They hadn't been to Orange Star City in a while, and that became painfully obvious as Gohan and Chi-Chi landed outside the city limits.
"What?" she screamed.
"Welcome to Satan City," Gohan read aloud from the billboard. He groaned.
"I can't believe it!" Chi-Chi fumed. "Why, I outta-"
"Mom, we're here to shop, remember?" Gohan prompted. He may have hated Mr. Satan, but he knew his mother wouldn't hesitate to physically harm the unsuspecting man. And despite Mr. Satan's sins, Gohan wasn't quite sure that man deserved to die.
She huffed before leading him into the city, and their trip to the mall was rather uneventful. Chi-Chi bought her growing son an assortment of new clothes, much to his confusion.
"Why did you buy so many if I'm just gonna grow out of them again?" he inquired, fingering one of several boxes the cashier was rapidly wrapping. Chi-Chi simply ignored her son, which confused him.
"Thank you again for your business, Ox Queen," the young woman at the register squeaked, her eyes not leaving the small, horned crown she now wore when in public.
"No, thank you," Chi-Chi said with a small but gracious bow, 'causing more customers to stop and stare.
Once their purchases were all encapsulated, the Son family left the store.
Chi-Chi quickly rounded a corner before stopping abruptly, causing Gohan to nearly run into her from behind. Sidestepping the woman, he looked at her oddly. "Mom?"
He followed her gaze and saw that she had stopped at a crosswalk. Across the street from them stood a large building, with a giant orange star on the front. "I bought you several outfits because you're going to high school," she said, as if that explained everything.
"High school?" he asked. "But you've always just homeschooled me."
She grabbed his hand and tugged him over to an empty bench. Sitting down next to her son, she began to explain, "It's been just me and you for a while, Gohan. And when I have to go to the castle every day, you're either left alone, sparring with Krillin, or you come with me just to be surrounded by stuffy old politicians."
She took a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong. I love you, Gohan. I love having you around, no matter what I'm doing. But you should really be around more people your age."
She looked around quickly, as if to verify that they were alone before continuing. "You're not normal Gohan. You know that. I always knew you were special, long before we found out your father was a Saiyan. We found out because of Raditz and, well, you know the rest of that fiasco. But the last time we were at Bulma's, well…"
Chi-Chi trailed off, and Gohan couldn't help but feel guilty again. Perhaps it had been a mistake on his part to not tell his friends and family about his visions. His mother, in particular, had been heartbroken that he hadn't trusted her enough with the information. Weeks had passed, yet she still seemed to tread lightly around him, as if their relationship was suddenly fragile.
It made him sick to think about- that his own mother thought he was a freak.
"I just want you to have a normal life, sweetie," she finished. "What do you think? Will you at least try going to high school- for me?"
"Well," he said, trying to take a moment to think. He couldn't exactly refute her words. She looked at him with large, dark eyes, his very own irises staring back at him.
He sighed. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
She brightened instantly. "Oh good, I was afraid you wouldn't like the idea!" she said. "Let's go in and see if we can enrol you."
She walked with a newfound spring in her step, and Gohan followed behind her with diligence.
"Hi, how can I help you?" an older woman behind the front counter asked. Looking up from her desk, the woman blanched at the sight of the Ox Queen.
"Hi, my name is Son Chi-Chi and I have an appointment with the principal today."
Gohan shot his mother a look. "Wait, what?"
"I'll let him know you're here," the receptionist said, nervously glancing at the meeting calendar. She strolled to the back of the large office and knocked on the last door.
"You already had this planned?" he asked his mother in a fierce whisper. "Whether I wanted to go or not?"
"Do you remember that review test I gave you last week?" she asked, barely moving her mouth through a big smile.
The secretary waved, signalling them to enter the principal's office.
"It was the entrance exam," Chi-Chi finished with a wink. "You passed, of course, and with the highest marks."
Gohan did his best to conceal his betrayal as he and his mother entered the small office.
When the mother and son finally left the small office an hour later, Gohan's heart was pounding. He gripped the various sheets of paper in one fist, partially crushing the documents as he stared through them. He had read them over and over again, and despite the genius he was, his brain couldn't make sense of them.
His mind was simply elsewhere.
The pair exited the building. Walking behind the school and out of sight, Chi-Chi lightly placed a hand on her son's shoulder. Swallowing hard, Gohan placed two fingers on his head before transporting them both back to their home in Mt. Paozu, using Icarus's faint energy signal as a beacon.
Reaching for the unlocked door, Chi-Chi stepped aside to allow her son entrance.
Dress code, list of graduation requirements, electives to choose from, information on school-provided lunches, a series of procedures in the event of an emergency, health and emergency contact information- the list went on and on.
"I'm just a little overwhelmed," he admitted, the documents nearly slipping from his sweaty palms.
Still holding the door open, Chi-Chi blinked. "What do you mean, sweetie?"
Nodding in thanks to his mother's courteous gesture, the well-mannered boy finally entered their humble home. He plopped himself down on the sofa, and looked down at his papers again, squinting to try and read them for the hundredth time.
Closing the door behind her, Chi-Chi moved to stand in front of her son, concerned. "Are you worried that the material won't be challenging enough? I can always keep giving you more advanced assignments in addition to your regular homework-"
"That's not it, Mom," Gohan quickly interrupted. "It's just…"
"Just what?"
"What if I don't make friends?" he blurted out.
"Why wouldn't you make friends?" she replied without hesitation. "You're the sweetest boy ever, and you're so polite!" She took a seat next to him, putting a hand on his knee, her eyes tearing up as she went into full-on mother mode. "You're much smarter than I'll ever be. And you've grown from such a cute little boy to a handsome young man!"
"Come on, Mom," he whined, trying to squirm out of her grasp. "You're my mother, and I know you love me. But I don't know any of these people, and-"
"Gohan," she gently scolded.
He looked at her.
"You've saved the world, Gohan. How hard can high school be?"
Two days later, Gohan awoke with a start.
"Get up, sweetie. You don't want to be late for your first day of school!" Chi-Chi chided.
He groaned and sat up to see her leave his room. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he jumped in the shower and dressed quickly. Running downstairs, he met his mother at the table.
"Saiyans," she cursed, watching how her son gulped down plate after plate.
He laughed. "It was great, thanks, Mom."
After brushing his teeth, he found his mother waiting by the front door with a small bundle of bento boxes. "Don't forget your lunch," she said.
He tucked the package into his yellow messenger bag. "Thanks. Are we still going to train before dinner?" he asked.
"Oh, don't think you can slack off on your training just because you're in high school now," Chi-Chi warned, giving him a playful wink. "If you come home before me, we're sparring as soon as I get back."
The boy laughed. "I know, I'm just making sure!"
He moved through the front door, his mother still close behind.
"Oh, and I put a spare outfit in your bag, just in case you spill something on yourself-
"Um, okay."
"And pay attention and listen to your teachers!"
"Of course!"
"And don't forget to sign up for an afterschool club- it's mandatory!"
"Got it."
"And remember to keep your powers a secret!" she yelled after him, watching as he distanced himself from the house.
"Goodbye, Mom!" he shouted in exasperation, his deep voice cutting easily through the high-pitched wind.