Chapter Thirty-Seven: School Days
Gohan sat at the table looking at brochures that his mother had placed before him. "What are these for?" Gohan asked seeing logo's of different schools.
"They are brochure for different schools in the area," Bulma answered. "Chi-Chi's will states something along the lines of you attending high school." She was trying to remember the exact words that Chi-Chi used. The word's weren't coming to mind. Normally she remembered small details like that, but she had been to grief stricken at the time.
"Can I go to school?" Trunks asked his mother with a pleading look.
"You don't even know what school is," Bulma laughed picking up the toddler.
"But I want to go with my big brother," Trunks sulked, ruining it with a cheeky grin.
"You can go to school when you're older," Bulma said. "And then when you get there you'll wish that you didn't have to go."
"I don't want to go to school in West City." Gohan said. He was flicking through the brochures. "Too many people are likely to recognise me there."
"With the last name Briefs you're going to be recognised anywhere" Bulma sighed. She knew how much her now teenage son hated publicity and tried to avoid it as much as possible. "Unless," Bulma said, wondering why she didn't think of it sooner.
"Unless what?" Gohan asked, seeing the sparkle in his mother's eyes.
"We could enrol you at school as Gohan Son." Bulma thought aloud. Calling the young teenager by the name which hadn't been used for him on a regular basis since he was a baby.
"But isn't my dad a famous martial artist?" Gohan questioned.
"He is, but most of your generation shouldn't know who he is due to how long Goku's been dead for."
"Hi mum," Fruiche said as she walked. Even though she was a number of years older than Gohan she still looked like a child.
"Hi Bulma, hello Gohan." Erasa said shyly as she hid behind Fruiche. It looked odd seeing Erasa hide behind her friend, considering how much Erasa towered over Fruiche.
"Hi," Gohan said, equally as shy of the blond girl but unsure why. They had been friends for a long time, yet in the past year he'd almost become scared of her.
"What are you looking at?" Fruiche asked looking over Gohan's shoulder.
"I'm going to start junior high school this school year." Gohan answered showing Fruiche the different school brochures. "I need to pick what school I want to go to, but I don't want to go to school in West City."
"I'm going to be starting school at Orange Star Junior High school in Satan City" Erasa answered.
"Yeah you can go keep Erasa company since I'm going to West City High School" Fruiche answered. "And I don't want you to go to the same school that I attend."
"I thought you would be going to the same high school as Fruiche" Gohan said "Since you went to the same elementary school together."
"I'm going to the same junior high school as my best friend Vivi" Erasa answered excitedly.
"Ok" Gohan said deciding to stop the conversation when he saw Fruiches jealous expression. Whoever this Vivi person was, it was obvious that Fruiche didn't like her.
LCM
Gohan nervously stood in front of the students of his new school, standing next to him was Dende who was equally as nervous. He saw Erasa at the back of the class room waving which encouraged him a little. At least knew someone else at the school.
"As you can see we have two new students Gohan Son and Dende Ma" the teacher introduced. "Both where homeschooled until recently, would you boys like to say anything about yourselves."
"I like reading, electronics and martial arts" Gohan quietly answered.
"I like helping animals and bugs" Dende replied. Often Dende would attempt to heal bugs that where zapped during Piccolo's meditation time.
"Does anyone want to ask any questions before Gohan and Dende take their seats?" The teacher asked.
"How come you where both home schooled?" One of the girls in the front row asked.
"I was sick" Dende replied, hoping that students would believe that was the cause of his green skin.
"My mum wanted to teach me herself," Gohan truthfully answered.
"Dende, you can sit here in the front and Gohan, there is a seat next to Erasa. I believe that you two already know each other."
Gohan walked towards the back row, taking his seat next to his childhood friend.
"Gohan, what do you think of school so far" Erasa smiled.
"Considering I have only been here five minutes so far, I would have to say it is ok" Gohan smiled back.
"This is my best friend Videl Satan and my friend Sharpener Protractor, we've been friends since I started school." Erasa introduced. "This is my friend Gohan we have been friends since we where around six. Our mothers are best friends. My other best friend is Gohans older step sister."
"I know someone called Compass Protractor. Are you by any chance related?" Gohan asked the blond boy, getting shocked looks from him and the Videl girl.
"She's my mother." Sharpener said, wondering where his mother had meet Gohan. The only child around his age that his mother had anything to do with was the Ox Prince.
"If she's your mum I guess we have met before then," Gohan said, realising that Sharpener had to be the same Sharpener that he had played with a few times as a child.
"No way your ..." Sharpener said stunned as he looked at the new student and realised that he did in fact know who he was. Before shouting out to the whole class Sharpener was able to compose himself. "Videl is Hercules Satan's daughter, if you are who I think you are you probably would have meet her before."
"I have never met Gohan before today" Videl stated.
"O your right, I have meet Videl before," Gohan said slightly surprised. He had meet her at multiple events that he had been to over the years and had even meet her at the hair dressers on several occasions since her father and his mother both visited the same salon. Though the last time he saw her was at a function celebrating Hercules beating Cell about two years prior.
"Where have you meet Sharpie and Vivi before?" Erasa enquired.
"Later, we should be paying attention; I don't want to get a detention on the first day." Gohan said and started did what he said he was going to do and started taking notes.
LCM
Videl was cross. Gohan the new student claimed that he knew her, yet he hadn't told her who he was. He just kept answering the walls had ears. Sharpener insisted that they all come over to his place since his mother would be excited to see Gohan again. This had her even more confused. If Sharpeners mother knew Gohan, didn't that mean that Sharpener should have recognised him sooner. How come Videl had never heard of Sharpener playing with anyone by the name of Gohan. The only person that Videl knew by the name of Gohan was Gohan Briefs. Sharpener had never had anything to do with him, as far as she was aware. Videl stumbled, the only Gohan she knew was Gohan Briefs. There was no way that the new student could be him!
"Do you think that it is ok for Videl to know who I am?" Gohan and Erasa walked at the back of the group as Sharpener lead on and Videl silently fumed.
"It's best that she knows right up away and doesn't hear it from anyone else. Besides she is in the media all the time. She should respect that you want to stay out of it." Erasa whispered. "How do you know Sharpener?"
"His mum Compass is the head maid that works for my grandfather. She's kind of my nanny when I'm at the palace." Gohan answered.
"My mum's boyfriend and his daughter might be over this afternoon" Sharpener explained as they got closer to Sharpeners home "He's a nice guy I really like the both of them."
"Your mum mentioned a new boyfriend the last time I saw her, but she never told me who he was. Just told me it was someone I knew." Gohan said. Making Videl even more curious as to why Mrs Protractor was in contact with Gohan, it seemed more then Sharpener was.
"Mum will be really excited to see you, she talks about you nonstop." Sharpener said as he opened the door.
"Mum, I have someone that you need to see" Sharpener yelled out.
LCM
Compass came into the entrance way, dressed in a tracksuit. Gohan found it strange to see her like that since he was used to seeing her in either a maids outfit or formal wear.
"Gohan, what a pleasant surprise" Compass said, giving the young teenager a hug. "You look very smart in your new school uniform." Approving how tidy Gohan was, especially compared to Sharpener. "I never imagined that you would be going to the same school as my unruly son."
"I didn't realise Sharpener went to school there either. I actually didn't recognise him till he mentioned his last name." Gohan grinned.
"Do the two girls know who you really are?" Compass whispered, so only Gohan could hear.
"Erasa does. She's the same Erasa that I mention to you all the time." He couldn't keep the blush off his face. "Videl and I have met each other at a number of formal occasions, but I don't believe she had made the connection yet."
"Come through," Compass said to the four teenagers.
"Hi kids," a voice that Gohan recognised quiet well said.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Mr Bandit," Videl said, bowing politely.
"Videl, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Yamcha. Besides Bandit isn't my real last name." The baseball player said.
"Sorry," Videl bowed again.
"Hey Gohan isn't that ..." Erasa whispered.
"Uncle Yamcha." Gohan was shocked to see his Uncle there with Snowflakes the daughter he had with Snowe.
Videl and Sharpener where both shocked.
"Gohan, I didn't see you there. How are you kid?" Yamcha asked.
"I'm well. I just finished my first day of school," he said with a grin that his new friends hadn't seen before.
"I forgot to tell you that your Uncle was here." Compass said "I suppose he hasn't told you that we're now dating."
"No I hadn't," Yamcha laughed nervously.
"I hope things work out well for you this time," Gohan smiled. "I really like Compass, so you better treat her right."
"I still can't believe that Snowe left me for 17," Yamcha sighed. "Sorry Compass, the last thing I should be doing is complaining about ex-girlfriends."
"You have a daughter together, it's to be expected. I still think of what ifs about Sharpeners father." Compass sighed. "He left me for a younger woman."
Frustrated the Satan girl interrupted. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but how do you all know Gohan?"
"I work for Gohans grandfather," Compass answered.
"I used to date Gohans mother," Yamcha replied.
"My parents and Gohans mum are friends from way back Their friends with Yamcha as well." Erasa said, Videl rolled her eyes since she knew the first part.
"Oh wow Erasa, I didn't recognise you. You where yay high last time I saw you," Yamcha said, holding his hand up the approximate height she was three years earlier. Even though she had attended both Bulma's wedding and Krillens wedding Yamcha had not seen her up close.
"You used to date Gohan's mum?" Sharpener asked, thinking that he meant the Ox Princess. "I knew you used to date Bulma Briefs, but Gohan mum as ..." Sharpener stopped when he remembered who exactly had adopted Gohan after the Ox Princess and her husband died. "I should've worked that one out earlier," Sharpener mumbled to himself.
"What is going on?" Videl shouted. She hated being out of the loop and she knew that she was out of it big time at the moment. Even Erasa who hadn't spoken much since they arrived seemed to know more of what was going on at the moment then what she did.
"How about we all sit down and have some afternoon tea?" Compass asked, getting walking to the kitchen before waiting for a response. "Gohan, and Sharpner can you both help me please."
"Do I have to?" Sharpner whinged.
"Okay," Gohan happily obliged.
Sharpener was slightly shocked that his mother had asked Gohan to help since he knew that the new student at his school was actually the Ox Prince, who his mother had been looking after since he was a baby. It was hard to imagine that the other boy was also cared for by his mother on and off over the years.
"Sharpener, how trustworthy is Videl?" Compass asked, as she got bits and pieces of food from the cupboard and fridge.
"Very, she sticks up for her friends no matter what." Sharpener replied, wondering if this had to do with Gohan.
"So you think that she will be able to keep it a secret that Gohan Son over here is actually Gohan Briefs and the Ox Prince?" Compass continued getting food ready, the boys not helping even though she said that was the reason for them to come out.
"I believe that she'd be able to." Sharpener answered, hoping that he would be able to keep it a secret.
"Hey Nerd Boy, does Erasa know who you are?" the blond boy asked.
"Nerd Boy?" Gohan asked at the name he was just called.
"It's your new nick name, since you're the smartest kid in the school. Also so I don't accidently call you by your title." Sharpener smiled.
Gohan smiled, Krillen called him Little Bro but besides that he'd never really had a nick name before. "Erasa and I have known each other since we where kids. Her mum and my mum are best friends. She knows both sets of my grandparents, uh my real grandpa and my adoptive grandma and grandpa. I'm still surprised Videl hasn't made the connection yet. We even have the same hairdresser. The amount of times that her and her dad have been there at the same time as mum and I is pretty high, she was even there when mum made me get a haircut before the cell games."
"Your mum made you get a haircut before the cell games." Sharpener laughed, which was heard by Yamcha and the two girls in the lounge room.
"She wanted us to look good before we died." Gohan answered, following Compass and Sharpener out with a tray of biscuits and cakes.
"My dad made me get a haircut before the cell games as well." Videl admitted, she had never told anyone that before.
"I know," Gohan smiled. "I was there with my mum at the same time you got your hair done."
Videl sat thinking back to what had happened that day. The only other people there was Dr Bulma Briefs and her son Gohan.
"You're Gohan Briefs?" Videl managed to asked.
"Yes," Gohan smiled.
"How come your going to school in Satan City instead of where you live? Why are you going by a different last name? How come they all knew before I did?" The Satan girl asked in one breath not giving Gohan and chance to answered in between each questions.
When Gohan was sure Videl had finished asking questions he finally answered. "I didn't want to be recognised as easily, which is why I am going to school in Satan City instead of West City. Too many people would recognise me in West City. Son is my biological fathers last name, which is why I am going by his last name for the first time since I was a baby. Mine and Erasa's parents have been friends since they were teenagers, which is why she knows me." Gohan included Yamcha when he was talking about parents, since he was the one that had raised him from when he was really little. Goku and Chi Chi had both still been children at the time they had first met.
Videl nodded understanding that Yamcha the baseball bandit used to date Gohan's mum. But she was confused to who his father was, since all the functions she had seen Gohan Briefs at he'd been there with Bulma and sometime Yamcha. Never anyone else. She was wondering who this Mr Son was.
"Most people don't know this, but my mum Bulma adopted me when I was a baby." Gohan continued on. Videl was in shock by this because it was something that she didn't know at all. Sharpener, Erasa and the adults present in the room didn't seem to be shocked at all. Gohan continued seeing that Videl was still listening to him. "My real parents where Goku Son, the world martial arts chamption before your father and Chi Chi the Ox princess. They both died when I was a baby. Compass works for my Grandfather the Ox King."
"I'm head maid at the palace and Gohan's nanny when he is visiting." Compass told the stunned girl.
LCM
Erasa and Videl has left, the blond girl having to drag her stunned black haired friend back to Satan mansion. Videl has understood Gohans want for privacy since that was something she wanted herself. With a father like Hercules who loved being in the spotlight it was very difficult.
Sharpener was sitting on the floor doing his homework and playing with Snowflakes, amazed at how grown up Gohan acted most of the time.
"Dende Ma the other new kid knows who I am as well. He's my best friend." Gohan told his nanny.
"As in Guardian of the Earth Dende?" Compass asked, wondering why they young guardian was going to school.
"Yes, the Kai's decided that he needed to go to school to become more accustomed to Earth culture," Gohan answered. "My martial arts teacher Piccolo is acting as Earths Guardian while Dende is at school."
"Piccolo being Guardian is hard to imagine." Yamcha stated. "Tell Dende I wish him luck with school. Must be hard for him having green skin and all."
Gohan nodded that it would be harder for Dende to make friends, being so different. Though Dende had found a group of friends all on his own. One of them confessing that they where an alien known as a Morpho. She had blue skin, four eyes, white hair and a long tail. The form she had taken as human was pale skin, blue hair and she wore glasses because she found it comforting when people called her four eyes. Gohan never did catch what her name was.