Chapter Five: Adjustment

Goten was excited while he was shown how to play baseball by Graphite and Sharpener while his mother was making dinner.

"Honestly, where is that son of mine," Chi Chi grumbled out the kitchen window where she was watching her youngest pickup baseball fairly quickly. "Gohan knows he is meant to be home. He's just like his father when it comes to being late."

Sharpener perked up hearing about Gohan's father. He hadn't heard much about his friend's father. To be far his friend hadn't heard much about his own mother.

Graphite stopped playing, walking to the window, leaning in to talk to Chi Chi. "I'm sure he's not too far away. Sharpener mentioned that Gohan had to stop somewhere after school. Where did you say that was, kid?"

Sharpener caught the ball Goten had just hit. He started putting away the equipment. "He just said a friend of the family in West City. I don't know who they are."

Goten perked up when he heard the location. "Mum, can I go and play with Trunks."

"Another time, Goten," Chi Chi replied. "Start getting cleaned up for dinner."

"But Gohan got to see Trunks," Goten whined. "I haven't seen him in forever, and I want to play."

"Gohan isn't playing. He's probably helping Bulma with something," Chi Chi finished attending to dinner. Sharpener watched through the window. Chi Chi had walked over to an ancient video phone he didn't even know anyone still used.

Sharpener could only hear Chi Chi's side of the conversation and had been surprised by the language coming out her mouth. Her language was atrocious. "What do you mean Gohan left hours ago? Where did he say he was going?" Chi Chi took several deep breaths. "Well, my disobedient son isn't home, if he were I wouldn't be calling you to see if he was still there."

She didn't even end the phone call properly, slamming the handpiece, the video image cutting out. Chi Chi stormed to the front door throwing open the door, holding both hands to her face, taking a deep breath before shouting at the top of her lungs, she was even louder than Videl. "Gohan Son, if you don't get home this minute you won't get dinner, and you're grounded."

"Can I eat Gohan's dinner?" Goten cheerfully asked.

"No," Chi Chi snapped.

Sharpener helped set up the table, leaving Gohan's spot empty. Sharpener kept looking over at the empty spot, he really had been expecting Gohan to turn up. He never skipped meals.

- DBZ -

Sharpener rubbed his eyes when he saw Gohan outside cutting firewood as if he'd not been missing the day before. Sharpener hadn't even heard him come into the room, in fact, the bed hadn't been slept in.

"Where you out with some hussy," Chi Chi asked her son in a tone that Sharpener was trying to get used to.

Who would think the quiet class nerd had a mother like Chi Chi. And Gohan wasn't cowering like he did with Videl at school.

"I wasn't with a girl. I don't have a girlfriend. I was out at the training grounds letting off steam. You can ask Piccolo and Vegeta if you don't believe me. I didn't want Sharpener, Graphite or even Goten seeing me like that." Gohan reply sounding like he needed to still let off steam to Sharpener.

"What has got you so upset that your emotions got out of control?" Chi Chi asked with concern. "Is it my relationship with Graphite."

"No, it's not Graphite." Gohan dropped his axe. "It's dad I'm angry at. I'm angry at him for not coming back when he had a chance. I wish that Graphite was a terrible person because I feel guilty for not liking him with you because he's a good person. He's good to you and Goten. He makes you happy, and you clearly both love one another." Gohan let out a heavy sigh. "I miss dad. I hate that things are changing. I really thought that dad would come back and things would pick up from where they left off."

"You can talk to me about this Gohan," Chi Chi hugged her son. "I miss your father as well. I still love your father. I also don't want to spend my life alone."

"I know, I don't want you to be lonely. I want you to be happy. I spoke with Bulma first, I hope you don't mind."

"She's always been good to you Gohan, I'm glad you're able to talk this out with her. She's a lot more responsible than a lot of your other friends." Chi Chi let go of her son.

"I took out a lot of my frustration on Vegeta, he wasn't happy and gone off sulking off who knows where. Bulma's arranging a get together after the Martial Art's tournament. She's invited, everyone including Graphite and Sharpener. I think she just wants to meet them."

Sharpener felt awkward listening in but wasn't sure how to leave without anyone else noticing.

"Morning," Sharpener greeted them with a yawn.

Chi Chi was fussing, getting breakfast ready for everyone. The day was a lot more peaceful then the day before.

- DBZ -

Krillen and 18 were the only friends that attended and competed in the World Martial Arts tournament. Gohan had no plans on competing and without Gohan or Goku entering Vegeta and Piccolo saw no point in entering or even coming to watch. Chi Chi was spending the day with Clip. Goten was having a play day with Trunks who was getting watched by Doctor and Mrs Briefs since Bulma was attending to watch and support Krillen and 18.

"Are you going to come and support Videl?" Sharpener asked Gohan. He hadn't even thought about checking since he heard Gohan mention going with a friend.

"I'd rather stay away from the tournament," Gohan replied.

Sharpener nodded, thinking he understood Gohan's reason for staying away. Gohan wasn't into sports or Martial Arts. "Well, Erasa and I are going if you change your mind."

"I'll let you know if I do change my mind, let Videl know I wish her luck."

Sharpener waved to Gohan as he left to meet up with Erasa. He wished his own Martial Arts and boxing skills were good enough to enter himself.

- DBZ -

Gohan didn't want anything to do with the tournament after speaking with his father. He didn't want to see his father if he did turn up. Why now after his mother started a new relationship? Why for a tournament? Wasn't quality family time better then a fighting tournament fighting strangers. The selfish part of him wanted his father to come back forever. To go back to how it was before Cell. For Sharpener to stay as his school friend instead of being a potential stepbrother. Goten didn't even know his own father. He was already forming a father-son bond with Graphite. The sooner the tournament was over, the better.

Gohan tried to escape from the two adults after Sharpener had left. He wanted to go back home. "I thought you two should have some time to yourselves," Gohan replied, trying to force a grin as his mother caught him leaving.

"Enough is enough," Chi Chi said in a tone that she reserved for when he is in trouble. "You've been in a mood for some time now. You'd told me you got whatever it was out of your system, but clearly you haven't, here you are still in a mood. I want to know what your problem is with Graphite."

"I'll just leave," The man is question stated. "This is obviously mother-son time."

"You stay. You need to hear my son's reasons for rejecting you just as much as I do," Chi Chi demanded of her fiancé.

Gohan sighed. "I don't have a problem with Graphite. In fact, I like you, you are a good person. I hate that I like you. I can't hate Graphite for stealing you when he makes you happy. Happier than I've ever seen you. I know he's a good person. He's good for you and Goten. I hate that I like him so much I told dad to stay away when he asked me about coming back for today's tournament. I wanted to see him again so much, it was hard to tell him no. Once today is over I should be fine because everything will be over. I keep thinking he'll not listen to my request and still come back and a part of me hopes he does because I really miss dad."

"Your father was going to come back for today's tournament, how?" Chi Chi asked, accepting right.

"Apparently he has twenty-four-hours he's able to use to come back."

"And he was going to use it for a tournament and not to see his family?" Chi Chi asked in a deadly tone that had Gohan standing back a step. Even Graphite took a step back.

Gohan nodded.

Chi Chi was fuming. "If that man weren't already dead I would kill him! All he can think about is food and fighting. I know he cares about us, but it's like we're only an afterthought. So he decided he wasn't going to speak to me after you told him?"

"I don't think he was ever going to tell you himself that he was coming back," Gohan admitted. "I don't think he was even going to tell me. The one he told was Bulma. I just happened to be with her at the time."

"It's always her," Chi Chi sobbed. "He always goes to Bulma first whenever he needs anything. I was just who he came to when he was hungry. I don't think he ever truly loved me."

Gohan hugged his mother. It was what he's been wondering himself for a while and to hear it from his mother as well, it hurt. "He'll always care for you."

"I know, just like how he cares for all his other friends. What did I expect from an orphan boy who was raised in the wilderness?" His mother laughed a sad laugh.

"It's just been hard to accept that dads not as perfect as I thought he was," Gohan said.

Chi Chi wiped away a few tears and hugged her son tighter. "Despite your goofball fathers imperfections we will both always love him. I will always love him even though I've moved on. I have someone else I love now. It's such a relief to hear that you've accepted Graphite so much that you told Goku not to come back for the tournament. I'm proud of you,"

"I'm proud of you as well. I'm surprised you really didn't have to do that for me," Graphite said hugging Gohan for the first time.

"Why wouldn't I?" Gohan asked. "You're going to be family."

Chi Chi turned to her son. "You're clearly still frustrated at you father, as am I. So you're going to train with me today. Graphite has never seen me fight properly, so I believe it's time he sees what we Sons are capable of."

Gohan was slightly surprised that his mother was once anti-martial arts was now willing to fight with him. He knew that she was trained in martial arts herself, but he'd never trained with her or fought her before and was excited to know how good his mother was. He's only ever seen her fight to protect him when he was a child.

They both changed into something more comfortable. A quick warm up and then the pair were exchanging punches and kicks. Chi Chi's fiancé watch in amusement. Graphite couldn't keep up with the speed of his future wife and future sons movements. The match seemed to work as both Gohan, and Chi Chi were in high spirits by the end. Chi Chi was more alive than he'd ever seen before. Gohan was in higher spirits then he'd seen before. It was nice to see a side to Gohan he'd never seen before as he laughed and smiled with his mother.

- DBZ -

Later that evening Sharpener returned to the Son home with Videl and Erasa in toe. Videl had a neck brace on, and her arm was in a sling. Chi Chi didn't like being in town too long, and all three had relocated back to the Son property.

"Videl are you alright?" Gohan asked with concern, fussing over his friend as she came through the door. Helping the stubborn girl to a seat.

Chi Chi was already getting her a drink, food and a medical kit not trusting the tournament medical staff.

"She broke her pride," Erasa said in a serious tone which didn't normally come from the blond haired girl. "She lost in the first round." She relayed the fight as Videl stubbornly tried to decline help from Chi Chi and Gohan. "Her father also lost. Hercule is in hiding from the media. Apparently, people are now questioning if he really beat Cell. With Hercule hiding, the media then went after Videl."

"Why didn't that coward go into hiding with his daughter? He shouldn't let her handle the media about something he did. Don't worry sweetheart. We'll keep the media away from you and keep you safe," Chi Chi promised an embarrassed Videl.

Videl scoffed. "How can you keep the media away? My father loves the publicity. I don't see how you could stop it. They follow me anyway."

Chi Chi smiled. "My father has an agreement in place that media are not allowed on this land. If they come anywhere near this land they would be tied up in legal red tape for months. They cannot come near you as long as you are here."

Videl wasn't sure if she believed the mother of her school friend. She did know Gohan had secrets, big secrets. "Who are you? Why would you have a media exclusion zone? They are expensive to get in place."

"I'm the only child of the Ox King," Chi Chi said which had Erasa gasping in excitement.

Sharpener looked at his father who nodded to his son to confirm he already knew.

Videl gasped for a different reason. "You're Anonymous the Woman's Champion of the 23rd Martial arts tournament. I wanted to be just like you when I was younger. You were my hero. But you disappeared, and no one knew what happened to you. I was so disappointed, I trained to beat you, and you never turned up at another tournament. The Ox King would only ever say he was respecting your wish to stay out of the limelight. I wish my father would do the same for me. I couldn't live up to my wish to be the female champion. Some woman who didn't even enter with her real name is the Woman's Martial Arts Champion this year. She is the overall Martial Arts Champion."

"Was that 18?" Gohan asked.

Videl nodded.

"18 is her real name well sort of, it's what she goes by," Gohan replied. "She has a twin brother named 17 and an older brother named 16. They're family friends of ours."

Chi Chi insisted Erasa call her parents to update her parents on where she was. "They're probably worried about you since you were meant to be staying with Mister Satan." Chi Chi already had her parents number from meeting at the school.