Chapter 25: Gotenks is Born

Gohan and Kibito touched down on soft earth carpeted with vibrantly green grass. Gohan felt the breeze ruffle his hair as he gazed up at the moons. What a place this is…

"Here we are, Gohan," announced Kibito. "This is our Elder Kaio-shin."

Gohan blinked to snap himself out of his reverie. He had completely overlooked the short figure standing in front of him. The figure was similar in appearance to Kaio-shin, but heavily wrinkled and feeble looking. His sunken eyes appeared to be playful.

"Ah, welcome to the Sacred World of the Kais, my boy," the elder said with a twinkle in his eye. "I've been watching your exploits on Earth closely and I must commend your strength. I can tell, however, that you have more to offer."

Gohan lifted his eyebrows tentatively. "Thank you, Elder. If I may ask, what do you mean? Kibito said I had 'latent power'. How is that possible? Wouldn't I be able to tell if there was more chi in my body? Where would it be hidden?"

"All in due time, my boy. Come with me to the shade under that tree," the elder requested, pointing behind him and to the right. A tall tree with a broad trunk stood alone in the middle of the hill they were on. Its leaves cast a cool shadow beneath the sun.

Gohan swallowed and nodded.

Hatsuko's entire body felt numb with shock. She struggled to find words for what she had just heard Meza say to her. I'm…his daughter? But, how? How would he know?

Piccolo made his way over to the pair of fighters quietly. He had overheard what Meza said and wanted to know more. If this man knows of my people and he's the father of Hatsuko, then he must have some insight into the strange events that happened today. I need to know his peoples' true relation to planet Namek. I won't receive training from a foe. Piccolo's thoughts of his home planet swirled in his mind. He had inherited memories from the Namekian warrior named Nail, whom he had fused with to defeat Frieza. He felt a pang of protectiveness overcome him as he considered Meza's role as a possible enemy.

Meza, suddenly realizing how he had overreached Hatsuko's boundaries, released his grip on her. He took a step backwards to collect himself. He joined both of his hands together and bowed.

"My dear, I apologize for startling you. That wasn't like me, but I have to tell you that I'm overwhelmed with joy to know that you're alive," he said, slightly shaking. He retained eye contact with Hatsuko in awe. She noticed that his eyes were shining.

"I-I don't know what to say, Meza. How-how do you know that I'm your daughter? I have no memory of where I was born or where I came from. All I can tell you is that I've lived on Earth for almost my entire life," Hatsuko explained as she struggled to contain herself. She felt the sudden urge to collapse.

"Yes, how can this be? Aren't you similar in age?" asked Piccolo's deep drone. He had come to stand a few feet away from the pair. His arms were crossed across his broad chest.

"Well, it would appear that way, my friend, but I've been dead for a very long time. In fact, I know now how long after seeing you, Kiku. I died when you were too young to remember anything. I sent you away from our home when war struck. Your mother and I didn't want you to die," Meza said, ignoring Piccolo's glare.

"Wait, where were you when this war happened? Who were you fighting against?" Hatsuko asked. "And…why are you calling me 'Kiku'?"

Meza responded slowly after swallowing a lump in his throat. "That's the name your mother and I gave you. In my native tongue, it means oracle."

Kaio-shin closed the door to the Room of Spirit and Time behind himself, Goten and Trunks. He inhaled deeply. Although he wasn't fazed by the change in temperature and gravity of the room, he could feel its difference to that of the outside. I see now what Goku meant by the change in climate. I hope the boys will adapt to this quickly.

As Kaio-shin turned around to face the interior of the room, his mouth fell open. Goten and Trunks were flipping, jumping and punching the air inside the vast white void. His eyebrows twitched above his gaping eyes. Well, that answers that question…

"Goten, you want to spar with me?" invited Trunks as he landed on the white floor. Goten followed suit a few yards away.

"Yeah! It'll be a great warm up!" he said cheerfully. Just as Goten's chi rose to the first super saiyan level, its growth was truncated by Kaio-shin's voice echoing loudly.

"No, boys, you must concentrate! We have to continue the fusion ritual until we yield results! I need to assess your strength as a fused individual as soon as possible. Now, get into position!"

Gohan followed the elder Kaio-shin to the large tree overlooking them. The elder motioned for Gohan to sit. "Have a seat here, my boy, and relax. I must begin the ritual," Kaio-shin said, smiling.

Gohan hesitated and glanced at Kibito for reassurance. Kibito answered by nodding. He appeared to be calm and in good spirits.

Well, Kibito seems to think this is a good idea…I have nothing else to lose, I guess. Gohan returned their smiles nervously and sat down cross-legged.

"If you're going to go through with this ritual, I insist that you wear proper apparel, Gohan," said Kibito. Before Gohan could question what was said to him, he felt his clothing ruffle. He looked down and saw that his outfit now matched Kibito and Kaio-shin's. His disguise from the tournament had all but vanished. He was now sporting a long purple vest with red trim and extended shoulders. He also had a long orange sash tied around his waist. Underneath his vest was a blue long-sleeve tunic. His pants were now stark white above red boots. The bright colors gave him a sense of confidence.

"Oh, thank you, Kibito," he said as he examined himself.

"Alright, son. Keep still while I begin. This is very precise, so you must be quiet and empty your mind," directed the elder Kaio-shin. His hands lifted up to his face in balled up fists. His thin arms tensed. Gohan studied his stance with interest. Just as he was bracing himself to be anointed with a mystical power, his jaw dropped.

Elder Kaio-shin had begun to circle Gohan intensely while lifting and lowering his outstretched fists. He moved in a strange choppy motion, implanting his feet firmly into the ground as he stepped forward. It also seemed that he was humming to himself.

Gohan's eyes bugged out of his head. He turned to Kibito questioningly, hoping he would see the same look on his face. Kibito's face seemed unsettled, but not surprised. His mouth turned down at the corners and he nodded to Gohan. Gohan gritted his teeth as he accepted his fate.

Goten and Trunks performed the fusion dance for the third time since they arrived in the Room of Spirit and Time. This attempt produced a fused version of themselves that was emaciated and sickly looking. The figure was too weak to withstand the gravity and collapsed onto the white floor while gasping for air. Kaio-shin placed a hand on his forehead.

This will not do. They're almost ready. They just need to perform the ritual without any errors.

After thirty minutes had passed, Goten and Trunks split into two beings again. Goten rubbed his head.

"What happened that time?" he asked.

Trunks crossed his arms. "Your hands didn't align with mine at the very end," he said condescendingly.

"Both your hands were off. Now, concentrate this time and make sure you are mirroring each other perfectly. Your chi is right where it needs to be, so don't get discouraged, boys. Try again," assured Kaio-shin. He was trying to maintain his composure. The last thing he needed was for Trunks and Goten to fight and ruin their training.

"Right," the boys said in unison. They took their starting positions.

"Alright and…GO!" Kaio-shin's voice echoed through the heavy air. Without blinking, he watched the fusion ritual while concentrating keenly. He followed the boys' every move.

When Trunks and Goten extended their fingers and joined together in their last pose, they became enveloped in a blinding light. Kaio-shin shielded his face as his vision faded. A force ripped through the air, pulling him forwards.

When the light dissipated, a boy appeared where Goten and Trunks had been. His two tone hair stood straight up in the air, purple on the sides and black in the center. He had strong black eyebrows and a smirking mouth. His outfit was quirky and brightly colored. On top, he wore nothing but a blue and yellow vest. His pants were white, outlined by a bright blue sash and black shoes. Kaio-shin's face perspired as he studied the child's appearance.

"Well, then. I suppose this is our new warrior. What shall I call you?" he asked.

The voice that answered carried the tones of both Trunks and Goten. It sounded as if the two boys were speaking simultaneously.

"Gotenks," he stated with a devilish grin.

Meza inhaled deeply before he began his answer to Hatsuko's question. "My people were fighting an invasion of our planet, called Taiju. The warriors known as the Saiyans from planet Vegeta had come to pillage our towns. Their first visit was to gather all that they could from us before our planet was wiped out by genocide. It is my understanding that they wanted to use our planet for gain after we had all perished. When my people decided to fight back, I was visiting your mother's home planet, which was the next habitable planet to Taiju. Luckily for them, their planet's environment was too cold to be marketable. The Saiyans bypassed it in favor of ours."

Piccolo squinted as he processed the information he had just heard. So, his people were attacked by the Saiyans under Frieza's command. Theirs must have been one of the planets that Raditz had alluded to.

"If you weren't on your home planet before the Saiyans attacked, then why didn't you stay put? You could have saved yourself," said Hatsuko icily. Although this man claimed to be her father, he was still a stranger to her. She wasn't going to give her affection over to him immediately.

"Believe me, Kiku…err, Hatsuko. I wanted to stay with your mother's people. They were willing to give us refuge for as long as we needed. But, you must understand that I couldn't let my planet fight without my help. Although I was a low class warrior, I was still expected to fight in wars. I received very little pay and hardly any supplies for my efforts, but I was bound by birth. I couldn't abandon my post."

"Noble of you," said Piccolo sternly. "Do you know much more about the Saiyans?" Piccolo thought of Vegeta and Goku. If he finds out that I keep company with Saiyans on Earth, he may not be so keen on training me.

"Indeed, I do, my friend. The Saiyans that came to my planet were ferocious and barbaric. They used their disgusting beast transformations to crush our landscape. They planned their attack on the night of the annual full moon. We had no idea of this hidden power, so we were blindsided. As far as I know, my entire race was annihilated that night. My only proof that any of us survived is standing right next to us," Meza said as he glanced at Hatsuko.

"So, my mother wasn't from your planet, then…Taiju?" asked Hatsuko. She folded her arms.

"No, dear. Your mother was far more evolved than I. She was of a race called the Seigans. Their people were rumored to be the ancestors of Taiju with sacred powers that were lost to time. My people had very little spiritual ability. Our strength lies in the art of physical combat. Your mother's people, though, had special energy that could do miraculous things. I still do not truly know the extent of their powers. I was only with your mother for a few years before you were born." Meza trailed off, his voice decreasing in volume.

"I'm at a loss for words," replied Hatsuko after a long silence passed between them. She turned her back on Meza and Piccolo and walked a few paces away. She turned towards them once more.

"While I digest all of this, I wouldn't mind seeing Piccolo try to catch you. Let's continue this when you're through," she said. Her face was stern but her voice sounded frail, like she had just been humiliated.

Meza closed his eyes in accordance. "It's a lot of information for you, I'm sure. Let's see what you've got then, Piccolo," he said gently.

Piccolo smiled. He removed his turban and cape.