Review Responses:
To Ushindi:
1. I do not know...I used to hate Mr. Satan. But now, I think he's very human. I think I hate those dancing aliens from GT. I don't remember their names.
2. I never watched Super Dragon Ball Heroes. But I did see snippets. It's interesting to me. Plus, it can't be that bad if it has SSJ4 Gohan, right?
3. GT in its subbed version is a grand tour that unfortunately lack in the writing department but still has spirit, unlike Super.
4. Cooler's Revenge, Bojack Unbound, Fusion Reborn, Legacy of Goku, The Path to Power, Battle of Gods, and Super: Broly.
5. DBZA is the reason why I love Dragon Ball and is partially the reason why I'm writing this story.
That's all for now, on with the show.
Last time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL, Son Gohan, as Saiyaman, taught Videl how to utilize ki control and ultimately gained the ability to use the Sky Dancing Technique. Little does our hero know, a new enemy is steadily approaching the planet with the intent to conquer it. What will come of these developments? Let's find out right now on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Three weeks have passed since the Great Saiyaman Ziam and Videl joined forces. Crime rates took a tumble thanks to the efforts of Videl, who subtly implemented ki augmentation to increase the overall strength of her physical attacks through her rigorous training.
Speaking of which, during the end of May, Gohan in disguise had begun her conditioning regimen by giving her a specially weighted gi that weighs up to 113 kilograms, or roughly 250 pounds.
As expected, she saw that as utter insanity but endured it due to her pride as a fighter. Over time, she learned to stand, walk, maneuver, and eventually spar in the clothing. Upon altering that, Videl received special weights for the wrists and legs that weigh up to 150 kilograms or 330 pounds. She still has trouble with this as of recently.
Due to the "Hotel Incident '' as what the citizens and media call it, Ziam, also known as the Great Saiyaman, became a household name as Gohsn's alter ego was now recognized as a hero of Hercule City. Regardless of what few people who but labels such as "phony trickster" or "flying freak", his efforts for saving the city's beloved crime fighter, Videl (with the hostages including the Mayor and his daughter) and defeating the deadly mercenary Tao Pai Pai universally won the hearts of people.
Socially, Gohan got closer with his new friends over at Orange Star High. Videl, although still hellbent on uncovering his secrets, eased up on her accusations and acted more subtle in her approach towards the hybrid. Her demeanor simmered down once she figured out how to gain her information.
Instead of trying to force it out of him through intimidation tactics, Videl decided to seemingly mellow out to let his guard down.
Playing it by the ear, as some would say.
With Erasa and Sharpner, they too got close to Gohan. In fact, upon learning his secret identity, Gohan invited them to his house the day Videl's first lesson.
They learned the exact information that he told Videl, giving the two blond(e)s the same fairness as the pig-tailed girl, keeping out important details like aliens, the Androids, and Cell. He also left out ki due to them not being open-minded enough (mostly Sharpner).
Because of this, Gohan grew much more comfortable with spending time with his new friends, enjoying their company.
On the personal side of things, family life still remained peaceful for the most part. Of course, Gohan still has nightmares every now and then. Chi-Chi always extends a helping hand, but Gohan politely declines it every time, not wanting to burden her further. Fortunately, Goten's presence tends to cheer him up through their time spent playing or training.
Vegeta continued to spar with the teen, now showing him ways to counter the weakness that his new tail possessed. Furthering the development of the Saiyan Archives, he taught Gohan about how not all Saiyans were warriors. He learned that it wasn't unheard of the race dabbling into engineering or marksmanship if their Battle Power was low enough, given their ranks.
This led to the teen jotting down more details about the class system; Ranging from Low Class, Mid Class, and Elites. There were mostly low-level warriors, few middle-tier warriors, and fewer Elites.
Though, the session ended before he could get more details about it.
Now we follow our hero on a Thursday in June as his first real challenge awaits.
Taeru Residence, Hercule City, Age 774
Kinto'un, the Flying Nimbus Cloud flew about above Hercule City, with one Son Gohan sitting on top. Looking at the map which was given to him by Chi-Chi earlier in the school year, he steadily kept glancing back and forth from below him and the map.
'NBI 8250012 B should be...over there!'
Gohan stood up, pointing as he shouted, "Kinto'un, take me to that house down there!"
Complaining, Kinto'un dropped Gohan off, allowing him to drop down to a small rectangular Capsule Corporation brand house with two floors.
'So, this is where Krillin has been staying these days? Wow. This house looks pretty nice, a huge improvement over Kame House.' Gohan admired mentally. 'I wonder how much he's changed? I haven't seen him since Goten was born.'
As Gohan started walking to the door to ring the doorbell. The door opened from the other side. From there, a short man came out the front door.
The man had a full head of black hair that matched his black eyes. His attire consisted of a red t-shirt, tan khakis, white socks, and a pair of black work shoes. Blinking for a minute, the man spoke to the schoolboy.
"Wait...Gohan? Is that you?"
"Yeah it's me Krillin, long time no see!" Gohan responded with a smile reminiscent of his father as he waved at Krillin.
Killing then hugged Gohan's chest affectionately like an uncle would to his nephew.
Releasing the hug, Krillin said, "Wow! I can't believe it! Look at you, man! You got huge! I could hardly recognize you with the new haircut and all! You've definitely got Goku's face now! And your power's enormous since last time!"
Gohan laughed happily as he scratched his head, saying, "Yeah, it has been a while, huh? I didn't even know you could grow a head of hair… Anyway, do you mind if I could come in for a moment?"
"Of course, man! You're practically family here! Come on, let's go inside."
Gohan and Krillin stepped inside of the former monk's family home. Inside, he looked over to see old photos of the Dragon Team during the 21-23 Tenkaichi Būdokai tournaments. There were also some photos of him and Goku as children sleeping, and training under Muten Roshi.
'Yup...that's Dad's best friend alright. I wonder how different was the past back then compared to now?'
Taking a step into the living, Gohan noticed two blondes sitting on the couch that immediately caught Gohan's attention. One was a little girl with eyes similar to Krillin with her blonde hair tied down into two small pig-tails wearing a small red dress and white socks.
The little girl was sitting on the lap of what Gohan presumed to be her mother. The slender blonde woman had striking cold blue eyes with a seemingly indifferent expression on her beautiful pale face. wears a black shirt with white and black Her attire consisted of a black shirt with white and blackstriped long sleeves, blue jeans, a brown belt, and black flats with orange socks.
This was C-18, former Red Ribbon cyborg unit of Dr. Gero.
The little girl hopped from her mother's lap and squeaked, "Daddy's back! Yay!"
The four-year-old ran and hugged her father, all the while Krillin chuckled and picked her up.
"Hey there, Marron! I'm back! Hehehehe! Settle down, little firefly!" Krillin cooed before turning to C-18. "Look who came to visit, hun,"
Tilting her head, C-18 turned to Gohan and formed a small smile.
"Oh? Would you look at that, little Gohan-chan's all grown up." C-18 said casually. "It's hard to think you were that same kid who beat Cell seven years ago."
Gohan remained silent as he stared at C-18, then back to Krillin three times before saying anything.
"W-Wait, are you two...and that's your...I...W-Wow, it's really been too long! You've been a busy bunch! Hehehehe! " Gohan babbled, trying to wrap his head around what he just discovered.
Krillin's face turned red as a result before saying, "Hehehehe… Yeah, we have. How about we catch up for old times sake?"
"Yeah, I'd like that!" Gohan said as he was brought to the couch.
C-18 left to head to the kitchen and came back with cups of lemonade (and a box of apple juice for Marron). With all of them being seated, Krillin explained what has been happening for the past seven years.
After the birth of Goten, Krillin and C-18 started a relationship which resulted in their marriage after three years of dating. They were married in West City where Krillin then received a job as a cop in Hercule City after passing the academy during the three years. Thanks to Bulma, Krillin found an affordable home to pay for and moved out of Kame House. Shortly after the couple finished moving in their new home, C-18 found out that she was pregnant with Marron. So for the last four years, the Taeru family spent their time raising the little girl to have a somewhat normal life.
"That sounds nice. Congratulations on the family, Krillin." Gohan said with a sincere smile.
"Thanks, bud. It means a lot coming from you." Krillin said before taking a sip of lemonade from his cup.
"Gohan-chan," C-18 said, getting the teen's attention. "I see that you've been enrolled at Orange Star High. I take it your mother had something to do with it, huh?"
Gohan looked at his high school badge on his vest and nodded.
Krillin responded by saying, "Yup, that sounds like Chi-Chi alright."
"Yeah, Mom sent me to a public school for my senior year to make friends my age. She told me to think of it as a social development experiment."
Krillin and C-18 sweat dropped from that comment, thinking, 'Poor kid…'
"It's not so bad, though," Gohan said, snapping the couple out of their thoughts. "I made three friends in the process. A guy and two girls."
Upon hearing that, a coy smirk appeared on Krillin's face.
"Two girls, huh? One wouldn't happen to be that blowhard Hercule's daughter, right?"
Krillin's accurate deduction caught Gohan off guard. Blinking, Gohan rubbed his neck, responding positively.
"Uh...yeah, why?"
C-18 giggled, stating, "You should watch the news more often. Remember kid, Krillin's a part of the HCPD. He works with a lot of officers and have access to the reports there. That Videl girl works alongside the police department."
"Don't forget, Gohan, I recently came back from my extended vacation. Once I've caught glimpses of Ms. Satan fighting crime with her masked partner, all I had to do was narrow it down from the gang to guess it was you." Krillin said with a suggestive grin.
'...Huh. Well, the cats out of the bag.' Gohan thought dryly.
Krillin then wiggled his eyebrows, asking, "...So what's with you two, Gohan? You both seem rather close…. Are you two dating?"
Gohan quickly shook his head while his cheeks burned a bright red.
"What!? No! I-I-It's not like that at all! We're just friends at school when I'm Gohan, and she's my partner in crime-fighting as Saiyaman!"
Marron laughed while C-18 had an amused expression on her face from the
hybrid expressing his awkward and embarrassing emotions.
"Sure...You say that." Krillin teased. "Yet, I can sense her ki steadily increasing throughout the month. Let's be honest, sport. You wouldn't be teaching anybody how to use ki, let alone his daughter. Something's got to be going on."
"I swear guys, we're just friends. Honest," Gohan insisted, not feeling like continuing the conversation. "Besides, I'm too busy training to be thinking about that kind of stuff. I got to be ready for any future threats."
Before Krillin could continue teasing him, C-18 said, "Now now, Krillin. We've put the boy through the wringer enough for one day."
C-18 then turned to Gohan, saying, "Still, I'd be a fool if I didn't agree with him. But you got to admit that she is a cute girl."
Blushing up a storm, Gohan thought, 'Darn! These two are just as bad as Mom. Oh man, I'm never going to hear the end of this, aren't I?'
"What brings you to our home, Gohan-chan?" C-18 asked.
"Actually, I was hoping if Krillin would be able to do me a favor?" Gohan asked politely, calming down shortly before he spoke.
Krillin grinned, responding, "Sure thing, bro. What is it?"
"Do you think you can find at least two Dragon Balls and store them here for the time being?" Asked the high schooler. "I already have the four-star ball, and Master Piccolo has the seven-star and the three-star balls."
The former monk took a glance at his wife as if he was asking permission, to which the blonde nodded.
"Okay… I can try to borrow the Dragon Radar this weekend from Bulma and take a look. How come you asked? Need to make a wish?" Krillin asked curiously.
"Soon," Gohan said with a bit of a serious face. "I've been researching on a subject for a personal project I'd been working on. Shenron may be needed for this due to the lack of leads that I have. Besides, you never know if we need them in case of another attack or something,"
"Right..."
Once they were finished with the conversation, Gohan spent time with the Taeru family for another thirty minutes to catch up before Krillin and C-18 walked Gohan outside after putting Marron to bed.
"It was nice of you to visit, bro," Krillin said with a smile as he stood next to C-18. "It felt like old times when Goku was around."
"Yeah, it did…" Gohan smiled sadly.
C-18 then patted his shoulder, "Chin up, Gohan-chan. Your father would be very proud of the young man you've grown up to be."
"...Thanks, C-18."
C-18 then said, "Don't mention it, kid. And call me Lazuli. C-18's long dead along with C-17. You're always welcome over here, remember that."
And like that, she went back inside to check on Marron, leaving Krillin alone with Gohan.
"Hey, Gohan...You know we're here for you, right?"
"Yeah. I know that, Krillin..." The half-Saiyan sighed.
"If you got a load to get off your chest, I'm always open to list–"
"No thanks," Gohan said abruptly, subconsciously allowing his Saiyan side to flicker with his tail unraveling as it moved almost intimidatingly. "I'm fine. I...just had a long day at school."
Krillin's eyes were fixed at the teen's tail, recalling the past experience with Goku and Gohan having said appendages. He started to sweat, but remained cordial, nodding to the Earthling.
"R-Right. Well...feel free to stop by man. Have a safe evening and get some rest." Krillin said, trying to smile for the obviously depressed kid.
Seeing Krillin's expression, guilt washed over Gohan, making him wrap his tail around his waist again out of instinct and shame. He nodded to Krillin as the Nimbus Cloud flew to Gohan and carried him home.
'Damn it, Gohan! Why would you act like that! He was only trying to help, you jerk! Ugh!' Gohan scolded, internally angry with himself. '...Why can't I just let this go? It's already been seven years. Damn it… at least things can't get any worse.'
-Time Skip, Orange Star High School, Next Morning-
It was Thursday once more, meaning that according to the rotational schedule in terms of Gohan's schedule, Gohan started with Calculus as the first class yesterday.
And because of that, Gohan's first class was World History. A class that he shared with his new high school friends.
In this class, Gohan was lectured by a man with a peculiar (German) accent. He had wavy brown hair that had streaks of gray in them. There were a few wrinkles on his forehead with defined cheekbones. His eyes were a deep green, similar to emeralds that were beady and slanted. His face always has a clean shave which is consistent with his clean attire.
The man wore small black glasses, a buttoned-up white collared shirt with a red tie and green work slacks with white socks and dark brown shoes.
This was Mr. Geschichte, or simply Mr. Gesch for short.
Gohan was about to take out his books and notebook when he noticed everybody had already got their bags packed up and ready as if they were leaving.
This left half-Saiyan perplexed, readying himself to ask a question when Mr. Gesch spoke.
"Good. I see most of you were paying attention to last week. But in case any of you were absent or somehow did not look at your Syllabus when your parents signed the paper, they gave us permission for all of you to go on a field trip of the school's choosing. And we're going to be going on that trip today" Mr. Gesch explained.
Gohan blinked for a moment until it dawned on him.
'Yikes! That's right, I completely forgot about that!' Gohan exclaimed mentally before blushing as he slowly scratched his head sheepishly.
Videl, noticing the face Gohan made, simply facepalmed at his absent-mindedness. Sharpner shook his head at the irony while Erasa giggled at the sight.
Mr. Gesch formed a huge grin on his face while saying, "The board was saving this particular trip for you upperclassmen as a way to explore your options for the future and fortunately, we were given that opportunity. So I'm proud to announce that Class of 774 will spend a day at the Capsule Corporation!"
The whole class gasped before erupting into excited chatter. Most of the students were either happy or interested in the idea of going to a famous person's home outside of Hercule city…
However, our hero was not most people.
'What!? Is Bulma out of her mind!?' Gohan screamed in his thoughts. 'Why my class out of all of them? It's bad enough that my friends know a few things, now I have to figure out how to avoid being outed as the godson of Bulma Briefs. At least Vegeta's in the Time Chamber for most of the day. This is just not my week.'
After everybody acquired their things, the senior students walked off campus to the school bus. They boarded the bus, sitting across from each other in pairs of two. Sharpner sat next to Erasa while Gohan sat next to Videl.
"I'm so psyched!" squealed Erasa Papel. "It's not every day that you get to go and meet the Bulma Briefs in person!"
Videl nodded saying, "Fangirling aside, I got to admit the rarity of it all. I mean, even if my father, the World Champ, hasn't professional or personally spoke to Ms. Briefs all that much."
Sharpner, who sat with his hands behind his head, said, "Hmph. Well, it's not all that surprising. C.C. is one of the biggest companies in the world. That makes her one of, if not, the most financially powerful chicks out there. Not to mention she's smoking hot–"
'And has a husband who can blast you in the next dimension faster than you can swing a baseball bat' Gohsn dryly thought as Erasa playfully smack Sharpner's arm, telling Sharpner to calm his hormones.
"Urgh!" Videl groaned. "Is it too much to ask you use to use your brain for instead of thinking with your di–"
"Anyways, this is so exciting~," Erasa said, interrupting Videl's complaining while clasping her hands in a jovial manner. "Aren't you thrilled, Son-kun?"
"I guess so..." Gohan replied rather impassively. His mind was too preoccupied with what was about to transpire.
This did not go unnoticed, for the female teenage crime fighter to glance at the pondering half-Saiyan. She furrowed her eyebrows in suspicion at this.
'That's weird. Someone like Gohan would be praise-dancing at the chance of going to a place like the Capsule Corporation. It's almost like he's bored at the thought.' Videl analyzed in her mind.
"Well, you don't sound all that excited to me," Videl stated. "This could be a chance for you to find your calling; a possible career path."
Gohan then scratched his head sheepishly, saying "Oh! That's right! I never thought about it like that. I guess the idea must have slipped my mind. Hehehehe!"
Videl sighed, looking at the window as the girl whispered, "Such a goof."
Once everybody was on the bus and accounted for, the bus began to move, taking the senior class of OSHS towards the direction of West City.
-Time Skip, Capsule Corporation, Three Hours Later-
The yellow capsule school bus made a complete stop at the front of the main building of the Capsule Corporation.
As the kids started to leave the bus, Gohan peacefully napping. Videl took a moment to inspect the sleeping boy and noticed the furry brown belt wrapped around him.
'He's wearing that belt again.' She thought to herself.
Looking up, Videl couldn't help but notice how gentle Gohan's face was. There was something wholesome about it.
It was precious… It was almost cute.
'Cute? Since when was that word in my dictionary!? Kami damn it, Erasa!'
Burying those thoughts, Videl turned to Gohan and tried waking him up.
"Gohan... Gohan! Come on, wake up already!" Videl called, shaking his shoulder.
"Hn...Go away, Goten. Five more minutes..." Said Gohan in a sleepy tone, slightly stirring from his slumber.
Annoyed by her friend's antics, Videl took matters into her own hands and woke Gohan up in a not-so-subtle fashion.
"RISE AND SHINE, DOOFUS!" she screamed, allowing her shouting to ring in his ear. The sheer volume made the poor boy vault over to the ground while clutching his sensitive ears in pain.
"Ahhh! I'm up, I'm up!" Gohan said as he watched the satisfied teen walk off the bus.
Everyone quickly left the vehicle to inspect the facility with Gohan slowly following behind the class. The students were all standing in the front yard of the building.
Just then, a small elderly man walked out of the building to greet the students. His stature was on the shorter side, while also being a stocky man. His hair was very similar to that of his daughter but the hue was more of a bluish-gray instead of turquoise. He also had a large gray mustache that was well kept. Being a scientist, he wore a white lab coat with a blue undershirt and black pants. On his face were a pair of large rectangular glasses.
This was Bulma's father, the founder of the Capsule Corporation.
Many of the teenagers whispered, wondering where Bulma was and who was the old man. When Mr. Gesch silenced them, Bulma's father cheerfully spoke.
"Salutations, senior class of Orange Star High School! I am Dr. Spender Briefs, founder and former president of Capsule Corp. I am also the father of Bulma. Please, follow me and I will take you to see her. On the way, I'll explain the history of the corporation." Dr. Briefs said, walking back inside and talking to the kids.
As the teacher walked in the front, Gohan lagged behind to remain undetected. Erasa, thinking that he was shy, decided to try to break him out of his shell by taking Gohan's left arm and dragging him in front of the group despite the obvious anxiety he was under. Videl and Sharpner were behind them, making sure to give Gohan a push every now and then.
Of course, Videl suspected a deeper reason behind his actions and followed suit in the hopes of uncovering another secret of Gohan's.
The students were soon led inside a balcony that was above the laboratory, giving them the best view of all the machinery and devices being worked on by dozens of scientists and engineers.
"Woah…"
"This looks sick!"
"This place is huge, it's like we're in one of those sci-fi movies!"
"I wonder where Bulma is?"
Many of the students' responses were filled with whimsy and wonder, never getting bored at the strange sights that caught their attention.
"Now that you're well versed in our company's humble beginning, I shall let Bulma know you're all here. Please wait for a moment, and the tour will begin shortly. Cheers." Dr. Briefs said in a well-mannered tone as he exited through an automatic opening door.
Almost instantly, the group of students began to talk about Bulma as they all eyed the lab intently.
Gohan rubbed his eyes tiresomely, letting his arms rest on the rail. This action earned the protector of Earth questioning stares from all his friends and those who heard the teen yawn.
But none more so than Videl.
Erasa, walking up to Gohan, whispered to him.
"Son-kun. What's going on with you today?" Erasa asked. "You've been acting stranger than usual."
Turning to Erasa, Gohan said, "Oh, sorry. I'm having trouble sleeping again."
Looking back, Erasa looked at Videl, who was staring at them but wasn't close enough to hear their conversation.
"Where are you up late...you know, patrolling the streets?"
"Yeah...but that's not the issue, Erasa-san." Gohan sighed, thinking back to his conversation with Krillin yesterday and his growing unusual aggressive behavior. "Look, I just don't want to talk about it. Can we drop this for now, please?"
The buxom blonde's face fell a little, though she nodded to her friend's request.
"Sure thing," Erasa said, touching his hand comfortingly. "Just let Sharpner or I know if you need somebody to vent to, okay?"
The sincerity of Erasa's tone caused Gohan to flinch as a similar sentence that Krillin said played in his mind. Though remaining silent, Gohan nodded with a sad smile.
"Thanks, Erasa-san."
Videl, now it's her arms crossed, muttered, "...What the–? Did I miss something?"
Sharpner simply replied by saying, "Don't mind them, babe. Gohan's going through a rough patch in life right now. 'Rasa is just checking upon him."
"A rough patch, huh?" Videl parroted.
Videl knew her friends for a long time. Because of that, she knew when they were telling the truth, lying, and when they were hiding something from her.
Now, Erasa was always kind, but she never got intel from a person and not gossip about it to Videl purposely unless she gave a good reason to the girl. So for her to avoid talking about anything new related to Gohan as of late rubbed the crime fighter the wrong way.
And for Sharpner to support that was also a red flag. Regardless, Videl continued to act calmer and subtle.
'It looks like Erasa and Sharpner are in it too. They know something...something big about Gohan. And I'm going to find out.'
After realizing what Sharpner called her, the pig-tailed girl elbowed the long-haired blind muscle head in the gut while rebuking his verbal advance towards her.
KABOOM!
An explosion echoed from down below. This was followed by high-pitched screams from all the students. Well, all except Gohan, who was too busy tending to his sensitive ears with small beads of tears in his eyes. The students began to freak out.
"OH, DEAR KAMI!"
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?"
"WAS THAT A BOMB!?"
While the cloud of rising smoke settled, the class and the teacher moved towards the railing and leaned over to get a better view of the commotion of the laboratory down below.
Engineers and scientists alike were all scrambling to the scene with fire extinguishers in their hands. Most were covered in ash and shoot, coughing about as they went to subdue the issue.
While this was happening, entering through the automated doors was none other than Bulma Briefs herself.
All of the students gasped, with almost all of the girls having sparkles in their eyes while nearly every guy was blushing and checking her out. Whispers were made regarding the presence of Bulma.
"Look, it's really her!"
"It's Bulma Briefs!"
"She's even hotter in person."
"Oh, stop that! Rumors say she's taken and even has a kid!"
Erasa watched with shining stars in her eyes and a big smile on her face. Videl was also amazed, finally being able to meet a strong rich woman whom she looked up to. And Sharpner...well, his eyes were elsewhere.
Gohan took this time to move back into the crowd of kids in order to hide himself.
"Sorry for the wait, kids. Welcome to the Capsule Corporation! I'm Bulma Briefs, as you can already tell. Now, without further adieu, let's get this show on the road." The president of C.C. said cheery, ignoring the explosion altogether.
With their excitement overtaking their state of shock, the students made no hesitation in following Bulma Briefs.
Turning to the right hallway, Mr. Gesch and the senior class of OSHS were brought to a small auditorium the size of a high school multipurpose room. There, Bulma had instructed them to take a seat.
While Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa sat in the front with Mr. Gesch nearby, Gohan moved far in the back with his notebook and a pencil in hand.
Videl glanced where the hybrid was, baffled at the boy's elusive behavior.
'What is up with this guy!? It's like he's trying to avoid or hide Mrs. Briefs or something!'
Meanwhile, Gohan was continuing to write notes in his Saiyan Archives, mentally praying for himself.
'Dende, please don't let her notice me. Please don't let Bulma notice, Dende. It's bad enough that Videl is suspicious of me, I really don't want the others to know about Bulma too!'
Taking out the basic set of DynoCaps, Bulma set up a projector and gave a basic lecture on what DynoCaps were, how they functioned, and what were the sizes of said capsules.
Everyone ate up Bulma's explanation since nobody knew the inner workings of one of the most intuitive inventions on Earth.
Well, everyone except our hero for obvious reasons.
Once the slide show was over, Bulma and the senior class of the OSHS moved on from the auditorium, walking into a smaller lab. Here, Bulma assembled a small group of engineers, scientists of different fields, designers of various fields, and other workers for the teens to go and analyze the adult's respective fields and how it links back to the Capsule Corporation and capsules. That included gaining permission and access to certain machines and products that were related to both the company and the firm.
During this time, Gohan did his absolute best to stay hidden during these activities all the while trying to keep close to his friends.
The last thing he needed was to attract his class' attention for knowing Bulma personally. All Gohan wanted was a normal school life, and for him to have connections with somebody as powerful as Bulma while being labeled as a nerd from the mountains would definitely break that image, which he didn't want in the slightest.
Besides, Bulma would embarrass him like crazy if she found out he was here.
He already got enough of that from Chi-Chi and Krillin.
After another twenty minutes, the class was taken to a small lobby with couches, a large plasma screen television, two carts full of snacks and drinks, and two bathrooms down the hall.
At this time, some students took this opportunity to get an autograph from Bulma.
Erasa sighed, "Man, this place is just amazing! I can't believe Mrs. Briefs gets to live here every day!"
"I know right," Videl agreed. "I will take over the Mansion any day. And the lady's is actually pretty cool. She knows how to act real and not so...superficial. My dad could learn a thing or two from her."
"Damn, I'm gonna miss the gym set up they have near that Gravity Chamber. You can't find better equipment." Sharpner said, faking tears.
"Ooo~! Hey, guys! Bulma's right there! We can get her autograph! Come on, this could be our only chance!" Erasa said, busting out the puppy dog eyes to convince the others to join her.
Videl and Sharpener agreed to this in order to please the desperate blonde.
Gohan, on the other hand, did not share the same thought process.
"Er...you guys help yourself. I would rather stay here." Gohan said in a nervous manner.
Sharpner and Erasa backed off, but not Videl.
"Oh, and why not?" Videl asked, putting her hands on her hips. "This is the Bulma Briefs, the same woman who accepted the board's request for this field trip. The least you can do is have the decency to meet the woman in her own home."
Gohan would have retorted if Erasa hadn't taken a hold of Gohan's right arm.
"No need to be so shy, Son-kun! Come on, live a little." Erasa chirped, tugging at Bulma's direction since she really wanted them to meet one of her idols.
Gohan was pulled a few inches by the blonde girl for a good thirty seconds before he used a tiny bit of his strength to free himself.
The spiky-haired boy attempted to flee but was stopped by Videl who grabbed his left arm.
"H-Hey! Let me go!" Gohan said with panic in his voice while mentally frustrated at the pig-tailed girl's persistence.
"Not so fast, buster! You've been hiding long enough. You're coming with us whether you like it or not!" Ordered Videl, daring him to challenge her.
Sharpner and Erasa glanced at each other, not knowing whether they should break the raven-haired teens up or sit there and watch.
The struggle ceased, however, when two familiar half-Saiyan children came running into the room and straight towards Bulma.
"Hi, Mom." Trunks said casually, wearing his usual gi.
Goten also greeted, saying, "Hiya, Auntie Bulma!"
Because of their sudden appearance, the class' attention was now directed towards the two little boys. The girls, in particular, were gossiping amongst themselves on how cute they looked.
Videl's eyes widened. Not because of Bulma's son, but rather the little boy with the familiar-looking hairstyle.
Videl realized, 'Wait! Is that–?'
Mr. Gesch stepped forward, asking, "Excuse me, ma'am. If you don't mind me asking, who might these two children be?"
Smiling, Bulma placed her hands on the back of the two younger hybrids.
"Oh, these two?" Bulma started, turning to the class. "Well, the one on my left is my pride and joy, Trunks. And this little guy on my right is his best friend, Goten."
Sharpner and Erasa looked at Gohan, recalling the guy having a younger brother of the same name.
Videl simply glared daggers at Gohan, who was busy thinking of a single word that came to mind to notice the staring.
'...Crap Baskets.'
"Mom, me and Goten are starving!" Trunks groaned, using a childish pout on his face. "When are we gonna have lunch?"
"You may have to wait, sweetheart," Bulma said as she was looking at her capsule watch. "Lunchtime isn't for another hour and a half."
Trunks grumbled in an unintentionally cute manner. The girls squealed at this.
One long red-headed girl, Angela, gushed, "Aw~! They're so precious!"
Bulma and the other girls giggled at the now crimson blushing eight-year-old, who crossed his arms and turned away embarrassed. Goten, sensing Gohan, glanced over into the crowd until he spotted Gohan next to the glaring Videl and the curious Sharpner and Erasa.
Turning to the teacher, Goten walked over to Mr. Gesch and pulled on his pant leg, grabbing his attention.
"Excuse me, mister. Can I ask you something?" Asked Goten.
Kneeling to Goten's height, Mr. Gesch replied, "What is it, fella?"
"Can I go see my big brother? He's in your class."
"Oh?" Mr. Gesch said raising an eyebrow before turning to the whole class while standing straight. "And who is this boy's brother here?"
All sorts of comments from the boys ranged from "Don't look at me," to "What's a Goten?"
At this point, Gohan had accepted the reality that he couldn't keep up the charade of him not being in C.C. anymore. Videl was already on to him, and it was only a matter of time before Sharpner and Erasa figured it out. Besides, Vegeta and himself had already taught Trunks and Goten how to sense ki signatures, so they were bound to find him.
Coming out of hiding, Gohan slowly walked to the front, answering in defeat, "He's my brother, sir."
"Gohan/Big brother!" Trunks and Goten said, running up to the older half-Saiyan and squeezing him into a big hug.
"Oomph!" Gohan yelled, falling down on the ground. "H-Hey squirts…"
Getting off of the ground, Gohan was soon approached by none other than Bulma. Tons of questions were raised by the class, and it didn't help Gohan's case the tech woman spoke.
"I was wondering when you were going to turn up, Gohan-kun." Bulma said. "I don't know why you were acting like we didn't know each other."
Loud gasps were heard at the front where the class heard the whole conversation. The students started to talk amongst themselves, wondering how a country boy like Gohan would be in league with a large corporate figure like Bulma.
"Well...this is an interesting turn of events." Mr. Gesch muttered to himself.
A female student said, "Can you believe it?"
"I know, the nerd and his brothers know Bulma." A jock said, pointing at Gohan.
"How can he, though? She's rich, and he's a bumpkin." One of the privileged girls said.
"Who is this guy?" Asked one of the geeks.
Sharpner simply shook his head, thinking to himself, 'At this point, I'm not even surprised that Brains would know someone like Bulma. It explains the costume change.'
Turning to Erasa, Sharpner noticed the giddiness and bliss in the blonde, who was squealing from the revelation.
"Oh brother," The baseball jock groaned.
It was Gohan's turn to be embarrassed, as he blushed a bit. He then scratched the back of his head with a small bow, quietly apologizing.
Bulma chuckled at this, seeing her late friend in his son. She would have continued talking to the teen if it weren't for Videl, who stomped towards Gohan and pointed at him.
"Ah-ha! That's why you were acting weird! You've been here before!" Videl shouted. "Mind explaining yourself, Son Gohan? How about starting with how you know the Briefs?"
'And there it is!' Gohan groaned, cringing from the volume of Videl's voice along with Trunks and Goten.
'This girl is scary' Trunks thought.
Goten thought similarly, 'She isn't so pretty when she's scary...she's kinda like Mommy.'
"W-Well, uh, you see…" Gohan attempted, only to be cut off by the impatient crime fighter.
"For crying out loud, spit it out already!" The girl barked, with Sharpner and Erasa next to her.
But before Gohan could even find the words to try and explain himself, Bulma came to his rescue, getting in between the two..
"Okay, there's obviously some tension between you two. Bulma looked at the kids as she turned to Videl and her friends. "I've seen you on television helping out the local authorities. That's great work for a girl your age. You're Videl, right?"
Flattered, yet not trusting her voice, she nodded.
"Good to know. I've heard a lot of great things about you from Chi-Chi." Bulma said to her, winking.
Videl blushed lightly before Bulma faced her other friends.
"And who might you two be?"
Before Sharpner could have a chance to speak, Erasa butted in with stars in her eyes.
"OH MY KAMI! HI! MY NAME'S ERASA, uh, WITH AN "E"! I'M LIKE ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS EVER!" The blonde squealed, grabbing one of Bulma's hands and shaking it.
A sweatdrop formed on the back of the blue-haired girl's head, chuckling wearily while Videl facepalmed. Sharpner wheezed while introducing himself.
"...N-Names Sharpner…"
Nodding, Bulma spoke to the group of four and said.
"Tell you what, how about we go to one of my private offices and take this in there." She suggested, which Mr. Gesch gave the thumbs up to.
Grabbing Videl and Gohan's hands, Erasa said, "YES! Come on you two! Kiss and make-up so we can get to the cool stuff!"
"Then it's settled." Bulma decided. "Goten, Trunks. Go take the kids to the arcade."
"Okay!" Both boys chirped, taking the class to a room down the hall.
With no choice, the kids followed Bulma into an office room that had a conference table with blueprints. Gohan sat on a couch with Videl standing in front of him. Sharpner and Erasa sat the two chairs at the table while Bulma stood near the crime fighter.
"Alright, Son! Start talking! How in the hell do you know the Briefs?" Videl demanded.
Bulma intervened, saying, "Hey, simmer down. No need to be so aggressive."
'Talk about being pushy. She's like a younger blue-eyed Chi-Chi.'
Videl turned to Bulma, then listened to her before calming down. Though, she still glared at Gohan, wanting an answer.
"...Bulma's been a family friend of ours for a long time," Gohan answered quietly, now a bit calmer but still on his toes due to Videl's critical eye.
"A family friend? But how? You're from the mountains, how could you guys meet?"
Bulma responded, "I can explain that. See, when I was sixteen, I was on a journey in search of something. One of the leads that I was following took me to the mountains. That's where I met Gohan-kun's father. He was only twelve at the time. After some convincing, he came along for the ride with me."
Sharpner, curious about Goku and Bulma's story, asked, "What were you guys searching for?"
Bulma and Gohan stared at each other, then nodded as she answered.
"Have you kids ever heard of the legend of the Dragon Balls before?" Bulma questioned, prompting Sharpner and Videl to shake their heads.
Erasa, however, raised her hand like a child while shouting.
"Ooo! Ooo! I know that myth!"
Videl, surprised at her friend, turned to the blonde, asking, "Wait, you do? Since when?"
"Remember my aunt that lives in that small village up in the north?" Erasa asked. "Well, she once told me about a friend of hers that saved her a long time ago. That boy with a tail spoke about how there are this set of balls that can grant you a wish if you find one."
'A boy with a tail? …I wonder...' Videl thought to herself. 'Didn't they say that Son Goku had something sticking out his backside as a kid?'
Videl then shook her head dismissively.
Bulma and Gohan smiled at each other, thinking at the same time, 'So, she's related to Suno. That's interesting.'
"Actually," Gohan corrected, "You need all seven for them to work. When all seven are gathered, the Eternal Dragon, Shenron, appears and gives the person an opportunity to make a wish."
"Seven balls that can summon a magical wish-granting dragon? ...Yeah, I'm not being that fairytale. Sorry, Brains." Sharpner said, crossing his arms.
Videl admitted, "Hate to say it, but I'm with Sharp on this one. No offense, Mrs. Briefs."
Bulma simply waved it off, saying, "Bulma's fine, Videl. You guys are entitled to believe what you want, but the Dragon Balls are the reason why I know Son-kun and most of our friends. In fact, I met Gohan-kun when he was four years old."
Satisfied with Bulma's answer, Videl turned to Gohan, asking, "Why haven't you said anything before?"
"Would you have believed me if I told you before?" Gohan asked, prompting Videl to look down. "Besides, I like to keep my private life, well, private. I don't want people to like me or associate with me because I know famous people. I want real friends just like you do. It's just hard to let people in, you know?"
"I get it," Videl said, softening her gaze at the boy. "But what you have to understand is that in order to do that, you have to stop being so scared of letting people in. Constantly avoiding and hiding things will make it difficult for you to have and keep friends. Friends confide and tell each other things. Even the most embarrassing and sometimes, the most personal things. And they'll stick to you no matter what they are. It's called trust, Gohan. That's what a friendship is built on."
The guilt inside of Gohan twisted inside of himself. The constant justification of him hiding who he was crumbled completely. He did not want to hide any longer. It wasn't worth it.
Bulma, noticing the stiffness of Gohan's guilt-ridden face, turned to Videl and said, "Why don't we move along from this conversation. I heard from Chi-Chi that you were interested in joining the police force. Do you mind if you can take a look at an idea that we're developing here?"
Erasa asked, "Ooo~! I wanna see it too!"
The two girls went over the schematics of a project that involves incorporating Saiyan technology (unbeknownst to the two) into their uniforms and weaponry.
Gohan took a step outside the lonesome hallway. Turning a corner, he took three more steps before sitting on the floor and sighing.
"I hate this…" He said. "I can't keep doing this to them. I got to tell them what I am."
"Tell us what?"
Gohan jerked his head upwards to see Sharpner.
Standing up, Gohan greeted, "Oh, hey Sharpner-san."
"Look, I'm not gonna baby you like Erasa, and I'm not going to go all investigator on you like Videl, but they are both right on one thing. Something's up with you." Sharpener stated, crossing his arms. "So Spill. What's going on?"
Gohan sighed again, explaining, "Sharpner-san… Do you remember when I told you how my father's people came from a breed of warriors?"
"Uh, yeah, kind of. What of it?"
"There is more to that story. My life...it's complicated. What I am, what I can do, it's a heavy burden to carry. A-And I'm so afraid that if I were to tell you guys everything, … you might see me as a freak and run away. I don't want to drive my friends away. That's why I've been lying and avoiding questions. But I don't want to hide who or what I am anymore."
Tilting his head, Sharpner said with a weird smile, "Dude, you're not making any sense. You making it sound like you're not a human."
Gohan stood straight up and looked directly in the eyes to open his mouth.
"The truth is that I–"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Sounds of a chained explosion caused the whole facility to shake. Screams rang throughout the place as the students began to panic. This caused Videl and the others from the room to come to Sharpner and Gohan.
"Are you guys okay!?" Videl cried, putting on a brave face.
Erasa hugged Sharpner, scared out of her mind. The blond boy screamed positively.
Bulma pulled out a pocket radio and tuned it to the news.
"This is Jimmy Firecracker from ZTV News! Just in, an unidentified flying object has landed by West City plaza! Inside it, there is an alien creature that has deployed an army of mechanical soldiers that is utterly destroying buildings all over the city!"
"Aliens!?" Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa screamed at the same time.
"Oh! We are now receiving a transmission from the lifeform!" Jimmy said before it cuts to a deeper chilling, yet regal voice. "Greetings, people of Planet-4032-877. Your world has been selected to be examined by the strongest being in the universe. I dare you, send out your world's finest warriors. They will represent your worthiness to exist. Failure to comply with my demands will result in your planet's immediate annihilation. My location will be in the center of the city. You have three hours, use them wisely."
As the report pleads for Mr. Satan's help, Bulma had cut the radio off with a serious expression on her face.
Gohan immediately dashed with the others behind him and opened the emergency door only to find buildings being destroyed three miles away from killer robotic soldiers bigger than six feet tall adult men in their prime. Guns and lasers were being shot at buildings and vehicles while people screamed in terror. He then shut the door as quickly as he opened
Sharpener and Erasa's skin turned pale as the female blonde began panicking.
"I-It's a robot alien invasion! We're all going to die!" Erasa shrieked while breaking down. "We're doomed! I don't want to die, I haven't even graduated yet!"
Sharpner, turning to Videl said, "Shit! Videl, we need to get your Dad over her in the city!"
Videl, still in shock at what she'd just heard, took out her phone to call her father, only for it to cut to voicemail.
Turning to Bulma, Gohan asked, "Where's Vegeta?"
"He's still in the Time Chamber over at the Lookout. Unfortunately, he won't be out until sundown." Bulma answered frustratingly.
"Damn it! That's not enough time, and one of our hard hitters is out for now!" Gohan swore, which startled Erasa and Sharpner.
After ten calls, Videl gave up and said, "It's no good! My Dad isn't picking up the Kami damn phone! Out of all days, he does this today!"
Goten and Trunks raced to the group.
"Big brother! The cool-looking robots are breaking everything around the city! Can we beat them up?" Goten said with eagerness in his eyes.
"Yeah! Can we mom?" Trunks also asked.
The three city teens looked at the boys like they were crazy. Bulma immediately denied the request.
"Absolutely not!" Bulma screamed.
"Bulma's right," Gohan said, getting everybody's attention. "You two need to stay put until the others arrive. Bulma, think you can find a way to scramble those robots' controls?"
Bulma nodded determinedly, saying, "Sure thing. I'll get right to it!"
Gohan nodded before patting the boys' heads. The then tells them, "You guys have gotten pretty strong, but you're not quite ready yet for a fight like this one to charge headfirst. When the others come, you listen to them and follow their lead, okay?"
The two boys nodded as Gohan started walking away towards the emergency exit with a look of seriousness that none of his classmates.
Goten then shouted, "Big brother! Go get 'em!"
Trunks joined in, saying, "Yeah, kick their alien butts!"
The two kids left to make sure the other students and the teacher were okay.
Videl, still lost but still had sense processed what was happening and screamed, "WAIT! GOHAN STOP! COME BACK HERE!"
Gohan did so, with Videl and the other two classmates catching up to him. He turned around to see a concerned Videl, and a hesitant Erasa and Sharpner.
"Are you out of your fucking mind!?" Videl screeched. "Why are you going out there!? Those things are killing people! What makes you think you can do something about it?"
Taking a deep breath, Gohan looked at Bulma, who nodded, then turned to face Videl.
"Videl, people are dying out there. I'm not going to sit back and watch my planet die. I know I haven't been completely honest with you or the others and I'm sorry about that. There are so many things in my life that I'd rather keep to myself because I fear that I'll one day lose myself...and those who are around me. But you're right. A friendship is built on trust. And I've grown to trust you three." Gohan said.
Just then, he unraveled his tail, shocking the three.
"O-Oh my Kami! I-Is that a-?" Erasa gasped, pointing at the brown appendage.
Gohan nodded to the insinuation, no longer denying it.
Videl was at a loss for words, too astonished to speak. Sharpener, however, was not.
"G-Gohan... What are you?"
Gohan smiled as he pressed the red button on his watch, changing in the Great Saiyaman, Ziam.
Videl's eyes widen at this, making time freezing so that only she and Gohan were staring at each other.
"...I am a friend." Saiyaman, or Gohan said in the same deep voice he used while fighting crime.
Videl watched as Gohan started to float. She shouted, "Wait! Don't go! Let me come-"
Just then, he spoke using telepathy to all three of them.
(I'll explain everything later. Listen to Bulma and don't follow me. This guy's crazy powerful, so I'm going to handle it. I'm not letting him take our world from us. I'll see you three in a bit.)
"GOHAN!" All three of them cried out but to no avail.
And like that, Gohan shot through the skies in the direction of the threat at subsonic speeds. His eyes gleamed with yellow irises as he growled in his mind.
'Whoever you are, I'm not letting you take my planet!'
To Be Continued...
After revealing two of his secrets to Videl, Gohan, in costume, flies at hi-speeds to the terror that threatens the entire planet. What will come of these certain turns of events? Well, find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Note: Longest. Chapter. Ever.
I broke my record, folks. According to Google Docs, it's thirty-four pages. I know crazy.
Anyway, the next chapter is going to start a bit before Gohan shows up on the villain's side of things. There will be no POV stuff, but it will catch up. Tell me, what do you guys think about this chapter? If you guys have comments, questions, or suggestions, leave them in the comments and or PM me. Later guys! Have a blessed day.
-DarkShadowGames451