I do not own DB, DBZ, DBGT or DBS all rights to the companies that own them and Akira Toriyama.
Year 774, Late May
Gohan spent the last few days before school in her mountain home with Goten. Luckily for her all her file either had Capsule Corp. or her grandfather's palace as an address so it was one of the few places that no media could find. The 2 Son's spent the time training and talking about what had happened. Goten was having nightmares almost every night so Gohan found herself with a small partner in her bed with his tail refusing to let her's go. She really hoped he would be able to get over it. Hopefully when they move back to Capsule Corp. for the next school term he will be able to get over it with Trunks there for support. She did eventually.
Flying towards the school Gohan noticed a lot of reporters hanging around the front gates. Lucky for her they were not permitted within the school grounds without written permission from the principle. Even though she could land at the front gates now that people know she fly's she did not want to deal with them. Deciding to super speed it to the top of the building Gohan managed to evade the reporter's that were hackling her schoolmates.
Making her way to her classroom Everyone stopped and watched her pass. Some even went so far as to take their phones out and take photo's with her. Some of the resident nerds that scorned her before when she came along and took their places at the top of the academic ladder plucked up the courage to ask for autograph. Gohan just smiled at them "I'm here as a student just like you not a celebrity. Unless I'm at an event for one of my titles, please respect the fact that when I'm not I don't want to be hounded by things like this."
This pissed the 'nerds' off having one reply, "if you didn't want to be a celebrity then why did you enter the WMAT to win?"
"I did it to test myself not for fame." Gohan responded feeling confused as to why they were getting worked up.
"You need to sign this piece of paper so I can sell it on the web and get rich!" The head of the group demanded.
"No" Gohan replied still calmly but getting annoyed at their demanding something from her.
Luckily nothing else was said as Videl rocked up and scared the group away. "Thanks Videl. They were getting pretty aggressive and I don't get why."
"It's the hype. Hopefully the hype will die down in a week or two and you should be back to relative normal. At least that's what happened to me. It's just because it's all new and the fact it turns out you're a princess literally the only crowned princess in the world."
"I guess. I hope it doesn't last. I'm here to get a diploma not mingle and be flashy like your father was. I didn't do it for fame. It's just my job." Gohan exclaimed and as an afterthought. "Oh, no offense on your dad either."
"Ha, none taken. See he did do it for those reasons, so it wasn't an insult." Videl giggled as they made it to the classroom and up to their old seats. When they arrived Gohan noticed a bunch of chocolates and roses placed on her table. Some had signed cards one didn't. she managed to look through all the cards and most of them were from the boys she had rejected last term trying to win her affection.
"Wow Gohan your admirers aren't even waiting till valentines day anymore. That's a mighty haul." Sharpner stated laughing to himself. "I tried to warn the jocks even though you love food it won't win you over. They didn't listen."
"I'm starting to think that tournament where each admirer or suitor that wants to date me has to try and beat me in a fight, will be a good idea if it stops this sort of behaviour." Gohan mused aloud. "At least Panchy will be happy she won't have to pick her flowers to put around the C.C. for a few days." Gohan placed them all to the back of the room out of her way as the teacher was entering the room to start the class.
The rest of the morning went without hitch. By lunch time Gohan practically rushed out to get the area they usually ate at under the tree and de-capsuled her lunch. She even packed extra for her friends if they wanted some. Needless to say they did. The rest of the school day lasted like beginning. By the end of the day Gohan left via the roof once more.
Her days continued like this for the rest of the week. Eventually the media left the front gates as there was no juicy story. The Princess was really just a average and polite student whom didn't enter or exit from the school gates.
Every morning she arrived to the classroom there would be at least one trinket gift waiting for her. Always from a different person. She treated them like the rest. Placed it to the side during the day and depending what it was, either ate them with her friends, took them to C.C. for the rooms or passed them on to the homeless on her way home.
Crime had been an all time low . Gohan suspected it had to do with the wishing back only the good people. She knew there was still crime here and there. Not everyone died. But the levels were much lower that Videl only got called out once during the police force having a flu outbreak and needed a extra hand. Luckily Gohan wasn't needed as she still hadn't figured out how to become Super Saiyan again. Even if everyone knew she was the gold fighter she didn't feel right not being Super Saiyan when fighting everyday crime.
Vegeta was quiet recluse when she was at C.C. spending his time training and to Gohan's surprise training both Goten and Trunks respectfully. Gohan watched through the small window of the door one morning when she was looking for the boys and found Vegeta actually working with them in raising their power. The fact that he is now including Goten fully and respectfully even if she had caught him calling him Kakabrat a few times, it wasn't done in a mean way, warmed her heart.
'Is this his way of trying to redeem himself?' She thought to herself was on her way to school. When ever their paths would cross Vegeta would greet her with a small smile which Gohan would return they weren't at the level of talking like friends anymore but she hoped if he kept up this new 'him' that they would maybe one day, be at least friends once more.
Gohan herself spent her spare time up at the lookout sometimes with Goten sometimes without. She figured it was one of the safest places to find the new trigger for her Super Saiyan. If the feelings of love brought on her Super Saiyan 4 transformation she had the theory it would be a similar feeling to bring on the originally boosts. As it seemed Super Saiyan 4 was a completely different and separate transformation than what she saw the originally Super Saiyan as the gold forms were handy boosts while the new form was exactly that a whole new form. But the premise still stuck and so she would spend most afternoons trying to find it with Piccolo's help. What ever happened between them when she was forced to kill him didn't seem to be there. He held no grudge and she was just happy her best friend was back to himself. She did find the courage to ask him once if he made it to Heaven or HIFL but he wouldn't tell, so Gohan didn't ask again.
This routine kept up till the end of term was once again upon them. The tests were as easy as the previous terms for Gohan and she found herself finished them within the first 20 minutes of each test that came up which resulted in her meditating. She had managed to unlock the use of the golden super Saiyan forms again and though the Super Saiyan 4 was more powerful she enjoyed the feeling that the old boosts gave her. She had even found what her father called Super Saiyan 3 but after trying to transform once she realised though strong was a very ineffective form and didn't see herself using it.
By the end of the exam season the school was let out for 2 more weeks. Gohan was going to spend the 2 weeks either at the palaces performing her royal duties that are on hold during the school term or working with Goten on his form. She had yet to see what Goten and Trunks were like in their fusion form and was curious if it was as useful as her father claimed.
Year 774, Early July
Gohan had neglected their small mountain cottage a bit this term but the place was still as clean cut as usual, with the maintenance being minimal at best. Goten hadn't joined her yet as she only had tonight at the cottage before having to go to a state dinner at King Furry's palace the next night, so Goten stayed with Bulma but him and Trunks would be joining her for a few days after that. Seeing as Trunks and Goten were growing up and Goten had gotten used to sleeping in his own room Gohan had the idea to finally move into her parent's room. Leaving her bed for Trunks when he came over. There was always the spare room but the idea of a guest sleeping in her parent's bed annoyed her more than the idea of her claiming it as her own. She reasoned with herself that her father didn't have many clothes to start with and what Goten may wear one day could fit in his wardrobe now and she was already wearing a majority of clothing that was her mothers so she wouldn't be moving much stuff into the room as their house wasn't lavishly furnished. Besides the family photos and a few trinkets it was just a basic furnished house.
The State dinner was exactly what Gohan thought it would be. Bunch of old men and stuck up woman trying to suck up to her or King Furry. She had no less then 4 marriage proposals which all went denied. She would not be pressured into marrying and she told them all as such. King Furry even brought up the idea that they had at her birthday about a tournament to see whom could be worthy to marry her. Gohan reiterated that they would have to beat HER in the tournament if they had one and it would only be for the chance to date her. Thinking it was all talk, however when one of King Furry's officials at the end of the meal when most the guests were gone that it would be better for her to marry early in her rein even though she has an heir already behind her it would always go over well with the people.
"I will marry eventually. I just won't marry any old person whom comes along or for political reasons. Call me prideful or naive I don't care but I won't marry someone weaker than me. I could never respect my partner if they didn't at least challenge me if not physically then intellectually. I will do what I can for this planet, protect it from within as well as intergalactic. But I won't do that."
"Well we have to think of something. We are getting offers daily. The press keep asking about it. Apparently even your grandfather was getting offers for years to set up betrothals he just didn't want you to worry about them." Mrs Pincell added. Gohan looked at her pleadingly. "I think..." She added, "the idea about a tournament would be a good way to quell any further talk and calm the masses. Like Gohan said, a tournament where the only opponent is Gohan. Like what Cell did. Any man or woman can enter above the age of 16. The first person to beat Gohan in hand to hand combat wins the right to court her. No Ki manipulation aloud."
"That's a brilliant Idea. All of us in this room know Gohan can handle herself against most so it shouldn't be too hard for her to fight one after the other."king Furry added before falling into a coughing fit. Gohan watched as his Ki started to waiver. How had she not noticed his Ki was getting weaker. putting it to the back of her mind.
"It will be a long day." Gohan sighed. She didn't hate the idea it was one of her biggest stipulations in a partner, to be as strong or stronger than her. "we will have to have elimination rounds and knock the competition down to like the top 20 or something."
"The punching machine like at the WMAT?" One of King Furry's confidants suggested.
"No too easy to manipulate. They could be strong but not a fighter. My father and Krillin would tell me about the old WMAT where there were like 8 rings and you used to have to battle your way to the top 16. Maybe we should do it like that. That way if they make the top 20 you know they have strength and skill. Maybe have 10 rings depending on how many apply." Gohan stated.
"I'll start drafting up a press release to put out within the week." Mrs Pincell added.
"Can we make it towards the end of the year after my exams?"
"Of course your education comes first." Mrs Pincell stated in that motherly tone Gohan secretly loved as it reminded her of her mother.
The next day the boys arrived late into the afternoon. The sun was starting to set. She would be lying if she said she wasn't worried, but she wanted to give Goten the freedom that she never got, but would be lying to herself if she didn't have to practically restrain herself from checking where his Ki was everytime he was away from the house. Gohan tried to busy herself with dinner for he boys. She had the Chef 2.0 making most of the meals but decided to make a few herself. Some of the recipes that her mother taught her before Cell. Not just because the machine didn't do them justice as cooking it in the oven by hand did, but also to take her mind off Goten not being here yet with the sun starting to set. Just as she was setting the table she heard the boys landing outside. Rushing out to greet them she was met with Vegeta standing behind them.
"Hi…?" She nervously said.
"Dad took us to the Ice caps to train! It was awesome."
"Is that so. Well you boys must be very hungry after training. Go on and wash up, dinner is waiting." The boys rushed into the house while Gohan and Vegeta stood awkwardly in front of each other. "Thanks for making sure they got here okay." She tried to be polite. She could tell he was trying. The words she spoke to him really must of taken their toll. They both knew the boys didn't need an escort these days. They were practically the age Gohan was when she defeated Cell. Vegeta just nodded and turned to leave. "Would.. Would you like to stay for dinner?"
Vegeta turned back around and gave Gohan a rare smile. "Thanks." Before walking towards the house after the boys.
"Don't forget to wash your hands." She called after him, following him into the house and heading to the kitchen to see 2 mini hybrids about to grab some of the food. "Oi! You know to wait till everyone is seated." Gohan playfully scolded them.
As Vegeta walking into the kitchen to join them, both Goten and Trunks' faces lit up. Gohan tried not to read too much into it and grabbed the last dish out of the oven, placing it on the table in front of her as it was her favourite dish and taking a seat between Goten and Vegeta. "Dig in."
It didn't take long before all the food was gone. Vegeta surprisingly had most of the bake Gohan had made though she did get almost half of it. "Thanks mummy, Trunks and I are going to play games now."
"First I want you two showered, that way you can play games till bed." Both boys nodded and went off to the bathroom.
"That dish you put out last. You haven't served that one before."
"It's not one that's in the machine. I made it from scratch when I was waiting for the boys. It's one of my favourites." Gohan admitted almost shyly. This was the second conversation outside of awkward 'hello's' they had had since before Buu attacked.
"It was the nicest dish I have had in a long time." Vegeta stiffly complimented.
"Thank you." Gohan replied quietly.
"How's.. uh.. Things? You know with... uh.. the royal life?" He lamely asked.
"Not too bad I guess. Lots of pressure to find a partner to help me rule." Gohan couldn't help the scoff that came out with that sentence. "But all the 'suitor's' really don't interest me. I want someone who can challenge me. Intellectually as well and physically. They even came up with an idea for a tournament each suitor has to fight me and the first person to beat me gets the right to court me." Just like that Gohan had slipped into the easy-going conversations, spilling anything that came to mind like they used to do all the time. Looking up into his eyes Gohan saw an emotion cross them that she couldn't understand. Instead she looked away.
"That's a very Saiyan thing to do. A show of combat to prove one's self. When a male wanted to mate with a powerful female warrior he would challenge her to a fight to prove he was worthy of her. Having them all come out at once would really cut the weaklings wasting your time down."
"That's what I though too. Something within me just won't accept or respect a partner who can't match me at least." She found herself smiling while talking to him. She caught herself at the end. "Um.. It's… Getting late. Thanks for staying for dinner it makes Trunks and Goten happy when you spend time with them. I guess... We should say goodnight."
Vegeta didn't stay much longer. Gohan retired to her 'new' bedroom while the boys were in the lounge playing a video game Trunks' had brought over. Luckily for her they were playing it quietly and she was able to finish a book she found while moving some of her mother's things. It was more saucy than the other ones she had read. If Gohan didn't know any better she would say this was straight up erotica that Erasa had tried talking about with her and Videl not the borderline romance novels she had found before. Why her mother had it hidden in her underwear draw she could understand. It definitely got Gohan's face flushed while reading it and her body started to feel hot. She fell asleep to images of the story she read, though the main character resembled someone who was very muscly with spiky hair.
The next morning Gohan woke and started the routine of setting the Chef 2.0 for breakfast running diagnostics on the Gravity Chamber and general tidying the house. All the while thinking about what she read and what the people did in it. Was intercourse really that exciting as the story made it seem. She was brought out of her flush inducing thoughts by the sound of Goten and Trunks coming down from his room demanding breakfast.
Gohan had the boys run some drills after breakfast. She hadn't had much of a chance to train with them since before Buu, and was eager to see how they had improved spending so much time with Vegeta recently. "That's enough of a warm-up. I want you two to show me how you fight in that fusion technique Goku taught you."
"How do you know about that? I though you were in Otherworld?" Goten asked.
"I have my ways." Gohan smirked. "Now are you going to show me?"
The boys just smiled at each other, got into position. "Fu… Sion….. Ha!" In perfect sync. Standing before her was the same little perfect mis of Goten and Trunks. "I am Gotenks! Now what are you going to do? We are much more powerful than you like this!" They powered up to Super Saiyan.
'As well as more arrogant than Vegeta ever was apparently.' She thought to herself.
"Hmm this the best you got?"
"Aww we wanted to fight the monkey version not the normal one." They whined.
"Well if you can push me hard enough to need it you just might." Gohan smiled at them and they charged. It didn't take long for Gohan to notice their lack of skills coming through. Normally the boys both had great technique but together like that more of their flaws showed.
"You, Gotenks are very sloppy in your delivery." She continues to hit them at every point they faltered. Eventually they powered up to Super Saiyan 3. Though the few times they got a punch in on her defenses it was powerful the power up didn't improve their technique at all. Their biggest flaw was not protecting their tail, which Gohan took full advantage of. They were starting to push her to the limits and eventually had to power up to Super Saiyan. Now that she had found the trigger for herself she felt more complete. She was happy they had pushed her enough to need it.
This time when she transformed it wasn't the traditional Super Saiyan that the boys were used to. It had a silver tinge to it and her hair also took on a slightly more silver-gold tinge whereas before it was more a yellow-gold. This was the first time she would use it in front of the boys she had only achieved it a few times successfully with Piccolo over the last few months.
The boys stared for a while at the scene in front of them before continuing the all out assault. Gohan saw all she needed from their fight and after grabbing their tail she gave them a few 'love taps' which resulted in them falling out of Super Saiyan and within seconds they had separated.
"Well it definitely is a handy technique. It does have it's flaws. Though you did push me to being Super Saiyan again. Your biggest mistake, you went all out too early in the match."
"But we only get a half hour in this form we don't have time to sit and watch." Trunks tried to defend.
"Why is your Super Saiyan different then ours now?" Goten added.
"That may be true but letting the opponent attack first and being on the defensive for a few minutes could be the different between winning and losing. Even if you attack first taking time to asses and watch how your opponent reacts can also tell you a lot." Looking at their sad faces Gohan realised her voice was rising and she was almost yelling at them instead of being constructive and supportive. Taking a breath she tried again. "Look. There will come a time when I'm not around. It's happened once and though I never want to leave you boys to take the slack. It just may come to it and I want you to be ready and be smart. No battle is won with just strength. You would of won against Buu with the power you had if you had been smarter in your attack. Now how long do you have to wait before you can go again? And I'm not sure why my Super Saiyan is now different from yours Goten I had to find a new way to access it then before and now it looks different."
"It looks like what mum would call ethereal." Trunks supplied.
They spent the rest of the day working on the flaws of the technique they even got to the stage Gohan needed to be Super Saiyan 2 to match them before calling it a day.
Year 774, Late July
Eventually the school holiday's were over. Gohan and Goten went back to Capsule Corp. and her last term for the year before all the big exams during her 4th term aand calling her chapter of schooling to an end. Mrs. Pincell sent out the press release a few days before. Gohan had to stand up and explain it to the media. She still hated standing up to a sea of lights and flashes and yelling but it was getting easier for her.
This Term she noticed the media wasn't hanging around the gate. When she got to her seat she noticed only a few gifts for her on her desk. All her friends were already there. Gohan just sighed and put them on the ground beside her and greeted her friends.
"Hey guys how was your holidays?"
"Hi Gohan. Not so bad. Doesn't sound as eventful as yours. What caused the sudden Tournament at the end of the year?"
"Too many ministers from all the different countries wanting me to marry their son's figured if I'm going to date anyone let alone marry them they would have to at least match me in strength and skill. Pretty fitting don't you think?" Gohan gave an odd smirk the group hadn't seen before.
"You know that person doesn't exist right?" Sharpner added.
Max the Jock that had set the game of 'first person to get a date out of Gohan' overheard the conversation. "You know I didn't enter the WMAT cause I was visiting my sick grandma but if I had gotten the chance to enter I reckon it would of been you and I in the finals. Guess I'll have to make sure to win to get that date out of you." He stated winking at Gohan then turning back to the front. Half the class 'ohh'd' at the challenge but Gohan, Erasa and Videl all snickered at his claim. Sharpner all out laughed at him. In the school before Gohan took the crown of WMAT Champion after Videl, Max was one of the best fighters in the school.
"I stand by my statement." Sharpner wheezed trying to get his laughing under control as the teacher tried to start class.
The next few months flew by, Gohan was able to focus on her studies, the amount of people asking her out went down to almost non-existent. Gohan even took up tutoring her fellow seniors in preparation for their exams.
Her time at Capsule Corp was easier too. It was like a seal had been broken and Vegeta seemed more friendly to her. He still kept to himself a lot mostly training in the gravity room and training the boys. He was currently working on them strengthening their tails to not be a weakness. Which wasn't out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary was that he had joined almost every dinner meal with them as a family. Yamcha had recently moved in with Bulma, making their relationship official. So far it had been good. Bulma had even been talking about a small wedding ceremony.
Gohan found herself busy during most lunch and free-period breaks, helping out students but all in all the school year went by fast. It felt like the year vanished when Gohan found herself sitting in the school hall along with the 130 other students sitting their finals in late October. Naturally she was already finished and was waiting for the time they could leave before the exam finished.
In a week after the last exam they were holding the tournament. They had even gotten use of the old battle Island that was abandoned after the 'Earthquake' during the intergalactic tournament. They weren't going to use all the Island just the stages that held the preliminaries. Thanks to Mr Satan's help. He still held much influence in the Martial arts world and though he wasn't slandering Ki or Ki users anymore he was still very showy when he made appearances. Gohan even thought to ask him to be one of the officiates of the tournament. Now for her it was just to wait.
TBC...