To Wear Armour in Times of Peace: Chapter 4
The gym teacher was highly understanding of Gohan's tardiness. They boy had went home sick on Monday, so this Wednesday's gym class would be his first. Every new student had trouble initially finding the gymnasium- the school was four stories high!
"The boy's locker rooms are right over there, son," the man said. "You brought a change of clothes, right?"
"Yes, sir," Gohan said.
"Good. For now, you can just leave your clothes in any empty locker- I'll get you a combination lock after class. Just get changed quickly and then we can start, alright?"
With a polite bow, Gohan scurried away from his peers, who had listened to the exchange in quiet amusement. Erasa had tried to wave and grab Gohan's attention before he left, but Videl gently swatted her friend's hand down. "Come on, Erasa, let him change," she grumbled. "He's holding the whole damn class up."
"You're the one that refused to let him walk with us, despite having the same exact schedule," Erasa reminded her annoyed friend.
The locker room was empty, and Gohan had figured as much since he was late. Still, he felt a bit relieved. Growing up in isolation, there were very few people he ever had to change in front of. He wondered if he would be made fun of for his body, as he didn't know what a human boy his age was supposed to look like. He swiftly stripped down to his white boxers before sliding into a pair of grey sweatpants and a baggy, long-sleeved shirt. He placed his school outfit and dress shoes in a locker at the far end of the room before lacing up a new pair of running shoes. He tucked in his shirt while he raced up the stairs and back into the main part of the gymnasium. He saw his classmates had already began warming up.
Walking over to Gohan, the teacher cleared his throat. "Alright, Gohan. We're finishing up our unit on martial arts this week. I'm assuming you don't have any experience?"
"Martial arts!" Gohan thought. "I still have to hide my powers, but maybe I can get a good workout in today." The boy smiled. "Actually, I do, sir. I've trained since I was four."
The coach looked stunned. "Wait- four years old? What place trains children that young?"
"Well," Gohan started, trying to be honest without giving too much away. "My parents were both martial artists, and a friend of my father first trained me."
The teacher noticed how Gohan seemed to avoid the question, but didn't pursue it. So maybe he didn't train at an actual martial arts school; however, anyone who had trained for 12 years should be a fairly good fighter, right? Gohan certainly didn't strike him as the kind of kid who would lie, either. "Tell you what- how about you finish warming up with the others and then we can have you spar with someone to see where you at," the man said. "Then I'll have a better idea of who to pair you with for the rest of the week."
With a smile and a courteous bow of understanding, Gohan found a relatively clear spot to stretch his long limbs. After a few more minutes, the coach shouted to gain everyone's attention.
"Listen up, class. Has anyone here been training in martial arts for more than five years?"
The students looked puzzled. Why would their teacher ask them that? Only two students raised their hands, and Gohan internally groaned.
"Sharpener, come with me. You can put your hand down, Videl, thank you." As Sharpener cockily made his way through the crowd of teenagers, Videl scowled.
"I wonder why he picked Sharpener over you," Erasa whispered to Videl. "I mean, we all know you're the best in the school. You've been training since you were seven, and by the champ himself!"
Videl didn't reply. Her sapphire eyes were focused on the coach, who now beckoned Gohan over to him and Sharpener. "Okay, Sharpener. I want you to fight Gohan here so I can evaluate his skill level."
Sharpener's blonde eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "You want me to fight him! You're kidding, right?" He asked plainly.
The class went silent, and the gym teacher sighed. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of this," he said, glaring at Sharpener. "So I suggest you keep your voice down."
The jock quickly closed his mouth, remembering his place as a student, but the damage had already been dealt.
"Wait," Videl called out, her solid voice easily carrying throughout the gymnasium. "You aren't really going to make them fight, are you? Sharpener might accidentally break little Gohan here in half!"
Many students looked confused, and others simply shouted their agreement. Gohan could feel his shoulders fall slightly. "She doesn't even know me," he thought, hurt by her accusation. "She doesn't know the first thing about me!"
"Videl," the coach started, keeping his tone gentle, but firm. He was tired of repeating himself, but he knew he couldn't reprimand her like he did the other students. "Please keep your opinions to yourself. This is just to test his skill level."
"Well, that's why he didn't pick you," Erasa realized. "He didn't want Gohan to die. But still… Sharpener's pretty good, too." Videl nodded, wondering what her coach was up to.
Several students sat down in anticipation of the fight, and others began to place bets.
"I say the nerd doesn't last two minutes."
"Really? I say one."
"Either way, Brains isn't going to be able to walk straight for a long time… that's how hard he's gonna get fucked."
Sharpener smirked at hearing the chatter, and he flipped his long, blonde hair over one shoulder. "Don't listen to them, Mountain Boy. I'll go easy on you." Gohan's black eyes narrowed, unamused by Sharpener's comment Without a word, he slid into his stance, showing his opponent he was ready to begin.
"Wow, look," Erasa said. "Gohan is standing really weird! I've never seen a fight start like that." Videl scrutinized his every muscle. "That's… good." She mumbled to herself, eyes widening a little in surprise. "That's... really good."
Sharpener laughed, and before the coach could officially commence the spar, the blonde swung for Gohan's head without warning. The dark-haired warrior, never one to underestimate the enemy, nimbly dodged. As Sharpener overextended his arm, eyes wide in disbelief at the empty air in front of him, Gohan quickly turned on his heels to face Sharpener's back. As the blonde boy lost his balance, Gohan deftly knocked the blonde forward with a kick. The half-Saiyan's long leg hovered in the air, still pointed outward with impossible balance and agility.
A gasp escaped Erasa as one hand rose to cover her mouth in astonishment. The hair on Videl's arms stood up in suspense; but in suspense for what, she couldn't tell.
Sharpener quickly regained his composure from the floor and stood up again. "Lucky shot," he spat at Gohan, livid at being tossed to the ground mere moments after their match had commenced. Disappointed in his partner's lack of respect, Gohan said nothing in reply. "Maybe I need to hold back more," he thought with a small frown. "I could really hurt him."
His train of thought was interrupted as Sharpener lunged forward again, narrowly missing Gohan as the master martial artist angled his head away with extreme precision. Though the class saw Sharpener's attacks flying in a frenzy of quick limbs, Gohan saw his opponent as sluggish and overly reckless in defending himself. As Gohan blocked an incoming punch, Sharpener shook his hand out. While the blonde's hand was throbbing in pain, he masked his discomfort with a smirk. "You scared now, Nerd Boy?"
The Saiyan warrior didn't blink. "Why would I be scared?"
Sharpener snorted as the class watched on with intense concentration. The coach was in awe of Gohan's ability, as were several other students. Videl, however, quelled her thoughts about Gohan's impressive form. "For a bookworm, he shouldn't be anywhere near that good," she commented offhandedly to her best friend. Erasa simply nodded, shocked that Gohan hadn't yet been beat up by the second best fighter in their school.
"Some teacher you must've had, huh?" Sharpener said. "I guess nobody taught you to fear a real fighter."
Gohan's spine stiffened, and he began to tremble.
"Oh, you're not afraid?" Recoome said, amused at the small, broken boy standing before him. "I guess nobody taught you to fear a real fighter."
The orange gymnasium around them melted away to reveal a bright green sky, and barren blue grass beneath Gohan's torn shoes. As the six-year-old lunged toward the hulking Ginyu Force member, the giant leapt into the air. His young body already exhausted beyond belief, Gohan's immature reflexes couldn't save him as Recoome swept his thick leg toward the boy. Blood boiled through Gohan's veins as his body recalled the intense agony of having his neck snapped, a vivid sensation despite the memory dating back to decade ago. The sharp pain shooting through his spinal cord felt fresh and raw.
In a panic, Gohan's struck Sharpener's chest with an open palm to protect himself from Recoome. The blonde teenager flew nearly 20 feet away, smacking into the concrete gymnasium walls with a fleshy thud.
"Stop!" The coach shouted, losing all decorum as he rushed to check on his fallen student. "The match is over!" Sharpener's fragile human body fell to the wooden floor on his back, terror clearly printed on his pale face. The bone surrounding his right eye had already turned a gross purple colour from his collision with the wall. Crimson lines seeped through the whites of the same eye, courtesy of a dozen broken blood vessels. The skin on his right cheek was rubbed raw and inflamed from the rough surface of the concrete wall.
The tension left Gohan's muscled body as his breathing returned to normal. The alarm faded from his eyes when he realized he was on Earth. He wasn't on Namek, fighting Frieza's men. He was on Earth, a teenager now, sparring in his gym class-
"Sharpener!" He shouted in horror as his eyes focused on the prone figure before him. Guilt tore through the empathetic half-Saiyan as he raced toward Sharpener and the coach. "I am so sorry, Sharpener, I didn't- I didn't mean to-" His voice inched higher in frequency, climbing to the point of hysterics.
"I'm fine," Sharpener grunted. Upon further inspection, Gohan sighed in relief. Aside from his classmate's clearly deflated ego, his wounds from the wall looked superficial and would not likely leave lasting damage. Calming himself, Gohan repeated, "I'm sorry. I really am, Sharpener. I didn't mean to hurt you." The coach finally nodded before calling another student over.
"Can you please escort Mr. Sharpener here to the nurse's office?"
As Sharpener limped out of the double doors, Gohan's peers continued to whisper. The coach gave everyone permission to go back to the locker rooms and change early, letting them know they could spend the remainder of the period chatting.
"Gohan, can I speak to you for a moment?" The teacher called.
As Gohan walked forward, one thought raced through his nervous mind. "Bulma's going to get me for that," Gohan groaned internally.
"I'm going to get you for that," Videl thought, sending one last glare at the mountain boy before disappearing into the girl's locker room.
Gohan's felt emotionally exhausted as he waited in the main office. The coach knew he hadn't meant to hurt Sharpener that badly, but he had told Gohan that the principal would need to decide what came next. The boy had really hoped to make a few friends at this place, but to no avail. His classmates seemed only keen on harassing him in the hallways or simply ignoring him altogether. Well, except Erasa- even after his stunt in gym class, she waved to him before he left. Gohan was relieved to know that despite being friends with Sharpener, she wasn't angry with him. Videl, however…
Gohan shivered. If looks could kill.
The boy heard a knock on the door to the main office, and cringed at the sight of Bulma's arrival. Stepping inside with a swish of her shoulder-length aqua hair, her scowl dropped as she saw him. Pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, she finally said, "You know what, Gohan? I can't stay mad at you."
"What?" Gohan stuttered. "How did you even-"
"Your school called me. Again," she said, rolling her azure eyes. "I was kind of mad at first, but... I don't know. Just seeing you now, looking like a sweaty bundle of nerves- it only reminds me how far you've come these past few years. I know you would never hurt anyone on purpose."
The boy averted his eyes for a moment. "Thanks, Bulma," he said quietly.
"Ms. Briefs?" The secretary said, trying not to drool at the celebrity before her. "The principal will see you now." She pointed to a nondescript door situated a dozen feet away.
"It's Mrs.," Bulma corrected. "And thank you." She pulled Gohan to his feet and nearly dragged the reluctant young man across the thinly carpeted floor.
An elderly man stood as the door to his office opened. "Ah, Ms. Briefs. Mr. Son-Briefs. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable," he said, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his wide, oak desk. The guests quickly seated themselves, both eager to end this meeting.
"So, what's the deal?" Bulma asked blunty.
The principal eyed her strangely. "What do you mean?" He asked, a bit perplexed by her manners.
Bulma crossed her slender legs, adjusting her tight, short dress as she did so. Hands placed square in her lap, she clarified, "Is my son in trouble?"
Even after all these years, it still surprised Gohan everytime she called him her son. Though it made a part of him tingle with warmth and pride, he mainly felt guilt. He just couldn't bring himself to actually call her Mom as name instead of a title. That name already belonged to someone else.
He closed his eyes, ready for the onslaught of raised voices and cursing that he knew would come. Be it Bulma or Chi-Chi, he knew either of his mothers would raise hell for him.
"Well," the principal said, clearly bothered by her eerily calm demeanor. "Since it's only his third day here, I wouldn't want to suspend him or anything like that. He is, after all, possibly the brightest student we have here."
Gohan visibly relaxed, sinking into the armchair a little.
"However," the elderly man continued, much to Gohan's chagrin, "your son seriously needs to control himself. This is the only warning you will both receive. I know this was an accident, but if Gohan should harm another student again, unintentionally or otherwise, I will be forced to take disciplinary action."
"Gohan would never hurt anyone on purpose," Bulma sniffed. "He's just forgets his own strength sometimes. Do you remember Goku Son, the previous World Martial Arts Tournament champion? That was his father."
The principal's eyes widened as she bragged. He looked to Gohan for confirmation, and upon seeing the boy's small smile, the older man gasped. "Well, that certainly explains how such a situation got so… out of hand," he said, lost for words. "Yes, you must've inherited his skill, I don't doubt that. Well, please return to class, Gohan. Ms. Briefs, I believe we are done here. Thank you for coming."
"It's Mrs.," she corrected, again. "Thank you."
"My apologies," the principal said, shaking the woman's hand. "Is it Mrs. Briefs or Mrs. Son?"
Bulma's cheeks flared up at the insinuation that she had married her childhood best friend, and at the thought of having had a child with the man! The short, wild little monkey boy had always been like a little brother to her.
"Mrs. Briefs is fine," Bulma said hurriedly, dragging Gohan out of the small office. "Goodbye."
Gohan, however, just laughed at Bulma's discomfort. Once out of the main office, he told her, "Wow, I never thought someone would jump to that conclusion because of my last name."
"Yeah, well let's not make a habit of it," Bulma grumbled. "Your father may have been a hunk, but I still don't know how your mother willed herself to sleep with that goofball."
"Bulma!"
"Videl!" Erasa whined to her best friend, who was stomping behind her. "Can you just let it go already? Gohan's so sweet. I'm sure he would never hurt Sharpener on purpose."
The champ's daughter stomped over to the blonde, who had stopped by her locker to grab her lunch. "He's got a lot to answer for," Videl countered. "I mean, how does someone like him know how to fight like that? Sharpener's not weak by any means! I knew he was hiding something, but damn it Erasa, I can't figure out what."
She knew he couldn't be the Gold Fighter- that much had been made clear after their conversation the previous day. Yet, the champ's daughter couldn't help but want to connect the two seemingly unrelated males.
The blonde shut her locker and hugged her lunch to her red blouse. She walked absentmindedly, rosy lips pursed in thought.
"Well, maybe you can ask him." Erasa said. "It looks like he's right over-"
She stopped suddenly, her mouth ajar. Videl turned to her friend, disturbed by Erasa's sudden halt in speech. What could turn the most bubbly, talkative girl in school into a gawking mess?
"Erasa? What's wrong?" Videl followed her friend's gaze and soon found her jaw drop as well. Erasa had definitely found Gohan; except, he stood next to someone they never expect to meet.
"So listen," Bulma told him, straightening his shirt collar with motherly affection. "If anyone asks what happened, just tell them the truth."
"What?" Gohan said, alarmed. "I can't just-"
"Let me finish!" Bulma chided, smoothing out the wrinkled fabric resting on Gohan's shoulders. "Just tell them you misjudged your strength."
"Bulma," he whined. "Can you not-"
"Hush," she said, "No boy of mine is going back to class looking ragged!"
Despite his aversion to touch, Gohan knew Bulma would never hurt him. He usually flinched or moved away when someone tried to touch him, his instincts and life experience leaving him constantly on edge to potential threats. However, Bulma was one of the few people he trusted enough to let her touch him, likely because she reminded him so much of his deceased mother. The mere presence of her energy signal somehow calmed his anxious senses.
"Gohan?!"
At the sound of a high-pitch shriek, Bulma and Gohan froze as they saw Erasa and Videl running toward them.
"What! You- you're Bulma Briefs!" Erasa squealed in joy. "What are you doing here, Ms. Briefs?"
"Gohan! How the hell do you know Bulma Briefs?" Videl demanded, her gloved hands tightly gripping the edge of her white shirt. She resisted the urge to push him against the wall and interrogate him.
"It's Mrs. Briefs, hun," Bulma told the blonde with a gentle smile. "And as for your question," she said, turning to Videl with a glare. "Who the hell do you think you are to talk to my son like that?"
"Son?!" The girls gasped in unison.
"She's your mom?" Erasa repeated in surprise. "Wow! That explains where you get your brains and good looks from." She winked at Gohan, which didn't go unnoticed by the Briefs matriarch.
"Thanks, dear," Bulma said, pulling Gohan into a one-armed hug. "I can't take all the credit for that, though-"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Videl said, indignant at being suddenly ignored. "Why didn't you tell me your mom is Bulma Briefs?"
All three women looked to the half-Saiyan, looking very flustered with all the attention. "Well," he muttered. "You never asked…"
Bulma turned to her oldest son, clearing her throat. "Gohan? Aren't you going to introduce me to your... lady friends?" She said, with a mischievous grin stretched a across her glossy lips.
"Right," Gohan coughed, not seeing a choice in the matter. "This is Erasa, and this is Videl. They're in my class."
"Well, it's nice to meet you two both," Bulma told the girls with a wink. Erasa giggled and Videl looked uneasy. "Now, I should get home before your brother destroys something," the scientist told her son. "When your principal called me, I had to rush out without even telling Vegeta I left. I doubt the bastard took it upon himself to watch his own damn son!"
With a huff, Bulma turned to face Gohan. "I love you, Gohan. I'll see you when you get home," she said sweetly, kissing his cheek. "Bye, hun!"
Usually, Gohan would've been the one to initiate a goodbye kiss with Bulma, just as he used to do with his first loving mother. However, Bulma knew the boy would be much too embarrassed in the presence of two attractive teenage girls. And so she had taken matters into her own hands, and she grinned at the colour that consumed his ivory cheeks.
"You can leave now," he whined through gritted teeth.
Aware that all eyes were on her, Bulma strutted out of the main entrance, hips swaying side to side to further accentuate her powerful status- as a scientist, inventor, protective mother, and as a beautiful woman in general.
"And what are you all looking at?" Videl roared, suddenly noticing they had amassed a small crowd of spectators. "Get to class already, you perverts!" The nosy teenagers scrambled at her words. Satisfied, Videl turned back to Gohan. Before she could say anything, the bell rang. "Don't think this is over," she quickly informed him, before stalking away.
Left alone with Erasa, Gohan gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that," he said, feeling the need to apologize. For what exactly he didn't know, but it felt appropriate.
"What? You don't need to apologize!" Erasa said. "I'm just so surprised that Bulma Briefs is your mother. Like, I didn't even know she was married, let alone had a kid our age!"
"Well, she does like to keep her life as private as she can," Gohan started. He felt like he could trust Erasa with the information. After all, she had shown him nothing but kindness since they had first met. "But you wouldn't have known about me, anyway… She only adopted me a few years ago."
"You're adopted?" Erasa certainly hadn't been expecting that.
"Please don't tell Videl," he pleased. "I just don't feel like it's any of her business, you know?"
Erasa nodded sympathetically. "Oh, sure! Of course, Gohan." She hesitated, then said, "So what… happened to your real parents, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Dead," Gohan told her bluntly, studying his shoes very closely to avoid his friend's reaction. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the pity on her face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
A few moments passed in silence, before Gohan continued on a more uplifting note. "Well, it's lunch time now, right? I brought you another piece of cake today since you really seemed to like what you had yesterday…" He said with an abashed laugh. He scratched the back of his neck, hoping she would accept.
Her earrings rattled as her head snapped toward him. "Oh, Gohan, that's so sweet of you!" She gushed. "You totally didn't have to."
"No, but I wanted to," he said softly. Exchanging shy smiles, the two began their stroll to the courtyard in a comfortable silence.
"You're joking, right," Sharpener deadpanned. "There's no way Nerd Boy's mom is the smoking hot Bulma Briefs-"
"Sharpener!" Gohan snapped.
"I don't believe you," the blonde boy continued, ignoring his classmate's outburst. "You're messing with me, right?"
"Are you calling me a liar?" Videl challenged, raising her voice. Sharpener put his hands up in defense, preventing Videl's explosive temper from making an appearance. "Of course not!"
"Wise choice," Videl said, lowering her voice again.
"And Bulma said something about someone needing to watch your brother?" Erasa said asked the boy. She took a bite of his scrumptious chocolate cake. "How old is he?"
Gohan grinned. "He's six. His name is Trunks and he's a little ball of energy."
"Wait," Videl said. "So what's your last name? Is it Briefs too, since your mom obviously didn't change her last name?"
The boy in question shook his head. Despite Videl's pushy behavior, he justified it to himself as a potential friend wanting to get to know him. "My last name is hyphenated with my father's family name. So I'm Gohan Son-Briefs."
Sharpener opened his mouth to comment, but Videl cut him off without hesitation. "Why didn't your mom change her name to Son?" she asked.
"Well," Gohan said, choosing his words carefully. "She wasn't even married when Trunks was born. And the man she's married to now is from a culture that doesn't have last names, so my brother's name is just Trunks Briefs. His father didn't have a last name to give him, so she didn't have a last name to take when they finally did get married."
Gohan hated to lie, but what he said was technically true. Not once since their first meeting had the prince ever mentioned a last name. "King Vegeta, Prince Vegeta, Planet Vegeta," Gohan thought with an internal snicker. "If he had a last name, it would probably be Vegeta, too."
"So Bulma never married your dad," Videl rightfully concluded. "But why is your last name hyphenated instead of just Son? Why do you also have mother's maiden name?"
"Because I'm a part of the Briefs family," Gohan answered with a genuine smile.
Videl looked thoughtful for a moment, then seemed to accept this with a slow nod. "That's out of the ordinary, but I guess that makes sense."
"What's with the 20 questions, Videl?" Erasa playfully scolded. She shot Gohan an apologetic glance, knowing he was trying to hide his adopted heritage. She figured his reluctance didn't stem from shame; it probably came from a desire to not talk about his deceased family. As his new friend, Erasa decided she would safeguard the knowledge at all costs to protect Gohan from unnecessary emotional burden.
"What, you expect me to eat lunch with a stranger?" Videl replied. "You brought him here to sit with us again! The least he can do is tell me about him so I can judge just what kind of person he is."
"Judge me?" Gohan said, a bit confused. "Did I do something wrong?"
Ignoring his question, Sharpener said, "And don't think I've forgotten what happened back in gym. Where the hell did you learn to fight like that?" The boy currently held a wrapped bag of ice to the injured side of his face.
The half-Saiyan shifted in his seat, his discomfort growing. "My father and his friend trained me as a kid," he said quietly, before quickly digging into his lunch. He tried to look busy, but Videl didn't care.
"Slow down," she ordered. "Who's your father?"
"It doesn't matter," Gohan said quickly. "He's gone." He couldn't pretend that Vegeta had fathered him- the explanation about his last name had made that much obvious.
Curious, Videl wondered if his parents had divorced like hers. She leaned forward to ask.
"Oh!" Erasa shouted suddenly, trying to change the topic. "Have you guys heard the Gold Fighter was spotted again after school yesterday? He stopped a bank robbery. That's twice in one day!"
Videl huffed, annoyed that she had been interrupted.
"I heard he has the most mesmerizing blue-green eyes-"
A clenched fist came down on the table as Videl stood up. "Are you serious?" She growled. "I've been trying to get Satan City PD to let me on the force for over a year now, and some glowing guy just shows up and magically saves the day, three times, and you're praising him? He's a vigilante, Erasa! It's ridiculous he's been allowed to continue his little act for this long!"
Sharpener sighed. He hated when Videl got so worked up like this.
"Wait, why are you trying to join the police force?" Gohan asked. "Aren't you a little young for that?"
"I'm 15," she said with a glare. "I can take care of myself."
"I don't care how good of a fighter you are, Brains, " Sharpener said. "There's no way you could ever beat Videl. The only one stronger than her is her dad."
Gohan knew better than to argue, but he couldn't resist. He knew he had far more strength than Videl could ever fathom, but he decided to play it cool. "Well, there's more to fighting than just strength," he said casually, laying his chopsticks down.
"Oh? And just how long have you been training?" Videl asked, eyes narrowed.
"Since I was four-"
"Bullshit," she said without hesitation. "First with the flying license, now with the fighting-"
"You're forgetting," Erasa said, frustrated from Videl's antics, "that his mother is Bulma Briefs. Of course he would have a flying license!"
"At 15?" Videl challenged. "I hate pulling the fame card, but the only reason I have one at 15 is because of who my father is!"
"Actually, I'm 16," Gohan said, counting the year he spent in the hyperbolic time chamber.
The black-haired girl took her seat again. "Fine," she bit out. "So you've met the age requirement for a flying license, I'll give you that. But prove to me you're not lying about martial arts."
"Videl, you already saw me fight Sharpener in gym," Gohan said meekly. "Why does it even matter to you, anyway?"
"I already told you, you dork," Sharpener said, a vein popping in his forehead, "you obviously just cheated or something!"
"Sharpener, losing to me doesn't mean you're a bad fighter!" Gohan said, exasperated. "Don't take it personally, okay? Everyone loses sometimes."
"Not me," Videl said.
Silence.
"Please tell me you're not saying what I think you're saying, Videl," Erasa pleaded.
"What-" Gohan tried to ask, but Videl cut him off.
The Satan girl stood on her seat. With a war cry, she nimbly jumped over the table to land a few feet behind Gohan.
"Fight me."
The courtyard looked on in interest.
"I am not going to fight you, Videl."
"And why not?" She said, fists resting on her hips. "Is it because I'm a girl?"
"No, of course it's not because you're a girl!" Gohan said, appalled. He stood and turned around to face his accuser. "My mom was a martial artist before I was born. She was probably the strongest woman in the world at the time!"
"Bulma Briefs used to do martial arts?" Sharpener asked in disbelief. Gohan facepalmed. He had been talking about his birth mother without even thinking.
Ignoring the blonde, Videl persisted. "Then why not?"
"Videl, I already hurt someone today because I wasn't careful," Gohan said firmly. "I'm not going to risk that again."
"Oh, arrogant are we?" Videl she said with a cocky smirk. "You think you can actually hurt me?"
"Oh, I'm the arrogant one?" Gohan asked, incredulous. "I know I'm not invincible. Are you?"
"Guys-" Erasa tried.
"My father beat Cell," Videl stated flatly, her her fierce expression never leaving Gohan's dark eyes. "He trained me himself. If you think you can even lay a hand on me, you're sorely mistaken."
"I don't give a damn about your father!" Gohan finally yelled, throwing his hands in the air.
Erasa's face paled.
"You have some nerve, you know that?" Videl shouted. "You need to show him some respect! You wouldn't be alive if it weren't my dad, and I'll defend my father's honour any day." She dropped into a fighting stance, her intense gaze never leaving Gohan's form.
He could feel a slight breeze pick up as his energy rose. His body tensed, and his fingers twitched in the anticipation of battle.
"You know what? I know how you beat Sharpener in gym," she said cooly, a smug smile tugging at her thin lips.
Gohan tilted his head. "What?"
"You threw him at least 20 feet away. That's not physically possible. Not for someone scrawny like you!"
"Videl," Gohan growled, his eyes closed. "You don't know a thing about me." A single oak tree stood a dozen feet behind Videl, and the leaves began to shake back and forth in the artificial wind. "I can't," he thought to himself. "I feel it slipping."
"No, Sharpener's right. I don't know how you did it, but you cheated. You're nothing more than a trickster! You won't fight me because you know I'll see through you, just like my Dad saw through Cell's-"
"Videl, stop it!" Erasa yelled. "You're being really mean, and it's totally uncalled for!"
Videl sent an icy look to her best friend, before looking back to Gohan.
"You know what?" She said, voice strangely calm again. She stood straight, dropping her fists. "You're not even worth my time. You're nothing but a coward."
Gohan hadn't felt rage in a long time- not since his fight with Cell as an ascended Super Saiyan. But just this morning, the principal had warned him. He couldn't risk hurting Videl. As much as he wanted to fight her, he knew it wouldn't be right. He didn't fight for pride. He fought to save lives! Fighting Videl would be no better than picking a fight with a baby- he could easily send either one to the Otherworld without a breaking a sweat. "I have a greater responsibility," he thought. "Not to her, but to the entire planet. I need to be the bigger person. I won't indulge her."
Without another word, Gohan walked away. He kept his eyes tightly closed. He could feel everyone in the courtyard staring at him, and he didn't want anyone to ponder why his dark eyes now burned a bright teal. Instead of heading toward the entrance to the cafeteria, he went for a narrow door slightly off the concrete pathway, which he guessed led to a stairwell. He had just reached the door when she said it.
"No wonder your dad left," Videl scoffed. "I would've too if you were my kid."
Gohan hadn't known he still shouldered the guilt for his father's death.
In an instant, he had appeared in front of Videl, already in his fighting stance. His piercing black eyes bore into her, an emotionless expression on his hardened face as his years of training and meditation took over.
"You'll defend your father's honour, huh?" He said, almost too calm. "You're the last person who should be lecturing me about honour."
With a furious yell, Videl rushed toward the warrior with a flurry of punches and kicks. She watched in outrage as he dodged every single attack she aimed. No one spoke as the boy simply danced around her, never moving more than a few feet from where the fight first started. It was clear that Gohan controlled the fight, and with ease.
He avoided her with a seasoned grace she had never witnessed, and he didn't seem to be making any sort of effort. Videl paused, breathing hard. Sweat dampened her baggy white t-shirt, but she still held her fists high. Gohan, however, didn't appear to even be warmed up.
She cried out as she found his hard fist buried in her stomach. Spittle flew from her mouth as air was forced from her lungs. No longer able to stand, she dropped to her knees, clutching her abdomen. Tears threatened to leak from her eyes without her consent as she looked up to her superior. She grimaced with each painful gasp for air. She hadn't even seen him move!
For the first time in her life, Videl Satan was truly afraid.
Gohan stood towering over her, somehow looking more confident than she had ever seen him.
"I was kidnapped when I was four," he stated quietly, his deep voice carrying throughout the startled courtyard. "That's how I was first introduced to martial arts- I was forced to either learn to defend myself or die trying."
A stunned silence cut through their stunned onlookers as Gohan paused. Many students sat completely still, already disturbed by this turn of events. The teenage veteran's unnerving black eyes bore into Videl as he spoke, every word as heavy as a ton of bricks.
"Life is not a game, Videl. I don't fight to test myself. I don't fight to humiliate others like you do! I don't fight for fun, and I certainly don't fight for an ego boost," the half-Saiyan snarled. "I don't fight to prove myself to anyone, especially not to those whose power and skill are beneath my own."
Still on the ground, Videl shuddered. She silently cursed herself for challenging him in front of nearly all their peers. He was making a scene now, she was sure of it.
"I tried to warn you, and like an amateur, you threw caution to the wind and you underestimated your opponent."
She shook her head, not wanting to believe his words.
"I fight for something bigger than myself, Videl," he continued." I fight for my loved ones. I fight for those who can't protect themselves. I train only enough to be able to fight when called upon. Nothing more, and nothing less."
Erasa and Sharpener sat frozen at their picnic table, utterly speechless. They watched on as Videl Satan opened and closed her mouth several times, looking like she wanted to say something, but couldn't.
"I fight so that no other child has to experience what I've had to," Gohan confided, his dark eyes clouding over as he spoke. As soon as Videl saw it, the look vanished from his face. He bared his teeth at her, and she noticed that his canines looked longer than normal.
"You don't know a damned thing about me, or my father, Miss Satan," he spat. "So I suggest you get off your high horse, or else I won't hesitate to knock you down again."
He turned to look at Erasa and Sharpener, and he swallowed hard. Erasa's eyes shone with tears at the sight of her best friend kneeling in agony. In that moment, Gohan knew that despite winning the battle, he had lost the war.
