"You say you've built some sort of time machine?" Gohan said.
"Yes…it can only hold one person, and it's very technical to operate, but yes…" Bulma said.
"Wouldn't that damage the time stream?" Gohan asked. "I'm no expert, but that could change the future for the worst…" Gohan said.
"What kind of future could be worse than that!" Bulma said, pointing to the window. The ruins of the city stretched out for miles.
"I understand." Gohan said, nodding. "How long will it take?" he asked.
"Two more days." Bulma said. "Two days, and we can save the universe…" She smiled.
"I studied advanced physics back before dad died, and…"
"How, you couldn't have been more than five years old!" Bulma said, surprised. She always knew Gohan was bright, but…
"Even if I managed to save dad…" Gohan paused. "I just might end up redirecting time and creating an alternate universe. Our Goku may still wind up being dead."
"Yes, I understand, but…" She paused. "If you fight along side them, you may come back strong enough to stop them! I mean, in the past, you would have all the time you needed to train! You could become strong enough to beat them, I'm sure of it." She looked out the window. "Even if…even if you don't change our future, the idea that somewhere, somehow, your father is alive, and everything is okay…" She turned back to Gohan. "Even if you can't save our Goku, saving a Goku would make me happy." She said.
"You're right." Gohan said. "You finish the time machine, and I'll get ready."
Two days passed, and Gohan and Bulma were going over the plans. "Now, you can't tell them that you're you, you need to invent some sort of fake identity." Bulma said. "The ki distortion device will make sure that you don't feel like Gohan to them. Also, I made you a black gi, so you're not dressed like one of them, either." She said. "Give this medicine to your father, and tell him to make sure he takes it." She said. "Now, do you have any idea when you're going to go back?"
"Yes…" Gohan said. "The day dad finally came home after the battle with Frieza." Gohan said. "Any farther ahead, and it might not be enough time. Any farther back is impossible, because I could mess up time even worse. Three years is stretching it, so that day is the day to do it." he shrugged. "Besides, everybody gathered together on that day because of Frieza, it would be a perfect time." Gohan nodded. "That's the day, then."
Bulma smiled. For the first time, she felt hope. She picked up a bucket of paint, and walked over to the time machine. "Hope…" She said, and began to paint. "That's your name…" She turned to Gohan, and smiled.
"Hope?" Gohan said, incredulous. "Hope…" Gohan smiled.
"That's the name of the time machine, silly." Bulma said. She had never felt more hopeful.
"I like it." Gohan said.
The time machine settled down, and Gohan stepped out. He began to feel around. He felt Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillen, Yamcha, Tien, and several others. His father wasn't there yet, but Gohan was happy.
"Ki distortion device, activate." Gohan said, activating the device that would make him feel unlike himself. He could feel King Cold and Frieza land on the surface of the planet. Gohan smiled, since he was already messing with the time stream…
Vegeta glared at Frieza, who was just getting out of his ship. The saiyan prince glared at the being, surprised by his new, mechanical body. Vegeta then saw King Cold, Frieza's father, who stood over Frieza, tall, and menacing. Vegeta decided to fight, even if it meant certain death. The saiyan prince would have attacked, except a strange person dropped down. He was wearing a black gi, with long blue sleeves underneath, that led into a pair of white gloves.
"Frieza…" Gohan said. "You don't know me, but I certainly know you…" He scowled. "Killing you will be a pleasure." Gohan said.
"Don't bother with that one, his power level is only ten." King Cold said.
"That's why scouters never worked." Gohan said. "How useful can such a device be…" He smiled, and suddenly transformed into a super saiyan. "When I can hide my true power!" Gohan shouted.
Vegeta was surprised, who was this man? He looked on as Gohan smirked in Frieza's direction. The evil one could only shake in fear. "Not another monkey…" Frieza said, shaking.
"You've seen one such as me before, haven't you?" Gohan asked. Frieza was still shaking. "DIE!" Gohan shouted. King Cold watched as Gohan incinerated Frieza. There was nothing left.
"You're a strong one…" King Cold said. "How would you like to join me?"
"I have a better proposal." Gohan said.
"What is that?" King Cold asked.
"I kill you." Gohan said, blasting King Cold into nothingness.
"Who are you?" Vegeta asked.
"Goku's coming…" Gohan said.
Suddenly Vegeta turned around. "He's right, Kakkarot's here!" Vegeta said, as they all took off.
Gohan took off faster than anyone else, to make sure that he got plenty of time to talk to Goku. There he was, looking around. He knew that his father could feel him, but he wasn't afraid, he didn't feel like Gohan.
"Goku!" Gohan said, landing. It felt strange, and disrespectful, to call his father by his first name. Gohan landed, and looked over his father. He was dressed rather strangely, but Gohan remembered why.
"Who are you?" Goku said. Gohan fought the urge to yell 'daddy' and run into his father's arms.
"I have come from the future. Three years from now…" Gohan looked into the distance. Good, they were even out of Piccolo's hearing range. "Three years from now, a pair of powerful androids will come, and they will kill everyone." Gohan said. "You will die of a lethal heart virus, which will kill you before you can fight." He said. "They will kill everyone." Gohan let his words sink in. "Unless you prepare yourselves. I have brought a powerful medicine that's designed to cure the virus. Take it as soon as the symptoms set in." Goku nodded. "You have three years."
"I just have one question." Goku asked. "Who, are you?"
"My name is Ichidou." Gohan said.
"Are you strong?" Goku asked.
"Yes." Ichidou replied.
"How strong?" Goku asked.
"I am a super saiyan." came Ichidou's answer.
"Prove it, spar with me." Goku said.
"Fair enough…" Ichidou said, and he went on the offensive. Goku fought well, but was overwhelmed.
"Wow, you're pretty strong." Goku said, panting. "Where did you come from?"
"I come from far in the future. Because of the effects on the time stream, I cannot tell you who I really am." Ichidou answered. "There's no telling what kind of effect this could have on the future."
"I understand." Goku answered. Ichidou flew off before everyone else arrived.
"Who was he?" Piccolo said, landing.
"He said he was from the future…" Goku said. "He told us that, in three years, androids would come and kill us all…" Goku said.