Darkjaden: Trust me, I have no intention of letting that happen.
Guest: I'll make sure Gohan keeps training, I think that's a good place to start. As for him being blackmailed, I already established he and Videl won't be a thing, but in regards to the blackmail, that won't happen, at least not with Gohan.
Vukk: Yeah, it's been established that no one cares about power levels anymore, but aside from that, Gohan defating Cell was essentially his coming of age, and frankly it was way too good to pass up. In regards to the three questions, two of them will be answered in this chapter, and the last one will be answered next chapter.
Guest: I actually do plan to go into Dragon Ball Super territory after the Z portion is done, but you'll have to wait and see until then.
xSonallyGirl129x: Well, doing a review of all three acts in one would be a time saver, so I get why you're doing that. I'm glad to see you took a liking to the Cell Vs references, and for the record, the one about the homeless man was a nod to Cell vs Kenshiro, the main guy from Fist of the North Star. Yes, I added in that scene with Gohan and 16 from Kakarot so that it would make his death more impactful. I honestly preferred the abridged scenes with Mr Satan and the others over the ones from canon, and yes his entourage of students and his manager were pretty annoying, so I had Cell go through with killing them. The TFS references are always golden, and way too good to pass up. Kai's outburst to Goku was something I had planned out ahead of time, and it's a pretty big step in his character arc. Upa's death was meant to add more tension to the arc, like with Tien and Tarble. And yes, I still firmly believe TFS had the best version of Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 transformation, and it was my favorite scene to write. Kai's long awaited reunion with his mother was another big step in his character arc, and it was definitely one of the scenes I looked forward to the most. And yes, the climax where everyone jumps in and shows their inner turmoil was a great addition by the anime. I'm glad you enjoyed the Cell Games chapters, and I hope the epilogues also please you.
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At last, Cell had been defeated by Gohan, and the Earth was safe once more.
Piccolo looked down at Gohan's injured form, his expression filled with pride "You actually did it, you defeated Cell and saved the Earth. You did good Gohan, you did good."
Yamcha nodded "Yeah no kidding, that was totally awesome. I'm not just kidding around, that was a definite thing of beauty."
"I just can't believe we're all still here." Future Gohan muttered "I mean truth be told, it hasn't really sunk in yet."
"I know how you feel. Anyway come on buddy, we'd better get you up to the Lookout. We might be out of Senzu Beans sure, but Dende and his healing abilities are the next best thing."
"You'll be up and about in no time." Piccolo knelt down and picked up Gohan in his arms "No need to worry, I'll get you there."
"Thanks… Piccolo…" and then Gohan promptly passed out.
"Looks like it's really getting to him now, he passed out from exhaustion."
"Speaking of which Piccolo, are you going to be okay for the trip?" asked Yamcha "I doubt any of us are at 100% right now."
"All you need to know right now is that I got a power up during all of that chaos, though it did come at a price."
"Fair enough I guess. Upa and Kai's bodies faded away, so they probably got to keep them when they died, so I doubt we have to worry about them."
"That makes it easier for us, in the meantime I'll grab 18 and take her with us, so one of you guys get 17 okay?" Future Gohan was met with several odd looks "What, Father always believed in giving people second chances, and when you think about it they haven't really killed anyone in this timeline." he was met with more looks "Alright fine, Raditz asked me to get them while he's busy brooding over there." he jerked a thumb over towards Raditz.
"Okay that makes more sense."
Cooler looked over to see Raditz staring off into the distance 'I wonder, would he be willing? No perhaps not, he's clearly been won over by the female Android, at least from what I've heard so far. The Namekian on the other hand, and Tien Shinhan…'
"Cooler, we're heading out. Are you coming with us?" asked Yamcha.
"Go ahead and revive your fallen comrades, I'll join you shortly. I have something I need to consider first."
"Suit yourself." so Yamcha, Piccolo and the rest of the survivors took off towards the Lookout to revive the fallen.
Cooler promptly flew his way over towards Raditz "You should feel pride for your fallen comrade, he honore the pride of the Namekian race."
"Perhaps." Radit knelt down in a puddle of purple blood and soaked a cloth in it before tying it around his arm "Nail might not have been a Saiyan, but he was my comrade and my friend regardless."
"His sacrifice was not in vain, it may very well be what allowed us to win today."
"I know." Raditz looked down at the purple armband, then looked at Cooler "I know what you're going to ask of me, what you want my help with, but right now you're going to have to look somewhere else. I can't help you with your search, not as I am right now. I have to get a hell of a lot stronger. But tell me one thing. This creature you're searching for, how does he compare to the likes of Cell?"
"Based on my knowledge, I would assume that Cell is an insect compared to him."
"...Good to know." Raditz promptly blasted off after the others.
'This world truly does hold many mysteries does it not? To think that a half Saiyan would be capable of this much power. This cannot go unheard, I must inform the Supreme Kai about this development. For all I know, Son Goku and his companions may be the very key to ridding the universe of the plague known as Majin Buu once and for all.' on that note, Cooler promptly blasted off in the direction of his ship.
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Meanwhile, on the sidelines…
Mr Satan finally snapped out of his incredibly long stupor once he saw that Gohan and the others were long gone 'We're… We're still alive… After all that's happened… Yeah, I definitely need to rethink my life."
"Mr Satan!" that was when Jimmy Firecracker and Larry rushed towards him "Mr Satan we found some working equipment in the van, or what's left of it. We only have audio, but the people of the world can still hear you! Would you like to tell the people of the world what just happened?"
"Uh, well… I don't… I'm not really-"
"Mr Satan. Would you like to tell the world, including your millions of scared, confused and apparently rioting fans what. Just. Happened?"
"...Well Jimmy, and all of you at home, I won't lie to you. Cell is dead. AND I AM THE ONE WHO TOOK HIM DOWN!"
"YES! So is there a body Mr Satan?"
"NO! I mean no of course not Jimmy, the green bastard exploded without a trace on impact, and that's why I call it my Mr Satan Megaton Punch! But if he weren't such a chump, then I would've given him a punch for every last one of my wonderful Satanists out there!"
"Yes, you said it champ! Hail Satan!"
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Meanwhile, on the Lookout…
Raditz dropped down onto the Lookout and met up with Dende and the others "Looks like I got here at just the right time, everyone okay? Let me rephrase that, is everyone that's still alive okay?"
"Yes they'll be fine in a moment, I'm about to heal Gohan right now." so Dende quickly got to work on healing Gohan's injuries.
"Oh god…" after a moment, Gohan's eyes slowly fluttered open and he sat up "Dende?"
"Gohan you're okay, what a relief!" Dende breathed a sigh, but then his face fell "I saw what happened to your father and Kai, and Upa too. I'm so sorry."
"...No Dende, there's no reason for you to be sorry." Gohan stood up and looked up at the skies above "I could feel both of them watching over me, and Kai was talking me through the fight and pushing me forward every step of the way. I could hear his voice plain as day urging me to keep going, and I could feel his Ki all around me, and my dad's too. I could practically smell him he was so close, like he was actually physically there. The whole time I was fighting Cell, he was there guiding me to get the win, telling me that I had to get back up and eat that horse. I think that metaphor came from dad."
"Well regardless Gohan, in any case the fact is that you've made all of us very proud with what you did today." Piccolo placed a hand on Gohan's head and gave him a small smile "You did a great job out there kid, you really have gotten strong."
"I had a good teacher and good friends backing me up."
That was when 17 and 18 both finally regained consciousness "What the hell?!"
"And now they're awake." Raditz noted dryly.
"Back the hell up, don't make me turn you into a glory hole in an airport bathroom!"
"Relax, Kai already used that line. Look, you were both out cold when we found you so we brought you here for God to heal you." he pointed at where Dende was waving at them "You're both safe here, and Gohan was the one who took out Cell."
"Gohan, are you serious right now?" asked 18.
"Yeah, but with the good comes the bad news. Gohan took out Cell sure, but 16… he didn't make it."
"...How did it happen?" 17 spoke again "And did he suffer?"
"He attempted to self destruct and take Cell with him, but it turns out Bulma's family took the bomb out while they were repairing him, so Cell blasted him apart, and later he crushed 16's head underneath his foot. I doubt he felt any pain though."
"Oh. Good to know." 17 shot a glance at Piccolo "So how about it, you wanna pick up where we left off?"
"Hate to break it to you, but since you've been inside Cell I've powered up, and so have the rest of us." Piccolo told him dryly "To put it bluntly, any of us here could defeat you both without too much trouble."
"Oh that's just bullshit."
"No, it's plot progressing. Anyway you should be thanking Raditz here for the two of you even being alive, after Cell spat you guys out he defended you."
"...Good to know, seriously." 17 shot a glance at Raditz, along with a small smirk "I guess you aren't all bad."
"Look, it's just… I already gave me life story to 18, so she can tell you."
"We've got bigger stuff to worry about." 18 pointed out flatly "You were throwing a lot at me then, and you're throwing a lot at us now."
"Yeah, well…"
"So that's why he did it!" Gohan blurted out suddenly "Raditz was protecting you guys because he's totally got a crush on 18!"
"Did you seriously do that on purpose, or are you just as dense as Kakarot is?"
"And that's officially my limit." 18 told him dryly "I've been taking in a lot over the past 5 minutes and I already feel like I'm a normal person who's having someone explain anime to them for the first time. So thanks, and bye."
"God dammit, I'm so horrible at this."
"Join the club." and so she blasted off.
"And suddenly I'm elated that Kai is dead."
"Dude!" Yamcha shot him a look.
"Think about it, if he saw that he'd never let me live it down."
"Maybe, but still."
"Agree to disagree."
"Speaking of which…" 17 walked up to Raditz and held up a fist "I saw bits and pieces of what you did for 18 before when I was inside of Cell, so thanks. I guess that means I owe you. But in all seriousness, I don't buy for a second that any of you guys could take me down as easily as you claim, so unless you can prove it-" he was cut off by a sudden kick to the chest that sent him skidding across the floor of the Lookout.
"That enough proof for you?"
"...Yeah that works." 17 pulled himself back to his feet "Alright fine, that's enough for me. I guess I'll just have to do what you guys do to get so strong."
"Train till your bones crack?"
"Works for me, and better you than some random jackass that tries to run me off the road. At least this way I'm surrounded by people who realize how horrible country music is."
"You have no idea."
"We'll deal with 17 and 18 later." Piccolo cut into their conversation "I think our first priority for now should be to wish back Kai and everyone who died because of Cell and any of Dr Gero's other creations with the Dragon Balls.
"Yeah just throwing this out there, we didn't kill anybody." 17 pointed out "Granted we did screw with a bunch of jackasses and talk about making country music extinct, but those never really went anywhere."
"I'll keep that in mind."
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Meanwhile, up in Otherworld…
Kai took his hand off of King Kai's back and looked towards Scarlet "Well mom, I guess this is gonna be it for now. They're about to use the Dragon Balls to bring all of us back, so we'll be heading back in a few minutes at the most."
"I know, it was only a matter of time." Scarlet pulled Kai into a tight hug "Good luck sweetie. I wish there was a way that I could go with you, but I guess fate just decided that I belong here now. I know you'll make me proud, I have faith that you'll excel and surpass everyone's expectations. This may very well be the last time I get to see you, at least before you make your final journey over to this world, but that won't be for a very long time."
"That depends on how tough the next big bad is gonna turn out to be. Alright assclowns 1 to 4, you ready to head back down to Earth?"
"Yeah, about that…" Goku's smile quickly faded from his face "I don't think I want them to wish me back this time."
"You wanna run that by me again? You've got way too much waiting for you down there to stay up here."
"Listen, I know that the Namekian Dragon Balls could still wish me back, the truth is that I think I should stay in Otherworld. Face it guys, me being on Earth always attracts all kinds of trouble to it. I mean Raditz and Beets came because of me, the other Saiyans came because of me, and even Frieza came to Earth because of me. The Androids were made because of me, and Cell was made because of me too. Face it, the Earth will be better of if I stay up here. Besides, Gohan is a lot more powerful than me, and so is Piccolo, and you probably are too. You guys don't need to depend on me anymore."
"...Okay it's official, there's stupid, there's retarded, and then there's you."
"Wait what?"
"Do you realize how selfish you sound, what you think you're the only reason a new threat comes to Earth? So what if you're not number one anymore, there's always someone stronger and that applies to assclowns bent on universal domination and/ or destruction. Who knows how much time we've got before someone as powerful as Cell shows up, in that case we'll all have to band together."
"I… I guess I never thought of that. But Kai it's not that simple, the Androids were actually made because I killed Gero's son. He modeled 16 after him because of how much he hates me. Face it, I caused all of that so who knows what other deranged madmen are gonna target the Earth because of me-"
"Your wife is pregnant." that caught Upa, Tien and Tarble off guard almost as much as Goku.
"...Wh-What?"
"I found out while you were in a coma from the Heart Virus and we were all hiding out at Kame House, she wanted to wait to tell you until all of this crap was over with, and then you go and do something like this. Even if you're not number one anymore like Stefán Karl Stefánsson, may he rest in peace, you still have responsibilities to your family. You don't want your second kid to go through life without knowing who his dad was, or else he might end up becoming like me, and there can only be one of me."
"I… I never thought of it like that."
"Language aside, I can vouce for what he's telling you Goku. I cherish the years I had with my son more than anything, and my only regret is that I couldn't be there watching him grow into the young man he is now." Scarlet put a hand on Kai's shoulder "I lost those years, but you still have a chance to get them, so don't waste it."
"...You know what, you guys are right." Goku gripped Kai by the shoulder "I guess that's one more I owe you, stopping me from making the second biggest mistake of my life. I guess we'd better contact Namek and let them know that I need to be wished back."
"King Kai should be on that soon enough, but first…" Scarlet pulled Kai aside and handed him a book "Take this, it'll help."
"What is it?" asked Kai.
"It's just some notes and ideas for training and techniques that I worked on back when I was still alive, and since I've been up here. There's one technique in here I've been working on since I've been dead, but I think you might be able to crack it."
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Meanwhile, back on the Lookout…
"Actually, do you guys mind if I do this?" Gohan stepped up to the Dragon Balls as they started glowing brightly "Eternal Dragon Shenron, by your name I summon your forth to grant our wishes!"
The skies grew dark, the blows glowed brighter, and Shenron burst forth from within the balls in a brilliant display "I have been summoned forth. Speak your wishes, and I shall grant any that are within my power. Do this so that I may return to my slumber."
"Great Shenron, our first wish is to bring back everyone on Earth killed by Cell and any of the other Androids created by Dr Gero!"
"Such a wish is a simple matter." Shenron's eyes glowed bright red as he granted the wish, reviving all of those that had died in the past two weeks.
"Did it work?"
"I was afraid of this." Piccolo muttered.
"Afraid of what?"
"Since Dende had created a new Earth dragon, I was hoping that Goku would be revived along with everyone else, but this dragon was made from the same model as the one that was originally used by Kami, so their powers must have similar limitations. I'm sorry Gohan, but I doubt this dragon can bring your father back."
"Oh yeah, I was afraid of that."
"What is your second wish? I do not like to be kept waiting."
"I have to ask Shenron, is it possible for you to bring the Saiyan known as Son Goku back a second time? We would really appreciate it if you did."
"That wish is beyond my power. Son Goku has already been resurrected by the Earth's Dragon Balls once before, and I cannot revive someone a second time. Now speak a new wish."
"Well that didn't work, so what now?"
"Well I do have one idea." Future Gohan spoke up "Could we have Shenron turn back time to before Father died, so that maybe we could prevent it."
"That sort of wish would do more harm than good, if we turn back time that far then dad might be brought back sure, but Cell would be brought back too and we could never make a move as risky as that one. Plus I doubt 17 and 18 would be thrilled about being back inside Cell, and frankly they're not that bad."
"Oh yeah. What about the dragon on New Namek, Porunga? If my memory is correct then that dragon can bring a person back multiple times as long as they don't die of natural causes, so maybe we could wish ourselves there."
"Yeah that's a great idea, he doesn't have the same limitations as Shenron, so he's more than capable of doing it!"
"It would be a good idea, if it wasn't fucking useless."
Gohan and the others whipped around, and his eyes lit up at the sight before him "Kai, dad, everyone!"
Sure enough, it was Kai and Goku and everyone else, alive and well, having zapped back to the Lookout via Goku's Instant Transmission "What's up assholes?" he was promptly pulled into a tight hug by Gohan.
"Please don't die on me again. I can't stand the thought of losing my best friend again. Please just don't."
"Alright alright, take it easy dude. Hold that thought for a second, I'm gonna deal with some unfinished business" without another word Kai looked over at 17, flashed into Kaioken and promptly kicked him in the gut, sending him crashing to the Lookout building "Not gonna lie, that felt really good."
"That was payback for the arms wasn't it?" 17 pulled himself back to his feet and spat out some blood "Okay, I probably had that coming."
"Damn right you did, just stick around so that I can keep doing that."
"You say that like it's going to be a regular thing. Forget it, next time we go at it I'm beating you within an inch of your life."
"...That your way of saying you gonna stick around?"
"I don't have anywhere else to be."
"Fair enough."
"Um… you do know that I've been waiting for your second wish all along right? Feel free to make that wish any time now."
Kai looked up at Shenron "Oh yeah, I forgot how these dragons always acted like it was their time of the month."
"So how about it, speak your second wish. Whatever it is you desire, I shall grant it so long as it is within my power."
"Well I don't know about you guys, but if no one else has a wish then I'm gonna go ahead and go for it. Any objections?" he received various shrugs "Good, in that case I'm gonna ask for a three foot-"
"Hey dragon!" Raditz cut him off "Is there any chance of you turning 17 and 18 back into normal humans, like they were before Dr Gero went blade runner on them?"
"What the fuck is it with you people refusing to let me wish for a three foot hoagie?!"
"Shut up kid, so dragon can you do it?"
17 shot a look at Raditz like he was crazy "What the hell are you thinking? This isn't one of those things where you want to turn us human again and make us weaker is it? I mean that's not objectively a bad idea, but…"
"It's not like that. Look, Frieza did to me what Dr Gero did to you guys, so I understand it better than you think."
"Went blade runner on you?"
"Took your lives away and made you into something you never wanted to be, tools meant to be used for the sake of conquest. I broke free of his influence and now I have a decent life here on Earth, you broke free from Dr Gero so why wouldn't you guys deserve the same?"
"...That wish is beyond my power."
"Oh that's just straight bullshit!"
"I am sorry. The ones called Android 17 and Android 18 are beings with power far surpassing my own. I cannot revert them to the humans they once were."
"Yeah, to be honest I was afraid you would say something like that."
"Truth be told, it shouldn't be that bad." Kai pointed out "I mean I personally don't see the downside to being an Android, aside from the fact that they way they get their power is basically cheating, and there's the fact that they both walk around with a bunch of nukes stuffed into their chests."
"Wait a second, Kai I think you might be onto something there. Shenron tell me, even if you can't turn them back into humans, it should be possible for you to get rid of the bombs they have in their chests so they don't have to worry about that right?"
"Yes, such a request is a simple matter." Shenron's eyes glowed red as he granted the wish given to him by Raditz "I have removed the explosive devices. Your wishes have now been granted. I bid you farewell." so on that note, Shenron disappeared in a brilliant golden light as the black clouds throughout the skies disappeared and the Dragon Balls scatted across the skies down towards the Earth below.
"Well that's done, so what now, catch a movie or something?"
"Hold up a second." 17 got his attention "I don't get you man, letting us live is one thing but why the hell would you go out of your way for us like that?"
"I don't know man, I guess I just felt bad for you. I just wanted to do right by you guys and maybe put you on a better path, like Kakarot and his friends did for me."
"I think it's kind of sweet to be honest." Goku wrapped an arm around Raditz "You really a decent guy bro."
"Leave it to you to see the bright side of things Kakarot. I appreciate it, but still it kind of sucks to think that 18 is never gonna know." Raditz breathed a sigh "I just wish I had one more chance to talk to her."
"Okay hold up!" that was when 18 burst out of her hiding place "What in the name of hell was that supposed to be?!"
"Thank you Shenron."
"Oh yeah I forgot to mention, 18 actually showed back up when the dragon popped out of the magic balls." 17 pointed out nonchalantly "Yes I know what I said, I worded it that way on purpose."
"Nice."
"Will you just give me an answer?!" 18 rounded on him "You could've wished for a billion Zeni, or eternal life or to not look like a hedgehog or any of that stuff! Butt instead, you used a magical wish granting dragon… and you did it for us."
"Asking the real questions here." Piccolo muttered "Seriously, love is one human emotion I don't want to understand."
"So why?"
"I… I don't know." Raditz let out a sigh "It just made sense you know, and I think sense is something we need after everything that's happened."
"...Okay look, I've gotta go clear my head after everything that's happened. But anyway, about you and me, let's talk later okay?"
"Wait a second, what's your number?"
"18!" and so she jumped off the edge of the Lookout and soared down towards the Earth below them.
"...Dammit I walked right into that one."
"You and about 20 other guys." 17 patted him on the shoulder "Look on the bright side though, if she says she wants to talk later then that means she actually likes you. That's progress."
"And I suppose you're an expert on chicks." Kai let out a snort "It only makes sense since you look like one."
"You want me to break your arms again?"
"You want me to rip you in half?"
"I seriously don't get all of this love stuff." Piccolo muttered.
"Take my advice and stick to fighting Big Green, it's pretty much the only thing you could do but you could be doing it a lot worse."
Future Gohan looked on at the scene and gave a small smile "It feels so weird being able to laugh like this with all of you again, I really miss having that in my timeline." this was followed by an awkward silence for a few moments.
This was when Upa spoke up "I should probably return home, I can imagine how worried my Father must."
"So where do you go from here?" asked Goku.
"Since the world is finally safe again, my duties lie in my training to become the next chief of my people. I can't say for certain when I'm going to see all of you again. All of you, please take care of yourselves."
"Yeah, you be sure to take care of yourself too, and say hi to your dad for me."
"Of course Goku, you're all welcome in my village any time. I promise I'll keep honing my skills as well, and I'll never forget everything all of us have been through together. Also…" he spared a glance over at Future Gohan "Listen Gohan, you've become more than powerful enough to defeat the Androids in your time with ease. Make good use of what you've learned in this time, and you'll do fine following in Goku's footsteps."
Future Gohan nodded "Of course, I plan to. Thank you so much for all you've done to help us until now Upa."
"Of course. Farewell my friends." and with that, Upa took his leave from the Lookout.
'Another one goes, but he leaves on a high note.'
"We should probably head home now." Yamcha commented "Bulma said that she was preparing this big celebration for when we win, because she was so confident in us coming out on top today."
"After everything that's happened, celebrating sounds like a dream. I mean, Namek of all places has shorter days than this has been.
"I know what you mean. So what about you, when are you heading back to your timeline to take care of your set of Androids?" asked Tien.
"I'm thinking I'll stick around for the celebration, then get a full night's sleep, and then I'll head back in the morning."
"Fair enough, how about we come buy to see you off in the morning?"
"I'd really like that. Before I came back here all I had was stories and a bunch of memories that probably would've just faded over time, but this… this is definitely something I'll never forget about."
Gohan glanced over at Piccolo "So what about you Piccolo, I mean are you going to stay up here on the Lookout from now on?"
Piccolo nodded "Yeah that was the plan, why do you ask?"
"I was hoping it would be alright if I stop by and see you guys once in awhile?"
"You'd better, if you don't then I'll hunt you down and drag you here myself."
"I'm used to something like that, Kai actually does it all the time anyway. In the meantime we should head out. Piccolo, Dende, Mr Popo, all of you take care." Gohan waved at them, then shared a nod with Kai and turned to the others "Come on everybody let's get going, tomorrow is a whole new day!" and with that, all of them blasted off of the Lookout and headed down towards the Earth below "Alright remember the deal guys, we'll see you for the celebration at Capsule Corp in a few hours okay, and if you're not coming then Capsule Corp bright and early tomorrow! Until we meet again you guys!" and so all of them promptly blasted off in different directions.
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Kai glanced over at Gohan with a raised eyebrow "So your future self really went Scarface all over Cell like that?"
Gohan nodded "Yeah and it would've been amazing if it had done something, was it that terrifiyng when I transformed like that?"
"Yours was more like quiet rage."
"Makes sense I guess. Hey by the way, I'm kind of surprised you're not at me for getting the win over Cell."
"I'd be a lot more pissed if it was your dad instead of you, especially if he actually did steal the win before, the son of a bitch."
"You know I'm flying right behind you guys right?"
"Yeah I know. Besides, after all this time I finally got to see my mom again, so frankly I'm content for today." Kai looked at the book Scarlet gave him, stashed away in his gi "Though I can't say the same about tomorrow."
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A few hours went by, and the group had all gathered together at Capsule Corp to celebrate their victory.
Tien was listening intently to the others telling him about Cell "So he managed to absorb both Androids and achieved his Perfect Form, and he was really as powerful as you say he was?"
"He was at first, and then he regenerated." Cooler told him simply "Thanks to the Saiyan biology in his system, he returned far more powerful than before. Son Gohan was the only one able to stand against him, even after the rest of your Earthling companions had their dormant powers awakened by Forte."
"I see, so I've really fallen behind, even after the training I did in the Otherworld."
"Your power has increased to an extent, but not enough. If you wish for it, I can have Forte use his abilities to unlock your potential as well."
"I would be grateful to you for that."
"It's not entirely selfless I will admit, I have been considering the prospect of recruiting you and some of your allies for a new mission I've been working on for at least a few years."
"What kind of mission exactly?"
"The kind that prevents a universal crisis before it even begins. I believe that some prime candidates would include yourself and the Namekian amongst your ranks. I did actually offer this to Son Goku once he had been revived, but he declined due to the discovery of something personal that would opt for him to remain here."
"So if we were to take part in this mission of yours, we would have to leave Earth?"
"The one orchestratin this threat could very well be anywhere in the universe, so our search cannot be narrow. You would have to leave for a year at least."
"Which means leaving Chiaotzu behind." Tien frowned in thought "I'll have to think about this for awhile."
"Such an answer does not surprise me." Cooler handed him a small device "This will allow to communicate with me any time you decide to join me. I gave one to Son Goku as well in case he comes to a similar decision."
"I understand."
"Hey you guys come on!" Bulma waved to all of them from above "That big feast I promised you guys is ready, celebrate saving the world by eating your body weight in barbecue with five dipping sauces to choose from!"
"But still, after everything that's happened I think one night off just to have fun will do all of us some good."
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Soon enough, everyone was enjoying themselves and cooling down from the long struggle with the Androids.
Goku was wasting no time in binging to his heart's content "Man, any food you have right after you come back to life is always the best food you could ever have!"
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Meanwhile, on another side of the party…
"Alright, thre you go guys." the chef handed some food to Cooler and Salza "Two shrip and vegetable tempuras as requested."
"Quite the intriguing aroma." Cooler took a bite of his tempura "I can't help but wonder how this planet was never targeted before, culinary capabilities aside it seems to be quite rich in various types of resources.
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17 made his way up to the balcony where he found Future Gohan standing by himself and staring off into the distance "Hey, you want a tempura?"
"I'm not really that hungry right now." Future Gohan told him quietly.
"You don't have to hide anything from me, I heard from Piccolo about you being from the future and what my future self has been putting you through until now. Look, I get why you're not exactly fond of me, but I'm not like that one is. I'm not a psychopath."
"I know, looking back this timeline's version of you and your sister aren't anywhere near as bad as the monsters that have been terrorizing my world for almost a decade. Speaking of which, where is 18 right now?"
"Same as where Raditz is, observe." he pulled out a walkie talkie and turned it on.
"I'm surprised you knew I'd be in here instead of binging like everyone else."
"Seemed like the obvious pick when you think about it.
"Fair enough I guess. So what can I do ya for?"
"I made a promise to myself before and I'm going to keep it."
"Okay, so how do you want to-"
"Just shut up and drop your pants."
"Yeah I should've seen that coming, but just for the sake of being clear in no way am I compensating with my hair." and cue a thud.
"Oh. My. God."
"So?"
"Get on the bed."
"Good enough for me."
17 promptly crushed the walkie talkie in his hand "Yeah, I think that's enough of that."
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Gohan looked back to see Kai handing him a tempura "Thanks, but truth be told I'm not really hungry right now."
"Suit yourself, I'm fucking starving." Kai promptly downed both of them "Who knew dying could work up such an appetite. Seriously though, what's up your ass, and why are you surging with Super Saiyan Ki again?"
"I don't really know how to explain it, but I think I'm going to continue with my training."
"Is this because you blame yourself for what happened with Cell earlier? I told you already that I'm glad I died, I got to see my mom again if only for a little while.'
"It's not just that. From what I heard you already knew about this, but my mom is pregnant. I'm going to have a new little brother or sister soon. We only one against Cell because of that new Super Saiyan form I discovered, but when I did tap into it I lost control and let my emotions get the better of my judgement. Power isn't enough to win a fight, unless I know how to control that power properly. I have a growing family I need to protect, and that means that I need to make sure that I not only power up as much as I possibly can, but that I can control it."'
"Makes sense, I've been looking through this book my mom gave me and it says that I've gotta start with training with the old perv, so we'll go from there."
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The next day came, and everyone had come to see Future Gohan off and say their goodbyes before he left.
Bulma patted Future Gohan on the shoulder "So you're heading out already huh? Well be sure to tell the future me she did a good job on pulling you out of your funk."
"Oh believe me." Future Gohan let out a sigh "I know just how much I plan to tell you when I get there."
Goku stepped up next and gave Future Gohan a firm handshake and a gentle hug "You really should be proud of yourself Gohan, you've taken huge leaps in strength in a really short amount of time. The Androids in your time won't stand a chance against you, and no matter what other threats you face I know you'll always find a way to overcome them."
"I hope you're right about that Father, but I promise I'll give it everything I have to make sure that the world lives on in peace."
"Just one more thing before you go." Chich stepped up to Future Gohan and handed him a small box "Take these with you, lots of food and other goodies to help you get started once things calm down in your time. Call it a sort of new housewarming gift."
"Still taking care of me, I guess I shouldn't be surprised mom."
"Just hang in there for a little while, and I promise you'll find what makes you happy. Truth be told I actually like this whole thing about having a son from the future, it means way less time I have to wait until I get grandkids."
"Mom come on!" that made his face go red.
"Looks like the future me did a pretty good job."
"I never doubted that for even a second." Future Gohan turned around and found Kai standing next to the time machine "I was worried you wouldn't come."
"I wouldn't let you leave without getting to do this!" Kai powered up his Namek-Ken and let a fist fly forward.
Future Gohan blocked the fist with one hand, earning a smirk of approval "I can't help but wonder how much stronger you'll be the next time I see you."
"Stronger than you, count on it."
"Believe me, I do."
"Alright, now take care of things back in the future McFly, and go wreck some Android shit for all of us okay?"
"Count on it." so on that note, Future Gohan hopped into his time machine and started it up, waving to everyone as it lifted up off the ground "Goodbye everyone, I promise I'll never forget you!"
"Don't come back without wrecking some shit!"
Future Gohan gave them a thumbs up before the time machine finally disappeared from their sight and the timeline.
"And there goes a brave son of a bitch."
"Yeah." Gohan let out a sigh "We have to make sure that we follow his lead."
"Yep, and according to my mother's notes the first step in that is training with Master Roshi."
"Just like my dad and Krillin used to do." Gohan glanced over at Chichi "So about that…"
"It's alright." Chichi let out a sigh "Just two days though, no more than that or else you call alright?"
"Good enough for me."
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The next day came.
Gohan and Kai were flying across the ocean in the direction of Kame House "This reminds me a lot of the days when we were training and surviving together under Piccolo. I can't believe everything that's happened since then."
"Yeah, you became a powerhouse with my levels of mental stability." Kai noted dryly "You had to learn the hard way that there's more to fighting than just power and experience, you've gotta have the experience to back it up. That's what Master Roshi has and that's what we need right now, for you to get your shit together and for me to follow these notes my mom gave me, and with any luck they'll help me to surpass a Super Saiyan."
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Master Roshi looked up from eating his breakfast and found Kai and Gohan sitting in front of him "Okay, why the heck are you two here so early in the morning on a Saturday?"
"Sorry about this Master Roshi, I know it's probably inconvenient for you." Gohan promptly bowed in respect "But I have to humbly ask you to take the two of us under your wing like you did with my father and his uncle. I know it's not much but I did bring you a little something." he was handed something by Kai and promptly handed it to Master Roshi "I don't really get it, but I know you like these."
"...Oh my lord those are some prime cuts of babe, they're even tastier than my breakfast and that's some damn fine toast!"
"Dude did you seriously just copy what the Cueball did the first time?" Kai was promptly whacked upside the head by Master Roshi "Hey what the hell was that for?"
"Because you never bothered to pay your respects to me, you would think the blood relative of one of my prized pupils would know how to treat his elders well."
"Alright alright, you don't have to resort to child abuse. Master Roshi, I would be humbled and honored if you would take my under your wing as well."
"Alright, that's much better."
"Good, now what do we do for sparring?"
"Oh please Kai, if you've already obtained power to stomp the likes of those Cell Jrs then I don't really think I can give you what you're looking for."
"But there is a way for both me and Kai to get what we need." Gohan pointed out "If you train us then we'll be able to grow stronger together and he'll receive the closure that he needs right now. Maybe I've learned all that I can from you Master Roshi but I really do think that the two of us can benefit from you, he's already proven himself to be far beyond both of us in power but he still lacks the experience that we have. Please, help him however you can."
"...Very well then, both of you come with me."
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10 minutes later…
Gohan found himself in a rather embarrassing situation "No disrespect Master Roshi, but why did you have me put on a giant goofy turtle costume? Plus it's pretty heavy, it makes it hard to move around in."
Master Roshi let out a cackle "You know something Gohan, that thing looks a lot better on you than it ever did on me."
"How do I even walk in this thing?"
"We're toning this thing way down for the time being." Kai told him flatly "Neither of us are flying or using our power up techniques like Namek-Ken or Super Saiyan, to be brutally honest neither one of us can be trusted to pull on our punches."
"Well then how is this going to be training?"
"Just get to it already." Master Roshi told him "Right now we're going to be starting with some freestyle."
"If you rhink it helps then I'm willing to give this a shot, now Kai come at me hard."
"Just remember that you asked for it!" Kai burst forward and let a fist fly.
Gohan dodged the punch as the two of them took their clash to the water, with him dodging every punch and kick being thrown at him.
Kai followed Gohan across the water, his mind racing 'I don't get it, normally I can follow him like it's nothing but now that he's wearing that stupid costume I can barely keep up with him at all!'
"Come on Kai, you weren't this sloppy a few hours ago!" Gohan dealt Kai a swift kick to the chest, sending him tumbling back onto the beach and moved to finish the fight, when…
"ENOUGH!" Master Roshi stopped the fight with a simple tap of his cane.
Kai dropped to his knees and began sweating heavily 'What's going on with me? It's like I'm losing my touch.'
"You did a good job out there." Gohan held out a hand to him "Don't worry, we'll get all of this figured out in no time.
"Yeah sure." Kai accepted the hand, albeit reluctantly.
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Nightfall came, and almost everyone else was fast asleep.
Kai was out on the beach throwing one punch and kick after another and getting more frustrated as a result 'What the hell is wrong with me?!'
"I can tell that you're lost son."
Kai looked back and noticed Master Roshi standing in the doorway "Yeah well tell me something I don't know."
"Your spirit is oozing with confusion, your heart was one firm with resolve but now your long locked away insecurities are forcing their way to the surface, which causes you to get more and more frustrated as a result. I know all of that just from witnessing the lack of conviction in your attacks over the course of the day."
"...When I died during the Cell Games I saw my mother for the first time in almost a full decade, I was happy when I saw her but now that it's over… instead of going back to training again I something inside of me changed, like I'm back to being the same scared little kid that I was all those years ago."
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Sunrise came early next morning, and training was about to begin.
Master Roshi gathered Kai and Gohan out on the beach just as the sun was rising "I should warn you both in advance, today's training is not going to be easy."
Kai looked over at Gohan, then shot a smirk at Master Roshi "We're ready for anything that you can throw at us."
"Good. Now then… I'm sending the two of you to run an errand."
"...You wanna run that by me again?"
"Yeal well the truth is boys, I'm actually not as young as I may look to the two of you so I need the two of you to go and pick up a rare medicinal herb to help me boost my strength."
"What the hell do you mean pick it? Like pick it up in a store or some crap like that?"
"Nope, they don't sell these bad boys in stores." he held up an herb "Take a look at one of these babies."
"Woah, I don't think I've ever seen an herb like that before." Gohan muttered "So what is it exactly?"
"They call it the Plant of Paradise, it's a rare and precious plant found on only one island and on that island it's found in only the deepest and darkest part of the forest."
"Sounds like this is gonna be interesting."
"But there's more to it, this errand is also a race between you two."
"And what do we get out of it if we win?" asked Kai.
"The winner of this race who gets the herb and brings it back first will win the greatest prize I can offer." he held up said prize "My treasured magazine collection, each one of them having been approved by yours truly!"
"Master Roshi your porn stash is nothing compared to mine, come on Gohan help me out with this will you?"
"You mean you can imagine a better prize than this masterpiece? This is the masterpiece, I can't believe young fellas like you have no need for my magazines!"
"Hey man if we don't want them then we don't want them, that's all there is to it."
"Alright fine, and here I was thinking that I might also give the winner a bonus prize in the form of me giving him an ultimate super secret technique that secretly boosts his Ki reserves."
"And now you have my attention."
"Well then good luck boys, now go go go!"
"Sir yes sir!" they took off to the skies above, only for Kai to realize something "What in the name of fuck did I just do?"
"Don't think too much into it." Gohan waved him off and let out a chuckle "He's a pretty funny guy, Master Roshi never does change."
"And neither do you by the looks of it."
"You really think so?"
"Yeah, the only difference is that now you seem to have your drive again like you did back when we first met.
"...Hey check it out, we're almost at the island."
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Soon enough, Kai and Gohan had arrived in the surprisingly thick forest "Oh good god, you mean we've gotta search all of this for one little plant?"
"I just wish he gave us some kind of hint or something." Gohan muttered.
"Yeah tell me about it, I know it takes a lot of wisdom to get his lessons but this one is just weird." they prepared to make their way when…
"Hold it right there!" the wind started howling across the forest, and then with a flash of light in front of them was none other than Fortuneteller Baba herself "Hey there, long time no see tall one."
"Wait I know, you're Master Roshi's older sister! You're the fortune-smeller!" this prompted her to fall off her crystal ball in a stupor.
"That's fortuneteller you little- I swear Goku must have influenced you and turned you into a bigger moron than him!"
"No he's just an idiot, I do it to screw with people. So what are you doing here?"
"I only came here because my brother asked me to, he wants me to use my crystal ball to watch let him watch the rest of the race."
"So then that means we've gotta go even deeper to reach this sacred marijuana that he wants us to get?"
"I'm not going to tell you where it is because then it wouldn't be training now would it? You had better start looking boys, the herb is somewhere in that forest."
"Oh you'd better get ready Gohan, the race is on!"
"And go go go!" she sent them on their way.
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Soon enough Gohan and Kai were racing onto their way deeper into the forest "You know they said it was a race, but it feels more to me like it's some kind of marathon."
Kai nodded "Yeah I know what you mean, for all we know we could spend days running around this island in circles until we find this super Weed!"
"It's not weed!"
"An old guy in shades wants it and it's called Paradise, I'm pretty sure it's weed!" they stopped when they noticed a giant sculpture "Well that's all kinds of fucked up, who in their right mind would want to see a gigantic sculpture of Baba's face!"
"I heard that!" Baba's voice echoed throughout the forest "I hope you're ready you two, this is where your true training begins!"
"...So this is it."
"Let's go." was all Gohan said.
"Right." and so they leapt over the mouth of the sculpture.
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It wasn't long the two of them had reached a much darker section of the forest with a much more menacing vibe to it.
Kai looked up at Gohan "Hey dude quick question, is it just me or does this place give off some kind of super creepy vibe?"
Gohan nodded "No doubt about it, this place is oozing with the creepy vibe, and it kind of makes my skin crawl."
"I'm honestly getting kind of unnerved by this whole thing." he touched the ground and noticed images appearing from the day before "What the hell is this, what's going on?"
"I don't know but somehow this place just got even creepier." this was when the mist started rolling in and taking on the physical forms of Frieza, Slug, Garlic Jr and many others.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me, why the thell are they here?"
"It's all of the important guys that we've ever fought all in one spot. Beets, Vegeta, Nappa, the Saibamen, the Ginyu Force guys, Dr Gero's androids, Cell, the Cell Jr's, Frieza and Slug! All of them here at once!"
Kai suddenly found himself petrified 'What the hell is going on with me? Why won't my body just move?!' he stumbled backwards and fell to the ground "Dammit, of all the times and places for this to happen, why here, why now? Now what the hell are we gonna do?" he seemed even more frozen in front of of the likes of Cell "What the hell is going on, why the hell is this happening?"
"Come on Kai, just take a deep breath and calm down. The only explanation is that these are some kind of illusions. See for yourself." he aimed a fist at the fake Cell, only to be backhanded by it and sent flying into a tree "Ow…"
"You alright man?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just living in the nostalgia of my greatest shame. But I still know that these are fakes, there's no way that the likes of Raditz would be here." he punched the fake Slug square in the face "Come on Kai let's take these guys out and get out of here, if we don't then we're never going to find that plant for Master Roshi!"
"Well I can try, but in case it wasn't clear I'm not exactly at 100% right now!" Kai kicked the fake Nappa in the face but when he was faced with the fake Frieza he just froze up, and then started running, only to be faced with the fake Cell, which led him to end up being slammed against a tree.
Gohan kicked the two fakes away "Kai I need you to get a grip, whatever problem you have you have to put it aside for now and just fight!"
"Yeah I know but-" he suddenly started cowering when a fake of Chichi suddenly showed up out of nowhere "And now things are getting to be like a horror movie."
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Master Roshi turned to face Baba as she floated down on her crystal ball "Ah sis, you know I really do appreciate you doing this for me."
"Yeah whatever." Baba grumbled "Just don't forget that this isn't a charity case, my fee is 10 million zeni."
"Well it's plain to me that you're just as money grubbing as ever."
"And I can see that you have no intention of paying me so I'll just have to put that on your tab instead." she used her crystal ball to display an image of Kai freaking out "I do have to admit though, this is a pretty bold move on your part taking measures as drastic as this."
"Well I-"
"What do you mean drastic measures?"
Master Roshi looked back and saw Yamcha drop down on the island "Oh hey there Yamcha, how's it going?"
"What's up is that I could feel Kai's Ki coming off like he's having a stroke, and now I know why." he looked at the crystal ball "What exactly am I looking at?"
"That there happens to be the Forest of Terror."
"Well that sounds unnervingly ominous."
"It's a place that's been nestled between this world and Other World which gives forth to the memories that haunt the deepest recesses of our hearts. The former enemies that you see gathered together here are the memories of the past battles that Gohan and Kai have fought manifesting physical forms."
"And considering what today is, Kai is probably at his lowest point right now."
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By this point Gohan was flying across the forest and carrying Kai by the back of his gi "This isn't going to work Kai, let's try and take all of them out at once with a combined attack from above!"
Kai took a minute to try and calm himself down "For real, even your own mother dude? I know that she's a harpy, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who started that."
"That's not the issue! And besides that's not really her!" he pulled Kai up to the point where they were higher than the trees "Are you ready?"
"Yeah I guess but-"
"Good, now let's do this!" they both cupped their hands, Kai rather reluctantly.
"Alright I get it, but…"
"For the record Kai that's not really my mother, that's literally the onlyl reason why I'm so cool with doing this?" they fired their simultaneous Kamehameha blasts, engulfing the fake Ginyu Force and all of the other fakes, and once they disappeared within the blasts Kai fell back to the ground gasping for air "Are you alright Kai? Come on, you have to pull yourself together."
"Yeah, yeah sorry about that. I'm just a little bit out of it right now, but I'll be fine."
"Okay good now come on, let's get back to looking for that herb. After all Master Roshi did say that it's a race?"
"I for one just hope that those bastards don't come back."
"And here I thought I had a handle on your personality, after everything I've seen you do over the past few years why are you letting this get to you?" he paused for a moment "Is there something else going on right now?"
"...It's today, it's been 10 years since my mom died. Every year I just seclude myself in the forest and try to be alone, because I don't want you or anyone else to see me like that."
"In pain? Kai I've seen you in pain before."
"Not in pain you idiot, weak. That's my biggest fear in life okay, I'm scared of anybody seeing me as weak. It's like there's this voice in the back of my head that tells me that if I don't get stronger then I'll lose everything, and it keeps telling me that if I hadn't been so weak and helpless then maybe I could've done something to save my mom! I just didn't think it would get to me so bad, but now that I've seen her it just makes me feel that much worse!" he was left panting after his rant before he finally calmed down "I'm out of here."
"But what about the herb? Master Roshi is still waiting for us, and it is still a race you have to keep in mind."
"You can have it then, I'm going home. I'm not like you or Gohan or any of the rest, I can't afford to be seen as weak. My heart just can't take it." and he started flying off.
"Kai hold on, wait!" Gohan chased after him "Come on, just stop so you and I can just talk this out! You said you wanted to get stronger with what your mother gave you, what would she say if she saw you just up and quitting like this?" their exit was blocked off when the branches and the trees suddenly moved on their own and covered the sky.
"Well that's just fucking perfect, now what?" and then the flowers started releasing a purple mist, which then took the form of Frieza and Cell and the others, only now they were the size of great apes.
"And once again fate decides to slap me."
"Tell me about it, this whole damn chapter has been bitch slapping me-" and then he got bitch slapped and swatted aside by the giant Cell.
"Kai! What did I tell you about breaking the fourth wall!" Gohan wasted no time as he flashed into Super Saiyan "Get out of my way, my best friend needs me! KAI!"
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By this point Kai had crashed into a nearby plateau and looked up at the sky that had been sealed off by the forest "So really Master Roshi, you're really not gonna let us out of here until we get your stupid plant? Fine then." he stood up and stepped forward, only to find more of the fake villains in front of him "Oh come on, this is my punishment for breaking the fourth wall isn't it?!" he was promptly bitch slapped by the fake Cell, sending him falling into a dark ravine below.
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Yamcha gripped his fists tightly to the point where he was digging into his own skin "Dammit, come on Kai."
"Wow." Baba muttered "I have to admit I didn't expect this to turn into quite a show, that boy does not fail to entertain."
"This looks more like a torture porn in my eyes."
"So what then?" asked Master Roshi "You don't think your own nephew can take it? Right now this a battle that Kai needs to fight more than any other, a battle within himself. What do you think then?"
"...You're right Master Roshi, Kai needs to figure this out for himself or he won't be able to move forward."
"And he will, have faith in him."
"I always do."
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By this point Kai had washed up on a small chunk of land in the middle of a river at the bottom of a waterfall "Well it's official, I've inherited Yamcha's dumbass gene. Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
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"Masenko!" with his Super Saiyan aura blazing even higher than before, Gohan blasted clear through the fake enemies with ease, only for them to keep coming back even bigger "There's no end to these guys is there? You know what forget this, I'm not messing around when my friend needs me!" he flared his golden aura as high as it could go, only for them to grow even bigger as a result, which ended up making him realize something "Wait, of course that's it! How did I not see it before?" he powered down his Super Saiyan aura and relaxed his Ki, which in turn caused the fakes to disappear "Yeah that's it just like I thought."
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Master Roshi observed this and looked on in approval "Well what do you know, it looks like our dear Gohan finally figured it out."
"Wait what do you mean he figured it out?" asked Yamcha "What's going on?"
"Just keep watching, now we'll wait and see how long it takes for our very own boy wonder to catch on."
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Meanwhile, with Kai…
Kai found himself frozen in place when several gigantic Friezafigures "Oh or fuck's sake, how many times is this damn forest gonna try and torture me?!" and then he saw something that resulted in a primal roar being released all around him.
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Gohan heard the roar from a fair distance away "Kai! Dammit, I can't fly or they'll just keep coming back, they're like that cult of Yamcha's ex girlfriends. Wait a second… yeah I think that could work. Hey, Flying Nimbus!"
Sure enough, from within the trees appeared a certain Flying Nimbus.
"Wow I wasn't sure that was actually gonna work for me, I mean dad hasn't used you in years so why would you work for me?" he hopped onto the Nimbus and started singing a certain familiar song "Cha-La! Head-Cha-La! You know it's weird, I think I've heard of that song somewhere before." then he turned serious "Alright Nimbus enough screwing around, we have to find my friend." and so he took off on the Nimbus "Kai where are you? KAI!"
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Kai looked on and recoiled as the fakes morphed into Frieza, Cell and various others slowly closed in on him "I just don't get it Master Roshi, why the hell are you making me fight all these guys again and why the hell am I so damn scared? Look at me, I'm pathetic!"
"Maybe that's your problem."
Kai looked back and nearly fell over in disbelief "What the hell… you're… me?"
Sure enough, before him stood the 3 year old version of Kai, with the crimson red gi and everything "I am you in a sense, or rather who you used to be. But now you see me as what you're afraid of becoming. I know everything about you, your dreams and your desires… and your fears. You've excelled as a warrior in not even half the time it took our mother or or uncle, and you've come far in that time, not because you desire success but because you fear the possibility of failure. You keep thinking that if you slack off for even a second you'll lose everything, and yet because of that you've forgotten the most important lesson that mom taught us."
"...No matter how strong you may be, it takes others to make you even stronger."
"The thoughts and feelings of mom, Yamcha, Gohan, Piccolo, and everyone else, hell even the likes of Cooler of all people, you embody their spirits and beliefs. You have them backing you every step of the way whether they're there in person or not. Even if mom isn't right there by your side anymore, she's still there for us in spirit. Just like everyone else." and with that, the younger Kai disappeared.
Kai found himself alone again 'That's enough wallowing in self pity Kai, you have to focus. If you can't beat this then how can you hope to face mom again?' he looked up at the fakes looking down on him 'When Gohan and I fired our attacks at these guys earlier they just came back even bigger, they must be feeding off of whatever Ki that we hit them with.' he sat down in a meditative stance and subdued his Ki, and when he opened his eyes the fakes in front of him had stopped moving altogether "Looks like I was right, once I cleared my head and got rid of my self doubts the fakes all stopped moving altogether. I guess it makes sense, the more afraid I was of my own failure the bigger those bastards were getting and the bigger their numbers. I think I get it now Master Roshi, so thanks." he stood up and began to slowly step forward "I have to get control of my fears of the past, my fears of my own weakness, because if I don't then I'll just keep on running from it." a white glow surrounded his body entirely "You hear this freaks? This glow represents my fighting spirit and my unbreakable will! I have to control my Ki, if I can do that then they won't be able to move! Now get ready, the era of Kai Sapien, the Crimson Dragon of the Earth, is about to begin!" he charged forward and punched the fake Cell square in the face, causing it to evaporate.
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Yamcha watched this unfold and smirked "Now that's what I'm talking about, I just didn't expect him to take this long to figure it out."
"And now comes one final push for this training." Master Roshi told him.
"Which is what exactly?"
"Just keep watching and you'll see." with a smirk plastered across her face, Baba held up her hands to the crystal ball as it began glowing.
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Gohan was still searching through the forest for Kai atop the Flying Nimbus "Kai come on, give me some kind of sign! Where are you?" he was answered by a roarand was suddenly caught in the grasp of a fake gigantic Cell in his final giant form "Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised after all it can't be called a Forest of Terror without Cell of all people. Hey Nimbus just hang on, I'll find us a way out of this." he received a dose of breath "Okay, whatever that was I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be a thing!"
"Try being on the receiving end!" that was when Kai showed up "So dude… how's it hanging up there?"
"Now's not the time for any snark Kai, I'm trapped in the clutches in Giant Cell! It's okay though, he's a fake like the others! He's only about half the size of a Great Ape but his breath is really bad, like you on sushi night!"
"Hey that was one time and we've been over this before, that catfish came onto me! And besides, why don't you just oneshot the big guy?"
"Because then it would take out the Flying Nimbus too!"
"Well then don't move, I'll take this guy down." a white glow began to surround Kai's body and took on the form of an aura "This new technique is the embodiment of my fighting spirit, I call it the Spirit Ken!" the white aura began burning higher and brighter as he charged forward and dealt one fist to Giant Cell's head, resulting in an explosion that freed Gohan and the Flying Nimbus from its grasp.
"Alright Kai that was awesome!" Gohan landed safely on the ground and with a roar, he powered up to Super Saiyan 2 "Thanks for the save, and it's good to have you back."
"Good to be back, but let's save the small talk for later." Kai powered up his new Spirit Ken to coincide with Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 "Double Kamehameha?"
"Double Kamehameha." they both cupped their hands as blue Ki began to build on itself in between their palms "Ka…"
"Me…"
"Ha…"
"Me…"
"HA!" they both fired their Ki blasts that began to wrap around each other, allowing it to easily engulf Giant Cell and eradicate him, in a brilliant flash of light, turning it into various smaller lights that turned into Paradise Plants "Woah, these things are sprouting up like they're some kind of weeds
"Wow what do you know, it really is sacred Weed. Told ya."
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Yamcha looked on at the scene with his jaw dropped "Spirit Ken? I've gotta get him to teach me that, and who knows, maybe that's the key we need to keeping up with the Super Saiyans."
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Sunset came.
Gohan and Kai were making their way back towards Kame House "Man Master Roshi is gonna be thrilled when he sees just how much we got. But still, I'm just glad to have the old you back now Kai. Seeing you so freaked out was really unexpected."
"For you and me both, but this isn't the same me." Kai told him "It's kind of weird, but now that I have this Spirit Ken power I somehow feel free, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. All this time I've been striving to be the best, because part of me felt like if I got as strong as I possibly could, surpassed everyone around me, then I'd finally be able to see my mom again. But now that I've seen her, and now that I have this power, somehow I seem more relaxed now. I think this is what she wanted me to undestand. I don't need to keep getting stronger just to see her again. From now on, when I aim to be the best, I'm gonna be doing it for myself. Besides, it's like what we always say."
"Don't settle for being better when we could be the best."
"And that's why I'm gonna keep on this path that I'm on right now, to become a great warrior, to become the best that surpasses even the likes of you. Goku is already beneath both of us, and the only ones ahead of me now would have to be Cooler and Piccolo."
"Which reminds me, how do you feel about having Frieza's brother on our side?"
"As long as he doesn't turn on us I'm fine, and if he does then we'll kill him."
"You ever wonder why that has to be the solution to all of our problems?"
"Cut the crap, it's that kind of thinking that got you in trouble with Cell and why 16 gave you a mechanical tongue lashing." they dropped down onto the island of Kame House where they found Gohan and the others waiting "What the hell are you guys doing here?"
"Watching you." Yamcha clasped a hand on Kai's shoulder "You did one hell of a job out there, really, even if you did take awhile to get there."
"...You saw none of me losing my shit back there, got it? Gohan that goes for you too."
"Duly noted."
"Damn right."
Kai set down the bag of Paradise Herbs.
Master Roshi nearly dove into the pile "Well hot damn I've gotta give it to you, the two of you really outdid yourselves!"
"Yeah but we really didn't compete against each other or anything though." Gohan told him.
"Oh is that right? In that case I guess I can't teach either of you the secret to boosting your Ki reserves."
"So you're just gonna keep it to yourself?"
"Well granted if something like that did exist, then I would want to be the first one to get my hands on it."
"Wait a second, so you made that whole thing up and you sent us on a wild goose chase?"
"Well big fat lie or not it was far from a waste of time." Kai pointed out "The whole point is to control your energy and push past your fears so that you can go beyond your limits, once I got myself under control and broke through my inner limit they all just stopped coming. That's what he wanted me to get out of this the whole time. I don't know how, but he knew exactly what I needed before either one of us did. Just like my mom did, she knew what I needed and where to find it."
Master Roshi let out a chuckle "Why of course I did, who do you think I am?"
"See that, he even cares enough to lie to my face. But seriously though, what's with all the Paradise Pot?"
"For the last time it's not Pot, and I wouldn't say that." he snatched the herbs up and began to devour them "And like that I feel so alive, talk about an energy boost! I feel younger already, I could go on living for another thousand years!"
"Yeah well you'd better." Baba grumbled "For all I know that's how long it's going to take for you to pay off the tab that you owe me." and this killed the mood.
"Why can't I have a sister who likes to help me for free?"
Gohan watched this and let out a chuckle "Yeah dad was right, things never get boring when you're hanging around with Master Roshi."
"You said it. And by the way Gohan." Kai held out his hand to him "Just remember, one of these days I'm gonna surpass you for real."
"And I look forward to that day." Gohan gladly accepted the hand "But don't think I'm gonna make it easy on you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Yamcha just looked on at the scene with a small smile 'Looks like you came through for him again sis, maybe this is what he needs to finally move forward.'
A/N:
And with this chapter, we finally get to see life returning to normal for our heroes, but with some considerable changes, such Goku choose to come back to life after hearing that Chichi is pregnant, 17 and 18 joining the Z fighters, Future Gohan returning to his timeline, and everyone moving on from the brutal conflict in their own way, the ways of which are being covered in this chapter, and will be covered in another timeline in the next chapter. So yes, Cooler is already aware of the threat of Majin Buu, and he has connections to the Supreme Kai. This is going to come up in the next arc taking place in the present timeline, and it's going to give some of the more B-tier characters a chance to shine for once, especially some of those that have died in this arc, and even a few of those that didn't.
One other character we had to say goodbye to was Upa, a character from the original Dragon Ball series that I thought it would be fun to include, but looking back I realized there wasn't much I could do for him, so in the end I decided to give him a sendoff similar to the one Tien got in canon.
Gohan and Kai's little training expedition is inspired by the Forest of Terror episodes in Dragon Ball Super episodes 75 and 76. I thought it would be good to give each of them some more character development, and to have Kai sub out using the Namek-Ken that he learned from Nail to his newest technique: the Spirit Ken, which he learned about from his mother. I tried to make sure Kai didn't seem too out of character, but keep in mind that he's only 10 like Gohan, and he does have some serious emotional scars, as eluded to by his beatdown of Goku a few chapters ago.
Speaking of the Spirit Ken, I attempted to use that idea for the original Rise of a New Generation fic, but that never really panned out. Remember when Krillin's body started glowing white, and some people thought it might be a new power up, even though it turned out to be nothing? Well I decided to expand on that, and show that what can hold the human characters back isn't something as simple as a lack of strength, but lack of faith in their own capabilities. The theory is that when they manage to cast aside their fears and doubts, and combine that with very precise levels of Ki control, they can push themselves to a new level of power. At least that's the general idea.
Power levels:
Kai: 250 million
Kai (Spirit Ken, first use): 37.5 billion
Gohan: 1.8 billion
Super Saiyan Gohan: 12.6 billion
Super Saiyan 2 Gohan: 81.9 billion