Chapter One- 5 years later...
Dad... Gone... Dead... My fault... Dad... Gone... Dead... My fault...
The thought was a constant one in Gohan's mind. Laying in bed with nothing but his boxers on he drifted in and out of sleep. Getting up to go to the bathroom or to eat was his only activity. He was hardly even aware as his mother Chichi, who still believed her son would snap out of it any day now to resume her quest to become a scholar and live happily ever after, kept reading textbooks to him in a vain hope that his sub-conscious would pick it up and remember.
"Alright now Gohan, now for math..." Chichi continued trying to ignore his uninterested stare at the wall. Ever since the fight with Cell, it seemed as if Gohan only responded with a yes or no and rarely gave anyone his attention. The only people who were able to get him to say more than a few words were Piccolo and his younger brother Goten. "Hmm." Chichi sighed giving up and walking out of the room. As she did a lone tear dropped down Gohan's cheek.
Picking up the phone Chichi called Bulma and cried.
Later...
Parking in her Capsule convertible in downtown Tokyo, Bulma glanced into the back seat, which held a mute Gohan. It had taken a five-hour talk with Chichi before they had both agreed that something had to be done. After dressing Gohan respectably and making the long drive back into the city it was well into the afternoon hours of the day.
"Ok Gohan we're here. " Bulma said trying to be cheery but still chilled by the cold look, which was firmly implanted on his face. Getting out of the car she was even more horrified by his condition when she had to open the door and forcibly tell him to get out. Mute obedience was his only response as he followed her into an office building.
"We're here for the 5:30 Appointment with Ms. Sherwood." Bulma stated to the receptionist.
"Ahh, yes. Gohan is your name?" She asked getting only a slight nod as an answer from Gohan. "Alright if you could just go in that room over there, Ms. Sherwood will be with you in a minute." Slowly Gohan walked into the room leaving the door open behind him and sat down on a large blow up chair with the imprint of Mr. Satan.
"Hmmm. So how are you today young man?" Asked Ms. Sherwood, a slightly plump woman who was in her mid-fifties, as she came in and took a seat opposite Gohan. Getting no response she continued, "Your friend Bulma said you've been having some problems, would you like to talk about them?" Silence. "Well, what do you know." Her tone was no longer patient, but accusing "It's just another man who can't bear to show his feelings no matter how much they tear him up inside." Oddly enough her cruel tactic was enough to provoke a response. Unfortunately it wasn't one she was suspecting, Gohan's hair was now gold and his eyes a dark shade of emerald. "EEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed and continued as she ran out of the room out of the office and into the street where she was promptly run over by a Volkswagen beetle.
All around the world however several people suddenly looked to the sky and gasped. "Gohan…" Piccolo, Tien, Krillen and Yamcha all took off immediately towards a flickering powerlevel, which hadn't been felt in a long time.
"So he's still not better?" Asked Yamcha, as everyone turned away from Bulma and towards the reporters who had suddenly shifted focus from the accident to the sudden appearance of the Z-senshi who hadn't been seen or heard of since the cell games. Soon everyone had left except for Piccolo and Bulma.
"Bulma, would you do me a favor?" Asked Piccolo looking kinda sheepish.
"Sure Piccolo. What do you need."
'I need some cash. I want to try something with Gohan."
"Alright how much?"
"Umm..."
"Alright, here is $500 good luck, but try to get Gohan home safe ok."
"Sure, and Bulma Thanks..."
After giving Piccolo a slight nod and a smile Bulma walked out of the office and got into her car and drove off. Leaving Gohan and Piccolo alone.
Taking a seat, Piccolo began, "Gohan, It's ok to express your feelings. It's very important that you do actually. Now listen, here is $500. Take it and go express yourself tonight. Try to have some fun." Then, having said what he wanted to say, Piccolo took off and hid from Gohan, leaving him all alone for the first time.
After sitting in the same seat for several minutes, Gohan blinked several times in rapid succession and stood up. A small piece of his sanity returned, he powered down and then walked out into the street confused.
"Now what do I do?" After deciding that one way was as good as another Gohan began to hike deeper into the city.
Dad... Gone... Dead... My fault... Dad... Gone... Dead... My fault...
The thought was a constant one in Gohan's mind. Laying in bed with nothing but his boxers on he drifted in and out of sleep. Getting up to go to the bathroom or to eat was his only activity. He was hardly even aware as his mother Chichi, who still believed her son would snap out of it any day now to resume her quest to become a scholar and live happily ever after, kept reading textbooks to him in a vain hope that his sub-conscious would pick it up and remember.
"Alright now Gohan, now for math..." Chichi continued trying to ignore his uninterested stare at the wall. Ever since the fight with Cell, it seemed as if Gohan only responded with a yes or no and rarely gave anyone his attention. The only people who were able to get him to say more than a few words were Piccolo and his younger brother Goten. "Hmm." Chichi sighed giving up and walking out of the room. As she did a lone tear dropped down Gohan's cheek.
Picking up the phone Chichi called Bulma and cried.
Later...
Parking in her Capsule convertible in downtown Tokyo, Bulma glanced into the back seat, which held a mute Gohan. It had taken a five-hour talk with Chichi before they had both agreed that something had to be done. After dressing Gohan respectably and making the long drive back into the city it was well into the afternoon hours of the day.
"Ok Gohan we're here. " Bulma said trying to be cheery but still chilled by the cold look, which was firmly implanted on his face. Getting out of the car she was even more horrified by his condition when she had to open the door and forcibly tell him to get out. Mute obedience was his only response as he followed her into an office building.
"We're here for the 5:30 Appointment with Ms. Sherwood." Bulma stated to the receptionist.
"Ahh, yes. Gohan is your name?" She asked getting only a slight nod as an answer from Gohan. "Alright if you could just go in that room over there, Ms. Sherwood will be with you in a minute." Slowly Gohan walked into the room leaving the door open behind him and sat down on a large blow up chair with the imprint of Mr. Satan.
"Hmmm. So how are you today young man?" Asked Ms. Sherwood, a slightly plump woman who was in her mid-fifties, as she came in and took a seat opposite Gohan. Getting no response she continued, "Your friend Bulma said you've been having some problems, would you like to talk about them?" Silence. "Well, what do you know." Her tone was no longer patient, but accusing "It's just another man who can't bear to show his feelings no matter how much they tear him up inside." Oddly enough her cruel tactic was enough to provoke a response. Unfortunately it wasn't one she was suspecting, Gohan's hair was now gold and his eyes a dark shade of emerald. "EEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed and continued as she ran out of the room out of the office and into the street where she was promptly run over by a Volkswagen beetle.
All around the world however several people suddenly looked to the sky and gasped. "Gohan…" Piccolo, Tien, Krillen and Yamcha all took off immediately towards a flickering powerlevel, which hadn't been felt in a long time.
"So he's still not better?" Asked Yamcha, as everyone turned away from Bulma and towards the reporters who had suddenly shifted focus from the accident to the sudden appearance of the Z-senshi who hadn't been seen or heard of since the cell games. Soon everyone had left except for Piccolo and Bulma.
"Bulma, would you do me a favor?" Asked Piccolo looking kinda sheepish.
"Sure Piccolo. What do you need."
'I need some cash. I want to try something with Gohan."
"Alright how much?"
"Umm..."
"Alright, here is $500 good luck, but try to get Gohan home safe ok."
"Sure, and Bulma Thanks..."
After giving Piccolo a slight nod and a smile Bulma walked out of the office and got into her car and drove off. Leaving Gohan and Piccolo alone.
Taking a seat, Piccolo began, "Gohan, It's ok to express your feelings. It's very important that you do actually. Now listen, here is $500. Take it and go express yourself tonight. Try to have some fun." Then, having said what he wanted to say, Piccolo took off and hid from Gohan, leaving him all alone for the first time.
After sitting in the same seat for several minutes, Gohan blinked several times in rapid succession and stood up. A small piece of his sanity returned, he powered down and then walked out into the street confused.
"Now what do I do?" After deciding that one way was as good as another Gohan began to hike deeper into the city.