For my lovely Sarah.
Piccolo made a pit stop back at their home before heading to Capsule Corp. He needed to get his thoughts together, needed to get them in a short and simple explanation so that Vegeta wouldn't question him. He was not looking forward to this. Over the years, the Saiyan and Namekian had grown more tolerant of each other, even trained together on occasion, but Gohan had always been there as a mediator. Piccolo prided himself on being mature under any circumstance, but Vegeta brought out the absolute worst in him.
No, Piccolo most certainly was not looking forward to this week.
As he walked through the door, Jade scampered out of the bedroom to greet him. She peered around him, looking for Gohan behind him.
"He's not here. He's with your mistress and her Kai. Do you understand that?" Piccolo asked. He knew the feline was different, had her own little set of powers, being connected to Tsuki and all, but sometimes he felt foolish speaking to her as if she were a person.
The cat looked at him for a moment with her piecing green eyes before rubbing her body up against his leg, as she was oft to do whenever she felt Gohan or Piccolo were upset. Piccolo nudged her away with his foot.
"Knock it off. I'm fine. He'll be back in a week," he muttered.
The sound of whirring distracted him then, and he looked out the window. That was definitely Bulma's hovercraft on its way. What could she want? He glanced at the calendar Gohan kept on the wall. Ah, it was the first of the month. That explained it. Once Gohan had made his way through the impressive stockpile of supplies Chi-Chi had seemingly hoarded, Bulma had made bimonthly visits over the past several years to bring the pair the essentials. Food Gohan couldn't get on his own, toiletries, supplies for Jade...anything Piccolo couldn't provide. It was always very much appreciated, because Piccolo had no intentions of getting a job, not that he had any skills to get one...
The hovercraft landed just outside, and Bulma exited the craft, thankfully alone. She usually brought Trunks along to visit, and Piccolo really did not want to deal with the child when Gohan wasn't around. He stepped out of the house to help her with the bags as he usually did.
"Hey Piccolo. Gonna have to be a quick visit today. Vegeta is training Trunks and I know he wouldn't purposely let him get hurt, but you know how Vegeta is. He gets carried away sometimes... Gohan inside?" Bulma asked, handing Piccolo bags, not really paying much attention. When Piccolo didn't answer and Gohan still hadn't come out, she stopped unloading the hovercraft and turned to actually look at Piccolo. "Piccolo, where is Gohan?" she asked carefully.
"Shin and Tsuki came this morning to take him," Piccolo answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
Bulma hesitated for a moment. "How long will he be gone? Is it... permanent?" she asked.
"Only a week," he replied tonelessly.
Bulma visibly relaxed. "Oh good. So he's there for...?" she trailed off, waiting for Piccolo to answer as the two headed into the house with their bags.
"Training. Apparently there is something they have to teach that I can't, and it's very important," he responded, setting his bags on the table.
Bulma sighed and set her bags down as well. "Alright, I'm not an idiot. Spill it," she insisted. When Piccolo didn't reply right away, she put her hands on her hips. "Piccolo, seriously. We've been in this together for about a decade now. I want to know. I need to know."
Piccolo sighed this time. "It's all very confusing. Basically, Tsuki and Shin believe Amat is ready to unleash a great and powerful evil, and only Gohan is going to be able to stop him. There's some sort of mythical power in Shin's realm that Gohan needs to master if we're to have any chance."
"Well that's just spectacular. Why didn't you go with him?" she asked.
Piccolo avoided the real reason, that knowledge that he couldn't always be there for the boy stinging. "Vegeta and I need to prepare here. Tsuki has an army she wants us to lead and we need to prepare for it here," he allowed. It was the truth, or part of it, at least.
"Alright, get in the hovercraft. I assume you want to talk to Vegeta about this, yeah?" Bulma questioned, walking for the door.
"I can fly."
"There are other things I want to talk to you about. Please," she insisted.
Piccolo reluctantly followed her to the hovercraft, getting into the passenger seat. He hated these things. Bulma's hovercraft was quite large and spacious, but it still felt small and confined to him. She got in on her side and wordlessly got the craft airborne. It was silent for a few moments as she directed the craft towards her home.
"Listen very carefully to me, Piccolo, because I am going to need your support on this. I know you trained Gohan to fight when he was Trunks' age. I know he fought against Vegeta at that age. And I am telling you right now, there is absolutely no way in hell my son is going to be a part of this army. Do you understand?" Bulma said seriously.
Piccolo was taken aback. "I had no intentions of bringing him into it. Tsuki didn't mention him. Only that Vegeta and I were to train together."
She appeared relieved. "Good. I'll be honest, I didn't approve of Gohan starting so young, I mean, he died..."
"I am very much aware," Piccolo said harshly.
Bulma gasped at his sudden change in tone. "Oh, Piccolo, I didn't mean... you know I don't blame you for that... All I meant was, Gohan was able to come back. Trunks wouldn't be able to. I already live with the knowledge that probably one day, Vegeta will die in battle and I won't be able to bring him back. I can't live with that feeling about Trunks too. I can't. I don't know how you do it..."
"I don't have a choice. Gohan doesn't have a choice. He never did from the moment he was born," Piccolo practically spat. "Do you think it's easy for me to live my life knowing I can't protect him from this? Do you think I like knowing that? That one day there's going to be nothing I can do, and he'll be taken from me? Or even more likely, that I will die, and I'll just be leaving him with no one? I've done a shit job as it is. Gohan can never grow up. He'll never get to have the family he wanted, or do any of the things he had planned. And I have to live with the knowledge that it's my fault, because I wasn't able to protect him. I am an awful guardian. I couldn't protect my son then, and I certainly can't now. And with the way Tsuki and Shin were talking about this...monster... I have to live with the knowledge that while he may be able to kill it, he might kill himself in the process. And I'll be alone again," he seethed. He paused. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "That wasn't meant for you."
Bulma was silent for a moment. "How long have you been keeping that bottled up?" she asked quietly.
Piccolo sighed. "Too long," he admitted.
"Look, Piccolo... Gohan... he doesn't think any of that. He loves you so much, Piccolo. He doesn't blame you for any of this. I can't even explain... do you know how much he loves you? How much he dotes on you? I've never seen anyone as close as the two of you. He won't die, Piccolo. He won't. He has too much to live for here. The goddess, she won't let him die, you know that. It'll all work itself out in the end. We're all going to make it through this. I know we are. Gohan's strong, Piccolo. He's so, so strong. And if Tsuki and Shin can get him to master this other skill... Have some faith in him. He'll come through. He always has."
"I've always had faith in him," Piccolo replied. "Always."
It was silent in the craft for a while, the only sound the engines whirring.
"I am going to need your help though, Piccolo. Vegeta is going to want to get Trunks involved, and Trunks is so stubborn and so much like his father, he'll jump at the chance. You have to back me up on this," Bulma practically pleaded.
Piccolo nodded. "Of course."
As the craft landed outside Capsule Corp., Vegeta and Trunks emerged from the gravity room. Trunks' chest was heaving and he was covered in sweat, yet he was smiling and blabbering away to his father. Vegeta appeared to be barely listening to him, his attention focused completely on the hovercraft and the ki within.
The Namekian was there, but where was the boy?
"Oh hey, that feels like Piccolo!" Trunks said. He looked up to his father for confirmation. "I don't sense Gohan though... Do you think he has his ki suppressed, Dad?"
"Gohan's ki is so high that even you would be able to sense it, even if he was trying to suppress it," Vegeta replied. "So no, Gohan isn't with him."
"Still the king of backhanded compliments, I see," Bulma said as she and Piccolo exited the craft, having overheard. "Very good, Trunks. You're right, Gohan isn't with us. Why don't you come inside for some water while your father and Piccolo talk, hm?"
"Okay!" Trunks said agreeably, following his mother inside.
"Where is the boy?" Vegeta asked Piccolo the moment they were alone.
"He's with Tsuki and Shin, training," Piccolo replied.
"And you just let him go?" Vegeta asked, skeptical.
"Yes, because you and I have business we must attend to here. Amat is creating an army, Tsuki believes. So she is going to create her own. You and I have to be ready to lead it."
Vegeta raised a brow. "An army? An army of who? It's you, me, and the boy left. Is she forgetting that?"
"Ooh, I'll help! I'll be part of it!" Trunks exclaimed, bursting out of the house, Bulma at his heels. "This is what you've been training me for, right Dad?"
"How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop?" Vegeta practically snarled, causing Trunks to recoil.
"I... okay, I have no excuse. But this is it, right Dad? I can fight with you guys now! Right?"
Bulma opened her mouth to retort, but Vegeta beat her to it. "Absolutely not," he snapped. Bulma looked at him incredulously. That was not the answer she had been expecting.
"What? But, Dad, you've been training me..." Trunks stammered.
"You are five years old."
"But...but... Gohan was fighting by my age! You said you were already fighting by my age!" Trunks protested.
"Don't you dare question me," Vegeta growled. "Gohan was different. I was different. This is way beyond your level. Get back inside, now. Discussion over."
For a moment, Trunks looked ready to argue, before his eyes welled with tears and he turned his back, fleeing into the house. Bulma opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find something to say, before opting to just follow Trunks inside.
"I think I just passed some sort of test," Vegeta mused.
"Would you have let him fight if it were up to you?" Piccolo asked.
Vegeta shot him a look. "It is up to me. I said no because I know he can't handle it. I'm not sending my son on some suicide mission. That's basically what this is, isn't it? What army could she possibly raise? She may be a goddess, but even she has her limits, I think. Who could possibly be out there that she wouldn't have enlisted help from already?"
Piccolo sighed. "I don't know."
Shin, Gohan, and Tsuki landed in the Kai Realm together. Gohan looked about him in wonder. It certainly was beautiful, he'd give it that. The grass was lush and green, with rolling hills, beautiful trees, and a sizeable body of clear, blue water.
"Welcome, Gohan, to my realm," Shin said, releasing Gohan's hand to gesture about them.
"It's pretty," Gohan admitted. "So, I'm only here for a week, right?"
Tsuki chuckled. "Yes, Gohan. Only a week. Time will go by quickly here, I promise you. Then we will return you to Piccolo. You may notice some strange feelings here. You won't need to sleep, and your appetite may even be reduced significantly."
"Okay. So... should we just start, or...?"
"Yes, I suppose we shouldn't delay. My Lady, would you care to stay or will you be going?" Shin asked.
"I need to begin work on my army. It's going to cost me a lot of energy, so I'll have to spread it out over a longer period of time, and hope it costs my brother the same amount of time. I trust you to get his training started, my friend. I will check back in later.
"Gohan, this will be different from what you're accustomed to, but I implore you to listen to everything he says. Everything he will tell you may not make sense at first, but in the end, it will all come together. I promise," Tsuki beseeched.
"Yes, Lady," Gohan promised.
"Alright, good. I'll see you two in a little while," she said, nodding before she faded away.
For a moment, there was an awkward silence between the boy and the Kai. Shin cleared his throat finally, and turned to Gohan.
"I have to warn you, Gohan. I've never actually trained someone before. I mean, I've trained, but I've never had to pass my knowledge on to someone else. If at any point you're confused, just ask. I'll try my best to explain it," Shin said.
Gohan gave a wry smile. "You can't be any worse than Mr. Piccolo was when he started training me."
Shin relaxed a little, smiling back. "Well, I guess I should tell you all about the Z Sword. That mountain there," he said, pointing to the tall formation on the horizon, "holds a mythical, sacred power called the Z Sword. It is said only the Chosen One can remove it from its hearth, and only he or she will be able to wield it properly."
"Whoa, wait. The Chosen One? Are you sure that's me? What if I'm not?" Gohan questioned, unsure.
"All the Kais have tried. Lady Tsuki has tried. Lord Amat tried. No one has ever been able to make it budge. But you, Gohan, are stronger than us all. Perhaps you can. Lady Tsuki certainly seems to think you are the Chosen One. I'm inclined to agree."
"So we just... go up there? And I try to pull it out?"
"Essentially, yes. Though if you're going to go up there, you should at least look like the Chosen One," Shin said. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to Gohan's dirty gi.
"I guess. Mr. Piccolo can always make me a new one," Gohan allowed. Shin nodded and placed his hand over Gohan. The familiar tingle of magic coursed over him, and he looked down to see his gi had been replaced with clothing nearly identical to Shin's. "Not bad," he mused.
"Excellent. Well, let's go then. Let's see if you are truly the Chosen One," Shin said, rising to the air. Gohan followed, and the two skimmed the water to the base of the mountain. Shin then landed at the base, motioning for Gohan to do the same. "There are a few customs we must follow. No ki is to be used here, so we must walk."
The two walked up the sharp incline to the summit. The mountain was truly large, and so the walk was long, though the two remained silent. Once at the top, Gohan looked around him. The peak was barren besides the one gleaming sword at the very center. While the ground around it was covered in moss and long grass, the sword itself seemed untouched by time. The blade glinted in the high afternoon sun, or at least what was visible did, for it was plunged into the earth nearly up to the hilt.
"Do I just try to pull it out, or what?" Gohan asked, approaching the sword. "I can't use ki, right? What if I'm not strong enough in my base form to pull it out?"
"It is said that if you truly are the Chosen One, the sword will allow you to power up. To be honest, I'm not really sure, Gohan. No one has been able to do it. I suppose you'll just have to do what feels right," Shin admitted.
"Okay," Gohan said. He placed one hand on the hilt and gave an experimental tug. Nothing. He placed his other hand on the hilt, and then he felt the distinctive tingle of magic flowing, first through his hands, up his arms, and into his chest. Suddenly, his ki ramped itself up unbidden, and he transformed into a Super Saiyan. He cast a glance over to Shin, who seemed surprised, though he was smiling. He turned his attention back to the sword and gave another tug. The magic coursed through him again, and his ki pushed him up into his fully ascended form. He tugged again and when he felt magic once again coursing, and his ki started to increase again, he hastily let go and stepped back, staying in his ascended form.
"Is something wrong?" Shin asked worriedly.
Gohan shook his head. "Not...really...? It's just... Shin, this thing is trying to push me past a Super Saiyan II. I can't... Shin, you have to know, I lose control of myself when I ascend to a new level. And Mr. Piccolo isn't here... He's always been the only one who could calm me, who could bring me back to myself. I don't want to hurt you. The first time I went Super Saiyan, I killed Broly. When I went Super Saiyan II, I killed Cell. If this makes me ascend again, what if I kill you before I got control of myself?"
Shin nodded knowingly. "Don't worry, Gohan. You will have complete control over yourself. The other two times you ascended, your anger spurred you on. You do not feel anger now, correct?"
"Well, no..."
"Try again, Gohan. I believe in you," Shin encouraged.
Gohan took a deep breath and placed his hands on the hilt again. Immediately, his ki flared around him in golden waves, begging him to allow himself to let go.
"Okay, I can do this," Gohan whispered to himself. He closed his eyes and let go of his restraints, allowing his ki to soar. He was dimly aware of Shin giving a yelp of surprise before he let out a cry of his own as his ki surged around him. He felt the hilt seemingly grow hot in his hands, and then the earth under him was giving...
The sword became dislodged then, and Gohan stumbled back with it grasped firmly in his hands. The magic stopped tingling, and his ki dropped so that he fell back to his base form. Immediately, he felt exhausted, and he let the blade rest against the earth.
"Gohan, you did it! You are the Chosen One!" Shin exclaimed happily.
Gohan looked up at him, breathing heavily, but pleased with himself.
Maybe, just maybe, he could do this.