Risk

Chapter 15

In an alternate future two and a half years later…

Chi-chi held her newborn son against her chest as she dabbed the washcloth against Goku's forehead. His breathing had been irregular for the past few days now and she worried that any minute, he would die. Bulma had tested both her and the son she had birthed and found no signs of the disease that was ravaging her husband's heart.

'It's the stupidest thing we could EVER have to fight…' Kakarrot's voice echoed in Goku's mind in irritation.

'We should be grateful that Chi-chi and our children did not catch it,' Goku attempted to make the situation better.

'Still, it's probably the one thing that had to do us in after Frieza failed to kill us back on Namek. Stupid pain…'

'It's a shame we returned home two and a half years ago only to be felled by this illness… Gohan and his brother are going to grow up not knowing the truth about me… about us…'

'At least he won't consider you insane or heartless if you die like this. He will remember that you ditched him with the woman we love for a year though…'

'I don't think he holds it against us…'

'…' Goku was surprised that Kakarrot said nothing more as he felt the pain suddenly intensify. It was then he knew that this would be it: that he would surely die to this. Somehow, he had to make himself heard before this disease took him away from the one he valued more than his own life; to let her know that he couldn't stay any longer on this plane.

"Chi-chi…" Goku moaned weakly. Her eyes widened as he weakly looked at both her and the baby that she held protectively in her arms that looked just like him. "Name… name him after the heavens… where we'll meet again someday… I'm sorry… I broke the pro… mise…"

"Goku, don't you talk like that… Goku!" Chi-chi pleaded in futile before his eyes drifted shut for the last time forever. Tears were in her eyes as the baby whimpered. "No… you promised…"

At that very moment, Gohan had entered the door as the baby began to cry.

"GOKU!"

Within six months, the androids 17 and 18 appeared. The warriors, including Chi-chi, went to stop them on May 12th. Their attempts were in futile as one by one, the warriors fell. Very soon, Gohan found himself in the crossfire and was easily defeated by the twins.

"Hmph, catch," 18 threw a blast at Gohan who was laying there weakened. Before the blast could hit him, an injured and weakened Chi-chi threw herself on top of her son's body and took the blunt of the blast. "They ruined my clothes."

"Let's go," 17 replied. "We can go shopping for some new clothes."

No sooner did the two androids leave, the dust settled and Gohan's eyes weakly opened. He saw his mother laying there with her eyes tearing up and looking at him with sadness. It was then that the young boy knew that she wouldn't make it. Not even Kami could save her now if he were still alive.

"G-Gohan… take care of your little brother…" Chi-chi coughed up a bit of blood before her eyes fell shut for the last time now and forever.

"No, mom…" Gohan's eyes were filled with tears. He almost assumed that he had been orphaned after the incident with Frieza, but this was far worse seeing his mother dead six months after his own father had succumbed to a heart disease that he couldn't fight. "NO MOM!" Black raven hair flickered gold as teal eyes filled with immense pain over the loss clenched shut. That day happened three years after his parents came home and now, he was the only fighter left in this horrible world that he had to live in.

In the years to come, two new warriors would grow in strength and power and after Gohan's untimely death to the android duo and would become the warriors of a new generation. Their mission is to prevent the deaths of the warriors of the past and ensure that their future turned out different from the one they were living. It would be a greater risk to change the past, but if they could change the past, then maybe then they could find the strength to change their own fate within the future.

To Be Continued…