“All together they still probably couldn't have beaten cell at his peak, but yes, everyone should have ganged up on him the second dad and I came out of training, none of this stupid playing into his Cell games.” He clenches his fists at just how stupid the Z warriors could be, you do not afford warriors honor to planet destroying monsters. 

Gohans is getting angry now at his mom’s willingness to let people die and sarcastically tears down the idea of evacuation. “And sure mom, Cell would have patiently allowed us to evacuate everyone, the entire planet, in ten days. That is sooo doable and possible. He totally wouldn’t have blown up whatever ships we could kludge together in a week and then blown up the Earth for us daring to run away. 

Our dragon balls can only bring people back if they haven't died and come back already. I’m pretty sure some of the people who have already been wished back once before would have been some of the people Cell killed, and they are now dead forever. Even more would be dead forever if the whole planet was taken out. Because mass genocides and then wishing the people back are a freakishly common occurrence!” 

How did she not see this wasn’t something you just allowed to happen, that letting people die because you did’t want to fight was wrong. It was the one lesson he had been forced to learn from the Cell games and he wouldn’t just forget it like that, not when there was nobody else to step up and protect everyone. It’s not like they could rely on Vegeta to act like an adult and protect people, instead of throwing another pride tantrum and letting something like Cell power up again.

He’s the Earths only option, so he makes the choice.

Gohan loves his mother so much, but he knows she can be unreasonable when it comes to him. She’s the only parent he has left, but there are others he loves too, other family he also needs to protect, a planet he needs to protect. If he won’t be allowed to protect them, then he can’t be stuck under moms authority anymore. 

“I-I’m not asking permission mom, I’m letting you know. I’ll be back for dinner and do my homework before bed. A-and if thats not okay then I’ll go stay with Bulma.”

"I - no! I won't allow you to go off risking your life. You are grounded, young man!" She's shaking, now.

“I told you, I wasn’t asking permission. I will call you from Bulma’s house this evening to let you know I’m okay.”

And he powers up, even in his base form releasing a terrifying amount of power, and flies off with tears in his eyes. Good thing there weren’t any tall buildings around, because Gohan could barely see through the tears.

At first he just wants away and flies off in a random direction, mostly just to cry in private. Eventually, he picks the power signature he is pretty sure is from Trunks and heads towards it. Mr Piccolo was the original plan to train with today, but Gohan didn’t think Piccolo would understand what he was going through or be able to relate. He was a good man but a hard one, and one unable to empathise with a lot of what humans went through, having lacked those experiences himself. So, Gohan locks onto Trunks Ki signature and heads to him.

Gohan knows Trunks' ki signature well enough to find him. He's on the front lawn of Capsule Corp, looking at the sky. "Hey, Gohan. Sensed you coming a couple minutes ago. Everything alright?" 

Gohan’s eyes are red from crying, but there aren't currently tears flowing anymore.

”Mom said I shouldn’t see you anymore, especially not to train. So we had a fight about it.” His face shows how hurt he is by that, even if he isn’t trying to let it show.

”And I couldn’t let you leave for the future without saying goodbye! I know you've probably stuck around here in the past longer than you wanted to. Well now I’m recovered I can say goodbye properly before you leave.” Gohan tries to put a cheerful smile on his face, like his father would. Dad always said you shouldn’t be sad during goodbyes.

"Aw, man, I'm sorry." Trunks hesitates, awkward and uncertain. It's still a bit weird, seeing Gohan at eleven. Was his mentor really ever this young? "I'm sure she'll come around eventually? You're a good..." teacher? hero? "...kid. I'm glad you came, anyway." 

“I’ll miss you when you leave. Baby trunks Isn’t going to be the same person when he grows up. But, I guess... you must miss your mom, our Bulma isn’t going to be the same for you either. So I get why you have to go.”

Gohan suddenly darts forward at superspeed and hugs Trunks around the waist. He is still a 11 year old and Trunks has basically become his best friend, other than Krillin, over the past 3(4?) years. Even if he wanted to stay cheerful, Gohan is going to miss him a-lot.

His mother was right about how he should meet kids his own age, it was kind of depressing that all his best friends were adults.

Awkward back-patting ensues. Time travel: is weird. Also weird is that this Gohan is already stronger than the adult Gohan who taught Trunks how to fight. Not thinking about that, nope. 

"I don't mind staying a while. I don't know when or if I'll ever be back, and I do want to make sure everything's sorted out here. You, uh, want something to eat?" As a fellow half-Saiyan, Trunks knows quite well the answer to that question is almost always "yes." A year in the Time Chamber with Father did not do much for his ability to meaningfully socialize, but Trunks at least knows the importance of regular meals. 

Talk of food and news of him staying a little longer cheers Gohan right up.

“I could eat something, sure! I like Mrs Briefs cooking! Hey wait, that makes her your grandma, cool! I only have a grandpa.

And afterwards do you wanna maybe train a little? You are like the only person close to my power range that Isn’t your dad. I’m not gonna train with him, no offence but I’m still mad at him. Plus, once you leave someone powerful needs to be around to protect this timelines earth who's sane enough to do it. So thats my job I guess.”

Gohan thought Vegeta was actually a really stupid idiot dummy-head moron. Letting Cell transform into his perfect form had almost doomed the earth, gotten hundreds of people in central city killed, and Dad might still be alive if not for that act. All because of Vegeta’s worthless pride and arrogance. Sure, Vegeta had helped distract Cell in the final beam struggle, but he wouldn't have had to if he hadn’t let Cell transform.

And Vegeta was really mean! Called everyone names. Acted like he was better than everyone all the time. He was a big jerk! No, a little jerk!

Gohan was allowed to be childish and not want to talk to Vegeta, he was still 11. Even if dad had thought Vegeta could be redeemed.

"I like Grandma's cooking, too." Trunks smiles wistfully. "Sure, we can train after brunch. I might even be able to pry Mom away from her work on 16.

"Grandma! Gohan's here to visit!" 

A blonde woman in a tasteful white sundress materializes with startling rapidity. "Gohan!" exclaims Panchy Briefs with a dazzling smile. "It's so good to see you!" She bustles over and bends gracefully to give Gohan a maternal hug, then draws back to look at him for a moment. "Did you fly all the way here from Mount Paozu? You must be tired! Why don't you come inside and have something to eat?" 

Grandma Briefs knows about half-Saiyan appetites, too. 

"Thanks Mrs Briefs! I'd love that." He squirms a little under the hug but accepts it, and he is looking forward to eating with some of his favourite people. Visiting Capsule Corp had gone a long way towards making up for how bad this morning had been.

Grandma Briefs bustles into the large, dome-shaped Capsule Corp building, and proceeds to assault the kitchen with a focused and thorough expertise that suggests not all of Bulma's talent came from her father. 

Lunch at the Briefs' is tasty and plentiful, with an abundance of desserts. 

Trunks does his best to make non-awkward conversation during the wait. When lunch begins, his mouth is busy. 

Gohan enjoys how different this meal is to what he normally gets at home.

Moms food was tasty but it was always efficient. She made calorie dense foods that were easy to cook in large batches, lots of stir fry that was meat and vegetable heavy with noodles or rice. Mom made very little dessert food because desserts tended to take a lot of work and Mom thought they weren't healthy enough for her little boy anyway.

Mrs. Briefs cooking was very different! Expensive ingredients and rich flavours and more sugary foods available than he’d even get during Christmas at grandpas house. He tries to maintain his manners and doesn’t quite inhale the food like Saiyans were known to do. He chews everything properly like he was supposed to to be polite, he just does it at almost super speed.

Gohan has practically completely emotionally recovered from the fight with his mother before and is having a great time. He thinks he might be in love with cream fillings. He knows it would be a waste of a dragon ball wish but being able to summon Mrs. Briefs desserts at will is being considered as a bucket list wish.

Trunks is not quite as neat, but he's trying. He seems to have a weakness for blueberry pie. 

Mrs. Briefs watches her handiwork disappear with fond approval. She produces more cream-filled goodies from a seemingly inexhaustible supply, and makes light (if perhaps a bit one-sided) conversation. 

Eventually, though, even half-Saiyans get full.

“Time to see aunt Bulma? Or train?” Gohan asks Trunks.

"...Let's train. The last time I interrupted Mom at work, she threw a power cell at my head."