Hey. Sorry I've been gone so long, but I'm back, fixing a few of my past mistakes. Anyway, enjoy!
Gohan Son grunted as he flipped through the air, landing flatly on the ground and punching his fists out in a rapid repetition, before whirling towards the canyon wall and thrusting out his fists, firing a bright yellow ki blast that blew a foot-wide hole in the wall.
"Is that the best you've got, boy?" Cell laughed. Gohan gritted his teeth as an image of bright green light shot through his head, followed by the empty blank stare of April Thompson, sprawled out on the floor of the Hospital Wing.
"You're no hero! You're a bloody failure!" Gohan shrieked again as he fired again, blowing a second hole in the wall as he tried to block out the tear filled face of Cho Chang and the rage-filled one of Elyse Thompson. More images flashed through Gohan's mind as he went more and more bezerk. After an unknown amount of time, Gohan finally opened his eyes, panting hard while light wisps of smoke floated away from his hands. The canyon was a wreck, holes and piles of rubble everywhere. He wiped sweat from his face as he floated down towards the nearby river, landing on the side.
He took a deep breath as he looked down at the river, pausing as he looked at his refection. He let out a sharp gasp as the image distorted. Now, his image seemed to look back at him, smiling at him with glowing red eyes.
"Who am I? Why, I'm you, just better in every way." He grinned. A flash of green light illuminated his thoughts, followed by Cedric's sprawled body, floating vats full of familiar faces, hundreds of screams…
The image exploded into a shower of water. Gohan panted as he lowered his still-smoking hand. He knelt to the water and took several deep gulps before leaping in. He shot out several minutes later, taking a deep breath before drying himself. He paused, letting his towel drop on the ground.
"I know you're there!" he called out. He turned to see Piccolo and Bardock standing behind him, flat expressions on their faces.
"Well, you've been training hard." Piccolo frowned as he glanced at all of the destruction. Gohan gritted his teeth.
"Your point?" he asked. Piccolo simply looked at him. Bardock laughed.
"Stubborn and hardheaded. A good saiyan!" he smirked.
"I've known you long enough to know when something's bothering you. I know that you're still blaming yourself for what happened." Gohan glared at Piccolo.
"I'm fine, Piccolo." Gohan gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Well… I can tell that you're not yourself. I will never understand this… dating thing." Gohan froze. No, there was no way Piccolo could have found out, no one knew! Bardock simply grinned.
"I guess I'm trying to say… sorry that it didn't work out with that American girl." Piccolo finished with what Gohan could have sworn that the Namekian had a red blush on his face. Gohan let out a soft sigh of relief. So, Piccolo didn't know.
"Relax, Piccolo. It was never going to work out with Jenny and me, we're just friends. We trade letters nowadays, and I'm planning on dropping by the States sometime." Piccolo nodded.
"You two here for a reason?" Piccolo nodded.
"Dumbledore's at your house. Wants to speak to you." Gohan gaped at Piccolo. He hadn't seen Dumbledore since he left Hogwarts last year.
"What? Why now?" Piccolo shrugged. Gohan shot into the air, leaving Piccolo looking up as he faded into the distance.
"Well Gohan… you're certainly not yourself." Piccolo murmured softly.
"That's an understatement." Bardock added.
Gohan shot through the air, not even slowing down until his house came into view. He settled down in front of his door and pushed it open. Sure enough, Dumbledore was sitting at the dining room table with a smoking cup of tea in his hand, Goten sitting across from him, staring with wide eyes.
"Wow! When can I get my letter? I'm a wizard too!" Dumbledore simply chuckled.
"Professor?" Dumbledore looked up with a smile on his face.
"Ahh, Mr. Son, excellent to see you again. I see you're still training as hard as ever." With a jolt, Gohan realized that he was standing sweaty and shirtless in the middle of his living room, since his shirt had been blasted to rags during the chaos.
"Oh crud, I better change before" unfortunately, Gohan was far too late.
"GOHAN EINSTEIN SON! We have company, have you lost your mind?" Chi-Chi screamed as she stared at Gohan with a look of absolute disbelief on her face, causing both saiyans to cringe. Dumbledore simply smiled.
"It's no problem at all, Miss Son." Dumbledore raised his wand and point it at Gohan.
"Scourgify!" Gohan felt a light tickling sensation before appearing completely clean. Dumbledore again flicked his wand, causing new clothes to appear on Gohan.
"Cool!" Goten clapped with wild excitement and wide eyes.
"Ms. Son, might it be alright if I speak to Gohan alone? There are a few things we must discuss." Chi-Chi looked from Gohan to Dumbledore before nodding and dragging off a very reluctant Goten.
"He takes after his father, I see." Gohan nodded at that, ignoring the sharp pang in his heart.
"You're a little out of the way, aren't you, Professor? What brings you here?" Dumbledore smiled, his eyes seemingly twinkling. He rose and walked over to the fireplace, tossing floo powder in, causing it to flash green. He stepped in, vanishing in a flash. Gohan frowned, but followed him. He stepped out to find himself in the headmaster's office in Hogwarts, with Fawkes perched on his perch and the many spinning silver instruments.
"I always wondered what happened here during the summer." Gohan joked as he glanced out the window, looking down at Hagrid's cabin.
"I won't keep you long, Mr. Son. I hear you have a date with Ms. Weasley tonight." Dumbledore smiled at Gohan's shocked expression.
"Your secret is safe with me, Mr. Son. I find you two to be quite a cute couple." Dumbledore added to Gohan's immense relief.
"Look, we just don't want people to know yet, especially with the bad press on my head." Dumbledore nodded.
"I take it that you've been reading the Daily Prophet?" Gohan nodded. He had read what the Prophet was writing about Harry and Dumbledore, and especially the stuff about him. None of it good.
"I've seen it, Professor, believe me. The stuff that they're saying about you and Harry is outrageous! I knew Fudge was afraid, but this…" Dumbledore nodded.
"Cornelius is afraid, Gohan. He refuses to accept that the Dark Lord has returned, and will go to any lengths to claim otherwise." Gohan blinked in confusion.
"But what about Cell? Fudge can't push that under the bridge." Dumbledore smiled
"Exactly, Gohan. Cell is still a threat, which means that Cornelius can't claim that all is well. However, he has also shifted all of the blame to Cell, claiming that it was all his planning to assassinate you." Gohan sighed.
"I'm not exactly popular at the minute, Professor. There are a lot of people who think Cell's only attacking Hogwarts because of me… which is true. I led him there in the first place. " Dumbledore simply frowned at Gohan.
"No, Gohan. You mustn't blame yourself for what has happened. However, there are other, urgent things we must discuss." Gohan nodded.
"I will not deny that I have had some requests that I have you expelled from Hogwarts for the safety of the school." Gohan shrugged.
"Maybe they're right." Dumbledore simply smiled.
"If that is how you feel, Gohan, then why did you turn down all those offers?" Gohan stared at Dumbledore, who simply smiled at him.
"Yes, I'm aware of the offers that you received last year from Kakaroff, Maxine, and Miss Griffin. Yet, you chose to turn them all down and stay with Hogwarts. Why?" Gohan shrugged.
"Well, Professor… Hogwarts was the first place where I really…. belonged, where I made all of my friends. No matter what comes, I won't abandon them, no matter what." The look of Dumbledore's face was that of pure pride, and Gohan could have sworn that he saw a tear in the edge of Dumbledore's face that quickly vanished.
"I need your help, Gohan. As we speak, I've been assembling a group to combat both Cell and Voldemort." Gohan nodded.
"The Order of the Pheonix, right? I heard you mention it before." Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes, and I've already spoken to Piccolo, who's agreed to call together the Z-Fighters. But, we've got another plan in motion. As we speak, Dende is on his way to New Namek with Miss Briefs to resurrect an old friend of yours…" Gohan gaped at Dumbledore as a feeling of shock erupted through him.
"Professor… do you mean?" he nodded.
"But, that is not why I called you here, Gohan." Dumbledore looked up, meeting Gohan's eyes with his blue ones.
"I have a mission for you, if you're willing."
This is a new twist, right? What does Dumbledore want? Enjoy?