Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ
...
Several things passed through Videl's mind as she hung there in the grasp of the green warrior. Predominantly the fact that she hasn't fallen thousands of feet to her death was one of the higher priorities to calculate. That and the fact that for some reason they were just chilling in the middle of the air like it was no big deal.
That was a pretty hard thing to get ones head around.
"Don't speak," commanded Piccolo as he saw Video look like she was about to open her mouth.
Simply nodding her head, Videl looked toward the ground wondering why at that moment gravity seemed to be behaving in a reverse pattern as the ground seemed to be getting ever so further away. Passing upwards through some clouds which temporarily blocked her vision of the surface only seemed to add to the theory that, for lack of better terminology, they were flying.
Had Videl been as rash as she had been before being subjected to Gohan's lessons she may have struggled within the grasp of her savior whilst shouting a multitude of curses which would give her father a heart attack.
As her hair and clothes ruffled in the wind she briefly pondered how fast they were going, if this was even fast compared to the speed Majunior was even capable of. Considering only minutes before she had been plummeting to her death, her saviour had been able to catch up with the falling vehicle but assumably rip off the door before reaching in and pulling her out before she even realized what had happened.
"We're here," declared Piccolo snapping Videl back to reality, her eyesight shifting from the ground beneath her (or what she could see of it beneath the clouds) to where a giant platform seemingly rested atop endless nothingness. As they drifted closer Videl spotted what looked like a temple with rows of flowers and even a number of palm trees.
"What is this place?" asked Videl before covering her mouth out of fear of potentially having insulted her saviour.
"This is Kami's Lookout," said Piccolo as he put Videl down on the tiles.
"Kami?" repeated Videl as she took a couple of steps away from the edge. Part of her brain briefly considered asking why despite being so high up there seemed to be no effect on her body but she put that thought off to the side figuring that there were more important matters at hand.
"Correct, while you are our guest I would suggest you don't say or do anything rash, it's a long way down after all," threatened Piccolo.
Swallowing a lump in her throat, Videl saw someone walking towards them and out of fear she dropped to her knees and bowed her head hoping that Kami would not judge her poorly. Videl was by no means a religious person but recent events had thrown most of her rational thought out the window and if she needed to scrub each and every one of these tiles to please Kami she would do so.
"Stand child," he said as Videl slowly lifted her head to get a good look at the deity. Having never really given much thought to it she never expected Kami to be a pitch black humanesque person. The only thing she could relate his looks to would be a genie, which considering everything that had happened she somehow felt that she wouldn't be surprised if they too were real. "I understand your actions child but they are unnecessary, even when you meet Kami."
Seconds ticked by as the realization that the person before her that she had grovelled to was in fact not the person she initially thought it was. "Say what?"
...
"Who knew school was going to be this stressful," said Gohan as he mentally prepared himself for what was about to go down.
"Please this is just a big ego flailing about on the fact that there is nobody in the world better than him, I hear it all the time," said Bulma as she stood next to the teenager, reporters unable to believe the developments that were taking place.. Arguably the most powerful woman in the world was casually having a chat with the boy who Hercule Satan was calling a fraud and a drug cheat.
"Its not really the time or place to humiliate him though is it," said Gohan as he gazed at the clouds.
"All depends on how you want to play it out," said Bulma as she reached into her purse, pulling a cigarette out. "Do you mind?"
"Already done," said Gohan, Bulma noticing that her cigarette was now alight.
"So how should we explain to them what just happened, the friction from you clicking your fingers at supersonic speeds was enough to light a smoke?"
"There's the old telekinesis story, although truth be told I'm nowhere near as skilled with it as Vegeta."
"He does use it every Halloween when kids come around asking for candy, he seems to enjoy the frightened screams of children."
"You want to know how I actually did it?"
"Honestly it's all the same to me," said Bulma before taking a large drag. "I'm more interested in what kind of evidence they're going to use to try and get under your skin."
"We both know how it's going to end," said Gohan as he adjusted himself.
"You and Hercule, one v one, mano a mano," said Bulma. "Just with a metric shit tonne of cameras."
"Oh, you do know how to swear, I'm impressed," said Bulma.
"I'm a highschool student, of course I'm going to pick up a few things around the corridors." There was a brief pause before Gohan added, "Don't tell mum."
"Lips are sealed."
...
"It's a pleasure to meet you Videl," said Dende as he extended his hand, Videl hesitantly shaking it.
"You know who I am?" said Videl before realising how stupid her question must have sounded.
"I know who everyone is," said Dende. "I must say that your courage on the surface is inspiring."
"T-Thanks," said Videl as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "So...ummm...you're Kami?"
"Some would call me that, Piccolo over there is what is left of the old Kami and I am his replacement. You may call me Dende," introduced the Namekian.
Taking a moment to read between the lines, Videl looked over her shoulder where Piccolo stood gazing over the edge as if observing the world below despite how high in the sky they were. Were omnipotent beings restricted to the five senses or were they capable of more?
"I can tell there is much on your mind and firstly I will tell you that Gohan is quite relaxed down below," stated Dende.
"You know Gohan?" said Videl before recalling her previous stupid question and desperately trying to remain calm as to not slap herself in the forehead.
"We met many years ago on an adventure that is not mine to tell," said Dende as he began to walk towards the temple, Videl following behind him. "I have watched Gohan group up since I came here as like myself, I knew he would have trouble interacted with humans. From what he has told me he had no friends his own age and the only people he ever associated with were by some manner connected to his father, the first person to have climbed this tower in a very long time."
Videl paused midstep as her mind momentarily imploded on itself. "Climbed!"
"Yes," said Dende as he turned around to face Videl. "Many have tried and many have failed. Only the truly strong have made the journey risking their lives just to ascend to this place. Some sought power, some sought wisdom, others attempted to make the journey to test their own willpower. Mr Popo has told me of the history of this world and how it is my job to watch over all of it, the good, the bad and the atrocities."
Videl swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat, why did having to listen to the overseer of the world have to be this difficult?
"You are not here though for small talk though," said Dende as the two of them proceeded inside. "Bulma has asked me to show you something, something which should clear up many of your questions. My predecessor however declared that there is something else you should see and while I fear Bulma's wrath I have to agree with Piccolo on this one."
Videl held in a laugh at the thought that Kami was frightened of Bulma before composing herself. "So why couldn't I see both?" asked Videl as the two of them stopped in front of a single white door.
"Because of what is going to happen inside," said Dende. "Now I must warn you, everything inside is real but know that your words and actions will have no deciding factor on the outcome of the events. I will leave you in there for an hour and it is up to you to decide what it is that you do."
"But what point is there if nothing I do matters?" asked Videl.
"Because you will understand more about yourself and Gohan," answered Dende as he opened the door and beckoned Videl to step inside. "Everything's already prepared, just step into the centre of the room."
"What if I don't, what if I don't want to know more about Gohan?"
"Then you don't have to do anything," said Dende. "If you wish it Piccolo can take you back to your hometown and you can pretend like none of this ever happened if you so wish it. However I have watched over you Videl and I would assume that I know exactly what it is that you're going to choose."
Videl inhaled deeply as she looked at the deity in front of her. Part of her wanted to strike out at him for knowing exactly what it was she was going to do based solely off of what he had seen her do in the past. While mildly infuriating she knew that Dende was completely right. With a choice between decisions not even necessary, she stepped into the room, the door closing behind her.
...
Videl turned around on the spot, not truly understanding how she got here or where she was for that matter. Last she remembered she had been ushered into a room inside a temple that floated in the middle of the sky. Pausing a moment to shake her head and remind her that despite how ludicrous that entire thing sounded that was exactly where she had been.
Then why was she now in the middle of a grassy field in the middle of nowhere with the smell of cooking meat wafting in the air. Reminding herself that she only had an hour here, or so Dende had said, she ran off towards the smell of the food because despite where she was she believed wholeheartedly where there was food, there would be Gohan.
...