Every day, Gohan woke before the sun rose over the horizon to go through his katas and meditate followed by breakfast. He would then either spar with Roshi or perform some type of job that the old master had set up. They usually required him to help people deal with dangerous tasks. Like helping a farmer bring his crops through the dino infested wastelands, or working alongside the police on patrol.
The use of ki was forbidden, save for the most extreme of circumstances, which meant that he had to use both his skills and his brain to solve some of the issues. He was still leaps and bounds ahead of anyone he encountered, but the practice helped him solidify his grasp of techniques. For three weeks he kept up this pace, until one day Bulma declared that the ship was done. They were ready for Namek.
Now Gohan stood before the restored Namekian ship, his hair trimmed into a bowl cut at his mother's insistence. He was able to keep his gi on, thankfully, after explaining that there was probably not going to be a need for his Sunday best. Krillin arrived in jeans and a t-shirt, hat on his head and bag at the ready. Bulma was the only one in a space suit, the annoyance on her face was hard to miss.
"Make sure you don't eat any strange food."
"I won't, mom."
"And make sure you get plenty of rest."
"I will, mom."
Chi-Chi could only watch as he little boy stood on the ship's platform, ready to raise into its bowels and shoot of into space. She wanted to grab him and smother him in a hug until all thoughts of leaving left him, but she restrained herself. In the last three weeks she'd seen a sliver of what he was capable of as a martial artist. It helped soothe her anxieties to know that her little boy can defend himself, but she still would rather he didn't have to. She took solace in the fact that he didn't enjoy fighting on the same level as his father, he would not turn into a martial arts bum. Not on her watch, anyway. With one final wave, she watched her son disappear into the alien ship, eyes blurring from the tears gathering.
Gohan marveled at the ship. He'd never seen anything like it, an assortment of flashing lights and sounds that threatened to overwhelm him. There were only three rooms, counting the cockpit they were in. He'd have plenty of time to explore them, as the journey was projected to take weeks.
Krillin broke him from his gaze with a small nudge, "Amazing isn't it? Just a few weeks ago this thing was covered in moss and could only understand Namekian. Goes to show you that despite their personalities, they really are geniuses."
"What was that?!"
Gohan and Krillin flinched as they turned to face a frowning Bulma, "Eh, I was just saying how lucky we are to have such a brilliant scientist as a friend."
"Humph, I thought so. Now sit down, strap in, and shut up." She brushed past and took her seat at the helm, while Gohan and Krillin exchanged a sigh of relief before following suit. Gohan barely got himself strapped in before the ship lurched skyward, pressing him against the seat as his innards seemed to fly into his throat. It was a novel sensation, nothing like flying as he was used too. The observation window streaked blue for just a moment before the ship escaped Earth's orbit, thrusting them into the void that is space.
The novelty of space travel quickly wore thin, so that left the five year old to explore the rest of the ship. He quickly found that the room to the back was Bulma's and strictly off limits unless it was an emergency. The other room held a number of capsules filled with rations and supplies. Bulma pointed out a set of capsules that held training supplies for the two of them. Weights, equipment, gloves, headgear, jump ropes, and countless other devices, as well as a capsule full of books, both suggested by Chi-Chi. Gohan made a mental note to thank his mother profusely when he got back.
Two weeks into the journey and he'd gotten through three of the books one on mathematics, biology, and history. He was currently working on a book regarding planets and animals. His training was going well enough, he worked out with Krillin on most days and spared often, though it wasn't much as they didn't have a lot of room to maneuver. After a kick landed that sent Gohan flying into the observation window, Bulma quickly prohibited any and all fighting. Krillin, ever resourceful, introduced Gohan into the practice of image training.
"Image training? Like using my imagination?"
The monk laughed, "You're not far off. It's one of the perks of ki manipulation, and Kami trained us on how to do it. You can only do it with two people, and you have to be willing. It's a meditative trance that allows us share a mental space of sorts. It'll be easier to show you rather than try to explain. Piccolo ever have you meditate?"
Gohan nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, he said it was important to learn how to properly manipulate energy."
Krillin nodded, "That's good! Start with that, you'll feel it from there." The two of them fell silent as Gohan released his concerns as he cleared his mind from distractions. Gohan found himself in the familiar setting. A chamber filled with water, a door slightly ajar on the left wall where he could hear the churning waters.
He approached the door, hoping to find a glimpse of who waited on the other side, the hand that had awakened his power so vividly against Vegeta. But it seemed to be a one time occurrence. It had yet to appear again no matter how frequent his visits and the door remained firm in his attempts to yield more space, however, there was one small change. The water from the other room was now coming into his room at an increased rate. At first it seemed like a few drops here and there when the waters got rough. Now, there was a small trickle of murky water constantly pouring into the room. Gohan hoped it was a good sign, but whatever the case, it didn't seem to have any effect on his power.
A gentle nudge brought him from his thoughts, and when he looked over, he found Krillin standing next to him.
"Krillin? Why'd you wake me up?"
"I didn't. Look around," Turning, Gohan felt his eyes widen as he took in the sight of thousands of stars glimmering in the darkness. He was no longer under water, but instead standing on an invisible plane while the universe shimmered around them.
"Wow, what is this place?"
Krillin chuckled, "This is the shared plane I was talking about. We're not really in each other's heads, but we're in a neutral space created for us by us."
"Wait, you mean I helped create this place? I don't even know how it works!"
"It's because I lead the way. Your mind and energy is at rest, but it isn't dormant. In this state, I was able to coax your ki into completing the bridge, connecting the both of us together," Krillin then pat him on the back, "You can learn it pretty easily, but you can only do it with friends. If I was intent to do you harm, then you'd naturally resist me and the whole thing would fail."
Seeing the confusion on Gohan's face, Krillin moved on, "Don't worry too much about it. Just know that we can train here without any physical repercussions."
"So we can't get hurt, but we can't get stronger? Why bother then?"
"It's mental training. You trained a little with Master Roshi, did he have a chance to tell you the credo of the Turtle School?"
Gohan nodded as he remembered the old man's words, "Eat well, play well, learn well
,and rest well, the key to Turtle School training." Then, "So this would be learning well?"
"That's right! We can't train our bodies, but we can train our minds. How you approach a fight is just as important as your power. Look at Vegeta and Nappa. They were stronger than all of us, yet because we used our heads, we were able to take 'em down. Power has its place, but it isn't the most important piece in a fight." He shifted his feet and lowered himself into a fighting stance, "Now show me what you've got, no holding back!"
Gohan gave a grunt as he brought himself into his fighting stance before launching himself at his bald opponent.
Goku was in pain. 'No,' he thought, 'Not pain. What was the word Gohan said again? Agathy? Apathy?' He tried in vain to remember the word but it never appeared which was tragic as he felt that it fit him well at this point. His physical injuries had long since subsided in their pain. Yeah, he ripped his muscles to shreds and his bones were severely broken, but his tolerance for pain was apparently much higher than most, and it wasn't like he hadn't been in this position before so he could endure.
What was really driving him bonkers was the lack of movement. He knew he wasn't at 100%, heck, he probably wasn't even at 50%, but the hospital didn't care. They ordered him to remain in bed, even going as far as to try and bind him to the bed. It worked, only because Chi-Chi was there to wrangle in her husband, but the moment she left the nurses found him on the floor attempting his 75th one-arm push-up.
He couldn't help himself. He'd been training for as long as he could remember. Hell, one of his first memories was Grandpa Gohan taking him through a basic workout. As a kid he just couldn't sit still, but martial arts training brought him patience both on and off the battlefield. Apparently, 2 months with no real workout was his limit.
When Master Roshi entered the room in his sunday best with a small package, it was to the sight of his former student with one leg out the window as he tried to make his escape. No doubt onto a waiting Nimbus cloud below, "Goku, you're only going to make things worse if you don't let yourself rest. Come on back inside and spend some time with an old man. I even managed to smuggle in some food for you."
Reluctantly, the saiyan hobbled his way back into his bed with a huff, taking a the food. It was a small amount, basically inhaled by the black hole that was his mouth and stomach, "I just can't stand it, Master Roshi. Vegeta is out there recovering, who knows when he'll return. Heck he might even be healed already! I wasn't strong enough before, without training, I'm not going to be strong enough when he comes back."
Master Roshi allowed himself a frown, "Yes, he's unlike any opponent I've ever experienced. From what you've told me he makes King Piccolo appear to be nothing more than a arrogant child," he shifted around, trying to get comfortable in the hard plastic chair, "But there's nothing for it. If you try to push yourself before you're healed it'll only make it worse."
Goku sighed, "You're right, I probably wouldn't get much out of training as I am now." He stared out the window onto the horizon, looking for something he could not see, "I just hope Gohan, Krillin and Bulma are able to find the Dragon Balls without too much trouble."
"I'm sure the three of them will get it done. Bulma is smart enough to figure it out. With both Krillin and Gohan to protect her, I'm sure they'll be fine."
At the mention of his son Goku couldn't help but smile, "I still can't believe how strong he is. He's only 5, but he was already strong enough to compete with Vegeta. Even if he wasn't at his best, that's still leagues above where I was at his age."
Roshi nodded, "He's something else, that's for sure." The master adopted a thoughtful expression that wasn't lost to Goku.
"What's wrong? Did you notice something during training?"
Roshi paused again before he spoke,"He's a lot like you were as a child, but Chi-Chi's influence has helped a lot. He catches on quick and seems to adapt to new methods fairly quick. Piccolo must have worked him to the bone for him to make so much progress in just a year."
"I'll say. He used the demon style like a pro, and he's even able to pull of the Masenko. But why did you pause?"
"I couldn't help but to compare Gohan to my previous pupils, you included. He's a marvelous boy, of that there is no doubt. We only spared a few times, but it took everything I had to keep ahead of him. Krillin is going to be working with him during the journey, by the time he gets back I'll be no match."
Goku frowned, "Are you sad that you can't get stronger?"
The master laughed, "Oh I can still get stronger, just not as fast as I used to. No I'm just feeling a like an empty nester. Master Mutaito used to say, 'A master is hardly a master, without students.' I didn't know what he meant then, but I understand it now. I knew my generation's time as the strongest was over as I watched your fight with Tien during the finals of the World Tournament. The two of you were on a different plateau, one that not I or any of my rivals had a chance of reaching and that made me happy. I thought my time training new pupils was over, you've all exceeded my limitations and I thought that I had nothing else to offer, but it felt good to help mold another young fighter."
"It sounds like you just need to find another student."
Roshi chuckled, "Maybe...Well, if you can't train your body, train your mind. You were never too good with meditation, why not take this time to get better acquainted with that aspect of training?"
Goku groaned, "Awe, but I don't like meditation. I've done it loads both with Kami and King Kai, to help with techniques and control, but it's still boring."
Roshi shifted his glasses, the light shimmering across the lens for a moment, "Yes, it goes a long way to help you control you ki and learning new techniques. However those are not the only benefits. It also helps with recovery. I've used it countless times to recover, especially in my later years. I doubt it will be instantaneous, but it could be the difference of days or even weeks."
At this, Goku's eyes lit up, "Really?" He tried to recall the other times his teachers forced him to meditate, "Now that I think about it, King kai and Kami both had me meditate after doing a lot of physical training. I just thought it was because it was easier to get control of my ki when I was tired."
"Hehehe, yes, there is truth to that." Removing his hat, Master Roshi moved the chair closer to the bed, "Come, I'll guide the meditation. Close your eyes and we'll begin." It would serve the Hermit well.
Gohan grunted as he picked himself up off the invisible plane, eyes skyward as he focused on his opponent before charging after him, aura ablaze. Krillin frowned as he held his ground. The toddler charged him headlong, using his small stature to move in fast and attempt to drive his fist into the monk's gut, but a timely flip avoided the attack and he was rewarded with kick to the back of the head that sent him crashing back down.
Krillin followed him down, slowing as he realized that Gohan was slow to get to his feet. Extending his hand, Krillin helped the boy to his feet, "Alright, that's enough for now."
Gohan found himself inhaling sharply, his breath labored and a light sweat on his brow as he looked around. He was back on the ship, Krillin sitting cross legged in front of him. He took a moment to get his breathing under control, a small comfort to his pride as he heard Krillin doing the same.
"Man you're amazing, I didn't have any room to breath."
Gohan sighed, "Yeah, but you still beat me. Your so fast, barely any of my attacks got through."
Krillin smiled, "Nah, you're fast enough."
A thoughtful frown marred his face, "Too many wasted movements then. Master Roshi said the same thing and I've been working on it, but I guess I need more practice."
"Don't feel bad, your dad and I had the same issue when we were starting out. It took a while before I was able to get over that particular wall."
"Do you have any advice?"
The monk rubbed his bald head in thought, "I think you could really benefit from being less direct with your attacks."
"What do you mean?",Gohan asked confused.
"What is the best way to attack your opponent?"
Taken back by the question, Gohan paused as he gave it some thought, "The point of attacking is to damage your opponent, so I guess the best way to attack is whatever way works."
"Ok, so then how do you know what way works?"
"Hmm, well I guess it comes down to their style?"
Krillin was about to respond but stopped when Gohan suddenly started speaking again, "No, that's not right. I didn't know Vegeta's style, and I probably won't know every opponents style so I can't count on that. I guess the only way to know is trial and error!"
Brought up short, the monk could only laugh, "Its easy to forget that even though you're Goku's son, you're a lot different in your thinking. Trial and error is part of it, but there's something more that your missing. You don't have to answer now, take some time and think it over." Standing he moved towards the other room, "I'm gonna take a shower and get some food going."
Gohan grunted from the floor, rooted in place as his mind was ablaze with thought, 'I don't get it. He said trial and error was just a part of it, but I don't get how else I could know the best way to attack someone.' If he limited to just people he's fought before, he could probably take a few educated guesses on what would work on them. Piccolo was crafty, but if you countered him, he usually went on the defensive and so you could catch him during the transition. Nappa relied on his brute strength and speed, with little to no techniques, avoiding him and peppering him with small attacks would only rile him up until he slipped up and ate a big one.
'But I only found that out after fighting them, or watching them fight. How could I know this before hand?' By the time Krillin called him for dinner, he still hadn't found an answer.
AN: Sorry I'm late. Been an..eventful few months. Lots of changes and, well, drama. Nothing too eventful with this chapter, but I'm working on something with Namek. Here's hoping you like it.
Also, thank you, everyone, for your patience. I know I'm not the most consistent, but I'm glad that you are still with me. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Happy new year~
