The Long Road

by Drakthul

AU: Abducted at the age of three and a half, taken through thirteen years of bloodshed and strife, Gohan finds his way back to Earth... to finish a backlogged contract. On Earth, he will either overcome what he is, or be destroyed by it. Rated M.

50. Chapter 50: Consequences

Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or really any other property. Thank you.

The Long Road

Chapter 50: Consequences

Vegeta:

I am not mad.

Nothing seemed to be right after that night in the training room. There was no training in the actual room, not after what he saw. When he sat down, the presence of whatever it was, having disappeared, he just sat down in the command chair and breathed. The features of the woman were foggy in his mind, but he didn't know her. It wasn't another ghost from his past, it wasn't one of Frieza's other slaves. It was a woman in Saiyan Armour, with a Saiyan tail, and features he couldn't distinguish on his own. It was too clouded.

He could understand hallucinating over past foes, especially when under duress. He could understand hearing their mocking tones in his mind as he remember how far he had to go before reaching Kakarot. There was an immense gulf however, between remembering vividly his enemies, and seeing a woman come out of nowhere. It didn't make any sense, and he didn't sense any energy beyond his own, which made it all the more confusing. It'd not been something he'd mentioned to the woman or anyone else.

And in the days that now followed, he found no signs of anything. There wasn't any sign of what he'd seen. Even now as he stood in the midst of his space vessel again, looking over the controls and scanning the room with his eyes and his ki, Vegeta could almost grit his teeth as he felt frustration continue to settle in. The spectre of a woman had remarked about how pathetic he was, after she'd insulted him with past enemies. Enemies which he'd never defeated. It was to send a message home to him, that he was an unworthy fighter.

Closing his right hand into a fist, Vegeta just stared ahead at the diagnostic panel of the ship, sneering as it told him nothing of the event. Just as it'd told him nothing the last twenty times. Still, it was almost like a nervous tick at this point as he looked towards the panel.

Behind him, the door slowly hissed open.

An annoyed set of eyes traced towards the opening as his wife's head appeared.

"What is it?" he asked bluntly, already able to tell she'd come to bother him with something trivial.

However, she just gave him a determined look, her face tightening as it did. It was the same look she always gave him when she was about to confront him regarding something ridiculous. Worse, it was the same expression she usually possessed when she managed to convince him to do something outside of his own interest. This time however, it wasn't going to work.

I'm occupied, I don't have time to entertain her ridiculous requests.

"Vegeta, you've been in here for days," Bulma remarked, crossing her arms as she did. "It's going to be almost two weeks in a few hours. I know you love training, but the kids and I really want to actually see you."

Well, she got her wish.

"You've seen me," Vegeta commented bluntly. "You can leave me to my training now, woman."

An indigent huff came from his wife as she glared at him.

"You've not even been training. None of the training droids have been used, and the entire place looks spotless. What the Hell have you been doing in here, Vegeta?"

With a frustrated noise of his own, Vegeta pulled away from the console and walked towards his wife.

"You wouldn't understand, woman. Now leave me to my business," Vegeta remarked, crossing his arms as he did, standing across from her as a counterbalance seemingly.

Without stopping her glare, Bulma held her ground opposite of him, her eyes burrowing into him looking for answers, and he wasn't prepared to divulge any. The last thing he needed was for his family to get involved in another struggle with a vendetta that should have been his to resolve. Trunks and Bra nearly paid a price too high for their association with him, and his mother-in-law already did.

"You're impossible, you know that?" she finally sighed, turning away from him and looking towards the door. "Is it me?"

Blinking, Vegeta didn't understand the nature of the comment.

"Is what you?" he asked, feeling confused as he asked.

"Is the problem me? Is that why you're not coming out of here? Are you trying to escape from me? Am I too old?" she asked, not looking at him as she spoke. "Or are we some kind of burden on you, while you go looking for more power?"

Now she was using her most dangerous weapon, guilt. However, even if Vegeta was ever tempted to attempt to make a call on it, this was his wife, and it wasn't something he wanted to even touch on being true.

"Must you always be so dramatic, woman?" Vegeta asked. "Don't be ridiculous, this isn't about you. As hard as this is for you to hear, the world doesn't revolve around you. I am not here because of your insecurities, Bulma."

Hopefully, that'd put an end to-

"Then why are you still in here after over a week, Vegeta? Why aren't you even seriously training? I don't understand."

"I saw something, while I was in here, which doesn't make any sense," Vegeta said simply. "I am waiting for it to reappear, or to find out what it was."

Pausing, Bulma just turned to look at him, once again trying to pull the information from him.

"If it is something serious, Bulma, I don't want you or the children in any danger," Vegeta then added. "Now-"

"You think you may have been in danger this entire time, and you didn't tell me?!" Bulma asked, her eyes widening with fury. "What if they don't care if you talk to your wife, Vegeta!? Goku and you are such knuckleheads! Well, what was it? I want to know right now, Vegeta."

Fine, if you want to know so badly, here-

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he felt something. There was a disturbance in the fabric of the world around them, it almost felt like reality itself shifted somehow. Even the woman seemed to sense it, her eyes scanning the room as well before looking back at Vegeta questioningly. It wasn't as if he had the answer to what just happened, and slowly let his mind reach out, and within a heartbeat, he sensed a power.

A dying power.

For a moment, he almost didn't recognize who it belonged to. It was nearby, but it was so weak. The striking familiarity only found itself near the surface when he detected the last burning embers of a Super Saiyan's energy. Slowly, his eyes widened at the realization of who it was. Without saying a word to Bulma, a sense of shock overwhelmed him as he rushed out the door, breaking into a full sprint. As soon as his body came into the sunlight for the first time in over a week, he raised an arm to shield his eyes as he looked out across the brightly lit compound.

In the middle of the grass, there was a perverted vision of a familiar sight.

Laying on its side, instead of standing upright, there was a scorched and burnt time travel machine, built by Capsule Corporation. The glass which acted as a roof, was shattered, and the machine itself had literally crashed into the yard. The pilot was only half in the machine itself, the landing sending him half out of the machine. But what Vegeta saw was a mangled example of a body, with all too familiar purple hair.

The sight dispelled his disbelief in mere seconds as the gravity of what he was seeing came crashing down around him.

Trunks.

Moving up behind him, Bulma's footsteps followed in his wake.

"What is-... Oh... Oh my god," Bulma whispered. "Oh my god! Vegeta! Do something-!"

Before she could even finish, he already warped over to the location, kneeling next to the destroyed time machine, looking at the barely breathing body within. Blood was everywhere. A huge, long slash was cut clean across Trunks' back, revealing bone and his muscles themselves were cut or badly mangled. It was clear he could barely move, and all Vegeta could do was listen to him struggling to breath. Scanning the front of his son a second later, he found a stab wound, directly into his right rib. It then drew his attention to his arms.

The right had a massive gash in his forearm, and the left? Without a senzu bean, or Dende, the left arm would surely be amputated. It was barely hanging on as it was. Every breath Trunks took, made Vegeta's heart beat all the faster. This was his son, and someone had done this to him? What was he doing here, like this?

The woman was across from him a second later, panicked as well as she frantically scanned over him.

"He needs a doctor! I'll get one, just-"

Slowly, Trunks' eyes seemed to open as he looked up towards them. He coughed up blood immediately before trying weakly to speak. A shaky right hand raised, smeared with blood, trying to grab him for, and the Prince reached back, grasping his hand in turn, holding on to it. Moving him now could prove fatal.

"Stay with him," Vegeta told Bulma, looking up at her. "I will get the Namekian Guardian, or a Senzu Bean."

Before he could move much further however, there was a fazed blur in front of them. Standing there, clad in his orange fighting gi, was of course Kakarot. It meant that Trunks was going to be saved relatively quickly. But it meant that he was irrelevant again. Even if this was an alternate version of his son, it meant that he wasn't going to be the one to save him. It sounded selfish, but that was something he resented. But it was hardly going to stop him from seeing the boy saved.

"Take him to the Guardian," Vegeta ordered, stepping back.

For a moment, Trunks seemed to shake his head from side to side as he looked back towards him, and he couldn't understand why. Something was off about all of this, and they'd have their answers soon. As soon as Goku walked over, nodding towards him and reaching down to grasp Trunks, Vegeta watched as his son began to convulse into a seizure. Strained, gurgling, and struggling noises escaped the dying man, and all Vegeta could do was stare on before the two figures disappeared.

Turning to look towards his wife, Vegeta saw a look of complete shock still overwhelming her. Her right hand was right next to her mouth as she tried clearly to understand what was happening, as confused eyes looked at the half destroyed time machine, and all the blood in it. But in all of this, it suddenly felt like something was bending and warping against the fabric of reality again, all around them. Immediately looking in all directions, Vegeta tried to sense any kind of new power, but there was nothing.

What the Hell is going on?

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Goku: Earlier

It was crazy to see just how far along Goten had come, and so much of it had been without him helping. Certainly, he'd given Goten the basics for what he needed on how to fight, and he'd taught him more advanced techniques. But he was absent from when his son had made the biggest leap he could have imagined, and it wasn't to become a Super Saiyan. He'd become an ascended Super Saiyan, all by himself. In fact, he'd done it when he wasn't even nearby, without anyone else helping him. It wasn't fair to compare his children directly, but Goku knew full well that the idea Gohan could have made that achievement, and at only the age of twelve, seemed insane.

Still, they'd been training for days now, and it was something which dragged his mind away from Gohan's fate. In its own way, he needed to do this if only to keep himself together. Garlic had been right, when they fought, when he told him he'd failed Gohan again. There was no denying that, especially given that his son was stuck in the same place reserved for monsters like Frieza, Cell, and a host of others.

Letting his thoughts be drawn away, lead to a harsh blow landing on his cheek as the Super Saiyan floated back through the air. Blinking hard, Goku stared back at the boy who'd come to achieve a new platform of power. Goten was still very far from matching any of the other Ascended Saiyans, even the Trunks from the future. The fact he was there, and the fact he was twelve, really spoke volumes however. In front of him was a warrior who might surpass him, and further yet, may surpass Gohan. Of course, as of right now, he was Gohan's equal, but time would one day strip him of his own chances to keep up.

And Goten had yet to spend any time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. It was a disappointment that he'd never get to join him in that experience. Then again, he hoped the world would be a safe enough place, that Goten or anyone else wouldn't have to use the time chamber, unless absolutely necessary.

The forest all around him swayed and bristled with the wind as Goku looked back at his son, brushing his own cheek where the blow landed, before he smiled back at him.

"Good shot," he told him, half smiling as he did. "But you're still making a lot of the same mistakes."

With a steeled look, his son stared back at him.

"Says the guy I just punched in the face," Goten responded, rather arrogantly.

Hmmm, should probably do something about that.

It wasn't to be mean or cruel, it was to make sure his son knew not to let power get to him. Too many times had he seen friends or family let power get to their head. The most striking occasions coming to mind were of course when Vegeta fought Cell, or well... Gohan, when he fought Trunks at the tournament. It was best to solve this now.

Smiling back, Goku nodded to his son.

"Yea, that's true," Goku responded, before pushing his speed forward as much as he could, and launched himself.

Goten threw a single, ill fated punch towards him, and Goku easily shifted around it, before driving his knee into his son's gut. There was a long winded noise from the almost teenager, followed by a fit of coughing. Immediately Super Saiyan hair disappeared as Goten stumbled back, holding his stomach.

"Gah!..." he coughed again. "No fair."

"Yea, but when a real fight comes around Goten, you know it's not going to be fair. Try to learn, not to gloat," Goku remarked, letting his own Super Saiyan form slip away as he started to smile again. "Let's go home and have some food."

Floating in the air, still holding his stomach, Goten seemed to be preparing to fly, but instead Goku shook his head.

"Let's walk. It's been a while since I was last around here," he said, gesturing for Goten to come back to the ground. "Besides, when was the last time you just sat back and enjoyed the scenery?"

Smiling back to him, and slowly descending back down to the ground, his son landed on his feet, nodding back to him.

His own training had been taking up any time he didn't spend with Goten. A lot of it was trying to hone in on the nature of how his Super Saiyan power worked. The power of an Ascended Saiyan was incredible, but it seemed to have its limits in many respects. For the first time, he felt like he'd met that limit when fighting Garlic. Even as he felt his energy grow, it was like an... overflow. There was more power than he could use.

"Hey dad?" Goten's voice cut through his concentration as they walked over a large log, were left to venture past a gentle stream which dribbled in front of them over worn and eroding rocks.

Just as a deer jumped out from one bush, running past them and prancing into the trees, Goku turned and raised both his brows to his son.

"Yea? What's going on?"

The way Goten paused, he could already guess what this was about.

"... I... I... I feel really bad," Goten finally answered. "It's just that. Everyone is so tense about Gohan, and-"

"We don't have to talk about Gohan, you know," Goku half laughed. "Besides, we had a great day training and-"

"That's just it, we did have a great day training," Goten cut in. "We do stuff all the time now, and it's awesome. It feels like it used to be, before... before Gohan got here."

The that was worded, immediately made the older Saiyan struggle to keep his head lowering. It was also a struggle not to look away from his younger son, but he didn't. Instead, he watched the struggle behind behind his eyes. He could see it. This was how Goten had sounded a lot before, just wanting Gohan gone, or out of the picture, but there was something different about it.

"You're mom would disagree," Goku answered after a few seconds.

Of course, Goten wasn't there when they were in bed, or how his wife now woke up in the middle of the night, crying because of her lost son. For so many years now it'd been a relief. It was a relief because Gohan, for all his faults, was home. With him gone again, and this time dead, Chi-Chi had taken it incredibly badly. The night terrors returned to her, and he had to try and do his best to console her. Scarily enough, he had to be the kind of pillar she needed him to be. He was the pillar when Gohan disappeared the first time in the clutches of the 'thing' which called itself his brother. Only that time, she'd blamed him so many times for Gohan being gone, at least at first. That was the part they needed to move past before, when he failed to protect their son.

Now though, now there was just Garlic to blame. It wasn't that anyone's power failed. It wasn't that he was there. But in a way, that made it all the worse. In his own way, Goku still blamed himself, but no one else did. No one else except Garlic brought it up. Still, why was Goten bringing it up, again?

"I know," Goten responded to him, clearly strained. "I. I feel. I feel like I'm... like I'm getting what I want, because Gohan died. And I feel... I feel..."

The boy stopped, looking down as they stepped over the stream, moving through several bushes.

Goku wasn't always quick to catch things, but somehow he got what Goten was trying to say. All of the things he enjoyed now, were tainted in Gohan's blood. It was strange to see real remorse come from Goten, regarding his brother. The disdain Goten usually showed for his older sibling was so real. The jealousy and envy of him, without realizing what he'd gone through in space, was a common theme for Goku to contend with in his home.

It was obvious he now saw at least some of the pain his mother was going through as well, though not nearly as much as Goku did.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Goten finally added, his voice very soft as he spoke. "I feel bad when I realize I'm having fun. I feel bad when I realize how bad everyone else seems to feel. And I feel even worse because... because I don't like Gohan."

With a long sigh, Goku stopped the walk with his son with a gesture of his hand, before reaching out and placing his hand on Goten's shoulder. Just what could he say to all of that? He wasn't really good at this kind of thing. Part of him was frustrated because it was so hard for him. But, that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

"You're not dancing on Gohan's grave, Goten. No one expects you to like him just because he's gone," he assured him. "Gohan wouldn't want us all to just sit around and be miserable. We've got to get on with our lives until he comes back. One day we'll all be gone, really gone. That's a day we all need to be ready for. One day you'll be gone, and so will I. Just remember there will always be people left behind. We're just the ones left behind right now."

Goten looked back at him, trying to discern meaning from what he said, Hell, he was trying to do the same thing.

Smiling goofy a second later, Goku removed his hand from his son's shoulder, before laughing a second later.

"Whatever that means, right? Jeeze, I'm bad at this," he laughed. "You're mom always says I'm better with fists than words. I think she may be on to something with that one."

Starting to walk ahead again, Goku then felt something strange happening. The world almost seemed to peal apart around him, or at the very least it felt like that. For a moment, it looked like everything was mirrored, before the universe around them split again. It was over so fast, it was almost like it hadn't happened at all. Stopping in his footsteps, he looked around, seeing a confused Goten as well.

But there was a new power on the Earth, and it was fading fast. Something was incredibly wrong, especially when he felt it arrive at Capsule Corporation.

"Get home quick," he urged, before placing two fingers to his forehead, concentrating.

"Dad, what just-"

The words were cut off as Goku disappeared all together. His world snapped back into place faster than the speed of light, as he appeared on Bulma's lawn, as it were.

In front of him was a grizzly sight. Trunks was laying there in a wrecked time capsule craft, his body shredded by something, and there was blood everywhere. Vegeta and Bulma were over him, looking frantic.

Looking up at him with the flames of an old resentment, Vegeta told him what to do even before he spoke.

"Get him to the Guardian," he ordered.

Just as he started, Trunks' body began to seize.

Reaching down, Goku placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, beginning to concentrate, just as Trunks began to shake his head, as if trying to say or warn them of something. Whatever it was, he could tell them all in a few minutes. Concentrating, Goku felt his entire body blip out of the universe seemingly, before reappearing at the Lookout.

"Dende!" he shouted, just as Mr. Popo appeared, looking at the sight with wide eyes.

"Oh no!"

"Popo, we need Dende now!"

A gurgled noise escaped Trunks as he began grabbing weakly at him, smearing blood against his orange fighting gi.

"We're going to take care of you Trunks, just hold on."

Closing his eyes in pain, Trunks almost seemed to scream, but his lungs were too filled with blood to let it out. He was acting like something was trying to eat its way out of him. The dying strength of his hands clawed at him, as he tried to somehow persevere through it.

Running out, Goku looked to Dende as Goku felt the urge to look away, but kept his eyes on Trunks, trying to reassure him, as he was sure Vegeta would have.

Two green hands came out, as a familiar healing glow came from them.

"What happened?!" Dende breathed as he released his power.

"I don't know, something shifted and then Trunks was here-"

The wounds slowly mended together across the hybrid's body. From the stab wounds in his chest, to presumably the long gash along his back. His left arm, a mangled wreck, pulled back together and filled out. The entire time Trunks' body had seized up again. The agony looked unimaginable, and he didn't understand why. The entirety of his body was healed.

"AHHH! AHHHHHHH!" the screams echoed out across the empty air around them, projecting into the air as he struggled to keep himself steady.

"Trunks! Trunks! What's wrong? What's going on?!" Goku yelled.

What the Hell was going on? What could he even do? Watching this was unbearable!

Something dark was there. Looking down at Trunks and sensing his ki, he could tell something was off. Slowly, his eyes widened as he realized what it was. It was impossible, and there was no reason for it...

Part of Trunks' soul was missing.

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Gohan:

"You killed me," a voice whispered from behind him.

Part of him wished he'd not left Turles behind, but it was what he needed to do, if only to escape his father's demands for a new life. It was strange to think how much he cared about his well being, but at the same time understanding that his father's well being, may lead to the destruction of whole worlds.

"Did you hear me, I said, you killed me!" a voice shouted again.

Turning his head, Gohan locked his vision onto a creature he'd seen before. It took several seconds for him to fully recognize who it was. A familiar Planet Trade uniform clad the green skinned creature. The pointed ears adorning his head were familiar as well. What was his name again? He most definitely had one of those. It was so weird seeing him again as well. The last time he saw him-

"You fucking blew a hole in my chest! Don't you remember me, Captain!?"

The scornful, furious voice of the well shaped officer reminded Gohan vaguely of the name that escaped him. Placing his fingers to his chin, Gohan tried to contemplate his name.

"..."

"You're not even going to answer me, are you!? I'll-"

Raising his hand, Gohan silenced the alien ghost in seconds as he glared back at him.

"Power Level 17,000, commanded Alpha II Command. I'm just trying to remember your name and rank. You were that guy. You know, the one who took planet Zoz. And... Shit. It's going to bug me now until I get it-"

"... You can't even remember my name?!"

"Tur?"

"NO! My name is not- RRRRRR!" a furious brow knit together for the alien as other armoured figures began to emerge all around them, dropping in from above by the dozens. Soon, the group ballooned into the hundreds.

Aliens of all different shapes and sizes slowly began to appear, but it was obvious that they were men he'd killed. All of them were in Frieza uniforms as well, which told him they were all his subordinates. They were his victims, even if they themselves were hardly the most stellar citizens of the galaxy. Worse, he had been responsible for them, and so he killed them when they failed him, or Lord Cooler. Even now, years later, they glared at him resentfully. Certainly they were all doomed to arrive in this wretched place, but they likely did not enjoy their expedited journey here.

"Well, you're going to remember us! We're going to pay you back for all the shit you've done to us. You see, we all met down here, after you killed us. And we knew you'd find your way here one day Captain."

Just looking around him, Gohan detected all of the energy sources. So this was the vengeance of the people he'd killed for incompetence and cowardice? They were going to try to gang up on him and kill him in the next life? It didn't matter. If he died, he'd just be back. On top of that, there was no chance these idiots could kill him. All of them together couldn't have harmed him even before he arrived on the Earth. So, all he did was sigh and look around him.

"Look, all you're going to do is waste everyone's time. We're all dead already. If I kill you, you'll be back. If you kill me, I'll be back. Of course, you guys can't kill me. So really you're wasting your own time more than mine..."

Furious expressions were the most common thing he now noticed, as a series of blue, purple, and red auras began lighting up around him.

Oh man. I don't even wanna do this.

"You always got off on being the one in charge, Gohan. But now you're powerless. There are hundreds of us that you killed. We are the angry spectres of your treason! We are-"

"Really, really, really weak," Gohan sighed, pinching the bright of his nose. "Like, no seriously, not kidding, exceptionally irrelevant. Sorry I did my job and killed you guys, there? Happy? Because that's as close to satisfied as you guys are going to get in all this. Save yourselves the pain and time and-"

"You think we'll just all run from you!? You think we'll just forget what you did to us?! You sent us here!"

That was at the very least a fair answer. It wasn't going to change the outcome of this, but he could still feel a frustrated lip curl. Did he really want to go through, breaking these idiots in half? Especially since he knew most of them were going to run as soon as he took down a dozen of them. It was in their nature, it was why there were here in the first place.

"Okay, let me phrase this in a way that you'll understand," Gohan snapped, looking around at all of them across the wasteland around him.

For a place so infinite in size, it certainly didn't take long for word to travel he was here. What, a few weeks? A month? Maybe it was longer because he couldn't keep track of fucking time anymore.

"Me strong," he said pointing at his chest with his hand, before gesturing outward. "You weak. I can't boil it down to be any simpler than that-"

Before he could finish, the first of his victims dived in towards him, shrieking. It was a purple skinned male from Kaltlas, he always hated how their maws would open so wide when they shrieked. Huge fanged teeth made their presence known, but it was hardly a concern. Stepping into the charging creature's step, he thrust his arm up, slamming his fist through the roof of the large male's mouth. Immediately his brains exploded out of the top of his skull before it collapsed in a planet trade armoured heap on the ground.

Pulling his hand out of the red ruin of its head, he grimaced as he began flicking deep purple blood off of it.

Immediately the mob converged. Throwing his hands back, a moving wall of force blasted from his frame. He could sense it as it contacted all of his former... terminated staff members. A collective groan of pain escaped them all as they were sent flying back, scattering against the ground for a hundred metres.

Low sounds came from all of them as they started to pick themselves up, followed by panic. Multi-coloured waves of energy fled into the wastes around them in all directions as they realized just how outclassed they were. Part of Gohan envisioned himself laughing or moving in to finish the job, but really all it did was make him feel... miserable. They were furious, angry souls, looking for revenge against the one who'd sent them here. Even if their actions had condemned them to come here, he could understand the rage.

It was much like his own anger at Garlic. But in truth, Garlic didn't send him here. Well, he did in the context of that he killed him. But the moment King Yemma had started to speak, he knew who sent him here. He had sent himself. Closing his fist for a moment, he breathed evenly as he looked at his new home.

Better get used to this, because even if they bring you back, this is going to be it.

It was something he tried to remind himself often, if only so he didn't give himself some kind of false hope. The only way he could think to wipe the blood away from his name would be-

The Eternal Dragon.

"You'd think that," a new voice cut into his thoughts, though it was from the outside.

Turning his head immediately, he saw Turl- No. This wasn't Turles, this was the other one. The one he'd seen among the Saiyans, or at least among the Saiyans following King Vegeta. The scars on his face made him distinctive, and the different shade to his skin. But there was no question at all, this man was related to Kakarot, and to Turles.

Don't tell me I have another uncle.

"Trust me kid, I'm glad you don't have another uncle," the Saiyan remarked, rolling his eyes. "But, I'm sure if you replaced Uncle with Grandfather, that it'd probably match up pretty easily. Oh by the way? Never call me Gramps, Grandpa, grandfather, or whatever. I hate that kind of stuff. You can just call me Bardock."

All Gohan could do was blink several times as he was informed as to who this man supposedly was.

Fuck. Why do I always get the awkward reunions with family? What the Hell am I supposed to even say?

"You can start by asking why I'm here, Kid. No offence or anything, but I don't think you and me will get along real well, so that means we're going to have a conversation, and we're not going to let it get messy. There are some things you need to know. Oh by the way, before I go on, heads up... It always gets worse."

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Vegeta:

The air blew past him as his eyes remained locked ahead. Everything about what had just happened was wrong, and there were no answers. Whatever had happened to Trunks, his son, had been overwhelming. It'd even half followed him into this time, at least in terms of the condition his craft had been in.But...

But...

This was all so suspiciously close to his experience in the Capsule Corporation Space Craft. It felt all too convenient, and Vegeta could already sense it in his stomach that they were related. The question which was scratching at the edge of his mind as he flew with full force towards the Lookout, was what the connection was.

Kakarot and his brat are often glowing lights in the darkness, drawing in threats from all around them. What would attract the attention of-

Before his thought could finish, Vegeta felt something hanging in the distance, before immediately noting the familiar energy of Trunks, as well as Kakarot. Normally this wouldn't be much of a concern, save for several things. The first one, was that they were in an aggressive form, each of them, and the other immediately concern was that Trunks was very, very different from the Trunks he knew. Both his son in this world, and his son from the future, trained by Tien, were markedly different from this power. This power almost felt like a combination of his own style of ki control, Piccolo's, and Goku's.

It didn't seem possible, and why were they-?

The Prince was welcomed with a sight he'd not expected. Golden auras traced across the sky before him in rapid succession. One of them was frenzied and the other was desperately trying to contain it. The thing that made this all the more confusing, was that the more aggressive of the two, and the most belligerent, was Trunks.

"Please, you have to help them," a voice came from his side, seemingly from nowhere. But turning his head a second later, Vegeta saw a figure he'd never seen before. Red-pink skinned, and with red hair, the tiny... Kaio? Was flying at his side, her face a combination of fear and determination.

Turning his head forward, Vegeta almost sneered at taking the order, but instead let his energy spike.

"What is this all about, Kai?" he demanded coolly, taking off before she could verbally reply.

"Stop Trunks, and then I'll explain everything."

He hated these Gods. He hated them for their interference, and for all of their scheming. What scheme was this apart of? Was this the God which Garlic referenced before? Did she mean to betray them as any of them could? Where did she come from? He would have his answers, and he would have them soon, or he'd have the Kai's head.

"Trunks! Trunks you need to stop!" Kakarot shouted in the distance as Vegeta closed in.

In the air in front of him, in a flurry of motion swirling around the Lookout, he could see and hear the viciousness of Trunks' attack on Kakarot. Violent swings followed, each one more vicious than the prior. His face was contorted into a vile reflection of who his son really was. It was easy enough to see Kakarot moving around each of the strikes, but the fact it was happening was the problem. Blasting in front above, Vegeta pulled his arms into the air as he dove down towards him. When the axe handle smash collided with Trunks, the air around them exploded in a thundering boom.

Immediately the other body shot into the Lookout. Bricks scattered in all directions before Vegeta dove after his son's frame. Landing, he grabbed him by his shoulders.

"Boy, you'd best-"

Before he could react, Trunks savagely started to flail, trying to break free from him, screaming desperately. Inside his eyes, Vegeta could only see vacancy. Before he knew it, Kakarot was on top of Trunks as well as the two of them held him in place. All the body did was flail violently, trying to break from their grip as he let loose agonized noises and screams, almost frothing at the mouth. Suddenly he froze, almost gagging upward.

Something is trying to control him.

"Hold him still!" the Kai's voice from moments ago shouted, leading to Vegeta looking up directly at her even as Trunks' body began to struggle again. Placing her hands out in front of her, a soft, golden light slowly emerged. The moment it touched Trunks, Kakarot, and himself, he felt the energy seeping around them, almost sooth and washing away anything under his skin, it was almost like it was touching the spirit beyond the body.

Immediately, Trunks seemed to calm for a moment before his hair turned purple once more, and his head fell to one side, just breathing.

"You are going to explain-"

"It's not done yet," she was quick to add, walking over and wincing horribly as she did, as she knelt down, a dark red light slowly emerged from her chest. Immediately Vegeta recognized just what it was. It was life essence, and when it slowly slipped from her hands, slipping onto Trunks himself, he felt the body beneath him tense, before he could almost feel some kind of tether, breaking around him.

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Trunks:

You're such a strange one. Of all of me, you're the one who slips away. But what's this? I've caught you're tail... It's so easy to think you can get away, but how could you? I found you. Once I find you, you never get away. You can never get away from what you really are. You've been missing from home for so long...

The calm, eery voice whispered through his mind as he lay there, just trying to breath after what he'd been through. He'd been tracking them for what seemed like an eternity. Each world he came to was a ruin. It was like looking into a vacuum when he arrived. Anyone with any power at all fell to their viciousness. How many times did he find his father's body? How many times did he find Goku, Gohan, and all the others? Then there were times where he found nothing. Each time he went back to Toki Toki City, they'd find the problems only got worse. Everything was his fault, and-

Shhhhhhh... you can stop struggling now...

It whispered against the back of his mind as he felt his heart tighten, just as the doors to the Capsule Corporation ship opened in front of him. He didn't know where or when he dialed into, but at least Vegeta and Bulma were here. It was so hard to breath, and he couldn't feel his arm, and-

I can feel you still holding on. Just let go. You can come home if you let go. No more pain, no more confusion... you'll be where you were always meant to be.

His ragged breathing intensified as he felt his lungs pull in air from the outside, making his eyes shut before he quivered helplessly.

You're always so confused. You're always so helpless. Each time I find you, you forget who you are. I never want you hurt you. But you make me hurt you. Why do you make me do it? You always struggle and try to push back, but you know that it can't be any other way. I'm sorry I lost you and didn't know. But don't worry... I found you.

In the darkness around him, Trunks saw the voice finally emerge from the black. It was naked, walking slowly, each step almost unnaturally elegant. There was almost a sway in how he walked. Long, black hair covered half of his chest, and poured down his back as well.

Two familiar blue eyes stared back at him in all of it.

It was like gazing into his own soul, and it was staring back.

This was the thing he'd been fighting when he came across him. There were two others with him, but this was the one that he'd fought, trying to save Piccolo and... another version of himself. It was hopeless, and if the Namekian hadn't bought him time, he'd have surely died. But before he left...

Don't you remember?

The voice whispered in his mind. Even here he couldn't move as the creature slithered step by step closer to him, slowly closing with him. Lean and muscled arms slowly parted from his sides, pushing back some of the black hair. There was a lot more material than he wanted to see most definitely from the encroaching creature. There was something oddly smooth about his features, yet somehow familiar. What did he mean by lost? Slowly, it circled around him as it came ever closer, tracing its arm over his right arm for a second. A long, drawn out hiss seemed to escape him as he did. His arm wouldn't move. He couldn't pull away. There was then a Saiyan tail, and it gently stroked against the edge of his waist.

You ran away from me. You ran in your little time machine. You're making it so hard to come back to me... but don't worry, I brought your strings back.

Suddenly, his world came alive again, and everything was in a blur of motion. He could feel his body swinging violently, viciously striking out at Goku.

What the Hell am I doing!?

I've never been so far away from one of you before. I wanted to see if you're strings still worked...

Everything seemed healed, it was like his body was restored. In the haze of motion, he saw the Lookout, and knew right away they'd brought him to Dende. But the noise of everything... inside his head... made it hard to concentrate. Suddenly, it felt like he was almost sucked out of his body, twisting and spinning. It was like his soul was on fire.

I only got a small piece of it before. I want the rest. It belongs to me. I can almost taste where you are. How long do you think it will take me to get there to collect?

What do you even want!? Why are you doing this?!

I want to be whole.

Suddenly, his world opened up for him. Above him, he could see his father, and Goku, holding him down as he felt his body thrashing. Every time he tried to speak, all that would happen would be ravenous spitting. His words became disorganized, violent and frantic screams. He was a prisoner, inside his own mind. He could feel all the 'strings' being pulled. He could feel the violence of whatever it was. Behind its smooth features, behind its slow, strange walk, behind its nude appearance... was something vicious.

And it was in control.

A terrified scream escaped Trunks as he felt like he was suffocating inside his own body, even as he was breathing.

I want what you stole from me.

It felt like something was being drained out of him. It felt like an empty hole was opening up in his chest, slowly. The world sank back into a bleak darkness once again.

What?! What are you even talking about? All you do is kill innocent people! We just met?! What did I even take from you!?

Everything.

It was only then, that a warm glow came over him.

The ravenous fury was lifted.

... What's this-?

And then suddenly, the voice went dead, just as Trunks' eyes shifted open once more, and looked back and towards a familiar, and welcoming sight.

The Supreme Kai of Time.

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Gohan:

Worse?

That was almost laughable. Look where he was right now. Look at this miserable shithole he'd get to spend the rest of eternity in. What was going to be worse than this? And of course, this was what heralded his grandfather here? It was bullshit.

I'm so tired of fighting.

The other Saiyan just shifted slightly, clearly awkwardly, and somehow listening to his thoughts. Every comment he'd made so far seemed to show it. With a frustrated glare, Gohan crossed his arms a moment later, tightening his lips and narrowing his eyes.

"And what are these things I need to know exactly, Bardock?" Gohan asked, feeling suddenly very scrutinized for some reason.

Cracking his knuckles, the other Saiyan rolled his eyes before finding a rock to sit down on. Staring back at him, the older Saiyan just gave a half smirk, though it was clearly not one born of any great cheer. It was clear to Gohan that he was tapping into his thoughts somehow, and quite frankly he didn't care. Right now-

"Are you done feeling sorry for yourself? Because that's all you seem to really be good at," Bardock observed, smiling as he did. "In a few months, they're going to call you up. And whining that you're stuck down here isn't going to do you any good."

Closing his fist angrily, Gohan scowled at the older Saiyan after his words of advice. So this was his Grandpa? Coming in with some cryptic warning of being called up, almost as if he was going to get drafted? What would he get drafted for? And he wasn't even listening to Turles. So why did it matter? If anything, the remarks changed his perspective on one thing.

"How do you know this? And how are you prying into my thoughts?" Gohan asked, feeling his fist close tightly, awaiting the answer. "And why the fuck do you need to be so damn vague? If you know what's happening, just tell me. Don't dance around it like some snivelling-"

Rising from where he sat, the other Saiyan glared directly at him with black eyes. They were far more weathered than his father's. That was meant for both Turles and Goku, perhaps they were more worn than both of them together. Behind them was a thousand battles, perhaps more. Even if his power level was weak... this was a warrior who'd seen too much and lived too hard. It was obvious where Kakarot and Turles got their... fighting edge. In turn, it was clear where he got his own fighting prowess. It was passed through the blood, in its own way, from this man. But just standing in front of him so aggressively was enough to make the younger Saiyan take pause.

"I was given the... gift of being able to see the future, and reading minds on a job Frieza sent me on. It let me see our species die before it did, and I desperately tried to change the future. It wasn't enough to keep me from here. I'm talking to you right now because everything has gone to shit."

Everything has gone to shit? But Garlic was here. So how was everything to going to shit if the little bastard was actually stuck in Hell with him? The Dead Zone was destroyed. Internally, he could feel a small scratch of panic scrape against the back of his mind as he realized he was stuck down here. Gritting his teeth, he could feel himself lose any restraint. Reaching out, he grabbed Bardock by the neck, but the other Saiyan just seemed to lack any kind of response, even as he shoved his fingers into his throat.

"Then tell me! And tell me what I need-"

The other Saiyan reached up, grabbing his wrist calmly, implying for him to release him.

"Let go, kid, or you're not getting anything."

Snarling, Gohan released him, letting the other Saiyan rub his neck a second later.

"It's more complicated than you think. I've seen how this breaks down. It'll break down in four different ways. Each one of them is possible. Each one of them will happen... it's just a matter if it happens here or if it happens somewhere else."

That was vague again, and Gohan hated it.

"They're coming. They've already created this world as it is by travelling through it once," Bardock spoke. "The best way to understand how to win is to hang around with Turles. Look, I know that you don't understand what I'm talking about. I barely understand it. I've seen the three of them, clad in Saiyan Armour and with Super Saiyan Auras, and I've seen them kill you. I've seen them kill everyone. I've seen them rise and fall. I've seen them die or lay in defeat as well. I don't know who they exactly are, but I know they're coming. And I know that the only way you'll be able to help stop them, is if you understand Turles. These three things seem attached to him somehow. But I know that if you trust Turles like you used to, he's going to destroy you. Or at least destroy everything you care about."

"He wants to come back to life."

"Of course he does," Bardock responded, crossing his arms. "Who doesn't after being down here? But do you trust him to come back to life? Look, his wants don't matter. What matters is that you understand him, and sharpen your skills against him."

There was something else unsaid there, and he didn't understand what it was. He could almost feel him holding back on him still.

Power couldn't increase, in Hell... but Techniques could be honed, he supposed.

How did this all tie together? How did Turles tie in to three Super Saiyans and all of this ridiculous talk about events happening regardless of different outcomes. It was pointless... unless... Somehow reality was fractured by time travelling, creating more than one parallel universe. He'd never been an science-head back in the Planet Trade, but he did understand a bit of how space and time worked, given the nature of space travel. It was important to know to not only do his job, but to plan logistics. The math behind it was pretty easy as well.

And if he's talking about time travellers, that could be what all of this is. This could be complicated. I don't like complicated.

"Sharpen you're skills against me, son?"

The voice was all too familiar, and even Bardock seemed surprised as he looked over to another cliff. Gohan's eyes followed as well, laying eyes on his uncle, the man who raised him.

Shit. Why can't you see this kinda shit happening in the future?

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Goku:

The little pink-red skinned Kai almost collapsed as soon as Trunks started to wake. Her hands fell to her side as her knees wobbled for a second, before Mr. Popo came to her side, holding her upright. The way Trunks moved as he sat up, holding his head, Goku could almost sense something different about him. It hadn't been the fanatical, strange, screaming rampage he'd been going through, or how he arrived, but just the way he moved. This was certainly a man from the future, Vegeta's son from another place.

But it wasn't Trunks as they knew him. His suspicions remained quiet as he stared at the purple haired Saiyan, waiting for an explanation for anything.

"What happened?" Trunks managed to ask, rubbing his head as he looked at the others, staring longest at Vegeta however before looking directly at the Kaio herself.

"You were attacked by them before you could... save... your other self," the Supreme Kai of Time told him, before looking over at them cautiously, and then back to Trunks. "When the... When they finished with him, they moved on to you. He managed to get a hold of you before you got back into the time machine."

Looking down with a grim look, Trunks' had an almost distant view to his eyes.

"That was what the dream was. He was telling me how I'd stolen something from him, and wanted to be whole. He's completely insane. I... I don't know if I could stop him, or the other two."

There was a frustrated growl that appeared in the midst of all of them, leaving Goku to turn his head towards Vegeta. Seeing his long time friend and rival step forward angrily made the Earth raised Saiyan to hold his tongue once again, wanting to see what was said. He could already imagine what frustration had given flight to Vegeta's comment. None of this was good, and Goku wanted to know what was going on.

"The two of you have explaining to do, now," Vegeta remarked dangerously, his voice tight and irritated. "I don't care if you're a Kai, and I don't care if you're my son. If you land on my lawn half dying, there had best be a reason as to why."

The two just looked between one another, before looking back.

"It's complicated-" Trunks started.

"That's fine," Goku cut in. "We're really used to all the complicated stuff. Trust me, if you'd been here when we fought Cell, or Bojack, man you'd not believe how weird that could get."

There was an awkward silence from the two of them, but especially from Trunks, further confirming what Goku had assumed. This wasn't their Trunks at all, and that was just fine. If anything, it was a relief, given the state he shown up in. Not that he wanted anything bad to happen to him, and he looked like a good kid, but it always hurt more knowing one of your friends was hurt. But, he was sure he'd get along great with any version of Trunks he came across.

"What are you babbling about Kakarot, Trunks was there for both those battles," Vegeta scoffed.

"Not your versions of them," Trunks was quick to correct. "I may look like the Trunks you know from the future, but that time line isn't the one I come from. In my time, there were-"

There was a confused face from Vegeta immediately however.

"The Androids. They killed all of us except the human Tien-"

"... In my time, they killed everyone but Gohan."

Now it was time for Goku's own heart to stop at the news. If his upbringing was anything like the Trunks he knew, then that meant that he was trained and almost raised by Gohan. And that meant the world he came from was very different. The fact he wasn't wearing Saiyan Armour told him even more. It told him that in whatever world he came from... whatever that was... his son hadn't been taken, or if he had, was brought home much earlier. The better question really was... why was this all different?

There were no Androids to worry about earlier, there was no time travel, there was no-

"Look, my time line doesn't..." the immediate glare Trunks received from the Kai told another story. "Well, I guess it does matter. I'm... I'm not sure how to explain all of this-"

"Boy, you'd best start talking," Vegeta warned before the Kai put her hand up, making Vegeta sneer.

"I'll explain. I'll explain it all," she admitted a few seconds later. "But only because you need to be warned as to what may be coming. And it may be coming soon."

It was already easy for Goku to put together an idea of what was coming. Whatever it was, it'd manhandled Trunks, and somehow managed to make him almost rabid. The fact that he'd survived their version of events involving the Androids, also informed him beyond anything else, at the very least this Trunks was a formidable fighter as well.

"Well, we're waiting," Vegeta snapped.

"Give her a second, Vegeta," Goku advised, before smiling at Trunks. "Besides, I'm sure the two of you are going to have a lot to say to catch us up. And I want to hear it all."

And it was true. He wanted to know about the world where these two came from, and why they were here. A whole other world, where things went differently? That was crazy. It shouldn't have been, given all the craziness he'd seen in his life so far, but even their own Trunks came from a world that was their world, up until he arrived.

This Trunks came from a completely different time line, or at least one that diverged much earlier. So much earlier, that he knew Gohan.

Composing herself, the small Kai stepped forward, crossing her arms as everyone seemed to quiet down.

"Let me start by saying that this is all your fault. This planet's fault, that is. I'm the Supreme Kai of Time, just encase you didn't notice and forgot that over the last few minutes. Well, this planet's inhabitants have made my life a living hell. My job is to manage time, all of it. Well this genius," she thrust her thumb back, pointing towards Trunks. "Was the first time traveller. He comes from the primary universe. That's to say, he comes from the real universe."

"There used to only be one. When Trunks went back in time, he inadvertently created four other diverging time lines. It's the nature of the technology used to go back," she explained. "It's hard to explain, but every time Trunks used the machine, he created another universe. Every time someone in the other universes he created, made another trip using a machine, they created a universe. It wasn't so bad at first, there were a dozen universe, and I still had everything under control, until one universe... there was one universe, that ruined everything."

So, this was an alternate reality? That was crazy! But... what did she mean ruined everything?

Primary universe? What does that even mean?

"In one of the universes Trunks visited inadvertently, it created a series of events where Frieza was defeated and killed by another Saiyan, who then went on to dominate the universe with his cruelty and malice. It created an entire world that descended into horror. The Earth became the seat for his Empire. The surviving Saiyans rallied to him, and he killed the only one that didn't. A Super Saiyan monster who fed on whole worlds-"

Immediately, it painted a picture in his mind. Frieza laying there dead at the feet of another. Maybe it was Vegeta, and she was just trying to be diplomatic? Maybe it was... Raditz? Geeze, that would be weird. Oh it'd be even weirder if it was Nappa. But it also didn't make sense that this would cause all of the time lines to fall out of place. It didn't make sense that this was making so many different universes.

"The Saiyan's name was Turles, wasn't it?" Vegeta asked bluntly, looking up towards the Kai.

Her lip went thin before she nodded quietly.

"Yes. He's the one who killed Frieza on Namek, in this time line."

Turles?... But how? How did this universe let that happen? How did he get there? Was I there? How does this destroy time as we know it? How did that... create... this world?

They were all profound questions, and ones Goku normally would never ask, but even for him they needed to be asked as he looked on.

"It's not that directly that causes the problem. Things continue on. That universe is enslaved. Babidi and Dabura are killed by Vegeta and Turles ten years later. The Androids never come to fruition. The universe itself becomes a harvest for the Tree of Might, and Turles becomes the most powerful of the full Blooded Saiyans alive. Father- Vegeta, is almost as powerful, and the two rely on one another to keep order in the universe where they aren't. Its complicated," Trunks cut in. "From what we gather though, Bulma... survived, this world. Well, we know she survived it at least for a while. Long enough to build a time machine."

Survived long enough? Meaning she wasn't alive anymore.

"I'll explain this, Trunks," the Kai sighed. "Three Saiyans left that world, using the Time Machine."

Raising her hand, there was a flash of images in front of them, revealing three figures. Each one of them was in Saiyan armour. Each one of them seemed familiar.

First among them was a tall figure with long almost silky black hair. His eyes were the same deep blue as Bulma's, but his eyes were lifeless. His entire figure was relaxed, yet intense. The main difference between him and the others, beyond his mild height advantage, was the sword which was clearly hanging from his back, its hilt sticking into the air from behind him, and its sheath appearing opposite of the hilt.

To his right stood another male, his hair short and spikey, much like a Saiyan. Of the three, he looked the most... brutish. Despite being shorter than the sword-bearer, his muscles spoke much more loudly. But he had a great deal in common, in terms of figure, with himself, or even Turles. In fact, of any of them, he was willing to bet that was one of Turles' offspring, but the familiar resemblance was almost immediate. If this guy stood next to Gohan or Goten, you'd immediately think them siblings.

The final one, of all of them, immediately betrayed her parentage. If ever someone had Vegeta's features, even if they were softened by a feminine form, it was this woman. She had the same cruel look he'd once had when they first met. Her entire body-language was a parody of his, and even the fact her arms were crossed as the Saiyan Prince always did, was shocking. Even if she didn't have his incredibly receded hairline, even the back of her Saiyan hair spiked up just like his. It wasn't like with Bulla, who looked almost exactly like Bulma, this woman strongly resembled Vegeta.

These three Saiyans were risking all of reality? These three Saiyans made their world? But it was Vegeta's voice which cut in next.

"Her," he whispered. "She's the one I saw... in the Training Room."

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Vegeta:

In better light, with a clearer picture, it immediately became obvious to Vegeta who this was. This was a reflection of himself, staring back at him in this picture. If he peered back twenty years ago in his own life, he had the same look about him when he served under Frieza. But it wasn't the look she was giving, but the features she possessed. Some of her words made more sense now, her remarks that he was somehow always as cowardly as all the other Vegeta's she'd met. The resentment made sense now. But how did she come here? Or rather, how did she communicate with him, and why?

"That's impossible," Trunks cut in. "She's several time lines away from here, and they can't communicate through the fabrics of space and time-"

"He's right, there is no way that Junia communicated with you," the Supreme Kai was quick to remark.

Junia?

It was some bizarre, and there was too much unexplained. Fine, she didn't communicate with him and he was just crazy. Even then it had too many questions left unanswered.

"And why would these three Saiyans leave their world, and why is this such a problem?" Vegeta asked bluntly. "And why did I see that one?"

With her shoulders sagging slightly, the Supreme Kai of time sighed.

"Look, its complicated. But when these three left their world, they made a half dozen more, because of the destructive nature of the Time Machine they use. The one which Trunks normally uses, has a low volume, and when it breaches through the fabric of space-time, only create one, or two alternate realities. When they do it, its like a whale moving through the ocean, it has a lot more consequence than a tiny fish," she explained, before the picture in her hand shifted and changed.

"The problem with what they're doing, is their creating billionsof broken realities. Every time they entered a new world, they create four to six, each with different outcomes. The problem is also that this replicates their own number. Which means that instead of one group travelling through realities, there could be two or three for each jump. And then the same thing happens the next time. There are literally millions of these three moving through new realities, and it's made my job impossible."

"The other Kais multiply when these new worlds are made, the Gods too, but not me. I exist outside of space and time as you know it in a place called Toki-Toki City. And all we've been able to do is watch as this... travesty unfolds. Do you know how many threats to time and space come out of billions of universes? It'd impossible to manage! Thousands of realities have already been destroyed by the likes of Buu, and it's only a matter of time before they slip out of those universes and find new ones."

Millions of Saiyans are travelling through space and time right now, creating more realities and this is a problem to some obscure God who exists outside of our universe? Where was the part where I care?

"Jeeze, these guys must really wanna see a lot of new places," Kakarot remarked dumbly. "I mean, all that travelling-"

"They go between realities to murder the strongest warriors inside of those worlds, Goku," Trunks clarified their intentions. "Given that I suspect in their own reality, they knew they couldn't hope to hold a candle against Vegeta or Turles-"

"Man, I'm still in shock that Turles killed Frieza in that world-"

"Apparently he killed you as well," Trunks added awkwardly.

Well that's no surprise. Obviously if that idiot Turles killed Frieza, he'd move to kill anyone else he considered a threat while he consolidated.

"So, they're coming here next then?" Vegeta questioned, looking at the two foreigners with a cool gaze. "And you've only slipped one of their names so far."

There was a shift in the air around them, and Vegeta immediately detected another power. It was putrid in origin, and he could already tell it was by no means Saiyan. It was demonic. Given his run-in with Garlic, it made him sneer as he turned his head back to look towards who it was.

"Isn't she adorable, Mira?" a female voice cut in, amused. "Thinking she can save all reality by killing the original travellers. Sadly, I don't think that's in the cards. But if you want revenge against them for ruining all of your well laid plans, or want justice in your case, for having caused the catastrophe, well... then this reality most definitely could serve quite well in laying a trap for when they arrive. And they will arrive."

"Towa," Trunks and the Supreme Kai sneered at once.

Floating above them, metres away, were two figures. Their blue skin gave away that they weren't human just as much as their power. The Kai and his alternate reality son both seemed to hold the two in derision. Given then power level the big one had, Vegeta immediately flared his power. Golden energy whipped around him and lightning scattered across his form as his hair sharped and turned upward. The same process followed on Kakarot, and Trunks.

"Now now, we're actually not here to kill you. Oh and you Saiyans are always so adorable when you're angry, may I add? Oh, and if you're wondering what the names of the three Saiyans you're dealing with are, Vegeta, they're names are Taro, Brass, and Junia," she remarked with a long, slow smile coming across her face. "But of course, Trunks here knows who they're real names should be."

Turning immediately to Trunks, Vegeta already sensed his dislike for this version of his son growing.

"It doesn't matter-" the Kai tried to reason before Trunks shook his head.

"They aren't the same, but they'd be...equivalents to... if your universe has them, of Goten, Bulla and... and... Me."

That was enough for Vegeta to hear, with a glare towards the demons, and then a glare towards the Kai, he started to walk away from both sets of them.

"Oh by the way Vegeta, if you were wondering, I was the one trying to give you the forewarning about your wonderful little girl, back in the training room," Towa remarked. "I thought an emotional touch was worth it."

Spitting furiously, Vegeta threw his hand out towards her, forming energy in his hand, but the two disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Gone," Kakarot remarked. "And you're going to have more explaining to do."

With another sigh of defeat, Vegeta saw the Supreme Kai reluctantly cede the duty of informing them what was going on, to Trunks. For starters, Vegeta wanted questions of his own answered.

"Yea, I know," Trunks offered. "We don't know as much about Brass, Taro, and Junia, but I'll start with Towa and Mira..."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Pan:

It ached.

That was the first thing Pan thought. Everything else seemed to be separate. How warm was it? Was it still soaking wet? Was it day? Was it night? Even hunger was superseded by the ache. It was in her leg and it hurt. It wouldn't stop hurting. The longer she just lay there, wishing it'd go away, the worse it hurt. Slowly, her eyes opened.

Dim skies cast overhead, with the glint of sunlight barely breaking through grey clouds. The beating in her chest thud against her ribs as she started to breath for what felt like the first time. Slowly, her blue eyes scanned the heavens, as if asking where she was, but the gentle rustle of the trees around her told her all too well. With a hiss, she slowly sat up, looking down at her stained pants. Blood and mud were everywhere.

She needed to find other people. She needed an adult, or... or it was going to get worse.

Struggling, her hands moving through the still soaked mud as she pulled them up, she reached for her leg and yelped instinctively from the pain. Tears brimmed at her eyes before she even realized it as if felt like heat was moving through her entire frame. With a spasm that lasted several seconds, she felt herself almost slide back.

It was bad, it was really, really bad.

Looking ahead of her, the world now illuminated by the dim slightly from above, Pan could see the wolves, all staring at her cautiously. They were still ferocious, barring their teeth, but it was in fear. The tree behind them seemed familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on why. It didn't matter though. How long before they went after her again?

When the power came out of her, it saved her. She didn't understand it, she didn't understand where it came from, but she knew she couldn't rely on it. She didn't feel any different, other than her heart racing right now, and the pain that wouldn't stop in her leg, and the fact she was cold and wet.

I wanna go home.

The thought tugged at her again before she caught her own breath, starting to try and rise again, only to fail.

This time she slid back, her shoulders slapping into the mud as she shrieked again, spikes of something beyond pain running through her entire body. Heaving, she just strangled as she tried to hold everything in, but it didn't work. A sob caught in her throat as she felt like she'd give up, only to find herself scratching at the mud to pull herself back up, breathing raggedly as she did. She needed to find something, anything to stop it. Her eyes impotently scanned the area, finding only trees. Stopping, she just let her eyes fall upon the only thing which stood out, where one tree had been cut down some time ago, leaving only the stump.

But sitting there on the soaked, opened up tree, was a small, green bean. It was remarkably familiar to her, even as her eyes focused in on it. It was... it was... the same bean that she'd given her mother. It had to be. It looked exactly the same in every way and all she could do was fixate on it. Trembling, she managed to hiss and close her eyes tightly, before grabbing her leg and forcing it up. As soon as she did, spikes shot into her leg again, but she couldn't concentrate on them. Everything was concentrated on the bean. With another pull of her other leg, she felt herself wobbly begin to rise. Trembling, her legs moved, but her left leg, the one now soaking through her jeans and her make-shift patch with blood, trembled. It couldn't hold the wait. The moment her full weight moved up, her body plunged forward as she gave another pained cry.

This time she landed face first though. Despite the ground being soft with mud, it still made her head spin when she hit the ground, slicking herself further with fresh mud. The wounded leg hung behind her like a dead weight. Even trying to move it now seemed like an exercise in futility. But she had arms, and she had one good leg. Whimpering for only a moment, she breathed in as she reached out, grabbing the ground itself to pull herself along. Each time she dragged herself, her right leg kicking back and her leg left dragging behind her, she felt her lungs heave for more air. Hot tears rolled down her eyes, but she didn't even notice as she scowled, before her small hand reached up, grabbing the side of the tree trunk.

Letting her head fall forward with exhaustion and relief, Pan felt it rest against the old dead bark.

Only a little more.

She was so close, and she couldn't give up now. Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself up the stump the few feet it was. As soon as weight rested on her rear leg, she let out a half strangled cry, before biting her tongue and reaching out, grasping the bean with her muddied hand.

This has to be it. It's... it's the same! It's the same as Mister G- Dad gave me! The one that fixed mom!

Desperately, she pulled it towards her face, opening her mouth, before her eyes dilated, hearing a long, drawn out whimper go through the air. Turning her head slowly, despite everything, she could see the wolves. They were pacing around the tree frantically, and even seemed distressed. Between their legs as they frantically moved around, she could see one wolf laying there at the base of the tree, yelping weakly and frantically trying to breath.

The wolf that bit her. It was dying.

Every instinct in her felt... off. It all screamed for her to eat the bean now, to save herself and run away. These things had tried to kill her the night before, chasing her without remorse. But there was a tiny voice in her head, and there was something more surprising. There was her father looking at her in the eyes as she stayed over him. Half of his face was a bloody ruin, and his left eye swollen shut and burned.

She remembered having to leave him behind with that monster.

Turning her blue eyes back towards the wolves, she could see them still frantically pacing. Turning back towards the bean, her mouth almost touching it, she pulled her other hand up, carefully examining it with her eyes as she struggled to hold back her own tears from the pain.

"You can be more than I was." her father's words whispered through her mind.

She didn't even know what that meant fully, but to her it meant... she didn't even know. She didn't know fully why she was doing it, except for one thing. Those wolves, for all their nastiness, for all they'd tried to hurt her, were going to have to leave their friend to die. They were going to leave him or her behind because he was hurt, and they'd need food or water, and he wouldn't be able to follow.

I hope this works.

Applying pressure in the middle, Pan snapped the bean in two. Carefully, she pulled one half towards her mouth, before throwing it in her mouth. As soon as it made contact with her tongue, she pushed it into the side of her cheek and willing jaws came down, crushing it in one bite, before mulching it with several more motions of her mouth. Swallowing it, she just felt her head plunk forward, hitting the tree stump and waiting for something, anything.

Maybe you need the whole bea-

Everything changed.

The ache was gone. Her hunger disappeared. Her body flexed out almost and felt... incredible. Standing to her full height a second later, she looked down at herself, breathing in shakily at the shock of what had just occurred.

She was fine. She was better than fine, beyond the smell of not having a bath for days she was... great.

With almost limitless energy, she jumped into the air excitedly, before running around the tree stump itself just to make sure this wasn't a dream. Sitting down on it a second later, she unwrapped her badly bandaged leg, revealing the wound was gone. All of her excitement bled away as soon as one of the wolves howled again. Turning her attention back to them, she felt her heart stop, before immediately starting to race.

"You can live a life with so much, not just for yourself, but with other people."

For a moment she didn't even realize she was walking straight towards the wolves, not until they snarled at her viciously, all of them trying to form a circle around their fallen friend. Barks and snarls came from them as they brandished their teeth, but Pan just closed her eyes for a moment, stopping the urge to just throw the bean at them and run. Instead, she called the bluff. Taking one more step into them, whines born of helplessness began to escape the wolves. The reason they'd not killed her last night, the reason they didn't rush her now, was that they were there when he power overcame them all. They knew what happened last time, even if they were only wolves.

"I'm not gonna hurt him," Pan urged, but the wolves reluctantly just pulled back. Each of them gave panicked looks towards their fallen friend, trying to justify staying, but fear running through them, they slowly backed away.

A few snarls still came from them, but tails were now between their legs, as they frightfully started to watch from an ever increasing distance.

With them all pulled away, Pan could see the wounded canine, her eyes staring over it. Its hind legs were almost on backwards, its back broken against the tree. Its face was panicked at the sight of her, snapping several times helplessly and moving its front paws to push back or move towards her, trying to show strength. Within seconds, the facade ended, as its head fell to one side, almost consigning itself to fate.

A tired and resigned animal just looked away from her. Swallowing nervously, Pan gently placed the bean beneath its snout, before stepping back slowly, looking at the wolves as she did. They immediately started to move back in as she moved away, barring their teeth as they did, long growls escaping them. The one which was laying there, a disjointed mess, slowly pulled its head down, sniffing the bean for a moment before licking it. Looking back at her cautiously, she looked into the eyes of the animal. For a brief moment, she almost felt it understood what she was trying to do.

Come on. Eat it.

It just remained frozen, looking at her as its comrades slowly slunk back into the scene, just as one passed by it, breaking their gaze, she saw the wolf move in to eat it. The other wolves, all beginning to move in to see the fate of their friend again, stepped back as the canine slowly rose. Its hind legs intact, its entire body seemingly reborn, remade in its own image. The wolf itself couldn't believe it, stepping around and investigating itself. Exhilaration ran through the entire pack as the others all crowded the one wolf, sniffing and rubbing against it excitedly.

She was jealous, if only because the wolf was home. This was where he belonged, and she knew she'd just given him a second chance. She didn't know where she belonged anymore. This was a strange place and she had no friends. Even as the wolves calmed, they all glared back at her, gnashing their teeth once more before running into the woods themselves.

Letting out a long breath, Pan just fell back onto her butt, before the wind picked up again in the forest. A symphony of sound washed over her as the birds chirped and the trees bristled.

There was only one question that finally came to her mind.

Where did the bean come from?

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Piccolo:

Soft.

Way too soft.

It was hard to imagine that Gohan's kid would be this... scared, and weak. But more than anything, it was hard to imagine her risking her own health to help the very things that'd nearly killed her the night before. He'd been too far away when the incident happened, but when he came upon it in the early hours of the morning, the Namekian was annoyed more than anything. Just how was he going to shape this kid into a warrior? She let a pack of wolves almost get the better of her, and had suffered a mortal wound. If he weren't here, she'd have died out in these woods. Even then, he'd left the bean where he knew she'd see it.

But for now he simply watched from afar as she picked up the sword he'd left for her again. Not that it mattered. These last few seconds he'd already consigned much of her development to the waste bin. The forest was supposed to hardened her attitudes, as cruel as that sounded. It hardened him, after all, and he was sure it'd hardened a dozen other warriors of some renown. But already he could see the cracks. The right thing to do was to leave nature to take its course, and let the wolves continue to fear her. The compassion displayed, though noble in its own right, was a way to get killed in the battlefields she'd see in the future.

If she saw them at all now.

"Not going according to plan," he grumbled.

"She's too much like Goku," his training double commented, leaving Piccolo to stare at the clone of himself.

It was so strange to think of her that way, because Gohan was so foreign, so different from what he was seeing right now. But in truth, he could see it. Son would have saved that wolf too, and he would have gone through the forest trying to cause as little harm as he could. Perhaps she was even more compassionate, as he increasingly couldn't see her even trying to acquire vital protein. The kid was too gentle, even with that hidden power, it was only brought out by trauma.

"We'll keep checking on her," his double commented. "Let's just hope she's ready to go in a couple months. Even if she's gentle now, we'll see if that holds out in a few more months."

It was hopeful optimism on his part to even make such a comment. Crossing his arms, Piccolo just kept his eyes focused on the girl kilometres below, who slowly started to wander through the woods again.

The next morning, he was going to see if she was nearby a real food source or water source. Otherwise, he was going to have to intervene again.

I may have been wrong about how powerful she's going to be. And even if she is powerful, I may be wrong about how useful she's going to be.

Turning his eyes towards his double, he smirked.

At least he could take care of his own training now. The girl would be fine, for the moment.

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Garlic jr.:

Revenge.

No matter how much he desired it now, it would always be out of his reach. His small frame walked with determination towards a scattered remnant of mountains, his red eyes staring intensely towards them. There needed to be a way out of this wretched place, and with that he would be free. Once a path was found... it would be simple to finish off his enemies. Son Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and any other fools who got in his way. They wouldn't have a chance in the slightest. Even now all he could think about, even in this terrible place, was how amazing the empire he would build would be. He came so close to victory. Even now when he closed his eyes, he could see the world bending its knee to him... and he could see his fall at the hands of Son Goku of all people.

So much of everything tied into Son Gohan. The moment he was thrown into the Dead Zone, through to the second he saw him at the World Martial Arts Tournament, he'd wanted nothing more than his revenge. He wanted his power for himself as well. But even killing him hadn't been truly satisfying. Even while the pathetic figure of his broken body lay at his feet, it didn't feel like enough. He didn't feel what he did as he died. It was a lost moment for him, even if it was satisfying to see his body struggle to do anything before its end.

I should have killed that wretched girl in front of him. That would have made this all the better. Even if I was trapped in this nightmare...

Staring around at dead soil and dim light, Garlic looked across the vastness around him as he continued across the wastelands of Hell.

Well... at least its not as bad as the Dead Zone.

And it was true. This barren, bleak, putrid, frozen and boiling wasteland was better than the dimension Son Gohan had collapsed. With its destruction, he was condemned to this place. Unless of course, he managed to succeed in his current plot. He was never condemned to Hell, in fact, he was still alive. How could they keep him down here if he was alive, after all? All he needed to do was find the appropriate Ogre and he would be out of here in minutes. A slick smile appeared across his lips as he walked the wasteland.

Son Goku had barely defeated him before. The Instant Transmission technique was his only refuge from him. Even then, it had only overwhelmed him when in combination with that vile attack which had destroyed his Orb of Destruction. This time it would be different, because he knew about the Dragon Fist. Already he could imagine the destruction he would bring about with his return. He would scour the galaxy for the mightiest demons alive, infusing them with the power of the Makyo Star, and then he would return to the Earth and acquire his revenge as never before.

The first time, Goku, Piccolo, and Son Gohan barely stopped him, and the world itself seemed at risk.

The second time, Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Son Gohan only stopped him because of that wretched teleportation technique. The planet had been damaged, its environment would face significant changes, which would no doubt he reset by the Dragon Balls. He'd nearly destroyed the Earth in a bid for his final victory, and it was so close.

The third time? What could they do to stop him this time? Especially once he escaped this place, and could do so reliably? He would just strike when the iron was hot. As soon as they used the Dragon Balls to bring back Son Gohan, and fix the Earth's climate... he would appear. There would be pain, unimaginable pain, but just as before, he would have his victory. He would see them all die. Son Gohan would watch his daughter weep blood in front of him. Son Goku would watch as his world burned and died. Vegeta would be vanquished just as he was before. The Namek Piccolo... well... his suffering would be almost as great as Gohan's, if only because he embodied both Piccolo and Kami now.

His glory would be unending. Even as he strode, he felt excitement run through his tiny body's blood.

Now all I need is the escape. They'll all realize that I am the unending wave of eternity. Even the greatest of obstacles are simply washed away, because I am relentless. Nothing can stop me.

In the distance, two red eyes spied several ogres standing about near some Kai forsaken Tree.

And speaking of Kais... When I see Abaddon again, I'll have to thank him for his devoted loyalty and support.

The treachery of his one time ally, in his estimations, was a significant influence on his defeat. No alliance was forever, of course, everyone outlived their usefulness, and Abaddon had certainly outlived his.

Finally, his two small feet stopped in front of the ogres, who turned to look at him cautiously. The biggest among them, a large red Ogre with black hair, yellow horns, and a bear, just grinned.

"Not every day that one of the prisoners comes to get tortured. Always exciting if you ask me."

"Quiet, idiot," Garlic snapped, glaring at the three of them to challenge him. "You will let me out of this place. Now."

The three just stood there, frozen. They seemed to take in his appearance before looking at one another. Naturally their fear would drive them to-

They started to... laugh?

"BWHAHAHAHAHA! You? Listen here little guy. You get sentenced to Hell, that's it. Sorry to hear that you're dead. But guess what? It's torture time."

It was almost impossible to hold back his anger. His patience had been tested before, and would be tested right now.

"Do you see a halo over my head?" he responded bluntly. "I'm alive you idiot. Therefore I should not be here. You will let me out. Now."

The laughter stopped as the Ogres looked at him, before staring at where the halo should have been. The big red one seemed most confused by it as his black eyes seemed to widen.

"... No way. How'd you get rid of your halo?" he asked.

"I don't have one, I'm immortal. Now let me out."

A few giggles returned to the other two ogres before they smiled cruelly.

"Well, we've got some bad news for you. Once you're down here, that's it buddy. Doesn't matter if you're dead or not."

Impudent worm.

"I was not sentenced. I don't belong here!" Garlic shouted finally, his temper rising like a furious tide. "Now you will show me out! I don't care about your rules! I am alive, and am the future ruler of the universe!"

Blank stares were exchanged once again, before the laughter returned.

"Yea, because we let Frieza and his old man out for the same reason! Why don't you just walk this way, mister ruler of the universe? Bah! Little gremlin, you should learn your place down here," the biggest ogre snapped. "The rules say once your down here, alive, dead, judged or not, you're stuck. You don't like it? Well take it up with the complaints department. Oh, what's that? We're the complaints department? Well why do you hold still, I'll show you the response!"

Winding up with a huge club in his hand, the ogre grinned devilishly as Garlic just glared hatefully back at him. As soon as the giant club swung down towards him, Garlic caught it in the air in his nature form, his small, clawed fingers digging into it as the other Ogres immediately jumped back. Grunting angrily, the Ogre just stared down at him with a realization slowly dawning on him.

"Crap, you're like one of those other freaks down here," he growled.

Snapping the club in two without any effort, and with one fluid motion, his black clad arm swung into the air before colliding with the Ogre's chin. The result was instant, spit and blood shot into the air before he Ogre landed flat on his back.

"H-Hold on! You can't just attack us, or they'll send the same fighter they did last time to do you in!" one Ogre pleaded. "He beat-"

That was enough of these fool's prattle.

Fabric tore away once again before his body burst in size. Where once stood a tiny creature, now stood a titan of muscle and flesh. The ground around him shattered at the expansion of not only his form, but his power.

"I do not care about some fighter! I only care about being set free from this place!"

The ogres, thought terrified, started to smile again. Muscles tightened across Garlic's body at the very sight of it, his huge hands grinding his fingers into his palms. They still mocked him...

"You don't get it. You're stuck down here."

Quietly, Garlic stood tall as he stared at the two of them, his stomach twisting violently at the remark. Even under the threat of pain or death, they wouldn't tell him a way out.

"I'm afraid that the two of you have... lost... your use to me then."

"No, nonononon wai-"

Opening his right hand, a wave of crimson energy exploded into view, and the two ogres were simply washed away in a wave of red light.

Stomping down on the Red Ogre's chest, he smashed through the rib cage in one blow as blood splattered into the air. His right foot soaked in the ogre's blood, he spat angrily before turning to walk away, desperate to find another means of escape, before he heard a voice.

"My, that was very interesting, wouldn't you say, Dabura?" Babidi's voice cut in.

Stopping where he stood, Garlic let his eyes drift to the side as his head slowly turned, revealing two figures. One was small, even smaller than himself in his natural form, and the other was a very... familiar figure. That was Dabura, the Demon King. Idly, Garlic wondered if the power of the Makyo Star may be a hindrance on him, if only because it may soon be supplying others with power, like this demon.

"Very interesting, he looks a great deal like a Makyan Demon. His power is very impressive as well," the other demon remarked.

Taking two steps to face the two of them, Garlic just smirked.

"I am Garlic junior, the immortal ruler of the universe," he introduced. "Given that I've discovered my most immediate means of escaping this wretched place is... unavailable, I-"

Leaning forward, the little yellow monster just smiled.

"There is a certain trouble maker down here. I'm collecting several new... friends and associates to deal with him. How would you like to join our little fellowship?" Babidi enquired. "I'm sure someone as imposing as yourself would be more than welcome."

"And who exactly is this trouble maker?" Garlic asked idly.

What's the worst that could happen, more boredom?

"His name is Gohan, a recent arrival-"

Before the little monster could finish, Garlic was already smiling.

Gohan. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who resents you so.

Most of him immediately wished there was a way to increase his suffering yet more. If anything, he immediately hoped these creatures had a plan. Because killing him down here couldn't be enough. It needed to be more... special.

"Well, you have my attention."

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Broly:

"There is no chance for any of you to stop Broly! He, is the legendary Super Saiyan all of you could only hope to come close to being! A creature of pure destruction which none of you can stop!"

The words of his father rang through his mind as he felt himself almost... drifting.

The rampage had been immense. He had crushed everything before him. The ogres, other fighters, anything. The whole world bent and broke at his whim as he rolled through the entirety of this world, just as he had through the world of the living before. Kakarot appeared a dozen times and he slew him each time as well. There was no reprieve from him. All of this existence was nothing more than a plaything to him. The world wept for having let him die so disgracefully.

And then, he found the only figure in the whole of the universe which had ever cared for him. His father made himself known to him. Weathered by time, the one time victim of Kakarot's vile brat Gohan, finally was reunited with him. Paragus saw him for what he was, fully matured for the first time, and he could see his father's pride.

"I knew they couldn't have killed you before, my son. Cooler could never have stolen you from the creation, that weakling could never have hoped to stop the Legend. I've waited so long to see you, my son."

And this Hell turned into something else. It became more than just a place of destruction and pain, it became a place of horror and joy. He crushed Frieza and his father, as well as their bug-man ally. He tore through demons, and smashed Babidi, his former master. Strange pirates came out of nowhere, attempting to stop his rampage, all the while his father relishing in his power. It was something which he would proud of. All of it was at the approval of the man who'd saved him.

If nothing in the universe could stop him while alive, what could hope to stop him while dead?

Even the supposed hero, Pikkon, some self-righteous fool from outside of Hell, came to halt him, only to be ground into the dust of Hell as well.

But now he was here. He was here floating.

"Kakarot."

"I told you before, idiot. My name is Turles."

Turles. It was a lie. That was Kakarot, more than the Kakarot he killed on the Earth. He slaughtered the one down here as well, again and again, but the last time they met, it was different. He could remember the panic in his father's voice as he shouted from above during the battle. Something went wrong in it all. The fight was a blur, but it shouldn't have been. It was frustrating and infuriating, he lost himself completely to his rage... and then he just remembered plunging into here. Where ever here was. It was dark, darker than the Hell before.

And it was like being submerged.

Drowning without drowning.

No matter how much he raged, no matter how much he lashed out at the world around him, he was still just trapped in this... lifeless nightmare. The last thing he could remember, even vaguely, was the look on Kakarot's face as he charged him, before everything turned to this... nightmare.

His rage didn't matter. All his power seemed mute. It was as if the world stopped turning.

All he was, was consumed in his rage, even as he fell through whatever existence this was.

"Broly, kill this pitiful fool!" his father laughed through his mind.

And in his mind's eye, he could still see himself wreaking havoc. He killed his enemies a thousand times, and it was glorious.

But then, something ticked. Reaching out through the darkness, he began to search for the light.

Kakarot.

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Turles:

Alternatives.

That was what Turles realized he needed. He needed alternatives from the boy he'd raised. Betraying him and battling him openly was one thing, it was a disagreement on how to conducts business. Gohan had argued he was too greedy, and had won, by killing him. It was a personal slight, but it wasn't unforgivable. After all, people died in such confrontations all the time. But what was unforgivable was that he'd turned his back on him. After all the times he'd pulled him out of the fire, after all the times he bailed him out, or taught him to survive, he wouldn't use the Earth's Dragon Balls to help him.

It was humiliating and infuriating when he pointed out the destruction he was worried he'd cause, as if it was any of his business anyway. It wasn't as if Gohan was innocent. He was in Hell himself, and for the same reasons. So it was alright for him to go back, because he 'changed' his ways, but it wasn't alright for him?

Ridiculous.

Bitter.

Of course he was bitter. Part of him wanted to fly out and find Gohan, and rip him piece from treacherous piece. But even then, he couldn't help but remember the better times. Surrounded by this Hell, what other alternative was there? Did he want to attack the man he considered his own son? Right now he did. But what this meant more than anything, was that he needed alternatives. He needed a way out, because he wasn't going to stay inside this miserable nightmare forever. He was going to get out, and when he did, he'd show them all who they were dealing with. The idea that he was someone who could just simply be pushed aside was a foolish one. He was going to get exactly what he deserved.

And when he came back, if he wanted to kill people for a living again, he would. If he wanted to rule the universe? He would. It was just that simple.

Just like he showed Broly.

As he looked out towards the swirling cataclysm in the distance, staring into the void which Broly had been cast in months earlier. He did in the giant Saiyan, of course. The look on Paragus's face when it happened was perfect, before he dealt with the old fool next.

Without the Dragon Balls, how can I get out of this world and come back to life? With my power and memories in tact? That's the real question.

Reincarnation was off the table, especially given his sentence.

There needed to be some way for him to get out of this Hell.

The only one who might know was someone he despised dealing with. It made him all the more intolerant just looking at him, because it was like looking into a mirror. It was just like when he looked at Kakarot, only the mirror this time was fractured in another way, showing back another example of a failed Saiyan.

Bardock.

The name left a bad taste in his mouth as he slowly started to hover into the air, reaching out and sensing his father's energy. He could sense Gohan's as well, immediately nearby him. How very intriguing. Of all of the Saiyans in Hell, perhaps Bardock was the most dangerous, if only because of his powers and abilities. It was hardly his dismal fighting capabilities. It was the fact that even Turles had discovered his ability to read minds, or the fact he could in some ways, see visions of the future. That alone was cause for concern.

There was of course, hardly any kind of relationship between himself and Bardock. Why should their be? The old fool died on the home world, Vegeta, when he was a child. It wasn't as if he imparted any knowledge to him, or helped him with any struggles in his life. He'd built himself and built his reputation all on his own. The idea that Gohan was now consulting advice from him was even more annoying as he closed in on the two, a purple field of energy surrounding his frame as he threw himself through the skies of Hell, hovering near golden clouds which made up the roof to this nightmare.

At the right angle, it reminded him almost of what a skyline would look like as cities burned in the background. That was the only really familiar or warm landmark he could ever say about this wretched place.

How he longed to watch worlds burn again. Of all the sights he'd seen in his life, of all the things he'd seen in the universe, nothing spoke so clearly to him than a planet dying. From inside his ship he passed stars, black holes, massive gas giants and nebulas. There were massive swirling furnaces of matter, and rings comprised of ice which circled not only worlds, but whole systems. In all the splendour and wonder of the universe, in all its colours and light and vibrancy, it was the burning of worlds which most caught his eyes.

Landing quietly a few sets of rocks away from the two objects of his pursuit, Turles saw them standing across from one another, both clearly agitated. But it was the words which caught him most.

"He wants to come back to life."

"Of course he does," Bardock responded, crossing his arms. "Who doesn't after being down here? But do you trust him to come back to life? Look, his wants don't matter. What matters is that you understand him, and sharpen your skills against him."

With a smirk, Turles could already understand their plots and schemes as they unfolded. Bardock wanted Gohan to use him. How fascinating.

"Sharpen you're skills against me, son?"

The immediate reaction from the two of them, only further grew his smile.

They would play his game. Not the other way around.

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Unknown: A Special Edition

It was the edge of light.

Scattered across the darkness, there were always specks of light scattered across the heavens. Each one of them unique, yet familiar. Light was the beacon of the universe. It was the herald of life, and the herald of destruction, in its own way. The warm, familiar glow of a star however, what was always roused him. An off-orange glow slipped over his frame, touching his hand and arm, before slipping over his entire body as gravity dragged him in towards the newest star. Immediately ice which had built up over his form, along with other frozen minerals, glistened in the light, reflecting back towards it.

And for the first time in months, two eyes slowly started to open. Before him was a burgeoning system, four planets reflected back their presence in the light of their star, and on one of them, he could sense the flare of life.

Ever since the fight time... it was always the same, every approach to these worlds. Even when his form was broken and ruined among the darkness of space, before arriving at the first world he encountered.

It was so long ago that we were defeated in battle by the Saiyans. So long ago that I survived where the others did not.

At amazing speed, his body began to speed towards the inhabited world, the third from the sun. It was another irony not lost on him just seeing it. A beautiful blue gem, hanging in the darkness of a cruel indifferent universe. It was not unlike the other worlds he fell towards. It was almost mechanical in its very nature as his body began to push against the atmosphere of the world. Immediately it started to catch with fire surrounding it. The inferno burned away the ice, and set alight the minerals. But his flesh remained strong, as it always did, weathering the inferno.

Falling from the heavens, like a god cast down from it, his body scorched through the air of the world, before his frame finally made impact. Molten rock scattered around him as the surface was blasted away by his landing. The world accommodated his landing, cratering away as the surface of the planet melted from the energy of the impact. Cooling rock scattered all around him as he slowly rose to his full height.

Opening his eyes once again, they set to look around his environment as his feet slowly drifted below him, gently lifting off from the surface before landing just outside the mouth of the huge impact zone. There were only a few true power levels on this world, and they all paled compared to his own. It was only natural that they paled of course, considering his own position in the universe.

But they do not know that I survive. I can sense it. Even now world after world falls. They provide me with the power my body has required.

Looking out across the planes around him, strange foliage covered the area, purple instead of green.

But even now he remembered his first time. The first time he came across a world, years after being vanquished. Long before he'd lost contact with the others, even the greatest of them all... his father. The cords were cut. There were no more strings which he could be influenced or controlled by... but that just meant that he had no purpose. What was the point of this miserable existence, beyond the opportunity for revenge?

Talking several steps, the tall figure observed more of the world.

Where were the local power levels hiding? He could sense them on this world, and he was certainly looking to replenish himself with new sources of energy before moving on to the next worthless rock.

Magenta eyes stalled as he looked out and over at a large base in the distance, clearly of the Planet Trade.

How boring. So these were the dismal power levels I detected. It would at least be nice to be something new.

Crossing his arms, the blue and black carapace around him glinted in the orange sunlight above. With two last Ka-tchinks his yellow feet lifted off the ground, before his body catapulted through the air. In seconds he appeared above the base, already detecting the panic below.

Fear was pointless, especially given their disposition. Were they smart they would just kill themselves to escape the pain of the consumption process.

From the middle of his back, his stringer began to push outward, as his tail extended for the first time since he'd last fed to increase his strength.

No matter how many power levels I must consume, I will acquire the power I need to return to the Earth and slaughter the Earthlings for what they did to my father. They'll pay for sending me aimlessly into the stars.

Descending rapidly, his body appeared at the surface near the pods, just as the last one who could hope to escape, took off in a space-pod.

Smiling, Cell junior's mature face stared at the dozen warriors left immediately in front of him, each one trembling with fear as they stared back at him.

"I-it's that- that thing! From Cooler Base 91! It's... no! NO!"

"If you'd all be so kind to be cooperative, I'm sure the process of my devouring you will be significantly less painful. But of course, each one of you should be proud to know you join something far greater than yourselves. You get to become part of the closest thing to perfection in this pitiful universe."

Taking his first step forward, his arms opening almost to embrace them, Cell just smirked back at them.

I will destroy everything in this universe, after I kill the ones who stopped you, father. It has no purpose but to exist. What a pitiful excuse for an eternity of time and space. I will provide it meaning in its destruction.

His tail shot out, stabbing one of the bird-like aliens in the neck. Immediately it squawked for air as blood oozed from the wound, but simply enough, Cell simply began to drink. Huge gulps of organic matter began to slide down his tail as he sucked in the very essence of the warrior, the others watching in horror.

How refreshing.

I will have to remember to do this to everyone on the Earth. But most of all, I'll have to remember to do this to... the one... the one who took me away from my purpose. Serving my creator's will.

In his mind's eye, even as his tail shot into his next victim as they helplessly began to look to flea or fight, Cell junior's mind constructed the one whose name nearly escaped him every time his thoughts turned to him. He could still remember being in his infant form when he battled him all those years ago, just as his two siblings battled the others. He would never forget the words he heard that spelled his near doom, reducing him to little more than a few scattered Cells in an arm, left trailing through the void of space, carried on a beam of light.

"FINAL FLASH!"

Sneering resentfully as he stepped forward, shoving his tail into another victim, drinking away his life, Cell let his lip continue to curl with a vengeful fury.

Vegeta.

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Author's Notes:

I think I brought up a lot of stuff that'll need explaining in future chapters. Really, if anything I actually kinda find as I finished putting the pen to this chapter, I've got a lot more to explain than I did going into it. Thankfully, some of it doesn't need to be explained for a while. Expect chapters which focus on tons of different stuff for this saga. It may end up being longer than I originally anticipated (about the same length as prior sagas), if only because I want to get development all around. There will be stuff going on in Hell, Piccolo and Pan, Goku Goten and Chi-Chi, Vegeta Future Trunks and Bulma, and lots of other stuff.

But yea. How did Broly get tossed into the "Lower Level" which is basically a nightmare of inescapable emptiness? I'll have a lot more of exploration and explaining to do on the main villains, and of course letting everyone know that Cell Junior is coming in eventually (though not this saga) was a lot of fun.

I've got more in the pipe too. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here.

The story should now be reaching around 500,000 words, and is 50 chapters long. Crazy!

I intend to finish the next chapter of The Catalyst before I get the next chapter up for TLR. But don't worry, Chapter 51 will be glorious.

Given this is chapter 50, and I provided more content than normal, and its a pretty big chapter in terms of events, at least in terms of developing what's going to be happening over the next 10 chapters or so.

I hope ya'all leave a review behind for me. Gives me incentive to keep writing, promise.

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Reviewers:

Guest1: I've been told that before. One reason this became my main story is because a lot of people also seemed to think so. I also think there is something compelling about Gohan's character in this. For all his faults, he's still interesting. He's interesting to write, and I'm guessing he's interesting to read. I've got huge plans on where to take his character before the final ending, and I hope everyone is wanting to come on the journey with me. :)

Darknessrising11: That was our good friends Mira and Towa messing with Vegeta.

Sekhelmet: Thank you good sir, may I have another? Lol

ColdRelief: Pan's got more spirit than anyone knows. She's a trooper. She definitely follows in the tradition of her grandfather in a lot of ways.

Pyromania101: I don't think Turles would ever reform to being a functional member of society, in TLR. He's too selfish.

Guest2: One day, Pan will meet everyone. Gohan and Videl will never be a couple. The guy sexually assaulted her and ruined her life. Even if Videl ever finds it in herself to forgive him, she'll never be comfortable enough with him. One may say its odd that she'd trust him with Pan, but she's seen what Gohan has done to protect Pan, including giving up his own life. Even then, it's definitely not what she wants for her daughter anyway, she just knows Gohan wouldn't hurt Pan.

Morisako: Funnily enough, the image of his alternate reality daughter is really the herald of what is to come. Abaddon doesn't have a whole lot to do with this Saga... but he has his moments. Abaddon plays the long game.

RedHunter87: Turles may find some kind of redemption in The Catalyst, eventually, but in this he's spent too long being the monster that he is. It's just degrees of bad, at least in how I get the sense for his character.

The Ghost that Walks: Long time no see Ghost! :O. There is lots of Gohan and Turles interaction still coming ahead. Chapter 55ish is already planned, and it's a big moment for the two.

Guest3: I didn't forget it at all. What I can tell you is, did that manga get printed, or did the one where Goku defeats Kid Buu, get printed? There are tons of what-if's that could have happened, but remember, for every good idea that was stopped by the editorial, there was at least on equally bad idea stopped. We only ever get one side of the story.

Lil dynamic: Think I answered this by PM.

UltimateHades: Thank you. :)

DBZ fan the first: I'm trying to. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

Aqua Roxas: He knows Piccolo's alive. Good ol' Namekian is hard to kill.

Maxridelove: Welcome aboard Max. And you hit the nail on the head almost. :)

Brelic: Sorcerer it is! Towa is hardly the most kind. I suspect the next Saga we get to, may divulge more as to why Abaddon wants to destroy all Saiyans.

Guest4: O.o

MaxPain32: Junia, Brass, and Taro are going to be the next big villains, and when they arrive it's going to be great. Expect to see lots of them as they travel across time and space on the way to The Long Road. Also, expect to eventually see a version of them in The Catalyst.

Tomorrow4eva: I think Piccolo may have misunderstood the kind of person Pan is, unfortunately :\

VuvuzelaHero: Broly was around, but Broly is in a bad place... Maybe we'll see Paragus soon who can elaborate a bit more...