AN: I have reviewers that actually like me!! HAPPY!! Wow thanks guys for
the great reviews and thanks to P-sama for telling me what AU means, it
does fit almost every fan fic and this one too. Thanks guys.
SO ON WITH THE STORY
Chapter 4 The Odd Project
It was Thursday, probably the only day of the week more depressing than Monday, for Thursdays are days that try to lull you into a false sense of happiness. While Wednesday had marked the middle of the week saying "this week is half over" you would assume that Thursday would be a less stressful day. That is until you remember about Friday, the day which was still to come, thereby creating a barrier in front of the peace the weekend held. It had been two days since Sharpner's party and Videl had been more suspicious than ever. Gohan had been forced to help her the previous day with a dinosaur that was rampaging through the city, and she had been very unthankful for Saiyaman's help. The week was not going Gohan's way, but this Thursday was really bad, even as Thursdays go. This Thursday was a perfect addition to the already bad week.
"This project will be over 50% of your final grade folks, so make sure actually do this assignment, please. Now I want you all to get into groups of four and then I'll tell you exactly what you have to do. NOW MOVE!" Mr. Sumisu snapped at the students to wake them up. They groggily moved into groups of four. Gohan, Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa worked together, Sharpner actually wanted to work with Gohan on this project because he thought that he wouldn't have to do any work with the "nerd boy" in his group. "Ok students, this assignment will be a two week project on the history of a being, group, or event. These topics were specifically chosen because of the mystery surrounding some of it so it will be up to you to decipher fact from legend, which means actually talking to people who witnessed the events. It has three components the first of which is due next Monday. Now could one person from each group please come down and pick a topic out of this hat, please? Then, if you could, pick up the corresponding folder telling you exactly what you need to do to complete the process."
Gohan walked down the tiered classroom towards the hat on the teacher's desk and took a place in the line that was forming. As the other students went to sit down Gohan glanced at the topics they had selected. There were a few topics that he didn't know much about, but then there were a few with labels like "The World Martial Arts Championships", and, to Gohan's horror, one labeled "The Red Ribbon Army". Gohan slowly made his way up to the desk. *At least the bad ones are probably gone by now. The Red Ribbon Army, those guys could run into some trouble with that one, although I don't think that the connection was ever made between them, my dad, the dragonballs, and the androids... Which is a really good thing if I want to keep my past a secret, although the group doing the tournament may find out a few things... but that group is rather dimwitted, all jocks, so maybe they won't make the connection... Oh, my turn.* Gohan approached the desk and put his hand in the hat and pulled out the slip of paper. He stepped out of the line and walked towards the folders on the teacher's desk, opening his piece of paper as he went. As he read it, he stopped dead in his tracks, all the color drained from his face and a look of horror and pain plastered on his normally cheery face.
"Gohan, GOHAN!" Videl was yelling in his ear. Gohan jumped at the sound of his name and turned to look at her, a look of horror still on his face. "What is it, what does it say? Gohan...?" He slowly handed her the slip of paper, his hand shaking slightly, knowing that her reaction would not be good either. "Well, I should have expected this, my bad luck. Cell... I should have known, only I can be cursed this badly. Well Gohan let's go, we have work to do... unfortunately." Gohan hadn't noticed that the rest of the class had already left; he and Videl were the only ones in the room.
Gohan want and gathered his stuff, then followed after Videl. Sharpner and Erasa were waiting right outside the door, "Let's go outside and look over all of this stuff," Videl said, holding up the manila envelope containing the information on their assignment. They all nodded their silent acceptance of her proposal, and the group walked towards the doors of the building, Gohan taking up the rear, once again deep in his own thoughts. They sat down at an empty picnic table behind the school and Videl opened the envelope. "Ok, we have, of course, the Cell games stuff, that's easy we'll just go to my house and look at the videos and talk to my dad. I really wish I didn't have to do the project on this, I'll never hear the end of it." Videl shook her head in disgust, "At least that's the last part of the project; we can put it off for as long as possible. Um... what's the first part?" Videl began to flip through the papers in front of her looking for the right part. Gohan was still in a daze from the irony of it all. *Dende, if you're behind this I will kill you.* Gohan knew his friend could hear his angry thoughts but didn't care, although Gohan was surprised that he got a response from the Earth's guardian.
*Actually Gohan... I didn't do that. I mean, I did know that topic was on of the possibilities, but I tried to make sure you didn't get it... Gohan you have to believe that I would never do this to you, you're my friend and I know how you feel about what happened seven years ago.*
Gohan suddenly looked up, staring into the clouds, a look of shock and confusion etched across his face, *But if you didn't do it then who did Dende?* Videl stopped shuffling through the papers and stared curiously at Gohan, wondering what had caused him to suddenly jerk the way he did.
*I don't know Gohan, I just don't know.* Gohan put his face into his hands in disbelief.
*Who can override the will of the guardian of Earth? What's going on? Is there a new enemy? Or could it have been one of the Kais screwing with my head because they were bored, or drunk?* Gohan's head was full of a jumble of unanswerable questions. He lowered his head and gazed at the people sitting around him, he quickly shook the questions out of his head, *I can't do this now; it's no use thinking of this. I'll never answer these questions on my own, I'll just have to go to the lookout after school and see if Dende has any more information. And if he can't help me then I'll find someone who can.* Gohan looked over to find Videl giving him a puzzling glare. Gohan smiled nervously as she snapped her eyes back down to the papers in front of her.
"Oh... here it is. Um... it's something about a shelter built... Hey Gohan, it was built near your house, it was built out in the mountains!" Gohan's jaw dropped, *I know someone's up to something now.* "It says here that it was built to protect the people of the area, hundreds of people invested in it, but it was destroyed mysteriously just days before the start of the Cell Games. Wow."
"Oh," Erasa squealed with delight, "Why don't we all go up there this weekend and check out the place? Gohan will let us stay at his house for the night on Friday and we can look around all day Saturday. You'll let us, won't you Gohan?" Erasa blinked at him sweetly and smiled.
"Well I'll have to check with my mom but there shouldn't be that much of a problem since it is for school."
"Fine then it's settled," Videl stood up. "Here Gohan, take the folder and try to find out where we should go will ya?"
"Sure Videl," Gohan said as he took the folder from Videl. The four walked back into the school for their next class, gym. Gohan knew something was going on and was so distracted in class that he didn't even notice when a tennis ball came hurtling towards his head. It was only the impact that forced him to shift his balance that woke him from his thoughts. He put his hand up to his head, to where the tennis ball had hit his head, in his confusion, wondering what had just tapped him.
"Are you ok son? I think you should go to the nurse's office, I don't want you to end up having a concussion." Gohan nodded, thanking Dende that he wouldn't have to deal with the rest of that class. He walked into the locker room, changed into his normal clothes and slowly walked to the nurse's office.
"Oh, hello Gohan," the nurse said as he shuffled into her office, "your gym teacher sent a student ahead to tell me what happened. Are you ok?" Gohan looked at her blankly, barely even registering the fact that she was speaking. The look in his eyes caused her to unconsciously bite her nails, worried about his condition. "Umm... Why don't you go home Gohan, I'll call your mother and tell her that your own your way. Ok, honey?" Gohan nodded in dazed agreement and walked back out of the door he had just entered through. *I hope mom understands. I'll stop by there before I head to the Lookout. I should get there as fast as possible to keep her from freaking out at the poor nurse.*
Gohan arrived home to hear his mother on the phone demanding to know what happened. Gohan came up beside her, faster than she could see and disconnected the phone on her. She looked up surprised and almost dropped the receiver that was still in her hand.
"Hi mom," Gohan smiled.
"Oh, Gohan... How did you get here so fast? What happened? Why are you home? The nurse said you got hurt, but I knew that that couldn't happen... so young man, why are you skipping school?" Chichi gave Gohan a deadly look. He sighed and brought her to the table to sit down before telling her what had happened. He told her about the project they had to do for class and how his group's topic was Cell, he quickly told her that Dende was not responsible in any way, but that some other force had overridden his will. Then he told her about the group wanting to stay over on Friday night something she agreed to rather easily, too easily for Gohan's liking, but he continued on with his tale anyway, he told her that he was sent home because they thought he had a concussion from a tennis ball, hit by some weak little teenage human, had hit him on the head. Chichi smiled at that, knowing nothing that some normal human sent flying his way would ever cause damage to her elder son. Yet by his weak appearance the school automatically thought that he would be easily injured, something that was highly unlikely, for if something did hurt him physically the world was in grave danger.
"I have to go to the Lookout now Mom, I have to find out what's going on." Gohan stood up and turned to leave.
"Be safe Gohan. Don't..." Gohan turned to look at his mother who looked extremely worried about his mental well being.
"Don't worry Mom, I'll see you for dinner. Bye," with a smile and a wave Gohan took to the sky, heading for the Lookout.
Gohan flew to the Lookout as fast as he possibly could. He set down in front of the large palace and was immediately tackled by a blur of orange; a blur that turned out to be none other than Goten. Gohan was knocked back by the impact of his younger brother clamping his arms around Gohan's neck; he blinked a few times before his brain registered what had happened and who it was that was dangling from his neck.
"GOTEN!! What are you going here?" Gohan pulled his brother off of his neck and placed him on the ground.
"I heard Mommy yelling a little while ago and I thought that she had found out that me and Trunks wrecked the wall yesterday so I came here, 'cause I know she can't get here 'cause she can't fly."
"Well neither can you bro, how'd you get here?"
"Nimbus gave me a ride to Korrin's Tower and I climbed the rest of the way up, it was easy." Goten laughed as Gohan shook his head in amusement.
"Well Squirt, I've got work to do. Hey you wanna help me find Mr. Piccolo?" Gohan asked merrily. The young boy's eyes lit up and he nodded his head furiously in agreement. The pair walked off towards the palace.
"Hey Gohan, shouldn't you be in school?" Goten asked innocently, looking up at his older brother questioningly as they walked towards the palace.
"Hey Goten; how'd you put a hole in the wall?" Gohan smiled slyly at his little brother, whose face had paled considerably as he lowered it to the ground.
"Umm..."
"Don't worry Squirt, but if you won't tell then neither will I." They walked into a large room and found Mr. Popo, Dende, and Piccolo waiting for them. Gohan was a little shocked by the fact that they seemed to be waiting for him, but didn't say anything. Goten on the other hand had run up to Piccolo and was happily tugging on his cape as he chanted "Mr. Piccolo, Mr. Piccolo," over and over again. Gohan mentally laughed at his brother's antics but showed no outward emotion in fear of upsetting Piccolo.
"Gohan, I knew would be coming but why are here so soon, don't you have class or something?"
"Yeah, but I left early, couldn't concentrate, with everything that happened..." Gohan trailed off and looked at his younger brother who had stopped his chant and was now starting at Gohan intently.
"What's going on Big Brother?"
"Goten," Mr. Popo said in his high-pitched (creepy...) voice, "why don't you come with me I have a new toy that you can play with." Goten's gazed shifted to Mr. Popo as he heard the word "toy" come out of his mouth. Goten ran over to Mr. Popo's side and followed the genie into another room of the palace.
"We haven't had any progress yet Gohan," Piccolo said gravely. "We spoke to King Yemma and King Kai but neither knew anything about it."
"But," Dende chimed in, "King Yemma did say that there were some weird things going on in Other World, and that some of his workers haven't been checking in, but it could just be that they are lazy." Dende said this last part rather sarcastically. (AN: I know that this is heaven and that HFIL is hell, but Other World sounds cooler so I'll be using Other World to describe heaven. But, since I hate the initials HFIL, I will use the term hell to describe it instead of HFIL.)
"Well, could there be something, or maybe someone, in Other World that could override your powers Dende?"
"That's a good possibility, compared to some of the powers of the past what I can do is comparative to what a normal human can do against you, but I don't know who it could be or why they would do this. I mean, why go after you, at least like this? Whoever this is probably has enough power to take over this world, if not the universe, even if it is just a spirit. Whoever this is has proven they have the power to manipulate this world, but why would they do something as insignificant as force you to do a project on Cell? Not that I'm demeaning your feelings on the matter, but it seems rather... strange, and pretty small scale."
"Gohan, I think you need to be on guard. This guy could just be playing with you, trying to distract you while he gets in to a position to do what he really wants to do." Gohan nodded solemnly at his former teacher's advice. "For now just go back to what you were doing, but be careful Kid, I don't want to have to save your life again. We'll come to you the minute we have any more information" Piccolo and Gohan smiled slightly at each other. Gohan then said his farewells to the two Nameks and went outside looking for Goten.
Goten, in the meanwhile, had grown bored of his new toy, a small plastic windmill. Mr. Popo had left to tend to his garden and Goten was sitting in an empty room by himself, so he decided to explore the Lookout. He had been walking around in the back hallways of the palace for at least five minutes when he saw a shadow cross in front of him. He quickly ran to catch who ever it was, hoping the person would play with him.
"You should not be back here," a voice from the shadows whispered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Who are you?"
"I am a shadow of the past... Please, don't tell anyone that I'm here. You see kid, I'm planning a surprise for someone and if he knows that I'm here it will ruin the surprise. So don't tell anyone that I'm here, ok?"
"Uhh. I guess I can do that, but only if you give me a cookie."
"I am sorry, I don't have a cookie with me, but I give you my word as a warrior, I will get you one. You are a very devious little child, how very odd."
"OK! Umm. what's de-ve-nus mean?" Goten asked but the figure had vanished.
"Goten, where are you?" Goten heard his brother's call and ran off towards the sound of his voice.
"Where'd you run off to Squirt?"
"I was playing with a shadow, he promised me a cookie if I kept a secret, but he never gave me the cookie." Goten frowned, but Gohan laughed, amused by his brother's vivid imagination and the two left the Lookout to return home.
When they returned Goten had to listen to a rant from his mother about how he's not allowed to leave with out telling her and how she was so worried about where he was. Goten was punished with only half his normal amount of food, and to think, Chichi hadn't even found the hole in the wall yet. Gohan, after eating dinner went to his room and looked over his project. He then proceeded to call Videl and get the assignments that he had missed.
"Hey Videl, its Gohan."
"Oh Gohan, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine... I was just wondering what assignments I missed after I left?"
"Actually there were none, which is good considering that we have that history assignment. Did you ask your mom about this weekend?"
"Oh, yeah, she said it was ok with her, so you guys are welcome for the night on Friday."
"Good, Erasa and Sharpner are here now and they seem excited about it, well at least Erasa's excited. Sharpner's still in pain from the beating he got from me and Erasa for hitting you on the head with that tennis ball... Hey Gohan, are you sure you're ok, cause you sound a little out of it?"
"No, I'm fine, just a little distracted, and stressed right now, that's all; this assignment is rather... coincidental."
"I know, who ever would have guessed that we'd end up with the assignment that my dad was actually a part of, talk about luck. Actually, I take that back this wasn't lucky, easy yes, lucky no. But why are you stressing over it?"
"Just 'cause its strange how we got the project that would send us out here to the area I live in, just an odd coincidence. Any other group would have to make other arrangements."
"I guess, but I have to go now Gohan, see you in school tomorrow."
"Bye Videl." Gohan hung up the phone and put his head in his hands. He hadn't lied to Videl; he was stressed out. *Why me? Why now? My life was just getting to be normal, well as normal as a half alien, superhero's life can get. Man, I need to get some sleep.* Gohan shut off his light and went to sleep early.
Out in main part of the house Goten saw his brother's lights go out. Even though he had been told by his mother, who had gone to bed also, that he could only stay up until Gohan went to sleep or he wouldn't have any breakfast in the morning, he decided that that hole in the wall needed to be fixed a little better than it was, assuring that she would never find it. He stuffed newspaper in the hole and began covering it in super glue to flatten it out, praying that his mother wouldn't find out. He finally stopped gluing when the hole was mostly evened out, then placed a picture in front of it so you couldn't tell it was ever there. Pleased with his night's work Goten walked into the kitchen hoping to find a snack that he could eat without his mother noticing in the morning. He was shocked to find the largest cookie he had ever seen sitting on the kitchen table, next to it was a note:
For Goten,
As I promised, this is for your silence.
Goten was ecstatic, he took the chocolate chip cookie, which was almost as large as the table itself, and ate it within a minute. After he had devoured every last crumb, he went into the room he shared with Gohan and drifted off into a happy sleep, his enormous stomach filled by the cookie he had just eaten.
RANDOM FACT: Time in the Dragon ball world seems relative. At the beginning of DBZ Gohan is four years old, he spends a year in the wilderness making him five. It takes 130 days to call upon the Namekian dragon making a total of 260 days that they spend on earth, and considering that they had been in space and on Namek before that, the other 105 days could have easily passed, making it about another year and Gohan six years old. It takes another year for Goku to return making Gohan seven, then they train for three years so he is eleven (that is if you count the year in the Room of Spirit and Time). Then they say that seven years have passed (Goten is seven or so they say), making Gohan eighteen (seventeen if you didn't count that year)... But then you have the manga that says he's sixteen when he starts high school.What the hell is wrong with this picture?? And this is only one example of the odd time interpretation...
AN: He he. Who is this mysterious person? Feel free to email me with a guess. Oh and here's the imaginary cookie I promised before... huh, I forgot to tell you it was imaginary? Sorry 'bout that. Ok now go down and REVIEW!!!!
Chapter 4 The Odd Project
It was Thursday, probably the only day of the week more depressing than Monday, for Thursdays are days that try to lull you into a false sense of happiness. While Wednesday had marked the middle of the week saying "this week is half over" you would assume that Thursday would be a less stressful day. That is until you remember about Friday, the day which was still to come, thereby creating a barrier in front of the peace the weekend held. It had been two days since Sharpner's party and Videl had been more suspicious than ever. Gohan had been forced to help her the previous day with a dinosaur that was rampaging through the city, and she had been very unthankful for Saiyaman's help. The week was not going Gohan's way, but this Thursday was really bad, even as Thursdays go. This Thursday was a perfect addition to the already bad week.
"This project will be over 50% of your final grade folks, so make sure actually do this assignment, please. Now I want you all to get into groups of four and then I'll tell you exactly what you have to do. NOW MOVE!" Mr. Sumisu snapped at the students to wake them up. They groggily moved into groups of four. Gohan, Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa worked together, Sharpner actually wanted to work with Gohan on this project because he thought that he wouldn't have to do any work with the "nerd boy" in his group. "Ok students, this assignment will be a two week project on the history of a being, group, or event. These topics were specifically chosen because of the mystery surrounding some of it so it will be up to you to decipher fact from legend, which means actually talking to people who witnessed the events. It has three components the first of which is due next Monday. Now could one person from each group please come down and pick a topic out of this hat, please? Then, if you could, pick up the corresponding folder telling you exactly what you need to do to complete the process."
Gohan walked down the tiered classroom towards the hat on the teacher's desk and took a place in the line that was forming. As the other students went to sit down Gohan glanced at the topics they had selected. There were a few topics that he didn't know much about, but then there were a few with labels like "The World Martial Arts Championships", and, to Gohan's horror, one labeled "The Red Ribbon Army". Gohan slowly made his way up to the desk. *At least the bad ones are probably gone by now. The Red Ribbon Army, those guys could run into some trouble with that one, although I don't think that the connection was ever made between them, my dad, the dragonballs, and the androids... Which is a really good thing if I want to keep my past a secret, although the group doing the tournament may find out a few things... but that group is rather dimwitted, all jocks, so maybe they won't make the connection... Oh, my turn.* Gohan approached the desk and put his hand in the hat and pulled out the slip of paper. He stepped out of the line and walked towards the folders on the teacher's desk, opening his piece of paper as he went. As he read it, he stopped dead in his tracks, all the color drained from his face and a look of horror and pain plastered on his normally cheery face.
"Gohan, GOHAN!" Videl was yelling in his ear. Gohan jumped at the sound of his name and turned to look at her, a look of horror still on his face. "What is it, what does it say? Gohan...?" He slowly handed her the slip of paper, his hand shaking slightly, knowing that her reaction would not be good either. "Well, I should have expected this, my bad luck. Cell... I should have known, only I can be cursed this badly. Well Gohan let's go, we have work to do... unfortunately." Gohan hadn't noticed that the rest of the class had already left; he and Videl were the only ones in the room.
Gohan want and gathered his stuff, then followed after Videl. Sharpner and Erasa were waiting right outside the door, "Let's go outside and look over all of this stuff," Videl said, holding up the manila envelope containing the information on their assignment. They all nodded their silent acceptance of her proposal, and the group walked towards the doors of the building, Gohan taking up the rear, once again deep in his own thoughts. They sat down at an empty picnic table behind the school and Videl opened the envelope. "Ok, we have, of course, the Cell games stuff, that's easy we'll just go to my house and look at the videos and talk to my dad. I really wish I didn't have to do the project on this, I'll never hear the end of it." Videl shook her head in disgust, "At least that's the last part of the project; we can put it off for as long as possible. Um... what's the first part?" Videl began to flip through the papers in front of her looking for the right part. Gohan was still in a daze from the irony of it all. *Dende, if you're behind this I will kill you.* Gohan knew his friend could hear his angry thoughts but didn't care, although Gohan was surprised that he got a response from the Earth's guardian.
*Actually Gohan... I didn't do that. I mean, I did know that topic was on of the possibilities, but I tried to make sure you didn't get it... Gohan you have to believe that I would never do this to you, you're my friend and I know how you feel about what happened seven years ago.*
Gohan suddenly looked up, staring into the clouds, a look of shock and confusion etched across his face, *But if you didn't do it then who did Dende?* Videl stopped shuffling through the papers and stared curiously at Gohan, wondering what had caused him to suddenly jerk the way he did.
*I don't know Gohan, I just don't know.* Gohan put his face into his hands in disbelief.
*Who can override the will of the guardian of Earth? What's going on? Is there a new enemy? Or could it have been one of the Kais screwing with my head because they were bored, or drunk?* Gohan's head was full of a jumble of unanswerable questions. He lowered his head and gazed at the people sitting around him, he quickly shook the questions out of his head, *I can't do this now; it's no use thinking of this. I'll never answer these questions on my own, I'll just have to go to the lookout after school and see if Dende has any more information. And if he can't help me then I'll find someone who can.* Gohan looked over to find Videl giving him a puzzling glare. Gohan smiled nervously as she snapped her eyes back down to the papers in front of her.
"Oh... here it is. Um... it's something about a shelter built... Hey Gohan, it was built near your house, it was built out in the mountains!" Gohan's jaw dropped, *I know someone's up to something now.* "It says here that it was built to protect the people of the area, hundreds of people invested in it, but it was destroyed mysteriously just days before the start of the Cell Games. Wow."
"Oh," Erasa squealed with delight, "Why don't we all go up there this weekend and check out the place? Gohan will let us stay at his house for the night on Friday and we can look around all day Saturday. You'll let us, won't you Gohan?" Erasa blinked at him sweetly and smiled.
"Well I'll have to check with my mom but there shouldn't be that much of a problem since it is for school."
"Fine then it's settled," Videl stood up. "Here Gohan, take the folder and try to find out where we should go will ya?"
"Sure Videl," Gohan said as he took the folder from Videl. The four walked back into the school for their next class, gym. Gohan knew something was going on and was so distracted in class that he didn't even notice when a tennis ball came hurtling towards his head. It was only the impact that forced him to shift his balance that woke him from his thoughts. He put his hand up to his head, to where the tennis ball had hit his head, in his confusion, wondering what had just tapped him.
"Are you ok son? I think you should go to the nurse's office, I don't want you to end up having a concussion." Gohan nodded, thanking Dende that he wouldn't have to deal with the rest of that class. He walked into the locker room, changed into his normal clothes and slowly walked to the nurse's office.
"Oh, hello Gohan," the nurse said as he shuffled into her office, "your gym teacher sent a student ahead to tell me what happened. Are you ok?" Gohan looked at her blankly, barely even registering the fact that she was speaking. The look in his eyes caused her to unconsciously bite her nails, worried about his condition. "Umm... Why don't you go home Gohan, I'll call your mother and tell her that your own your way. Ok, honey?" Gohan nodded in dazed agreement and walked back out of the door he had just entered through. *I hope mom understands. I'll stop by there before I head to the Lookout. I should get there as fast as possible to keep her from freaking out at the poor nurse.*
Gohan arrived home to hear his mother on the phone demanding to know what happened. Gohan came up beside her, faster than she could see and disconnected the phone on her. She looked up surprised and almost dropped the receiver that was still in her hand.
"Hi mom," Gohan smiled.
"Oh, Gohan... How did you get here so fast? What happened? Why are you home? The nurse said you got hurt, but I knew that that couldn't happen... so young man, why are you skipping school?" Chichi gave Gohan a deadly look. He sighed and brought her to the table to sit down before telling her what had happened. He told her about the project they had to do for class and how his group's topic was Cell, he quickly told her that Dende was not responsible in any way, but that some other force had overridden his will. Then he told her about the group wanting to stay over on Friday night something she agreed to rather easily, too easily for Gohan's liking, but he continued on with his tale anyway, he told her that he was sent home because they thought he had a concussion from a tennis ball, hit by some weak little teenage human, had hit him on the head. Chichi smiled at that, knowing nothing that some normal human sent flying his way would ever cause damage to her elder son. Yet by his weak appearance the school automatically thought that he would be easily injured, something that was highly unlikely, for if something did hurt him physically the world was in grave danger.
"I have to go to the Lookout now Mom, I have to find out what's going on." Gohan stood up and turned to leave.
"Be safe Gohan. Don't..." Gohan turned to look at his mother who looked extremely worried about his mental well being.
"Don't worry Mom, I'll see you for dinner. Bye," with a smile and a wave Gohan took to the sky, heading for the Lookout.
Gohan flew to the Lookout as fast as he possibly could. He set down in front of the large palace and was immediately tackled by a blur of orange; a blur that turned out to be none other than Goten. Gohan was knocked back by the impact of his younger brother clamping his arms around Gohan's neck; he blinked a few times before his brain registered what had happened and who it was that was dangling from his neck.
"GOTEN!! What are you going here?" Gohan pulled his brother off of his neck and placed him on the ground.
"I heard Mommy yelling a little while ago and I thought that she had found out that me and Trunks wrecked the wall yesterday so I came here, 'cause I know she can't get here 'cause she can't fly."
"Well neither can you bro, how'd you get here?"
"Nimbus gave me a ride to Korrin's Tower and I climbed the rest of the way up, it was easy." Goten laughed as Gohan shook his head in amusement.
"Well Squirt, I've got work to do. Hey you wanna help me find Mr. Piccolo?" Gohan asked merrily. The young boy's eyes lit up and he nodded his head furiously in agreement. The pair walked off towards the palace.
"Hey Gohan, shouldn't you be in school?" Goten asked innocently, looking up at his older brother questioningly as they walked towards the palace.
"Hey Goten; how'd you put a hole in the wall?" Gohan smiled slyly at his little brother, whose face had paled considerably as he lowered it to the ground.
"Umm..."
"Don't worry Squirt, but if you won't tell then neither will I." They walked into a large room and found Mr. Popo, Dende, and Piccolo waiting for them. Gohan was a little shocked by the fact that they seemed to be waiting for him, but didn't say anything. Goten on the other hand had run up to Piccolo and was happily tugging on his cape as he chanted "Mr. Piccolo, Mr. Piccolo," over and over again. Gohan mentally laughed at his brother's antics but showed no outward emotion in fear of upsetting Piccolo.
"Gohan, I knew would be coming but why are here so soon, don't you have class or something?"
"Yeah, but I left early, couldn't concentrate, with everything that happened..." Gohan trailed off and looked at his younger brother who had stopped his chant and was now starting at Gohan intently.
"What's going on Big Brother?"
"Goten," Mr. Popo said in his high-pitched (creepy...) voice, "why don't you come with me I have a new toy that you can play with." Goten's gazed shifted to Mr. Popo as he heard the word "toy" come out of his mouth. Goten ran over to Mr. Popo's side and followed the genie into another room of the palace.
"We haven't had any progress yet Gohan," Piccolo said gravely. "We spoke to King Yemma and King Kai but neither knew anything about it."
"But," Dende chimed in, "King Yemma did say that there were some weird things going on in Other World, and that some of his workers haven't been checking in, but it could just be that they are lazy." Dende said this last part rather sarcastically. (AN: I know that this is heaven and that HFIL is hell, but Other World sounds cooler so I'll be using Other World to describe heaven. But, since I hate the initials HFIL, I will use the term hell to describe it instead of HFIL.)
"Well, could there be something, or maybe someone, in Other World that could override your powers Dende?"
"That's a good possibility, compared to some of the powers of the past what I can do is comparative to what a normal human can do against you, but I don't know who it could be or why they would do this. I mean, why go after you, at least like this? Whoever this is probably has enough power to take over this world, if not the universe, even if it is just a spirit. Whoever this is has proven they have the power to manipulate this world, but why would they do something as insignificant as force you to do a project on Cell? Not that I'm demeaning your feelings on the matter, but it seems rather... strange, and pretty small scale."
"Gohan, I think you need to be on guard. This guy could just be playing with you, trying to distract you while he gets in to a position to do what he really wants to do." Gohan nodded solemnly at his former teacher's advice. "For now just go back to what you were doing, but be careful Kid, I don't want to have to save your life again. We'll come to you the minute we have any more information" Piccolo and Gohan smiled slightly at each other. Gohan then said his farewells to the two Nameks and went outside looking for Goten.
Goten, in the meanwhile, had grown bored of his new toy, a small plastic windmill. Mr. Popo had left to tend to his garden and Goten was sitting in an empty room by himself, so he decided to explore the Lookout. He had been walking around in the back hallways of the palace for at least five minutes when he saw a shadow cross in front of him. He quickly ran to catch who ever it was, hoping the person would play with him.
"You should not be back here," a voice from the shadows whispered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Who are you?"
"I am a shadow of the past... Please, don't tell anyone that I'm here. You see kid, I'm planning a surprise for someone and if he knows that I'm here it will ruin the surprise. So don't tell anyone that I'm here, ok?"
"Uhh. I guess I can do that, but only if you give me a cookie."
"I am sorry, I don't have a cookie with me, but I give you my word as a warrior, I will get you one. You are a very devious little child, how very odd."
"OK! Umm. what's de-ve-nus mean?" Goten asked but the figure had vanished.
"Goten, where are you?" Goten heard his brother's call and ran off towards the sound of his voice.
"Where'd you run off to Squirt?"
"I was playing with a shadow, he promised me a cookie if I kept a secret, but he never gave me the cookie." Goten frowned, but Gohan laughed, amused by his brother's vivid imagination and the two left the Lookout to return home.
When they returned Goten had to listen to a rant from his mother about how he's not allowed to leave with out telling her and how she was so worried about where he was. Goten was punished with only half his normal amount of food, and to think, Chichi hadn't even found the hole in the wall yet. Gohan, after eating dinner went to his room and looked over his project. He then proceeded to call Videl and get the assignments that he had missed.
"Hey Videl, its Gohan."
"Oh Gohan, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine... I was just wondering what assignments I missed after I left?"
"Actually there were none, which is good considering that we have that history assignment. Did you ask your mom about this weekend?"
"Oh, yeah, she said it was ok with her, so you guys are welcome for the night on Friday."
"Good, Erasa and Sharpner are here now and they seem excited about it, well at least Erasa's excited. Sharpner's still in pain from the beating he got from me and Erasa for hitting you on the head with that tennis ball... Hey Gohan, are you sure you're ok, cause you sound a little out of it?"
"No, I'm fine, just a little distracted, and stressed right now, that's all; this assignment is rather... coincidental."
"I know, who ever would have guessed that we'd end up with the assignment that my dad was actually a part of, talk about luck. Actually, I take that back this wasn't lucky, easy yes, lucky no. But why are you stressing over it?"
"Just 'cause its strange how we got the project that would send us out here to the area I live in, just an odd coincidence. Any other group would have to make other arrangements."
"I guess, but I have to go now Gohan, see you in school tomorrow."
"Bye Videl." Gohan hung up the phone and put his head in his hands. He hadn't lied to Videl; he was stressed out. *Why me? Why now? My life was just getting to be normal, well as normal as a half alien, superhero's life can get. Man, I need to get some sleep.* Gohan shut off his light and went to sleep early.
Out in main part of the house Goten saw his brother's lights go out. Even though he had been told by his mother, who had gone to bed also, that he could only stay up until Gohan went to sleep or he wouldn't have any breakfast in the morning, he decided that that hole in the wall needed to be fixed a little better than it was, assuring that she would never find it. He stuffed newspaper in the hole and began covering it in super glue to flatten it out, praying that his mother wouldn't find out. He finally stopped gluing when the hole was mostly evened out, then placed a picture in front of it so you couldn't tell it was ever there. Pleased with his night's work Goten walked into the kitchen hoping to find a snack that he could eat without his mother noticing in the morning. He was shocked to find the largest cookie he had ever seen sitting on the kitchen table, next to it was a note:
For Goten,
As I promised, this is for your silence.
Goten was ecstatic, he took the chocolate chip cookie, which was almost as large as the table itself, and ate it within a minute. After he had devoured every last crumb, he went into the room he shared with Gohan and drifted off into a happy sleep, his enormous stomach filled by the cookie he had just eaten.
RANDOM FACT: Time in the Dragon ball world seems relative. At the beginning of DBZ Gohan is four years old, he spends a year in the wilderness making him five. It takes 130 days to call upon the Namekian dragon making a total of 260 days that they spend on earth, and considering that they had been in space and on Namek before that, the other 105 days could have easily passed, making it about another year and Gohan six years old. It takes another year for Goku to return making Gohan seven, then they train for three years so he is eleven (that is if you count the year in the Room of Spirit and Time). Then they say that seven years have passed (Goten is seven or so they say), making Gohan eighteen (seventeen if you didn't count that year)... But then you have the manga that says he's sixteen when he starts high school.What the hell is wrong with this picture?? And this is only one example of the odd time interpretation...
AN: He he. Who is this mysterious person? Feel free to email me with a guess. Oh and here's the imaginary cookie I promised before... huh, I forgot to tell you it was imaginary? Sorry 'bout that. Ok now go down and REVIEW!!!!