Review Responses:
To Ushindi:
I don't have an opinion about the Supreme Kai of Time. I don't exactly watch a whole lot of Super Dragon Ball Heroes. I think her design is adorable and her role in the Dragon Ball Multiverse and in the Xenoverse games is bonkers. Personally, I can see Shin crushing on her.
Super Saiyan Four Limit Breaker… enough said.
Gogeta is my favorite fusion. In my opinion, he is the best fusion.
Last time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner had met one of the original members of the Dragon Team, Yamcha, who arrived at the Capsule Corporation to bring spare Senzu Beans for emergencies. Thanks to a suggestion made by Dr. Briefs, Videl volunteered to journey to Gohan's location to bring him the bean for his survival while he fights the ruthless Cooler. Sharpner tags along as a requirement from Bulma while Yamcha escorts them using his own flying vehicle, all the while Erasa stays to help Bulma work on the final stage of her plan. What will come out of this risky decision? Find out now!
Capsule Corporation, West City, Age 774
Bulma Briefs sat on the main computer, preparing the final step of her plans with Erasa by her side. The girl remained silent after the departure of her friends to help Gohan. While she had faith in her long-time friends, there was a sense of apprehension in her soul.
Bulma pointed out how to activate the radio transmitter.
"...Once the transmitter is up, I'll activate the waves and it should be received by all of the units. That frequency should disable them and the source of their shared programming. Did you get any of that, Erasa?"
Bulma stopped to look at Erasa and noticed that the blonde's usual chipper attitude was absent.
"Erasa, what's wrong?" Bulma asked.
Erasa, who was subconsciously biting her lip, snapped out of her inner turmoil to look at her fashion idol.
"O-Oh, yeah! I'm sorry, Bulma. I was lost in thought for a moment there." The blonde said, looking down at the floor.
Glancing at her, Bulma read the younger girl like a book upon recognizing her body language.
"You're troubled. Is this about Videl and Sharpner?"
Erasa blinked in a ditzy manner, she sheepishly smiled while rubbing her left arm.
"Gosh, am I that easy to read right now?" She questioned.
"It's okay to feel that way, hun," Bulma said in a consoling way. "It's not every day when the world goes into madness and you're smack dab in the middle of it. Not to mention people close to you are on the frontlines to try and do something about it. I get it."
Erasa sighed, saying, "I just don't know how to handle all of this right now. To be honest, I have this feeling deep down that tells me that something bad is about to happen,"
"I know that Videl is more experienced in hero work and Sharpner is a great fighter, they're still normal people at the end of the day though. And I wouldn't be able to live with myself if either one of them were to have been killed. Even Gohan." The girl confessed as she glanced at Bulma's feet.
Erasa's fear was suddenly quelled with the motherly presence of Bulma, who rubbed the blonde's back.
"I understand wholeheartedly. This is your first time dealing with a dire situation. But we can't lose are nerve in times like this. This position is just as important as being out there fighting directly. Not only that our friends and family are counting on us. This whole city, no, the planet needs us. So we have to be strong."
Erasa turned to the older woman and asked, "How can this strength come to you so naturally?"
Bulma stated, "It's like we've been saying, this isn't the first time that my family, friends, and I dealt with crises like these. All the experiences that I have taught me how to deal with fear and sadness. It bettered my resolve to help solve the issue rather than letting the fear control me or keep me complacent. The trick is to never lose sight of the task at hand."
'...Amazing. This woman's absolutely amazing. What kind of tragedy did she have to go through to get this strong?' Erasa questioned in her mind as Bulma continued to speak to her,
"Erasa, can you do a big favor for me?" Bulma asked.
Erasa nodded saying, "Y-Yes, anything!"
"No matter what happens today, I need you to be strong and see this crisis to the end as best as you can," Bulma said, making direct eye contact with Erasa.
Erasa's heart skipped upon hearing those words, not knowing how to feel given the dread that was still deep inside.
"I…I don't know if I can do that, Bulma. I'm not like you." Erasa said in a shaky voice.
"It's okay to feel afraid. I'm not telling you not to feel fear. But don't let that anxiety control you. Remember, there are lives at stake, a planet at risk. What I'm asking is a lot, but I know that you can do it. You've made it this far, Erasa. Now let's see this to the end." Bulma encouraged.
Letting the words sink into her soul, Erasa's face hardened in determination similar to Videl as she nodded.
"...Okay. I'll do it for you and everybody!" She whispered with conviction.
Dr. Briefs watched in the background as the two women began to activate the transmitter from one of the buildings in the company compound.
'That's my girl!' Spenders thought to himself with pride.
West City Plaza, West City, Age 774
Fatigue started to wane on Piccolo and the Dragon Team. …Well, those who weren't C-18.
At first, they were handling themselves well against the Robot Soldiers of Cooler's creation.
The warriors threw hands, palms, kicks, and ki blasts all over the place to get rid of their immediate enemies, causing these machines to be sent flying, being obliterated, or shattered upon impact.
Though, as time went on, each time the Dragon Team successfully destroyed one or two robots, five more appeared. Wave after wave of Cooler's metallic foot soldiers began to overwhelm them in numbers. Not that they could hurt them too much, but a few of them did manage to damage members like Krillin and Tien. Piccolo and Lazuli clothes were cut a bit and covered in dirt.
Tien guarded a swipe against a soldier, before landing a sidekick to push one away. He ducked under a roundhouse kick while sweeping another Robot Soldier off the ground and annihilated it with a ki blast. Jumping back ten feet away, he did away with another five machines using Dodon Ray, then continued the fight when fifteen more appeared from the smoke as reinforcements.
C-18 landed a crushing flying kick on one Robot Soldier's head, then cartwheeled out of the way of two rushing machines that aimed to clobber her. Placing her hands together outward and blasted them to smithereens. Seven Robot Soldiers deployed small missiles at her.
Fortunately for her, Krillin jumped up and threw two Kienzan disks at the missiles, cutting them in pieces while their premature detonation acted as a superb diversion. While the machines were blinded, C-18 actives made quick work of them with a barrage of smaller ki blasts, effectively taking out the opposition. Unfortunately, more came to replace the fallen comrades.
Piccolo was busy kicking and batting away robots. Six to twelve units of Robot Soldiers were ganging up on the demonic Namekian, latching their extended claws and shooting at them with their machine gun cannons. After thirty seconds of shooting. Piccolo was bruised up, but relatively fine. With anger flaring up, Piccolo's ki surged inside until he glowed dangerously and a sparking release of power discharged as he spread out his limbs in a mighty roar.
All of the warriors landed on the ground to regroup while the smoke covered the skies. While at first, the lack of opposition eased their nerves, another army of fifty soldiers in the background immediately brought back the tension they had internally.
"This is not good, there's too many of them!" Tien said as he felt the fatigue in his body.
Krillin's body shook. Not in fear, but out of the tiredness, yet he still stood beside his wife. Lazuli glanced over to Krillin out of her dutiful nature in a rare expression of concern.
"Krillin? Krillin, stay down if you need to. I can go on without stopping. You have limits!" The blonde said.
The short man shook his head out of refusal as he took his stand.
"...N-No way! This i-is my planet too! And I won't back d-down while it's i-in danger!" Krillin boldly claimed.
Swear poured from the man's forehead as his mind thought, 'Yeah, easier said than done! I won't be able to last much longer, even with the Senzu Beans that I used! But I gotta keep going or else we're toast!'
The weary Piccolo then came to Krillin's side as he said, "He's right. No matter what, we've got to keep pushing further! Even if Vegeta was here these machines would keep on coming. The best thing we can do is hold off long enough for Bulma to–"
Before Piccolo could finish his sentence, his ears picked up a frequency that didn't hurt his hearing, but definitely caught his attention. That's when it hit him.
Radio waves.
C-18, detecting the frequencies turned over to the direction of CC, which had a unique transmitter erected from an empty space of the compound.
"...Radio waves. Briefs have finally started!" Noticed the cyborg.
Krillin then said while pointing, "Guys, look! Something is happening to the robots!"
As it was pointed out, many of the Robot Soldiers began to glitch out and internally short-circuited. Upon this happening to them, they immediately began to fall limp. The indication of this occurring came clear once the red dot on their face dimmed until it was pitch black. Those who were in the air fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Tien, witnessing this said, "Bulma's plan is working after all."
"Thank Kami," Krillin sighed as he sat on his behind. "I didn't know if I could last any longer."
While the other three relaxed for a moment, Piccolo's eyes wandered to the trail in which the robots were coming from. That led to a large ship that was reminiscent of a Frieza unit he remembered on Namek.
Tien noticed Piccolo's silence and read his body language. Approaching him, he asked, "What did you find."
Piccolo responded, "Our visitor's means of transportation."
Smiling, Tien mused, "Really? It must be extremely important to him."
"...That appears to be the case." Piccolo agreed, also finding himself smirking.
"It is a shame if anything went happen to the ship." Said Tien, with his smile never leaving his face.
Understand the gesture, Piccolo followed through with Tien as they wordlessly both lifted one of their arms with their hands pointed at Cooler's ship and fired a ki blast that joined together, effectively destroying it completely.
"What ship?" Piccolo said in a dry yet humorous manner.
With Yamcha, Videl, and Sharpner
The flight was silent. Not out of awkwardness, but due to the serious nature behind the journey. It was for a significant purpose.
To keep Son Gohan alive.
Although on paper, giving one person a bean seemed mundane and simplistic, the factors surrounding the task were tricky and complex. The rate of death was taken into consideration between the three. And while Yamcha was certainly used to being involved in dangerous life or death scenarios in this life, Videl and Sharpner definitely were not.
Yamcha sensed this, so he decided to break the ice with a conversation.
"So, how's Orange Star High been treating you guys?" Yamcha asked in a friendly manner.
"Oh, uh, it's fine." Videl stumbled, slightly adjusting to the fact that a normal conversation started in the middle of a crisis. "It's a nice change of pace from the hectic celebrity life."
"Y-Yeah, and its baseball team is the best in the district. I had my folks enroll me there as soon as I was promoted to my sophomore year." Sharpner added.
"Cool, cool. I always wanted to go there, but I couldn't afford it like most orphans." Yamcha explained.
The two teens' eyes widened in shock.
"Wait, you were an orphan?" Sharpner questioned.
Yamcha nodded bitterly stating, "Uh-huh. Bandit isn't just a pseudonym. My poor background was the reason I was a thief living in the desert back in the day. Of course, meeting Bulma and Goku eventually changed my life."
"Shit, that must have been rough living out in the hot sand. I'm sorry you had to go through that." Sharpner expressed.
"It's fine, man. I'm staying in a house in downtown West City. Hopefully, it's still standing by the time I get back." Yamcha mused hopefully, albeit his seriousness in needing his home.
"Yeah," The aspiring MMA fighter muttered.
Although Videl was listening to the conversation, her detective instincts began to run wild given the familiarity of the group of people she had met that knew Gohan. Of course, the current situation forced her to push that back but now it couldn't be postponed.
'Yamcha, I swear I've seen him before! And not on some baseball game either. He said he was a martial artist before retiring early. And if he was friends with Goku before the others then he must have been a student in the Turtle School. Come to think of it, I've also seen Krillin's face before as well. Yeah, he was in the 22nd and 23rd Tenkaichi Būdokai! Piccolo was in the 23rd Būdokai as Majunior, and Tenshinhan was the champion before Goku." Videl mentally analyzed. "And these people have done this. Hell, Bulma said that this isn't the first rodeo Goku and his friends have been in. So this can't be a coincidence! But what is it? Why do they look so damn familiar!?'
While Videl was lost in her thoughts,
Yamcha began telling funny stories about the late Son Goku.
"Okay, so when Goku was younger, the kid was oblivious. He meant well and had a pure heart, but man was that kid dense. I mean, he spent so much time in the woods that he did not know the difference between a boy and a girl." The former thief said.
"You're kidding!" Sharpner leaned in. "He couldn't be that dense. Not even Brains is that thick-headed."
Yamcha snorted as he piloted the plane.
"Is that what you call Gohan at school? Heh, that's accurate. Well, that's Chi-Chi's influence for ya. But I'm telling you, Goku had no clue. At that time his grandfather had passed away so he really didn't have any idea how to tell guys and girls apart. So what he'd do is he would give a person's crotch a good ol' pat to understand."
The long-haired boy gasped, "No way!"
"I'm telling you, man. The kid had no clue. And between me and you, I remember him telling me how he checked to see if Bulma was alright around the time they met. When he checked up on her closely, he panicked and screamed that Bulma's balls were gone." The man snickered.
Sharpner went buggy-eyed before the two crackled up. Videl rolled her eyes, chalking up the boys' reason behind laughter to "degenerate pig humor". Refocusing her mind, her eyes traveled around the vehicle to look for clues.
That took her to Yamcha's rearview mirror. Specifically, a photo hanging below that mirror.
There was a well-placed photo for her to see. It was a group picture that had him in it with a familiar set of people. Yamcha was spotted, but he had a spiky hairdo similar to Gohan now instead of the mop of messy hair he now wore. Next was Tien, who wore the exact same outfit he wore now. Krillin too was in the photo, except he wore the gi from the Turtle School like Yamcha. Piccolo too appeared in the photo in his usual attire. The next three people in the photo came to a shocking realization to her.
The four Golden Warriors.
The first three were adults. The first two warriors that stood away from most of the fighters wore strange-looking armor similar to both Saiyaman and the space invaders from East City with blue spandex under the armor. Next was the center Golden Warrior had on a gi similar to both Krillin and Yamcha. Although his face seemed familiar to Videl, the intense face and spiky blond locks with teal eyes shrouded eluded her confirmation of identity.
And then there was the last Golden Warrior, the Delivery Boy. He looked much like the orange gi-wearing Golden Warrior with a similar hairstyle and facial features only differing in clothing.
Taking that and everything into consideration, one thing clicked in her head.
Gohan's family friends were involved in the Cell Games seven years ago.
The laughter of the two boys was silenced once Videl spoke again.
"I knew it! I knew I'd seen you guys from somewhere before!" The girl blurted out, startling both Shaprner and a confused Yamcha. "You, Krillin, Tien, and Piccolo! All of you guys were there seven years ago! At the Cell Games with those Golden Warriors!"
Yamcha couldn't help but stay stiff while avoiding answers to the girl's accurate accusations as he flew. Sharpener couldn't help but mentally facepalm at Videl's antics.
"Videl now's not the time to be worried about-" Sharpener tried de-escalating, only for the headstrong girl to rebuke him.
"Shut it, Sharpner! These guys have been acting strange every time I bring up the Cell Games to them!" Videl growled as she pointed to the picture. "And now I know why! Take a look for yourself!"
Sharpner does so reluctantly but quickly gasped in shock at what he found.
"...Holy shit! She's right!" The blond breathed before turning to Yamcha's chair, looking directly at the man's head. "You were there!"
"I, uh, was, but that was a long time ago," Yamcha confessed. "It's not something that I'd like to advertise."
"So, if that's the case then I like to ask a question. If you are affiliated with those flashy Golden Warriors, why haven't they should up to help us already? I know they're out there because one just appeared to stop petty crimes for a short period up until Gohan came to Orange Star High!" Videl interrogated.
"Oh, I don't know. Where's Mr. Satan? After all, isn't he the so-called World Champ? The Savior of the Earth? Surely an extraterrestrial trickster with ungodly power is no match for the vanquisher of Cell, right?" Yamcha shot back, causing the girl to reel back in shock.
Sharpner instinctively jumped to defend her friend, "Hey, I don't care if you're a world-famous idol, nobody talks about Videl or her father like that! He saved us all seven years ago! You ought to be grateful that you're still here because of him!"
"Me? Grateful for that man? Please! If he's this wonderful and powerful man as you claim him to be then he would've been the first man to have shown up! He would be here saving us all right now! But I've got a newsflash for ya, kiddos! That's not the case! Instead, we've got a seventeen-year-old, no less of your age, out there risking everything he has to keep the planet that his father instilled in him to love, safe. So tell me, if Hercule is this strong and imposing blessing from our green Kami himself, why would he be hiding away when it matters most? Why would he leave the fate of the world on the shoulders of a child!?" Yamcha growled into the rearview mirror, looking at Videl and Sharpner intensely.
Sharpener shrunk in the backseat while Videl flinched. Usually, she would also defend her father's honor. But given what she learned about Gohan, his family and friends, and the abilities one could use with ki, doubts about her father's claims and credibility increased as time went on.
So neither teen could come up with an argument to challenge the former thief.
Guilt filled the girl's heart as she thought about the way that she acted. Who was she to judge the Golden Warriors? Why was she interrogating a man who volunteered to take them to help their friend? Was she stressed out about the situation? Was the girl looking for an outlet for her inner frustration? Or was it that she couldn't help but scratch that old itch that had been bothering her since her father's return from the Cell Games?
Maybe it was all of those things. Regardless, taking that pent-up aggression out on others wasn't right.
"...Y-You're right. I'm sorry," Videl whispered, but the volume was loud enough for both boys to hear.
"...It's okay, Videl. I forgive you." Yamcha said, easing up on the fiery teen. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you and your friend. I don't speak for all of my group, but your old man is a bit of a sore topic for me."
Videl nodded while Sharpner remained silent.
"It's alright, not everybody is going to love me or my father and I learned to accept that," The girl stated. "Besides, I don't blame you for it. My dad slandered your style of martial arts and placed you guys in a negative light."
Yamcha smiled, mentally praising Videl for her keen eye for reading into people and for her open-mindedness.
"Yeah, I wasn't helping that case either," Sharpner admitted, rubbing his neck. "Ever since we found out about Gohan being that Goku guy's kid and Saiyaman, I kind of been rethinking my choice of words and actions in the past. I was a big jerk. It just seemed so surreal. The ability to fly and shoot lasers out of your hands."
"That's fine, your skepticism is normal for people who are not aware of ki," Yamcha said. "But I have to know something. Videl, why are you asking for these Golden Warriors? What's gotten you so invested in them?"
"Well… I saw some of the Cell Games when it was being broadcast." Videl began. "I saw some of the things Cell could do, like blow up tanks and take on armies. And when I heard that my Dad beat him, of course, I would believe him because he's my father and he never lied to me before. But in the back of my mind, I knew that it couldn't be right. Even as a child I had common sense. I know who my dad is. He's a tough guy, no doubt about that. But for him to win against Cell? Well, it sounded too farfetched to me to fully accept that as a fact. I needed verification. Evidence that what happened, happened. And every time I'd ask him for details about how he'd beaten Cell, it's his usual boastful jabber. After a while, it got on my nerves, ya know?"
"So, you decided to conduct your own investigation for yourself," Yamcha concluded, almost pitying Videl.
The girl nodded, looking down at the floor.
Yamcha, thinking to himself said, 'Hercule, you jackass! You have no idea how much your lies are affecting your daughter! Now she may have an identity crisis because of you! Eventually, you're going to drag her down with you in that hole you've dug yourself into! …Ugh! She doesn't deserve this, nor do you deserve her!'
"...This must mean a lot to you, huh?" The baseball star questioned.
"This means everything to me," Videl admitted in a vulnerable manner.
Sharpner said, "Videl,"
Sighing, Yamcha began to speak about the Super Saiyans.
"I won't delve into too much detail because it's not my place to speak for them and because you'll soon find out for yourself." The man started. "But most of the Golden Warriors as you call them are unavailable."
"Unavailable? What do you mean that they're unavailable? Can you tell us what happened to them?" Videl questioned.
Sharpner wryly amused, "You make it sound like these guys are on payrolls with vacation days."
Yamcha shook his head saying, "...It's more complicated than that. One went back home which is really far from here and don't ask me the details, you'll learn soon enough. The second one is off the radar, so to speak. And the other one is no longer with us."
Videl was shocked at the last part.
'Wait, one of the Golden Warriors died? When did this happen!?'
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss," Videl said to Yamcha solemnly. "Wait, what about the Delivery Boy? I know he's out there too. I believe he was the guy that showed up in Hercule City shortly before Gohan started as Saiyaman."
Yamcha simply shook his head, thinking, 'Good grief, Gohan. How am I supposed to keep your secret if you're terrible at covering your own tracks? I swear, Goku never had this kind of problem at your age. Not that he cared about hiding who he was. This has got to be Chi-Chi's doing. That's gotta be it.'
"Wait, that's what you call him? The Delivery Boy?" Yamcha said, trying his best not to laugh at Gohan's alias from seven years ago. "Oh, man. Wait until I tell Bulma. But to answer your question, I don't know right now. I'm still wondering why he hasn't shown up, myself."
'Come on, Gohan! Why haven't you gone Super Saiyan yet? Don't tell me you're still holding back!' The man worried mentally.
"...I see. Well, thank you for answering my questions," Videl said sincerely before looking out the window while Sharpner closed his eyes with his arms crossed.
Although the answers were vague at best, Videl could tell that most of them were truthful to some degree. Despite this, a repeated phrase stuck to her that only furthered her ongoing curiosity.
You'll find out soon enough.
What does that mean? Will she uncover the truth? And what is the truth? Behind the Cell Games? The Golden Warriors, perhaps? Or the truth about Son Gohan? Maybe it's all of those things and more. Regardless, she had to set those things aside to refocus on the task at hand.
To keep Gohan from dying a brutal death.
With Cooler and Gohan
Both warriors dealt their respective blows to each other, countering each strike with their own. Gohan punched Cooler in the face with the energy nearing that of the power of a full-powered and mastered Super Saiyan, Cooler kneed the half-Saiyan straight into the gut with seventy percent of his full power. Gohan would throw a hard roundhouse kick to Cooler's chin, and the elder brother of Frieza retaliated by jabbing him in the gut.
Their physical conflict became vertical as they levitated fifty feet in the air.
While their melee took place, they spoke to each other.
"Why won't you understand!" Cooler shouted as he went for a haymaker, only for Gohan to evade to the side. "Under my rule, this pathetic human race could lead to prosperity like none they've ever seen! There'll be no more world hunger or violence against themselves! I offer a utopia!"
Cooler went for a right cross when saying, "It's an ideal world!"
Gohan took the blow to his face, then allowed the punch to roll off of his bloody face. Grunting, Gohan reeled his left fist and then launched a left hook.
"Never!" The golden-eyed half-Saiyan growled, watching Cooler's figure appear dazed at the force of his punch.
Seizing the opportunity, Gohan sent a barrage of punches at the son of King Cold while he rebelled against Cooler's logic.
"Don't act as if you give a damn about the Earth! You think you can get me to sell out my own people, my own planet!? Well, you can't, Cooler! All you want is a figurehead for you to manipulate! To control the world and to do your bidding! Well, guess what? My planet can govern itself and its people! It doesn't need a dictatorship!" The teen roared, ending his onslaught with a double ax handle.
Cooler was sent plummeting, but stopped himself mid descent and flew up with a flying kick that sent Gohan upwards upon contact.
"Foolish monkey!" Cooler spat as he warped next to Gohan's stun body before putting him in a bear hug.
Gohan struggled to break free but was unable to do so due to the strength Cooler possessed, making his grip firmly tight and inescapable in the meantime.
"Stop your struggling, boy! What I purpose is a better alternative, a better life for your planet!" The alien tried to reason. "My methods of achieving such a state of harmony involve not-so-delicate measures, yes, but it has done wonders for my growing empire! By purging the weak links, planets under my command flourished and have managed to deal with any opposing force with little loss! Don't you want that for your world?"
Gohan headbutted out of resistance and did it three more times to get out of the grip of Cooler.
"I'm through listening to you, Cooler! I won't let you have your way!"
Subconsciously, Gohan started to charge a Kamehameha Wave in his right hand. But instead of releasing it, he allowed the ki to be infused in his hand.
"Very well, then. If I must, then perhaps pain will persuade you!"
A purple aura surrounded Cooler as he charged head-on at Gohan. Gohan, with his golden irises burning and his tail swaying, shot toward Cooler with the intention of maiming Cooler.
As the two closed in on each other, the alien conqueror attempted to crush Gohan with one of his fists. Unfortunately for him, Gohan weaved around that, taking Cooler by surprise. Thrusting his ki-enchanted right arm, Gohan let out a haunting roar that was reminiscent of an Oozaru as he plunged his fist into Cooler's abdomen.
This was the Oozarū Fist.
The red eyes of Fifth Form Cooler bulged, processing the burning sensation of the attack. In spite of the attack connecting, its wild and incomplete nature caused all of the condensed energy to explode, knocking both Cooler and Gohan out of the sky as they crash-landed into different parts of the wasteland.
With Yamcha, Videl, and Sharpner
Ten minutes passed since the conversation between Yamcha and two of the OSH trio.
Videl remained hyper-focused on the scenery, never missing a single detail. Sharpner, who had taken a short nap, was awake with the bag of Senzu Beans now in his hand after Videl had given it to him.
Sharpner, still a bit impatient, asked, "Are you sure you know where you're going? This place looks the same all over."
"Definitely," Yamcha said with seriousness in his voice. "I can sense both the enemy and Gohan's energies nearby. Their battle is somewhere in this desert."
"Wait, you can sense a person's ki?" Videl questioned in confusion.
Yamcha nodded as he explained it to her.
"Absolutely. If you can in the principle long enough, you can detect a person's life force or spiritual energy. Think of it as a way to see a person without having to rely on your normal five senses." Said the baseball star. "I'm surprised Gohan did tell you about that."
"Gohan only taught me how to fly and use normal ki-blasts. If it isn't those basics, I'd be working on that weighted training regimen he has me on." Videl said while her eyes narrowed from the fact that the half-Saiyan was holding out from her.
Yamcha laughed, thinking to himself, 'Uh oh! Gohan had better watch out because he's gonna be in a lot of trouble with his little girlfriend! Hahahaha! Man, Krillin is gonna have a field day with this.'
Videl then said while looking through the window, "Oh shit, look at all of those craters! And…Oh, my Kami, the plateaus and rock formations around here are just rubble. I don't even know how to describe it!"
"That's Saiyans for you. Once they get a fight going, things tend to get pretty messy." Yamcha said casually before closing his mouth.
'Shit, I wasn't supposed to say that in front of them!' The former thief cursed mentally.
Videl asked in confusion, "Saiyan? What's that supposed to be?"
Before Yamcha could think of a way to get himself out of a potentially dangerously revealing conversation, a loud explosion shook the flying vehicle, startling everyone in it as it shook violently.
"What the hell was that!?" Videl shrieked.
"I-I don't know, but Gohan's ki just spiked all of a sudden in the north direction! Guys, I'm heading in that direction. Tell me if you spot Gohan!"
Within three minutes, Sharpner spotted somebody familiar in an upcoming crater.
"Guys, look! I think I see Brains down there in one of those craters!" Sharpner said, pointing out the window.
Nodding, Yamcha dove down to one of the many smoking craters. Landing the vehicle, the three humans got out and ran up to the grounded Gohan.
"Gohan!" Videl called to him, running up to him but had received no response back.
The three humans stopped once they were close enough to get a full view of Gohan's condition.
Upon gazing at the damage the unmoving boy took. Sharpner broke the ice.
"...Holy shit!" He whispered.
Gohan's Saiyaman armor was gone. All that was left was a torn-up black jumpsuit that was burnt, covered in dirt and blood. His left glove was still there, but his right hand was exposed but covered in burns. He still had his boots on his feet but lacked a helmet and cape. His face was bruised up and blood leaked from his lips, nose, and forehead.
"Oh no! No, no, no, no!" Videl muttered, beginning to panic.
She raced towards her crime-fighting partner with Sharpner and Yamcha behind her, checking for a pulse.
'Come on, Gohan! Don't you dare die on me!' She thought to herself while her steel resolve started to crumble.
While trying to check his arm, Yamcha informed the two teens, "Videl, calm down. Gohan's still alive,"
"Alive!? How does this qualify as living to you!? L-Look at him!" Videl screeched, overcome with distraught. "Look at what that monster did to him!"
Yamcha sighed, suppressing the urge to chuckle at his sudden feeling of deja vu.
'I swear, this girl is like a mini Chi-Chi.' Thought the master of the Wolf Fang Fist.
"His ki is still present. If it's still there, then that means that he's alive. Besides, if you pay enough attention then you would realize that he's still breathing." Yamcha pointed out.
Videl looked back down at the young man that she held by his upper back and head. Seeing that the half-Saiyan's chest was breathing in and out slowly, her heart fluttered with happiness.
"Oh, thank Kami he's right!" The daughter of Hercule rejoiced as she turned to Gohan's face.
"Gohan. Gohan, wake up!" Videl said in a soft yet urgent tone. "Come on and open your eyes already, Saiyadork! We need you right now!"
The gentle shaking and the whispers proved to be useful enough as the true defeater of Cell awoke from his unconsciousness.
Gohan's eyes open to see Videl with a hopeful smile as the center of his attention. Next to her were the relieved faces of Sharpner and Yamcha.
"...Vi..Videl-san?" Gohan barely managed to speak while in pain. "…What…are you…doing here?"
"Well, hello to you too, Buckethead," Videl playfully quipped. "Welcome back to the land of the living. You had us worried for a second."
"U-Us…?" The boy whispered.
"Yeah, it's not just me here. Sharpner, come over here with those beans, will ya?" Videl said as she called for the long-haired blond jock.
'...S-Sharpner-san is here too? How did they get here!? Don't they know how dangerous it is out here!?' Gohan screamed in his mind in a panic.
The jock came next to Gohan while Videl held him up.
"S-Sharpner…san?" Gohan groaned in awe, surprised to see the athlete.
"Hey, Brains. You look like shit," The jock said jokingly which earned a glare from Videl but a small smile from Gohan. "Don't worry man, we got your back."
Sharpner then took out a Senzu Bean from the brown bag he was given and showed it to him.
"Can you chew this on your own?" Sharpner asked, holding the bean close to Gohan, who nodded.
Seeing this, Sharpner fed the magical bean to the protector of Earth. The moment Gohan swallowed the bean, everybody (other than Yamcha) watched as the teen rose from his damaged state as if nothing life-threatening happened to him.
'Hot damn, it worked!' Both Sharpner and Videl thought at the same time as Gohan turned to Yamcha.
"I thought I'd sensed you out here before," Gohan said with a small smile. "What brings you out here, Yamcha-san?"
"I was in the neighborhood, and found myself in a crisis again, so I figured I would help out my own way. You're welcome for the extra Beans by the way." The older man said with a thumbs up.
"Noted," Gohan said as he turned to his two high school friends.
"Expected Yamcha or some of the other Dragon Team members to make a journey like this, but not you two. By far, you two and Erasa have got to be the bravest kids I've ever met," Said the half-Saiyan with gratitude as he bowed in respect. "Thank you for saving my life."
Sharpner and Videl blinked before cracking up.
Of course, Gohan blinked in confusion, wondering what was funny.
Sharpner patted his shoulder, saying, "Dude, you've got to tone down the melodrama. It's not that serious. That's what friends do."
"Yeah, Sharpner's right." Videl agreed. "You're one of us, remember? We always got your back. Besides, we've got some unfinished business. Isn't that right, partner?"
Gohan's eyes widened before he wearily laughed at the situation he recalled putting himself in.
"Oh yeah…that's r-right. It must have slipped my mind for a little bit."
Videl waves it off, saying, "I'll let it slide for now. Just know that I'm expecting answers very soon. And I'm not the only one who wants them."
"Alright, I'll tell you three when I can. I promise." Gohan nodded understandingly.
"So, did you manage to take down that not-Frieza guy, kid?" Yamcha asked.
"Oh, you mean Cooler?" Gohan questioned. "I think so. I channeled a Kamehameha Wave into my hand and punched in with it in a vital area before it exploded. Although I couldn't really pull off the technique, he was definitely caught in the center of the blast."
"Ah, I see. You were going the King Piccolo finisher Tien told me about. Hehehe. Classic." Chuckled the former student of Roshi. "Why haven't you gone Super Saiyan on that guy? You would have made quick work of him for sure."
While the two other high schoolers couldn't keep up with the conversation, Videl caught the term "Saiyan" being used again, in reference to Gohan.
'Again with that word. What the hell is a Saiyan? As in Saiyaman? Is it some kind of code word used for people like Gohan? Maybe Goku is a Saiyan too. I've got some research to work on when I get home.' Videl thought to herself.
Gohan's face hardened as he said, "I didn't need to. I mastered it to the point where I can generate attacks with the energy of that form without the need to change. That… and I didn't want to lose control in case I did…that again. To be honest, I wasn't sure if that attack could even kill him."
"You'd be correct, monkey!"
Yamcha, Sharpner, and Gohan turned to see a bruised and slightly bloodied Cooler, with a burnt fist mark imprinted on his abdomen.
What Gohan could see that was different from the elder brother of Frieza's usually intriguing expression was that he was angry.
Very angry.
"N-No way! That guy's still standing barely wounded!" Yamcha shouted in fear and shock.
"G-Gohan?" Videl spoke. "How is he alive!? I thought you finished him off!"
Hearing the girl, Cooler smiled deviously under his mask with his eyes squinting.
"...Ah, so that's your name. Son Gohan." Cooler hissed menacingly. "Aw, and he's brought a merry band of insects with him. How precious!"
Gohan's eyes burned golden-yellow as his tail furiously swayed around.
"Judging by the look on all of your faces, you all might be wondering how I've survived to bless you with my presence. My race has a reputation for possessing unimaginable power and extreme durability. Something that you should be all too familiar with, Son Gohan." Cooler explained as he took off his Scouter. "Unfortunately for you, Saiyan monkey, you've just earned much of my inexorable ire!"
At the end of the sentence, he crushed his Scouter in his hand.
"In turn, that makes the terms of our deal null and void! And the lives of this dunghill of a planet are forfeit!" The conqueror stated, shocking Gohan.
"You can't be serious?! I've been fighting you this whole time!" The half-Saiyan reasoned.
"You think I care about that? Don't make me laugh, monkey! I should've known better to make deals with inferior animals. Thanks to the insolence of you and those wretched Earthing, my men, my life's work, they're gone!"
"That was your own fault!" Gohan screamed back. "I gave you a chance to take everything you have and walk away! But you didn't! You never accounted for a rebellion against your agenda or any sort of consequences for your actions! Your men's blood is on your hands!"
Cooler's eyes glowed crimson in rage, irked by the words of the half-Saiyan. Searching for an outlet to release his frustrations on, his eyes traveled to the lowest Battle Power near him.
That made him select the perfect victim.
"Consequences… yes, there are consequences to one's actions." Cooler started in a low cynical tone, nodding slowly. "You may not have been the one to have murdered my men or destroyed my Big Gete Program, but your so-called obligation to these insects places their sins onto you. And I won't rest until my justice is served!"
Pointing a finger, Cooler dispelled a small dot of energy. Everyone watched as the fast traveling energy made its way to its target.
…Sharpner Crayon.
Gohan, Yamcha, and Videl breathlessly watched in utter horror as the jock began to float while the brother of Frieza raised his right hand in unison.
"What!? What's happening to me!? AHHH!" Sharpner panicked.
"Sharpner!" Videl and Yamcha screamed at the boy.
Gohan turned back to Cooler angrily but also in a pleading manner.
"Cooler, no! Don't do this! He has nothing to do with this, your strife is with me! Please, just put him down!" Gohan begged.
"Your cries for mercy fall deaf to the ears of the superior being! Let this be a lesson to you that the weak have no use in the world that is Lord Cooler!" The conqueror stated with venom as his crimson eyes began to radiate evil energy.
"DON'T!" The son of Goku screamed.
And like that, Cooler shot his Darkness Eye Beams at Sharpner, causing a large fiery explosion, resulting in the premature death of Sharpner Crayon.
Silence.
Nobody on the side of our heroes said a word as the smoke cleared from the sky. Videl sank to her knees, overcome with grief as one of her best friends had been murdered right in front of her eyes.
'...Sharpner…no…' Videl wept as she was disheartened mentally and emotionally.
Tears escaped her sockets as she was bent over at the reality she lived in. Sharpner was dead, and she couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.
Yamcha kept close to Videl, with a part of him wanting to console the girl. However, Yamcha stayed on guard, ready to leave if needed. But he solemnly felt the need to mourn the loss of a life so young.
However, none was impacted by the sudden death of the blond more than the half-Saiyan himself. Gohan's heart stopped at the sight of the event.
Sharpner had just died in front of him.
The same guy who used to give him a hard time at school, eventually befriended him, kept his secret, and saved his life, had died.
And it was his fault.
Gohan's attention was directed to Cooler's next speech that was addressed to him.
"That was but one of the many consequences that will follow your way. Remember that it was I that gave you a chance first! You could have joined my army. Our union in strength could have been glorious. But your resistance proved to be this world's and your own downfall. I told you that you'd regret not going all out against me. And now look at what happened. A useless execution. His blood is on your hands, monkey!"
His blood is in your hands, monkey!
Cooler was right. It was his fault. He had the power, much like he had against Cell. But unlike that time, he was too afraid to use it. And now look at what his fear brought.
An innocent young man's demise.
He thought back to Piccolo's sacrifice when the Saiyans arrived, Krillin's death at the hands of Frieza, Cell crushing Android 16's after pleading to him, and Goku's heroic sacrifice upon seeing his mistake.
It all boiled down to him.
A metaphorical snap rang throughout his head. The young half-Saiyan's rage had reached its boiling point. Letting all of his emotions release at once, Gohan through his head back as he unleashed a mighty surge of power while he screamed bloody murder as he did all those years ago. That scream turned into the roar of a mighty Oozaru, which was followed by a burst of golden energy erupting from the young man.
Gohan's true power had emerged, crushing and splitting the earth beneath him while the burning ki churned the very wind itself. Electric sparks danced around his body, while the static and power surging within him made his now golden-colored hair stand on end except for one small bang. His skin grew pale while his eyes turned completely teal. Much like the color of his hair, Gohan's tail changed from brown to gold while his muscles grew more defined and large compared to his normal state.
Yamcha, Videl, and even Cooler stared at Gohan, who had now suddenly let out this enormous surge of power. While Videl and Cooler couldn't fathom the drastic change in the young man, Yamcha was all too familiar with what had just happened.
Son Gohan has once again ascended to the second level of the Super Saiyan transformation.
To Be Continued…
With the death of Sharpner being the final push needed, the true power of Gohan has finally resurfaced after seven years of slumber. But will it be enough to put an end to the callous conqueror Cooler? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Note: I'll keep this brief because I'm tired.
I love how this chapter turned out, but it also feels like I could have taken more time on it. So, please review this chapter and let me know what worked, what could have been improved, and what was your favorite part of this.
Meanwhile, I'll be taking a short break to sort out my affairs as a college student. Feel free to PM me if you have ideas and comments in general. I love reading what you guys post and I take them with stride to better myself as a writer.
Anyway, I got to go! Goodnight!
-DarkShadowGames451