "No, for the tournament. I want to enter the adult division with Vegeta-"

"V-Vegeta?" ChiChi yelped in shock, "Y-You can't fight against Vegeta, he'll maim you!"

"Aw, Mom, I need some kind of challenge at the tournament, or else it'll be no fun."

"But don't you see, Gohan? Vegeta might win the prize money and take it away from us!" ChiChi exclaimed, clearly infuriated by the slimming chance of winning first place.

'Way to believe in me, Mom.' Gohan couldn't help but want to roll his eyes.

He decided to dismiss his mother's worries and go for it anyway. Besides, he couldn't recall fighting against the prince ever since he was a young child. Although his role in defeating the once-Earth-threatening-Vegeta was significant, Gohan really couldn't remember much of his contributions. That's typically what would happen when one transformed into Oozaru, anyhow.

Now, not only did he have an opportunity to test his strength, he also had the opportunity to have a fair (and memorable) rematch against the prince of Saiyans.

Only two weeks left until the tournament.

End, chapter 3.

A/N: Some innocent Gh/Vi interaction. Do I detect a subconscious spark of interest? ;)

I hope this chapter was enjoyable… I'm not sure where I'm leading this fic, lol. Is my pace too slow? Like never-ending-dbz-episode-waiting-for-spirit-bomb-slow? Or too fast? Just right? Let me know!

I also took note of a couple reviews, requesting that I don't use Saiyaman's costume as Gohan's adult division disguise. I personally don't mind the outfit minus the cape and helmet. So, the cape will be nixed, and I'll have to think about his headdress later. Suggestions would be nice. :)

However… I can't say I won't use Saiyaman later on when he's older… (insert ominous music here?) Who knows, I might keep the altered costume rather than the original.

Thanks for all your reviews; I appreciate any further comments and criticisms!