A New Day
"Oh my god, he's trying to fire his Kame Hame Ha wave on that android" Vegeta thought to himself.
Goten and Gohan weakly looked at each other, before turning frightened eyes towards their father, staring at him in his moment of total madness.
Vegeta screamed "No, there's too much power focused into the blast, it's growing out of control, HE'S GOING TO KILL US ALL".
The fallen Saiyans, Gohan, Goten, and Vegeta watched in utter horror as the black monster, drenched in charcoal fur and razor sharp fangs charged up his ultimate attack. Goku, now fully transformed into the savage creature known as Kakkarott, was preparing to vaporize the fleeing Android 30 along with the sun. The legless android continued to fly higher into the heavens.
"They think they've won, the fools, I'll just rebuild my body, make more androids, and come back stronger then" Android 30 said.
The red haired robot suddenly stopped as a spiraling vortex of energy appeared before him. Android 30's devil like eyes widened as three shapes began to emerge from the portal, he screamed as the 3 beings crashed right into him. Goku, Pan, and Trunks were the ones who had emerged.
"This can't be happening to MEEEEE" Android 30 squealed.
The colliding force of the falling heroes crashed them down into the Earth like a plummeting school of flightless fowl. Gohan and Goten gasped as they spotted Trunks and Pan, along with someone who looked exactly like their father.
"Dad?" Goten and Gohan both asked.
"Look out body, here I come" Goku shouted.
The brave Saiyan warrior collided right into the black Saiyan Kakkarott; the two fighters instantly merged together and became one being. Goku blinked as he stared at his hands in confusion, flickering his red tail as if he had just woken up from a bad dream. The Saiyan's fur turned back to red, and his hair turned back to black. Goten and Gohan both stared in total confusion.
"Oooookay, can someone tell me what heck just happened?" Goten asked.
"Dad, is that you? I mean the REAL you, I mean, it sure looks like you. Your colors are normal and all" Gohan said.
Goku blinked "It sure feels like me, strange, I thought I was dead. That portal must have opened up after all. Although I didn't honestly expect it to send us back to the RIGHT time, not to mention fuse back with my past self just by touching him. Must be some kind of weird time traveling thing".
Goten, Gohan, and Vegeta just stared blankly at Goku, their eyes and faces drawing a complete and total blank.
"SAY WHAT?" the Saiyans said at once.
Trunks winced as he coughed up small chunks of saliva soaked pebbles, globs of spit and stone dribbled off his filthy cheeks. The young Saiyan teen groaned as he slowly tried to sit up on his bare knees, green socks and tanned shoes flexing as he sat up. Trunks blinked as he noticed something.
"Red hair? Steel skin? Wait a minute……that's Android 30, he's alive! Were in the past, ER I mean were home, were really HOME" Trunks said.
The dark and brooding Saiyan prince, Vegeta, stormed towards the crippled android and smirked at his helplessness. 30 gasped in horror as Vegeta stood with two fingers pointed directly at his forehead.
"Not for long he's not" Vegeta said.
"Father, NO" Trunks screamed.
The boy leapt at his fearsome father and tackled him to the ground, keeping him from blasting Android 30. Vegeta growled and shoved his son off him.
"What in blazes do you think you're doing boy? Get out of my way and let me blast that junk pile into smithereens" Vegeta said.
Trunks pleaded "No father, you can't, if you kill Android 30 then Dr. Gero will return from the dead and everyone in the world will die".
Vegeta almost laughed "Don't make me laugh. Do you honestly expect me to believe such garbage?".
Goku nodded "Its true Vegeta, Trunks is right one hundred percent".
"Dad, what are you talking about?" Gohan asked.
Goku sighed "We just got back from the future……25 years in the future. That blast Android 30 shot me with mutated me into that monster, and separated my identity from Kakkarott's, my darker half. Trunks, Pan, and myself were propelled 25 years into the future where the world had been taken over by an android army created by Dr. Gero, back from the dead. Android 30 used the dragon balls to bargain his soul to the eternal dragon.
And well to make a long story short, the world was destroyed and everyone we knew or ever cared about died. We have to keep Wrath alive or else Gero will be brought back to life and this whole mess will start over again. Please Vegeta, he has to live".
Android 30 trembled at the warriors surrounding him, his forearms clenched tightly across his face in a vain attempt to protect himself. Vegeta bitterly snarled at the cowering cyborg, knuckles clenched tightly as his rage burned brightly inside his savage heart. The Saiyan prince frowned and pointed a finger directly at Android 30.
"Bang" Vegeta said.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two small energy blasts flew out and vaporized Android 30's left and right arms, he screamed as he was left on the ground, limbless and helpless against the Saiyans he tried so hard to destroy. Android 30 was now nothing more then a flailing, squirming torso.
"You sure know how to ruin my fun Kakkarott" Vegeta scowled.
"Now that's the Vegeta I know" Goku said.
As Goku continued to explain his story to Vegeta and Goten, Gohan blinked curiously as he still saw Trunks, huddling over something and stifling silent tears. The Saiyan approached Vegeta's son and gently grasped his shoulder to see what was wrong.
"Trunks, is everything all right? You're not hurt are you?" Gohan asked.
Trunks said nothing, he just continued to cry.
"Trunks, I've been meaning to ask you……where's Pan? I haven't seen her since the androids attacked, and since she went back in time with" Gohan said.
Slowly Trunks turned around and stared down at his feet as he presented Pan's body to Gohan, still cradled tightly in the young teen's shaking arms. Gohan gasped as he could feel his heart actually stop beating, his voice became shallow and cold. Trunks could only cry, harder and harder.
The boy wept "I'm so……so……sorry……I tried but I just couldn't".
A soft moan suddenly escaped Pan's lips, the girl blinked and winced as her dove like eyes started to blink open.
"Huh? Trunks, Papa, is that you?" Pan asked.
Gohan gasped "Oh my god".
Trunks screamed "Holy freaking hell Pan, YOU'RE ALIVE".
Gohan and Trunks screamed for joy as they hugged Pan tightly and wrapped their arms around her in a tight bear hug. Pan gagged and groaned as her beloved father and childhood friend continued to crush her in their embrace. Pan's face started to turn blue as the warm arms squeezed her like an orange.
"Dad, Trunks, do you mind, I can't breath" Pan groaned.
Trunks immediately stopped and let go. Gohan simply laughed with tears streaming down his face as he continued to hug and hold his daughter tightly, laughing and crying with a smile that seemed impossible to fade away. Trunks looked upon Pan with tear filled eyes and simply smiled, Pan looked at him and noticed Trunks face and cheeks were unusually red. The purple haired teen blushed brighter and quickly wiped away his soft tears.
There were no words that could express the love a father feels for his child, or the satisfaction in knowing your life long friend was safe and sound, or seeing your grand daughter smile and laugh again. Goku smiled and knew from the look on Pan's feisty little, sweet' n soft face……he had truly been blessed.
"This is so weird you guys, the last thing I remember……we were fighting in the future world and……something happened and I" Pan said.
Trunks interrupted "But you're safe now Pan, it's all over and were all home safe and sound. That's all that matters".
Pan blinked "Yeah I know it's just……I wish I knew how".
"I believe I can answer that my dear" a voice said from behind.
Sparkling star like particles materialized like golden snowflakes from a spiraling vortex like portal, a shape and form was molded in the glowing sea of radiant energy stars. A shimmering silver suit and a bright, shiny spark of dark blue hair appeared on the materializing man, it was Taron.
Taron smiled "You see sweet child, once Goku stopped Kakkarott from destroying Android 30, he nullified the creational properties of that particular time vortex. Stopping that future from occurring stopped any events that took place in that future as well. Therefore, Pan is alive and well, the dragon balls are back on Earth, and your reality is safe once again".
Pan giggled "We couldn't have done it without you Mr. Taron, thank you so much".
Taron replied "Please my dear, I'm just a messenger, I'm no hero. It's you and your friends who should be congratulated. Your tireless efforts and unbridled determination saved the lives of billions and guaranteed a safe and bright future for the people of Earth; you have all made me very proud".
Goku blinked as he powered down, transforming back into his normal form from his Super Saiyan body. The appearance of this mysterious stranger didn't seem too surprising to Goku. Taron seemed to look familiar to Goku, which is strange because Goku was not there when Trunks and Pan met him.
"Hey I know you, you're that weird guy that gave me the porta ear rings" Goku said.
Trunks and Pan looked at each other in confusion.
"You what? Hey, when did you do that Mr. Taron, I thought you said you couldn't find Goku?" Pan asked.
Taron sighed "Let me explain. When I dropped you off in your reality, I had already been told that you two would not be able to save this world all by yourselves. I knew Goku would eventually find his way through the vortex but I had to make sure he was prepared. It is not my place to interfere with the destinies of champions, simply prepare them for what's to come".
The mysterious man opened up his hand and revealed a set of porta earrings; he had removed them from his pocket.
"However that doesn't mean I can't help guide him. Moments before Goku arrived; I gave him these earrings and told him he'd know when the moment was right to use them. After Kakkarott detected Goku's energy level, it was only a matter of time before he found him and by then he knew Goku needed help. Monster or no monster, Kakkarott is still apart of Goku" Taron said.
Trunks gasped "So you gave Kakkarott an earring knowing he'd be searching for Goku. Once they put the earrings on, Goku merged with his dark side and became a whole being again".
Taron nodded "Precisely. I once again congratulate you champions, and you Goku, you have saved all of reality once again. I regret I must be going. I trust we will meet each other again Goku, though under unpleasant circumstances, as you're aware of my particular line of work".
Goku smiled "We get used to it".
Taron returned that warm smile to Goku before waving a fond farewell to Pan and Trunks, as well as Goten and the others. Before Taron left, Pan quickly realized something and called out to Taron.
"Mr. Taron wait, I almost forgot to ask you, what happened to Pepper and Lance? Did they make it out all right? Are they okay too?" Pan said.
The blue haired man simply smiled to Pan and said nothing; Pan was baffled by his response until Taron gave her a small, heartfelt little wink. Taron walked into a spiraling portal like vortex and vanished, back into the world from which he came. Vegeta and Goku turned to leave as they helped Gohan with Goten, as well as carry back the limbless remains of Android 30.
"Don't you worry baby bro, Bulma's gonna take real good care of you" Gohan said.
"And even better care of you android" Vegeta said, smirking.
One by one, the grown ups and adults left the war torn battlefield, weary from combat and traveling across the waves of time and space. The adults continued to walk and wander off until only two remained.
Trunks and Pan.
The curling winds of the chilling breeze brought neither pain nor comfort to the Saiyan teens, they remained silent and still in their awkward stares. Not a word could pass Trunks lips that could explain his mixed feelings of love and pain, pain for failing to save the girl he loved when she needed him the most. Pan may be safe, but that doesn't change the fact Trunks failed her.
"Pan……there's……there's something I need to tell you" Trunks said.
"Trunks, it doesn't matter, not anymore" Pan said.
"W-w-what do you mean? I mean I……I failed to" Trunks began again.
Pan shouted "Just STOP, stop right now and listen, okay? All my life I've been trying to prove myself, prove I'm just as good as you, or papa, or momma, or grandpa. I always rush head first into things and never think about what I'm doing, just to win, win, win. I get myself into a lot of trouble and someone always has to end up saving my butt and I'm sick of it Trunks. I'm sick of being rescued and I'm sick of needing to be protected.
So before you say anything else, before you ask anything about what happened in the future, the future that Mr. Taron said no longer exists, just remember that there's only thing I want to hear from you……and that's an answer to this question".
Silence painted the lips of young Trunks as the purple haired boy watched Pan approach him, ever so cautiously and yet ever so firmly. The small girl's fingers wrapped around Trunks' hand and cupped it ever so delicately. Such warmth and softness came from that little hand of hers. Pan looked up to Trunks and softly bit her lip as they stared blissfully into each other's eyes.
"Would you like to be my boyfriend?" Pan asked.
Pan's cheeks practically glowed with blushes, her little leg slowly rising up in the back as Pan looked at Trunks. The Capsule Corp. boy looked at Pan and simply wrapped his fingers around her small hand, gently tugging forward on her arm; Pan blushed as she was pulled closer.
"Until I'm old and gray……until I'm old and gray" Trunks said.
Trunks and Pan closed their eyes, leaned in close, kissed their lips, and lived in their love……forever……and ever.
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THE END!