It was finally over.
The waves clashed restlessly in the distance, but grew calmer as they reached the shore. Deep in reflection, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and Krillin stood side by side.
With one arm wrapped around his best friend's shoulders, Goku's other hand mussed his young son's hair.
"You ready to head home, little man?" Goku asked. "My ship will get us there in five days or so. Maybe even faster with Bulma as a proper pilot."
A large grin broke across the boy's face, and he jumped out of his father's embrace. "Really?" he exclaimed. "That's awesome!"
Piccolo didn't bother to conceal his smile as Gohan jumped around, celebrating their tough victory. "Yes, we get to see Mom again! Mom, and Grandpa, and Icarus! I missed them all so much, Dad."
With a hearty slap on the back, Goku accidentally sent Krillin tumbling forward. "Ouch!" he cried.
"Oops, sorry," Goku said with a chuckle. "Doesn't matter how tired I am, it looks like I still gotta hold back, huh?"
While Krillin lightly scolded his friend, Piccolo watched on in amusement. Gohan looked up at his master in wonder, having never seen the Namekian so relaxed before.
Gohan's thoughts scattered as the sound of voices suddenly died down. He looked over to see Krillin shaking with pure terror. Goku and Piccolo had frozen as well, simply looking on in bewilderment.
Slowly, all heads turned to follow the short man's gaze. Standing atop a nearby cliff stood Frieza in his final form.
With an involuntary step back, Gohan collided with Piccolo's muscular leg. Piccolo's teeth gnashed together in a growl, his fierce protectiveness of the child kicking in once more. He placed a firm hand on Gohan's shoulder in assurance. And Goku couldn't help but grimace as the last of his adrenaline wore off, announcing to his body just how badly he had been injured.
"It's Frieza," Krillin finally croaked.
The white lizard man's tail writhed behind him, clearly agitated.
"How?" Goku asked weakly.
"The spirit bomb…" Piccolo muttered in agreement. There was no conceivable explanation as to how Frieza could have possibly survived.
At Frieza's side, one slender finger rose from a clenched fist.
An intense, physical tremor racked Gohan's small frame. He recognized this scene- he had already lived this moment over a year ago! His chest constricted in response, and he felt himself unable to move a muscle.
The beam pierced cleanly through Piccolo's chest.
Goku stumbled a few feet away, unprepared for the force of Piccolo's shove.
As the Namekian's agonizing scream finally wore down, the large man tumbled forward.
Gohan stared at his mentor's still form, caked in blood and dirt.
"No," he whispered. "No… Piccolo." The young boy staggered forward in numb feet before finally falling to his knees.
Uncontrollably sobs flooded through his body, and he held struggled to hold them back through gritted teeth.
"If you think your friends can escape me, you're sadly mistaken," Frieza's shrill, androgynous voice intoned. His finger slid slightly to the side, Krillin directly in its path of destruction.
But the blast never came.
Blue and yellow towers of lightning flashed around them, lighting up the dark sky. As heads turned to assess the situation, the Arcosian tyrant's gaze fell on the half-Saiyan.
"I won't let you… get away… with this," Gohan gasped out.
Frightened by his son's rapid rise in energy, Goku stepped forward.
"Gohan?" he asked quietly, unsure of what was happening.
The shore beside them stirred in a frenzy. The pale stone beneath them began to crack and shudder. Small chunks of rock surrounding Gohan lifted from the ground.
The boy had known. He had seen it- twice!
His breath came in shallow gulps now, his anger disturbing the natural forces that governed Namek. An unseen breeze wafted through his thick hair, pushing the strands against the gravity of his mother's hair gel.
He had been powerless to stop it- just as he had been worthless in the fight against the Saiyans.
His small chin shooting up, Gohan's shining eyes bore through Frieza. "I won't let you…"
His head jerked back once, then twice. His body seized of its own accord, and his black hair seemed to flash golden. The single strands continued to rise until his hair almost resembled that of his father's. "I won't let you get away with this!" he repeated, his high-pitched voice sounding much gruffer.
What good is the ability to see the future if you can't save the ones you love?
Blue bolts of energy shot from the sky in greater frequency, the child's very energy changing the air around them. The boy was so occupied that he didn't see Piccolo begin to stir.
Hair flashing once more, Gohan suddenly stilled. Then with a terrifying scream, his pupils disappeared and his body was engulfed in a brilliant, golden glow.
This was far from over.