Chapter 48
The Best Laid Plans
Uub and Piccolo had only been standing at the gate for a few seconds when Uub spoke up.
"Kibito's late, let's go." He said, and without asking put his hand on Piccolo's shoulder. In a flash the two were gone, rushing through space and reappearing at the portal in an instant. They stepped through, and a moment later they were back at King Kai's planet, where the fat Kai was still sitting roped to a tree, now surrounded by a bevy of small, ogre-like men in ties studying him inquisitively.
"That's how it happened!" King Kai shrieked. "The Namek went rogue, I tell ya! He tied me to this tree and took off! I don't know where he went!"
"He's right here." Uub said calmly as he strode forward, his hand still fixated on the visibly nervous Piccolo's shoulder. "We've been on a training exercise, that's all."
King Kai's eyes went wide in shock and the ogres looked at each other nervously for a moment until a purple one found the nerve to speak up. "So you're the Uub we heard about, I take it. Why tie King Kai to a tree for training?"
"A PRANK!" King Kai interjected wildly, jolting against his bonds. "Now that I know it was training it all makes sense – Piccolo and I are always playing pranks on each other, now that I see he and Uub are alright – Just Like They Were When They Left – I see this must have been another prank!"
The ogres looked profoundly unsure, and Piccolo did little to reassure them, standing nervously behind his student and fidgeting slightly, but Uub's menacing aura seemed to flood the air around them, making them all too aware of their tenuous position.
"Well then," a red ogre looking slightly older than the rest declared, "we'll be going. In the future, please remember that Protectors must stay with their Kais, and the position of North Kai is to be respected, however familiar you might be."
"Of course." Uub replied, well aware the direction had been aimed at anyone but him. Moments later the ogres were gone, pacing quickly down Snake Way.
King Kai stopped struggling from his bonds and hung his head, his body now shaking nervously for the first time, despite the interrogation having finally ended. "What…happened?"
The next morning, Gohan found himself unable to leave home. He showered, but couldn't find the energy to shave his unkempt beard, and though Videl did her best to dress his wounds, there was little she could do to hide the brokenness he felt.
"Call Bulma." Gohan finally asked his wife toward the end of the day, after moping in silence for hours on end. He had told her they were safe, and that Trunks was gone, but couldn't bring himself to offer more detail. "Krillin, too. And have him bring Dende, he'll want to hear that we're safe. I'll tell everyone what happened tomorrow."
So she did. The next day came and Bulma arrived by air car with her parents, followed soon by Krillin and Dende. The group sat quietly around the kitchen table with Videl for a few minutes until Gohan finally joined them wearing his glasses and cleanly shaved and dressed, though still sporting his defeated demeanor. He sat down at the head of the table, but couldn't bring himself to look them in the eye, so he stared silently at his coffee until he found the strength to speak.
"I'm sorry." He finally said. "Trunks is gone. I couldn't save him. I just….I'm so sorry."
No one flinched. Bulma wiped her eye briefly, but silence prevailed. Videl had prepared them, they were only here for the story.
"We had it won, and I let them get away." He continued. "He said he wanted to bury his friend…I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I can't say no when they ask for mercy, why can't I FINISH?!"
He pounded the table with the last word, startling the room, and silence hung in the air again until Krillin interjected. "Goku syndrome."
For whatever reason, the knowledge that his failure was also his father's settled Gohan enough to tell the story more completely. "There were two of them – a Kai, and the one that came here. In Trunks's time he slaughtered everyone that the Androids missed and stole Goten's body. Then they fused, and they were completely out of our league – no hope of matching them.
"The thing told Trunks that he killed everyone left on Earth when Trunks was in the Time Chamber with me; that pushed him over the edge. He found some kind of energy I hadn't felt before – kind of like a Super Saiyan, kind of like a Kai, but mostly it was just so…angry. Like his body was just pouring out hate and rage. He still couldn't beat that thing, but it was enough for him to hold his own. Trunks had me open up a hole in the Earth and he drug that thing through it, all the way down to the core of the planet. I felt their energies fade away when it exploded. Trunks gave his life to stop him."
"And how'd you make it back?" Bulma asked quietly. "I didn't see the ship."
"The ship went down when the planet started erupting. Before he died, Trunks managed to take this from him." Gohan laid the golden ring in the center of the table, drawing all eyes to it. "It's the time ring Black used to get here. I don't know how it works, but it brought me back home. Just like that; like the whole thing was a dream.
"Trunks died a hero for our world. I'm just sorry I wasn't strong enough to save him."
"Gohan," Dende said softly. "How much do you know about Piccolo?"
That evening after everyone had gone, Gohan forced himself to move and went to King Kai's planet to confer with Piccolo. Upon arriving, it was immediately evident that the mood was off.
Piccolo, King Kai, and Kibito were sitting inside the house conferring quietly, while a strange man meditated quietly beneath the tree. Bubbles cowered silently beside the house, clearly unsure of the stranger.
Gohan paid the man no mind and entered the house without knocking, drawing only glances from the two men inside.
"Black is gone." He said as he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, a serious expression on his face. "Zamasu, too, but that won't surprise you. Future Trunks is dead and his Earth is destroyed. What the hell did you guys do?"
"Zamasu is gone in this timeline as well." Piccolo explained. "I'm going to take responsibility for the fallout, and have no doubt, it's coming. This world needs Uub; it's the only way I can protect him."
"What happened?" Gohan asked. "Dende told me about you guys nearly killing Okami – or, Akela now, whatever – and then leaving with the Dragon Balls. You went to Universe 9?"
"I was unable to take them myself." Kibito explained. "With you gone and Goten held by the Supreme Kai, Piccolo and Uub were our only chance of eliminating Zamasu in time to prevent the massacre he performed in Trunks's timeline. Unfortunately, my taking Piccolo away from King Kai would've drawn far too much attention, so they had to go alone. Like Buu before him, Uub is able to travel between worlds with little effort."
"What happened to Akela was unfortunate, and no doubt will be held against me." Piccolo said flatly. "Here's the story: I heard about the Universe 9 Kai that was taking sparring partners, but King Kai wouldn't let Uub go, so I went rogue and took him to demand a match. I even tied up King Kai so he couldn't stop me. We stole the Dragon Balls, attacked a mortal, and crossed universes. Zamasu didn't want to take the match and things got out of hand. I killed Zamasu and Gowasu, then came home."
"But you couldn't have killed Zamasu…" Gohan reasoned. "It must've been Uub, but then…oh no."
"I'm afraid so." Piccolo responded. "The Kai wouldn't die, I can't understand it-"
"Super Dragon Balls." Gohan interjected. "Zamasu wished for immortality, we couldn't kill him either. So when Uub couldn't kill him, he got desperate and absorbed him, didn't he?"
"With his blood." Piccolo muttered, sickening at the thought. "It was horrifying. And now that Kai is a part of him - I don't know what it means for him yet. Regardless, the Supreme Kai won't let this stand. Leaving King Kai alone is enough for me to lose my body; traveling to another universe and killing their Supreme Kai and his heir, well…"
No sooner had he finished speaking then a group of ogres that had interrogated King Kai reappeared, this time flanked by a bevy of haloed men. Kibito stood and opened the door. "He's in here." He announced. "He'll come quietly."
Piccolo stepped outside and faced the group, four ogres and four men, including Tien and Yamcha, both wearing stoic expressions. In a flash, Uub was between Piccolo and the newcomers, arms crossed, and a serious look on his face.
"Stand down, Uub. Please." Piccolo said as he and Kibito walked toward the group. Each of the four men placed a shackle on his wrists and ankles, a small chain connecting the wrists and ankles to one another, and each shackle attached to a chain in a different guard's hands. Once he was secured, they quietly led him away.
Uub and Gohan watched quietly as Piccolo walked away in custody, neither making a move nor speaking a word until they were long out of sight.
"Gohan," Kibito said, finally sure the intruders were out of earshot, "if Zamasu wished for immortality, then he's surely alive in Trunks's timeline as well unless you've neglected to mention something."
"Fusion." Gohan explained. "They used the Potara earrings. When they did, something changed – I know I felt his energy disappear."
"I see." Kibito returned. "It's true that uniting an immortal body with a mortal one would allow for the possibility of death, though I'm sure it was no easy task."
"We had to blow up the planet to do it. How would you know that?" Gohan asked.
"The knowledge of the Kais is as ancient as the world." Kbiito responded. "Zamasu is not the first fool to make such a mistake.
"I'll be returning now." Kibito continued. "Piccolo will have his trial, I'm sure you'll be in attendance. For now, Uub, I'm wondering if you might accompany me back to the Planet of the Kais. With Piccolo gone and your newfound abundance in strength, the Supreme Kai has agreed to take you in as a sparring partner for Goten if you're willing."
Uub gave no response, but strode over slowly and gently laid a hand on Kibito's massive shoulder. In a flash, the two were gone.
"I'll let you know when Piccolo's trial comes up." King Kai told Gohan, "You're free to return to Earth now if you'd like. Thank you for all you did to protect us."
Gohan thought for a moment about his next move before speaking, "Tell me about this trial."
Kibito and Uub appeared on the Planet of the Kais to a cold reception. The Supreme Kai stared harshly at the young man, examining every inch of him while Goku stood cautiously to his side. Goten hung back behind them, but couldn't stop the hair from rising on the back of his neck.
"Hello, Uub." The Supreme Kai finally said. "Thank you for coming."
"Thank you for having me." Uub replied politely. "I feel so…at home here."
"That's good." Kibito interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. We all hope you'll be here for some time. Goten especially is glad to have you."
"Oh…yeah!" Goten shot up. "You're all grown up now, so I bet you're real strong. It'll be great having you here as long as you don't want to kill us now. Er!"
All eyes widened in shock, but Uub only smiled lightly. "I'm still Uub, don't worry." He replied calmly, "My appearance and speech may have changed, but I haven't forgotten the kindness you've shown me."
"Quite good, then." The Supreme Kai said. "Let's begin with light sparring and see where that-"
"Full contact, Goten." Uub interjected, smiling broadly. "What do you say? You can't turn Super Saiyan when you use Kai energy, so I won't use the Kaio-Ken. Fair?"
"Now wait a minute-" the Supreme Kai spat before being interrupted again.
"Sure, if you don't think you need it." Goten said smiling. "Just don't absorb me if you get in trouble."
Smiling, Uub jumped backward high into the air, and Goten launched off the ground to meet him. The two traded evenly for a long while, each one unable to land a meaningful blow, but the gap in strength soon became apparent.
Uub kept pace, but was forced to spend his energy defensively as Goten began to ratchet up the pressure. He had been sure his newfound strength would be enough to overwhelm the Saiyan, but Goten was stronger than he remembered. He thought of using the Kaio-Ken but held off and forced himself to attack without it.
Uub threw a blind overhand punch at Goten's face, missing badly and opening him up to a devastating counter. Goten's body spun ferociously as a short right hook met Uub's jaw, knocking him unconscious and sending him falling from the sky, hitting the ground with a thud.
Goten landed gently and turned to face the Supreme Kai, shrugging slightly. He started to say something but his eyes suddenly widened and he ducked low, a red beam rocketing through the space where his head had been a split second before. As it approached the group, Goku sprang forward and batted it away, and all eyes turned to Uub, back on his feet, without a scratch.
Goten and Goku both smiled. "He'll work fine." Goku said to the Supreme Kai, but the Kai gave no response.
One week later, Gohan sought out Piccolo's energy and phased into Otherworld, appearing just outside a cell in a massive concrete building. Piccolo was sat behind massive iron bars in quiet meditation, while Tien and Yamcha sat with him just outside the cell. Tien was meditating as well, while Yamcha mindlessly whittled a stick to a sharp point.
"Oh. Hey Gohan." Yamcha said, waking the others up from their trances. "It's been a while, what's up?"
"Hey guys." Gohan returned. "I'm just here to see Piccolo. King Kai says the trial is tomorrow, right?"
"News to me." Piccolo said flatly.
"It's true," Tien confirmed. "We'll be the guards escorting you in, so don't hurt us, okay?"
"How'd you guys get stuck with this job, anyway?" Gohan asked.
"It's part of the deal when they let you keep your body." Yamcha explained, "When the Grand Kai asks us for a favor we pretty much have to do it. Since we're some of the strongest up here, stuff like this usually falls on us. He's not a bad guy to work for, though. I heard he'll be the judge tomorrow, so the trial should at least be fair."
"Ridiculous." Piccolo spat, "They might as well come and ask me to play along with this trial, no one here could so much as slow me down if I decided to break out."
"I imagine the Supreme Kai would go get you himself." Gohan sniped. "Listen Piccolo, I talked to King Kai about the trial process. You get a representative to argue your case, would you let me do it?"
"Do what you want." Piccolo returned. "Just make sure I get the chance to speak before it's over."
Satisfied with Piccolo's response, Gohan said his goodbyes and disappeared again, this time resurfacing on the Planet of the Kais where Goten and Uub were running laps around the planet in dark, heavy metal armor. Kibito seemed to be in charge of this segment of the training, so Gohan found the Supreme Kai and his father observing them atop a nearby hill and walked up to join them.
"Hi Dad. Supreme Kai." Gohan said seriously as he reached them.
"Hello, Gohan." The Kai replied, only paying him a little bit of attention. "Hey Gohan!" Goku half-yelled.
"I haven't had the chance to thank you for what you did in the alternate timeline." The Supreme Kai said, now bothering to face Gohan. "You did well, just as I knew you would."
"Yeah. Anytime." Gohan replied, not forgetting the reception he had gone when he came to the Kai for help. "I'm here to talk about Piccolo. Why aren't you going to be running the trial?"
"Those duties fall under the Grand Kai's jurisdiction." Shin explained flatly, "Besides, Piccolo and I know each other personally, I would be conflicted."
"Oh please, I know you're the one behind this whole thing." Gohan spat back. "I know about the charges, too: leaving King Kai, attacking a mortal, fine, but regicide? Genocide? Half these things aren't even him, they were his father!"
"Piccolo and his father are one being," the Supreme Kai replied, "they only have one soul, and that soul has not yet been held accountable for its crimes. And the regicide is obvious, Gowasu was Universe Nine's Supreme Kai, and Zamasu was in line to be next; Piccolo is pleading guilty to those crimes."
"He didn't kill them and you know it." Gohan shot back. "Zamasu killed Gowasu and Uub killed Zamasu. Piccolo just went over there to stop Zamasu before he came over here and started picking us off one by one."
"It doesn't matter what I know, Gohan. If Piccolo wants to protect his co-conspirators I won't stop him, he's earned the right to fall on his sword if he wants to, but I won't have my universe or the Grand Priest thinking such crimes can go unpunished simply because criminal had good intentions or knows me personally."
"So what, then? You're going to destroy his soul like Vegeta's?"
"That will be up to the Grand Kai, though in the case of heinous crimes like this, I imagine he'll end up in hell with the other criminals."
"What?!" Goku exclaimed, unable to hold his tongue anymore. "It's Piccolo we're talking about, he's not evil anymore!"
Gohan did his best to calm himself before continuing. "Supreme Kai, Dad's right. Crime or not, everything Piccolo did he was trying to help others. He's been protecting Earth for years, and if we're going to count King Piccolo we've got to count Nail and Kami, too, right?"
Shin took a deep breath and thought for a moment before replying, clearly conflicted. "I can't pardon him, Gohan. You're right of course, but someone has to answer for these crimes for the Kais to maintain any sense of order. What are you suggesting?"
"Let him confess to everything." Gohan replied, now with a sense of renewed hope. "Publicly. That way you have your accountability. Weigh all the good he did against his crimes. Take away his job with King Kai and his body, and let him stay in heaven as a soul. I'll point out that his intentions were always good, and we can spin it as the Kais showing mercy to those who spend their lives working for good."
"…Very well." The Kai replied. "I'll pass along the deal to the Grand Kai."
"Thank you." Gohan said, sighing as he did. "So, how's Uub doing?"
"He's scary." Goku offered. "He may not be as strong as Goten, but his body's so durable there's almost no limit to his Kaio-Ken – at least, if he ever learns to control it that well. I'm honestly not sure what he's capable of."
"Well, yeah, he was durable even as a kid, now that he absorbed an immortal Kai I doubt it's even possible to kill him." Gohan replied.
"Don't be so sure." The Supreme Kai interjected. "Uub is incredibly resilient, but every time Buu absorbed another being, he gained new qualities, lost others, and blended many together. If Uub was mortal before, I'm sure he's mortal now. Though as quickly as he heals I'm sure it would take someone as powerful as Beerus to finish him."
Trunks strode confidently down a long brick path leading to a massive red and yellow temple. His hair had grown long down, now halfway down his back, and was loosely tied together. Over one shoulder he wore his white Crain School cape, and over the other he carried a large burlap sack.
Upon entering the temple, four small, round guards in multi-colored robes greeted him, standing shoulder to shoulder. He stopped walking and examined the massive room. A long, red carpet ran under his feet leading to the other side of the room, ending at a large golden thrown, with a fat, purple man seated on it.
"You are standing in Zuno's Temple." The four said in unison. "What do you seek?"
"Knowledge." Trunks replied.
"Knowledge is a worthy pursuit." The leftmost attendant said. "But what do you offer?"
Trunks dropped the burlap sack on the floor and tipped it over, spilling ten severed heads of various alien races onto the floor. The attendants did not so much as flinch at the sight.
"The heads of the ten most dangerous criminals in Universe Seven." Trunks replied.
"This is a worthy tribute." The third guardian from the right droned. "Proceed to Zuno, he will grant you the knowledge you seek."
Trunks strode forward and approached the throne of the giant man, stopping ten feet in front of it. "State your name and titles." the giant boomed.
"I am Trunks Briefs of Earth." The Saiyan responded. "Only son of Vegeta, prince of all Saiyans. Student of the angel Whis."
"But you are not the student of Whis." Zuno replied slowly. "For you left Whis to pursue your own desires, is it not so?"
"It is so." Trunks replied. "Whis is good and taught me many things, but he and I couldn't find common ground, so I left to go my own way."
"I see." Zuno said. "You told my attendants you seek knowledge, but truly you seek power, is it not so?"
"I do seek power, but not from you." Trunks replied. "I'm sure you know I intend to kill Beerus and take his place, but I will find that strength alone. I only seek knowledge from you."
"I see." The giant droned again. "Then I will answer you three questions."
"I seek to revive a man whose soul has been destroyed." Trunks said. "Is there any means by which this can be done?"
"Hmm…yes, there is one way by which this can be accomplished. Your first question is answered."
Trunks was both excited and annoyed by the brevity of the response, but quickly learned to phrase his questions more carefully. "How do I acquire this power?" he asked.
"Hmm…you must gather the Super Dragon Balls, and ask the Great Dragon Zalama to perform the task. Your second question is answered."
"How does that work?" Trunks asked again, this time as vaguely as possible.
"Hmm…there are seven Super Dragon Balls scattered throughout the twin universes Six and Seven. When brought together, Zalama will arise and grant any wish. Unlike all other dragons, Zalama is not bound by time, it is within his power to retrieve any soul that has ever existed from a time whence it did, and bring it to the present. Your final question has been answered."
"Thank you, Zuno." Trunks said, and walked out of the temple, as calmly as he had arrived. As he stepped out into the dark night, he couldn't help but let a smile creep onto his face.
As usual, Bulma couldn't sleep. She sat alone in her kitchen late into the night, holding her head in her hand and staring silently at a steaming cup of tea. She was distraught at the thought of Trunks's death, even if it hadn't been the Trunks she borne herself. And alone – she always felt so alone. She wondered where her son was, if he was even alive. So many loved ones weren't.
She heard footsteps coming down the hall and jerked her head up. "Who's there?" she called out, but received no answer, only the sound footsteps growing closer.
Frozen with fear, she watched the dark silhouette of a man appear in the doorway and then slowly creep into the light.
"Hello, Mother."