Chapter Nineteen: Wake Up, Gohan
Tears. So many tears flooded through Gohan as his numb body lay still. Or was he moving? He couldn't tell since his head was swimming and jerking violently with his tremors. He could hear voices. Sad voices. One voice was above the rest. Someone was holding his hand.
"Please. Pull through this, Gohan," The bodiless voice whispered into Gohan's ear.
Another voice answered that one. A voice he strongly recognized as Piccolo.
"He probably can't hear you."
Someone squeezed his hand. Gohan tried to give a comfort squeeze back but his body wasn't functioning for him. His tears of frustration continued to fall as he sat alone in his mind vacant of most thoughts. Darkness started press in on him as he wept. But he ignored it. Death had claimed him or so he assumed. His soul was trapped in the two realities with no way to distinguish which was which. Course this was always a fear since he first came here so he couldn't truly be sure of its accuracy.
All Gohan could think about at this moment was the mangled bodies of Trunks and Pan. The two people he had become fairly close to the past few months. He missed them dearly. It was hard to remember them now in the abyss. But Gohan refused to let go of them. Not just yet. He wanted to remember their faces one last time. Their words. Their smiles and frowns. There laughter despite how scarce it was. Would they laugh more now that they were safe in heaven? He hoped that their afterlives would be less bleak then the lives they held on earth.
Gohan tried his best to hold on to their faces but they were starting to fade away just like every piece of him he had ever held. Pan's haunting fight with him still lingered in his mind. The harsh words from Trunks. Why did it have to be the bad thoughts to leave last?
"Stay away from me!" She hissed, "I don't exist to you! So you shouldn't care!"
"Please… Pan, I didn't know!" Gohan cried as she turned away from him.
"I was stupid for thinking my father was back." Pan snarled, "I was wrong. It was only his empty shell."
"Is that what you want, Trunks?" Gohan muttered. "To lose what little innocence you have left?"
Trunks seemed to be puzzled with the question. In the end, he muttered,
"I lost my innocence when they killed my father…"
I love them, Gohan realized. I loved them as dearly as I love my dad, my little brother, my mom…all my friends. In all this destruction I've somehow connected with their pain and sorrow. I really do love them.
Gohan stared down at his transparent hands. The image of himself in his mind. He clenched them and released forming two glowing energy balls. He wasn't going to be stuck here forever. He was going to have to rid himself before he lost himself completely. He wasn't going to fade out of exist unless he was doing it himself. Tears fell down his red cheeks as he held the ki dangerously close to his chest. Suddenly a hand grabbed his wrist. His dropped the chi and looked up through his tears at the person. The purple hair and blue eyes was unmistakable. And there was someone with him. Pan. She was holding his wrist too.
Don't do it, Gohan. Trunks smiled his voice echoing strangely about him.
You are still alive, Pan whispered clasping her other hand over her original grip on him. You can't give in just yet.
You're a terrific guy, Gohan. Trunks whispered doing the same as Pan, You have big things waiting for you. You are going to save all of us. But first, you have to get back home. We'll help. We'll get you back home, Gohan.
"I promised your mom I would bring you back safely," Gohan chocked through his tears. "I promised…"
I know. Trunks frowned. And you will.
"But because of me, you died!" Gohan cried.
No. Pan smiled. Because of you, we have a second chance.
It's true, Gohan. You are our hero, Trunks nodded.
Gohan realized at this point he was speechless. Tears were still falling but no words could express his sorrow. Pan smiled and pulled Gohan into a hug startling the boy, "Just wake up, Gohan."
Gohan's eyes snapped opened focusing in on a young man who was leaning over him. He looked like he was in his late thirties and the strangest part was he was familiar. His eyes shown with a light that Gohan could only recall in someone he faintly knew. So faintly he couldn't remember who. The man's face was badly scared and Gohan with a start realized he had no left arm. He tried not to let his eyes wander to that as the man was obviously very kind to be taking care of him this long. He smiled faintly at seeing Gohan awake. He brushed the dark bangs out of his eyes and whispered a small hello. Gohan tried to answer but found his voice was caught in his throat. With a bit of struggle he was finally about to blurt a hello back.
"Welcome to King Kai's," The man grinned.
To Be Continued…
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