Chapter 6: A New Era Begins! The Last Surviving Z-Fighters!
AGE 766
The Z-Fighters sit outside Goku's house, as Gohan runs towards said house. Videl had just told him that his father's time was up via their bond. He arrives just in time to see Videl, Chi-Chi, the Ox-King, and the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi watching Goku in the master bedroom. That, and to see his father take his last breath.
Krillin, who is outside the house with the rest of the Z-Fighters, has been sensing Goku's Ki signature. He has been keeping track of his best friend's Ki signature ALL DAY! Goku has come down with a mysterious, incurable virus. One that specifically attacks the heart. Krillin really has been keeping a close "eye" on Goku's Ki, as to the normal human eye, Ki is invisible. Anyway, Krillin suddenly senses the disappearance in his best friend's Ki, knowing exactly what it means: Goku has died.
It may not sound that bad, because you might think that he can simply be revived with the Dragon Balls, but that is sadly not the case. This is because the Dragon Balls can't bring anyone back from the dead, at least, those who die from a natural cause, such as old age or an illness. And here is the problem, this Heart Virus that Goku has died from counts as natural, meaning that this time for sure, Goku is gone, dead. There was nothing that the Z-Fighters could do to stop this. No Senzu Beans, no Dragon Balls. This was a fight that no matter what Goku did, he couldn't win against this Heart Virus.
Goku may have stood tall against the deadliest of foes from across the universe, sure, but the fact is that the mighty Saiyan warrior was simply no match for this Heart Virus of his. Though those close to Goku were overcome by sadness for the loss of their fallen friend, they all continued to lead peaceful lives for some time. However, that peace would not last forever. (A/N: It IS Dragon Ball Z after all. Peace in the Dragon Ball Z universe is never meant to last.) Goku's death to the Heart Virus was simply a foreshadowing of an even more depressing event that was looming around the corner.
SIX MONTHS LATER
A destructive duo appeared on an island approximately nine miles southwest of South City. All of the Z-Fighters, minus Goku, met the duo head-on, but they were all no match for them. Piccolo was the first to fight AND the first to die. Vegeta, having recently unlocked the Super Saiyan transformation himself, was next to fall. Then Yamcha, then Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu. Even Krillin was destroyed by the ruthless. Two artificial beings with strength beyond normal conception have appeared from seemingly nowhere. With the Z-Fighters eliminated, this duo would go onto plunging the Earth into a state of constant fear and chaos. Or so it seems.
Upon closer inspection of the destroyed city, we can still see two figures still moving slightly, a pair that has managed to survive the battle against this unbeatable, unknown duo: Son Gohan and Videl Satan. That's right, the only survivors from the battle were Gohan and Videl. They may be alive, and they may be badly wounded, but they can still move around. It's just too bad that they're the last surviving Z-Fighters on Earth. As with Piccolo's death, Kami, the Earth's Guardian, also died with him. This is because Kami and Piccolo are two halves of the same soul. And with Kami's death, the Dragon Balls died with him. This means that no one can ever be revived ever again, nor can ANY damage done be UNDONE.
For the first time ever, Gohan and Videl, the last two Z-Fighters, are stuck in a dangerous situation with no way out of it. Seeing the deaths of the rest of the Z-Fighters, Gohan and Videl feel an unspoken level of rage. Such a deep rage, that something in them both snaps. And with that said, they both start to transform into what Goku and Vegeta had achieved: They had finally become Super Saiyans. After a little bit of time has passed, they collapse to their knees. For the time being, they decide to retreat back to Capsule Corporation.
The lovebirds tell Bulma about what happened, and she is feeling like her whole mind went numb. It may have gone numb, but being the smart woman she is, she's not going to let this keep her down. For roughly the next 7 years, Gohan and Videl have trained their Super Saiyan forms to the best that they could do. With a limited supply of Senzu Beans, and with Korin, the Senzu Bean farmer, killed by the Androids, they can't stock up on Senzu Beans.
If they could restock on Senzu Beans, they could be able to take on more brutal ways of training, because with them being half-Saiyans, they get stronger every time they're brought to the brink of death AND make a full recovery from those injuries, so it makes sense that they would need Senzu Beans. Because most of the time, normal medical machines may not be able to help heal them fully. Instead, it will just leave them with scars over their injured spots.
But at least they have each other as sparring partners for training. (A/N: Unlike Gohan in the canon Future Trunks timeline, where for 13 years straight, he only had himself to train with. No one else to help him. At least, not until Trunks got older to where he could start training with Gohan.) Outside of fighting the Androids, Gohan and Videl have confessed their love for one another.
While they couldn't have an actual ceremony, they at least had a celebration meal at Capsule Corp., with Bulma, Trunks, Chi-Chi, and the Ox-King to enjoy the celebration with. The little party went on for a little while longer, and the Super Saiyan duo also announced Videl's pregnancy. Everyone is very happy to hear this news, as this means that something positive has come out of this Android apocalypse.
They may be becoming young parents, (slightly,) but they didn't let that stop them from being happy about their unborn child. With this in mind, Videl started taking it easy, due to her pregnancy. 9 months later, Videl went into labor, with Gohan by her side. This took place at Capsule Corp. Videl's pregnancy was a safe one, no issues. And it was a baby girl that was born that day. Gohan and Videl have agreed to a name for their newborn daughter: Pan.
SIX YEARS LATER, AGE 780
It's been 13 years since the Z-Fighters died to the Androids, and over this time, Gohan and Videl have continued their training, further refining their Super Saiyan forms as much as possible, with their Senzu Bean supply still reducing. With these attempts at fighting Androids 17 & 18, Trunks has admired the combined strength of the married couple, and he makes an very passionate plea to them: asking them to train him, because he knows that one of these days, Gohan and Videl may eventually die to the Androids, so he wants to make sure that he'll be strong enough to teach Pan how to fight in their absence.
They agree to this, and Trunks's training begins. Training goes well for several days, up until the Androids attack another city, forcing Gohan, Videl, and Trunks to fight them. While they do have the advantage in numbers: Gohan, Videl, and Trunks vs. Androids 17 & 18, the Androids have the advantage in strength, plus the Androids have infinite energy reserves, meaning they can't ever get tired in battle. Gohan and Android 17 take initiative in the battle, with Gohan transforming into a Super Saiyan.
In the beginning of the battle, Gohan seemed to have the advantage, and this remained so for a while, as 18 was unable to interfere due to Videl, who also transformed into a Super Saiyan herself, and Trunks fighting her, and keeping her from assisting her twin brother against Gohan. It seemed that the 3 Saiyan Hybrids would have the advantage, but Videl and Trunks started to get tired, allowing 18 to gain the advantage, and overpower the both of them.
Gohan did take notice of this, and did try to assist them, but 17 blasted Videl and Trunks from the back, rendering them unconscious. 18 tried to blast them from the front afterwards, but Gohan caught them, and took the blast for them, resulting in his left arm wounded. Once this happened, Gohan knew that it was time to retreat. 17 & 18 tried blasting Gohan to stop him from getting away, but they didn't succeed.
With this failure from the Androids, Gohan took advantage of this and found some rubble from the destroyed city to hide behind. As the Androids look around for Gohan, they decide to take a "pop shot," meaning they had decided to create a Ki blast powerful enough to level the surrounding area. Thankfully, Gohan, Videl and Trunks still remained hidden. With neither of the Androids knowing if they killed the 3 Saiyans or not, they decide to leave the city.
Shortly afterwards, Gohan regains consciousness, but he realized that he had lost his left arm completely. He did have 2 Senzu Beans left, but he decided to give them both to Videl and Trunks. Eventually, Videl and Trunks do wake up and carry the unconscious Gohan back to Capsule Corp. After several more days pass by, Gohan makes a well-enough recovery to continue training with Videl and Trunks.
The main focus was getting Trunks to transform into a Super Saiyan, which hasn't been showing any signs of success. Pan accompanies the trio in the training, taking her end of it lightly, as she IS still only six years old. After his most recent attempt at transforming into a Super Saiyan, Trunks believes himself to be a joke to the Saiyan race. Gohan and Videl tell him to relax and not burden himself with trying to become a Super Saiyan for a while; take the mind off becoming a Super Saiyan.
Gohan and Videl explain to Trunks how they first transformed into Super Saiyans themselves, and that Trunks just needs to find the right motivation to trigger the transformation. But all of a sudden, an explosion from the nearby city is seen, signaling that 17 & 18 are attacking another city. Gohan and Videl transform into Super Saiyans, ready to confront the Androids once more. Trunks tells the couple that they can't go against the Androids, but they tell him to take Pan back to Capsule Corporation and take care of her for them. Trunks understands this and flies towards Capsule Corp.
Meanwhile, Gohan and Videl confront the Androids for their final time. For the most part, they have the advantage in the beginning, but it doesn't last that long. As the couple knock the Androids to the ground, they prepare a Full-Power, unrestrained Masenko: A one-handed Masenko from Gohan and a proper, two-handed Masenko from Videl, and they pour every last reserve of energy they have, not holding anything back.
After they fire their combined Masenko, they're both out of energy. They don't even have enough for them to escape. With this, they slowly descend to the ground, and revert to their base forms, panting from exhaustion. But then… "Whoops. Psyche." *Female laughter. Gohan and Videl look on, surprised at what they see: 17 & 18 emerge from the rubble, not showing any signs of being serious. With this, the married couple transform back into Super Saiyans. 17 breaks the news to them: "I really feel awful for having to disappoint you two like this, but 18 and I have only been fighting at half our full power." With 18 adding on: "You're not going anywhere, Gohan and Videl."
For the remainder of the fight, Gohan and Videl are on the defensive, while in their Super Saiyan forms. Eventually, 18 gets bored and tells her brother that she believes it's time to put the couple out of their misery. To which, 17 agrees. With the confirmation from her brother, 18 moves very quickly behind the couple and blasts them to the ground with a single blast. And this does exactly that, resulting in the couple reverting to their base forms momentarily.
18 teleports back to her brother's side and together, they prepare a consecutive barrage of Ki blasts. As the blasts approach the couple, Gohan and Videl transform into their Super Saiyan forms one last time, and pour all of their remaining energy into a dual Kamehameha. All that they're able to do is push the opposing blasts back to an even amount of distance in the middle. 17 & 18 are still being casual about this beam struggle, and they put a little bit more effort into their blasts, forcing Gohan and Videl's bodies more towards the ground, as well pushing their Kamehameha Wave further towards them. 17 & 18 put even more effort into their blasts, and Gohan and Videl are overcome by the blasts. Simultaneously, the couple says this in their minds: "Trunks, Pan. You both… have to survive. You're our… last hope…" With this, they finally succumb to their wounds, and pass away.
Meanwhile with Trunks, he has successfully taken Pan back to Capsule Corp., but he decides to head back immediately after senses that something is wrong. As he can no longer sense neither Gohan's nor Videl's energies. With this troubling thought in mind, he picks up his speed towards the city. When he gets there, it's raining outside, but that doesn't stop him from looking around the city ruins for Gohan and Videl.
Eventually, he finds them, or their bodies to be precise, and he is in tears at the loss of Gohan and Videl. Gohan, because aside from being his mentor, he was also like a father-figure to him; Videl, because of two reasons: One, she was the only female who truly understood him and his heritage. Two, she was also a very suitable training partner closer to his level of strength, so they would both see roughly equal gains in power.
With these memories going through his mind, he finally snaps, and transforms into a Super Saiyan. Shortly afterwards, he heads back to Capsule Corp. with their bodies, and carries out their last order to him: take care of Pan, and train her up to fight the Androids. And just like that, 3 years pass by. At this time, Pan is now 9 years old.
The Time Machine that Bulma has been working on is nearly complete. Trunks and Pan bring some boxes into the enormous room where the Time Machine currently is, and they see Bulma still hard at work on it. One minute later, the radio goes on, stating the Androids' next city assault. With that, Trunks and Pan head off to confront the Androids.
Once they get there, Trunks transforms into a Super Saiyan, and Pan powers up to her full power, as she still hasn't achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. Trunks takes on #18 while Pan takes on #17. As Pan and #17 battle, he brings up the memory of Gohan and Videl's death to Pan. With the way #17 is talking about it, it stirs up a deep rage in her heart, and she snaps, finally achieving the Super Saiyan transformation.
Meanwhile with Trunks and #18, their battle isn't going any better for the male Super Saiyan, so Pan and Trunks knock both #17 and #18 together, and fire a powerful wave of Ki at them, but they emerge from the rubble unscathed. Aside from #18's dusty, dirty clothes, nothing happened to the Android twins.
Once this happens, the Androids knock the Saiyans to the ground, and Trunks asks them why they're killing all of humanity, to which #17 replies: "Dr. Gero created us to help him take over the world, but we don't care about that old man's dream." And #18 adds on: "We simply can't stand LOOKING at you humans. It's that simple." With this answer, Trunks and Pan lose consciousness. Thankfully, Bulma was able to find them and get them back to Capsule Corp. after the Androids left.
A few months later, in Age 784, the Time Machine is finally ready. Fully fueled up for a round-trip. By this time, Pan is now 10 years old. Bulma gives Trunks the antidote for Goku's Heart Virus, and the Saiyan Hybrid duo board the Time Machine, and they head off in their journey to the past. 20 years into the past, to be precise.
(A/N: That's the end of Chapter 6. I hope you enjoyed reading this exposition chapter. If you couldn't tell by reading the chapter, that's really all it was: A simple backstory for how the Future timeline played out with Videl's involvement. Let me know what your thoughts are on this chapter. Chapter 7 will start out with Goku's explanation for how he escaped Planet Namek alive. The only real difference for that part of the chapter will be including Videl's thoughts on the explanation. See you in the next one. Peace.)