Apotheosis
By: Aether of the Light
Summary: Apotheosis (noun) - the elevation of a person to the rank of a god. After defeating Bojack, Gohan contemplates the responsibility left to him by his father and makes a decision that will change the world and his life, forever.
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and all associated content and characters are the property of their respective owners. The only claim I hold are the characters that I create. No profit is being made from this work of fiction.
--------------------
A/N: Hello everyone. I'm making my grand debut to fanfiction with this work that suddenly came to me while I was riding a plane, thousands of feet up into the air. I have no idea how long it is eventually going to be, especially since this is my first work. I hope you all enjoy, and if there is anyone interested in beta reading for me, it would be much appreciated. Enough with this author note, let's get started.
Chapter One
Decisions
Son Gohan stared outside his window at the setting summer sun. An unreadable expression covered his face as he observed the last streaks of light disappear under the horizon. The rest of the Z Fighters had long since been moved out of his room and returned to their own, leaving Gohan in the hospital bed alone with his mother.
Turning his head, Gohan glanced down to his mother. She had fallen asleep at his bedside with her head resting beside Gohan's right thigh after deflecting Gohan's attempts to send her back the Son residence. She whimpered lightly in her sleep as Gohan felt her squeeze his hand a bit, an unconscious confirmation that her son was still by her side.
The nightmares had slowly died down for both remaining members of the Son family over the past couple of months. The death of Goku had taken its toll, both mentally and physically on Chi-Chi and Gohan. Gohan was beginning to grow worried. He knew that his mother was strong in will and that she would pull out of the family crisis all the better. He was more worried about final surprise his father had left to the world.
Gohan could feel the new ki signature growing within his mother's womb. He knew the effects depression and unhealthy habits could have on an unborn child. He wondered briefly when his mother would tell him about her pregnancy. He knew for a fact that she must have known about it, especially since she was at least several months pregnant.
Turning his head back to the now dark sky, Gohan reflected on the events of the past day. 'Father,' he thought idly as he observed the constellations in the sky. 'Is this what you went through protecting the Earth?' It had only been a couple of months since the Cell Games and already another threat had appeared, just as powerful as the monster Cell.
Gohan released a soft sigh as he closed his eyes. 'What if someone even more powerful comes and threatens the Earth? I won't be able to stop them. Not like this. Not with the life mom is making me live.' Opening his eyes, Gohan turned his gaze to his mother. 'I know mom isn't going to like it. It's going to shatter her dream of me becoming a scholar. But fighting is in my blood, the blood of a Saiyan.'
'Besides,' he thought to himself. 'Who else is going to protect the Earth? With my father gone, I'm the most powerful person on the planet. Piccolo is great and all, but I don't think he doesn't have the power that I do. And now that Vegeta is back to his normal self, he'd rather train and try to surpass me than protect others. Plus his arrogance and pride as the Prince of Saiyans won't allow him to 'lower himself' to my standards and protect the people of Earth,' he thought as half a smile adorned his face.
"What are you smiling at young man?" a voice asked to his side.
Gohan shook his head to rid himself of his stupor and smiled down at his mother. "Nothing mom. Just thinking," he replied.
Stretching her arms, Chi-Chi let a brief yawn loose before turning her gaze back to her son. "No, it's not nothing. I know that look on your face Son Gohan, and that usually means that you're thinking deeply about something. Now tell me, what's on your mind son?"
"My responsibility," Gohan answered as he rubbed the back of his head, trying his best to dodge his mother's advances and avoid the inevitable conversation.
"What responsibility?" Chi-Chi questioned. "You've got your studying to do at home along with your homework, and you've got your chores around the household."
"No, not that mom," Gohan said as he let go a soft sigh of defeat. "I mean the responsibility dad left me when he died. Protecting the Earth." Gohan looked his mother in the eyes and saw them narrow slightly in anger.
"Son Gohan, I thought we already had this conversation. No more training. After that monster Cell was defeated you were to go back to your studies and leave the fighting to everyone else," Chi-Chi said in a stern voice as she crossed her arms and leveled a glare at Gohan. "That was our agreement."
"Mom, we never had an agree-"
"I don't care Son Gohan," Chi-Chi cut off. "You are going to become a scholar, just like your father and I agreed. No more training, and definitely no more fighting. Understand young man?"
"But mom, fighting is in my blood," Gohan argued as he sat up in his bed, trying to get eye level with his mother. "Besides, dad never agreed to that. He wanted me to train also," he said as his gave his mother a defiant stare. "This is what I want to do."
Chi-Chi's gaze softened slightly. "What about Piccolo, or Krillen, or Tien? Why can't they protect the Earth? And what about Vegeta?" Chi-Chi argued back, trying to find something to prevent her son from becoming the warrior deep down she knew he was destined to be.
Gohan sighed lightly as he heard the desperate tone in his mother's voice. "Mom, you know as much as I do that even though Piccolo and the rest of the guys are great, they're not as powerful as I am," Gohan said trying to get her to understand his side. "As for Vegeta, you should know better than that. Vegeta has too much pride in him to do what is best for the Earth."
"Please mom," he pleaded as tears began to fill Chi-Chi's eyes. Gohan placed both his hands on his mother's shoulders. "This is what I want. This is what I'm destined to do. Just like dad."
With that, the dam broke as Chi-Chi let go a heart wrenching sob and enveloped her son in a crushing hug. "Oh, my baby. My poor boy," Chi-Chi cried into Gohan's hospital gown. "Your growing up too fast. You shouldn't have to do this."
Wrapping his arms around his mother, Gohan rested his head in the crook of her neck. "I know mom. But I have to do this. For dad."
Instead of answering, Chi-Chi let loose another heart wrenching sob as she squeezed Gohan even harder.
"Everything is going to be okay mom. I promise.
--------------------
Around a half hour later, Chi-Chi had finally recovered from her emotional breakdown and was now sitting back in her chair at Gohan's bedside, peacefully reading a book. Her eyes were slightly swollen and dried tears still covered her cheeks. Gohan noticed that one of her arms was protectively wrapped around her stomach, while the other held the book up.
"How is it?" Gohan asked suddenly, making an attempt to break the awkward silence that had descended upon the room.
"What?" Chi-Chi asked as she removed her hand from her stomach and looked up at Gohan.
"The baby," he responded as Chi-Chi's eyes widened slightly in shock. "How is the baby?"
"H-how d-did you know?" she stuttered out, obviously surprised that her son knew she was pregnant. "How did you know I was pregnant?" she asked again, this time in a stronger tone.
Gohan smiled at his mother. "I can sense ki mom. Remember?" he asked rhetorically. "I wasn't so sure of it before, because the baby's ki signature was so weak. But now I can see it clear as day."
"Gohan, I'm sorry I didn't-"
"No mom," he said cutting her off. "It's ok. I understand." Gohan covered his mother's hand with his own. "You didn't want me to worry."
Chi-Chi smiled at her sons understanding gaze and placed the book down on her lap. Taking her free hand, she caressed her stomach and looked down.
"So how is he?" Gohan asked again, this time with a bigger smile.
Chi-Chi sent Gohan a mock glare. "What makes you so sure it's a he?"
Gohan's smile widened even further as he got a mischief glint in his eyes. "Remember? I can sense his ki. And since he's so strong already, it's obvious it has to be a guy."
Gohan stared at his mother for a few seconds with the same smile before Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed in anger and she sent her son her patented death glare. "Son Gohan! How many times have I told you to be far to the ladies?" she yelled as she stood quickly from her chair, knocking her book onto the floor.
Gohan's smile disappeared as he eyes started looking around nervously, trying to find some way to get away from his enraged mother. "Mom," he said nervously looking back and forth. "I was just kidding. You know I didn't mean it like that."
"I thought I raised you better young man!" she ranted, clearly ignoring Gohan. "I always taught you to be respectful to everyone, even if they aren't as strong as you. How do you expect to find yourself a nice young lady to marry so I can have grandchildren, if you go around with this attitude that you are superior just because you are a man?"
"Mom," Gohan whined. "I was just kidding. Besides I'm too young to get married."
"That doesn't matter young man. As soon as we get home, you're grounded until you are taught some manners. I knew I shouldn't have let you go off with that man Vegeta. It's obvious he's corrupted you…" Chi-Chi said as she sat down and continued her rant.
"Great," Gohan thought to himself as he crossed his arms in annoyance. "I'm grounded again." Looking outside, Gohan observed the stars as they glistened in the night sky, ignoring his mothers continued ranting in the background.
"Are you even listening to me young man!"
--------------------
A/N: There we go. The first chapter of Apotheosis. Hope you all enjoyed. I'm not sure how often I'll be getting chapters out as I'm a college student, and as much as I love typing, my studies come first. But I'll do my best to get a new chapter out ASAP.
Remember, I need a beta if anyone is interested.
And reviews are what give writers encouragement to continue writing!
