Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters.

Old Friends

Videl spent most of Saturday in her room, trying to recover from her conversation with Gohan. She was disturbed, to say the least. The painful remembrances that he had brought up still haunted her. They made her examine her life as she had not done for some time. It was not a pleasant experience.

In all honesty, she didn't enjoy her father's fame. Not that it didn't have its perks, but all the stress on her relationships was just not worth it. Now, she had to be suspicious of everyone, judging as best she could their real motives before letting them into her lives. At least, in theory. In reality, she simply had never trusted anyone completely. People were willing to do anything to get a shot at their ten minutes of fame at others' expense. Erasa and Sharpner were her only real friends, since she had known them before the Cell Games, before her world got turned upside down.

And her father—she wasn't sure if she could call him that anymore—had changed. So caught up in his celebrity, he didn't have much time to spend with her, other than to lecture her about boys. They might have lived in the same house together, but they rarely talked about anything outside small talk about the weather, sports, their plans, their days, and other trivial things.

Never one to be mired in the past, however, the teen eventually decided to shake herself out of her self-reflection and turn to what she had learned about the mystery boy the day before. The way to forget was to do things. She wrote a list of new information—she had taken to writing down everything about Gohan so she would not overlook anything.

-Meditates

-Knows about fighting?

-Has a job somewhere

-Doesn't want to talk about his father

She stopped. Was that all? It had seemed like she had learned so much more at the time. Then she remembered his reaction to her snooping, and added Controls his emotions, drawing a line connecting it with Meditates. She guessed that that must be why he always acted so weird; he was suppressing his emotions. While Videl felt that she was starting to get a handle on Gohan's strange personality, she still wasn't satisfied. She thought back to what he said.

There's always a why, Videl.

The way he said it made it almost sound like a hint. While he probably had not meant it that way, Videl seized the question as her mind went on overdrive, applying it to everything she had learned about him. If there was always a 'why,' why was Gohan the way he was? Why was a 'nerd' so athletic? Why did he want to control his emotions? Why wouldn't he talk about his father? Why, why why!

"Ughhh!" she growled, exasperated. For all her machinations, she still had no answer. She knew next to nothing and what she did know did not seemed to fit. Gohan was a massive bundle of incongruities.

The sudden ring of her communicator brought a welcome distraction. The police chief informed her of a robbery at a jewelry store downtown. She felt a little guilty that she was glad there was a crime just so she could take her mind off her own problems, but she pushed the thought out of her mind as she rushed out the door. She'd deal with that later.

Meanwhile, Gohan had decided to call his mother earlier that day. She of course was ecstatic and demanded he meet them at Capsule Corp for dinner. Gohan had reluctantly agreed, mainly because it had been some months since he had last seen his family. So, at five o'clock, he hopped into his plane and headed to West City. The sun was just toying with the horizon as the complex came into view.

What he saw as he came to land made him immediately regret his decision.

Why didn't Mom tell me everyone was going to be here?

"Hey, Gohan!" Krillin called out to him, waving him over to the field where Yamcha and Tien were sparring. He waited for Gohan to get closer, then added, "Long time no see. I haven't seen you since right after the Cell Games."

"Yes, I guess it has been a long time." Gohan was trying to figure out how he was going to get himself out of this one. "What have you been up to?"

"You know, the usual. I married 18 and had a kid. Oh, and this." Krillin informed him genially, rubbing his newly hair-covered scalp. He grinned at his old best friend's son. "You?"

The last thing Gohan wanted to tell the Z Fighters was that he was going to high school. Who knew what they would do if they found out? He was frantically trying to think of what to say, when Chi-Chi saved him, at least temporarily.

"GO-HAN! GOO-HAAAN!" His mother's voice certainly carried well.

"Sorry guys," Gohan excused himself, "but I think I'd better go."

He left the three fighters and went into the living quarters wing of Capsule Corp. There were many doors along the hallway, each leading to a separate living space. Sensing Chi-Chi in Bulma's room, he hesitantly entered.

It was an open concept design with the living room, kitchen, and dining room all connected. In suite as large as Bulma's, the result was a vast space that could easily contain the entire gang for their get-togethers. The kitchen was fully modernized, complete with automatic cooking. Seating was abundant, between a living room filled with luxurious lounge chairs and couches that clearly cost a fortune and the stools and chairs at the bar and dining room table.

No sooner had Gohan gotten past the doorframe when his mother ran up to him, shouting in excitement. "Gohan!" Chi-Chi wrapped her son in her arms, apparently trying to squeeze the life out of him. It had seemed like an eternity since she had last seen her boy.

"Mom, I…can't…breathe," choked out the crushed boy between her arms, prompting his mother to release him. She burst into tears.

"Oh, Gohan. Why don't you ever call? I've been so worried about you. I just knew if I left you out of my sight for a second, you'd turn into a delinquent." She kept on for a full minute, delivering a very detailed tirade—complete with emphatic hand gestures—about all her worst suspicions and fears for her 'delinquent' before Gohan finally cut her off.

"Mom, I'm not turning into a delinquent. I'm going to high school," he gently tried to soothe her.

Chi-Chi's eyes went wide and brightened. The tears were gone. She impulsively burst out, "YOU'RE GOING TO—" But Gohan clapped his hand over mouth and shushed her. Any louder and half of West City would hear her.

"Mom," he begged, "I don't want anyone else to know. Please be quiet."

Chi-Chi had stars in her eyes. As soon as Gohan removed his hand, she started rambling in a quieter voice, "Oh, I can't believe it. My little boy's going to high school! You can get a scholarship and go to college and become an engineer, or a physicist, or a neurosurgeon. Gohan, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks, mom."

Suddenly, Chi-Chi shrieked, causing Gohan to jump back and look around.

"What is it?"

Chi-Chi was all but jumping in joy. "You can meet a girl and have GRANDBABIES!"

To Gohan's horror, everyone had been on their way to check out why Chi-Chi had screeched. Of course, they had to hear his mother scream that last word. Just his luck. Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha came in from outside, while the kids and the rest of the gang ran in from elsewhere in the building, including a smirking Bulma. Within seconds, the room was full. The only ones missing were Piccolo and Vegeta. The Namekian preferred to stay in the shadows and observe from afar. The Prince of Saiyans was busy training, as always.

"Grandbabies, eh, Gohan?" Krillin jeered. His mischievous smile and playful jabs in the ribs spoke volumes. "You have been a busy boy. I didn't know you even had a girlfriend. Who's the lucky lady?"

"Yeah, Gohan. Don't leave us in the dark," Yamcha said. He was clearly enjoying teasing the most powerful being in the universe.

"Brother," Goten tugged at Gohan's pant leg. "Am I gonna have a sister?"

Acutely aware of his compatriots' stares, Gohan took a deep, calming breath. He had hoped to avoid this entirely, but he could barely believe that he hadn't even made it a week.

"There are no grandbabies," he explained. "I do not have a girlfriend, and I'm sorry Goten, but there will be no new sister for you in the near future."

"That's okay, Gohan," the mini-Goku said assuringly, "I already have the best brother ever!"

As he said this, the six-year-old flew up and hugged his big brother's chest. Gohan screamed in pain as his ribs cracked from Goten's superhuman strength. The smaller Son let go and looked at Gohan, shocked and confused. The injured demi-Saiyan fell to his knees and hugged himself in pain. Everyone but Bulma was alarmed. Everyone but Bulma started to talk simultaneously.

"What's going on? Is he hurt? What happened?"

Chi-Chi's voice alone carried over the rest. "MY BABY!"

In the midst of the chaos, Gohan, clenching his teeth in agony, merely looked up at Bulma and sputtered, "Sen…Senzu…bean." She nodded and pulled one from her pocket. She had suspected something like this could occur. Honestly, considering the kind of stuff that happened between the Z Fighters, it was a miracle he wasn't killed. But he had insisted she tell no one.

The room fell silent as Bulma fed Gohan the senzu bean. When he recovered, everyone was looking expectantly at him as he grabbed a chair and sat down.

The object of their attention smiled grimly, "I guess you want an explanation."

"Well, yea-ah," Krillin was quick to speak. "It looked like you almost got crushed to death just by Goten hugging you. How is that possible?"

Gohan sighed. No point delaying the inevitable. "I had Bulma implant a device inside me that suppresses my ki. Right now, I'm barely stronger than Hercule Satan."

"What?! That big oaf who took credit for defeating Cell?" Krillin said. He could hardly believe his ears.

"Yeah."

There was an awkward silence for a few moments, before Tien voiced the question they all were thinking, "But why, Gohan? Why do such a thing? Is it some type of training?"

Reluctant to reveal anything else, Gohan stood up and put two fingers to his forehead. He was now quite grateful for his trip to Yardrat a couple years ago.

"Of sorts," he said cryptically before vanishing completely.

Krillin blinked. "Since when does he know Instant Transmission?" He wondered aloud, looking at Goten. The boy only shrugged as if there was nothing unusual and went off to play with Trunks.

With Gohan and Goten gone, the focus shifted to Bulma.

"You knew about this, and you didn't tell me!?" Chi-Chi was outraged. "Why you no good, dirty, rotten…" Yamcha led her to another room as she continued to rave.

Krillin waited until her screams started to fade away before asking Bulma, "Why is Gohan doing this, Bulma. Is it really part of his training?"

But the blue-haired beauty refused to help, "He knows why better than me. Ask him." She turned and walked out.