Smoke And Mirrors

Chapter 1: The Tie Stays On

By raicho

I have no ownership rights over Dragonball Z. This is a work of fanfiction, and all characters, storylines and ideas present within this story are the property of their respective owners.

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Tighter and tighter, it was constricting around his neck, jerking his head from side to side as it strengthened its grip without mercy. He was starting to take short, shallow, jagged breaths, desperately as though they were his very last as the silky texture slid around his throat. This... this 'thing' had no soul. No cares, no joy, no sense of being. It delighted in stealing the life from its victims, as it had done for decades to millions upon millions of innocents.

He tried to reach up and remove it only to have his hands continually swatted away like flies. He had faced evil like the world could never believe, looked death in the eyes, knew what true fear felt like, and the courage that was needed to overcome it. But this time there was no escaping the inevitable; in the end death always won, it was the natural order of things. His eyes began to roll into the back of his head, legs shaking as darkness quickly clouded his consciousness. This was it. This was the end.

"Don't be so ridiculous Gohan" Chi-Chi exclaimed, stepping back to take a look at the tie. Stepping in to readjust it she continued, "You have to look your best for your first day at high school. You do remember that this family is counting on you succeeding in life and earning us some money don't you?"

Gohan sighed as he once again resigned to letting his mother go to work on the offending item around his neck. "I know mum, but do I really have to wear this? I scored perfect results on the entry exams, and I'm only going there today for a tour of the campus. It's all just a formality now."

Chi-Chi grinned in accomplishment as she stepped back to take in the finely polished features of her son. "Stylish yet formal" she thought to herself; a pair of blue jeans fit perfectly to his legs, whilst the white shirt, black tie and blazer gave a hint to his finely chiselled, muscular physique, but still left enough to the imagination. "He's going to waltz into that school, impress all his teachers and become the greatest scholar the world has seen. And whilst he's doing all that, with looks like these he's bound to attract the perfect girl! Oh I can see the grandchildren now!"

Gohan looked at his mother, hearts in her eyes, knowing that expression all too well. Realising he'd get no answer to his question, he decided to help himself to a few more pancakes left on the table, reaching for the syrup, he quickly felt the all too familiar sensation of metal impacting the back of his head.

"Oh no you don't young man!" Chi-Chi quietly, but oh so firmly stated, "I've just finished making you look perfect for the day ahead, you're not going to cover yourself in food now!"

Gohan groaned as he clutched the back of his head, longingly staring at the fluffy pancakes laid out on the table. "But mum I really nee-"

"NO! And that's my final word." Chi-Chi said placing the frying pan back into the cupboard above her. "Besides, your brother will probably be back any second now demanding more food, and I've been under too much stress this morning to make any more!"

As if on queue the door bursting open, and a being which resembled a Tasmanian Devil rather than a younger brother began tearing up the kitchen. "Gohan! Gohan! Gohan!" the young demi-saiyajin shouted excitedly, "Come see this awesome lizard I found! I couldn't bring him in 'cos he won't fit through the door, but I left him outside, but he might run away, so you gotta come quick!"

Instantly putting a grin back on his face, Gohan held out his hands to try and calm down his brothers antics. "Calm down Goten, before you give mum a headache and let's go see this lizard of yours!"

"YAAAAAYYYY!" Goten ran out of the house, only to come back in seconds later when he realised Gohan wasn't following him. Crouching down head in hands, Gohan rubbed the second bruise that was quickly forming thanks to the almighty Teflon cooking utensil. Cringing at the thought he could be next, Goten slowly and sneakily worked his way back outside to check on his newest friend.

"Gohan!" Chi-Chi snapped at him, "I just asked you not to cover yourself in syrup, and already you're trying to get covered in mud with god-knows whatever your brother has brought home this time!" Chi-Chi sighed tapping her foot and staring out the window as Goten rode around the lawn, laughing atop of the giant reptile.

"Now off you go, or else you'll be late!"

Gohan stood up, still rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head as he grabbed his shoulder bag. Heading outside he began to slowly lift off the ground. Just before he could summon the energy needed to blast off towards school, a cold voice reached his ears from the doorway behind.

"And Gohan…" He slowly turned his head to see his mother standing in the shadows of the house, the ominous frying pan in hand. "The tie stays on."

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There you have it, the prologue to my second ever fic (I never finished the first so let's not go there!). This actually came off quite light and fluffy which I wasn't expecting, but things will get a tad more sinister along the way. Please do let me know what you think!