To Wear Armour in Times of Peace: Chapter 2

Gohan shuffled up the stairwell, looking for roof access.

A stray teacher had stumbled upon the poor boy just as his panic attack reached its peak, and she had promptly escorted him to the nurse's office. Feeling mortified at being caught with his heart on his sleeve, Gohan knew he had little choice but to follow. The nurse, recognizing his emotional distress for what it was, gave him permission to go home. The boy, while disappointed he would be missing his first gym class, readily agreed. He needed time to collect his despairing thoughts and raging emotions.

The drained young man finally reached the last flight of stairs, and he slipped through the bright red door. A slight breeze cooled his sweaty forehead while Gohan took in the sight of the bustling city across the horizon. The fresh air, though not as clean as mountain air, helped calm his nerves. Somehow Bulma's warning resurfaced in his unstable mind, and he transformed into a Super Saiyan to fly home without being recognized.

"There really is nothing in the world quite like flying," Gohan mused, drifting through the skies of Satan City. Freedom washed over the floating teenage boy, and his chest no longer felt as tight.

Bulma would be expecting him. The nurse had taken care of everything for him- from the early release paperwork to calling his home. The scientist would be undoubtedly concerned, but she would also be understanding. She always seemed to understand him.

A small object whizzed past his torso, startling Gohan from his thoughts. Looking down, he saw three men armed with large rifles. They stood positioned outside what appeared to be a high-end department store. "What do they think they're doing?" Gohan growled. "Yeah, they could've hit me... But worse, they could've hit someone who isn't bulletproof!" His body tensed, ready to drop from the sky to protect the cowering police officers.

Then he hesitated. "What if someone sees me?" He argued with himself. "But I also I can't just let them hurt someone." With a rash decision, Gohan flung his book bag onto a nearby roof, along with his long-sleeved, Capsule Corp. shirt. Now clad only in his unassuming white undershirt and tan khakis, the warrior sped off toward the band of criminals.

Several cries of astonishment came from behind the police barricade as a golden blur dropped from the sky, denting the sidewalk in his landing. Everyone's eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright yellow light.

"That thing… is a man?" A woman yelled in shock. The muscular half-Saiyan stepped toward the store entrance, turquoise eyes etched into a deadly glare.

The criminals glanced at each other, clearly uneasy with this unforeseen development. "And just who are you?" One man sneered with impatience.

Before Gohan could answer, two more men burst through the shop's front doors, several large bags in their grasp. "Who the hell is that?" The shorter of the two shouted in surprise.

"Who cares? We need to leave!" The other shouted.

One of the armed men who had been stationed outside raised his rifle to Gohan, attempting to secure their escape. The novice gunman released his entire clip into the glowing man. Shouts rang out from several alarmed officers, their worried voices cutting through the overbearing noise of gunfire. Yet when the spray of bullets ceased, the audience stood aghast.

Gohan, unfazed from the assault, stretched his hand out in front of him. He opened his palm, and dozens of crushed bullets fell from his long fingers.

"He caught them?" A criminal yelled, voice strained with fear. "What- what the hell are you?"

Without a word, Gohan lept towards the man. He deftly knocked the gun from the man's grasp before sending a fist into the robber's unprotected stomach. The man went down immediately, clutching himself with a howl of pain. In just seconds, the rest of the man's unruly comrades joined him on the ground. Gohan looked to the city's police force, still crouched behind their vehicles. They regarded him with nothing short of amazed looks.

"You got it from here?" Gohan asked. They nodded, numb from the incredible display of power. Shaking off his restlessness, Gohan took to the air, leaving a streak of shimmering golden energy to trail behind him as he flew home.

After a relatively uneventful flight, the half-Saiyan teenager landed lightly behind Capsule Corp. "I'm home," he called out, entering the family Briefs family quarters through a sliding glass door. After a moment, a woman with blue hair came jogging into view. She wiped her grease-stained hands on her white lab coat and gave Gohan a tense smile. She had clearly been expecting him. "Gohan, honey… How was school?" Before her adopted son could answer, his stomach growled lightly, making his hunger known. The boy gave Bulma a wry smile, and she just laughed.

"Come on, kiddo. I figured you'd be hungry after that small lunch my mom packed you today, so I made you a snack before dinner."

Gohan instantly perked up, and a goofy grin spread across his fair face. "You're the best, you know that?"

She laughed. "Oh, I know! Especially when you tell me every day." With an arm wrapped around the boy's waist, Bulma half-hugged the teenager as she led him further into their home. Gohan allowed the embrace as they walked, comforted by her familiar scent.

The main living room displayed a fairly humble lifestyle for the multi-billionaire family. A simple brick fireplace sat across from a large, beige sectional. Between them, a short coffee table held a large platter of sliced fruits. Gohan abruptly disentangled himself from his adopted mother before leaping over the sofa. Ignoring Bulma's shout of disapproval, he ravaged his juicy snack with rapt dedication.

"How many times have I told you boys to walk when you're in the house? No running, no jumping, no flying- just walk!" Bulma said, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "Damn Saiyans."

With an apologetic smile, Gohan had just finished eating when he felt another energy signal racing toward them. His face lit up when he recognized the young boy, who bolted into Gohan's lap without reservation.

"It's about time, Gohan!" Trunks yelled. "You were gone for, like, ever!"

Gohan ruffled the child's lilac hair with an affectionate look, and Trunks pouted in response. "I mean," Trunks began, "I didn't miss you or anything, but it's just been so boring around here, you know?" The teen chuckled at the child's attempt to emulate his father's collected demeanor.

The oldest half-Saiyan felt immeasurable gratitude for Trunks' presence. It was hard enough to lose both his parents within just a week of each other. Yet the grief became truly unbearable when Chi-Chi's autopsy had revealed her to be pregnant. By the time he was able to fly her to Capsule Corp., her stress-induced heart attack had shut down her body down for the last time, and the young fetus didn't survive.

Gohan's grandfather had originally wanted to take custody of Gohan, but eventually relented at his grandson's insistence. Yes, Gohan loved the Ox King, but the boy had no interest in returning to his grandfather's kingdom as a prince. After a lifetime of fear and violence, he longed for a mundane life. He couldn't have been happier with his choice- Just as Bulma had always been a second mother to him, Trunks had become a brother to him. Their bond ran deeper than blood, and Gohan's adoption had only made the arrangement official. And though Vegeta had vehemently protested when Gohan first moved in, the prince seemed to grow more attached to the boy as time passed.

Now, Vegeta's six-year-old son scrambled from Gohan's lap and tugged at the hem of his brother's shirt. "Can we go play, now?"

Bulma cleared her throat. "He just got home, and you're already trying to steal him from me!" With an exaggerated huff, she plopped onto the sofa, one arm dangling over her forehead. "What am I, chopped liver?"

"You're so dramatic," Trunks argued.

"Sweetie," Bulma told her youngest son, face serious yet kind. "I really do need to talk to him, though."

"Hey, squirt," Gohan whispered. "Why don't you set up that new video game you got yesterday, and I'll be upstairs when your mom is done with me. How does that sound?"

The boy cast a stern look to his mother. "Promise you won't keep him long?"

Bulma smiled. "I promise," she said, her tone softer than usual.

"Okay! I'll be waiting!" With a final shout of glee, Trunks bolted upstairs to prepare the evening's entertainment.

Save for the fading sound of footsteps, silence invaded the room for a few moments.

"He really looks up to you, you know that, right?" Bulma told her oldest son. Gohan took a seat next to her, his onyx eyes shining. "I love him, Bulma," he confirmed. "I love all of you. And I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

"Oh, you love all of us, huh?" She teased. "Even the royal pain in my ass?" The two shared a laugh before Bulma began to fidget with her wedding ring. Gohan eyed her curiously, wondering why the cheer suddenly left her eyes.

"You never answered when I asked you about your first day," Bulma stated. "And surely you know I got a call from your school today."

She frowned as Gohan visibly deflated a bit. "Oh, it was nothing!" He lied. "It just… You know? It'll take some getting used to."

Bulma sighed. "Gohan, you know you can tell me anything, right?" Gohan broke eye contact with her to stare at his feet for a few seconds. His brow furrowed, as if he had to carefully think about what to say next. Bulma sat with him, knowing she needed every ounce of patience when handling Gohan's issues. Even by teenage standards, she knew him to be incredibly sensitive and emotional, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"I know," he finally muttered, letting him eyelids droop shut. "It's just… it's so different. I'm so different."

"Sweetie, you-"

"I don't really want to talk about it," Gohan said hurriedly, still not meeting her gaze.

"You don't have to talk about it right now," Bulma gently warned, "but you know it's been a while since the last one of our talks. You're off the hook tonight, but not forever. Alright, mister?"

Without a word, Gohan leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Thank you," he told her before standing up. Bulma smiled sadly at his back while he ran upstairs to play with his little brother.