A lifetime I had led, dedicating myself to good. Now with this feeling of emptiness in my heart I wonder if my life..my entire existence was a lie. I see the other using my own body..yet I do nothing. Everything is but an echo...
Vegeta stared at his opponent. The person looked like Goku and sounded like Goku..but Vegeta knew he was not seeing his old friend.
"One last warning. Give my friend his body back..or you will regret it. If you share his memories you should know what the prince of all saiyans is capable of." Vegeta said darkly as he hovered above the abyss below.
"Goku could not even do basic math and you are telling me I'm the inferior one un-deserving of his name? No I don't think so Princy." "Kakorot" said with an arrogant sneer.
"Alright this guy isn't going to listen to reason..I have no choice." Vegeta thought.
The white-blue glow surrounding Vegeta's Super Saiyan Five form constrast sharply with both Kakorot's orange and the pitch blackness of the world itself.
"Then you leave me no choice. If you won't go the easy way...we will just have to do things the Saiyan way." Vegeta said with his trademark smirk.
No more words were spoken. Vegeta simply flew forward. Kakorot and he exchanged dozens of ultra-fast punches as they flew over the abyss.
Kakorot dodged an uppercut from Vegeta, then brought his own right foot down on Vegeta's chest, an act which sent the Saiyan prince plummeting into the side of the chasm.
Kakorot flew down and hovered adjacent to his adversary.
"Those who fight monsters should be careful not to become a monster. For if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." Kakorot said with a smirk.
"His face has all the same expressions..his body all the same mannerisms..but by god he is not Kakorot! He fights like Kakorot and he talks like Kakorot..but Goku he is not." Vegeta thought as he roared in rage, pushing himself off the chasm wall.
With one roar of determination Vegeta swung his right fist forwards and slammed Kakorot with a haymaker punch which sent the orange hued Saiyan soaring towards the other side of the chasm.
"I will never give up on him..just as he never gave up on me. With all the atrocities I committed..he alone saw the good in me..he alone fought on my behalf..even when I failed to see or appreciate what he had done." Vegeta said as he brought his left fist forward, the image of a ghostly silver oozaru great ape forming around him while he did so.
"Oozaru Fist!" Vegeta yelled as he brought his most deadly attack to bare against his opponent.
Kakorot flew out of the way of the deadly melee attack, causing Vegeta to strike the side of the chasm, causing a cave-in of dirt and rocks. The screams of a few ghostly souls could be heard as they plummeted into the abyss.
Vegeta flew up at Kakorot, dodging a right kick from the orange saiyan in the process. The two saiyans then flew a short distance from each other.
"Give up Vegeta..your friend is gone. He was gone the moment he looked into the darkness and saw only despair." Kakorot yelled, cupping his hands in the familiar "kamehameha" stance.
"Even if I have to fight threw the very depths of hell itself a thousand times..I will not give up on him." Vegeta said as he placed his hands to his sides.
"Grand Kamehameha!" Kakorot yelled, firing a vibrant orange beam in Vegeta's direction.
"Hyper Nova!" Vegeta roared as he fired his strongest energy attack in his opponent's direction. The shining blue beam soared towards his opponent and in seconds the two attacks collided, causing a great explosion which brought daylight for the first time perhaps in the world's existence.
When the light dimmed and the smoke cleared, both combatants were revealed unharmed.
"This isn't working. It is just like when I fought him last. We are too evenly matched. Though that isn't entirely accurate. I'm at my limit...hes fighting past the limitations of Super Saiyan Five. At this rate I will..no..I cannot afford to think like that. I don't care about the odds. Kakorot never did..he always did what needed to be done. I must be the same." Vegeta thought as he dodged a series of punches from his opponent.
Kakorot's arms began to glow. Vegeta knew what was coming next.
"Double Dragon Fists!" Kakorot yelled as he approached Vegeta, twin golden dragons appearing around each arm as he got closer.
"Thats the way its going to be? Oozaru Fist!" Vegeta roared as he rushed towards what were perhaps the jaws of death with his own ultimate melee attack.
Vegeta collided with the force that was Kakorot and was sent flying backwards for at least a kilometer. Luckily he was away from the pit.
Sure enough, Kakorot flew towards him like an orange comet.
Vegeta flew off the ground towards his opponent. The moment the two collided memories flooded Vegeta's mind.
"I remember myself on the verge of death. It was the aftermath of our first battle. Your friend Krillin came towards me with a sword, intent on taking my life...but you stopped him. You said it was not hate that changed you..but love. You begged your friend to spare the life of your greatest enemy." Vegeta thought as he dodged several red energy blasts from Kakorot.
"The first thing I'm going to do after I beat you Vegeta is pay a visit to the Nameks. They will recognize what I did for them." Kakorot said as he fired another Kamehameha Vegeta's way.
With some quick flying Vegeta was able to avoid Kakorot's attack, causing the attack to impact an area in the distance instead, which caused a large explosion.
"I lay dying on the ground a second time in your pressence. I had fought Frieza..the killer of our race..and I had lost. You had every right to hate me, yet you showed only compassion. I begged you not to allow your feelings to kill you..thinking it was your greatest weakness. I was wrong. Your honor..your sense of justice..these were your greatest weapons." Vegeta thought.
Vegeta avoided another energy blast from his opponent, then spun his right leg around and kicked Kakorot in his left side, an act which sent the orange furred Super Saiyan Five flying into the distance.
Vegeta kept up with his opponent, teleporting behind him with another attack already planned.
"I had sold my soul to a power hungry wizard..all in the hopes that I could defeat you. In my selfish pride I thought nothing of those I cared about. When I said I no longer cared for Trunks or Bulma..you saw threw it. You were willing to put the entire planet in danger..just to save me..to remind me of what really mattered." Vegeta thought.
Vegeta slammed Kakorot in the back with both arms, sending the orange Super Saiyan flying in another direction.
"I was willing to sacrifice my own life for all that I cared about..my son, my wife..and you..even knowing that only Hell would await me for the selfish life that I led." Vegeta said.
Vegeta teleported in front of the incoming orange super saiyan, but rather than him getting an attack in this time, it was Kakorot who struck.
Kakorot smiled as a pink aura surrounded his orange aura.
"Super Kaio-ken!" Kakorot roared. Kakorot then flew at super-fast speeds around Vegeta, swiftly kicking the Saiyan Prince in the back.
Before Vegeta could react, Kakorot had flown over and around Vegeta and swiftly landed a super-charged uppercut to the prince's jaw. Vegeta was sent high into the sky, where Kakorot was waiting for him.
"I am a savior! A righteous hero! I deserve respect for what I have done! I WILL have respect for all that I have done..and I will use every technique I know if I must to get it!" Kakorot declared loudly.
Kakorot formed a ball of black energy in his right hand which he quickly tossed towards Vegeta.
"Dark Spirit Bomb!" Kakorot yelled as he sent his attack towards the Saiyan Prince.
Vegeta did some quick flying and was able to avoid the evil attack, if barely.
"Even when my body was controlled by a monster you refused to give up on me. I remember the words you spoke of me to that hateful creature, that my limit was beyond the scope of his control. Now you are the one controled by a monster Kakorot. You may be in the deepest, darkest pits of despair..but you are not alone." Vegeta thought.
Vegeta extended his right hand and fired a Big Bang attack towards his opponent.
Kakorot grinned as he placed two fingers on his forehead, then swiftly disapeared, only to reappear behind Vegeta, who quickly turned around.
"Kamehameha!" Kakorot yelled. Vegeta was caught point-blank in the attack. The energy and strength of the attack carried Vegeta a great distance away.
Vegeta landed on the ground painfully. His clothing was ripped and he had small cuts all over. A trail of blood leaked down from one side of Vegeta's nose.
Kakorot appeared a short distance away. The orange hued Saiyan looked down at Vegeta without any emotion on his face.
"Do it. Kill me. That is what you want isn't it?" Vegeta said weakly.
"He is too strong for me to fight successfully. I will just be wasting my time. I can't simply give up. I refuse to give up. But what can I do against such overwhelming power?" Vegeta thought
"You are not alone. Remember the ties which bind you. Make your bonds your strength." Vegeta thought.
Vegeta pushed himself onto his feet.
"So you think being stubborn and refusing to die will make one bit of difference? You truly are a fool Vegeta." Kakorot said
"No..I'm not a fool..I am something much better than that." Vegeta said with his trademark smirk as he clutched both his fists, preparing to power up.
"Hmm" Kakorot muttered just as Vegeta launched a ferocious onslaught of hundreds of incoming energy blasts. All of Vegeta's attacks hit their mark, yet Vegeta could tell they were doing little, if any damage to his opponent.
As the smoke cleared Kakorot stared directly into Vegeta's eyes and spoke.
"If your not a fool..what are you?"
Vegeta stared unflincingly into his opponent's eyes.
"I'm your friend." Vegeta said.
"Goku's friend you mean. I have no friends..friendship is a weakness." Kakorot said.
"That is why you have lost." Vegeta said as blue energy flowed into Vegeta's right hand, forming an energy sword in seconds.
Kakorot flew towards Vegeta, intent on finishing him with a single punch. However, the Saiyan Prince had a move of his own planned.
"Our greatest enemies once called us monkeys, beasts. We proved time and time again we were so much more than that. Let us see what this overgrown monkey as they once put it..can really do." Vegeta yelled as he began releasing a gout of blue flames from his sword in Kakorot's direction.
Kakorot nimbly dodged the fire, flying out of harms way as he flew towards Vegeta.
Kakorot was about to slam Vegeta in the gut when Vegeta brought his right hand down and stabbed him threw the chest with his sword.
It was as if time had frozen.
Vegeta found himself in an earth-style courtroom. A vast crowd of what must have numbered in the thousands filled the stands. On the judge's seat was Cell, who wore a traditional judge's wig over his head.
"Order..Order. Court is now in session. It is the People vs. Goku. Bring in the accused." Cell said with a smile on his white and purple face as two humanoids who looked like one of Frieza's old soldiers dragged Goku, who was wearing his old orange combat outfit into the courtroom. As they passed the people in the stands, various articles of trash were thrown.
Goku's looked down at the ground. He had a hopeless look on his face.
Vegeta ran over to his friend.
"Kakorot." Vegeta said.
"Why are you here Vegeta? I don't deserve friends..not after what I've done." Goku said weakly.
"What are you talking about?" Vegeta asked.
Suddenly two tall security officers, more frieza-soldier looking humanoids, forced Vegeta away from Goku as the other two sat Goku in a wooden booth in front of the judge.
"Now that the accused is with us...who will serve as the accused' defense?" Cell said
"A trial? This has to be some kind of joke." Vegeta thought.
"I will." A deep voice from the crowd said.
Vegeta turned to see Piccolo, clad in his white and violet turban and white cape, walking down towards Goku.
"Very well. Who will serve as the prosecution?" Cell asked.
"I will have the honor of dealing with this monkey." Another voice from the crowd said.
Vegeta saw a being who resembled Frieza's final form, only he was taller and violet in coloration.
"Let us start things off shall we? Prosecution, who do you call as your first witness?" Cell asked
"I Cooler, first born son of King Cold and Queen Chilla, call the great and esteemed Doctor Gero to the stand." Cooler said, then crossed his arms.
An old man with a white beard, hair, and mustache wearing a yellow and black vest, yellow pants and a tall black hat with the red ribbon insignia on it walked out of the crowd and sat in the booth to the right of Cell.
"Now Dr. Gero, tell me, what horrible things did Goku do to you?" Cooler asked.
Goku continued to look towards the ground.
"Well my esteemed creation, Goku's crime against me was that he destroyed my creations. I made many robots and other technology for the Red Ribbon Army..and as a mere child he tore them apart. Then, years later when I decided to bring justice against him, he and his friends destroyed more of my creations, including your honor." Dr. Gero said.
Cell began to laugh.
"What possible defense is there against such a crime? People of the jury and the audience..is this not proof of Goku's guilt?" Cell asked. In response to his question the crowd erupted in shouts.
"Order..Order!" Cell said as he banged the black gavel in his hand down.
"Objection your honor. Goku destroyed the weapons and technology of the red ribbon army in order to protect the people of Earth from the army itself. If he is guilty of anything it is being a hero." Piccolo said, then gave Goku a thumbs-up with a smile on his green face.
"Goku being a hero is exactly why we are here Piccolo. , any other statements?" Cell asked.
looked briefly at Goku before speaking.
"None your honor." Gero said before leaving the witness booth.
"Defense, you may bring in a witness if you have any." Cell said with an arrogant smirk.
"I bring Tien to the stand." Piccolo said.
A tall, muscular, bald three-eyed man dressed in blue martial arts clothing walked out of the crowd and sat in the witness booth.
"This should be good." Cell said under his breathe.
"Tien when Goku first met you, were you what they call a nice guy?" Piccolo asked.
Tien sighed before speaking.
"I studied under Master Shen. We were taught to show no mercy to our enemies and he encouraged cruelty. But Goku and his friends showed me that my path was not only not the only path, but the wrong path as well. I've been friends with Goku ever since then, and while I know I will never match him in terms of physical strength..I like to think I'm approaching him in terms of strength of character." Tien said.
"I was not the first person you showed the light Kakorot. You always saw the good in a person..and you always tried to bring it out..no matter how hard it was." Vegeta thought as he watched the trial.
"Is that all?" Cell said, seeming bored.
"Yes your honor." Tien said as he left the stand.
"Your honor, people of the jury...what is Goku guilty of but showing others a better way?" Piccolo said.
"Objection your honor!" Cooler said with an angry tone.
"Objection noted..you may speak Cooler." Cell said.
Cooler slammed his violet tail hard into the tiled flooring.
"Did Goku ever show my family mercy? When did he ever show me this supposed better path? I will tell you...he never did." Cooler said.
"Your honor..I would like to call my second witness." Piccolo said, crossing his green arms over his chest.
"Very well..I will allow it." Cell said.
"I call Frieza to the stand." Piccolo said with a slight smile.
Frieza walked out of the crowd, looking his usual white and purple self. He seemed to ignore Cooler as he passed him on his way to the witness booth.
"So Frieza..did Goku ever show you mercy?" Piccolo asked.
"Yes. I had killed his best friend, done everything to make him hate me, yet when I was grieviously wounded he showed compassion on me, suggesting I live the rest of my life in peace." Frieza said flatly with his usual high, raspy voice.
"Objection! Frieza why would you lie on behalf of this monkey?" Cooler yelled, his violet face twisted in anger.
"I'm not lying Cooler..I don't like this just as much as you do." Frieza said.
"Alright that is enough. Cooler, do you have any counter arguments?" Cell asked.
"Yes actually..I would like to also call my second witness to the stand. Broly would you please?" Cooler asked, crossing his arms over his violet chest.
Broly, in his most basic form walked down from the audience. He was clad in his signiture outfit, the gold bracelets, boots, and necklace as well as his red body wrap.
Broly silently sat down in the witness booth as Frieza vacated it.
"Broly..tell me, when did your problems with Goku begin?" Cooler asked, a smile forming on his face.
"When I was only an infant. Kakorot was born the same day, and his screaming greatly disturbed me. Ever since then I have associated him as a tormentor." Broly said flatly.
"Do you hear that folks? Even as an infant Goku hurt others. Because of Goku Broly is what he is today." Cooler said.
"Objection!" Piccolo yelled, only to be booed by the crowd.
"Objection noted." Cell said.
"Is this all real? Or is it simply a creation of Kakorot's soul?" Vegeta thought as he leaned against the wall near the Judge's seat.
"I call my third witness, Paragus to the stand." Piccolo said as he pointed into the audience.
A Saiyan with short black hair, a black mustache, white cape, green Saiyan armor and purple gloves walked down out of the audience and sat in the witness booth, Broly giving his father an evil look before vacating.
"Paragus..is Goku to blame for the way your son turned out?" Piccolo asked.
"No..I was. I saw Broly's worst behaviors..and I encouraged them for my own selfish benefit. If anyone is to blame for my son being a monster..it is me..not Goku." Paragus said flatly, his deep baritone voice perfectly articulating every word.
"Is that all Paragus?" Cell asked.
"Yes your honor." Paragus said before stepping out of the witness booth and making his way once again to the audience.
"So Broly's father was the one who was ultimately responsible for how Broly is today..so what..it was Goku who started him down that dark path..not his father. Your honor..I also would like to call my third witness if you will allow it." Cooler said.
"Very well." Cell said as he adjusted the white wig on his head.
"I call Omega Shenron to the stand." Cooler said with a wicked smile on his purple face.
As with the other witnesses a white and blue colored humanoid exited the audience stands and made his way to the witness booth.
Omega sat in the witness booth, his eyes staring intently at Goku.
"All your actions have consequences Goku...but you can either allow those consequences to rule you..or you can move beyond them. Consider my words carefully." Omega said telepathically to Goku, who for a moment raised his head and looked at Omega before once again looking downwards at the grey tiled floor of the courtroom.
"Omega...was or was not Goku responsible for the overuse of the dragonballs that lead to your creation and the near destruction of the universe itself?" Cooler asked as his violet tail subtilely moved back and forth on the ground.
"He was responsible. Everyone of his wishes created a bit of negative energy inside the dragonballs. The greater the wish..the more energy was stored. The wish which originally created me for example, restored the lives of everyone killed by Frieza." Omega said flatly, the white dragon betrayed no sign of emotion as he spoke.
"So did or did not Goku in a manner of speaking, due to his selfish desire to be the hero, nearly destroy the universe?" Cooler asked, loving every second of this moment.
"Man he is good." Cell thought as he listened to Cooler's arguments.
"His desires to do good expressed in the wishes granted by Shenron did nearly destroy the universe, there is no denying that. The question is..was Goku able to overcome the consequences. I say he was." Omega said with a slight smile on his white, mustached face.
"That is enough Omega, you may return to the audience." Cell said before turning his attention to Piccolo.
"Piccolo, do you have anything left that could possibly defend Goku?" Cell asked
"Just one thing. I call my final witness..Vegeta to the stand." Piccolo said, turning his green gaze in the Saiyan Prince's direction.
Vegeta smiled and walked over to the witness booth even as much of the audience cried out in outrage at the sight of him.
"Vegeta...tell me, since you probably understand Goku the best out of everyone here..what is the content of his character?" Piccolo asked.
"Objection!" Cooler yelled.
"Objection denied..this is getting interesting." Cell said as he fiddled with the black gavel in his hand.
"Goku can be selfish." Vegeta said.
"He used my name.." Goku thought in surprise.
"He often in the past ignored the feelings of his wife to fore fill his own desires. He can also be selfless..putting those he loves above all other considerations. His desire to protect those he cares about is often his greatest strength. But it is not only his friends and family that Kakorot shows love and kindness towards..for even his greatest enemies are shown mercy. Piccolo was trusted with the life of his son..in order to defeat me when I first came to Earth. I was shown mercy..when I did not deserve it." Vegeta said as passion filled his voice.
"I say now..that there is not one person in this entire courtroom who has not been given a second chance. All of our lives have been effected by Kakorot in one way or another, for good or ill." Vegeta said
Frieza, Cooler, Broly, Gero, everyone in the audience was held captive by Vegeta's words. Goku raised his head.
"Piccolo..you asked me earlier..what is the content of Kakorot's character. I answer that question now. He is a father..a friend...a gentlemen..but most of all..he is a hero. If that makes him guilty by the standards of this twisted court..then you can sentence me to whatever punishment you have waiting for him as well..because where Kakorot goes..I go. I will not allow him to suffer alone." Vegeta said.
Suffer alone...suffer..alone...suffer alone...
Suddenly Vegeta was no longer in the courtroom. He and Goku were hovering over the bleak landscape of the 10th demon world.
Vegeta silently removed his energy sword from the silver-furred chest of Goku.
A moment of silence passed as Goku stared at Vegeta. No more words needed to be said. They were friends, comrades in arms...but more than that...in suffering and adversity..they were brothers.