A Wonderful Life
By: SomeRandomPerson648
Chapter 51: Long Awaited Moments
A/N: Hey guys! Okay I promise the wait was warranted this time because of the amount of loose ends I had to cover, so I hope you enjoy!
The Universe is thrusted yet again into action breaking the peace once more
This time, their greatest threat not only changes the world, but the bonds between our heros
After the 'battle' between Cell and his imposter, the three warriors return to the Capsule Corp backyard to see a strange sight
The whole party was huddled for some odd reason, with Whis and Beerus at the center
When the three returned everyone gave them strange looks, mixed expressions of fear, tension and worry would describe them, all towards Cell
"Hey guys! What's going on?" Goku asked them, trying to forget what happened earlier
But instead of responding the crowd was silent, except for two people
"We saw everything." Said Whis, who was at the very center of the crowd. He held his staff in place, and the large green ball became slightly translucent to reveal an image of the previous three warriors
The three were shocked to see the crystal ball, but each for varying different reasons
The two Gods made their way through the crowd towards Goku, Vegeta and Cell. The two Saiyans tensed up as they stood straight and tall, while Cell just crossed his arms, his expression unchanged
Finally, both Beerus and Whis stood in front of the three, creating a moment of tense silence
"Cell...you seem to have met that copy of yours before. Tell us, how did you meet him." Beerus asked with a scary amount of patience, which startled the two Saiyans
"That man? He's a being that comes from a different timeline and claims to be a God, but as far as I know he's just a pretender. His real name is Zamasu and when I first met him he was under the possession of Goku's body but wearing black clothing, hence the name Goku Black. Though I guess he's changed names to 'Cell' Black now." Cell explained in full, which surprised everyone
"But why do you ask? Is he really a God?" Cell asked in return
"That is uncertain. But that ring of his, the Time Ring, is property of the Gods. And if he is what he claims, we may know exactly who he is." Whis responded, which also surprised everyone
"Guess that solves that." Cell thought to himself
"Hm, well if that solves the case then there's no rush to find him." Beerus threw his arms up
"I see, if you need me, you need only shout." Cell said as he bowed and left the party all together
Although the conflict was over, there was still one question to be answered
"And you, timebreaker. What happened before you got here? What was so desperate that you committed a mortal sin?" Beerus said as he pointed to Future Gohan suddenly
"M-me? Why do you wanna-" He asked before Beerus suddenly appeared in front of him
"When a God tells you to do something, you do it. Now tell me before I decide to dish out my judgment early." Beerus threatened in his usual lack of patience, adding more tension
"R-right! So it sorta started a few hours ago..." He began to recollect
*Flashback*
The future, a plane that was once plagued by an Android menace, one that resulted in the death of the universe's greatest fighters
And yet the threat was terminated through the persistence of the sole remaining hero, allowing life to move on from its dark past and rebuild without the use of the celestial Dragonballs
That was until another threat arrived, one far worse than before...
In the midst of a wrecked city were the remains of once were. Buildings that had begun reconstruction were torn to shreds yet again, this time for good
Within the mess was a lone figure, Gohan, who ran at full speed through the rubble. He did his best to hide from this new threat, avoiding raising his ki too high
Though Gohan had tried to fight the threat head-on more than once he soon realized that this new threat was far less forgiving and forgetful. Rather than play and destroy for fun like the Androids this one seemed to have a vendetta, almost all attempts at fighting him resulted in impossible sacrifices and narrow escapes
So the battle torn warrior did the next best thing, he hid. Though he was no coward he of all people knew what fights to pick, and sadly no reasonable opportunity had shown itself for years
"Damnit, I hope I'm not late." Gohan thought to himself as he sprinted and parkoured through wreckage, towards the still standing Capsule Corp headquarters
No matter how fast or how much Gohan ran he couldn't shake the feeling of this pressure behind him. He could sense ki, and luckily for him this new being emanated ki, yet this creep always hid his power. So instead Gohan was always looking over his shoulder and observing the sky, praying to Kami that this man doesn't spot him
Eventually Gohan made it to the broken front doors of the building which he entered and made his way straight through a hallway and into a lab
"Sorry...I'm late!" Gohan huffed as he made it to the door
"Thank Kami, I was starting to worry that something happened along the way." A voice spoke
That was an old and worn Bulma, wearing her usual white lab coat and a pink shirt with blue pants. Though the room was a broken mess there was still a semblance of order in the form of a few metal tables and one or two lights that still worked
"You were worried? I hadn't heard from you in months and all of a sudden you call me? I was sure that Cell got to you first." Gohan worried
"Well what's an old woman like me supposed to do when the world is ending, luckily I have one or two inventions that block ki signatures." Bulma grinned but cleared her throat
"But that's not important. What is important is that I give you this." She said as she handed Gohan a small yellow capsule, one that he hadn't seen in years
"The Time Machine? I was sure this was broken after the last time I used it." Gohan said as he observed the capsule
"Nope, suree it took a few hits from the Androids but I've been working on it. And luckily I also have one more thing with me." Bulma explained as she also grabbed a strange canister with a blue liquid inside, which also glowed in the poor lighting
"The fuel? How long did it take to get this?" Gohan questioned as he pocketed the capsule and held the canister
"Too long, and this is our only chance that we can afford to use it. Its only enough for a one way trip but that's all you need, I'm sure you can get some more in the past, I'm smart like that!" Bulma boasted, referring to her past self
"This is amazing, with this the resistance sure has an edge against Cell." Gohan exclaimed, but Bulma snapped back
"No Gohan, you have the edge. I don't want you to tell the resistance about this okay? Just use it to call for help and prevent Cell from ever happening. Got it?" She lectured
"Well yeah, but I already stopped him in the past with dad and younger me, plus the Cell from here doesn't even have the Androids to absorb, AND I killed him too. This just isn't adding up." Gohan questioned, there were one too many things at play to know how this threat was born or even made
"Then solve it in the past, but right now we need to hurry we don't have-" Bulma began but was cut off by the sound of an explosion as well as the rumbling of the fraile building
"What the- I thought I placed anti ki sensors around this place, how is he here?" Bulma questioned as the rumbling got louder and louder
"Cell must've tracked my ki! Damnit we have to-" Gohan began but was cut off
"Not we, you have to get out of here right now if we stand a chance against that monster!" Bulma yelled as she ran to a small console and pressed a few buttons
"But how will you-"
"There's no time just go!!" She snapped
After a brief moment of hesitation Gohan nodded before bolting out of the lab and down another hallway before stopping
"This should buy some time." Gohan thought as he held the canister with one hand and with the other he shot multiple ki blasts in random directions before he flew far away from the building
But before he could get far Gohan turned around to see a pitch black tornado envelope the building and suddenly a fiery explosion lit the dark, cloudy skies
Gohan was dumbfounded as he stared at the once Capsule Corp building, now lit ablaze by the unstoppable threat. Memories of his past and his struggles flooded his mind suddenly, unknowing as to whether or not Bulma lived or died
With teary eyes Gohan continued his arduous flight to another location
Many long hours followed the horrific event, and yet Gohan managed to soldier through, flying faster in order to reach his new destination
When Gohan arrived he was met with yet another building that was partially fallen but still mostly complete
Without wasting time Gohan entered the small building, inside was a barren room followed by a lone hallway
"Uh...guys?! Anyone here?!" Gohan yelled, hearing his own echo too
"Well I feel their energy, so maybe they're busy." Gohan figured as he made his way through the hallway
After some time and many empty rooms later Gohan found the one he was looking for, the meeting room that was often used for the rebellion to strategize against Cell
When Gohan opened the door he was met with a room full of people, all sitting on a round table facing a single cork board with layouts. The people sitting down were small leaders, each wearing different colored trench coats to represent the small groups they led themselves
But in front of the board were two women, the first being the expert strategist. She was tall with black hair and black eyes. She wore a dark blue trench coat with red stars on the shoulders and a shotgun strapped to her back. She was the one with the most intellect regarding military strategy. Her name...Mai
Beside her was another woman, the confident leader of the rebellion who, in their time of need, stepped up to lead the charge against Cell. She had black ponytails and wore a dark green leather jacket with the depiction of a demon on her back as well as brown boots. Also unlike her gun-wielding allies she wore a sword strapped to her back given to her by Gohan himself
Her name? Videl Satan
When Gohan entered the room the entire room seemed to be taken aback by him as well as the strange canister he held beside him
"Gohan? What happened?" Mai asked
"I need to speak to you two in private." Gohan said, which caught everyone by surprise
"Um, sure I guess." Mai responded as the two leaders left the room with questions in their heads
When they left the room they closed the door behind him, allowing Videl to punch Gohan in the face
"What the hell Gohan! You've been missing for days after you fought Cell and you haven't even bothered to show up!" Videl yelled in anger
"Whatever it is there better be a good reason why you went missing, we've had to work several plans around because we thought you died!" Mai scolded him as well
"Sorry sorry, I know you've been worried but you know that it's hard to travel without flying." Gohan responded, still rubbing his cheek from the punch
"But listen, there's a reason why I went missing, and it's for this." He said as he showed the two the capsule that he held
"What's that for?" Videl asked as Mai held the strange container
"It's fuel for the Time Machine made by Bulma." Gohan said, which shocked them
"Time Machine? What the- how come we've never known about this?" Videl questioned
"That's because it was broken for a good while, and not even I was sure if Bulma was still alive to fix it. It wasn't until I managed to pick up a signal that she called me." Gohan explained
"Wow, I didn't know that Mis Bulma could even make something like this. You sure it'll work?" Mai questioned
"Yep, I've tested it myself a few years back to stop the Androids." Gohan explained further
"You've used this before and never told us? This is vital information that we could've used!" Videl raged
"Listen I know I never told you about this but that was because I wasn't even sure if it worked anymore. And now...Now Bulma's gone..." He said which shocked them
"What?!" Videl asked
"When I went to pick this up Cell attacked, and I'm not even sure if she survived or not but...if she didn't..." Gohan teared up
"Hey hey there's no need to think about that, if you aren't sure then maybe she did make it out. Who knows?" Mai comforted the man, while Videl caringly patted his back
"Yeah, you're right." Gohan said before he gathered himself again
"But the point is that we have a chance to win! I can go back in time and bring reinforcements like my dad or maybe even someone else that's strong! I'm sure that this will change everything!" He exclaimed
"If that's true then we should tell everybody the news." Mai suggested but was opposed
"No, I need to do this alone, too much debating and our window of opportunity will be gone!" Gohan exclaimed
"Alright fine, but why are you telling us this?" Videl questioned
"...There's only enough fuel for a one way trip, and...there's a chance I won't be able to come back." He broke it to them
"If that does happen...well...I just want to say goodbye. If this is the last time I see you." He explained, creating a silence between them
However the first one to break it is Videl, who punched Gohan yet again in the chest
"Don't talk like that! You will come back you hear me? I can't... Just come back okay?" Videl said with a small tear in her eye
This prompted Gohan to hug her in response, allowing them to be with each other one more time
"I'll do my best." Gohan assured her before addressing Mai
"Hopefully this isn't the end." Mai stated as the two firmly shook hands
"Yeah, but it's all up to fate now." Gohan responded
The three took a small moment to look at each other, unsure of whether Gohan will disappear from their lives entirely or not
That was until there was an explosion just outside of the building, launching everyone in different directions
When they recovered the building was partially destroyed but most of it revealed the dark atmosphere outside
And floating high above them was none other than Cell, his right hand outstretched towards them and with a silver ring on his index finger
"There you are scum. I've been looking for you." Cell said ominously
It was then that the large amount of men and women from the room recovered from their injuries and began raining bullets upon Cell, but none of which seemed to hurt him at all
"Damnit!" Gohan exclaimed as he turned into a Super Saiyan, while Videl unsheathed her sword
The two flew in at high speeds to clash with Cell, all while under fire from the troops below. Gohan rushed from the front while Videl flew in a curved motion and floated a ways behind them
Gohan landed a few punches on Cell, but none seemed to affect him. However it was then that Videl used her sword to make many slashes in the air, creating ki waves that shot after Cell and exploded on impact
But sadly Cell was able to recover from the assault and grab Gohan by the face with one hand
"No matter where you run, justice will be served all the same." He said, but was interrupted by Videl dashing in to strike his neck with the sword, doing nothing
"Flash out!" Mai yelled as she loaded a new type of bullet into her shotgun and shot it into the air
As everyone minus Cell closed their eyes the resulting flash of light seemed to disorient Cell for just enough time to kick him in the arm, releasing him
"Get outta here Gohan!" Videl ordered as she began striking Cell
This time Gohan didn't have time to argue, he simply flew down to pick up the fallen capsule of fuel before flying away
"Tch, pathetic." Cell said as he proceeded to block a strike from Videl and kick the sword away, and then punch her in the face which launched her to the ground
Gohan rushed as he flew a somewhat safe distance away from Cell and popped the capsule open to reveal the Time Machine
Wasting no time he speedily prepared as he inserted new fuel and jumped into the cockpit
"17 years into the past should do it, that's enough time for the team to get stronger than before." Gohan stated as he pressed a few buttons, activating the Time Machine
After many tense moments the machine finally began to rumble to life and soon it floated while glowing a little. This however caught the attention of Cell, who was gunning down the rebellion with a few ki blasts
"Hm? Another time machine? When will these mortals learn how to quit." Cell stated as he charged a ki blasts and aimed it straight to the time machine
Before the blast could fire however, Cell was blinded by yet another flare to the face, causing his ki blast to miss entirely
The Time Machine was soon engulfed by light and afterwards it disappeared from existence, traveling through space and time
And just like that Gohan escaped from the Future, giving him a small moment of rest
"Great...that settles it..." Gohan said before collapsing from exhaustion and lack of sleep
*End Flashback*
"And that's what happened. I'm still not sure if my friends survived or not, but the most important thing is that Cell dies, for the sake of everyone." Gohan finished his small story
"There's another version of me in the future?" Videl thought to herself
"He's had it rough." Prestina thought as well
There was a small moment of tense silence as everyone stared at Beerus, unsure of what his reaction will be
"Hm. So this Cell Black, he travels through time killing mortals. That's certainly cause for his erasure, but you've also decided to break the laws for you're own gain." Beerus thought before shrugging
"Oh well, can't be helped." He said before he then outstretched a hand towards Future Gohan's face
"This is you're punishment, say goodbye." He said
"Wait!" Someone interrupted
Future Trunks stepped forward from the crowd and stood next to Future Gohan, seemingly fearless as he stared at the God of Destruction
"If you're going to erase Gohan...then erase me too." He said, shocking everyone around
"And why would I do that?" Beerus responded, unwavering as he continued to stare at Gohan
"Trunks stop it right now!" Gohan interjected but was ignored
"Because many years ago I traveled back in time as well. I warned the team of an impending danger to save my timeline. And although I wasn't successful in saving my time I still committed the same crime." Trunks stated
"So, if you're going to punish Gohan then take me with him!" He exclaimed
There was a long pause as Beerus stared coldly at the two Hybrid Saiyans, both of which had a small fire in their eyes. Both were very serious, and neither was backing down
Eventually, Beerus sighed and put his hand down
"This is too much trouble. I'll let you live under one condition!" He exclaimed, relieving everyone
"That you and your team take care of that threat for me, I'm sure you can manage. And if you don't, then you'll both be answering to me, understood?" Beerus questioned, prompting the two to bow in respect and fear
"Yes Lord Beerus!" Trunks said
"Good, now I'll get back to eating, Whis!" He said as he walked back to his seat
"You all are lucky that Beerus let you off this easy, it's a shame that he does anything to avoid work." Whis commented before following his lord
The entire crowd breathed a sigh of relief as the crisis had been averted, and although not all of the trouble was gone it at least allowed them to continue forward
"That was really stupid what you did back there...but real brave too." Piccolo half complimented Future Trunks
"Yeah! I'm glad you could stand up to him, I know I wouldn't!" Yamcha confessed as well
"Thanks guys, but I couldn't just let Gohan die like that, not after he just got here." Trunks said as he held a hand over his shoulder
"Ehe, well as much as I would like to stick around 18 and I should get going, it's pretty late." Krillin stated
"Yeah, Launch and I should be leaving too." Tien stated as well
"Guess that's enough excitement for one day..." Master Roshi sighed as he walked out of the party too
And with that multiple guests upped and left. Although it wasn't exactly late for them, all of the stress and new information was far too much to take in for one day alone
"Huh, guess the party is dispersing already, Giru and I should get going as well." 21 added as she and Giru left the backyard and went into the Capsule Corp building
"Oh right! I have somewhere to be!" Teen Trunks stated as he checked his phone and flew away
"Wow, that was pretty intense for a party." Goku commented, now seeing that the only people left were his family as well as Vegeta's family too
"I never expected my trip through time to go this way...I'm just glad we can stop and rest for now." Future Gohan commented
"I'm just glad to see you again Gohan. Oh right, we should probably introduce you properly." Trunks suggested, looking at the various different people who Gohan had not yet met
"But first, let's get a bite to eat, I've been starving since I got here." Future Gohan stated as he and Future Trunks walked over to the food table
Elsewhere in the city, a pressured Teen Trunks rushed to the city park, unsure of whether he missed his date or not
When he landed onto the scene there weren't too many people around (luckily no one witnessed Trunks take flight) and none of which were Mai
"Thank Kami." He mumbled as he breathed a sigh of relief, seems she was a little late too
Trunks took the moment to check himself, per 13's advice, by fixing the collar of his shirt, making sure he didn't smell bad and even applying a small amount of perfume from a small bottle in his pocket
"Not too much, what was it he said? Don't smell when you enter the room but when they hug you? But I'm not in a room." Teen Trunks mumbled to himself in nervousness
It was then that a finger tapped his shoulder, bringing his attention to the person behind him
To Trunks' surprise Mai had snuck up behind him. She wore a simple khaki sweater with green pants, although she also wore a hidden pistol strap around her waist as well
"Hi, you said we should meet here." Mai said simply, although Trunks was taken aback by this
"Oh hey! I um, didn't see you there ehe." Teen Trunks said nervously as he fumbled with the small bottle of perfume at hand before pocketing the thing
"So...is there something you want to say?" Mai asked curiously
"Oh ha, right I-" Trunks said before he cleared his throat
"Right, be cool Trunks, women can smell fear...but I already put on the-No! Be cool...be...cool" Trunks thought to himself
"Why don't we walk around the park for a while? The weather is...nice." Teen Trunks tried his best at flirting
"Hm? Sure I guess." Mai agreed as the two began walking through the park
Inside the building itself there meditated a lone creature once again
Cell, who had been suffering from his high rising emotions for quite some time, was now experiencing a sudden drop in energy. After letting off nearly all of his steam in his battle with Cell Black he was now mentally spent
But this didn't mean that he wasn't mad, in fact just thinking about the false God made him livid for much clearer reasons. Aside from Black Vegeta's actions and those of 17 and 18 frustrated him to say the least
All in all, he was not happy. He was an idiot to think that he could get along with his former tormentors of all people, and the idea of the Dragon team now became that of a joke
"That Goku, I've given him far too much credit for forming a team of former rivals. How could someone with so many enemies ever turn his back against these people?" Cell thought
It also hurt his social standing that his fight was seen by the others, but by this point he sparsely cared of what they thought of him
Except for one person
Just as Cell was beginning to think further, Android 21 and Giru walked into the room, having not only sensed his ki but also figured he'd be in his old room
However once they entered they did not say a word, but instead stood in silence as Cell 'meditated'
Unsurprisingly it didn't take long for the silence to get uncomfortable for Cell. Whether it was because she hated him or couldn't yet place her feelings, Cell was sure that he had to say something to alleviate the tension
"...I'm sorry for acting being extreme. I'm...not sure what I'm meant to say, but I'm sorry that I went too far." Cell did his best to apologize, though he knew it was a weak attempt
"If you're angry then I understand, what I did wasn't correct. However it was what I felt in the moment, and I won't-" He said before he was cut off
Surprisingly, 21 grabbed both of Cell's hands and held them together, which confused him
"Are you okay?" She asked caringly, which shocked Cell
"What? I assumed you were angry?" Cell said, to which 21 sighed deeply
"...What you did was not right, and to be honestly it was hard to watch you do that to someone." 21 admitted, which Cell understood
"But I know that there's a good reason for the way you acted." She explained, which surprised Cell
"I understand that you were mad at Black for taking you're body, and for that I won't say anything. But all I need to know is if you're ok?" 21 asked again
"...Am I okay?" Cell questioned
"Yes. You seem to be angry, which is something I noticed before your fight with Black. Whether it's over Vegeta or the other Androids...I just...I'm sorry if I forced into something without considering it." 21 apologized
This sudden turn made Cell oddly uncomfortable. Yes he was upset, but how was she able to blame herself? She shouldn't be the one to blame, for they were Cell's feelings, not hers
"No no, you don't need to apologize, I agreed to be here as well. However...my resentment simply boiled over is all, you don't need to worry." Cell assured her, though the last line wasn't what she wanted to hear
"Please, I do need to worry. I'm here to help you, and because of that I need to know if you're going to be okay or not." She declared once again, which surprised Cell
"...I'm fine 21. And I'm glad you asked." Cell responded with a smile
Seeing Cell's smile made 21 smile in return before she sighed
"Well the party outside is over, we should start heading out now." 21 declared as Cell nodded
"Right, I'll meet you and Giru back home, I need to sort some things." Cell said
21 simply nodded as she and Giru disappeared from the room, allowing Cell to process what happened
Although 21 had declared herself multiple times by this point, it never ceased to amaze Cell just how much she cared for him. Though he was not in the right state of mind 21 understood that and made sure he was okay, which was something that warmed his heart
Was that what it felt like? To have someone care for you when you yourself don't? How is he meant to reciprocate these feelings? Is he supposed to return them at all?
These questions soon plagued Cell's mind, but he soon ceased to think of them
"No, I think...I'll just stop for today." Cell thought to himself
Back outside of the building, Future Gohan sat on a chair with one of several empty plates at hand. In front of him were most of the remaining people from the party, recounting almost every event that Gohan was unaware of
"So *gulp* let me get this straight. In this timeline Trunks went to the past instead of me and fought the Androids and later came back to stay. Afterwards, Cell became evil and managed to absorb the Androids and wreck havoc with Majin Buu before he and Buu were killed. But he didn't die, and a year later he came back with company, killed practically everyone, and then revived everyone. Then more Androids showed up before they turned good and killed an evil copy. And then you guys discovered more power, fought the God of Destruction, and Cell is now not evil." Gohan recounted, seeing if he understood the spew of information correctly
"Yep, that's about it." Prestina confirmed
"Wow, that's definitely a lot to take in, not to mention that Videl and I are married in this Timeline, and having a baby to boot." Future Gohan exclaimed
"Speaking of which, what's future me like?" Videl asked
"Hm...well she's a lot meaner than you are, that's for sure. In fact when I first met her she tried to beat me up, and it kinda worked." Future Gohan admitted
"Hold on...you too?" Gohan asked
"Eh? Yeah, she's also pretty tough, although I guess I don't blame her after everything that went down." Future Gohan admitted
"That's amazing, she's exactly the same as Videl when we first met!" Gohan declared, and was responded by an elbow to the side
"Ow ow, sorry." Gohan apologized
"How long have you two been together?" Videl asked
"Hm, I'd have to say around five years." He responded, to which everyone was surprised
"That's amazing, and how long have you been married." Gohan asked
"Married? We just started dating a few months ago." Gohan responded, which shocked everyone
"You've known the girl for years and yet you haven't even courted her." Vegeta piped in
"Yeah...I guess it's because the two of us have been so busy with repairing the cities that we haven't really made time for ourselves." Future Gohan stated
"That's...pretty surprising." Chi-Chi commented
"H-hey but would you look at the time it's getting pretty late now!" Future Gohan stated, attempting to avoid some of the embarrassment. However the sun was beginning to set on the horizon
"We should probably leave then, oh Gohan, you could stay with us!" Goku suggested
"You're right, we could make some space for you!" Chi-Chi boasted
"Hm, actually that would be great!" Future Gohan agreed
"Well then let's get going!" Goku stated
"Oh but before that I have to drop Videl off at her house." Gohan stated
"Hey Gohan, er Future Gohan. you don't mind if I pay you a visit in the morning do you?" Future Trunks asked
"Not at all!" He responded
It was then that Goku, both Gohans, Goten, Videl and Chi-Chi huddled together before they disappeared from sight
As the sun began to set people soon retreated to their homes, preparing for the next day
Including the two young teenagers, both of whom walked along the park of West City
Trunks' date went fairly well, although he wasn't very experienced in dates (or flirting with women for that matter), he still managed to hold generic conversation
Even if the date was less of a date than what Trunks realized, he was still content with getting to hangout with a girl
"Huh...I didn't know that you were an expert with guns." Trunks stated with his hands in his pockets
"I've learned all about them since I was little, which I why I always have one on me." Mai explained as she held her personal pistol in a safe manner
Trunks looked around and saw that no one was near, practically everyone had left once the sky darkened
"Hey um I have to go it's getting a little late. But it was fun talking to you." Trunks said as he began to float
"It was nice talking with you too." Mai returned as Trunks soon flew up and away from the park
As Trunks flew however, he began yelling in sheer happiness once he was out of earshot
"Looks like that's one point for the ladiesman!!" Trunks thought confidently as he flew away
Down in the ground, Mai looked at the teenager with interest and general curiosity. At first she thought that he was a menace, however it was through her interactions that she realized he was pretty normal
Although she was very much aware that she was attracted to her, mainly through the odd texts. Still, it was...nice to talk with him. Even if he wasn't aware of who he was dealing with she was willing to see where this went
As she walked away she pulled out her phone and dialed a number
"*click* Mai? Are you done with your date with that kid?"
"Yes lord Pilaf, it went smoothly." She replied
"Good GOOD! Now we can infiltrate Capsule Corp without a hitch, through that Trunks boy!" Pilaf monologued
"Sir, I doubt that he's dumb enough to just hand us the Dragonballs." She retorted
"Nonsense, anyone would fall for their lover!!" Pilaf exclaimed, causing Mai to sigh
"I'm heading back to base." She said before hanging up
"Sorry Trunks, but I still have a job to do." Mai thought to herself while walking through the mostly empty streets
Meanwhile, hidden in the great plains were Cell, 21 and Giru whom were all inside the hidden home. 21 and Giru sat on the couch while Cell floated just beside them
For the remaining hours of daylight the group decided to watch movies together. Aside from training and/or exploring space, there wasn't much for the trio to do to entertain themselves
By the end 21's wish was accomplished, Cell had calmed down significantly
"Giru thought that the creature was meant to be smarter than what was displayed." Giru criticized
"Yeah, rather than act as a hunter he fought more as a brawler." 21 agreed
"I'm still unsure how the main heroine was able to kill the thing." Cell continued
The soul within 21 chipped in as well, though only 21 could hear it
"Hm, I guess you're right, it was a pretty good movie in the end." 21 agreed
Though they did enjoy watching movies together, none of them could help but criticize it. Still, it was around time that 21 rest for the day
"That's it for us, I should get some sleep for work tomorrow." 21 stated as she got up from the couch
"Alright, I will follow shortly." Cell responded kindly as 21 left the living room
"Oh fun, Giru can watch the show Giru was watching!" Giru stated as he changed the channel with the remote
However Cell stayed quiet, absorbed in his thoughts again
Cell enjoyed his time with Giru, 21 and the soul, the three have become good friends to him. It was hard to imagine that he would ever have people who cared about him to such a degree
Most especially 21. She had come to understand him well, so much so that she was aware of Cell's feelings and was considerate of them. This extended to the soul and Giru as well, though he may not see it one could only imagine how well the soul and 21 get along
Cell was amazed that he could be close to someone so kind and just, and he found himself enjoying seeing her happy just as much as she does for him
"I would do anything to remain like this." Cell thought as he finally walked over to 21's room where he would spend the night meditating
...Or at least half of him would...
Near the lush forests was a familiar home, the house of Son Goku and his family
The sleeping arrangements were almost immediately settled, Future Gohan was set to sleep in the floor with his own futon in Gohan's room, neither of which were opposed to the idea
As for Future Gohan, he was filled with nostalgia at seeing his childhood home intact and standing. It had been decades since he last saw it like this and seeing it nearly filled him with tears
The group prepared to rest for the day as the night sky soon began to settle. But for some odd reason, Future Gohan sat on the roof of the house
"This place, it's better than I remembered it. All those years ago..." He began to think
"Hey, can't sleep yet?" Present Gohan said as he poked his head from the window
"Not exactly." His Future self responded as he decided to fly over and sit next to him
"Does this bring any memories for you?" Gohan wondered as his Future self smirked
"Yeah, tons of them. I remember sitting here when I was little and staring at the night sky before sleeping. The house is different too, there's even a whole farm that you guys made!" Future Gohan responded
"Really? That means that you're house must've changed a ton too." Gohan commented
"Yeah...things were never the same after dad died. Even before the Androids came things got quiet around the house." Future Gohan recounted
"...And mom? What happened to her?"
"...she died a few years back. Luckily it wasn't to the Androids or any of that, but she got a little old and..." Future Gohan explained before tearing up
"...and she left, just like the others..." He commented as his present self patted him on the back
"It must be hard, having to see them go for good." Gohan commented
"It is. When it all started, back when the Androids showed up, I never saw the team die in front of me, I just felt it from afar. And I couldn't do anything then, it was...hopeless..." Future Gohan explained
"Hey hey, look on the bright side, you kept fighting for what was right! You won, and now you were able to fix everything!" Gohan stated
"But Cell-" Future Gohan said but was cut off
"Don't worry about Cell, I'm sure that dad and the team can help you fight him." Gohan told him
"And...what about Bulma, and Mai and Videl?" Future Gohan asked
"If I know Videl and Bulma any better, I wouldn't count on them dying so easily. I'm sure that they made it out one way or another, and the same goes for Mai!" Gohan exclaimed
Future Gohan took a moment to see his present self. Though they looked nearly identical, it was evident how different they were. His present self was still able to retain that positivity that he had all those years ago, looking at the bright side in everything he could
When he realized this, Future Gohan smiled
"It looks like I was able to save them. Even if I couldn't save myself, my trip though time was able to save other timelines as well." He thought as he stood up
"Thanks, you don't know just how much I needed that." Future Gohan said as Present Gohan stood as well
"No problem, I'm sure things will work out just fine." He said before the two entered the room once again
"Mai...Videl...Bulma...please stay alive." Future Gohan thought to himself
As the day was coming to a close, everyone prepared to sleep, both worried yet content that the threat ahead will be dealt with
All except Vegeta
Vegeta left the kitchen after having eaten his dinner. He was able to eat with both Trunkses and the Majin sisters, but for some odd reason Bulma wasn't there with them
"At least that takes care of everything." Vegeta thought as he made his way to the bedroom
Although he was a bit worried that the fight between Cell and Black would cause him some trouble, he was glad that nothing happened to him
When Vegeta entered the bedroom he was surprised to see Bulma standing there with her arms crossed
"Hm, what is it now?" Vegeta asked in a crass manner
"I think you know what you've done already." Bulma stated, which surprised Vegeta
"Get to the point woman." Vegeta responded in a slight panic
"When I saw the fight today...I wondered what was going on between you and Cell, because something tells me that you're not telling me the truth." Bulma interrogated
"And what do you mean by that?" Vegeta asked
"I'm not stupid Vegeta, I picked up on what Cell meant, and before that when I saw him tear into himself like a madman." Bulma stated before she walked up to Vegeta
"What did you do?" Bulma questioned
Silence filled the room as the tension was felt throughout Vegeta, questioning on whether or not he should confess what he's done
"Because I am your mistake!"
"What the hell is wrong with you?!?"
"You knew that your pride was far greater than any life on Earth, and far greater than mine!"
"You haven't suffered nearly enough to pay for what you've done."
Flashbacks of Cell and Adult Trunks came to mind as Vegeta could only look at Bulma. She didn't know what happened. She shouldn't know what happened, not that mistake
"I've postponed this long enough." Vegeta admitted to himself as he took a deep sigh
"...I...I tortured Cell." He spat, which confused Bulma for a moment
"After he was born, for years I would beat him into submission for what his counterpart did to me, to Trunks! I did what I thought was right at the time...and now...I'm not proud of it, of what had become because of it." Vegeta explained
Bulma was shocked as she turned around and paced around for a bit, unsure of how she should react to this information
"...Who else knows?" She asked, her back still facing her husband
"Kakarot, his son, Piccolo...and Mirai Trunks." Vegeta confessed as well
There was an uncomfortable silence as Bulma continued pacing the room, before eventually she stopped
"I haven't seen you in a month Vegeta. I've waited for weeks just to get to see you again, and to be with you. We have a daughter on the way too..." Bulma said before she faced Vegeta
"...For years I thought that everything was my fault. That keeping Cell was a mistake, that saving millions of lives with the Senzu Pills was a mistake. I thought that I was the reason why my son and I died and the reason why Cell was the way he was...all because of me." She vented before she decided to make a choice
"Get out of my room. Go sleep somewhere else, I'm not going to deal with this today." Bulma said as calmly as she possibly could
Without one more word Vegeta opened the door and walked out, towards one of the spare guest rooms for the night
Inside the bedroom, once Vegeta left, Bulma grabbed a hairbrush from beside her and chucked it at the mirror, breaking the thing
"Everything I know...was a lie..." Bulma told herself as she kneeled on the floor, feeling all of the guilt that's accumulated throughout the years resurface into one big panic attack
In the kitchen the four continued to play around and talk as if nothing was wrong, unaware of what was happening
All except Prestina, who could feel despair emanating from a direction. Although she tried not to use her mental powers to pry into people's minds, this mind was just too clear and too telegraphed for her to ignore it
But above that one there was another mind, one that experienced joy like no other. Both of these minds were displaying such strong emotions that Prestina couldn't help but pay attention to them
"Hey sis, what's wrong?" Chocolata asked, but she didn't respond. Instead she continued to listen as a woman cried, and a man laughed
On the roof of the building, a lone bug was seen standing over the residence, listening with his accute hearing
When he heard the interaction end, the Bio-Weapon chuckled maliciously which slowly evolved into maniacal laughter. A laughter so satisfying that his entire body shook with glee
These feelings, he hadn't felt them for years, way back when he first gained his Perfect Form, and the events that entailed afterwards. Way back when he killed the Z team with his own two hands...when he murdered Vegeta himself
Finally...his revenge was complete!
Finally...he was truly happy
