Chapter 5
:Gohan is injured
Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Dragon Ball Z. All rights are owned by their respective owners,Toei, Toriyama, etc. This is purely a fanfictional work done by a simple fan done for fun. I do no get profit from this in any way.
It had been hours since they'd started their search and Gohan and Videl still hadn't found anything. "Man! We've been at this for hours! I hope we find it soon, otherwise I think I'll go crazy from the boredom!" Videl complained as they flew high above the ground. "Stop complaining, you'll get your excitement soon enough, don't you worry." Gohan said, trying to reassure Videl. Suddenly Gohan's eyes started frantically darting left and right as his senses were bombarded by a strong force from nearby. Suddenly they noticed a greenish light coming down from above them. They both looked above and saw a large green orb coming down on them. Gohan grabbed Videl by the arm and pulled both her and himself out of the way. Gohan reacted quickly due to his greater training and experience which didn't have. He rushed both himself and Videl down until they made a fast landing on the ground. Videl was shoved to the ground by Gohan for her safety. "Well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind!" Videl sarcastically exclaimed. Gohan however, was too busy seriously scanning the skies for the threat to respond. He quickly powered up to Super Saiyan to try and strengthen his senses. Suddenly another orb of green light broke through a Namekian cliffrise and headed for them from the back. Gohan noticed that this one was aimed directly at Videl. Acting on impulse alone, Gohan placed himself in front of the energy attack and took the hit full on in the back for Videl.
Gohan's scream tore at Videl's heart as she watched like slow motion as Gohan took the hit and fell down in front of her. He hit the ground face down and reverted back to his normal form almost immediately. Videl looked like she was in shock as she watched the crumpled form of the once mighty warrior boy she'd grown to admire. The back of his shirt was almost completely gone revealing the burnt flesh underneath. Videl found herself shaking as she tried turning him over so she could face him forward. When she finally got him forward she saw that his face and arms had scattered patches of blood on them. She also saw that the front of his shirt was still there, but it, along with his pants were tattered and torn. Suddenly, Gohan's eyes opened and he looked at Videl with what looked like a smile. "Hey Videl, are you okay?" Gohan weakly asked. Videl was heartened to see that was still alive and gave a weak smile but tears still came from her eyes to see him in this bad way. "I'm fine, but why'd you have to go and do that for? Now you're hurt." Videl weakly responded. "There wasn't time to think, my body just moved. But I'm glad I did it and you're safe. Over the last two months you've become... my... best... friend..." Gohan weakly got out as he then collapsed.
Suddenly, Videl couldn't feel Gohan's energy. "G-G-Gohan? GOHAN?" Videl yelled out while frantically shaking him but he never moved. The realisation dawned on her that he might be dead and soon tears started flowing freely from her eyes. Then a terrible feeling, the most terrible feeling of anger and pain than she had ever felt overcame her. Then more power then she could have ever imagined started bursting through her and the ground began to shake around her. Her eyes began turning from their beautiful sky blue into anger filled deep teal, a flaming yellow aura started to surround her body and her hair was pushed slightly upwards as if by some unseen wind and they turned golden. The shaking stopped and there she stood, transformed into a Super Saiyan, with tears still fresh in her eyes over the body of her fallen hero and friend Gohan.
Up on a cliff that was next to them, the tall figure of a man with a green aura loomed. It was impossible to see any of his features clearly since one of the Namekian suns was directly behind him and shadowed him. However, Videl knew that this was the person who had attacked them and so it was his fault for Gohan sacrificing himself for her. She cupped her hands above her head and began gathering all her energy, all her rage into the one energy attack Gohan had taught her.
"MASENKO-HAAAA!" she screamed out the attacks name as she pushed her arms forward and sent the distinctive yellow beam straight at her enemy. The tall figure seemed surprised by both her transformation and the attack sent at him but he managed to catch the attack with both hands. But the attack wasn't deflected as the assailant continued to try to hold the attack in place as Videl continued to push and a struggle between defence and attack developped. Eventually Videl's attack pushed him up off the cliff and up into the distant sky. The assailant managed to hop off his free ride at a distance where he was only a dot in Videl's sight and he then went down to the ground to hide.
Meanwhile, Goku, Vegeta and Trunks all sensed that there was a battle going on and they rushed to the scene. When they got there just moments after Videl had sent off her attacker and they saw shocked them. "Wow! Man! I don't believe it. Am I seeing things right? Videl's a Super Saiyan?" Goku exclaimed with widened eyes and a shocked look on his face. "Impossible!" Vegeta exclaimed with wide eyes and an equally shocked face. Videl looked up and noticed that the cavalry had arrived. "Goku! Vegeta! Trunks! You're...here..." Videl managed to get out before she detransformed and collapsed from exhaustion. Goku rushed immediately to Videl's side to check up on her. "It's alright. It looks like she's just exhausted." Goku said, relieved. "Goku! Gohan's in bad shape! I'm not sure if he's going to last long!" Trunks yelled out as he took an examination of Gohan. "Oh No! Gohan! Quick! Give him to me. I'll take him back to the village with my Instant Transmission." Goku said in almost a panic. Trunks picked up Gohan's limp body and gave him to his father as Goku then put two fingers to his forehead and vanished.
Trunks picked up Videl and prepared to lift off when he noticed that Vegeta was looking off somewhere and he looked worried. "Is something wrong father?" asked Trunks. "I sense that whoever did this to Gohan is still somewhere nearby. And if he managed to do that to Gohan then he should have no fear of us. If so then why does he hide? I don't like it." Vegeta said. "Whatever reason he has to hide it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he's not attacking us and we should use this time to get away while we have it. Our first concern right now should be to get Gohan and Videl to safety and not worry about their attacker. If he is our enemy than he'll reveal himself to us eventually but for right let's just let it go." Trunks suggested as he then lifted off into the air. Vegeta grunted in frustation but he didn't argue and followed Trunks. Meanwhile, the mysterious figure that attacked the children lurked in the shadows nearby observing everything that had transpired. "Tell my father that our search is over." he said with a gruff voice that sounded devoid of emotion into a small communications device in his hand.
Goku reappeared in the middle of the village and then quickly started running around screaming for help. "Help! Help! Somebody please, quick help!" he screamed. "Goku? What's going on?" frantically asked Bulma as she and Chi-Chi came out of the ship. "Gohan's been hurt bad! Trunks doesn't think he'll last long!" Goku exclaimed as ran towards them. "OH NO! My Baby!" screamed Chi-Chi as she tried to run and embrace her son but Goku ran by her too fast. "Oh my god! Quick, this way Goku! Bring him to the infirmary! I'll take care of him." Bulma said, frantically waving him up the stairs and then leading him up to the ship's infirmary. Goku then quickly placed Gohan on operating table and he was then shoved out the door by Bulma and shut out.
Goku and Chi-Chi continued to wait outside the infirmary for a long time. Chi-Chi was too upset and worried by Gohan for her to yell at Goku. During the entire time she just cried on Goku's shoulder with Goku trying to comfort her. About a half hour after Goku had arrived did Vegeta and Trunks arrive with Videl in their arms. Videl was placed in her bed in her room since she was only exhausted and not hurt. Trunks joined the others in the outside vigil for Gohan. Although Vegeta didn't join the others he still stayed closeby, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed waiting for any news on Gohan. Finally, after about two and a half hours of waiting, Bulma came out of the infirmary looking exhausted. "Well? What's the verdict? How badly was my baby hurt? Is he even going to make it? Please tell me Bulma!" questioned a very worried looking Chi-Chi. "We were lucky this time. Had Goku not gotten him to me as fast as he did I might not have been able to do much. But as it stands, Gohan is going to be just fine. It may take him a few weeks but Gohan will make a full recovery." Bulma proudly declared and everyone breathed a sign of relief.
"GOKU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" screamed Chi-Chi, deciding to unleash her anger on her usual suspect, her husband. "What? Me? How is it my fault?" asked Goku, taken a little aback by Chi-Chi's sudden mood swing and also honestly not knowing what exactly he'd done wrong. "You allowed Gohan to come with you and when you came back you practically brought him in on a stretcher. Did you send him off to fight God knows what all alone again? As his father you shouldn't have let him fight! You should've protected him!" Chi-Chi went off ranting. Suddenly, a small voice came out of nowhere and stopped Chi-Chi in her rant. "It wasn't Goku's fault!" yelled out the small voice. Everyone looked to their side and saw that Videl was awake again and that she was tiredly leaning on the doorframe of her room. "What did you say?" questioned a surprised Chi-Chi. "I said it wasn't Goku's fault, it was mine. We were ambushed by someone or something I don't know what but we were caught off guard. An energy blast came straight for me and if I hadn't been so weak. *sniff* Then Gohan wouldn't have had to protect me by taking the hit himself." Videl confessed with tear laden eyes.
For a moment, it looked as if Chi-Chi was going to listen to Videl and let Goku off the hook. But then Chi-Chi tenaciously and stubbornly decided to stick to her guns to put the blame on Goku. "It's okay dear, you're not to blame. Him on the other hand! If he hadn't been such an irresponsible parent and not filled Gohan's head with all this fighting nonesense for all these years then Gohan would be right at home right now safe and sound studying the be the great scholar I've always wanted him to be. He's always wanted to turn my little boy into a fighter like him and ever since Gohan has been starting to act more and more like a delinquent." Chi-Chi ranted with a mix of emotions.
"THAT'S ENOUGH! I've heard just about as much of this as I can stand!" yelled out Videl. "What!?" reacted Chi-Chi. "Gohan is the most kindhearted, most caring, polite and most selfless boy I've ever met and you're saying he's becoming a delinquent? I go to public school so I know the difference between real delinquents and the person that Gohan is and I can tell you that he is not nor will ever be a delinquent. I never thought a mother could misunderstand her son so much. Always demeaning the way Gohan chooses to live his life by constantly saying that he'll become a delinquent when he's not. Why don't you try being a supportive parent and cheer him on when he's off saving the world? Forcing on a lifestyle choice you chose for him isn't good parenting you know. Especially when it's something he might not want to become. Why don't you let Gohan decide what he wants to become and just support it? Goku's been more of a father and more of a role model then you've ever been for Gohan. Goku's always sent himself first into danger in front of Gohan when he could and he always protected him with his life. Goku a bad parent? I'd say that you're the bad parent." ranted Videl. "I agree with Videl one hundred percent." declared Bulma. "What!? You too Bulma?" exclaimed a now nearly broken Chi-Chi.
"I've stood back and watched you take care of Gohan and up until now I've stayed silent because it wasn't my business how you raise your son, but not anymore. This has got to stop now! Goku was willing to let Gohan become a scholar even though that wasn't what he wanted him to become. But you on the other hand, you selfishly and stubbornly stuck to what you wanted your son to become. All of Gohan's life you've wanted him to become nothing but a scholar but that's not what he was meant to do. He's not just your son you know? He's Goku's son too and what that means is that he was always meant to be a fighter. None of us are disputing the fact that Gohan should be educated but if being a scholar isn't what Gohan wants to become then don't try to force him to become one. Besides, while education is important it's not as important as safety of everyone on Earth and to say different is just plain crazy. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that Gohan becoming a scholar would not only mean that there would be no Earth but also that it would only destroy the wonderful person he is already." finished Bulma.
Chi-Chi was near the point of tears after hearing what her best friend had to say and when she looked around herself she saw that everyone there was staring at her with eyes of disappointment. This was the final straw as Chi-Chi finally broke down and fell to her knees and started sobbing with open tears as she finally saw the faults in her ways. Everyone there couldn't help but feel a little guilty in bringing down this once proud woman down to her knees, but they all reminded themselves that it had to be done.
Goku, in his caring nature tried to kneel down and console his wife but she simply brushed him off and ran into her room crying. Goku went to try to comfort her but he was stopped by Bulma. "Bulma? Why..." Goku went to say but was interrupted. "Because she needs time alone. She's just found out that her parenting was bad and for her that was soul shattering. She's questioning her faith right now and she's going to need to seriously reflect on herself if she's going to pull herself back together." explained Bulma and Goku just nodded as they went back to watching Gohan.
Author's Final Thoughts: Well Gohan's been injured in the back by the major baddy. That'll keep him out of action for the next little while, which is what I need him to be unfortunately. But even for a quick healing demi-Saiyan like Gohan a shot to the back like that while being unpowered will take some considerable amount of time to heal, or so I would think anyway. But anyway it should keep him out for the time needed. But three guess' as to who the bad guy responsible is? I'm trying to be obvious but not too obvious as to state it out loud. Don't worry, I'll reveal him in good time, you'll just have to sit tight. I hope I'm making my descriptions loose enough to not be obviou to who it is while it still being obvious in retrospect.
And now with the whole Chi-Chi thing, this was really satisfying to me because this is going to be the wake up call for Chi-Chi to stop being such an overprotective housewife and believe in the silly notion that just because he's fighting that Gohan's going to become a delinquent. Her attitude in the series really annoys me like that and this is my chance to finally break her out of it. Now in my opinion she would be a great mother if she wasn't so obsessed with wanting her son to be a scholar. I know Toriyama based her character like that off of a stereotype of housewifes in Japan and just exagerated it for the show. But really enough is ENOUGH! Chi-Chi's going to have to realise the error of her ways and stop being an extreme bitch as she is. And now that Chi-Chi's been finally stood up to by someone from the younger generation and along with the condoning by her friends, Chi-Chi is finally going to be shocked into realising that. I think that this would be a sufficient shock to the system for Chi-Chi to change for the better. Now don't get me wrong, I'm still going to write Chi-Chi as Chi-Chi, just with a bit of some changes to her outlook and attitude on things. And not so fanatical about how she treats her son. They're just relatively minor things. But I hope you can appreciate what I'm trying to do. Giving Chi-Chi a much deserved attitude adjustment. I hope you enjoy.