Some things in this chapter may seem off. I have an end goal in mind, don't worry.
On another note, having recently reread Bringer of Death, I have to say, I much prefer their power model to any others. The best part is, my theories on metabolism and power functions in their framework. The body naturally becomes accustomed to an activity as it experiences said activity repeatedly, meaning my model explains the "double-why" of BoD's power model (the double-why is my name for asking why twice - Q: "Why can Goku get stronger in base after unlocking Super Saiyan?" - A: "Because unlocking Super Saiyan increases the body's potential power." Q: "But why does it increase it?" A: Biology."). I hope this makes sense. I would love to discuss this further with anyone who also enjoys theorizing beyond the screen.
The strange ship that Gebo had been on for the last 6 days finally landed on Earth. The incredible fighters he had met on the planet Namek had trained almost the entire way back. The one named Vegeta was...an interesting character, to say the least. Gebo himself was tall and powerfully built, but this somewhat shorter man was a powerhouse, even though the one in the orange gi was obviously the stronger of the pair.
The floating doll-like fighter was fascinating in his own right. He had spent the majority of the trip perfecting an explosive ki blast that stuck to the opponent, finally getting the hang of it after the thirteenth uncontrolled explosion. The damage from these explosions was contained by the last of the group, a tall, dangerous-looking Namekian who was named Piccolo. Unlike the others, he was not quite inclined to conversation, and spent much of the time meditating or practicing the martial arts Gebo had been told he learned in the afterlife.
Being alive again was an unexpected experience, to say the least. He hadn't expected at all to ever be alive again, let alone back on Earth. Yet here he was, setting down on Earth after having been revived on another planet. He ran his fingers through his orange mohawk and smiled.
The bay opened up slowly, letting the fresh air into the somewhat stale-smelling interior of the ship. A group of strange people stood gathered in front of it.
A tall, muscular, and bald man in an immaculately pressed suit; a lithe, beautiful woman with aqua blue hair; a mid-sized older man with gray hair and a cat on his shoulder; a short, bald man with an orange gi on, similar to Goku's; a tall, busty blonde woman with a warm smile on her face (something about this woman, despite her happy expression, told him she was not as vulnerable as she seemed); a shriveled old green-skinned man, leaning on a staff, a smile crinkling the sides of his lips; and finally, a wizened old man with a white beard, carrying a short walking stick and sporting a turtle shell on his back, his eyes twinkling with unfathomable wisdom beneath his red sunglasses.
To be home...Gebo breathed deeply, at peace with this.
This was surely the truest of heavens.
Dr. Gero woke, fuzzy in mind but alert within minutes. His body was slow to respond to his commands, but that quickly resolved into a swift response time as his limbs began to obey him. He sat up, aware of the cold of the table he was sitting on, but in a somewhat detached manner. He looked at his hands. They looked no different from when he had fallen unconscious, yet he instinctively knew that were he to will it, the energy-absorbing devices he had implanted in the palms would reveal themselves.
He clenched his hand, grinning spitefully. Finally...the day had arrived for his revenge.
"19!" called the doctor. To his puzzlement, it was several seconds before the tubby Android answered his summons, toddling around the corner, something approaching excitement clawing desperately to appear on its face.
"Master Gero. We must go!" the Android said hurriedly. Without further ado, the rotund Android gathered the doctor up in its hands and waddled quickly out the doors to the lab.
"19? What in blazes are you doing?" asked the doctor, put off by the Android's uncharacteristic behavior.
"Please remain quiet, Master Gero. I have something I wish to show you." The tone in the doctor's creation sounded akin to that of an excited child that couldn't wait to show their parents their drawing on the first day of kindergarten.
"19, I demand you answer me this moment! Where are you taking me?! Put me down! I am quite capable of flying under my own power now, thank you!" Looking robotically miffed, the Android complied, slowing to a halt and releasing the doctor.
"Thank you, 19. Now, explain!" the doctor said, somewhat gruffly.
19's eyes looked around shiftily. "Master Gero, it would be best for you to see first."
Gero felt an uncharacteristic surge of childish petulance, but he knew that his faithful servant would not do anything to harm him. After several minutes of consideration, the aged doctor agreed. They took off, heading towards an island...
The wind swept through the youth's hair, tousling it playfully. He breathed in the soot-stained air, wishing it smelled like something other than ash. The pain he felt in his chest at the loss of his mentor, Gohan, was still fresh, despite the time between the event and now.
*Focus, focus* he chided himself. He had a mission to follow through with, and he had to see it to the end. Another timeline could be saved. This would be his second attempt to travel to the future, the first attempt resulting in spontaneous materialization in Otherworld, ruining an enormous desk.
His heartbeat calm, he climbed back inside the time machine. The dials were set. All he had to do was press the button, which he did after a moment of hesitation.
The space around the machine bent and warped, folding around the time machine like a blanket. Everything seemed to run together, like oils on a canvas, and then lengthened into lines as time warped, propelling the traveller into the past...
Piccolo was the first to see the two figures floating in the sky, and was thus the first to react and warn the others.
"Goku, we've got company. I can't sense anything," he said guardedly.
Goku's eyes narrowed. "Huh...you're right, that's weird." Before anyone else could make a decision as to what to do, a raw, strangled cry emanated from one of the figures, who dropped like a stone to the ground, running full tilt towards the group. The larger of the two followed, somewhat more slowly. The first figure was revealed to be an aged man in baggy attire, crying fit to split the heavens.
Before anyone could say anything, the old man shouted again, this time coherently. "My boy! My baby boy!" He slammed into Gebo, grabbing him in a fierce hug.
"...father?" Gebo asked quaveringly. The old man unburied his face from the broad chest of the young man, smiling with genuine happiness for the first time in decades.
"Yes, son. It's me," he said happily.
Android 19 waddled swiftly up to the assembled group. "I am pleased to introduce you to Dr. Gero, my creator," it said formally. "Thank you for acquiescing to my request."
Gero looked up, suddenly realizing that the others assembled were none other that Son Goku himself and his allies. "You...are responsible for bringing my son back to life?" he asked, his voice slow and thick with emotion.
"Yuh-huh!" Goku grinned. "Your buddy there asked Bulma to get in contact with us on Namek n' we revived him there! Sorry about...you know, what happened. I didn't even know 'til Bulma told me."
Gero closed his eyes and breathed deeply, despite not needing to. When he opened his eyes back up, a light shine behind them. "Son Goku, I thank you for bringing my son back to me. I ask, though, that you allow me to take some time to catch up with him and explain some...things that have happened." He gestured to his appearance. "I am...no longer human, but an Android, just like my servant 19, to whom I also owe a debt of gratitude." Here, the pudgy robot made an attempt at a smile. "I will speak with you later, Son Goku."
The Saiyan smiled. "Glad we could help ya out here!"
Dr. Gero was left in utter shock at this...most unexpected turn of events. He knew he should be reacting more strongly to this, but he felt numbly happy. 'I suppose it will catch up to me later,' he mused internally. 'Whatever the case...I have my boy. My beautiful, wonderful boy. Nothing else matters now. My revenge is no longer necessary.'
Meanwhile...in the outskirts of Gingertown...a sinister presence materialized in a time machine...
I know, short chapter. I'm not good at characterizing people who are in shock, sorry. Next chapter will be fairly single-tracked. ;)
Sorry for the long wait, I've been busy and ran through the prewritten chapters promised in the hiatus message.