I don't have any particular notes for this chapter so instead I'll name a few songs that I imagine theoretical AMVs for this fic for:

turn off the lights- Panic! at the Disco
Say Amen- Panic! at the Disco
Dynasty-MIIA-from a perspective of a reincarnation based existential crisis rather than a break up song
Killer In The Mirror- Set It Off
and Warrior- Beth Crowly- is the latest addition to the potential AMV collection

yes I am aware that one of these things are not like the others thanks for asking

Shadowj6480: Thanks, I have corrected the mistake.
And yeah for the most part she's gonna stay in line with Canon Gohan for now, there isn't exactly much opportunity for normal training at or going to Namek. Afterwards, during the time skip I might give her a slight boost at times, or slight detractions at others, but not enough to make a real difference. Actually she'll eventually have the opposite problem. While she'll probably be able to keep up with Canon Gohan in terms of physical training, the emotional aspect to his power is a barrier I have found a rather fun solution to. And that is the most I will even hint at it to. But that won't be for a while yet.

thewittywhy: Lol thanks, and who knows ;)

menalith: Le thanks for the thanks

I scowled as I looked back at a very unconscious Nappa.

Vegeta being an idiot or not, I can't believe I made such a stupid move. There's no telling what Nappa surviving could do to canon.

Or it could do nothing, for all I know he could fall to the sidelines along with the likes of Tien or Chiaotzu or Yamcha eventually did.

And wasn't I the one to say that Vegeta deserved redemption the least? Wouldn't that imply that Nappa deserved one more?

But that was before, before I was here and had first-hand experience and he was the one who killed everyone here, technically not Vegeta.

But I already knew he did, he didn't do anything I didn't already know him to, except for his being eager to speak to me for some reason.

But that shouldn't take away from-

"Why'd you save this guy's life anyway, Gohan?" I was pulled out of my internal debate by Krillin and noticed that I had been walking closer with a glare on my face.

I was still trying to determine that myself.

"Exactly as I said earlier. Vegeta was annoying me. If you want to kill him go ahead," my voice was dry and dead as I looked down on the unconscious man.

Krillin wanted to, I could tell. Of course he did, Nappa had killed almost all his childhood friends, plus Piccolo so they couldn't be wished back.

But his eyes kept flickering to me and I sighed. He wanted to but he wasn't going to in front of me. The child.

I drew my sword. I could do it myself. I should do it myself. It wouldn't be hard now. Krillin looked warily at me. He didn't try to stop me yet, and I don't know if he would if I actually tried.

But ultimately my shoulders fell. I still wasn't confident in my ability to kill anyone, regardless of their murderous ways, let alone someone who was unconscious.

"At the very least," I knelt down and took his tail in my hand, and in a single motion I cut it off at the base with my sword.

"There. Now no risk for giant monkey Nappa." I stood back up, amputated tail in hand.

Tail in hand.

"Ew," I dropped the tail and wiped my hand against my pants.

"Oh, yeah that's a goo- wait. You know that-?"

I looked up at Krillin through the corner of my eyes, "yeah, I know. Why wouldn't I?" My tone was dry enough that it was barely a question.

"Well, Goku always forget when he turned into, that, thing."

"Yeah, so did I. Piccolo told me what happened afterwards. You mean to say you never told him?" I was fully aware of the answer already and that I was probably being a little mean.

"Well, I mean, Master Roshi blew up the moon so it didn't really matter?"

"And then he had a kid with a tail after the moon was restored with no one the wiser. What if I had accidentally looked at the moon when none of us knew?"

"Oh, uh, we didn't, really expect-well hey the moon's destroyed again so that wouldn't be an issue anyway, right?"

"What I'm worried about is that he might have a way to fake it," I looked back into the distance where Goku and Vegeta had disappeared to.

"What…do you mean?" Worry entered Krillin's voice.

"Well, not all planets have moons, let alone ones with convenient lunar cycles, so if they wanted to make the best use of their giant monkey forms they'd have to have a way to access it outside the full moon."

"That's- that's a really bad thought. Why'd you have to go and give me that idea?" Krillin's eyes flickered from me to the distance as well.

"This is bad, there's no way Goku could fight that guy if he transforms."

"No kidding," I tapped my foot.

"Why aren't you more worried?" Krillin's eyes were incredulous as he looked at me.

"Because I have no intention of going back to Master Roshi's."

"…what…?"

"I'm gonna wait and see if Mr. Vegetable has any kind of failsafe and if so I'm gonna go help." Wait no, that pun doesn't work, Vegeta already has a brother named Tarble. I'm pretty sure he's canon at least.

"Gohan. Listen. I know you want to help your dad but there's no way you could fight that either!" Krillin placed his hands on my shoulders as he tried to reason with me.

"Actually, I probably have the closest shot at it if he does have a way to fake the moon."

"What? Of course you don't! It's not like you have your tail to counter it!"

I let his statement sit for a moment.

His hands loosened.

"You…you don't…right?"

"It'd be a waste to let such a power go unused."

"But, but the moon wasn't destroyed again until a few weeks ago!"

"Yup."

"That means-"

"Every month. Looked at the moon. Practiced what I could, trying to gain control."

"Oh, wow. That's. That's great! If you can control that- you can control that right?"

I waved my hand in a fifty/fifty motion, "as long as I don't get angry I'm mostly good."

"Ok, that's, better than nothing I guess."

Still, he looked back to the distance and then to me.

"But still, I promised I'd get you somewhere safe!"

"And he promised he'd get back alive, which he can't do if he's crushed by a stupid prince."

His shoulders fell, before immediately tensing up again, "wait, if you can learn to control that then-"

"Yeah, he probably has too. Probably much better than I have. The best chance we've got even if I do transform is if his tail gets cut off."

Krillin looked down, thinking, before he nodded.

"Ok, I think I can do that. As long as he doesn't notice me I think I can surprise him well enough to cut off his tail."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Great, and this is all only if he has such a failsafe." A fact I knew he did, but said to calm Krillin down for the moment.

"Right, only if."

I sat down against a rock and closed my eyes as I waited. Only to immediately snap them back open.

"Oh!" I jumped up and began to jump/fly up the cliff.

"Gohan?" Krillin called, confused.

"Stay there! I'm just looking for-" I spotted the area where we started this fiasco before flying there.

I searched, "it should be around here-" I muttered as I looked around until finally, I saw it. Wedged between some rocks was my most important item at the moment.

My backpack.

I grabbed it and brought it back to where Krillin was waiting.

"Krillin, listen. This is very important. I'm gonna leave this here but, I need it. It's, it's all I have left of Piccolo." I stared into Krillin's eyes until he nodded.

"Alright. I promise. I'll be sure to grab it when we're all going home."

I sighed, before turning to place it down between some rocks. I debated with myself for a moment before taking off my sword and placing it besides it.

There's no way that sword can cut through Vegeta's tail once transformed and it'll almost certainly be lost if I'm wearing it when I transform.

Come to think of it, I don't really remember how Vegeta's tail got cut off. I guess it must have been Krillin's Destructo Disk, but I feel like I'd remember if that were the case.

Oh well. Canon doesn't really matter right now, all that matters is we get the same result.

I closed my eyes as I leaned back against the rock.

"Something isn't right."

"Hm?" I opened one eye towards Krillin.

"What is that?" I barely caught myself from looking.

"What is what?" I very distinctly did not look up, instead fixing my gaze on the ground.

"There's, a light in the sky."

I stretched out my Ki sense. And was almost completely overwhelmed by Vegeta's Ki.

"Krillin. Krillin I think that's it." I refused to raise my eyes any higher than the mid-point of the ground between us.

"You think that's- that's it- oh man this is bad, really really bad- I think-"

"Krillin. I can't risk looking up early. I'm going to need you to guide me there."

Krillin took a breathe, "right, yeah, alright."

He walked over and grabbed my hand, "I'll get us there, just keep your eyes shut until we get there."

I nodded.

And then we were flying. I kept my face angled at the ground and my eyes screwed firmly shut.

My tail flickered against my waist, as if sensing the light.

I just focused on flying forward, trusting Krillin not to send me crashing into a rock or something.

"We're getting closer, Gohan, I'm going to fly lower now," I nodded my response as I felt my stomach drop as we lowered from the sky.

We flew for a few more moments before Krillin told us we were landing. He held me stable until I had my footing.

"Ok, you should be fine to open your eyes, just don't look up."

I nodded as I cracked open my eyes, satisfied that I didn't see any transforming light right away I opened them properly.

I looked around, not daring to raise my eyes higher than the horizon line and-

And that is a really big monkey.

My mouth dried as I looked at it. Him. Ok. This is fine.

Krillin was pale as he stared at him wide-eyed.

That is a really big monkey.

I was half tempted to look up and transform right then and there but no, we have to play this carefully.

I shook the thought out of my head, and narrowing my eyes I saw that we hadn't made it in time to prevent Oozaru Vegeta from crushing Goku ever so slightly, as he was holding him in his hands at that very moment.

Ok, fine, I was hoping we'd get here sooner but flying with my eyes closed probably slowed us down.

I'm pretty sure we're still here sooner than canon Krillin and Gohan. Maybe. Whatever.

"Ok, Goku's in pretty bad shape, we're gonna have to do this fast."

I nodded.

"Stop!"

Our forward movement was cut off by a new voice I hadn't heard before.

A short heavyset man with a sword on his belt intercepted us.

"What're you thinkin'? Do you know how strong that monster is? Do you?" I knew this guy was from canon but I couldn't quite put a name to his face. He was the guy who sometimes delivered Senzu Beans from Korin. I never really liked him, but I think that was the point of his character. To be annoying.

"We have to help Goku!"

"And how exactly are you gonna do that? It's suicide!"

"We've got one chance, if we cut off his tail he'll turn back to normal."

"His tail?" The guy blinked owlishly.

Whatever.

"Krillin, I'm gonna distract giant monkey guy? You cut the tail with one of your disks ok?"

"Gohan, you should-"

"Me transforming won't mean much if he's still transformed. Besides, if things go bad all I have to do is look up."

Finally, Krillin nodded, "alright, Yajirobe, you go with Gohan and help distract him, I'll only need a few seconds."

I nodded. Distantly I noted the guy's name, but honestly, it went in one ear and out the other.

Yajirobe blinked at us.

I ignored him and darted forward.

I kept my gaze forward as I jumped up one of the surrounding cliffs.

Vegeta's ears twitched. Oh great. Super hearing too.

He looked around trying to find where I was coming from.

"Where are you? I know you're here."

His voice bellowed out and my stomach felt heavy.

Instead of responding I shot a short Ki blast at his head.

It did literally nothing, but hey, it's the thought that counts.

I angled my head slightly upward but refused to look any higher than his armor.

Vegeta turned to me and laughed.

"Oh no. It's you. Please don't hurt me." He mocked, and honestly, I was just amazed by his ability to form complete sentences.

"I'll put your father down, though it might be one piece at a time. Now, which piece would you like first?"

I made a show of glaring and hoped he wouldn't notice my eyes were angled too far downwards to look him anywhere close to the eyes.

I saw Krillin charge his disk from the corner of my eyes. I didn't turn my head or even my eyes in that direction.

Vegeta put his hand over Goku's head.

Krillin threw his disk.

Vegeta, jumped.

I closed my eyes.

"Did you really think you could sneak up on me little man? Did you really think you could fool me with such a simple ruse? Like I'd really believe Kakarot's son would come back alone."

Ok, time to speed up the plan a bit I guess.

"You're wrong!" I called out, catching Vegeta's attention once again.

"Oh? Do elaborate." His laugh vibrated through my bones.

"Of course I would have come back alone, because you made one serious miscalculation!"

And any response he would have had was cut off.

Namely, by his tail being cut off.

The guy quickly re-sheathed his sword and ran away faster than I could see.

"Oh. That. Makes this a whole lot easier actually."

"Impossible. What- who did this to me?"

Vegeta stumbled backward.

He dropped Goku.

"You fools! You have no idea what you've done!"

Vegeta's yells of rage rose in pitch as he shrunk back down to normal size.

"Actually I think we know exactly what we've done," I smirked.

Vegeta panted in exhaustion and rage.

And then his eyes landed on me.

I barely noted him moving forward before I was being punched in the face.

I quickly screwed my eyes shut.

Calm down calm down calm down-

My back hit the ground and I heard Vegeta land.

My heart was racing and I was breathing heavily.

I needed to calm down before I could risk transforming.

"You little brat! You'll die first! I'll make sure your friend and father watch as your meager life comes to an end!" I felt myself being dragged up into the air by the front of my shirt.

I took a breath.

I smirked, and chuckled.

"What? What's so funny?!"

"Oh, just that I didn't get a chance to finish before. What I was saying."

I felt my heart rate lower as talking took my mind elsewhere.

"Oh please. We both know that was just a distraction so your friend could cut off my tail."

"No, to be honest, I kinda forgot he was there. I honestly thought he just ran away."

Vegeta's grip on my shirt tightened and I could feel his glare despite my shut eyes.

"Then what? What exactly was your big plan?" He took a mocking tone.

"What was it that I had said exactly? Oh yeah, that you miscalculated."

I opened my eyes and looked directly into the light.

"Miscalculated in assuming that you were the only Sayain left with a tail."

I looked directly at him, well aware that already my gaze had turned red, and smiled, probably looking more feral as my canines elongated.

Vegeta started, so off guard that he dropped me.

I quickly jumped away, barely having enough time to land before I had to fight with myself to stay calm despite the burning in every limb, every muscle, every bone.

I felt my consciousness slip away and I grabbed onto it as tightly as I could.

…

…

…

I blinked.

I looked around.

I looked down.

Oh

Was Giant Monkey now.

I looked around.

There were more people than normal.

I recognized these people.

Bald man. Orange man. Angry man.

Bald man was friend.

Orange man was friend.

Angry man? Was not friend.

Angry man was pointing his hand at me.

That wasn't nice.

I swatted him with the back of my hand into a rock.

Bald man said something.

I didn't hear.

That wasn't good. It wasn't nice to ignore people.

Orange man was on the ground.

Orange man was hurt.

As carefully as I could I picked up Orange man and placed him next to Bald man.

There. That's better. I think.

Angry man was back.

I don't like Angry man.

It was his fault I have to fight.

It was his fault people were hurt.

It was his fault!

No!

No angry!

Angry bad!

Green man says Angry bad!

Green man says-

Where

Where is Green man?

Green man isn't here?

Green man is always here!

Green man isn't here.

No.

Green man gone.

Green man was Gone.

Green man was gone and it was Angry man's fault!

It's his fault Green man was gone!

It's his fault My Green man was gone!

Red filled my vision as any control slipped away.

As I slipped away.

…

…

…

I woke up to the sound and vibrations of a vehicle. I registered that I was wrapped in a blanket and being coddled as I pried my eyes open.

"Oh my sweet baby boy! You're finally awake! Are you alright? Are you in pain? You're safe now!" And I immediately wanted to close my eyes again.

Yep. That was Chichi. That was definitely Chichi.

"I'm fine," I shifted upwards as much as her arms would allow.

Ok. Let's see.

I am now in a flying vehicle. Master Roshi is flying, Bulma wasn't exactly in the state for it, as she was sniffling curled in one of the seats. Literally everyone I know in this world, and some I don't are here. You know, except for the ones who are dead. Chichi is currently holding me as if I would bolt away if she loosened her grip any, which isn't necessarily a wrong sentiment.

Ok, surrounds checked, now myself.

Ah, yep, I am completely nude except for the blank- oh, that's not a blanket at all. It's my cloak. I gripped the ends of it and pulled it tight against me.

"Yeah, I thought you'd prefer that, to a random blanket," I looked over at Krillin who held up my backpack, "the plane or the desert weren't exactly ideal spaces to redress you in any of your spare outfits here."

I nodded. I had gotten so used to Piccolo magicking me a new outfit every full moon waking up nude caught me off guard.

But I guess being five, it didn't really matter.

Other than that I wasn't too badly injured, a few surface wounds but mostly just dirt and dried blood.

I scanned my memories for what happened to get me here. I got up to where I transformed before it got hazy, more dreamlike, and then anger, and then, nothing.

I sighed, well, we're not dead so it must have turned out well enough.

And then I noticed a vague burning at the base of my back and-

"Did he cut off my tail!?" I started, all but breaking free of Chichi's grip.

"Ah, yeah. You sure did do a number on him first though. He barely managed to crawl away afterwards," Krillin chuckled, an odd look on his face.

I huffed, annoyed, before looking around. I sat on my knees to look up over the seat.

And there he was, battered and bruised and barely conscious, but still alive. Goku.

He cracked open an eye with a grimace, "hey there Son. You did great. I'm proud of you," each word was laced with pain.

I sighed.

"Wish I could remember it."

"I kinda doubt that," I looked over at Krillin who had taken up the explaining role, "honestly I'm kinda shaken up by it. I sure am glad your rage was solely directed at the Sayain cause there no way your dad or I would have survived getting hit by you after you kinda lost it."

I shifted, uncomfortable.

"Now that's quite enough!" Next thing I knew I was dragged back down into Chichi's embrace.

"There will be no more talking about fighting or those awful men! Can't you see he's traumatized enough as it is!"

"'M not traumatized," my words were muffled behind her arms.

I struggled free again and pulled my cloak tighter.

I frowned, "Hey dad, how long it'd take for your tail to grow back?"

"Huh? Oh, when I was a kid, it'd take, a few months maybe?"

Great so no tail on Namek.

Oh well, probably for the better. I probably don't need a clear and obvious weakness like that and there's no chance that anyone I'd be fighting wouldn't take advantage. Besides, it'd immediately clock me as Sayain to Frieza and well, probably best to avoid that.

"So Vegeta got away then?" I looked over at Krillin who scowled.

"Yeah, flew away in one of his space pods," He looked down, whether it was frustration at Vegeta getting away, or if, like canon, he had let him go after being talked into it by Goku, I couldn't say.

I hoped it was the latter at least. It might make his minimal character development remain the same.

"Gohan, I'm really proud of you," I looked back at Goku, frowning.

"Not for your fighting, but for offering forgiveness despite the other guy's actions."

"I haven't forgiven him for anything. I've said my exact reasons for what I did, and there's nothing else to read into it. I'd be happier if he were dead."

Goku didn't falter despite my words, "well then I'm proud of you for giving him another chance despite that."

I sighed, sitting.

"So what now?"

"Hm?" Krillin questioned.

"What do we do next?"

"Next! We're getting you to the hospital! Look at you all covered in bruises! For all I know you could have sprains or even cracked bones! You won't be thinking of anything else!"

I sighed as I added rationale to Chichi's words.

It was the first time she'd seen her five-year-old son in a year. Said son is severely injured. Said son was just fighting for, presumably, his life. It is completely understandable that she is concerned. It'd be more worrying if she wasn't.

Be less of a headache though.

But I have no intention of sitting here in silence either.

"How are we getting our friends back?"

And everything in the room fell silent.

"Gohan, without the Dragon Balls, there's nothing we can do to-" Krillin started, but was cut off by a muffled sob from Bulma.

I frowned, ok, somewhere a line of dialogue was lost but it shouldn't be too hard to get on track.

"Kami was the one who made the Dragon Balls right?"

"Yeah…" Krillin trailed off.

"And Kami and Piccolo, or Piccolo's dad, we're once the same person right?"

"Yeah…"

"So, Vegeta called Piccolo a Namek, which would imply that so was Kami. If one Namekian can create Dragon Balls, odds are so can another."

The room once again fell silent as everyone digested my words.

"Well that's just great! But even if there's a chance for such a thing, which isn't guaranteed, we don't have the slightest clue where the Namek's planet is!" Bulma snapped from her seat, and I didn't have a response. Even if I could share my knowledge, I couldn't exactly help in saying where to go.

"Hey wait, I have an idea," we all turned back to Goku, "King Kai are you there? I hope you're listening, we could really use your help right now."

I perked up, yeah that'll do it.

"Yes Goku I'm here," I started at the new voice sounding as if it were coming from inside my head. It was an odd mix of somewhat high-pitched and grainy.

"So you're looking for the planet Namek? Of course I know where that is. And the kid hit the nail on the head I should tell you. They have their own set of Dragon Balls. Or they did at least, whether or not they still have them depends on if there are any Namekians left."

"Is anyone else hearing a voice, or is my old age finally getting to me?" Roshi asked, his eyes turning from the road, or air, ahead of us.

"Thanks, King Kai. I knew I could count on you." There was something off-putting about Goku's voice being so soft.

"Sure but while I have the podium, let me congratulate you guys. You really had me worried for a while, that Sayain really had you guys on the ropes, there but you really pulled through."

"I hate to say it, but he even had me scared. I mean, even a Kaio Ken times four attack wasn't enough to stop him."

"Yes. And those were my best attacks too. I hope you can think of something before you have to face him again."

Of course, that won't be happening, canonically, for oh about fifteen years, give or take, but I won't exactly be saying that out loud.

"I'm sorry, but I'm all out of tricks."

"I was afraid you'd say that. Maybe I shouldn't have let him go."

And I perked up. Ok, so Vegeta directly received mercy. It might not necessarily help, but it certainly won't hurt.

"Only time will tell."

"Wait, what are they talking about? You mean you let not just one, but both of those Sayains go?" Roshi asked, incredulously.

"Oh, I'll tell you the whole story later," Krillin appeased.

Actually, where was Nappa? I kinda hope they didn't just leave him there. Option A) he dies anyway of the elements while unconscious. Or option B) he doesn't die, but isn't exactly happy about being left unattended in the middle of a desert.

Whatever.

Actually.

I don't care.

I was too tired to care.

I was really tired actually.

I felt myself drift back to sleep while everyone else discussed the logistics of getting to Namek.