Gliding just a few feet above the ocean waves, Goku and Gohan sat quietly upon the Nimbus. They had been flying for over an hour and had finally reached the equator, where the sun was at its most fierce.

For normal seafarers, trapped within the confines of a ship, it would have felt like being cooked under a focused magnifying glass, but they had no such restrictions. They glided freely in the air and refreshed themselves in the winds that blew closest to the water.

Together, they could smell the salt of the sea as the waves collided, frothing and bubbling as their energies clashed. It was pure bliss for the both of them, but it paled in comparison to the fact that they were nearing one of their oldest friends.

Standing out from the horizon, a tiny island came into view, and with it, a little pink house. Its sight immediately churned Gohan's stomach, despite his initial excitement.

"Do you think he'll be happy to see us?" he worriedly asked.

Ruffling his son's hair gently, Goku playfully replied, "Well... I don't see why not! What else does he have to do?"

Looking ahead of them, Gohan was silent as they grew nearer to the island. Even though it was his idea, he was nervous to see the old turtle hermit. The last time they had seen each other was before King Piccolo. Before he died.

Sensing the anxiety begin to build up, Goku placed his hand on his son's.

"Everything's gonna be fine. He'll be excited to see you."

"Right..." Gohan said, nodding. "You're right."

Slowly drifting in with the waves, the two landed on the very edge of the shoreline and spotted the old man in his swimming trunks and dark sunglasses. He was lying down with a book draped over his belly, resting on his white lounger whose legs were buried deep in the sand.

Walking calmly towards him, the sound of the tides hid their approach.

"Hey, Master Roshi!" Goku exclaimed excitedly.

His soul nearly leaving his body, Roshi shot up from his chair, causing his book to launch into the sand.

"What is the matter with you Goku!" he screamed angrily. "Can't you see that I'm nappin' here! You could have given me a heart atta-"

The old man suddenly stopped in his tracks as he caught a glimpse of the smaller figure standing behind Goku. He could recognize that blue gi anywhere.

"Well I'll be..." he mused.

Slowly stepping to the side of Goku's large frame, Roshi subtly removed him from the conversation. He could tell that Gohan was using him as a shield by the way hid in his shadow. Carefully kneeling down, the old man rested his knees in the sand and matched his height.

Placing an arm around him, Roshi smiled. "It's good to see you, Jack."

"It's just Gohan now." the boy replied, inching close to the old man and gently embracing him. "And it's good to see you too."

"So, he finally knows, does he?" Roshi asked, already having the answer to his question.

Patting the boy's back, the turtle hermit smiled once more.

"Then I take it this is us saying goodbye. You can't let him keep that knowledge for too long; old Shenron wouldn't like that one bit, now would he?"

Surprised, Gohan took a step back, ending their embrace. "Master Roshi... how did you-"

"It's like I told you a long time ago, I know a great many secrets. Did you really think I couldn't figure this one out? After all, it only makes sense: To rid the past of the doctor's influence, you must set it back to how it was."

"I- I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Gohan said sincerely. "I would have... if I-"

"I know, my boy." Roshi nodded. "You had an incredible amount of responsibility placed on your shoulders, and you did everything you could to keep us safe. That and more."

Grateful for the old man's compliments, Gohan smiled in return. "Thank you, but we didn't come to say goodbye. Not yet."

Intrigued, Roshi tilted his head slightly to the side and stroked his long grey beard.

"Really? What did you come for then?"

"We came to invite you to dinner!" Gohan answered, chock-full of enthusiasm for what was certain to be a delicious meal. "It'll be you, me, Dad, and Korin."

The old man's brow raised far above his glasses at the mention of the feline guardian.

"A dinner, hmm?" Roshi mumbled contemplatively. "Well, Gohan, it's a good thing you invited me. I can't imagine you would find Korin's dinner conversation very interesting... at least I didn't. Not after living with the little bugger for three years!"

Laughing, Gohan felt a sense of relief at how relaxed and receptive Master Roshi was to the idea of coming for dinner. It made him feel silly for even being anxious, to begin with.

"So you'll come?" he asked, if only for clarification.

"Of course I will." Roshi warmly replied. "Just give me a time and I'll be there."

"5 o'clock!" Gohan said confidently.

"Then 5 o'clock it is." the old man proclaimed as he turned to his lounger. "Until then, however, I think I'll rest up. You boys gonna stick around for a while? You are certainly welcome to. The water is absolutely beautiful today."

Grateful for his kindness and hospitality, Gohan was disappointed that he would have to deny such an offer. "Sorry Master Roshi, but we haven't even caught the fish for our dinner yet. Will you be okay getting to us by yourself?"

"Oh, don't you worry about me! Go catch your fish." Roshi assured, crossing his legs as he nestled himself into his lounger. "Ahh... I'll make it with plenty of time to spare."

Watching him reach into the sand and pick up the small, leather-bound book he had been reading, Gohan noticed a large, wrinkled grin spread across his face. It was obvious that their visit was the highlight of his day, but there was something more there, like he had been waiting for an opportunity to see him.

"That's good to hear." Gohan said, now eager to get back home and start the preparations as soon as he could. "We'll see you then, okay?"

"Travel safe!" Roshi said, waving as the two walked to the edge of the beach and boarded their flying golden cloud.

Gohan waved back, watching the turtle hermit shrink as they rose high into the air and soared away from the island. Even as the small pink house began to fade away in the distance, he kept waving. It had been a long time since he'd seen Master Roshi, he had forgotten how much he missed his silly antics and boundless wisdom. Seeing him again was easily enough to spark up some emotion.

"Did you see how excited he was, Gohan?" Goku calmly asked, hoping to comfort him. "I think he missed you."

"Yeah..." he answered, smiling as he cleared the tears from his eyes. "It was really good to see him."

Resting his head against his father's shoulder, Gohan spent the time flying home just as they had on their way down: in silence, absorbing the beautiful landscapes that they passed through.

When they arrived back at Mount Pouzu, they quickly divvied up the work to prepare for dinner. Goku went to the lake on the far edge of the spring to catch the fish while Gohan gathered apples for dessert. Once they had gathered everything they needed, which hardly took any time at all, they made a short trip back to the hut.

Using the nearly limitless resources of the surrounding forests, they then created a large pyre - a necessity for cooking such massive fish - and laid out a large wooden slab that would serve as their table for the evening.

Suddenly realizing that there was nothing left to prepare, the two spent their remaining free time relaxing in the spring, underneath the shade of the apple tree. Lying side by side, they pointed up into the sky and spent the next few precious hours by finding all sorts of animals, shapes, places, and even people hiding within the clouds.

And when the sun began to arc toward the west, the two made their way along the old path leading back to the hut with ease. There, close to the entrance of their small stone home, they lit the fire, set the large spits over it, and began to roast the enormous fish.

As they sizzled and their delicious scent filled the air, Gohan couldn't help but wonder how he did it. How did his father always make such amazing fish when he burned every other thing he dared try to cook?

"Dad, can I ask you something?" he asked softly.

Backing away from the hungry fire, Goku scooched over and sat closely to his son.

"Sure Gohan, what is it?"

"It's about dinner... about the fish." he said. "Ever since I was little, I always wondered how you made it taste so good but I never had the chance to ask you. I thought for a long time that it wouldn't be right for me to ask, that I should wait for you to tell me, but..."

Rubbing his son's back, Goku nodded and smiled at him. "I get it, Gohan. You may not get the chance to ask me again, at least not for a long time."

Pausing, Goku looked toward the fire and placed an arm around Gohan.

"But we already did everything grampa taught me to do. We caught the fish, set them on some spits and started cooking."

Turning back toward his son, Goku could see the confusion manifest itself as the unsatisfying truth of his great-grandfather's secret recipe sunk in.

"The reason it tastes so good is because we made it together." he said, squeezing Gohan's shoulder lightly. "That was his secret: Make it with someone you care about, that's what makes it taste so good."

"That's really all he did?" Gohan asked, contemplatively rubbing his chin. "Are you sure the fish here don't just taste better?"

"Well, maybe..." Goku replied, unconvinced by Gohan's logical approach. "But I tried making it by myself after grampa died and it never tasted as good. Not until you came along."

Before Gohan could respond, the two began to hear voices coming from the forest.

"So what, they invited you first! You think that makes you better than me? They practically had to invite you, you're a walking pharmacy!" they heard from a rough, old voice on the verge of laughter.

"Oh, you are deliberately misunderstanding me!" another voice said, followed by a few raspy giggles. "All I said is that it was fitting they invite the master and then the student! They clearly respect me, unlike you, old man!"

Wheezing, the first voice struggled to regain its composure. "Old? You're calling me old?! I remember when you still had a patch of black mixed in with all that white."

"Yeah, well I remember when you had a full head of hair! You were so proud of it, kept it gelled and everything, even while trying to swipe my water... How'd you do that anyway? Keep it lookin' so nice?"

"Gel? That was grease, my old friend, from trying to catch you! I wasn't quite as clean back then as I am now."

"That's disgusting, haha!"

Emerging from the tree line, Master Roshi and Korin laughed their way into the clearing. Stepping slowly with their staffs, it was apparent that they were relying on them as they approached Goku and Gohan. They needed such support to offset the large baskets they both carried with their free hand.

"Master Roshi, Master Korin!" Goku exclaimed, now walking toward them. "You didn't need to bring anything!"

Following his father's lead, Gohan silently stood up to greet the two.

"Nonsense, Goku." Korin shook his head. "We all know you'll eat straight through your fish and want something more."

Smirking, Roshi joined in alongside Korin. "We certainly do! Heck, I know from first-hand experience! He nearly cleared out my bank account with how much he ate after the tournaments…"

Lugging the large basket over his shoulder, Roshi let out a strained grunt as his legs nearly buckled under the weight.

"Now, would you mind telling us where a good place to rest is?" he asked with all the patience a man being crushed alive could muster. "Carrying all this food, it's a little much even for me. Hehe..."

"Oh, well let me get those for ya." Goku said, easily lifting both baskets out of the hands of Korin and Master Roshi.

Moving towards the front side of the hut, he motioned to them that respite was just around the corner, but rather than following him both looked toward Gohan inquisitively.

"You're a little quiet today, Gohan." Master Roshi said, with Korin nodding and uttering a sound of agreeance shortly thereafter. "You are staying for dinner aren't you?"

Like a deer caught in headlights, Gohan froze at the mention of his name.

"Of course!" he insisted. "I guess I'm just taking everything in."

Peaking his head around the corner, Goku gleefully chimed in. "Yeah, you guys wouldn't know it, but it's been a big day for us! Talking, flying, fishing, cooking, we've done it all!"

Slowly stepping with the aid of his staff, Roshi placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder.

"That's relieving." he sighed, tapping him. "Without you here, I'm afraid this meal would only be half as good."

A smile spread across Gohan's face and he happily followed the old man and the cat around the hut's corner, where their two cloth-covered baskets sat patiently upon the makeshift wooden table.

"What did you guys bring?" he asked politely.

Slowly lowering himself to the ground, Roshi grunted as he placed his staff to his side.

"Well… I brought some freshly made steamed buns." Roshi said, his gruff voice full of nostalgia. "They were the only food besides rice that Master Mutaito actually enjoyed eating, so I learned how to make them quite quickly. How about you Master Korin, what did you bring?"

Leaning over the table, Korin slid his basket close, and slowly removed the white protective cloth. "I'm happy you asked. I brought something I know Gohan will appreciate, and something everyone will like just as much."

"Well… what is it?" Roshi asked, intrigued, leaning as far forward as he could.

Fully removing the cloth, Korin revealed the contents of his basket.

"Candles, cutlery, plates, bowls, napkins, and a whole heaping pot of miso soup!" he announced, while rubbing his paws together excitedly.

"Oh, why did you waste all that space in there with that useless clutter!?" Roshi furiously asked. "Goku could drink that thing in two seconds flat, I guarantee it!"

Growling, Korin was quick to respond. "Unlike you two, the kid and I aren't animals! We need this stuff. Right, Gohan?"

Turning toward Gohan, Korin hoped for a mature and approving nod, but all he found was a child in a near fit of laughter as he watched the two argue pointlessly.

"Ugh, just like his father…" he said, carefully placing the pot of steaming hot soup onto the table. "No help in any argument."

Getting a grip on himself, Gohan quickly went to work emptying what remained in the basket.

"For what it's worth, thank you, Korin. I'm usually stuck eating with my hands, which gets tricky sometimes."

Passing a shiny white dish over to Roshi, who begrudgingly accepted it, Korin cracked a slight grin.

"It's my pleasure, kid. I haven't had the chance to bust out these old plates in a long time. A very long time."

Hunching over the table, Korin then placed his paw upon the pot's lid.

"Now… let's see how we're doing." he said, lifting it and wafting the steam toward himself. "Ah, we're in good shape! It's the perfect temperature for serving. Who wants some?"

Keenly watching his old feline friend, Roshi placed his hand on the ladle, barring Korin from grabbing it.

"Not so fast, Master. We are still waiting for Goku remember?" he said, both his silver eyebrows raised in emphasis of his point.

"Oh yeah… forgot that we were missing someone for a moment there. Where is he anyway?"

"I'm here!" they all suddenly heard as Goku rounded the corner of the house carrying four massive fish, two spits in each arm. "I just took 'em off the fire, and they smell delicious!"

Heaving them onto the clear space in the center of the table, the ground shook as the sheer weight of the golden, crispy fish slammed the wood. With a nerve-racking groan, the cobbled-together platform eventually settled.

"Phew, for a second there, I thought they were too heavy!" he said, eagerly sitting next to Gohan. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving! Can we dig in?"

Looking at each other, Roshi and Korin were puzzled.

"Hm, well you two made the meal… so you decide when it begins." Roshi said, motioning toward them with an open palm.

"Whaddya' say son, you hungry?" Goku asked, resting an arm around him.

Glancing around the table briefly, Gohan took in as much of the moment as he could. It had been so long since they had all been together, that he almost didn't want to start the meal, as that would inevitably lead to its end. But despite his sentimental nature, his stomach was starting to growl, and everyone else was waiting.

"Let's eat!" he announced, shuffling close to the table.

With one hand holding his plate and the other his knife, Gohan expected to be serving himself, but he was surprised as a steamed bun, a bowl of miso, and over a half of a fish found its way over to him.

Shifting his eyes between the three, he was speechless as he saw their dishes had not yet been filled.

"You didn't think we'd let you do the work yourself, did you?" Roshi asked.

Korin was quick to agree. "As far as I'm concerned, he's done too much already."

"Thank you, guys" Gohan replied. "This is…"

Lifting a hand to his cheek, the boy quickly wiped his eyes clear of any moisture.

"This is really nice." he said.

"You deserve it, Gohan" Goku said, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Now dig in, I can hear your stomach rumbling!"

Looking at his father briefly, Gohan turned to the fish with excitement. Cutting off a sliver using his knife and fork, he could already smell its familiar and comforting aroma.

And when he took that first bite, it was like being a kid again. Its flaky, warm, salty flavor was enough to bring him all the way back to when he first tried it, at the age of three.

"How is it?" Goku asked.

"It's amazing, Dad." he answered. "Thank you."

In no time at all, everyone was eating together, relishing the array of foods spread across the table. They talked, told stories, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company just as much as they enjoyed the incredible meal they shared, but for Gohan, it was even more. These were the closest people in his life, all gathered in one spot, just for him. And he would have felt that he didn't deserve it, to be that happy, but he knew that they loved him. No matter what, they cared about him and they wanted to be there for him.


After the dinner had ended, everyone lay near the table so filled to the brim with fish, buns, and soup that they could hardly move, but they weren't done yet; dessert was still yet to be served.

Lethargically standing from his seat, Gohan shambled over to the hut. Passing the stacks of paper lying about, he grabbed his satchel and flipped open the latch, taking a quick peep at the six apples inside. As far as he could tell, they looked just as crisp and fresh as they did when they were picked.

Bringing the apples with him, Gohan returned to his seat and placed the bag at his side. Moving away the fish bones and empty bowls, he began clearing a spot at the center of the table.

"Whatcha got there, Gohan?" Roshi muttered, lifting his head up from where he lay. "Is that more food? Because I'll be honest with you… I think if I eat any more I'll blow up."

"They're apples, Master Roshi." Gohan replied as he tilted the satchel and emptied its contents out onto the table."The best apples in the whole-"

Suddenly, a small, crumpled piece of paper tumbled out alongside the last apple, catching the attention of everyone around. Its very appearance seemed to sap the excitement straight out of the moment.

Pushing his deceptively frail-looking body up, Roshi dragged himself over to the table, followed quickly by Korin. He noticed that Goku had gotten close to Gohan like he already knew something was wrong.

Sitting closely by his feline companion, he placed his hands on the table, face down; his subtle way of appearing open and available. Unfortunately, Korin was not so timid in his approach.

"What's the matter, kid?" Korin asked. "Was that important?"

Unfolding the wrinkled and torn corners of the paper, Gohan revealed the series of formulas and equations hidden within.

"It was research." he sighed disappointedly. "I thought I got it all out before dinner... I guess I was wrong."

"Research?" Roshi pried. "What were you researching?"

Lifting his eyes from what remained of Gero's note, Gohan frowned. "Nothing. these are from the lab. I've been studying them... It's something he asked me to do."

Remembering the day prior, Goku gave his son a somber look.

"Is that what was spilling out of your bag?" he asked. "Back at the apple tree?"

"I took them after I buried him...out in the snow next to Gebo." Gohan's tone softened to a whisper. "I haven't looked at them much."

Roshi sighed. It was clear that the mood had been ruined by this measly piece of paper, but he hadn't expected it to be affecting Gohan so deeply. The boy held it with such care, despite it nearly coming apart in his hands; another burden for him to bare.

"I was watching, you know." he said with pursed lips. "I watched the whole time. Every minute."

Roshi stroked his beard as his mind flooded with memories of the day: The excitement of the tournament; the bitter-sweet reunion with his star student, now far more adult-looking than just three years prior; the terror of the fight for the past and the future.

"You put everything on the line because you believed he could change... and you were right. I didn't even think it was possible for someone like him, someone so corrupted by his anger and hate, but you did it."

Gohan attempted to speak up and stop the old man. He knew the compliments were genuine, but he did not want them. His attempts soon fizzled out after he realized Roshi wasn't done yet.

"And he fought alongside you, not only because he needed to, but because he wanted to. He saw the kind of person you were, and he knew you were someone he could trust. So if you had any doubts, I think he asked you to do this because he believed you were the only one that could."

"I know why he asked me to do it." Gohan said. "I just don't understand why he wouldn't let me help him. I had time, I know I did, but... he just didn't want to leave."

With lowered whiskers, Korin waddled around the table and over to Gohan.

"Kid... it wasn't your fault." he assured. "He chose that."

Gohan leaned against Goku, who sat closely by his side. He shrunk behind the large wooden slab that separated him and Roshi, nearly disappearing from his view.

"Maybe. But I could have saved him." he uttered, finally laying his head on his father's lap.

"Gohan-" the old man paused, unsure if he could continue without making the situation even worse.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Korin shake his head, warning him against any more 'words of encouragement'. He looked at Goku to try and gauge his approval, but he was too focused on his son to notice the old man's stare.

He decided to press on.

"Do any of you know how he was feeling, when the battle was at its darkest?" he asked, to Korin's confusion.

"Who, the kid? Are you joking?"

"Gero." he exhaled, placing his hand upon his beard.

Upon hearing the doctor's name, Gohan cautiously emerged from Goku's embrace, but he stayed on his lap, in case he couldn't bare the conversation.

Roshi knew he had garnered his interest, so he hunched over the table, supporting himself with his forearms, and spoke directly to him.

"When your father was injured, Gero was terrified. He wasn't afraid that he had lost, or that the android would destroy the past, he was afraid for you. But in an instant, that fear turned into an overwhelming sensation of hope."

Roshi smiled, and his eyes darted back and forth as he pictured the scene in his mind.

"It was so... potent, it completely disoriented me. I panicked and wondered 'What's going on?', 'What is he feeling that I'm not!', and then... something changed in you. Something he sensed, that I couldn't."

His brow set low and focused, Roshi stroked his beard contempatively.

"Ever since then, I've kept the question to myself, and since then it's gnawed at me. I wanted to ask earlier, but I thought It would be better if I-"

Chewing at the corners of his mouth, Roshi nodded. "It doesn't matter now though. What matters is that you understand the kind of hope that you brought him. Hope that his work had actually meant something, that there was someone out there who could use it and change the world for the better. He left that work for you, not as a burden, but as a gift. And if he was here right now... if he knew how it affected you, he'd tell you to walk away. To leave it behind."

"I. Won't." Gohan stated, defiantly shaking his head. "If I leave his research here, then he died for nothing. I won't let that happen."

Ubruptly intervening, Goku turned his son towards him. "But it hurts you, Gohan."

"I know." he said, his chin quivering as he spoke. "But I have to be strong. I have to do the right thing."

"Then look at it differently." Goku said, matching the vulnerability in his son's voice. "When you go home, all this... is gone. The only person who'll remember what happened is you, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Grabbing a piece of his son's gi, Goku drew his attention to it. "You'll have this, and your bag, and Gero's notes. They're gifts, just like Master Roshi said. And as long as you have them, you can remember Grampa, me, Gero, our adventures, everything."

Gohan looked down at his gi, and then over to the note he still carried in his hand.

"Gifts?" he echoed. "So, when I look at them I should feel happy? Like I'm remembering you and him?"

"Can you do that, Gohan?" Goku asked.

Wrapping his arms around his father, Gohan clung to him. Somehow he found a way to make him feel better, like he always did.

"I think so." he said, the corners of his mouth turning into a slight grin.

Leaning on his hand, Roshi watched the two embrace. Despite his best efforts, his wisdom couldn't hold a candle to his star student's, but that's what he'd always hoped for. He smiled as he thought of how far that little twelve year old boy had come since they'd first met. He could hardly imagine him speaking as masterfully as he did now.

Then, to his left, he noticed that Korin had taken an apple from the table and was holding it patiently, prompting him to grab one as well.

"Gohan," Korin said, grabbing the boy's attention. "catch."

Tossing the apple over to him, Korin watched as it was swiftly pulled out the air, just as he expected it would be.

"You made a lotta' claims about these apples, kid." he said, mischeviously grinning as he reached into the pile for another. "It's time to find out if they're as good as you say."

Latching his two large canine's into the apple's mid-section, Korin tore a sizeable chunk out of it, and after only a few chews, he paused. Bringing the apple close to his eyes, he inspected the flesh.

"Thish, ish... unbelievable." he said, before swallowing. " It's easily the best apple I've ever had! I'd ask if I could get a few dozen for the lookout, but I'm not sure I'd have the chance to enjoy them."

The old cat's comment sparked laughter around the table, and soon, despite none of them being the least bit hungry, they began slowly chipping away at the stack of apples until there was only a small pile of cores remaining.

And by the time they had finished, the moon was almost directly above them. That was when Mount Pouzu would be at its most peaceful; when all the creatures of the mountain range and the people in cities nearby slept silently.

That was their best time to summon the dragon.