Chapter 3

Mount Paozu, a peaceful, yet dangerous place. Filled with beautiful forests, awe-inspiring views of the landscape below, and various creatures that one would never see anywhere else. It would be a perfect vacation spot… if not for the very odd family that lived there.

"Absolutely not! My little boy won't become a brainless brute!"

Piccolo grunts in annoyance, but refrains from saying anything. If Goku had just listened and left with him, they wouldn't be in this mess.

Goku looks at his wife in worry. "But Chichi, we need to train Gohan so he can fight against the saiyans that are coming!"

Chichi shakes her head, arms crossed and a vein bulging on her forehead. "The answer is no! Gohan needs to study, not fight some super-powered aliens and get hurt!"

Goku looks back to Piccolo with a pleading look. Piccolo just scowls and turns away. "You got yourself into this mess Goku. I am not getting you out of it."

The messy-haired saiyan frowns, then tries to rack his brain for an answer. "I saw what Gohan's power could do! He would be amazing against the saiyans. But… Chichi won't let me train him. What do I do?!"

Goku hits his head, trying to think up an idea. Chichi looks at her husband with a very confused look, her posture un-tensing slightly. Goku frowns even deeper, his eyes shutting tighter. And then… he gets it!

He turns to Chichi with a calm look and says "Well, we could keep arguing, but is it really right for us to tell Gohan what to do?"

Chichi blinks in surprise, not expecting something like that from her normally dimwitted husband. She was so shocked she didn't even register what he said completely. "Um… what?"

Goku smiles and looks at Gohan. "I mean, we can tell Gohan rules, and tell him how to do things, but is it really ok for us to tell him how to live his life?"

Chichi looks back to her four year-old son. He was looking at him with large, innocent eyes. Despite his age, he could comprehend things very well. He was a prodigy in his intelligence.

Goku looks back to Chichi with a smile. "Why don't we ask him what he wants to do? He needs to choose for himself anyways."

Chichi frowns, looking at the ground. She seems to be debating the argument. She suddenly sighs, then nods. "I never thought I'd say this, but… you win Goku. We'll ask him."

Goku smiles warmly and says "Thank you Chichi."

The earthling saiyan walks over to his son and kneels next to him. With a calm smile he says "So Gohan, me and mommy made a decision. We want YOU to choose what you do next."

Gohan nods, and Goku smiles wider. The older saiyan raises a finger and says "Your first choice is to stay here with mommy and study, ok?"

Gohan nods once again. Goku then brings up a second finger. "Your other choice is to come with me and Piccolo and train to fight some aliens."

Gohan's eyes widen immensely at the other choice. He grins and is about to say something, but then sees his mom. She was looking at him with a solemn expression, almost worried. Gohan's smile disappears, and he looks down. "I want to come, but mommy will be sad if I leave, right?"

Goku and Chichi look at their son in surprise. Chichi never heard something like that before. It… honestly melted her heart to hear her son so innocent and concerned. She… knew she couldn't take this from Gohan anymore. He was related to Goku after all.

She smiles warmly, a few tears in her eyes. She walks over to Gohan and kneels down next to him. Gohan looks at her with curiosity, and then says "Why are you crying mommy?"

Chichi makes a strange sob-laugh noise and says "I… I love you Gohan, you know that right?"

Gohan nods. Chichi suddenly pulls him into a hug and says "You can go with daddy and train, ok?"

Gohan's big eyes widen and he says "But won't you be sad mommy?"

Chichi pulls away from the hug, put keeps him in front of her. With a smile she says "Mommy will be ok. You just go do what you want to do."

Gohan looks reluctant, but then nods. Chichi ushers him over to Goku, Gohan still looking at her with worry. He turns to Goku and then clings to him. The older saiyan picks his son up, a small smile in place.

Chichi goes over to Gohan and says "You be careful, ok Gohan?" Her son nods, clinging to his father's gi tightly.

She then turns to Goku and says "And you mister better keep him safe, alright?!" Goku chuckles nervously, nodding his head.

Chichi smiles smugly, then shakes her head. She pecks Goku's cheek and says "Return safely this time, ok Goku?"

Goku chuckles sheepishly at the underlying statement. He nods, then says "Thanks Chichi."

She puts on a scolding expression to mask her amusement, but fails. She then says "Now you better go before I change my mind!"

Goku nods, then turns to Piccolo. Piccolo doesn't waste any time on talking and instantly takes off. Goku looks down to Gohan and says "Hold tight!"

Gohan nods, and Goku blasts into the air. Chichi watches as they depart, waving sadly. She sighs, then turns back to their house. She had work to do.

Zamasu groans as he feels his consciousness returning. His body was aching, and he felt really groggy for some reason. He grabs his head to stop the spinning, then picks himself up. He cracks an eye open, then sighs. "I really am dead."

The place he was in had a traditional looking set of paper thin windows, along with large archways leading beyond the building. Outside the building were just… clouds. Yellow clouds hovering beneath and endless expanse of walkways.

Zamasu turns around, and confirms his suspicions completely. Sitting at a desk, staring down at him, was the god of the afterlife, King Yemma. Maybe not strong normally, but he had complete control over the dead. He… just got lazy sometimes and sent others to deal with pesky hell dwellers.

King Yemma eyes Zamasu with a critical eye. "Seems like your body returned after all. I had to be honest, I didn't think Chronoa-sama could actually do it."

King Yemma taps his pen on a piece of paper and says "Well, she informed me of everything you have done Zamasu-sama. I have to say, I have never seen a god stoop that low before."

Zamasu looks at his fellow god calmly and says "I was doing only what needed to be done."

King Yemma looks back at Zamasu and says "I may have no quarrel with the land of the living, but the complete genocide of mortals, especially innocent ones, is never a good thing. No matter who you are."

Zamasu is about to refute when King Yemma just waves him off. "But that is a matter for another time. For now, Chronoa-sama requested for me to let you train with King Kai."

Zamasu looks at King Yemma in surprise. "King Kai? He is the one that perfected the Kaioken, no?"

King Yemma nods. "As perfected as that technique can get. Anyways, Chronoa-sama said you need to go as soon as possible, so you can't just chat. The door to Snakeway is that way."

Zamasu nods, and calmly walks over to the pathway. As he moves along, he dives deep into his thoughts. He should've known that dying wouldn't stop his punishment. Although, he had to wonder. A Kai would normally disappear and reincarnate into another Kai after 1000 years of being dead. Would he do the same.

He looks down at his peach, albeit slightly tanned, skin. It was a color unheard of for Kais, and yet, was common on mortals. He looks forwards at the large tuft of hair hovering in front of him. It was pitch black, a common color, but was present in any saiyan.

That brought on the question. Chronoa-sama said she tried to turn me back into a Kai, but couldn't override Super Shenron. He really was just a saiyan version of himself. It made him sick to believe he was now one of the FILTHY insects that plagued this realm.

But… why did that sound hard to believe? He was beginning to… no. No no no no. Ignore those thoughts! They are just a byproduct of the mortal mind! And yet… he still felt like that was wrong.

He shook his head, locking the traitorous thoughts up. "This situation is getting to me. I need to focus and finish this punishment."

He looks up and notices that he had finally arrived at Snakeway. The giant snake head loomed over him, seeming to stare into his very being. Zamasu's expression doesn't change.

He quickly jumps onto the snake's head, and stares at the horizon ahead. "I could use Instant Transmission, but I never actually had time to completely refine it. I am honestly more surprised that one time I used it against Goku worked. Until I have time to actually refine it, I will have to do this by foot.

He sighs, a little more loudly. "Might as well get going. One million miles is a lot." His body tenses, and then the god begins to bound across the twists and turns of the almost endless Snakeway. This was going to be a long trip.

Chronoa closes the book shut. "Another chapter down. Short, but certainly containing a lot. It did set down the pieces for later events." She smiles and waves enthusiastically. "Thanks for reading!"