Chapter Twenty One: Worries
A strange ringing filled Goku's sensitive ears as he landed softly on the beaten stones. It was a small shrine in the darker half of the Supreme Kai's planet. A small amount of light sparkled across Goku's face as he stared in awe at the structure in front of him. It had seen several thousand years. He smiled softly and rubbed the stone wall with his hand, absentmindedly.
"It's inside, Goku," Shin spoke delicately trying to get the attention of the sayian.
Goku didn't respond. Shin expected that. The pressure radiating from the temple often weakened a mortal's mind and body tremendously. Sure enough, Goku staggered on the spot grasping the wall for support.
"Hold on, Goku," Shin murmured. "We can still leave."
"No," Goku panted in determination. "I have to see…"
"You can only die once, Goku," Shin hissed. "That's why Kabito stayed behind. He couldn't take it either. Do you really want to risk your very existence?"
"Yes," Goku smirked. "I've needed a workout."
"Goku…" Shin spat severely as Goku leaned against him, "It's only gets harder if you manage to get inside."
Goku didn't answer. His feet shuffled against the stone as he staggered forward using the Kai as a cane. His breath grew more shallow and his eyes slowly began to droop. Shin noticed this a bit his lip guiltily.
"I can't help you all the way through," He said suddenly as they came to the entrance. "There is a barrier at the entrance frame that keeps all Kai's out. Only mortals and deities can penetrate it."
"I- I thought that mortals weren't wanted in there," Goku smiled awkwardly as the sweat beaded down his forehead.
They paused momentarily inches from the doorway. Shin stroked the air before him as a strange transparent wall bled into color. It only shown for a second and then faded as quickly as it came.
"I don't understand it either, Goku. Probably a sick joke from those above," Shin sighed. "Mortals are allowed in but its energy that flows from it is so overwhelming… You would wonder why something so godlike would want to tempt mortals."
"I know why," Goku smirked as his legs started to buckle beneath him. "They want us to see what could have been. But they want to make sure we are really willing to risk it all first."
"Goku… You won't make it," Shin muttered gently. "Even if you do manage to… what you will see might not be what you want to risk everything for."
"I know it will be worth it," Goku smiled. "I just have to see Gohan happy… I have to see my son living happily."
He pushed off the Supreme Kai and wobbled onward into the small corridor. Goku didn't look back. Not even when Shin wished him luck…
Goku let out a small cough and fell against the solid wall. The pressure against his body was incredible. It was like trying to run head-on through a wall of titanium. He was making it. That brought a big smile to his face. He was making it.
Goku gave off a small scream as the gold energy wrapped about him. It sparked around him like a fire and engulfed him in a bright white light. When his form reemerged, his hair was no longer a dark mass but rather a golden crown cropped on his head. His eyes had flashed into a deep turquoise. He smiled faintly and pressed onward. His aurora blinked out after a couple of seconds of trudging. He was quickly running out of energy and he knew it. His foot suddenly went out too fast and he tumbled forward to the ground. The impact was harsh even though the ground was really not that far away. He cringed as he pushed himself to his knees. He hadn't even noticed that the corridor had opened out into a small room. There in the center of the room was circular alter with a beam of white light radiating about it. It was pouring down from the hole in the ceiling creating a more then heavenly appearance.
Goku gawked in slight awe. He pressed upwards to his feet and stumbled over to the light. He paused before it, gripping his right arm tightly to stop the shaking that was coming over his body, "The quarter light. The entrance…"
Goku winced suddenly and fell forward, losing a grip over his energy. He fell into the light…
The pressure had lightened considerably off his chest and lungs. That was the first thing Goku was aware of. The second thing he realized was that he was hungry. Goku sat up and opened his dark eyes just to be nearly blinded by the white light about him. He cringed and used his right hand to shield his eyes from the light. He blinked and looked about him. As far as the eye could see was a eternal abyss of white. It was slightly comparable to the bad dreams he had right before he passed. The dreams of the coming androids. When he predicted their coming and he was trapped in the eternal whiteness of his mind unable to call upon his friends and family to warn them.
Goku bit his lip hard as he remembered the day he died. He couldn't even hold on long enough to say goodbye to Gohan. He went before Gohan made it home.
Tears slipped down his cheeks but he quickly wiped them away on the back of his palm.
"Past is past," He muttered. "You couldn't hold on for any longer. And that was that."
Goku clenched his fists causing them to shake. He rose slowly to his feet suddenly spotting a fountain spilling out crystal water over its marble holding. Goku's heart fluttered as he wandered towards it. It was beautiful… He pressed his hands on either side of the fountain to support himself and stared down into the clear water. It shimmered as he reflected his face back to him. Rippled crept across the water to the syllables of feminine whisper, "What is thy desire?"
The hair on the back of Goku's neck rose at that exquisite voice. He closed his eyes unable to answer quite yet. Memories of his young son sitting beside his bedside when he was sick rushed over him like a tremor. He shivered as a small tear traveled down his cheek.
"I want to see my son… if the androids were destroyed," Goku smiled.
The tear fell into the water rippling it. The single tear caused the whole fountain to glow a bright white. The whiteness dissolved into colors and images. He smiled as he recognized a young boy in his fighting gi.
"Gohan! And he is in the Tenkaichi Budoukai!"
He laughed happily as he heard Gohan's cheerful voice that he was so fond of. He was talking to his opponent so politely right before their match. Goku could tell the opponent was not to happy with being matched up with a 'runt'. They fought. It was rather quick. Goku was quite impressed by Gohan's speed and effectiveness. Needless to say, without the androids, Gohan grew much stronger then he would have with them.
Goku stuck his finger into the water and swirled it causing the image to fast forward itself. Goku drew back at the sudden image of destruction. He gasped as he saw Vegeta collapse to the ground with a light purple haired man. Krillen was out too. This creatures were powerful… Goku had no idea how they got into the tournament. He snarled when they applauded their victory.
Then Gohan came. Goku was shocked on how confident Gohan was acting. He was a little young to fight someone that strong yet if a couple of super sayian's couldn't take him. Then… Gohan changed. Goku's jaw dropped. He was super sayian… at twelve? How was that possible? But even with the extra boost of strength they plowed him into the ceiling or sky… Goku couldn't tell which.
"No!" Goku cried out. "Don't hurt him."
Goku was a bit too harsh with his statement and he tipped the fountain forward from its perch. Goku quickly caught it before it fell completely but a considerably amount of water fell out…and Gohan was gone from the fountain's reflection. It only showed a empty cracked sky.
"What did I do?" Goku muttered in worry as he stared at the transfixing image.
"Your father," Shin explained. "Managed to transverse your soul and body and that of your opponents into this world. By spilling the sacred water he created a rip in the time space continuum."
"Is there a way back?" Gohan asked in concern.
"Yes," Both Shin and Goku answered in unison.
Shin cast Goku a glare before continuing himself. Goku pursed his lips, looking guilty.
"You see, you can only get back in the way you came, of course. I think that I can reopen the rip but only for a period of time. And the moment I do it is all important," Shin stated sternly. "I'm sorry, Gohan. I feel responsible for this too…"
"So can it be done?" Gohan urged him onward.
"I think so," Shin muttered. "But it won't be easy. The deities are already frowning upon me for allowing Goku into the quarter light."
"They are the higher forces that rule above the Supreme Kai," Piccolo muttered filling Gohan in.
Gohan nodded in comprehension and looked for Shin to continue.
"If I were to open the rip again they will attack me. And anyone near me. That's why I mustn't stay long," Shin sputtered quickly. "But Gohan, I need you to go back through time first. I need you to correct what came from your interruption. That way, when you leave we can still function."
"I understand," Gohan nodded numbly. "How far back do you want to send me?"
"I can only send you back a day from when you were last on earth. On midnight of that night I will reopen the rip. Does that give you enough time to correct anything?"
"Yes," Gohan mumbled. "I think so."
"Don't worry, Gohan," Goku smiled. "We won't send you back just yet. You have to heal first. And we and hang out together for awhile. You don't have to go till your ready. Okay? How does that sound?"
"Really good," Gohan smiled affectionately at his father. "Sounds great."
The grandfather clock chimed a echoing sound from the other room. It was a strange hollow sound since time was rather frozen in heaven. Gohan closed his eyes and counted the chimes. He grinned and looked at everyone in the room, "It's midnight."
You have till midnight, or else Trunks will join him.
Gohan cringed slightly and fell limply back onto the bed. Piccolo rushed to Gohan's side in worry but Goku waved him off, "Don't worry. He just wore himself out."
"I'm worried for our little friend," Shin muttered softly.
He stared out the window of the North Kai's home into the bright skies of heaven.
"We all are, Shin," Goku murmured as he brushed back his son's bangs tenderly. "He gone through so much, and he still has to go through a lot more."
"It's more than that," Shin hissed darkly. "Gohan is not of this world. The deities of life and death are fighting over his soul. When he was alive, the deity of life welcomed him with opened arms. But when he was suppose to die, you stole him, Goku."
"What are you saying?" Piccolo questioned firmly.
"Goku left heaven as a dead man to retrieve him. Death missed out his chance to receive a soul from another dimension," Shin muttered, "The deity is unhappy. We have to be careful. He will try to claim Gohan. We might not have any power to stop him."
"Course we do," Goku snapped. "Gohan is getting better. Death won't have a reason to come after him."
"When deities are angry they do rash things, Goku," Shin whispered turning to face him. "I mean not to alarm you. But when a deity has a claim on a object, it means to obtain it. Even if it throws Gohan into limbo. I do not believe Gohan will be here much longer…"
To Be Continued…
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