Chapter I: Gohan's Decision

It had been a month since his battle against Cell and death of his father. Gohan really missed his dad. But he knew he couldn't dwell on it too much. Now the protection of the planet was his responsibility. He was currently the strongest fighter on the planet but even his current strength wouldn't be enough to protect the planet in the future. He couldn't delude himself in believing that Cell would be the last threat Chikyuu[1] ever faced. There would be more enemies in the future and they would be many times stronger than Cell. He had already realized this even before facing Cell. If he wanted protect his loved ones and keep the planet safe he had to keep training and getting stronger.

After the end of the Cell games he and his mother Chi-Chi had discussed his future. Chi-Chi wanted him to give up Martial Arts and keep studying. She wanted a normal life for him with a normal job and a normal family. But he knew that a normal life wouldn't be possible anymore, He had seen and done things that a normal kid wouldn't even dream about, fought tyrant aliens, Ego-maniacal Androids and seen the destruction of a planet. He knew what was out there in the vast universe and he couldn't hide behind his father anymore.

Getting his mother to agree with his point-of-view was a battle harder than most of his training. He knew she loved him and he loved her with everything he had. If his dad was still with them maybe he wouldn't feel the burden of the future of the planet. But we can't all have what we want. His dad was dead and he was the planet's first of line of defense. That was the reality and nothing he, his mother or anyone did would change that. After a whole night of shouting, crying and breaking things mostly on his mother's part, Chi-Chi finally agreed to let Gohan keep training only if he didn't drop his studies and become a complete muscle head like his dad and most of the Z-Warriors.

(Flashback)

Chi-Chi was worried about her only son. She knew how powerful Cell was and didn't want anything to happen to either Goku or Gohan. She was pacing around her living room waiting for any news to come through. Suddenly she heard a light sound of someone landing. She rushed towards the entrance swinging the door open with all her might screaming, "GOKU!, GOHAN!"

After she saw Gohan with Picolo instead of Goku, she was confused but the realization slowly hit her. She knew what Gohan coming back with Picolo instead of Goku meant. She slowly dropped down to her knees. Even though she knew about the afterlife and had already lived through it once it wasn't easy for her to accept it. Tears started to slowly fall down from her eyes.

After landing Gohan saw his mother rushing out of the house even before he could call out to her. He didn't know what he was going to tell her. About how her husband died saving the planet again or how her only son was going to pursue the same path as her now dead husband. He clenched his fist and hoped the she would take it better than he imagined.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked back. He saw Picolo giving him a solemn look. He knew Picolo understood his thought and he was glad he had someone beside him when he had to convey the sad news.

He saw his mother coming to a stop after taking few steps from the door. Her words coming to a sudden stop after seeing that it wasn't his father standing next to him. He saw the look of fear taking a sudden hold on her face and she slowly dropped down to her knees tears slowly flowing.

He lightly stepped towards her side and gave her the strongest hug he could manage. She didn't respond at first but slowly circled her arms around him and griped him tightly. Her tears had now started to accelerate soaking his torn Gi(Martial Wear).

He was out of words. He couldn't say anything to make this better. He knew that she understood what had happened and the necessity of it. That his father had given his life for everyone else. But even still the pain wouldn't go away.

After what seemed like an hour her tears had finally dried out. Having gotten her emotion under control she pulled out from the hug with her son. She wiped the dried out tears from her cheeks and had a good look towards her son. Even though it had only been a short while since she had seen him, he looked very different. He exuded a strong aura unlike his shy and naive disposition in the past. He had finally started to become a man.

She gave a small smile and said, "I am glad you are back safe and sound. I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you as well."

Gohan responded with a smile of his own and a nod saying, "I'm back."

After the heartfelt reunion they got off the ground and Chi-Chi ushered both Gohan and Picolo inside the house. She had cooked a lot knowing that both Goku and Gohan would be hungry after coming back. It would be a quite night for the following few days.

One week later

Gohan still hadn't approached his mother about his decision to get serious with his Martial Training. He was currently in a dense forest training. It had already been 5 hours since he first came here and the sun was starting to set. If his mother knew he sneaked off to train rather than go to the Library as he had told her she would be furious. He couldn't keep doing this, lying to her was hard and Gohan wasn't a good liar to begin with. He would definitely tell her tonight.

After coming to a stop Gohan took off his clothes and jumped into a nearby pond cleansing off all his the sweat and dirt and hand fished a huge fish. He hoped Chi-Chi hadn't started dinner. Quickly redressing Gohan took off in the speed of sound giving off a loud sonic boom.

Chi-Chi was currently in the kitchen heating up the stove. It had been a quite week. After dropping of Gohan and staying for dinner Picolo had taken off saying something about meditating.

Chi-Chi was quietly humming to herself when she heard the front door open and a loud, "I'm back!" from her son. She gave a small smile and yelled, "I'm in the kitchen!". She turned around and saw her son coming into the kitchen. "I thought you went to the Library.", she said when she saw Gohan carrying a big fish in his shoulder. "Oh, I didn't know what we had for dinner tonight so I decided to pick this up on my way back.", Gohan replied softly. Chi-Chi slowly raised one of her eyebrows and replied, "Anyhow toss that in the freezer, I'm already starting dinner".

Without any reply Gohan went to the freezer and tossed the fish inside. He slowly came back towards the kitchen table and sat down on one of the chairs. Gohan quietly waited while his mother was busy with cooking. He had decided to tell his mother after dinner so that they could have a last meal if things got too out of hand and one of them decided to walk out.

Dinner was a quite affair they didn't have much to talk about other than Gohan's studies. He kept his lies simple and believable. He may have decided to tell her his decision but it didn't mean he also had to tell her he had been lying to her.

Dinner finished too fast for his liking and now was the time to face the music as the saying goes. Chi-Chi had collected the dishes and was starting to clean them in the sink. Gohan started to softly speak. It may have been a bad idea to start when she was washing the dishes in hindsight. "Umm, Mom. I-ah. I have something to tell you."

When Chi-Chi heard her son start to speak she didn't stop cleaning the dishes and replied, "Yes, Gohan. What is it?". She wasn't really worried about what her son had to say. Maybe he wanted to buy a new book or join a school so he would be with kids he age.

"I want to train Martial Arts seriously. I have already ask Picolo to help me train and Bulma volunteerd to build me a gravity machine like the one she made for Vegeta".

When she heard this Chi-Chi suddenly stopped midway cleaning a plate. She was stunned and her anger started to flare. She griped the plate too tightly and it shattered in to pieces. She turned around in a surprising speed and yelled out, "ABSOULTELY NOT! I already have one muscle idiot in my life I will not have another".

Seeing his mother angry made Gohan's heart stop for a moment. But he couldn't back out. This wasn't just about his future. This was about something greater than him. So he replied, "But Mom. I have to do this." To which his mother said, "Why? Why? Do you have to do this? Did that green slug Picolo gave you the idea? Wasn't fighting Cell enough to show how dangerous the path of Martial Arts is?".

Gohan sloughed his shoulder a bit and kept both his hands on the kitchen table and replied, "Mom please don't call Uncle Picolo a slug. And it was not only because of Cell but also the Androids and Freeza that I have to become serious with my training. Mom please understand, now that Dad isn't here his responsibility has become mine. I have become the protector of the planet".

His Mom interrupted with a "But-". "Mom please don't lie and say things are going to be normal and we aren't in danger anymore. You know this, I know this and everyone in the Z-Warriors know it that there will always be a bigger and badder villains out there that would want to harm the planet and everyone dear to me. And I can't just stay and watch knowing I could have done something." Gohan said with a solemn look.

Chi-Chi looked like she was going to cry and just when Gohan thought he had made her see his side her temper suddenly flared again and she yelled, "NO! NO! And for the last time NO! You are not going to go back into fighting. You are going to get a good education and become a lawyer, a doctor or a scientist. You are not going to be like your father".

Gohan gave a sigh. He knew this was an uphill battle. Gohan looked into his mother's eyes and said, "Mom, I'm not saying I will give up education. I will just home school myself while training. I can just multitask. You and everyone always did say I was a genius. Now I have to prove myself."

Chi-Chi finally looked away from her son's eyes finally tears starting to fall. She knew he was right and knew he could do both. He was a genius after all. With teary eye she started say, "It's just-" and finally broke down crying.

Gohan not being able to see his Mom cry got down from his chair and gave her a hug. "I know how hard it must be for you. But like I said I have to do this. I must follow the path that is before me. Like my father was before me and maybe my child that will come after me. I must become the shield that protects everyone."

Chi-Chi couldn't say anything to persuade him anymore. She gave a small nod and said, "OK. OK. But only if you promise to never give up education and keep studying. And I will take monthly test to see if you are keeping the promise. Also ask Bulma if she can build the gravity machine near here so you won't be far away from me."

Gohan gave a small simle finally seeing his mother agree. He gave a nod and cheerfully replied, "Sure thing I will call her as soon as possible. And don't worry Mom. Education is as important to me as it is to you".

It wasn't as bad as Gohan had hoped and now he could go to sleep without worries knowing that his mother would support him in his endeavors. He hoped his father would be proud.

(Flashback End)

To be continued-

[1]Chikyuu is the Japanese word for Earth. But in this story Chikyuu is the name of the planet that Gohan and the other Z-Warriors are from not Earth.

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading. Currently I have set this as a stand alone fic but when certain arcs come into play I will change it into a crossover.

I don't have a set release schedule so please be patient. Also leave a review. I look forward to reading them.