Chapter 2 Cracks:

Well I hope people enjoy this different interpretation of things, and I know the premise seems a little heavy handed right now but things will change. They do as you get older and go through life's ups and downs

The clicking of his locker had Gohan drop off his large shoulder bookbag. Most of it holding his lunch, as a saiyan he would need the extra energy, but Gohan never really found himself hungry to actually finish all of it. Sighing, he hadn't gotten the best sleep last night. His usual high expectations crushed, a part of his mind blamed himself for not speaking up when his mom had come into his room. He could've said something then, but he didn't and just like that his mom was busy doing other things.

'I remember before there were times I couldn't leave mom's side or have her checking in on me every single chance she got to make sure I was doing well.' Disappointed in that it seemed that his mother's attentions were always elsewhere, not that he was going to be blaming her, she had a high profile job and all to make sure that he and Goten were taken care of. However, the stirrings in his chest did not let him forget that being taken care of did not mean everything.

People took care of him in many different ways but very few ever really cared for him like his mom had for the majority of his life. 'I guess I miss spending time with her, even if Dad isn't here I know that Mom used to always set something aside to be there for me.' His logical brain told him that it was a bit ridiculous, his mom was there for him, just that she had been elsewhere.

'But when was the last time that we really talked? That we had time to spend as a family?' A question like that for the demi saiyan was hard to find an answer to. Now that was something he couldn't just brush off, no matter how much he wanted to analyze it.

Exhaling, Gohan's head dropped slightly, turning to the inside of his locker and seeing the small magnetic mirror inside the wall locker and grimaced.

"Hey there's Gohan!" A perky voice said coming up and immediately he pushed back his emotions and gave a friendly greeting to one of his few friends at the school. The blonde was wearing a bright blue halter top and tight knee length white pants. Showing off just enough cleavage to not get in trouble. Gohan felt his body warm just a little when she came over and gave him a hug. Forgetting about his family woes for a bit. "How are you doing, handsome?" Immediately backing up, the teen blushed and she giggled.

"Can't you act decent for more than thirty seconds, Erasa? You know the school rules about public affection and especially dressed like that." Videl's dry remark showing her annoyance at her best friend. "You should know better since I'm the acting class president for the school board."

"Oh stop being so uptight, Videl. It's Gohan afterall you know he's a good boy." Pinching his cheek lightly before letting go. She always liked seeing him flustered from such juvenile flirty, it's why she had grown to like him more than a lot of other people. Videl always seemed so openly hostile and while Erasa might have an inkling as to why she didn't like Gohan, she didn't care to press it. She liked Gohan and she was sure that Videl would come around - it would take time.

Momentarily free from his distraction, Gohan reached into his bag and pulled out the notes he'd scribbled the night before. "Oh here you are, Erasa, just in case I let them slip. Here's the notes you can use for the test." Handing off the papers, Gohan smiled as he was flashed a huge smiling thank you. "I'd also look over those science notes during lunch, I think we're going to have a pop quiz over that today."

"Really?" Erasa said a little shocked, but as her eyes looked over the notes she had been given she knew she would be better prepared. Gohan was the best student afterall and he made things easy to follow, but strangely Gohan always seemed to have a second nature for guessing tests and quizzes coming up in classes. Unaware that Gohan often overheard a teacher talking with colleagues or at his desk sitting down as they made their notes. "You usually are right, I guess I really owe you," she said looking up at him with admiration. Her blue eyes shining with a look that made the other teen's stomach twist.

"No-No it's fine, Erasa, it's just a friend helping each other out." Gohan replied hastily as he got that weird feeling again.

Though before Gohan could possibly get a 'reward' Videl stepped in saving Gohan - for now. "Calm it blondie, class first and you should be studying now and not putting it off like I know you do." Videl said, pointing down at the notes Gohan had written for her. "I know you've slept the past two days in class so get reading."

Erasa whined, "Oh but come on, Videl, he said the test was-"

"Not in an hour, not in fifteen minutes, I said now." Grabbing her friend, she dragged her towards the first period.

But she didn't stop Erasa from calling out to Gohan as she left, "Thanks again Gohan!" She then pushed the papers against her lips and blew him a kiss. Several other students snickered and laughed at the juvenile affections making Gohan just turn back hide his head in his locker wishing that he'd just have a few mintues to turn the stupid blush off of his face.

Unfortunately he did not, "Hey, resident nerd." It was Sharpner this time.

He didn't pull his head out of the locker just yet. "Yes?" He replied in a slightly shaky tone. How did girls do this to him? He'd stared down Cell, Androids, Frieza, the Ginyu Force, Piccolo, his uncle and he was a made into wimp by a few smiles and compliments.

"Did Erasa and Videl just stop by here?"

"Yes, they just left for the first period." Gohan replied calming down. Taking a few breaths he looked back at the mirror in his locker and saw that he had a face that looked normal again. Satisfied he closed his locker and grabbed his books.

"Damnit, just missed them then." He grumbled, it was strange to Gohan at least that Sharpner would usually insult him but often did talk to him. For reasons that were unknown to the demi saiyan. He was the opposite of Sharpner in every way, maybe he could say it was the opposites attract theory, but he'd doubt that if he didn't have these weird feelings about Erasa - who of all people was the polar opposite of him in almost every single way.

"Gohan, you have a thing with girls don't you?"

He paused, blinked once, twice then turned his head towards him. "Huh?" That clearly must've come out wrong. He seriously was asking him about girls? He'd known like six his whole life, seven if he counted Android 18, but he wasn't going to even count her as human after what he'd seen.

The blond jock groaned in irritation, "Seriously, dude, do you not see the type of game you have at school?"

"I don't play games." Gohan's confusion only made Sharpner cover his face and shake his head into his hands.

"You are so dense, dork," Pulling his hands back he then leaned back against the lockers. "Seriously, there isn't a girl in this school who isn't trying to jump your pants since you've been showing off. I mean the whole country boy innocent routine, plus you're smart, and your mom is mega famous too. It's like you hit the lottery for high school chicks. I know from some of the seniors up in athletics that there's an unofficial school pool for most dateable guy and most fuckable guy and guess what? You're number one in both categories so can you drop the act."

"WHAT?!" Gohan yelped, making several students turn their heads but not more for a second. A loud student yelling in school, it was like seeing a raindrop in a thunderstorm. No one really seemed too concerned.

Sharpner found Gohan's outburst humorous and annoying, "Man, you really were raised in the fuckin' woods, dude. Seriously, how do you not know that?"

"How would I know this?" Gohan said defensively, "I don't talk to that many girls aside from Erasa and Videl when she's trying to bust my chops for some school infraction or if she is just angry." Sure girls might wave to him or bat their eyelashes at him when he did something nice, but where was all of this knowledge coming from?

He didn't even know how to really talk to other kids his age, yet already the school's hierarchy decided that he was the top pick for reasons that he had barely any experience in. Gohan wasn't stupid, he could appreciate a good looking female, rationalize why they were attractive and have possible daydreams about it but it wasn't a focus of his.

School was about his education and just as importantly socializing. He needed to learn how to be around normal humans- which being a demi saiyan was a major obstacle. His physical strength, speed, mental focus, and endurance trumped regular people.

But his actions weren't like regular people, he'd been raised to be selfless, heroic, and courageous. Putting the needs of others before himself - a lesson that had cost him dearly and so much more. Regular people weren't that way, most were selfish, vain, materialistic, and cowards.

Gohan was really only accosted by Videl or those who thought they were bigger or smarter than him. A valuable lesson that he had gained was to be a standout but not a showboat, to be proud and not vain or overly virtuous.

'So why do people have such opinions about me?'

"It's why I don't totally hate your guts sometimes, Gohan. You just don't know any better." Sharpner laughed off Gohan's perplexed look. "But don't you start dating Erasa, I've already called her, got that?" Puffing out his chest in mock bravado.

"Erasa is… just a friend." He partially lied, he had feelings for the blonde but he wasn't sure how to describe them. I don't look to take her on a date or anything yet, but she is really nice to me and makes me feel good.

"Keep that way and we'll be alright, 'kay, nerd?" Sharpner then threw his books which were tied by a shoelace onoto his back. "So I heard you said something about some type of pop quiz?" His voice rising as he grinned.

"Uhh." Gohan stammered, "So you kinda heard about that?"

"You say one thing like that in the freshman wing it doesn't take long for it to spread through the SNN (Student News Network). Plus since you told me Erasa was here earlier I'm sure she spilled it to all her friends the moment she could." Sharpner put an arm over the demi Saiyan's shoulder. "So? Care to enlighten your fellow pal?"

[***]

It was mid day, science lab and the moment of dread for Son Gohan. As the teacher called out the names on the list, the entire class save two were silently praying to the god of luck that they got Gohan as their lab partner. An guaranteed A for Honor's Chemistry no student would look down at, considering class scores were posted up on the wall for ranges of grades without listing off student names or IDs. Everyone knew who had the 100% average and the other person who was 95-99%.

"Okay, Gohan… you will be partnered with…." The slightly graying chem lab veteran was looking through his notes on who had a partner and who didn't. Assigning his prodigy student to anyone, well that would be misplaced, now wouldn't it?

A few muttered to themselves, "pick me, I hope it's me, come on me." As a few examples as the Teacher skimmed down. "Ah yes of course, Videl."

"Aww man!" A few whined vocally displeased others let their heads hit the table and others just smacked the table. "Why does she get Gohan? She's the second smartest person in the class?!" A girl from the back complained. A few others joined in as the teacher laughed.

"My class my rules, and besides I know Gohan would do all your work anyway. If I put you with people of equal ability you can actually learn, sticking you with Gohan well," He chuckled. Finding enjoyment in this. "You'd only watch and not do it yourself. Besides I'm sure Videl and Gohan are both fine examples of perfect role models, perhaps you could learn a thing or aspire to be more like them."

"Well when I'm born Mr. Satan's kid or a celebrity chef's kid you let me know how much easier my life would get." Sharpner said snarkily, "Not all of us were gifted like they were."

"Enough whining or you won't finish and then I'll dock your grades further for not completing your lab assignments."

Gohan was sitting next to Videl who had her arms crossed over her chest, she looked uninterested but her body posture and ki were radiating anger and probably mostly towards him. Once they had been handed their lab sheets Videl immediately began working, looking to Gohan for nothing and refusing to ask him anything.

"Uhmm, Videl do you-"

"No." She told him, looking right ahead to the experiment. "I don't need your help, unlike the rest of the class I don't need to look for you to be the easy way. I've had to work for everything, so," She then glared at him from the side with her eyes, the menacing look reminding him of his mom when she got angry. Her twin pigtails still dangling loose over the front of her shirt. "So why don't you let me just do this and you go be Mr. Perfect in quiet."

'Shoulda expected that.' Gohan thought, mentally groaning. Videl grabbed the first two items from their small lab samples and measured them out without even once asking for help just watching her just in case.

Videl meanwhile just cursed her misfortune, while the teachers decision was rational, didn't mean she liked it. Could've put her and Gohan with B students in her mind. But no, it seemed like all of her teachers and administration just liked shoving Gohan into her way but most annoyingly, her life. Always acting so innocent, so modest… she knew she shouldn't hate him but he always had to one up her. She was Videl Satan and she was supposed to be the top of the line, the best of everything like her dad and practically the entire world expected of her.

Moving forward with her school, she would probably not be Valedictorian, she wouldn't be the top academic or the most physically fit student if Gohan was in the picture. 'Shows up out of nowhere, everyone immediately likes him because they wanna be all cozy with one of the reality T.V. star chef's kid. Then he has to be the best at everything and worst yet I know he's not even trying! He doesn't lift weights, he doesn't run, compete in sports or anything, and yet he's practically dominating at everything. I've worked my butt till it's red and sore only to get sidelined by Mr. Perfect… I can't afford to be any second fiddle.' Her family's reputation depended upon it, and her father expected it of her. Living up to the man who saved the entire world was a tall order, and she couldn't afford to fall short because she believed she was better.

Gohan's innocence annoyed her but only enraptured her friend. Seeing what Erasa saw, was just simply too much for her wrap her head around, that and how much Erasa boasted to other girls about how close she was with Mr. Perfect Gohan only made other girls envious and made her seem like a second fiddle. Although, Erasa was Videl's longest personal friend since before she became famous. They'd known each other since kindergarten and hadn't been separated since.

But her blonde friend just couldn't leave it alone. Nope, she had to have her and Gohan, 'Aren't I enough? Does she need Mr. Goodie Two Shoes?' But then when she wanted to club her friend with logic and say Gohan was probably using her. Gohan was always nice to her and Erasa, hell. everyone. Even the pompous jerk Sharpner. He never seemed to get angry and even helped raise Erasa's grades by giving her his notes, writing them out in a way that made it easier for others to absorb the knowledge being provided.

She'd missed all but one question the last time because Erasa kept reading off Gohan's detailed notes for a week straight for their big midterm test. Her blonde friend practically could sing it and though she was loathed to admit it, she could remember everything her friend had repeated nearly verbatim. Erasa who was a high D, mid C level student became a B- ever since Gohan had started semi-tutoring her.

She'd tried before but at best she could get Erasa to a C+ and that was by shoving her friend's face into a book for a month.

Everything just came easy… 'Stupid Gohan, always… mumble mumble.' She just pouted in her own mind vowing to outdo him, she had another three years to do it and that was more than enough time.

Gohan was left to just twiddle his thumbs as he was stuck waiting, knowing it best to try and change Videl's mind on this and incite further hostilities he chose to sit back. He could watch everything she was doing and find the correct answer by looking over the questions.

Fortunately the first ten minutes everything went well. Videl wasn't a fool, she was a top student. She was slightly rushing from what he could tell, perhaps some chance of beating him in some way by saying 'I did it faster than anyone else and I didn't need Gohan's help'. 'Some pride thing I can only guess.'

"Wait a second." It wasn't a student's voice Gohan heard, his heightened hearing perking up as he was able to zero in on the teacher. He saw the teacher looking through some of the vials on the desk, then looking at his notes.

"This isn't calcium bexaphorbate." His eyes flicked through what he knew. Gohan followed the teacher's line of thinking. He picked up another box trying to discover what he had given out because this wasn't what he ordered. It had the labeling but none of the consistency. All of this was wrong, "No no, what in the hell did they send me."

The teacher flicked back to his notes and began skimming through the product number that he had ordered.

Gohan's eyes turned to Videl as she began mixing the chemicals, she was easily five steps ahead of everyone. Pouring out the mixture into separate vials in small 10 ML sets. Pulling up the water and other alkali metals to begin the reactions, Gohan then heard something else. "Wait… this is… CESIUM?!"

'Cesium, if that mixes with water… then.' Gohan's eyes widened as she began to spill the water down from the beaker. "NO-!" Without waiting and before anyone could even hope to catch the inhuman speed Gohan used. The water was falling, just milliseconds away from contact.

Videl found her head in Gohan's chest along with the sounds of shattering glass, before she had even blinked she had been grabbed and pulled down. She was stunned for words.

"Oh my god! Videl, Gohan?! Are you two okay?" The teacher shouted in a panic upon hearing the resulting violent eruption shattering the glass test tube and spraying them outwards. Giving the other students nearby a few small pecks and maybe a heart attack, but Videl and Gohan were just a foot from it. "Class stop! Don't do anything else!" The teacher yelled waving his arms as Gohan let go of Videl.

"You okay?" He asked her and she finally blinked and realized that she was on the floor.

Quickly repulsed, she pushed away from him, "What just happened?"

Paling, the teacher wiped his brow seeing the two of them okay. "That was a violent reaction, they sent me cesium not the base I asked for. Water plus cesium equals boom. Thank God you two are okay." He'd have a hell of a time explaining that one to the board of education, prized students killed in freak lab accident - though he didn't order the violent explosion he should've double checked it first. But then again he'd probably would've eaten a face full of glass.

Getting up, she looked to Gohan wanting to have some serious answers about what the hell just happened. 'How did he know that A: it was going to explode andB: how did he move me that friggin' fast?' She knew Gohan had some speed but nothing like that.

"Gohan, good reflexes, I have to ask how did you know that was cesium to avoid that?" the teacher patted Gohan on the shoulder as the class ground to a halt.

"Eh, well-" before he could answer that question two other teachers came into the room.

Others heard the small boom and came to make sure everyone was okay. Everyone was and then it was quickly decided that the chemicals be gathered and disposed of properly as to avoid any further mishaps first. The class went back to their seats having been given a 'pass' for the day as there wasn't anything else to do and they would get graded on the work they did today rather than the full assignment for obvious reasons.

Gohan breathed a small sigh of relief but as he met Videl's glare he started feeling uneasy. She wasn't dumb but he hoped that she wouldn't make a leap of logic that Gohan's abnormal abilities were what made him part alien and or Cell games competitor.

'It was the right thing, but I know things aren't going to get better. Oh man why can't I-' His head was met with the surprising and not unwelcome feeling of two boobs pressed against his face. "Oh Gohan, you are so heroic protecting Videl like that." Erasa gushed earning a snort from her friend.

"I didn't need his help. I would've been fine - a little glass wasn't a big deal, I had glasses on." Barring a few small cuts it wasn't a big deal. 'Seriously they act like I would've died or something. It's friggin' chemistry.' "Second, let go of him, you're being indecent." Scolding her friend who just grinned.

"Oh, Gohan, you don't mind do you?" She flirted knowing that any boy would be loving this.

"Ehh," He wasn't sure what to say, one he was uncomfortable, but that feeling was coming from his pants, her boobs felt nice. 'Maybe this is why dad said he liked to sleep on Mom's pillows.' Catching the small bit of pleasure from the act until it ended.

A flick to the back of her ear made her let go as Sharpner gave her an incredulous look. "Ow, hey jerk, what was that for?" She acted as if she was bleeding as she held her sensitive earlobe.

"You're my girlfriend, you can't be hugging Gohan like that. You're going to give me a bad rap if you keep doing that.

[***]

"I can do what I want, with whom I want and besides there's nothing wrong with a girl having choices, you know!" Erasa said haughtily sticking her tongue out at him, only aggravating him further. While still confused she put her hands back around Gohan's head holding him more defensively and giving a smirk. "Besides Gohan doesn't mind. That's right you don't mind do you, Gohan?"

"W-Well, I mean it's not that I don't mind, but could you, kinda loosen up?" Balancing hurting her feelings or irritating Sharpner. Trying to compromise was the best option.

"Ugh, you're impossible Erasa!" Sharpner, while annoyed with Gohan not respecting his boundaries, realized it wasn't wholly his fault. 'That's gotta be it.' Focusing on how the other teen got along so well with the girls.

Videl remained quiet on that small matter, a part of her thinking that Gohan may have staged all this to show her up but that was impossible. Something else was at play here… Recalling some of the old Cell Games footage, Videl often pondered if those were really tricks or illusions like her dad always said.

Someone moving that fast was just impossible, right? Her Dad couldn't even do what Gohan had done, but then again Gohan knew and reacted before she had even she'd been capable of blinking. 'There's something about you Son Gohan, and I intend to get to the bottom of this. You aren't just some celebrity chef's son, there is more to you and I won't rest until I find out what it is!'

Gohan had ended the rest of the school day more or less uneventfully. Gohan's 'heroics' were a bit of a rumor but considering the mythos he already had there wasn't much more talk than usual. He was currently bringing his little brother back from his daycare. Carrying Goten in one arm as the two had their own family moment.

Goten was idly sucking his thumb and looking around at everyone as they passed by as he was able to listen to Gohan talking to him. "This is all different from when I grew up you, know that little bro?"

The smaller demi saiyan nodded his head, Gohan just smiled, "Yeah, none of this city stuff, just me, Mom, and Dad with the occasional Grandpa showing up." Gohan remarked, pausing at one of the stopwalks.

Goten's daycare was on the way from school to home so it wasn't any extra work for him to go pick him up. He actually enjoyed having someone else to talk to about his problems even if they couldn't talk back. "You know maybe one day this summer I should take you back out to Mt. Paozu and it just be me and you, maybe invite Piccolo so you get to see him." Shaking his head slightly, "Man it has been awhile since I've seen him, or even Dende… hell anyone." Gohan told his brother.

Still Goten just nodded along as the pair made their way home. As they did, however, Gohan felt a ki signature following him. It hadn't been the first time he'd felt it, but it was becoming more and more frequent that this 'person' would tail him home. 'Just can't let it go, can you?'

He didn't look back knowing exactly who it was. "It's why we gotta walk home, I could fly us home but she'd get even more suspicious of us if we did that."

Videl herself was keeping out of sight, unaware that Gohan could detect her ki signature. She stood out more due to being in such close proximity to him all the time.

'Everyday it's the same thing. But I know you aren't normal, Gohan.' She'd been doing her digging into Gohan's history, it wasn't hard to get access to school records. She was the class president and getting into the administrative servers wasn't difficult when you were as smart as she was and had a friend or two who was good with modifying certain systems.

Was it illegal, technically, but this was for the greater good. Bit by bit she was uncovering that Son Gohan wasn't just the son of a famous celeb chef. There was a bit more to it. 'Gohan, you're the son of Son Goku - one of the former world champs before my dad and rumored to be the man who fought against Cell on television. But Goku didn't have blond hair and teal eyes, of course some of the fighters there turned their hair blond while there… ' Maybe she was being a bit conspiratorial but she just wanted to know what she was dealing with.

Was it just a coincidence Gohan arrived at her school, bested her in all her studies, athleticism, had everything going for him? A super popular mother on television, a father who was the world's strongest man.

Just a long line of lucky happenstances just seemed to be occurring. But the question on her mind was, why Gohan was here, did he have something against her? Was he trying to subvert her and her father's reputation by beating her. Her mind couldn't think of any other possible reason how Gohan just happened to show up now, and be a massive thorn in her side.

"I'll figure some way to best you, Gohan… I promise."

Once they arrived home, Gohan dropped off his book bag and set his brother down inside the apartment. He let him start doing his usual routine of baby laps before the two of them got to spend time roughhousing.

The demi saiyan was slightly alarmed though as he detected the faint smell of something burning or heating up. His nose twitched involuntarily and he looked around for the possible source. Sniffing once, twice… then-

"Oh, Gohan, what are you two doing back so soon?"

He turned to see Paris coming out of her mother's room. Wiping off her face and holding her purse, she emerged.

"The park was crowded, I brought Goten back here to play until I can take him down to the pool later… why are you here?" Normally Paris arrived later.

"I just had to tidy things up here, I didn't get to finish everything I wanted yesterday and I don't want your mom to scold me." She replied walking towards him.

Gohan shrugged, "Okay, but did you burn something by chance?" His nose could smell something still, it had gotten fainter but it was still there.

Paris seemed confused, she opened her mouth but stopped and then thought about her next words. Before having a flicker of remembrance seemingly, "Oh I was cleaning the stove I think that might be some of the chemicals I was using. It shouldn't last very long."

"Whatever," Gohan didn't really care so long as it wasn't going to burn the place down. Paris gave Goten a welcoming pat on the head before excusing herself which was fine by the teen. He wanted some time to just be here with his little brother.

Falling down on the sofa from over the back his head hitting the pillow. "Oh man, why are people so difficult." Gohan gave Videl the slip as he ducked around an alley and then jumped all the way up to the top of one building and just did another short jump across to reach the top floor of the penthouse.

As he laid there, a small body jumped on his back. The older saiyan let out a slight oof in surprise as Goten grabbed two fistfulls of his hair and began to yank. "Yaaahhh OWww oww! Goten, not the hair!" His back involuntarily arched as the smaller demis saiyan pulled back like he was holding the reins of a horse which made Gohan feel like the roots were about to be ripped from his scalp. "Goten, let go!"

But Gohan received no mercy from his little brother.

Ten minutes later a new arrival opened up the door, "Oh lord." She said, spying her two sons currently on the ground in front of her. Gohan laying on the ground, his hands trying to pull the mini version of her husband off of his back and free his hair from his clutches. Shaking her head Chi-Chi knew Gohan and Goten rough housed a little too much. 'Like father like sons.' "Goten, mommy is home." She said clapping her hands and kneeling down. Her voice broke the stalemate as both of her children stopped and looked in her direction.

"Mom?" "MOMMA?!" Goten being in the dominant position let go immediately and jumped into his mother's open arms. "Mommy! Mommy!" He cried happily as he was squeezed in a tight hug.

Rubbing the top of his head, Gohan checked to make sure he wasn't bleeding as he could feel his eyes about to start watering after all of that. "Hey, Mom, did you not have to stay late?"

"Obviously, Gohan." She said plucking Goten up to her arm. "Now hopefully you learned a good lesson about why I've told you repeatedly to stop roughhousing with your little brother." Chi-Chi had scolded him before about this, she didn't want Goten to feel that this was appropriate behavior, with her, Gohan, or Trunks and Bulma - that it was okay but having this idea that he could just rough house with anyone would cause them both trouble.

Gohan was taken aback, "I didn't rough house with him, he jumped on my back-"

"Gohan don't lie to me, I know you and Goten play fight all the time. You have to learn how to handle your little brother properly or you are going to pass off some of those bad habits Piccolo taught you to him." She looked at him hard, Gohan crossed his arms and looked away from her. Some of her motherly instincts told her that she needed to nip this in the bud, but there was another part of her that won out. "Now come here and give your mom a hug. I haven't gotten one from my special boy in a few days."

Setting her littlest one down she came over to her son who was almost taller than her now, but if he was planning on remaining an angsty teenager she was surprised when he put his arms around her and hugged her. "I missed you mom." He told her, quietly in her ear. "We don't ever get to talk anymore." Squeezing her tightly Gohan breathed in her scent, the aroma calmed him, warmed his heart and made him feel like he was safe. How he had missed this.

"Oh don't be dramatic, Gohan, you've been without me plenty before." But she kissed his temple and ruffled his hair. "Now… who's hungry?"

Gohan put away several plates of food as he sat down with his mom, telling her about parts of his day. His mom smiled and praised him while feeding his little brother who took to finger eating the majority of his food as the fork just wasn't quite good enough for him.

"Gohan you protected someone today, that's fine I don't have a problem with that. I'd be ashamed of you if you didn't use all of that power you inherited from your father for good. While you know I want you to develop your mind to really help people, I won't tell you to stop being a hero like your father was."

That was what he felt, but it felt good to have the reaffirmation. There were very few people who understood him. "Well besides that mom, I have some questions about… well." He started blushing and looked down at the floor. 'Come on you can say it. It's your mom, she's not going to get mad.'

He just didn't want to give her the wrong impression. "Well what?" She said, wiping Goten's face as he smiled and pointed for more food which made her just sigh and shake her head. "If it went in your mouth we wouldn't have this problem, Goten." She told him but the small saiyan just laughed and chanted for more food.

"Uhm, you see there's this girl… and she's like a friend… but not like the friend you were with dad, like maybe a friend friend not a girlfriend." He mumbled as he played with his fingers just below his red face.

Chi-Chi cocked her head to the side. "Gohan, speak clearly you're an adult." Perhaps there was a little too much of his dad in him when it came to talking about feelings. "You can have friends you know, that's why you are going to school." Getting to know people outside of Goku's entourage would be good for him, they all couldn't be fighters, princes, aliens, or billionaire heiresses. He had to meet normal people.

"I just, mom this girl is really nice to me and she's cute. But I don't know-" Just then his mom's cell phone blared loudly.

"Oh what now." She groaned, swiping it to turn it on. "Hello? Aaron what is it?" She said standing up and walking away from the table.

Gohan watched his mother move away from the table, whenever her manager called her it wasn't good news. Aaron worked at the restaurant helping to sponsor Chi-Chi's current profession and worked with her to promote her cookbook sales. A nice guy but Gohan knew the guy cared more about money than anything else.

But the devil had been in the details, he'd helped jumpstart his mother's reputation and her fame from just a reality T.V. star to a known name for any amaeuer or aspiring chef. His mother's first cookbook, Basic, Simple, Good. Or the best seller's guide as it became known as, the how to videos that came along with it, along with a more personal view of the woman in question. Aaron broke down the ivory tower narrative and replaced it with the image that a good cook was just a few pages away.

That said he always took up his mom's time, if she had to stay late it was to help film a show, start prep work for the orders she'd be preparing for Dan Crispin the next day, or polishing up how to videos for the internet.

It was done with the financial backing of a major food network and if Chi-Chi probably wanted to keep everything she'd earned up to this point they probably expected the favor to be returned. Even Chi-Chi would've assumed that after a year of this that things would slow down and become more normal.

Sadly no, she was a success and profitable and Chi-Chi was left with either continuing her work and possibly risking her children's future or just accepting this was what she had to do to ensure her boys got a good life. Without Goku to help provide for them with the farm and expecting Gohan to help care for the house, run the farm, and help with his little brother. She just couldn't do it, nor did she want to be a mooch off her father for the rest of her life. She had pride too.

"Alright… alright, I know that people enjoy my work but do you have to call now, I just got home and want to spend more than ten minutes with my boys." Chi-Chi said into the phone, her eyes showed irritation. "I'm not blaming you for calling, but couldn't this be a text or a change tomorrow, do we really need to shoehorn this in over the next week?"

'This man is giving me a bigger headache than my husband did' Chi-Chi rubbed her temple. "Fine, fine, I understand they want the show to be bigger since they are bringing it back and it would only make sense if I was there. Yes, yes I can agree with that. But-"

She was cut off again and she just shook her head. "Okay, just give me the times and I'll make sure I get them put into my schedule?" There was a short pause but the voice said a few more things then Chi-Chi just made a frustrated face. "Yes, thank you. Goodnight." Clicking off the button Chi-Chi then tossed her phone onto one of the chairs.

"Work?"

"Unfortunately, they want me back on New World's Best Amatuer Chef to be a judge and critic." Chi-Chi said. "Which means-"

"You won't be around for awhile." Gohan already could tell this was where it was going.

"I know it's not-"

"Just do what you want." Gohan cut her off again. Moving to get up from the table his desire to have any further conversation with his mother about anything drying up as she was once again shoveling her workload before them… 'Well me, I know she'll give up time for Goten. But good luck if Ayy-'

Chi-Chi grabbed her son by the ear and yanked his head to look at her. Her brown eyes boring into him and quickly reminding him as to why he was afraid of her growing up even if she was weaker than him. "You better watch that mouth, young man," Her low tone amplified the grip on his ear. "I provide for you and your brother, you will respect that I don't always enjoy being away from you two, but this is what I have to do to make sure we have a normal life."

"I know, now please let go." He said wincing as she had her nails pinched in just the right spot. It felt worse than when Cell hit him.

"Apologize and no more attitude from you, I don't know if this is some moody teenager thing but you are going to be a nice young man to me and Paris I don't want to hear about you blowing her off anymore. She takes good care of you and your brother." She brought him straight down to eye level. "Do you understand me, Gohan?"

"Yes, yes!" He said as his ear was really starting to hurt. Then she did and his hand immediately grabbed at it and he rubbed it, the stinging sensation remaining like a hornet had gone after him. He wanted to say something to his mother, but he couldn't find it within himself to tell her how he felt about all of this. He'd always been her good son and he wanted to keep his mom happy so why was she taking this out of him for just being a little mouthy. He hadn't- 'Just… Just fuck it!'

The two just stared at each other for a minute until Gohan just phased away from her, the door to his room slamming as he did so. Chi-Chi looked back towards the room as she felt bad afterwards. Getting wound up by Aaron taking more of her time away from her family, because she wanted to be with them he also had to be their provider, but that didn't mean she had to be that way with her oldest son. It wasn't his fault for this situation. "I should probably go apologize that wasn't-"

Until Goten started crying, 'Later, she told herself as she went to go deal with her littlest saiyan. Gohan was a strong boy, he would just need a little cool down time. Goten was surely going to miss her more, so she figured that she might as well make sure she got enough time with him until he spent the better part of a week with Paris looking after him.

Inside his room Gohan was frustrated and hurt. He was hurt that his mom had treated him like that and that she just blew him off. Acting like he was at fault for something. Did she forget who he was? Her son that had done so much for her, had saved the world several times and taken his fair share of abuse from multiple people? "Can't be fucking simple," He spat wanting to just hit something as he was getting angrier just thinking about it. His ki was fluctuating slightly as he just growled and brought one hand to grab his head.

'Me a moody teenager, how about me being a damn kid who wants some help with girl issues since I don't have a FATHER!' Gohan was growing more and more angry at his mom and he knew this wasn't going to be productive. He opened up the window to his room and just blasted off, not caring if his mom got angry with him. His blood was boiling and he needed to vent.

Ascending, Gohan just took off like a jet, the shockwave rippling outwards as he streaked away from the city. Heading back towards his old home. A place where he could find some peace and quiet.

Chi-Chi felt her son leave but she was not surprised, a little disappointed that Gohan would take off like that, yet there was little she could do about it now. She wasn't going to grab Nimbus and drag him back home. Chi-Chi looked at Goten who seemed to feel it too. His boyish cries fading as he put a finger to his lips and looked around. "Yeah your big brother is just having one of those moods."

Goten cocked his head to the side as she just laughed reminded of her husband "Yeah, becoming an adult isn't as easy as it is being the savior of the world. But when it comes to my saiyans you guys think better with your fists than you do with your head sometimes despite me trying to curb that in Gohan. I think I can do better with you though." Bringing her nose to her baby boy she tickled him making his cry out happily. "Yes that's right."

Gohan touched down about ten minutes later outside one of the old spots he used to train with his dad and Piccolo for the androids. His mind clouded with a mix of heavy emotions as he undid his button up school shirt and tossed it off onto the rocks beside him. It was where their clothes would go if they got too dirty or warped during training. Discarding his shoes, socks, and pants leaving him with just boxers as he stopped on the edge looking over where they had spent nearly three years.

"It's all so far away now but I feel it everyday." Gohan remarked as he touched his hand on a spot where he remembered Piccolo blasting him back into the wall creating the gouge in the rock face that his fingers now traced over, after years of erosion the face had smoothed out.

He then punched the face with his fist breaking off an entire boulder off the rock. "Damnit." He looked down and saw where his dad and them had eaten lunch many times. His other hand charged up a ki blast and blew the entire place up. Gohan's chest began to heave as his eyes burned.

Throwing up his hand's Gohan let out a bellowing scream, his head thrown back as his hair spiked upwards more, a small rising of golden spikes flared out from his back and became more rigid as he screamed, blue sparks rippling out from his body and spreading throughout his aura.

Ascending, he hadn't done this in a long time. His entire body was heightened, looking at his hands that were shaking as Gohan ignored the high strain he pushed his body through. But he needed to get rid of this energy inside of him. Gohan flipped into the air, his hands glowing with yellow ki as he unleashed a volley into the sky rapidly shooting as many as he could and as fast as he could. Each one shooting off with a small piece of himself. Until he was panting, the golden aura faded from around him but his hair and swelling figure did not diminish. "Some hero you are." His words meant for only one person, "Show up then… Show up when I NEED YOU!" His pained scream shaking the very ground as he expelled every bit of oxygen he could from his lungs until he was taking slow heavy gulps.

He was so focused that he missed the presence that had shown up behind him. "This isn't like you, Gohan."

Turning his head slightly, Gohan spied the face of his old teacher. Any elation he might've felt before was only shown further derision at the tone used. "It's not like you would know." Gohan spat turning his head back around.

"Blaming your father won't change the present, Gohan, you're stronger than this. You don't act irrationally, this isn't the boy I trained."

"Because I'm not a damn boy anymore, Piccolo." Gohan snarled quickly bringing his face into that of his former teacher. "Don't stick your nose up at me, if I want to deal with my problems my way then I will. You don't get to look down on the person who saved your life!"

Piccolo didn't seem phased by the outburst. The Namek took in a full breath, "Then talk. I'm here to listen."

Once where he was filled with anger and bitterness fell away, he was getting mad at the man who had trained him like his mother had been not too long ago. 'I am such a fucking idiot!'

"No, you're a teenage boy who misses his dad among other things. Now come let's talk." Piccolo motioned for him to follow, the teen powered down and followed him taking a seat as his teacher rested on a rock and Gohan sat down in front of him. Just like many times before, Piccolo was there for him.