Chapter 22 Food Fights and Discussions
In the Super/Main Timeline
A day later
The group within the hyperbolic time chamber had been training harshly the past couple of days which equated to only a couple seconds outside the realm. Although the training was more akin to a daily beat down. The IW universe visitors routinely wrecked the GT Universe visitors as well as Gohan and Piccolo. They could feel themselves getting stronger though and even though they were left battered and bloodied everyday they knew it'd be worth it. "Chaos Spears!" Shadow yelled unleashing hundreds of yellow energy projectiles at his opponent with a wave of his hand. "Hell zone grenade!" Piccolo yelled in retaliation shooting many, much bigger orangish colored beams. Half of them collided with Shadow's projectiles and exploded along with them. The other half suspended themselves in the air close to where shadow was hovering. Shadow however anticipated what was about to happen next and started summoning a large sum of power gaining a fiery red aura. "Chaos Blast!" Shadow screamed letting his energy explode outwards, the blast stuffing out Piccolo's attacks just they started careening towards him. Piccolo got caught in the blast to and was lifted into the air while being burned alive. Everything subsided as quickly as it started and Piccolo began falling back to the ground half conscious. Shadow however teleported to Piccolo and roundhouse kicked him right in the back sending the Namek crashing close to the stairs of the chamber quarters, now completely unconscious. "Hmph your not half bad Piccolo" Shadow complimented though with his usual dry tone. Suddenly Gohan in his ultimate form charged towards Shadow from some unknown location. "You on the other hand could use some work" Shadow said not even bothering to look behind to meet Gohan's assault. The black hedgehog simply Bruce Lee back fisted Gohan hitting him in the face. Shadow then spin dashed striking Gohan in many places within seconds and left the half saiyan man in a similar condition to Piccolo though he remained conscious. "He he guess I'm still a little rusty" Gohan laughed weakly. "Well at least your doing better than those two, my friend is tearing them new assholes" Shadow said looking to the fight between IW Goten, his GT counterpart and GT Trunks in their super saiyan states. If one could even call it that. "Quit your whining and fucking fight back already!" IW Goten shouted in anger delivering the latest in a long line of punishing blows to GT Goten's stomach. "I ahhh can't owww your ooh too ugh fast!" GT Goten said in between strikes. GT Trunks sent a punch from the side aiming for IW Goten's head. However his fist was caught and IW Goten violently pulled GT Trunks towards him heat butting him. Before GT Trunks could fall down IW Goten grabbed him by his shirt and threw him right into his GT counterpart smashing their heads together and onto the ground. They were on top of each other as IW Goten shot down from above and landed aggressively on both of them nearly breaking their backs, their hair fading to black and purple. IW Goten then, with an angry, crazed look picked up the now battered GT Trunks by his head and looked to be preparing a killing strike, the young man quickly becoming frightened. "Hey that's enough!" Shadow yelled snapping IW Goten out of his murderous trance. He put GT Trunks down before taking some deep breaths and clutching his head. "No, leave him alive, we need him" IW Goten muttered clearly talking to the goblin inside him. Everyone turned anxious half expecting IW Goten to lose himself. Thankfully however he regained his composure within a minute and turned back to address the GT universe visitors. "You two are pathetic, be faster and stop crying like little shits every time I hit you! At this rate, Phoenix will kill you two with just a stare!" IW Goten scolded. The GT universe visitors though insulted didn't really have anything to rebuke IW Goten's words so they just hung there faces low in shame. After a night's rest Gohan and GT Trunks and Goten made breakfast for everyone (except Piccolo since he usually only drank water). While Gohan the the GT universe visitors began devouring their meal like a pack of savage wolfs similar to anyone with saiyan blood, the IW universe visitors surprisingly ate very slowly and stopped after just two plates. This both shocked and worried Gohan as he knew that just two plates was by sayian terms little more than a snack and while he wasn't sure about Shadow, the IW version of his little brother certainly looked like his body was lacking in meat. "Hey bro, you and Shadow should eat some more, you two look starved" Gohan encouraged with concern. "Gohan, I'm fine, I'm used to eating very little and I'd rather not spoil myself while I'm here since we eventually have to go back regardless of how this situation turns out" IW Goten said denying Gohan's plea. "I never ate much to begin with, I'm an artificial lifeform, I don't require food, I only eat occasionally to get a taste" Shadow added. "Why do you eat so little? You only ate barely enough to satisfy a normal person" GT Goten asked. "Because asswipe! There isn't exactly much food that's available to me or safe for me to eat in space! Especially when there's a goddamn war going on! What little food we can get, we have to share it with the entire resistance! There are hundreds of people in the resistance, almost all of which require food so yeah there usually isn't a whole lot left for me! Everyday a few go without food at all and every so often I do too! Think about that next time your stuffing yourself with a buffet!" IW Goten shouted in frustration of his counterpart's ignorance. GT Goten now felt very guilty asking that question and realized just how easy he really had it back in his universe despite some bad stuff that occurred in between. "Things are that bad huh?" Piccolo asked. "Yeah, it's just how it is" IW Goten said quietly trying to remain distant but his faltering eyes gave his depression away. The group seeing IW Goten's mood wordlessly agreed to change the subject. After a few moments, GT Trunks had an idea. "So what will you two do when/if you guys defeat Shredder? Go back home to your girlfriends? I heard you guys talking about a girl named Maria Shadow seemed to know and I know from your past's visions you got very close with Note, you miss them?" GT Trunks asked trying to sound casual. Shadow and IW Goten's dead serious faces became startled by the question not expecting it before they re hardened. "Maria was killed, has been dead for fifty years and yes I do miss her" Shadow answered in a serious but softer tone with a hint of sadness. "Oh I'm so sorry Shadow" GT Trunks apologized regretting his question. "Yeah you will be when we resume" Shadow threatened giving GT Trunks a death stare. GT Goten gulped nervously before turning to his IW counterpart. "What about you? I'm sure you wanna be reunited with that Note girl. She certainly seemed nice" GT Goten asked somewhat shakily. IW Goten's scowl dropped and gained a depressed, longing expression. "Nice? Note was more than nice. She's wonderful, every time I looked at her I thought I was looking at an angel from heaven. And she might as well have been. She made the universe make sense, seem less cruel. All the pain and evil in my soul disappeared during the times we spent together. I felt happy, felt wanted, felt loved... and now I'm million light years and a whole dimension away from her... I don't just miss her, I want her... I need her... but I can't!" IW Goten finished yelling then breaking down crying letting out at least a year's worth of bottled up grief and despair through loud, pained sobs. The group just stared on, stunned by the development even Shadow. He really loved Note and his separation from her was tearing him apart inside. Maybe it wasn't just all the fighting that made him so cold and bitter all the time, maybe he was also holding back his desire to reunite with his true love and now he was letting it out. "I can't go and be with her until I annihilate Shredder and his entire empire until there's nothing left! If I go back now, they'll just follow me and destroy Earth and Note along with it!" IW Goten yelled snapping back to anger though tears were still coming out of his eyes. "So the sooner I get stronger and tear shredder's head off the better" IW Goten said in a low, deadly voice mimicking the spoken action with his hands. Everyone backed away a little scared of the dark, predatory look on IW Goten's face. Finally GT Goten got the courage to speak to him. "Hey buddy, she may not be my girl, but I can tell you that she won't like this whole, bitter cold venomous you, try to be nicer and calmer, at least around nice people like us, Note would like that for you" GT Goten advised with understanding. IW Goten looked up, wiping away his tears. "I know, it's just so hard, we fight and fight yet we make little to no progress almost everyday, the empire influence is so vast, covering most of all twelve universes and on top of all that my brother Xavier has been assimilated into that hellhole, it's the only explanation for his own evil actions" IW Goten said sadly. "Can I be honest with you Goten?" Shadow asked his partner very seriously. "Yeah, what?" IW Goten replied confused. "I don't think Shedder or anyone within his empire has anything to do with Xavier's behavior. I think it's just how he is and to be completely honest, there's something about him or rather a lack of something that frightens me more than even Shredder himself despite his much lower power" Shadow explained with a hint of fear in his voice. "What do you mean?" IW Goten questioned now becoming uncertain but open to his best friend's claim. "I've faced down with him on a couple occasions during missions and whenever I looked at him, I saw nothing within him, no reason, no consciousness, no understanding in even in the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. Shredder and his forces even Phoenix for as evil and crazy as they are, I still feel like they have some form of that, very twisted versions of it but still and they have reasons for having them, albeit mostly petty or very misguided ones. Xavier however I didn't sense any reason, just pure, unfiltered blackness and randomness. I really hate to tell you this my friend but I don't think there's anything in your twin brother but purely and simply...evil" Shadow finished, still holding his serious expression but his fear was even away by slight shaking of his body. IW Goten stared back at Shadow surprised that he was being so open about his fear and the fact it was coming from his twin brother. Shadow always kept his cool in all but the most extreme situations, yet here he is shaking just by talking about his twin brother. Could what he be saying be true? He kinda thought it too himself in the back of his mind. But then again, that's usually where the Goblin was and he was not trustworthy, not after all the carnage he made himself make. No, he won't believe it, his brother's been brainwashed and he's going to liberate him no matter what. "Shadow he's under Shredder's influence just like everyone else in his empire and I'm not giving up on him" IW Goten barked back regaining his rough exterior then stood up and began walking out of the dining room. "I'll be outside when you guys are ready to get back to work, don't take long!" IW Goten shouted then quickly exited the room leaving the five remaining to finish eating and contemplate matters.
Back on Beerus's planet
Goku in his super saiyan blue form was sparring with MC Krillin and Super Goten who had tag teamed together and had gone full power, super saiyan 2 respectively. Goku was seriously regretting not training his younger son sooner. Not just because of the other Goten's past but also because his talent was phenomenal. Though his power grew at a slightly slower rate than Gohan's did, it was still incredibly quick and his martial art skills improved by the minute, learning and switching between styles with a drop of a hat. The only problem was that he always too gentle and not very secure. This was the reason he and MC Krillin tag teamed. Only when someone was beside him would Super Goten fight confidently and with any force. "Ka-me-ah-me-ha!" Super Goten and MC Krillin said in unison firing dueling beams at Goku side by side. The beams hit their target and an enormous explosion rocked the landscape. After the explosion subsided Super Goten and MC Krillin were panting heavily sensing out to see if their opponent was down or not. They got their answer when Goku popped up behind them and attempted to punch Super Goten. However Super Goten vanished into thin air not even looking and Goku's fist was caught by MC Krillin's hand. With his dad's guard down, Super Goten reappeared behind Goku and punched him in the back of the head making the older man stumble in pain. Goku was left pleasantly surprised by the two's quick thinking and Super's Goten's ability to use instant transmission. "When did you learn that son, I don't recall teaching you and you did it without needing to concentrate?" Goku asked curious. "He he dad you do it all the time! How can I not learn it? Plus I saw Shadow's chaos control so I just mixed bits of the two techniques together!" Super Goten explained happily giggling. Goku gave a fighter's smirk to his son and MC universe version of his best friend, who returned it with ones of their own. Somewhere else on the planet Vegeta in super saiyan blue was training MC Goten and Super Trunks as super saiyan 2's in a much more aggressive fashion. MC Goten has also shown remarkable growth along with Super Trunks the former nearing super saiyan three level in power. "Come on Vegeta! I know you got more! Throw it all! We can take it! Right Trunks!" MC Goten yelled out excitedly and cockily to his training partner. "Yeah your right! Come on dad! Go all out!" Super Trunks yelled in an equal tone. "Hmph your prides are like that of a true saiyan warriors, unfortunately their not earned" Vegeta said with a smirk. Vegeta then got into a T stance charging up yellow electrical energy around him and then putting his two hands together arms out concentrating the energy into the palms of his hands. "Final Flash!" Vegeta screamed unleashing the attack straight at his opponents. Super Trunks and IW Goten rapidly charged up their power in retaliation, Super Trunks's turned purple and electrical as he cupped his hands together to his side while MC Goten's simply shined white into a ball with one hand. "Galick Gun!" "Big Bang Attack!" Super Trunks and MC Goten screamed launching their attacks meeting Vegeta's. The three struggled to outdo each other, though unknown to MC Goten and Super Trunks Vegeta was so far still going fairly easy on them. Not anymore however as the saiyan prince cranked up to full power turning into Super saiyan blue evolution making his attack stronger and push back his students's attacks. "Damn it no" Super Trunks moaned trying to summon more power but failed, his only thought was that he was gonna lose. MC Goten was feeling similarly but instead he was thinking of the death of his mother and grandfather OX by the hands of his deranged twin brother from another reality. "That bastard is gonna pay, brother or not I'll kill him! No matter what!" MC Goten thought in his mind determined and angry. This anger dug into an unknown reservoir of power within himself. He let out an oozaru like roar as his green eyes and golden hair glowed brighter then ever before, his power skyrocketing and his Big Bang attack started outmatching Vegeta's final flash. "What?!" Vegeta asked in astonishment he and Super Trunks mind blown by MC Goten's boost. With another furious roar MC Goten's Big Bang attack detonated completely overwhelming Vegeta's and Super Trunks's attacks and blowing all three of them in different directions. When the energy dissipated and the dust settled the three were left on the ground exhausted having gone back to their base forms but we're still conscious. "That... was... awesome..." Super Trunks said joyfully despite being the most winded out of the three. MC Goten sat up panting hard as Vegeta did the same but without panting and they looked at each other with confident grins on their faces. On yet another part of the planet, Beerus and GD Goten were trading blows with each other. GD Goten was in his super saiyan rose form, however the form was different from how it was before his fission from his dark half. Due to the lack of evil in his being his hair was a lighter shade of pink, his eyes were also pink too instead of grey and his aura was bright pink not having the dark black and purple outer edge like before. His strength and speed was still immense, not quite enough to match Beerus but certainly enough to make the seventh universe god of destruction sweat, get bruised and put in a good amount of effort in the fight. The two of them hit each other's faces with their fists and flipped back down to the ground still in fighting stances smiling at each other. "Very good kid, very good, I haven't had a proper workout in centuries" Beerus complimented. "Ha ha thank you Mr Beerus!" GD Goten thanked happily laughing. "Ha ha well you seemed to have cheered up since yesterday" Beerus said slightly chuckling at GD Goten's special name for him and his chipper mood. "Yep!" GD Goten exclaimed cheerfully. "Now that you're a little more at ease Goten, let's try handling something more...complex" Beerus said becoming serious. "What do you mean?" GD Goten asked tilting his head in curiosity. "Did you ever handle destroyer energy during your training with Zamasu?" Beerus asked. "Hmm no it was usually Kai ki or...the other one" GD Goten replied turning sad thinking of the demonic Umibozu and the bizarre entity's effects on him. "And when I...killed the destroyer gods I...attacked before they had a chance to fight back so I've never directly dealt with or used destroyer ki" GD Goten explained with a aura of guilt in his voice. "I see, well I don't know much about Umibozu's ki, I can tell you that destroyer ki is far more chaotic and unstable than Kai ki, I'm going to send a big hunk of it at you and your gonna try your best to take command of it, understand?" Beerus asked. "Y-yeah I understand" GD Goten answered nervously. "Alright here it comes" Beerus announced has he began forming a ball of dark purple swirling mass of destroyer energy. It grew until it was about the size of Beerus himself. "Hakai!" Beerus yelled sending the ball to GD Goten. GD Goten managed to catch the ball. He groaned and growled in determination eyes closed trying to take control of the sphere of literal destruction but it fought back against him hard. "Come on kid! Make that energy obey you! Remember it'll wipe out anything and anyone it touches if it remains loose and out of control!" Beerus yelled encouraging his student. GD Goten's eyes shot open at those words and rapidly gained an angrily determined face. "No! Not again! Never again! I won't let it! Ahhhh!" GD Goten screeched powering up to his max squeezing the destroyer sphere tighter and tighter. Soon the ball began to shrink its pulses of resistance having little effect as GD Goten continued dominating it. Eventually the energy stopped resisting, it floated within the palms of GD Goten's hands who was panting from exertion but had the energy under his command. GD Goten looked at the sphere admiring his accomplishment for a moment before making the energy dissipate, the sphere dissolving into tiny purple particles that eventually faded in the air. Beerus smiled proudly. "Good job Goten, with this control you can destroy just about anyone who poses a danger to you or anyone you care about" Beerus said congratulating GD Goten. "Thank you Beerus" GD Goten thanked with an appreciative smile. At some point Whis had prepared lunch for everyone on a picnic table. "Alright boys, lunch is ready! Better hurry over Lord Beerus before I eat all the key lime pie!" Whis called out. "Whis! That tasty crust bowl of green citrus goodness is mine!" Beerus yelled angrily flying over to the table along with GD Goten. Soon all the other warriors in training flew over from their training sites. "Ooh it looks so yummy!" Super Goten said ecstatic at the sight of the food. "Yeah let's chow down I'm-" MC Goten's comment was cut short when the ground shook with the sound of a loud growl. "What was that?! An earthquake?!" MC Krillin asked frantically. "No that was my stomach" GD Goten whimpered blushing in embarrassment. MC Goten then remembered that his GD counterpart actually was starving due to him giving up most of his homegrown food to the survivors in his universe. "Uh on second thought never mind" MC Goten lamented sheepishly rubbing the back of his head feeling guilty. Everyone sat down and began to devour the meal. All but whis practically breathed in food, though GD Goten was understandably the most ravenous out of all of them, almost eating his plate or silverware more than once. MC Goten reached for the last steak, but his hand was met by Beerus's. "That steaks mine mortal!" Beerus shouted. "Like hell you've had three! I've only had two!" MC Goten shouted back defiantly. "Nice try hot shot but I counted and you had four! Now unhand my steak!" Beerus yelled. "Unhand my steak! That's you!" MC Goten mocked back. "Hiss!" Beerus literally hissed like a cat. "Oh so we're doing this shit now are we? Ok then! Bark!" MC Goten retaliated literally barking like a dog and the whole thing devolved into the two bickers fighting over a steak like wild animals. "Good grief" MC Krillin and Whis said in unison, very embarrassed and unamused by their respective pupils's behavior. Super Trunks and Vegeta however we're snickering while Goku, Super and GD Goten were bellowing out laughing at the commotion. Goku's laugh calmed as he looked at GD Goten, glad to see the version of his son that arrived here so miserable was happy and having fun with all of them despite his past darkness and the darkness they were soon to face. "Hey Goten" Goku said trying to get GD Goten's attention. "What dad?" Super Goten responded thinking his father was talking to him. "No not you the you on the other side" Goku clarified pointing to GD Goten which got his attention. His face showed confusion for a moment before a scowl appeared and his eyes narrowed in annoyance letting out an aggravated sigh. "What do you want Goku?" GD Goku asked bitterly trying to suppress his anger as much as possible. Goku winced at his alternate son's bitter tone and usage of his name rather than Dad or even father. "How are you feeling?" Goku asked with gentle kindness trying to forge any conversation at all with his troubled alternate son. "I'm fine, I'd be better if you weren't talking to me. So say what you want then piss off" GD Goten replied with venom in his voice. "Ok never mind" Goku backed off disappointed and hurt. Super Goten looked at his father and GD counterpart very upset. He understood the reasons behind it but it was still eating him up inside seeing his GD counterpart dismiss or threaten their dad. "You know, our dad really is trying, he feels really bad for all he did in your reality" Super Goten said. "Yeah well too little too late" GD Goten replied dismissively. "Dad never means to hurt anyone, I know that doesn't excuse him for doing it, but you should know he never intended to get your home and family erased, he would have taken the whole tournament back if he knew that would happen" Super Goten reasoned. GD Goten's hard shell cracked and he looked at his Super counterpart and Goku's pleading eyes and decided to try to get along. "Uh...how are you? Goku" GD Goten asked straining struggling to get the words out and not being able to call Goku dad or father yet. Goku smiled hearing his alternate son actually say something to him besides to leave him alone and death threats. "Great! So what's your favorite technique?!" Goku asked excitedly. GD Goten grumbled in annoyance. "Ah I guess uh...the spirit bomb, it killed Majin Buu" GD Goten awkwardly answered. "I'd be happy to teach it to you while we're here. Would you like that son?" Goku asked genuinely. GD Goten looked up uncertain before answering. "Yeah sure, that would be good...can we stop talking now?" GD Goten asked mentally exhausted tolerating just Goku's voice. "He he sure son, I'd like to talk to you again though" Goku said hopefully. "Maybe" GD Goten said monotone. Super Goten smiled brightly hoping this was the beginning of the first step towards his GD counterpart forgiving his father and he ate on happily with hope.
Something the other universes could use in spades.
