Chapter Ten: Concerning Gohan

A tall silhouette was nimbly walking through the trees. Making no sound as he made his way, the stranger stopped occasionally, bending down and examining a line of small arachnids as they scurried along the ground hurriedly. He jumped up suddenly as he heard a snapping twig. A beautiful, white, horse creature with a long horn spotted the intruder. Muzzle flaring, it pawed the ground angrily and charged. The stranger stretched out his green hand and caught the beast by the horn. Gently stroking its face with his other hand, he said softly, "Behave yourself." Then he let go. Bewildered, the animal stared in confusion before it fled away in fear.

Two arrows sped toward their tall target; the stranger caught both. A gray-maned centaur galloped into view, pointing a crossbow.

"That wouldn't be wise," the stranger warned in a passive, low voice.

The centaur sneered. "What do humans know about wisdom?"

The stranger raised his face, allowing the moon light to expose a bit of its green pallor. "Who said anything about being human?"

The centaur shifted nervously. "You're not welcome here."

The stranger chuckled. "Your welcome doesn't interest me, Magorian."

Magorian's eyes widened. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

The stranger grinned. "I am known by several names…and one of them…was Kami."

The centaur stepped back in shock, wide eyed and fearful, as the stranger turned away and continued following a small line of spiders.

Gohan sat distractedly in his Transfiguration class. For the first time, the class held no interest whatsoever as he glanced anxiously at the door. There had been another attack. The monster had attacked Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick. Professor McGonagall had left the corridor with Harry, and had entered the classroom without him. Riddled with fear, stress, and pent up anger, he fidgeted with his furry "belt" as he shot furtive glances towards the door.

"Mr. Son!" Professor McGonagall said sharply. Gohan jumped. Everybody was staring at him. The professor pointed at his hair with her wand and spoke an incantation. Frowning, she said. "Mr. Son, you must tell me how you managed to transfigure your hair. The normal finite spell had no effect whatsoever."

"Huh?" Gohan said. He grabbed a spike of hair and pulled it to his eyes. It was blond. "Ahhhh!" he screamed loudly. The class erupted in giggles. He powered down quickly, which he soon discovered was a mistake. Murmuring filled the class as Professor McGonagall stared. Dean shook his head violently, Ron stared wide-eyed, and Hermione mouthed, "Oh, no."

"Come with me, Mr. Son." Gohan miserably followed her from the class. As soon as she shut the door, she spun on him.

"Explain." She commanded.

"Uh…I'm a Super Saiyan?"

"Super what?"

"Aw…nothing. It was an accident. Can we go back inside now?"

"Not until you explain what happened. Are you a metamorphmagus?"

"Meta what?"

"Can you change your appearance at will?"

Gohan bit his lip."J-Just my hair," he replied nervously.

"Oh, Gohan," Harry said as he approached. He looked at Professor McGonagall. "What's going on?"

She rolled her eyes. "We're discussing Mr. Son's hair troubles."

"Oh…split ends?" Harry asked in an innocent, laughing tone. McGonagall fell over. Gohan giggled.

McGonagall stood; her nose flared and her lips thinned. "It seems that he can instantaneously become blond."

Harry flinched.

Noticing, she scowled. "So, you knew about this? Don't you know that all metamorphmagi must be registered with the ministry?"

Gohan panicked. "But I'm not a meta-whatever! Imma Super Saiyan!"

"Son!" a voice spat sternly. It was Severus Snape. He approached, frowning. After shooting Harry a calculating look, he addressed Gohan. "Son, take Potter to the Gryffindor common room with you. I'll handle this."

As they strode away, Harry glanced at Gohan. "That didn't sound too good."

"You can say that again."

Harry grinned. "That didn't sound too good."

Gohan smirked. "Under normal circumstances that would be funny."

Harry scoffed. "Is there really such a thing as normal circumstances around you?"

Gohan sighed. "I guess not."

Harry snorted. "You're not the only one. Welcome to the club, Gohan Son. I hereby nominate you as president."

Gohan chuckled, scratching his head.

"Back, beast! Back, back!" George cried as he held a clove of garlic in front of Harry. Harry bellowed at him, even though he appeared to be fighting a smile. Gohan suppressed a giggle.

"Hear ye; hear ye!" Fred announced in the corridor. "Make way for his noble, royal wickedness: the Heir of Slytherin!"

"Git," Harry mumbled, and Fred grinned.

"Beware! Seriously evil wizard coming at YOU!" he continued pompously, pointing a finger at a first year Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood, who smiled serenely at him. Fred cackled, "Mwahahahahahahahahaha!" Gohan couldn't take it anymore; he laughed until tears streamed down his face.

"Shut it, Gohan!" Harry snapped, unable to hide his grin.

Fred glared haughtily at Gohan. He boomed. "Oooooh, beware, Son! You have incurred the wrath of his royal Snaky-Ness. Tremble in fear before his awesome might!"

George looked on in mock fright. He stood between Gohan and Harry. "Don't worry, Son. I'll save you! Back, beast! Hyah!"

"I'm…so sorry…Harry," Gohan panted in his bout of uncontrollable, sobbing, mirth, "I…can't…help it!"

Harry shook his head. "Gits."

Fred wasn't finished yet. "So, Lord Snaky-Ness, who is your next victim?"

Harry sighed. "I donno, Snape?"

"Ah, yes! An excellent choice, milord! May the hospital be forever haunted by his stiff, smelly, greasy body!"

Snape had been walking by when he heard. Snorting, he said, "Idiots."

The corridor echoed with the riotous laughter of Gryffindors as Fred and George continued their antics. Gohan was still giggling until he saw Ginny's face. She grabbed Fred's arm and yanked him away.

"Don't! Stop it!" She wailed in anguish.

Fred's grin froze. He patted her gently on the shoulder. "Oh, come on. We're only teasing. We all know that the very idea of Harry being Slytherin's heir is ridiculous." Ginny's face screwed up and she burst from the scene in tears.

Fred and George followed their sister with their eyes until she vanished. But Gohan followed her. Sensing her ki, Gohan found her in a dark classroom.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm just being stupid."

"You don't look too good," he said factually.

Mistaking his meaning, she glared at him.

"Seriously, you don't look healthy at all. What's draining your energy?"

Ginny stared at him.

"You should visit the nurse."

"No!" she said panicky.

"Huh?"

"I…I don't like nurses." She said quickly.

Gohan laughed good-naturedly."Oh, you must be like my dad. He hates hospitals. He's scared of needles. Bit ironic, really. But if you don't want to go-"Gohan pulled out a small item from his belt. "-here." He held it out to her.

She looked at it blankly. "It's a bean," she said flatly.

Gohan nodded. "It's a special bean. It'll give you your energy back."

She stared at it suspiciously. Gohan chuckled, and broke it in half. He put one in his mouth and swallowed it. He held the other half out to her. Biting her lip, she took it and placed it into her mouth. Seconds later, her eyes widened as the properties of the sensu took effect.

"That was incredible," she gasped. "What was that?"

Gohan grinned."It's a secret. If you ever need another, just drop by and ask. I'd hate to see you get in the shape you were in again."

She smiled a strained smile. "Thanks, Gohan. You're a sweet person."

Gohan blushed, smiled, and rubbed the back of his head absently. "Aw...it was nothing."

As she left the room, Gohan frowned. Except when his father had had that heart virus, he could never remember someone remaining tired after eating a sensu. But as Ginny stepped across the classroom with renewed strength, he could help but sense her exhaustion.

Gohan rushed from the castle. Sensing Piccolo's energy close by, he made his way toward the forest. The forest was incredibly dark. He had been walking for five minutes when a solid silver foal spotted him.

"My gosh! What a pretty horse!" Gohan exclaimed softly.

The foal approached him warily. Gohan stood incredibly still. Sensing no evil, the foal came right up to Gohan and sniffed his hand. Gohan stroked it gently, smiling. Suddenly, the foal snapped its head toward a cropping of trees and pranced away fearfully.

"That was quite impressive, little one," a soft, male voice said. Gohan turned toward the speaker. He was a tall centaur with a palomino body. "It is nearly impossible for a unicorn of that age to be wooed by a male human. You must have a pure heart."

"Hi. My name's Gohan."

The centaur chuckled. "It's refreshing to see a child completely lacking in human subtleties. I am Firenze. Now, I must ask you. What are you doing in the forest?"

"I am looking for Piccolo," he replied honestly.

"You believe this Piccolo is within the forest?"

"Well, sure. I feel his energy."

Firenze studied the boy's earnest face. "Tell me what you mean by energy."

Gohan stared in confusion."Well, everyone has energy. It can be weak or strong, and the…signatures are distinct for each life force. Like you. You're about strong enough to kill a tiger with your bare hands."

Firenze's eyes widened at Gohan's last statement. His assessment of me was quite accurate. Astonishing! And his matter-of-factly speech sounds as though he doesn't fear me at all, despite the gravity of his statement.

"Would you be able to teach me this…energy feeling?"

Gohan frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose I could, but it might take awhile. It took me months to figure it out, even with Piccolo as a teacher. Hmmm. Oh, I know! I'll just do what Piccolo did to Hermione! Give me your hand!" Gohan stretched out his hand eagerly.

Firenze looked at it warily. He examined the boy's face. Satisfied, he took it. Firenze gasped as he felt energy pulse from the child's hand…into his own. His mind flooded with instant images as the child passed the knowledge to him. Even after Gohan released his hand, Firenze's still glowed. He staggered back as he felt the crushing power of the boy's energy in comparison to his own.

"I…see," he gasped. "You are no ordinary human child."

Gohan chuckled. "I'm only half human. Daddy's a Saiyan."

"What are you doing here, Gohan?" a low voice asked quietly. Happily, Gohan turned to face his mentor.

"Hey, Piccolo! I was looking for you," Noticing that Piccolo was studying Firenze, he added. "This is Firenze. He's nice."

"I certainly hope so, because you just told him a lot of things. And the Namekian Passing technique…when did you learn that?"

"I studied you when you were Passing to Hermione."

Piccolo shook his head, smiling. "You and your father…just when I think I can't be surprised anymore…"

Gohan scratched his head and laughed.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Piccolo continued.

Firenze was taken aback when the child's face suddenly became serious. "Well, there's this girl at school. Her name is Ginny. She was very sick looking, but she wouldn't go see the nurse. I gave her a sensu bean-"

Piccolo gasped loudly. "Gohan!"

"I didn't tell her what it was! But I had to help her."

Piccolo sighed. "Like father, like son. Continue."

"Well, her energy increased, but she still seemed very tired."

Piccolo frowned. "That's irregular. The last time something like that happened is when your father had that heart virus."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm here. I think something's badly wrong."

"How does she act?"

"She seems drained of energy a lot…and she gets upset a lot. She cries quite often."

"Hmmm. Well, I guess there's no harm in giving her a sensu here and there, but you should tell your headmaster what is going on. I find it unsettling that no one is catching this. At any rate, you should keep an eye on her."

"Okay."

"Oh, and while you're here, have you been training?"

"Yeah, but it's hard finding a place. I didn't want to destroy the forest."

"Yeah. Vegeta's been talking to Bulma about that."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I understand that tomorrow begins your Christmas break?"

"Yes. Can't wait to see everyone, but I hope to come back early."

"I see. Making good friends?"

"No one could replace you, Piccolo."

Piccolo smirked. "Of course not. None of your friends are green."

Gohan grinned mischievously. "I could fix that. But seriously Piccolo, nobody could replace you. You're like a second father to me."

A nerve in Piccolo's jaw worked. He pointed at the school angrily. "Get back to the school," he choked. The he bellowed. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOUR INFERNAL MOTHER WOULD DO TO ME IF YOU WERE EXPELLED?"

Gohan smiled happily. "Piccolo..." he trailed off as he turned and ran back toward the castle.

Gasping, Piccolo struggled to contain his emotions. "Darn, that kid! Why did he have to go and say something like that?"

"Because he meant it," Firenze said simply. Piccolo looked back at the centaur. He hadn't been expecting an answer to his question.