!IMPORTANT!
An Alternate Afterlife will soon reach its end. I decided there are only
going to be one or two more chapters, and then it's over. This is partially
because this story is called "An Alternate Afterlife," and Cell and Goku
aren't exactly dead anymore. The other reason is that I want to work on
other fandoms, and I said I wouldn't until I finished this. Don't worry,
this storyline won't be over. As soon as I stop dabbling in other fandoms,
I'm going to get to work on "A Conceivable Outcome," the sequel to this
thing. The cast of characters is going to be much bigger than it was in "An
Alternate Afterlife," so it won't be quite so Cell-centric, but he will
still be the main character.
Author's Note: Discontinued the whole "Elsewhere. . ." thing. Quite frankly any more tidbits would ruin the story that may or may not be written before Christmas. Probably not, especially if people want to get back to present day Nione. I'll just go and write "A Conceivable Outcome" after working on other fandoms for a bit. I'm thinking Slayers. Once wrote a bit of it (bit being about 40,000 words) but the writing program I had at the time wasn't compatible with FFN so I didn't get any of it posted. Then I switched computers, and it all got erased. I can't say I'm sorry. One or two of the shorter stories were okay, but in retrospect the 32,000 word monster (titled rather unoriginally "Slayers AGAIN") sucked really, really bad. For a while I agonized over it, then chalked it up to a learning experience and moved on. Reread chapter 14. I made some minor revisions, so this chapter will make more sense. Again no Cell, but mainly because I lost inspiration and wanted to post something. Take a few guesses as to who the leader of the rebellion is. I don't think anyone will get it right who I have in mind, but if there is a better suggestion. . .
Goku had enough experience dealing with possible realities to not go into shock at the sight of himself. It was rather apparent after about five minutes that this alternate Goku also used to unusual situations, though of a different sort than himself. As the tank opened, a rather subdued looking lizard-like creature handed him an outfit that bore a great resemblance to the one Bulma had gifted him with when he had entered the Room of Spirit and Time with Gohan, except this version of the saiyan battle-suit had black spandex and shoulder guards. The alternate Goku gestured for the newly healed saiyan to follow him, and Goku noticed one rather glaring difference between himself and. . . himself. This version had a tale.
If Goku were so inclined, he perhaps would have started wondering what differences there were in the time continuum for this Goku to have a tail and it appeared some authority as well, as several beings bowed to alternate him as they walked past. However, speculation gained him nothing, so he didn't bother. The room they finally entered was rather small, and contained several scientist-types and the blonde girl who had picked Goku and Cell up earlier. Not that Goku had any way of knowing that, being unconscious at the time. As this version of himself sat down, he glanced significantly at the chair opposite at him, and not being nearly as dense as supposed by most, Goku got the clue and settled opposite him.
"I would be rather interested to know how you managed to resist the Emporium mind shrieks, clone." "Huh?" The other him sighed at this. "I presume you do not know of your origins." "Well, actually I do know where I'm from. It's just you got it wrong. I'm not a clone." Goku Version 2, as Goku mentally tagged him, raised an eyebrow. "How interesting. You actually believe that." "Perhaps he was intended to replace you in a takeover," one scientist with a shock of blue hair suggested. "Look, Kakarot or Goku or whatever you're called here, I'm not from around here." The scientist looked up from their clipboards. The blonde momentarily stopped filing her nails where they had grown ragged in the forest trek. Goku Version 2's eyes widened, for the first time actually resembling Version 1. It was the other Goku who spoke first. "I do apologize. I should have made introductions. I am Colonel Goten of the Rebellion's Seventh Precinct." He smiled sadly. "You must have mistaken me for my father. I am told I resemble him greatly." The blonde spoke up for the first time. "And I am Commander Marron of Squad Thirteen, under the Colonel's command." "Ummm. . . wow! I didn't know Chichi was pregnant!" Goku gave the classic Son grin to what he now knew was his offspring and not himself. "Hello, son!"
Again there was silence. Marron broke it. "Well, fuck. Isn't this from the twilight zone." "Sorry. I guess I should have told you who I was too. I'm Goku, your dad I guess, though since this is an alternate universe I suppose I could be Kakarot here." "My father has been dead for twenty-three years. He died almost a year before I was born, killed by the android Cell." "Wow, that happened in my universe too. If I did get Chichi pregnant any kid I'd have would be about your age." Goten continued to look at Goku. He spoke in a monotone. "Twenty years ago a monster that had once been my brother came back from the dead, and with his sensei, the demon king Piccolo, he then proceeded to conquer the galaxy and enslave all of the inhabitants." (Piccolo. . . well, I always knew you would do anything for Gohan. He's all you have ever cared about, bound to Kami or no.) Unknowing of Goku's thoughts, the demi-saiyan continued. "He gave all the credit to his success as a murderer to the one who unleashed him. The android which killed his father and released the bonds that held him." Goku felt the bottem of his stomach drop out. "This monster's name. . . it wouldn't happen to be Nione, would it?" "I doubt you are in an alternate reality at all, father. You are in the future."
The demi-saiyan stood up and moved to the holoviewer which gave the appearance of the outside, for all they were underground. His voice was distant. "I often wondered why my father in the afterlife could not stop my brother's descent into madness. I thought I knew, once. The android had unlocked the darkness before you could save your elder son's soul, and they in turn destroyed yours. The only problem with my theory is why Nione didn't resurrect that which released him, but I thought it beyond the power of the dragonballs. But here you are, with no knowledge of what has transpired, your soul intact. I was once told of your Instant Transmission technique, but I had no idea it possessed the power to transverse time." He looked at the saiyan, whose features currently held an uncharacteristic grimness. "I presume it was the Instant Transmission you used?" "Yes, but the rest of your facts are somewhat skewed. Cell. . . he did release Nione, but that was unintentional. Believe me when I say Cell is the last person to want to release Gohan's inner saiyan." "You speak of the android in the present tense." "Was there someone with me when you guys brought me here?" "Yes." "Well, that would be Cell. But I swear if you try to get revenge on him for a slight he did not commit, son or no, I will destroy you. I have already lost the only son I ever knew. I refuse to lose my best friend as well."
"Funny, I was always under the impression that your best friend was me." Everyone stared at the door in a stunned silence, but no one was more surprised than Goku. "Krillin?!" He sure didn't look like the bald monk Goku remembered. The lack of height was still prevalent, but a shock of grey hair and a large moustache hid any recognizable features, though the lack of a nose. . . "Krillin! It is you!" Goku shot up and seized the human in a bear hug. "Wow, with the wig and the moustache I never would have. . ." "Goku, you're chocking me." "Oh, sorry." Marron looked exasperated. "Dad, you know this area is restricted. Authorized personnel only." "Honey, I am not about to sit around and wait for my daughter and a kid I used to baby-sit not tell me anything." He turned to the saiyan. "And Goku, this isn't a wig." "Really? I thought you were naturally bald." "Naw, I just kept it well waxed. But really Goku, Cell? Aren't there some nice heroes up in heaven for you to be best friends with? I mean, I can understand you wanting to find a replacement for me seeing as everyone thought you were permanently dead, but I thought, well you know, you might try someone who hasn't tried to kill you." "Krillin, all of my friends have tried to kill me. Besides, Pikkon is pretty cool, but everyone else up there is scared of me and only Cell can match my stamina. Besides, he's a great sparring partner. You never really fought him, but he's got a left hook like you wouldn't believe." The formerly bald former monk rolled his eyes. "You have weird requirements for a best friend, Goku. And what about Bulma?" "The first thing she ever did when she met me was shoot me in the head." Something said earlier finally clicked in the saiyan's mind. "Wait a second, dad?" His eyes darted back and forth between Krillin and Marron. Krillin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in a move obviously acquired from spending too much time with Goku. "Um, well. . ."
"Dear, you know you should never enter restricted areas without me to guard you back." The saiyan got a good look before Krillin stepped in front of his wife, waving his hands in an obvious move to placate her. "Honey. . ." was as far as he got before Goku burst out laughing. Tears were streaming down the former champion of Earth's face before he managed to get a hold of himself. "Hahahaha. . ." Goku wiped his eyes. "Wow Krillin, you really bring a whole new meaning to the word hypocrite." "Hey! Look Goku, I don't know when you suddenly gained a vocabulary, but the circumstances aren't the same." "I may spar with Cell, but at least I didn't marry him. That's the only difference I can see." "Eighteen's a lot better looking than Cell, for one thing." "By the reactions of the female heroes up in heaven, I don't really think that's true, Krillin. I'm sure the story of how you two got together is interesting, but I won't ask if you won't." "Deal."
"Besides the fact that the two of you shouldn't be here, I have some rather bad news for you, father." Goku looked into his son's face, and all the good feelings he had gained from seeing Krillin again faded away. "Something's wrong with Cell, isn't there." "Not physically. We thought so at first, but if the blood was his, then he already regenerated from his injuries, except for one strange mark on the side of his neck. He just won't wake up." "A coma?" One of the scientists shook his head. "We already knew before you told us of his origins that your friend wasn't human. His body can't enter a coma in the way humans can. He's catatonic, except his brainwave activity is actually higher than a human in a conscious state. Stimulants do nothing, shock therapy does less than that, and our psychics who work as healers can't get past his mental shields. He's very powerful." "But you can do nothing." "Not unless you have some ideas that we haven't thought of." Goku shook his head. He knew nothing of technology, and this wasn't a situation he had experienced before. "I don't, but can I see him, at least?" The scientists glanced at each other, but the one with the shock of blue hair sighed and agreed. "I suppose so. It would be difficult to make the patient's condition worse."
As Goku and a few of the scientists headed out the door, Goten spoke. "Father, after you see the android, we have a few things we need to talk about. I have heard stories about your heroics, and heroes are something the rebellion has in short supply. And, well. . ." Goku looked back at the son he had never known. His voice softened. "Of course we'll talk, son. This probably won't take long. I. . . want to talk with you too." Goten nodded, and that was the end of it.
Author's Note: Discontinued the whole "Elsewhere. . ." thing. Quite frankly any more tidbits would ruin the story that may or may not be written before Christmas. Probably not, especially if people want to get back to present day Nione. I'll just go and write "A Conceivable Outcome" after working on other fandoms for a bit. I'm thinking Slayers. Once wrote a bit of it (bit being about 40,000 words) but the writing program I had at the time wasn't compatible with FFN so I didn't get any of it posted. Then I switched computers, and it all got erased. I can't say I'm sorry. One or two of the shorter stories were okay, but in retrospect the 32,000 word monster (titled rather unoriginally "Slayers AGAIN") sucked really, really bad. For a while I agonized over it, then chalked it up to a learning experience and moved on. Reread chapter 14. I made some minor revisions, so this chapter will make more sense. Again no Cell, but mainly because I lost inspiration and wanted to post something. Take a few guesses as to who the leader of the rebellion is. I don't think anyone will get it right who I have in mind, but if there is a better suggestion. . .
Goku had enough experience dealing with possible realities to not go into shock at the sight of himself. It was rather apparent after about five minutes that this alternate Goku also used to unusual situations, though of a different sort than himself. As the tank opened, a rather subdued looking lizard-like creature handed him an outfit that bore a great resemblance to the one Bulma had gifted him with when he had entered the Room of Spirit and Time with Gohan, except this version of the saiyan battle-suit had black spandex and shoulder guards. The alternate Goku gestured for the newly healed saiyan to follow him, and Goku noticed one rather glaring difference between himself and. . . himself. This version had a tale.
If Goku were so inclined, he perhaps would have started wondering what differences there were in the time continuum for this Goku to have a tail and it appeared some authority as well, as several beings bowed to alternate him as they walked past. However, speculation gained him nothing, so he didn't bother. The room they finally entered was rather small, and contained several scientist-types and the blonde girl who had picked Goku and Cell up earlier. Not that Goku had any way of knowing that, being unconscious at the time. As this version of himself sat down, he glanced significantly at the chair opposite at him, and not being nearly as dense as supposed by most, Goku got the clue and settled opposite him.
"I would be rather interested to know how you managed to resist the Emporium mind shrieks, clone." "Huh?" The other him sighed at this. "I presume you do not know of your origins." "Well, actually I do know where I'm from. It's just you got it wrong. I'm not a clone." Goku Version 2, as Goku mentally tagged him, raised an eyebrow. "How interesting. You actually believe that." "Perhaps he was intended to replace you in a takeover," one scientist with a shock of blue hair suggested. "Look, Kakarot or Goku or whatever you're called here, I'm not from around here." The scientist looked up from their clipboards. The blonde momentarily stopped filing her nails where they had grown ragged in the forest trek. Goku Version 2's eyes widened, for the first time actually resembling Version 1. It was the other Goku who spoke first. "I do apologize. I should have made introductions. I am Colonel Goten of the Rebellion's Seventh Precinct." He smiled sadly. "You must have mistaken me for my father. I am told I resemble him greatly." The blonde spoke up for the first time. "And I am Commander Marron of Squad Thirteen, under the Colonel's command." "Ummm. . . wow! I didn't know Chichi was pregnant!" Goku gave the classic Son grin to what he now knew was his offspring and not himself. "Hello, son!"
Again there was silence. Marron broke it. "Well, fuck. Isn't this from the twilight zone." "Sorry. I guess I should have told you who I was too. I'm Goku, your dad I guess, though since this is an alternate universe I suppose I could be Kakarot here." "My father has been dead for twenty-three years. He died almost a year before I was born, killed by the android Cell." "Wow, that happened in my universe too. If I did get Chichi pregnant any kid I'd have would be about your age." Goten continued to look at Goku. He spoke in a monotone. "Twenty years ago a monster that had once been my brother came back from the dead, and with his sensei, the demon king Piccolo, he then proceeded to conquer the galaxy and enslave all of the inhabitants." (Piccolo. . . well, I always knew you would do anything for Gohan. He's all you have ever cared about, bound to Kami or no.) Unknowing of Goku's thoughts, the demi-saiyan continued. "He gave all the credit to his success as a murderer to the one who unleashed him. The android which killed his father and released the bonds that held him." Goku felt the bottem of his stomach drop out. "This monster's name. . . it wouldn't happen to be Nione, would it?" "I doubt you are in an alternate reality at all, father. You are in the future."
The demi-saiyan stood up and moved to the holoviewer which gave the appearance of the outside, for all they were underground. His voice was distant. "I often wondered why my father in the afterlife could not stop my brother's descent into madness. I thought I knew, once. The android had unlocked the darkness before you could save your elder son's soul, and they in turn destroyed yours. The only problem with my theory is why Nione didn't resurrect that which released him, but I thought it beyond the power of the dragonballs. But here you are, with no knowledge of what has transpired, your soul intact. I was once told of your Instant Transmission technique, but I had no idea it possessed the power to transverse time." He looked at the saiyan, whose features currently held an uncharacteristic grimness. "I presume it was the Instant Transmission you used?" "Yes, but the rest of your facts are somewhat skewed. Cell. . . he did release Nione, but that was unintentional. Believe me when I say Cell is the last person to want to release Gohan's inner saiyan." "You speak of the android in the present tense." "Was there someone with me when you guys brought me here?" "Yes." "Well, that would be Cell. But I swear if you try to get revenge on him for a slight he did not commit, son or no, I will destroy you. I have already lost the only son I ever knew. I refuse to lose my best friend as well."
"Funny, I was always under the impression that your best friend was me." Everyone stared at the door in a stunned silence, but no one was more surprised than Goku. "Krillin?!" He sure didn't look like the bald monk Goku remembered. The lack of height was still prevalent, but a shock of grey hair and a large moustache hid any recognizable features, though the lack of a nose. . . "Krillin! It is you!" Goku shot up and seized the human in a bear hug. "Wow, with the wig and the moustache I never would have. . ." "Goku, you're chocking me." "Oh, sorry." Marron looked exasperated. "Dad, you know this area is restricted. Authorized personnel only." "Honey, I am not about to sit around and wait for my daughter and a kid I used to baby-sit not tell me anything." He turned to the saiyan. "And Goku, this isn't a wig." "Really? I thought you were naturally bald." "Naw, I just kept it well waxed. But really Goku, Cell? Aren't there some nice heroes up in heaven for you to be best friends with? I mean, I can understand you wanting to find a replacement for me seeing as everyone thought you were permanently dead, but I thought, well you know, you might try someone who hasn't tried to kill you." "Krillin, all of my friends have tried to kill me. Besides, Pikkon is pretty cool, but everyone else up there is scared of me and only Cell can match my stamina. Besides, he's a great sparring partner. You never really fought him, but he's got a left hook like you wouldn't believe." The formerly bald former monk rolled his eyes. "You have weird requirements for a best friend, Goku. And what about Bulma?" "The first thing she ever did when she met me was shoot me in the head." Something said earlier finally clicked in the saiyan's mind. "Wait a second, dad?" His eyes darted back and forth between Krillin and Marron. Krillin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in a move obviously acquired from spending too much time with Goku. "Um, well. . ."
"Dear, you know you should never enter restricted areas without me to guard you back." The saiyan got a good look before Krillin stepped in front of his wife, waving his hands in an obvious move to placate her. "Honey. . ." was as far as he got before Goku burst out laughing. Tears were streaming down the former champion of Earth's face before he managed to get a hold of himself. "Hahahaha. . ." Goku wiped his eyes. "Wow Krillin, you really bring a whole new meaning to the word hypocrite." "Hey! Look Goku, I don't know when you suddenly gained a vocabulary, but the circumstances aren't the same." "I may spar with Cell, but at least I didn't marry him. That's the only difference I can see." "Eighteen's a lot better looking than Cell, for one thing." "By the reactions of the female heroes up in heaven, I don't really think that's true, Krillin. I'm sure the story of how you two got together is interesting, but I won't ask if you won't." "Deal."
"Besides the fact that the two of you shouldn't be here, I have some rather bad news for you, father." Goku looked into his son's face, and all the good feelings he had gained from seeing Krillin again faded away. "Something's wrong with Cell, isn't there." "Not physically. We thought so at first, but if the blood was his, then he already regenerated from his injuries, except for one strange mark on the side of his neck. He just won't wake up." "A coma?" One of the scientists shook his head. "We already knew before you told us of his origins that your friend wasn't human. His body can't enter a coma in the way humans can. He's catatonic, except his brainwave activity is actually higher than a human in a conscious state. Stimulants do nothing, shock therapy does less than that, and our psychics who work as healers can't get past his mental shields. He's very powerful." "But you can do nothing." "Not unless you have some ideas that we haven't thought of." Goku shook his head. He knew nothing of technology, and this wasn't a situation he had experienced before. "I don't, but can I see him, at least?" The scientists glanced at each other, but the one with the shock of blue hair sighed and agreed. "I suppose so. It would be difficult to make the patient's condition worse."
As Goku and a few of the scientists headed out the door, Goten spoke. "Father, after you see the android, we have a few things we need to talk about. I have heard stories about your heroics, and heroes are something the rebellion has in short supply. And, well. . ." Goku looked back at the son he had never known. His voice softened. "Of course we'll talk, son. This probably won't take long. I. . . want to talk with you too." Goten nodded, and that was the end of it.