Chapter 24: Guilt, Grief, and Anger

A/N: Quicker update, I know i'm sporadic but my mind wanders with other things i'm working on. Minor side projects involving a fully Yandre Chi-Chi/Goku in the pre Z era for one. But I did have some time to write this and we'll be nearing the end of this fic in the not too distant future as it's been over a year and I'm still not finished with this.

Gohan felt himself regaining consciousness later, but for the first time in what felt like a year. He found peace, quiet, and some other emotions that he wasn't able to fully process. Sleep had been a relief not a torment. The usual aches and pains that had been plaguing him for so long were also nowhere to be found. No more pain inducing headaches to the point of mental breakdown.

"It's like I don't feel anything." Gohan said his eyes blinking up at the ceiling. The strange fixture releasing a gentle glow into the small room. The entire place was unfamiliar to him, he was somewhere unknown and yet he didn't have any reason to be afraid or ill at ease. No, he was just fine with this. Slowly he rose up from a bed. His fingers touching comfortable sheets that had been laying underneath him. His head rising up from an usual square shaped pillow that hadn't felt like anything at all a moment ago.

"What happened?" Gohan asked. Unable to recall anything serious in the past several days. His thoughts while clear were nothing like his memories. He recalled Vegeta and then… nothing. Nothing at all, darkness overcame him.

But then, there was that voice. Someone had spoken to him when he had been talking… but wait. 'When had that been?' Gohan couldn't recall but in truth he didn't really care at the moment. Nothing mattered. Taking a breath he stood up and looked to what appeared to be a mirror.

Dressed in black form fitting clothing, it felt as if he was not really wearing anything but, rising up he had a belt with an strange M on it clicked around his waist. Moving up there was a sort of chest covering, perhaps like armor with a matching symbol. Coming all the way up to his face Gohan then saw that he himself bore that same mark.

Touching it, Gohan could only feel his skin. There wasn't any foreign feeling, not like ink, or a pen or perhaps scar. No it was as if it were a part of him now, which he guessed would be apt. 'The strange clothes, the symbols… it looks familiar but I don't really recall where it came from.' His memories failed him but did it matter? 'Not really' He told himself with almost a dismissive shrug.

As he examined himself the door to where he was opened. Two other entities bearing the same clothing and marks as him entered. Their hands down along the sides of their clothes. "You have awakened, come and meet master Babadi, he's been eager to see you.

"Okay." Gohan said without questioning it, the two of them stepped back allowing him to leave the space where they both took up positions on either side of him. The majority of their faces were obscured by masks, but they appeared humanoid. They were several feet smaller than him barely rising to his chest, but looked fully grown.

As they walked Gohan's eyes took in the new surroundings. A rounded hallway with ever similar doorways and rooms that he had just come out of. Dozens of other beings all looking the same except for a couple. One was a taller humanoid with large white spikes coming from his back. His face resembled more like an alien with purple skin and yellow pupil less eyes. He seemed to be higher on the totem pole considering his unique look, but he didn't care to dwell upon it. Dwelling any further upon it was a waste of his mind or any real purpose of his mind. He wasn't questioning anything, not wanting to know or even cared to know. Yet that didn't even seem to bother him, whatever had occurred. 'Hell I don't even care.'

Walking along the singular path which all seemed to mirror itself until they arrived a large door. It was odd considering they had almost been walking in a circle or clockwise manner. That didn't make any sense.

The doorway opened up, two massive white slabs moving out of the way for him and his escort. Walking inside, the two were met by half a dozen other 'people' kneeling off to the side as a familiar looking man stood there looking at him. Dressed just as he had been before just a few days ago. He hopped down from his chair nad put his hands behind his back. Appearing very pleased if not eager.

Perhaps the recognition showed, "Yes, it is I the great wizard Babadi and I have liberated you of your toils. I trust that since you've awakened you've not felt ill at all?" Knowing the answer but making sure that his new 'servant/slave' would understand that this was a positive. Mostly for him, but that was a bit beside the point.

"I suppose so." Gohan said, "Where am I?" Taking a moment to look around.

Babadi grinned, "This is your home, for now anyway." Babadi added, "It is a place of refuge for many like you who suffer in this universe. I am merely it's owner and all of those around you are here to reap the benefits of being a part of this living abode."

"But where is here?" Gohan asked.

Chuckling the wizard merely waved his hand, dismissing all of the lower followers and serfs he had to the side. Leaving the two alone, "Here is wherever I wish it to be, and I can make it anywhere I desire." Gesturing with his hand, "Lower your head, Gohan. Let me have a closer look at you."

Without batting an eye Gohan kneeled, compelled to do so by something but he did not resist. "Ah yes, wonderful." Babadi rolled his fingers over his crest adorning the teen's forehead. "I am amazed at just how powerful you are Gohan. Truly it is fortunate that I found you before anything worse befell you."

He raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean?" Earning a chuckle from the wizard.

"Oh Gohan to explain it all would take far too long, but I'm here to help you. I want to give you something that you crave." He rolled a thumb over his brow. "Gohan what if I told you, that I could let you have revenge against every single person that has wronged you. That you would be able to teach all of those worthless fools about just how wrong they are." Drawing his finger's away Babadi snapped them, The world around them shifted in less than a flash.

They were standing back in his school, or well in the main gym. The place was dark and not occupied. It was already well into the evening or midnight hours. The entire place was strung up, decorated for the school prom and dance. Something Gohan had been now barred from attending due to his allegations.

Gohan looked around and felt bitterness and contempt for this place. All of it was nothing but a joke to him now. How good would it feel to just start ripping this place apart!

"Oh it would be nice and you can do that Gohan, but… would you like to perhaps do something a bit.. Hmm different?" Tapping his chin as he spoke. "How about you humiliate them? Draw out the other boy who caused you all of this pain and then break him. Break those who defamed you, and then… then you destroy this little gathering." Babadi's smile twisted as he looked at Gohan. "Wouldn't that be better? To see them hurt? Bleed? Beg for the mercy that they did not give you?"

'Make them pay? Oh… Oh yes! YES!' Gohan felt a surge of adrenaline at the thought of causing the ones who wrong him pain. His mind was electrifying at the images now dancing in his mind. The spell long since cast on him now bearing opposite results, instead of harming Gohan or forcing him to suffer pain it now showered him with adrenaline, endorphins and gave him a feeling of euphoria at the notion of fighting, the effects already amplified by his saiyan blood even further.

Babadi did enjoy the butcher's nails as it had worked to perfection. Yet he wouldn't' let his new champion just go off now, oh no that wouldn't be proper. He had to test Gohan or… hmm perhaps a better would be to condition him.

With another snap of his finger's Babadi and Gohan were in another part of space. The instantaneous travel gifted by Babadi's magic so long as they were inside of his ship he could create a world that suited the location that he desired.

A world where your anger and resentment could be made manifest. A paradox of a world that existed in the inbetween of reality and the immaterium.

"Gohan, how about we start by letting you get some blows in against them…" Babadi then pointed behind his new champion and displayed the faces and forms of his most hated enemies. The ones that once plagued his nightmares and scared his form as a child. The form of Nappa, Recoome, Ginyu, Guldo, Frieza, his father and many others now seemingly appeared without number.

Gohan's eyes flared to burning teal, his hair lightening in a shower of gold. "Kill them Gohan. Make the ones who hurt you pay!" Babadi encouraged his words, spreading the darkness further and igniting the spell deep inside and setting him off like a supernova. It wouldn't be long until Gohan was drenched in gore and blood, but the shades did not stop coming all the while Babadi let him loose. Feeding him more aggression and unleashing so much of his pent up aggression all at once. "Perhaps a few weeks will toughen him up further… I do want him at his best when I set him loose in a few days. The amount of energy he'll be able to collect will be so sweet and then I'll finally be able to awaken Majin Buu from his slumber.'

[***]

Four days, unsleeping, non eating, heavily drinking days to wash away what felt like years of pent up remorse and sorrow all at once.

Chi-Chi didn't know how she had bottled up so much of this, but it felt as if there was just a damn breaking and every single emotion came rushing out of her at once. She was in a private guest room inside of Hercule's mansion. The celebrity had canceled everything, infuriating the companies she was sponsored by and causing her agent to try and work double time to control the damage but Chi-Chi wasn't going to budge until she had some answers for herself. She'd managed seven bottles of Chardenee from Hercule's cellars but it didn't even dent what was tearing her heart into pieces.

So she was up at four in the morning, her youngest child sleeping in the bed just feet from her. The widowed mother was unable to drag herself from her child out of fear of him disappearing or that he felt some of the resentment that flowed through his missing brother. It was a ludicrous thought previously, but Chi-Chi didn't have anything else. Her fingers gently rolled through his hair. Stroking, caressing, and holding at times the only piece of her family she had built herself before having it crash and burn.

'What happened to me? When did my Career mean more than this? My babies were everything, I did this for them. I don't even deserve to be called Gohan's mother, I abandoned my baby after spending years trying to be there for him in every way possible.'

Goten couldn't hear her soft crying and tears lost in her warm bosom that had been so open and a place of comfort for her children, until she cast one aside for reasons that she no longer had.

Her depression had taken such a hold of her she doubted she'd ever pull herself out until she managed to make this up to her son and where would she even begin? Scour the world like she had when he was a little boy kidnapped? She'd failed then back before his increase in strength and speed.

It didn't help that Vegeta couldn't even sense him, meaning that Gohan might not even be on this planet, or alive at all… that tore at her heart. She'd already lost her husband, now would she have to move on from one of her own children?

Perhaps she expected some part of her to tell her that she was wrong, that this was somehow not her fault. But the absence of her dark thoughts, the ones that had been telling her that what she was doing was right, that Gohan was wrong had all 'd never understand where those dark compelling urges came from and probably never would.

Her heart was cracked, her mind was suffocating in liquor, and her desire to move from this spot was nil. She didn't know how long it would take for her to get up and do something, but right now she just suffered as she knew she should. She'd failed as a mother, beyond measure, she had ruined something that had been the shining light in her eyes for years and had no justification for it.

It was truly crippling and no one would be able to understand the depths of her own failure and if there would ever be a chance to right this wrong.

From the crack in the doorway Hercule stood quietly. Beside him was his daughter, "I'd like to laugh and say this is another trick but there's not a soul able to get back to me about where this boy disappeared too." He wanted to go in there and offer some comfort but Chi-Chi told him that their agreement was over, which was understandable.

If he lost his Videl because of who he was he would throw it all away to have her back. Videl was his world and though he was always busy he did try and make time for her and with his business partner shutting down and saying she'd had enough he wasn't going to push the issue.

The faux relationship had worked out for a bit, with Videl able to give some sort of reassurance to Gohan after Chi-Chi discovered their secret meetings. She believed the two were closer than originally thought and would help Gohan while she had to work. Hercule believed the same for his daughter.

Goten would be surrounded by people Hercule trusted with his own child and whatever secrets that were hidden because of personal reasons. Anything could be explained away when you lived with the strongest man on the planet who had beaten Cell.

It was a good cover for both parties but now it was over. 'Probably for the best' Hercule thought somberly.

Videl on the other hand was not taking this well, despite putting up a strong front she knew that this was indeed a bad omen, there wasn't anything that she could see as good coming from this news.

'Gohan flying off the handle then just disappearing' That wasn't the Gohan she knew, despite years ago wanting just that. Now she just wanted to see him again, to know that he was okay. He'd been put in the ringer, then a grinder, pulverizer, and then burned at the stake of social media and public opinion. It was an emotional burden on top of so many more.

The midnight confessions that she had shared with her gave her such a deeper understanding of the teen who shared her home. Gohan was wanting someone to just be there for him, tired of being alone, forced into so many roles in his life simply because he was told too.

Understanding that he never had a chance to be anyone else and now when he had his mother no longer in his reach, his father gone and Goten adapting really well to the new house and not needing him be around it put him in the position of the outcast. Not belonging or fitting in, the only small comfort had probably been Erasa…

Her friend 'Dumb girl, she should've known better.' Though she didn't want to be harsh on her the fact of the matter was that Erasa should've seen that her boyfriend wasn't in the best mental state. That this was rushing into something and she wasn't thinking things through, despite knowing the type of person Gohan was. Erasa fell back into her childish jealousy, she couldn't have seen that Videl… well previously had wanted no romantic relationship with Gohan.

Now… now she wasn't so sure. She got to see so much of herself in his shoes and perhaps her original hatred had been petty and the type that fosters deep feelings for someone until it's too late to step out of it. Spending so much of her time trying to find a way to surpass someone, to prove all the naysayers wrong, but in the end she found herself wrong. Gohan was every bit the man anyone could want. Smart, strong, caring, and good looking.

There wasn't a girl in the school previously that didn't think of the dark haired genius who had a killer body as not the catch.

Compounding all of her newest revelations she had learned from him, and lessons he'd taught her. Flying being the bigger one, Videl now found her own heart beating a different drum. While she'd suppressed those feelings for her friend knowing they were good together up until this massive blow up.

Videl herself could at least admit to wanting to get closer to Gohan, though she wondered if it was just the situation. Gohan had never really reached out to her in that way, sure they had some 'close awkward' moments but nothing that screamed anything more. 'Or it is just me telling myself that, or just denying that I really had feelings for him in anything more than just a friend at school.'

"Dad, we should probably just check back in later. She's still processing, maybe a friend or one of your high profile therapists could come and visit?" Offering up the idea of a professional stepping in at this point would probably be for the better.

Even if it wasn't going to change the current situation they needed to get Chi-Chi some obvious help. It wasn't healthy and as much as she wanted to be "the bigger person" and tell her she needed to do what was right. It was hard pressed to do that with someone as headstrong as her. Especially with how drunk she more than likely was, it would only escalate into a fight or something worse.

"You're probably right," Hercule figured knowing this wasn't his expertise in the slightest. "I'll arrange for the cooks to bring some food down and try and get her some supplements so that she might get some sleep and proper rest." He put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, "If you hear anything come to me first, I don't want her going out in any state that she's in. If he comes back… contact one of those friends of hers. I can't handle another Cell episode in my own home." Hercule could only hope that things didn't blow up in that way, yet considering he saw the one crazy short guy with spiky hair earlier when he went to collect Chi-Chi from Capsule Corp. He could imagine that something big was going to happen upon having that face to face moment. Departing for a moment, Hercule decided to give them space and hope that his staff might give some brief respite from this situation.

Videl departed from Chi-Chi's presence as well, the mother aware of their aura's but didn't feel she had to address them as she just held the last piece of her family wondering if there was a miracle that the dragonballs could help undo this entire catastrophe.

Without the overwhelming feelings and personal desires she had but weeks ago shoving her forwards the mother would happily give all of it up just to have her son back. 'My family was everything to me. I won't let it be ruined any further.'

[***]

"My lord?" An underling had come to further annoy his great master. Babadi remained content watching the savagery continue from the pocket dimension he had transported Gohan too.

"What is it?" He said, sounding mildly annoyed. Pulling his eyes away from his crystal ball to his lone attendant.

"A thousand pardons but we've detected something arriving in this world. We're not sure of it's origin's but a powerful force has come and gone." They had been managing the sensitive equipment on the ship, but the fluctuations of radical energy pulses on the world. Mostly to make sure they went undetected, but to track those coming and going.

Babadi's face grimaced slightly. "Come and gone?" He repeated the words. "How long ago?"

"Mere minutes my lord. We have no other comparisons to the power. It isn't them, or at least we have no proof that it was."

"Hmm, troubling. Perhaps the kai's are moving faster than I anticipated. I don't suppose there's some hidden third faction that you've been keeping from me?" The wizard knew the answer to that question but as the attendant moved to speak Babadi silenced him with his own magic.

"I don't need to hear you speak right now." WIth a snap of his finger he sent the unfortunate soul somewhere he would quickly wish he wasn't. Babadi did not approve of bad news and something that might be able to jeopardize his grand plans. Releasing a sigh, Babadi walked back towards the crystal ball. "I had hoped to give you more time to continue building your strength so that you might not be contested, but I might have to shorten these goals to see just what is trying to interfere with me this time."

It had been days since Babadi had left Gohan within the realm of the immaterium. Of course the flow of time did occur differently within this space, as the realm was not of natural means. Requiring no oxygen, no food, no water, none of those things practically existed.

A paradise for when all you had to do was butcher, kill, and maim anything in your path. So for the three day's Babadi had left him there it could've been several weeks, months, or even years. It was all quite random.

But he had faith in his champion, Gohan's potential was unmatched on this planet and being so young meant that he could last much longer than others. His youth also meant he could be molded further, unlike most of his servants who came with much more age on them.

He had a long list of plans for his new servant, but first he had to do something to fully convert his champion. Killing the ones who would do you harm, the ones you hated within the depths of your soul.

Babadi wanted to begin to unleash him, to sow further panic, chaos, discord and wholly convert Gohan into his ranks. "Sure he could kill incorporeal shades for eternity but that isn't quite juicy enough.

Looking back at his crystal ball he saw Gohan's eyes glazed over in red. The unnatural lighting turning even the bright shining teal into a reflective blood moon. His hair awash in various blood's of his enemies. From his head to his toes, there were more parts that were bathed in gore than those that were not.

Looking at Gohan's cruel grin he knew that it wasn't anywhere close. Uttering an incantation Babadi brought Gohan back from the realm.

The maddened eyes of Gohan swung around looking for the visage of Recoome, the orange haired bastard hadn't suffered nearly enough. He'd snapped his neck, now Gohan wanted to continue tearing his spine clean out, destroying him bone by bone, vertebrae by vertebrae until finally expiring only to do it again, and again!

He'd lost count of the number of times he'd begun killing them only to watch them rise back up. Taunt him and attack time after time. But each time he'd killed one of them, destroyed their bodies in ever more vicious ways. Prolonging the suffering only added to the thrill.

He was in a blood craze and being forcefully popped out left him searching for something to vent his anger out on.

"Oh I'm sorry Gohan, but I have something more enjoyable for you to partake in. SOmething that I believe you want more than anything else." Babadi chuckled approaching him fearlessly, his spellwork would all but assure that Gohan wouldn't harm him. "But first let's clean up this bile on you." He said leaning in a tad disgusted that he was coating his floor with undesirable fluids.

"Ha-!" The wizard said extending one hand towards him, and with magic. He was now back to the way things were before he had gone in.

Gohan exhaled, "When can I go back? I still want to pay all of them back a thousand times over for all of the shit they put me through." Not knowing how long he'd been in there, how many times he crushed the bodies of the ones who had tormented his dreams. He was finally giving back to all of the sons of bitches who'd done this to him.

"Oh, so eager, so, so eager, we can visit that place later. How about I take you somewhere a little closer to home?" His wrinkled yellow skin pulled into a smile. "Oh but first let's add this to you, it'll make the reveal I have in store so much better." Babadi manifested a large upper face covering. Leaving only his mouth exposed although, there was a slight problem. "Hmm, this hair will have to be changed. It's far too long for you to wear this properly." Floating off the ground Babadi grabbed the large heft of Gohan's long mane that touched around his shoulders and with a simple chant popped it free. Tossing it aside and having Gohan affix the head covering. Much like his other servant's it was white with a blue light reflecting covering. "Now Gohan how about you… share a more personal dance at your school?"

[***]

Meanwhile on the lookout, Piccolo had been informed of Gohan's situation. A quick notification from Tien psychically had come quickly. Not Gohan's once massive flaring presence which would've burned like a sun on this planet having gone entirely dark.

His patience had already been taxed more than enough since he'd been informed of this change of plans. But it had been a long series of events that had been falling into place. The multiple diversions, the belief that it was and was not his pupil.

The absence of Gohan's ki on the planet had left him feeling disturbed, knowing that possibly it was of Gohan's possible death, despite the presence of the dragonballs there wasn't any sort of relief of that fact. Death was still traumatic, and with all of the rolling emotions Gohan had been given off, he could imagine that whatever was out there had dark intentions. Possibly to make Gohan suffer even more than he already had.

As Piccolo pulled himself away from the edges of the lookout attempting to try and divert his attention he was still greeted with their new 'guests' to the lookout.

Having arrived in secrecy. A short man with light purple skin with pure white hair standing in an odd forming mohawk. His compatriot was a tall red skinned man with long white straight hair.

While strong, the shorter one being the supreme kai of the universe and his attendant. Apparently they knew what was happening to their world and had arrived once they had been assured of their opponent's move.

"You must not act without a plan with who we are facing. You must understand that sometimes others must make sacrifices when it comes to the future of all life in the galaxy." Supreme kai spoke to Piccolo. "I know that you don't wish for someone to suffer, that we want the best for those that are important to us. But for life to continue without the threat of annihilation you must remain here until it's time for us to make our moment to strike. Please keep to our goals and refrain from doing anything rash it could jeopardize more than just our lives."

The goal of surprise had been the main focus of everything and it meant standing down when there were greater gains to be had and for the supreme Kai it meant doing what had to be done. Should they fail the great terror Majin Buu would be released upon this world and then untold numbers would suffer.

So he asked Piccolo and Earth's guardian to remain silent on their presence and to keep the betterment of this planet in mind as well. The destruction wrought by the accursed wizard Babdi could be put in check, they just needed to wait now.

"What makes you think that this damn fool of a wizard isn't going to be satisfied with someone as powerful as Gohan?" Piccolo growled at the Kai.

"Mind your tongue." The large red skinned compatriot said scoldingly. "You should know that the Supreme Kai is doing what must be done. If you can't-" He was stopped as the kai put a hand on his stomach.

"Kibitio, they will have to see our results first hand. We do not need to bicker when the moment is close. I know that Babadi will have to act soon. No doubt he'd be aware of our presence even if he doesn't fully realize it." The Kai walked slowly, his hands behind his back. "I am also not concerned with a super-saiyan if Babadi believes that will be his trump card then he will more than likely be sorely disappointed."

The Namekian paused, giving a hard look at the back of the supreme kai. "You think that Gohan is just a super-saiyan? Gohan is much more than just a super-saiyan. He reached a level beyond that almost six years ago."

The kai turned back towards him with a curious look. "Beyond super-saiyan?"

This only made Piccolo more angry. "Are you not aware that saiyans can reach higher levels of power? Can't you even begin to feel Vegeta's power? His strength is more than just a basic super-saiyan. Gohan, Vegeta, and even Goku, when he was alive all of them were far stronger than just a super-saiyan and Gohan tapped into his powers and went even further." He stared at the kai's expression before yelling at him. "How could you not know that? You told me to hold back, that Gohan's strength would be accounted for and you gave one of the strongest warriors on the planet to an insane wizard!?"

The Kai paused, "Even if what you say is true, we will be able to handle it. I've made preparation for situations such as this." He didn't seem perturbed by the notion of stronger super-saiyans.

"Grr," Piccolo hated that style of thinking. "You don't understand saiyans. The more a saiyan fights the stronger he becomes, and the greater the challenge put before them they seek to rise above it and everytime they are brought to near death they only double in strength!"

Supreme Kai redirected his head forwards. "Even still we have accounted for this."

Piccolo was just about ready to start back in on him when it hit all of them.

"Supreme Kai!" Kibito announced, a massive dark aura quickly flared to life, seemingly from nowhere.

"No-!" Piccolo decried as he knew exactly who that energy belonged to.

It snapped Vegeta completely out of his training, alerted Krillin and his wife, Tien, Yamcha. All of the earth's special forces were made painfully aware.

But they were not the ones who needed to be afraid.

Gohan's hand sparked with blue ki, the top half of his face and hair completely obscured as standing beside him was Babadi. 'Come out Come out!' The wizard thought as he gently tapped Gohan on lower back.

"Go on my champion. Your fellow peers await your arrival."

Gohan's smile spread across his lips as he stood in front of Orange Star High school, those entering the main gymnasium converted for a senior prom that was going to be a very memorable one.

R&R