AN: sorry, I forgot to mention what time frame this was set in. This is set about six months after the Buu saga, so I've decided to keep the approximate power levels for that time. So Goku is the most powerful by a fair bit with Gohan second, but Vegeta has about the same power as Gohan (cause he's been studying too much and let his power slip a little, while Vegeta kept training still — like before at the beginning of the Saiyaman saga). I don't really know exact power levels, but they're the top three fighters by a long shot. Hope that helped a bit.

Four

Gohan sat in class grinding his teeth in frustration.

There was something going on that his father wasn't telling him.

His mother and Goten hadn't come home last night. Goku told him they were still over Bulma's. Vegeta was looking after Trunks and Goten while the women were having a 'girls night out'. /I guess mum does deserve a break,/ Gohan thought and tried to push it from his mind.

This morning, however, when his dad told him that his mother had gotten drunk and couldn't come home, Gohan started to suspect a few things. But, as this was his father, he trusted his word and went to school, like a good little boy.

Videl hadn't shown up yet and it was already second period.

Now Gohan knew there was something up and his father was keeping secrets from him. It took all of his self-control not to jump out the window fly home and demand to know what's going on from his father.

When the bell rang for the start of third period Gohan was barely able to keep his rage in check.

/How could he?! What the hell is so important that he can't tell me?/ Someone came up behind Gohan and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he snapped, spinning around.

Erasa took a fearful step backwards. "I j-just wanted to know what's up."

Gohan sighed and calmed himself. "I'm sorry Erasa, I'm just having a few problems with my dad and my mind's kind of occupied by it."

"No problem, you know that if you ever want to talk you can always come see me." Erasa smiled then left, calling out behind her, "I'll see you in gym."

/Talk. I'll just have to talk to dad as soon as I get out of school./ Gohan sighed and made his way to the change room, ready for a double period of gym and yet more baseball.

"Why so glum Gohan?" Sharpener gave Gohan a slap on the back after they emerged onto the field. "The superhero gig not working for you?" Gohan smiled. After Sharpener and Erasa had found out his identity as Saiyaman and the Gold Fighter at the World Martial Arts Tournament they'd both been a bit more accepting of him and his slightly odd ways. Gohan was glad of the change, he now had three really good friends at school that he didn't have to hide his secrets from. (Well he had to still hide a few from Sharpener and Erasa, but they didn't know that.)

"Not really, it's just a problem with my father."

"Oh, I can relate. Wanna talk?"

"No, I think I should just talk to my father when I get home about the problem. Talking usually works."

"Right. Anyway wanna be on my team for baseball?"

"Sure." Gohan grinned. Sharpener had learned early on that Gohan was the best person to have on the team if you wanted to win.

"That isn't necessary today Sharpener." The two boys turned around at the sound of their teacher's voice. "I've got something special for today's lesson. Make welcome a very special guest — Yamcha the Slugger."

/Yamcha?/ Gohan looked up and sure enough there was the dark-haired martial artist grinning at him with his flying female feline friend Pu'ar. "Hey everyone, glad to be here."

Various shouts of "No way!" and "Oh Kami, I can't believe it's him!" were heard as Yamcha spoke. Gohan rolled his eyes and smiled, catching Yamcha's eye. He was still as popular as ever. /I wonder why he's here? Probably needed some extra cash or something./

"All right, why don't we all go sit down over by the bleachers and talk for a bit before we go onto the field." Everyone agreed to Yamcha's suggestion, despite many wanting to play, but then again listening to a talk from one of the most famous baseball players around wasn't something to be missed.

"So how's things Gohan?" Yamcha fell into step beside the teenager and instigated a conversation, much to the surprise of those nearby — including Sharpener.

"Having a few problems with Dad."

Yamcha looked shocked. "No way, what's up?"

"You mean you don't know either? He told me that mum didn't come home last night because she was plastered and he has been acting really weird."

"Your mum, drunk? He's so hiding something." Yamcha looked thoughtful. "I think Krillin knows. I went over yesterday to say hi and he wasn't there. He'd asked Master Roshi and Oolong to take care of Marron so he could go and meet with Vegeta. Vegeta? When has Krillin ever willingly sought him out? Actually, when has he ever left Marron in the care of Master Roshi? He knows better than that."

"You're right, there is something really wrong with everyone. I can't sense Goten or Trunks either and Dad said that Vegeta was taking care of them, yet I can feel his ki. Plus Videl's not here either. Last I heard, she, mum, Bulma and Eighteen were going out. Did you see Eighteen at Kame House?"

"No, I didn't. Hey, after class I'll go look for them and see what I can find out." Yamcha gestured to the waiting class. "For now you'll have to listen while I talk about basic pointers for hitting a ball." He shooed Gohan away and stood before the class and started talking.

Gohan sat down and Pu'ar flew over to him and curled up on his lap. Gohan smiled. "I suppose you've heard all this before?"

Pu'ar yawned. "Yeah. Yamcha's been practicing what he's gonna talk about for weeks. I know his speech back to front and upside down by now." Gohan laughed at this and listened a bit to what Yamcha was saying while Pu'ar slept, until Sharpener nudged him

"Hey, do you know Yamcha?" A few other people nearby were interested to know as well.

Gohan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, my dad's been friends with him since he was young." He thought of something else. "That's how I know a bit about baseball." A few people nodded, this cleared up a few things about Gohan. Of course he'd be a good baseball player if he knew Yamcha the Slugger. Sharpener looked at Gohan a bit curiously then turned back to Yamcha's speech.

"Okay then," Yamcha finished up after a relatively short speech. "Now why don't you get into teams and we can start playing." There were a few cheers at this and everyone got up talking about how cool Yamcha is and how great a player he is. (A few girls giggled about his good looks, but that was pretty normal for Yamcha.)

"Hey Gohan, why don't you come over here and sit with me while the others play." Gohan shrugged apologetically at Sharpener, who was looking forward to winning by a lot, and walked over to where Yamcha sat with their teacher, who went out onto the field to start the game.

"So how long has Goku been acting weird?"

"Since he got home from Krillin's last night. I think something bad's happened to mum and the others."

Yamcha lightly punched Gohan in the arm in a reassuring manner. "I'm sure they're fine, I mean Eighteen is with them and Chi-chi's a pretty good fighter herself."

"And Videl's with them too."

Yamcha looked at Gohan slyly. "She is, huh. She sure is spending a lot of time around you and your family Gohan." Gohan blushed. "Does this mean —" Yamcha cut off suddenly and both fighters leapt up and went on alert.

"You felt that too?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"I don't know. They're strong, but nowhere near as strong as a Super Saiyan."

"Earthlings?"

"No, they wouldn't have just suddenly appeared like that." Gohan frowned. "Their ki signature feels familiar ..." Gohan gasped then narrowed his eyes. "Saiyans," he hissed.

"You're sure?" Yamcha looked worried. No wonder considering his first real fight against as Saiyan ended with his own death.

"Positive. One of them I recognise, but I don't know where from."

"Is it Nappa?" Gohan could hear the fear in Yamcha's voice. Although he was a lot stronger than he had been before, Nappa still scared him a bit.

"No." Gohan closed his eyes. "It's Raditz."

"No way. How?"

"I don't know, but they're close by and approaching fast." Gohan looked at Yamcha. "Could you get everyone away, take them to the gym and distract them somehow?"

Yamcha nodded. "I'll give them a martial arts lesson." He grinned to lighten the tension, though it was forced.

"Thanks."

Yamcha went over to the teacher and whispered something to him and got a receiving nod, then he called everyone in, gave them a small talk, to which many cheers were heard and led them inside. Gohan followed for a bit then slipped away and went back outside and waited for the visitors to come.

Unfortunately, Sharpener and Erasa had saw him slip away and followed him.

"Where is he going?" Erasa whispered.

"I don't know ... wait, he's stopped. He's just standing in the middle of the baseball field. It looks like he's waiting for something. Let's get closer." Erasa nodded at the suggestion and they crept closer to Gohan, making sure to stay hidden by the bleachers, or bushes or anything that kept Gohan from seeing them.

But, as is well known, Gohan isn't stupid. He could feel the two of them creeping around nearby. He turned and stared directly at their hiding spot, which really didn't hide them that much. "All right Sharpener, Erasa, you can come out from behind the trash can."

The two blondes got up quickly and walked over to him, hanging their heads sheepishly.

"What are you two doing?"

"We want to know what you're up to," Sharpener replied.

"Yeah. Don't you want to learn a few more martial arts moves from Yamcha? Why wouldn't you?"

Sharpener sighed. "Erasa, don't you see that Gohan is up to something, it's not that he doesn't want to learn. So I want to know what you're up to."

Gohan frowned. "It's not safe for you to be here."

"What?"

"Something's going to happen, and you can't be here or you could get hurt."

"Gohan stop with the secrets already!" Sharpener exclaimed. "Tell us what's going on. We're supposed to be your friends."

Gohan sighed. "Please, I'll explain everything once I'm done here, but you have to go back inside before they arrive."

"Who?"

"Please, just go now!" Gohan pleaded with them.

Sharpener sighed. "Fine, but you better give us a good explanation for all this." He turned away.

"You know that you can tell us anything Gohan," Erasa looked a bit hurt that he'd kept a secret from them. "Just be careful yourself." She walked back with Sharpener to the gym.

/Trust me guys, this is for your own good./ Gohan turned his attention back to the sky and the figures he could now clearly see approaching.

A few seconds later they landed, five of them.

One of them Gohan instantly recognised.

"Raditz," he growled. "What do you want here?"

The long-haired Saiyan approached with his hands up and in front of him in a gesture of innocence and well-intent. "I didn't come to fight, I need to speak with Goku."

"And what do you want to talk to him about?" Raditz frowned at the hostility he felt radiating from the boy. /Who is he? I feel I should know him./

"Who are you?"

Gohan smirked. "I'm insulted that you don't recognise me. Last time I saw you, you tried to kidnap me."

Raditz laughed. "Well, well, well, little Gohan. Haven't you grown to be a strong one."

"You wouldn't believe how strong, I won't need anyone else with me to take care of you this time."

"Hold it, I said I didn't want to fight."

"And I'm not going to believe that. Since when has a Saiyan ever not wanted to fight?"

"Since the Saiyan race was held hostage again!" Raditz yelled, sick of Gohan's attitude. "Just hear me out and decide my intentions for yourself before you attack."

Gohan crossed his arms and glared, looking remarkably like Vegeta. "Fine. You wanted to see Goku? About what?"

"We need his help to get his wife back."

Gohan froze. "What did you just say?"

"I'll explain everything once Goku's here." It was strange, why did he keep calling Goku by his Earth name? Every Saiyan they had met always called him 'Kakarott'.

"Fine. Wait here then I'll lead you somewhere where we can talk." Gohan didn't wait for his approval and dashed inside to see Yamcha.

Everyone was inside, already practicing the basic warm-ups, though some were having trouble and Yamcha was helping them. Gohan made his way over to Yamcha and gestured him to the side. A few people looked at him curiously, but Gohan was a bit strange and he knew Yamcha, so most people didn't bother with curiosity. But Sharpener and Erasa were staring at the two intently, wondering what was going on.

"Yamcha, I have to go. Raditz wants to meet with dad and he knows something about my mother. Once class is finished meet up with us, we'll be near my house."

Yamcha nodded. "Sure thing. Be careful Gohan."

Gohan smiled grimly. "I always am when it concerns Saiyans." Then he quickly left via the bathroom so as not to arouse too much suspicion.

"Let's go," he snapped to the group of Saiyans and led them away from his school and civilization to his isolated home in the mountains.