Fairy Tail S

by ZenkaiPower

For two years after that fateful battle over Magnolia, the heroes of Earth resumed their daily lives as they await Gohan's return; while on Earthland, Fairy Tail and its allies struggled to survive against the greatest foes they will ever face. And with Gohan's training nearing it's end, forces both good and evil are preparing for the ultimate fate that awaits them. A Sequel to FTZ

3. Chapter 2

Chapter II: Rebellion

"No one's going to die." Son Goten told the black-furred feline, "Not if I can help it."

"If you truly wished that," Cerberus remarked, "You would not be encouraging this childish resistance."

"But why?" Goten questioned in response, "Why do we even have to deal with you?"

"That's either a very interesting question, or a very dumb one." Cerberus commented, "What exactly do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you coming after us?" Goten explained, "You're job is to watch over dead people, right? Why do you care if someone from another universe lives here? I mean, they're still alive; so they're not really your problem unless they go to Otherworld, right?"

"If we Keepers worked solitarily, you would be correct." Cerberus replied, "But we do not work that way. If you are a problem for one of the Keepers, you are a problem for the others as well. Besides, I don't think you intend to let me exact a punishment on your redheaded friend, do you? Because he is most certainly my problem."

Cerberus looked at Goten curiously as the young man began to stretch.

"Yeah… you're probably right; but… all this talking is cooling me off." Goten remarked with a grin, "A fight with you might be just what I need to get fired up again."

"A fight with someone like me will result in your demise." Cerberus warned him, "Do not make me waste my time."

"Oh, I won't, I promise." Goten said confidently, powering up slightly to show he was serious.

"Goten, maybe we should let my Dad or Master handle this guy." Trunks suggested, slightly concerned, "We're not at a hundred percent right now."

"Don't worry about it, Trunks." Goten reassured his friend, "I barely even broke a sweat sparring. I can take this guy."

"You will regret those words, mortal." Cerberus stated, meeting Goten's gaze before pointing upward. Goten understood the gesture as he watched the feline rise higher into the sky.

Iga, Vegeta, and Trunks watched as Goten flew into the air to match Cerberus' elevation.

"You are brave, mortal, I'll give you that." The Keeper admitted before adding, "But this will be your last act of bravery."

"Nah, I doubt it." Goten said with a grin, hoping his overconfident opponent would buy a small lie at the end of his statement, "But you're definitely going to be a fun fight, so I'll just go all out from the start."

"A wise decision, mortal." Cerberus remarked, crossing his right arm over his left as he spoke, "You may die pointlessly, but at least you'll die with honor."

Goten chuckled before transforming in a bright blue flash of light, which faded quickly to reveal his Super Saiyan Blue form.

"Interesting." Cerberus said as he looked the young demi-Saiyan over, "You may live a little longer than I assumed."

"I guess that's the nicest compliment I'm gonna get from you, so thanks;" Goten stated as he took a stance, "But I've got to you beat you up now."

"Come then, mortal," Cerberus beckoned his enemy, his arms still crossed, "Show me your power."

In an instant, Goten vanished before appearing directly in front of Cerberus, aiming a right punch at Cerberus' chest. The immortal caught it easily with his right hand, making eye contact with his foe for a split second after the punch to see that Goten was grinning. The next moment, the sky filled with multiple successive shockwaves as Goten continued to test the strength and speed of his opponent, sending a variety of kicks and punches Cerberus' way. The Keeper blocked all of them, but Goten noted that his enemy was still not trying to fight yet.

Deciding to do something about that fact, Goten charged at his enemy. Cerberus moved to lazily counter Goten's direct attack, about to catch Goten's fist when the image of the Blue fighter disappeared; and before his afterimage had totally faded, Goten materialized behind Cerberus and fired a large blue ki blast between the feline's shoulder blades with his left hand. A blue cloud appeared in the sky as a result, and the three standing on the sidewalk watched and waited for the smoke to clear. Lisanna, who had snuck out the back of C.C., was watching the fight while using Iga's remote to conceal herself. Everything that just occurred took place in almost a blink of an eye to her, and she had to bend her knees slightly as a faint concussive blast hit her from Goten's energy attack.

In the sky, the smoke cleared to reveal a slightly agitated Cerberus, who was pretending to not feel the stinging sensation on his back. Goten hovered a few feet in front of him, wearing his grin proudly.

"An afterimage technique…" Cerberus said condescendingly, "An amateur approach."

"It worked, didn't it?" Goten remarked confidently.

"Don't get cocky, mortal." The feline stated in response, "Another afterimage trick will not deceive me."

"Really?" Goten asked curiously, "Let's see it then."

Goten began hurriedly flying around his enemy, leaving a ring of eight images surrounding Cerberus. The Keeper took a moment to look over the images, taking a fighting pose as he calculated his attack. Spinning around and aiming a punch between the two Goten's close to his left shoulder, the feline smirked with some hubris as the real Goten caught his right fist mid-swing.

"You are pretty quick." Goten complimented before trying to punch Cerberus with his free hand, which the feline caught, "But let's see how strong you are!"

The two instinctively locked hands as they tried to overpower each other, using their energy and muscle to shove against each other.

"Quit holding back!" Goten requested in the middle of the exchange, "I know you've gotta be stronger than this!"

"As you wish," Cerberus replied, quickly twisting left to swing Goten around before planting a boot on the demi-Saiyan's chest and sending him flying. Before Goten could recover in the air, Cerberus raised his right palm in his foe's direction, creating a large, dark green sphere in front of it. The green projectile quickly followed Goten, who was able to put two hands in front of it; and he barely shielded himself from most of the resulting explosion. Using the smoke as cover, he quickly dropped in elevation and flew underneath Cerberus, who only saw Goten a split second before the demi-Saiyan grabbed the front of the feline's right ankle with his right hand. Yanking down as hard as possible, Goten forced Cerberus to slightly bend over as he was pulled down, momentarily leaving his guard open for an attack. Goten released his enemy's foot just after pulling it before using that hand to form a fist and crash it into Cerberus' jaw. The cat was knocked higher into the air, slowly flipping backwards before Goten appeared above him. The Blue Saiyan dropped his right elbow onto the center of his enemy's chest, but the feline managed to grab it with his right hand just before it could land. Goten responded with a left punch that was aimed for Cerberus' head, while the feline cocked his left fist back while aiming for Goten's exposed right ribs. The two punches hit their mark simultaneously, with both fighters recoiling from the impacts. The two separated as they recovered control of their flight, with Goten landing atop C.C.'s east tower and Cerberus landing atop the west tower.

"That was a pretty good punch." Goten complimented as he rubbed his side, "And that energy attack was pretty intense. You're as strong as you look."

"You have impressed me as well." Cerberus replied, briefly rubbing the side of his head as he spoke, "Only a handful of mortals have ever made me feel pain. You still die today, but I will remember you for all time."

"Thanks, I guess." Goten remarked before powering up some more and rushing his enemy. Cerberus used his left elbow to block a high kick from Goten's right leg before the two initiated a flurry of attacks. On the ground, Trunks was still watching with his father and mentor until Iga spoke up.

"It's kind of impressive how much you two have accomplished in a year." The redhead said as he looked skyward before asking, "Goten's going at what? Eighty percent right now?"

"Around there, maybe less." Trunks answered thoughtfully, "I'm actually amazed that they seem evenly matched, though. I thought Cerberus would be a lot stronger than this."

"You should start letting them train with you, Vegeta." Iga suggested in response, glancing at the Saiyan as he spoke "If they got this strong so quickly on their own, imagine the progress they'd make sparring with you."

"Hmph." Vegeta remarked dismissively, wanting to watch the battle rather than talk.

Trunks had glanced at his father to see his response before looking back at the fight, seeing Cerberus spin and land the back of his right elbow into the front of Goten's right shoulder. The Blue demi-Saiyan recoiled slightly before landing a punch into Cerberus' left side. The feline replied by slamming his head backwards into Goten's forehead, causing both to be stunned for an instant. The two drifted apart for a moment before they recovered, with Cerberus wheeling around as Goten shot his hands forward and yelled quickly.

"Kamehameha!"

The blue beam caught the feline in the chest and stomach as it carried him backwards before Goten steered the attack skyward and let it explode. Next, he appeared above Cerberus before making a front flip and catching the feline's forehead with the heel of his right boot. The impact created a shockwave that even the three warriors spectating below felt, and Cerberus immediately began to fall to earth upon impact. The Keeper was about to crash into a nearby office building when he recovered at the last instant, slowing slightly before planting both feet on the wall of the structure before springing off it.

Goten could see a green aura surrounding Cerberus as the feline raced for him at full speed, and he prepared himself for the incoming attack. The Keeper leveled his right fist at Goten's chest, and the demi-Saiyan crossed his arms and focused his ki in front of himself to block the punch. The moment his first punch was blocked, Cerberus delivered a second one with his left fist to the other side of Goten's guard. As soon as the second made contact, he threw a third punch before launching a fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh in a berserk attempt to wear down and break Goten's guard. The aggressive tactic was beginning to work, so the demi-Saiyan jumped back as the eighth punch was flung before firing back at Cerberus, ramming into the feline's chest with his left shoulder. The feline responded to the attack by spinning with the force of the impact and swinging his left fist around and into Goten's abs.

The demi-Saiyan recoiled from the gut shot, drifting backwards slightly as Cerberus slowed his spinning and dropped slightly in altitude. The feline was the faster to recover by a split second, shoving both of his hands forward before firing a dark green sphere that was larger than himself at his enemy. Goten saw the attack form; and he managed to put up a guard, ducking behind his crossed arms just as the blast reached him.

"Goten!" Trunks yelled as he saw the explosion. The three spectators could feel the immense power behind that attack, and they knew Cerberus was no longer toying with Goten.

Cerberus was slightly surprised when Goten reappeared in front of him quickly, and he was just barely able to sidestep Goten's left knee. The feline spun right to grab the back of Goten's shirt while Goten continued to fly forward, reaching for Cerberus' tail with his right hand. The feline grabbed Goten's shirt just as he felt his enemy's hand latch onto the end of his tail.

Goten acted faster, using his left hand to rip his orange shirt off himself before dropping elevation rapidly. The feline was yanked downward with him, and Goten released Cerberus and disappeared a split-second before the Keeper crashed into the streets to form a decent crater. Goten reappeared higher in the air before firing a white orb of ki at the center of the crater below him. The resulting explosion was wider than the four-lane road, and it collapsed the first and second floor of a neighboring building as the shockwave wracked the city and the blinding light filled the air.

Goten landed at the edge of the new crater smoothly before readying himself as he watched for his opponent. Rocks began to shift at the center of the crater before Cerberus climbed out the debris.

"So, have you ever had someone beat you before?" Goten asked curiously as his opponent began to levitate over the crater, slowly rising to match Goten's height, "If you did, how does it work?"

"No mortal can defeat me." Cerberus insisted.

"That's fine and all." Goten replied dismissively before questioning seriously, "But what will you do if I beat you?"

"If, by some impossibility, you would actually succeed," Cerberus answered, "Then that would mean you are powerful enough to be a Keeper yourself."

"And that means?" Goten asked curiously.

"You would have a claim to the title of Keeper," The feline explained, "My role could be yours if you so desired."

"What, the Keeper of Death?" Goten said humorously, "No thanks. That doesn't sound like me. I think I'll let you keep your job after we're done here."

"How kind of you." The Keeper joked before commenting, "Kind, yet foolishly arrogant."

The feline disappeared before phasing in front of Goten, who blocked the left fist his enemy had aimed for his head. Goten caught the punch with his right hand before pulling Cerberus forward with it. He attempted to swing his left fist into his enemy's right side, but the feline brought his right knee up to successfully block it. Goten released Cerberus' left hand to punch the feline on the left side of his head with a right hook. In response, the feline slightly recoiled sideways before he managed to grab the back of demi-Saiyan's blue undershirt, attempting to regain his balance. Cerberus was successful; and before Goten could free himself from his shirt, the Keeper tugged slightly on the demi-Saiyan before looping his right arm around his foe's neck. Holding Goten tightly against his chest, Cerberus delivered three very painful punches into Goten's left side, with the last punch cracking at least one of the demi-Saiyan's ribs. Goten reacted before the feline could land a fourth hit, squeezing Cerberus' right wrist tightly with his left hand before rapidly and forcefully driving his right elbow into Cerberus' abdomen four times before he was released. He spun as soon as he broke free of Cerberus' grasp, and he saw the Keeper aiming both hands at him.

"Kamehameha!" Goten quickly called out as he shot his hands forward, colliding a blue beam of ki with a green attack that his enemy fired. The two beams grew in length as their users were shoved backwards momentarily before they regained control of their flights' direction. The two focused their attacks against each other; trying to shove each other with the massive, two-colored stream of energy.

"This is it, big guy!" Goten called out over the roar of the air fleeing the center of the collision, "Either you win this or I do, 'cause I'm putting everything I got into this!"

Cerberus replied by finally raising his energy to his maximum, and Goten had to give him some ground as he slowly halted the green energy's advance. The feline Keeper was about to wish his opponent farewell; but instead, his eyes widened in surprise as his energy did not manage to overtake Goten's. He heard Goten yell at the top of his lungs before he began screaming himself, seeing Goten's blue beam overlap his entire attack. People watching from the ground saw as the black-furred warrior was engulfed in blue light before he went sailing into a building with the attack, with a massive explosion resulting in the collapse of the top half of the building. Debris blanketed the street as the wreckage settled, and Goten stared at the damage as he panted.

"Whoops." He said apologetically, rubbing the back of his head before starting to look for his opponent.

"You think that did it?" Trunks asked no one in particular.

"I think that did most of it." Iga answered thoughtfully, "Watch."

The four fighters for Earth watched as Cerberus slowly crawled out what was left of the building, clearly wounded and fatigued. He amazingly still had the energy to fly until he was standing a few feet in front of Goten, who was holding his side in pain.

"You may be able to defeat me…" the feline finally admitted, "But you will not stop me from fulfilling my mission."

Goten shouted in surprise as Cerberus fired a dark green ki blast at the three spectators, aiming it directly for Iga. Vegeta jumped in front the blast before slapping it into the sky as Goten tackled Cerberus, using his energy to steer them into the ground. Cerberus' back slammed into and fell through some of the crater underneath him as Goten fell atop him. The moment they ceased falling, Cerberus used his left index and middle finger to jab Goten just under his left collarbone. A small green beam fired from the tips of the two feline fingers, boring into Goten's chest and exiting out his shoulder blade. The demi-Saiyan yelled in pain as the beam began widening before he slammed his right palm onto the center of Cerberus' abs before firing the strongest blast he could manage.

The three spectators waited quietly to see who would emerge from the wreckage, waiting for nearly a minute until Iga made a noise of confusion.

"What the?" He said suddenly, and Trunks and Vegeta looked at him to see his puzzled expression.

"What?" Trunks asked his master quickly.

"Remember that you can use my magic again, Trunks." Iga told him before gesturing towards the wreckage, "And then look at the edge of the crater."

Trunks did as he was told, and he suddenly noticed his girlfriend was jumping into the crater.

"Lisanna!" He shouted worriedly before flying quickly after her.

"That girl…" Iga said exasperatedly, "Always helping."

"Getting in the way, more like." Vegeta remarked pessimistically.

"Lisanna!" Trunks yelled as he reached the crater, looking down to see her helping a weak, black-haired Goten out of a small crater within the center of the larger one.

"Right here, Trunks!" She called back as he approached, letting Goten wrap his right arm over her shoulders and lean on her for support, "Come help me with Goten!"

Trunks could see some blood on her and Goten; so he darted over without a word, quickly taking Lisanna's place before helping Goten fly to the edge of the crater as Lisanna climbed out after them. Iga had followed Trunks up to the edge of the crater, and he was waiting for them until he took Goten from Trunks as the older demi-Saiyan turned around to check on his girlfriend.

"Lisanna, what are you doing out here?" He said with concern, offering her a hand for the last step up to the edge and seeing blood on her hands, shoulder, and the front of her shirt, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as he held her hand and looked her over, "Don't worry, none of it is mine. How does Goten look?"

"I'm okay." Goten assured the group with a worn grin, "Never felt better, actually."

"That cat must have beaten you up worse than it looks," Iga remarked as he let Goten stand unassisted, and he saw the demi-Saiyan press a palm against the hole in his shoulder before adding, "Trunks, get over here and cover the back of this wound; it's showing daylight."

"Yes, Master!" Trunks replied before releasing his girlfriend to do as he was instructed. While the three tended to Goten, Vegeta flew to the center of the crater to examine what was left of Cerberus. He was surprised to notice that the feline was still alive. It was obvious Cerberus was unable to move most of his body, and Vegeta decided it would be best just to finish off the Keeper. He aimed a palm at the feline before a new arrival gained his attention.

"Hey, guys!" Goku greeted them just as he and Videl landed next to the four at the edge of the crater, "That was an amazing fight, Goten, I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks Dad." Goten smiled weakly while trying to avoid wincing in pain as he spoke, "But, what are you doing here?"

"Making sure you guys are safe." Goku replied honestly, "And helping Videl get some Senzu beans."

"Here, Goten." Videl chimed in, pulling one bean from a small brown pouch and handing it to her little brother, who quickly chewed up the food and swallowed it. Lisanna watched, amazed to see Goten's wounds heal almost instantly, and Iga looked at the demi-Saiyan with interest.

"That was incredible, Goten." Videl complimented, resting her hands on her hips as she looked over the wreckage, "Though, I could barely see anything that entire time."

"It did get pretty intense." Goten remarked, standing next to her and staring at the crater as well, "I kinda feel bad for what I did to that guy down there, but I think he might have wanted me to blast him."

"Do you think it killed him?" Videl asked curiously. Goten shook his head.

"I don't think so," Goku answered for his son, "I can still feel his energy coming from over there."

"Should we go help him?" Lisanna asked the group.

"I think you should get cleaned up and go back inside," Trunks suggested, looking to Lisanna, "So you can tell everyone inside that everything's okay."

"That can wait for a moment." Iga cut in, "Hand me one of those beans, Videl; I need one."

"Is it because you know how filling they are?" Lisanna teased the redhead, "I remember hearing Trunks tell you about these things."

"I didn't remember that, actually," Iga said honestly before turning back to Videl, "I'll need two, Videl."

"You'll get one." Videl replied, trying to avoiding smirking as she tossed him a bean. He thanked her as he caught it before jumping into the crater and flying next to Vegeta.

"How's the cat doing?" the redhead questioned as he stopped a few feet from Vegeta's left, who was hovering over Cerberus.

"Slowly regenerating." The Saiyan Prince pointed out, and Iga looked down to see the large hole in the feline was slowly shrinking, "We should eliminate him before he recovers."

"I don't think we'll need to do that, Vegeta." Iga stated, "I got a plan."

Vegeta huffed dismissively before Iga grinned and dropped down into Cerberus' crater, standing over the defeated Keeper.

"See this right here?" the redhead asked Cerberus, holding up a Senzu bean with his right index finger and thumb, "This little guy can heal you up right away, but the problem is that you'll get your power back as well. So here's the question: if you are fully healed, will you create another pointless mess; or will you keep it cool and be cooperative?"

"The… lat... ter…" was all Cerberus could manage to say. Iga understood him, and nodded before placing the bean in the feline's mouth.

"Thank you, human." Cerberus said, standing up with Iga's aid before climbing out the smaller crater with him.

"Oh, I'm not a human." Iga replied, turning to face Cerberus as he finished climbing, "Well, not entirely. But that's a story for another day. Right now, I need two favors from you."

"I'll answer to the one who defeated me, no one else." Cerberus answered him.

"See, that's the thing," Iga said quietly, bravely putting his arm in front of Cerberus as the feline tried to walk past him, "I'm trying to ask you to do something for Goten, but I'll need you to do it after you answer his questions. Just humor me, okay?"

Cerberus looked thoughtfully at the redhead before Iga began to explain what he wanted. Trunks saw the two talking as the group chatted amongst themselves, being the only one to see them talking besides his father. He watched the two slowly approach before Goku acknowledged the two in his conversation.

"Wow." Goku remarked as he looked at Cerberus, "He looks even tougher up close."

"As do you." Cerberus responded, adding, "One of my fellow Keepers showed me some of the tournament you fought in for Lord Beerus. The other Saiyan is just as impressive as well."

"Vegeta?" Goku replied, admitting jokingly, "I guess, but I think he's a little too short to be that impressive."

"Tch." Vegeta made a noise as he did his best to ignore his rival.

"Your red-haired friend tells me you may have some questions for me, Son Goten." Cerberus stated to change the subject, "Is there anything you would wish to know?"

"Yeah, like why aren't you attacking us yet?" Trunks questioned before Goten could think of a question, "I can feel your power's back; don't you have a job to do?"

"I would 'do the job' only if Goten commands me to." The Keeper stated, "My honor binds me to his will now."

"What do you mean?" Goten asked, "Like I control you? For how long?"

"It is a form of control, but it is more like my repaying a debt." Cerberus explained, "And how long is determined by you. You also are now the Keeper of Death, unless you wish for me to 'keep my job' as you said earlier."

"Yeah, I don't want that gig, you can have it." Goten said before adding, "I just want you to answer some of our questions. How many of you guys are there?"

"Including myself, six." Cerberus informed the group, "Each Keeper you face will be stronger than the one before it; defeating me is mere child's play compared to defeating our leader, a feat no one has ever managed to accomplish."

"Who is your leader?" Goten asked, "Who are the rest of the Keepers?"

"Life, Death…" Cerberus chanted, "Space and Time… Sound and Light… all these are common elements of the Omni-Verse, our plane of existence. Each of the Keepers has a duty to maintain their element's balance in whatever way they see fit, and we are ranked amongst each other by physical strength."

"Can you tell us how they do their jobs?" Goten questioned, before nodding after Trunks added for him, "And tell us their names, please."

"You ask a lot." Cerberus remarked sourly before listing, "The Keeper above me is the Keeper of Light, Claris; but you will more than likely not have to face her in combat."

"Why?" Trunks asked.

"Because she does not enjoy battle." The feline explained, "She will fight if she feels compelled to; however, and be afraid if she does. She may be ranked just above myself, but she has never used her full power in combat. Be warned: unlike the others and myself, Claris was not originally a Keeper; so no one is sure of her true powers. She claims to have easily defeated her predecessor; and even when she and I fought for change in rank, I could tell she was still holding back as she defeated me. And the abilities with light that her position as a Keeper grants her only make Claris a more dangerous adversary."

"Higher than Claris in rank is Cosmos, the Keeper of Space." Cerberus continued, "Think of him as a sort of patrolman; and your travelling across universes is a violation of his laws.

"Then there is Casus, the Keeper of Sound and our spy." The feline added, "She was the first to hear of you; so you have her to thank for bringing our attention to you.

"After her is my counterpart: the Keeper of Life," Cerberus recalled for them, "His name is Chaos; and none know this, but he is the one that's actually in charge of the Kais. Officially, I'm only in charge of the Destroyer Gods; but as I said earlier, all Keepers' jobs overlap."

"Really?" Iga remarked, clearly intrigued.

"Hang on," Videl questioned, "How does someone 'keep' life?"

"Have you ever witnessed a planet-wide extinction?" Cerberus replied to her, "Chaos helps restore balance to a broken system, anytime a planet suffers a catastrophic event; Chaos takes over and ensures the repeat of that planet's life cycle. He can't reform the planet or change the age of the stars in its system; but he makes sure the planet would have life return to it eventually, until either the star of the system dies or the planet gets destroyed. Also, if any unnatural destruction of life in the Omni-Verse causes too much damage, Chaos will silence it. Intervention is only a last resort however, because there usually is someone else that comes along and solves the issue.

"And finally, the highest in strength among the Keepers is Chronas, Keeper of Time." Cerberus finished, "Not only is she the one that maintains the laws on time manipulation; but she is also a historian of sorts, one that's collected stories from across the Omni-Verse for an eternity. Combining her power and knowledge with a photographic memory, she can learn her opponent's techniques and weaknesses in minutes and defeat them with ease; and she is by far the second strongest being I have ever met."

"Second strongest?" Goten repeated, "Who's the first?"

"Our leader, the Seventh." Cerberus answered before adding, "I am forbidden to speak of that creature, ask me no more of it."

Goten was about to ask why before seeing the grave expression on Cerberus' face.

"Okay," The young demi-Saiyan said thoughtfully, "Then, where do all the Keepers live?"

"I can't say that either." Cerberus stated, "And if you are wondering how you'll find the next Keeper, do not worry; Claris and Cosmos will find you."

"They work together?" Lisanna asked the feline.

"Not often." Cerberus informed the group, "But Cosmos is more than likely losing his patience at the moment; and he'll fight you first if Claris does not wish to. The two are more than likely watching us at this moment, studying you. And now that you've defeated me, they will study you with exacting detail before they strike."

"Creepy." Videl half-joked.

"And dangerous." Iga remarked seriously, "We're going to need to work hard to prepare for them."

"Or for the other Keepers, too." Lisanna agreed.

"You should tell your mother to send our guests home." Vegeta suggested to his son, "Start training immediately; we don't have time for distractions now."

Trunks was half-tempted to agree before his master cut in.

"I think we can afford a little bit more free time before getting to work, Vegeta." Iga commented thoughtfully, "But you can get started without us, if you want. I mean, you know this place serves amazing dinners when your wife's feeling festive. It'd be a shame to end the party before then."

"I'd listen to the redhead, if I were you; this may be the last time you'll see those people." Cerberus pointed out grimly, "The Keepers are some of the most lethal foes you can find in all the universes. I doubt you will defeat the others; and if you did…"

The feline went silent; and though the group found his statement ominous, barely anyone bothered or wanted to ask for clarification. Only Videl and Lisanna were about to ask for an explanation when Iga spoke up.

"Don't be so morbid, fur ball." The redhead said playfully, "I'm sure these Saiyans can take on anything your buddies will throw at us; but we're only going to need one to beat that Cosmo guy."

"Cosmos." Cerberus corrected.

"Whatever." Iga replied dismissively before adding confidently, "And since I'm going to take down this Claris chick, no sweat; I don't see why we can't have a party before all the drama."

"Do as you like." Vegeta told the group curtly, "But I will be training."

The Saiyan Prince gave Iga a glance before flying for the entrance to C.C.

"We should probably get back inside too." Lisanna suggested, "Everyone's probably wondering what's going on out here."

"Mom's not going to be happy with all the damage." Trunks remarked with a sigh.

"You guys go in ahead of me." Iga told them, "I've got some business elsewhere; but I'll only be gone for a few minutes, at the most."

"Okay," Trunks replied, asking curiously, "Anything you need help with?"

"Nah." Iga answered casually, "I got it handled. You guys go enjoy the party."

Everyone except for Iga, Goku, and Cerberus were left standing by the edge of the crater, waiting for the others to be out of earshot. Iga watched as the first part of the group entered the building before turning to Cerberus.

"You think you can do that favor for me now?" He asked the feline. Goku had hung around in the hopes of talking strategy with the feline; but this conversation also seemed interesting.

"What favor?" The Saiyan questioned.

"Yes, I can." Cerberus replied, ignoring Goku before disappearing.

Goku gave Iga a look of confusion before the redhead spoke.

"You'll see in a second." Iga told him before changing the subject, "Maybe I'll tell you, if you tell me you're going to help us fight these Keepers."

"I was going to do that anyway." Goku stated, "But I'm only doing that after I tell Uub why his training is gonna be held up."

"How is his training going, by the way?" Iga asked curiously, "He seems like a good kid, but I have no idea how strong he is."

"I think he might be one of the strongest humans around." Goku remarked honestly, "And he's still just a kid. I can't imagine what his strength will be like when he's older."

Before the two could speak again, Cerberus reappeared with a guest.

"Gohan!" Goku greeted, pleasantly surprised, "It's good to see you!"

"Thanks, Dad." The halo-wearing demi-Saiyan replied, "It's nice to be back."

"You're educated about this routine, yes?" Cerberus questioned Gohan, "With the exception of Otherworld, you will go nowhere else unless I say so. Understand?"

"I do." Gohan affirmed before adding, "Thank you."

"Do not thank me; thank the red one." Cerberus replied, "And tell your brother that I've returned to the Keepers' home. If he has any more questions for me, he must find me there."

"But we don't-" Iga began to argue before the feline cut him off.

"I've already done you a favor." The Keeper reminded him, "So you'll get nothing more from me; and since you'll be dead once Claris and Cosmos arrive, I'm certain you will never find me again."

Without another word, Cerberus disappeared before Iga led the way onto the sidewalk towards C.C. Gohan followed with Goku directly behind him as they talked amongst each other.

"I really don't like that guy." Iga admitted aloud before half-joking, "Do you think that cat's sour because he's the lowest rank? I bet he gets picked on."

"Bullies are usually victims of bullying themselves," Gohan agreed with a slight smirk before adding, "But I think that guy's just got a mean personality."

"I think he's still embarrassed Goten beat him." Goku chimed in as Iga reached the front door.

"It's probably all three." Iga said humorously as the front door closed behind Goku. The redhead turned back to the front and looked at the brunette behind the front desk, "You might want to lock these doors behind us, ma'am, the press is going to be swarming this place soon."

"Yes, sir." Valese replied, still slightly nervous over the recent incident; but she became curious when she looked at Gohan, "Um, sir? Is that a halo over your head?"

"What?" Gohan asked honestly, stopping and nearly making Goku walk into him before remembering, "Oh, yeah. It is."

"Is it some kind of hat you're wearing?" She asked, "It looks pretty real."

"Well that's because it is." Goku chimed in, "He's dead."

"What?" Valese asked in confusion. Iga sighed at the three.

"Now I gotta stop and deal with this…" He grumbled before turning to the Saiyans, "You guys go on and join the party."

"Okay." Goku said agreeably as Gohan nodded. The two walked past the redhead, but Gohan glanced back to see what Iga was doing. He saw Iga holding up his right hand with a white aura around it, standing in front the girl, who was in some form of trance. He crossed the threshold before he could witness anymore of Iga's memory magic, following his father until they reached their destination.

Goten was on the other side of the atrium with Trunks, Lisanna, Videl, Pan, Yamcha, Pu'ar, Bulma, and Chi Chi when they started to hear gasps coming from the entrance. Looking to the source of the commotion, most of the table were shocked to see a halo-wearing Gohan standing at the entrance with his father.

"Gohan?" Goten questioned, excited and amazed that his brother was here. He got out his seat and hurried over to Gohan.

"Hey, Goten!" Gohan replied with a smile, "It's be-"

Gohan was interrupted when Goten immediately hugged him, returning the hug before trying to speak again, "You've gotten really big, you know that? I thought I just saw Dad playing with Pan."

"I get that a lot now." Goten remarked, chuckling and scratching the back of his head with a grin as they separated, "Mom tells me to get a haircut almost every day because of it."

"Happy birthday, Goten." Gohan told his brother while giving him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks, bro." the younger demi-Saiyan replied, about to add something until Videl roughly shoved him aside. Her and Pan nearly tackled Gohan as they hugged him together, and a few people in the crowd chuckled or giggled at Goten's expression of confusion and disorientation as he stumbled away.

"Hey… guys…" Gohan said slowly as Videl squeezed his sides. He held Pan with his right arm while he held Videl against himself with his left arm, enjoying the embrace.

"Oh, good. I didn't miss the reveal." Iga remarked aloud as he approached the center of the crowd, arriving just in time to see Videl and Gohan ending their hug.

"It's so good to see you again." Gohan said as a watery-eyed Videl met his gaze before he looked to the crowd, "All of you."

"Gohan!" The three heard behind them, and they turned to see Trunks and Lisanna moving towards them.

"Hey, Trunks." Gohan greeted them amiably, looking over the two with a grin, "A lot's different for you, now, huh?"

"That's an understatement." Trunks replied, smirking with Gohan and Lisanna at his own humor.

"I'm really sorry you were dragged back here like you were." The dead demi-Saiyan apologized.

"It's fine, Gohan." The young man replied, "Everything worked out alright anyway."

"More than alright." Lisanna chimed in happily. Gohan looked past Trunks to see some other people were approaching; and Trunks quickly side-stepped as he saw Chi Chi nearing, getting out of her way so she could hug her oldest son.

"Hi, Mom." Gohan replied with Pan hovering over them as he returned his mother's embrace. Goku grinned dumbly from the front of the crowd.

"Hey, Chi." Goku chimed in. The Son mother released her son as she saw her husband.

"You're back again, Goku?" Chi Chi asked curiously, "Did you have something to do with getting Gohan here?"

"No, actually." Goku answered before gesturing to Iga, "It sounded like it was his idea."

"Is that what you were talking with Cerberus about?" Trunks asked his master.

"More than likely." Iga said jokingly, "I say a lot when I talk; though, so it's all a little hazy."

"I owe you one, Iga." Goten remarked, with Chi Chi, Goku, and Videl nodding in agreement.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Iga replied, "Call it my birthday gift to you."

"You have no clue how creepy it is to hear you say that." Videl half-joked.

"What?" Iga questioned, confused.

"Don't worry about it." Gohan said for his wife, "But thank you, Igneel, for helping me come home."

"It's nothing." The redhead replied, "It's my fault you're dead anyway; just consider this the start of my repayment, okay? We'll be even once you're really back."

"Sounds okay to me." Gohan agreed.

"Why don't we just bring Gohan back right now?" Goku asked the group curiously.

"Because I died in another universe." Gohan explained, "If you wish me back I'll be on Earthland, and the Keepers could be waiting for me; and they'll also probably try to stop you from reviving me anyway."

"So then we go beat them." Goten suggested, "I'm tired of waiting for things to happen. I'm ready to get back to Earthland."

"We'll get there, Goten." Trunks replied, lightly punching the back of his friend's left arm as he stood near him, "But we've got to make sure we're ready to take them on."

"Goku's going to be joining our little rebellion, and Vegeta's already begun training." Iga informed the group before looking to Trunks and Goten, "After tonight, you should start training with either of them."

"What about us?" Lisanna questioned, gesturing to herself and Videl.

"I wasn't planning on having the full strategy meeting before dinner, but oh well." Iga remarked before answering, "You two are going to help me find the Dragon Balls, if you want."

"I can help you with that." Bulma chipped in, "I have five of them, and you can borrow the radar to find the rest."

"Thank you, Bulma, I certainly will." Iga replied, giving her a smile as he spoke before turning dramatically to the crowd, "Well, I think the family reunion part of this party's mostly done; so who says it's time for the drinking part?"

A few in the crowd cheered while others laughed at them. Krillin, Yamcha, and Piccolo moved from the crowd to stand with the Sons and Briefs.

"It's great to see ya, Gohan." Krillin greeted the demi-Saiyan first.

"It's good to see you too, Krillin." Gohan replied before looking to his first mentor, "And it's really nice to see you, Piccolo."

"Thanks, kid." Piccolo said coolly before Yamcha spoke up.

"Hey, Gohan." Yamcha greeted with Pu'ar hovering just over his shoulder, "I'm really sorry about all that trouble I caused back then."

"I don't care about what happened back then." Gohan assured the former bandit, "I'm just glad to see you've been doing okay."

"Thanks, Gohan." Yamcha replied genuinely.

"Gohan," Piccolo began, and Gohan looked at the green man to see he seemed slightly irked, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"You have?" Gohan asked before questioning as Krillin, Pu'ar, and Yamcha watched for amusement, "What's up?"

"Your brother suggested I should train your daughter." Piccolo explained, "She is around the same age when I trained you; but you know I don't like to take on pupils, especially since I've got Dende to advise."

"I can take care of things fine without your help, Piccolo." Dende chimed in confidently, "And Mr. Popo's help will only make the work easier."

"You're not helping." Piccolo muttered to the young Namekian.

"Piccolo," Gohan told the older Namekian, "I'd be honored if you would train Pan; and I'm sure Pan would love it, you're like her big green uncle too."

Piccolo chuckled and smirked at the memory before sighing, "Fine. I'll train her. But not because of that face she's been giving me this whole time."

Gohan glanced to Pan for a moment, who had been hovering over his right shoulder and silently begging Piccolo to agree to train her as the two conversed.

"Thank you, Piccolo, I'll talk to Videl about when Pan can start." Gohan replied before adding, "It will probably be soon, though, since I'm going to be training with Dad and Videl's going Dragon Ball hunting."

Piccolo agreed with him before walking away as Gohan turned to his brother, who had begun to talk to him.

"Well, if you're training with Dad, so am I." Goten declared. Goku smirked at his sons.

"That sounds like fun to me." Goku remarked happily, "I can't wait to see how strong you've gotten with that training in Otherworld."

"I bet no one can beat you now, Gohan." Goten commented.

"We'll find out, I guess." Gohan shrugged off the compliment before changing the subject, "I'm just wondering what's for dinner at the moment."

Gohan sat with his family and the Briefs all at one long table, every member of each family were there with the exception of Vegeta, chatting amongst each other as they all caught up with Gohan. After some back and forth conversation to kill time, dinner was served an hour and a half later; with nearly every food known to earthlings spread out buffet-style. As people finished their meals, Iga continued to chat with Gohan and Videl from his seat across from Gohan. Trunks, who sat between his master's left and his girlfriend's right as he ate, was listening intently to the conversation.

"I wish more people were like you two." Iga remarked as he bit off half a large turkey leg in one bite, "The rest of your friends and family are really nice and all, but I like your personalities best."

"Well, I'm glad you think that highly of us, Iga." Videl replied for herself and her husband, wrapping her right arm around Gohan's left as she shifted closer to him.

"And here we are," Iga added with a smirk towards Goten, who was to his right, "Sitting at the loner's section of the table."

"For now." Goten said confidently, crossing his arms behind his head before looking across the table at the redhead and giving him a grin.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Master," Trunks chimed in to change the subject, "What are you going to do about Edo when we get to Earthland?"

"If he's still there." Videl remarked, "We have no clue what happened after that fight, or what's happened while we've been gone."

Iga sighed to get people's attention before he spoke up, "I figured this conversation was coming up sooner or later. I'll tell you what you want to know; but you guys might wanna take a seat for this..."

Somewhere on Earthland, in the Shadow of the World…

"Yes!" Edo cheered excitedly as he sidestepped a punch from Zancrow before catching the God Slayer's second punch with one hand and adding, "This is-"

He was interrupted by his other opponent; however, who sprung up from the darkened ground behind him and aimed a powerful spell in his direction.

"Earth God's Bellow!" Cel Rhea chanted before a large and focused stream of jet black rocks fired from her mouth and raced towards her master in barely a blink of an eye. Edo saw the attack coming; however, and he spun around with Zancrow as soon as Cel began to shout. Edo's counter did not work out entirely as he planned it, though, as Zancrow decided to try out a new trick. Just before his master could aim him in front of Cel's attack, Zancrow's body suddenly morphed into black flames which the stones flew through harmlessly. The next instant, Edo felt Zancrow's fire grab him by the arms, legs, and the back of his neck; and he realized he was being forced to drop his guard by five different hands made of black flame.

Before Edo could compliment his pupil's creative wizardry, he saw his other student's bellow perform a U-turn just before it went into the wall; and it was heading straight for him again. The heat from Zancrow's fire was increasing rapidly; but the pain was only a brief distraction for Edo before he managed to wrench his hands free and catch Cel's attack at the last second. He held the spell back for a few seconds before Zancrow yanked him underneath its path; and he saw Zancrow revert to his physical form just before they exchanged another flurry of attacks.

While her ally had their master preoccupied for a few seconds, Cel's changed her body into marble-like stone before she dashed into the fray. Her reinforcing spell hardly slowed her down; but it was still more than enough of an advantage for Edo, who dodged and blocked their attacks until he saw an opening in Rhea's guard. Shoving Zancrow aside with a small surge of energy, Edo turned and aimed a palm at the side of Cel's right knee, which buckled instantly as a ki blast exploded against it, throwing her aim off just enough to make her miss before driving his right fist into her lower abdomen. While Cel staggered backwards, Zancrow tried to use some more of his magic.

"Flame God's Scythe!" He called out as the familiar flame weapon formed in his hands; but he was taken by surprise when Edo suddenly appeared in front of him with astonishing speed. Before Zancrow could react to his master's move, he watched as Edo ignored the scalding heat of the scythe and wrenched the weapon from his hands, only putting up a moment's resistance before having to shield himself from his own weapon. With a quick wave of his hand, Zancrow made his spell disappear before it could hurt him; but an undaunted Edo gave the God Slayer a sly smirk before reappearing behind Zancrow and punching him in the back of the head. Stunned, Zancrow stumbled forward just before Cel charged into Edo with her left shoulder.

Edo managed to stiff arm her with his right hand while using his ki to skid over the ground backwards with her, reducing most of the impact of Cel's attack before she tried to punch him in the stomach with her right hand. Edo caught her punch with his free hand before looking directly into Cel's eyes and giving her an amused and excited grin.

"You're finally becoming the fierce warrior I had imagined," Edo observed as they slowly skidded to a halt, "You're getting good…"

Before finishing his sentence, Edo stomped his right foot onto Cel's left foot as hard as he could; and she gasped in surprise before yanking her injured foot back, an action that left her guard wide open.

"But it's still not good enough." He finished with a smirk before aiming a massive black and blueki sphere directly at her with his right hand; but just as Edo fired it, Zancrow dove in front of the attack while shielding himself as best he could. After the smoke from the blue and black explosion cleared, Edo saw both of his opponents still standing; but they were both obviously getting worn out. Despite their state, the two were still in fighting stances, waiting for their master to make the next move. But instead of taking his own attacking stance, Edo simply chuckled and shook his head slightly.

"I will admit, that last move surprised me, Zancrow." Edo remarked with his ever-present grin, "I thought you were too dazed to block my attack."

Finally lowering his guard, Zancrow smirked before admitting, "Honestly, Master, I was. I saw a fifty/fifty chance that I'd jump in front of the right Cel, and just I took it."

"It must be my lucky day." Cel chimed in as she winced from putting weight on her left foot while her body returned to its normal form.

"Because I feel guilty about hurting you, I'll hold off on the critiquing for now." Edo told her before adding a genuine compliment after noticing her nod seemed slightly nervous, "Besides, both of you have come far in these past few months; and this progress must be celebrated, don't you think?"

"I completely agree, Master." Zancrow said with an amused smile and a faint bow, "I never imagined I could become this powerful."

"You may want to continue broadening your imagination, my friend" His master replied confidently, "Because I can imagine even more greatness from you, Zancrow."

"But for today, this little spar was enough; you're free to do as you wish." Edo added before Zancrow could show his gratitude for the praise, "I'm sure a certain pink-haired outlaw is just waiting for your visit; it's been nearly two weeks since she last saw you, if I recall. And who knows? Perhaps tonight will be your night… either way, I hope you enjoy yourself."

"Thank you, Master, I will." Zancrow replied as a portal appeared on the wall to his left, only stepping through after saying good bye with, "And I'll return tonight with a report on Crime Sorciere."

The portal closed behind the Flame God Slayer as Edo continued to grin until he turned to Cel, who spoke first.

"He's becoming one of them." She remarked as she looked at the wall where Zancrow was, "It's not obvious yet, but the change is there."

"Perhaps." Edo slightly agreed thoughtfully as Cel faced him.

"You don't seem very concerned about it." She noted aloud.

"Why should I be? Good guys, bad guys, they're all the same; if you're alive, you can be manipulated." He reminded her with a serious tone, "And on the off chance that's not the case; that just means things will get interesting."

"And I think treachery is unlikely; but honestly," He added for an afterthought, "A part of me would like to see Zancrow turn traitor. Taking him down would make for a fun challenge."

"And what about me?" Cel asked with some interest, "What would you do if I defected?"

"If you ever left my side, my dear;" Edo answered, "I'd drench this world in darkness before sending you and it into a scorched oblivion. There would be no stone or metal on any planet that could save you from the heat of my fury."

"Call me possessive if you want," He added before she could tease him, "But your commitment to me is something that I've grown fond of; and you know how I get when I lose things that I like."

Cel made a seductive smile at his words before stepping closer to him and speaking humorously, "It's not the most romantic answer I've ever heard, but I'm pretty sure it's the most romantic you've ever been; so I'll take it."

She would have moved to touch him as well, but something about his expression caught her attention; and she could see he was seriously pondering something.

"Huh." He said as he made an amusing revelation while looking at the wall ahead of himself in thought.

"What is it?" the Earth God Slayer asked curiously, inching slightly closer to him as she spoke.

"All this time, and I never realized it…" He reflected aloud before meeting Cel's gaze once again, giving her a look that made her nervously excited.

"Realized what?" She questioned with slight impatience.

"Our true potential," He finally answered before she saw and felt as Edo slowly raised his right hand towards her face; but it was a dark mist that gently held the lower left side of her face. Suddenly too nervous to respond, Cel mentally froze as Edo's magic lifted her chin up and pulled her within inches of physical contact with him; and her imagination began to run as she thought about how differently Edo seemed to be acting. She was sure Edo was about to say something -possibly to tease her like he had numerous times-; and she waited in slight annoyance for a long moment until she felt his lips touching hers.

Cel's eye's widened in shock, not entirely believing what was actually happening; but the shock only lasted for a fraction of a second before she immediately, and rather forcefully, deepened the kiss. To her surprise, she could tell that he was grinning; and he seemed to be enjoying her desperate and aggressive display of affection. She felt his hands finally grab her as he latched onto her waist and pressed her body against his.

After what felt like two eternities for Cel, the kiss ended; and Edo released her. She struggled to maintain her balance while some strength returned to her legs; and Edo used more of his magic to help her regain her balance before giving her a smirk.

"You enjoyed that more than I thought you would." He observed with amused interest before waiting for her response.

"You kissed me…" She said slowly, sounding and looking as stunned as ever, "You've never kissed me…"

"And you've never shown me what you're truly capable of," He pointed out with some delight before adding, "I've always seen you as nothing more than a pawn for the longest time; and I don't think I've ever fully comprehended your importance until now."

Cel's mind was racing; and she had completely forgotten about the pain in her foot. Not only had Edo kissed her, but he was also saying that she mattered. She would have been completely overjoyed by his words; but a small creeping thought in the back of her mind wondered if this was all just some big head game Edo was playing. His face was unreadable; however, so she simply assumed his straight face was also an honest one.

"My importance?" She repeated curiously before getting a nod from her master.

"You heard me correctly." Edo affirmed, "You've served me faithfully all these years, and I won't forget that; but now… I think you could do so much more than serve."

"You do?" She asked with poorly concealed excitement, and Edo simply smirked and nodded before speaking again.

"I do," He agreed before stipulating, "But there's just a few more things you need to do before you might be ready."

"Just tell me what you want, and you will have it." Cel replied adamantly. She drew in her breath slightly as he inched closer to her, her skin was tickled by the air escaping his lips as he brought them next to her right ear, and a devious smile quickly shone on her face as she heard his request.

"As you wish, Master." She said eagerly as she turned towards a portal beginning to form on the wall to her left; but she stopped moving towards it after Edo made a final request.

"Oh, and speak with Orga before you go." He added, "Tell him I want our guests ready for the show."