Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonball V: A World Both Familiar and Foreign ❯ Don’t Know When We’ll Be Back Again ( Chapter 4 )

DragonBall V: A World Both Familiar and Foreign

Author's Note: Poor Gohan! He missed the boat. Hehe But, that doesn't mean he'll run right home, now does it? Teehee And how about Goku, Vegeta, and Krillin? Can they train together in harmony under intense gravity for the long trip to Namek? Well, let's find out, shall we?

Required Disclaimer: I don't own the DB franchise, I've never worked for them, I'm not making any money off this, and I'm dead sexxy baby! Read and enjoy.

Chapter 4: Don't Know When We'll Be Back Again

Gohan trudged through the city, staring ahead despondently. He was still upset at himself for not waking up a few minutes sooner, or flying just a little bit faster. "If only…" Gohan whispered. He grimaced as he noticed his bladder was painfully full, pulling him out of his reverie. He looked around and smiled broadly as he saw a solitary tree. He gingerly walked over to it, careful not to jostle his bladder too much, and started relieving himself with a sigh of satisfaction.

Suddenly an elderly man started yelling at him, "Boy! What the blazes are you doing!? You can't do that right here in public! Put that thing away! How indecent! Were you raised in the woods?!"

Gohan blinked at the old man in confusion. "Yeah." Gohan answered honestly.

Flabbergasted, the elderly man shook his finger at the young half-Saiyan. "You can't just start pissing on the side of the road like that! There are women and children walking out here! Do you understand me?"

Gohan was confused. "But, I'm a child. And I'm not upset about it."

The man threw his hands into the air with a shout of annoyance. "Look here, boy! Just don't pee out in the open like that around other people again, ok?!"

Gohan looked around, still baffled. "Where am I supposed to pee then? In that alleyway?"

The elderly man sighed and pointed to the nearest restaurant. "You find a place like that, go in, ask to use the restroom, and go in there. Ask for help if you need it. Now get on then, and pull your pants up!" The man started strolling down the sidewalk again, leaving the befuddled Gohan staring after him.

"What a strange old man." Gohan remarked to himself and continued down the road. He looked around and sighed. "I can't remember which way is home. How am I going to find the way back? I can't feel Mom's ki from here."

Gohan tugged on a lady's skirt, gaining her attention momentarily from her young daughter who was asking when they were going to have lunch. "Yes? Oh, aren't you the cutest little boy!? Where's your mommy, young man?" The lady asked.

Gohan frowned. "I was hoping you could tell me. I'm sorry to bother you ma'am."

The lady looked around for a moment then back at Gohan, who had looked away wondering what else he could try. "Do you know where you live? The area perhaps?"

Gohan nodded. "I live in the woods with my mommy and daddy. We have a house there. There's mountains nearby too."

The lady sighed in disappointment. "I'm afraid that doesn't narrow it down by very much, little one."

"Maybe your mommy is already looking for you. Do you have a place you agree to meet if you get separated?" The little girl asked.

Gohan looked at her and was silent in awe for several moments. "Wow… I thought the lady was pretty but her daughter is so cute! I hardly ever get to meet kids my own age, let alone girls." Gohan mused, moments later realizing he had spoken his thoughts out loud. He flushed scarlet in embarrassment, muttering an apology.

The girl giggled and the mother smiled. "Don't worry about it, son. Now, do you have a place you meet?"

Gohan shook his head. "Not that I know of. Well, thanks anyway. I think I know how to find a friend of my father's. He probably knows how I can get home."

The lady smiled and nodded. "You be careful now. It isn't far, I hope?"

Gohan shook his head. "I don't think so. But I can get there pretty quick even if it is." He replied.

She smiled and waved goodbye. "Come along then, Videl. Let's go ahead and get lunch." The mother and daughter walked over to a restaurant and entered, leaving Gohan who was scratching his head.

"It almost seems like I met that girl before. Oh well, I can feel that old guy Roshi from here, so I'll just fly there and find out how to get home from him." Gohan took to the air and flew towards the turtle hermit's isle, leaving a few people that looked around in confusion, wondering where he disappeared to.

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"So how are they doing, King Kai?" Yamcha asked, pausing a moment from his katas.

The little blue man turned to regard his newest pupil with a quizzical expression. "I assume you mean Goku and the others on the spaceship heading for the planet Namek?" At Yamcha's nod, the Kai replied, "Well, they're training under heavy gravity. Vegeta…" King Kai paused for a moment, looking slightly embarrassed. "Vegeta is doing exceptionally well. He's taken to heavy gravity training as if he were born for it. But, perhaps he was. Saiyans are a warrior race, after all. Goku is doing very well also. I think he would feel better if his son Gohan were along for the ride, though. But it was not to be."

One of Piccolo's eyes popped open at the mention of Gohan. "Why not? Gohan is exceptionally powerful. He would have been a great asset to them!"

King Kai shook his head. "He is too young. His mother forbade him to go."

Piccolo bristled at this statement. "He should have gone anyway then! What is his mother trying to do, coddle the boy until he's nothing but a weakling with no fighting spirit!?"

King Kai nodded. "Something like that. She wants him to be a scholar."

Piccolo scowled. He and Gohan had talked about that during their training for the Saiyan attack. The Namek saw no reason why Gohan couldn't keep up with his studies while also keeping up with his martial arts training. It was ludicrous to think someone could study all day every day without going insane! Piccolo snorted and resumed his meditation, attempting to clear his mind of the agitation.

King Kai frowned at Tien, who was jumping around easily under the heavy gravity of King Kai's planet. "You need heavier training clothes, Tien." King Kai announced, and with a wave of his hand Tien's clothing tripled in weight.

The three-eyed man fell to his hands and knees, huffing and puffing under the new weight. "It's… too much, King Kai! I can't move!"

The blue fish-like man grinned. "Well, then we'll have to test whether you can move or not. Chaotzu, Yamcha, please attack Tien." He snorted in laughter as Yamcha and the little emperor launched a fury of punches and kicks at the three-eyed bald man, who was forced to get up and try to block the blows. He was only about halfway successful, but improved slightly before he slumped down in exhaustion. Yamcha and Chaotzu paused and looked at the Kai, who nodded. "Yes, let him rest. He's earned it. Now to increase the weight on your clothes, boys!" They groaned as the weight on their clothes tripled as well and they sparred a bit with each other before they both landed face first, exhausted.

King Kai snorted in laughter and turned to Piccolo. "Are you sure you don't want to take part in my training, Piccolo? I can improve your skills greatly."

Piccolo opened his eyes again, irritated at the interruption of his meditation. "I told you before, King Kai. I'll train myself."

The Kai scowled, irritated at the Namek's attitude. "Then why did you even bother coming here, Piccolo?!"

Piccolo smirked. "Something to do? Besides, the heavier gravity helps quite a bit."

King Kai frowned and then came up with an idea. "All right, now about this. Four days a week you train yourself and three days a week I train you. It would really benefit the others to spar with you, and it would help you out as well. Is that acceptable to you?"

Piccolo scowled. "Fine. Now leave me alone, I'm trying to meditate."

King Kai nodded and stretched out on his lawn chair, satisfied that he was making progress with his new students. "Yep, I still got it!" He commented to himself and snorted with laughter.

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Vegeta landed gracefully after an aerial attack and stood up straight. "It's time to increase the gravity. Turn it up to 40 Gs!" Vegeta commanded.

Goku nodded and started to move towards the control panels, but Krillin protested. "I can barely move under 30! Can't you just turn it up to 35? Damn!" Krillin was barely even able to stand up straight, let alone perform any katas or spar with either of the two Saiyans, who barely broke a sweat under 30 Gs.

Vegeta growled at the bald monk. "You claimed you would keep up with our training. Already you hold us back! How damned long does it take you to adjust to a higher gravity setting!?"

Krillin scowled. "Fine, turn it up to 40. I'll deal."

Goku scratched the back of his head nervously. "You sure, Krillin? I wouldn't want you to get squashed like a pancake." At his friend's determined nod, he turned the gravity up to 40 Gs. They all grimaced and lowered their centers of gravity. They then did some experimental punches and kicks before Krillin collapsed to his knees, wheezing as if he was having a heart attack.

Goku ran over to him as best he could under the new gravity level. "Krillin! Are you ok, little buddy?"

Krillin nodded and sat down, grunting as the gravity made his rump hit the ground harder than he planned. "I'll be fine, Goku. I just need to adjust to this new gravity setting. For now on can we please go up in increments of 5?!"

Vegeta scowled. "I want to be up to the 100 G maximum before we land on Namek. That's in only 4 weeks, baldie. If we spend half the time adjusting to the 5 G increments that we have been to the 10s, then I'll agree to it. Otherwise, you'll just have to keep 'dealing with it'. Got it?"

Goku scowled at the older Saiyan. "Lay off, Vegeta. We're all doing the best we can. It's just as advantageous for us to get stronger as it is for you, after all."

Vegeta spit and assumed a fighting stance. "I didn't ask you for your advice, Kakkarot. Now, let's get back to training while the runt rests. He had better be ready to spar with one of us when we get done with our spar, or I'll turn the gravity up again!"

Goku grinned, knowing the threat was empty because Vegeta wouldn't be adjusted to the new gravity level by the end of their spar. It would take at least a day or two. Goku nodded and ran forward to begin an attack. They were both moving slowly, as if trying to run through water, but very slowly they both started to increase in speed. Krillin watched from where he was sitting on the floor, his eyes wide in wonder. 'Damn it, if they can do it, then so can I!' Krillin announced inwardly, getting up slowly and stretching. 'That's it, Krillin… You're the man…. You're the man!' Krillin announced his entry into the spar with a cry, running forward to trade blows with both Vegeta and Goku.

Vegeta looked a bit surprised but slowly his expression turned into a grin. "There you go, baldie! Show us what you're made of!" Vegeta took a few moments to wonder what their power levels would be if they had scouters, but dismissed the thought. It didn't matter much when you could just sense ki, as the earthlings had taught him. He was very happy with Kakkarot's progress and less so with Krillin's, but the latter was now proving that he could adjust when he had to. Vegeta's thoughts were interrupted when Goku's fist went through the Saiyan prince's defenses and caught him in the side of the mouth. Vegeta landed hard and rolled, surprised at the strength of the attack. 'Damn… he's adjusting to this new gravity level faster than I am! That can't be… he's just a lowly second class soldier! I'm the prince of all Saiyans! I'll show that clown…' Vegeta launched into a new assault, spurred by his anger. Goku's grin grew larger, enjoying the spar so much that it lasted longer than any of them had planned. Finally they stopped and limped towards the kitchen to eat. They all ate more slowly then normal, exhausted by their spar. "We should get some rest after we eat." Vegeta announced, to the nods of the others. It was going to be a long month before they reached Namek.

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Master Roshi, the famous turtle hermit and martial arts master, glanced up from his girlie magazine and cried out in surprise as he saw a little boy standing there staring at him. "Kami, boy! What in the world do you think you're doing!? Are you trying to give an old man a heart attack!?" Roshi exclaimed, picking himself up off the ground and glaring at the boy. 'Hmm, he sure does look familiar.'

"You're um… old pervert, aren't you? My dad's friend?" Gohan asked innocently.

Roshi nearly fainted. "What!? Old pervert?! My name is Roshi, damn it! What has that Goku been putting into your little head?!"

Gohan pouted. "I'm sorry. Daddy always refers to you as old pervert or dirty old man. I never knew what your name was."

Roshi scowled and clenched his fists. "Well I might just have to take that man over my knee when he gets back from wishing his friends back to life then! Now, what are you doing here young man? Gohan was it?"

The young Saiyan nodded. "I was wondering if you knew the way back to my house. I got kind of lost and I can't pick up my mom's ki from this range, but I picked up yours."

Roshi looked surprised. "Why can't you pick up your mom's? She's pretty strong." Roshi concentrated for a few moments and then turned towards the Son house. "It's that way. I can see why you had trouble, Chi-Chi's ki is pretty suppressed. She must be sad… probably because Goku is in space and you ran away from home."

Gohan looked guilty for a moment. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

He was just about to take off for his house when Roshi stopped him. "Say, Piccolo trained you, right? If you ever want to continue your training, just come visit me. I could show you a few tricks. At the very least, I can teach you the kamehameha wave."

Gohan's eyes brightened at the prospect. "Really?! That'd be great! Thanks, Roshi!"

The turtle hermit cleared his throat loudly. "That's MASTER Roshi to you, Gohan. You need to learn how to respect your elders."

Gohan nodded and waved goodbye. "See ya soon, Master Roshi! Take care!" Gohan sped towards his house, finally feeling his mother's ki now that he knew the direction to look. "I really need to develop my ki sensing better." Gohan said aloud, having some fun by flying in a corkscrew motion or going higher than lower in altitude suddenly. He reached his home shortly and was nearly suffocated by Chi-Chi's fierce hug and drowned by her tears.

"I thought you left me! Oh, my dear sweet boy! Don't ever leave me like that again! I don't know what I would do without you!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, hugging Gohan even tighter.

The young Saiyan was remorseful that he had run out on his mother like that, despite the intentions. "I'm sorry, mommy. I…" Gohan pondered for a moment. He never, ever lied. But, in this case, he felt a little white lie was called for, or else he might be locked in his room with nothing to do but study for the rest of his life. "I stopped about halfway there and felt sorry for leaving you like that so I turned back but then I got lost. I couldn't feel your ki so I had to go see Master Roshi to get turned in the right direction. Please forgive me, mommy!"

Chi-Chi nodded. "It's ok, Gohan. Now, are you hungry? I'll make some dinner while you get caught up on your studies."

Gohan suppressed a groan and nodded instead, walking upstairs. 'Well, the day wasn't a total loss. I get to train with Master Roshi now, just like dad did when he was young!' Gohan flipped open his math book and started trying to figure out the equations inside. He still looked out the window towards the sky every now and then and wondered what his father was up to, however.

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Well, there's chapter 4. Hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter: The arrival on Namek! Stay tuned. Teehee As always, reviews are lovely.