Gohan's Goodbye

By: Kellie Geisler

1 Friday the 15th

It was early morning and the long grass brushed the investigators' feet as they made their way to the spot where the body was found.

The investigator stepped toward the body while her partners taped off the area. There, washed up on the riverbank, lied an 18-year-old, black haired, boy. His clothes were still intact and his skin was soft and pale. He had only been dead for a little while. The investigator stepped closer and found the cause of death. In his right hand, the boy held a gun and in his head was a bullet hole.

"How sad," said the investigator, as she sat next to him for a better look, "so young." The investigator got closer, "Wonder what cloud have happened last night to make this poor kid think he had no way out."

Wednesday the 13th

"Gohan, Goten, time for dinner!" ChiChi stood in the doorway of her small house calling her boys in for supper. Gohan and Goten came flying in.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Goten ran up and hugged his mother's leg. "Go on in for dinner." ChiChi said.

"He sure is getting big." Gohan had landed next to his mother. "He sure is. He's just like your father." Gohan pulled his mother in close and hugged her tight. "Love ya mom." He said. ChiChi sighed and followed her eldest in the house.

2 Thursday the 14th

"Gohan! Gohan, get up!" ChiChi shook her son violently until he turned over.

Slowly, Gohan opened his eyes. "I'm up. I'm up." He said wearily. "Good then get dressed and come eat breakfast, you're running a little late."

Gohan waited until his mother left the room then, he tossed off the covers and got dressed.

As he opened the door to his room, Gohan was over come by the sweet aroma coming from the kitchen. 'Pancakes!' He thought 'My mom's making pancakes!' Gohan rushed into the kitchen to find his mom and brother already eating. "Did you sleep ok Gohan?" His mother asked. "Ya." He replied in-between huge mouthfuls of food. "Gohan slow down, you're not that late." ChiChi said, but it was too late Gohan had already finished. ChiChi sighed and took it to the sink to wash it.

"Sorry to eat and run ma, but I promised Videl I'd pick her up for school today."

"Oh Gohan, you really should start setting your alarm. You've been over sleeping a lot lately." ChiChi turned to Gohan, who was just about to open the door to leave. "Gohan, I want you to come strait home form school today. No parties! There're ruining your school work and your always late the next day!"

Gohan stopped dead in his tracks. "But ma, I was gonna take Videl to that new night club tonight!"

ChiChi shook her head. "Absolutely not!"

"But ma, it's our 3rd year anniversary!"

"Gohan, I don't care! Not tonight!"

"But we've been planning this for weeks!"

"Gohan I SAID NO!"

Gohan's face turned red with anger. "I'M GOING! I don't care what you say! I'm 18, old enough to make my own choices!"

Gohan threw open the door and was about to step out when ChiChi spoke. "Old enough to make your own choices eh? Well then, maybe you should forget about coming home at all tonight! Stay some where else for all I care!"

"FINE! I THINK I WILL!"

Gohan walked outside and slammed the door.

ChiChi turned back to her dishes with no regrets. Goten started to sob at the table. Still enraged, ChiChi turned abruptly to Goten. "WHAT?" Goten stared blankly at his mother, then ran to his room with tears in his eyes.

ChiChi plopped down in a chair and put her head in her hands. "Oh what am I going to do with these boys? Goku, I need you!"

ChiChi laid her head down in her arms and silently began to cry.

************

Gohan rang the bell to Videl's house for the third time. Still no answer. This time he knocked, and Videl's father came to the door. "Sorry, Videl left already." He growled. The door was slammed in Gohan's face. Confused, Gohan took off for school.

************

Gohan managed to arrive a little early for class. As he finished up at his locker, he saw Videl walk by. "Hey Videl!" He said walking up to her. "Hi." She said quietly. She then passed Gohan up and went on to class. 'Man, I wonder what's up with her?' Gohan thought to himself as he walked down the hall.

************

The bell rang through the air, and all the students began to stretch and yawn. "Alright! Lunch time!" Gohan jumped from his seat and headed for his locker. Gohan snatched his lunch then, headed for Videl's locker, but she had already left.

It was a nice day, so Gohan decided to eat outside. As he sat down on a bench, he saw Videl walk past him. "Hey Videl, come here!" He called to his love. Videl stopped and turned to Gohan, she stood there, unsure, but then decided that she really did need to talk with him.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanna go to that new night club tonight, ya know they say its…" He was cut off by Videl.

"Gohan, I can't see you any more." She said quickly. Gohan just stared at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"It just won't work out, you and I, I'm sorry Gohan…Goodbye."

Videl got up and started to walk away. Gohan followed her and grabbed her arm. He pulled her toward him and held her in his arms. "We'll make it work Videl. I love you." Videl pushed Gohan away from her. "Gohan, I know you love me, but…" She stopped, she liked Gohan, he was a good friend and she didn't want to hurt him.

"But what?" Gohan asked, his voice a little shaky.

"I don't love you back." There, she said it. She turned away, not wanting to see the hurt in his eyes.

The bell rang and Videl walked in, leaving Gohan alone, in a mass of emptiness.

************

Gohan looked at his watch, 9pm. He had been wondering the streets of Satan City for hours thinking about Videl. He knew ChiChi was going to kill him when he got home. Maybe he could talk with his mother, she would understand, she's lost love before. Yes, his mother would help him threw this.

************

ChiChi looked at the clock, 10pm. 'Where is Gohan?' She thought as she sat on the living room couch, staring at a blank TV screen. Then, suddenly, the door flew open, and Gohan stepped in.

"Mom I need…" He was cut off by ChiChi, the second time today he had been cut off.

"Gohan where have you been it 10 o'clock!"

"Mom I'm sorry but…" Again, cut off.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it! I bet you were with that girl Videl, weren't you? Why you just go stay with her tonight! GET OUT!"

ChiChi shoved Gohan out the door and slammed it in his face. Gohan turned away with his head down and his hands in his pockets.

He stopped suddenly. There, on the front steps stood his little brother. Goten looked up at Gohan with his arms folded and a look of anger on his face. "Hey Goten!" Gohan said cheerfully, trying hard to hide his tears. "Hey yourself," Goten replied, "you made mom cry! And as far as I'm concerned, I hope you leave and never come back!" Goten shoved past Gohan and ran into the house to comfort ChiChi.

"My girlfriend hates me, my mom hates me, and even my little brother hates me. Who can I talk to now?" Gohan walked along the rivrtthining this over. Krillian would be too busy with his wife and daughter, he wasn't close enough wit Bulma to talk to her about this, Vegeta would laugh in his face, and trunks was to young to understand.

"I know! I'll talk to Piccolo! He'll under stand." With new hope, Gohan flew off to the look out.

************

It was 11pm when Gohan arrived. There, he spotted Piccolo meditating, wit his back towards him. A sheepish smile struck Gohan's face. He crept up behind Piccolo, ready to scare the Be-Jesus out of him. "Don't even think about it Gohan!" Piccolo had anticipated Gohan's sneak attack. "Aww, your no fun!" Gohan smiled and looked up at his friend. "So what's up Kid?" Piccolo asked. "Well, I need some one to talk to." Piccolo rolled his eyes.

"Ok Kid, shoot." Piccolo sat down and got comfortable, he knew it was going to be a long story.

"Well, this afternoon Videl…" Again Gohan was cut off.

"Whoa! Stop right there Kid! Don't be askin' me nothin' about women or relationships, 'cause I don't wanna hear it!" Piccolo got up and turned away to continue his meditation.

"But Piccolo, I…" Cut off again!

"I said I don't wanna hear it!" Piccolo was to busy meditating to see the tears fill Gohan's eyes as he left.

'My mother told me to get out, my brother told me to never come back, my hero said he didn't wanna hear it, and my love told me she didn't love me any more.'

Gohan flew off with the only option he had left.

Friday the 15th

ChiChi awoke to the sound of the television. Slowly, she sat up to find Goten flipping through the channels. She had fallen asleep on the couch. "Is Gohan home?" she asked Goten. He answered without even looking up, "No, he ever came home."

ChiChi sighed and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. She was startled by the call of her son in the living room.

"Mom! Mom! Come quick! Gohan's on the news!" ChiChi rushed to the living room, on the news they were showing a security video of a small gun shop in a near by town. On the video Gohan stumbled into the store, grabbed the clerk by the collar and punched him in the face. Then, he broke the glass case and pulled out a gun and a single bullet. He then raced out of the store.

ChiChi nearly fainted, but the sound of the phone ringing got her attention. "ChiChi?" a deep voice said, it was Piccolo. "I think I'd better come over, I've got something you should see…and call Gohan's girlfriend, it's urgent." He hung up. ChiChi stood, stunned, not sure of what to make of the disturbing phone call. Then, she regained her senses and called Videl.

************

It was 7am when Piccolo arrived at ChiChi's. There, Goten, ChiChi, and Videl waited. "What is it? What do you have?" ChiChi asked despretly. "Here." Piccolo pulled out a letter and handed it to ChiChi. She unfolded it slowly. The writing was Gohan's, and it was stained with tears.

It read:

Dear Goten, Mother, Videl, and Piccolo,

I'm addressing this letter only to you 4 because you are the ones I care about most. By the time you read this I will be at the bottom of the river, with a bullet in my head.

I don't want any of you to blame yourselves or anyone else for my death. It was my choice and my choice alone. I have used up my time in this world and it is time to move on to the next.

Please, feel comforted knowing I'll never forget you. Mom. I'll never forget the warmth of your arms, the wet of you tender kiss, or all the love you gave me. Goten. My brother. I'll always remember the time we spent together. Fishing by the river side, training until the sun came up, and lying in the cool grass talking about life. Piccolo. You are my hero, my idol, and a second father to me. I will always remember your friendship and all you did for me and my dad. And Videl. I shall charish the time we spent together. Holding hands, walking in the moon light, our first kiss, our first dance. I'll remember your strength and beauty, and I will always love you.

And so, I say Goodbye,

Goodbye my mother,

Goodbye my brother,

Goodbye my hero,

Goodbye my love, Goodbye

Always Yours,

Gohan

ChiChi falls to her knees and cries for her little boy, Goten runs to his mother for comfort, Videl kneels beside them crying for her lost love. Piccolo places a firm hand on ChiChi's shoulder as a single tear drips down his emotionless face.