Authors Note: This chapter is short compared to my others but I hope you all like it just the same. Thanks! REVIEW!

"talking"

thinking

:communicating through a bond or telepathically:

dream or something happening within a dream

"talking within a dream"

something written/read like a sign or a note

Disclaimer: I don't own any DBZ.

Chapter Eight: Freeing Gohan

Yamako reached the end of the road after a long 16 months. For the past 5 months Yamako had been traveling across a rickety old rope bridge on her way to the Dragon's Den. Yamako gazed up at a giant golden door that looked very similar to the door at the beginning of the Dragon's Dimensional Highway. Yamako nodded her head and got a determined look on her face before pushing the doors open. She was immediately enshrouded in a blinding light that cleared within a few seconds. Yamako opened her eyes and instantly gaped at what she saw. All around her there were green fields and beautiful trees and other plants growing in a flourish of color. Off to her right were a series of cliffs and waterfalls streaming down into a huge lake of crystal clear water that sparkled and shined with the light of an unknown source. Yamako gazed around in awe at that beauty of the Dragon's Den.

"It's amazing!" Yamako stated in wonder.

"Yeah it is." a voice stated from behind her.

Yamako turned around quickly, automatically getting into a fighting stance. Yamako gasped when she saw whom it was and instantly dropped her defensive posture.

"Grandpa Gohan?" Yamako's voice quivered slightly.

Gohan's eyes narrowed. "Yamako what are you doing here?"

Yamako looked him over carefully. She noticed that he had a tattoo of a neon green dragon on his chest. It looked a lot like Shenron and it weaved across his chest from his collarbone to his abs.

"I came here to bring you home."

"You wasted your time. I can't go home for another 98 years. I made a deal with Shenron that I would fuse with the Dragon Balls for 100 years in order to purify them. I wish I could go home but I can't."

"Well I'm not leaving without you so get ready to leave."

"I'm not allowed as long as Shenron is here."

"We'll see about that. No how do we get Shenron's attention?"

"Just ask for him."

"Well call him. Get Shenron out here!"

Gohan did but was unsure about the reasons for it. He called out for Shenron loudly, his voice echoing off the sides of the cavern. Within moments a bright light erupted from the horizon and Shenron appeared before them, his eyes glowing red in apparent anger.

"Why have you summoned me?"

"I want you to release Grandpa Gohan."

"It cannot be done. He is trapped here till the Dragon Balls are purified in accordance with our deal."

"But Earth needs his help! Is there anyway that he could be allowed to return before the century is up?"

Shenron remained silent for a moment. A low growl escaped from his mouth and his eyes flickered brightly.

"Yes. But it would require another soul to fuse with the Dragon Balls in his stead."

"Well what about me? Can I fuse with the Dragon Balls?"

Gohan gasped and stepped forward. Yamako motioned for him to stay where he was.

"Yamako you can't! You'll be stuck here for 100 years! Trunks and Pan would never forgive me!"

"Relax Grandpa Gohan. Everything's under control." Yamako stated glancing back at him. "So…Shenron is it possible?"

Shenron was silent for a moment. His body was completely motionless.

"Yes. You are powerful enough to withstand the merger and your spirit has the required pure energy."

Yamako smiled and took a few steps forward, putting a little distance between her and Gohan. Gohan frantically shook his head and looked on in horror as he saw his granddaughter get ready to merge with the Dragon Balls.

"Alright I'm ready. Do it!" Yamako shouted.

Shenron's eyes glowed and soon a golden aura surrounded Gohan's body. He gritted his teeth and cried out in pain as blue energy tore through his body. Yamako gasped as the dragon tattoo disappeared from Gohan's chest becoming the Dragon Balls as they separated themselves from his body and dropped to the ground in a circle around him. Gohan's eyes went blank and then rolled back into his head as he collapsed to the ground in the circle of Dragon Balls.

"Grandpa Gohan!" Yamako shouted, whirling around to face him. "What's happened to him?" Yamako demanded turning back around.

Shenron didn't respond he simply growled as his eyes glowed brightly. Soon the Dragon Balls began to glow and they floated into a circle around Yamako. Yamako gaped as they floated around her but soon she gritted her teeth as her body was invaded by sizzling amounts of energy from the Dragon Balls. The Dragon Balls glowed and moved around Yamako faster and faster until finally they were nothing more than a blur. Suddenly they shot in towards her and impacted her with a tremendous amount of force. Yamako let out a cry and hunched over as she felt her body adjusting to the new phenomenal source of energy. Her body's muscles expanded and her ki soared as she felt something sear its way onto her front. When her body was no longer being invaded with painful sensations of new energy she stood up straight. Yamako took a quick glance at herself to see the same dragon tattoo from Gohan branded on her chest and abdomen and then smiled at Shenron before she felt another surge of pain. Yamako could feel her body transferring energy. The purifying energy that Yamako had received from Porunga was being transferred into the Earth Dragon Balls that Yamako was now fused with. Yamako then felt the Dragon Balls inside her disappear and fade out of existence as she noticed the tattoo dissolve away. They had been purified and now they were disappearing because they were now completely useless. Yamako felt them leave behind a new power and she felt a new strength inside of her. Yamako clenched her fists and then released them several times trying to judge this new power. Yamako immediately knew that she was now able to go level 4. Yamako looked up at Shenron and smiled happily. The glow in Shenron's eyes dimmed and he began to fade slightly.

"Thanks."

"Thank you. Farewell Young 1." he growled before being surrounded by a bright light and fading away.

Yamako shielded her eyes from the blinding light and when she opened them she was back on the Dragon's Dimensional Highway. At first she thought it was all a dream until she looked behind her and saw the golden gates of the Dragon's Den.

He sent us out. He teleported us out of the Dragon's Den.

Yamako heard a small moan behind her. Turning around she saw Gohan on the floor still unconscious. Yamako gasped and ran over as fast as she could.

"Grandpa Gohan!"

Upon reaching him she knelt down beside him and gently shook him awake. Gohan stirred and then slowly rose to his feet. After shaking his head he dusted himself off and looked around.

"Where are we Yamako?"

"We're outside the Dragon's Den on the Dragon's Dimensional Highway."

"How did we get out? And how were you able to purify the Dragon Balls so fast?"

"I wished for the ability to purify them on New Namek. And the way we got out is that Shenron teleported us out."

"Now what do we do?"

"We get back home before Youkai gets there."

Gohan cocked his head slightly. He didn't know who Youkai was but right now he didn't care. The thought of going home to his family was all he needed to hear in order to get him to move. Yamako raced after him explaining everything to him along the way.

Author's Note: So Gohan is free from his deal with Shenron and now he and Yamako are on there way back to Earth but will they arrive in time to save their family? You'll have to just wait and see. Remember to review!