Hi everyone! Sorry it has been awhile. I'd like to thank Absolom & Zoeyoong for adding this story to the favourites and ninjafox-yoko & 1dmp2 for following this story. Without further ado, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. P.S. this chapter is in Sharpeners point of view (with the scenes he is in).
Chapter 4
His voice echoes at night from inside my head. They scream like a helpless, sad child with no way out. Something had happened to them, I know it…I just don't know what.
"Save me!" They scream within my head, "Help! Before it's too late."
"How?" I ask in this never ending darkness. How can I save them, when I don't know who they are? How can I help someone, who I have dreams of everyday of the week?
"I'm no longer left silent. Please help them." The voice seems to beg.
I turn around in circles wondering where their voice is coming from, "Where are you?" I wonder, looking from every direction.
Gazing in every possible direction I can't see anyone. They don't seem to answer. I don't know where I am, all I know is I must be sleeping…
"Here." I see a figure light up gold. Gold? I remember something from the Cell Games…why would one of those tricksters be in my dreams?
"Do not refer to me to a 'trickster' when your 'champion' has been lying to the world." The voice growls at me in annoyance. How can they know what I am thinking? Can they read my mind or something?
"Why would he lie?" I stare in disbelief. None of what they say is true, it can't be!
"Humiliation," The voice states bored tone, "they are weak." They add.
"They are the strongest." I defend MR. Satan's honour.
"Really?" They laugh mockingly, "Soon you will learn the truth."
"What truth?" I question in eagerness to wake up from this dream.
"Of whom he really is and what the real hero became after all these years." The voice becomes softer as they speak.
"What?" I want them to elaborate.
"Well our time is up." Their voice fades…into the loudness around me.
"Sharpener! Wake up!" Videl chucks a pillow at my face, waking me up from my dream. Can't she leave me alone? I was finally going to get answers…though I always get awoken at the important parts.
"I'm up!" I sit up on the bed rubbing my eyes. I look towards the bed to my right, "Where is Gohan?" I look in confusion? Where would he run off to…then again he is a country boy, plus he knows the Briefs.
I still can't get over that. He knows famous people and he is practically family to them.
"Videl?" I call out, who I gaze over to looking through Gohan's things. This isn't right, "Yo! Videl!"
"Sorry," She apologises, "I was looking."
"And why?" I ask.
"Well he keeps so skeletons in the closest. We barely know anything about him." Videl stares at me in concern.
"It still doesn't give you the right to look through his things." I explain.
"He doesn't talk much about himself. He seems too happy, to be happy to me. It really bothers me, I don't know why," Videl sighs, "I'm not sure why I care or why I am even bothering."
"I know what you mean. He has this sad look in his eyes. His smile tells us what he wants people to see." I explain, "No-one can see him on the inside."
"You don't know how right you are there my friend."
"So, do you know where Gohan is?" I enquire.
"No, I thought he was in here. You hadn't come out of here so I assumed it was Gohan's fault, considering how late he normally comes to school." Videl answers in bewilderment of where Gohan might be.
"Now, that I am thinking about it, ever since we came into Capsule Corp, I haven't seen him at all." I confess, "I don't know why I didn't notice. I should've considering he never made it to bed last night. Maybe I just assumed that he would come in silently." I comment. Something has happened to him, but what could've happened? He wouldn't' have gotten lost in this house. He is the Godson of Bulma Briefs for crying out loud!
"Then where the heck could he be?" Videl asks, knowing neither one of us could answer.
I wonder where Gohan is, but in my dream the voice said to help someone. To help them…Who is them? Looks like finding out who I am supposed to help is a job for tonight then…
First priority though, finding out where Gohan has gone. I could get into trouble for this, considering I never mentioned it to anyone. May Gohan be okay and if I can't find him anywhere, I might kill him if I have to talk to someone about his disappearance.
"Let's split up," I suggest, "Erasa can help too."
"I will get her and we will separate to find him," Videl nods, "we only have twenty minutes until breakfast. We will have to make it quick."
I nod and we both run in opposite directions to find Gohan before breakfast.
Elsewhere…
"I can't go back there." Gohan hunches over his own body tiredly.
"You have to." The 11 year old spirit stares at his older-self in seriousness.
Gohan voices, "I'm so humiliated. Why have I stayed like this for years? I can't let them see me like this!" He throws his fists in the air in frustration.
"What? See you grieve? For crying out loud! Stop being such a baby!" The younger Gohan attempts to provoke his human-half.
"I can't!" Gohan cries tears, "I'm the reason my Father is dead."
The spirit flinches at his words. He felt the same way for years. Finally he felt the burden lifted, however he felt upset dealing with this pain alone, "Great…we're in the period of grieving," the spirit of Gohan sighs, "you know we could have grieved together at once after Dad dying…we could've avoided this."
"Leave me alone!" Gohan yells in sorrow at his former self.
The pre-teen Gohan remarks, "No can do my counterpart. I am you, plus if I do, we both die. How does that sound?"
"Just be quiet." His voice calms.
The spirit confesses to him; the older Gohan, "You know this isn't going to be the easiest part of becoming one. Our mental state won't be healed until the physical state has been restored first."
"Why?" Gohan questions in annoyance. Today and the past day has been nothing, but draining to the human-side of the demi-Saiyan. He just wants this pain in his chest to stop aching so much.
"I have gotten many flashbacks over the years and because you've forgotten how to fight, you're going to need to remember the past even more." The see-through image of Gohan states sternly.
"I don't want to!" Gohan screams letting loose more tears.
"I didn't want to either!" The spirit cries, "I was left alone. I am still 11, we both mentally are and for us to get through this we have to work together to be 18 like every other person, who has your age."
"Can you leave me alone?" Gohan's speaks weakly.
"I'm sorry, I can't. We are dying inside." The spirit voices in sympathy, "the people who have heard me over the years will hear everything I say to you. They might even be able to see me now."
Gohan's eyes are wide open in shock, "People? Can people besides me, see you?"
"I'm not sure yet. I know that a few have heard me." The spirit comes clean about the truth of talking to others crying out for help.
"Who has?" Gohan asks in sadness, wiping tears away.
The spirits voice admits, "Vegeta is one."
"Of course, this is how he knew everything," Gohan comments, "anyone else?"
"Our younger brother, Goten." The voice confesses with guilt.
"What! He knows?" Gohan growls, "Why?"
"He was my main source of communication over the past seven years," The 11 year old admits with sadness, "he was more understanding than anyone and didn't have the tendency to ask questions like the idiotic human."
"Human?" Gohan looks in puzzlement.
"Your classmate Sharpener," The spirit scratches his neck like his dead father, "he always asks too many questions."
"How long have you been talking to him?" Gohan demands, almost in a yell.
"Well, I've gotten desperate of the years. I tried every classmate, except the noisy girl."
He asks worrisome tone, "How often do you go into his dreams?"
"Well… to begin with at least half of the week and now every night." The Saiyan-side admits.
"What? You're annoying Sharpener that often!" Gohan looks in shock, "did you go into his dreams last night?"
The 11 year old nods, "I did."
"How, you were here in front of me in entire night?" Gohan asks in confusion.
He explains, "Since we are so broken, I can be in few places at once. Like the multi-form technique – that is how I communicated with him while I was here. I only, however can have one copy of myself sent somewhere else. So I only pop into a persons dreams half of the night, not the entire night."
"Have you been in Goten's or Vegeta's?" Gohan asks in fear of the answer. He hopes no-one really knows what is going on.
"Vegeta's I can't because he is too close-minded with his past. He doesn't open himself up enough. He has heard me of course, but to let me in his dreams would open up who he really is. I don't think he will allow anyone except Bulma to see the real him." The spirit explains.
"And Goten?"
"Every night I would see him. I wanted him to see the real us. He knows who I am, but he knows something is off with you," he explains, "not at first did he know what was wrong, but as he got older he recognises it. He knows you hide your feelings."
"Really…" Gohan sighs sadly. Regret is apparent on his young face. He wishes he could go back and make things right, but even if he could, how would he?
"If it weren't for Goten we would be dead along time ago." The spirit tells his counterpart.
"What do you mean?" He questions in confusion, unsure of whether or not to be in shock.
The younger ghost-like Gohan explains, "Visiting his spirit every night has kept us alive because he knows both sides of his brother unlike the whole world, but not for much longer, if we don't do something about this problem."
Capsule Corp…
"I can't find him anywhere!" Videl tells me. Metres behind is my tired blonde haired friend.
Erasa reaches us, "We couldn't – we looked everywhere we thought he may be." She says trying to catch her breath in attempt to keep up with her best friend the entire time during the search for Gohan.
"I saw no sign of him at all." I explain to them, "I think we need to tell someone."
"And if he isn't in any trouble, he is going get it." Videl sighs, "it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Let's go tell his Godmother," I suggest, "she might more lenient." I hope this goes well.
Minutes later…
"You're telling me, he isn't here?" Bulma asks in uncertainty.
Videl replies, "No, we looked before breakfast."
"I never saw him come in last night and he never slept in his bed." I clarify.
"Is he okay?" Erasa asks, "I hope he is. I am getting worried."
"Hey, I didn't catch your names." Bulma puts her hand on Erasa's shoulder in comfort.
"I'm Videl," she explains, "this is Sharpener" pointing towards me.
"And I am Erasa." She looks down worriedly.
"I can tell you this guys, Gohan has had a tendency to runaway from confronting things," I sigh in relief, "however, this behaviour is so unlike him. Not saying anything to anyone."
I shudder, "Do you think he is okay?"
"Physically I think he is." Bulma admits.
Videl questions, "What do you mean, physically?"
"My husband has told me some strange things about Gohan over the past seven years, about things the boy has done. Something isn't right." Bulma makes us puzzled, "I won't go into specifics, except it's got to do with how he is dealing with things."
"I don't know what you mean, but that doesn't sound good." Erasa speaks in quietly.
I am unsure of whether or not to be shocked. What is Gohan dealing with then? Did he lose someone besides his Dad? Or can't he find himself?
"All I ask of you guys, considering you all care for Gohan, is that you be supportive and be patient with him." Bulma stares in all seriousness. "I have a feeling things are getting ugly for him, though I don't know why now, why not earlier." Bulma repeats, "Just be there for him."
"We will," I state as others both nod.
"Good, now I will work on the issue at hand." Bulma says, "Has someone told any of the teachers anything?"
"No" We all say.
"Good, keep it that way, we don't need any worried teachers on our hands. Plus getting them to call Gohan's Mother would be their biggest mistake," Bulma shudders at the thought of her Godsons Mother calling up on the phone and entering Capsule Corp, while making a scene about her 'precious baby'.
In the gravity room…
"Vegeta!" A screen appears with an image.
"What now Woman, why are you interrupting important training?" Vegeta growls in annoyance at yet another interruption. His wife always does this, especially when she wants something from him.
"No-one can find Gohan. Can you please go find him and bring him to me?" Bulma asks worried about her Godson.
"Why me?" Vegeta frowns.
Bulma explains "Because no-one knows how to sense ki," She yells, "find him!"
"Fine Woman, but you owe me for this," Vegeta scowls, "especially because you interrupted my training."
"Thank you." Bulma smiles sadly and then switches off the screen.
Vegeta uses his senses to find Kakarott's oldest brat, however he can sense two of them, together. He flies as fast as he can without transforming, worried something is wrong.
Meanwhile in a bedroom of Capsule Corp…
"I've got something to confess to you guys." I say with guilt, "I kind of forgot to mention it." I tell Erasa and Videl.
"What did you forget to mention Sharpener?" Videl asks. She stares in annoyance as I haven't told her that about Gohan.
"Right, when I realised Gohan had a sad look in his eyes, there was something else I learnt when talking to him properly for the first time." I admit. Gohan was so sad and looked so tired. I don't know what is wrong with him; it is affecting him, eating up his soul alive.
"What?" Erasa questions eagerly awaiting an answer.
"Gohan's Father passed away," I hear gasps from both girls, "I know that's one reason why he is sad."
"You mean there is more?" Erasa asks in shock.
I make my opinion clear, "It seems like there is, it couldn't just be that one thing affecting him."
"How would you know?" Videl looks in puzzlement knowing that the loss of her Mother was too much to bear.
"Well I've been having these dreams lately and I'm not sure if it is a coincidence or not." I explain.
Videl remarks, "What dreams?"
"I keep having dreams with a young boy who is like 11 or 12 years old." I mention to my best friends. They are going to think I am some weirdo or something.
"That's strange." Erasa stares in disbelief.
"That's not the strange part. I don't know them…or at least I don't think I do. We've all seen him, seven years ago."
"What do you mean?" Videl questions, waiting for me elaborate.
I put into plain words the truth, of what it seems to be, to me, "The little boy is from the Cell Games with the golden hair."
"What!" Both girls look at each other in shock and then stare at me, "How?"
"That's what I don't know," I confess, "That's what I need to find out."
Meanwhile…
The 11 year old scowls in anger, "You have to get back up again. Did you forget that? What Daddy taught us, but then again it's like you to forget the important things."
"Will you shut up?" Gohan yells in annoyance at his younger Saiyan-self.
"Now you know how I feel, you never stop thinking about your precious studies. You're too worried about tests to make Mum proud, rather than your own existence."
"Will you leave me alone already?" Gohan shouts in defeat burying his head into his knees.
"Why can't you just admit it? You're scared!" The spirit stares, "you're terrified –"
A voice interrupts, "Look at what we have here." Their voice sends shivers up the 18 year olds spine. Both teenage Gohan and pre-teen Gohan turn to see his face.
"Vegeta," Gohan announces his presence, unsure to be angry or sad. Are the secrets within him out? Is all that is going to be left is humiliation?
"Our knight in shining armour," The 11 year old Saiyan-side says in noted sarcasm, "took you long enough to save this damsel in distress."
Vegeta looks in shock, "Gohan?"
"That's us," The golden haired Saiyan boy explains, "both of us."
Thank you for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it! There should be another chapter or two up in a few weeks. :)
- Pink Sparkles