Chapter 2
Gokou's Sorrow
Smiling slightly Bulma sits on the floor next to Vegeta and hugs her knees. "I guess the best place to start from would be the reunion. It had been year's sense we had all been together, I don't rightfully know why but after Gokou married Chichi and moved into the mountains we all kind of just went our separate ways, to grow up and explore our own lives I guess. Yamcha and me were on and off for the longest time, as we always were. Master Roche returned to the island taking Krurilin with him for more training. With Oolong often staying at the island too. Choutsu and Tien went off into the wilderness to pros sue whatever adventures they could come across in they're travels and yagerobie disappeared to Korans I believe. Any way life had gotten very boring along the years. I hadn't heard from any of my old friends in years and so I decided to have a party. A get together to best all get together ever. I contacted everyone and they were all excited to hear from me but a bunch couldn't come, too busy with life I guess. Only those most loyal to Gokou made it to the reunion.
Shocked were we all when Gokou appeared with his son Gohan. He was adorable his little tail wrapping it self insecurely around his fathers wrist when Gokou introduced him to us all. I have known Gokou for a long time and as far back as I can remember he has always been positive and upbeat. Yet as I looked into his eyes that day I saw something within him that made me want to cry. There was a hidden emptiness in his eyes; sadness only the truest of friends could spot a mile away. Later that day after the party had kicked into full gear I had pulled Gokou off to the side and I asked him what was wrong. At first he said nothing was wrong and that he didn't know what I was talking about. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday."
*******Flash Back********
"I don't know what you are talking about Bulma I'm fine really, if something was wrong then I would tell you." said a falsely cheerful Gokou. A look of hurt appears upon Bulma's face and for a brief second she turns her back to the tall man in front of her. Then turning her neck without looking directly at him she fires back "you know Gokou, we have been best friends for over ten years now and in that entire time you have never once lied to me, what is going on that is so bad it would make you spit an awful lie like that in my face? Instead of trusting in each other like we always have and open up to me? I just want to help Gokou." with that said Bulma continues to walk away from Gokou with her back to him and her shoulders slumped in hurt sorrow.
Gokou is momentarily locked in a battle with him self as Bulma's words ring true in his ears and his conscious becomes locked in an inner conflict of opening up to his best friend or staying silent to be one with his misery. Even as slow as he was some times it didn't take him long for him to reach out to her and call her name. "Bulma wait!" She does, but she leaves her back to him. "I'm sorry Bulma I didn't mean to lie to you, its just... I didn't want to drag you into this. Please come back ill tell you everything," says Gokou somberly. Smiling Bulma turns to him and says. "That's better Gokou now what's eating at you?"
Sighing deeply Gokou sits down on the sand and looks out into the endless ocean that surrounded the Island. "Its so many things I don't know where to begin, Its Chichi mostly, its Gohan its Chichi's father its the solitude its the peace...its life. Ever sense I met Chichi my life has turned upside down gone to hell and hit rock bottom. Every day it's the same thing, I'm useless I'm a barbarian, I'm corrupting my Own Fucking Son with my worthless Barbarians ways! I tell you Bulma I can't win. Its been going on for years now and I always just take it with a smile and put on my stupid act of innocence. She wants me to be something I am clearly not. I have known for the longest time that I am different Bulma. I'm by far the strongest person on this planet and I must put that power to the use of good. I have saved this planet several times and for all my blood sweat and tears the thanks I get is an arranged marriage a wife who loathes everything I am except the man she dreams I will some day magically become and a son that I cant even love because I will corrupt him if I get to close. She's so embarrassed of me that we live in the middle of no where for fear someone will see me do something and freak out.
Then her father gets on me about not providing for my family, like a normal man. Never in all the time that I have been married to Chichi have we ever missed a meal and gone hungry, never once have we been without shelter and frozen from the elements never once have we had to walk around naked from lack of clothing. I have always provided for my family in every sense of the meaning. And ever chance they get they throw it in my face any way they can that I should be more responsible and adult. It used to be that I would go out and train to get away from it all or spar with one of my friends but one by one they all became no match for me and I was left with sparing with my self, alone and left with the depression of my every day life. It's been like this for years now. I'm drowning in my disgust for my wife and my loneliness for a challenge. I'm going under Bulma and I don't know what to do. If something does not happen soon I might loose my way and never return from the darkness that encompasses my heart."
After a moment of his silence Bulma realizes he is done speaking and she moves in to console her best Friend the only way she knows how, she hugs him as tight as she can and whispers soothing words into his ear as she rocks him back and forth like a small child. Gokou looses him self in the moment and lets his pent up tears and frustration flow from him in choked silent sobs and a stream of salty tears that run into Bulma's tanned shoulder.
*******End Flash Back********
"Gokou cried on my shoulder until he had no more tears to cry and he was asleep mumbling incoherently about dumplings and omelets with duck sauce. We stayed like that for hours, no one even noticing that we had wandered off. It was then in those moments where Gokou the Earths mightiest protector lay broken and torn in my arms that I knew I had to do something. I couldn't let him slip into that darkness he had described. I wouldn't let him go without a fight. He had saved my life more times then I care to remember and I knew it was my time to repay the favor. I would make our Gokou happy again or so help me I would die trying. Only one thing remained though, how in the hell was I going to do it? I needed answers that I didn't have. Fortunately for me those answers came rather quickly. Unfortunately though they were in the form of Raditz Gokou's evil brother.