The Horse with No Name
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Building upon the Ashes
Goten's a bad brother.
Earlier, as Gohan had slept with a bottle of whatever in hand, Goten had been wallowing in his own anger within the four poster bed, thinking over and over how best to move on from the situation. Why was Gohan doing this? Was it because of Goten? What was wrong with him? Why did Gohan hate him? Should he just give up? Gohan clearly had. Lying there, sadness and anger had orbited around his mind as though he were running at lightning speed through a revolving door. Gohan – the twisted deserter – had truly thrown Goten and the Earth away. So, Goten had felt weak. His power had been stripped away – by his own fault, he knows, not that he could have matched Gohan or any of the monsters that dwelled in the Realm of the Almighty anyway. So much as being around Quell had Goten wanting to crawl away and hide in the nearest possible dark crevice. The pressure had been nauseating. Intense.
Even Dad hadn't been able to beat Rixas back on Earth, and going off of what Gohan had said about last seeing Dad, he'd not been able to do much about Gohan either. Just how strong is Gohan? The prospect had terrified him – it still does, especially about what Gohan wants to do with his power. Gohan is so totally gung-ho about this ki stuff, enough so that he'd throw away Goten and everyone else. It's madness. How would Goten make him see sense? Why can't Gohan not see what he wants to do is wrong? It's already warped him. Killing people? Gohan? That's not him. That's not Goten's brother. Gohan wouldn't just… murder the kais like he said he did. And if Dad now knows and hadn't been able to talk sense into him…
Goten had curled up in the sheets, envisioning Gohan's resolve, the steeliness, the glint of determination in those gold eyes. Goten had been at such a loss in the morning prior, starved for answers. "What's he got over you?" he'd demanded to know, "Why are you helping him? Why does he call you Mori?"
"He's my brother."
Brother? But Goten's his brother, not these… these… terrifying brutes! Yet Gohan had said it with undisputed confidence. Does Gohan need reminding that Rixas had nearly killed Dad, and that Quell seems to be the summit of everything nasty and cruel in this world? These are not his brothers! Gohan isn't Mori!
He's… not.
I won't let this Revelation happen, not without a fight. I want Gohan.
And so, Goten had mulled over it – for hours no less – as Gohan had caught up on presumably much needed sleep. What could Goten do to make a difference? How could he make a dent?
That's when the curtain to the four poster bed had dragged open, revealing a pair of flashing gold – thankfully, not belonging to Quell as it had been the case before breakfast. But Goten had felt just as sick at the visage; before him, Rixas had looked a zombie with greenish skin and deeply sunken eyes. Whatever recently happened to him clearly had not been kind.
"I'm going to take you home," Rixas had said very matter-of-factly. "Get ready."
Yet, Gohan had still been asleep.
"Don't worry about him. I'll wake him before we go."
But Goten hadn't been ready. There'd been more he needed to do, to figure out. "I can't go – not yet – please."
"Get up. Let's go. This is no place for a kid."
"You're gonna' send me to Earth to what, wait for Revelation like a good little boy? I've already had my power taken! I'm not doing anything wrong here—"
"You know about the Revelation?" Rixas had been horrified. The curtain had dropped, shutting them away. "He told you? …Well, it doesn't matter now anyway. I suppose you were going to find out soon enough."
"Are you close to doing it?"
Something about Rixas' expression appeared grim. The smirk had looked sardonic, carved into unmoving rockery with eyes that hadn't seemed at all amused. "They have five of the dragon balls now. I suppose it's only time until—"
"They?"
"…Get ready, Goten."
Rixas had turned to leave and only then halting when Goten dared grab his wrist. "Why are you taking me to Earth? Why not Gohan, or even the Zealites or that captain?"
"The captain is dead."
Goten had let go. "O-Oh."
"I'm taking you because I want to have words with your father."
"About… Gohan?" Rixas had been turning to leave when the word vomit had poured out. "Wait! W-Wait! About Revelation? Is that it? It is, right? You don't look too happy about it. Me too. I think it's horrible. It's evil. And Gohan doesn't seem—"
"Let's get ready to—"
"His dragon ball," Goten had then breathed, a plan already forming in mind. "I could take it now."
Now this had caught Rixas' attention. "What? All five are locked away, and the only person with access to them is Quell. What nonsense are you speaking?"
"What about the one in Gohan's earring?"
"His what?"
Goten's mouth had fallen open; Rixas hadn't known. Well, it'd taken Goten some time to realize after staring at it for as long as he had been. After all, sleeping next to a person allows for a bounty of opportunity for such things, and Gohan had been lying next to Goten, vulnerable the other night all night. That dragon ball earring had been glistening in the dawn sun and right under Goten's nose.
"Haed…" Rixas had whispered to the floor, eyes wide, "…That means they have six. They'd only need the last ball…" Whatever premise Rixas had shielded himself with slid away into pallid dismay; it was the most reassuring thing Goten had witnessed in days. "Kid, tell me. What's he said to you?"
So Goten had told him in hushed, harshly whispered tones about the arguments shared over the last couple of days, and about the general unbalance in Gohan's demeanour. It'd struck a nerve considering Rixas' reaction. He'd taken Goten by his shoulders, surprising him.
"Take the ball. Get close and then snap the chain."
And so, Goten had done just that.
He'd hugged his brother goodbye and by doing so, opened the door to opportunity and very cleanly snapped the metal holding the ball there. Gohan had been none the wiser. He'd been emotional, vulnerable… and Goten had taken advantage of that.
The moment Rixas and Goten had been out of the estate and at the place where they'd used something called a Warping Stone, a great sigh of relief found both of them.
Earth had followed, and then his father.
And now, Rixas is sitting in 439 Mountain District, in Dad's house, at the dining table and looking less like a god and more like some unruly college kid from the village over. He sighs, eyes periodically looking around the kitchen as he drums his fingers against the table. On the other side, Dad keeps Goten close, watching under a brow tightly knotted as Rixas surveys his surroundings. The tension is enough to submerge a fleet of boats.
"So… this is the little cabin Mori stayed in…" Rixas finally says, "How cosy."
"Gohan," Dad insists, "Grew up here, yes. This is his home."
Rixas smirks tiredly, eyes closing. "I'm not going to argue semantics with you, Goku. That kid is the epitome of duality, and I've learned the hard way not to bother trying to figure him out."
"What's that supposed to mean? Gohan was just fine before you and Quell got your hands on him. He'd never have… have turned against his family or the Earth, or—"
Me, Goten thinks about as bitterly as his Dad sounds. He's about as much a state as Gohan and Rixas; exhausted, clearly, and shaken from whatever altercation they all had.
"Mori is set on Revelation," Rixas interrupts. His arms fold over the table as he leans forward, that amusement long dead. "It's consuming him. It's corrupting a mind susceptible to such pressures, though that's not to say that Mori is leading this blindly. Goku, talk to me. What do you know of Revelation? Where does your understanding start and end in regards to the Almighty and its power?"
Dad's face fogs over.
"Change," Goten instead supplies, "You guys bring that, right?"
Rixas nods. "Yeah, that's right. I suppose that's enough to understand for now. Every generation of gods brings something new to the flow of the universe – or at least, they try to before their subsequent demise."
"The relics," Dad says.
"Correct; like the relics. The generation before mine had set their sights on them."
Goten sets his jaw. "Ki."
"And now… ki," Rixas agrees, quiet. "Yes. Being rid of it is Mori's objective."
There's nothing, until Dad's chair clatters, his face a perfect picture of shock-horror. "W-What? Ki? Gohan wouldn't want to do that!"
Rixas scoffs, turning away.
"Gohan thinks it'll help mortals, Dad. He thinks that by ending everyone from using it then they'll stop fighting and hurting each other. He said that it's too dangerous for us – that too many people die. In his head, this is how he'll save everyone in the universe. He… He told me himself. Rixas isn't lying. Gohan really believes in this. That's why he's been all weird and secretive and stuff. To me, even, he said…" He doesn't want to be my brother. He doesn't want to be my family. He is done with me. Goten's chest tightens at Gohan's earlier rejection of him. His nose itches, threatening to run. "I-I'm sorry. I just—"
"Hey, I got you." Dad takes his seat back up from off the floor and encircles an arm around Goten's shoulder. Now that Goten's started, it's hard to stop. Tears are swallowed, choking him as his father's warmth admittedly makes things better. "I know you've had a rough time of it, bud. Whatever's happening we'll get through it."
Rixas doesn't even blink. "Mori believes that by eradicating the use of ki and destroying the rule of the kais, a new order can better service the universe."
Dad stills his coddling, mulling over the words. "But that's…"
"Bullshit, I know." Both Goten and his father are surprised by the brazenness. Rixas leans all the way back in his chair, rocking on the back two hind legs much like a distracted teenager might. The ceiling suddenly seems quite the place of interest. "I'm not gonna' be a part of that. I can't… I don't think Mori is being naïve by wanting to shake the system up but he's being incredibly inpatient. Revelation has never before been so directly impactful to a person's very being and now should be no different. By messing with people's energy, there is no knowing the immediate repercussions, and honestly, getting rid of such a fundamental mortal right doesn't bode well with me at all…"
"Wait." Dad pulls away from Goten as his brain seems to work overtime. "So…?"
"So, what?"
"So you're saying you want to help us?"
Rixas' gaze lowers back to Dad, sharp. "I'm saying that I don't want Revelation to be achieved. Even after yesterday's events I am able to see clearly enough that, despite your inhumane practices of using that wicked fucking sorcery against me… and murdering my friend, I'm better aligned with your goals than that of my brothers'."
What the hell happened yesterday? What sorcery? What did Dad do?
"Dad?"
His father's head hangs low, a mop of black hair being all Goten can see.
Rixas taps his fingers against the wood a last time, before standing from his chair. He scrapes his hair back and sighs, obnoxiously loud. "What a shit couple of days."
Goten desperately wants to know what happened. Here is neither the time nor the place however. Both look wrecked.
"Look, I'm really worried about my brothers," Rixas eventually continues, so soft in comparison, "I don't want them to go the same way as the other Gods of Revelation. Even should they succeed, whatever faction of kais are left will come for them, and as happy as I would be to be rid of each and all of them for what they did to Famis, I don't wish to wager my brothers' lives. Mori, in particular, is rash and would chase justice until there's nothing left of him.
"Should I… assist the kai now then something could be worked out in the long run, a treaty perhaps. This Revelation is especially dangerous when weighed against the others. It's so personal. I also admittedly can't support their vision. Call me selfish but it goes against my own principles of what it means to even govern; I agree that the system is not perfect, but freedom of defence, offense and expression through the power of ki is a natural thing for you mortals. It's as callous as cutting a limb. Taking ki away… Well… It'll be…" There's a sardonic laugh. He organizes his thoughts. "… It doesn't matter, anyway. I won't let it happen."
"What? So you want…"
"You'd really help us?" Goten asks, hopeful. "Seriously?"
"Yeah."
A new wave of optimism washes over Goten. This is even better than what he'd expected.
"Aren't you happy that I survived your Majin trickery now, Goku?" Rixas then goads, a sparkle in gold most dour, "I suppose after your blessed son murdered so many of your kai buddies yesterday you must have been worried that you may be a few men short. Yet look at this, fate is fickle; I'm here and willing, so long as the kai agree to some terms."
Dad still sits in his chair, face puckered, brows pressed. "Even after what I did to you yesterday… you'd…?"
Rixas folds his arms. "Not for you. For them."
For Quell and Gohan…
Then Goten realizes. Gohan hadn't been mistaken in calling Quell his brother, for here is the other one, the one who very clearly cares about his family. By any measure of the title, this is what a brother does for his own flesh. Originally, Rixas had been the beast in the mask and little more than a nightmare, yet, now, this very human-looking person wears his vulnerability as a badge of honour. It's so disjointing when Goten remembers their first meeting in the snowy hills.
It'd been the blizzard that'd ruined everything.
"Rixas helped me with the dragon ball," Goten tells his father wetly. This same ball is still clutched in his right hand, secure. "I think you can trust him. He also helped save me from B-Brutil back at the hospital, and—"
Confusion replaces animosity. "What? Brutil? What do you—?"
"A-And," Goten continues, his words verging on tarry once more. His chest stagnates at the memory of the other night at the Spire. "This is important to me too. Dad… I… because of the orb, I know… better than anyone about this. I don't want anyone to become like me. Revelation… Gohan really wants to do it but it's not right – I… After I swallowed that stupid orb, I… nearly died and…"
His father twists him. "What did Brutil do?"
"N-No, not just that. The orb did something weird to me – Gohan said I'd nearly died and… now, I…I'm real sorry, Dad." His shoulders bounce, the weight in his heart pulls all the way down to his gut. Telling his father has been his biggest fear from the moment he'd found out about his ruined ki. "Gohan said I won't be able to fight again. Th-That my energy… it's, I don't know, broken and crap and—"
"What are you saying? I can feel your energy. There's no difference whatsoever. Maybe—"
"It feels wrong," Goten gets out, "It's like I'm disconnected from something. I hate it."
Dad turns to Rixas, vehement. "What did you do to him?"
"The kid did it to himself by all accounts," Rixas returns, "The doctors at the Spire saved his life so I'm told, but as a result of swallowing the orb he can no longer utilize ki decently. Ironic, considering the situation." Dad's fists clench. "I'd say you should be grateful to the doctors for their hard work, but as such, a good handful are now dead so your appreciation would mean zilch. The disgusting siege ran by the kai made sure to that."
Goten takes his dad's arm. "Brutil; he tried to kill me. He nearly did – if not for the captain – Roarg, right? – If not for her then I'd be dead. Brutil had wanted me out of the way so you'd wanna' help the kais without anyone holding you back. He even told me so!"
As Dad grows ever more horrified Rixas only makes a noise of indignation. "This is the same captain who was… murdered yesterday; the exact one who has protected you Earthlings over and over again from not only me and Quell but also the self-serving kais who lash out against us. She was good. Roarg served righteousness before all else and she fell victim to this… fucking chaos."
Dad's face disappears into his hands and he groans, holding still for a long while. The kitchen clock ticks noisily as they await his reaction, yet it never comes.
Rixas is equally silent, stewing in his own frustration. Pain glows from the cracks like an untreated wound – his eyes are about as glossy as Goten's.
This entire situation sucks.
Goten shudders, releasing a breath. "Dad, I… I'm sorry. I've been really… shallow about a lot, and stubborn and… petty and—"
"It's not you," his father replies, dull. "After everything, I let you down. Both of you… Gohan, he… I should be the one apologizing for not being strong enough for my family. This entire situation is my fault."
Goten doesn't quite know what to say to that. An apology from his dad is something he's wanted to hear for some time, yet it feels so hollow.
Dad…
"Let's draw a line," Rixas says into the new bout of silence, "Right here, right now, whatever has happened needs to stay in the past because there are more important things happening. We have the same goals. You want your son safe, I want my brother safe; they're one in the same. And neither of us wants Revelation to be achieved, I assume."
"Gohan… told me not to involve myself anymore…" Dad finally replies, depleted, so wholly negative that he's barely recognizable. "Even before, he'd warned me that all this going on would be too much; and the politics, the power, the fact that Brutil had tried to kill Goten. Gohan had said—"
"Yeah, well, Mori likes to be dramatic, doesn't he?" There's a pause. "Here."
When the hand extends, Goten nearly slips from his chair from the shock.
Dad looks up, equally taken aback.
"It's time for you to stop disappointing me, Goku," Rixas says, arm hovering out in expectation. "Look, Mori has told me so much about you that I'd surely be able to write a novel. I don't want to see this sad lump of a wallowing creature before me, pitying the mistakes of yesterday. Where is this hero I was told of, the one who brought down Frieza and Majin Buu? Where is the one who achieved the power of the gods? Tch, where is the man who my brother gushed about with such esteem that it had Quell burning from jealousy? I would like an alliance with him, this man. How about it?"
Dad takes the hand, shaking it and with steely determination of his own.
What a strange turn of events.
Goku has whiplash from that last few days, especially after the arrival of their latest guest here on Earth. For so long now, it's felt like it's been one thing after another, what with Gohan coming and going and then all the fighting; that chaos. Rixas' presence is simply the latest step in the natural progression of upheaval. Never would Goku have predicted this, never would Goku have wanted this. He still doesn't really want this. Rixas had been the shrouded mystery behind the red and white mask. He'd been the one who'd stolen Gohan, who'd mocked Goku and all which he stood for – he'd been someone Goku had hated so easily, and he's someone, at his core, who doesn't hate. Yet, Rixas had made Goku so ruined with grief that it'd changed everything. Goku'd assisted in something evil. Majin magic should never have even been considered; Piccolo and Vegeta had been right.
Consequently, there's a suffering of guilt whenever Goku thinks back to the fight on Old Planet Geo. It'd been the first time he'd seen the beast that is Rixas of Revelation wholly unleashed. Wild, unhinged lunacy had befallen not only Rixas but all those tangled up in the situation – Gohan had nearly died. Goku's actions of allowing such evil to be made a weapon had nearly killed his son. No wonder the kais had wanted Famis dead when this was the stuff he'd been making. Goku, if anything, understands the fear after witnessing how deranged it can make one person. Vegeta's transformation had been horrific but Rixas' had been something else entirely.
Now, Rixas' person is less… antagonistic than Goku had imagined. He's clearly still bent out of shape from the Majin control over him and from the loss of his captain, yet he's not as brutish as predicted. And thankfully, he's not as haughty as Quell. Not once has he asked to be referred to by his title.
This doesn't stop Shin from stepping lightly.
Goku had admittedly taken satisfaction in Shin's astonishment at Rixas' presence. He'd scratched his head, shrugging, when Shin had turned up to find Goku, Rixas and Goten talking at length around the dining table. There'd been some tension cindering from Rixas, but Shin is so good at defusing that no one would think their people had been at one another's throats for generations. Demure, Shin had bowed his head and spoke in a language not for Goku's ears. Rixas had responded in kind, apathetic, until the Supreme Kai had joined them at the table. The conversation had continued on, touching on the Spire attack, relics, magic and just generally the Revelation itself. So it turns out, Shin actually hadn't been aware of the Revelation's goal and upon finding out, his lilac skin grew chalky.
"This would… not be good, for many, many reasons," he'd finally uttered, hands wringing around one another. "I felt that this Revelation must be more grave than usual considering the pursuit of the relics of past, yet, for ki to be occupied as such, that would mean a broad shift in balance for existence as a whole. I have been making advancements with the Dizzy Throw, as I believe your brothers have been, my lord. The race is still on-going as the hurdles emerge from the ground beneath. But you, Lord Rixas… for you to reach out as you have done; I think this is the sort of miracle I'd hoped for, the person who can make winning this race a possibility. With you by our side, Revelation's chance of success is not nearly as high."
Rixas had remained coolly defiant. "Remember my conditions."
"Yes, of course! I'll talk to my higher ups and return an answer to you."
Whatever the conditions are aren't spoken about in words comprehensible to Goku, and the secret had been taken that evening when Shin left. Before he had, there'd been parting words in the garden.
"This is most excellent," Shin had said to Goku, "Really, truly, wonderfully excellent. You don't understand the depths of what a rift in the Almighty's power can do in our favour, but lest you believe that it's insignificant. With Lord Rixas here, Lord Quell and Lord Mori are so much more vulnerable." Goku's expression hadn't been favourable at the idea of his son's vulnerability, Shin had panicked. "N-No, not like that. Just that, with Lord Rixas here, we have gained more than just man power. The Almighty as a whole is now divided. The ambition is weaker. We can use this to stop Revelation."
It'd still not been reassuring enough. So many questions had circled a shattered mind.
"Brutil," had been Goku's first and only point, "Did you know that he'd tried to kill Goten? Was this part of the kai's plan?"
"W-What? Brutil had tried to what? Absolutely not! No! Never would that have been—"
"Goten said he'd tried. Why were kais trying to murder my son, Shin?"
"I-I had no idea. I'm sorry, Goku. I honestly didn't know anything about that. Because of my absence, I had not been privy to such wrongdoings, not that that will change anything. There are no excuses. Just know that Brutil… had been a… complicated person. His loyalty to the Kai has always been unwavering, militant even, and ever since the attack on the Council, he'd become even more famished to enact the Kai's will."
"And how many kais are like this? How many will try to enact the Kai's will?"
"All I can say is that I will stand by you best—"
He'd raised a hand and wished Shin a goodnight, returning to his house, son and guest. Really, Goku hadn't been able to stomach anymore of it, even from Shin.
It's all so complicated. Everything is grey in a world where things used to be so much more obviously painted. There's so much to think about. Goku has always supported Shin. Shin has always supported Earth. They're friends – yet will that mean anything at all in the future? Goku plans on protecting both of his children. But Gohan has killed kais. The kais will want Gohan's head for that, and as much as Rixas is trying for a treaty, is that the reality they can expect? Goku doesn't know – and that's the problem. He knows nothing. He's, honest to God, out of his depth. The swirling of the unknown continues and swallows Goku up like a riptide being slowly drowned, one wave at a time. Gods, kais, relics, magic, ki; all a part of a power game where Goku is as much a pawn as any involved. Just who is moving the pieces in play? Quell? Shin and the kais? Gohan?
No, not Gohan. He'd… warned me of this.
Rixas had imparted further concern as soon as Goku had returned. "Just so you know, the Supreme Kai said that he will now preserve Earth best he can with Kai wards. They're powerful stuff. With the Zealites have tracking Earth's movements for months I don't know why they hadn't bothered using them before, though, I suppose that goes to show their attitude towards you mortals is hardly better than Quell's." It'd been so appropriately on topic considering the landscape of Goku's anxieties, further proof of the Kai's indifference to Goku and the others. "With the kai's now undivided attention on Earth – to protect it – I think the Zealites will struggle to break through the wards. Though, that can't be said for my brothers however, especially Quell. He's well versed with magic and wards. I'm expecting a visit. When he does come, don't involve yourself."
"You can't fight here. Earth'll be destroyed!"
"I'm not going to fight Quell, but I'm not going home either."
"Won't he want the dragon ball?"
"Oh, yes, for sure, he's gonna' want my head too. Mori will be furious too, no doubt, but he won't risk flattening to Earth to get it back. Quell won't be as careful yet he won't want to anger Mori, still... We've never fought before so I don't know what'll happen…"A storm had been raging in the god's eyes as his thoughts trailed. "This is the first time I've... Mm…"
A hand anxiously traces his chin as Rixas loses himself to his reservations, silent.
After a time, Goku'd coughed.
"…Um, do Gods sleep?"
"Ah? W-What? Of course we sleep."
"So where are you planning on staying?"
The storm had cleared. Rixas' tight form had slackened in the chair. "Oh. I hadn't thought about that. Uh, and Earth is a closed planet, isn't it? You won't even have a Chamber of Divinity or anything. No Devout Quarters? No?"
"Oh!" Goten had thought of something great. "The Lookout? I mean, that's where our Guardian used to stay."
"The Lookout?"
Rixas hadn't sounded as sure but upon seeing it, he'd been sold well enough. Goku'd used Instant Transmission to take him – a hugely tiring feat – and explained the situation to a very fretful Mister Popo.
"I-I've never taken care of such a high power before!" the genie had admitted as Rixas paraded the edge, admiring the view down. "Are you c-certain that…?"
"You've got this, Mister Popo."
Soon after, Goku had shown Rixas the amenities as the latter lagged after him, hands in pockets. He'd first shown him the quarters Rixas would stay in, then the tea rooms, what was left of Korin's Tower, and also the Room of Spirit and Time. Rixas had lingered there. After that, Goku had gestured to the kitchen and dining area, fondly recalling when he and Gohan had last been there together.
"Gohan thinks Mister Popo is a good cook too," he'd told Rixas for no reason whatsoever.
Rixas hadn't said anything, staring vacantly over the white tiles before then retiring to the bedroom earlier shown, the lock twisting in absolution.
That night, Goten hadn't stayed at the family house like Goku thought he might have. It makes sense he'd want his mother, he'd tried to reason, though it still hurts. The hug goodbye had been extensive and meaningful – and Goten had clung on, like a squirrel monkey, for far longer than necessary for the Instant Transmission home. Right away, there'd been a wail of recognition the moment they'd arrived. Chi-Chi had collapsed at seeing Goten, bawling and bawling until the Ox King had charged into the room, ridiculous mace in hand until he, too, had sunk to his knees and enveloped Goten into his arms; three generations squashed together on the castle's dank floor.
In the end, Chi-Chi had hugged Goku and thanked him even though he'd done nothing. No word had been said about Gohan. They don't need to know. Both he and Goten had shared a look of acknowledgement for such a secret. Right now, this would only hurt Chi-Chi.
What hurts Goku the next day, however, is Piccolo's wake-up call.
"You IDIOT!"
Goku is up, flailing in his bed sheets from a bed trundled. They capture his feet, tumbling him before he's even able to take a single step forward.
"Why did you not think to tell ME that Lord Rixas is here on EARTH?"
"A-Ah. Good morning to you, too, Piccolo."
"HE'S ON THE LOOKOUT!" The cape slaps Goku across the face when Piccolo turns, waspish, back to the door of Goku's bedroom. "YOU – GET UP! TALK TO ME!" The doors slams, the house shakes and Goku reminisces about untroubled sleep from once upon a time ago.
Apparently, Piccolo had walked right into Rixas on the Lookout and nearly fallen off the edge from the shock of it. Goku can't help but laugh at the image, and as a result, Piccolo throws several pairs of chopsticks at him and storms out of the house, returning no less than an hour later to demand to know the situation. By this point, Goku's eaten breakfast and washed up, ready in case Piccolo would find his way to the knife drawer this time.
"And he's just willing to help after everything, even after being corrupted by the Kai?" Piccolo questions immediately after hearing the full story. "Do you honestly trust him?"
Goku trusts Goten and Goten seems to trust Rixas. "I think so. He helped get the dragon ball. They were already winning, weren't they? Why would they need to trick us? I mean, they had six balls, and Gohan had specifically told me to stay out of it. He wouldn't ask Rixas to come here and pretend to – I dunno' – betray them."
"Yes, I suppose." He smirks, looking over Goku with new consideration. "Hmph… It's weird to see you thinking things through."
"I can't just beat the bad guy up this time."
Piccolo scoffs, amused. "Maybe quite literally. Gohan had been immensely powerful. I imagine some Neanderthal part of you is rather proud of that, right?"
"A bit," he admits, smiling. "Though, I don't know where he gets his ideas about ki from… I just can't understand that bit at all. It's probably that Mori guy in his head."
It surprises him when Piccolo disagrees. "You can't? I think Gohan's rationale is concise and very him."
"Don't say you agree."
His next words are deliberated. "Ki has been used over and over again to create havoc. Think how much simpler it would be if Frieza, Cell or Majin Buu hadn't had the ease of energy to bring chaos upon their victims. One of the humans could have been done with Cell quickly with a weapon of their own creation. Frieza would not have been able to destroy planet after planet, and do I even need to reference Majin Buu's power?" Eyes close in thought. "Whilst these are evil beings with evil aims, their aims would have been achieved with less success without ki manipulation at their fingertips."
"Ehh… I don't think that's the case at all."
"Obviously not. You abhor the idea at parting from your energy."
"And what about you? You don't seem to mind too much by the sounds of it."
Piccolo scowls. "No-one's touching my power."
"But—"
"I'm telling you what Gohan thinks. I don't think it's a stretch to say that he has a point." Piccolo stares up, as though he's looking out into space, past the stars and directly at his former pupil, appreciating something only he can see. "He's always been like this… soft. I remain unsurprised completely that he would use his newly found influence to try and better the universe. Whatever person Lord Mori was or is, Gohan can be seen in these decisions."
Vegeta agrees, too; not that there is any basis in Gohan's ideals, but that Gohan is the one to have solely come to such a conclusion.
"He's always been soft," Vegeta parrots, this time saying it with far more vehemence than Piccolo had.
"Big words from a guy stuck in an armchair like an old man," Piccolo retorts, "What does that say about you when someone soft crippled you so effectively?"
From said armchair in Capsule Corporation's private living area, Vegeta stiffly raises an arm, trying not to flinch as he burns purple and red. "Be quiet. Except for the boys, you're the weakest of us so don't think your word counts for anything."
"Yet I'm not the one needing crutches to get about like an invalid." Piccolo smirks. "I wonder what Lord Rixas will think of that when he drops by?"
"Shut your mouth."
Goku scratches at the back of his head. "Guys… We need to think about where to hide this dragon ball. It's real important that it's well hidden."
"I've told you what to do with it, Kakarot."
Yeah, and it doesn't fill him with confidence.
He hums, scratching at his arm. "If Gohan finds it then he really will go through with Revelation."
"So… Gohan really does think all that?" Trunks asks, sitting beside his father. He'd listened in to the entire story – despite not needing to as Goten had already been in touch. They'd likely talked for hours over the phone last night. To prove the point, Trunks continues, gaze low. "Goten didn't talk too much about the energy thing… especially after he'd lost his."
"And yet you didn't tell me anything about it, did you, boy?"
"Well, you didn't tell me anything about what happened on Old Planet Geo."
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
"Then that goes—"
Bulla in arm, Bulma runs the baby bottle across both of their heads. "Knock it off, both of you." She points the formula at each of them. "Vegeta, don't think you're in any position to play high and mighty when you just got your ass whooped. Have some modesty. And you, Trunks, you're not an adult just yet so don't act so entitled to information we – as your parents – don't think you're ready for."
Trunks' hair flops as he turns away, cheeks growing rosy. "I'm nearly sixteen. I'm not a baby. And I'm involved in this, too. Goten and Gohan are my friends. I deserve to know what's going on."
"Gohan? Your friend?" Vegeta clicks his tongue. "You just found out that he's been lying to us all for weeks, abandoned his family and is trying to now be rid of ki like some sort of C-Grade TV villain. And to top it off, he's not even Gohan! He's apparently some god that'd beenparading around here on Earth and playing nicey-nice until his pick-up arrived. Tell me, Trunks, what's the appeal, or am I just living in an insane time where nothing makes sense anymore?"
"Gohan obviously lied for a good reason," Trunks bites back. "You just don't like him."
"Oh, such a hot-take."
Bulla gurgles unhappily, reaching towards her brother as her mother awkwardly shuffles her higher. "Trunks, your father is right that Gohan isn't who you think he is. I know you think a lot of him but you have to admit that what he's doing is wrong."
Trunks purses his lips. A line cascades down his forehead angrily. "Is it?"
"Yes," Vegeta seethes.
Trunks then looks to Goku, startling him. The crisp blue runs so sharp in those eyes. "You've always believed in him. What about now?"
"A-Ah? Trunks…" The way he's looking is so intense, so reminiscent of the Future Trunks of past. Goku rubs at his arm, unsure. "I want to save Gohan… but I don't agree with what he wants to do, if it's even him thinking it. I think he's just confused at the moment."
"Confused," Trunks deadpans, dry. "Maybe if you guys looked outside of your muscle-head world views, you'd see that perhaps having energy in the universe isn't beneficial to everyone. Gohan's right. It's caused nothing but crap for all of us. You're being short-sighted."
"How about me?" Bulma asks, voice pointed and dangerously tight, "Do you think I'm short-sighted? I don't agree with this Revelation of Gohan's and I'm not a fighter at all."
"'Oh, you have a gift', Trunks, don't be ashamed of your power. Hone it," he mocks, "How many times have you said that when I tell you that I hate training? I shouldn't have to worry that some bad guy is going to come to Earth and fuck everything up! You say that I'm too young one moment, yet the next I have the weight of expectation on my shoulders to protect people – and now that Goten can't fight it'll be me who has to watch over this dumpster fire when you're all dead and buried!"
Bulla cries out at the exact moment Bulma shouts. "Trunks! Don't you—!"
"I agree with Gohan," Trunks interrupts, turning towards the door, "I hope he manages to do it."
Bulma goes to chase after him but Vegeta snags her cardigan. He's right. There's no point going after Trunks, not until he's calmed down. There's a taste of the explosive ki that Trunks doesn't want, charging the air and sparking out unhappily. It's not a nice feeling to be saturated in, especially so when Goku feels the bitter sting of someone being disappointed in him.
Against the wall, Piccolo makes a point in arching the skin where an eyebrow would be. See, he communicates through the expression; Gohan is very much not alone in his mind-set.
"That boy," Bulma boils. "He doesn't get that from me."
Before anyone sayings anything, Bulla snorts an angry snot bubble.
Geez, what a mess.
Goku rubs his eyes, wishing himself home. For the rest of his time here at Capsule Corporation, a dull thrum of apprehension sticks like a shadow all the way through his visit. He finds himself unable to stay much longer, which is fine because no-one else is in the mood to discuss this further. Even Bulla rejects good, ole' Uncle Goku's goodbye handhold; sourly, she looks away.
"Have you heard from Beerus yet?" Vegeta asks before Goku is able to escape. "You let me know when you do. I don't want a repeat of what happened on Old Planet Geo. That and Gohan has no right to be telling me what to do with my own power. I refuse to yield to a brat like him, and I refuse to be his punching bag again – I want to achieve Super Saiyan God. Perhaps if we both have it then the Earth might survive this debacle unscathed."
Unscathed, huh?
What he'd earlier witnessed at Capsule Corporation had deeply bothered Goku, and it bleeds into the rest of his day. He meanders around his home, blankly mixing together one of his health drinks because the idea of cooking is too monotonous for an anxious brain. The spoon churns and churns. His brain works in overdrive.
What throws him is that both Trunks and Piccolo had both not outright rejected Revelation in a way that Goku thought every sane person would. Why, though? Can't they see how unjust it is? Or is it Goku's small mindedness? Is he the one who can't open up to more than just this black and white way of living?
The points they made weren't… wrong, but still, Gohan wants something radical. Piccolo won't help Gohan, Goku hopes. Trunks however may be a different story should he be able to. He'd seemed actively supportive of the Revelation. He thinks about what Piccolo had said this morning;
"Whilst these are evil beings with evil aims, their aims would have been achieved with less success without ki manipulation at their fingertips."
It sounds like something Gohan might rhetorically put out, just as something to think about. But really, it's a good point. Goku wants to argue that because of ki he has the power to stop these evil people, yet that's not the same for everyone – for people like Trunks. What would he have been able to do against the same villains Goku's come up against?
Gohan is considering people beyond himself, as usual.
Goku pictures the sweet chubby cheeks of his boy when young, the dark almond eyes which had rumpled in pleasure when he'd perfect a ki blast. Gohan had loved training with Goku and Piccolo. What changed? What point did Gohan start to see ki as immoral?
What happened to my son in the last six years?
The health drink suddenly tastes bitter.
When he goes to chuck the bottle in the bin, his arm suddenly retaliates. A wave of pressure has him jolt in recognition. What the—? Ugh!
"Q-Quell…" Goku realizes, looking up. He'd remember that horrid feeling anywhere, yet never has Goku felt the pressure from this far away. It's coming all the way from the Lookout.
Just as Goku moves two fingers high for Instant Transmission, the throaty, tired warning from Rixas remerges from his memories. "I'm expecting a visit. When he does come, don't involve yourself."
His fingers lower. Should he really just leave them to it? What would happen if Quell got mad – more so than he is now?
"Mori will be furious too, no doubt, but he won't risk flattening to Earth to get it back."
Gohan… won't let anything happen to the Earth, right? No matter how angry he is with Goku or how much he tries to push his mortal life away, he'd never let anything happen to his home… to his mum.
There's another rush of pressure. Perhaps it's because Goku is exhausted that he feels the momentum of it rattle his ribcage. It's worse than usual; ki charges the already terrible pressure, providing it a sort of echo chamber. The power builds as it ricochets. It's asphyxiating, almost. Goku feels his throat constrict. Why does this feel different than usual, as though each pushing current is made with more than just the usual anger?
He's hurt; Goku quickly grasps. Quell is beyond wrath. He's… upse—?
"Ughhh…"
Each wave feels stronger and stronger until…
Finally…
"He's gone," Goku exhales.
Right away, Goku rushes to switch the TV on, flicking through the channels and all the live shows. Click. Click. Click. Presenters talk at the camera, faux white teeth sparkling without a care in the world. Thankfully, no-one shows any discomfort. They mustn't have felt the pressure. Good. Thank God. That would have been a nightmare…
He chucks the remote down, sighing in sweet relief.
How do you put up with that guy, Gohan?
It's barely thirty minutes later that the phone starts ringing.
"You better tell me you felt that," Krillin instantly says from the other end before Goku so much as gets to say hello. He can hear Yamcha in the background shouting about a nosebleed. "Marron felt it, too. She threw up all over Turtle, poor thing. What the heck is going on?"
It's a good thing they'd called because if they hadn't, Goku would have most certainly found himself an unwelcome guest at the Lookout, demanding answers of his own. No, this is good. It's best to give Rixas some time to simmer, if he's even still up there.
"Goku?"
"Oh, it's… it's been really crazy, Krillin. I'm not sure what to start."
The last Krillin and the others had heard, Gohan had been horrifically killed by divine monsters hell bent on ruining Goku's life.
This time, the story will run somewhat differently.
"You're at Kame House? Put me on speaker," Goku says into the receiver. The tale is relayed. He imparts the entire situation, leaving out none of the painful bits and repeating himself when subsequent 'what's follow each reveal. After, silence draws on for so long that Goku thinks that they must have been disconnected. "Hello? Guys? Did the line go dead?"
"N-No. We're still here, I mean barely. I think you might have sent Master Roshi into cardiac arrest but otherwise… Yeah, all good. Kinda', I mean… Holy crap. This is... something else. Is this really Gohan we're talking about? Our Gohan? The same Gohan I've known since he was, like, shorter than me?"
"It's messy, huh?"
"No kiddin'!"
"And that was his brother?"
"No. Well, kinda', according to Shin, he is, but I'm not accepting that." Krillin whistles. In the background, murmuring conversation follows. "Look, I wanna' know… What do you think about the whole Revelation thing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you… agree with him?"
"About getting rid of energy? What? Why would I agree with that? Even us, we may not be on your guys' level but we still deserve to hone our skills."
"I don't think Gohan is wrong…" Goku hears Yamcha admit in the muffled background. "We have to rely on non-humans to protect Earth these days because it's just all getting outta' hand."
"A-Ah, I mean, that's not a bad point," Krillin agrees, "Still, I'd rather have the opti—huh? Oh, er, the master wants a word."
Roshi's crispy voice crackles over the speaker. "Goku, can you hear me all right, son?"
"Yeah, Master Roshi, I can."
"Good. First, let me admit that I cannot possibly understand what you're going through as a father. You must be hugely conflicted. But, as a fellow user of martial arts, I urge you to think about your principles. You… don't really sound like yourself right now, Goku. You sound like you're burdened with uncharacteristic doubt." There's a pause. "Are you trying to tell us that you agree with Gohan's intentions?"
"N-No, I don't! It's just…" A torrent of air leaves his nose and he leans against the wall. "I believe that everyone should have a chance to be strong, and that involves having the ability to access ki. Yet… I don't know, I'm suddenly hearing other opinions and they're just…"
"Shaking your resolve?"
"No. I don't know…"
"Right now, you've had your world pulled from under you. All your truths have turned to ash and what you have left are the dusty remains to build up from. I'm impressed your confidence hasn't completely left you." Master Roshi clears his voice. "Goku, your son is a smart boy – or man now, I should say – I don't think Gohan would ever attempt anything foolish, but that doesn't mean I or you cannot disagree with his thinking. He has his reasons for this, and I believe they are well-rounded ones, as will many others, yet so many will also disagree, like you, and Krillin here."
"And what do you think?"
"I think that it's good you asked for opinions, because Gohan clearly has not. There's no right and wrong, but you are at least considering other viewpoints. However insignificant, we also matter, us, mortals, weak or otherwise. This kindness is what I believe Gohan is slowly forgetting. Don't let this sway your confidence, Goku, let these variables empower you. I am proud. After all these years, you are still growing... Share this newly found perspective with your boy."
"I…" He swallows. "Thank you, Master."
"I just hope that Gohan doesn't regret what he sets out to achieve."
"Me, too."
He hangs up the phone, feeling both heavier and lighter from the exchange.
That night, Goku goes to bed wondering what Gohan's currently feeling. Is he angry? Is he hurt like Quell? He hadn't felt Gohan's energy join that of Quell's here on Earth, disappointing in its own regard really. Goku would have relished another opportunity to talk to his son. Not only does he want to look at the man his boy has grown into over the years but he genuinely wants to ask about Revelation. What had led Gohan down this road? Why does he burden himself with such a mind-set?
Ki… One son wants to be rid of it, and the other one is rid of it.
Poor Goten. Goku is struggling to come to terms with it because surely there must be something they can do for Goten. His grasp on ki can't just be severed forever, right? Is that really how it works? Goten shouldn't just give up on getting his power back. His power is a part of him. Whilst Goten has been saying more and more that he isn't one for training, he'd seemed pretty broken up about losing his abilities.
With what Gohan wants to do, Goku could be next.
He shudders at the prospect. Goku is married to his ki. It is his river of life. Without it, he'd not even be himself. Would Gohan really do that to him? Divided opinions over ki really make Goku worry about the state of the future, and not only for the future of everyone in the universe, but also on a very personal level. He actually finds himself worrying about, well, himself.
Is that selfish of me? Is that why I'm so opposed to Gohan's ideas?
Master Roshi had told him to have confidence in his own beliefs.
Goku believes whole-heartedly that Gohan is wrong, but for what reason? For his own selfish desires to keep using energy?
Yet there are others like me. We deserve to be heard too.
Another day passes before Goku contemplates chasing down Rixas. So it turns out, however, he needn't bother because when he opens his door that morning to take the rubbish out, Rixas stands right there, at the doorstep with one hand shoved in a pocket. The other waves in a half-circle.
"Yo, good morning," he greets before Goku registers what's even happening.
He jumps, garbage bouncing. "A-Ah! Mornin'."
"Bad timing?"
"No, it's just…"
Rixas isn't in the usual jumpsuit Goku's seen him in the last few times. Gone is the muddy coloured, loose-fitting fabric for something even more casual; he's now in dark sweatpants, trainers and a very ordinary white t-shirt that could have been taken from Goku's own sparse collection.
Rixas looks down. "Mm? Oh, these are clothes, Goku, the things that humans wear in order to differentiate themselves from the beasts. Perhaps you weren't aware considering the only outfit I see you wearing is that same orange gi."
"Ehh, I know clothes." Goku continues his journey to deposit his bag of trash in the outside bin. He chucks it without grace, tightening his lips. "You just look different, is all." So normal.
"Your buddy, Mister Popo, picked them out for me so you can send your complaints to him if they're not to your taste."
Goku scratches behind his head, ignoring it. "So, the other day… what happened with Quell?"
"Well, the Earth still stands so there's nothing for you to worry about." Rixas reconsiders his words. "I mean, there is because he'd happily snap your neck cleanly given the opportunity. But for the time being I think we'll be free of visits. You see, he's giving me 'time to think over my imprudent display of betrayal.'" Goku's mouth opens. "And before you ask: no, Mori didn't come and I doubt he will unless he absolutely has to."
"Wait. They're just gonna' let us keep the dragon ball?"
"No way. They'll come for it eventually, but I know for a fact that they're after the seventh right now. Have you hidden it?"
"Yeah, I mean, kinda'. Are you sure they won't come?"
"Pretty sure. I wager that they're focusing on finding the other one before the Kai does. They'll come for this one when they have the other."
"Uh, good, I guess. Are they close?"
"That I don't know. I'm not really into the scheming side of things." Rixas sighs, running a hand through blonde hair. "Anyway, I'm here because the Supreme Kai dropped by yesterday and told me that he wants to have a meeting of sorts at some place called Capsule Corporation. Not sure he realizes that I don't have a map of this dirt ball printed on the back of my eyelids, ignorant kai that he is. Anyway, I thought best that you could take me with that illegal technique of yours."
"Instant Transmission," Goku supplies, somewhat heated, especially upon remembering that it'd been Rixas who must have murdered the good people of Yardrat. "And if it's such a bad technique then you don't need me to use it for you, right?"
"It's not a bad technique. It's an illegal technique. But if you're breaking divine laws then you can break it for me. Are you ready to go now?"
"Now? I didn't know about a meeting."
"Then here is your messenger – and passenger when you find yourself quite ready."
Why wouldn't Shin have told him? Does he think that Goku's still angry with him? Well, he is, but he still needs to know these things. "Why am I not told—?"
Rixas gestures to the wide open forest, flat. "He said the Namek would come collect you, horse and carriage at the ready, so stop thinking your Kai darlin' is keeping you out of the loop." Hands clap together. "Not to be rude but I'd like to get moving whenever you so feel inclined 'cause I want to get it over and done with."
Goku isn't a petty person by nature but it's tempting to continue denying Rixas. Animosity still lingers between them despite the casual tone; clearly, Rixas is as equally displeased about the alliance as Goku's is. It's like being prodded in an open wound, a reminder of Gohan's choice to stand by these people over his family. Honestly, it's hard not to let it jade Goku's decisions, at least a bit.
But they don't have time for this.
Ultimately, Goku releases a gust of breath, turning back to the house and kicking his boots off at the door.
"Let me grab my breakfast and then we'll go."
It hadn't been an invitation but Rixas took it as one, trailing after Goku at the nip of his heels, eyes all over the hallway and then the kitchen. Goku goes about his routine and grabs himself a health drink, shaking it as he tries not to watch Rixas meander around nosily. The god isn't shy about picking up and examining half of the kitchen's contents before moving into the living room. Attempting ignorance, Goku blanks the sound of the TV turning off and on. Meanwhile, he pops the cap and glugs at a banoffee-flavoured health drink. Another is supped, and then one more before Goku helps himself to some of the rice left from last night in the rice maker. By the time he's killed his appetite with unfulfilling, sticky carbs, Rixas has long since disappeared upstairs.
Has this guy never been in a house before?
Resigned, Goku forces his tired knees up the stairs. He doesn't hesitate at the direction. It's obvious which room Rixas is in – the one Goku doesn't like anyone to go in.
"Want to know how I knew this was his room?" Rixas asks as soon as Goku enters the bedroom. Before Goku responds, he taps along the bookshelves. "I'd be surprised if he hadn't been reborn with a library card in hand. How he likes his books…"
"Yeah, well, Gohan's smart, isn't he?"
Rixas snorts, pulling out a book and inspecting it. "Oh, a real egg-head. Hmm? What's this?"
Before Goku can stop him, Rixas scoops up the framed picture atop Gohan's desk and blows away the fine layer of dust that's accumulated there. He's hums. Goku feels like he's imagining it but there may just be a hint of a smile.
"Hmm… Wasn't he cute?"
"..."
"Like butter wouldn't melt... " Rixas comments, offering Goku the very frame.
He snatches his treasure. The picture is of him and Gohan. Gohan's only young here – perhaps three or four – and appropriately tiny in Goku's arms. It's one of Goku's absolute favourites. They don't actually have a lot of pictures together, likely due to threats coming to bother them every few years and giving them little chance to take advantage of a free day with a camera. So this is special, it's why it lives in Gohan's room, where it's always belonged.
Rixas does happen to spot another picture from nearby where the first frame was. It's not of Goku this time. It's a Polaroid picture, something Goten had once educated him about when Goku had questioned the tiny size and terrible quality of the image. In the dark lighting of this shot, a teenage Gohan and Videl grin sheepishly at the camera, huddled together in a cafeteria. Goku assumes it to be in their old school.
This time, Rixas looks at this one for quite a while, now definitely smiling.
"The girlfriend," he mumbles, cheeks dimpling in pleasure.
"Ah. Yeah."
This picture is returned, and the amusement morphs into something else. The gold becomes blue, and suddenly so heavy with bittersweet nostalgia "…Y'know, he was pretty innocent when we got him back – after his life here… He'd been all doe-eyed and disgustingly polite except when talking about you lot. Earth this, Earth that; that's all we'd hear. He'd had no idea of who he really was, of course. The idiot had forgotten everything for the longest of time. For the first few months, I thought he was a bit simple; a smart cookie but with absolutely zero life skills, and definitely not at all confident enough for my liking."
Goku feels his mouth move of its own accord. "I… always said he was never confident enough…"
"Yeah…" Rixas sees something Goku cannot. He laughs tiredly. "I found that side to him pretty cute, though."
It's hard to keep on edge when Rixas has the gall to look like that. It's as if all the happiness in the world has melted away, leaving only the fond memories of it. So strange it is to witness after everything they'd been through together, stranger yet how much this person evidently cares about Gohan. Goku finds himself missing that mask that had smothered Rixas' identity. It'd been simpler.
"You're here for Gohan's sake, aren't you?"
"And Quell's," Rixas says, "But I think it's Mori who really needs the most help."
"You really love him."
"Well, yeah... He's my baby brother."
"He's my son."
It's not a challenge, it's a statement. Goku wants Rixas to know that he's scared for Gohan too, that he wants to help just as much as Rixas does.
At this, Rixas raises a brow. He scoffs, hand to hip with his head tilted in what Goku reads as amusement. "No shit. I wasn't kidding when I said that he spoke about you back home. Back in the early days, all he did was go on and on about you. He'd worshiped you, probably still does, deep down, under his stacks of freshly layered resentment."
"Really?"
"Oh, yeah" There's a bark of laughter, though it's not mean-spirited. "He's a proper daddy's boy for sure."
Goku feels his heart warm.
"We'd been close."
Then, a bang of a closing door sounds. There's a sudden set of familiar footsteps sounding from downstairs, creaking of the stairs follow.
"Goku?" Piccolo's voice calls out from the hallway.
Rixas smirks. "Ah, your carriage."
The door opens and Piccolo immediately halts, face warped with trepidation. He looks at Rixas as though the latter might lunge at him and tear his head free. "Lord Rixas," he manages, impressively calm otherwise.
Rixas gives a jerk of the head. "Rixas'll do, thanks."
The knot in Goku's gut starts to unravel. "Uh, hey, I just wanna' say…" If there's any alliance Goku feels he can put faith into then it's one built on the back of safety for his son. "If your aim is to help Gohan then I have no qualms with you, Rixas. You were right about drawing a line. We're on the same side. We have the same goals. More than anything I want Gohan home, and I'll work with even you to make that happen despite whatever's gone on between us.
"And…" He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry for what I did to you back on Old Planet Geo. It was wrong. I was desperate but that's no excuse. Despite our differences, I shouldn't have ever inflicted that… evil magic onto you. What it did to you… I would never want for my worst enemy, which, I mean, you were at the time, but now… Still, it doesn't matter. I shouldn't have done it." Goku clenches his fists, feeling the toxicity of staled hatred start to dissolve. "I'm sorry… too… about your friend. I take full responsibility for her death."
Rixas watches under dark lashes. "The Kai should take full responsibility, not some patsy mortal like you."
"I had my hand in it, too."
"I suppose you did." He offers his hand out, not expecting another handshake but instead the framed picture in Goku's hand. "She cared a lot for Mori. They'd been close," Rixas tells him as Goku steadily hands him the picture. It's returned to its nesting point on the desk, the father and son of the past smiling up from behind the glass. "You'll need to apologize to him, too."
Goku's heart plummets further, if possible.
Rixas doesn't say anything for some time. He simply stares at Goku, gold flashing.
"Namekian," he eventually calls out, turning to address Piccolo directly. "Go ahead before us, please. Tell the Supreme Kai that we're going to be late today. Goku needs to pack up some of his belongings. I hadn't been sure before but I am now that this should be the course of action."
Piccolo looks at Goku like he's just grown an extra head.
"Uh, why? And what do I need to pack exactly?"
Rixas leans against Gohan's desk, perching there. He collects a pencil and gestures it forward like a staff. "Enough for a year, maybe longer. Bring your entire fashion line of orange gis if you'd like, and whatever weapons you so fancy should you want them."
"Uh…"
The pencil bounces between Piccolo and Goku, twirling. "The Supreme Kai is gonna' reveal to you guys today that the oh so benevolent Lord Beerus has agreed to take you and the other saiyan on as disciples. That means going to his planet and training in the way of divinity." Goku perks up. Really? Beerus is actually willing to take them both on? "But you shouldn't do that."
"A-Ah, why not?"
"Because you should train with me instead, in the Room of Spirit and Time." The pencil snaps, Rixas' face stretching into a devious smirk. "I know how you fight, and not just from your pitiful displays but also from Mori's training back in the day. Give me a good few months with you and I'll get you up to speed. I'll show you what you could really achieve with that cute little form of yours."
"You… trained Gohan?"
"I crushed his annoying habits. I could crush yours, too."
Goku turns to Piccolo for guidance, for anything. His friend looks more horrified at the idea than contemplative. He's even greener than usual.
Beerus or Rixas?
"Pick your poison, Son," Piccolo eventually says, "I'm sure you'll be spending most of your time concussed either way."
From the desk, gold sparkles menacingly, glowing with ominous enjoyment when Goku finally agrees. He'll do this, not just to get stronger, but to also grow in the name of those you can't fight back. For them, he'll be a champion against Gohan's will, even if that involves relying on this person's strength.
The framed picture holds a weight far beyond that of the desk it sits on. Gohan's dark, mortal eyes observe on. So desperately does Goku want to see them again.
He nods at his newest master.
"Don't hold back on me."
At that, Rixas laughs and laughs.
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FF is being a wanker. No emails alerts for yonks. If you're having the same problem then i suggest linking up a gmail account because I just did the same and it's working better than my Outlook did. As of right this very second, I actually can't see the latest reviews on my Stats page - however, now having linked a new email address, hopefully I'll be able to see the alerts and whatnot. Aaaanyway, thanks very much for the latest batch of feedback on my last chapter. I can't actually reply to a couple of the reviews until FF sorts their shit out so I just want to say that I'm really enjoying reading feedback and speculation! Rixas gets more love than I thought he ever would so that's lovely. Writing the interaction between Goku and Rixas brings immense pleasure to my life; they're so similar in so many ways, and so pure in their love for Gohan. It's sweet, I think. Also this chapter, we got some "Z Fighters" too. I do love me some random side characters dropping by, a bit or Roshi here, a smidge of Popo there. All is good, well, I mean, Trunks wasn't good, bless.
That'll be it for now. I'm working on C40 still. I'll have it out sometime in July. As usual, thanks so much to Kags for her beta work! She's top notch as always.
Cheers for all your reviews and PMs. Please do drop a review if you're so feeling inspired! See you on the next one.