Gone


Seven

Shadows of A Man


After their brief meeting at the lookout, Whis headed back to lord Beerus' realm and Vegeta felt it crucial to tag along. Their first step was figuring out the whereabouts of both Kakarot and his wife. Well, they knew Kakarot was somewhere in this universe, Whis' powers can easily detect which planet he's on, Chichi, however…

According to the angel, there's a large possibility that Chichi was perhaps thrown into a different universe by the power of the eternal dragon but he has absolutely no idea which one nor was he even certain his hypothesis would prove right. So they came here, in the god of destruction's realm, seeking the power of the Oracle fish.

Vegeta waits in anticipation as the fish swims in her own form of concentration before it finally pops up from its small water container.

"Oh, Oh, I see it! The one named Chichi had wished herself to another universe! I saw it over 15 years ago."

"See, Vegeta, I was right!" the angel exclaims, "Now tell me, my dear Oracle, which universe?"

"Hmm, hmm, let's see…" The Oracle fish tips its head to the side and murmurs, "Is it Universe 5? No, no, that's not the one from that dream…hmm… it's not Universe 6 either…"

"Fight on, Miss Fish!" Whis cheers.

Vegeta on his part, folds his arms and rolls his eyes, annoyed at this ridiculously theatrical wait. "Why is it taking so long?"

"Oh, Do be patient, Vegeta. The poor creature has to remember something from 15 years ago!" then, promptly, Whis moves closer to the Saiyan, lifting a hand to shield the side of his mouth and whispers, "And it is just a fish, You know…"

Vegeta raises a brow, he wasn't a stranger to the prophecy fish's ability, however, it is entirely poor knowledge, as the number of times he witnessed its power is relatively few from his days of training on this realm, but he thought for sure it was a more capable seer, at this rate –and he looks at the fish's stressed features and all the 'hngs' it's producing- they had better luck with that old prune, Baba…

A few more minutes and even Whis was tired of all this wait. He says, "How is it going?"

The fish spreads its fins out. "No use, hehe. can't remember."

"What?! So we came here for nothing?"

"Oh, how unfortunate… Perhaps you're having trouble remembering because you've been eating too much, my dear Seer?"

"But I've only been having 3 meals-"

"Precisely! I'm thinking of reducing it to one meal a day." Whis contemplates.

Vegeta observes an entertained smirk curling the corner of his lips. This was a ploy by the devious angel, just a little incentive for the feeble fish to jog its memory, he hopes it bears fruit.

"What?! That's unfair, You're meaner than lord Beerus, lord Whis..." the fish objects, turning its head towards Vegeta for support. "Vegeta say something, please!"

He shrugs. "It's none of my business, really.."

"No way…"

With a hand on his chin, Whis proceeds, "Now, I believe I've already fed you this morning and since you can't remember, I guess it's no use waiting any longer. I'll be taking Vegeta back to earth…" he turns towards the Saiyan. "let us go back, Vegeta."

"Ah, w-wait," it says faintly as Vegeta and Whis make a move for dramatic effect.

"Such a shame things did not go as planned, I guess now we'll just have to endure lord Beerus' foul post-waking mood, don't we?"

"Uh, hn." Vegeta concurs.

"Wait, wait! I remember. yes, oh yes, I remember now."

Whis turns, his eyebrows stretched. "oh?"

"Universe eight! She was thrown into universe eight!"

Whis returns with a smile on his face. "wonderful! You did well, seer," he says and declares his next plan, "Now that we know where the wife is, we should make haste and deliver the news to Goku!"

"Wait, lord Whis," The Saiyan prince interjects.

"What is it, Vegeta?"

Something has been bothering him ever since he heard the Oracle fish's prophecy. According to the angel, this prophecy of theirs is 15 years dated, which means 7 years before Chichi's wish, leaving plenty of time for plenty of things to happen. "How do we even know if that woman is still alive? It's been 8 years since she decided to play hide and seek and hop onto another universe."

Both Whis and the prophet fish stare at him. "Oh, I suppose you are right."

"Maybe you should check first," the seer throws in her two cents.

"so it seems." Whis sighs and motions for him to stand still, "Wait here, Vegeta, I'll be back in a jiffy."

Before the prince of Saiyans was able to protest, the angel disappears from where he stood.

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It was quiet outside of Mr. Satan's mansion and yet blatantly chaotic. The lights were off, everything was stale and Gohan's violent energy rose and fell in a cadence, Piccolo observed those changes from a short distance. if this was someone else, this would have been a sure sign that they are awake. But this is Gohan.

And Gohan is special…

Special enough to let his energy slip through his subconscious mind, he would know, he had been around the kid for way too long, through his house-rattling nightmares, through Chichi calling for him to help. So he stands, raising his dormant energy gradually and it doesn't take long for Gohan to take the bait, open the window, and peer through.

Despite the darkness, Son's distressed face was clear, he stares at him with tired eyes, and without saying a word he gestures for him to wait. The next time he was out the window, his body adorned a robe.

"Let's go someplace else," Gohan whispers and he nods. They fly to the nearest ledge, where they sit in comfortable silence for a short while.

"Did Pan give you a hard time?"

"Well, I can tell you this; she was not happy I yelled at her. I swear, I don't know where she gets her stubbornness from…"

Piccolo raises a brow, he can think of two people closely related to her with that trait. "You really don't know?"

Gohan gives a faint laugh, "You're right, I do know."

He folds his arms above his chest. "You know you can talk to me, Gohan."

Gohan releases a deep breath before he replies, "I know and I'm grateful. I just… I don't know," he finishes off with another sigh.

"You can tell me what's on your mind," Piccolo coaxed, he knew Gohan was struggling, he's been struggling for the last 8 years, and even though Piccolo wasn't particularly good with all those Human emotions, he knew the kid needed someone to open his heart to. And knowing Gohan, he was sure he didn't want to burden his family with it.

Gohan releases a cynical laugh, "That's just the thing, my mind is a mess right now, I'm not even sure I can make a logical sentence with all that's going on."

Piccolo watches him sympathetically as he takes his glasses off and presses his temple in palpable agony, and he decides to ask a crucial question. "Do you really not want Goku back?"

Gohan turns to face him abruptly, brief rage flicker across his eyes, but it breaks down so fast, that Piccolo wonders if that was a practiced reaction, and what replaces that rage was slouched shoulders and glossy eyes. "I don't know," he says in a faint voice, and somehow he managed to look even older than he currently is.

"I don't know and I hate not knowing if I want him back or not." He pauses, his eyes becoming fiercer, "I'm filled with so much rage towards him! Why did he have to go and ruin our family like that? Weren't we enough for him? Weren't my mom good enough? She endured so much and for what? To be discarded for someone younger? I don't care if he didn't love my mom, I don't care if he finally found the one he 'truly loved' or whatever, he should have sucked it up and stayed!" his voice has risen by the end of his tirade before he calms down again and casts his eyes towards the ground below, "I hate myself, Piccolo, I hate how no matter how much I miss my mom, I miss him too, and I want him back just as much."

"I wish I was like Goten, I wish I can hate him like he does, that I could forget all the memories we made together, that I can actually bring myself to tell Pan what a terrible grandfather he was every time she asked me about him."

Piccolo places his hand on his shoulder and tries to comfort him. "You're different from your brother, Gohan, he didn't bond with Goku like you did."

"I know. But this guilt, it's killing me, Piccolo. It's not fair to Mom." Gohan moves a hand to wipe a stray tear from below his glasses. "Sometimes, I sit down and think that maybe all of this was my fault, you know?" Piccolo lets him speak. "That maybe if I just followed your advice and trained then none of this would've happened."

"That's ridiculous."

"But it's true! If I had manned up and taken the mantle from him, he wouldn't have gone to train Uub, he would have stayed with Mom and never met that woman."

"You're forgetting that he's also a Saiyan! You think saving the world is the only reason he decided to train Uub? Goku saw potential in that kid and not for protecting Earth but to be someone who can give him a challenge."

A bitter laugh bled from the half-Saiyan beside him, he says in a tone laced with sadness and jealousy, "I had potential too..."

Piccolo sighs. "Your father is innately selfish, Gohan, despite his honorable actions but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you or your brother, he just knew you two didn't have a passion for it, that's why he never pestered you two to train."

"He is incredibly selfish, isn't he?" Gohan declares in a lighter mood as Piccolo smiles.

A few seconds pass in silence before Piccolo starts again "Gohan… there's something I came here to tell you."

At the seriousness in his voice, Gohan turns and gives him his full attention.

"It's about Your mother…"

"Mom?" he tilts his head to the side.

"I don't want to give you any false hope, however, you deserve to know what Whis said at the lookout."

He stares in anticipation and Piccolo reveals, "Gohan, there's a chance your mother might be alive."

Gohan's eyes widen.

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.


Time moves slow on this planet, or fast, Goku isn't really sure. In a sense, the days felt shorter than on Earth, but winter lasted forever here, and the warmer seasons ended before the snow had enough time to melt. And it's not like he had a watch or a calendar to tell, or even care to figure out.

time loses its meaning when there's no one waiting for you.

Goku bends to pick up another damp root from beneath the snow and places it with the rest of the stack on his other arm. The plants here are different, weird, nothing like those on Earth, they're mostly tall, leafless trees with thick roots.

Goku looks up at the numerous white branches protruding from the stem, the branches themselves produced smaller branches and the smaller branches produced even smaller branches, they kind of looked like giant broccolis.

Most of those trees are practically dead, along with many things on this planet, which wasn't always the case according to his local friend. Life was in abundance here, the weather wasn't always cold and there were many types of life forms but this planet had reached its end and many things started to fade. Funny how he thought a planet's end would be much more chaotic, never this peaceful.

"You think those branches up there dry enough to burn?" he asks.

Goku's friend tilts her head. "I do not know Goku. You're the one able to fly."

"Heh, You're right." Goku smiles at her before he drops the woods at her feet and jokes, "Protect these with your life, okay?"

She brings her head down, sort of like a nod. "I will try."

Goku floats off the ground, keeping an eye on his deer-like friend from above. Once he reached up the tree, he conceals himself behind the thick network of branches, waiting for his prey to make its move.

Derna, his friend, calls them the Mahdas, creatures with long, sharp teeth, covered in dark fur. They reside inside caves and they had very small energy for some reason despite having impressive physical strength and speed, which made catching them a hard task. Edible things are scarce, and when you're one of the very few surviving species it's either you eat whatever you can find or you eat your own, and as carnivores, they wouldn't miss a chance to hunt their prey, and he wouldn't miss a chance to catch his prey too. a food chain type of thing.

He feels bad for using his friend as bait, but it's the fastest way to catch them. Besides it was her idea to begin with.

It doesn't take long for one of them to take the bait, carefully exiting its hiding place, and approaching his friend from behind. Those animals were silent killers, and his friend's kind aren't able to lock on their brain waves, probably why she's the only surviving member of her kind.

The Mahdas gets low in the snow, getting ready to launch at his friend and Goku readies himself to catch it, he flies closer to the outer branches, bracing himself on a lone branch where there's ample space or him to jump. He briefly thinks that the branches were indeed dry as he digs his fingers in the wood but the animal jumps and he makes his way down at the highest speed. Derna side-jumps the attack as he tackles the Mahdas on the ground.

It whimpers when he stabs it in the neck and drags his knife down. "Woah," he exclaims as blood shoots from the wound and the animal thrashes where it lay.

"it almost bit me," she communicates, a little shaken but used to it. "Could have given me a warning, Saiyan."

"You look fine to me," he dismisses, tying his victim's legs together as she releases a displeased noise.

"What about my fear, does that count for nothing?"

"I thought you trusted me to not let anything happen to me?"

"Well, you have been rather tired lately."

"I feel just fine, thank you…" he points toward his kill, "Don't you think they're getting fewer though? They used to attack in packs."

"Indeed. It is possible that they changed their hunting tactics." She turns to eye him as he throws the Mahdas on his shoulder. "It is also possible that you are singlehandedly contributing to their extinction."

"Don't say that. I'd feel bad if that's true."

She laughs. "Let us return, Son Goku, and use what little wood we have to make your food."

"Hey, we can always get wood from those branches up there."

"Hmm." She starts to walk, leaving him behind her.

"What?! They're dry."

"I did not say they are not."

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.

.

Another weird thing about this planet was that the day was significantly shorter than on Earth, and the night even colder than the day, Goku contemplates that fact as he throws more wood into the fire and stirs, trying to keep it from going out. Despite the layers of animal fur he adorned, the cold still managed to make him shiver.

"I'm sorry, Goku."

"Hmm?" he turns towards his friend who lies on the snow beside him. "For what?"

"I know the food here is not nearly enough for you."

"What're you talking about? I ate so much, I'm getting food coma."

"You could have been on a more luscious planet with plenty of food to spare but you're staying for my sake."

"That's not true. I like it here." He returns to stir the fire.

"I see right through you, Goku." Her pupils dilate, really emphasizing the looking into his soul implication. "You are not one fit to live in a plain of snow and lifelessness, you thrive under the sun where you can soak your spirit in warmth and run your feet on warm soil. This planet is making you sick and you know it."

"I don't remember 'soaking' in warmth, I didn't know you could do that," he jokes and her groan of frustration follows in his mind. "you worry too much, I'm perfectly healthy."

He hated having this conversation with her because he knew he could never win, he could never convince her of what was not true. But he tries not to think about it at least, tries not to give himself away whenever she opens up this topic. He knew she meant well, he just wish she gave him the choice to be private with his own thoughts.

"I have lived a long life and more ahead of me, Goku," he can almost detect a hint of sadness in her tone. "I lived most of it alone, and I like you enough to not want the same for you."

"Well, thanks, but I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't like it here."

Smoke blows from her nostrils as she breathes. "Unless you're staying to punish yourself…"

He lifts his hand to stop her. "Please, let's not do that today."

"You know I do not mean to upset you, it is out of wor-"

"I know. I just… I don't want to hear it today."

There's a short pause before she says, begrudgingly, "Hn, as you wish."

He breathes a deep sigh. Besides him, his friend shuts her eyes again and he turns to stare at the flames of the fire that kept him almost warm. He was glad this conversation was over and that she seems to be falling asleep, he never treasured his thoughts like he does now when he's around her, just like he never thought that having them was a burden.

The truth is, she was right, he wasn't fine at all. the food was barely enough to sustain him, the cold is almost burning on his skin and the nightmares were slowly driving him towards the brink.

Before he landed here, he was on a new planet every few days, drifting along aimlessly, but he met her, and protecting her gave him a purpose, a piece of his old self to hold on to, so every time he had that suffocating urge to leave, he stomped it down and pushed himself to stay.

He feels heaviness droop his eyelids, he shook himself out of it, though he wonders how long that would last, he managed to keep himself awake for the last couple of days, and that is starting to take its toll on him. he rubbed his eyes and exhaled strongly.

The firewood crackles, tongues of flames dancing to that tune and breaking off into space, it was mesmerizing to watch the vibrant colors, and the memories it brought forth. Goku felt a hand on his shoulder, he turns to find Chichi by his side, she was wearing her blue and pink cheongsam and her hair fell down freely.

He smiles at her. "You came to see me again."

"I'll always come to see you."

She walks past him, towards the fire, standing straight over the flames.

"Chichi!" he watches, horrified, trying to reach for her and drag her off the fire, but she pays him no mind as she laughs, twirls around and her clothes catch fire.

She keeps dancing and laughing till all her clothes burn off her skin. She stands naked, her laugh wears down to a faint smile as she steps away from the fire and comes to bend towards him and rest her warm hand on his cheek. She looked so beautiful, she took his breath away staring at her, and his body warmed. But that smile wasn't genuine or warm or caring, or hers, and her stare was colder than this planet itself. She presses her thump a little tighter on his cheek when she notices. "You're such a pathetic excuse for a man, Goku."

"Chi-" he tries to defend but finds himself unable to, instead he surrenders entirely to her torment. "For how long?"

"Who knows..." A smile is once again played on her lips, and she resumes her stroking of his cheeks..." I won't rest until I've completely ruined you."

His shoulders slack. somehow he finds comfort in her promise. "If that means that I'll get to see you, then I'm glad."

Her eyes bore into his, her fingers travel down to his neck, and sinks her nails into his skin. "You really are pathetic, Goku..."

A sharp pain shoots up the back of his neck, Goku jerks his eyes open and jumps to his feet, his heart hammering into his chest. His first instinct was to search his surroundings, but there was nothing but snow and the vast darkness on the horizon of this planet.

Shit, he must've fallen asleep. He rubs his eyes and focuses on the sensation making his fine hair stiff.

His friend wakes up due to his sudden movement, she asks in his mind, "You startled me!" When he doesn't acknowledge her, she proceeds, a sense of apprehension evident in her tone. "What is the matter, Goku?"

"Quiet!" he orders as two figures materialize before him.

After a moment of studying them, Goku's expression relaxes, and a small smile stretches the corner of his lips.

"Hey, Vegeta…"

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He thought he had thoroughly prepared himself in the time when Whis left for Universe 8 to confirm about Chichi. Well, 'prepare' in the sense of expecting the unexpected, and also in the sense of holding himself from punching Kakarot in the face for leaving his friends and family for such a long time. And on his way here, he mentally laid out all the possibilities surrounding the third-class Saiyan; Kakarot might have moved on, settled in with a new family, and even had more offspring, he certainly wouldn't be the first Saiyan to do that, he even considered the possibility that he might be dead too. It's been 8 years, and 8 years is a long time for a lot of things to happen. And yet despite all his considered possibilities, he still stood in front of the man, eyes wide in shock.

"Kakarot," he calls. The younger Saiyan smiled at him, and if it wasn't for his unique energy (though considerably reduced now), he wouldn't have recognized him. His face looked much thinner, despite the thick beard covering half of it, his eyes sunk into a hole with dark circles around them, there were a few noticeable white hairs on his head and beard, and multiple layers of fur concealed the condition of his body. He doesn't look an ounce like his old self, it left Vegeta speechless.

"Long time no see, lord Whis." Kakarot directs his attention toward the angel.

"Long time indeed, Goku," Whis replies in an unusually less jovial manner.

"I'd ask you two to sit but as you see," Kakarot gestures towards his surroundings, "There isn't anything to sit on. Unfortunately, I haven't had guests in ages, so I'm not really prepared to offer you anything."

"Oh, that's fine, Goku. More importantly, aren't going to introduce us to your companion?"

All this time, Vegeta has been concentrating solely on Kakarot, to the point that he didn't even notice the animal hiding behind him. The creature steps closer, inclining its giant antlers forward. "Right. This is Derna, she's my friend."

"Pleasure to meet you, lord Whis, and you as well, Goku's friend."

Vegeta is startled at the sudden voice in his head, Whis makes a more astute observation. "Hoh, a Derenian, I thought your kind have gone extinct."

"On the verge of, my lord. I'm the last of my kind."

"How interesting… You really know how to pick your company, Goku."

"Heh, thanks."

Kakarot's attention is back on him again with a smile that was both familiar and different at the same time. "You look good, Vegeta."

"You don't, Kakarot."

"What? Do I look that bad?" the idiot laughs. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed, Vegeta."

He didn't find it humorous, but more so unnerving because even though he sounded like the old him, something much more essential seems to be missing. Kakarot catches on to that as his face turns serious. "So what can I do for you? I'm sure you two didn't come all the way here just because you missed me."

"Rude as always, Goku."

"Come on, lord Whis, you know I don't like to beat around the bush."

Whis simply nods. "We are holding a universal tournament for Beerus's awakening."

Vegeta watches him intently.

Kakarot shows no reaction, almost like he was anticipating this outcome. "That's great. I'm sure Vegeta is gonna easily win it for you."

"I was hoping you'd join too, Goku."

he breathes a disappointed sigh. "that's too bad, but I can't join."

Shock takes both of them by surprise. There was a time when Kakarot would run for such an opportunity. "And why not, Kakarot?"

"Because I don't fight anymore," he says, simply.

"Don't be ridiculous! you're a Saiyan, we fight till we die."

Kakarot shrugs. "It's the truth, I stopped fighting."

"Stopped fighting?! Do you even hear yourself? You would have jumped for this opportunity before."

"Well, I guess I've changed."

It unnerved him how unbothered he was, it's like he grew a whole new personality and left no trace of the old one. "What the hell happened to you, Kakarot?"

His eyes falter, and for the first time, since he came here, he saw a reaction even though Kakarot tried to conceal it. He sits down on the rock behind him and takes a stick that was on the ground, stirring the fire between them. The deer stayed standing and looking at him as well. He takes a deep breath, not taking his eyes off the fire, and says, "Nothing, I realized there's more to life than just fighting, Vegeta… I realized that too late..."

"I didn't beg you for a liar, Kakarot, you and I both know that you're simply punishing yourself." There's much disappointment in Vegeta's tone, beside him, Whis stood silent, perhaps more at a loss on how to handle this new Kakarot.

He looks up, not an ounce of disagreement is clear in his eyes. "Maybe that's true too, but losing my wife enlightened me on a lot of things about myself… Wouldn't you have done the same, Vegeta?"

Vegeta wanted to argue against that, but he remembered his years after Kakarot's death and the path of destruction he took on the day he returned, and came to the conclusion that he was no better than him. Still, "I wouldn't have let things go as far as you let them. Your failures are not mine."

His younger tenses, it was clear that what he said struck deep in his heart, he replies with the conviction of a broken man. "You're a better person than I am."

"Tch. You aren't even going to defend yourself?"

"There's nothing to defend. I made a mistake, and I'm owning up to it," He says this in a faint voice, then looks towards the angel who tilts his head in anticipation. "I'm sorry to disappoint you lord Whis, but you came here for nothing."

Anger flares at his response, it was clear that he was trying to expedite their departure when they haven't said all that they needed to say. "Aren't you going to ask about your family?!"

Kakarot sighs, looking more tired the more he talked. "I don't need to, I know they're doing fine without me. Besides, if there was something wrong, it would have shown on your face."

"Oh, really—"

"Goku," Whis interjects, putting an end to their one-sided squabble. "Is there really no chance for you to join?"

"The last time I had to fight was 6 years ago and I only did it to save the earth, even if I wanted to join I doubt I'll be of any use to you, Lord Whis."

Vegeta knits his eyebrows at that.

"With someone of your caliber, all you need is a bit of training."

"That might be right, but I don't feel like training."

"For fuck's sake, Kakarot," Vegeta grumbles.

"I see. But what if I offer you a chance for reconciliation, would you reconsider?"

Kakarot is confused, he stares at the angel for a second. "With who?"

"Your family, of course."

He pauses, there were signs of both sadness and irritation in his eyes. "I was asked to never be near them and I promised myself to respect their request." He looks down at the flames again. "I don't mean to be rude but I'd like to be left alone now. Thank you for coming to see me. it was good to see you both."

Whis lifts a brow and Vegeta grows tired of it all. "He doesn't mean your children, Kakarot, he means your wife."

As if being stung, he lifts his head, his eyes enlarge and his animal jumps back. Vegeta decides to continue. "This is what we came here to tell you, Kakarot… your Chichi is alive."

He didn't anticipate what came after, Kakarot was instantly on his feet, and in his face, his hands grab the collar of his shirt tightly. "That's a cruel thing to joke about just because you want me to fight, Vegeta!"

He slaps his hand away. "Nobody is joking, Idiot."

Kakarot withdraws, his angered features shift into disbelief. "But she… she disappeared… in my hands…" he looks at his hands as if he was reliving the situation and then he looks at him, his eyes pleading. "she can't be alive… right?"

Whis steps in front of him as he folds his arms around his torso. "I'm certain that's what she wanted herself, however, your wish-granting dragon had misunderstood her wish."

"Typical Shennron," Vegeta Scuffs.

"Now, Now, Vegeta. It worked in our favor, did it not?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "I guess."

"But… But how?"

"It appears that when she wished to 'disappear from this world' Shennron took it as she wanted out of this world and into another world, so he transported her to universe 8."

A few seconds pass as Kakarot processes this information. "So she's alive…" He releases a whimper that was both a mixture of laughter and crying and throws his dead weight on the rock behind him again, hiding his face behind his interlaced fists. The creature moves to rub his hair with its maw in comfort. Vegeta felt uncomfortable, this was the second time he saw the younger Saiyan cry and somehow it felt more unbearable than the first time.

"How are you feeling, Goku?" Whis asks

"I don't know." He sniffs. "I feel relieved but... All those 8 past years I thought she was gone… it feels so… surreal." He wipes his face and looks up. "Have you seen her? How is she?"

"I haven't seen her myself but I have confirmed that she's well in universe 8."

Kakarot smiles. "The boys must be happy."

"They don't know yet… You're the first one we've told, Kakarot."

His eyebrows scrunch. "Why?"

"We found out just before we came here. We were looking for you, Goku."

"You should have told them first. They deserve to know more than I do."

"I'm sure the Namek had already briefed your sons of the possibility that she was alive, he was there when we discussed it."

"Aren't you glad, Goku? We're giving you the opportunity to win your family back. To bring your wife home."

"So that's what you meant by reconciliation?" Kakarot's reply was stale, unlike what they thought his reaction would be. "I'm sure they told you already but me and Chichi didn't exactly part on good terms."

"You never know, Goku, after all, it's been 8 years."

He snickers. "Chichi tried to kill herself because of me, I doubt I'm the one person she'd want to see again after 8 years." His jaw tightens. "I appreciate the opportunity, lord Whis but the boys have more of a right to be the first ones to see her. I know Chichi would agree with that..."

Vegeta breathes in frustration. "so this is what you've become, Kakarot? This pathetic, defeated shell of the old you?"

"What do you want me to do?!"

Anger flares in Vegeta's eyes. "I want to own up to your mistakes and fight for your damn family!"

"THEY DON'T WANT ME ANYMORE! Don't you get it?" Kakarot was up on his feet, his fists tightened. "Even if Chichi was alive, that doesn't just erase all the things I caused prior… it won't just make them forget…"

"They're not supposed to forget! You're supposed to ask for their forgiveness…"

"I don't deserve forgiveness!"

Vegeta reaches a point where he just wanted to punch his old rival, but he holds himself back, knowing full well that this weakened character, both body and soul, wouldn't withstand the hit, so he calms himself and his eyes lower in disdain. "No, this isn't about deservedness, Kakarot. you're just a coward, too scared to face your wife and family… I pity you, Kakarot… and I mourn the Saiyan you once were."

He looked exposed, ashamed, and speechless, however, Vegeta didn't have any more sympathy to bestow upon him so he turns towards Whis. "Let's return. This was a waste of time."

He walks ahead and waits as Whis says his final words. "I still believe in you, Goku, so I'm giving you some time to think, an equivalent of two earth days. If you decided to take my offer, you'll find me at Bulma's residence."

He moves to where Vegeta stood as the latter places his hand on the angel's shoulder. Vegeta locks eyes with Kakarot as he watched them disappear into space…

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A/N: I've already outlined the next chap. I hope I get to update soon. thank you to everyone that stuck around for this story.