Beating like hearts, the dragon balls started glowing. The sky darkened to near twilight, and with an explosion of golden-white light, Shenron burst into the air in all his serpentile glory, groaning as though rudely woken from his slumber. His pure crimson eyes were almost demonic, but his long, waving whiskers gave him a certain light-hearted look.
18 softly inhaled.
Shenron's deep, rumbling voice vibrated in Gohan's bones: "You have collected all seven dragon balls. Speak carefully, and I shall grant two of your wishes if it is within my power."
Gohan smiled like greeting an old friend. "Hey, Shenron. Can I first ask you some questions? Would it use up our wishes?"
Shenron appeared to consider it. "Apart from this question, any knowledge you seek must be stated as a wish. If your question is not within my power to answer, it will not expend a wish."
Just had Gohan had assumed. Otherwise one could ask Shenron questions about the universe all day, all week, potentially forever. No surprise here.
18 asked, "Can you grant Gohan, my brother 17, and I immortality?"
The air was forced from Gohan's lungs as he almost lost balance. "Immortality?"
18 nodded, glancing at him with utter seriousness.
"Your wish…" Shenron said, "is not within my power and cannot be granted."
That's surprising, Gohan thought. I guess Freeza and Vegeta were wasting their time.
Smartly, 18 didn't ask why, moving on to her main wish, "Can you… grant immortality to just me?"
Gohan's eyes jumped to her. "18?"
"Don't panic, I'm merely checking."
Shenron said, "The number of souls makes no difference. Immortality is not within my power to grant."
"See, I knew it," she said. "Now, Shenron, can you safely remove all of the mechanical implants in 17's body as well as mine, which includes those in our brains and those in our spines?"
Whiskers twitching once, Shenron exhaled with a low rumble. "I can."
"Do it, please," she said.
Shenron had already started the process. His eyes were alight with a ruby glow.
Suddenly 18 jolted violently as though struck by lightning, and Gohan feared the worst, but the jolt lasted only a second. Eyes wide with awe, she palmed the back of her neck. Her fingers ran through her own hair. She whispered, "They're gone." Then she pointed at a boulder in the distance, fired an energy blast.
The boulder exploded into varying-sized pieces. A dust cloud billowed.
18's exaggerated sigh was partly relief and partly exhilaration. A stressed undertone which had marred her beauty was now gone from her expression. She was at last free from Gero.
Gohan said, "No one's going to deactivate you ever again."
"Thank you, Gohan." She kissed him once on the cheek, then once on the lips, just a peck. "Your turn. Eternal youth." She embraced him with an arm around the back of his stomach.
He was warm and fuzzy inside, but new uncertainty made him say, "Do you think it's still possible?"
"It doesn't hurt to ask, does it?"
On cue, Shenron grumbled, "State your second wish. I do not have all day."
Hands loosely balling, Gohan stood in a firmer posture. If it were still possible, then these breaths were his last a normal half-Saiyan… unless the wish could also be reversed. There were too many what-ifs, so he swallowed and said, "Shenron, can you grant me reversible eternal youth?"
Thump, thump, thump, Gohan listened to his pulse while Shenron needed to think for some reason. After a minute, the dragon spoke, "I can grant you eternal youth. This a permanent change to your body and spirit. Is this your wish?"
Permanent. The word echoed in Gohan's head. Hesitation held back his tongue. What would everyone say? Mother, Goten, Piccolo, Bulma. What would Father say? Was he watching right now from the afterlife? Knowing him, he was either sparring or eating; his reaction would be one of comical shock. Gohan imagined King Kai's voice, chiding him for such selfishness. And Piccolo's voice, roaring about blatant misuse of the dragon balls. Mother would faint.
Shenron moaned in irritation. "Is eternal youth your wish?"
18 hugged him closer, whispering, "Remember, we can always work things out if you have regrets. Like you said, it's no problem."
What a time to joke around!
Then Piccolo's voice really did roar in his head, although not so much a roar: Gohan, why have you summoned Shenron?
Uh oh. Caught red handed. Gohan concentrated on not speaking in his mind.
Gohan, Piccolo tried again, What are you doing? What are you wishing for?
Shenron said, "Have you decided your second wish? I do not have all day."
Piccolo did roar this time, Gohan, what did you wish for?! We need to save the wishes in case Majin Buu arrives! Gohan!
18 whispered, "Hello? Are you there, Gohan?" She sighed. "If you were going to chicken out, you should've said so this morning instead of giving me bull. I thought you were different. Should I just tell Shenron to go?"
"I'm talking to Piccolo." Gohan's teeth gritted. 18 used the first wish to take out her deactivation switch. I'm wishing for eternal youth so I can be with her romantically.
Total silence for two shuddering heartbeats, then Piccolo's roar boomed, What?!
A second voice pleaded, Gohan, have you lost your mind? That's what Freeza would wish for. Dende.
Piccolo yelled, King Kai, are you there?! Get Goku to talk some sense into his son! He's wishing for eternal youth!
Sorry, I have to do this. Gohan focused on the intrusive energy signatures in his mind. Focusing outward, he pushed away all telepathic links. He gazed up at the great serpent. "Shenron! Grant me eternal youth!"
"So shall it be." A new white and silver aura started flowing around Shenron's form. Electricity sparked at his whiskers. His shining eyes were brighter than usual.
Gohan's energy swirled, and his mind was cleared of all thoughts. Something in his spirit took form, or rather, had always been there in the first place, solidifying. A chill shook him to the bone. And then it was over. He felt lighter in a way.
He did it.
Shenron said, "Your wishes have been granted. I must go now." He shattered into a billion golden sparks. The dragon balls shot into the sky and scattered in seven directions. Color returned to the sky, the morning sun brighter than before.
It was over.
Gohan stood there staring at his feet. Shame. Elation. Fear. These emotions warred for dominance of his tightly controlled energy, and a dome of his energy effortlessly fended off an assault of telepathic connections, one seemingly coming from all directions. Everyone would soon know.
He had done it—the one thing Freeza had died trying, more or less. Was Gohan now as vile? He hadn't killed anyone… yet. Anyone other than Cell. And the old man on the yacht. And that one Freeze Force guy back on Namek he had hit too hard. Three killings; one purposeful, two accidents. One soul beyond redemption, two not so much.
What's done was done. There was no going back, no reversing this.
18 finally asked, "How do you feel? Did it work?"
He nodded. "I think so. Something changed in my energy."
"Good." She gave him a little smile. Her eyes were full of loving warmth.
At least he wasn't alone. His reciprocate smile was kind of forced. "So what now?"
"Anything we want. We have time. Is there anything you'd like to do?"
Ideas took root, pulled him in opposite directions. The guilty knot in his gut was past his limit. Some unwinding time was due, especially after after flying around the globe. He listened to the pull originating from his waist. "Want to go sunbathing, 18?"
She pressed her breasts against his arm. "I'd love to, Gohan."
Once again, they took off.
Author's Notes:
Shorter chapter this time. I might merge this one with the previous chapter, but I like the effect of the cliffhanger. Next one will be a long sex scene with a little training involved.
Previous chapter Typos/Grammar fixed.
OmegaRealism, it looks like Vegeta wrote your comment. Gohan was never the ideal Saiyan warrior throughout the anime/manga. He was very tame around Videl (opposite of how Vegeta interacted with Bulma). I'm already pushing canon by a lot with the current Gohan/18 events. However, I may write a Vegeta-centric story one day; he has a great character development arc.