Title: The Invasion Saga
Author: AstroKender
Warnings: Just a hint of mini angst, suprisingly.
Spoilers: None.
Notes: Takes place between the Cell and Buu sagas. Gohan centric.
Feedback: Welcome. Please review
Disclaimers: DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama and Funimation. This fic is for entertainment purposes and is not in any way meant for profit. Don't sue me.
In the last chapter of Dragonball Z, Gohan found out that the others were going to wish him back to life! After a heartfelt talk with his father, Gohan agreed to be brought back. The time has come to awaken Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, and to also put Krillin's plan into play. But what if it backfires?
Ch 8- The Split
"Trunks, these things are heavy. Why do I have to carry them all?" Goten whined. Sighing, he dropped the sixth ball down his collar. The arms of his blue undershirt were tied together to hold the Dragonballs they had collected. Goten's own arms were poking out from holes cut through later down, making it look like he was wearing some sort of bizarre blue necklace.
"You're heavy too, and I'm packing you around without complaining." Trunks bit back irritably. He was tired and he was hungry. All he wanted to do now was wish Gohan back and then sleep for a week. "Besides, I have to carry my mom's dragon radar." He waved the device under Goten's nose.
A rolling green meadow surrounded the two boys, marked here and there sparingly with a cluster of trees. The sun cast warm light upon them, inviting them to take a nap on the cool blanket of grass below their feet. Shaking off his drowsiness with a yawn, Trunks pushed the button on the Dragon Radar a few times, searching for their last target.
Examining the screen, Trunks smiled. "Only one more left. And it looks like...it's that a way. Northeast." Grabbing Goten's hand he slowly rose into the air. "Let's go!"
Goten looked down at the ground that was dropping down below him. He suddenly had some reservations about their plan. "I don't know, Trunks, maybe we should go back and tell the others what we're doing." He said, his expression troubled.
"Are you nuts?" Trunks exclaimed, craning his head to look down at his friend. "They were the ones fighting Gohan in the first place, what if they don't want Gohan wished back. They might try to stop us."
Goten bit his lip. "You're right. We can't let anyone keep us from wishing my brother back."
"Exactly. Now hang on tight, I want to get this over with." Trunks muttered, blasting forward through the air.
They flew for awhile in relative silence, each aware of what they were about to do and the enormous amount of trouble they could get in. But neither cared. All that mattered was having Gohan back; they could deal with everything else.
"Gee, this place sure does look kinda familiar, don't it Trunks?" Goten asked, peering down at the land below.
Trunks slowed their flight and looked around. "You're right. It's like we've been past here before." Pull out the Dragon Radar, he frowned. "This thing says the Dragonball should be straight ahead, but when I zoom in it's not there."
"Could it be underwater or something?" Goten asked, scratching his head with his free hand. Trunks rolled his eyes.
"No, stupid. It'd still show up if that was the case. Mom's Dragon Radar is programmed to spot any Dragonball up to thirty thousand feet above sea level. If it's on Earth, then this thing should find it."
"Then maybe the Dragonball isn't on Earth." Goten stated matter-of-factly.
Trunks sighed and blasted forward once more. "Try and use your head, Goten." He shouted. "How could a Dragonball get into space...." He trailed off suddenly as a strange object came into view. "Of course," he whispered.
A dark line had appeared in the distance, running perpendicular to the horizon and disappearing high into the clouds above. No wonder they recognized the area! They both had been here, only it had been at night. Shaking his head, Trunks tucked the radar back into his shirt. He didn't need it anymore; he knew exactly where to go.
Goten carefully adjusted the Dragonballs before looking forward. "Huh? Hey Trunks!" he called. "What's that up ahead?"
"Kami's Lookout. That's where the last Dragonball is."
Goten's eyes widened. "That's where Gohan died! I don't wanna go back there!" Goten cried, struggling to free himself from Trunks' iron grip.
"You want your brother back don't you?" Trunks snarled. "You don't have a choice so quit squirming before I accidentally drop you!"
Frowning, Goten obeyed. He really didn't want to go back up there, though. It didn't hold the best of memories and was sure to give Goten nightmares if he ever got the chance to sleep. Unnoticed, the knot tying his sleeves together unraveled and one by one, the Dragonballs fell down to Earth.
Feeling suddenly lighter, Goten looked down. "Oh no!"
"What is it?" Trunks called down.
"I just dropped all the Dragonballs!" Goten wailed.
Trunks halted in midair, leaving both of the boys feeling as though they had gotten whiplash. "You WHAT?" the purple-heard boy yelled.
"It wasn't my fault!" Goten whined.
***
"That's it," Trunks gasped, pulling himself slowly up to the ground of Kami's Lookout. "This is the last time I leave you in charge of anything important."
Goten trailed behind him, grunting from the effort of such a steep climb. "And I told you that it wasn't my fault. So shut up before I punch you!"
"Oh, I'm so afraid," Trunks said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. All his brusqueness vanished, however, as he looked slowly across what was once a beautiful courtyard. What had seemed to be a horrible nightmare in the darkness turning into gruesome reality in the light of day. Trunks repressed a shiver.
Behind him, Goten began to whimper. "I wanna go home," he sniffled.
"Quit being such a baby!" Trunks hissed, while nevertheless edging closer to his friend. Looking around at the rubble surrounding them, he gulped. "How are we ever going to find the Dragonball in this?"
"Do you mean this Dragonball?" A voice uttered off to their right, making both boys jump in fear. Trunks looked over quickly and sighed in relief. "Dad!" His gaze latched onto another figure. "And that short guy with no power."
"My name is Krillin, thank you." The human fighter growled. "What are you teaching this kid, Vegeta?"
"Nothing but the truth." Vegeta stepped over towards his son, twirling the four-star Dragonball in his hand. "So, how many Dragonballs have you gathered?"
Goten answered, his eyes never leaving the ball in Vegeta's hand. "All of them except for that one."
Vegeta smirked. "You want this one, do you?" he asked, throwing the ball up into the air tauntingly. Goten ran up and jumped as high as he could, smiling as his pudgy fingers enclosed over the ball's orange surface. Landing lightly, he held it up to Trunks. "Look! The last Dragonball! Now we can wish my brother back!"
But Trunks wasn't paying any attention; his eyes had never left his father. "What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked suspiciously.
"We're here to make a wish of our own." Vegeta crossed his arms idly. "You don't need both wishes to wish the brat back, do you?"
Trunks tensed. "What are you going to wish for?" he demanded. "Are you going to wish for the Dragon to kill Gohan right after he comes back?"
Goten's features darkened and his fist clenched. Vegeta noticed this and smirked. "And what if we were?"
"Forget it!" Goten screamed. "We'll wish for a hundred cheeseburgers before you even open your mouth!"
"Knock it off, Vegeta." Krillin called out. "Stop giving them a hard time." He looked over to Trunks and Goten and smiled.
"We're here cause we're afraid that Gohan's body is going to be taken over by that bad guy again. If that happens, we are going to wish that he is taken out of Gohan for good."
Nodding, Trunks relaxed. "Let's do it." Standing there for a moment, he scratched his head. "Uh, how do you call the Dragon, anyway?"
"First you need to put the Dragonballs on the ground all together." A new voice explained.
Krillin smiled. "Thanks for taking time from making repairs to help us, Dende."
Dende stepped out of one of the half collapsed domes, his servant, Mr. Popo, trailing behind. "Is there going to be another battle?" the young Namekian asked.
"I hope not, Dende." Krillin frowned.
"Me too!" Popo exclaimed. "I just started repairing the main hall."
Goten coughed loudly and gestured to the ground where the Dragonballs were gathered into a small pile. "Now what?" he asked eagerly.
Dende smiled. "Now, stand back." Lifting his arms, the Guardian of Earth closed his eyes as the others, except for Vegeta, scrambled backwards.
"Arise Shenron!" Dende called out in a voice louder than what his body should have been able to make.
The others watched in amazement as the Eternal Dragon awakened.
***
Piccolo wearily opened his eyes, as the sky above him grew dark. Is it night already, he wondered with an odd sort of detachment. The Namekian had not moved from where he had fallen just before dawn. He just lay there, baking in the sun's harsh light, only one arm attached to his body.
Piccolo's brows lowered as his senses slowly came back to him. If the sun had gone down, it would have been the fastest sunset in history. No, something else must be going on. Closing his eyes, Piccolo reached out with his ki. Searching for only a moment, he stiffened.
So. They called the Dragon. "They are going to wish Gohan back," he whispered hoarsely. "Maybe I should just kill myself now. Then I wouldn't have to face him." Piccolo clenched his one remaining fist in anguish.
With great effort, he raised himself into a sitting position. The blood from his shoulder had long dried, caking to his purple gi. His head pounded from being in the sun all day and his body was in desperate need for some water. But Piccolo ignored all these discomforts in favor of gazing off to the east, where he waited with baited breath for the reappearance of Gohan's ki.
"I don't think I could ever show my face to you again, kid." He whispered. "But you deserve an apology at the very least."
Piccolo half-rose to his feet before falling back over, lightheaded and nauseated. Sighing, he shook his head. "Now if I could only find the courage to give that to you."
***
/ YOU WHO HAVE AWAKENED ME, I SHALL GRANT TWO WISHES THAT ARE WITH MY POWER TO FULLFILL. NOW SPEAK. WHAT IS IT YOU WISH?/
Dende stepped forward; his eyes shining with determination as the others held their breaths. "Shenron! I wish for Son Gohan to be brought back to life!"
A long pause followed, with only the sound of their own pounding hearts to break the silence. Curling up around itself, the luminescent dragon nodded.
/ IT SHALL BE DONE./ he spoke, his large red eyes flashing.
***
Gohan surfaced from the cold waters of the Grand Kai's pond, an enormous fish raised triumphantly in his hand. "Dad! I caught another one! Wow, the Grand Kai's fish sure are huge!"
Goku looked over from where he was floating leisurely and smiled. "I think that's the biggest one so far." Gohan grinned with pride and, with a heave, tossed the gigantic goldfish in the pile with the others.
Falling backwards, Gohan floated near his father. "This has been so fun, I almost don't want to go back to the Earth." He sighed.
"Don't say that. You've got your whole life ahead of you, Gohan. There will be plenty of time for you and I to do all sorts of stuff together, once you've finished living it."
Gohan smiled at his father. "You're right. I've never even been to school yet. There are probably all sorts of adventures waiting for me back on earth. Er...once I've finished my homework, that is." At that both father and son broke out in laughter.
The laughter halted when a sixth sense flashed a warning in their minds. His face serious, Goku raised himself from the water and floated over to the bank. "It's time."
Sighing, Gohan nodded and rose from the water as well. Needing something to dispel the tension in the air, he adopted a panicked expression. "Dad! Quick! Throw me my pants!"
"Huh?" Goku blinked.
Gohan hopped wildly from foot to foot, waving his arms frantically. "Hurry! I don't want to be wished back to life in my underwear!" he exclaimed.
Goku burst out laughing before doing as he was told. Gohan quickly shimmied into his pants and pulled his shirt over his head. Fully dressed, he turned back to his father, his expression serious. "I guess this is goodbye for now," he murmured.
"For now," Goku smiled; watching as Gohan's halo slowly disappeared.
"I'll miss you a lot, Dad." Gohan admitted. "If there is anyway you could return to Earth, even for a day...Goten would love to meet you."
"Tell both him and your mom that I give them my love." He smile twisted evilly. "And tell Vegeta I've gotten stronger."
Gohan smiled and shook his head. He could feel himself begin to fade away. Looking up, he stared at his father in anguish. "Dad, I-"
The half-Saiyan vanished before he could finish. But it didn't matter; Goku knew what his oldest offspring was going to say.
"I love you too, son." Goku closed his eyes, smiling sadly to the empty air.
Opening them once more, he looked around the pond vacantly. Catching sight of the pile of fish, he sighed. "I guess I'd better return you back to the water, huh?"
The fishes flopped back their irritated reply.
***
/YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED./ the Dragon intoned.
Eyes wide, Goten looked about the courtyard in confusion. "Where-" Catching sight of a soft yellow glow, he gasped.
The glow brightened momentarily before fading rapidly. In place of the light stood-
"Gohan!" Goten cried happily, running forward.
The newly reborn half-Saiyan blinked in confusion before being bowled over by an over-excited four-year-old. "Hey Goten! I've missed you, kiddo."
Goten latched himself around his brother's neck, laughing and sobbing all at once. "Gohan! It's you! You're really back! Trunks! We did it!"
"All right!" Trunks whooped, jumping into the air in triumph. Dende and Mr. Popo grinned happily at each other.
Vegeta allowed himself a small smile before returning to his piercing stare. Their trial wasn't over with yet. Beside him, Krillin solemnly met his eyes and nodded. Above them, the Eternal Dragon coughed meaningfully.
/WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?/
Everyone suddenly turned to stare at Gohan, who jumped and scratched his head nervously. "Uh.... Is there a problem?"
"You tell me." Vegeta's eyes narrowed. Krillin laughed nervously.
"Maybe we got all worked up for nothing...."
Standing, Gohan felt a spasm of pain strike his mind and he reeled. Clenching his teeth, he looked down at his little brother. "You need to back away, Goten." He hissed.
Goten was immediately on alert. "The bad man's back, isn't he?" his childish voice demanded. "You have to fight him, Gohan!"
Gohan fell to his knees, clutching his head. "I'm...trying."
/SPEAK YOUR SECOND WISH NOW/ the Dragon commanded.
"Shut up!" Vegeta screamed back, his eyes glued to the half-Saiyan's struggles. Scowling, the Saiyan Prince could feel sweat beginning to bead across his brow.
Crying out in pain, Gohan writhed on the ground. He could feel his control slipping away again. /I'm not strong enough to hold him off! I told you, Dad!/
/Yes you are! Fight him, Son!/ Goku's voice resounded in his head.
Growling, Gohan rose to his feet. "I won't let you take over my body again!" he cried, blasting straight up into the air. Far enough above the others to keep them safe, Gohan burst into the level beyond Super-Saiyan, and with a roar, let out a massive wave of energy, trying to force Garlic from his mind. The coils of the Eternal Dragon surrounded the space around him as he screamed.
Down below, Vegeta hissed in agitation "Do it now, Krillin!" he ordered.
"Right!" Krillin shouted. Stepping forward, he raised his arms as Dende had done earlier. "Shenron! I wish that Gohan and Garlic Jr. were two separate people again!"
The Dragon's eyes flashed. /IT SHALL BE DONE./
Then the others heard a strangled scream from above, followed by a sickening ripping sound. Moments later, Gohan fell unconscious from the sky to land in the courtyard with an alarming crack. An instant afterward, a second Gohan fell to the ground beside him.
Krillin looked at the two Gohans in horror. "This can't be good...."
"Nice going, Baldy!" Vegeta snarled. "Could you have possibly worded that wish any worse?"
Sweating, Krillin growled back. "Hey! I'm not bald anymore, remember? I have hair!"
"Old habits die hard, I'm afraid." Vegeta crossed his arms, attempting to hide the fear rising within him.
"So do old villains." Krillin whispered, as the two Gohans began to stir.
Two Gohans? What a predicament! What could this mean for Earth's Special Forces? The tension in the air is thick as the wind gears up for a startling confrontation! This is one event you don't want to miss; the whole universe may be riding on it. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Dragonball Z!
In the next chapter of Dragonball Z, Garlic is purged from Gohan's mind. But at what a cost! Now possessing a body identical in both looks and strength to Gohan's own, how will this up and coming battle end? The other Z fighters watch on in confusion, unable to tell the two fighters apart. Will Gohan be able to win this battle on his own? Find out in the next chapter of DBZ, Chapter 9: Good versus Evil.
Author: AstroKender
Warnings: Just a hint of mini angst, suprisingly.
Spoilers: None.
Notes: Takes place between the Cell and Buu sagas. Gohan centric.
Feedback: Welcome. Please review
Disclaimers: DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama and Funimation. This fic is for entertainment purposes and is not in any way meant for profit. Don't sue me.
In the last chapter of Dragonball Z, Gohan found out that the others were going to wish him back to life! After a heartfelt talk with his father, Gohan agreed to be brought back. The time has come to awaken Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, and to also put Krillin's plan into play. But what if it backfires?
Ch 8- The Split
"Trunks, these things are heavy. Why do I have to carry them all?" Goten whined. Sighing, he dropped the sixth ball down his collar. The arms of his blue undershirt were tied together to hold the Dragonballs they had collected. Goten's own arms were poking out from holes cut through later down, making it look like he was wearing some sort of bizarre blue necklace.
"You're heavy too, and I'm packing you around without complaining." Trunks bit back irritably. He was tired and he was hungry. All he wanted to do now was wish Gohan back and then sleep for a week. "Besides, I have to carry my mom's dragon radar." He waved the device under Goten's nose.
A rolling green meadow surrounded the two boys, marked here and there sparingly with a cluster of trees. The sun cast warm light upon them, inviting them to take a nap on the cool blanket of grass below their feet. Shaking off his drowsiness with a yawn, Trunks pushed the button on the Dragon Radar a few times, searching for their last target.
Examining the screen, Trunks smiled. "Only one more left. And it looks like...it's that a way. Northeast." Grabbing Goten's hand he slowly rose into the air. "Let's go!"
Goten looked down at the ground that was dropping down below him. He suddenly had some reservations about their plan. "I don't know, Trunks, maybe we should go back and tell the others what we're doing." He said, his expression troubled.
"Are you nuts?" Trunks exclaimed, craning his head to look down at his friend. "They were the ones fighting Gohan in the first place, what if they don't want Gohan wished back. They might try to stop us."
Goten bit his lip. "You're right. We can't let anyone keep us from wishing my brother back."
"Exactly. Now hang on tight, I want to get this over with." Trunks muttered, blasting forward through the air.
They flew for awhile in relative silence, each aware of what they were about to do and the enormous amount of trouble they could get in. But neither cared. All that mattered was having Gohan back; they could deal with everything else.
"Gee, this place sure does look kinda familiar, don't it Trunks?" Goten asked, peering down at the land below.
Trunks slowed their flight and looked around. "You're right. It's like we've been past here before." Pull out the Dragon Radar, he frowned. "This thing says the Dragonball should be straight ahead, but when I zoom in it's not there."
"Could it be underwater or something?" Goten asked, scratching his head with his free hand. Trunks rolled his eyes.
"No, stupid. It'd still show up if that was the case. Mom's Dragon Radar is programmed to spot any Dragonball up to thirty thousand feet above sea level. If it's on Earth, then this thing should find it."
"Then maybe the Dragonball isn't on Earth." Goten stated matter-of-factly.
Trunks sighed and blasted forward once more. "Try and use your head, Goten." He shouted. "How could a Dragonball get into space...." He trailed off suddenly as a strange object came into view. "Of course," he whispered.
A dark line had appeared in the distance, running perpendicular to the horizon and disappearing high into the clouds above. No wonder they recognized the area! They both had been here, only it had been at night. Shaking his head, Trunks tucked the radar back into his shirt. He didn't need it anymore; he knew exactly where to go.
Goten carefully adjusted the Dragonballs before looking forward. "Huh? Hey Trunks!" he called. "What's that up ahead?"
"Kami's Lookout. That's where the last Dragonball is."
Goten's eyes widened. "That's where Gohan died! I don't wanna go back there!" Goten cried, struggling to free himself from Trunks' iron grip.
"You want your brother back don't you?" Trunks snarled. "You don't have a choice so quit squirming before I accidentally drop you!"
Frowning, Goten obeyed. He really didn't want to go back up there, though. It didn't hold the best of memories and was sure to give Goten nightmares if he ever got the chance to sleep. Unnoticed, the knot tying his sleeves together unraveled and one by one, the Dragonballs fell down to Earth.
Feeling suddenly lighter, Goten looked down. "Oh no!"
"What is it?" Trunks called down.
"I just dropped all the Dragonballs!" Goten wailed.
Trunks halted in midair, leaving both of the boys feeling as though they had gotten whiplash. "You WHAT?" the purple-heard boy yelled.
"It wasn't my fault!" Goten whined.
***
"That's it," Trunks gasped, pulling himself slowly up to the ground of Kami's Lookout. "This is the last time I leave you in charge of anything important."
Goten trailed behind him, grunting from the effort of such a steep climb. "And I told you that it wasn't my fault. So shut up before I punch you!"
"Oh, I'm so afraid," Trunks said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. All his brusqueness vanished, however, as he looked slowly across what was once a beautiful courtyard. What had seemed to be a horrible nightmare in the darkness turning into gruesome reality in the light of day. Trunks repressed a shiver.
Behind him, Goten began to whimper. "I wanna go home," he sniffled.
"Quit being such a baby!" Trunks hissed, while nevertheless edging closer to his friend. Looking around at the rubble surrounding them, he gulped. "How are we ever going to find the Dragonball in this?"
"Do you mean this Dragonball?" A voice uttered off to their right, making both boys jump in fear. Trunks looked over quickly and sighed in relief. "Dad!" His gaze latched onto another figure. "And that short guy with no power."
"My name is Krillin, thank you." The human fighter growled. "What are you teaching this kid, Vegeta?"
"Nothing but the truth." Vegeta stepped over towards his son, twirling the four-star Dragonball in his hand. "So, how many Dragonballs have you gathered?"
Goten answered, his eyes never leaving the ball in Vegeta's hand. "All of them except for that one."
Vegeta smirked. "You want this one, do you?" he asked, throwing the ball up into the air tauntingly. Goten ran up and jumped as high as he could, smiling as his pudgy fingers enclosed over the ball's orange surface. Landing lightly, he held it up to Trunks. "Look! The last Dragonball! Now we can wish my brother back!"
But Trunks wasn't paying any attention; his eyes had never left his father. "What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked suspiciously.
"We're here to make a wish of our own." Vegeta crossed his arms idly. "You don't need both wishes to wish the brat back, do you?"
Trunks tensed. "What are you going to wish for?" he demanded. "Are you going to wish for the Dragon to kill Gohan right after he comes back?"
Goten's features darkened and his fist clenched. Vegeta noticed this and smirked. "And what if we were?"
"Forget it!" Goten screamed. "We'll wish for a hundred cheeseburgers before you even open your mouth!"
"Knock it off, Vegeta." Krillin called out. "Stop giving them a hard time." He looked over to Trunks and Goten and smiled.
"We're here cause we're afraid that Gohan's body is going to be taken over by that bad guy again. If that happens, we are going to wish that he is taken out of Gohan for good."
Nodding, Trunks relaxed. "Let's do it." Standing there for a moment, he scratched his head. "Uh, how do you call the Dragon, anyway?"
"First you need to put the Dragonballs on the ground all together." A new voice explained.
Krillin smiled. "Thanks for taking time from making repairs to help us, Dende."
Dende stepped out of one of the half collapsed domes, his servant, Mr. Popo, trailing behind. "Is there going to be another battle?" the young Namekian asked.
"I hope not, Dende." Krillin frowned.
"Me too!" Popo exclaimed. "I just started repairing the main hall."
Goten coughed loudly and gestured to the ground where the Dragonballs were gathered into a small pile. "Now what?" he asked eagerly.
Dende smiled. "Now, stand back." Lifting his arms, the Guardian of Earth closed his eyes as the others, except for Vegeta, scrambled backwards.
"Arise Shenron!" Dende called out in a voice louder than what his body should have been able to make.
The others watched in amazement as the Eternal Dragon awakened.
***
Piccolo wearily opened his eyes, as the sky above him grew dark. Is it night already, he wondered with an odd sort of detachment. The Namekian had not moved from where he had fallen just before dawn. He just lay there, baking in the sun's harsh light, only one arm attached to his body.
Piccolo's brows lowered as his senses slowly came back to him. If the sun had gone down, it would have been the fastest sunset in history. No, something else must be going on. Closing his eyes, Piccolo reached out with his ki. Searching for only a moment, he stiffened.
So. They called the Dragon. "They are going to wish Gohan back," he whispered hoarsely. "Maybe I should just kill myself now. Then I wouldn't have to face him." Piccolo clenched his one remaining fist in anguish.
With great effort, he raised himself into a sitting position. The blood from his shoulder had long dried, caking to his purple gi. His head pounded from being in the sun all day and his body was in desperate need for some water. But Piccolo ignored all these discomforts in favor of gazing off to the east, where he waited with baited breath for the reappearance of Gohan's ki.
"I don't think I could ever show my face to you again, kid." He whispered. "But you deserve an apology at the very least."
Piccolo half-rose to his feet before falling back over, lightheaded and nauseated. Sighing, he shook his head. "Now if I could only find the courage to give that to you."
***
/ YOU WHO HAVE AWAKENED ME, I SHALL GRANT TWO WISHES THAT ARE WITH MY POWER TO FULLFILL. NOW SPEAK. WHAT IS IT YOU WISH?/
Dende stepped forward; his eyes shining with determination as the others held their breaths. "Shenron! I wish for Son Gohan to be brought back to life!"
A long pause followed, with only the sound of their own pounding hearts to break the silence. Curling up around itself, the luminescent dragon nodded.
/ IT SHALL BE DONE./ he spoke, his large red eyes flashing.
***
Gohan surfaced from the cold waters of the Grand Kai's pond, an enormous fish raised triumphantly in his hand. "Dad! I caught another one! Wow, the Grand Kai's fish sure are huge!"
Goku looked over from where he was floating leisurely and smiled. "I think that's the biggest one so far." Gohan grinned with pride and, with a heave, tossed the gigantic goldfish in the pile with the others.
Falling backwards, Gohan floated near his father. "This has been so fun, I almost don't want to go back to the Earth." He sighed.
"Don't say that. You've got your whole life ahead of you, Gohan. There will be plenty of time for you and I to do all sorts of stuff together, once you've finished living it."
Gohan smiled at his father. "You're right. I've never even been to school yet. There are probably all sorts of adventures waiting for me back on earth. Er...once I've finished my homework, that is." At that both father and son broke out in laughter.
The laughter halted when a sixth sense flashed a warning in their minds. His face serious, Goku raised himself from the water and floated over to the bank. "It's time."
Sighing, Gohan nodded and rose from the water as well. Needing something to dispel the tension in the air, he adopted a panicked expression. "Dad! Quick! Throw me my pants!"
"Huh?" Goku blinked.
Gohan hopped wildly from foot to foot, waving his arms frantically. "Hurry! I don't want to be wished back to life in my underwear!" he exclaimed.
Goku burst out laughing before doing as he was told. Gohan quickly shimmied into his pants and pulled his shirt over his head. Fully dressed, he turned back to his father, his expression serious. "I guess this is goodbye for now," he murmured.
"For now," Goku smiled; watching as Gohan's halo slowly disappeared.
"I'll miss you a lot, Dad." Gohan admitted. "If there is anyway you could return to Earth, even for a day...Goten would love to meet you."
"Tell both him and your mom that I give them my love." He smile twisted evilly. "And tell Vegeta I've gotten stronger."
Gohan smiled and shook his head. He could feel himself begin to fade away. Looking up, he stared at his father in anguish. "Dad, I-"
The half-Saiyan vanished before he could finish. But it didn't matter; Goku knew what his oldest offspring was going to say.
"I love you too, son." Goku closed his eyes, smiling sadly to the empty air.
Opening them once more, he looked around the pond vacantly. Catching sight of the pile of fish, he sighed. "I guess I'd better return you back to the water, huh?"
The fishes flopped back their irritated reply.
***
/YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED./ the Dragon intoned.
Eyes wide, Goten looked about the courtyard in confusion. "Where-" Catching sight of a soft yellow glow, he gasped.
The glow brightened momentarily before fading rapidly. In place of the light stood-
"Gohan!" Goten cried happily, running forward.
The newly reborn half-Saiyan blinked in confusion before being bowled over by an over-excited four-year-old. "Hey Goten! I've missed you, kiddo."
Goten latched himself around his brother's neck, laughing and sobbing all at once. "Gohan! It's you! You're really back! Trunks! We did it!"
"All right!" Trunks whooped, jumping into the air in triumph. Dende and Mr. Popo grinned happily at each other.
Vegeta allowed himself a small smile before returning to his piercing stare. Their trial wasn't over with yet. Beside him, Krillin solemnly met his eyes and nodded. Above them, the Eternal Dragon coughed meaningfully.
/WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?/
Everyone suddenly turned to stare at Gohan, who jumped and scratched his head nervously. "Uh.... Is there a problem?"
"You tell me." Vegeta's eyes narrowed. Krillin laughed nervously.
"Maybe we got all worked up for nothing...."
Standing, Gohan felt a spasm of pain strike his mind and he reeled. Clenching his teeth, he looked down at his little brother. "You need to back away, Goten." He hissed.
Goten was immediately on alert. "The bad man's back, isn't he?" his childish voice demanded. "You have to fight him, Gohan!"
Gohan fell to his knees, clutching his head. "I'm...trying."
/SPEAK YOUR SECOND WISH NOW/ the Dragon commanded.
"Shut up!" Vegeta screamed back, his eyes glued to the half-Saiyan's struggles. Scowling, the Saiyan Prince could feel sweat beginning to bead across his brow.
Crying out in pain, Gohan writhed on the ground. He could feel his control slipping away again. /I'm not strong enough to hold him off! I told you, Dad!/
/Yes you are! Fight him, Son!/ Goku's voice resounded in his head.
Growling, Gohan rose to his feet. "I won't let you take over my body again!" he cried, blasting straight up into the air. Far enough above the others to keep them safe, Gohan burst into the level beyond Super-Saiyan, and with a roar, let out a massive wave of energy, trying to force Garlic from his mind. The coils of the Eternal Dragon surrounded the space around him as he screamed.
Down below, Vegeta hissed in agitation "Do it now, Krillin!" he ordered.
"Right!" Krillin shouted. Stepping forward, he raised his arms as Dende had done earlier. "Shenron! I wish that Gohan and Garlic Jr. were two separate people again!"
The Dragon's eyes flashed. /IT SHALL BE DONE./
Then the others heard a strangled scream from above, followed by a sickening ripping sound. Moments later, Gohan fell unconscious from the sky to land in the courtyard with an alarming crack. An instant afterward, a second Gohan fell to the ground beside him.
Krillin looked at the two Gohans in horror. "This can't be good...."
"Nice going, Baldy!" Vegeta snarled. "Could you have possibly worded that wish any worse?"
Sweating, Krillin growled back. "Hey! I'm not bald anymore, remember? I have hair!"
"Old habits die hard, I'm afraid." Vegeta crossed his arms, attempting to hide the fear rising within him.
"So do old villains." Krillin whispered, as the two Gohans began to stir.
Two Gohans? What a predicament! What could this mean for Earth's Special Forces? The tension in the air is thick as the wind gears up for a startling confrontation! This is one event you don't want to miss; the whole universe may be riding on it. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Dragonball Z!
In the next chapter of Dragonball Z, Garlic is purged from Gohan's mind. But at what a cost! Now possessing a body identical in both looks and strength to Gohan's own, how will this up and coming battle end? The other Z fighters watch on in confusion, unable to tell the two fighters apart. Will Gohan be able to win this battle on his own? Find out in the next chapter of DBZ, Chapter 9: Good versus Evil.