Dragon Ball: Rise of Nitrate [DBZ/DBS X Icejin OC]

Chapter Sixteen: An Old Friend

[3rd POV]
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The first week of using his new persona proved too much for Gohan to managed -- Videl, being the ever persistent girl she was, managed to uncover the man's secret identity and confronted him. Gohan wanted to deny the claim, but due to her recognising his voice, it was impossible for him to convince her that he wasn't the masked vigilante.

Eventually, after conversing, Videl agreed to keep his hero identity a secret from the other students. In return for this, however, Gohan had to train her to become stronger. The Saiyan hybrid agreed, telling her a date and time for them to meet up and begin the first stage of her training session.

Once everything was taken care of, Gohan immediately left and decided to speak with Bulma; he wanted her opinion on the upcoming Budokai, while also having a quick talk with an old friend. He rushed towards Capsule Corp, taking almost no time at all, and landed in the front garden with a beaming smile on his face.

Gohan knocked on the door, earning the attention of both Bulma and Vegeta's servant, and entered the building. He was told that the purple-haired woman was working on a project in her lab, and so Gohan hurried down the halls of Capsule Corp with the intent on finding Bulma's lab.

[3rd POV]
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Bulma sat on the seat of her old bike. The human woman had been attempting to fix the vehicle for a while now, and the progress she'd made was beginning to build up. Bulma looked towards Gohan, who had been explained the news about the upcoming Budokai and his intentions on taking part once it began, and she seemed a little surprised.

Bulma: "Oh Yeah? So you're entering the next Budokai?"

Gohan: "Yep!"

Bulma: "... Why?"

Gohan: "Well... You see... one of my classmates is the daughter of Hercule."

This informational earned a surprised look from Bulma, as she straightened her back and placed a gloved hand on the side of her half-fixed bike. She furrowed her eyebrows up, and then stared at Gohan with a bewildered expression.

Bulma: "Hercule?! You mean that faker who kept getting in the way when you fought Cell?"

Gohan: "Yeah, but she's a nice girl. She fights to defend people, just like me, but she saw through my disguise... with my voice and stuff..."

Bulma understood, and offered to improve the helmet so it would alter Gohan's voice when worn, but the young man explained that such a feature wouldn't work for a Budokai because the rules didn't allow items that could be used as protection in the fights. This included his favourite helmet.

He needed a different headwear to disguise himself from the onlookers. This prompted Bulma to search through her drawers, eventually uncovering an old cloth which she handed to Gohan with a smirk. The Saiyan hybrid smiled before wrapping the white cloth around his head. Trunks watched from the side-lines, cringing inwardly, as Bulma and Gohan began congratulating each other for the idea.

Gohan: "Oh, of course! What a simple solution! What do you think, Trunks? Do I look cool?"

Trunks: ". . .No comment."

Bulma: "It must be boring when you know you'll win by a huge margin no matter what-"

???: "Is it, indeed?"

The familiar voice of Prince Vegeta called out from the hall. He wore a confident grin that stretched past the base of his nose, and his brows were narrowed dangerously low as to emphasise how serious he was. Gohan couldn't help but gulp at the ominous glare Vegeta sent in his direction, the aura of power and authority proving difficult to withstand.