If Anything Were to Happen...
Summary: What if Seventeen had not survived his desperation attack against Jiren in Episode 127? Before he departed for the Tournament of Power, Seventeen told his wife about the tournament and what to do in case something went wrong. First part is between Dragon Ball Super episode 88 and 94, second part is an AU post-episode 127.
Disclaimer: The Dragon Ball franchise and all of its characters belong to Akira Toriyama.
It was still sunrise when he landed about a half-mile away from his home. Normally, he would have flown his capsule plane to avoid having to explain to his children why their father could fly, but with Son Goku's sudden visit and his own near-death experience in space, Seventeen knew he wanted to spend as much of these next hours with his family as possible.
Because he knew those hours could potentially be the last he would ever spend with his family.
Erasure. He had experienced it on a planetary level, when Majin Buu had destroyed Earth, but the concept at a universal level seemed unfathomable. One's very own existence to just vanish, as if it had never been there to begin with. Only the craziest of people could come up with something like that.
"Of course, my whole life is tied in with crazy things to begin with. So this might just be the new normal," Seventeen thought humorously. And it was true. From being modified to kill one man, Seventeen had become a part of the insanity of planet Earth for the past several years.
But within that time, Seventeen had redefined "normal" for himself. His thrill-seeking nature and love of play had been replaced by his dedication to his job and care for his family.
His family...who would have thought that he, of all people, would settle down and have a family? His old self would have openly mocked the very idea. A wife, kids, and a job? And enjoying the experience? That was never a predictable outcome.
But over time, that's what life became for Seventeen. And that was why this was going to be so difficult for him to explain to his wife. That he was going because he loves her and their family, and to protect them, no matter what.
Realizing he had arrived at his front door, Seventeen took his keys from his pockets. Even with how energetic his kids were, he doubted any of them would be awake this early. When he stepped inside his home, Seventeen noticed the smell of tea from the kitchen.
"So, you're home. How was work, Seventeen?" a voice called from the kitchen.
"More of the same. Those guys never learn. Imagine what could happen if they applied their persistence toward something good." he replied, smiling as he walked into the kitchen to see his wife enjoying a cup of tea herself.
"I missed you, Aki," Seventeen remarked before embracing his wife and giving her a kiss.
Breaking away after a few moments, the redhead replied "Well, you're very demonstrative this morning, mister. I missed you too, Seventeen. Pour yourself a cup and tell me all about it."
"Sure. It's a bit of a longer story this time."
"We have the time," she replied. Seventeen wished that her words were true.
"And so then, the guy got taken away by some galactic police force. Too bad for him: couldn't celebrate his birthday."
Seventeen set down his cup of tea, only to see his wife looking at him worriedly.
"You could have died, you know. No: you should have died," she whispered.
"I knew that when I pushed him out of the spaceship. I had to protect the animals-" he started before he was cut off.
"Seventeen, I know your job is to protect the animals of the island, but damn it: it's not your job to die for them! I get that you want to do your job at all costs, but some things are not worth your life!" she exclaimed before pulling her husband into a hug.
Seventeen knew that his job was dangerous, and he accepted all the risks of being the sole protector of many of the rarest creatures on the planet. The hardest part of the job was not dealing with the poachers, nor was it working away from other people. The hardest part was not worrying Aki, whom he hated seeing unhappy.
"Promise me that you'll be more careful from now on, please?" she pleaded.
"Well, I guess there's no more delaying it," Seventeen thought.
"Actually, Aki, there's something I need to tell you. Something important."
Aki let her husband go and stared at him. The way he had delivered that sentence, with such caution: it frightened her. She could have sworn that, for a moment, there was a hint of nervousness in her normally stoic husband's eyes.
"Important enough that you can't promise your safety?"
He sighed, before only nodding at her.
"Important enough that you can't back out of it?"
"Yeah. Important enough that this could be the end," Seventeen said softly.
"The end? The end of what? The end of us? Our marriage?" Aki questioned.
"No!" Seventeen yelled, before quickly covering his mouth. He really hoped that he didn't wake his kids at that moment: this was something he wanted only his wife to hear. Dragging his children into this was the last thing he wanted.
"I would never leave you, Aki. No: I mean the end of everything. Earth, life: everything." Seventeen watched his wife's face show a hint of relief before returning to worry.
"Son Goku didn't originally come to help me catch intergalactic poachers. He came to recruit me for a martial arts tournament. A tournament to decide the fate of the universe."
"Fate of the universe? You mean like before, when he asked for energy years ago?"
"Yeah, except it's only on a larger scale this time. The group that loses, well, their universe gets erased from existence. As if those people had never been there in the first place."
Registering those words, Aki became terrified. "Never...having been there? You mean...us, our children, everything: it would all just disappear?"
Seventeen nodded once more. "That's why I can't exactly promise to you that I'll be more careful. This is going to be dangerous. It's not going to be poachers this time, but others fighting for everything. That's why…"
He had to pause to collect himself. Damn it: he really hated making Aki worry more than anything. All Seventeen wanted was for his wife to be happy: in his mind, nobody deserved it more than she did. For helping him find his way after Cell, for accepting his past and his cybernetic elements, for giving him an opportunity to work, and for providing him with love and a family: Aki deserved the world.
"That's why, if anything were to happen to me, I need to you to do something for me."
Aki shook her head. "Seventeen, can't you just not go? Why does it have to be you? If we're erased, we'll be erased together, won't we? Why do you have to leave?"
Seventeen embraced his wife again before whispering in her ear. "I originally refused, but after Son Goku helped me, I now owe two debts: to him and to Krillin. And based on our fight, I think I can at least be of some assistance."
"Wait." Aki broke away, looking at Seventeen firmly. "You said this is a martial arts tournament, and I know for a fact that in those, killing is illegal. So it's either erasure or victory, right? If erasure is on the line, then the fighters won't break the rules because of the penalty they'll accrue, won't they?"
Seventeen smiled. "Aki, I love that you see and assume the good in everything. I'm glad that you gave me a chance. But even if killing is illegal, it won't stop someone from being killed or undo their death. For all we know, there could be beings ten or twenty times stronger than me out there who could kill me with a flick of the wrist."
"And if a universe sees it beneficial to kill an enemy universe's fighter to maximize their odds of survival, there's no telling who might bite the bullet for the team." Seventeen knew if he said that out loud, Aki would question whether he would do the exact same thing.
The truth was, he had been considering it. If he could ensure the survival of the universe, of Earth, of his family, then why wouldn't he risk death for that? Sixteen had gone directly against his programming and directive, choosing to protect the world. In the process, he had given up his life. His friend's death had shaken Seventeen tremendously, but now he, too, could live protecting everything he cared about.
"Seventeen...promise me that you'll be careful."
"Aki, I can only promise you that I'll do everything I can to make sure we survive. For you, for the kids: I'll do whatever I can to ensure we survive."
Aki saw that determined look in Seventeen's eyes. It was the look he had when he was working: serious and willing to make anything happen. It was that look, along with so many other things, that had made the red-haired zoologist fall in love with him.
That look, however, was replaced by a softer smile. "Besides, if we win, we can wish for anything. And I'm wishing for that luxury cruiser you've dreamed about your whole life so that we can travel with the kids and see the world."
Oh. Oh, that man. He was so...good.
"Seventeen, you idiot. You're still trying for that? I told you: that's no longer one of my dreams. My only dream is that you'll come home, safe."
The rain was hellish. It was as if the sky were mourning. Aki had already put the kids to sleep, but she stayed up, hoping to welcome her husband back home after a tough day.
The Tournament of Power. Such a concept would have seemed outrageous to her years ago, but after learning about her husband's past, Aki had learned to take things in stride. She might be just a normal human being, and although Seventeen wasn't exactly "just" human, he was human to her. And because Seventeen never let things like Majin Buu bother him too much, Aki took comfort in that.
All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. "Finally," she thought.
But when she opened the door, Aki did not see her husband anywhere.
Instead, she saw a blond-haired woman in a pink tracksuit, a shorter bald man in orange martial arts gi, and a taller man in a similar colored gi himself. Aki immediately recognized her sister-in-law and her husband Krillin.
At that moment, Aki realized that something had happened.
Eighteen, soaked from the rain outside, jumped to hug Aki, sobbing while whispering the words "I'm sorry" over and over again.
The two of them broke into tears. Krillin and Son Goku could not do anything to comfort the two women. For both, despite neither of them knowing Seventeen well, they felt a tremendous sense of loss and grief.
"Why did he have to go?" Aki couldn't believe that Seventeen was really gone.
"For you, for the kids: I'll do whatever I can to ensure we survive."
He had actually meant the universe itself, not necessarily him. He had tried to warn her that this might happen. That was why he was so worried…
"Aki, in case anything happens, check where we keep our important files. I'll have some things there, and you'll know what to do with them when you see them."
She stood up, trembling. Aki had no idea how she managed to speak, and she was sure her voice was quivering, but she had to be strong. Strong for her family, and for Seventeen: he would have wanted her to.
Aki went to their room and opened up a desk drawer. A hidden compartment revealed where the family kept important documents. Inside were various papers, but also four envelopes that had not been there since she had last checked. Each envelope was addressed to a different person.
He had wanted them to read his last words.
She returned to the front door. Eighteen was being consoled by Krillin, but nobody could keep themselves from crying a bit. Aki waited until the three noticed she had returned.
"He told me that there was a possibility that something would happen to him, and that if it did, for me to give something to you."
The tall man stepped towards her. "I'm so sorry. I'm Son Goku, and I know how incredible a man Seventeen was. Everything he did, he did with you and your family in mind. He...he gave his life to protect me, and I'll always be indebted to him."
Aki could only smile sadly before holding out the envelope marked To: Son Goku towards him. "I know my husband was modified to destroy you, but he told me about how you helped him yesterday. Son Goku, thank you for coming today." Goku nodded before accepting the paper.
She then turned to Krillin and Eighteen, holding two envelopes out to them. "I know he didn't show it much, but Seventeen always felt he owed you a debt, Krillin. For giving him a chance at being normal, for forgiving him for being turned into a cyborg, and for helping his only remaining family find her happiness. I hope you know how much he really respected you."
Krillin, having accepted the envelope with his name, looked stunned hearing that. "He…the first time I saw him, he had destroyed Dr. Gero, and then pointed at me to come to him. I was so terrified that he'd kill me, but he just laughed it off. He was always pretty cold to me, and I always thought he didn't care about me at all." Krillin started shaking afterwards.
"I know I don't have to tell you this, since you knew Seventeen better than any of us ever did, but your husband was such a great person. If it weren't for him, none of us would be here. I'll owe him for the rest of my life."
Eighteen was still struggling to face Aki. "He really wanted that cruiser for you. I know that he never really wanted anything like that before, so I'm guessing he wanted it for you and the kids. Everything he did, you just knew that he loved you. I'm...I'm so sorry he's gone."
"Eighteen, he did what he thought was best for everyone to survive-"
"But I could have stopped him! He'd still be alive if it weren't for me!"
Eighteen gathered herself, shocked at her own outburst. She was still crying, and her breathing was ragged. "What kind of sister can't save her own brother twice? I lost him during Cell, and I lost him here too!"
Aki embraced her sister-in-law, tears forming once again. "I know it's hard, but Seventeen has always been one to do what he thinks is best in the moment. And he wouldn't want to see you mourning him. I know he died because he wanted to protect all of us, including you, Eighteen. Don't blame yourself for what happened: I know he doesn't."
Eighteen shivered, still grieving. "Krillin, could you please get Marron and go home without me? I think it'll be best if I stay here tonight."
"Eighteen, but-"
"Krillin, we all can grieve, but I don't want Aki to have to grieve alone. At Kame House, there's Master Roshi and Oolong. But here...if Seventeen can't be here, I at least want to be for one night."
"I...I understand, Eighteen. You're right." Krillin got up and kissed Eighteen before heading for the door with Son Goku. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Aki, thank you for giving us Seventeen's words."
"Thank you, Aki." With that, both Krillin and Son Goku departed for home, and Aki closed the door.
"Eighteen, thank you for staying. I don't know if I could have handled this well alone."
"No...it's the least I could do. I haven't seen either of you in ages, and I promised myself that I wouldn't let my brother or his family slip out of my life after the tournament."
"Yeah...I wish it could have been under better circumstances, but I'm glad to see you. Please, join me for some tea."
To Son Goku:
It really is a strange fate. My entire purpose was directed towards killing you and exacting revenge for Dr. Gero. Instead, we find ourselves fighting together for the fate of the universe, and I'm sure Dr. Gero is just sickened by the mere idea of us being allies.
You really are an interesting fellow, Son Goku. You really remind me of myself, both in how I used to be and how I am now. You enjoy life and the challenges it presents, and you don't let those challenges stop you in any way.
You yourself said that you can't stand innocent people and animals getting erased. I hope you'll be able to help my wife in protecting the island. It's thanks to her love of animals that I ended up getting that job, and I'm forever grateful to her for giving me an opportunity to live a normal life.
It was a pleasure getting to fight both against you (somewhat) and with you, and although we may never have a rematch, I hope that I at least impressed you with my own strength. Again, I would've liked to sit and chat with you one more time.
Thank you for everything,
Seventeen
To Krillin:
I know that we never got along, and that I never let you get particularly close to me personally. I wonder if you think that I hate you, and if that's the case, I really do regret being so cold towards you because that couldn't be further from the truth.
Eighteen told me that you wished for our self-destruct devices to be removed, but she also told me that wasn't the original wish. You wanted us to live our lives in peace and to be normal, so you wished for us to become human again.
I know I never got to thank you for that, but I'm sure Eighteen has told you how grateful I am that you believed in our humanity. Thanks to you giving me that one chance, my whole life changed for the better. I never thought I'd ever have a family, kids, and a job. In fact, the wholesome nature of it is really embarrassing, and that's partially why I haven't really tried to come visit you and Eighteen often: the two of you know how I used to think of myself as better than anyone and everyone, and the degree of change from then to now is unbelievable.
I know how emotional Eighteen can get, but I also know that, no matter what, she loves you. Nothing could change how much she really cares about you. Right now, she needs someone to be there for her. Eighteen will try and keep everything to herself: you know this as her husband. Please be strong for each other.
Again, thank you for believing in me when even I would have never believed in my ability to change. I'm sorry that it took this to change things, but I hope that our families can be part of each other's lives now.
Your brother,
Seventeen
To Eighteen:
Isn't this crazy? It wasn't supposed to be this way for either of us. It was a simple purpose: "kill Son Goku." That purpose then changed to be the batteries for Cell, and after that, we were supposed to be nothing. We had no purpose, which made us worse than useless, and in the end, Gero was supposed to have one over us in the end.
Instead, look at us. We did pretty damn great for ourselves, wouldn't you say? We have two great families, beautiful kids, and most of all, we have control over our own existence and maybe even some of our humanity back. We're actually happy, loved, and meaningful by our own paths, not by one chosen for us. In a game designed for us specifically to lose and to never find happiness, we broke through with the help of Krillin.
So please, Eighteen. I know that this hurts, but if I could give my one life to save the universe and everyone else's future, then I think that one sacrifice is worth it. I know you'll believe that you should have stopped me, but this is what I wanted if it had to happen.
I know I always avoided visiting you and your family. It's because I've felt so guilty about the trouble I've caused for you. In a way, this is a way for me to atone for everything I did wrong during Cell. It was because of my own ignorance and cockiness that I got absorbed. If it weren't for me, you would have never needed to suffer the way you did, and Sixteen might still be alive. I can't necessarily change the past, but I can right some wrongs, and that's something I've never fully been able to get rid of.
I hope that our families can really be a part of each other's lives now. I hope that, even though I'll always be your foolish younger brother, you'll be proud of me for how I've changed. You were the best sister I could ever have, and although I don't say it nearly enough, I love you. Please take care of yourself, and don't be afraid to lean on Krillin for support. He'll always be there to support you.
Forever the better twin,
Seventeen
To Aki:
I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. I wish that it could have been different. I don't know if I ever tell you this enough, but I love you. I hate making you worry, and I know you feared the worst when I told you about the tournament this morning. If you're reading this, then I really failed at being a good husband: I made my wife grieve, and especially for you, that's the worst thing I could ever do.
I'm sorry that I couldn't promise you that I would be careful. I knew going into the tournament that if I had a chance to ensure the survival of our universe at the cost of my own life, I would do it. Because you, of all people, deserves a chance at tomorrow. You've put up with me at the worst of times. You've accepted my past as a cyborg, and yet you love me anyway. You helped me realize my love of animals and find a calling to protect them. You got me my job, you gave me a family, and you love me. That all seems surreal to me. Sometimes, I wonder if Dr. Gero created all of this as a dream to take away from me, and that I'm still locked away, deactivated in his lab.
I owe everything to you. I know you tell me that you're "just a human" and that I'm the truly special one, but without you, I'm nothing. You saw the shell of a person I was before, and there is no way I could have ever become this without you.
I don't know if I can ever be revived. Earth's Dragon Balls have already resurrected me once, so those are ineligible. But since we fought in a different plane of existence, I don't know if I can be revived by normal means.
If I can't be brought back to life, then know that I will always be with you, watching you and the kids from afar. After all, people never truly die until they are forgotten. You taught me that with Sixteen, and I accepted that, even though he was not physically alive, he would always be with me. In the same way, I will always be with you.
I don't know how to tell the kids, and I hate that you have to come up with something. I was always better at just playing along and coming up with things on the spot, but I'm sure whatever you can tell them will work.
Whatever happens, Aki: please promise me that you'll continue to live and enjoy life to the fullest. If you ever need to talk, Krillin and Eighteen will always be around for you. Talk to the kids. And don't forget to talk to me: I'll always be listening.
I promise that we will see each other again, whether it's in this life or the next. Know that I will always love you and that I will always be here. Give the kids a kiss for me: I'll miss them. Embrace them for me, and I'll try to as well from wherever I am.
Your husband, and the man who wants to give you everything,
Seventeen
P.S: I'll never give up on the cruiser. You helped me find my way in life, and you've given me everything I could have ever wanted. So I want to make your dreams come true, no matter what.
"Seventeen, you really were an incredible guy. I'm glad we could fight together too. Thank you for saving me from Jiren. I'll help out on the island as much as I can." Goku folded the letter back into the envelope. Back home at Mt. Paozu, he was resolved to head back to the island in the morning. Someone had to protect the island, and someone had to let the critters know what had happened to their friend.
"Brother...I really wish that we could have spent more time together. I'm glad you didn't actually hate me, and that you actually thought of me like a brother. I'll be there for your family, and for Eighteen too. Your sacrifice won't be wasted." Krillin sat at the dining table, having read the letter multiple times. Master Roshi had pulled up a seat, waiting for Krillin to finish. "Krillin, it's okay to mourn."
With that, Krillin broke down uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, Eighteen stared in shock at the paper in front of her, unable to fully process the range of emotions she was experiencing.
She never knew her brother felt so guilty about the whole Cell experience. She, too, was amazed at how their lives had turned out after that incident. And although she hated being so expressive about human emotions, all she could think about was that it was Seventeen who had said "I love you" to the other for the first time in years, and that she couldn't say it back to him.
"That idiot...he really was one-of-a-kind, wasn't he, Aki?"
Aki, too, had finished reading her letter.
"Idiot. That's surprisingly apt in this situation, yeah." Aki knew the tears were falling, and she couldn't stop them.
He really was gone.
"He kept going on about the cruiser, even though I told him I didn't want it anymore. My only dream was for him to come home safe."
All because he had wanted to ensure that she would live.
"But more than anything...he's a hero. My hero."
How could anyone have thought he was bad or evil, when all he had ever shown her was purely goodness?
"Mommy? Why are you crying?"
Shit.
"And who's the other lady? She looks like Daddy, but not a boy. And with blond hair."
Standing in the kitchen were all three children: their adopted twins and her own biological son.
Aki dried her tears as quickly as possible before getting up. She pulled all three into a hug, kissing each one just as Seventeen had wished for.
"That's your auntie Eighteen. You know, Daddy's sister?"
The twins, a boy and a girl, were satisfied with this answer. Both yawned sleepily and started to head back to bed. The third, her son, was still puzzled.
"Mommy, where is Daddy then? He said he had to go somewhere, but he's not home yet?"
"Not yet, sweetie. It'll be a bit, but he'll be home soon. In the meantime, the three of you need to go back to sleep."
Nodding drowsily, the little boy was barely managing to stay awake. But before he headed back to his room, he turned and spoke to Aki.
"I hope he comes home soon. We were going to play superhero later: he promised."
And right then, Aki knew what she was going to tell her children.
"He might be just a while longer. After all, your dad had to go and save the world."
A/N: Oh my God. This has been in my head basically since Saturday after Episode 127. I was totally distraught with the episode, and although I was waiting to write about Seventeen and his family until after Super ended in March, I couldn't any longer. Seventeen has long been my favorite character in Dragon Ball, and his development throughout the Tournament of Power arc was really refreshing.
I know I could have shortened Seventeen, Eighteen, and Sixteen into the numbers, but I enjoy typing them out as words because it makes it seem more like a name. I think every character here sees Seventeen and Eighteen as actual people, instead of just an android or cyborg, and I try to make that distinction.
Please, leave reviews and suggestions for me. It's been a long time since I've written anything, but this kind of just came together after days of brainstorming. Thank you for taking the time to read this!