Review Responses:
To Ushindi: Thanks for the comment, I love reading your questions and thoughts.
1. Trunks and Goten will become Super Saiyans, but its way too early and I don't like how Toriyama did for comedic purposes, then made up some bullshit excuse years later to save face for Super's Universe 6 Saiyans.
2. Speaking of which, I don't like it, but I understand what the direction the show was going with it. It's different because Universe 6 Saiyans are more refined and "evolved" than Universe 7's primal rooted Saiyans.
To SuperSaiyanFever: You do realize that this is a different multiverse, right? Cell from this story might have drunk a version of Future Trunks' DNA after killing him before going back in time.
To SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta: …I can't answer that. I can say that's not Red Ribbon.
That's all for now, on with the show.
Last time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL, Gohan defeated Cooler in a climactic explosion. He was then congratulated by his family friends and had been accepted by his new high school friends. It was here where Gohan decided to confront the supposed world hero, Mr. Satan to put an end to his charade. Together, they unveiled the truth behind the Cell Games, leaving Erasa shocked and Videl to distance herself from her father. Now, Gohan and his friends are on their way to the Lookout in order to bring their fallen friend, Sharpener, and the rest of the humans who lost their lives to the horrible attack of Cooler. How will things play out? Find out the conclusion, now!
Kami's Lookout, Heavenly Realm, Age 774
Dende, Piccolo, Tien, Krillin, and Lazuli all stood together on the Lookout outside of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Guarding the door of the chamber was guarded by Mr. Popo, a black-skinned djinn wearing Arabian clothing.
Dende and the members of the Dragon Team looked down at a pair of six orange crystal orbs with a varied number of red stars in them.
"Excellent work, guys!" Dende said. "We almost have all the Dragon Balls."
Lazuli glanced at the six Dragon Balls, then asked, "Where's the last one at?"
Speaking to his wife, Krillin said, "Oh, you mean the four-star Dragon Ball? That's over at Gohan's house. Goten and Trunks most likely making their way back with it as we speak."
"Oh, that's right."
"I'm still taken aback by his power. I know that the second level was great, but this time it's like that escalated tremendously," Tien marveled.
"Hmph, that is to be expected. Gohan has been keeping up with his training for the past seven years." Piccolo said in his usual firm demeanor.
"That is true. It appears that he's taking his father's role very seriously." Dende added.
"Man, if Goku was here, he'd be stoked to see how far the kid came along since the Cell Games. Sometimes, I can hardly recognize him." Krillin grinned.
"Yeah, he would. Gohan has come a long way since the attack of the Saiyans." Tien nodded with a small smile of his own. "Goku would be proud."
Piccolo, looking at the door where the Time Chamber was occupied, asked Dende, "How long until his royal pain comes out?"
"Not for at least another twenty minutes," Dende said, looking in Mr. Popo's direction.
Suddenly, Gohan appeared with Erasa and Videl grasping his shoulders.
Both teens settled themselves down from Gohan's method of transportation as it was their second time experiencing Instant Transmission not too far away from the others and the Time Chamber.
"...I need to get used to this warping trick," Videl blinked while a bit disoriented by the technique before turning to her female friend."Right, Erasa?
Videl called the blonde's name again, only to find her staring at the setting in which Gohan transported them in a mere instant. Videl and Erasa gasped in awe and wonder, looking at the Lookout as if it was one of the seven wonders of the Earth.
"Woah!" Videl said "Look at this place, Erasa! It's like a floating castle!"
"Yeah, I know. I have never seen anything like this before. It's so beautiful~" Erasa swooned.
Videl then turned to Gohan, then asked him, "Where is here, Gohan-kun?"
Smiling, Gohan said, "This, Erasa-san, Videl-san, is Kami's Lookout, the domain of Earth's Guardian."
Videl and Erasa's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in a comedic fashion.
"...You know God!?" Both of them asked/shouted in astonishment.
Gohan scratched the back of his head in a sheepish manner, saying, "Oh yeah! I've known him for a few years now. ...I, uh, kind of forgot to mention that, didn't I? Hehehe!"
'...This guy's weird!' Both girls thought at the same time before following the hybrid to where his friends were.
Raising his arm in a small waving motion, Gohan greeted his family friends.
"Hey guys, I'm back with my friends!"
The other members of the Dragon Team acknowledged Gohan and two of his high school friends wholeheartedly, congratulating them each for their respected efforts in handling the invasion situation.
Dende walked up to Gohan and his friends. He turned to face his old friend.
Gohan nodded to his younger Namekian friend, saying, "Dende,"
"Welcome back, Gohan." Dende greeted, "I was watching the battle from here. You've gotten incredibly stronger since the Cell Games. Good job."
"Thanks, buddy."
Turning to the two high school girls, Dende lifted his left hand in a greeting fashion.
"You must be Erasa and Videl," The new Guardian of Earth.
'God knows our names!' The two teenage girls screamed in their minds.
"I've been observing you and your other friend for quite some time now. Greetings, my name is Dende."
Gohan and the others watched comedically as Videl and Erasa bowed humbly while giving the young Namekian respect.
"It's an honor to meet you, Kami-sama!"
The Dragon Team either chuckled or grinned in amusement at the sight. Meanwhile, Gohan and Dende glanced over at each other with weary smiles before they turned back to the girls.
"Dende then said, "...There's no need for such formalities. I'm still getting used to my role as Earth's Guardian. I'm not necessarily the deity that you people perceive me as."
Confused, Videl and Erasa stared at Gohan in hope of answers. But before he could answer, Piccolo stepped in for the half-Saiyan.
"To keep it brief, Dende is from my father's home planet. Goku brought him here to take the place of the previous Guardian of Earth. Our kind is still mortal and can pass on at a certain age." Piccolo said with finality.
"Oh…" The two girls said, clearly more confused.
Videl then shot Gohan a "You've got some explaining to do later" glare, which Gohan flinched and swallowed hard.
Turning to Gohan, Piccolo said while pointing, "By the way, we have six of the seven Dragon Balls."
"Great! And if my guess is correct then all that we're missing is…"
"BIG BROTHER/GOHAN!"
Everyone turned behind them to the skies. It was Trunks and Goten, flying in their direction. The boys waved, with Goten holding an orb.
The four-star Dragon Ball.
When they landed Goten and Trunks came down and ran toward Gohan, telling him about all the robots that they destroyed. While Goten spoke about him outsmarting his opponents using his newly developed skills of flight, Trunks gushed over him recreating a scene from the action movie his mother allowed him to watch.
"Good job, squirts! If you keep at it like that, you two may go Super Saiyan someday." Gohan said proudly, ruffling their hair.
"Thanks, Big brother/Gohan!" The boys said.
While Trunks went to the back of the group, Goten turned to Erasa and Videl. Noticing Videl, Goten waved at the girl.
"Hi, pretty lady!" Goten chirped, causing Videl to slightly blush at the innocent compliment of the little boy. Then he turned to Erasa. "Hi, other pretty lady!"
"Hey there, Goten-kun/Goten-chan." Erasa and Videl said at the same time, greeting the child kindly.
"Hey, you wanna see something cool?" Goten offered before showing them the four-star Dragon Ball. "Look at what I got here! This is a Dragon Ball!"
Erasa and Videl looked at the orb with wonder, with Erasa especially captivated at the shade of orange and its crimson stared contents.
"So, this is a Dragon Ball…" Videl muttered, noticing her reflection on the sphere.
Erasa chirped, "I can't believe it! Aunt Suno was right all along! They are real!"
Gohan then said, "Yup, Suno was exactly right. That's why the Red Ribbon Army was after them. I believe the two-star ball was up in Muscle Tower by Jingle Village."
Turning to Gohan, Erasa asked, "Wait, how do you know my Aunt's name? I don't remember mentioning it to you."
"Dad once told me about one of his adventures hunting for the Dragon Balls. One of them happened to be the time when a little girl named Suno saved him from being frozen." He explained.
"But that doesn't make any sense. Aunt Suno said that she saved the boy with a tail. The pictures that I've seen of your papa didn't have a tail."
Before Gohan could say anything to explain himself, Goten chimed in, saying, "Mommy said that when Daddy was my age, he had a tail just like Big Brother has one now! But the old Kami got rid of it later on goof."
That's where everything begins to make sense.
"Now, it all makes sense," Videl said. "Son Goku was reported to have been seen with a tail in the 21st and 22nd Tenkaichi Būdokai. Your aunt might have met him during that time."
"I can see that happening, actually." Erasa agreed. "I guess it's a small world after all."
The kids were interrupted as Piccolo cleared his throat, causing Gohan to remember that they had not all day.
Gohan nodded to the older Namekian, then took the four-star Dragon Ball and turned to the girls, and gestured to them to follow him.
And then that, with Goten not far behind them.
Gohan took a hold of the Dragon Ball as he turned to Videl and Erasa with a full grin.
"Try to stand back a little," The half-Saiyan stated with the Dragon Team already prepared as they stood back. " You two are in for something that is going to be incredible. You're about to meet the dragon."
"O-Oh! Right!"
Erasa and Videl took six big steps back as they watched Gohan.
Nodding, Gohan placed the last of the Dragon Balls to complete the set. Placing his hands together, he spoke in a powerful chant.
"Eternal Dragon, by your name, I summon you forth: Shenron!"
With that, the seven Dragon Balls hummed simultaneously as they began to glow brightly. From there, the clouds in the sky darkened, covering the sun that was on the verge of setting. The black clouds began to produce thunder. The looming change of the dark skies caught Videl and Erasa off guard not knowing what was to be expected. Before they knew it, green lightning sparked and shot down from the heavens and right to the set of Dragon Balls to empower them with its energy. This resulted in a flash of yellow light.
While most of the Dragon Team remained unphased, Erasa and Videl shielded their eyes.
"Too…! B-Bright…!" The daughter of Hercule complained.
The bright light from the Dragon Balls was concentrated, then it vertically skyrocketed many feet in the air. As the energy danced in the sky and winds, the width of the power expanded and began to be refined into more of a comprehensible shape. Materializing, a giant Eastern Dragon materialized as he snaked his way to face the man that summoned him with his piercing red eyes.
Floating before them was the Eternal Dragon, Shenron.
"Oh… my… god." Erasa gasped, holding on to Videl, who was shaken too.
"T-That thing is ginormous!" Videl whispered with a bit of an intimidated manner.
"I am the Eternal Dragon. State your two wishes and I shall grant them." The ancient dragon instructed in a deep commanding tone.
"Shenron, I wish for everyone who was in West City that was killed by Cooler and his army to be ressurected!" Gohan called out loud enough for the dragon to hear his wish.
"...A simple wish. It shall be done." The dragon stated as his eyes glowed while growling softly.
In a matter of seconds, the dragon's eyes stopped glowing.
"Your first wish has been granted. State your second wish now."
Gohan shifted his attention to the Dragon Team as they decided on what to do next.
"Okay, bringing everybody killed by Cooler and his death machines was a given," Krillin stated the obvious. "What should we use for the second one?"
"Ooo, Ooo! How about a year's supply of candy!" Goten said with his hand up.
"No, Goten," Gohan said with a soft but firm tone. "We only use the dragon's power to help others, not for our own benefits! Besides, all that candy isn't good for you. I'll get you a few pieces later."
Goten pouted at his brother's response but surrendered to his logic.
As the group went into a discussion about the second wish, Videl and Erasa watched as if they were outsiders looking in.
"Can you believe all of this, Erasa?" Videl questioned in a whisper. "I can't believe that this is what he was hiding. Planet conquering aliens, magical wish-granting dragons, connections to elite families, and masters of martial arts. I'm still wrapping my head around all of this. I think I'll need a day to let this all sink in."
"Yeah...I'm kind of with you on that notion, girl." Erasa nodded before looking at Gohan. Then she turned back to Videl with a smile.
"You're not planning to ditch him after this, are you?" Erasa inquired, which resulted in Videl furrowing her eyebrows.
"What makes you say that? We literally just got through telling Wonderboy over there that he's one of us." Videl said, putting her hands on her hips.
"I'm just making sure, Vi. I mean, it would be stupid to let go of your long-time crush." Erasa said with a sly smirk.
With a tick mark appearing on her forehead, Videl harshly whispered. "God damn it, Erasa! How many times do I need to tell you!? I don't like Gohan-kun, that was,...wait. What do you mean, long-time?"
Erasa giggled as she said, "Oh, so it's Gohan-kun and Wonderboy now? You never called any boy by their name so affectionately, let alone have you used that suffix or a pet name. My, I declare that you're in lo-"
"Hold that thought and burn it with fire! What did you mean by long-term crush?" Videl gritted irritatedly.
"Oh, stop it, Videl. I've known you for years! You haven't looked at a guy with so much enthusiasm since the Cell Games. Speaking of which, you've been dead set on figuring out the fighters involved when your pops participated in since the whole shebang. Then, here comes the so-called Golden Warrior. How did you respond? You freak out and go all detective mode to figure him out. Then enter, Son-kun. You knew next to nothing about him, so you hound him for his personal info. Heck, you even accused him of being the Golden Warrior-"
"-Which I was right about-" Videl interjected
"-I'm not done, Vi." Erasa expressed. "Then here comes Saiyaman. And you pull out all the stops to try and figure that person out. See the pattern?"
"Hey, I had a reason to be suspicious! Besides, I was right about all of those things in the end! But that doesn't answer my question, Rasa!" Videl shot back.
"Gosh, you're so thick-headed! Quit denying it, girl. It doesn't matter if you're right about your suspicion. This isn't about that. I've known you longer than all of these people combined. You're not the easiest to impress when it comes to guys. And each one that I've listed, you've poured hours into trying how to uncover what makes them tick. Not even Sharpie had that kind of treatment from you when you met him."
Erasa's dissection of her friend's personality and habit of thought stilled Videl's momentum to keep arguing. In fact, Videl struggled with words to combat Erasa and her logic.
"I…! You…!" The pig tailed girl stammered.
"What, am I wrong?" Erasa grinned with a sly smirk. "Who cares about that? None of that matters because they are all just Son-kun! The Golden Warrior, Saiyaman, the Delivery Boy that you've been dying to meet? They're all sides of the same person! Face facts, you got the hots for Son Gohan!"
This couldn't be right. Videl, the headstrong male-free tomboy, liking the quiet bookworm? Videl wasn't the kind of person to dabble into the social norms to think about males in a romantic light. It wasn't in her nature. That did not compute in her mind.
She was a fighter first and a girl second. Not to mention with her mother in her life, Videl wasn't particularly comfortable crossing over to the feminine side. That proved too much for her to handle, given how awkward it made her feel. So, for her to feel anything vulnerable in a romantic interest would go against her way as a fighter.
But she couldn't exactly refute Erasa's words either. Videl knew that deep down, her developing feelings for Gohan had begun to blossom into something more. Was it certain? No, she was an adolescent with hormones. There wasn't going to be simple. But even Videl could tell that Gohan, both as a martial artist and as a person, had piqued her interest. And she wanted to learn more. Much more.
Despite that fact, her pride wouldn't let her explore these emotions. She was too proud. So proud that she had to escape the conversation entirely.
But how?
"...Would it be wise for the people to know about today's events?" Dende questioned. "The masses may start to panic because of it."
"Are you suggesting that we remove the memories of the invasion?" C-18 questioned.
"It would be for the best." Dende nodded, with Piccolo and Tien nodding in agreement.
And there was Videl's window of escaping embarrassment with her frustration now placed elsewhere.
"Hold it!" Videl said, with everybody turning their attention towards her. "Don't we get a say in this, too?"
While the others looked at each other, Gohan quickly said, "Y-Yeah, of course! I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought otherwise."
Krillin chuckled to himself as he thought, 'He's got it that bad, huh? That kid is so whipped.'
"Is that so? In that case, I, for one, believe that the people have a right to retain their memories!" Videl stated.
Erasa cried, "Videl!"
Dende then said, "Videl, while we normally wouldn't even consider this option, we have to think about what just happened. The ramifications of the invasion including the exposure of races outside of the planet may cause a global pandemonium. The world may not be ready for that yet."
"And we were ready for Cell?" Videl challenged the Guardian of the Earth. "He slaughtered tens of thousands. Televised his terror all over the world. Yet people ended up keeping their memories of that fiasco!"
Dende flinched at that command, which prompted Piccolo, Tien, and Lazuli to glare at Videl intensely.
Erasa, placing a hand on Videl's shoulder, said, "Girl, you gotta simmer down!"
Erasa then turned to the Dragon Team and Dende while saying, "I'm sorry about her. What Videl is trying to say is that it is unfair for average people like me to have their minds altered without their consent."
"Hey, I get it," Krillin stated. "This whole Cooler thing has got things out of control. But believe us, all that we're doing is deciding what's best for everyone in the worl-"
"-No you're not," Videl interjected. "You guys are doing what's best for your group! While I understand how complicated your lives are and how it's tied to a lot of events including the Cell Games, that doesn't give you the right to mess with people's minds and deprive the world of the truth."
"...Right, and like your father hasn't done that for seven years. Right?" Piccolo shot back while folding his arms.
"Don't compare me to that man!" The girl fired back. "I'm still angry about that and I'm coming to terms with the fact that I've been living in a lie for seven years straight. And now we're going to have to stretch the truth to the public because of his shitty life choices! I'm just sick of all of this lying and all of this bullshit! The people of the world should at least know that what happened to them is real. Nobody should experience the kind of time lost in their lives…not like the one I have."
The Dragon Team's frustration about the girl's difficult personality shifted into empathy and understanding.
Videl was only thinking about her people, the Earthlings. There was no arrogance or bloated sense of self-worth in her words. While her passion was fiery to the point where it can become rude and off-putting to most, Videl's heart was always in the right place.
They could see that now.
"I have grown tired of waiting. Speak your second wish so I may slumber once more." Shenron said, with his patience gone.
While the others were trying to figure out their wish. Erasa stepped forward and spoke to the dragon, much to everybody's surprise.
"M-Mr. Dragon? C-Can you bring Sharpner here, please?"
Before anybody could say otherwise, the dragon complied.
"Very well..."
With another glow in his eyes, Shenron transported Sharpner to the Lookout before them in confusion.
"W-What the-!?" The blond kid exclaimed as he looked in front of them. "What's going on!? I was in a line with a donut over my head while a giant red ogre was doing paperwork, then I was back in the crater while nobody was there, and then I-"
"Videl, Erasa…Brains?" Sharpner rubbed his head after turning to the group.
Before Sharpner knew it, he was tackled to the ground by an emotional Erasa as she screamed, "SHARPIE!"
"ARGH! …RASA…I…can't breathe!"
The atmosphere had changed into an endearing moment between friends, with Erasa hugging the daylights out Sharpner, with Videl patting his shoulder. This moment ceased upon Sharpner turning to see the giant green Eastern dragon that was behind him.
"SWEET MOTHER OF KAMI, THAT THING IS HUGE!" Sharpner screamed in fear. "N-Nice dragon…! Please don't eat me, I don't wanna die again!"
Videl and Gohan looked at each other with an amused glance, while the other Dragon Team members chuckled amongst themselves for a bit.
Shenron spoke to the group, saying, "Your wishes have been granted. Farewell."
And like that, the dragon was enveloped in bright yellow light, then vanished. The Dragon Balls floated in the air, glowed a brilliant yellow, skyrocketed at least fifteen feet high, then scattered across the planet in seven different directions. The dark skies cleared away, revealing the setting sun.
"...What on Earth just happened?" Sharpner questioned. "Where did it go? And what were those things that floated in the air and shot all over the place?"
Walking over to Sharpner Gohan simply stated, "After granting a wish (or two), Shenron will go back to, and the Dragon Balls will scatter all over the planet to await the next summon."
"W-Wait…! So that thing was the wish-granting dragon? All of that magical mambo jumbo was real the whole time!?" Sharpner exclaimed.
Krillin jokingly stated, "I mean, it's not like the Dragon Balls were ever truly hidden. You'd have to look them up in books if you were interested."
"Son-kun and his dad's friends were able to nab them all to bring everybody back to life after he beat that freaky monster!" Erasa chimed blissfully.
Sharpner froze from hearing Erasa's words, then set his sights on Gohan, who stood beside Videl.
"...Brains? Is she pulling my leg here, right?" He asked, not comprehending the truth.
Gohan simply looked at Sharpner, not saying a word. The longer-haired boy stared at the mountain boy's eyes. Looking at him, Sharpner realized that Gohan wasn't playing around. And one look from Videl sealed the deal entirely.
"...You're serious! But how!? The guy blew me up with his laser eyes of death! What happened while I was dead!?"
"It's a really long story," Videl said with an exasperated sigh. "Short version my dad is a lying fraud who stole the credit from the Delivery Boy, who is the real Savior of the planet. And upon you dying, Gohan went absolutely crazy and killed the bastard that killed you out of rage. And to top that off, Gohan is not only the Golden Warrior, but he's the Delivery Boy from the Cell Games."
After absorbing all of that information, Sharpner turned to Gohan, who waved at him with the same shy smile he had back when they met at the beginning of senior year.
Feeling himself grow pale, Sharpner said, "...I think I peed a little."
"EW!" Erasa shouted, letting go of her cr-, "close friend".
"As much as I find this little exchange amusing, I have a child to pick up," Lazuli said, preparing to leave. "Let's go, Krillin."
"I heard ya, babe," Krillin said as he turned back to wave goodbye to the others. "I guess the fun has got to end sometime. Great work out there guys. I'll see you later. Take care!"
Krillin and Lazuli took off and flew towards Lapis' home.
Tien was next to leave as he turned to Gohan and his friends.
"You three have done a fine job today," Tien said before looking at the Orange Star Trio. "Protecting the planet isn't an easy feat. Wear it proudly, but do not let it define you. There will always be others like this to test you. Hopefully, you'll be ready for next time. Until then, train and prepare yourself to be ready."
And like that, Tien took off flying opposite Lazuli and Krillin's direction.
"Man…that was cool," Sharpner said with wonder as he watched Tien become a shining dot in the distance, with Erasa nodding.
Videl watched Gohan turn to Piccolo, who also began to walk towards the ledge as he prepared to exit the Lookout.
"You're leaving too, Master Piccolo?" Gohan asked, shocking the likes of Erasa and Sharpner at how Piccolo was addressed.
'That guy is Brain's/Son-kun's teacher!?'
"Yes. I am no longer needed here. It seems that everything is under control." Piccolo stated.
"I see…" Gohan understood. "Just don't stay too far away. I'd still like to train with you, just to keep up with the basics."
"I wouldn't have to worry about that. I saw how you entered here." Piccolo said with a smirk. "Sparring with you now is going to be much more interesting. Just be sure to let me know in advance before you decide to pop up."
Gohan nodded, waving his mentor off as he flew adjacent to Tien's direction.
Goten, who remained by Gohan's side, asked, "When are we going home, Big Brother? I'm hungry…"
"Hang in there a little longer, Goten," Gohan whispered.
"Actually, calling it a day seems like a great idea. This has been a hell of a field trip and all of us have things to adjust and come to terms with. St" Videl said, grabbing her capsule and spawning her jetcopter out of it. "Erasa, Sharpner, come on. I'll give you guys a ride."
"Wait, I still have a lot of questions!" Sharpner asked, confused about Gohan.
"Now you know how I felt for a long time," Videl said cheekily before turning to Gohan, saying. "I'll fill you in on the way. And besides, we can always discuss specific details over at Gohan-kun's house, right?"
Gohan smiled greatly, nodding positively.
The other two high school students went inside the vehicle with Gohan seeing them get inside.
"Hey, guys?"
The three teenagers looked at Gohan.
"Thank you for everything today." He said sincerely. "Ane for accepting me for who I am."
Videl responded to the smiling group, saying, "I'll see you at training in a few days. I'm looking forward to learning some of those ki blasts. See you later, Wonderboy."
And like that, Videl's jetcopter took off away from the Lookout.
Dende walked over to the pair of half-Saiyans, telling Gohan, "Those were some interesting humans you have as friends."
"Yeah, they are." Gohan nodded. "I'm glad that I have them in my life."
"Those guys are kinda like how Marron, Trunks, and I are like, huh Gohan?" Goten noticed.
"Yeah, I can see that." Gohan nodded.
"...So, you've managed to handle yourself after all."
Gohan, Goten, and Dende turned to see Trunks standing next to Prince Vegeta IV, with his base power now far greater than it was before.
"Mr. Vegeta/Vegeta!" The Son brothers exclaimed.
'Holy crap! How did I miss that! Vegeta just bridged the gap in our power! And that's just in his normal state!' Gohan stated.
Vegeta walked up to Gohan, then looked at teenage half-Saiyan, from his feet to his eyes.
"I sensed the whole event during my training," Vegeta stated. "Tell me something, boy. Was it him? Did that bastard Frieza come back from hell?"
"Close…but not exactly," Gohan explained.
"...Explain, boy," Vegeta ordered.
"I will after you answer my question," Gohan said. "Have you ever heard of Frieza having a sibling of any kind?"
That question prompted Vegeta to raise an eyebrow as he began recalling his memories.
"...What? Frieza never had…Well, I do recall Nappa hearing rumors about a secret brother. But they said that King Cold and Frieza slew him and sent his remains to the Southern Quadrant." Vegeta answered. "But we always thought that he was dead.
"Well, if he wasn't dead before, he's dead now," Gohan said, with his eyes turning golden yellow. "I made sure of it."
Trunks and Goten shivered at the unusual aggression Gohan had in his voice. Vegeta just smirked.
"Ha, so there is a prideful bone within that weak spine of yours." Vegeta mused. "I'll make a Saiyan warrior out of you, yet."
Gohan smirked with his eyes not changing back, then said, "What, did my victory not speak any volumes about my skills and power?"
"Yeah, big brother mopped the floor with that Cooler guy!" Goten backed up.
"I don't want to hear any of that coming from a brat who refuses to use all of his power for years, let alone discipline himself to wield that power." Vegeta scoffed.
Gohan growled at the feeling of his pride being damaged.
Vegeta smirked at his handiwork and decided to egg him on.
"Aw, what's the matter brat? Did I touch a nerve? Have mere words touched the almighty ascended son of Kakarot?" The prince taunted. "Haveth I tainted thy pride?"
"...You're testing my patience, Vegeta! I just killed Cooler. Angering me is the last thing you want me to do now!" Gohan said with irritation in his tone.
"Oh? Is that a threat? Because it sounds too passive for me to be sure. Unless you're not man enough to back up those words?" Mocked the prince.
Goten and Trunks started to get scared, sensing the tension between the two older Saiyans to thicken.
"Woah, woah, woah! Dad! Take it easy! You just got out of the Time Chamber!" Trunks said, facing his father while in front of Gohan.
Vegeta barked, "Stay out of my way, Trunks. This is between me and Kakarot's first spawn!"
"Dad, please! Can this wait until another day!? Mom needs you back at home, anyway!" The lavender argued, hoping to reason with him.
"You do as you're told, boy!" Vegeta said sharply.
Dende remained quiet, not knowing how to deal with the anger of two Saiyans boiling over.
'Crap baskets! What should I do!?' Trunks said before thinking of a plan.
"Dad, Mom told me that if you didn't come home by the end of the day, you would not only not have dinner for the night, but your portions would be halved, the Gravity Room would be broken for two weeks, and you'd be moving to the couch for a month."
Vegeta's entire world stopped as the very few things that scared him came crashing down on him at once.
'...God Damn it, Woman! You created a mini-you out of my son! I swear he's more of a pain in the ass than you at times!'
Vegeta, grumbling under his breath, said, "Fine!"
Turning to Gohan, Vegeta said, "Your assessment will take place in five days' time in the Gizard Wasteland at noon. If you're late, I will personally blast through the wall of your home and drag you there."
And with that, Vegeta blasted to the skies at home, with Trunks following close behind after waving Gohan and Goten goodbye.
"...Out of all your allies, I still find it hard to believe that Vegeta has gully changed since his arrival on my homeworld," Dende said.
"Yeah, I know." Gohan nodded.
Goten, now a bit more comfortable since Gohan's Saiyan-like attitude vanished with his eyes reverting back to being dark, turned to him.
"What was that all about, Big brother?" He asked innocently.
Blinking, Gohan said, "...I don't know. Ever since my tail grew back I've been out of it. I think it might have to do with my hormones or something."
"Har-mons? What are har-mons?" The younger brother questioned.
"Hormones, Goten. And that's not something you should worry about for a while." Gohan said, patting his head.
"Oh! Okay! So, are you going to fight Mr. Vegeta?"
Sighing as rubbed his neck, Gohan said, "...uh, I'm afraid that I don't have a choice."
"Awesome! Can I come to watch it? I promise that I'll be good!"
Gohan shook his head, saying, "Sorry, Goten. It'll be too dangerous."
"Aw, what? Come on, that's not fair! You never let me watch you fight all out! I never even seen you go Super Saiyan Level Two before!" Goten pouted.
"And I told you that's not happening. No means no, squirt." Gohan said with finality, forcing Goten to comply once again in a huff.
"Oh, fine!"
Turning around, Gohan waved to Dende.
"It's nice seeing you again, Dende! We'll try to visit more often!"
Dende then said, "Alright then! Stop by anytime, Gohan, Goten!"
"Bye-bye, Dende!" The youngest Saiyan said.
After bidding Dende their farewells, the Son brothers flew off, making their way home.
Gogyōzan Mountain, Frying Pan Plain, Age 774
Beyond Frying Pan Plain rests a mountain with a large door, which not many can access.
Why is that so?
Past the giant entrance was home to the Hakke-ro, the Furnace of Eight Divisions.
The steam of the ancient relic was used to allow people who were among the living to visit their deceased relatives and for both to travel safely.
However, if the Furnace's fire were to extinguish and if it couldn't be lit without the legendary Banshō Fan, it would be two thousand years before the Furnace would be manually reignited. That would provide a narrow path for demonic and dark spirits from Hell, a method of escaping.
Seeing that potentially being a problem, King Yemma enlisted his subordinate, Annin, to guard and maintain the flames in the Hakke-ro. And as a sign of trust, she was allowed to select a trustworthy soul as her assistant.
That eventually led her to choose the humble and honorable human named Son Gohan, who had into the possession of a Banshō Fan as a gift from his old friend, Uranai Baba.
Now, the old man spent the last twenty-five years humbly and loyally serving the goddess as she taught him how to use and master Godly ki to empower and defend himself along with the Hakke-ro.
Speaking of Annin, the giant goddess was currently watching the Furnace as was her duty when noticed a pillar of light appeared in front of her. She wore a garb of a warrior which had red and white chest armor with pointed shoulder guards, and a matching quipo dress with golden accents. She had red wrist guards with golden accents, a golden sash wrapped around her waist, a pair of red and white earrings, and a white crown covered with red and orange orbs with twin feathers to top it off.
"Oh! It seems that he's back!" She said before she shrunk down to the size of a mortal human woman.
While walking up to the pillar, she saw the two Son men materialize out of the light.
"Here we are, Goku," Grandpa announced. "Welcome to the Mountain of the Five Elements, Gogyōzan."
"...Woah!" Goku stated, sensing that atmosphere. "The air here feels different than anywhere that I've been on Earth. Are you sure that we're still there? I can't sense anybody from back at home."
"Of course, you can't, child," Annin answered, gaining the Sons' attention. "Gogyōzan Mountain is still a location in the jurisdiction of the gods. While this mountain resides on Earth, you're still in a realm that is considered a part of Other World. Think of this place as a gateway of sorts."
Blinking in confusion, Goku turned to his grandfather and asked, "Uh, Grandpa? Who's that?"
Smiling, Grandpa Gohan walked next to Annin and introduced her to Goku.
"I'm glad you asked, son. Goku, this is Annin. She's the goddess that governs this realm and is the keeper of the Hakke-ro. She's also known as Taijoro in ancient text." Grandpa stated as he turned to Annin. "Milady, this is my grandson. He's the hero of Earth that I will be training as instructed by you and Dai Kaiō."
Goku, being his improper and casual self, raised his arm with his hand flat as he waved.
"Hiya, my name is Son Goku!" The Saiyan greeted. "So you trained grandpa. I bet you're really strong!"
Annin walked up to Goku, inspecting the physical appearance of the thirty-seven-year-old man. And as she did this, she was also sensing the power of Goku, which caught the goddess by surprise.
'Incredible! I have never felt a mortal with this amount of power before! No wonder Dai Kaiō was intrigued by him. And to think Gohan raised him.'
"Uh…is there something wrong, Taijoro-sama?" Goku said, perplexed at the actions of the goddess.
Returning to face the Saiyan, Annin said, "Lady Annin is fine, dear. Gohan has told me nothing but wonderful things about you. Though, I'm quite curious because I know that you're not related to him. Where does the source of your power lie?"
"Oh! You mean how am I so strong?" Goku clarified the goddess' question. "It's because of my Saiyan heritage!"
Saiyans, huh? Now things had begun to make sense to Annin. The goddess had once recalled Gohan's encounter with a giant simian-like being of monstrous power. Despite Goku carrying the physical traits of a Saiyan, Annin couldn't help but notice the lack of a tail on Goku and his demeanor being remarkably dissimilar to what had been told to her about Goku's supposed species.
Not understanding, Grandpa Gohan tilted his head, asking, "What? Saiyans? What are you talking about, Goku?"
Fathoming how long it had been since the last time that they'd seen each other, Goku rubbed his head sheepishly.
"...O-Oh, that's right! I forgot that it's been a while since we last saw each other, Grandpa. There's so much that you missed! Hehehe!" Goku laughed before his stomach growled.
Hearing this, Annin and Gohan smiled at each other, then turned to Goku.
"How about you two catch up over lunch? I've prepared enough ramen to quench the hunger of two deities." Annin offered.
Goku's face lit up in a child-like manner.
Next thing that Annin and Grandpa Gohan knew, they were sitting at a table in the backyard of Annin's estate next to the location of the Hakke-ro. Goku sat across from them, feasting on his thirty-second bowl of ramen.
While Gohan would normally chastise the rude manners his grandson was showing through how he ate, it still warmed his heart to see his grandson once more feast well. The way that he ate never changed from the day he first fed him.
Annin saw this as a way to study Goku on whether or not he was telling the truth.
And judging from the number of bowls that kept piling on, Goku was definitely telling the truth.
'...Yeah, there's no reason to dispute this. Goku is certainly a Saiyan.'
Slurping the noodles from his chopsticks and swallowing them, Goku let out a satisfied sigh.
"Ah~! That hit the spot!" Goku said, patting his stomach. "Thanks for the meal, Lady Annin! I haven't had food this good since my last dinner with Chi-Chi!"
"You surely welcome, Goku. I'm glad you enjoyed my cooking. I've spent my fair share of centuries perfecting it." The goddess smiled as she continued eating herself.
"Chi-Chi? That sounds like a lovely person. Who is this Chi-Chi that you speak of, son?" Gohan asked while sipping his tea.
"Chi-Chi is the daughter of the Ox-King." Goku answered with a smile. "She's also my wife."
Humorously, Grandpa Gohan choked on his jasmine tea upon hearing his grandson's response. Annin couldn't help but giggle at her attendant's reaction, given Grandpa Gohan's usually well-composed nature.
Upon clearing his throat, Grandpa Gohan loudly exclaimed, "YOU'RE MARRIED!? W-When was this?"
Chuckling, Goku said, "Yeah! Chi-Chi and I have been hitched for a while now. I proposed to her back at the 23rd Tenkaichi Būdokai. Man, those were the days…"
Grandpa Gohan, recovering from the shocking news smiled at the fact that his grandson had found a woman to share his happiness while he was alive.
'So he married Gyū-kun's little girl, eh? Come to think of it, that's a fine match. Somebody strong enough to reign Goku's impulsive nature but bring out the best in him. And if she's as capable as her father, then she must be one powerful woman to have captured my grandson's heart.'
Nodding, Grandpa Gohan said, "I see… Well then, I must give my belated congratulations. I would have happily welcomed Chi-Chi to the family if I was alive."
Goku's heart clenched slightly at the man's words, feeling the guilt beginning to take a hold of his heart.
"Y-Yeah, I'm sure she would have loved to meet you! You're the best parent that I ever had!" Goku said, masking his inner sadness with his usual optimism.
"You're too kind, son." Grandpa Gohan smiled warmly.
While Grandpa Gohan did not notice the change in Goku's soul, Annin did. But she decided to remain quiet in order to investigate why.
"Tell me a bit about yourself, Goku," Annin suggested. "A warrior such as yourself is bound to have stories about your endeavors in the world of the living."
Goku smiled as he said, "Sure thing, Lady Annin. Man, where to start…? Oh! Well, I've spent most of my life either training to push the limits of my power, fighting powerful opponents, or traveling all over the place with my friends and family."
Turning to his grandfather, Goku said, "In fact, I learned what that orb that you kept was, Grandpa."
Chuckling, Grandpa Gohan said, "So, you finally learned about the legend of the Dragon Balls."
"Uh-huh!" Goku nodded. "Actually, almost all of my life goes back to the Dragon Balls. If you never found the four-star ball, I wouldn't have run into my very first friend. I wouldn't have met Master Roshi, my best friend, Krillin. Heck, I don't think I would have ever met Chi-Chi or the Ox-King. What you taught me and done for me, all of my experiences, and who I am today are all thanks to you."
"Goku…You don't have to show me this gratitude-"
"-No, I should. You've done the world a great deal by merely putting up with me at the age you were." Goku said with a serious expression. "After all, you didn't just any old child. You had the dangerous task of raising a baby Saiyan."
Turning to Annin in confusion, Grandpa Gohan asked, "That name again. Milady, are you familiar with this Saiyan that Goku speaks of? I am aware that he comes from beyond the stars, but I still cannot fathom this."
"Saiyans were a breed of warriors known throughout the universe for their destructive might and ruthlessness," Annin answered truthfully, much to Grandpa Gohan's bewilderment. "Whenever Saiyans appear on planets, they usually leave a trail of devastation behind. In recent history, Saiyans would wipe out all life from other planets for purchase. The weaker of their people would send their infants in pods to planets in order to complete this task over time while they grow."
"My goodness…! I-I had no idea!" Grandpa gasped.
Goku then turned to Annin, asking her, "I don't mean to sound rude, given that it's your home and all, but can you give us about ten minutes alone? I'd like to speak with my grandfather about something."
Nodding, Annin used her divine power to take all of the bowls and chopsticks and went back inside the manor, leaving the two men to themselves.
Grandpa Gohan asked, "Goku? What's the meaning of this? This is Lady Annin's home. Why are you-"
The old man took a moment to see Goku's serious but forlorn expression summoned a wave of paternal concern. Not to mention that Goku remained quiet, which was not a good sign.
"What's the matter? You're never this quiet." Gohan noticed. "What's bothering you, Goku?"
Goku, looking down at the hand that was placed over his, said, "...I'm sorry, Grandpa."
Blinking, Grandpa Gohan tilted his head. He was clearly stumped at the meaning behind his words.
"...I don't understand. Why are you apologizing, my son? You've done nothing." Said the old man.
Looking into the beady eyes of Son Gohan I, Goku said, "Grandpa, I know. Everything."
"...What?"
Goku sighed, then clarified, "I've learned about my true heritage a few years after Chi-Chi and I got married. I had a run-in with a couple of my kind, the Saiyans. One of them became my sparring partner and rival. When we first met, he had a tail just like I did as a child. With one technique, he was able to mimic the presence of a full moon."
Grandpa Gohan jolted up slightly, realizing where the tale was going.
'...Oh, dear! Don't tell me that he thinks-'
"Then, I saw it. He became this giant ape with a tail. On that day, I recalled all of those stories you told me of a monster that would appear at night, and how I shouldn't look at the full moon. …But I did, and you were gone before I knew it." Goku said quietly as a lone tear fell from his eye.
The old man's eyes sorted as he heard a sniff from his adult grandson, who had started to silently sob.
"All this time when I was alone, I thought a monster had taken you away from me. Nobody ever bothered to tell me anything." Goku continued. "And now I know why. That monster…was me all along. I'm so sorry I put you through so much pain, Grandpa! Please, forgive me!"
Goku took a hold of his parent's hands with both of his own as he bowed his head in shame.
It had pain Grandpa Gohan to see that his usually jolly and upbeat grandson had carried around this kind of turmoil for so long. In all honesty, Gohan never would have guessed that Goku would have figured out what happened on his own, let alone misinterpreted what actually occurred during his passing.
Well, it was time to set the record straight. Grandpa Gohan got up from his seat while standing near Goku.
"Rise, my son." Grandpa Gohan said gently, prompting the fighter to do so. "You've no need to shed any more tears."
Goku did as he was told, standing up as he wiped the tears away from his face. The old man placed his hands on his arms and spoke to Goku.
"Goku, I never blamed you for my passing. Never! You're my grandson, regardless if you're my blood or not. What matters is that I chose you."
Goku's eyes widened in utter shock.
"G-Grandpa…? I don't understand. How could you still stand the sight of me? I-I took your remaining life away!"
"Hush! I don't want to hear you ever say that again." Grandpa Gohan said sternly but in a quiet voice. "Right now, I want you to listen very carefully to me. Understood?"
Goku nodded as he did as a child.
"Good," Gohan said. "Listen close, son. While it is true that the night of my passing was the same night you have transformed into that monstrous form, you were not the cause of my demise. As you gazed upon the full moon and changed before my eyes for the second time, I tried reasoning with you to stop your madness. It was all for naught, I'm afraid."
"...That doesn't make any sense! If I didn't crush you to death, then how did you end up dying? You were healthy even at your elderly age!" Goku questioned.
"Goku, I'm one hundred and sixteen years old right now. Back then, I was eighty-seven. The spark of life that was once a mighty fire had dwindled to that of a flicker. Time was not on my side, rather my sunset was approaching. Even still, I had enough of a spark to try and bring you back. I figured aiming a ki blast to your tail would revert you back to the happy little boy that I knew and loved. …As I prepared to fire that blast…tragedy struck." Gohan explained.
Goku finished his sentence, saying, "You died."
Grandpa Gohan nodded, saying, "When I opened my eyes, I was in the check-in station where I eventually met King Yemma. That's when I found out the ruling of my death had been registered as heart failure."
Heart failure? Goku couldn't believe it. All this time, he had believed that it was him that ended Grandpa Gohan's life. But now, it was like weight or bricks off of his shoulders. That burden was gone.
Goku couldn't help but latch on to his grandfather, hugging him tight enough to not hurt his parent but also emphasize his love for him. Grandpa Gohan returned the favor as a comforting man. He could hear the strong man fighting the sobs, but failing
"It's alright, my boy. Even the mightiest of men can cry." Gohan said wisely. "You can let this pain go."
"...A-All this time, I t-thought that I was responsible. This feeling of guilt, I carried with me. It h-hurt so much…" Goku said between hicks and sobbed. "But I feel so much lighter."
"That's good, son. Little do you know, that's the first part of your new journey." Grandpa Gohan stated. "Your conscience has to be clear of all negative thoughts, void of such things as anger or sadness."
Goku nodded as he let go.
"I understand. You always know how to calm me down." Goku smiled. "I'm looking forward to our time training together."
Gohan raised his hand, saying, "Of course, Goku. We have all the time in the Other World. But right now, I want to learn more about you and your family. Do you have any children by any chance?"
Goku smiled, looking up at the sky.
"It's funny that you mentioned that. I do have a child. Come to think of it, I might have another one. I'm not too sure, though. I'd have to ask King Kai when I have the chance." Goku said as he continued. "When Chi-Chi was pregnant and went into labor, she gave birth to a son. Our son. When I held him for the first time, I knew exactly what to call him. I decided to name my son after the greatest man that I knew. And that man was you, Gohan." Goku said, looking at him with a proud smile.
Grandpa couldn't help but shed a tear as he bowed his head with a deep level of respect for the man that stood before him.
"I am honored to have my name be passed down," Grandpa Gohan said as he then placed his hand on his grandson's arm. "And words cannot describe how proud I am of you."
Goku smiled warmly as he said, "Thanks Grandpa."
Grandpa Gohan then motioned his grandson to follow him into the vast backyard.
"Come along now, Goku. Let's begin your first lesson on the training grounds. We can catch up along the way." The old man said.
"Alright! I can't wait!" Goku cheered, as he said while walking. "Let's take the stroll easy. There's a lot to cover, Grandpa."
As the two men walked along the path, Annin watched through the doorway the entire time with a small smile on his face.
"So, what Gohan said was true. His grandson is pure of heart. How unusual for a man of his kind. Son Goku…You are very intriguing. Let's see if you have what it takes to transcend your power to a divine level." The goddess said with interest.
To Be Continued…
The Earth is at peace once more thanks to the valiant efforts of Gohan, the Orange Star Trio, and the Dragon Team. And despite being dead, a new path to power and fulfillment awaits the late Son Goku under the guidance of his dutiful grandfather. What future conflicts await our heroes? Will Gohan triumph over Vegeta as his father did in their rivalry? And what of Shin and Kibito? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z: PRIMAL!
Author's Note: Hi, everyone! I'm back with another chapter again!
Don't worry about the Goku parts of the chapter. It won't become the central focus. I just wanted my boy to get some closure in his life that I felt should have been further explored. While it would have been tragic if I let the actual canon death remain the same, I figure that going for the CALLMEARJ "What If" angle would suit the purpose of the story better.
Besides, I find it more interesting for Goku to have a bit of baggage that he'd carry with him more intriguing than for him to simply defeat Vegeta's Oozaru form as a way to "atone" for his unintentional sin.
As for Sharpner and Erasa's roles, they will be more crucial in the next saga if things go well. It's going to get more complicated and ambitious, so bear with me. It will take time.
Let me also take a moment to address Videl's power level right now. While numbers do not matter right now, I'll give you a rough estimate. Do take this with a grain of salt.
Let's take into consideration that Videl is stronger than Mr. Satan, who has a Battle Power of about 240 according to the Daizenshuu. So, let's that her Battle Power is 250. Ten points stronger.
Now, remember that kids in Dragon Ball, whether they are Saiyans, humans, or whatever there are have greater potential than then their parents. Videl had proved this when she unlocked her ki while her dad remained stationary at his peak power of 240.
I basically multiplied her Power by how many weeks had she been training. And it gave me the calculation of 1,250 as her base power. That's nearly the same Battle Power as Raditz. That's enough strength to deal with the Robot Soldiers Cooler made, which Saibamen can replicate.
Anyway, feel free to ask questions, leave comments, and voice opinions/concerns by reviewing the story. What do you think about Goku's character in this story? Who is the stand-out character in the entire saga? And feel free to guess who's the next villain. I'm always open to suggestions. Just leave them either in the reviews or PMs.
Later guys! I got a semester to finish!
-DarkShadowGames