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Chapter 8: Outlook
Gohan watch silently as every around him tossed out greetings to his father enthusiastically. He thought he should be doing the same but… he just didn't feel it. His dad was finally back, and that was great, but did his father even really want to be there? He was always leaving and staying away longer than necessary. Part of him wanted to run up and latch onto his father and not let go but there was another part that was afraid to. Like he didn't want to get attached to someone he knew would be gone at the first opportunity.
"Hi guys! How in the world did you know I was going to be here?" Goku asked drawing everyone's attention. Bulma was quick to answer as she had been drawn to the questions surrounding the teenager she didn't yet know was her son.
"This guy told us, he's a mystery man. I think he might be a fan of yours Goku." She stated. Gohan rolled his eyes, thankfully no one was paying attention to him. Honestly though did they think everything revolved around his father?
"He knew you were coming Goku." Yamcha stated after Bulma finished. Goku's attention turn to Trunks, and Gohan stance shifted slightly in Trunks's direction in a protective move only Piccolo noticed. Gohan could feel Piccolo's eyes on him but ignored the feeling as he watched his father size Trunks up. It was unnerving now that he knew Trunks was younger than him and part of his extended family. Trunks was true to his heritage though and met Goku's stare with one of his own.
"But how?" Goku questioned looking curious instead of suspicious. The others looked surprised despite the fact Trunks had already told them he'd never met Goku. So Gohan was sure to stay close to Trunks. Not that he thought anyone would attack Trunks, or even that they could hurt him, it was just instinct toward a younger family member. One he didn't even have to think about.
"He knew the exact time and place of your arrival Goku." Bulma stated gesturing towards Trunks.
"But that's impossible we've never even met." Goku said confused.
"Well that's what he said but he must have been tracking your ship in outer space." Bulma confessed her assumption. Gohan saw Trunks look down out of the corner of his eyes and felt bad for his little cousin again. This had to be hard for Trunks, he had jumped back in time too but he'd slipped into his own body, everyone already knew him and trusted him, Trunks had no such luck. Granted Trunks wouldn't be here nearly as long as him.
"Really?" Goku asked not sounding convinced of Bulma's guess. "Well I don't know, Frieza tried to do that, but I could sense his power level as he passed me." Goku confessed in a pose that looked like a three year old in thinking mode. "He sure was in a hurry to beat me home."
"But, my gosh, what in the world happened here you guys? Who defeated Frieza? You Piccolo? Or was it you Vegeta?" Goku asked turning to Piccolo and Vegeta with his questions. Gohan was thankful he hadn't shown enough of his powers on Namek to make his father think of him, though at the same time it was a bit insulting to not even be counted.
"Neither of us did. It was this guy. He did it with ease." Piccolo answered him thankfully as Vegeta would have probably said something rude and most likely hurtful towards Trunks. "He turned into a super saiyan and picked him apart." Piccolo finished and Goku's attention went back to Trunks.
"What?... A super saiyan?" Goku questioned though not nearly as suspicious as Vegeta. More curious than anything. Though Gohan nervously kept his eyes on everyone and his smaller body still posed subtly to protect Trunks even though he knew it wasn't needed.
"I can't believe it. That's outstanding. Can you imagine, a super saiyan at his age? That's fantastic!" Goku exclaimed looking happy. Probably thinking of what a challenge Trunks could be. But at least he wasn't doubting Trunks. Was his dad proud of him when he became a super saiyan too? Gohan mentally questioned.
"Hey! Aren't you forgetting something? You, your son and I are the only saiyans still alive." Vegeta having finally had enough shouted over. Goku looked back at Trunks who still hadn't said a word.
"Hmm, well if he says he's a super saiyan then that's good enough for me." Goku stated opening. Gohan blinked at him dumbly. On one hand he was glad his father wasn't jumping Trunks for answers or tearing into him like Vegeta… on the hand was his father really that easy?
"Oh honestly Goku you take things way too lightly sometimes." Bulma stated sounding almost as exasperated as Gohan felt.
"No I don't." Goku stated like he really believed it. Gohan had the strong urge to smack his own face at that and just barely stopped himself. He notice Trunks smile at Goku's statement though, and that brought his tension down a bit.
"Goku? Could I have a word with you?" Trunks finally spoke bring everyone's attention to him instead of just talking about him while he was standing there. He was starting to feel like he had actually made himself invisible.
"With me?" Goku questioned.
"Yes, just the two of us." Trunks asked pointing somewhere a little further away.
"Alright then." Goku said putting on a more serious face and started walking with Trunk away from the others. Yamcha was of course the first to complain. Goku just said it was okay though and he and Trunks flew a little ways away. Gohan was annoyed with Yamcha but ignored his father's friend's pouting and sat down to wait.
He watched as Trunks and his father turned into super saiyans and played a bit, testing each other. It seemed to be going just as last time. The only unnerving part was when he felt Piccolo's eyes focus on him. Did Trunks notice something different about him, say something, and put the last pieces together for Piccolo? Or was he still gathering information?
Piccolo was listening intently to Goku's conversation with the teen he now knew was named Trunks. When he heard that Gohan had been the last one to survive he studied his young friend again. Could he be? Piccolo wondered briefly. Though Trunks soon said Gohan had died later but the thought wouldn't leave Piccolo alone. Could Gohan have escaped and somehow made his way to the past? That would explain a lot. Filing questions about Gohan away for later Piccolo continued listening.
Once Trunks blasted off everyone ran over to Goku, but Gohan and Piccolo followed in the back not as curious as the others. It was a subtle clue that no one seem to notice.
"So what he say?" Krillen was the first to ask the question everyone wanted to know. Except Piccolo who heard every word and Gohan who could guess the main content.
"Uh, oh well, nothing important really." Goku stated rubbing the back of his head looking nervous. He was a terrible liar Gohan noted. Everyone looked confused at Goku's dismissal.
"That's funny it all sounded pretty important to me." Piccolo said eyeing Goku. He father jumped in surprise.
"Uuh, really? You heard it all!?" Goku questioned a little worried about accidently betraying his new friend.
"My ears do more than just frame my face you know Goku." Piccolo stated blandly and Gohan smirked. Piccolo rarely made a joke.
"Oh come on, what's so important that you can't tell us Goku?" Bulma asked as everyone seem to overlook he was just about to lie to all of them.
"Well I can't really say." Goku stated looking a bit guilty. Gohan was a little proud that his father was protecting Trunks. He remembered all this from the first time around but it was almost like a whole new experience seeing it with all the facts.
"Alright, that's fine, but if you won't I will." Piccolo stated as fact.
"But gosh you heard." Goku pleaded.
"Don't worry Goku. I won't say anything that would endanger your friend." Piccolo's eyes briefly glanced at Gohan before he turned to Goku. "But we deserve a chance to change our destinies, all of us, not just him." Piccolo said turning back to the group.
"Destinies?" Bulma questioned so softly it was obviously not a direct question.
Piccolo went on to explain everything though thankfully leaving Trunks's name and lineage out of it. Gohan thought more on his own future as Piccolo retold him what it could have been. He could have been the only one left. He remember what he'd felt the first time he'd heard that, he was terrified that he'd be left alone after watching everyone he knew die.
Yamcha was skeptical of course that was mostly because he didn't want to believe it. In the end Gohan knew they all would train. After all what else could they do? At the end of Piccolo's explanation Gohan sensed Trunks and looked to the air a bit before the others. They all watched as Trunks disappeared in his time machine back to his future.
Gohan felt a bit depressed as he sensed Trunk's energy disappear. He'd waited so long to see Trunks again partly because he needed to know if he screwed up the timeline but also because he was beginning to feel alone, keeping his secret. Trunks may not know about him but… he still was closer to the Trunks he knew before, and had been through something similar. However with the way Piccolo kept looking at him Gohan was sure he'd have someone to talk to soon.
After Goku finished telling everyone how he got off Namek. Everyone wanted to see the new 'tricks' his Father had learned. Gohan rolled his eyes as everyone but Vegeta and Piccolo gathered closer to Goku looking like Christmas came early. He wanted to see this too though. His Father never taught him the instant transmission for some reason and if he'd had that technique he could have used it instead.
He had heard from one of the stories about his Father that he sometime could replicate techniques after seeing them used even just once, like with the Kamehameha beam. So Gohan watched closely and tried to sense what his Father's energy was doing. As Goku disappeared Gohan felt a bit of how the power flowed and then shot off towards Master Roshi's before Goku returned in the same way. He wasn't sure he could replicate it but he would try it later when he was alone.
The six year old just wasn't sure who to practice it on, as his Father just said it would be easier to transmit to someone with a lot of life energy. Unfortunately everyone like that was friends of his parents… maybe he could practice on Kame or Mr. Popo? He'd have to find time to go there though…
Gohan was pulled out of his thoughts as Bulma got louder arguing about trying to take out Dr. Gero before the andriods were released. His Father may have a moral point about Gero not releasing the andriods yet but it wasn't like he hadn't made other ones, not the mention the old Red Ribbon Army. So he agreed with Bulma though he wasn't confident he could find Gero's lab without being noticed and that might make everything just happen earlier when none of them are ready to fight. The dragon balls might have worked as Bulma suggested but… he didn't really want to use them to kill. It just felt wrong.
Krillen was showing more confidence with them all being in it together but Gohan was pretty sure it was just the glasses Goku gave him after stealing them from Master Roshi. Then he heard what Krillen said about staying on Vegeta and Piccolo's good side to Bulma.
"I get it. You're saying you don't want to get beaten up." Gohan stated bluntly without even thinking. After it was out of his mouth he remembered saying it last time, he really hoped that doing that wasn't some sort of omen that things wouldn't change. Of course thinking about Trunks he disregarded the thought; everything could change.
"Gohan, cool it, you're crampin' my style." Krillen replied. Gohan rolled his eyes but didn't comment; that was definitely that sun glasses talking. He couldn't help but to hide a grin though when Bulma said his Father looked like a cheerleader, he was trying very hard not to laugh at the look on his Father's face. Only Bulma could knock his Father down a peg without even trying.
After that everyone started leaving with the intent to train and gather again in three years. Vegeta took off first, apparently with Trunks turning into a super saiyan Vegeta never noticed his tail, so Gohan just gave a small smile and wave to Tien and Chiaotzu as they left next.
"Piccolo I need a training partner, so… what do ya say? It would make Gohan happy." Goku asked. Gohan looked up at his name. He wasn't sure he wanted to train with Piccolo as his sensei already seemed suspicious of him. Though he couldn't really say anything because he didn't want to change the timeline any more than he had to and… well how could he really refuse Piccolo without it looking weird or mean to his friend.
"Alright then. I'm in." Piccolo stated though Gohan was sure the Namek glanced at him briefly before agreeing. The little saiyan was sure Piccolo intended to use the training to figure him out. He mentally sighed at the extra worry but smiled towards Piccolo. He always liked hanging out with the Namek and even if Piccolo did figure him out maybe it would be a relief.
However Krillen and Yamcha politely refused to train with Goku; before Gohan didn't notice but now he could hear the excuses. He was sure that his Father's friends already knew they didn't have a chance to keep up. Yamcha actually admitted it. Gohan felt a little bad about it but there wasn't really anything he could do.
"Oh and hey Bulma, I hope you have a healthy baby!" Goku called out to Bulma when his Father, Piccolo and him took off. Gohan felt his anger spike at his Father's risk of Trunks for a parting comment. He knew it wouldn't have an effect, it hadn't before, but now that he knew what his Father meant and that it referenced Trunks it made him angry. Piccolo glanced at him, as his aura must have changed but Gohan didn't look at either of them the whole way back. Afraid Piccolo would ask or that he'd snap at his Father without being able to explain why.
By the time they got back Gohan wasn't mad anymore and when his Father was being yelled at by his Mom for saying Gohan needed to train with him, well Gohan actually felt sorry for his Dad.
"I don't want our son growing up without an education like his Father did! Is that so wrong!?" Chichi yelled and then turned away dramatically with her face in her hands. "Honestly all of the pain and torment I go through just because I want the best for my little boy." His mother said into her hands as if she was going to cry. Gohan didn't know if he should feel bad or back away because that sounded just a little over dramatized. His Dad of course fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
"Gee, I never knew you felt so strongly about it Chichi…" Goku looked like he actually felt bad but continued. "but look Gohan wants to go." He gesture to Gohan. The little saiyan stepped back though and just in time too as his Mother growled.
"Absolutely not, no way, and that's final!" she yelled with each step coming closer.
"But… are you trying to tell me Gohan's studies are more important than saving the Earth?" Goku questioned confused, even with Chichi in his face. Gohan fought a smirk thankful neither of them were looking at him; his Father really should know the answer to that one by now.
"That's right mister! There is nothing more important than Gohan's studies right now! If Gohan takes three years off he'll fall behind!" Chichi yelled at Goku. Gohan frowned and shifted nervously, he hated it when his parents fought over him; it always felt like his fault. That was until he realized what was about to happen.
"Aw, relax Chichi." Goku stated happily patting his wife's shoulder 'gently'. Chichi was thrown with forcefully from the 'gentle' pat. Gohan moved as fast as he could and grabbed his Mom around the middle and pulled her back to the side and on top of himself just before she would have hit, and gone through the wall.
The house shook as he hit the ground from the momentum though he was grateful that he was on the bottom and broke his Mother's fall. And that she hadn't ended up going through the wall… and the tree… and into the boulder like last time. Gohan twitched and sat up slowly as his Mom's head was on his small chest and she was clinging to him.
Gohan hugged her head with his little arms and glared at his Father over the top of her head. It didn't last long though as he could see the shocked look on his Father's face.
"Oh no! What have I done, I've been in space so long I don't know my own strength!" Goku sputtered snapping out of his shock and coming to them. Gohan glared a little longer but stopped once his Father was there. His Mother was scary, yes, but he loved her. Every time his Father left his Mother was there for him. Even if she always wanted him to study he believed she really did do it because she thought it was what was best for him.
"Mommy?" Gohan questioned petting his Mom's hair gently. She lessened her grip on his armor but otherwise didn't move. "Are you okay, Mommy?" Gohan asked keeping with the childish endearment to comfort her. He heard her let out a breath before looking to him.
"Yes sweetie, thank you for catching Mommy." Chichi answered giving him a small smile but not yet looking at Goku. Gohan smiled back and started helping her up and off him.
"Chichi, I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to… I guess I'm not used to the gravity on Earth yet…" Goku trailed off not knowing what else to say but putting his hand under her fore arm to help her up very carefully, to not make the same mistake twice. She didn't look at him but sighed. Maybe letting Gohan train a bit wouldn't be too bad, after all someone had to catch her or that would have really hurt.
"Listen Goku, I'll let Gohan train with you but I want him to try and study too. I don't think that's unreasonable, I mean a boy his age can't spend every day rough housing. He needs an education and I want to make sure he gets one. Have I made myself clear?" His Mother stated as she sat resting from her scare on one of the kitchen chairs. Gohan let out a breath, relaxing.
He was proud he was able to catch his Mom and save her, and now it seems she was compromising. He knew by tomorrow he'd be facing both his Father and Piccolo in training. He could already sense Vegeta training on the edge of his senses. The six year old had already decided that he would keep his power level down while training with them. It would improve his technique and training in his base form would push his body further. Which was partly why he'd been doing it in his training room.
Now though if he wasn't completely dead tired from training with his Father and Piccolo he would train his super saiyan form in his train room since the room made him almost un-sensible, unless someone was looking for him. Even then though they would only sense maybe half his power.
AND CUT! "Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." ~Pearl S. Buck
Next chapter the story will be moving more and further from the episodes
