Author's Note:
Welcome back! Chapter three, here we go!
Disclaimer: I don't own this show... yup. Just this fanfiction!
CHAPTER THREE:
Gohan and Videl were getting the grand tour of Erai's palace. Gohan had just woken up here, and Videl had just appeared here – neither of them knew where anything was.
As they walked through the carpeted hallways, Videl studied Gohan. He had a carefree attitude, hands behind his head. If I'm ever a mother, I refuse to allow my child to feel pain. she thought.
Gohan was thinking similar thoughts.
"Gohan, watch out!" Videl said, startling the half-saiyan out of his daze as he smashed straight into the wall.
"Ouch..." Gohan rubbed his sore nose as Videl giggled and helped him to his feet.
"You okay?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah, my nose just hurts." Gohan said, accepting her help up.
Erai waved her hand in front of Gohan's face, hand glowing the same orange as her eyes. The pain instantly vanished.
"Ooh! Thanks, Erai! How did you do that?" Gohan asked, curiously.
"With my Ki. I'll teach you both how to use it as well." Erai smiled gently.
"What's Ki?" Videl asked, glancing at Gohan and Erai.
"Ki is the energy of the body, the life force." Gohan explained. "It's made up of energy, courage, and the mind. It can be positive or negative, depending on the user. It also performs as your fighting power, and it comes from the center of your body." he said, tapping a finger against his chin as he thought. "It's tangible – you can learn to manipulate it and use it to your advantage in a fight. You can even fly with it. I had no idea that someone could also heal with it." Gohan said.
"Oh! I understand. Think you could teach me to use my... Ki?" Videl asked, hesitantly.
"Of course, child." Erai smiled gently as Gohan nodded.
"It'll be fun, Videl! I've never taught anyone before, so this will be new for both of us!" Videl nodded enthusiastically, grinning.
"It will be fun!" she said, hugging Gohan.
Gohan's face reddened as he smiled at his new best friend. First Mr. Piccolo, now her! I love friends. Gohan smiled happily, closing his eyes and hugging Videl back.
Erai watched with a smile on her face. The strength of their bond will allow them to extinguish the stains of this world... Hercule Satan and Son Goku.
"Come, children. Let us go to the training room now." Erai interrupted. "We must train to defeat Son Goku."
"Son Goku? Your father, Gohan?" Videl asked, glancing at her best friend.
"Yeah..." a pained expression came on Gohan's face. "He misjudged my true nature... forced me into battles I didn't want to fight. Beat me up in training, and decided to leave me for training somewhere else." Gohan's tone of voice was expressionless, his thoughts jumbled. ...Right? That has to be right. he thought. Erai wouldn't lead me astray. She wouldn't lie to me. But... but at the same time, it feels not right to hate my own father.
"It is okay to hate him, Gohan. Hate is not natural to you." Erai said. She could hear all of their thoughts, the children she was connected to. "However, Son Goku must be brought down for what he did to you."
"Right." Gohan grinned, looking up at her.
"I will work as hard as I can!" Videl vowed, grinning with Gohan. "I promise that I'll help!"
"The training room." Erai smiled, opening the door.
The room was a void. Much like the hyperbolic time chamber, there was a door, and a place to sleep, eat, and wash up. However, the rest of the shape was a complete void. The further you went, the more the gravity increased, and the weather conditions worsened.
"Just like the hyperbolic time chamber." Gohan murmured, looking around with curiosity. "It reminds me of that place. Does the time move the same?"
"No. Unlike the hyperbolic time chamber, this place moves at our time." Erai explained. "Do you like it?"
"Like it? It's great, Erai! And we'll spend most of our time in here, right?" Gohan said enthusiastically.
"Yes, child." Erai smiled, the stars seemingly twinkling in her eyes.
"Great! Will you be training us?" Gohan asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Yes, I will be. We will train here. Videl will join us as well. Is this alright with you, Gohan? I know of your resistance for fighting."
"Yeah, it's fine! As long as I don't get beaten to a bloody pulp every time we train."
"No, I promise you won't. We will spend most of our time trying to unlock your hidden powers enough for you to use them in everyday battle with full control." Erai explained.
"Great! Let's get started!" Gohan jumped into the air, Erai nodding.
Aw, geez, Gohan. Videl chuckled to herself. Well, he's right! She ran after her best friend, laughing.
~DBZ~
Piccolo looked like he was a deer in the headlights.
"I mean, you're not fooling anyone, Piccolo. I was just wondering why your relationship was so strong. You weren't even this determined to defeat me, back in the day." Goku said, thinking about it and tilting his head.
"Gohan... showed me what it was like to have a pure heart." Piccolo said, finally, after several moments of silence. "I watched him on his own... so small, so helpless... he showed compassion to everything despite the ability to kill everyone." the words were coming in a rush. Once Piccolo had started, he didn't think he could stop.
"Gohan showed me what a real friend was. I watched him grow, become stronger. Every challenge thrown at him only made him more determined. Despite his power, his Saiyan heritage, he loathed fighting. He was always happy, laughing, and kind. Even to me, his father's enemy, he treated me with kindness. He was never cruel. I only realized too late that I loved him. First, training him was out of vengeance. To make him a worthy opponent. But... something changed. I swore to myself, that no matter what happened, I would always be there to protect him." Piccolo had stopped training and was staring Goku straight in the face.
"Aw, geez, Piccolo. I never thought you felt so strongly about my son." Goku rubbed the back of his neck, looking slightly sheepish.
"And then you threw him into that battle, Goku." Piccolo was shaking with poorly contained rage. "You misjudged his nature, you forced him to fight... you are the reason that Gohan died! It's all your fault that Erai has him right now!" Piccolo screamed, losing what composure he had left.
"W-Well, I mean..." Goku was cut off as Piccolo violently attacked him and kicked him into a snow bank. Snow flew everywhere as the Saiyan crashed into the ground, the earth breaking under his body.
Goku got up, powering up to a Super Saiyan and flying up to Piccolo, curling his fist for a punch.
Piccolo dodged, kneeing Goku in the stomach.
Goku growled, spinning and kicking Piccolo in the side. He watched as Piccolo flew away from him, crashing into a snowy mountain. The Namekian screamed, unleashing his inner power. He flew towards Goku, Goku readying himself, forming his stance and waiting for Piccolo.
He didn't have to wait long, as Piccolo punched at his face. Goku put his arms up to block, kicking Piccolo in the chin. He flipped over in the air, looking up as Piccolo's Ki blast filled his vision.
Goku gasped at the magnitude of the blast, raising his arms for a block. He managed to catch the Ki blast and deflect it, throwing it up into the sky.
Piccolo was quick to punch Goku in the face, following his blast down.
The fight continued, shockwaves pulsing through the air when their blows connected or were blocked. They were moving faster than the human eye could see. The only way to tell it was them was the flashes of colour – Piccolo's purple gi and Goku's orange one.
~DBZ~
"They're really going for it, aren't they?" Tien said, ceasing his attack on Krillin to look in the direction of Goku and Piccolo.
"Yeah. That Goku... I think he said something he shouldn't have." Krillin winced, feeling Goku's Ki decrease as Piccolo's flared.
"Those Saiyans... before, no one could keep up with them. Piccolo's gotten a lot stronger since then." Yamcha remarked. "Back to work!" Yamcha threw his Ki blast at Tien, sending the human warrior flying to the ground. Krillin turned, holding up his arm and charging his energy.
"Destructo Disk!" he yelled, throwing it at Yamcha. As Yamcha dodged, Tien snuck up behind Yamcha and kicked him in the small of his back, throwing him to the ground.
"Whoo!" Krillin high-fived Tien, then got punched in the gut by Tien.
"No time for celebration in a fight, Krillin. Don't allow yourself to get distracted." Tien reprimanded, flying after them.
~DBZ~
"Feel any better, Chi-Chi?" Bulma asked, sitting at the table with her friend.
"Yes, thank-"
"Woman!" Vegeta demanded. He stormed into the room, looking furious.
"Did you break the gravity machine again?" Bulma demanded, glaring right back to her husband without a trace of fear.
Vegeta nodded.
"Fix it!" he demanded. "Kakarot and that green fool cannot be allowed to surpass me!" Vegeta growled.
"You idiot!" Bulma yelled, standing up and slamming her hands on the table. She turned her furious gaze on Vegeta, glaring daggers at him.
"Maybe I won't fix it this time!" she growled.
"You will fix the machine!" Vegeta thundered. From upstairs, an infant started bawling.
"Now look what you've done!" Bulma shrieked. "You've woken Trunks up! Moron!"
"Excuse me? No earthling calls the prince of all Saiyans a moron!" Vegeta got right up into Bulma's face, fuming.
"Well, one just did!" Bulma snapped. She turned away, flipping her blue hair over her shoulder. "The gravity machine will be done in three days."
"No! Fix it faster! That's three days of no training!" Vegeta snapped, satisfied with winning their little spat.
"If there's a problem, Vegeta, then go fix it yourself!" Bulma snapped, storming from the room.
Chi-Chi glared sideways at Vegeta, following Bulma.
"There, there, little Trunks. Stupid Vegeta won't bother you anymore." Bulma was rocking her baby back to sleep. Trunks gurgled a bit, waving his tiny fists in the air.
"Bulma? How is Trunks?" Chi-Chi asked, appearing in the doorway.
"He's just fine." Bulma set Trunks back down in his crib, watching as her baby boy rolled over, sucking his thumb, and fell asleep.
"Aw, he's so cute." Chi-Chi cooed. "I remember when Gohan was that little. He was always playing with his tail... one time, he got his tail stuck in his crib and was screaming bloody murder until we managed to untangle him." Chi-Chi smiled, shaking her head. She put a hand over her belly, looking down at herself.
"I wonder what our next child will be like." she said, smile fading. She sniffled a bit as Bulma hugged Chi-Chi's shoulders, comforting her friend.
~DBZ~
Gohan was meditating, sweat dropping off of his face. He ground his knuckles together, searching his own body.
"Good, Gohan..." Erai cooed. "Now, bring it out!"
Gohan's eyes snapped open as he started screaming. He arched his back, throwing his head back as he commanded the almost limitless power inside of him. He brought it out, feeling the fiery flash of power that coursed through his veins. This was the real Gohan.
Gohan's aura lit up the whole area. Videl watched in awe as her best friend transformed into something... amazing. This is crazy! Videl thought. She had been taught how to sense Ki, to use her own Ki, and to heal with Ki. He's incredible!
Gohan's yells intensified, his aura going from gold to blue. The blue in his eyes moved up, his hair waving in the wind. His hair was sticking straight up except for one rebellious streak. His aura flashed, wind violently blowing in his face. He tensed his muscles as his hair changed from gold to blue, his eyes a pure gold.
Gohan let out a deep breath, settling in this new power. He could feel the tidal wave threatening to push him over, threatening to destroy he was. He stood firm, retaining his mind. His aura was a smooth, rounded blue. The blue fell in waves. It wasn't sharp, wasn't bright. It didn't harm anyone's eyes. It flowed like water around Gohan, waving around him.
"Very good, Gohan." Erai smiled. "Now, try it out."
Gohan punched and kicked at the air, shockwaves coming off the force of his blows. They were very deep into the void, not wanting to destroy the only way out of the training room. Gohan fired a small Ki blast at the ground. His Ki was the same blue as his hair and aura, but the center of his Ki had a vibrant gold as the core.
His small blast struck the ground, exploding. Smoke filled the void, the whole place shaking because of Gohan's power.
"Wow, Gohan!" Videl cheered as the smoke cleared. Her friend dropped to the ground, letting go of his transformation. He collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Sweat dripped off his face, wetting the ground beneath him.
"Here." Videl held out a water bottle. Gohan took it gratefully and drank it all. Videl gave him another, grinning. Early into her training here, she had learned of Gohan's Saiyan roots and his amazing ability to consume massive amounts of food and drink.
"Thanks, Videl." Gohan smiled up at her.
"You held it longer than last time. Very well done, Gohan." Erai ruffled his hair. Gohan laughed, looking up at her.
"Thanks, Erai!" he grinned, still breathing heavily. "I think I need a nap now, though." he said.
"Of course. Gohan, you can find your way back, correct?" Erai said, smiling at her student.
"Yuppers! Well, I'll be off then. Bye Videl, bye Erai!" Gohan used some of his Ki to float towards the fluffy beds in the training room. He was soon out of Videl and Erai's sight.
Erai turned to Videl.
"Now, let's try flying again today." she said.
Videl nodded. She gathered her Ki, pushing it under her. In a matter of seconds, she was floating off of the ground. Videl stood up straight, rocketing up into the air. She flew around at top speed, Erai nodding below her. She focused on her turns and tricks, determined to prove that she was excelling just as much as Gohan.
"Very well done, Videl! Now, let's try some blasts..."
~And that concludes Chapter Three! What is up with Gohan's new transformation? Will the other Z Fighters be able to even compete with his power? Find out next time!~