Kappa Taicho
A battle between young!Goku and Gohan? This should be good! Can't wait for the next update.
Ahh haha..I hope. Im never proud of my fight scenes.
Aldrizzt
Will Goku be able to tell Gohan is holding back? How will Gohan get Piccolo's trust when Piccolo knows that Gohan is the son of his greatest enemy? Will he reveal to Piccolo that he is from the future?
Piccolo isn't exactly familiar with any of the human family terms, but he does know that they know each other on some level, so it'll be easier to earn trust than if he knew their actual relation, and at some point, yes.
The martial artist knew this was not the person Mr. Popo had sent him looking for as soon as they fell into their respective stances.
That was the Demon King's stance*, in all its demonic perfection.
And a six-year-old boy was using it.
Immediately, Goku begun to question his motives and presence. King Piccolo had killed a lot of people, why would anyone want to be like him? Was he his sensei or something? Nah, Piccolo didn't like humans so he wouldn't teach any of them..Maybe he had kids who wanted to be like him too? Goku remembered a few times after his first tournament when he'd see kids in all orange with strange goo in their hair to make it pointy. When he asked what the heck they were doing, they responded that they were /him./ The teenager didn't understand then, hardly understood now, but did the kid want to be Piccolo? But he wasn't green or evil looking?! He was wearing weird purple clothes though, just like him... If the little boy was a little Piccolo, would he try to kill him for being the one to end the demon? What would he have to do then? Goku didn't want to /hurt/ anyone that young. Maybe he could knock him out and put him somewhere safe, out of reach from dinosaurs, then continue with his quest...after his fight of course.
Oblivious to his companions thoughts, Gohan was thrumming with excitement as he begun to pull apart the stiff parts of his hanfu. It may not be his dad exactly, but he would get to fight him! Usually, he wasn't a big fan of training or sparring just for the fun of it, but whenever he saw his father moving swiftly about the ground or the air, throwing punch after punch, kick after kick, as graceful as a swan in its movements, he got the overwhelming desire to dive out his window and fly to join the man. Unfortunately, as if sensing his wondering thoughts, his mother would appear in the doorway to his bedroom every time and scold him for slacking off. This time, there would be no one to prevent him from sparring with his dad! This time, he could actually /beat/ his daddy in a fight. He could be the strong one.
"Are you ready?" He asked, smiling cheekily as he folded his outer yukata and loosened his sash to make his leg movement less restricted before setting it on a rock.
Snapping out of his wondering thoughts, Goku grinned and motioned him forward without a word.
When he shot forward, he was /almost/ too fast to see. Quickly, Goku darted backwards and to the side before lunging at the advancing boy with his fist out. It was knocked up and into the air with a single swipe of a small hand and then its counterpart was buried in his face before he could even think about blocking, but he quickly retaliated by throwing his leg out and sweeping his feet from out under him.
He brought his clasped hands down into the youths exposed side and then shot off, not bothering to wait for the inevitable recovery. He was fast, he was powerful, and was definitely trained by the best, which apparently wasn't Master Roshi. But, Goku could feel him softening the blows before they hit him. And while his speed was incredible, he almost seemed to be just taking an effortless stroll! Just how powerful was he?
"Gohen," He nearly whined, "don't hold back! Its not right to underestimate your opponent because you think they're weaker! Show me what ya got!"
"But da- Goku," he seemed nervous as he jumped forward, breaking through all his defenses and nailing him who knows how many times in the gut, drawing a slight wince from him, "I don't want to hurt you."
"I'll say when somethin' hurts me!" He frowned just a bit. He didn't have to hurt him, but he didn't have to hold back either! If he was as strong as he thought he was, Goku wanted to learn everything he knew and more, momentarily forgetting this was a boy he thought to be parading around like his dead rival.
Still, Gohen held back.
It really wasn't any fun if your opponent held back. It also made his heart hurt and face burn. He could be strong! He wasn't vain enough to believe he was strongest in the world or anything, but he was a talented fighter and wanted to be fought like one. Usually, he only got treated like this from older fighters, not another KID! He thought he would understand that feeling.
"ARGH!" he smashed into the smaller with all the force he possessed. He flipped over him then kicked him in the back, ripping a pained cry from the child. Even then, he didn't fight harder. It felt like his veins were on fire and his vision was red and his frustration was evident on his face. Why'd he agree to fight if he didn't want to fight?
A fist cracked against his snarling teeth and suddenly everything was clear again. He flew back and broke through two trees before he stopped. It hurt. A lot. He clamped a hand over his mouth to still his vibrating teeth and whipped his head up to peer at the other who had did the same thing, though it looked to be more out of fear and surprise than pain.
"DADDY!" Huh? "Daddy are you okay?" He had tears in his eyes, some already falling and dripping down his cheeks.
Curiously, Goku reached up and swiped some away almost as if to see if they were real. "Gohen? Why are you cryin'? Did I hit you too hard?" He scratched his head as he dragged himself to stand up from the splintered wood all around him, stretching and cracking his back. "Whew! You're strong!"
"Y-You're hurt!"
"Nah, its just a little bruisin' I think," he twisted around back and forth as if to see the injuries to his back.
"What about your teeth?!
Blinking, the worlds savior flicked his tongue around his mouth and was met with a peculiar gap. "Mah toof ish gun!" he exclaimed, tongue still wedged into the gaping spot.
"I-I didn't mean to," the younger squeaked, "You just looked really mad, and I didn't know what to do..so I hit you harder like you wanted," there was a slight frown on his face, ducking his head and dropping his shoulders, "I'm sorry.."
Goku scratched at his chest, where the rage had slammed through his heart and pumped agony in his veins. He'd never felt that way before, and he didn't like it either. It was strange, and he felt as though if Gohen hadn't been strong enough, he would've seriously done something he'd quickly regret. But, if Gohen hadn't been strong in the first place, he wouldn't have felt that way. He shrugged it off, not wanting to deal with the confusion.
"Yeah, dunno what happened. Just got mad, but no reason to be sorry! I had fun," he winced but grinned as he tried to stretch again, "Wow Gohen! Im beat! Haven't felt this bad since Master Roshi made us train with the 50 ton shells," he exclaimed, rolling his arms to try to ease the throbbing muscles, "You're the strongest fighter I've ever met!"
Grinning stupidly, Gohen flushed and wrung his hands, basking in the praise, "T-Thank you."
"Im hungry! Let's find food!" He snatched up the younger boys clothes and then his own. He was about to march through the woods in search of food before he stopped, frowned, then turned to look at his new friend, "Hey! Where were /you/ when King Piccolo was 'round? You coulda beat him easy!"
It was harder to lie to his little father than it was to his mother. When he asked where he'd been while they were being terrorized, he clammed up and was sure he was doing a spectacular impression of a fish for a good minute. There were too many lies and excuses he had to come up with in this time, and it was weighing heavily on his heart. Finally, he managed to come up with the lie that'd he'd been living by himself in the wild, and didn't know about him or his defeat until recently. That involved some impromptu acting in which he "realized" this was THE Son Goku here, the boy that saved them all. After "ooing" and "aahing," the teen asked him if he was gonna start being like him.
Whatever that meant.
Then, Goku shot off ahead, grinning and talking about what kind of fish or animal they could find out here. Gohan watched unphased as his half naked father bounced around the woods. They weren't very modest people. Instead, he dragged up the fresh memory of the others rage.
That's all there was. Rage. Rage that he was holding back, rage that he dare deprive him of the fight, rage that he'd do anything but hit him with all he had. The rage and instincts of a saiyan unleashed.
Chewing on his lip, Gohan watched the happy-as-could-be boy look around. He was fine now, just like regular Goku. But, he'd never be the same. He'd already changed the past drastically. His father hadn't come across an opponent that held back while he fought at full strength until Frieza came around. Just the name made him shiver and frown. All that saiyan pride and rage didn't burst forth and rear it ugly head until then. His father, even as a kid, wasn't one to gloat or bask in the defeat of a foe. But, for the briefest moment, he felt like he was being yelled at as he watched the sweet face contort in hate and anger.
"I BEAT PICCOLO! IM STRONG! FIGHTMEFIGHTMEFIGHTME!"
He'd been able to snap him back with a punch to the face, effectively showing him he was stronger and this was just a spar. They weren't battling for blood or to the death.
But, that wasn't the case on Namek, and after the fight with Frieza, his father disappeared off into space to train. He'd been given a taste of what it was like to be underestimated, and be didnt want that to happen again. He just wanted to fight, and he wanted to fight the strongest there was just to prove he was even stronger. He left them behind to train in space for a year.
He blinked.
A year. It'd been a year since the battle on Namek. His father had been gone a year and he was never going to see him again. He never even got to say goodbye. Unable to stop himself, tears burst from his eyes and a strangled sob tore itself from his throat. "D-Daddy why...?"
"You called me that earlier, y'know? Wha- Whoa!" the taller blinked over his shoulder, noticing his distress suddenly. "Gohen..?" He asked softly, frowning uncertainly as he turned to face him fully.
Gohan couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to; he darted forward and smacked straight into the others bare chest, tucking his head underneath his chin and throwing his arms around his shoulders. He smelled just like his daddy. Like sweat and grass, with a smidge of pine. Everything else was so different, but very much the same. If only the boy was as big as regular 15 year olds, he could pretend..
"Um..Bulma's cried on me before," he paused but then awkwardly set a hand on his back, "she said if you do this, it makes ya feel better...does it?"
He nodded, trying to stifle his sobs but failing miserably as the hand rubbed his back in awkward jerky motions, but they were soothing nonetheless.
"Are ya cryin' bout the battle? I mean, I really am- No? Oh..is it that daddy person you keep talkin' bout? That's what Bulma calls Grampa Briefs, but I dunno what it means really. She says its the guy that takes care of you. I had Granpa Gohan, and I didn't call him that, so I dunno what she means either," he scratched his head quietly, looking to be in deep thought.
"Daddy...daddies usually take care of you," came Gohan's muffled voice, "mommies too, but sometimes there's grandpas and grandmas too..and aunts and uncles. There's a lot. E-Everyone's different..They're supposed to feed you and make sure you're happy until you can do it yourself.."
"Wow! Ain't it hard to remember all that? I'm glad I just had Granpa Gohan...i'd forget everyone else! Hm..if your daddy takes care of you, why are ya alone, Gohen?"
Pausing, Gohan played with the hair at the nape of the boys neck, calming down somewhat. He didn't know why he was alone or why his daddy didn't want to take care of him anymore. Finally, he answered; "He left me."
"Wah! What a meanie," he could hear the frown in his tone, "Why'd you call me that earlier? 'M not mean like him, am I?"
"No," he giggled quietly, "You remind me of him. He likes to fight a lot too, and his hair is like yours."
"Like mine? Never seen that before! Hmmm," Goku pushed him away gently, hands settled on his shoulders as he held him at arms length. Suddenly, his face lit up. "I can be your daddy!"
Gohan blinked dumbly.
"I look like him already, right? And I can take care of ya! We can train together and hunt for food like I usta after Granpa Gohan died! Mr. Popo and Kami take care of me cause I gotta train for the tournament," he gasped and looked at him with delight, "you should join me! We can train on the Lookout together, then fight in the tournament! An after that, we can go back to Grandpa Gohan's house! It's small, but I can make it bigger, if ya want. We can train and eat together all ya want! You can call me daddy, and i'll take care of you, and we'll train and eat alot, " he nodded enthusiastically.
He wanted to say yes. A chance to spend years with his dad, even if it was fake and wrong and he'd mess up life for everyone else. It was selfish but he didn't have to be alone. All he had to do was train and probably eat fish for the rest of his life, but that was okay. He liked fish, and as long as he got to watch him fight, he believed he'd learn to love to fight, as long as there was daddy. He could still probably study if he found a way to get books, and he could get a job too when he was older. He could protect his daddy from Raditz and nothing bad would ever happen to them. The "ok" was on the tip of his tongue when he saw a flash of something out the corner of his eye.
He glanced over and noticed Goku had propped their clothes against a tree on his stick. His purple yukata had fell off and hit the ground just then. It was a few shades lighter, but close enough to stir up a memory. Piccolo.
Piccolo was truly alone.
There hadn't been anybody there for Piccolo since the day he'd been spit up. Seven long years of solitude. Seven years filled with hate and loneliness, even if the namekian had gotten used to it. He shouldn't of had to have gotten used to it in the first place, no one should. Piccolo didn't know what humans were like, and humans didn't know what he was like. They saw a green thing with fangs and ran for the hills. He couldn't doom Piccolo like that, not again.
"I can't leave Mr. Piccolo out there all alone..I have to be with him. Then, neither one of us would be alone."
Hesitantly at first, but then surely, he shook his head and offered a smile, "No..I gotta take care of someone else..and they only like me-," well, not yet, "so, I can't bring them with me."
Crestfallen, the teen could only mutter, "Oh."
"I'll still train with you sometimes."
Ah, there was that thousand watt smile he was familiar with. He shifted his weight and tilted his head to the side in thought, flexing his hands. "U-um..Goku.. ? Could I...Could I call you daddy anyway..?"
"Sure Gohen! I guess Im gonna feed you, so its still like what daddies do! You still hafta join the tournament." He grinned and then his stomach grumbled.
Gohan then realized his father had actually stopped looking for food in order to console him. Perhaps he changed too much already.
After watching his fathers butt wiggle as he peered into a rabbit hole, he decided he hadn't done a thing.
The game in the forest was scarce, and it made Gohan wonder what was up with this place. It was odd, but maybe they'd all been driven out?
"Mmmm..Gohen, smell that? Food!"
He glanced up just in time to see the other boy jumped through some bushes and disappear. Sniffing the air, he realized he did smell food. Actual seasoned and cooked food. That was someone elses food.
"Daddy! Daddy wait, don't!" But it was too late.
Bursting through the foliage, he watched Goku punch the trap around his arm, effectively disintegrating it, and bursting through the net that trapped him before he flipped into a tree. He looked angry, but Gohan figured that was mostly because the food had been lost.
"Hey! That wasn't nice!" He shouted, and that's when he noticed the man poking his head up from some bushes, staring at awe at Goku.
Gohan smacked a hand over his face and sighed. It was gonna be a long night.
* I know nothing about their stances. Couldn't even point them out. But, I figured since Piccolo is KP's son/clone, his stance would reflect that of his, even if its changed slightly. IF ITS NOT, LETS JUST PRETEND IT IS LOLOLOLOL. But yeah, since Piccolo is his sensei, Gohan would adopt his stance first and foremost, and possibly later make adjustments to make his own.
Urg my friend told me Gohan was OOC with all his crying but im just like he's a six year old thrown back in time way before he was even a thought, attacked by his mini evil mentor, had his mini mom flirt with him, got into a fight and possibly doomed the world by unlocking his mini fathers dormant saiyan emotions 9 years too early, and just realized his father has been in space for a year, training to fight for no reason other than to be better than everyone else, even if that's not how he sees it. He's a very tired, emotionally drained child who just wants someone to help him. If anyone else thinks he's OOC, i'll set to work trying to pull off that, otherwise he'll cry when I think he needs to cry, which is often right now since he's still meeting his younger friends and stirring up emotions. Though, Goku should be the last one for now.