~Tournament Saga~

Chapter 22 – History Lesson

Gohan woke to the smell of breakfast. Forcing himself out of bed, he made his way down to the food. Sitting down, he looked at it for a while. ChiChi noticed the lack of eating, confusing her. "Gohan? You ok? You're not sick are you?"

Gohan broke his trance with the food. "Hmm? Oh no, I'm fine, I just feel like today's gonna be a bad day."

ChiChi only blinked, looking at her son as she tried to figure out what he ment.

-DBZ-

Gohan watched quietly as Konkichi entered the class room, thinking about the day before. Talk about creepy, this guy knew my dad back in the day huh? And he's always looking at me funny.

His train of thought was broken as Videl sat down. Looking over, he smiled. "Hey Videl, still wearing those weights?"

Videl placed her backpack under her desk and looked over to Gohan. "Yup. I'm starting to get used to having them on. Say, have you seen Erasa? I haven't seen her today."

Shaking his head, Gohan answered. "No, maybe she's sick?"

Videl looked puzzled. "Maybe...but usually she calls me to tell me what's going on."

Before the conversation could continue, Konkichi spoke over the class. "All right students. Pay attention. You will not need your books today, so put them away. All I need is your attention."

Following orders, the class put their books away and looked towards their teacher, who seemed to be acting funny today.

Gohan whispered over to Videl. "He always teaches from the book. What do ya think is up?"

Videl shrugged. "Who knows? We're getting close to the end anyway."

Konkichi walked behind the podium, clearing his throat. "To put it bluntly, the reason I will no longer be using the books is because they are either incorrect or missing information. The events of the past 30 odd years I will explain to you personally, how I saw them. Many historical events happened, but the writers of the book have failed to accurately document them."

For the most part, the classroom was quiet. A few people whispered to one another, wondering what Konkichi could know that the books didn't. Gohan and Videl were watching quietly as well. Slowly the lights switched off in the room, and a projector started to hum. With a click, a large picture of the Red Ribbon symbol came up.

Konkichi continued, while in the back of Gohan's mind, a sneaking suspicion that something bad was about to happen continued to grow. "What you see before you is the symbol for the Red Ribbon Army. Many years ago it was one of the largest mob organizations in the world. It had its hand into almost anything you could think of. Little is officially known about them, but I do know more than most. You see, they took me and my parents as hostages. My father was a decent scientist, and they took us in and used me and my mother as hostages to force my father to work for them."

A few of the girls in the class gasped, feeling sorry for their teacher. Konkichi's face strained, for just a second, but Gohan caught it. If the Red Ribbon Army was anything like the Red Rain Army, it couldnt have been plessent.

Konkichi regained his composure, continuing with the lecture. "During that time there, I learned a great deal of what they were up too. At that time, my father was forced to build a radar like device. From what me and my father could put together, they were looking for the legendary Dragon Balls."

Gohan's eyes widened slightly. He had heard stories, but never imagined that his teacher would have first hand knowledge and would tell the class. Other students looked at one another, having never heard of the Dragon Balls.

With another click, the slide changed to a picture of the legendary balls. "The Dragon Balls are mystical items that are said to be able to grant one wish. They had been forgotten to myth and legend, but the Red Ribbon Army believed that they were real and were using most of their resources to try and find them. Now, I understand if most of you don't believe in them, but this world is still full of magic and mystery. Don't close your minds to the possibility. My father was called to the leader's office one day, and when he came back, he said that they had six. They had a real Dragon Ball, confirming that at least the balls were real. That same day, the main base was attacked. Someone had the guts to attack the Red Ribbon army. In the chaos that was created, my parents were able to help me escape through a small hole in our cell wall that was made by an explosion..."

Konkichi looked down now, almost as if in shame. "They said they would find a way out and would meet me later once everything was safe, but I don't think they ever made it out."

The classroom was dead silent, everyone was focusing on the story being told to them. Gohan 's eyes widened, him being the one knowing that it was his dad that took out the RR army. Videl watched in silent astonishment. Konkichi knew about the things that Gohan had used to bring her back from the dead? Konkichi looked back up, smiling. "Its ok. I've moved on. Anyway, back to the story. When I got out, I didn't have anything. No money or food or family, nothing. As I made my way through the world, I realized that I would need some money to start out to get back on my feet. So I tried to get a lone from a bank. But of course, I would have been a very high risk lone so every bank said no. I broke and borrowed some money from the wrong people. Nothing worked how I thought it would however, and I couldn't pay the people back. They came after me, so I ran. One day they caught up to me, and I was sure it was over, but I was saved by this guy."

With another click, a large picture of Goku as a kid came onto the wall. Gohan's eyes nearly popped out of his eyes, seeing his father's smiling face plastered over the wall. In surprise, he jerked back, his chair following suit as he fell over. Videl's head shot around to the crashing sound to here side, blinking as she watched Gohan quickly stand himself and his chair back up. Turning back to the picture, it looked a lot like Gohan's little brother, but it couldn't have been him. This picture is to old to be Goten...hmmm, I wonder if its Goku? Mr Konkichi knows the legendary fighter Goku?

Gohan sat himself back down in his chair. Man, I'm not cut out for this. How much more does this guy know about Dad?

Konkichi continued. "This is the legendary Goku, the same Goku who was the youngest to win the World Martial Arts Tournament. He came across the spot where I was cornered and helped me out of it. We traveled together for a short time, and then he left for the Tournament. I've never met a more selfless person. He didn't win this year, but he did get second. I couldn't be there myself Now, you kids would be way to young to know this, but maybe your parents might. Not long after that World Martial Arts tournament, an evil descended on the land, and its name was King Piccolo"

Gohan watched Konkichi as he gave his lecture. Well...its nice to know that at least someone else knows how great Dad is. With a click, a picture of Piccolo appeared on the screen, surprising Gohan again and causing him to fall out of his chair. Videl looked over at the noise again, and then back at the screen. Didn't Gohan get trained by a guy named Piccolo? This guy looks like that guy that came up north when Babidi attacked.

Gohan struggled back into his seat. I'm really not cut out for the school stuff.

Konkichi pointed at the screen. "King Piccolo attacked the King's Castle with his minions, taking the King capture and took control of the area. The day he attacked was the same day that the King was celebrating the anniversary of his rain, so the entire area was celebrating. I was there myself, living it up and partying when he attacked. No one could touch him, bullets bounced off his skin, and his smile...it sent chills down my spin. He killed without thought or care. Everything seemed lost, until a child showed up."

With another click, a picture of Goku on the nimbus staring down King Piccolo showed up. Konkichi pointed to Goku. "Goku showed up, and after one of the most spectacular fights I've seen, Goku punched right through the monster. I had been hunkered down under some rubble as I watched the fight. Piccolo blew up, and Goku was taken away by some of his friends cause he was to tired to move. Slowly people started to come back to the area, asking what had happened. A reporter stopped me and asked what happened. I told him what I told you just now, and I also helped a sketch artist draw a picture of him."

Another click changed to a new hand drawn picture of Goku. "As I was leaving the area, Goku showed back up and picked up his staff, his choice of weapon. Before I could say hi to him, he flew off again. Since then, I've only seen him once."

The students were starting to whisper to one another, mostly about how amazing this Goku kid was and if he could be a challenge to to the Champ Hercule. Videl leaned over to Gohan, whispering to him. "Hey Gohan, I thought you said this guy trained you? How's he alive?"

Gohan looked nervous, glancing back and forth. "W-well...that Piccolo had a kid, and my Dad was able to turn him to the good side, basically..."

Videl blinked, turning back to the screen. With a click, the next picture was a more grown up looking Goku looking at a younger Piccolo at a World Martial Arts Tournament, a play button in the middle.

Konkichi turned to the class. "There are no official tapes pertaining to any of the World Martial Arts Tournament before Mr Satan. However, I have a private copy that I taped myself when I was there."

Both Videl and Gohan's eyes widened. Videl had never seen any of the tapes before her father took the championship. Gohan had only heard stories of his father's past fights, but to be able to see one...

Konkichi pressed play. The entire class watched in utter silence as the fight started. The tide of the battle seemed to change countless times. First Goku looked in control, then Piccolo, then Goku, and then Piccolo again. The tape cut out after a large explosion. Konkichi turned back to the class. "What happened after the tape cut out is Goku managed to land one last ditch head but to Piccolo's gut, finishing the battle. Goku was named the World Champion. I had ran to a safe place a good distance away to make sure I survived, and after the battle everyone left, so once again I never got to see my friend Goku."

The next click almost forced Gohan's eyes out of their sockets. There he was along with his father at the Cell Games. How many pictures does this guy have of my family?

Konkichi pointed towards the Super Saiyan Goku. "This, as I'm sure most of you know, is a picture of the mysterious fighters that appeared at the Cell Games. No one knows who they are...but I might have a clue." With a click, two pictures of Piccolo showed up on the screen, one from the fight with Goku that Konkichi had shown just before, and the other from the Cell Games. "As you can see, this is Piccolo. The same Piccolo Goku fought years ago." Another click changed to a picture of Goku from the fight with Piccolo and a picture of the super saiyan Goku. "Beside the hair change, his face and clothes are the same. This is the same Goku that saved me all those years ago. Now, your history books will always regard Mr Satan as the one who saved us from Cell...but..."

Gohan was sweating. He knows who we are! Um...um...I...I sure hope he doesn't say it was me who beat Cell...where' d he get these pictures?

Videl's eyes were glued to the screen. She could watch that video forever, the fighting was like the fights she had seen Gohan get into up north. This group of people really have been protecting us for a whole generation now without us knowing...and to think my dad took their limelight...though I think they're glad he did.

An almost evil gleam passed through Konkichi's eyes. "Now I have a real treat for you kids today, and you can not tell anyone that you've seen this. If you do, you will automatically fail my class." A click changed the screen to the next slide, and this one had a video. Gohan almost died when he saw his younger self staring down Cell. Clicking the play button on his remote, Konkichi set the video in motion.

-DBZ-

The video started with Konkichi's face on screen. "Ok, after seeing Goku fighting Cell on the tv, I grabbed my camera and ran there. I got there just as their fight ended. He just said that he no long is going to fight, and someone stronger is going to take his place."

Turning the camera, it focused on Goku standing in front of Gohan, aka the Delivery boy. The tv had been to far away to catch what he said, but Konkichi had been close enough to hear what they said.

The class watched with wide eyes as Goku told his son to fight in his stead. Gohan's head was spinning, trying to remember if anyone had said his name when that had happened. As the Delivery Boy flew down to meat Cell, Goku turned to watch. Piccolo turned, facing Goku. "Do you think Goh-"

"Acho!" Just as Piccolo was about to say Gohan's name, Konkichi sneezed from the dust Gohan had kicked up when he took off.

Gohan's eyes were bugging out of his eyes, mouth gaping realizing that he came that close to having his secret let out. Videl, glancing at his face, couldn't help but smile realizing that she new something very few did.

The video continued, ending when Gohan ascended to super saiyan two. The raw power blew Konkichi back causing him to drop his camera, breaking it.

-DBZ-

The lights came on as Konkichi set the remote down and turned to the class. The class was dead quiet, wide eyed at what they had seen. Konkichi smiled. "If you get anything out of this, I want you to learn to not always believe what you're told. History is not always written to the exact. There is always a detail or two left out. Keep digging to find the truth. For the next few days, we will be going through these events in detail. Since this is not going to have anything to do with the book, you don't have any homework tonight."

With a happy cry from the students, everyone started running out of the class room, a few of them talking with one another trying to figure out what the name of the delivery boy was. Gohan slowly came back to reality, not wanting to believe that lesson had just happened. Videl stayed back, watching him try to regain his composure. "You gonna be ok Gohan?"

Gohan slowly looked over to her. "My heart feels like its gonna blow up, but other than that ya..."

Konkichi packed up his things, keeping an eye on Gohan while he was. Closing his briefcase, he turned to leave the room, a smile crossing his face as he left.

-DBZ-

Gohan and Videl slowly walked out of school, Videl looking at her cellphone. "Hmm, still no texts..."

Gohan looked over. "Hmm?"

Videl, putting it away, sighed. "Nothing. Say, you wanna come over to my house for a while and give me some more flying tips?"

Gohan smiled. "Sure, let me just-"

A bruised and battered body came around the corner, limping his way in the direction of the school. Jumping to action, both Gohan and Videl ran to meet the boy. When they got closer, Gohan recognized him as one of the guys in the boxing club.

Gohan quickly got to the boys side, helping him up. Videl quickly started asking questions. "Hey, what happened to you?"

The boy coughed, struggling to take in air. "I...ran as fast as I c-could. Th-they got her..."

A flash of worry passed over Videl's face. I recognize this guy...wasn't Erasa going to go out on a date with this guy last night? "Who'd they get?"

A buzzing sound came from Videl's bag. Whipping it around, she ripped out her cell phone. It was from Erasa. Clicking the open button, the text simply read "HELP!"

Author's Annotations:

I'm glad to see some people remember my favorite minor character Konkichi from Dragon Ball. For those who don't, I suggest you go watch the db episode "Which way to Papaya Island?" I gave him a bigger roll within the db universe with this chapter, I hope you all approve. He's got one last major part to play in this minor ark, after that he will slip back into the shadows as a minor character. Anyway, I hope you like the growth I gave to him, I had always wished he played a bigger part.