Princess Celestia was checking in every single book she had hoping to find the solution for Gohan and Videl's problems. But not a single one of them mentioned anything about dimensional travel or the country of Japan. And according to her letters, Twilight hadn't found anything neither. Everything indicated that Japan doesn't exist, or at the very least, doesn't exist in their world.
...
Gohan sighed and confronted his public. The Crusaders obtained the permission to train martial arts with Gohan and Videl, but only if they didn't train in the Everfree forest. So after discuss it for a bit, they decided to practice near at the Cutie Mark Crusader's club house; it wasn't as well hidden but at least they had a lot of terrain and hardly anypony would come to bother them. Or that's what Gohan hoped for because that day, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle decided to watch the little fillies training. And after siging a second time, the young Saiyan spoke to the girls:
"Very well, from now on Videl and I'll teach you the basics of martial arts. It's a very difficult and hard training but I hope you three can handle it." Scootaloo crossed her hooves confidently.
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders can handle anything" she announced proudly.
The grown-ups laughed silently. Videl approached the fillies ready to start.
"Very well girls, I'll be your first teacher. Gohan's techniques are too advance for you, so I'll teach you the most basic things first. When we finish the first half of this class, Gohan can teach you something advanced but first, let's warm up our body. We're gonna run three times around all Sweet Apple Acres. And to before any of you think about taking any shortcuts, Gohan and I'll be running with you. Start!"
The fillies moaned but obediently started to run behind Videl and in front of Gohan. Rainbow Dash giggled and decided to have an air view for the show. The girl's resistance was amazing, but Gohan and Videl's was even more so. Still, after finishing the race, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were tired but ready for more training. Videl grinned and commanded them to do fifty push ups, fifty pull ups and fifty crunches. They were exhausted but Videl wasn't ending yet.
"So now it's time to start with the martial arts. Like Gohan said, this is going to be not only very hard and difficult training; but also very long and exhausting. If somepony still think this is going to be easy, please retire now."
The fillies stayed, so Videl smiled. "Good. Now, let's practice your coordination. Coordination is vital for martial artists, who have to transform their bodies into a weapon. So practice this combination." Videl started to throw punches and kicks to the air combining left punch right kick; left kick right punch. And changed: giving a punch to the left with her right hoof and one to the right with her left hoof. "Twenty repetitions, then we level up. If I hear any complain, you're free to go, but never bother us again asking for training."
The girls nodded and Videl started to watch their moves. She was a very strict teacher who didn't allow any mistakes. The mane six were amused, the sweet Videl was more serious and stern than anypony imagined. And Gohan was only watching but he seemed to be really concentrating on the girl's movements. A couple of times he gently corrected Sweetie Belle showing her how she had to move.
One time, Apple Bloom was punched by Sweetie Belle, but Videl didn't allow to stop their training for something like that. "You're gonna be martial artists, if you don't stand this in training how you're going to manage it into a real fight?" she asked sternly.
Thirty minutes of hard training, Videl raised a hoof to stop them.
"All right, I can see you three are good learners. Very well, let's move to the next exercise"
The girls nodded and Videl took a few sacks filled with sand she prepared the last night. "What I need you to do is to use combinations on these sacks. I don't care how fast you do it or how hard are your punches. What I want to see is the use of combinations."
"All right Miss Videl" the fillies shouted and started once again.
"Oh man, this is boring" complained Rainbow Dash.
Videl look at her calmly.
"I'm sorry but like I said, you're free to go".
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. I wanted to see an amazing fight since the two of you are so great martial artists."
Videl grumbled.
"Sorry I disappointed you but we're here to teach the girls how to practice martial arts correctly. Anyway, if you suggest someone to be my opponent, I'll happily give you a demonstration of my ability." Rainbow Dash grinned and adopted a fighting position.
"Well, I'm a black belt in karate, so here I am. Teach me what kind of martial artist you are."
Videl gave a respectfully bow to her opponent and then, she threw herself trying to punch her in the face. Rainbow put her two front hooves to protect herself from the attack. She stopped Videl's punch not understanging that it was a distraction, so she couldn't react when Videl gave her a kick in one of her wings. That only made Rainbow angry and tried to kick Videl in the face, but her attack was quickly dodged and Videl took her chance to kick her in her other wing. Rainbow was going to attack once again and Videl started launching powerful kicks again and again preventing Rainbow from attacking by forcing her to maintain her defense. Then, Videl started to combine punches and kicks attacking every possible angle. Finally Rainbow managed to get rid of Videl by jumping back and tried to use a flying attack. That was a terrible idea, as soon she extended her wings, a terrible pain spread all over her body. Rainbow Dash felt on the ground giving Videl the opportunity to finish the fight with a powerful kick. Rainbow Dash fell, Videl had won.
Applejack giggled happily. "Wow, what a beat down, Dashie."
"Are you alright?" asked a worried Fluttershy.
"And she couldn't touch Videl even once" mumbled Twilight completely shocked.
Nopony, with the exception of Gohan, could believe how easily Rainbow was defeated. The Pegasus moaned painfully, that was really humiliating. Then Videl commanded order. "Very well, we showed you already, so it's time to continue training. How about those combos?"
"But Miss Videl, we're so tired" moaned Sweetie Belle.
Rarity walked to the warriors. "That's right my darlings, they've been doing this exhausting exercise the whole day, it's time for them to rest for a while. They're still children."
Videl grumbled. "Excuse me, but I was younger when I started my hard training, so you can't tell me…" Gohan put a hoof on her shoulder calmly.
"I know you're right Videl, but see them, they're already tired. Let's start with the advanced training so they can rest."
Fillies and grown mares saw each other confused.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Excuse my ignorance, but how are they' gonna rest if they're learning some advance techniques?"
Ignoring her, Gohan sat on meditation position. "Very well girls, I need you to sit in this pose or whatever is the most comfortable one for you, but don't fall asleep, Ok? To master the most powerful techniques it's necessary to concentrate and control your Ki or Vital Energy. I told Videl to make you tired because it's easier to meditate when you're tired. So let's start: want I want you to do is to try to relax and concentrate. Close your eyes if it's better for you but DO NOT fall asleep"
The fillies obeyed but didn't seem to understand. Meditation? What does it have to do with the powers they saw? But still they knew they had to listen to Gohan.
"Pay attention to your breath, your hearthbeat, whatever in your bodies. You have to find the source of ot all, that Energy. And that's Ki."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders started the meditation, still if they didn't fully understand what Gohan meant.
Applejack approached to Twilight. "Hey Twily, do ya' know what is he talking about?"
The unicorn nodded. "Like he said, it's the internal energy of every living thing. It's an old term that almost nopony knows. I'm surprised to see a teenager who understands it."
The rest nodded while they saw the Crusaders meditating. They knew them too well to know if it wasn't for Videl who pushed them to the limit, they'd dropped the whole thing already. It was when they felt a powerful energy coming from… Gohan? No, it can't be. The Crusaders felt the energy but instead of getting confused, they felt more motivated to continue. Gohan smiled to himself, it was risky to show that to the adults but he really wanted to the fillies to find their internal power. He had to motivate his students more and more.
After an hour they finished the lesson. Nopony knew it yet, but the fillies started to feel something inside them. The grown ups stppd apart talking to each other leaving them to meditate alone, but after the lesson they said goodbye to Gohan and Videl. Rainbow Dash was still angry for the beat down but that only just.
"Mr. Gohan, can we practice our Ki by ourselves or only when we're training here with you?" Asked Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
Gohan smiled. "Anytime you want, the more you practice the better you'll be. Remember you have to find your Ki before I teach you the real advanced techniques."
The fillies thanked Gohan and everypony went back home.
"So, what you guys think about the training?" Asked Twilight to her friends.
Applejack giggled. "Interesting, specially the part when Videl used Rainbow Dash to mope the floor."
Rainbow Dash grumbled. "I'm out of shape".
"Don't feel sad Rainbow Dash, Videl has a Cutie Mark in martial arts after all" said Pinkie hopping around without a care.
Rarity was thoughtful. "What I don't understand is that Ki stuff. What kind of techniques can you learn using meditation only?"
Twilight smiled. "Rarity, meditation has being a vital part of martial arts since the beginning. Even a few books tell stories about some kind of masters who could learn powerful and devastating techniques using only…"
"Only what?" asked Fluttershy.
"Only their Ki" said Twilight shocked. "But it can't be. The book was about some bizarre stuff like earth-ponies who could fly, or even shoot pure energy blasts from their hooves"
They all laughed. It can't be possible after all. They couldn't imagine the Cutie Mark Crusaders learning something as dangerous as energy blasts or stuff like that.
...
The days passed quickly. The Crusaders used every single moment they had to meditate and try to find their Ki. The good news were that neither the mane six nor anypony else stopped to watching the training, it wasn't anything strange after all… or at least not yet. Other good thing was the three of them started to get used to the exhausting physical training from Videl and became stronger. Gohan also showed them his powers from time to time to motivate them to keep going.
And it worked better than he had thought possible. At school, they ate their lunches quickly and dedicated the rest of the recess to control their Ki; they practiced the Ki during the training with Gohan and finally before going to sleep. The older ponies were surprised they were so serious about that martial arts stuff, but they let them be. It was an amazing progress and they were so stunned and proud the day they started to feel other ponies Ki. It was amazing.
And then one day, it happened. It wasn't unusual that Diamond Tiara came to tease them while they were meditating, in an always frustrated attempt to break the concentration with irritating comments and questions. And that day, during the attempt, the three Crusaders felt a spark coming out of their hooves. Diamond Tiara ran in fear.
Apple bloom was amused. "Girls, did you see it?" she asked trying the better to keep calm and maintain the spark.
Sweetie Belle smiled very excited. "Now we can learn the best things from mister Gohan"
"And obtain our Cutie Marks in martial arts" finished Scootaloo.
They couldn't continue because Miss Cherilee came to see what scared Diamond Tiara, but didn't find anything. The Cutie Mark Crusaders hide their Ki until the training hardly able to wait to show Gohan.
He was waiting happily as always and seemed really excited when the fillies showed him their Ki aura. "Girls, this is great. But you have to hide your enthusiasm. Remember what I told you: if you truly want to learn the advanced, you have to learn not only to find your Ki, also control it.
Scootaloo moaned. "But …"
The saiyan shook his head. "I told you girls, those are very destructive techniques. I can't risk any of you destroying your homes or hurting somepony you love. I have to be sure you control your Ki before I can teach you anything of my special attacks."
Scootaloo had to admit Gohan was right. But Sweetie Belle approached silently. "But Mr. Gohan… you told us you'll teach you us a special technique as soon as we three found our Ki and we already found it. Besides we can feel the presence of other ponies. So please…"
"You did tell them" added Videl.
Gohan smiled. "I know and I'll keep my promise. This isn't an attack technique, but is very useful and will help you three to completely master your Ki sooner."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders screamed happily.
"All right, Scootaloo, you're a Pegasus but I ask you to learn this as well because of what I said before. So everypony, who wants to learn how to fly?"
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other really excited. Scootaloo agreed but not as excitedly as her friends.
So they started the lesson for that day. They concentrated and tried to release their Ki aura in some way they could use it to rise in the air and fly properly. Scootaloo tried to flap her wings to help a little, but Videl made sure she doesn't do that. At the end of that day of training, the three of them could raise a couple of meters from the ground and maintain it for at least a few minutes. And the girls, exhausted but happy, returned to their homes more excited than any other day before.
Gohan was smiling when Videl embraced him. "You're having fun, aren't you?"
He nodded. "It's because somehow I feel like I'm back home when I'm training them. I remember the time when I trained with Goten and my dad and everything was normal (or normal for us). I miss them, Videl.
She sat down and nodded. "Don't worry Gohan. I miss them too but we have to be patient and wait for the help the Princess offered us."