A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back with the next chapter (finally) It's out a bit later than I had intended as have been so busy with work and life! I cannot believe that I am nearly up to 700 followers! It's insane! Thank you so much for all your love and support. It really does mean the world. I am hoping that the pacing will go a little faster from now on in terms of Gohan meeting his friends and family. I know that's what you're all waiting for ;) I will attempt to get the next chapter out swiftly as the major plot points are basically written. As always, thank you for being so patient! And Enjoy! ES x
Chapter Eleven
Fleeting Chances
xxxx
Gohan had never liked coffee, the taste far too bitter for his liking. He remembered sneaking a sip from his mother's cup when he was a child, and had nearly retched at the strong taste that had left a horrid coating on his tongue. Over a decade later and the taste was no different, he still hated the stuff. So it was beyond him why he had even agreed to accompany Videl to the little coffee shop on the corner, let alone drink several mugs of the vile concoction. And no amount of sugar he put in it made it any better.
It was evident that Videl was suspicious of him, and how could she not be after she had found him surrounded by a pile of unconscious bodies? The headstrong girl wanted answers. Answers as to where he had come from, what hospital he had been in, what ward, whether he remembered his last name and the list went on. Though Gohan could give her no such validtion, which only gave the tiny vixen leverage to exact her brilliant plan.
And as the ancient stone of Korin's tower came into view, he realised that he should have just went with his gut feeling and ran for the hills.
He really hated coffee.
The young saiyan had had quite enough for one day thank you very much. In just a few short hours he had found out that he was nothing short of a celebrity, been threatened, exploded on, beaten up some thugs, accused of having an obsession with unicorns and ran into non other than Krillin and Android Eighteen's daughter. Now that was a shock, even more so when he had seen the killing machine intended for his father run up and cuddle the little girl in the middle of the shop. How had that relationship even happened anyway? Could androids even have babies? Evidently so, as little Marron bore features of both of her parents. Still he was happy for them, especially Krillin, he had always wanted a family. He had been apart of his for so long.
It was a good job that he had hesitated and didn't destroy Eighteen right there on the spot. People had the potential to change after all, and from what he could tell, it looked as though the android had fit into their odd little group just as well as any evil-doer turned good before her. So he should have listened to the warning signs, the alarm bells ringing in his head when Videl suggested that she take him to meet a couple of friends of hers in order to try and get his memory back. Great Zalama above, why did he find it so difficult to say no to those eyes?
But alas, he was frozen. Frozen to the passenger seat of her jetcopter, as Videl started the vertical incline up to The Lookout, Bee drooling over his shoulder from the backseat. The amount of caffeine in his system only exacerbated his nerves as he realised that he would have to lie, lie through his teeth for want of them not getting hurt, of him getting hurt when he had to say goodbye again.
They burst through the clouds all too soon, and the gleaming marble tiles of The Lookout came into view. Nostalgia, fear and excitement gripped him all at once, and Videl looked over at him smugly, mistaking his pale face and nervousness for something else altogether. It was as if she was introducing him to her world, but he had been apart of it all along.
The teenager couldn't help himself, and stretched out his senses, relishing in the strong Ki of his old mentor. And bloody hell was it a lot stronger than when he had last sensed it. Piccolo's energy accompanied Dende and Mister Popo, and Gohan could have cried both out of grief and joy, as the familiar pulsating energies of his old friends washed over his senses. The jet landed, and the three in question stood awaiting them, with Dende and Mister Popo smiling brightly at the Satan copter. He still didn't quite understand how Videl knew them, but it must have been due to the the events surrounding Cell or Majin Buu. They stepped down from the cockpit, and his heart practically soared as he felt that familiar tap of his boots against the marble tiles.
"Videl!" Dende gushed, running over and embracing her, Bee jumping up him in excitement and barking madly, "What brings you up here?"
Gohan couldn't help but smile at his old friend. The young Namekian was nearly as tall as he was, donned in the ceremonial red and white robes of Earth's Guardian, with a long wooden staff clutched within his palm - previously belonging to Kami.
"Hi Dende, Mister Popo, Piccolo," Videl grinned at them.
The young saiyan couldn't bring himself to look his mentor in the eye, though with a pang in his chest did he hear him muster, "Hey kid."
"Shall I pop the kettle on?" asked Mister Popo, patting the labrador on the head as he began to calm down, his tail wagging enthusiastically.
"That would be lovely Mister Popo, thank you," she smiled, before turning to Dende, "Actually, I came up here to ask a favour of you. This is my friend, Beerus. We only met yesterday, and he has amnesia. I really want to help him remember his past and get back to his family. Do you think you can heal him? I think his knock to the head might have damaged some brain cells."
"A little unorthodox Videl," Piccolo stated gruffly as Gohan scowled at her, "Is it wise to bring him here and not to a hospital?"
"He says he's been to hospital," she explained, eyeing the young saiyan in question before giving them a pleading look, "He's all alone and I found him wondering around by the gr - uh, city. Please? He doesn't freak out easily I promise. He sat with Buu all through dinner yesterday!"
The halfling frowned, surprised at her lie. Why didn't she tell Piccolo that she found him at his grave? Was his death still all too raw for them? He suddenly felt a sickly feeling of guilt swirl in his stomach.
"Well alright, Dende can see to him," said the Namekian warrior, a smirk now playing on his lips, "So, are you keeping up with your training?"
Before the teenager could ask what on earth his old mentor was talking about, did he feel Dende's presence hovering over him.
"Hullo, I'm Dende," he smiled politely, it nearly broke Gohan's heart.
"Beerus," he stated with a small smile.
"Would you care to sit for me?" the Namekian asked, "I need to have a look at what's going on in your mind for me to heal parts of your memory that are missing, pathways that are broken. It may take a while, you'll be more comfortable."
Uh oh.
If Dende looked into his mind, he would be discovered. Though at first, he wondered why they hadn't recognised him straight away. He didn't think he had changed all that much, but he must have. He was taller, more muscular and scarred, with a much deeper voice and long hair to boot. His features were more defined, chiseled. He now resembled a man, not the child that they had lost eight long years ago.
"Don't worry, I promise it won't hurt," the young guardian smiled reassuringly, "Please sit."
Reluctantly, he obeyed. He would have to try and block off his mind somehow. But his emotions were running away with him, his mind was all over the place, all kinds of memories spewing forth and leaving him unable to contain them.
He could pretend to jump to his death off of The Lookout, he reasoned, but Piccolo would be sure to catch him.
He sighed in distain, as the familiar warmth of Dende's healing hands encompassed him. He closed his eyes tightly shut, trying to focus. But with Piccolo and Videl's voices surrounding him, along with the memorable smells and sounds of The Lookout assaulting his senses, it was impossible to still his mind. And his old friend caught on straight away.
Dende let out a startled gasp, abruptly retracting his hands and causing the warmth to leave him completely. Gohan opened his eyes, the onyx orbs boring deeply into his friend's.
Dende, he pleaded through a telepathic link, Dende, please don't say anything.
G-Gohan? The young deity asked, his eyes widening to the size of saucers, I-is it really you?!
Please Dende, I don't want them to know, he spoke tentatively, trying to keep calm, Not yet, please.
B-but how?! His features were strained now, as if he was going to spontaneously combust, laugh and cry all at the same time.
I promise I'll explain everything, but only to you as Earth's guardian, it's only proper, he informed him, I'm begging you Dende. Look, Piccolo and Videl are staring at us now. Tell them that my brain injury is severe and you need to take me into the temple and I'll explain everything there, away from them.
Immediately, his old friend sprang to his feet, pretending to help the teenager up and turning quickly to the others, "Oh my! His brain injury is quite severe! I need to take him into the temple to further examine him!"
And with that they were off, with Gohan rolling his eyes at the state of hurriedness in his tone - it was anything but subtle. Though he didn't really have time to scold the young Namekian, when he was suddenly bundled into a darkened corridor and pulled into a fierce hug.
"Dende," he couldn't help but chuckle, patting his sobbing friend on the back, "Dende calm down for a minute. Bloody hell mate, I can't explain anything to you if you're in this state."
Dende pulled back, tears coursing down his fevered cheeks even though he was positively beaming at him, "Oh Gohan! Gohan I can't believe it's really you! I didn't even recognise you! I thought you were dead! Where have you been?! Shenron wouldn't let us bring you back! We thought you were lost! How long have you been on Earth?! Where is -?!"
He was quickly silenced, by Gohan slapping a hand over his mouth.
"Be quiet!" he hissed, "I don't want Piccolo knowing who I am! And I doubt that his hearing has gotten any worse in eight years!"
"B-but why?!" He gasped, as soon as the teen had released him, although he was a little quieter this time round, "You're back! Your parents will be thrilled! I just can't believe it!"
"I'm not staying," Gohan sighed, and he could have sworn Dende's antenna drooped.
"W-what?"
"I can't stay Dende," he attempted to explain, "There's a reason why Shenron couldn't bring me back to life. I've been chosen for a higher purpose. It's sort of the reason I'm here really, I only got back yesterday. And after this task is well… complete, I have to go back."
"Back where?" His eyes widened, he was so full of questions, "H-higher purpose? And what kind of task? I'm sure that Piccolo and the others -"
"I can't tell them," he stated, rubbing his temples in frustration, "You can't let anyone know I'm here. If my mum and dad find out, they'll want me to stay, permanently. But if I don't achieve my goal here on Earth and take on this role I've been given, the universe will cease to exist."
His friend was nearly bowled over by the revelation, "The universe?! Gohan please, whatever is going on, please let us in. We've all missed you all so, so much you have no idea -"
Gohan quickly cut across him, "I know Dende. Please, this is killing me too. But this, this role…well, it has to be me."
"But I don't understand," his friend argued, "Gohan, if there's something bad happening in the universe, we could always ask The Supreme Kai to -"
The young saiyan couldn't help but scoff, "This goes way higher than The Supreme Kai Dende, trust me."
He stopped short, his eyes widening to the size of saucers, "There are people above The Supreme Kai?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," he said lowly, "There are beings out there with unfathomable power, power that you couldn't even begin to dream of."
Dende snorted, "Sounds like someone your dad would want to meet."
"Yeah, exactly," Gohan huffed, "Which is another reason why I'm not telling him I'm here. If he finds out what I am -"
"What do you mean?" Dende frowned, causing the halfling to cringe, realising his mistake, "What do you mean 'what you are'? You're not making any sense! Gohan, I'm your friend, please tell me. I'm just concerned about what you might be getting yourself into."
The teenager ran his fingers through his hair out of frustration as he let out a shaky breath, the guardian's penetrative stare never leaving him.
"You are troubled, old friend," he observed, "I saw it in your mind. Please, just tell me, it can't be that bad."
Gohan gave him a pointed look, and the Namekian stared back, his stance unwavering.
Finally, the young saiyan sighed, "When I died, my body and soul didn't get a chance to reach The Otherworld. Instead, I was taken to a different dimension, a dimension of Gods."
Dende blinked, "Like the Sacred Realm of The Kai's?"
"Sort of," he tried to explain gently, "Although the Kai's are Gods of Creation, and these deities are well…the opposite."
"The opposite of creation?" The young Namekian gulped, aghast, "G-Gohan, you're not saying - "
"I've been trained by these deities ever since I died, in order to take over the role of the current God when he eventually dies," the teen continued, cutting across him, "but there's something evil coming, and we think we know the cause. This person is all kinds of corrupt, and they continue to build power from where they are trapped in a dark dimension. If he were to escape, it would threaten the mere existence of our universe as we know it. Because of this, I was sent to Earth to find out about a prophecy in order to help me achieve a divine power a lot faster than I would have without it. My superiors aren't letting on much, but I have a hunch that this power might be needed to stop him."
He watched as Dende continued to stare at him with wide eyes, attempting to process everything he had said.
"I don't expect you to do anything, and I'm not looking for help," said Gohan firmly, "It's my duty now. My responsibility."
"Y-you," he mustered weakly, though the teenager couldn't tell whether his voice was shaking due to awe or fear, "A divine power? You're training to take over a God?"
He nodded, as the young guardian swallowed thickly, realisation hitting him all at once, "But if this deity is the opposite of creation then that must mean a-a-!"
"That's right Dende," the halfling stated, studying his friend's reaction carefully, "I'm training to become the God of Destruction."
It took a while to calm Dende down, and he even had to put a force field around him to nullify his screams. The young Namekian had reacted in the same way that Gohan had predicted, though he was elated to see that his friend didn't kick him off The Lookout or refuse to even to look at him. Given his esteemed position, Dende knew all about the importance of maintaining a balance in the universe, though he was more than relieved when the halfling had reassured him that he had not destroyed anything without reason.
Though the young saiyan was deflated when the guardian informed him that he had never heard of this so called Super Saiyan God form, although his father and Vegeta had managed to achieve the third level of super saiyan much to his pride. They certainly weren't letting up in their training from what he could tell. It was good to know that they hadn't become complacent in times of peace, as he knew that the Earth would still need protecting even after Majin Buu. Still, he was no closer to understanding about this prophesied warrior, and was beginning to come to terms with the fact that he had to make a plan to speak with Vegeta in disguise. There was no way he could last a month here before he was able to summon the dragonballs. He had nearly gone a whole day without fighting or training, something that was unheard of. The only time he had skipped training was when he was recovering from severe injuries. However, he didn't see how he could get any training done whilst on Earth without his power attracting the Z-Fighters. He was already starting to get worried that he was falling behind in his strict regime.
The conversation had ended shortly after that, and although Dende was sad to see his friend go, Gohan promised that he would return to bid him farewell before Whis came and retrieved him. Stepping out of the temple, the young saiyan noticed that it was already dark. A small, nostalgic smile crept across his lips as he had almost forgotten just how clear the atmosphere was up here. A blanket of stars appeared to envelope the entire Earth, shining like diamonds amongst the velvet sky. It was so clear that he could even make out the constellations, taking his memories back to a time before Cell, when he and Dende would sit on top of The Lookout as kids, mapping out the pictures in the stars.
Such was a rare time of peace, no less than a week before he had left the world forever. His parents had never allowed him to stay out so late, but this was a entirely different circumstance, Cell's tournament was in ten days, and it might have been the only time they had left. Little did Gohan know that for him it would be, and he was thankful to his mother and father for letting him have those moments, for they held a precious place in his heart.
A shooting star suddenly darted across the night sky, casting shadows in his onyx eyes. The young saiyan sighed to himself, and continued on his path. He was halfway across the sanctuary, when he realised that Videl was nowhere in sight. He frowned in confusion, stretching out his senses and feeling her Ki back in Orange Star City.
Speaking of energy, the Ki signature of his beloved old mentor was standing right behind him.
The teenager whirled around, giving the tall Namekian the most innocent smile he could muster.
"Oh hello," he chimed, "Have you seen Videl?"
"I told her to head home so that you could rest," Piccolo replied gruffly, his stare burning holes in Gohan's facade.
"Well, there really is no need," he said hurriedly, the fake smile still plastered across his face as he began to walk away, "I'll just be on my way now, thank you Sir."
"Oh but I think you know that there is a need," smirked Piccolo, pausing as he eyed the teen up and down, "Gohan."
Gohan stiffened, stopping dead in his tracks, knowing all too well that he had given the game away seen as he had visibly flinched.
The young saiyan turned back around uselessly, "W-what?! I don't know what you're-"
"Don't lie to me kid, I'd recognise those eyes anywhere."
Busted, he thought, as the Namekian strode over to him, a glint in his eye that the halfling was certain held malicious intent.
"P-Piccolo, I-I can explain -"
He was cut short however, as he suddenly found his face colliding with his old mentor's chest. He blinked in surprise, as Piccolo's arms wrapped around him in a forceful embrace. He could feel his heart pounding beneath his ribcage, as his fingers stroked his hair, grasping onto him so tightly as if he was afraid that he would disappear beneath his fingertips.
"Piccolo…" Gohan whispered, tears prickling the corners of his eyes as he wrapped his own arms around the man's torso, returning the hug that he had waited so long to feel.
"Kid," Piccolo started, his voice thick with emotion, though the teenager could tell that he was desperately trying to hide it, "You won't believe what you put us through."
"I'm sorry," he sniffed, clearing his throat in a vain attempt to keep himself together, "I really am, but I -"
"I heard everything," he stated, finally breaking free of their embrace, and looking him up and down, his hands resting on his broad shoulders, "You've gotten taller."
"And yet you haven't changed," Gohan smiled, allowing the Namekian to ruffle his hair again, just like when he was a young boy.
"That reminds me, how did you change? Aren't you still dead?" he asked, though Gohan tried to ignore the pain in his eyes as he said that last word.
"Yup," he replied, wavering the concealment to show off his halo, "I have to hide this so that I don't draw too much attention whilst I'm on Earth."
"If you're trying to keep a low profile then I would suggest changing your clothes," Piccolo snorted, eyeing his exposed stomach, "Nice unicorn."
Gohan scowled, which only caused the Namekian to emit a small chuckle, "These are Videl's clothes if you must know."
"Like that makes it any better."
"Look, I was basically stranded by my esteemed colleagues and left with bugger all," The teenager sighed with a roll of his eyes, before grinning up at him, "Fancy helping me out?"
Piccolo smirked, placing a hand over his head, "I got you kid."
In a white flash of light, Gohan felt a lot comfier. He looked down, and smiled at the attire that Piccolo had chosen for him. Grey skinny jeans and black and white sneakers, along with a tight purple t-shirt which showed off his muscular arms and chest.
"Couldn't stray away from the purple, could you Mister Piccolo?" He teased, using the nickname he had called him when he was a child. It felt so good to say it.
"It's my signature colour," He replied in amusement, before he caught the disgruntled look on the teenager's face. "What's the matter?"
"Aren't these jeans a little… tight?" he asked, tugging on them, they were like leggings!
Piccolo growled, "Stop whining, it's what the kids your age wear these days."
"But they're so restrictive!" Gohan protested, raising up a leg and kicking at the air, "How is anyone supposed to fight in these?!"
"You said you wanted to fit in didn't you?"
"Well yeah, but -" he started, but his old mentor quickly cut across him.
"Then deal with it," he stated gruffly, folding his arms across his chest, "I'm not a damned personal shopper, and I'm certainly not beaming you up a whole wardrobe."
"Fine, I'll wear them," said Gohan, "But I will need some more clothes."
Piccolo was about to tell him where to shove it, when he caught sight of the puppy eyes he was giving him. The kid knew full well that he could not resist that look.
"Is it working?" the halfling asked, as his bottom lip began to tremble.
The Namekian warrior sighed in defeat, causing the teen to grin in triumph. Every time.
"I'll do it after you've explained to me how you've grown whilst you're still dead," said Piccolo, eyeing him, "I don't remember any of us getting older when we died."
"Well, when you die as a kid you have a choice of whether to grow up or not," he explained, "Something about the rules of Otherworld and giving children a chance at the life they would have had. I chose to get older, I think I thought it would have been sad to never know what getting older felt like."
"It's no joy ride I can tell you that," Piccolo huffed, still staring at him. There was an emotion in his eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"It's not been too bad so far," Gohan shrugged, "Besides, I was fed up of being called shortie all of the time."
His old mentor smirked at that.
"Who knows when," the teenager continued, "But they'll be a point when I'll stop ageing, or revert back to my prime as it were. Probably when I take over from Lord Beerus, he's millions of years old and he doesn't look like an old man."
"Lord Beerus?" Piccolo quirked, "Is that the God of Destruction?"
"Yeah," said Gohan, "It's who I'll be taking over from when the time comes. Whis, the Angel that is bound to this universe and trains us, says that it might only be a few centuries."
The Namekian shook his head in disbelief, though there was still a ghost of a smile on his lips, "Angels, Gods of Destruction… I still can't believe it, and I thought we had heard it all when we met The Supreme Kai last year."
"Yeah, too bad you haven't heard of this Super Saiyan God," the teenager said dejectedly, "It would make my afterlife a lot easier."
"Super Saiyan God," Piccolo repeated, as though trying to wrap his head around the words themselves, "I never thought that such a thing was even possible."
"You and me both," said Gohan, "You heard me talking to Dende. I don't know how to figure it out. Dad and Vegeta certainly can't do it."
"Maybe Vegeta knows of the prophecy, he is the prince of saiyans after all," Piccolo suggested thoughtfully, "And we could always ask Shenron."
"Yeah believe me I've already thought of both those options," he replied, folding his arms across his chest, "My only real option is talking to Vegeta, but I don't know how to get it out of him without him becoming suspicious. We can't summon Shenron for another month, and even if it comes to that I don't know how I'll be able to do it without those nosy parkers finding out."
"You really don't want to see anyone?"
Gohan looked towards his old friend, who was eyeing him carefully, an aura of sadness and disappointment surrounding him. Though his gaze was focussed and unwavering, as if daring the teenager to challenge him.
Slowly, the teen shook his head sadly, "I didn't even want to come here in the first place. I made peace with my decision a long time ago Piccolo. I just know that it's what I'm destined to do."
Piccolo watched silently as the halfling sighed, unable to hide his feelings from the man who had taught him so much, "Although sometimes, sometimes I wish that I was doing more creating than destroying."
"Destruction is just as important as creation," the Namekian said wisely, "And it's not like you're going around murdering people Gohan."
"Feels like it."
Piccolo placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Do you feel as though you have something to prove?"
He looked up suddenly, stricken by his words. Good old Mister Piccolo, he could see right through him. Some things never change.
"A little," he offered glumly, Kami he was awful at lying, "What happened at The Cell Games, Cell nearly destroyed everything and I-"
"Gohan you died," his old mentor pressed, grabbing both of his shoulders and looking directly into his eyes, "That was more than enough. Gods above, you were just a child! You should have never been put into that situation in the first place. And now you're taking on such an enormous responsibility again?! Becoming a God is no easy feat, especially one of Destruction. You have nothing to prove to anyone!"
"I've made my choice Piccolo!" He snapped suddenly, his voice rising, emotions getting the better of him, "I have to do this. I can't just abandon this post, especially not after everything I've sacrificed! If I don't use all this power and potential I have inside to the best of my ability, if I ignore my duty, then the balance of the universe will be in danger! Not to mention there's the possibility of another powerful enemy on the horizon!"
Piccolo quiet rightly took a step back, as Gohan spoke again, this time more calmly, "And I won't let anyone else get hurt when I have the power to prevent it."
His old mentor stared at him for a while, But what about yourself kid? "You've grown up a lot, Gohan."
"Yeah," He sighed, rubbing his temples, "I didn't even know I was nineteen, I've not been counting the years on purpose."
"Probably wise, if you don't intend on coming back," Piccolo stated.
The young saiyan looked up at the man, the guilt encompassing him once more, "Do you hate me Piccolo?"
His eyes widened slightly, before he reached over and placed an affectionate hand on his hair, "I could never hate you, kid. What you're doing, is selfless. More than I can say for your father at least."
"My Dad?" he frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Let's just say that after you… left," He started, "Your father and I weren't on speaking terms. He came back to life with the Namekian dragonballs and dedicated every second of his life to finding you, but after a couple of years, he gave up."
"I'm not exactly easy to find Piccolo," he snorted, folding his arms across his chest.
"It's better now," Piccolo sighed, "Vegeta slapped some sense into us, literally."
The halfling almost laughed disbelievingly, "Vegeta?"
"Everyone took your death hard Gohan, including Vegeta," his old mentor explained, "I never gave up searching, but Goku did. We had a fight, a very big fight about three years after your passing. Vegeta had to pull us apart, and told us that you wouldn't want us to be fighting."
"Why did you fight?" he asked, trying to ignore that fact that his father gave up. Though he couldn't blame him really, he was long gone, and his mother and father needed to deal with their grief.
"I blamed him for your death," said Piccolo through gritted teeth, "He should have never have sent you up against Cell. You were just a child."
"But I won didn't I?" he said with a smile, "Don't worry about it Piccolo, I've actually had a really good afterlife, despite not being able to come and see you lot. You and Dad shouldn't fight over the past, Vegeta was right."
"Maybe," his mentor breathed heavily, "But believe me when I say that no one is over what happened to you kid. It might do them well to see you again."
Gohan swallowed thickly, "I can't do that Piccolo."
"Is it because you're afraid to leave them behind again? Or because you're afraid of what they'll think of what you've become?"
He hesitated, "Both."
Piccolo sighed, clasping him on the shoulder, "No one's going to think badly of you, Gohan."
The teenager snorted, "I'm a destroyer Piccolo, literally the opposite of everything Dad stands for."
"It's up to you kid," he replied, "But I still don't think you should hide from them."
He bit his lip, averting his eyes away from his old mentor's penetrative gaze, the hand on his shoulder no longer lingering.
"How does Videl know you all anyway?" he asked, attempting to change the subject, "I know that she was the girl that I saved at The Cell Games."
"She competed in the twenty-fifth World Martial Arts tournament with us," Piccolo grunted, "She recognised us from the Games, tagged along when Majin Buu appeared - I take it you know about that?"
"I do," Gohan said meekly, not wanting the man to get the wrong idea, "But I only found out that Buu was even in this part of the universe yesterday, let alone on Earth. I nearly had to step in when we learned that he had escaped from his prision, but The Supreme Kai told us that Buu had been defeated by mortal warriors. I should have known that it was you lot, you can never stay out of trouble."
The Namekian scoffed at his teasing, before continuing, "Videl tried to fight Buu you know, even though she was no match for him. She's much like you, stubborn and headstrong. After that, she's become apart of the group we've got going on, she spars with us from time to time, gets on well with your mother."
"Are you serious?" the halfling gaped, causing Piccolo to let out a light chuckle.
"Looks like you picked the wrong girl to bump into."
"You're telling me," Gohan groaned, "I can tell she's getting suspicious of me already, I don't think she's buying this amnesia stuff as well as I'd hoped."
"Don't worry," said Piccolo, "I had a hunch that you didn't want to reveal your true self so I threw her off the scent, laid it on that I thought you were disturbed in the head."
"Wow thanks," he retorted dryly, as Piccolo snorted
"Why should you care about what she thinks anyway?" he asked, causing the teenager to blush, "You've only just met her."
"I don't," he stated attempting to keep his tone casual, "I'm just saying is all. I've had enough for one day without you going around telling people I'm a nutcase."
"Right," said Piccolo, giving him a knowing look.
Gohan chose to ignore him, instead casting his gaze towards the glistening sky above them.
"She was talking about taking you to the reunion tomorrow," the Namekian said after a while, he was eyeing him again. "She feels bad that you haven't got any friends at the moment."
"What reunion?" the halfling asked, already not liking the sound of it.
"There's a gathering every year, on the anniversary of The Cell Games," said Piccolo, "Everyone gets together at Capsule Corporation. You know Bulma, that woman can make a party out of anything."
He paused, biting his lip. He knew what he was asking of him.
Gohan sighed, "I can't face them."
"I think it would do you good to see everyone again," Piccolo said wisely, "I won't let on to who you really are. Besides, it would give you an opportunity to talk to Vegeta whilst every one else is busy."
The teenager was struggling, he was right in a way. With every one else enjoying the festivities, there was no risk of them listening in to their conversation if he could get Vegeta alone. He could feel Piccolo's stare burning into him, though he was still hesitating. Was it a good idea to put himself right out in the open? What if they found out who he really was? Still, there was one overwhelming thought that was overriding all other logic.
"I just want to make sure that everyones alright," he said finally.
Piccolo swallowed, as Gohan's eyes shone with emotion, "They are kid, but I still think that you should see for yourself, before you have to leave."
A tense silence hung between them, as he spoke again, "We're both aware of the rules imposed on you. It won't be a case of seeing us again in Otherworld when we finally pass on."
"No," the young man replied, "Goodbye is… forever, or well, it's meant to be."
Piccolo stiffened, he knew of course, but hearing him say it aloud was something else altogether.
"Then you should take this chance whilst you still have it," he said, his voice steady as Gohan looked towards him, "you might not get another."
The teenager paused, his chest growing tight before he managed to breathe out, "I'd better go."
Piccolo sighed heavily, "Where will you go?"
"I don't know, I'll find somewhere," he said with a shrug.
"You're always welcome to stay here."
"I know," said Gohan, "But I shouldn't."
The Namekian swallowed, "I understand."
He sighed, turning away before Piccolo stopped him, "Here, take these before you leave."
A bright light shone over the tiles, as a pile of folded clothes materialised in front of him.
"Thanks," Gohan smiled sadly, gathering them up in his arms, "It was good to see you Piccolo."
"You too kid," he replied, as the teenager fought the urge to hug him senseless again. You don't know how much.
"Give my best to Dende and Mister Popo," called the halfling, before a white aura gathered around him and he leapt from the edge of The Lookout, spiralling towards the Earth below.
Gohan forced down the lump of emotions in his chest as he sped away from Korin's tower. He knew that his wise old mentor was right in a way, but the young saiyan needed time to think about it, to clear his head. There was no way he could think straight if he had stayed at The Lookout. And what if his father or one of the Z-Fighters had decided to drop by? It would be difficult to explain how a random, seemingly weak teenager had managed to get up there.
However, it was with a painful awareness that he realised that he had no where to stay, and had stupidly given up the opportunity of sleeping in a rather comfy four poster bed in the sacred temple. He flew for a while, though kept his energy low for want of not drawing attention to himself. Without realising it, he was soon flying directly over Orange Star City, the bright lights of the concrete jungle illuminating the sky so that a yellow glow intermingled with the velvet night. He sighed, catching sight of the giant billboard with his face on, feeling the sudden need to land.
He didn't know just when or why he had done it, but the next thing he knew, he had found Videl's apartment building and pressed the buzzer linked with her flat number. It was safe to say that she was just as surprised as he was when he asked if he could come in over the intercom. Walking up the steps to her apartment, he realised that maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. It was getting very late after all, and he felt as though he was imposing. Still, he had no where else to go. And even though Videl was certainly a danger to his secrets being exposed, she had been nice enough and just as eager to help him. It was no wonder that she had fit in with his friends so well. Maybe that was what had pulled him back to her apartment?
Her front door had swung open before he had even reached it, and the girl in question greeted him with a curious yet concerned expression. She was already in her pyjamas, dressed in a white oversized t-shirt with 'Satan Dojo' emblazoned onto the front in scarlet lettering. It just reached to her bare thighs, which Gohan could see were beautifully toned from the amount of training she quite obviously did. The shirt had slipped off one of her shoulders, exposing the snow white skin of her neck and collarbone and nearly causing his head to spin. Her long hair was back in pigtails, though a little messy, and she had plush slippers shaped like dinosaur claws upon her feet. She held a tub of chocolate ice-cream in her hand, licking the spoon as she addressed him.
"So how'd it go?"
The teenager gulped. Hard.
"F-fine, great actually," he found himself stammering.
"And?" she asked more firmly this time.
"And what?" he asked, trying to stop his eyes from wandering. Was she not wearing anything under that shirt?!
"Your head?"
"My head?" Yep, he was staring.
Videl huffed, clearly agitated by his lack of articulacy, "The amnesia?"
"Oh!" the young Destroyer stammered, mentally yelling at himself to get a grip and making up a lie, "Your friends said that my memories might take a while to come back, but I'm feeling much better. Some things are a lot clearer."
"Well that's good," she said, "I'm glad they were able to help."
"Yeah, me too," he mustered weakly.
"So, are you coming in or are you just going to stand there gawking all night?" Videl asked, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. There was no doubt in his mind that she had noticed his eyes wondering all over her petite body, though despite his obvious embarrassment, he was glad that she didn't scold him for it. In fact, judging by the look in her eyes, she seemed quite intrigued by it.
"Er yeah, I mean no," he stammered stupidly, mentally slapping himself before stepping over the threshold, "I mean, thanks."
"Don't mention it," she chuckled, shutting the door behind them, "Can I get you something to drink? I was just about to watch a film."
"Water is fine, thanks," Gohan replied, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.
Videl nodded as they made their way into the kitchen come living room, and the girl quickly made to pick up a glass from the draining board and ran the tap to fetch his water. He cringed when he glanced at the clock on the wall, it was already past ten. He was acting very callous, it was far too late to be visiting a girl in her pyjamas. He blushed at the thought, what in the HFIL was he thinking barging in on her like this?
Despite his reasoning, he accepted the glass of water gratefully, taking a sip before following her to the living room. Thankfully, Bee didn't cause to much of a fuss this time, and instead of jumping all over him, he went back to snoozing at their feet as soon as they sat back on the sofa.
"So Piccolo was nice to you wasn't he?" Videl started with a sheepish smile, grabbing the blanket that had fell to the floor, from when she had no doubt gone to answer the door to him and threw it over her bare legs, snuggling up to the arm of the plush fabric. "He can be a bit… well, moody, but he's a softie really."
Gohan couldn't help but snort at that, relaxing somewhat. If only Piccolo knew what others thought of him, then he'd probably try to take over the world like his father had intended just to prove a point.
"Nah, he was fine," said the halfling with a smirk, "He's like a big green teddy bear."
"If you say so," Videl replied, giving him an odd look, "Though I have to say, it's nice to see you in normal clothes."
The young saiyan blinked, as the girl's eyes looked him up and down, was she checking him out?
"Uh thanks," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, feeling rather warm all of a sudden, "Piccolo gave them to me."
"See? What did I tell ya?" she joked, "Big softie."
Gohan laughed, as she spoke again, "I'm guessing he dropped you off too, or how else would you have gotten here? I didn't know he was so generous to strangers."
"Um yeah," the teen sweated nervously, "he's a good bloke that Piccolo!"
"Yeah, he probably wanted you to stay here until your memories come back," Videl said thoughtfully, "Probably wise. As nice as he is I don't think he'd let you stay at The Lookout anyway. It's a sacred place after all."
"Yeah," he replied, "I didn't know you knew such interesting people Videl."
The Satan girl smiled, "I'm lucky like that."
You really are.
"You er, you don't mind do you?" Gohan started suddenly, "If I stay for a little while longer?"
"Of course not Beerus," she grinned, "It's my job to help the needy after all."
The teen stared, she thought he was needy?! Great, way to give a good impression Gohan.
"But on one condition," Videl said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"What?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow and causing her to cackle.
"You have to watch this horror movie marathon with me!"
Gohan blinked, as the girl held up a box set of DVD's entitled 'The blood sucking, zombified death monsters of Central City.'
"Oh come on Beerus, it's not that scary," she huffed, mistaking his bewildered look for fear, "Well, unless you're not a fan of gore."
"Er no, I like gore!" he blurted, still trying to get over the fact that she was a fan of horror films, especially ones that looked and sounded so violent. "But uh, isn't it getting a little late to watch a marathon?"
Videl rolled her eyes at him, "Tch don't be such a spoil sport! Where's your sense of adventure?"
Gohan frowned, oh he had a sense of adventure alright. But he was still very aware of the fact that he was sat across from a half-naked girl late at night. Said girl begging him to watch a series of films with her, alone, in the dark, with only a flimsy blanket strewn between them. Even so, he didn't think he had ever stayed up late watching horror films with anyone. And the young saiyan was always one for new experiences. So against his better judgement, he agreed, and an hour and forty-five minutes later he was surprised to find that he had forgotten all about his nerves, and was completely unaware of how close he and Videl were sitting, both of them too engrossed in the film to notice.
The film itself was tasteless and completely inaccurate to true gore, but Videl was loving every minute of it. He couldn't help but notice the way her eyes would light up when tension filled the room, or the way her lips would part whenever a murder would take place. She would lean forward when fight scenes would ensue, grasping hold of the blanket tightly, her chest heaving with excitement. Gohan was ashamed to admit that he had spent more time watching Videl than the actual films, though she was far more entertaining in his opinion. They had only taken short breaks from each movie to get up and grab some snacks and drinks, or have a heated discussion about plot holes before starting the next DVD. He couldn't believe how at ease he felt with her, and how all of his troubles seemed to disappear to the back of his mind. The night was perfect in his opinion, just talking and laughing with someone who didn't know the horror of what he was, unafraid of punching him playfully in the shoulder when he disagreed with her opinion of what to do in a zombie apocalypse. He felt, lighter, free, as if he was just a normal kid staying up late and having a good time with a pretty girl, not worrying about what would happen should his family and friends find out about his presence on Earth, not bound by duty or honour. Pretending that the fate of the entire universe didn't rest on his shoulders for a precious few hours.
Soon enough, it was around three in the morning, and Gohan yawned as he watched the credits roll across the screen. He had sunk quite far into the pillows, the fluffy blanket he shared with Videl strewn across his lap. He felt incredibly warm and cosy, especially since Bee had taken to lying his furry belly over his bare feet. The teenager turned sleepily towards Videl to ask her if she wanted to watch the last film, when his eyes widened, and he realised that she had fallen to sleep on his chest. He gulped, as he became all too aware of their position, and berated himself for not having realised it before. Somehow, in their sleep deprived comfort, had they ended up cuddling. Videl's head was practically resting underneath his chin, her long raven locks pooling across his stomach. Her left arm was draped over his muscular torso, and her bare leg cocked over his. His arm encompassed her, his hand resting upon her hip so that the fabric of her baggy t-shirt had rode up a little, exposing her creamy white skin even more so.
Gohan stiffened in alarm, and quickly retracted his hand from her hip as though he had been burned. He breathed out a shaky breath, as he knew he needed to wake her, but unsure of how she would take their current position. Still, it was incredibly difficult for him to disturb her. Videl looked so peaceful, content, her chest rising and falling in a gentle motion as she continued to doze. The halfling couldn't help but allow a small smile to grace his lips as she muttered something incoherent in her sleep, snuggling further into him as though he was the comfiest pillow in the world. His stomach clenched unexpectedly, a vain attempt at keeping the rampaging butterflies at bay. It wasn't as though he hadn't cuddled with a girl before, he'd had his fair share of fooling around a little whilst on adventures in space - unbeknownst to Whis of course. But somehow, with Videl it was completely different. This feeling… it was intense, overwhelming, like a punch in the gut. And yet still, he couldn't bring himself to move.
He stayed there for a moment too long, selfishly relishing in the comforting feelings that her body warmth brought. Gohan sighed, attempting to gently poke the girl awake, though it seemed that she wasn't having any of it. Giving in, the young saiyan swiftly wrapped his arms under her legs and back, getting to his feet quietly so as to not disturb her any more than was needed. Bee looked up at the sudden movement, cocking his head curiously at the young man.
"Shh," Gohan whispered at the dog, "I'm just tucking her in and I'll be right back. Don't look at me like that."
The labrador snorted in approval, before nestling his head back on the rug, drifting back off to sleep. The teenager took this as conformation, and padded quietly to Videl's bedroom, trying to ignore the way that the girl nestled perfectly in his arms, or the way she fisted his shirt in her sleep. Her bedroom was fairly simple, with white washed walls, a dresser, wardrobe and large double bed. It was a little messy, with clothes strewn over the floor and empty cans of energy drinks dropped near the litter bin that was fit to bursting. He couldn't help but notice the martial arts posters adorning the walls.
Placing the girl gently down on the mattress, he was glad to find that she had released his shirt to make it a little easier. She sighed in contentment, causing his stomach to flutter again as he pulled the covers over her body. It was dark, though the room was bathed in a silvery glow thanks to the thin curtains, the starlight pouring in through the window pane. It took a moment for Gohan to compose himself, too enchanted by the way the starlight washed over Videl's beautiful features. Her plump lips were curled into a smile as if she could sense him watching her. With another angelic sigh, she pulled the bedsheets tighter around her, snuggling into her pillows, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks.
The young Destroyer felt cold all of a sudden, the heat of Videl's body no longer with him. His onyx eyes focussed on her lips as they parted ever so slightly, as the girl relaxed into her dreams. He felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. To taste those lips and feel her warmth again.
But he didn't. He couldn't.
He swallowed hard, and left the room.
"Oooo you've got it bad," Z chirped from where he was resting up the wall when Gohan had entered the living room.
Gohan didn't answer the relic as he readied himself for sleep, nor did he deny his words. Taking off his jeans and shirt, he grabbed a clean t-shirt out of the pile of garments that Piccolo had materialised for him and shoved it roughly over his head. Settling himself back onto the sofa, the teenager heaved a deep sigh of frustration, the overwhelming feeling of falling from a great height encompassing him all at once.
He would have to find somewhere else to stay until he found out how to become a Super Saiyan God, or else he would be sure to get himself into all kinds of trouble.
17th October, 2018.
Reviews:
Aaron Leach: thank you!
keyblademeister88 : thanks so much! hopefully the pacing will be a bit quicker now as we get into the meat of the story!
Naite-Laef: thank you! glad you like the alternate world!
HKGlenstid : thanks for your review, yeah the whole thing with andriods sensing Ki kind of threw me for a whim. I wasnt sure if they could or couldnt so I went with couldnt to give them a weakness. All fighters have weaknesses, even Gohan ;)
Iwik: thanks! haha yes I loved Mr Unicorn. I cant wait to reveal Vegeta's reaction. I promise there will be drama xD soon!
iikd: thanks so much!
romanovascap: I have a few ppl asking why Eighteen didnt recognise Gohan. However this is literally the only interaction they have had. Ever. Eighteen was unconcious when Gohan knocked her out of Cell's belly and throughout the android saga he never crossed paths with her. I mean sure shes probably seen pictures of him etc but didnt really KNOW him. I thought it would be good for Gohan to see her as the first Z-Fighter, and with Piccolo in this chapter it really gives the uncertainty of whether or not the rest of the gang would recognise him. And yes marron is a cutie pie! 3
Look what Jesus did: ahhh thank you so much! There is lots of Gohan torment to come!
LEO LOVER 2016: I am SO glad you are addicted!
X3runner: Videl works for Orange star PD and Krillin for South city PD, though I thought it would be nice to keep them in the same profession. Thanks so much for your review and Im glad you picked up on the parallels! I'll leave the reader to make of what you will in regards to Sharpeners personality and sexuality, he's a minor character in this story so I probably wont be majorly exploring it if its not centric to the plot.
duskrider: thank you! I am loving the hype for Vegeta reaction.
Darkmehameha: MORE!
Neededsomething: Haha thanks! I thought Marron deserved to kick someone in the balls. She has her parents fighting spirit!
Guest: glad you liked the ending!
TrapperPanda: thanks so much! hope you liked the new chapter!
BloodySS2God : thank you! that means the world!
Toorafc: thanks!
REQUIEMCROSS: you know, i only realised that I had done the same as spiderman homecoming until someone reviewed it! :')
mubaarik4858: thanks!
Guest: 'fillers' are part of the story. I'm character building :)
Super Cyrax : paths, crossed.
MadmanJrs : haha love your review! Marron is boss.
x2leoj : thank you for your honest reveiw! glad you are enjoying it! We will deffo see a gohan vs goku/vegeta or maybe both fight in the future. Of course they would want to test his strength when they find out so look forward to that! Glad you are picking out the parts where Gohans training is coming to light. I am to expand on that as the story continues!
Lightningblade49: thank you! glad you picked up on 18/Gohan relationship!
memmek10k: thanks for your review! I agree Goku is quite a boring character to write. however Im deffo gonna give him some interesting quirks in this story!
Vile Twitch: thanks!
Subzerolinkuei: this is a dilemma for the plot point, it makes the story more interested to read when the main character has a dilemma.
victor0606: thank you!
Dan2018: ah you will have to wait to find out what gohan decides. his duty? or love? dont worry though, I have the ending all sorted out ;)
Dann: thanks!
Guest:thank you
dx-1118: thank you so much for your review! glad youre enjoying the story so far! you have some interesting points, but sadly I cannot reveal anything!
FireEmblemMaster101:thank you so much! I havent decided if the movies are cannon to my AU yet. I cant wait for them to all find out yet either. It will be hilarious and dramatic and amazing I promise! Its a few chapters away yet though, so please stay tuned!
Zeromaru Chaos Mode: Gohan will have more transformations I can garantee! And his relationship with Videl will be something you'll have to watch out for ;)
DragonCrusader: thank you! glad you liked the last line!
Pie 555: (chapter 5) promise there will be more moments of hilarity!
Gelid: thank you, and in answer to your question. Gohan's ki has changed somewhat due to his experiences as a destroyer but when Gohan does power up he will still be familiar to them, yet incredibly powerful.
Guest (erin) - thanks so much! sorry I am keeping you sleep deprived though! haha, yay glad you caught the Hercules reference! Doesnt she just scream Videl though? And thanks for replying to the other review regarding GXV romance! xD
MustHaveMore: thank you!
Guest: thats ok! Gohan is currently 19 and appears 19 as he chose to continue aging when he died, something that is granted to children when they die so that they have a chance to grow up. they can choose not to, but Gohan did.
Hek'UnnSkipper : aw thank you so so much!
Chrisfragger: yes they were masks of the z fighters
pkstarstorm64: sorry it took so long! hope i didnt dissapoint!
dx-1118: thanks for your review! glad you are enjoying it!
eliteshadow : thank you!
zayten: I do have a little bit of Jaco in mind ;)