As the wise and worn ten-year-old Gohan sauntered through the automatic doors, catching a strong whiff of pizza, he truly realized his father was capable of surprises. Many surprises.
Even as a child, Son Goku was an enigma wrapped in a riddle, hiding beneath, or perhaps coexisting with, a mask made of simplicity and innocence. From his monkey-like tail to his superhuman strength, from his endearing kindness to his terrifying full moon transformation, everyone explained all those quirks as Goku being, well, Goku.
Life was easy and blissful because Goku was easy and blissful. Before Gohan was born, that, for the most part, was how everything was and how everything should have been: just like Goku.
Then the first surprise arrived with his uncle, revealing Goku's origins as an extraterrestrial warrior meant to decimate the Earth. Sometimes, Gohan reflected on that day, trying to wash away the fright and turmoil that had stained his young mind. If his uncle had not traveled to Earth, how different would the child's life have been? Would Frieza have shown up anyway? Would his father be strong enough to handle all these universal threats? Could Gohan have avoided fighting entirely, not letting anything get in the way of his studies, or was that his mother talking?
Was it a surprise he was better off not receiving? Gohan could not decide. Perhaps he could never decide. However, it was not a lie to say Gohan missed those simpler moments of his early childhood.
The next surprise was Goku's decision to remain in space after Namek's untimely destruction. It was a decision that confused and satisfied Gohan; it explained everything and explained nothing at all. Goku had attained the legendary Super Saiyan transformation, besting one of the most powerful beings in the known universe, risking life and limb to achieve victory. And when the opportunity to return home and rest presents itself to him, he turns his nose, opting to train somewhere in the far reaches of space, learning techniques one could never learn on Earth. Goku always remained true to himself.
Gohan remembered the frustration, the sadness, and the tiniest hint of resentment crawling in the back of his heart. Yet he also recalls the understanding, the acceptance, and the hope that Goku would return very soon. Regardless of the prevailing emotion, Gohan missed his dad, and despite everything else, Gohan knew Goku missed him.
In the end, it was all okay. If death couldn't stop Goku from coming home, nothing would. Gohan's father wasn't perfect, but he had his ways of loving his son.
Since then, Gohan learned to expect the unexpected from his father; prepare for crushing disappointment or thrilling excitement. Goku was very capable of both.
So when Goku innocuously suggested taking Gohan to a pizza parlor for his belated tenth birthday, with only days remaining until the dreaded Cell Games, the half-Saiyan had no reaction to display, nor any prior experiences to help emotionally steel himself.
There would be no training, sparring, studying, or napping. It was just himself, Goku, and Chi-Chi going out as a family.
Gohan couldn't help but swell with excitement.
While training in the Room of Spirit and Time, Gohan's birthday was barely an afterthought. With Cell on his mind, the boy's only goal was to further Goku's training. He was technically a year older, true, but celebrating was not a priority.
Goku thought otherwise, and with his mother's glowing praises over the Saiyan's thoughtfulness, the trip commenced.
"Come on! It'll be fun! I hear this place has androids!" Goku giggled, gleefully staring at the landscapes as Chi-Chi drove their car, half-paying attention to the free-flowing thoughts of her husband.
"They're animatronics, dad..."
The drive was nice.
The pizzeria was located in Orange City, culminating in a drive that lasted several hours, but the family knew how to keep themselves busy.
Time ticked at a brisk, steady rate, and before anyone knew it, Chi-Chi was pulling into the parking lot of the famed Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.
Gohan stared up at the building. Its architecture was simple, plain, none-too-exciting with the beige paint and that faux-stone material. Fiberglass? It must be fiberglass.
The sign towering over the entrance, however, was the real eye-catcher. It had dazzling lights one would find at a prestigious theater, vibrant colors complimenting flashy fonts, and lively illustrations of what Gohan assumed to be the restaurant's mascots: a brown bear, a purple rabbit, a yellow chicken, and a red fox wearing an eyepatch.
Gohan smiled at the fox, remembering Jinku and the other orphans he met when he was still a toddler.
The moment he and his family left the car and entered the restaurant, it truly hit Gohan how everything was his father's doing. After all those years spent preparing for the androids, it was easy to forget Goku knew more than just fighting or training.
Gohan treasured the warmth building up inside him.
The first thing he noticed was the animatronic characters. Gohan knew there were robotic mascots, but unlike the various animatronics he read about, these characters didn't adhere to the stage that stood by the entrance.
They walked freely around the establishment, interacting with customers and sometimes playing with children. The bear was making pleasant conversation with a family while the rabbit showed off its guitar skills to an audience of eager children. Meanwhile, the chicken emerged from the kitchen, carrying two trays of fresh pizza.
Gohan could almost hear his father's excited drooling.
"Whooooooo's hungry?" the chicken sang, a subtle southern accent woven into her synthetic, yet surprisingly lifelike, voice.
One family sitting nearby raised their hands, ready and excited for their meal.
Gohan's gaze bounced from one animatronic to the next, amazed at how lifelike their movements and speech patterns were. If one squinted, these characters could easily be mistaken for a beastman. The subtle glimpses of metal and wiring between the joints of their furry costumes were the only indicator that they weren't organic.
A subtle weight settled in Gohan's gut as the previous and upcoming days began to loom over his being. These androids and bio-androids were causing so much turmoil, and yet here he was, standing in a restaurant with at least three more mechanical beings.
If only Trunks was here to see all this.
Gohan felt Goku pat his shoulder. He looked up to see his father's gentle, encouraging smile. "It's okay, son. Go and have some fun. It's your birthday."
"Birthday, you say?"
Gohan nearly burst open his aura as the animatronic bear suddenly stood behind him, eyes shining with excitement.
The bear let out a hearty chuckle at the boy's surprised reaction, his robotic ears wiggling. His deep, bouncy voice, much like the chicken's, had a subtle southern inflection. "Sorry about that, son. If I knew there was a birthday today, this place would have been decorated top to bottom just for you!"
Gohan visibly relaxed as his father gave his signature Son Goku grin, giggling as he usually does. "That's my bad. Coming here was kinda a last-minute thing."
The bear shook his head. "No worries, sir. At Freddy Fazbear's, we make sure every child's birthday is as special as possible! You've come to the right place."
Gohan, finally finding his voice, cleared his throat. "Y-You must be Mister Fazbear, then..."
The bear proudly adjusted his cap before holding out a paw. "Just call me Freddy. What's your name?"
Gohan gently grabbed the paw and shook. "Gohan, sir..."
The half-blooded Saiyan could not comprehend Freddy's humanlike conversation. None of the robot's words stuttered or slurred, there was no repeated dialogue, and the bear seemed to experience several subtle emotions: surprise, curiosity, amusement, and so forth. At least with the Red Ribbon Androids, Doctor Gero was a mad scientist with the financial backing of a widespread military organization. Freddy Fazbear was Freddy Fazbear, an audio-animatronic designed for entertaining children at a pizza parlor.
Freddy smiled, his suit allowing for such dynamic expressions. "Welcome to the Fazbear family, Gohan. How old are you turning?"
"Oh, uh... I've turned ten."
The bear's eyes seemed to light up. "Double digits! You've hit a big birthday!"
The chicken's high-pitched gasp rang throughout the pizzeria. "DID SOMEONE SAY DOUBLE DIGITS?"
It didn't take long for the other two robots to introduce themselves. The first was Chica the Chicken, the restaurant's pizza connoisseur, and aspiring chef. Apparently. The other was Bonnie the Bunny, the rockstar rabbit who sang and jammed onstage, constantly learning new riffs on his electric guitar.
The three robots and half-Saiyan mingled at one of the tables. Goku and Chi-Chi had long since sat somewhere else, allowing Gohan to, well, socialize with the animatronics.
Again, if only Trunks was here to see all this.
Chica was the most extroverted of the trio, gushing over the boy's cute looks and polite demeanor. "By gosh, Freddy! We gotta give him the greatest birthday celebration he's ever gotten! I bet this calls for my signature pie!"
Bonnie, inversely, was much more soft-spoken, despite his deep voice. He was a calming presence. "Don't overwhelm the poor kid, Chica," he sighed, turning to Gohan. "I really do hope we're not crowding you too much, son."
"It's okay... Don't worry about it. T-This is nice," Gohan smiled, the weight in his chest slightly lifting.
Mechanical or not, it was nice talking with someone outside of the "main group." Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Chiaotzu, and arguably Vegeta were his irreplaceable best friends; he wouldn't trade them for anyone else. However, it was hard to argue about how nice making new friends felt.
Gohan hadn't realized he missed so much; there just wasn't enough time to notice.
He then noticed something. He turned to Freddy, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't there supposed to be a fox? Where is he?"
Freddy opened his mouth to answer, only for the sudden chime of a bell to draw his attention.
The bear chuckled. "Well, there's perfect timing if I've ever seen it." He turned to Gohan. "The gang and I hafta get back onstage. Don't you worry about the fox now. He'll be out very soon."
Bonnie chimes in, picking up his guitar. "He doesn't roam around until his show ends. You won't be missing anything."
"Oooh! I'm sure you'll love it, Gohan!" Chica exclaimed, excitedly rubbing her feathered hands together.
As the animatronics took their places, the half-Saiyan joined the audience of rowdy children, waiting for the show to begin.
Once the band began singing and dancing on the bright, big stage, Gohan found himself tapping his toes and nodding his head along to the music. They were most likely remixing some pop song he may have heard from Bulma, with some lyrics changed to better fit the theme of their pizzeria. The song may have been silly and nonsensical, but Gohan enjoyed it.
For the first time, Gohan finally felt like a kid.
The music settled as Freddy cleared his mechanical throat, grabbing the attention of all the children.
"We hope you kids enjoyed our show!" Freddy exclaimed, receiving a standing, screaming ovation from the children. Gohan only clapped politely.
Once the applause diminished, Freddy continued to speak with a smile. "And now, the moment you have all been waiting for..."
Bonnie began to strum his guitar, playing a simple melody that helped build tension and anticipation. It was the equivalent of a drumroll. The kids were on the edge of their seats, Gohan included.
Freddy's voice carried just as much excitement. "With a sharp hook and an even sharper eye for treasure, he's the bravest, greatest pirate to sail the seven seas! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, give it up for Captain Foxy!"
Freddy and the gang pointed to a second smaller stage that was off to the side. The purple, star-studded curtain retreated, revealing the red fox Gohan saw on the sign outside the restaurant.
Foxy, clad in his blue tailcoat and black pirate hat, spread his arms wide open, basking in the excitement of his audience. "Ahoy! I hope ye sprogs are ready fer another excitin' tale o' adventure 'n glory!"
Gohan snorted. The fox's pirate voice was perfect, spot-on, and needed no improvement. It had the right amount of depth and the right amount of ruggedness. If the half-Saiyan didn't know better, he'd think he just listened to a truly experienced sailor.
Foxy smiled, gazing upon the audience with his one uncovered eye. "Aye, 'n I believe we 'ave a mighty special guest among us!"
Gohan blinked as the rest of the children looked confused. His entire body then stiffened when Foxy pointed his hook directly at him. "Ye thar! Wit' the hair o' gold 'n the eyes o' the sea!"
The half-Saiyan shyly pointed at himself, realizing the fox had described his perpetual Super Saiyan state.
Foxy smiled, motioning Gohan onto the stage. "Aye, lad. Ye! Word be that ye're celebratin' a special birthday. Ten years, was it? Arrr, t' be that young again..."
Gohan let out a shy laugh, looking towards the other animatronics, only to be met with a series of encouraging smiles. They wanted him up there too.
"You can do it, Gohan!" Chica bellowed, much to the mild vexation of Bonnie and the amusement of Freddy.
Ignoring the gasps and gossiping of the other children, Gohan stood up, walking over to the stage as Foxy outstretched his non-hooked paw, his almost-gravelly voice taking on a gentle tone. "That's it... No needs t' be shy. Here, I'll let ye up."
Gohan grabbed the paw, carefully watching his strength as he allowed Foxy to haul himself onto the stage.
The half-Saiyan turned around, looking upon the dining area as he caught a glimpse of Goku and Chi-Chi waving from their table, both smiling widely.
He then turned towards Foxy, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "T-Thanks for having me here, sir..."
Foxy laughed heartily. "Don't reckon anythin' o' it! I be honored t' 'ave ye on me ship!"
Gohan nodded, fighting a blush as all attention remained on him.
"Now, wha's yer name, son?," Foxy asked earnestly.
Didn't Chica just shout his name? "I'm Gohan... It's nice to meet you, Captain."
"An' it's a pleasure t' meet ye too, Gohan!" Foxy smiled, shaking the boy's hand. "Tell me, 'ave ye heard the legend o' the black emerald?"
Gohan shook his head. "No, I haven't."
"Ye haven't?" Foxy gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as he turned towards the rest of the children. "Ye hear that? Sounds like it's time fer one o' Cap'n Foxy's amazin' tales! Are ye ready, kids?"
Foxy was met with an immediate chorus of "aye aye, Captain!"
"I can't hear ye!" the pirate bellowed, his tail starting to wag as the children repeated what they had just said, only louder.
Gohan couldn't help but feel he's heard this bit before.
Foxy's chest swelled with pride. "Aye, that's wha' I like t' hear! Now, listen smartly... It all started when I caught a stowaway on me ship!"
Gohan opted to sit down, listening to Foxy delve into his extravagant tale about his many treasure-hunting adventures. The pirate's storytelling skills were enthralling, feeding his audience the necessary information to lead them along the journey while hiding just enough to keep them wanting more.
The half-Saiyan was no stranger to adventure. When he was first training under Piccolo, every day was a new adventure as the boy discovered and learned new things about the world around him. Discoveries were abundant, and whatever dangerous creatures didn't kill him made him braver. He wouldn't be the kid he was now if it weren't for those months in the wilderness.
Perhaps he was biased, but the Dragon Balls were the inciting incident for many journeys, not just for Gohan, but for everyone he knew.
"Wit' but a slither o' a second left, I escaped that black spotted temple wit' me life 'n the black emerald! The temple crumbled, but Cap'n Foxy was ready fer his next adventure!"
As Foxy brought his story to a close, the children's applause thundered throughout the restaurant. Even Gohan clapped louder than usual, a big smile plastered on his face.
With a satisfied grin, Foxy waltzed towards Gohan. "Wha' did ye think? Not bad, eh?"
"It was great!"
"That's wha' I like t' hear! 'tisn't a birthday party without some excitement... Would ye like t' hear another one o' me many tales?"
Gohan went quiet, looking down towards the floor as his mind began to tick. He then turned his gaze towards the pirate, eyes shining with excitement. "Actually, I'd like to tell a story... I-If that's okay with you."
Foxy's mechanical jaw hung open, gaping at the Saiyan child in disbelief, not speaking a word.
At first, Gohan feared he somehow broke the animatronic; that one of his circuits overloaded.
Then he saw the wagging tail, as well as the fox's maw forming a smile. It was a proud, overly-excited smile. "Aye! It's been so long since I've heard another's adventures. Go on, lad! Tell this ole fox yer tale."
With his confidence surging, Gohan stood, drawing the eyes of not only Foxy and his audience of youngsters, but also the eyes of Freddy and his band.
The half-Saiyan wasn't sure what he got himself into, but at this point, it was too late to back out. With a deep, calming breath, he turned to the fox and asked, "Have you heard about the Dragon Balls?"
Gohan didn't need to look; he knew his father was smiling ear to ear.
The fox stood attentively, ears raised as Gohan began to tell the story of a monkey-tailed boy who lived all alone in the mountains. After the passing of his grandfather, the boy's only possession was an orange crystal ball with four red stars in its center. The boy's name was Son Goku.
It was a story Gohan's father told countless times before, and it was a story he remembered by heart.
Gohan described Goku's first encounter with Bulma, the beautiful, adventurous girl from the big city, and how their meeting would spark an unforgettable journey.
He detailed their travels to the sea, where Goku first met the wise Master Roshi, receiving the magical Kinto'un cloud and the next Dragon Ball.
Gohan emphatically waved his arms, imitating many fighting poses as he recounted Goku's fierce battles with Oolong and Yamcha, only to highlight how the boy decided to befriend his adversaries instead of finishing them off.
The half-Saiyan could have sworn Foxy started to cry at such selflessness.
The story's conclusion was just as memorable as it was all those years ago, and Gohan couldn't help but smile when Foxy and the children hysterically laughed when Oolong thwarted Emperor Pilaf's wish for world domination by wishing for a new pair of underwear.
"Aye! That pig be thinkin' wit' his mind! A smart laddie that he be!" the pirate guffawed.
Gohan left out a lot when it came to Oolong and Roshi.
Once the story finally came to a close, the children's applause rivaled, or maybe surpassed, that of Foxy's story. It wasn't just the children clapping and cheering, though. The pirate whistled with his hook, tail wagging as fast as his motors would allow. Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie gave the half-Saiyan a standing ovation, clapping their paws while the chicken hollered with excitement. However, Gohan's eyes were drawn to his father in the way back of the restaurant, clapping and laughing as he smiled with pride.
That sense of warmth came back, once again filling Gohan's chest.
Foxy, with his non-hooked paw, gently patted Gohan's shoulder. "A set o' wish-grantin' orbs... I can nah imagine a greater booty."
"What would you use the Dragon Balls for?" The boy asked with a tilt of his head.
The pirate put his hook to his chin, tapping his foot on the stage. "Shiver me timbers... a difficult riddle. I could wish fer all the gold in the world, but wha' would be the point o' adventurin'? I'd be a pretty lazy pirate!"
The children laughed at Foxy's little joke as a lightbulb seemingly went off in his head. "Ahah! I would wish fer the greatest banquet me eyes 'ave ever laid eyes on! Grub that stretches fer miles... all t' feed 'n reward me hardworkin' pirate crew. These treasure hunts would na' be possible without 'em. I owe the lads a lot."
Gohan found himself caught up in the fox's excitement. "Maybe next time I come here, I can show you one of the Dragon Balls!"
It was an unexpected admittance, one that caught the boy off guard, but it was the truth.
Once his father dealt with Cell, he wanted to go back.
Foxy stood silent and stunned for a few moments, gazing down at Gohan. A smile spread across his maw as he kneeled until he was at eye-level with the Saiyan child. "Ye've got a kind heart, Gohan, 'n the spirit o' a true pirate. I look fore t' the day I can behold one o' those Dragon Balls."
The fox stood tall and straight, tapping his hook on both of Gohan's shoulders. "But fer now, from one adventurer t' another, I bestow upon ye the title o' First Mate! Happy birthday, Gohan."
Gohan's sea-green eyes widened as his mind processed what had just transpired. Several emotions came and went in a flash: happiness, excitement, shock, and sentimentality.
In the midst of the singing and storytelling, he had long-since forgotten these characters were just animatronics. The way they moved, the way they spoke, the way they carried themselves, it was clear they were so much more than cheap entertainment.
"Thank you, Captain!" Gohan exclaimed, unable to wipe away his giddy smile.
"Aye! Ye're me First Mate now. Call me Foxy.."
"Y-Yes, Captain!"
"Gohan…"
The rest of the day passed in a blur once Foxy's show ended. Gohan bounced from activity to activity, making the most of his impromptu party. He showed off his limited musical knowledge to Bonnie, managing to strum a few chords on the rabbit's electric guitar. He traded jokes with Freddy, surprised at his ability to crack a one-liner without much thought; perhaps he got that from his father.
He then spent more time with Foxy, listening to a few more stories of adventure and glory, flushing a little when the fox unexpectedly brought romance into the plot. Foxy's feelings towards love were surprisingly potent for a story meant for children.
Fighting intergalactic beings didn't give a person time to think about girls.
By the day's end, Gohan found himself sitting next to his mother, laughing sheepishly as Goku eagerly devoured pizza after pizza, stunning not only the Fazbear waitstaff, but also Chica.
"Does his stomach ever end?" the chicken gasped.
"You should see our grocery bill," Chi-Chi grumbled.
Goku wolfed down the last slice of yet another pie. "More please!"
Gohan shook his head as he gradually and politely ate his pizza slice by slice.
The half-Saiyan knew the celebration reached its climax as the lights suddenly dimmed, with but a single spotlight highlighting his table. So much had happened within the many hours spent at the pizzeria, but a small part of the boy still felt as if he had just arrived. He could keep going for another full day.
The four animatronics emerged from the kitchen, hauling a tall birthday cake and singing in perfect unison as they reached the table. Exactly ten candles flickered on top of the cake, begging to be blown out.
"Happy birthday to you!" the animatronics chorused, signaling the end of the song. They broke out into applause as Chi-Chi wrapped her son in a tight hug.
Gohan felt his father pat his shoulder. "You've worked hard, Gohan. I hope this was a good day for you."
The boy nodded, just barely able to hold back some tears. "It was."
"Wha' are ye waitin' fer? Make a wish like ye jus' got the Dragon Balls!" Foxy exclaimed, waving his hook around, much to the annoyance of the other animatronics.
With a nod, Gohan blew out the candles with a quick puff, making sure to watch his power.
The animatronics shared one last round of applause before Chica volunteered to cut the cake. According to her, she did it special.
Gohan took her word for it as he and his family began to eat.
The pizzeria was strangely quiet while the three ate and enjoyed their cake. It was a reprieve from the zaniness Gohan grew accustomed to throughout the day.
The robotic animals didn't eat, but it still felt like they were part of the meal, like they were all back at Mount Paozu.
Gohan loved this. He didn't want this to end.
This sense of normalcy, this calm before the inevitable storm, was the best present he could have received.
As Gohan helped himself to his second slice of cake, the weight in his gut returned as the image of Cell flashed in his mind.
He had almost forgotten.
He wished he could forget.
The last thing Gohan remembered hearing before leaving the restaurant was Foxy making him promise to return soon.
"I'll be waitin' fer ye, Matey! Once ye're a part o' me crew, ye're always part o' me crew!"
After having such an unforgettable and mesmerizing experience, making new friends, and filling voids that had been there for so many years, one would reasonably assume a second, non-birthday trip was inevitable.
But as Gohan gazed tearfully at his father, bloodied fists planted on the hard ground, all thoughts of the pizzeria became muted.
How could he think about that place? This wasn't the time. It was his fault Cell became desperate. It was his fault the world was placed in seemingly inescapable danger. What was the point of surpassing Super Saiyan if he had only just given Cell the last laugh?
A waste of power: that's what Gohan was.
Yet despite everything, despite the hopelessness of it all, Goku managed a smile as he gently placed a hand on the bloated Cell. He turned his head to the boy and spoke with genuine pride. "I'm really proud of you."
"D-Dad... What are you..."
"You listen to your mom and keep hitting those books, okay? Tell her that I'm sorry that I'm not making it home this time."
Gohan could only gasp, his chest constricting.
With seconds to spare, Goku let out one final chuckle. "Bye, son."
As he and Cell vanished from view, Gohan remembered his father was capable of surprises. Many surprises.
He just wasn't prepared to receive his last.
"DON'T LEAVE US!"