Chapter 12
Age 1000
Scene: Time Nest
Trunks and Goten emerge from the time chamber to find the Time Nest in a state of disarray, rubble strewing the ground.
Goten: What the hell?! We were only in there for a few days, how did this happen in minutes?!
Trunks: Only Chronoa can move like that in hyperbolic time, but why would she..?
Before Trunks can finish his sentence, Chronoa gets sent crashing into the time chamber entrance, breaking it once again. Trunks and Goten follow her trajectory to see a lone demon.
Demigra: Ah, the cavalry. I suppose that's my cue, then.
As Goten and Trunks help an unconscious Chronoa up, Demigra flies through the glass ceiling of the Time Nest, searching the void until a Dragon Ball flies past him, leaving a rift in its wake.
Demigra: I'll be damned. That wench actually managed to make herself useful for once.
Trunks: Stop right there!
Demigra: Ooh, a tempting offer! No.
Demigra flies into a rift, the two Saiyans having no choice but to follow, leaving Chronoa behind.
Age 761
Scene: Grassy Plain
Piccolo's Makankosappo sends both Raditz and Goku crashing to the ground. But while Goku hits the floor, Raditz's wound is suddenly struck by the One-Star Dragon Ball, now tinted blood red, and he slowly regains his footing. Strength continues to return to him until he can stand straight up, with power far exceeding what he once had.
Piccolo: Impossible…what the hell?!
Raditz: Nothing is impossible for a Saiyan! But I'm afraid poor little Kakarot was too weak to realize that. And so are you!
Raditz blasts Piccolo with an energy wave, bringing him to his knees. Raditz walks towards him, charging another attack to finish the job. Not far, Goten & Trunks catch a glimpse of the scene.
Demigra: Still chasing me, are you? I'm flattered. But don't you two have bigger fish to fry now?
Angrily, Trunks and Goten turn around and fly towards the battle below, Demigra laughing all the while. The two Saiyans land in front of Piccolo, blocking Raditz's path.
Raditz: More of you insects?! Fine, I'll be more than happy to swat you!
Much to the Time Patrollers' surprise, Raditz literally swats at them with one arm, the ground exploding a few seconds later. Goten and Trunks fly up to avoid it, but Raditz uses the attack he was charging in his other hand to launch himself up before charging another identical blast and blasting Trunks with it. Goten knocks him away with his Power Pole, and transforms into Super Saiyan before launching a barrage of ki blasts to stall Raditz. As Trunks transforms in suit to charge a powerful attack, Radtiz flies back towards Goten, barely flinching at his blasts before punching him in the gut. Trunks throws a moderately-sized ki blast at him, sending Raditz to the ground. Trunks moves in to follow up, sword in hand, but Raditz catches him by the neck mid-air, choking out the hybrid. Before Goten can come to his rescue, someone else punches Raditz from behind - a young, teary-eyed Gohan. As expected, the attack has no physical effect beyond making Raditz smirk. He throws Trunks to the side as he turns around to punch Gohan away. Raditz fires a blast to finish the young hybrid off, but Goten arrives at the last second to put up an energy barrier, barely nullifying the attack. Furious at the attempt on Gohan's life, Goten ascends to Super Saiyan 2.
Goten: Alright, bastard, that tears it! Ka…me…ha…me…
Raditz: You fools never learn, do you? That attack has no effect on me!
Goten: HAAAA!
A powerful Kamehameha approaches Raditz, his confidence quickly fading as the beam gets closer. The sheer concentration of energy shatters his scouter a moment before making impact. The smoke clears to reveal that Raditz has finally taken major damage.
Raditz: Tch…another transformation? Is that all you can do?
Goten: In your dreams! I'm far from finished with you!
Raditz: Good. I certainly hope so, for your sake. HAAAAAAAAGH!
Raditz's ki explodes as he powers up, his aura gradually brightening before settling on a familiar gold.
Trunks: You're kidding! Super Saiyan?!
Raditz: Super Saiyan? Hah! I can't wait to see the look on Vegeta's face! Now then, ready for round 2?
Raditz fires another blast at Goten. Unable to put up another barrier, he grabs Gohan and throws him over to Trunks. Trunks catches Gohan and tucks him under his arm, using his other hand to blast Raditz in the back. The attack sends Raditz flying towards Goten, who recovers in time to deliver a mighty punch directly to the Dragon Ball, knocking it slightly loose before sending Raditz in the opposite direction. Trunks runs towards him, seeing the opportunity to pry out the Dragon Ball from behind, but only receives an elbow to the face. Raditz tries to follow it with a punch, but Trunks catches it, pushing his fist back and backhanding his exposed face. Briefly stunned, Raditz retaliates with a knee to the stomach, knocking the wind out of Trunks. As Goten gets closer, he sees Raditz pulling back his fist, aiming right for Trunks' chest.
Goten: I'm not letting you take him again!
Just in the nick of time, Goten lands a kick on Raditz, launching a sequence of blows that ends with him kicking Raditz into the air. Before Raditz regains composure, Goten flies up and kicks him to the ground as hard as he can. The Dragon Ball lodged in his chest comes flying out, hitting the ground a second before the now-powerless Raditz. Goten detransforms and comes back down to earth, ignoring the Dragon Ball to check on Trunks.
Goten: Trunks! Are you okay?
Trunks: Ugh…my stomach still hurts like a bitch, but I'm fine. Thanks.
Goten: Don't thank me yet. We still have to take care of that demon from before.
Trunks: Wait, where is he?
Goten: He was right over…huh? What the-?
Goten and Trunks look up to the sky, but Demigra is nowhere to be found. In his place are two rifts, identical to the one that led from here to the Time Nest.
Goten: I don't understand. Why would he just let us take the Dragon Ball? It seems important.
Trunks: "Important" is an understatement. Just one of those things was able to turn Raditz of all people into a serious threat. Whatever's wrong with these Dragon Balls, we can't let any more of them fall into the wrong hands.
Goten: But we don't know where he went! There's two rifts and one of him.
Trunks: Then we'll just have to split up.
Goten: Are you crazy? No! We were fighting together just now and you still almost got killed! You really think I'm going to let you go it alone?
Trunks: You don't have to worry, Goten. I'm no stranger to fighting alone.
Goten: But you don't have to anymore!
Trunks: Goten, whoever this guy is was strong enough to thrash the Supreme Kai of Time. If we don't stop him as soon as we can, there's no telling how much destruction he'll cause.
Goten: …fine. Just…do me one favor, okay?
Trunks: Sure. What's that?
Goten rushes in for a hug with Trunks, catching the son of Vegeta by surprise, but the motion is certainly not unwelcome.
Trunks: What, is this how you say goodbye to everyone?
Goten: No. It's just…how I wish I got to last time.
After a brief moment of respite, Goten and Trunks go their separate ways, each flying into a different rift in search of Demigra.
Narrator: As new foes reinvigorate old enemies, Goten and Trunks refuse to repeat the mistakes of the past. But how much has that past been changed? Only time will tell, next time on Neo Dragon Ball Heroes!
