After all the events that have occurred over the last week in America, my heart goes out to you
all out there, being a UK author. I know I can never possibly fathom what could be going through
your minds, or how badly it has affected some of you, but I can only hope you can see the truth
in this chapter and the previous one. I'm sickened that humans can do this to one another. If
unfortunately this has affected you personally, probably the last thing you want to do is read
some trivial blurb, and I don't blame you. But if you can possibly find the time to read this
chapter, I hope you'll find it not in the least bit trivial, and I hope this helps you if you are
feeling low. What I am typing in this is totally true, so please try and relate to it. Good luck
and keep going - I hope you can all see this through, and the UK is behind you every step of the
way.
Dedicated to all the victims of the WTC, Pentagon and Pennsylvania disasters,
All their families and friends,
And all the citizens of the United States,
11th September 2001
Never give up.
___________________________________
EPILOGUE - Freedom
You were there for summer dreaming
And you are a friend indeed
And I know you'll find your freedom
Eventually
For eternity
- Eternity, Robbie Williams
A week later, a Prince slowly made his way up the hill in the graveyard, alone. As soon as he was
healed enough - he refused to take a Senzu bean, wanting to think deeply until he was able to
walk well - he went to revisit Gokus grave.
When he reached the top of the hill, he realized someone else was there. Short black hair, orange
gi suit and fiery black eyes that glared at him with derision.
"What do YOU want?" Gohan growled.
"I came to see Kakarrot." Vegeta murmured. Gohan stood from his crouched position.
"His name is Goku - and you have no business here. If you don't have the respect to
attend the funeral, you're not wanted near his resting place."
Gohan glared unblinkingly and dangerously at Vegeta, barring his path.
"Would K...Would Goku want anyone to fight in a place like this? That would be
disrespectful. " Vegeta said calmly.
"How DARE you speak to ME of respect!" Gohan snarled, then swung his fist at Vegeta.
The Prince felt a rush of adrenalin as his Saiyan blood readied him for action, but he resisted
it.
"Wait!" he said, and automatically raised his arm to block it. Unfortunately, it was his
bandaged and injured arm. Gohans fist smashed into his forearm. Vegeta roared in pain and fell
to his knees, clutching his arm. Gohan stepped back.
"Stay away from me and my father - you don't care about him, you're just doing this for
show! You disgust me!"
Vegeta remained on his knees, but looked up.
"This is what you think of me? I admit, I cannot blame you. But you're wrong. Do you
want to see what I did? What I think of Kakarrot?"
Gohan narrowed his eyes. Vegeta took hold of the bandage encircling his arm and tore it off
without a second thought. It revealed the lacerations in his forearm spelling out 'Kakarrotto'.
Gohans eyes widened, but before he could speak, Vegeta retold how he attempted suicide, not
mentioning Gokus appearance. He then told the stunned Gohan the reason for his absence from
the funeral.
Gohan sank to his knees, thunderstruck. All he could say was
"I'm sorry..."
"It's alright. I still have a great deal to learn myself - like suicide isn't the way
out." Vegeta sighed wearily.
"I don't think anyone realised how much you and dad connected."
Vegeta studied his arm for a while, then looked up at Gohan.
"So can I see your father now?"
They stood and walked to the grave side, standing next to each other in silence. Eventually,
Gohan spoke.
"I never thought I'd miss him this much." he said, his voice wavering with emotion.
"You never know how much someone means to you until they're gone." Vegeta
murmured. "I can only hope you're stronger than me...and don't choose my way of escaping the
truth."
Gohan looked at Vegeta.
"It's given you a new perspective, hasn't it?"
"It has made me realise that although someone close to me has gone, I still have a lot to
live for. I think it's shown me and a lot of people what true courage is - sacrificing your life
for a world of people you're probably never going to meet. Whatever happens to us now, you can
bet it won't be as bad as what he had to do - choosing between the world and your own life and
loved ones. It's humbling. It's shown me that powers such as ours come with responsibility.
Humans are biologically weaker than Saiyans, and if we choose to live on this planet we have a
duty to protect it. Kakarrot proved that. That was true courage."
"And now we have to show courage and carry on with our lives" Gohan agreed.
"We'll miss him, though...nothing can change that. The grinning face, the ridiculous
hair, and that innocence that drove me out of my mind. It was infuriating at the time, but now I
wish he'd just pop up out of nowhere with that grin on his face."
Vegeta paused and heard a slight noise. Glancing at Gohan, he realised the half-Saiyan was
crying. Eyes shining with tears, he looked down at the grave of his father.
"That's Goku, alright." he whispered. "Look...at the gravestone."
Since he had been there, Vegeta had never thought to look at Gokus headstone. He read it aloud,
and gasped at what he saw. The Prince heard Gohan speak.
"I couldn't leave it off there."
Vegeta stood up. A single tear rolled down Gohans cheek.
"He was my father and my hero...and I'll never forget him."
There was silence for a while, then Gohan felt something on his shoulder. Looking round he saw
Vegetas hand resting there. It felt odd to Gohan - once the greatest menace to the Earth and
Universe was now offering him comfort. He was unsure how to react until Vegeta spoke.
"A martyr to us all...I respected him more than anyone else."
Gohan smiled sadly and nodded. Vegeta suddenly found his vision blurred. Reaching up to his
face, he was shocked to find that he was crying too. And not for himself...
He also smiled sadly and chuckled a little, eyes closed. Gohan looked at him.
"What?"
Vegeta opened his eyes, a small tear shining in each of their corners. He raised his head to the
breeze, cherry blossom flying free.
"Nothing...I think I just saw the water at the end of the flume."
I never conquered, rarely came
But tomorrow holds such better days
Days when I can still feel alive
When I can't wait to get outside
The world is wide, the time goes by
The tour is over, I survived
I can't wait till I get home
To pass the time in my room alone
- Adams Song, Blink 182
Son-Goku
-
Husband, Father, Grandfather - So Much More To Us All.
A Sacrifice We Will Never Forget.
We'll Miss You For Eternity.
-
"Kakarrot"
________________________________________________________________________
What do we think? Major R/R, please, big reviews if possible...thanks for your support.
all out there, being a UK author. I know I can never possibly fathom what could be going through
your minds, or how badly it has affected some of you, but I can only hope you can see the truth
in this chapter and the previous one. I'm sickened that humans can do this to one another. If
unfortunately this has affected you personally, probably the last thing you want to do is read
some trivial blurb, and I don't blame you. But if you can possibly find the time to read this
chapter, I hope you'll find it not in the least bit trivial, and I hope this helps you if you are
feeling low. What I am typing in this is totally true, so please try and relate to it. Good luck
and keep going - I hope you can all see this through, and the UK is behind you every step of the
way.
Dedicated to all the victims of the WTC, Pentagon and Pennsylvania disasters,
All their families and friends,
And all the citizens of the United States,
11th September 2001
Never give up.
___________________________________
EPILOGUE - Freedom
You were there for summer dreaming
And you are a friend indeed
And I know you'll find your freedom
Eventually
For eternity
- Eternity, Robbie Williams
A week later, a Prince slowly made his way up the hill in the graveyard, alone. As soon as he was
healed enough - he refused to take a Senzu bean, wanting to think deeply until he was able to
walk well - he went to revisit Gokus grave.
When he reached the top of the hill, he realized someone else was there. Short black hair, orange
gi suit and fiery black eyes that glared at him with derision.
"What do YOU want?" Gohan growled.
"I came to see Kakarrot." Vegeta murmured. Gohan stood from his crouched position.
"His name is Goku - and you have no business here. If you don't have the respect to
attend the funeral, you're not wanted near his resting place."
Gohan glared unblinkingly and dangerously at Vegeta, barring his path.
"Would K...Would Goku want anyone to fight in a place like this? That would be
disrespectful. " Vegeta said calmly.
"How DARE you speak to ME of respect!" Gohan snarled, then swung his fist at Vegeta.
The Prince felt a rush of adrenalin as his Saiyan blood readied him for action, but he resisted
it.
"Wait!" he said, and automatically raised his arm to block it. Unfortunately, it was his
bandaged and injured arm. Gohans fist smashed into his forearm. Vegeta roared in pain and fell
to his knees, clutching his arm. Gohan stepped back.
"Stay away from me and my father - you don't care about him, you're just doing this for
show! You disgust me!"
Vegeta remained on his knees, but looked up.
"This is what you think of me? I admit, I cannot blame you. But you're wrong. Do you
want to see what I did? What I think of Kakarrot?"
Gohan narrowed his eyes. Vegeta took hold of the bandage encircling his arm and tore it off
without a second thought. It revealed the lacerations in his forearm spelling out 'Kakarrotto'.
Gohans eyes widened, but before he could speak, Vegeta retold how he attempted suicide, not
mentioning Gokus appearance. He then told the stunned Gohan the reason for his absence from
the funeral.
Gohan sank to his knees, thunderstruck. All he could say was
"I'm sorry..."
"It's alright. I still have a great deal to learn myself - like suicide isn't the way
out." Vegeta sighed wearily.
"I don't think anyone realised how much you and dad connected."
Vegeta studied his arm for a while, then looked up at Gohan.
"So can I see your father now?"
They stood and walked to the grave side, standing next to each other in silence. Eventually,
Gohan spoke.
"I never thought I'd miss him this much." he said, his voice wavering with emotion.
"You never know how much someone means to you until they're gone." Vegeta
murmured. "I can only hope you're stronger than me...and don't choose my way of escaping the
truth."
Gohan looked at Vegeta.
"It's given you a new perspective, hasn't it?"
"It has made me realise that although someone close to me has gone, I still have a lot to
live for. I think it's shown me and a lot of people what true courage is - sacrificing your life
for a world of people you're probably never going to meet. Whatever happens to us now, you can
bet it won't be as bad as what he had to do - choosing between the world and your own life and
loved ones. It's humbling. It's shown me that powers such as ours come with responsibility.
Humans are biologically weaker than Saiyans, and if we choose to live on this planet we have a
duty to protect it. Kakarrot proved that. That was true courage."
"And now we have to show courage and carry on with our lives" Gohan agreed.
"We'll miss him, though...nothing can change that. The grinning face, the ridiculous
hair, and that innocence that drove me out of my mind. It was infuriating at the time, but now I
wish he'd just pop up out of nowhere with that grin on his face."
Vegeta paused and heard a slight noise. Glancing at Gohan, he realised the half-Saiyan was
crying. Eyes shining with tears, he looked down at the grave of his father.
"That's Goku, alright." he whispered. "Look...at the gravestone."
Since he had been there, Vegeta had never thought to look at Gokus headstone. He read it aloud,
and gasped at what he saw. The Prince heard Gohan speak.
"I couldn't leave it off there."
Vegeta stood up. A single tear rolled down Gohans cheek.
"He was my father and my hero...and I'll never forget him."
There was silence for a while, then Gohan felt something on his shoulder. Looking round he saw
Vegetas hand resting there. It felt odd to Gohan - once the greatest menace to the Earth and
Universe was now offering him comfort. He was unsure how to react until Vegeta spoke.
"A martyr to us all...I respected him more than anyone else."
Gohan smiled sadly and nodded. Vegeta suddenly found his vision blurred. Reaching up to his
face, he was shocked to find that he was crying too. And not for himself...
He also smiled sadly and chuckled a little, eyes closed. Gohan looked at him.
"What?"
Vegeta opened his eyes, a small tear shining in each of their corners. He raised his head to the
breeze, cherry blossom flying free.
"Nothing...I think I just saw the water at the end of the flume."
I never conquered, rarely came
But tomorrow holds such better days
Days when I can still feel alive
When I can't wait to get outside
The world is wide, the time goes by
The tour is over, I survived
I can't wait till I get home
To pass the time in my room alone
- Adams Song, Blink 182
Son-Goku
-
Husband, Father, Grandfather - So Much More To Us All.
A Sacrifice We Will Never Forget.
We'll Miss You For Eternity.
-
"Kakarrot"
________________________________________________________________________
What do we think? Major R/R, please, big reviews if possible...thanks for your support.