Review Responses:
To Ushindi: Goku will fight Annin in time. Just not at the moment.
I think my favorite design for Tien is his Cell Saga look, but his Super look grown on me too.
I watched the entirety of TFS Dragon Ball Z Abridged. And I like everything about it. Though, I'd say that the movies were the highlights of enjoyment of the series. I'd say any scene with Frieza, Vegeta, Trunks, and Gohan are my favorites. My favorite running gags are the Owned counts, Kaio What, the amount of Androids Trunks missed, and the dick shots villains gave Goku and Vegeta.
That's all for now, on with the show.
Hercule City Hall, Hercule City, Age 774
Today marked an important day for the planet of Earth. At the heart of Hercule City gathered tens of thousands of people from across not only this city but West City and other smaller towns rallied to the event the locals and the whole world were anticipating since the outlandish terrifying events of two weeks ago.
The Invasion of Cooler.
In City Hall were some of the important figures; the robust city mayor, the chief of police, journalists, KBC News, Videl, and of course, Mr. Mark "Hercule" Satan himself.
By the stairs, Mr. Satan stood on the podium with Videl beside him for support. Meanwhile, the mayor and the chief of police stood apart from each other on opposite sides as the larger man had already announced Hercule.
With a microphone of his own, the mayor said, "Citizens of Planet Earth, we've gathered here today to view and receive a message from our own World Savior, who will be addressing the tragedy that befell our very world two weeks prior. Without further adieu, a message from our champion, Mr. Hercule Satan."
A thunderous round of applause as the cameramen of KBC focused on the afro-haired man, who let out a weary smile, waving at the crowd. He eyed the masses, looking at the people's eagerness to listen to him. He noticed that while most of the citizens were happy to see him, some were serious, and others were unsure of what to expect. The champion looked to his daughter, who nodded indifferently to go on with the message. Clearing his throat, Hercule began to speak to the public.
"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen of Earth," The man started, taking everybody by surprise since Hercule would normally address the public as his fans with his usual burst of bravado. "I've come here to address you, the people, about what has transpired fourteen days ago over at West City. As you know, we had an…unexpected visitor from outer space that intended to rule over our world. He and his army were responsible for the destruction of the city and murdered many of our fellow people. And just like Cell, that menace was extinguished."
And like that many of the younger people in the audience immediately praised the man loudly with shouts of "YEAH, MR. SATAN'S THE MAN!", "WE KNEW YOU CAN DO IT!", and "HERCULE DID IT AGAIN!" Then, suddenly, chants of his name started once more.
Hercule, having enough of the guilt building up inside, held up his hand as it caused the people to fall silent nearly instantaneously.
"While it's true that the threat had been dealt with…" Hercule said as he refrained from stuttering out of fear. "...The alien tyrant did not die by my hands."
Growing sounds of gasps and murmurs of shock escaped the lips of the masses. A majority of the people couldn't believe what the man admitted. Of course, the tabloids had caught wind of Hercule's absence from Cooler's challenge, but they assumed he confronted the crazy alien when he and the Earth had least expected to save the day again.
But if Hercule wasn't the one who took out the extraterrestrial monster, then what happened?
Mr. Satan's PR then came and told the reporters and the journalists, saying, "He'll be taking questions now?
Flashes of the camera were mixed with the many questions that were being thrown his way. Gazing over the faces of the reporters and journalists, he saw a young woman with long brown hair and hazel eyes. He pointed to her, calling her out to ask her question.
"The young lady on the left."
"Yes, can you tell us where you were while the alien monster that identified himself as Cooler was calling for the strongest warriors on the planet?" The nameless journalist questioned.
Nodding, Hercule said with a straight face, "While on my way to confront Cooler, I was unfortunately caught off guard by his technology. One of his robots used a special device that rendered me powerless before being knocked unconscious. Most of the memories I have of being out of commission are a blur. Fortunately, I was freed from my bondage by the end of the madness. Next question."
Next, a young journalist who appeared to be a beast-man in the form of a brown bear, asked, "Here, sir! Leaked footage of the attacking killing machines suddenly deactivating after seemingly intending to lay waste to one of West City's skyscrapers came through by survivors. Do you have any idea who could have been responsible for such an unusual phenomenon?"
"Of course, I do. The only person with the kind of resources and intelligence to pull off such an act is West City's own Bulma Briefs with the backing of the Capsule Corporation. All credit goes to her on that feat." Mr. Satan complimented, causing Videl to smile at her father. "On to the next question."
Looking at the crowd of reports again, Hercule spotted a familiar face that he hadn't seen in seven years. Raising his hand was a worn dark blue suit, had black hair that was slick backed by gell, a small trimmed mustache, and large eyeglasses. Hercule pointed to him.
"Jimmy Firecracker of KBC News here, and I'm curious about something. I've been with you at the site of the Cell Games and I've seen at firsthand what he could do. While I disbelieved the many tricks he somehow pulled, I also saw the horrifying murder of two officers in a single flash of light from that alien monster who essentially has the same powers as Cell. Now, I'm starting to have doubts over the recollection of those events. What do you make of these absurdities, Mr. Satan?"
All eyes turned to Mr. Satan, who was internally praying to Kami. Videl could see her father sweating from his forehead.
'Come on, Dad. You promised. Don't screw this up!' Videl said while staring at him intensely.
And like he had done before, Dende answered his prayer as he gave him the strength to proceed with the answer.
"...I-I have a confession to make." Hercule started. "All the times that I've been ranting about the people that I've labeled and condemned as tricksters, that was not true. Cell, as much as a monster that he was… wasn't a trickster. …I've been misleading you people to protect you from the truth about the horrors of the Cell Games. I did not wish to give any more reasons for the public to panic again. I felt that withholding such information was necessary at the time. …Now, realize that it was a mistake."
The brown-haired female journalist then asked, "If what you're saying is true and all of those strange abilities that creatures like Cell and Cooler are not tricks, then what are they, Mr. Satan?"
"From what I gathered, they are techniques grounded in the ancient ways of the martial arts. Ways that I have not learned from the school that I came from. The trick to these incredible skills has to do with the philosophy of controlling their life energy from their own body. Or ki, as some practitioners call it." Hercule said. "On that topic, I would like to issue a public apology to all of the men and women that study under this principle whom I have insulted over the years. My disrespect towards you was biased and uncalled for. I was unfair to you and your community and I shouldn't have simply labeled you as fakes over something that I didn't understand at the time. I'd also like to take this time to honor my late predecessor, former Tenkaichi Budokai champion Son Goku, who passed away seven years ago upon falling at the hands of Cell. His family has my condolences and I also apologize for rudely disrespecting him and his noble sacrifice to protect them."
Hercule watched as the crowd's faces began to shift into a variety of expressions. This controversy rendered many Hercule fans either confused, angry, and or betrayed at the news he shared. While a small few of them understood why he did what he did, it didn't change the fact that most of the fans' trust in Mr. Satan was damaged by his lies. Some were so deep in disbelief that they began to doubt the man's words and thought that the press conference was all a sham or a publicity stunt to prank them.
While shouts of different people echoed throughout the hall, the small smile that appeared on Videl's face from behind him was all that Hercule needed to feel acknowledged and valid for the time being. Going back to the group of reports, Hercule answered another question. This time, it was a reporter who was a dark-skinned man wearing a white suit.
"Mr. Satan, we are all dying to know. Since you just admitted you were not the person who brought an end to the space monster, we, the people, have to know who was the person responsible. Tell us, who is this mysterious hero?"
Hercule and Videl smiled at the same time when hearing the question.
"I'll have you know that the man that you're asking about is no mystery." The man said while his mood perked up in his normal prideful tone. "He's on his way here right now. Take a look up there."
Mr. Satan then pointed up to the sky, and everybody turned around to see what he went. Out in the distance was a shimmering white dot. However, it only took less than fifteen seconds for the white dot to get closer enough to be visible. Once it was easier to make out the figure, the flying object was identified as a familiar red-caped figure. The masked man then flew past the audience and the group of reporters/journalists as Videl, the police chief, the mayor, and Mr. Satan smiled. Standing next to him was the Great Saiyaman.
While the model of his helmet remained the same as he kept the crimson cape, the color of the attire was different. The helmet itself was black with accents of gold and red while the visor itself was crystal. Despite this, Saiyaman's eyes could not be seen with a glance of the naked eye. While his Battle Armor was still modeled after Bardock's design, the dark green of the chest was now black while the abdomen area had a coloration of gold. The white accent that traced around the chest and abdomen was now red along with flaps on each side of the waist that were colored black. The white gloves and boots were replaced with red gloves.
Murmurs of astonishment and shock escaped the mouths of the public, as they never would have expected this outcome. Saiyaman and Mr. Satan were in close proximity to each other. And now…
…They were shaking hands!?
The cameramen and the photographers were having a field day.
"Before two weeks ago," Hercule said. "I wouldn't ever want anything to do with this man. Yet, here I stand beside him. All I and the rest of the city has ever done as a whole is shun and ridicule him. Despite our immediate judgment, he stayed. In our darkest hour, when the world was in peril and when nobody else were to step forward, this man rose to the challenge. And even after all that had been said about him by us, he chose to show compassion and not only save my daughter but my life too. Because of that, I have realized that I was wrong about him and have come to acknowledge him as a hero."
Hercule turned to Saiyaman, and continued right here, "Standing beside myself, today, is a man who embodies integrity, honor, courage, and justice. He is a man that any one of you can learn from. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the man who defeated Cooler and the hero of Earth, our city's very own Great Saiyaman!"
Saiyaman expected the public to either stay silent or start screaming out of outrage due to the sudden shift of Hercule's views on him. However, that was completely subverted with most of the audience clapping for the vigilante.
"WOO!"
"LET'S GO, SAIYAMAN!"
"YOU ROCK, DUDE!"
"WE LOVE YOU, SAIYAMAN!"
The overwhelmingly positive feedback from the public blew the young man away. The vigilante then turned to Videl, who gave him a thumbs up. Without saying a word, Saiyaman waved to the crowd with a grateful smile. With a two-finger salute, the vigilante took off to the skies once more with cameras pointed towards him.
The public watched in awe as the hero had flown farther away until he became that little white dot he had been as he arrived prior.
Three Months Later, Son Residence
Change was inevitable, whether it's good or bad. And the planet Earth was no exception, especially considering the events that transpired after the press conference at Hercule City.
Conversations regarding Hercule's confession were had, sparking a global controversy. On one hand, his fan base was split in half. Now, some people still supported Mr. Satan and what he stood for; the Pro-Hercule community, and then there were the fans that felt betrayed by him for either lying to them about the Cell Games, or going against who he was; the Anti-Hercule community.
This also led to topics of the concept of ki which was still being researched by scientists under metaphysics to prove its existence as a tangible force, while reporters and journalists turned their research towards local medicinal practitioners and martial artists in small towns to feed the public's hunger for the philosophy of energy.
Because of this, conspiracies were crafted regarding Hercule, the Cell Games, Saiyaman, and the mysterious warriors. While most of them still believed that Hercule defeated Cell, a small sum of individuals dug up information on ki and the martial arts and concluded that Mr. Satan couldn't have possibly beaten Cell. A few of the more radical theorists even proposed the thought that one of the Golden Warriors was responsible for Cell's demise and Hercule stole the credit to gain popularity based on the powers listed that ki users could achieve. This was backed up through old accounts of the previous Tenkaichi Būdokai as Goku, Krillin, Jackie Chun, and Tien's abilities were used as the foundation of most arguments. Even Saiyaman speculated as being one of the mysterious fighters that appeared seven years ago, though what his identity could be was up in the air.
This, of course, affected the lives of not only Videl but Sharpner and Erasa as well.
While Sharpner's father, being the president of a fitness company which was now under a firm owned by Hercule, had suffered a massive hit in funding due to the loss of their subscribers which half of them ended their subscriptions. After all, the people who paid for the service were mainly Pro Hercule fans. Now, Sharpner and his father have to resort to working at an auto repair shop to keep up with piling bills.
Socially, Sharpner's reputation shook when he boldly decided to leave Hercule's Dojo as a result of realizing his path as a warrior with his eyes now open. With that and the controversy out in front, shallow teenage jocks took the opportunity to scrutinize Sharpner for abandoning the dojo for 'no reason.
Erasa's parents, while not directly associated with Mr. Satan financially, still faced controversy. Because of Erasa's parents regularly being involved in live-action projects given that the mother is an actress and her father is a movie director. Now, they had to turn away from projects associated with the World Champion to avoid being involved with such controversies and to maintain their positions.
At school, Erasa's popularity waned a bit for being associated with Videl, who had faced controversy due to her father's confession. Half of the school hated her and her best friend (which meant Erasa to a lesser extent) Videl's father for one reason or another, while the other half of the student boy still respected Videl (and her friend group).
Meanwhile, Son Gohan's reputation at school remained the same. To the known population, he was simply a mild-mannered bookworm from the mountains. Nothing out of the ordinary outside of crazy feats from his first day of school at PE. Only now, his friends knew what he was capable of and accepted who he truly was.
To distract themselves from such a shift in their lives, the Orange Star Trio decided to dedicate themselves outside of their schoolwork to hang out together. Especially with their new friend in the mix.
When Erasa wasn't studying with Videl and Gohan or shopping, the blonde was being tutored by Bulma as she acquired an interest in basic programming. As of late, Erasa was learning how to reverse engineer the Dragon Radar just so she knows how to create one for herself.
Sharpner spent the least amount of time with everyone during his free time, mostly following the rigorous methods of training provided by Tenshinhan as he was learning how to control energy. Now, he was able to fly, use Rapid Movement, and perform the Afterimage Technique. In terms of power, he was as powerful as Videl was three months prior and was dead set on bridging the gap between their Battle Powers. And if he wasn't training or doing his homework, he was helping put his father to provide for their family.
Videl, on the other hand, spent the most time with our hero, continuing her training with Gohan being her mentor with Goten joining her. While Goten was easier to train with his higher level of ki and his natural talent to manipulate ki, Videl's experience in fighting overall made catching her up less difficult. However, it was decided earlier on that she should perfect her style of fighting instead of simply mimicking other existing arts.
Gohan, under the apprenticeship of Supreme Kai and Vegeta, has improved over the last three months. Thanks to Vegeta's pep talk and Shin's offer, he had a goal to reach, giving the teen the drive to train in a similar vein to Goku. Weirdly enough, any physical regimen that Shin planned for the day, Gohan was required to train with Kibito as his sparring partner. Here, Kibito showed his worth as a competent fighter, being another user of the Kaiōken Technique, much like his late father. Out of mild fascination with the technique and nostalgia, half-Saiyan spent those three months learning the Kaiōken Technique.
While studying under Vegeta, Gohan's development of the Saiyan Archives progressed as he jotted plenty of notes during the quiet times away from Chi-Chi's sight. As it turned out, Saiyan's not only can ignore extreme temperatures but they have an immunity to them. This was proven when Vegeta was in the Time Chamber when he dealt with extreme heat and cold at the same time with nothing happening as a result.
Now, the time has passed and the planet was on the verge to complete its recovery and resume its time of peace.
This was ironic, however, given that it is not always quiet in the Son household.
A few miles away from the house, Gohan and Goten were sparring with each other, with Gohan wearing his old purple practice Piccolo gave him to preserve his newer custom outfit from when he fought Vegeta. The difference in appearance was that Gohan now sported longer spiky hair that resembled his hairstyle during the Cell Games.
Goten looked the same in terms of clothing, but some of Goten's hairs started to curve slightly up which made his haircut different from his father's hairstyle.
After their spar, Gohan took Goten to an open area to teach him a new technique.
"Alright, Goten. Let's move on to the final phase of today's training. Since you got basic ki blasts, flying, and energy sensory down. Now, I'm going to teach you an energy wave technique."
Goten's eyes lit up, saying, "Ooo!~ I bet I know what it is, Big brother!"
Goten then mimicked the familiar pose that he remembered seeing in old newspapers Chi-Chi kept while she lived with her father.
"This one, right?" Goten questioned, looking to Gohan with validation.
"Yup!" Gohan said with a grin. "That's the one! I'm going to teach you the Kamehameha Wave!"
"Yay! I can't wait! Show me, show me!" Goten begged, hopping up and down.
Gohan nodded, complying with Goten's request.
"Okay, okay. Just settle down and watch closely." Gohan said as he stood in place. "Now, pay close attention. When I finish, you try it out."
Gohan took a deep breath as he slowly gathered the latent ki from his body but not too much given how much Gohan had in his reserve. After outstretching both of his arms, waving his arms around and putting them together with his hands cupped together while shifting them to the side.
"KA…ME…HA…ME…!" Gohan chanted as he charged his attack.
Once he was done, he released the energy wave to the sky as he bellowed, "HAAA!"
Goten ended up being mesmerized by the beam.
"Woah…! So, this is Daddy's favorite move?" Goten asked. "That's so cool!"
Gohan nodded with his arms crossed.
"That's right! The Kamehameha Wave was Dad's first technique that he learned under the Kame Sen'nin, Master Roshi. It got him out of tight jams many times. I figured I passed this technique down to you when you're ready. Now, how about you give it a go?"
"Okey Dokie!" Goten answered in a perky manner.
"Remember, Goten. Concentrate, and aim for the sky. We don't want to damage the area around us or hit the house." Gohan advised.
Nodding, Goten's happy expression turned into a focused trance. The young boy began to mimic Gohan's movements perfectly as he began to tap into his latent power from within. Suddenly, a large orb appeared between his cupped hands, taking Gohan by surprise.
Eh!? No way!' Gohan staggered back.
"KAMEHAME…HAA!" Goten cried out, then released a beam greater than the standard energy wave Master Roshi created.
The blast, however, ended up landing on a random mountain in the distance, destroying it.
Goten, realizing this, scratched the back of his head.
"Oops… Sorry big brother! …I overdid it a little." Goten said bashfully.
Gohan blinked for a minute as he then stated, "Wow! Goten, that was amazing!"
"Huh? You think so?" Goten questioned. "But I messed up, though."
"No, you were incredible! That wasn't just a Kamehameha Wave, but a Super Kamehameha Wave! Dad created that variation back at the 23rd Tenkaichi Būdokai as a teenager. And you did that one your first try!" Gohan said as he kneeled to his level with his hands on his shoulder. "With that little bit more practice on ki control, you can master such an advanced technique in no time! Heck, I bet you can beat Trunks' Galick Gun! … Of course, that means I'll have to further your training."
"More training? Yay!" Goten cheered, jumping into Gohan's arms. "You're the best, Gohan!"
Gohan patted his head while thinking to himself, 'Take a look at this, Dad. Goten's getting stronger by the day. You'd be proud if you got to meet and see it for yourself.'
"BOYS, COME BACK INSIDE AND TAKE A BATH! BREAKFAST IS ALMOST READY!"
Looking at each other, Gohan and Goten grinned, mirroring their father's chuckling.
Both brothers were whisked away in Gohan's instant transmission, appearing back inside of their home to bathe while their mother worked on the finishing touches of breakfast.
Five minutes later, Goten came down first, sporting his usual light blue qipao shirt, matching shirt and lavender pants, a red sash belt, and black martial arts shoes.
Goten ran towards his mother, greeting her kindly.
"Good morning, Mommy!" Goten said, kissing his mom's cheek.
"Good morning, sweetie!" Chi-Chi chirped, kissing his cheek. "Were you safe during your training?"
"Uh-huh!" Goten nodded. "Gohan taught me Daddy's favorite move!"
"Is that right?"
"Yeah! Big brother said he'd gonna train me more so I can beat Trunks in our sparring games!"
Chi-Chi could only sigh, thinking 'Oh, Goku-said. Our little boy is getting more and more like you as he grows. If only you were still here with us…You would have adored him. At least, he has a responsible big brother to look after him.'
"That's lovely, Goten-chan. Where is your brother?" Chi-Chi questioned. "He should have been here by now and I don't want his food to get cold."
"Big brother jumped into the shower right after I got out. He said he should be done in two minutes."
Chi-Chi could only sigh as she said, "Oh well. I suppose we can wait a little longer. How would you like Mommy to tell you a story about how she met your Daddy?"
"Ooo! Tell me, tell me!"
Two minutes later, Gohan came back downstairs with new attire.
Gohan wore a dark blue shirt and a brown belt with a yellow buckle, then had navy blue pants with dark brown boots. He wore a dark purple jacket with black long sleeves, color, pockets, and a "59" on his left sleeve.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting!" Gohan said as he approached the kitchen, walking up to his mother. "Morning, Mom!"
"Good morning, Gohan-chan. Those clothes look great on you. You're a well-kept young man."
Gohan blushed as he rubbed his neck, "Thanks. I have to give thanks to Sharp-san for that."
As Gohan walked over to his chair and sat down to eat with his younger brother. As Gohan and Goten inhaled their large breakfast, Chi-Chi decided to turn on the TV that they had in the kitchen.
When turned on, the channel cut to the local news that spoke about the current wave of ki research. In Chazke Village, Jimmy Firecracker stood in front of a certain store next to the owner who appeared to be an older man who's at least in his early sixties. He wore a blue and yellow traditional qipao. The man had a head full of white hair which bore a resemblance to Jackie Chun with a bushy but average-sized mustache of the same color.
"Good Morning folks! This is Jimmy Firecracker of KBC News coming to you live with an exclusive covering the folklore surrounding the concept of ki! Next to me, here, is a retired martial artist and owner of this small establishment for grocery shopping, Mr. Lao Satori." The reporters said before turning to him. "Mr. Lao, many of the Chazke villagers designated you as the lore keeper of the settlement. Can you tell me and the rest of the world, in your words, what exactly ki is to those who are as confused as I am?"
"Well, I'm glad you asked. Ki, to put it simply, is the vital life force that makes up all life throughout creation." Mr. Lao stated. "All living things have ki in them. Even the smallest pebble and the air have the smallest speck of ki. Another way of looking at ki is to see it as a source of energy."
"Energy, hm? That's an interesting way of putting it. So you're saying that I have energy, just like you?"
"Yes. You do. Ki is linked to the energy that flows throughout your body. It also acts as your life force, as previously stated. If one were to deplete all of their vital life force, they die. Hence why it's vital."
"Fair enough. Another question, Mr. Lao. What makes you different from me if we all have this life energy? How can there be people out there in the world capable of leveling buildings by shooting light from their hands and flying without the use of wired contraptions?"
"That's a good question. There are many ways to apply ki to one's everyday life. Through rigorous studying, mediation, and practice, one can improve their vitality to extend their lifespan and increase one's physical capabilities. And the most dedicated could one day find themselves developing techniques that could allow them to perform feats that many may deem impossible."
"Fascinating! And I take it that the most talented could even threaten the planet?"
Thinking back, Mr. Lao said, "Back in the day, I participated in the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai during the preliminary rounds with the number eighty-three. While I was elicited, I stayed throughout the whole tournament and remembered Jackie Chun gathering his ki and destroying the moon. If ki is potent enough to shatter a celestial body, then it wouldn't be so far-fetched that a person with a high enough spiritual power could theoretically destroy a planet."
"...That's very intriguing but also alarming. While it could be catastrophic in the wrong hands, I can see the perks of ki be a benefit if the military were to practice its use of it. Why are you and other martial artists in the community like yourself staying silent? Why not come forward and offer the masses your extraordinary knowledge that could benefit the whole world at large?"
"My friend, merely advertising our teachings in order to weaponize thousands of years of spirituality would go against the philosophy of the martial arts." Mr. Lao stated firmly.
"I'm afraid that I don't follow. Can you clarify what you mean by that, sir?"
"What you ask of us practitioners, it's for the wrong reasons. Human beings by nature are fickle; fearing the unknown. So much so that we try to either destroy or contain what we consider uncertainty. The way of martial arts at its core is to guide one's soul on a spiritual path to enlightenment through a better understanding of one's self and the world around them. It was never intended for conquest or defeating your enemies. And it's a shame that the world has forgotten that with today's political climate."
"...Ah, I see. Well, is there anything else you'd like to add?" Jimmy questioned as he then gave his mic to Mr. Lao for the last time.
"Yes. I have a message for the world. As we cannot decide where the wind blows, we cannot ultimately dictate our own fate nor can we directly influence the fate of yours. In order for humanity to develop further as a species, we first must let go of the illusion of control."
Just before Jimmy was about to speak again, Chi-Chi turned down the volume as she said, "It's about darn time they gave us real martial artists some credit."
"Hey, big brother? Who's that old man that was talking smart?" Goten questioned.
"Oh, that's Mr. Lao. He owns a store in Chazke Village. You know, Dad and I actually met him once and his granddaughter seven years ago."
Raising an eyebrow, Chi-Chi said, "That's right! You told me about that girl before. Lime, if I recall. How come you never invited her over? I would have loved to meet her, you know."
"Because you didn't want some random vixen distracting me from my studies at the time. Those were your words, remember, Mom?"
Blinking, Chi-Chi sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.
"Oh! R-Right! It's coming back to me! …I suppose that was a mistake on my part."
Looking at his watching, Gohan stood up as he cried, "Aw, man! I only have two hours! I better get going if I don't want to be late!"
Kissing his mother on the cheek and ruffling his brother's hair, Gohan grabbed his messenger bag and took off to school.
Orange Star High School, Orange Star City, Hercule City, 774
After stopping a robbery from the city treasury, Gohan shifted back into his civilian clothing and decided to cruise on his Flying Nimbus Kinto'un for the rest of the way to the campus.
Getting off of the golden cloud, Gohan began to walk to the room's door where he was greeted by a familiar voice.
"So, that was the famed golden cloud that Erasa was babbling about."
Turning around, Gohan was greeted by his friend, Videl Satan.
While the girl's hairstyle remained the same, Videl had a different attire. She wore a blue sleeveless t-shirt that reached down to her upper thighs over a long-sleeved orange undershirt with white leggings and yellow boots. On her hands are new mahogany-colored fingerless gloves.
"Oh! Videl-san!" Gohan said, using his high pitched mild-mannered voice. "I didn't sense you, there. Good morning!"
"Good morning to you, Gohan-kun." Videl smiled as she looked at his new clothes and grown hair. "Hmph, neat hair. You left it to grow out?"
"Hehehe! Yeah, I figure that I do so. Mom never exactly liked this hairstyle, but I always had a soft spot for it. Dad had cut my hair this way back when we were training for the Cell Games." Gohan blushed as he rubbed his neck in a sheepish manner.
"Oh? Am I hearing things right? Is Son Gohan rebelling against his mother?" Videl asked coyly as she lightly punched his arm. "Looks like you're not as abnormal as you thought you were after all."
"Huh…I guess not." Gohan acknowledged.
"Hey, now. It's a good thing. Besides, that style suits you the best if you ask me." Videl said as she placed her fists on her hips.
Gohan smiled at the compliment as he said, "Thanks. I think so, too."
Turning around towards the roof's door, Videl said, "Come on, Wonderboy. The others are by the lockers. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting."
Nodding, Gohan followed the girl to their first class.
Walking inside, the two dark-haired teens walked downstairs and through the hallways where they found two familiar blond(e)s.
One of them, Erasa, remained the same outside of a different outfit. She now sported a black crop top, white jean shorts with a pink belt, and watching white wedges. The girl still kept her watch and earrings on, however.
Sharpner wore a white sleeveless shirt, green cargo pants, a red belt with a gold buckle, and black combat boots. One Sharpner's wrists were the black wristbands on them.
Erasa, with Sharpner following behind her, greeted Gohan and Videl with her usual perky self.
"Son-kun, Vi! Hey you two, it's been a hot minute!" The blonde girl said while Sharpner nodded to the two.
"Morning, E. Morning, Sharpner." Videl waved, with Gohan saluting with his right hand's index and middle fingers.
Noticing his hair, Sharpner said, "Your hair's clean, man. The wild look fits, somehow."
"He's right, ya know. With that kind of flair in fashion, you'll drive all the girls mad." Erasa winked coyly.
The Son of Goku then imagined himself being chased by a mob of swooning hormonal-driven young women while his mother cheered him on in order to fulfill her dream of having a horde of grandchildren to spoil. The mere thought of dealing with such a powerful force caused all of the colorations of Gohan's face to pale as he began to sweat a bit.
"Oh… Lucky me! Hehehe…" Gohan said with nervousness evident in his tone.
Videl then playfully slapped Erasa's shoulder, saying, "Quit it, you. You're scaring him."
The amusement of the scene caused Sharpner to crack a grin as he said, "You got to admit that the irony is pretty funny, Videl. He's down to throw hands at world-threatening monsters but can't handle a small group of normal fangirls. Now that's hysterical."
"Come on, guys. Give me a break, here. You know how my mom is when it comes to stuff like that." Gohan pouted in a childish manner.
"Yeah. I've been actually meaning to ask what was up with that?" Sharpner asked. "So, I get that she wants grandkids out of you. But, is Chi-Chi that pushy about it?"
"You have no idea," Videl said. "Chi-Chi is practically hellbent on getting Gohan-kun hooked up so he could have a wife a year or so after graduation while he's in university."
Gohan then explained, "It's more than that. My mom basically wants me to become a wealthy, educated, and successful scholar that is married with a child. She doesn't want me to be involved in anything martial arts or otherworldly related. She just wants me to live out my days as a normal human being."
"Damn, that's a lot of pressure." Said Sharpner.
"No kidding," Erasa said. "You already have the whole world on your shoulders with the crazy stuff you do out there, and then you have your mom on your back at home deciding your life for you? That's totally unfair! You should have a say in what you want to do with your life."
Gohan cracked a grin at his friends, saying, "While I appreciate your empathy, guys, I'm afraid that it's not so simple. Once my mom has her mind set on something, nothing will stand in her way of getting what she wants."
"Look, we're not saying to go complete maverick against Ch-Chi. That's your mom at the end of the day. But there are clear lines that she shouldn't cross. You have a right to decide whether or not you should be with a person, who you should be with, and what you want to do in your life." Videl said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "After all, she chose to train as a martial artist and jumped at the chance to marry your dad, right?"
"R-Right…?"
Gazing at the half-Saiyan's eyes with a victorious smile, she said, "See? ...Just give it some thought, Wonderboy."
Lost in the sapphires that were Videl's eyes, Gohan could only nod silently. He quickly got a hold of himself as he remembered that his locker was in front of him.
While he opened it to prepare for homeroom, the Orange Star Trio spoke among themselves.
"So, like, spill, Vi! What have you been getting up to? We haven't hung out in like two weeks!" Erasa said, playfully glaring at the tomboy.
"I know, I know. Sorry that I haven't found any time for us lately. I've been pretty busy with busting crime, training, …and settling back in the mansion with him." The pig-tailed girl apologized.
Trying to avoid the topic of Videl's father, Erasa decided to tease her.
Erasa coyly stated while stepping closer to Videl, "Oh, I know how busy you were. Don't think I haven't caught on, girl. I noticed how much time you've been spending with you-know-who."
Blushing red, Videl sputtered, "W-Wah!? A-Again with this!? How many times do I have to tell you? It's not like that, Erasa! We're just friends! Besides, he's only helping me train! He's practically my sensei!"
Raising his eyebrow, Erasa lightly sassed, "Oh, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, girl."
Unbeknownst, Gohan's ears were steaming given that he had enhanced hearing. Sharpner could only shake his head at the sight of the bookworm.
'Man, this guy is hopeless.' The blond neo-Crane student stated.
To try and distract himself from the girls' conversation, Gohan took the time to sense Sharpner's power and noticed a district change to it.
'Wow. Sharp-san's gotten incredibly strong. No doubt thanks to Tenshinhan's training. I wonder what he's capable of now?'
The small talk, unfortunately, lasted for only three minutes until the first bell sounded off. Upon hearing the bell ring, Gohan and the Orange Star Trio made their way to their homeroom class together.
Before they knew it, everybody was seated as they waited for Mr. Kenichi to start class. While they waited, excited whispers echoed throughout the classroom.
Looking around, Gohan asked his friends, "Man, it's getting more rowdy than usual. What's up with everybody today?"
"What? You mean you haven't heard, Son-kun? Rumor has it that we're getting a new classmate today!" The perky blonde girl said.
"Huh, are you serious?" Gohan responded. "I have no idea. Honest."
"'Rasa, you know as well as I do that unless he has his extracurricular activities after school, Brains is completely full out of the social loop," Sharpner said casually, resting his arms on top of his head as he lazily glanced towards Gohan. "Anyways, the word in the halls says that we're getting a new classmate."
This caught Gohan off guard.
Gohan then said, "You're pulling my leg here! It's the middle of the semester. How can the school bring somebody in this late?"
With her arms crossed on the table, Videl lectured, saying "Gohan-kun, we've just shown you how to use your apps to communicate and keep up to date on current news. You should be learning how to adapt to this kind of culture if you are interested in what average teens do. But back to the matter, have you heard of the ZENKAI Power! product?"
The name struck familiarity with the half-Saiyan.
"As in the ZENKAI Power! supplement? Oh, yeah! I've been seeing those large billboard ads for a few years. They have grown especially popular as of recently." Gohan explained. "Why'd you ask, Videl-san?"
"Well, there's a reason for that. You see, there was an annoyingly popular post that is trending on the Z-Chat social media. The poster boy for ZENKAI Power! happens to be the son of one of the higher-ups of the company and he's around our age. The guy announced his enrollment at our school last Friday. And when people saw it, they ate it up and were flipping it as they are now."
"Huh…"
Erasa resisted the urge to squeal as she gushed, "From the pictures I've seen, he's nearly as rich as Videl and is a major hottie! Ooo~, I can't wait to see him in person!"
Hearing this made Sharpner scoff, but he remained silent. Videl simply rolled her eyes while whispering, "Typical,".
"Gosh. This guy sounds like a great big deal. What's his name?" Asked Gohan.
Before anybody could answer, the homeroom teacher, Mr. Kenichi came in with an indifferent expression but a flat tone.
"Good morning, students. I hope your weekend was enjoyable. As you most likely know, we have a new student joining the class-"
Squeals and whoops rang across the room, with Videl, Gohan, and Sharpner being the only ones to not cheer as the half-Saiyan tried to comfort his sensitive ears.
The homeroom teacher cleared his throat as he continued to speak.
"Ahem! Yes… He'll be with us to finish the rest of the year. You can come inside and introduce yourself now, young man."
On cue, the new student appeared as he wrote his name as a fancy signature in the English language.
The student came in the form of a blonde-haired teen with short blond wavy hair and clear blue eyes that were shaped similarly to Sharpner near. He wasn't lean enough to be deemed skinny but wasn't too muscular to be considered a bodybuilder. He was perfect. His face was considered to be easy on the eyes; a pretty face amongst the consensus of the general female population. The teenager wore a brown leather jacket, a black muscle shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots with a pair of black shades.
Taking his shades off, the teen suavely says, "I don't think I need to, teach. These days, there's no place in nearly the whole world that doesn't know the name Barry Khan Yanagi."
Hearing the boy say his name, the girls squealed in sheer hormonal excitement, swooning over his swagger. Rolling his eyes, Mt. Kenichi said, "...Right. If you're done introducing yourself, you're welcome to take the next available seat. In fact, there's one right next to Mr. Son. Mr. Son, would you please raise your hand."
Out of the need to listen to his instructor, Gohan raised his hand, allowing Barry to identify the teen.
"Yes, Mr. Son is also new but has been with us around the beginning of the school year. Mr. Son is also a model student. If you need any assistance outside of myself and other teachers when we're unavailable, he's more than capable of adding you with the materials of this and any other class you two may share together."
"Cool." The young spokesmodel said as he looked up to see where he'll be sitting.
Videl muttered to herself, "...Oh joy, a stuck-up pretty boy is going to be near us for the rest of the semester.
Little did she know, Sharpner had the exact same thoughts but chose to stay quiet. Meanwhile, Erasa and most of the girls were too busy looking at the boy as if he was eye candy.
'Perfect.' The new student smirked as he made his way upstairs before he settled down at the seat next to Gohan.
Gohan and Barry locked eyes with each other. The charismatic spokesmodel positively nodded, and Gohan smiled as he acknowledged before the two and the rest of the class prepared for today's lecture. Fortunately for Barry, Gohan was polite enough to help him take notes and study by sharing his textbook with him.
Gogyōzan Mountain, Frying Pan Plain, Age 774
Three months have passed since Goku started his Godly ki training under his grandfather. During this time, Goku has slowly regained Annin's favor after she took out her frustration through the method of giving him special weighed clothing that nearly caused him to collapse. She paired this punishment with the added requirements of basic laps, exercise, and the routine of sparring with her tangible illusionary warriors for three hours a day.
Needless to say, Goku learned to hold his tongue in the presence of the Goddess.
Grandpa Gohan had Goku practice on his ki control while being at maximum power without the ramifications that burdened his body as Super Saiyan Level Three did. Gohan had done this by having Goku meditate with him extensively, having him concentrate his energy throughout his body while rotating between the second and third levels of Super Saiyan each day as he trained his body and mind.
By the time the three months were up, Goku not only mastered Super Saiyan Level Two but also mastered Super Saiyan Level Three to the extent that he could maintain each form for a long period of time with minimum use of ki. However, the second level had a better degree of mastery than level three.
Now, it was daytime on the training grounds and Goku stood in front of his grandfather to show them the fruit of his labor.
"Alright, Goku. Let's see the results of your first three months here." Annin instructed. "Now, raise your power gradually to its limit in your current state."
Goku complied positively before concentrating. Breathing, a low growl escaped Goku's lips as he took a horse stance to begin to raise his Battle Power. A white aura surrounded him, causing the wind to pick up a gentle breeze. That breeze then turned into a large draft as the ki build up further and further until it reached its max.
Gohan and Annin looked at each other in satisfaction as they turned back to Goku, who waited for his next instruction.
"Good job, son. Now, transformation into a Super Saiyan." Grandpa Gohan said.
Suddenly, Goku grunted as his aura turned golden as he changed into the first level of the Super Saiyan. The energy that surrounded the transformation increased greatly.
Both older beings sensed a glimpse of the newly found sense of control along with the increase of power.
Smirking, Annin then said, "Lovely, now jump to the second level."
Nodding, Goku Ascended into Super Saiyan Level Two. However, his level of control was much more apparent here. While the power output had been doubled, it was subdued to the point where the aura surrounding the ascended state had vanished.
"How's this, guys?" Goku smiled.
"You're doing very well so far, Goku." Grandpa Gohan complimented.
"Indeed. But don't stop now, dear. Go ahead and push further, but remember your training." Annin said sagely.
"Right. Here goes nothing."
With a mighty shout, Goku went Beyond Super Saiyan after a few seconds of shifting into the form, trying his best to increase his power while containing the for in succession. Finally, the third level was completed with minimal effort. The amount of control was leaps and bounds greater than what it was three months prior, however, the second level's control proved to be far superior to the third level.
Like that, Annin clapped her hands, satisfied at Goku's progression.
"Well done, Goku. You seem to have the basics of control down with each of your transformations."
Powering done to his base form, Goku's smile widened.
"Really? That's awesome! So, what happens next?" Goku questioned with excitement in his eyes.
Grinning, the deceased old man answered by saying, "The next step, son, is to learn how to keep that raised ki within your body. And while mediation is how I eventually discovered divine energy, I have a feeling that the same method might not apply to you."
Scratching his cheek, Goku began to ponder his grandfather's words until he realized that he was right.
"...uh, yeah. I like to meditate every once in a while, but I'm no Piccolo. I kinda like to move around and stretch my limbs. It really keeps the blood pumpin', ya know? Fightin' is kinda my whole thin'." Goku expressed.
"Yes, I know." Grandpa Gohan agreed. "There must be a way to internalize your large power throughout your body while utilizing all of that excess energy that you have."
"Aw, man! This is a bummer!" Goku pouted in a childish like manner as he punched his fist into his open palm. "I sure wish there was a place like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber around here."
Annin's head perked up in curiosity.
She asked, "Hyperbolic Time Chamber? What's this place that you speak of?"
"Oh! That? The Hyperbolic Time Chamber or the Room of Spirit and Time is a room that exists in Kami's Lookout on Earth. I used it to train and get stronger as a kid, and the second time was when I trained with my son to master the first Super Saiyan form. To make things simple to understand, you can spend a year's worth of trainin' in the room while only a day passes by on Earth."
"Ah, Kami's Lookout." Grandpa Gohan understood. "It's been a long time since I've seen that beautiful wonder of the world. To think the old guardian joined back into the son of his former half."
"I see…" Annin said as she thought of something.
Snapping her fingers, a bright blue orb appeared in her hands, taking Goku and Grandpa Gohan by surprise.
"A-Annin!? Is that what I think it is?" The old man exclaimed, clearly concerned.
Tilting his head, Goku asked, "What is it, Grandpa? It's just a glass ball."
The child-like ignorance of Goku prompted Annin to giggle.
"This, Goku, is no mere orb nor is it made of glass. This is a mystical item that had been crafted by an angel. Inside of this is a dimension quite similar to how you describe your Room of Spirit and Time."
Goku's eyes lit up in wonder and excitement.
"You're kiddin'! What is it?"
Annin then explained, "This is the Brahman of Emptiness, the Orb of Aeon. While time still passes normally in this dimension, the conditions are harsh enough for you to get the desired results that you need as you continue with your training."
"B-But, Milady! That place is an empty void! How will he be able to have any nourishment? A void with nothing but a vast amount of divine pressure could overwhelm Goku!"
Goku simply grinned eagerly as he said, "Relax, Grandpa. Everythin' will be okay. I'm made for this kind of stuff. Besides, this Aeon place from the sound of it seems no different from the Time Chamber. With the kind of experience I have there and trainin' my body to handle a hefty amount of gravity, I know that I'll be fine in this place."
"Goku…"
Patting her attendant's shoulder, Annin said, "Your grandson will he alright, Gohan. He's proven himself more than capable. And you said it yourself, this may be the only method he has of obtaining Godly ki. Don't fret, I can always materialize food for him through the portal inside of Aeon with my power. And of he needs to relieve himself, I can warp him back here so long as I'm tied to the Orb."
Sighing, the older man relented.
"...Alright." Grandpa Gohan said as he turned to Goku. "Just be careful. And remember, son. When you are in there, stay calm and be aware of your surroundings."
Nodding, Goku turned to Annin with a serious face.
"Alright, Lady Annin. I'm ready when you are."
"Very well. I'll send you to Aeon. Good luck, Son Goku. You're going to need it."
And with that, Goku was instantly transported inside of the pocket dimension.
Opening his eyes, Goku found himself transported to a white void that was similar to the chamber, but still foreign to him. This was due to the void having no foundation and the place being filled with Godly ki.
The amount of pressure and humidity began to envelop the Saiyan's body, causing him to sweat under this new challenge.
Goku grunted and struggled, not being able to move as he said, "Aw, crap! T-This place! It's even more intense than the t-the-Time Chamber! I-I can't move at all!"
Goku then tried to expand his full power at his base, only for the pressure to make things worse.
"Argh! D-Damn it!" Goku swore in frustration. "I can't budge! W-Why can't I move!?"
After five minutes of struggling, trying each transformation, Goku gave up for a moment out of despair.
'No… This can't be it! This place has gotten me beat. Not even the Time Chamber wore me out like this the first time. But this void, this Aeon divine place. It's on a different level. Even with all this energy as a Super Saiyan that I have, I–'
That's when it hit him.
Super Saiyan. A transformation that seemed from intense emotions like anger. But this was a place where Godly ki resides. A void with a calming source of divine energy.
Understanding this, Goku took all of his power that had been raised to its max and channeled it all throughout the inside of his body in a calming manner.
This, in turn, allowed him to finally move freely in this endless space.
Looking at his hands, Goku said, "I think I get it, now. In order for me to move into this space, I've got to make sure that I keep all of that energy that I raised inside while stayin' in a state of calmness. Hm, it's just like what Grandpa said. I had to stay calm and be aware of my surroundin's. I guess all of that ki control trainin' paid off."
Suddenly, emerging from dark blue lightning materialized a giant western dragon with dark blue and black skin and glowing red eyes.
Smirking, Goku fell into a fighting stance and said, "I see, this is one of Lady Annin's tricks. Well, I'll accept any challenge if it can put up a good fight! Bring it on!"
Hallways, Orange Star High School, Hercule City
It was lunchtime and everybody was heading over to the cafeteria in order to socialize and get lunch served to them those who couldn't bring lunches of their own.
Gohan was walking upstairs to the less populated hallways in order to meet his friends up on the roof. His mind was preoccupied with his current goal.
'I better go and catch up with Erasa-san, Sharp-san, and Videl-san. They'd probably want to know what I've been up to these past few weeks. Maybe I can share some of my lunch. They seem to take a liking to Mom's cooking. Especially Videl. I wouldn't blame her, though.'
His thoughts abruptly stopped as he was pushed back by a firm hand on his chest.
"Oi! Where do you think you're going, Geekan?" A condescending voice questioned.
Looking up, Gohan could see a small group of a few of Orange Star High's athletes together, with a ginger-haired jock wearing an orange Letterman jacket, red pants, and white sneakers.
"Oh, Marker-san. It's you." Gohan said in a steady and polite tone. "I was just passing through–"
Gohan then tried to walk forward, only for Marker and his cronies to surround him in the halls.
"–My friends are waiting for me…" Gohan continued.
Marker and his friends grinned, heckling at the half-Saiyan's words.
"Oh, yeah! How can we forget about that? You've been tagging along with the A-Listers for a while now." Marker snorted as he turned to his friends. "Hey, the bookworm thinks he's special."
"Ha! What a joke!"
"How pathetic!"
"Hahaha!"
Hearing the jibes at him caused the Saiyan side to fester from his chest, but Gohan remained calm outwardly as he continued to breathe in and out as Piccolo taught him.
Facing Gohan again, Marker said, "You think that you're Mr. Popular, don't you, Gonad? Well, it doesn't mean jack shit. Let me drop some knowledge on you since you like lessons so much. Those friends that you think you have, they aren't real friends. Erasa pities you because you're new, Sharp only tolerates you because you could do his homework for him, and Videl has no choice but to deal with you since Erasa allows it. Why she hasn't gotten rid of a freak like you is beyond me."
The anger inside then turned into security, as he knew the truth.
'This…is really sad. I never knew how deep jealousy could go. If only he knew the truth…' The half-Saiyan thought.
Staring into the bully's eyes, Gohan said, "I'm sorry that you feel this way, Marker-san. And you are free to believe what you want. But, I really have to go."
Gohan tried to walk past the ground, but Marker forcefully turned him around, saying, "Oh, no. Who said that you have permission to walk away? We're not finished here, pal."
Looking at the jocks' malicious expressions, he could see that they had the intent to enforce their dominance over him, which Gohan found amusing on the inside. But to keep his status on the down-low, he had to play the part of a victim.
Extending his hand in a defensive fashion, Gohan said, "Look, I'm not looking for any trouble. Please, just let me go."
Marker pushed Gohan back a bit, saying, "Trouble's found you, loser."
Paying attention to his surroundings, Gohan saw at least four other jocks walking around him at all sides.
'...Not good. This altercation may be unavoidable. Mom's not going to like this one bit.' Gohan thought to himself.
He sighed, expressing to the group, "Come on, let's not do this now."
"That's the thing, Rice boy. We don't have to." Marker explained. "All you have to do is keep your nose in those books that you like so much like a good little nerd and back away from the popular crowd. You're not worth their time nor will you ever be. That's how the food chain works here."
For once, Gohan's eyes hardened as the faintest bit of yellow began to shimmer in his eyes.
Getting close to the bully, Gohan in a cold tone, "I refuse. I'm not abandoning my friends, Marker-san. And I won't ever do it! Not for you or anybody else in this school! So you can forget it!"
"You son of a–" Marker gritted.
The ginger prepared to throw a punch at him, only for Gohan to weave away from the blow, causing Marker to knock one of his friends on to the ground.
"Oh, boy! Here we go!" Gohan sighed heavily as his guard was now up.
The two of the jocks came running after him. One through a roundhouse kick, which Gohan ducked under. Hearing a jump while watching another run towards him, Gohan rolled out of the way, allowing for the jock performing the flying kick to take out his friend while landing poorly, hurting himself in the process. As Gohan got up, he looked to see that the three jocks were down for the count.
Suddenly, Gohan was now in a Full Nelson, courtesy of the fourth nameless jock.
"Aha! Can't dance your way out of this one, now!" The nameless bully cackled.
Truthfully, Gohan could have escaped and pulverized the clowns. But his morality and discipline would never allow for that. He was better than that and him. Besides, he didn't want to anger his mother.
A fight wasn't worth Chi-Chi's scorn.
Marker cracked his knuckles as he approached to pummel Gohan's face.
Chuckling, Marker threw the hardest punch he could muster. This action, unfortunately, was followed by a loud crunching sound as he reeled back his now broken hand.
"Argh! Fuck!" Marker cursed as he cradled his hand.
The sight of his friend hurting himself shocked the fourth jock, so much so that he loosened the grip of the Full Nelson. Gohan stayed still, though.
As he watched the ginger whimper in pain, Gohan indifferently asked, "There, you hit me. Are you satisfied?"
Marker jerked his head towards Gohan in rage as he shouted, "Shut up! I don't know what you did, but you did something and it broke my fucking hand!"
"I did nothing to you, Marker-san." Gohan reaffirmed as politely as he could. "You brought this to yourself. All I wanted to do was go and eat with my friends."
"Fuck you! You don't deserve those A-Listers! You're bottom tier! A skinny geeky nobody from the boonies! A nerd like you shouldn't even be associated with the likes of Videl, Erasa, or Barry Khan!"
"Is that right? And what do you have against nerds?"
The two bullies and Gohan turned their heads to see Barry Khan holding his smartphone, filming the whole situation on it.
"S-Shit, it's him!" The bully holding Gohan's arms. "I didn't even see him!"
Marker was starting to sweat as he tried to recover from being exposed.
"H-Hey, Barry K! B-Man! I'm glad you're here!" Marker said, internally shitting himself as he was coming up with an excuse on the spot. "This freak just broke my hand and beat up my friends! One of them managed to hold him back before he could get the jump on–"
"–Oh, give it up! I wasn't born yesterday. I have been watching you since you got in Son's face." Barry dismissed. Now, what were you saying about having something against nerds?"
Frustrated, Marker shouted, "Damn it! I don't get it! Why do you care!? You're on top of the food chain! The cream of the crop! One of the coolest kids on the planet! This guy is just a weak country bumpkin with a geeky streak! What makes this pathetic nerd so fucking special that you, Videl, and the other popular kids flock around him!?"
Snorting, Barry answered evenly, "Excuse you, buddy, but my Dad is one of the biggest nerds out there. Right up there with the likes of Bulma Briefs herself. And he's making millions of zeni while owning his own company."
As Barry took a few steps closer, Marker and his other conscious crony began to sweat more and more, feeling dread build up inside them.
"As for why I care about nerds, is because the people who would spend their time calculating equations and theorems and stats will eventually wear business suits, owning banks that you would go to cash your minimum wage checks and or become the leading scientists that could end up creating the medicine that would one day keep you from dying high blood pressure." Barry smoothly. "And it just so happens that a nerd was kind enough to help me out when I didn't have anything to study with. He's alright with me."
Gohan remained silent but smiled at the selfless actions of the young spokesmodel.
'Huh. Maybe this guy isn't so bad after all.'
"Now, I'd let the nerd go and walk away from this whole ordeal if I were you. Nobody has to know and get hurt. If not, then I'll hand this video recording over to the administrator's office and let them and the HCPD take it from there. It's not much of a problem for me. Oh, and I bet you that a certain teenage crime-fighter who works closely with the authorities wouldn't take it too kindly that you were trying to manhandle her nerdy friend."
The thought of Marker and his friends getting expelled, locked up, and or beaten up by Videl made the remaining jock and his accomplice shiver in terror. And before he knew it, Gohan was let go and the two jocks woke up their friends and got them away from Barry and Gohan. But not before the ginger sent a glare at the half-Saiyan.
Turning to Barry, Gohan dusted himself off as he said, "Thank you for the assistance, Khan-san. It was appreciated. But why did you do that?"
"It's like I said, my dad's a scientist," Barry said before putting his phone away. "He has a condition that makes him physically weaker than the average person. Dad had to compensate by becoming an investor and a businessman. He sacrificed more than most to build his own industry despite how physically unable he was. He's one of the strongest people I know."
"Wow. …I didn't know that," Gohan confessed.
"Yeah. It just pisses me off to see blackheads like that pick on a person with obvious potential. Besides, us new kids gotta stick together, right?" Barry said, holding out his hand for a shake.
Gohan smiled, taking his hand.
"Right."
When Gohan let go of the blond's hand, the bell rang out of nowhere, signifying the end of lunch.
"Aw, crap baskets! I missed lunch!" Gohan whined. "Videl-san and the others are gonna be angry with me!"
Just like that, Gohan waved goodbye to Barry as he made a b-line to his next class.
When Gohan was out of sight, Barry smirked in his direction before he took out his phone and made a call.
"Hey, it's Barry. Yeah, everything is going smoothly. Listen, I got something for you to take a look at. Yeah, it is. I'll send it to you now." The devilish Barry Khan said.
-Timeskip, At The End Of School-
While most of the students were walking away from campus, Gohan and the Orange Star Trio just so happened to make their way down the steps.
"Okay, spill!" Videl said irritation etched in her tone. "Why did you miss us at the roof during lunch period?"
Gohan flinched at her voice but said, "I'm s-sorry, Videl-san. I was heading over to you guys, I swear! …I ran into a bit of trouble is all."
Erasa, Gohan, and, Sharpner looked at each other, then towards Gohan with a concerned expression.
"Gohan," Sharpner said, saying the teenager's name for the first time in a way. "Is somebody picking on you?"
Smiling, Gohan dismissed their concerns by saying, "Guys, it's nothing serious. I handled it. They beat themselves up anyways. All I did was evade their attack."
"Don't you dare downplay this, Son Gohan!" Videl shouted, grabbing a hold of Gohan's shoulders. "Nobody's attacking my friend and getting away with it! Tell me, who attacked you!?"
"U-Um, it was only Marker-san."
Sharpner and Videl groaned while Erasa nearly wretched.
"Ew! Marker!?" Erasa scowled with disdain. "That creep was trying to get into my pants all throughout high school! He would torment whoever tried to ask me out. He and his little band of pervs even tried to peek into the girl's locker room one time."
"Yeah, but I caught him and kicked his ass for that." Videl proudly stated.
"Why would Marker target you after all this time?" Sharpner questioned. "Logically, he would have been at this a while ago."
Gohan shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe they wanted to corner me alone. I guess that they were just envious that I spent a lot of time with you guys."
Erasa huffed, "Hmph! It serves them right! They're just sad pathetic meatheads who think they're so great because they play sports."
"Preach, sister. All those guys do is think with their dicks like they are entitled to everything to justify their insecure egos. Maybe they'd get a variety of different friends if they can get their heads out of their asses and stop being so fake." Videl agreed.
"To hell with those blowhards from the Gym Club. You're an awesome guy, Son. That's why you're rolling with us. You're our friend. Nothing will ever change that." Sharpner said.
"Thanks, guys! You're the best." Gohan thanked.
As the group left campus, Erasa and Sharpner decided to go to his car to drive off, leaving Videl and Gohan alone.
Walking towards the bus stop, Videl spoke to Gohan privately.
"What are you planning to do now, Gohan-kun? Is Chi-Chi having you study when you get home?" The crime fighter asked.
"Actually, I'm not heading back home quite yet."
Blinking her sapphire eyes in curiosity, she asked, "You're not? Where are you off to, exactly?"
Smiling, Gohan answered, "Out. You can say that I'm off going about my own kind of training."
A coy smile formed on the girl's face. Videl then placed her hand on her hips.
"I see. You found yourself a new teacher, have you?" Videl deduced.
Gohan then nodded in confirmation before placing a finger on his lips as he shushed her quietly.
"Don't tell. I'm trying to get stronger and I don't want my mother to find out and interfere. This isn't for my personal gain but to protect her and everybody else here." Gohan expressed while clasping his hands together. "Please, do me this solid, Videl-san."
The smirk never left the daughter of Hercule. She simply cocked an eyebrow as she asked, "Oh yeah? And what's in it for me, Wonderboy?"
"Uh…Ooo! I know! I'll teach you a technique that I just picked. It'll increase your power phenomenally." Gohan offered.
"Alright, I'll bite." Videl agreed. "What's the technique, anyway?"
"Do you remember a technique called the Kaiōken?"
Sacred Realm Of The Kai, Universe 7, Age 774
A pillar of light appeared on the beautiful world far away from Earth and Other World. Materializing from the pillar was Gohan, wearing the normal training gi that Piccolo gave him, Shin the Supreme Kai, and his attendant, Kibito.
"Woah…!" Gohan gasped. "What is this place?"
"This, mortal, is the holy grounds that is the home to the Kaiōshin," Kibito said begrudgingly.
While he internally was against having a living mortal entering the grounds on which they stood, Shin didn't take no for an answer. Hence, why they arrived.
Shin finished, "Welcome to Kaiōshin-kai or the Sacred Realm of the Kai."
It's filled with luscious greenery, abundant lakes and waterfalls, and a few bushes and trees. By all means, the planet was similar to the Earth without industrialization.
To Gohan, this was the closest thing to heaven for him. All that was missing was food, wildlife, and Vi–
'Bad Gohan! You shouldn't think about your friend like that! She's your student for Kami's sake!' Gohan scolded himself, with his cheeks turning the slightest bit of pink.
"This place feels so…different. It's like that pressure that emanates off of you guys is all around here." Gohan said, looking around the planet.
"That would be the divine energy that you're experiencing," Shin stated. "It's only fitting, given that the Sōzōshin once thrived on these grounds."
"What do you mean once? Were there other Kaiōshin like you?" Gohan asked curiously.
Shin's smile faltered as it was replaced with a solemn expression. Kibito then spoke for his superior instead.
"There were indeed other Kaiōshin along with Lord Shin. But that was long ago. He is the Supreme Kai, now." Kibito stated firmly.
"Oh…okay." Gohan understood. "What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking?"
Shin stated, "...That is a story for another time. For today, I'll be showing you the main technique that you'll be learning how to perform for the next couple of weeks."
"Okay! What's the technique, Lord Shin?"
"I noticed that you grew accustomed to a certain Yardratian technique that you learned months ago. Since you were able to utilize a form of Instantaneous Movement from Yardrat, I will be teaching you an advanced form of ki control through this technique."
Turning to Kibito, Shin nodded to his attendant. The older being nodded and stood in place. Appearing in front of Kibito in a mere instant, Shin landed a jab in Kibito's abdomen, then drew out a bit of his ki. Doing this for a few seconds, he showed a large portion of energy that radiated from the god's hand.
"This, Son Gohan, is Forced Spirit Fission," Shin said with a smile. "I studied this and all of the other intriguing arts that the people of Planet Yardrat possess. This skill, in particular, is the most difficult to master in terms of Spirit Control."
"...What kind of technique is this?" Gohan questioned, baffled at the actions of the Supreme Kai.
"How Forced Spirit Fission works is that one must inflict damage on a living target. This allows you to be locked on to a person's vital life force and draw that energy directly and siphon it out of the target's body. From there, you can tear apart, rearrange, and manipulate that energy." Shin said, shaping Kibito's energy into a small ball on the tip of his finger, then growing it to the size of a Death Ball.
'Kami!' The half-Saiyan gasped internally.
Upon splitting the energy into tiny particles, the energy was then returned to Kibito as if nothing happened.
"Another way of looking at it is that with this technique, you can pull apart energy that came from different sources and do your bidding with it. It can even be returned to the sources if it is in the user's will."
"...This is like the opposite of the Spirit Bomb." Gohan realized.
"Yes," Kibito spoke. "This skill clashes with King Kai's technique. But, it can also function the same way as well. Who knows. Perhaps through this training, you may discover how to use that technique."
Turning to Shin, Gohan asked, "Do you really think I have what it takes to learn this kind of unique ki control?"
Shin smiled at his student as he gave his thoughts.
"With time, patience, and practice, you will master this technique," Shin answered wholeheartedly. "In tangent with Kibito's Kaiōken lessons, our sessions practicing inner self-control and breathing exercises were preparing you for this skill. And that Instant Transmission technique proves that your control of energy is at a higher caliber than most mortals."
Taking his new master's words into heart, Gohan's face grew focused with determination.
"...If you say that I can do it, then I will try my best!"
Kibito and Shin smirked, pleased at the fire that was in the hybrid's eyes.
"Good," Shin said. "Now that I've shown you Forced Spirit Fission, let's move on to the easier but important art of Healing."
And with that, Gohan spent most of the day learning with the Supreme Kai and Kibito how to use the basics of Yardratian recovery as a form of exercising advanced ki control.
To Be Continued…
With the goal to surpass the Super Saiyan Level Three and Prince Vegeta in mind, Son Gohan continues to train his mind, body, and spirit with his next step being to master Spirit Control through learning and perfecting Forced Spirit Fission. And he's not alone, as his father, Goku gets closer and closer to reaching a new level of power. But what will come next for our heroes? Will Videl struggle with the Kaiōken? And who is this mysterious Barry Khan? What are his intentions with Gohan? Can he truly be trusted? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Note: Yo! I'm back, Baby!
Real quick, I wanted to thank everybody for supporting this story by reading, favoritism, following, and reviewing it. You are all so kind to me and I can't thank you enough.
Secondly, I added a little nod to Dragonball Evolution. While I think that the movie was absolute dog water, I got to admit that the fight scene at the party was crazy as fuck. And I thought it would work better as a Gohan scene.
Saiyaman's alternate costume colors are based on Videl's alt. black clothing where Saiyaman matches the color swap. Bardock's armor in the suit will have a similar alt. color swap as well.
Goku will not be having that Saiyan Beyond God state. The divine transformations will work a little differently than in Super's canon. And his God form will not appear for another few chapters.
And as for Barry Khan, he'll play a large role in this saga. Though, he's not the main bad guy. He'll appear in a chapter or two.
Please, let me know your thoughts by reviewing this chapter. I'd love to read your comments, questions, speculations, and criticisms. All will help improve me as a writer and storyteller.
I'll see you guys later!
-DarkShadowGames451