Chapter 3: Chapter 3
So Videl, what was he like?" Erasa asked. The police and the news crew had already made it public knowledge that the new superhero had helped public favorite Videl. "I bet he's really strong, and super-cool."
"Well, he's strong I'll give him that. Being able to lift a bus full of people isn't an easy feat. But for the rest he's a complete idiot." Videl answered irately. Erasa and the media had a perfect hero image created in only a few hours and it seemed that Videl, being the only one to actually see him act stupid, knew the real deal. He was a masked clown. A very strong, flying one, but a masked clown none the less.
School had finished minutes ago and the radio broadcast about the new hero had just aired. Some of the senior citizens in the bus had told his name to the press and what it was he had done. They conveniently left out the weird posses bit, leaving the media with an image of a super-strong, masked flying hero. It was a major source of annoyance to Videl.
Then there was also the strange thing about that Gohan guy. According to Erasa he had disappeared a few minutes after Videl did to use the restroom and only got back minutes before her. When Erasa asked him about it, he said that his work had called him when he was on the way back and it took him a while to finish his business. He looked fairly honest when he said it, which meant that Sharpener's claim of him being nothing more then a delivery boy was not true. Because a delivery boy is not important enough to be called in the middle of a school day and be on the phone for almost half an hour. Being on the phone that long meant that whatever was being discussed was important and couldn't wait.
As he was flying home, Gohan thought about what had happened that day. School was going normally, Videl got a call from the cops and he followed her almost immediately. It was the first time he was assisting her in her crime fighting and it appeared he couldn't have chosen a better time to do so. First day on the job and already he had saved a few dozen lives. Good start.
Videl was also completely smashed by his poses. He knew he was too cool to be true as Saiyaman, but he didn't think he'd actually cause her to drop her jaw to the ground like that. Still it could only mean good things. When Erasa and Sharpener questioned him on being gone for so long, he said his work had called him. It wasn't actually a lie, because crime fighting was now his job, so he could tell it to them with a straight face. He just hoped he could keep up both the appearance of the superhero and the collage student.
It was now 2 months since Gohan had started being Saiyaman. He had finally built up a good rhythm with school, being a superhero and his work. He had just been given a second position by Bulma, because she was doing all his work for him and he had to do some kind of work otherwise the board of directors would have him fired. There was some help needed in one of the departments and Gohan didn't mind it all that much. Most of it was simple check up anyway. And he felt like he had to at least do something for the royal paycheck he was receiving every month.
The things at school were going great as well. The teachers were getting accustomed to him leaving when lessons had only just begun and returning very late. They were still surprised when he answered every question they asked with an answer more extensive then they could even understand(it was especially funny the first time he did it in chemistry, the teacher there was an arrogant prick according to Erasa) and score perfect on every test they he ever made. The cause of all this was very simple. His mother refused to simply let him be and constantly told him to do some homework even when he had already finished everything in class. As a result he had already done every single assignment for the rest of the year. It probably also helped that he had to learn this stuff when he was 10, but who cares? At this rate he'd be done with all the homework for the rest of his education at the end of the year.
His relation with his classmates was kind of strange. Erasa had stopped clinging to him as much as she did in the beginning, but was still always asking him to explain things. She was nice enough, but somehow reminded him of a combination of #18 and Bulma when they went to Namek. Very chatty, crazy with shopping (he had made the mistake once of going on a shopping spree with the rest of their group) and a bit of an airhead, but overall a very nice girl.
Sharpener had taken to calling him Nerd-boy instead of his real name, but Gohan didn't mind. He had earned Sharpener's respect at some point because, as much as he tried to act like a macho, he had at times asked Gohan to help him with some schoolwork. Of course, he did this when he was certain no-one was watching them. He was too busy keeping up the cool act, but had warmed up considerably to Gohan. Another thing that Gohan noticed was that on every single P.E. lesson they had where teams were involved; Sharpener first picked Gohan to join his team.
It was with Videl that his relation was most strained. She still thought him to be a coward, because of their first meeting, but she didn't exactly treat him coldly. Just different from his relation with Sharpener and Erasa. And, unlike either of them, Videl had never asked for his help with schoolwork, even though she was a bit behind in her homework. He did notice that every time he was explaining something to Erasa (Sharpener never asked in classes) she was paying more attention to what he was explaining then to the teacher. And according to some of the things a few teachers said, none of them had ever performed better before in classes.
High school wasn't so bad at all. It was a far more relaxing way of making friends then doing so because you were about to fight against some kind of maniac that was either about to kill all life on the planet, or simply blow up the planet itself.
Today would be a bit of a special day, because it was Videl's birthday. Everyone at the school (he included) had bought her a gift and a few reporters were supposed to come to the school later and interview a couple of people about Videl. Gohan was suddenly very glad he let Hercule have the glory of defeating Cell. He didn't think he could handle all this, but Videl seemed to be used to it.
"Hey Videl," he said as he approached her, "Happy birthday." With that he gave her the present he bought her and shook her hand.
"Thanks." She said, before almost tearing the paper of the gift. As she pulled out her gift, she couldn't help but grin a bit. He couldn't blame her either. Erasa had told Gohan about what Videl always got for her birthday. "Most people," she had said, "give her stuff like clothes, perfumes and jewels and stuff, but Videl doesn't like that stuff all that that much. She's as crazy with shopping as me, but she never likes all the clothes she gets for her birthday. What she does like is things to help her out with her training and fighting. She just doesn't say that and smiles politely and says thanks to everything she gets." With that she suddenly broke out into a huge smile. "And I often have a lot more clothes and jewels after Videl's birthday is passed. She doesn't like it, so she gives it to me. I love it, it's like I have two birthdays in a year."
Videl also had the habit of opening the first few packages, the ones she received from her friends and family a lot quicker then all the gifts she got from unknown people. So Gohan was glad so see her ripping apart his package so eagerly. She was grinning when she pulled out the two new fighting gloves. They were a new model, only for sale for a few days yet. There was a small bit of steal ingrained into the knuckles so a punch would strike harder. Videl had wanted to buy them immediately, but Erasa had swayed her from it, by reminding her of her birthday. Gohan had bought them for her the same day.
"So this is why Erasa wouldn't let me buy them. Thanks Gohan." She was still grinning a little mad even as she was trying them on. "Yeah, you're welcome Videl. Just try not to have to use them to quickly ok?" He still didn't like the thought of Videl fighting crime. She was just a normal human with no energy control. Unlike Krillin, Yamcha or Tien she was vulnerable to bullets. But she was as stubborn as his mother and Vegeta combined, so there was no way he was going to get her to stop.
"Oh, I see Gohan already got you your gift. Too bad, I wanted to be the first." Erasa said from behind them, putting on a fake pout. "Well anyway girl, here you go." With that she gave Videl a rather large box, wrapped up in gift-wrapping paper. The paper lasted about 3 seconds before Videl had it al torn apart, revealing a shoebox. Looking inside, Gohan and Videl both saw what Erasa had bought for Videl. A pair of sport sneaker that, according to the add, were supposed to be so light that you moved faster then ever.
"Thanks Erasa, they look pretty good." With that she leaned over and gave Erasa a small kiss on the cheek, as Sharpener walked over, also holding a gift. After Videl had torn the paper of that as well it revealed some easily attachable wrist and ankle weights. Videl gave each of her three friends a thorough 'thank you' and invited them to the party that was going to be held at her house that weekend. Her dad had invited everyone that was important so she wanted to have a few friends over as well. That way, she could have some fun as well.
Near the end of the day (after Videl had received so many gifts that even Trunks would be jealous) the news crew finally appeared. They had supposedly waited for Videl to finish her classes before starting the interview.
"Videl, how does it feel to be 18 years old" the female reporter asked.
"Exactly the same as being 17 did, only tonight I'll have gotten a sore back from getting all those presents" she answered with a small laugh.
"Yes, receiving so many gifts must be quite a burden on your back." The reporter answered. "But do you have any special plans to do this year?"
"The same as always" Videl answered, "trying to do better in school and prevent more crimes."
"So the arrival of the Great Saiyaman hasn't changed anything in your decision? He had after all been a great help in the fighting of crime lately." It was the same question they always asked these last two months and Videl was getting sick of it.
"I'll give the same answer I always give." She said, obviously irritated. "The Great Saiyaman has indeed been a good help in fighting of some of the criminals in this town, but unless he takes of his helmet there is no way I could trust a guy like him. He refuses to tell people who he is and in that, he is just like the criminals he fights."
After that the reporter asked a bunch of other questions but Gohan didn't really paid attention anymore. Videl didn't like Saiyaman at all. She often claimed things like that, but he was till wondering why. Sure Saiyaman doesn't show his face or his identity, but surely she could understand that? Just because he hid his face didn't make him any less of a good guy. Why couldn't she just understand and accept that.
"And this is the newest addition to my small group of good friends here at school." Videl said, pointing at Gohan. He hadn't been paying attention to the interview and apparently, Videl was introducing her friends. "He's a bit weird, but is a very nice guy overall. He also scores the highest marcs on the continent and, for as far as I know the entire world."
The cameraman had now focused his attention at Gohan, who was nervously scratching the back of his head while giving a weak grin.
"How did you become connected to Videl?" the reporter asked. "Videl doesn't usually get close to other people, what was different for you?"
"I don't know really." He answered, not knowing where to look. "Erasa just kind off pulled me in with the group and before I knew it, I was friends with Videl."
With that the reporter turned her attention back to Videl and fired more questions at her, Videl calmly giving answers to all of them. Gohan was glad that Bulma had kept his job a secret from the public. If she hadn't he'd have to make public statements like that all the time. The thought alone was enough to scare Gohan.
"Okay Videl." Some of the newspaper reporters said. "Now for one last shot of you and your friends, it'll make a great front page picture." With some guiding from the photographers Sharpener, Erasa, Videl and Gohan all stood together, Videl and Erasa, being shorter then the two males, in the front. Sharpener and Gohan stood back to back. Sharpener had his arms crossed again and Gohan was scratching the back of his neck. Both giving a grin at the cameras. Sharpener's grin was one filled with confidence and arrogance and Gohan's was, as always, with a bit of embarrassment. Videl and Erasa were standing in front of them. Erasa had her arms crossed over her belly, pushing her chest up a bit, and Videl was standing with one arm on her friends shoulders, giving a smile to the camera.
Several photo cameras flashed, taking the picture at almost every possible angle. This would probably be everywhere in the newspapers tomorrow.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone