Goku goes back in time

Satan City – Afternoon

The bell rang loudly across Orange Star High School, releasing a flood of students through the wide front gates. Laughter, gossip, and the shuffling of bags filled the air. Gohan walked at a steady pace, his schoolbag slung over one shoulder and his mind filled with the day's events.

"Videl… Sharpner… Erasa… That was… intense," he thought, rubbing the back of his neck.

Though he'd faced space tyrants and bio-androids bent on world destruction, trying to survive the minefield of teenage social norms might have been one of Gohan's toughest challenges yet.

He stepped away from the crowd, walking into a quiet alleyway before whistling.

"Nimbus!"

With a gentle whoosh, the golden cloud zipped down from the sky and hovered just a few inches off the ground. Gohan hopped on and let out a soft sigh as it carried him away from the bustling city.

Nimbus slowed down as they reached the familiar treetops of Gohan's home. He leapt off just outside their small house and took a deep breath of the clean mountain air. Peaceful. Quiet. It smelled like firewood and stew.

"I'm home!"

From inside the house, Chichi's voice echoed back immediately.

"Wash up first! Dinner's almost ready!"

Goten popped his head around the corner.

"Gohan! Gohan! How was school? Did you fight anyone? Did you meet a girl?!"

Gohan chuckled and ruffled his little brother's hair as he walked in.

"It was just school, Goten. No fights. And—what? No! What kind of question is that?"

Goten grinned, already used to teasing his older brother. Goku looked up from the low table where he was playing a card game with Master Roshi and Piccolo, who had stopped by for dinner.

"Back already? You didn't punch anyone by accident, right?" Goku teased with a grin.

"Dad!" Gohan laughed. "I told you I was gonna be careful."

Piccolo grunted. "I sense you used Super Saiyan earlier."

Gohan winced. "Only for a second! There was a robbery on my way to school."

Chichi poked her head out from the kitchen, glaring. "You turned Super Saiyan on your way to school?! Gohan! I told you to avoid unnecessary violence!"

"I didn't hurt anyone, Mom! I just… caught the bad guys."

Chichi sighed but smiled in spite of herself. "As long as you kept your clothes intact this time."

Dinner Time

Everyone gathered around the table for a massive meal. Plates stacked with rice, grilled meat, and vegetables disappeared at lightning speed — mostly thanks to Goku and Goten.

Chichi watched proudly as her boys ate. Even Piccolo seemed relaxed.

"So," Goku asked between bites, "How's high school? Any stronger opponents than Cell?"

"Definitely not… But the awkwardness level? Off the charts."

Everyone laughed.

That Night

Gohan stood outside after dinner, staring at the stars. He could hear the frogs croaking by the river and the wind gently rustling through the trees.

"Peace is nice," he whispered.

Still, something tugged at him — a sense that this peace wouldn't last forever. But for now, he would enjoy it. Gohan smiled and turned back toward the house.

Tomorrow was another day… of school.

Orange Star High School – Morning Bell

The hum of chatter filled the hallway as students gathered for the start of another school day. Gohan moved through the crowd with his usual quiet demeanor, his school bag slung over one shoulder, already mentally preparing for another routine day of lectures and awkward stares.

That was until he heard the homeroom teacher's voice at the front of the class.

"Everyone, please settle down. We have a new transfer student joining us today."

A slender young man stepped through.

He wore the school uniform loosely — sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a confident posture, and his lavender hair tied back into a short ponytail. Sharp eyes scanned the room as he gave a polite nod to the teacher.

Whispers immediately began to ripple through the class.

"Who's the new guy?"

"He's kinda cute…"

"Is that… blue hair?"

"He looks like he walked out of a movie!"

Gohan blinked in surprise, then stood up immediately with a shocked grin on his face.

"Trunks?!"

Mirai Trunks turned and smiled softly. "Hey, Gohan. Long time no see."

The teacher looked between the two and chuckled. "You two know each other?"

"Uh—yeah! We're… old friends!" Gohan answered quickly.

"Transfer student, Trunks Brief. Please take the seat near Son Gohan."

As Trunks walked past the rows of desks, several students stared, eyes wide, and a few hearts fluttered audibly.

He slid into his seat beside Gohan and leaned over.

"Hope this isn't weird," he whispered with a smirk.

Gohan laughed under his breath. "No way. But… why?"

Trunks leaned back in his chair. "After seven months of rebuilding our world, Mom thought I deserved a break. And maybe a life. There's still no school back home — so she figured I should enroll here. With you."

Gohan, confused. "Seven Months? It's been 7 Years for us"

Trunks, grinning. "Yeah, kinda had to fast forward your timeline. I thought it'd be cool to be the same age"

Gohan blinked, impressed. "Well... It is kind of cool"

Gohan trailed off while half listening to the teachers lecture, then continued "Anyways, your mom sent you back in time… to attend high school?"

Trunks chuckled. "Well, technically I asked present Mom to pull some strings once I arrived. But yeah… I think she just wanted me to experience something close to normal. Plus, your mom sent a full meal plan to bribe me."

Gohan chuckled. "Classic."

Their quiet exchange was cut short by Erasa sliding her desk chair toward Gohan with a grin.

"Sooo… Gohan," she whispered excitedly. "You gonna introduce us to the literal heartthrob next to you?"

Gohan blushed slightly. "Uh—sure. Erasa, Sharpner, Videl… this is Trunks. He's a childhood friend."

Sharpner, arms crossed, huffed. "Another martial arts buddy?"

Trunks gave a relaxed nod. "You could say that."

Videl studied him for a second, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You've got the same eyes as Gohan when he's hiding something. Must be a thing with you two."

Trunks raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm an open book. You're just not on the right page yet."

That caught Erasa off guard. "Oh my Kami, did he just say that? He's so cool…"

Even Videl blinked, mildly surprised but covering it with a shrug.

"We'll see if he's all words or if he can back it up."

Trunks grinned but didn't reply — already fitting in, effortlessly calm. Gohan let out a quiet sigh of relief. Despite the craziness of their past, having Trunks nearby somehow made high school feel less… alien.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder if the universe had more planned than just algebra and essays.

After School

Gohan stood awkwardly on the platform as Bulma adjusted the belt buckle on his newly completed superhero suit. Standing nearby were two Trunks — Future Trunks with arms folded, looking mildly embarrassed, and the younger present-day Trunks practically giggling behind his hand.

"Okay," Bulma beamed proudly, "here it is! The Great Saiyaman suit! Complete with helmet, cape, and a voice distorter! Just like you asked, Gohan!"

Gohan stepped forward with a confident grin and posed dramatically.

"Behold! The defender of justice, the savior of the innocent! I am—THE GREAT SAIYAMAN!"

There was silence. Then:

Future Trunks rubbed his forehead. "Gohan… I love you, man. But that helmet makes you look like a wannabe hero."

Present Trunks nodded enthusiastically. "It's like… a retired martial artist meets a hopeful low budget Power Ranger... then got stuck in traffic after a long day at work(due to the voice)"

Gohan deflated slightly. "What? But it's functional! Look, the voice distorter hides my identity!"

"JUSTICE NEVER RESTS!" the helmet blared in a distorted voice.

Bulma laughed. "Okay, okay! So, maybe it's not perfect. Let me run a quick mod."

She turned to a nearby screen and pulled up a sleeker prototype. Moments later, Gohan stood before them again — this time in a black and green bodysuit with golden highlights, a high-tech visor, and a short red cape trimmed at the edges. It was minimalistic but powerful. (Think of it as a Kamen Rider suit but with a red cape)

"Now that looks cool," said Future Trunks, nodding approvingly.

Present Trunks gave a thumbs-up. "Way better. And the cape doesn't look like a curtain this time."

Gohan admired himself in the mirror. "Alright… this is perfect. Now… time to test it out."

Later That Day – Satan City

The sun began its slow descent as Gohan soared overhead, skimming just below the clouds, visor reflecting the amber hues of dusk. On the ground below, traffic flowed normally… until a series of rapid gunshots shattered the calm.

Bank Robbery. Three men. Automatic weapons. A host of civilians held hostage inside.

Gohan dropped like a meteor, landing at the bank entrance. The robbers froze, staring at the figure in the visor and sleek armor.

"W-Who the hell is this guy?!"

"I am," Gohan said coolly, voice filtered through the helmet, "the Great Saiyaman."

One of them snorted. "Man, you look like a bug in a Halloween costume."

Gohan flickered forward, faster than they could see. The first robber flew across the street and crashed into a fruit stand. The second raised his gun—only to have it crushed by Gohan's gloved hand.

"That's… that's not normal," the last one stammered, falling to his knees and raising his hands. "You ain't with the police…"

"I'm with justice," Gohan said, tossing the weapon away.

Police arrived moments later. Gohan saluted the stunned officers and rocketed off before they could ask questions.

Back at Home – Gohan's Room, Mt. Paozu

Gohan landed on his balcony and powered down, removing the helmet. He could hear Goten snoring in the next room. From the kitchen below, the smell of grilled fish drifted up.

"Well…" Gohan muttered to himself, pulling off his gloves and stretching. "Saiyaman's first patrol was a success."

His scouter-like visor lit up, showing several articles on social media about the new mystery hero.

"Green Meteor?"

"Justice Bug?"

"Stylish Savior?"

Gohan facepalmed. "They'll never get the name right…"