AnimeWolfGirl16: Great guesses! And thanks for the review!
petites sorcieres: Good guess! And yeah, I do have to say that Gohan's other self has been through some similar things as Gohan. His life was almost the same up until the Cell Games should have taken place.
4starfox: Thanks! And yeah, Goku (as of right now) knows nothing of what is going on, at least since the Bojack incident. And let's say that Gohan doesn't really want his father, or anyone else, to find out any more.
Chapter 18: A Second Try
Gohan sighed, hoping that this day would not be a repeat of the time before. His mother had finally had the nerve to tell him that he had to go back to school, making Gohan dread the fact that he had been missing for a year.
Gohan also wasn't happy that he hadn't had any time to talk to Trunks, and about who his mother had called. He remembered what had happened a few nights ago.
"Gohan, can I come in?" Bulma's voice rang out from beyond the door. Gohan had been half asleep, but he woke up when he heard Bulma's voice.
"Sure," he said, wondering why his longtime friend was here, but then he suddenly remembered that his mother had called someone.
Bulma opened the door to reveal that she was not alone. His mother was with her, that and someone Gohan did not want to see at that moment.
"No," he said harshly before lying back down, trying to mostly ignore the one he didn't want to talk to the most: his mentor. He stared at the wall with his back against them.
"Gohan, we would just like to talk," Bulma said gently. Gohan bit his lip, knowing that he didn't really want to be rude to Bulma; the only problem being there was one person he didn't want to talk to at that moment.
"I don't want to," Gohan stated, trying to calm the bit of rising anger and fear that he was feeling.
"Gohan…" his mother started, but then she stopped; Gohan guessed that someone had probably hushed her. He then felt Bulma and his mother's Ki leave the room, the door being shut proof enough that he was now alone with his mentor.
"What do you want?" Gohan asked, still staring at the wall and refusing to look at his mentor. He heard a sigh from behind him.
"Gohan, your mother called Bulma and then hunted me down. She is obviously desperate about what she told us," Piccolo started to say. Gohan felt a bit more anger, realizing that everyone was betraying him now.
"What she told you," Gohan repeated softly, trying best he could to stop himself from yelling, "And what exactly did she tell you?"
He heard another sigh, followed by a moment of tense silence. He knew that his mentor probably didn't want to be in his room at the moment, at least not with the way things were between them.
He felt something intrude at the back of his mind, realizing that Piccolo was trying to reopen the link. Gohan stubbornly tried pushing him away. He was a bit relieved when the prodding stopped for a moment.
"Gohan, open the link," Piccolo demanded, although Gohan could tell that it wasn't with the usual harshness that his mentor would use when demanding something.
"No," he stated simply, realizing with a bit of satisfaction that Piccolo's Ki rose a bit at his mentor's frustration.
"I don't think you want to talk about anything out loud," Piccolo said, making his demand present in what Gohan definitely did not want to do.
"So? It's not like I have to talk at all. I am entitled to my own opinion," Gohan stated and was about to say more when he felt the prodding in his head grow more consistent, making him have a dull headache.
When the block still didn't budge, he could tell that his mentor was getting irritated.
"Gohan…" Piccolo demanded with a hint of warning, but Gohan was feeling his patience slip away fast, being replaced by his fast rising anger.
"Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" he yelled, whipping around to face his mentor.
"Because everyone is worried about you," Piccolo answered calmly, making Gohan a bit angry that his mentor was staying calm. He took a deep breath before answering.
"Well they don't need to be worried; I'm fine," he stated, averting his gaze from his mentor's and staring at the floor.
"Gohan, I think that with the way you have been acting lately that you're not as fine as you say you are," Piccolo stated after a moment of silence. Gohan didn't want to answer so he just kept silent. He closed his eyes and lied back down on his bed, wanting more than anything for everyone to just leave him alone.
There now isn't that better? He whipped back up when he heard Piccolo's voice inside his head.
When did you…? He started uncertainly.
Gohan, listen. I know that you would rather discuss things this way, his mentor stated, making Gohan a bit angry again.
I would rather not discuss anything at all! He mentally shouted, trying to block his mentor out but with no success.
I second that, his other self suddenly decided to add his two cense on the subject.
He's still talking to you? Piccolo asked him, but Gohan didn't get time to answer because his other self cut him off.
Of course I am!
Doesn't that ever get annoying? Piccolo questioned. Gohan thought about it for a moment.
Yes, he thought, just as his other self answered, no.
I take that as offending! I'm not that annoying, his other self stated in a sort of pout.
Only when I don't want you talking to me, Gohan sent back. He wanted to laugh at the irritation that was coming off of his other self at that statement, but he didn't have time to.
Gohan, make him leave; Piccolo demanded suddenly, we need to talk.
I can't just make him leave, Gohan stated angrily, and I already told you that I am not going to talk to you!
Gohan, look at me, Piccolo demanded. He regretfully obeyed and stared at his mentor, well more like glared at him. That made Piccolo have to take a deep breath before replying, but that was the problem, he didn't reply.
Gohan just continued to glare, getting more impatient with each passing second. He was thinking about saying something when, thankfully, his other self intervened.
Are you going to say something Piccolo or are you just going to leave?
Yes, I was going to say something, Piccolo stated a bit irritated, but then demanded, Gohan, explain.
Explain what? He asked, starting to get a bad feeling about how this conversation was going.
Explain everything that you know, Piccolo demanded, making Gohan even more confused. What did Piccolo want him to do, explain his whole life story up until this point? But then he got it, understood what his mentor meant.
No, he stated rudely, going back to trying and ignoring his mentor's presence.
Gohan, I need to know what he has told you, Piccolo stated, referring to what his other self had told him.
Well sure, if you consider that everything that he has told me is supposed to be kept to myself, Gohan stated as he got off of the bed and stood up, haven't you learned there is something called 'privacy'?
Gohan, last thing I remember, you were the one who was listening in to our conversation, Piccolo said as he smirked, reminding Gohan of when he had woken up after nearly blowing the house up.
I had good reason! You guys were keeping everything from me anyway. And besides, he wouldn't let me leave it alone, Gohan stated, but then his eyes widened at his mistake. Piccolo seemed to catch it.
And why wouldn't he let you leave it alone? His mentor asked, making Gohan feel all of a sudden like he was backed into a corner.
I don't know! He didn't tell me! Gohan yelled through the link, feeling a sense of fear and desperation run through him. Piccolo looked about to say something, but his other self cut him off.
He's right. I didn't tell him. And I have specific reasons for doing so, his other self cut in, and Gohan couldn't mistake the silent anger in his other self's voice.
And what sort of 'specific reasons' do you mean? Piccolo questioned just as a red light went off in Gohan's head. He felt the warning too; a strained feeling coming from inside him from his other self's increase in anger.
Why does everyone always have to intrude? Why does everyone always have to stand in my way? His other self questioned angrily, making Gohan wince as his power level increased and made him turn into a Super Saiyan.
Calm down, Gohan thought with a bit of fear, knowing that when his other self got like this that it was never good.
Gohan noticed that Piccolo seemed a bit surprised since he had a confused look on his face.
Stand in your way? For what? Piccolo asked while Gohan had a feeling that he was no longer included in the conversation.
I don't need to tell you! His other self shouted, all the while starting to make Gohan feel sick. He then suddenly knew where this was all going.
Don't! He tried to stop his other self from making a mistake, but he knew he was too late when he felt his power level skyrocket and then drop, making him drop to the floor in the process.
Gohan sighed, feeling irritated. Apparently after that he had been in a non-respondent state and wouldn't talk anymore, but he wasn't sure how much of that was true. He also hadn't heard from his other self since that night.
He probably feels bad about the whole thing, Gohan thought with another sigh; at least he hoped that his other self felt bad about it instead of being angry.
To try and distract his thoughts, Gohan looked around at the scenery around him. Luckily the clouds had decided not to have a downpour today, or else he would have had to fly lower.
The sun shined brightly through the cover of the clouds as they wandered past him; the rays of light reflecting and shining off of the white color of the clouds.
Gohan sighed, feeling for once at peace since the last year or so. He felt like he could just stay up in the clouds forever, not really caring what would be happening around him. He had already missed a year, what would wasting more time matter to him?
He knew that he was having impossible expectations, but he sometimes just couldn't help it, never could since he was little.
Gohan knew he was fast approaching the school so he lowered towards the ground and landed a few blocks away from the school.
This is not going to turn out well, he thought, knowing that even though his mother had told the principal that he had been in a coma that things would not be good today.
Gohan felt a strange sense of repeat as he walked towards the classroom, knowing that something was probably going to go wrong.
Well, here goes nothing, he thought as he knocked on the door and entered.
Just as he had predicted, everyone was staring at him strangely; like he was a ghost or something. Gohan just sighed and made his way up to his seat to sit near Kevin, Sharpner, and Erasa. He didn't fail to notice that Videl was missing.
Sharpner and Erasa were looking like they had just seen someone rise from the dead, although Gohan knew how that felt since he had seen it before countless times.
"Hi Gohan," Kevin said with a smile on his face. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief; at least one of his friends was still acting normal.
"Hi Kevin. What did I miss?" Gohan started to whisper since the class started.
"Nothing much, just a year's worth of lessons," Kevin joked good-naturedly, "don't worry though, the teacher said that you don't have to make the work up. He said something about your mom calling and explaining that you already knew the information or something like that."
Gohan didn't really remember his mother telling the teachers that, but he decided to ask her when he got home.
"Why does everyone look like they saw a ghost?" he asked, wanting to change the subject a bit. Kevin started smiling.
"Oh they just thought you were going to never come back and die or something," Kevin stated, "but I knew that you would come back."
Gohan started to smile, but he felt somewhat confused about what Kevin had said.
"Kevin, are you spying on me or something?" he asked, earning a confused look from his friend.
"No, why?" Kevin asked in a confused tone.
"It's just that you seem to know a lot about me, like stuff that you shouldn't know. Like you saying that I was talking to a voice in my head a year ago and about 'knowing' that I would wake up from my coma," Gohan explained, sensing that with each new word he said, Kevin's Ki started radiating fear.
"No, those were just guesses. They just happened to be right," Kevin stated nervously, but then he became quiet.
Why does he keep lying to me? He obviously knows more than he is letting on, he thought with a sigh, turning back to then listen in to lesson.
The rest of the school day passed quickly and without much event. Gohan found it a bit interesting that Videl still didn't show up for the rest of school, even though it was now English.
Where is she? He wondered, not sure if she was sick or not, I shouldn't really be worrying, but she is my friend.
He then decided to forget about Videl as soon as the lesson started.
When the bell rang, Gohan hurried to his locker to get some things to bring home. He was just about to leave when Kevin came up to him.
"Gohan, can I ask you something?" his friend asked, looking a bit nervous.
"Sure, what is it?" Gohan answered, wondering what it was his friend wanted.
"Do you mind sometime if I come over to your house and meet your parents?" Kevin asked, making Gohan feel a bit of sadness.
"Sure, I can ask my mom, but don't you have to ask your parents first?" he asked, wondering why the situation seemed a bit strange.
"I already got their permission; I just wanted to make sure that it was ok with you first," Kevin stated, closing his locker.
"Um its fine, would this weekend work?" Gohan asked, not really sure how this was going to work out since he had never had a kid his age come over to his house.
"Sure, but don't we have a Biology test on Monday?" Kevin asked with a smile.
"We can just bring our books to my house to study. I know that my mom couldn't object to that," Gohan said while also starting to smile.
"Ok, I guess I'll see you tomorrow!" Kevin shouted as he ran out the door, reminding Gohan of his younger brother.
Gohan laughed as he ran out the door, expecting to see his friend but was surprised when he did not. He also couldn't sense Kevin's Ki.
Is he a ghost or something? Gohan wondered with a smile, always being surprised at what Kevin could say or do next. He then lifted off into the sky, eager to get home.
I'm going to leave it off there for now, but the next chapter will be coming out soon. I'm really sorry that it took me this long to upload this. For starters, I just found out that my bird died shortly after we got back from vacation, among other things that I had to do. So I hope that this chapter made up for it a bit. And I needed to get Gohan back to school since I needed to reintroduce Kevin since he's important, so please don't flame me or anything about this; like I said, the next few chapters or so will hopefully have a few more interesting things in it, as well as answering all of your questions about Kevin. I hope you enjoyed and please review!
-AnimeWolfGirl9