[Disclaimer—I don't own DB/Z/GT.
A/N—This idea came to me in a flash—I hope you like it!]
___________________
It'd been over a week since Gohan's startling confession. Although his parents had tried to coax him back to his studies and his training, he just seemed to have no heart for it. It was like something inside of him had finally broken.
Goku stared sadly at his son laying curled up on the couch. His arms wrapped around his knees drawing them to his chest. His eyes stared blankly at nothing. Goku knew he was having some sort of flashback.
___________________
The flashbacks seemed to occur with greater frequency since he had told his parents, some detached portion of Gohan's mind mused. At the moment he was reliving a scene on a once beautiful planet with a green sky, now desolate and oddly silent, the sky's pale aqua dimmed to a harsh gray by smoke.
Gohan stood in the midst of the wreckage. Super Saiyan had left him, and he was covered in blood. Some of it was his own. Most of it was not.
From a nearby pile of rubble, Gohan heard a frantic scraping. Stumbling over, he pulled a piece of cement off of the pile, to reveal a little girl. She had long, blue hair, that reminded him of someone he'd met once. At the time, he hadn't known who, though now he recognized the person that she resembled as Bulma.
Gohan reached in and carefully lifted her out of the debris. "Are you ok," he whispered, knowing that he himself was the monster that had destroyed everything she had ever known and loved.
The girl nodded. A slight smile crept to her face as she opened her mouth to reply, when ---ZAP---.
Gohan felt the small body jerk in his arms as a ki beam pierced neatly through the girls skull.
Whirling, Gohan found himself confronted with Zarbon, who sarcastically blew an imaginary wisp of smoke from his fingertip. He smiled cruelly down at the boy before him, "You failed in your mission, monkey," he mocked, "I had to clean up after you," the man sneered, pointing at the still body in Gohan's arms.
Gohan felt his rage rising, and he knew that had it not been for the inhibiting collar which pulsated around his neck, he would have gone Super Saiyan again.
Zarbon smirked and drove a fist into Gohan's stomach, causing him to drop the girl's now-lifeless body. "Time for your punishment, monkey boy!" the man laughed cruelly. "Purged…means…purged…" Zarbon grunted, punctuating each word with a blow.
_______________________
Gohan gasped and let out a breath as the memory finally faded into darkness. That had been the point at which he finally lost consciousness.
Sitting carefully up, Gohan found his father staring at him. He'd been doing that a lot these last couple days. Gohan wondered whether he was having second thoughts about forgiving his murderous offspring. Gohan wouldn't have blamed him.
Goku looked at his son as the boy stared at him with those blank, unreadable eyes. That was the thing he missed most about the old Gohan. The joy that had shone out from those eyes. To see it replaced by this—cold blankness was heart wrenching.
Goku hoped fervently that his plan would work. Perhaps it might help. Perhaps someday it might even restore a glimpse of happiness to those eyes that had seen far too much.
_______________________
Gohan looked up as his father stood. What did he want?
Goku smiled at his son. He looked confused. For once, he expressed a normal emotion for a boy his age. Smiling, Goku said, "Gohan—I need you to come with me somewhere, ok? It's a short trip, but important, and I want you with me."
Gohan shrugged and followed as Goku stepped into the front yard. He would do anything his father asked of him.
Goku put his hand up in the air and whistled. He had faith in his son. He called, "Come to me, Flying Nimbus!"
Gohan was startled. What was his father doing? After only a few second, his question was answered, however, as a fluffy golden cloud descended from the sky to rest before them. It looked—familiar….
Piccolo stood against the side of the building. He knew what Goku was doing. It was a big risk. Only those with the purest of hearts could ride Flying Nimbus. Even Bulma, a relatively good person, couldn't ride. How could he expect this child with the weight of so many deaths on his soul to still remain pure enough to satisfy Nimbus?
Goku looked at his son and took a breath, "Well, Gohan, hop on!"
Gohan looked at his father strangely. He remembered riding this cloud when he was a child, but what was the use now that he could fly? Gohan opened his mouth to speak, but Goku put up a restraining hand, "Please, Gohan. I'll explain later."
Gohan shrugged, and leapt into the air, landing in the middle of the fluffy golden mass with a bounce.
Goku smiled and nodded to himself. He'd known it. He also knew that Gohan wouldn't believe it from him, since he was his father.
Goku turned to see Piccolo standing against the house, shock evident on his normally expressionless face, and grinned. "Hey Piccolo—you wanna go visit Master Roshi with me and Gohan?"
Piccolo nodded slightly, and Goku hopped onto Nimbus behind Gohan. As they flew towards the Turtle Hermit's Island, Piccolo couldn't help but look at the silent boy beside him in wonder. *You sure are something kid…..*
_____________________
Arriving at Master Roshi's Island, Goku grinned to see Krillin practicing his Kamehameha against the ocean, and Roshi, as usual, sprawled out on a recliner with a girly magazine draped over his eyes.
Goku grinned mischievously and yelled, "MASTER ROSHI!"
Krillin, who was walking up to greet them, grinned as he saw his Master go flying head over heels into the sand.
Rubbing his head, Roshi glared up through his sunglasses. Oh. It was Goku.
Hopping off Nimbus, Goku smiled at his old master, "Hey there Master Roshi!"
Roshi mumbled a greeting, still a bit sore about being woken from that @wonderful@ dream….
Goku grinned, and nudged the solemn Gohan who was still kneeling silently on Nimbus, "Hey, hop off for a second, will you son?"
Gohan obediently got off. What was his father doing? He looked at Goku with growing curiosity as his father addressed Krillin and the Turtle Hermit. "Hey, would you guys mind getting on Nimbus for me for a second?"
Roshi blushed and mumbled something about not wanting to, while Krillin looked curiously up at Goku and spoke, "You know we can't do that Goku! Only the pure of heart can ride on Flying Nimbus—I wasn't pure enough when I was a just a little kid—I'm certainly not now—as for Master Roshi," Krillin shook his head as he watched the old pervert scramble around tidying up his magazines, "Well let's just say that he's not pure enough either."
Piccolo watched closely as Gohan's head jerked up at Krillin's words. He saw a tiny smile spread on Goku's face at Gohan's expression.
"Come on Krillin, just try it for me, ok?" Goku asked.
Krillin shrugged, "Alright, but you and I both know what's going to happen." Krillin jumped into the air and came straight down on Flying Nimbus' fluffy golden surface—and kept on going. "Oof." Krillin hit the ground with a thud, landing on his feet, but just barely. Turning, he was about to ask Goku what this was all about, when he noticed the tears that had gathered in young Gohan's eyes.
Krillin shot a concerned look at Goku and asked hesitantly, "Is Gohan alright?"
To his surprise and his relief, Goku smiled and nodded, "Yes Krillin. I think he's going to be just fine now." Lifting his son, Goku placed the shocky boy on the surface of the golden cloud and hopped on behind him.
"Thanks for your help Krillin," Goku called as Nimbus, trailed by Piccolo sped into the distance.
Krillin scratched his head and frowned. "Umm, your welcome?" Turning his back on the receding trio, Krillin sought out Master Roshi, still not quite sure what had just happened…
***I know this looks like a possible ending point, but let me reassure you, it's not. Young Gohan's troubles aren't through yet—I intend to carry this through the Saiyaman Saga at least, and I am CONSIDERING going through Buu. R&R PLEASE!!! Once again, holds out tempting (yet fake) cyber chocolate for all those who review…***
A/N—This idea came to me in a flash—I hope you like it!]
___________________
It'd been over a week since Gohan's startling confession. Although his parents had tried to coax him back to his studies and his training, he just seemed to have no heart for it. It was like something inside of him had finally broken.
Goku stared sadly at his son laying curled up on the couch. His arms wrapped around his knees drawing them to his chest. His eyes stared blankly at nothing. Goku knew he was having some sort of flashback.
___________________
The flashbacks seemed to occur with greater frequency since he had told his parents, some detached portion of Gohan's mind mused. At the moment he was reliving a scene on a once beautiful planet with a green sky, now desolate and oddly silent, the sky's pale aqua dimmed to a harsh gray by smoke.
Gohan stood in the midst of the wreckage. Super Saiyan had left him, and he was covered in blood. Some of it was his own. Most of it was not.
From a nearby pile of rubble, Gohan heard a frantic scraping. Stumbling over, he pulled a piece of cement off of the pile, to reveal a little girl. She had long, blue hair, that reminded him of someone he'd met once. At the time, he hadn't known who, though now he recognized the person that she resembled as Bulma.
Gohan reached in and carefully lifted her out of the debris. "Are you ok," he whispered, knowing that he himself was the monster that had destroyed everything she had ever known and loved.
The girl nodded. A slight smile crept to her face as she opened her mouth to reply, when ---ZAP---.
Gohan felt the small body jerk in his arms as a ki beam pierced neatly through the girls skull.
Whirling, Gohan found himself confronted with Zarbon, who sarcastically blew an imaginary wisp of smoke from his fingertip. He smiled cruelly down at the boy before him, "You failed in your mission, monkey," he mocked, "I had to clean up after you," the man sneered, pointing at the still body in Gohan's arms.
Gohan felt his rage rising, and he knew that had it not been for the inhibiting collar which pulsated around his neck, he would have gone Super Saiyan again.
Zarbon smirked and drove a fist into Gohan's stomach, causing him to drop the girl's now-lifeless body. "Time for your punishment, monkey boy!" the man laughed cruelly. "Purged…means…purged…" Zarbon grunted, punctuating each word with a blow.
_______________________
Gohan gasped and let out a breath as the memory finally faded into darkness. That had been the point at which he finally lost consciousness.
Sitting carefully up, Gohan found his father staring at him. He'd been doing that a lot these last couple days. Gohan wondered whether he was having second thoughts about forgiving his murderous offspring. Gohan wouldn't have blamed him.
Goku looked at his son as the boy stared at him with those blank, unreadable eyes. That was the thing he missed most about the old Gohan. The joy that had shone out from those eyes. To see it replaced by this—cold blankness was heart wrenching.
Goku hoped fervently that his plan would work. Perhaps it might help. Perhaps someday it might even restore a glimpse of happiness to those eyes that had seen far too much.
_______________________
Gohan looked up as his father stood. What did he want?
Goku smiled at his son. He looked confused. For once, he expressed a normal emotion for a boy his age. Smiling, Goku said, "Gohan—I need you to come with me somewhere, ok? It's a short trip, but important, and I want you with me."
Gohan shrugged and followed as Goku stepped into the front yard. He would do anything his father asked of him.
Goku put his hand up in the air and whistled. He had faith in his son. He called, "Come to me, Flying Nimbus!"
Gohan was startled. What was his father doing? After only a few second, his question was answered, however, as a fluffy golden cloud descended from the sky to rest before them. It looked—familiar….
Piccolo stood against the side of the building. He knew what Goku was doing. It was a big risk. Only those with the purest of hearts could ride Flying Nimbus. Even Bulma, a relatively good person, couldn't ride. How could he expect this child with the weight of so many deaths on his soul to still remain pure enough to satisfy Nimbus?
Goku looked at his son and took a breath, "Well, Gohan, hop on!"
Gohan looked at his father strangely. He remembered riding this cloud when he was a child, but what was the use now that he could fly? Gohan opened his mouth to speak, but Goku put up a restraining hand, "Please, Gohan. I'll explain later."
Gohan shrugged, and leapt into the air, landing in the middle of the fluffy golden mass with a bounce.
Goku smiled and nodded to himself. He'd known it. He also knew that Gohan wouldn't believe it from him, since he was his father.
Goku turned to see Piccolo standing against the house, shock evident on his normally expressionless face, and grinned. "Hey Piccolo—you wanna go visit Master Roshi with me and Gohan?"
Piccolo nodded slightly, and Goku hopped onto Nimbus behind Gohan. As they flew towards the Turtle Hermit's Island, Piccolo couldn't help but look at the silent boy beside him in wonder. *You sure are something kid…..*
_____________________
Arriving at Master Roshi's Island, Goku grinned to see Krillin practicing his Kamehameha against the ocean, and Roshi, as usual, sprawled out on a recliner with a girly magazine draped over his eyes.
Goku grinned mischievously and yelled, "MASTER ROSHI!"
Krillin, who was walking up to greet them, grinned as he saw his Master go flying head over heels into the sand.
Rubbing his head, Roshi glared up through his sunglasses. Oh. It was Goku.
Hopping off Nimbus, Goku smiled at his old master, "Hey there Master Roshi!"
Roshi mumbled a greeting, still a bit sore about being woken from that @wonderful@ dream….
Goku grinned, and nudged the solemn Gohan who was still kneeling silently on Nimbus, "Hey, hop off for a second, will you son?"
Gohan obediently got off. What was his father doing? He looked at Goku with growing curiosity as his father addressed Krillin and the Turtle Hermit. "Hey, would you guys mind getting on Nimbus for me for a second?"
Roshi blushed and mumbled something about not wanting to, while Krillin looked curiously up at Goku and spoke, "You know we can't do that Goku! Only the pure of heart can ride on Flying Nimbus—I wasn't pure enough when I was a just a little kid—I'm certainly not now—as for Master Roshi," Krillin shook his head as he watched the old pervert scramble around tidying up his magazines, "Well let's just say that he's not pure enough either."
Piccolo watched closely as Gohan's head jerked up at Krillin's words. He saw a tiny smile spread on Goku's face at Gohan's expression.
"Come on Krillin, just try it for me, ok?" Goku asked.
Krillin shrugged, "Alright, but you and I both know what's going to happen." Krillin jumped into the air and came straight down on Flying Nimbus' fluffy golden surface—and kept on going. "Oof." Krillin hit the ground with a thud, landing on his feet, but just barely. Turning, he was about to ask Goku what this was all about, when he noticed the tears that had gathered in young Gohan's eyes.
Krillin shot a concerned look at Goku and asked hesitantly, "Is Gohan alright?"
To his surprise and his relief, Goku smiled and nodded, "Yes Krillin. I think he's going to be just fine now." Lifting his son, Goku placed the shocky boy on the surface of the golden cloud and hopped on behind him.
"Thanks for your help Krillin," Goku called as Nimbus, trailed by Piccolo sped into the distance.
Krillin scratched his head and frowned. "Umm, your welcome?" Turning his back on the receding trio, Krillin sought out Master Roshi, still not quite sure what had just happened…
***I know this looks like a possible ending point, but let me reassure you, it's not. Young Gohan's troubles aren't through yet—I intend to carry this through the Saiyaman Saga at least, and I am CONSIDERING going through Buu. R&R PLEASE!!! Once again, holds out tempting (yet fake) cyber chocolate for all those who review…***