The next morning, Gohan awoke before Goten as usual. Of course their mother was
already up. Quietly Gohan showered, dressed, and snuck into the kitchen. If he
wasn't out the door soon, Goten would awaken to the smell of food. Like their
father, Goten's alarm clock was frequently food. Gohan seemed to be the only
exception to that Son male instinct. Sure he loved to eat, but it wasn't on top
of his 'vital list' like it was for his father and brother. Gohan sushed his
mother from talking as he helped her set the table. She immediately understood
Gohan's reasoning. A newly energized Goten was worse than a kid hyped up on
sugar and caffeine. Gohan wolfed down his breakfast in the usual saiyan manner
before darting out the door. Just as he opened the door, he halted mid-stride in
shock.
"Morning brother! Looky look! It's a fuzzy caterpillar."
Gohan nodded though still stunned and patted his brother on the head. Goten
never ceased to amaze them with unpredictable antics. He'd actually used his
brother's this time by sneaking out of their bedroom window.
"Are we gonna train now brother?"
"Uhm, sure, but only for a short while. I'm running later than I thought."
Goten nodded as the two dashed off to the fields behind Mt. Paozu. Gohan was
dressed in his school clothes rather than his gi so he primarily coached Goten's
training instead of participating himself. A little while later both returned
back to the house. Gohan then departed for school.
Once at school, Gohan immediately sought out Videl at their usual location and
their usual time, namely Videl's locker.
"Good morning Videl."
"Well good morning to you too Son Gohan."
"So what's that unit have to do with this power you mentioned?"
"Haven't figured it out yet eh?"
"Well...no."
"Okay, hint two...not the sex or the marriage parts though they have something
to do with it later, but focus on the word 'love'."
"Hmm, how does love factor into power? Can it be tapped so that one's ki can be
increased?"
Videl giggled. "You really are of warrior blood aren't you?"
"Is that a trick question?"
Videl giggled again. Gohan grew impatient. "C'mon Videl. You're just meanly
teasing me now."
Videl tapped his nose with a finger. "But you're so cute like this."
"Like what?" Gohan asked as he stepped back to try to increase distance between
them. While he enjoyed Videl's closeness, it had a strange effect on his body,
heart, and mind, especially when not distracted by things such as fighting
thugs. Videl noticed how her proximity unnerved this supposedly skilled warrior
when his guard was down. She knew how to rattle his senses and ignite his
instincts. While he hadn't quite figured out the meaning of it all, Videl knew
exactly what he was dealing with and she played on it. She continued to close
the distance on him, matching every one of his steps with two slow steps of her
own. Gohan continued his retreat, that is until he ran out of room and backed
into a wall of lockers with a thud. He tried to sidestep away, but Videl caught
up to him and placed her arms on both sides of him and onto the lockers. Gohan
was pinned between the lockers and Videl and now prevented from any 'normal'
escape.
"Videl, c'mon, stop playing." Gohan whined softly, the discomfort evident in his
voice.
"What's the matter Gohan?" Videl purred.
"Let me go, please?"
"Why?"
"Cause we'll get into trouble."
"I won't fall for that one hero."
Gohan blushed and giggled nervously while pointing over her shoulder. Videl
followed his finger and looked behind herself. There, standing with arms folded
was the principal of Orange Star High. Videl chuckled and blushed while allowing
Gohan to slink safely out of her confinement.
"I'm sorry Mr. Principal. I was uh, well, teaching Gohan a new move I learned
from the police on how to corner a thug."
The principal slowly grinned. "Of course Videl. How could I even think it would
be anything else. But honestly Videl, you shouldn't pick on the weaker students.
He looked pretty frightened."
*Gohan weak!? And the Earth's made of pudding!* Videl thought before replying.
"Right. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"That's our heroine. Good day Videl." the principal replied as he waved and
continued his stroll down the hallway. Videl let out a sigh of relief before
scanning the crowd of students for Gohan. He'd managed to slink away completely.
She shrugged and continued her way to her first class. Sure enough she also
found Gohan. He was in his assigned seat, talking to Eliza as if nothing had
happened. This of course, prompted Videl into action. She leaned over behind him
and whispered into his ear.
"Coward."
"eeeeeh?"
She stood back up and plopped into her own assigned seat which was just a couple
seats down from his. She then leaned over and stared at him, anticipating a
response. Gohan just stared dumbly at her in the typical Son way.
"Power." she mouthed. He continued his bewildered stare only now with a raised
eyebrow. She was going to take it farther, but the instructor entered and
started class. And so Videl raised her nose into the air with a pride driven
sniff and turned her attention to whatever the instructor was saying.
Gohan found himself completely ignoring the lesson. He was running through all
the possible combinations he could think of for 'love' and 'power.' His was
completely lost in his own mind until...
"Son Gohan? Son Gohan!? SON GOHAN!!!"
Gohan was finally snapped out of his thoughts and suddenly found himself nose to
nose with one upset instructor. Gohan screeched then stared dumbly back at the
instructor.
Eliza, Sharpener, and Videl were laughing softly. The instructor pointed towards
the door. Gohan knew what it meant, he'd been through this before. He got up and
trudged out the door to stand in the hall with water buckets in hand. After
class (and now with twice the homework than the rest of the class), Gohan still
hadn't arrived at a solution to Videl's love/power puzzle.
Videl met him at his locker. "I'm sorry Gohan."
"Why?"
"For getting you in trouble."
"You always get me into trouble Videl. There's no need to apologize. Besides
where would my life be without your troublemaking abilities?" Gohan teased.
"You'd be a goody-goody beyond anyone's imagination." Videl joked.
"What's so bad about that?"
Videl giggled. "Nothing except, there's no such person. And if there was they'd
be chastised as a freak."
"Okay, enough about that. You still haven't helped me solve your riddle. How is
love powerful? I cannot figure out how it can influence power."
Videl laughed then suddenly became very serious. Her eyes bored into Gohan's
own. He instinctively cowered and began to retreat. Again Videl pinned him up
against the lockers.
*How the hell did I fall for that maneuver again!? Father never fell for the
same move twice! I'm such an idiot! Or is it that I like being pinned by Videl?*
Gohan thought as he waited for Videl's next move.
Videl grinned then looked both ways in the hall. The were unobserved and no
teachers or principals in sight. Returning her attention back to Gohan, she
grabbed his chin, floated slightly to match his own height, and brushed his lips
with her own. Gohan was taken aback, but didn't protest. In an instant it was
over anyway. Videl returned to the solid floor and backed away. She then met his
eyes once again.
"That dear Gohan IS the power of love." she whispered. Gohan was in some
stupified state. She giggled and slapped him on the shoulder. "Well, I gotta get
to class. You'd better too if you don't want to spend another session in the
hallway." she said as she darted off to class leaving Gohan to his own fate.
After a moment had passed, Gohan jumped back into reality and stared at Videl's
departing form. He quickly put away his books, slammed his locker shut, and ran
after her.
"Hey Videl wait! What was that all about?" he yelled down the hall at her. He
finally caught up with her just before she entered the girls locker room. She
winked then motioned for him to come closer so she could whisper to him. He did
as she requested.
"Power." she whispered again with a smirk and then entered the locker room.
Gohan started to follow her.
"Gohan! Unless you have some special power that changes you into a golden-haired
girl or something, you're not allowed in here." Videl giggled.
Gohan stopped dead in his tracks and surveyed his surroundings. He then blushed
furiously and quickly exited without a single word while the girls inside broke
into hysterical giggles. Seconds later, the bell rang.
"Crap! I'm late for class!" Gohan exclaimed to himself while dashing into the
boys locker room.
For the rest of the day, Videl refused to answer any of Gohan's questions about
love or power. She told him to 'sleep on it' by the time school was out for the
day.
When Gohan arrived at home, he ran the question past his mother in hopes of at
least some more hints or suggestions.
"Love and power? Dear Gohan why are you pondering such a silly thing?"
"It's silly mother? You mean there's no correlation?"
"Oh there is, but you're the wrong sex to unlock its potential."
"Wrong sex?"
"It's a power only females are known to posses Gohan. Or at least the majority
with this ability are female."
"Really?"
"How else do you think Bulma and I could keep and control the only two
full-blooded, strongest in the universe saiyan warriors?"
"Must be some strong power. So why does Videl bring this up to me?"
ChiChi's eyes suddenly widened with excitement.
"She did!? I just knew it! Oh Gohan, you've made your mother so happy!" she
enthusiastically exclaimed as she hugged her eldest, now stunned son.
"Uhhh, mother?"
Goten walked in upon hearing his mother's cheery voice. "What'd brother do mom?
Is Gohan and Videl getting married finally?"
Gohan sputtered, amazed at how many exaggrations his mother was giving to his
little brother.
"No, no Goten, I'm too young for that right now." Gohan managed to say though
directing the statement more towards his mother than brother.
"But mom says---"
ChiChi immediately rushed over to her younger son and covered his mouth with her
hand while giggling uncomfortably.
Gohan just gave them a confused look and opted for a change of subject. "When's
dinner ready?"
"In about thirty minutes."
"Okay mom. I'm going to go study until then. Call me when it's ready."
ChiChi nodded while Goten squirmed out of her grasp. He was about to follow his
brother to their room until dear ol' mom used her diversion.
"Goten, cookie?"
Goten's eyes widened and he quickly did an 'about face' and darted back into the
kitchen. "I can have one? Really mom?"
ChiChi handed her youngest son a freshly made, just out of the oven cookie. "Now
Goten, promise not to bother your brother."
"'kay mom. I promise." Goten said between bites. ChiChi gave him a couple more
and he made his way to the living room and flicked on the tv. ChiChi didn't need
to worry aobut ruining the boy's appetite. He was his father's son afterall,
perhaps moreso than his older brother.
Meanwhile, inside his room, Gohan set his bookbag on his bed and turned on his
computer to check for any important emails. He skimmed past the announcements
about graduation and the senior class trip and quickly opened the one that was
from Videl.
It read:
If love was an ocean, but you were afraid of water,
would you stand in the sand and look at it,
waiting to feel the mist of its waves
Or would you take the chance,
dive right in, and not think about it?
Gohan stared blankly at the screen, pondering the words upon it. Videl was up to
her riddles again. For several minutes he contemplated the meanings of the words
and any relevance. Finally, with a grin of satisfaction, he replied to her
message this way:
Love causes pain.
Love cures pain.
And love is a pain.
He then added a P.S.
The power of love is something most women possess. It brings males to their
knees no matter how strong or skilled they are. There is no defense against
love. I know that now. I also know that you have this power within you too and
that I am the target. And so, I surrender to its mighty power. But have mercy
on me, for I do so willingly.
Gohan then sent the message and smiled happily. *Love at first sight? My father
apparently fell prey to it and now so am I. Love is indeed the strongest power
in the universe.*
Later that evening, Videl read his message and grinned. Gohan was hers. She
silently thanked the powerful essence called love and for her good fortune in
finding one who loved her back...his name...Son Gohan.