The Alternate Buu Saga
Prologue: The Pain of Loss
Gohan lay on his bed, listening to the soft whimperings coming from his mother's room. She had been crying in her sleep for several days now, ever since he had arrived from the Cell Games. It had been a tough and hellish fight, a fight that not only injured him severely but had taken his father's life as well.
When Gohan had broken the sad news to his mother, Chichi had all but fainted. Her grief was made even greater when Goku had informed them of his desire not to be wished back. Although she put on a brave face for everyone during the day, at night she let her sorrow out. Gohan heard her weep through the thin walls, the sounds of which made the ache in his own heart even worse.
"If only I'd been stronger," he said to himself, shutting his eyes and feeling his own tears drip down his face. In his mind's eye, he saw images of his father: Goku, the greatest fighter on Earth. He was perhaps the greatest fighter in the universe. Yet he had died at the hands of a spiteful android because his son had failed in his task. "If only I'd taken my training more seriously. I could have fought harder, learned more."
Again, images of Goku appeared in his mind. Gohan smiled, tears still leaking from his eyes. Now there was a warrior, he thought. Unlike him, Goku had put all of his heart and soul into his fights, training night and day, striving to be the best he could be. He wasn't bogged down with petty childish thoughts; his father had placed all of his focus and desires into his training and thus became stronger for it. Thus he was able to protect his friends and family against the evils of the world, no matter how strong or powerful they may be.
Unlike me. Gohan rubbed his eyes fiercely, attempting to dry them of the constant stream of tears emanating from their depths. "I've never wanted to be a fighter like Dad," he said to himself. "I've never taken his or Piccolo's training seriously enough. That's why I failed him." Gohan stood up from his bed, his face a mask of pain and silent rage. "That's why he's dead."
Gohan sighed and looked up at the wall separating his room from his parents. His mother's soft weeping had stopped, and the eleven year old figured she had finally fallen asleep. He thought about all the happy years he had had with her, in this house, with his father. He would miss it.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he said softly to the wall. The young half Saiyan quickly donned his training outfit and leapt out the window, flying northwards into the cool evening sky.
Three Days Later...
"I know he's here, damn it!" shouted Chichi. She attempted to push her way through Yamucha and Bulma, and storm the Palace of Earth's Guardian. The three of them had arrived some minutes before on the hollowed Lookout, searching for the missing half Saiyan.
"Please, Ms. Chichi!" pleaded a worried Mr. Popo. "This isn't helping the situation!"
"ISN'T HELPING?! ISN'T HELPING?!" Chichi screamed. "That big green monster has kidnapped my boy, I just know it! Get him out here this instant! I'll rip him to shreds! GIVE ME BACK MY SON!"
"Chichi, calm down!" said Yamucha, keeping a tight hold on the angry mother.
"Please, Chichi!" Bulma placed a warm hand on her friend's shoulder. This didn't seem to help matters, as Chichi continued to rant and rave.
Her shouts soon stopped as two figures emerged from the palace doors. Both were dressed the same, wearing identical white cloaks over dark purple training clothes. Their attire was where the similarities ended however, as physically both figures were completely different. One was a giant, seven-foot tall green alien while the other was a dark haired, eleven year old boy.
"Gohan!" shouted Chichi, her voice trembling with both relief and anger. "Thank goodness you're all right!" She pushed her way past Yamucha and Popo, stomping over to her son and his stoic mentor. "You had me so worried! How dare you disappear for days without telling me where you were! I thought you had been killed! How dare you do this to me?!"
Gohan remained silent, his eyes were unable to meet his mother's. Instead they were cast downwards, gazing onto the floor of the Lookout. Chichi saw his pained look and decided to lower her tone. "Come on, Gohan. Let's go home." She grabbed his hand and attempted to drag him back to the plane, but the child refused to move. She tried pulling harder, but her strength could not match his own. "Gohan! I said we were leaving! Do you hear me?"
"Sorry, Mom," said the boy in a soft, almost inaudible tone. "I'm not leaving."
"What did you say?" Chichi let go of his hand and stepped back in shock.
"I'm staying here." Gohan looked up, his eyes meeting hers for the first time. He spoke with a firmness she had never heard from him before, in a manner completely devoid of his usual misgivings and bashfulness.
"This isn't funny, Gohan!" chided Chichi. She made an attempt to grab his hand again, but he pulled away from her. "Gohan! Get in the car right now! We are going home!"
"Come on, kid," said Yamucha, who was attempting to hide his distress with a smile. "Listen to your mother."
"No," said the boy, a little sadness now creeping in his voice. "I'm sorry, but I can't." He broke off eye contact with his mother as he looked down upon the floor once more, angry tears spilling from his eyes. "It's because of me that Dad died. It's because of my weakness that he's gone."
Chichi shook her head, dropping to her knees in front of her son and grasping his shoulders. "No, Gohan. That's not true and you know it!" She took a breath and shook his shoulders. "Gohan, it wasn't your fault! Your father was a great fighter, and he knew the risks of being one. He knew it was dangerous, it was part of the life he wanted to live! Gohan, it wasn't your fault!"
"Yes it was!" Gohan's scream resounded throughout the Lookout. Chichi fell backwards in surprise, staring in hopelessness at her son. "It was because of me, mom, that Dad died. I could have stopped Cell. I could have killed him when I had the chance. I could have gotten rid of him, but I didn't. If I wasn't so stupid and dumb and childish, Dad would still be alive today."
Chichi stood up once more, shocked at her son's words. She desperately wanted to stop the child's hurt, but couldn't find the words to do so. In front of her was a scared, frightened, and grieving boy who was blaming himself for the death of his father. She silently cursed Goku, for dragging their son to so many of his fights, knowing full well how it had affected him.
"Gohan..."
"No, mom. I made up my mind," Gohan looked up from the floor and met his mother's eyes again. "I failed Dad, but I'm not going to fail you. In order to protect you and grandpa, and all the rest of the people I care about, I have to get stronger. I need to be stronger than any other psycho who wants to come here and hurt people. I know now that bad guys will never stop coming. They never will. It didn't end with Frieza, it didn't end with the Androids, and I know it won't end with Cell. When the next bad guy comes, I will be ready for him." Gohan squeezed his right hand into a fist, and broke his gaze from his mother's. "To get stronger, I need to stay here with Piccolo. I have to train, and train hard."
"Gohan..."
"I'm sorry, mom. But I can't live with you anymore." The boy took a deep, agonized breath before continuing. He knew what he said next would hurt his mother, but it had to be said. It was the truth. "You're keeping me back, mom. In order to protect you, I have to stay away from you. I need to reach my full potential, and I'll never do it if I stay with you. I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry."
"Gohan," Bulma whispered, her hand going up to her mouth in shock.
Chichi was speechless for a moment, but the silence quickly passed as her rage found its way to the surface. She turned her attention away from her son, directing her anger instead on the silent green alien beside him. "This is all your fault!" she screamed at the former Guardian and Demon King. "You set him against me, didn't you?! You put all these ideas into my little boy's head! It's all your fault, damn you! You lousy monster! It's all your fault!" Tears fell from her eyes as she screamed her fury out on Piccolo; the Namek for his part merely stood there silently, accepting her wrath with dignity.
"Mom!" screamed Gohan, his voice cutting through her tirade. "Piccolo had nothing to do with this. This was my decision. Mine alone."
"No!" Chichi once again turned to her son, her teary eyes pleading with his. "Please, Gohan! Don't leave me! You're all I have left! Please, son! Don't leave me!"
Gohan turned away from her, his own eyes brimming with tears. "I'm sorry, Mom. I made up my mind." With that the half Saiyan began to walk towards the palace. His stride was unyielding and steady, as if all of his focus went into his steps. Piccolo and Popo soon followed him, leaving the screaming mother alone with Yamucha and Bulma, who were doing their best to comfort the distraught woman.