Author's Note: Back again for chapter 2! Hope you liked the first one. This chapter is now going to feature the Gohan and how the new climate of paranoid emotions from the humans is going to affect him and his friends. This chapter is going to be a little short though. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ or the song Surfin Bird
Chapter 2: Fueled By Fire
'What is everyone staring at?' Son Gohan thought as he was walking down the street. His arms were crossed his chest, and he was breathing heavily. It was cold and snowing outside. His breath was shown it warm mist in the icy thick air. As uncomfortable as it was out in the snowy streets of West City, it was nothing compared to the uncomfortable looks he was getting from the people that was walking about. Some of them only took quick glances at him then looked away, trying to ignore. Some folks had look of nervousness in their eyes and tried their best to avoid him at all cost, even crossing the busy snow covered street trying to get away from him. Others just simply turned to one another and whispered to one another saying "Hey there's one of those guys! You know, the ones form the tournament." But the ones that really got to Gohan were the ones that stared pure hate at him. Some of the stares were so intense and brutal, that he felt as if they can make him crumble if he looked them directly in the eye. Of course they can't do anything to him; after all he is Son Gohan. But it was because he was Son Gohan that they stared death at him.
It had been like this for a whole three years now. Everyone had become suspicious of anything out of the norm ever since the cell games took place. Any and everything that appeared strange or abnormal to them was looked upon with disdain and since the cell games were televised everyone knew who the Z Fighters were. The fighters no longer had normal lives. Gohan was barely able to get around without people looking at him like head tentacles growing out of his head. His mother also had a hard time enrolling Gohan at the high school he was currently attending. The principal was worried for the safety of the faculty and other students at the school. To top it all off the high school was located in Satan city. Everywhere he looked he saw pictures of Hercule Satan, on every building and on every poster. Hell, they even had a statue of the man in the town square, the very man who lied and took credit for the victory that Gohan sacrificed his arm and his father for. Whenever Gohan looked upon the tall statue all he could remember is the figure of a man cowering behind a rock with the news crew and the woman of the week he was dating. It almost made Gohan wonder if fighting cell was worth all the emotional pain him and his family was subjected to.
He turned around the corner to a medium sized store he was sent to by his mother. They were getting threats and prank phone calls for the last couple of years and his mother thought it would be nice to get some much needed protection. Protection? Who would be foolish enough to try and harm his family? Gohan didn't think they needed a firearm, after all he was there at that was all the protection they needed. But Chi-Chi insisted on getting especially since his three year old brother was in the house and Gohan couldn't watch them all the time.
Gohan got to the front of the store and looked up at the sign on top of the building. "Abel's Hunting and Firearms." He read aloud to himself. He then opened the door and looked around the shop overwhelmed. "Whoa, look at this place it's like a military bunker." He said with a whistle as he gazed at around the shop. Gohan walked up to the counter in front. He heard a radio in the back room of the store playing Surfin Bird by the Trashmen. He hit the bell that was positioned on the counter for customers a couple of times before he heard someone in the back say "I will be out in a minute!" as a shuffle noise came out of the room.
A man in a worn green camouflage jacket smelling of liquor and a scar on the upper left corner of his head approached the counter with a smile that soon faded away slowly. The man looked the teenager up and down and finally said "Is there something I can help you with….sir?" "I am guessing your Mr. Abel the owner of the store. I was looking for some protection for my family and I was wondering, if there was anything you could recommend." Gohan said. Benil Abel was silent for a few second then put on the fakest smile that he could muster and replied "Sure kid. Let's see what we got for you." Benil bent down and took a gun from the display case and put it on the counter. "This here is a revolver, ready to load, ready to shoot." Benil said while picking up the gun. He picked up the gun and pointed it at Gohan. Gohan was getting very uncomfortable feeling from Benil. Benil then pulled the trigger on the empty gun making an ominous click. "See? Ready to load, ready to shoot. Yep this can put a whole in anyone….or anything." Benil said, while looking at Gohan with his drunken blood shot eyes. Benil then walked over to the other side of the room and took another device off of the wall. "What we got here is a flame thrower. It shoots flames over 17 feet completely covering its target." Benil said while looking at Gohan with sinister eyes. "Yep over 17 feet of destruction fueled by fire." Benil said with a whisper as if he was talking to himself. Gohan now felt he was entering dangerous territory with this man. "I'm sorry but I think a flame thrower is a bit much for me to have. Gohan said while backing up from the intoxicated man. "Are you sure son? This thing can get rid of any threat. Say for instance a guy with golden blonde hair and fire shooting out of his hands, eyes and ass try to hurt you and your family. You can use this baby to cook that bastard to a nice crunchy crisp. You know what they say fight fire with fire." Benil said with vitriol. Gohan walked slowly towards the door and said "You know what? I don't think we need anything here. Thanks for your service Mr. Abel." He then promptly left the store and the intense encounter with the owner.
Benil walked out of the store door and said to Gohan as he walked down the side walk "Come Back to Abel's Hunting and Firearms, where everyone is welcome…..even you."