Chapter Six

Bulma walked out of the bathroom with a towel around her when Capsule Corp. shook suddenly. Bulma let out a scream and held onto the wall. Her alarm clock fell off the nightstand, flashing 9:00 AM before short-circuiting. Make-up compacts clattered on the table. A mirror that was hung on the wall fell to the floor, a crack growing upward. As quickly as it happened, it stopped. Bulma waited a second, then dashed to the window. She opened it and leaned forward.

"VEGETA!" Bulma yelled, but then she saw exactly what caused it. Trunks, in Super Saiyan form, was sparring with Vegeta. Bulma's jaw dropped when she realized that Trunks had the upper hand.

Bulma closed the window and went to her dresser. At least it was better than her baby crying all the time.

-

King Yemma looked down at the two boys before him. Baba hovered on her crystal ball in the corner.

"So, you're Gohan Son, son of Goku. You died in the Cell Games, correct?" King Yemma said. Gohan nodded; he could feel his throat tightening up again. This guy was huge, and he could send him to Hell if he so much as offended him in the slightest. Gohan's imagination ran haywire, creating horrible things that could happen now that they were there. "And you're Goten Son, correct?"

"Yep!" Goten said, grinning. King Yemma scanned the page he found Gohan on.

"Ah, here you are. Goten Son. Age: six. Race: half-human, half-Saiyan. Parents: Chichi and Goku Son. Cause of death: Murder." King Yemma recited as though he were reading a book aloud.

Something in Gohan's head short-circuited. Gohan looked at Goten. Yes, he wondered why his little brother was dead, but he figured it had been something like illness, a bad case of flu. Goten didn't look like anyone had hurt him, wasn't covered in any blood, not a single bruise on him.

"Yep, that's it!" Goten said cheerfully.

"You were . . . murdered?" Gohan asked. King Yemma and Goten both looked at him. Goten furrowed his eyebrows at the look Gohan was giving him. Goten nodded. Tears stung the backs of Gohan's eyes. "Why would someone do that!?" Everyone present gasped. Gohan's ki spiked and yellow flames surrounded him. His hair stood on end, spikes looking almost razor-sharp. Tears rolled down the older brother's face.

"It's not that big a deal," Goten said quietly.

"What do you mean 'no big deal'!?" Gohan shouted. "How could anyone do that to you!? You're so kind, and happy, and you're the best little brother I could ever have! Why would someone do that!" Gohan's ki increased at an exponential rate. Baba gaped at the older boy as he went from Super Saiyan to Super Saiyan Stage 2. King Yemma gulped. How could this boy not defeat Cell? His power went through the roof! "Who in Hell could do this to you!?"

Goten looked down at the ground. "Mister Piccolo did." Gohan gasped, the shock causing him to power down. "He said that I was the only one who could bring you here. He said that since you didn't think a living me was real, I had to die in order to help you." Gohan stepped back from Goten, his eyes as large as dragon balls. "He promised it wouldn't hurt, and he was right. Besides, they'll be wishing us back, so we'll both be back home soon." Goten looked up at Gohan, hoping that his older brother wouldn't be upset anymore. The look on Gohan's face wasn't exactly what Goten had been hoping for.

"Piccolo . . . my Piccolo . . . killed you . . . because of me?" Gohan said, barely audible.

Goten suddenly realized how Gohan was going to take this.

"Don't think of it that way! I wanted to do it!" Goten begged, watching the waterfall of tears pouring off of Gohan's face.

"Piccolo murdered you because I was too stupid to realize I was already dead?" Gohan said.

"No! It's not like that!" Goten shouted, as though saying it loud enough would get his brother to believe it.

Gohan's face contorted into an expression of intense sorrow and pain.

"I have to go," Gohan managed to get out before completely breaking down into sobs. Then he took off, flying towards . . . Goten didn't know where, but King Yemma obviously did.

"SOMEONE STOP THAT BOY! HE'S FLYING STRAIGHT FOR HELL!"

"GOHAN! COME BACK!" Goten cried, running after him.

"No!" Baba screeched. "Goten! COME BACK!"

-

Bardock raised his head. "Does anyone else feel that?"

Fasha nodded. "What do you think it is?"

"It's too powerful to be Frieza or Cell," Bardock said. Fasha tensed.

"It's not a new member of Hell, is it?" Fasha asked. Bardock shrugged.

"As long as he doesn't bother us, I guess it's all - ," Bardock started, but then a vision came to him.

A boy who looked a little like Bardock's mate was rolled up in a ball, crying his eyes out. He looked so lost and broken. "I'm stupid, I'm so, so STUPID!" the boy sobbed, his hair fading from blond to black, blond to black repeatedly until it finally settled on black.

"Are you all right?" asked a voice that Bardock recognized as his own. The boy looked up and gasped.

"Daddy?"

"Bardock?" Fasha asked, interrupting the man's reverie. Bardock looked at Fasha. "Was it another vision?" Bardock nodded.

"Fasha, stay here. I'm going to check this power level out."

Fasha grabbed his arm.

"I'm coming with you."

"No. You weren't there in the vision. Besides, I think he'd be embarrassed if you did come."

Fasha gave Bardock a confused look, then let go of him. Bardock took off, flying towards the incredible amount of power he just sensed. Fasha sighed; she hoped he knew what he was doing. Ever since Cell came to Hell, it hadn't been the safest place to be alone in.

-

Bardock landed and hid as Cell and Frieza flew past. He could hear them arguing about something, but all that Bardock could hear was "brat", "weakling", "Goku", and "Kakarrott." At Kakarrott's name, Bardock's ears twitched, but he restrained himself from doing anything. He knew it was Kakarrott who had brought Frieza to his demise, so he couldn't be the weakling they were talking about. Bardock thought about his vision for a moment or two. He gasped as he realized that Cell and Frieza probably sensed it, too. If that power was that crying child . . . . Bardock took off again, determined to find the boy before Cell or Frieza.

-

Mrs. Briefs poured tea for Bulma and Chichi. The house rumbled with the sparring outside.

"It's nice to see those guys getting out more," Mrs. Briefs said cheerfully. Bulma nodded.

"Yes, Mom, it is." Mrs. Briefs frowned at her daughter's tone.

"You don't sound very happy about it."

"It's just that training is all that Trunks has been doing now," Chichi answered for Bulma. "Goku's been the same way. But at least Goku's eating like he used to." Bulma nodded again. "How is Trunks's diet, anyway?"

"Vegeta still has to hold him down so I can force-feed him. Even when we do that, the only thing that actually reaches his stomach is dried seaweed. He refuses to swallow anything else." Bulma reported, taking her tea cup and taking a sip. Chichi sighed.

"He misses Goten a lot," Chichi stated. The ladies were quiet for a moment. "Do you know what I found in Goten's room this morning?" Bulma looked up.

"No. What?"

Chichi picked up her bag and pulled out a teddy bear. Bulma gasped; it was the same teddy bear Goten had been holding when he had asked about who Gohan was.

"It looks like Goten wanted to have a part of Gohan with him," Chichi said, smiling sadly. "I suppose it was only natural, wanting to be with the brother he couldn't have." Chichi hugged the teddy bear tightly. Suddenly, the door opened. Chichi, Bulma, and Mrs. Briefs looked over to it. Goku smiled at them.

"Hey, Chichi. Hey Bulma, Mrs. Briefs," Goku greeted; his stomach decided to announce Goku's purpose for temporarily abandoning his training session with Vegeta and Trunks. Chichi put the teddy bear away; Goku still couldn't look at it without crying. Chichi remembered when Gohan got it.

Gohan attempted to blow out the candles, but his just-turned-four-years-old breath wasn't powerful enough. Chichi and Goku blew out the candles for him, giving the impression that Gohan did it himself. Gohan giggled and clapped along with the adults. Ox King laughed along with Gohan.

"Would you like to open your presents now, Gohan?" Chichi asked.

"Yeah!" Gohan replied excitedly. Goku pulled out a strangely-wrapped package, covered with lots of tape.

"Sorry about the wrapping. I had a little trouble," Goku said, handing the gift to Gohan. Gohan attacked the gift, sending paper everywhere.

"Wow!" Gohan said, revealing a teddy bear. "It's great! Thank you, Daddy!"

"I'm glad you like it! I made it just for you!" Goku said.

"Really?" Gohan's eyes glittered with cheer. Goku nodded. "Yay!" Gohan hugged Goku. Goku laughed and lifted the birthday boy high over his head.

Chichi smiled sadly at the memory.

"Chichi?" Goku said. Chichi looked up at him. "Is something wrong?" She shook her head.

"Everything's fine, Goku."

-

Bardock tried to focus on the power source, but it kept flickering like a candle. It was difficult for Bardock to pinpoint it. Suddenly, he could hear the voice of the boy.

"He's close," Bardock whispered to himself, flying in the direction the sound came from. Bardock scanned the ground from the yellow sky. Finally, Bardock lay his gaze on the boy. Like in the vision, he was curled up in a ball, crying.

"I'm stupid, I'm so, so stupid!" the boy muttered to himself, his hair flashing blond, then black, blond, then black. When Bardock landed, the boy's hair remained black.

"Are you all right?" Bardock said, suddenly feeling overprotective of this strange boy.

The boy looked up and gasped. Bardock braced himself for what was going to happen next.

"Daddy?" the boy asked, scrutinizing him. "Wait . . . . I'm sorry, you can't be him. He doesn't have a scar."

"What's your name?" Bardock asked.

The boy wiped his tears away and tried to pull back a sob.

"Gohan Son. You?"

"Bardock, father of Radditz and Kakarrott, Frieza's slayer."

Gohan's jaw dropped.

"Kakarrott's my dad."

Bardock's eyes widened. That was . . . unexpected.

"Why were you crying?" Bardock asked, not sure what to say about the relation revelation.

Bardock regretted asking. The boy teared up again, and a sob escaped his throat.

"M-my little brother is dead because of me," Gohan managed to get out before breaking down into sobs again. Bardock sat down next to him, letting the boy cry.

"How did he die?" Bardock asked. "How is it your fault?"

Gohan swallowed hard and explained about Cell, how he died, what he had been doing for the past six years, how he first met Goten, what happened after Goten died, and how he learned that Piccolo was the one who killed Goten and why. Bardock nodded and listened carefully. His eyes widened when he learned that this boy had fought Cell and lost. A boy with his power lost to Cell, who was obviously the weaker of the two. Gohan finished the story and held himself tighter. Bardock was silent for a while.

"Who is your mother?" Bardock asked.

Gohan looked at Bardock. "Her name is Chichi. She's the strongest woman on Earth." Bardock made a mental note that the boy's human genes might be part of the reason Gohan didn't beat Cell. "She's really nice, but she's really strict about my learning. She scares Dad sometimes when she's mad, not that I blame her. Dad can be a spaz." Bardock snorted. "She can cook really well." Bardock mentally added 'That's a good thing.' "She also used to be a martial artist just like Dad, but then they had me and she decided to give it up so she could take care of me."

"She sounds like a great mother," Bardock commented. Gohan nodded. "What does she teach you?"

"Well, before I faced Cell, I was working on Advanced Calculus."

Bardock smirked.

"Come on, kid, before Cell and Frieza find you here. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

-

Goten scanned the scenery. If King Yemma hadn't told him it was Hell, he would never have guessed. But where was Gohan?

"GOHAN!" Goten yelled. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Well, well, what do we have here?" said a raspy voice behind him.

"He looks like a miniature Goku," added a deep voice.

Goten turned around and gasped. A white-and-purple alien and a green-and-white with black spots alien stood behind him with evil grins on their faces.

"Who are you?" Goten asked, fear crawling into his voice.

The aliens chuckled.

"I'm Frieza, ruler of Hell."

"I'm Cell, the real ruler of Hell."

"Please, I was here first," Frieza scowled.

"I, however, am stronger than you," Cell countered. Frieza glared at him while Cell had a smirk on his face.

Goten felt like wetting his pants. This was NOT good.