Disclaimers: I do not own Dragonball Z.



Hello! I am trying something new here! I usually do humor, but I wanted
To try and do a different type of fic. Well, I hope it is decent for all of you.
Perhaps some OCC...that is all.
And read and enjoy!
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The Hidden Darkness


"Goku! Will you slow down before you choke to death?"


Goku looked up at his wife's angry face. "Mufuperfup!" Goku muttered to Chi Chi while trying to defend himself from his wife.


"Goku! Don't chew with your mouth full. Swallow your food before you talk to me again! Is that clear?" Chi Chi glared at Goku as he swallowed his food.


"I was saying Chi Chi, that I was really hungry..."


"You're always hungry! What's new Goku! That is no excuse for stuffing your mouth so full that you can't even talk!" Chi Chi took a sip from her glass of tea. She looked at the stairs leading up to the bedroom.


"Besides, where is Goten? I called you two both down for breakfast 10 minutes ago. I know you would be here, but Goten is as equally 'always hungry' as you. Did you see him this morning?"


Goku looked at Chi Chi and shrugged. "The last time I saw him was last night. He was sitting outside. I think he came in later and took a shower and went to bed. That was about...oh...11:00. Call him again Chi Chi, he probably just went back to sleep or something." Goku stuffed another muffin in hi mouth when he felt Chi Chi whacked him over the head with her frying pan.



"Goku! You will get up from that chair and go see if your son is all right. I am worried about him! He never misses breakfast. GO NOW!"


"Okay! I am going." Goku said as he rubbed rose from his chair and walked up stairs to Goten's bedroom.


'Goten should have been up for breakfast...he never misses it.' Goku said to himself as he approached his youngest son's room.


"Goten? Are you awake? Your mother sent me up here to check on you." Goku tapped softly on the door. He heard a faint movement in the room and a muffled sound of somebody having a hard time moving around. Finally the door creaked open reveling a disheveled Goten.


"Son? Are you all right? Breakfast is ready." Goku watched as Goten yawned and moved out into the hall to stand beside his father.


"Yeah. I'm fine. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Goten rubbed his forehead. "Plus, I just didn't feel like eating. Goku reeled back in surprise. "You not hungry? Something has to be bothering you."


"Nah...After our spar, I had a burst of energy so I just decided to stay up a little longer. Mom is worrying about nothing...wait! I need to go brush my teeth and stuff. I'll be down in a second."

Goku watched as his 19 year-old son ran down and disappeared in the left side door.
Goten walked a little faster to the kitchen table and sat down.


"Goten! Are you feeling fine? You didn't get up to eat...."


"I'm fine!" Goten snapped at Chi Chi. He saw the hurt look on his mother's face and sighed. "Sorry Mom. I just didn't sleep much last night...I'm a little edgy and I have a really bad headache. Please...believe me. I will be fine." Goten forced a smile as he began to eat his breakfast.


Chi Chi exchanged a worried look with Goku as she turned back towards the refrigerator. "Goku, what is on your agenda today?"


Goku's face instantly went from worried to excited as he forgot about Goten and his mood. "Well...I thought that I would pick up Gohan and Pan and we would go take her to spar. It is about time she learned how to fight." Goku sat back down and continued his plans. "And then I though we would all go see Vegeta and Trunks. They might want to spar a little and then after, we could all go to that new theme park! You want to come Chi Chi...though Gohan is busy with his job and all...he might not have the time to do it. Well...perhaps Krillian Yamcha or Tien would want to in his place. But Vegeta said that if Yamcha came around him again, that he would blast his face in....but...."


Goten scowled deeply as he listened to his father go on and on with his plans for the day. Everything revolved around everyone...everyone but him. Still picking at his food, he glanced side ways as his father wildly gestured. 'Why can't he ever include me in anything?'


Goten sighed as he placed down his fork. "Hey Father! Can I come with you?" Goten looked hard at his father. "I mean...I am not too busy today...so...you know..."


Goku looked over at Goten's hopeful face. "Sure! We are going to leave after breakfast. Chi Chi do you want to come?" Goku stood and walked over to his wife.


"Me? You want me to come? Sure! It has been a while since I had some fun!" Chi Chi beamed up at Goku. "Bulma and I can talk or perhaps you could spar with me...for old times sake."


Goku looked down, surprised at Chi Chi. "You want to spar? Wow! OK!"


Goten watched from across the table as his father kissed his mother on the forehead. 'At least she gets some attention...' Goten mused.


"Hey! Let's get going! I am not getting any older!" Goku laughed.


"It's younger Dad..." Goten sighed.

"Oh yeah! Thanks!" Goku walked out to the front door with Chi Chi in tow. "We are taking off, son. Catch up with us!" Goku shouted as he took off with Chi Chi.


"Sure Dad." Goten mumbled as he silently finished his breakfast.
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"Pan, dodge left when I come at you again like that! When you are in a real fight, the enemy is not going to let you get away that easily. Understand sweetheart?"

Gohan watched as his 5-year-old daughter scrambled up from the ground and whipped her red gi off. "Yes, daddy. Do it again?" Pan looked up sweetly at her father.

Gohan smiled. "No Pan-chan. Take a break. You did good."

"Ah! I'll go play with grandma and mom!" Pan squealed as she skipped over to the tree where the others were sitting.

Gohan watched as Pan left towards the tree. Off to his right he saw a figure move towards him. It was Goten.

"Hey Goten! When did you get here?" Gohan smiled as his younger brother came to his side.

"I've been here for a while. You didn't sense me?" Goten asked.

Gohan made a face. "No. Sorry. I guess I was just too focused on Pan. She's my little girl you know. She is going to be a great fighter one day...I just know it!"

Goten smiled as he ran his hand through his shoulder length hair. 'I really should cut it...' he thought to himself. "Yeah...she's going to be great....where's Dad?" Goten plopped down on the ground beside his brother.

"He is sparing with Vegeta. They should be back soon. And you know the usual...Vegeta accuses Dad of cheating, Dad says 'No he didn't, Vegeta shoots a blast at Dad, Dad blocks it and it whacks Vegeta in the head. And so on." Gohan looked down at his brother.

"Hmm...yeah." Goten sighed sadly.

Gohan looked down at his brother with concern. "Hey. What is wrong, Goten?"

"Why does everyone think something is wrong with me?" Goten looked angrily up at Gohan. "It's like, just because I am not like you, something is wrong with me? Is that it?"

"What? Goten, I don't know what you are talking about." Gohan raised his hands up. "You just sounded sad, so I thought I would just ask what is wrong. Nothing more than that. No one is comparing you to me."

Goten just sighed. "Sorry. I am not feeling well today..."

"Sayain's don't get sick..."

"I said I don't feel well." Goten snapped at Gohan. "Look. Just...forget it Gohan. I just want to think about something, okay?"

'His moods are changing so much' Gohan thought to himself. 'Guess I better back off. I really am not in a mood for a big fight today.' Gohan placed his hands on his brother's shoulder and smiled. "Well, whenever you want to talk, I am here." Gohan looked up into the sky. "Here's Dad. Want to talk to him?"


Goten sighed mentally as he watched his father land and walk towards them.

"Hey Gohan! How is my boy doing? Still fighting?" Goku rubbed Gohan's head greeting him.

"I do as much as I can Dad. It has been hard to keep up with a family, work and all." Gohan said lamely.

Goku made a face. "Well, do as much as you can." Goku turned his attention to Goten who was looking down on the ground, rather dejectedly. "Goten? Do you want to spar?" Goku asked his son.

Goten looked up at his father. "Spar? All you do with me is spar Dad. Can we do anything else for a change?" Goten stood up straight as he looked at his father, waiting for his answer.

"Well...sparing is something we do. I thought we enjoyed it." Goku crossed his arms as he looked at Goten. "Besides, what else would we do but spar?"

Goten glared at his father. 'So it all comes to this...I can't take this anymore', Goten shook with fury as he shouted at his father. "Are you saying we have nothing in common? That the only thing that I Goten, am worthy of is to spar with you? I mean, couldn't we do other stuff besides sparing?" Goten stared at his father, who looked surprised at his son's out burst.

"I...guess...we could do something...fish? Yeah! That sounds good doesn't it?" Goku suggested quickly, trying to please his youngest son.

"Goten, calm down! You don't want do burst a vein like Vegeta, do you?" Gohan said trying to ease the tension.

Goten looked at his brother and sighed. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath and blew it out, trying to calm himself. After he felt he was calm enough, he opened his eyes and look at Goku. "Sorry Dad...I just felt...really stressed lately. Graduation is just around the corner and stuff...you know..."

Goku gave Goten a goofy look. "It's fine! But I really should do something other than spar. You are right. We'll figure out something. OK?"

Goten nodded. "OK."

"Hey, let's go get something to eat! I am starved!" Goku rubbed his stomach.

"What else is new?" Gohan laughed as he followed his father to the tree.

Goten walked slowly after him. 'What is wrong with me? I am getting angry at the smallest things...I am getting angry at nothing!' Goten placed a hand on his forehead as he trudged up the hill. 'I feel like I am losing control. And dad says control is everything....'

Goten stopped and looked at his father. "But why should I listen to him. He just shows up and....stop it Goten! Oh great...now I am talking to myself...the 'so-called' first signs of insanity."

Goten rubbed his temples again. "Man. This headache is the worst it has ever been. Perhaps I should get it checked out before it kills me."
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Um..yeah. Well, I congratulate you for getting though this much:). I have really good ideas for this fic, so hopefully you readers will think it has potential. I am just trying to become a better writer you know! Any constructive criticism will be appreciated. NO FLAMES though please!. Thank you!