Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball or Dragonball Z

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

"Bulma! Oh, thank Kami, you brought Gohan too. We've got a new problem!" Krillin cried as they entered Roshi's small home.

"What are you-"

"There's a monster on the loose, woman!" Roshi yelled. He sat cross-legged in front of the television, all of his concentration focused on the screen.

"Monster?" Gohan asked with a raised brow. He looked at the screen as the first reports started to filter in.

"His name is Cell, and he's after the androids," Krillin continued.

"And that makes him a monster how?" Bulma asked.

"He's after them to absorb them so that he can kill us all easier! Another one of Gero's crazy inventions. This one is even from the future!" Krillin cried.

"So, Trunks had a stowaway when he came back?" Bulma guessed.

"Nope, different future," Krillin said.

Bulma pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand fished in her pockets with the others. After a few moments, she exclaimed, "Dammit, I left my candies!"

"Oh, just have a smoke, we're all dead anyway," Yamacha groaned from his previously unseen post amongst the couch cushions.

The others ignored him, returning their attention on the TV. Gohan sensed Piccolo's ki somewhere above the house, meditating or simmering in anger. Something was different about it. Not only was he much stronger, but it felt...older. Vegeta could be sensed far away, his power was flattened out but a wave of anger could be detected behind it.

Another power stood with him, nearly equal in terms of raw power. It lacked the density that Vegeta's ki had, though. The hundreds of battles worth of experience that gave him the edge in so many scenarios. At the same time, this other power felt like a smoother version of Vegeta's own. It had to be Trunks.

Gohan pursed his lips. Piccolo, Vegeta, and Trunks had all measured up short against this newest threat when even the original problems had proved too large. Gohan tuned back into the present as he heard his mother leaving the room, talking about a remote or something. His father was upstairs, settled in and somewhat comfortable for the moment.

The next day happened in a blur. Bulma had created an emergency shut-down remote for the androids. It sat on the coffee table, ready to be used at the first opportunity.

The news reports had gone dead, but Yamcha and Roshi still sat and waited. Bulma currently waited on the edge of a kitchen stool, clutching a cold cup of coffee. Every few minutes, she'd glance towards the stairs.

Gohan waited outside, sitting on the peak of the roof. It wasn't until Krillin had shot off into the sky, in another desperate search for the androids, that he heard his mother enter his father's room below him. Yamcha accompanied her.

"Is that the last of it?" Yamcha asked.

"Afraid so. Come on, Goku, don't give up on us yet," she said.

Gohan stayed still, seeing no need to make himself known. He wasn't needed to administer the last dose. The blue sky above him tempted him off into his own thoughts. The question that circled his head was why he lied. He shrugged, even if his gamble lost and he did get sick, his father was a much more important fighter here than he was.

He chuckled, recalling the words he and his mother had exchanged. He may indeed be totalitarian, but maybe it would put their strongest warrior back on the front. Quickly and efficiently.

He was still caught in his musings when a noise alerted him. In an instant, he was in the air, his hand outstretched. No threat appeared, though. It was his father dropping out of the window to the beach below.

Gohan hated to interrupt whatever was happening, so could only float and watch.

Goku took a deep breath. The faintest rattle still in his lungs, aside from that, he felt incredible. Stronger than ever. He looked out across the ocean and let his senses fill him in. A new threat, Piccolo locked in a battle, Krillin was hiding, the others were scattered. Only Gohan and Yamcha were nearby.

He took another deep breath as he felt the tide crest his boots. He stopped and drew both his hands back. Time to see if he really was back at full power.

"Kamehameha," he chanted the words, a calm cadence that was nearly a whisper.

"HA!" the attack ripped through the cresting waves, parting the ocean beneath. Rainbows formed from mist sprayed into the sky. He felt the massive channel of energy leaving him. It never wavered. His question answered, he cut the power off.

Bulma and the others rushed out to see what the commotion was. Even Goku was surprised at the speed Bulma used to entrap him in a kiss. He allowed himself to enjoy it for a moment until he had to get moving.

"Bulma, I gotta go," he said, "Gohan, come on down here, would ya?"

"Go?" she asked.

Gohan tapped down next to him. Goku gave him a smile and clapped a hand on his shoulder. His next words elicited a confused look from Gohan and probably the others.

"Sorry, Bulma."

"What for?" she questioned. Gohan had caught on and the two launched into the air.

"Are we going to help Piccolo? He plans to continue his attempts, I believe. There's a new power that way, it's Cell, I think," Gohan asked over the wind.

Goku shook his head, "I want to, but there's nothing we can do against that right now. We need Vegeta and more power."

Gohan countered, "But if Piccolo dies then that Kami guy does too, right? What about your Dra-"

"It's too late for that. Piccolo and Kami have fused already by the feel of it. The Dragon Balls are already worthless. Right now, we have to trust them to manage themselves. Now, step on it!" Goku ordered.

Gohan complied without further question. Vegeta and Trunks could be found far to the East in a barren, area devoid of life. The prince stood out on a ledge, arms crossed and muscles taut. Trunks hung back with his fists shoved into his jacket pocket. Serene leaned against a boulder at ease, her ki almost hidden.

"Goku! You survived," Trunks exclaimed. Serene perked up. Vegeta didn't stir.

"Uh? Oh! You must be Trunks. Nice to meet you, but I really came for Vegeta," Goku explained.

"Good luck," Serene cut in, "He's being as temperamental as only royalty can."

Goku chuckled and approached Vegeta while he said, "Hey, Vegeta, you know we could use some help out there."

"Piss off, Kakarot, don't you dare play down to me! I achieved the legend and got my ass handed to me. So did the boy. Do you think you and your brat will fare any better?" the prince snapped.

Goku shrugged and said, "Right now? No, but with another year of training behind us, sure."

"We are out of training time," Serene pointed out. Trunks nodded with a frown and added, "Goku, you are our last ace in the hole. You were the only one missing in my time. If you can't do this now, then I fear the worst."

Goku ignored the two of them and spoke to Vegeta, "What if I knew a place that could get us a year's worth of training in a single day? Would you return for that?"

Vegeta moved. It wasn't much, just the most minute turn of his head, but his attention belonged to Goku now.

"Two people can use it at a time. You and Trunks as a pair and then Gohan and me. What do you say?" Goku pressed.

Vegeta turned his view away again. He remained silent for several moments before he said, "A part of me wants to demand so many answers, but if we're going to do this then I suppose we just do it."

"So, we're in?" Trunks asked with a bit of hesitancy.

Vegeta turned and headed towards them as he said, "We're in, but the boy and I go in first, Kakarot. I will not allow you to rob me of another victory."

"Ah, come on, bud. No one's keeping count," Goku said with a grin.

"I am," Vegeta, Gohan, and Serene all responded. Goku scratched the back of his head, unable to argue further.