Chapter 2: False Ascension

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

Last Time:

"Haaaaahhh!" he yelled once more. His hair pulsed between black and yellow, over and over. Finally it settled on the trademark Super Saiyan gold. His muscles bulged under his spandex suit. His lips pulled back as he exerted all his effort, pushing the beam back.

Surprisingly, he pulled one hand back, restraining the attack with only one hand. He placed the hand by his waist, "Ka… me… ha… me…" he chanted gravely. A blue orb just like Goku's appeared in his hand. He narrowed his eyes dangerously, then thrust the hand and energy sphere forward, "Haaaa!" the beam pierced through his father's attack, traveling up to it's source.

By the time Goku realized what was happening it was already upon him.

Trunks sighed loudly, "Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wa- ," he began to sing.

"SHUT UP!" Vegeta yelled.

Trunks' eye twitched, "Oh, I'M SORRY, I was just feeling a bit bored! Maybe if I had someone to talk to, to pass the time?!"

"Why don't you go find your mother!? She's literally the only one who gives a damn!"

"Dammit, dad!" Trunks thought, biting a gloved thumb.

Mr. Popo took a sip of his tea, observing the exchange through the window of his chambers, "What an unfortunate young man."

He blinked, then took another sip. He set the cup down, then looked away from the window.

Goku slowly opened his eyes, lowering his smoking arms. He sported quite a few burns, but was otherwise fine. The smoke around him drifted away just in time to see the gold flash before Gohan planted a fist in his stomach. Gohan continued his attack, pummeling his father.

Gohan screamed before smashing both fists into Goku's head, knocking him to the ground. He took a second, hovering in the air and fuming angrily. His breath came in heavy bursts, hissing through clenched teeth. He set his arms,

"RAAAAHHH!" he yelled, flaring his gold aura. It exploded around him; power so great it seemed to make everything else darker.

Goku stood up, wiping blood off his chin. He looked up at his glowing son, "Impressive. His first transformation and he already has that kind of power!"

Gohan's aura faded, and he looked sharply down at his father. Goku blanched, "Crap, he's in a blind rage, now! I have to calm him down!"

Gohan shot downwards like a meteor. Goku took a stance, waiting for him. Just as Gohan was about to collide with him, Goku sidestepped, placing a hand on his son's back and pushing mightily. Gohan smashed into the ground, sliding on the cold white material. Goku jumped on him, placing a knee on his back and wrenching his arms behind him.

Gohan struggled ferociously, grunting and growling in fury. Goku's eyes narrowed, "Calm down!" he yelled. Gohan snarled at him.

"Gohan! You have to control yourself! Let the anger go."

Gohan began to sweat from the exertion of his struggles. His resistance grew weaker and weaker, before vanishing entirely. He pressed his face against the ground as the fury faded from his eyes. The gold in his hair faded; eyes returning to their natural black. The tension in his muscles disappeared, and Goku released his arms.

He turned his son over and helped him sit up, "You alright there, son? That must have been pretty tough for you," he asked, golden brow raised.

Gohan raised his head to look at his father with half-lidded eyes, "Dad? What just happened?" he asked weakly.

Goku smiled softly, "You did it, Gohan. You became a Super Saiyan. I really am proud of you."

Gohan closed his eyes and leaned his head against his father's arm, "I'm glad. Now I'll be a better sparring partner for you," his breathing evened out as he left the waking world.

Goku frowned, letting his transformation fade. He picked his son up, cradling him in his arms. He smiled wryly, "You deserve a good nap. We've got a lot of work to do when you wake up."

Gohan looked in the mirror, running his hands through newly cut hair. It was cut short in the back but still had the thick, spiky locks on top with a few hanging before his eyes. Goku, standing behind him, place a hand on his shoulder, "What do you think?"

Gohan grinned, "It's great!"

Goku grinned back, "Glad you like it!" he ruffled Gohan's hair. Gohan chuckled. Goku looked up in thought, "Hmm… we should probably get to work," he looked down at his son, "You need to learn how to control your transformation."

Gohan frowned, looking at the ground, "I'm really sorry, dad. I didn't mean to attack you like that."

Goku laughed, "Don't worry about it, kiddo!" he pulled Gohan close with one arm, "The transformation is hard to control the first time. I was lucky to have Frieza as a convenient target for all my anger. You only had me."

Gohan smiled faintly and nodded.

"It's been hours! Why hasn't Piccolo won yet?!" Trunks wondered, eyes shut tight as he focused on Piccolo's energy signature, "You can't have a prolonged fight with the androids! You're guaranteed to lose!"

Vegeta looked over at him curiously, "Why?"

Trunks started at actually being addressed in a casual tone. He stared at his father incredulously. Vegeta frowned, "Well!?"

Trunks sighed, "Yeah, that's more like him…"

He looked his father in the eye, "The androids have an unlimited energy source. They never get tired! If you can't defeat them in half an hour, it's better to retreat and regain your stamina."

"Retreat! And you have the gall to call yourself my son! A Saiyan does not retreat!" Vegeta yelled, "Where is your pride!?"

"Excuse me for preferring my life over my pride!"

Vegeta grabbed his son by the neck of his armor, "Pride is worth dying for!"

"Yeah, well the other 'you' must have thought that as well, because he's DEAD!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, letting go of Trunks with a small push. He turned away, clicking his tongue. He went back to the edge of the lookout and his contemplation.

Trunks cradled his head in his hands, "Why can't we have a normal conversation?"

Vegeta scoffed loudly.

"Okay, Gohan, I want you to transform without getting angry. Try to remember how your ki moved when you did it before, then reproduce that!"

Gohan nodded seriously, "Right! I'll do my best!"

He stood tall, pulling his arms to his sides. He took in a deep breath, holding it. His eyes narrowed and teeth clenched as he recalled the feeling of transformation. His gloves crinkled as he clenched his fists.

He began to growl; forcing his energy to gather in his chest. It pulsed and writhed, just as it had when he transformed. It began to throb in tune with his heart, shaking his entire body rhythmically. He brought the energy to the surface, causing the air to shimmer. A golden aura seeped out slowly.

Gohan grunted and the aura burst out, becoming intense. He pushed further, pulling out more energy. Seconds passed as his hair began to lift. He began to feel strangely light-headed.

Goku's eyes widened, "Gohan, breathe!"

Gohan exhaled explosively, hands on his knees as he gulped in fresh air. His aura was gone, fleeing along with his concentration.

Goku chuckled, "How about you give it another try?" he said. He smiled mischievously, "And this time, remember to breathe, Ok?"

Gohan rubbed his head, face red, "Ehehe. Yeah, I'll keep that in mind!"

He took his pose again, closing his eyes in concentration. This time, as he gathered his energy, it felt much smoother. Once again, the air shook as golden ki seeped out of his form. He flared his power, causing the aura to swirl around him like a flame. His hair flashed gold, lifting slowly.

His eyes opened, "Urraaaah!" he yelled. His aura rose in a magnificent pillar, flooding the area with light. His energy calmed down, dissipating. He looked down at his arms and body curiously, "So this is what it's like to be a Super Saiyan!"

He frowned as he felt anger welling up, unbidden. Goku noticed, "Clear your mind, Gohan. Don't let the anger control your actions. Your emotions are yours to control, not the other way around."

Gohan's turquoise eyes met his father's. He nodded solemnly. His eyes closed and he relaxed his stance, allowing the tension to seep out of his form. Goku grinned brightly, "He's a natural! It took me at least a week of practice to calm down enough to try and control myself. I had to make sure I was far away from any of the Yardrats, just to make sure I didn't hurt them."

Goku watched carefully, minutes passing. He smiled, "Alright, son, do you think you've got it under control?"

Gohan opened his eyes and nodded, smiling brightly. Goku smirked, "Then let's put that to the test!" he said. With a grunt he transformed. He looked down at his son, "Try to stay calm while we spar. Remember, you're not trying to win; your goal is better control!"

Gohan nodded.

A jolt of electricity coursed through Vegeta. His eyes widened and he grinned viciously, "Yes! I've figured it out!"

He began to cackle, growing louder in a crescendo, "I can do it! I can ascend!"

Trunks watched the spectacle with worry… and more than a bit of fear, "Somehow, I don't like it when dad is so happy."

He approached his father carefully, "So you found a way to surpass Super Saiyan?"

Vegeta turned to look at him with a manic grin, "Oh, yes," he said. He raised a hand in front of him and clenched it, "Allow me to show you."

Golden light burst forth, shrouding him. Trunks observed intently. Vegeta crouched, clenching his teeth. His veins bulged as blood pumped faster. Energy pulsed within him, causing his muscles to writhe and flex, "Haaahh!" they suddenly bulged, growing to ridiculous proportions.

Trunks took a step back in awe and fear as his father's energy spiked to an unparalleled height. It was like his entire being was flooding with power. His mouth dropped, "Father! I can't believe it! With this much power… you could defeat the androids and Cell! It's just… incredible!"

Vegeta let the power drop, muscles returning to their normal size, "It seems you do have eyes," he said, snorting amusedly. He smacked a fist against his hand, leering dangerously, "Let's go pay those toy soldiers a visit."

Trunks grinned, "Right behind you, dad!"

"Where else would you be? In front of me? HA!" Vegeta said, taking to the air. Trunks growled in frustration before taking off after him.

Gohan's control of the Super Saiyan transformation had improved by leaps and bounds. He and his father flashed across the floor of the chamber; appearing, colliding, disappearing. The air shook with each collision. Gohan attacked with vigor, doing his level best to overpower his father.

While Gohan had adopted a rather heavy air of focus, Goku was enjoying the spar immensely. His son had finally become strong enough to become a serious challenge. He dodged out of the way of an energy blast; throwing his own in retaliation. Gohan smacked it out of the way casually, charging recklessly. Goku vanished, reappearing above Gohan and smashing an elbow into his back.

Gohan fell towards the ground, quickly righting himself and landing on his feet. He sent a powerful beam of energy at Goku, hoping to catch him off guard with his quick recovery. Goku crossed his arms, enduring the blast. It was more powerful than he expected; the explosion sending a shocking force through him.

The blast sent him reeling through the air in an arc. Gohan followed, determined to keep the advantage he had finally gained. Goku vanished again, appearing behind Gohan. Gohan reacted immediately, spinning and slamming an elbow into his father's ribs. Goku cringed in pain as his armor cracked; Gohan continued his attack.

Gohan sent his father flying into the ground, then took a moment to catch his breath, "Is dad holding back again? I shouldn't be beating him so soundly," he thought. He set a critical eye on his father, watching as he stood up. He noticed his father relax, then beckon him down, "I guess the fight's over?" He descended to the ground, landing lightly on his toes.

Goku grinned exuberantly, "Nice job, Gohan! You're really coming along nicely!" he said, absently rubbing his ribs.

Gohan blushed, smiling faintly, "Thanks," he furrowed his brow, "Though, I can't help but feel you were holding back at the end."

Goku scratched his cheek, chuckling uneasily, "I kinda got distracted. Actually, there's something I want to show you."

Gohan arched a brow curiously.

Goku settled into a crouched stance, arms by his side. His aura flared powerfully, sending a wave of wind and dust away in a circle. He began yelling, voice low and loud. He shot up straight, loosing a shout that echoed repeatedly. His muscles bulged alarmingly. His hair became spikier, angling more to the side than straight up.

Gohan gaped, astounded by the sheer power.

Goku grinned, "This is a new form I stumbled upon. It's much more powerful than the regular transformation."

Gohan nodded, "It's incredible! I can feel your energy tingling on my skin. It's like… nothing I've ever seen before," he said. He grinned, "I bet you could beat Cell easy, now! Do you think we should leave early?"

Goku frowned and shook his head, "No. This form has some drawbacks," he said, "It has a lot of power, but it sacrifices speed. We shouldn't do anything prematurely. If we're not strong enough, and lose, then I can't come back in here."

Gohan's eyes widened, "Wait, why?"

"It's only possible to enter the time chamber twice. I entered once as a kid, and this is my second time. We should make sure we use it to the fullest."

Gohan nodded, understanding the logic behind the decision. Leaving early might prevent unnecessary deaths, but if they weren't actually strong enough to defeat Cell then the world was doomed. Unless, of course, Vegeta and Trunks were able to use the chamber and become strong enough.

Gohan shook his head sadly, "That's not very likely. Since when has Vegeta ever been able to do something dad couldn't? Plus, there's really no telling whether Trunks has the potential to become strong enough. We shouldn't gamble on that."

His eyes hardened in determination, "Dad? Can you teach me how to do that?"

Goku's eyes widened, "Why would you want to learn this? The drawbacks are pretty serious…"

Gohan smiled, "It might help in controlling my transformation. I want to master every aspect of it, so I can pull out the most power. I can't see how I could keep up with you if I don't put at least that much effort into it."

Goku's eyes narrowed, hand on his chin, "Master the form…" he mumbled. He was quiet for a while.

Gohan looked at him curiously, "Dad? Are you okay?"

Goku snapped out of his stupor, "Oh, what? What's up?"

"Are you going to teach me that new form?"

"Oh, right! Sure thing!"

"How come you went quiet like that?" Gohan asked.

"Hmm? Uh, just thinkin' about something."

Vegeta and Trunks -in that order- flew through the sky, the force of their passing scattering clouds and the occasional flock of birds. Trunks yelled to get his father's attention. Vegeta did not respond. This might be explained by the wind screaming in their ears. Or Vegeta was just ignoring him. Both seemed equally likely.

"Dad!" he yelled, "DAD!"

Vegeta sighed and stopped, floating in the air, "What!" he snapped.

Trunks winced, "I was thinking-,"

"Congratulations."

Trunks lips pressed together, becoming a thin line. He took a few heavy breaths, calming himself, "You're strong enough to defeat any of the androids or Cell. But what if they don't let you fight one on one? I'm not sure you can take them all at once."

Vegeta snorted, "Yes, because everything you've told us about the androids has been accurate."

"This is serious! We have to consider countermeasures if they try to overwhelm you with numbers."

Vegeta smirked, "I'll simply kill the green tin can and the girly tin can before they can attack. My fight is with the bitch that broke my arm!"

"I really don't think you're taking this seriously enough!"

"Quiet down and let the adult handle this," Vegeta said, taking off once again towards Piccolo's ki signature. A signature that didn't seem so powerful to him anymore.

A/N: I said this chapter would be out last week. It wasn't. I'm sorry. For the past week and a half or so, I've had zero motivation to write. The next chapter of Fledgling Deity may be a little late. I only have 2000 words for it right now (about 1000 of that was written just yesterday), and I need at least 1500 more. I'll try to finish it today, but chances are I won't. Wish me luck.

This chapter is shorter than I usually write, but I don't want to start Vegeta's fight until next chapter.

Some reviewers expressed concern about pairings. There will be none. This isn't a romance story.