Hello everyone. I'm back fairly quickly this time with the next chapter. It's a lot longer, but it's one of my favorites so far. I know the action has been lacking, but trust me, there it's coming. I just need to build up to it so please be patient with me.
"text" - dream sequence
"text" - flashback sequence
On with the continuation. As always, review if you'd like to.
Tomosuki sits in his office on the planet Pagoda, his elbows leaning on his dark wooden desk. The light from the moons comes in through the window and illuminates the massive bookcases he has filled with knowledge from every corner of the universe. He may be all evil, but he is far from all-knowing. It was in these books he first read of the fate of the Saiyan race while he and his brother in arms Akitahome were sealed away. The adventures of the only known survivors were catalogued as well, including Prince Vegeta, the low class warrior Kakarott and his group, and the quiet fate of the younger brother Vegeta never spoke of. The Royal Family also had its share of fun to catch up on, including the space pirate/demon, the runaway prince now known as one of the chosen one's grandfather Katsuhito, and their subsequent battles against Kagato and Yuzuha. The adage may be popular on Earth, but it started out in the stars: know thy enemy, know thyself.
One of those books lies open before him, but he stopped reading it a while ago. Aside from not wanting to have to bother lighting a candle to read by, he started thinking about the events that took place a little over a week ago. After all, it was by his sole order that he sent Ameshi to die, leaving Keriko in a state of silent mourning and solitude, shoving the rest of the universe and its cares away. He shouldn't care about the people he has working for him. After all, when he recruited the pair, he knew they were disposable. Hell, even they knew they were disposable, but it was a better life than the one they had been living. Running away from the Galaxy Police after being charged with murder, then dragging with him his best friend to become a fugitive as well…a lot of people hated Ameshi and were out to see him dead.
Still, even with everyone he has killed or ordered to be destroyed, he cannot help the way he feels for his cronies. He even misses Zel's antics a little. A few times he has passed by Keriko's room since she returned with Akitahome, and he hasn't been able to drown out the quiet sobbing he hears. She was never one to openly show emotions, and things have been even worse since she lost her best friend to the blade of Tenchi's sword. On this night he feels like he has to go see her to at least ease some of the confusion in his own soul over his concern for "replaceable" henchmen.
Quickly he abandons his work and leaves the room. It leads directly into a hallway that leads to another main hallway. The quarters of his lower team members lie at its end, and the walk there is a short one. For the people on the earth, it would resemble a college dormitory minus the midnight parties and hormone driven young people. Except Zel, who can be a handful sometimes. Tomosuki allows himself another small smile at the young man, for once losing the evil air about him. He could almost resemble any other being in this vast universe. Almost.
He comes to a stop at one of the brown doors and wonders if he should really be here. It was by his command that Ameshi is dead. It would be a lie to say he did not know such a thing would happen, but he was all too aware. The girl inside does not need to know that, however. His hand finds its way to rap lightly two times before returning to his side. His wait is a longer one than anticipated, and he gets no response. He decides that he gave the occupant fair warning and barges in, finding the knob to be unlocked. He sees her across the room staring out the window into the black oblivion, watching as best she can the rain pummel the ground. He shuts the door quietly and walks a few more steps over. To not be rude to the guest and her boss, she turns around to face him. Her demeanor quickly says she expects him to have some order or objective as that is usually what he wants when he comes to her. Inwardly he chuckles at how stiff she is, like always. Outwardly he retains his calm and collected, almost detached, attitude.
"Relax, will you? I just want to speak with you." The blonde one doesn't let herself loosen up but mumbles an apology anyway. "You can sit down. I'm not here to give you any assignments. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Complying, she takes a seat on the edge of her bed while he grabs the chair from the much smaller desk and sits across from her. "I wanted to see how you were doing. I know Akitahome has been taking Ameshi's death hard as well, but I don't think he would want you two to be suffering this way." Though Tomo is not used to feeling emotions, his fellow Triad member is a different story. The man was very close to Ameshi and felt as if they were brothers. For being the one representing power, he has a soft spot for others. He pauses to let his words sink in to her mind, but he doesn't give her time to reply. "Now I'm not going to give you any more assignments unless you are absolutely sure you want to get back out there. In a few days I have scheduled Akito to go to Earth to retrieve the orb containing Nusake's powers, and you are welcome to go with him then. Just let me know." She continues to stare down at her lap, where her hands are clasped nervously.
"I'm sorry," she says almost too quietly for him to hear. "I know I'm being stupid and not thinking about the big picture."
"You are not being stupid," he lightly scolds. If she could, she would sink lower into the top of her mattress. "You and Ameshi were very close, and not mourning for him would be stupid. Just don't let the sadness control you. Our goal coming to fruition will make him happy wherever he has ended up in the afterlife."
"He did not kill that brat's father," she counters, now sounding angry. She got so sick of everyone just assuming that when the proof was nonexistent minus the circumstantial nonsense. He was with her the whole afternoon it supposedly happened, but what they were doing wasn't a very good alibi as they could not prove they were training alone in the woods.
"But he's done plenty since then," he reminds her. Because he is right, she doesn't counter this time.
"I'll go with Akito."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm sick of sitting around feeling useless all day." He sort of smiles but not all the way.
"Alright. I'll talk to you in the morning then. But you should get some sleep now. You need it." With that, he gets up and replaces the chair to its position before leaving just as quietly as he came in.
For a few more minutes she sits in the same position, taking in the carpet and the little freckly patterns of random colors where they would make the least sense. His words echo through her head, but she resents the way he thinks he knows how she feels. Ameshi was her best friend from the minute they met when he saved her and her and her father's groceries. She forced him to teach her his style of martial arts, and she was crazy enough to run away with him. That is why the last image she has of him is the one she wants to remember least. His eyes begged for her not to leave him as he knew Akitahome would force her to do. He was also silently apologizing for leaving her when she had just lost the other person in her life she loved. She watched him sink to the ground, and she left him to die alone. The emotional walls she had worked so hard on crafting were broken down by the young man with the small smile he cast her way after she first managed to beat him. Of course, it was preceded by a bloody nose, but he was proud nonetheless.
Now those emotional walls are back up full force. It is the only thing keeping out the immense wave of sadness that has haunted her since she left Earth. Tears still manage to find their way to her eyes. Not wanting to appear weak and pathetic as she feels, she lies back and focuses on the ceiling instead of the floor. Hopefully the urge to cry her eyes will pass soon though this is made hard by the memories that flow over those walls. The ones that remain the most are of the past week and a half. The Tenchi gang was so hospitable, more than anyone had been with them save for Tomosuki and Akitahome. She almost had second thoughts about going through with everything. If only she had spoken up maybe Ameshi would still be by her side. He was so concerned with her then, too. He had good reason to be, though. He had just told her their last night here that her father was dead. The man who raised her, the parent she loved was gone. Despite her unwillingness to show the sadness, she couldn't help it. Ameshi later found her in her room and immediately tried to be comforting. He wasn't very successful in his endeavor at first. After more consoling and promises that he would always be there, she calmed down a bit. 'He lied', she thinks bitterly as she unsuccessfully blocks out memories of their last night here. In the end, though, the remembrance of then is almost comforting, and she thinks back on what she never wants to forget.
Ameshi, the usually outgoing and jumpy loud young man with spiky black hair, holds the crying form of his best friend. Watching in concern as she pulls away from him, he curses himself for having to reveal the truth. She doesn't want him to see her like this, however. She was always such a stubborn and strong one, being tomboyish even a lot of the time. But now she's blubbering like a child or a weak girl. The only thing he can do is talk, which he is unsure of as he may not want to hear his voice and instead only have him there as company. Words are not always necessary, and they are hardly his strong suit yet he tries anyway.
"It's okay, Ker," he starts assuredly. "You aren't stupid or weak or whatever you think you are. When my parents died I was a wreck." Great, now he's reminding her of much she is acting like a little brat.
"You were also only three years old." He doesn't say anything else because it's true. Without another word to him, she moves to get up and leave this small room as the air is suffocating her. He stands up but stays in place.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't have time to mope around. We're leaving tomorrow, in case you forgot."
"Don't be like that."
"I'm not being like anything."
"You are obviously not okay, and I'm not leaving nor am I letting you leave."
"Yeah, and what if I want you to leave?" Not expecting that, he just stares at her, pain in his eyes. She sees the hurt, and it only makes things worse. She mutters an apology as she tries unsuccessfully to control her tears. Faster than she can even see, he once again has her in his embrace, not caring that she sounded like she wanted him to leave just a minute ago.
"I hate myself right now," she mumbles against his shoulder, sounding quite miserable. He goes to ask why, but she doesn't give him the chance. "For being emotional, for getting angry with you, for everything. I don't even want to know what everyone else thinks of me right now."
"They don't think anything," he says softly. "First of all, everyone's too busy. Second, you've been in here most of the night. I'm the only one who knows."
"Great, the person I want least to see me like this." Knowing this probably confused her friend, she moves back to look at him. Sure enough, a very bemused expression dominates his face, making her laugh at him despite everything else. She leans into him more, her head against his chest. By now she figures he either thinks she's lost it or he's somehow done something amusing. Just as quickly as she gets closer to him again does she move back.
"You know, you're one of the weirdest people I've met," he says about her behavior. A flicker of humor flashes in her eyes along with something else unreadable.
"I'm weird, huh?" she asks, that strange amusement back once more. He doesn't say anything else as he is still a little confused. "How's this for weird?" Before he can react, she moves closer to him again, this time not for an embrace. Instead, any space left between them is closed as she presses lips softly to his. He doesn't even get a chance to realize the situation they are now in before she ends it by violently shoving him away as if he were in the wrong. Now she isn't only angry at herself for crying but for losing control of her emotions and doing that. He remains dazed by the sensations the kiss sent through him. They kissed once before when they were kids, but they were running from their home at the time. He was expressing his gratitude that she was coming with him. This….was something very different. Trying to swallow the lump that has appeared in his throat, he clears his voice.
"I'm going to go." He walks to the door, but something in her protests to this. She spins around and grabs his wrist.
"No, please don't," she practically begs. He turns to look at her, not sure if the emotion he sees in her eyes is the same as what he feels. "Don't go. I want you to stay." For a few more seconds that really seem more like an eternity, they stare at each other in heated silence. He realizes that what she wants from him now is what he has been wanting from her. Being more than happy to oblige, he pulls her to him again. Before anything else, she reaches behind him and locks the door. Without wasting more time apart, he captures her lips this time. She plays with the buttons on the front of his shirt, undoing them in no particular hurry. They have the whole night before they leave tomorrow. The guilt that was tearing him apart earlier is gone as he lets his hands explore his best friend in a way they never have before. He parts for a second only to whisper that he will never leave her. All she does is smirk and pull him back as they clumsily make their way to her bed.
Not really wishing to recall further than that, she opens her eyes and looks at the ceiling a second time. Thoughts of tomorrow come forth, but the memories refuse to be silenced. His scent, his touch, his breath on her neck as he whispered promises, the feel of his heartbeat as she drifted off to sleep in his arms…all prove to be too much. The only escape she has is to get ready for bed and hope her dreams aren't of him or that night. However somber it may be, she slips into sleep. The rain continues to poor down outside.
Back on Earth, night has now fallen across the region where the two chosen ones slumber. After dinner at Videl's house, the demi-Saiyan came home and trained some more before finally getting to his homework. The last time he favored that activity over his scholastic obligations was only a few months ago, during April when he was preparing for the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai. His brother stayed awake playing his video games, this time with his mother and bounded into their room after his elder brother had already fallen asleep. It has been the place he has remained since, persisting past the nightmares that have followed one after the other.
Gohan finds himself in the middle of two sides, two opposing viewpoints who are at grisly war with each other. The ones fighting each other vary between the humans he is one of to races he has encountered to even more races he has yet to meet. When he wills his body to move out of the way of an oncoming blast, he finds he cannot go anywhere. A man in red yells at him to either step aside or help. Behind him someone else in blue tells him the same thing. The scholar can only be confused as he has no idea what to do or if he can even do it. To make things weirder on him, the one in red turns into his father while the one in blue become the proud Saiyan prince. His other friends replace some of the other individuals while the gang he has yet to meet, some of Tenchi's family and friends, does the same. Both Goku and Vegeta continue to yell at him to help their side, and he stands there, unsure of what to do and who to listen to. His dad and Vegeta then begin to battle each other while the two massive armies clash around them. Tenchi's voice comes over louder than anything, and Gohan looks to see the Juraian boy with his sword drawn. Resolve is present in his eyes, a determination Gohan knows all too well as he has looked at his own enemies the same way. He rushes the immobile Saiyan, who reacts without meaning to and fires a blast at his newest friend. This is easily knocked aside, and he keeps coming. Gohan's next reaction is his mystic power-up, but when he tries to ascend, the familiar gold aura surrounds him instead. He remembers then about his supposedly legendary status. It comes all too easy, but before he can move to counter the one with the energy sword, a strong hand clamps down on his shoulder. Before he can get a good look at the man, darkness takes over.
The darkness gives way to light, but the illumination is from the fires burning. everywhere in front of him. He gasps at the sickly sounds and the smell of flesh burning.
"You did this." He spins around and sees someone he never has before. Somehow, though, the man with ordinary brown hair and eyes dark as the void he was just in is familiar. Something finally makes sense to him then as he realizes this must be one of the bad guys he is supposed to defeat.
"What do you mean I did this? I just got here."
"My poor, poor friend. They warned you. You even warned yourself. But you didn't listen in the end."
"Who warned me about what?"
"Your family, your friends, the other One. She warned you as well." He stares blankly at the evil man. "She trusted you, Gohan. You let her down."
"Who?" he demands.
"Who else?" He clenches his fists.
"I don't know! I have no idea what's going on! Stop talking to me in riddles!"
"Ask them then. They would love to tell you." He points behind the boy, and Gohan looks. His friends are there once again though some of them are missing.
"Guys, what is he talking about?" he asks them more calmly. After all, he has known them all his life.
"Fool," Vegeta snorts. He looks confused.
"You're not my brother!" yells Goten next.
"The Gohan I knew would never to this."-Mirai
"What are you guys talking about?"
"You!!" From out of nowhere, the champ himself appears and lunges at Gohan. Too stunned at the whole situation, Hercule manages to land a punch though its recipient does not feel a thing. He takes a few steps back anyway.
"What did I do that was so terrible?" he asks, now feeling despair.
"You allowed them all to fall and be taken. You failed like you always do, Gohan. You can never get away from letting people down. It's in your blood more than fighting ever was."
"Shut up," he says, still managing to remain calm.
"He's right, boy," Vegeta says again. "Kakarott was an honorable warrior, but you don't even deserve to lay claim to the Saiyan race."
"I said shut up!" He yells this time, allowing the anger to take him over. One by one the others begin fading away, leaving him alone. His energy grows bigger and his anger more intense as well as the frustration. "Tell me what I did!" he pleads one more time. Everything fades away again, this time in a blinding flash.
Awakened in a cold sweat, Gohan bolts straight up. He is still in his own room, and Goten lies peacefully just a few feet away on his bed. The lights in the house are all off, and the stars are the only things bringing any illumination into the room. 'What was that about?' he thinks as he gazes out the window. A slight breeze comes in through the open pane and ruffles his lightly matted hair. He flops back down on his pillow, trying not think about his dream as he closes his eyes. Somehow managing it, he falls back asleep quickly, this time with no more dreams.
Tsunami awakens, leaving the girl whose body she inhabits still asleep. A disturbance has caused her to become active though she must inhabit the psyche and being of the second princess of the Juraian Royal Family. Little Sasami does not need to know about these changes quite yet. When Tsunami and her sisters imprisoned the evil doers in their hell, they never imagined they would ever be released again. Sparing Nusake and reincarnating his spirit was supposed to assure this. His powers were sealed away on a remote planet. But not everything happens like the goddesses willed. The boys were supposed to be reborn as well to have a second chance since it was not their fault destiny had something more in store than they were able to handle. But then that girl's father and his friend had to stumble across the legend and pursue releasing evil for their own gain. A lot of good it has done them now seeing how he ended up dead. By no coincidence, Tsunami and Washu ended up living with Tenchi as the threat grew nearer. That same orb rests on this planet as well.
His newest friend, though, seems to be struggling, and now they have decided to prey on him. Washu must sense this also along with their sister in her other dimension. If things progress any further at this new rate, she will not be able to remain silent within the young girl. For now, though, it is best to wait and see. She and Sasami may coexist, but she is afraid that the power she may need to put out will forever lose that child inside of her. That cannot happen. Washu is in her lab on her holocomputer, and Tsunami can see that the genius is working on finding out more of who Gohan is the same as she has been doing. At least she is able to actively work on it for now. The blue haired goddess fades back into the girl, her attention now more on the half-Saiyan than anyone else.
The next day at school, periods pass slowly yet again for one young Son male. Upon his arrival to their usual meeting spot in the morning, Videl could tell something was wrong with him, but he insisted it was nothing to worry about, just some bad dreams that didn't let him sleep well. He tried to convince himself equally as much. At lunch Videl managed to distract her two blonde friends by saying their respective crushes both had been saying nice things about them. Ever since the Tournament, Sharpener has pretty much laid off of his chasing Mr. Satan's daughter. Erasa was never serious about Gohan anyway, just mainly liked teasing him. Needless to say, when they found out the (mis)information, they were more than happy to leave the gang. This gave Tenchi and the girls time to speak with her and Gohan freely. The group hung out under a far tree away from the masses and found out they had more in common than they probably would have thought. Keeping true to her declaration the day previous, Videl suggested they all hang out after school. This weekend was agreed upon by all though Gohan wasn't as enthused about it. Videl chalked it up to his lack of sleep and let it slide.
The school bell rings, and the student population of Orange Star High vacates their seats faster than Cell defeated Hercule. The blondes, having been shot down by their crushes and angry at their friend, stay in each other's company as they walk to Sharpener's car. Their protest to walking with Videl isn't lost on her, but she also doesn't care too much to be honest. They'll get over it by tomorrow, and besides, they could spend some time together. They may not know it right now, but their darker haired friends think of the two as a very plausible couple. Of course, Gohan had to be prodded into agreement, but when he really started paying attention, the naïve boy could see what she meant.
Gohan and Videl depart for his home so her lessons in ki control can begin. Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka head to their apartment, knowing Washu wants her daily update right on schedule. Ayeka waits behind Tenchi as he fumbles for the key in his book bag. Ryoko simply phases through the wall and waits for them inside. By the time the door opens, the space pirate is reclining on the couch, feet up on the coffee table and her bag carelessly tossed onto the floor. Tenchi calmly closes the door after Ayeka while the princess gingerly sets her bag on the small kitchen table.
"You know, Ryoko, you shouldn't do anything suspicious in public," he gently chides her.
"Who cares? As soon as this whole deal is over, we're going back to your house anyway." He sighs, knowing nothing he says will get through her thick skull.
"Hiya everyone!" a loud voice suddenly shrieks. They all nearly fall over in surprise even though they should be used to the red-haired scientist by now. Her hologram, emitted from one of her newest devices, stands before them. "Don't glare at your mother, Little Ryoko," she reprimands her daughter. Ryoko's only response is to stick her tongue out at the short woman. "So anything interesting happen at school today?"
"Yes, Miss Washu," the princess starts. "We made plans to spend time with Gohan this weekend."
"That's great. So you all are becoming friends now, huh? I told you to go see him sooner, Tenchi." The boy simply laughs to try and play it off, conceding to himself she is right.
"Yeah, I know. I was just worried. But he and Videl are really nice, more so him. She sometimes reminds me of Ryoko."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asks angrily.
"Anyway, his family was nice, too. His dad wants to fight me."
"Not a good idea," the former professor warns. "Goku is one of the universe's strongest fighters. He'd wipe the floor with you at your current level."
"Thanks for the confidence," he mutters. She chooses to ignore him.
"Princess Ayeka, I was also wondering if you'd be so kind as to come home and retrieve some supplies."
"Why, of course."
"Great." She opens the portal she installed the first week they were here. "Don't worry, I won't keep you long." Without warning, she reaches through and grabs her arm, leaving her no time to bid farewell to Tenchi and Ryoko. It closes, and the hologram shuts off. The two left in the room look at each other and just shrug it off. Sometimes trying to figure Washu out is impossible.
Instead, Ryoko reclines more and picks the remote up for the TV, flicking it on. Her favorite drama is just about to start, and she wouldn't want to miss it. Tenchi goes and stand in front of the screen, crossing his arms. Her stare says move, but he doesn't. She doesn't take many things seriously, at least in the way she acts. He has been trying to be patient and not let the fact she doesn't care about school bother him. After all, she isn't from Earth. Why would she care about any of their scholastic "crap?" Today, though, he's had it. She needs to at least keep up appearances until they go back home. He moves away finally, picking her bag off of the floor and handing it to her. The remote he snatches as she watches him curiously. He knows she let him take it because is there is anything she would defend with her life besides him, it is the TV remote when her favorite show is on. The off button is pressed, and the picture box goes black.
"I know you hate school, Ryoko, but could you at least pretend while we're here?" Because she cannot say no to him, she grudgingly takes the book bag while he removes the content from his, which was on the coffee table.
A few minutes pass by in silence while they both work on their math. Surprising to Tenchi she is actually quite proficient at the subject. She definitely has half of Washu's DNA, that's for sure. Tenchi himself doesn't have too hard of a time, either. He pauses on the fifth problem, solving logarithms and thinks about what supplies Washu could possibly be sending them. Some humor comes in as well at poor Ayeka's predicament. Since his pencil stopped its movement, Ryoko glances over at him and frowns at the look he has. She knows he's thinking about Ayeka. The princess is a fierce rival in her affections for him, and though Ryoko doesn't mind waiting and letting Tenchi come to his feelings on his own time, she can't help being jealous when she thinks the feelings may not be directed at her.
"You know, it'd be a better use of our time in this pathetic town if we actually tried preparing," she says sarcastically. He looks over at her now, but her attention is back on the math.
"Ryoko," he says more softly than his previous tone. "You don't need to worry. Everything will be fine. We'll beat these guys. Gohan seems really tough, and we have you on our side." At that, the space pirate cannot help the blush that appears on her cheeks. He notices this and smiles gently at his friend.
"I can't help it, Tenchi. We don't even know what we're really up against this time since Washu won't tell us practically anything."
"But we've always managed to win in the end. Kagato, Kain, even Yuzuha..we beat them all as a team." She refuses to look at him still, even at his reassurances. Going a step farther, he puts his right arm around her shoulders. The blush from before returns, this time many shades deeper. "I have my friends and Mayuka to fight for besides the rest of the universe. Do you think I'd let anything happen to any of you?" The same way he did when she worried about him over Yuzuha, he doesn't seem to be taking her very seriously. In frustration, she knocks his arm off and stands up. He just appears confused.
"You can sit there and say whatever you want, Tenchi," she starts. Damn that merger with Zero for bringing out more of her emotional side, she thinks. Still, she doesn't stop what she wants to say. "But something could happen to you, and I won't always be around to save your butt."
"Ryoko-" he tries to start. She turns away from him.
"You can stay there and do schoolwork if you want, but I'm not sitting around anymore doing nothing." Before she can phase out of the room, he manages to jump from his spot and grab her wrist.
"How about we finish the math work and then we can go train somewhere away from this city?" he proposes. She still doesn't look at him.
"Fine," she agrees simply and easily. She then turns around finally, her usual smirk on her face. "But you better be ready to lose." He smiles lightly.
"I've been working on some new moves with Grandpa that I haven't shown anyone yet. I think I'll do much better than the last time we fought on the school roof." That memory is a happy one for both, even if at the time he thought she was trying to kill him. "But first we do homework." Though she is not exactly thrilled at that part of the deal, she sits back down to get it over with. The sooner they finish, the sooner they can go outside. It's been a while since she was able to stretch and kick someone's behind. It is also no secret to him that she would love to spend alone time without the princess there. It is a secret to her, though, that he would equally enjoy the time. He takes a seat and picks his pencil up from the couch. Silence returns, and they both hurriedly try to get through Algebra II as quickly as possible.
Back near Gohan's house, he is standing in front of his friend attempting (poorly) to teach her more about energy. He also happens to be failing (miserably). Apparently he has not gotten any better at teaching since her flying lessons five months ago. Perhaps it is a good thing his mother wills him to study hard and become a scholar, staying far away from the profession of academia. One would have to feel sorry for his students.
"Okay, it's a good thing you can bring your energy out so easily" he continues prattling on.
"That's what you said last time."
"Oh. Right. Well, that's the easy part. Controlling it so you can do this-" He puts his hand out and blasts a rock into pebbles. "-is the hard part."
"This isn't helping." This time she sounds angrier, and she has the beginning of The Look.
"I'm sorry. But you remember how well I did before. The way Piccolo taught me was a lot different." He takes a seat on the grass, signaling to her it is break time. She takes a seat also.
"How'd he teach you?"
"He threw me into a mountain."
"He what?" The alarm in her tone is obvious.
"After he called me a crybaby, he hurled me into this huge boulder. But I was only four then. What did he expect from me? My dad just died killing his evil brother, and this scary green guy who everyone else was so afraid of kidnapped me." The mini rant he mostly means to say to himself. No matter how grateful he is to Piccolo for everything he has ever done, he doesn't like to remember it all or know how to understand it.
"He kidnapped you?"
'Yeah." He pauses as he transitions back into normal happy Gohan. "Wow, that was a long time ago now that I think about. A lot's happened since then."
"You never told me about it, either." He looks at his lap.
"After Buu I didn't want to freak you out any more than you already might have been."
"In one afternoon I found out you were the Gold Fighter, you're really the one who beat Cell, you and half of your friend and family are aliens, and met your dead father who was back for the day. Your early years can't be that bad."
"Don't be so sure," he says somewhat darkly.
"Come on, Gohan. You know you can trust me." In his head, he agrees. He would trust her with anything except the one thing he is still too afraid to admit.
"By the time you're done with me I'm not going to have any secrets left, am I?" She smirks triumphantly, knowing she is about to win.
"Nope."
"Alight then." He clears his throat in preparation for the long tale. "Well, up until I was four I was as normal as everyone else. My dad's friends were having a reunion on Master Roshi's island, and he took me with him to introduce to the group. They hadn't seen each other in five years, ever since my parents got married. My uncle, a Saiyan named Raditz, showed up and demanded to know why my father hadn't destroyed the people of Earth and conquered it for Frieza. When he was a baby, he hit his head and became the cheerful guy we all know. He trapped me in his space pod while he tried to kill my dad. I don't remember much except for a lot of crying until I finally broke out. Piccolo later told me I broke the breast plate on his armor, which surprised all of them. My dad held Raditz in place while Piccolo shot them both. They died, but before he went into the afterlife, my uncle told us two very powerful Saiyans were coming to Earth in a year's time. That was when Piccolo took me to train the woods alone for six months."
"He left you alone in the middle of nowhere?"
"He said I needed to learn to control my power and to be brave, and that was the best way he thought to do it. But when the Saiyans showed up-"
"Wait," she demands more than asks of him. "I remember when I was five there was a TV broadcast with these guys calling themselves Saiyans."
"That was us," he confirms. "I can't believe you remember that, though. But anyway, my dad came back to life with the Dargonballs after training with King Kai. He was too late because everyone but Krillin and me had died."
"Who's everyone?"
"Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu. Piccolo sacrificed himself for me, even after I had let everyone down when we tried to attack Nappa." He stops at that part, sadness overcoming him. He can still see clear as day Piccolo jumping in front of him, and he'll never forgot how the Namekian admitted to enjoying spending time together training. Gohan was Piccolo's first real friend, and he let him down. He pushes this aside to continue. "When my dad finally showed up, Nappa refused Vegeta's orders to fight him, so Vegeta killed Nappa. He and my dad went far away to fight."
"You mean he tried to kill you guys back then?"
"He did a lot of bad things back then. The match ended in a draw, and Vegeta left Earth. My dad, Krillin, and I were in the hospital for a little bit before Bulma announced she could fix up the old space ship of the former guardian, Kami. Krillin, Bulma, and I set off for Namek to find their Dargonballs to wish everyone back to life here. It took a little while to get there, but we managed to collect them all. Vegeta even helped, but he only wanted to wish for immortality. But there was someone else on Namek after the balls, too. He was an evil tyrant and killed anyone who got in his way. His name was Frieza, and he destroyed the Saiyan homeworld. Vegeta was forced into his service, and that's why he was the way he was. Until Bulma came along, at least."
"You can leave some things out, you know." He chuckles.
"Anyway, we were up against the ropes with no hopes of beating Frieza. Then my dad appeared just in time like he always does. Frieza dropped the mangled Vegeta onto the ground. Before Frieza killed him, he begged my dad to avenge the Saiyan race. He told us what had really happened, how Frieza was afraid one of them would rise up and destroy him. He killed Vegeta's father and blew up the planet. Vegeta was forced to stay with Frieza and do his bidding. You wouldn't believe it by looking at him, but his past really haunts him. He cried to my father for everything he had lost, and then he was gone. My dad picked him and buried him in a shallow grave before taking Frieza on. It wasn't until Krillin was killed and Piccolo badly injured that he transformed into a Super Saiyan for the first time."
"That's what you did by becoming the Gold Fighter, right?"
"Right. After that, he told me to take Piccolo back to the ship and leave with Bulma. I begged her to wait for my dad, but before we knew it, we were wished back to Earth. Namek was destroyed and we thought Frieza had been too, but we didn't know if my dad made it. He was in space for almost a year, and the day he came back, someone else showed up to meet him. He beat Frieza, who survived and came to kill his family and then him when he returned. This boy transformed into a Super Saiyan and killed him no problem. He told my dad that three years from then, two androids would attack the planet. My dad would die six months before of a heart virus, and I was the only fighter who survived. He would turn out to be Trunks."
"Why couldn't you guys in the future just the Dragonballs?"
"Guess I skipped a part. Piccolo and Kami were two halves of the same person, and when the creator of the balls dies, they die too. They also can't bring someone back who died of natural causes." She nods, and he continues. "The Androids showed up as promised, but we had been training for their arrival. Trunks came back again to help, but he said they weren't the same ones from his future. My dad got sick in the middle of this battle and almost died, even though Trunks had given him an antidote. The real androids finally showed up, but the nightmare called Cell came before they could do any real damage. He absorbed 18 and her brother 17."
"So 18 tried to kill you guys, too?"
"Yeah. We have a habit of making friends with our enemies, I guess. Look at Buu. Anyway, my dad got better, but we couldn't stop Cell from becoming perfect. He announced the Cell Games, as you know. My dad, Vegeta, Trunks, and I trained in a room where one day on the outside means one year inside."
"You must mean the room evil Buu fought Gotenks and Piccolo."
"Yeah. I heard they destroyed it, too. I spent the time with my father, and I finally became a Super Saiyan with his help. The days before the games we stayed transformed the whole time, which my mom didn't like very much. Then the Cell Games happened, and I won. Seven years later I met you." His ending is a lot less detailed than the rest of his story, leaving her kind of irritated. After all, she always did wonder what exactly happened. After deducing he was the true victor, this curiosity didn't go away.
"Gohan, what happened at the Cell Games?"
"I beat Cell. Your dad took the credit. The world was saved."
"No, I mean what really happened?"
"You don't want to know."
"Yes, I do." He doesn't answer. "Come on, Gohan. I know that's how your dad died, and even though I wasn't there, I'm sorry. But I think I should get to know what my dad took credit for." He stares at the ground for a little bit as she stares at him, waiting for an answer.
"I never talked about it much. My mom was too sad, and I had to be there for her. No one knows what I did, what I went through except for my friends who were there. Even Vegeta saw."
"Saw you beat Cell?"
"No, saw me kill my father." He clenches his fists now. "I let Cell explode. I got too cocky with power and wanted to make him suffer for all of the pain he caused others. My dad transported himself and Cell to King Kai's planet, where he exploded. He was so brave, and all I did was fall to my knees and cry." He pauses, trying to get his emotions under control. "My father fought Cell first. Everyone thought he would win, except him. He was only doing it to show me how Cell fought. He made me, his ten year old son, take on a monster. I didn't even fight back. I begged him to change his ways, but he sent Cell Juniors after the people I cared about. They were defenseless and dying, and I just stood there. Then your dad threw Android 16's head at me. He was a gentle android, even though he had been programmed to kill my father. He told me it was okay to release my power and kill him, that it was okay to be angry. Beings like Cell could never be saved. But then Cell crushed his head. I snapped. He was right. I had to let it go to protect everything I cared about. I ascended higher than even my father, but I let it go to my head. Cell knew he couldn't beat me. After three hits, he spit out Android 18 and reverted back to being imperfect. To win, he decided to blow himself up. My dad came up with a plan. He told me how proud he was and asked me to take care of Mom. Then he was gone. Cell wasn't. He came back and killed Trunks, sending Vegeta into a mad frenzy. He spent so much energy to avenge his son, but it left him vulnerable. I jumped in front of him to take a blast from Cell. My left arm was broken. I tried again to beat him, countering his energy wave with my own. It wasn't enough, and we were locked in a duel, each trying to push our energy forward and kill the other. My dad talked to me through King Kai and asked why I was holding back still. I was worried about destroying the planet or killing my friends, but he told me we could use the Dragonball from New Namek to fix anything. I tried harder, but I still couldn't win. The others pummeled him with energy attacks, but he was unfazed. It was Vegeta who distracted him using the energy he had left. I seized the opportunity, and Cell was finally destroyed." She stares quietly at him. "I had won, but it was at the worst price. I'm the reason Goten grew up without a father. I'm the reason Mom was so sad all of these years. I'm the reason I had to grow up so fast." He finishes his Cell Games story, and it is quiet since that is not what she expected at all. Not knowing what to say to him after dragging this obviously painful memory out, she looks at the ground herself. He goes on, though. "I've been afraid before. I've been afraid a lot actually. But I've never been scared of myself. I liked torturing Cell, watching him in agony and listening to him beg. It was one of the things that scared me. I didn't want to become like him, causing pain for the fun of it. Everyone thinks I stopped training because of my mom, but that's not completely true. I stopped so I wouldn't turn into something like that. I didn't want to hurt anyone, so I stopped and started focusing all on school. But then when Majin Buu came, I wasn't strong enough. I failed everyone again. When your dad first saw me after everyone had died, he was so angry. He asked why I couldn't save you. I thought of you and my mom and how I wasn't there. It was the most pathetic excuse. I let Buu absorb me then, and I lost any chance of making up for it. Just before he did I thought about my promise to you about coming back and how my mom always tells me to be careful. Now I'm even more powerful than I ever was, and it scares me again. After everything I've done, I don't want to hurt any of you or let anyone down. I have a bad feeling."
"Are you still stuck on that?" The remembrance of his confession last week comes back to both.
"Well…"
"You are. Listen, Gohan, nothing is going to happen like that. And with the Dragonballs, you can fix anything if, by some remote chance, something did happen."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Of course I am." She stands back up after the long break, but he only stares up at her. He just bared some of his deepest secrets and his not-so-happy past, and she doesn't look at him any differently. He thought for sure she would suddenly have to get home. "Are we going to continue, or are you going to keep staring at me?"
"Sorry." He jumps up quickly, trying not to let her see the embarrassment on his face. While looking down, he starts to explain again. Since his eyes are fixed on his hand motions, he doesn't notice that she is slightly smiling at him.