Daily Life With A Saiyan Teenager

by AquaticPhantom407

Goten and Trunks are constantly left behind when it comes to big fights. Tired of being the weaklings of the group, they decide it's time to catch up to the others. Meanwhile, a new evil approaches intending to wipe out all Saiyans and any race he deems too dangerous to be left alive. After an altercation with the monster, Goten found himself sent to another world. Can he get back?

15. Chapter 14: Accepting Change

Daily Life With A Saiyan Teenager Chapter 14

Accepting Change.

"You're leaving Japan? After all that talk of becoming Japan's answer to the androids, you're leaving? Explain." Said Smith.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm going to Italy to fight the Red Ribbon Army. Now that I know where they are, I'm putting an end to their business for good." Said Goten.

"We just found out you're still alive. I don't want you to get hurt again." Said Tio while hugging him tightly.

"Please listen to her Goten. I know you hate them, but this is reckless! We know you're strong, but do you really think going there alone is a good idea?" Said Manako.

"Maybe not, but it's my decision to make. I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to recreate Cell for the 100th time. They should have given up on world domination a long time ago but since they still haven't learned their lesson, I'll just have to beat it into them. Permanently." Said Goten with conviction.

"No, I won't allow it. As a coordinator of the interspecies Exchange program, it's my responsibility to ensure your safety and that's final. I'm not going to let you head straight to your death. Under normal circumstances, we'd offer to send you home if that was what you really wanted but that isn't an option this time and we don't offer free trips to other countries." Said Ms. Smith.

"I could just fly." Goten shrugged.

At this, Ms. Smith facepalmed and shook her head. "Look, I know that whatever I do, I can't stop you but think of how others will be affected. You have no idea how hard everyone took it when we thought you died. Tio could hardly eat and was constantly vomiting and after what we saw, who could blame the poor girl? You were already beyond saving when we found you in that hospital over in Odaiba. We had to drive all the way over there just to say goodbye and we weren't even certain that you'd be alive by then. It's a miracle that you're alive let alone in pristine condition. You're a fighter Goten, I'll give you that. The fact that you survived as long as you did can attest to that. This however isn't something you can handle alone."

"And I don't plan to if I don't have to. I'm not reckless enough to try anything without a plan." Said Goten.

"But you are reckless enough to consider going alone at all. Listen here Goten, I have a lot of responsibilities in this line of work, one of which is taking care of exchange students. I failed Melody by matching her with her old host family. I have no excuse for that, I should have done more research on that family, but I can't correct that oversight. I refuse to be the coordinator who failed you too."

Goten spoke softly. "Ms. Smith, the odds aren't on our side right now, but we've won with even worse odds before. Ever since the Red Ribbon Army was defeated by my dad over thirty years ago, they've been in shambles, but they have an army of androids now, androids that Cell said could make him look like a joke. This was before he became a God but that doesn't make it any less worrying."

"Then you understand why this is a bad idea. You'll be slaughtered or worse. Goten, you're the only one we know we can rely on for sure. If you die, we may lose any hope we have of taking care of the Red Ribbon army." Said Smith.

"That's exactly why I need a plan before I attack, and why I'm going to make sure Japan is in good hands before I leave. I'm not going now; I'm going soon, which could mean anything. Weeks, months, however long it takes me to prepare for this. But before I head out, I need to know what I'm up against. I'll grow stronger and I will save the people they took."

Smith smiled in resignation. "As much as I detest putting you in danger, you're a registered part of law enforcement now so if the government allows it, I'll have no choice but to accept it. That said, will you at least promise me you won't do anything stupid? You said it yourself; you need help and even if you go to Italy, there's no guarantee the leader of the Red Ribbon Army will be there at all."

"I promise I will be careful. After all, I can't afford to be too reckless. First things first, I'm going to gather more information and hopefully expose them. I'll find out what they're doing with the people they captured, and then I'll put an end to their horrific actions for good. Nobody knows what we're up against, nobody except maybe Android 16 so I'll see if I can speak with him soon."

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page. If you weren't, we would have to keep you out of the investigation. We can't have you go without a plan now, can we?" Said Smith

"Any suggestions?" Goten asked.

"Hey hero boy, did you forget my entire thing or what? I'm made for situations like this!" Said Doppel.

"Hero boy? I like that, I think I'll start calling you that from now on." Said Smith.

"Are you sure? I mean disguising yourself as a member of the Red Ribbon Army would be a good way to gather information, but if they find out who you are, then it's over. They don't have the best track record in terms of an army, but we can't be arrogant. we need to take this very seriously." Goten replied to Doppel.

"Well yeah, but I'm a pro at acting. Besides, I know you'll protect me won't you hero boy?" Said Doppel.

"Uh, sure."

Doppels face became devilish. "Of course, we'd be going to another country and since I'll technically be with the bad guys, I'm free to do whatever I want with them."

"I'm glad I'm not your enemy." Goten sweat dropped.

"Aw don't be like that; it will be just like when we first met! That wallet snatcher didn't see what was coming to em!"

Goten covered her mouth and whispered in her ear. "SHHH! They're not supposed to know about that!"

Doppel snickered and talked while Goten was covering her mouth. "We were going after a wallet snatcher late at night and Goten replaced his wallet with a card that said 'Loser' on it! I don't know what's better, the fact that he had a card ready for that situation or that crooks' reactions but what I know for sure, it was awesome!" Said Doppel.

"Pulling pranks in the middle of the night, are we? It's no wonder you were so tired the following day. And you, Doppel, getting Goten involved in one of your pranks? For shame." Said Smith as she shook her head in disappointment.

"Aw come on, it was fun! Besides, we got a wallet thief caught! It was worth it in the end!" Said Doppel.

"Goten, have you been getting enough sleep? You know staying up late is unhealthy and will lead to unnecessary stress and other negative effects, especially when you're older. That goes for you too Doppel. Make sure you're getting enough sleep okay?" Said Tio in a gentle motherly voice.

"Okay, we will. We're sorry." Said both Goten and Doppel while apologetically bowing down.

"Oh, about your friend, Android 16, was it? For an android created by an evil army he sure was a nice guy, wasn't he? It was sweet of him to reassure you that you made the choice after you know..." Said Tio.

"Right? I never thought I'd get the chance to meet him. Gohan wasn't able to save him in his battle against Cell 16 years ago, but he must have been rebuilt and this time I was able to save him. Before I came here, I checked the spot where I left him and he wasn't there, so I came here instead. On the bright side that means he's probably being repaired... hopefully."

"It must be nice to be able to befriend people like that. You really accept anyone, don't you? Humans, non-human girls like us, and even an android created by the people you hate the most, you treat them all the same." Manako smiled.

"We just didn't think of our differences that much back in my world. It really didn't matter what species you were; it was almost a non-factor. That's why this world confuses me, because it's so divided that something like the Interspecies Exchange Bill is needed in the first place and the fact that all these different species were kept secret from humans is even more surprising to me."

"Right, you did say one of your family friends has three eyes. Presumably, he has to go out in public to get groceries so of course people would be used to him after a while. I guess it would strike you as odd considering you're from another world." Said Manako.

"You of all people are the one I'm confused about the most. You almost look as human as me and I can't see how having one eye that covers most of your face is worth treating you as a different species. I get other liminals might have traits that could endanger humans, but your eye doesn't seem to pose any danger to anyone."

"Well, my eye isn't harmful to people, but it does scare them, and it hurts my feelings when people stare at me for too long. It's not just to keep humans and extraspecies safe from each other, it's to keep the peace between them too. Dangerous or not, extraspecies and humans tend to have vastly different cultures that may clash, and we have to make sure that doesn't devolve into violence." Said Manako.

"Is that true? I guess I'm just ignorant about the way things work in this world but that makes sense, doesn't it? I read the Bill, so I get the gist of things, but I don't understand why we need it." Goten looked away in thought. "No, that's not right. It's more like I'm confused about how we got to the point that we needed it in the first place. I didn't grow up in this world so even a toddler probably knows more about this world's history than me. I don't know much but I'm also not the type of person who'd sit back and let people get away with hurting others."

"Do you hold it against us for trying to arrest you for vigilantism?" Smith asked.

"Not at all, you were just doing your jobs and I was doing what I believed to be mine. My problem is with the Bill itself, not you, and even then, it's not like I want the Interspecies Exchange to end, there's just a lot of progress to be made which is bound to be done eventually anyway. Whether I did anything or not, people were going to take issue with the law anyway." Said Goten.

"That's a very mature way to look at it. You've certainly thought ahead and yes, it's not perfect but fixing every problem within the Bill won't happen overnight. I work for the Interspecies Exchange Program, yes, but do you think I agree with every decision they make? If so, then you're sorely mistaken. That said, sometimes but not always, you need to let people be wrong. There will be times when nothing you say will make a difference, so you'll have to let people take the fall if you want to see change. If they aren't allowed to fail, they'll only end up making similar mistakes in the future. "Said Smith.

"Why are you telling me this?" Goten was confused by why she was saying all this.

"I'm telling you this because it's good that you're helping people but there is such a thing as overdoing it. You're a good kid Goten, but you don't need to treat everyone's problems as your own. Apologies if I'm getting this wrong but you seem like the type to get involved whenever there is any trouble. Let me ask you something. Hypothetically if multiple countries were at war, what would you do then?" Said Smith.

"I would try to stop as many pointless deaths as I could." Said Goten.

"Not a bad answer but see, that's exactly my point. You aren't confined by the limitations that humans and most extraspecies are so you feel personally responsible for saving any lives that you can. You're as altruistic as they come so this may come across as cruel to you, but this line of thinking will only lead to your self-destruction." Said the coordinator.

"How would that lead to my self-destruction? I'd just like to help out you know? I don't see what's wrong with that." Said Goten.

Smith wore her poker face to get the point across. "If you spend too much time trying to solve everyone's problems, the problems that remain unsolved are your own. It's like your mechanical friend said, you want to make the most tasteful decision which in and of itself is fine, but that choice isn't always the right one, especially if it just ends up with you being miserable. You're far from the only person who thinks like this, but most people don't have the abilities you do, so they'd end up doing a lot less work than you in the long run but in the end, the result will be the same."

Goten looked down at the ground. "I'm not trying to fix every problem around me." Goten looked up at Smith. "But If I know people are in danger of losing their lives and I just let them die, it will weigh on my conscience. Heck, I didn't know Cell was here, and that still stings."

"You have your own life to worry about and it's not a crime to focus on that. No one is saying you can't save lives, but you aren't responsible for everyone. You can play the hero all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that you're a person, not a character on a screen that always arrives just in the nick of time to save the day."

"I get that, but in this specific case I had every reason to head straight to who I thought was my dad, but I chose to take my time. I know everyone's right about how what happened couldn't have crossed my mind, but I just wish I did things differently you know?" Said Goten.

Smith sighed and shook her head. "Well, that's hindsight for you. I'm sorry you feel responsible for what happened. There's not much I can say that can make you feel better because you've probably already heard plenty of speeches about how it's not your fault, so I won't be the next person to tell you that. However, what I can say is you're trying to prepare for next time which in my opinion is more than enough." Said Smith.

"Thank you, Ms. Smith. I'll keep what you said in mind. It's just difficult, you know?" Said Goten. He looked Smith in the eye and spoke with confidence. "Next time, I'm going to be ready. You can count on it." Said Goten.

"Wow, that was intense Smith. If only you could be that serious about your work, then we'd really be in business!" Said Zombina.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Said Smith.

"Well as I was saying earlier, in my family's inner circle we have Gods, a guy with three eyes, my grandpa is much larger than the average human, my dad's best friend is married to an android and let's not forget about the aliens. I fall into that category since I'm half-Saiyan on my dad's side and they're usually born with monkey tails and turn into giant apes when they look at a full moon. Kind of hard to not accept non-humans when your dad is one."

"You've seen it all haven't ya kid?" Said Zombina.

"Um, they usually have tails?" Manako asked.

"Yeah, for some reason no Saiyan after Gohan was born with a tail and he's, my brother. Before you ask, no, I don't understand it either. I know biology and that's not how genetics are supposed to work. I guess that's the price of being a Saiyan born on Earth instead of Planet Vegeta. Long story short, Saiyan biology is weird and you're better off not questioning it or else it will give you a headache." Said Goten.

"So, if I'm getting this right, Saiyans are basically a monkey-based alien species. How big do you get when you become a giant ape? Should we be worried about that? Like, forget the girls in the house, if Goten looks at a full moon there won't even be a house." Said Doppel.

"Oh no, I can't turn into a giant ape. I wasn't born with a tail so I can look at the full moon and be just fine. Anyway, after Gohan, no Saiyan has been born with a tail which is odd since Gohan is not just a Half-Saiyan like me, but he's my brother. You're better off not questioning Saiyan biology or you're going to get a headache."

"Okay, that makes sense, I guess. So, if I'm getting this right, Saiyan tails were their strength and their weakness. Sounds pretty easy to exploit if you ask me." Said Doppel.

"Well, I wouldn't know about that, you'd have to get close enough to grab it." Goten had remembered a previous conversation with one of his friends at school. "Oh, before I go, I got something to ask. One of my friends said something really weird the other day."

"Go on, spit it out." Said Smith.

"It was Melody, I was under the impression that my dad was here so I didn't care about hiding what I was anymore and ended up spilling the beans about what I am. She told me that nations and factions would use me to produce powerful offspring to further their military strength or whatever. How ridiculous is that? I mean who'd even think of that?"

...

"But that would never happen, right? I get she's worried but c'mon, that's just silly! Hahahaha!"

"Well... I don't want to say it outright but..." Said Manako

"You poor sweet innocent child." Said Zombina.

"Yeah... you're definitely in for a surprise." Said Doppel.

"Um, hey, I wonder what's for dinner!" Tio blushed and twiddled her thumbs while averting her eyes away from Goten.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Goten asked.

"Let's just say we're going to need to have a long talk," said Smith.

Asashi's house

Two days had passed since the defeat of Cell. Asashi and his family were currently eating dinner. They heard the news about the monster who attacked Japan and they also heard he was defeated by a boy on death's door though Asashi did not know who it was. It was not the interview from Saiyaman X2, but a local news network talking about the events from the Idol Sindraco Firenna turning into a Dragon to a half-dead person killing the monster that plagued the streets of Japan.

"Thanks for the food, Mom! You always know what hits the spot!" Said Asashi.

"Well, I'm glad you like the food. We gotta keep up that strength somehow. After all, with your father not around, so who's going to help me with all the heavy lifting?" said his mother.

"I dunno, you're plenty strong on your mom. Your training is regiment is crazy! I'm sorry about destroying the ceiling by the way." Said Asashi.

"Don't sweat it kid, I got it replaced already! So, are those punks still giving Mizuki a hard time? Do I need to step in? Not even a liminal can take on a mother's love for her children!" She flexed her muscles.

"Well, that's not a problem anymore, my friend Goten helped him out with that! Isn't that right Mizuki?"

"Oh! Um, yeah! He did that. He didn't attack him either. His body was just so durable that the werewolf in question broke his claws. I don't understand it but Goten was amazing! It hurts knowing we won't see him anymore." Said Mizuki.

"What do you mean by that, did he change schools? And what do you mean 'was', Goten IS amazing! He taught me so much and it's thanks to him that I think I can take on your training regimen now Mom!"

The mother chuckled. "It seems like you both have nothing but nice things to say about this Goten. And was that a challenge Asashi? Is my little sunshine finally becoming a man?"

"Moooooom, don't call me that! I'm not a little kid anymore!" Said Asashi.

"Well too bad, because you'll always be my baby!" She nuzzled Asashi's face much to his embarrassment and looked at Mizuki.

"Hey, Mizuki, what's the matter with you? You're a quiet kid but this is just depressing. Mizuki, tell me what happened. Are you being bullied again? If you are, I'll have words with the school board and if they don't do anything, I'll kick their asses." Said their mother.

"No, it's nothing like that." Mizuki looked over at his brother who was chowing down on his sashimi. Asashi, I don't know how to tell you this but, I heard something that will upset you. There's going to be a funeral service tomorrow at the school." Said Mizuki.

"Yeah, I know about that. I think some of our classmates were killed by that monster and many people lost family too. This whole situation is messed up. Were you close to one of them? You seem off man."

"He was an upperclassman but he was always so nice to me. You knew him better than me though. You see it's Goten. He... He's dead."

"Mizuki, that's not funny!" Said Asashi.

"I wouldn't joke about this! I know it's hard to process but I overheard Melody and Draconis talking. They visited Goten in the hospital, or at least what was left of him. He had injuries that no human could survive and he was ripped right off his deathbed. The person in question was a hooded figure who was able to knock out Draconis with a single hit. They don't know why Goten was taken but they're both certain that Goten is dead, and they aren't the type of people to lie about something like this."

"No, there must be some kind of mistake! There's no way Goten is dead! We were supposed to hang out together, train together together, we were going to help each other grow and be the best of friends! He was separated from his brother and now he'll never be able to see him again." Asashi put his head down.

Mizuki tried to pat his brother's back. "Asashi, you should know..."

ARRRRRGGHH! I don't want to hear it! Goten... he was... he was the only one who was willing to put up with me. I had friends, but they all kept their distance because of my personality. No matter what it was, I never half-assed anything. Homework, walking in the hall, throwing away trash, you name it. No matter how big or small it was, I pushed myself to the very limit and encouraged others to do the same. During activities in the gym, I was respected and when I was on the volleyball team, I was admired as a player but when I did hang out with people, they were turned off by me always trying to push myself past my limitations." Asashi thought about how he used to walk to school carrying a heavy weight on his back every day before he was told to stop by the authorities.

"Goten never shunned me though. He even went out of his way to teach me something he didn't want to teach others, me! Of all people, he picked the eccentric guy who obsesses over training too much. He didn't want to take on a student but he taught me anyway so I could protect you, Mizuki."

"Me? He did that?" Said Mizuki.

"Yeah, he recognized my dilemma. I was strong, I could take on any human bully that thought you were an easy target. But then the interspecies exchange happened and then suddenly there were enemies that no matter how hard I trained, I could never beat. I was only a human. I couldn't punch through a shell harder than a diamond; my skin wasn't durable enough to protect me from sharp claws, and I may be fast for a human at my age, but I'm still no match for certain non-humans that excel in that area. Even the ones I am a match for, I can't legally hurt them even if they attack you so I had no choice but to take their blows and wait for them to be punished." Said Asashi.

"I remember. Even back then you refused to back down. You were always stubborn." Mizuki smiled solemnly.

Flashback

2 years ago, Mizuki was still very much a loner in middle school. Girls were put off by his obsession with manga, guys thought of him as an easy target and even teachers gave him a hard time. One day I came home covered in bruises.

"Mizuki what happened?!" Said Mizuki's mother

Mizuki laughed nervously. "It was nothing, I just fell down some stairs."

"Are you being bullied?" She asked.

"What no! It's just fine, I mean it!"

"I'm not an idiot Mizuki, I've kicked a lot of asses, and I've been on the receiving end of getting my ass kicked. I know the difference between falling down a flight of stairs and getting your ass beat. Now tell me what happened because if you don't, I'm going to find out myself."

"Okay, okay... I am being bullied. I want to make friends, but they all make fun of me for being an otaku and they use me when it's convenient for them. They force me to let them cheat on my homework, dump their trash on me and force me to throw it away and push me around for fun. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to trouble you and I thought that if I acted like it didn't bother me, they'd stop it out of boredom!"

"Mizuki sweetie, they're not going to leave you alone if you don't do anything about it. You aren't a burden either, I enjoy being a mother. NOW LET ME AT EM! NO ONE TREATS MY KID LIKE THAT!"

"You can't do that Mom! Their parents will sue!" Said Mizuki.

"Mom, let me do it. I'm many things, a loudmouth, a muscle head, and a self-admitted try hard but what I am not is a guy who'll just set back and let my little brother get picked on! I'm going to his school tomorrow!" Said Asashi.

"I taught you well Asashi and for the record, you were a lot smarter than me when I was your age. I mean you're pretty educated when it comes to health especially when it's related to physical health." Said their mother.

Asashi chuckled. "They won't even know what hit them!"

"Asashi, you don't know how big they are! They're like trucks! You don't stand a chance!" Mizuki exclaimed.

"The bigger the challenge, the better. Besides it takes more than just brute strength to win a fight. Don't you remember how Mom and dad got together?" Said Asashi.

"Ah yes, that takes me back! Your father wasn't the toughest man alive, but he was smart! Man was he smart! Asashi inherited my fighting spirit but Mizuki, you inherited your fathers' brains. I'll never forget the day I fell for him. I was just a tomboy who had dreams of inheriting her father's dojo. My two best friends were popular girls. One of them was the prettiest girl in school that every guy wanted to be with, and the other one was cute and was always being coddled by her fan group. Guys would always hit on them, but I would chase them off if they got too aggressive but to be honest, a part of me was jealous that guys didn't approach me too." Said their mother.

"You told us this story before, but why would you care about the opinions of those guys? I mean they don't sound like they were worth getting upset over." Said Asashi.

"It was because I'm a woman too, damn it! Just because I was always a bit more muscular than the average woman didn't mean I had no feminine charm! Luckily, your father knew better which is why I fell for him. One day I injured my leg in an accident and when a group of aggressive guys realized my leg was hurt, they took advantage of that to force my friends into going somewhere with them to have 'fun' and when I came in to defend them, they pushed me down and tried to run away with my friends. That's when your father got in their way. They attacked him, but he humiliated them by using their movements against them. Your dad was a twig, but he took advantage of the wind and the stance of the toughest guy in the group and made him fall flat on his face on the hard concrete. Of course, they beat his ass after that, but he won in the department of not giving a damn. While they were busy beating him, they were too busy to notice me walking toward them and you already know what happened next."

"Yeah, you beat them up right?" Said Mizuki.

Their mother smiled. "Damn right, I beat them up! He may have lost the fight, but he won all of our hearts that day. When I asked why he was so calm about getting his ass kicked he told me it was because, unlike that group of guys, he wasn't wearing a mask to make others see him as something he's not. He made them reveal their true colors, and they weren't cool, mature, or handsome, just a bunch of brutes who got their butts handed to them by a girl. By destroying the uncaring, cool, and mature persona they made for themselves, your father Yusei Hoshizawa had won."

Shiori remembered the aftermath of the situation and sighed.

"We all thought he looked handsome when he handled those good-for-nothing delinquents, but my friends were the only ones to act. They exchanged contact info with him, but I didn't because I was Shiori Oshikawa, the least feminine girl in the school. He got the attention of two of the most popular girls in the school so why would he even consider me? That's what I thought until he confessed to me. At first, he wanted to understand the scientific phenomenon known as love at first sight or at least that's how he explained it but he eventually just stopped trying because he fell deeply in love with me and stopped seeing our love as something to be analyzed but something to be cherished and remembered. Ah, it feels like yesterday when he proposed to me after graduation! We used to be just a couple of lovebirds!" Their mother, Shiori Hoshizawa gushed about their father like a schoolgirl. Noticing the blank looks she was getting she continued.

"Ahem, the point is your brother is right Mizuki. Sometimes courage is more important than being strong and you telling me what's wrong shows courage. My friends from back in school were always polite but they weren't able to turn people down harshly so to get the message across I had to stand up for them."

"I don't feel very courageous. I mean I'm getting other people involved in my problem." Said Mizuki.

"You're my brother Mizuki. This isn't just your problem, it's OUR problem. I'll be sure to confront them after school and when I'm done, they won't mess with you again. Don't worry about troubling me." Asashi grinned. "It's what brothers do."

"Please… help me big bro."

"Of course I will. I'd like you to also stand up to them yourself. If they do anything to you, then I'll just beat them even harder!" Said Asashi.

The next day, a group of 5 bullies had Mizuki cornered against a wall wall because he refused to let them copy his homework which led to them all getting bad grades.

"What the hell Mizuki?! I thought we were pals!" Said the bully one.

"If we were really friends then why am I always the one who has to clean up after you? Why am I the butt of every joke? Whenever I don't do what you want you beat me up and humiliate me in front of everyone and you all laugh at me! I had enough!"

"Oh, so you grew a pair of balls! I'm proud of you man!" Bully one mockingly clapped his hands. "But don't think for a second that you can step up to me. Nothing personal, just gotta make sure you REALIZE YOUR PLACE!" The main bully punches Mizuki in the face causing his mouth to bleed.

"I held back but I won't be as nice next time. You better pay for my food tomorrow for being so nice to you." Said bully one.

"If that's what you call being nice then let me offer a token of my friendship!" Said a familiar voice who pat the bully on the back. The bully turned around. "Who the hell are y-" He was slugged in the face and knocked onto his bottom.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Said bully two.

"What? I'm just being nice, right? I even held back for him because I knew he was so weak. You should thank me for this handicap. I'll even let you cowards take me on together just to make it fair." Said Asashi.

"Don't get cocky because you landed a sucker punch! Get ready to be asked why you have a fist carved in your face!" Said bully three who came rushing at Asashi with his arm winded up for a punch. This one had an eye patch.

Asashi palmed his face and then he grabbed it. "You're a terrible fighter. You're not used to fighting people on your level, are you? You're just a bully who thinks they're tough because they can kick around people who are smaller than them. People like you piss me off, the." Asashi squeezed his face. "YOU DON'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT STRENGTH!"

"MMMPPH! GETHIMOFFME!" Bully 3 struggled to get out of Asashi's grip.

Bully four who had stripped hair and Bully five who had a gray jacket grabbed him from behind and forced him to let go of Bully three who struggled to keep his balance.

"We can't play around with this guy anymore. He means business." Said Bully 3.

"It's 5 against one and we have him completely restrained! He's all yours!"

"Alright!" Bully 3 flexed one of his arms and got ready to beat Asashi senselessly.

Bully one got up as one of the other unoccupied bullies ran up to Asashi and punched him, kicked him, and even attacked him with objects.

"Stop!" Said Bully one.

"What's wrong?" Said Bully two.

"I want him for myself. Hold him down!

"Alright!" Said the two that were holding down Asashi.

"Not so tough now are you hotshot?" Said bully one who walked up to Asashi and began beating him.

"Nah, I'm not tough, you're just laughably weak. You're all so sorry that you have to beat down an opponent who can't move and you can't even do that right. Looks like you and your gang aren't as tough as you thought you were, otherwise, I'd be unconscious."

Bully one chuckled. "Oh, someone's cocky today. Let him go guys, I'm going to teach him a lesson myself!" The main bully cracked his knuckles. "I don't know who you are, but you'll learn soon enough not to fuck with me."

"You're going to remember what it's like to be on a stretcher because judging from how messed up your face is, I'd say you've paid a few visits already unless you're going to tell me you're naturally this ugly." Said Asashi

Bully one became enraged. "You have no idea what you just said. Take it back... RIGHT NOW!"

"Are we going to fight or what? Or are you ready to apologize to Mizuki? It's bad enough that you're picking on my brother but you're not even strong. I wanted a challenge but you gave me nothing. At this point, you're just wasting my time. Just leave and stay away from my brother."

Bully one rushed at Asashi and repeatedly tried to hit him. Unlike the other bullies, the main bully was more than just a street fighter. Despite that Asashi was more experienced and he blocked and dodged all of his punches and kicks. Eventually, Asashi caught one of his punches.

"My turn." Said Asashi as he delivered a hard punch to his chest, delivered plenty of kicks and ended the assault by hitting him against the wall. Bully one fell to the ground and Asashi lifted his chin with his foot. "It's over. Accept that you lost and swear you won't pick on Mizuki again."

"Shut up! How dare you disrespect me! Do you even know who I am?! I don't… owe you shit!" Said Bully one

Asashi removes his foot from his chin and kicks him across the face, rendering him unconscious. He looked down at the person responsible for hurting his brother.

"I know exactly what you are, you're a big fish in a small pond but I'm the fisherman who catches the fish in the same way you just caught an ass whoopin." Asashi looks at the other bullies. "Oh, and if you don't apologize to Mizuki, you're next."

"H-He was the strongest and he took him out! This guy's a monster!" Said Bully five.

"Yeah, well I'm not afraid of him! He just got lucky!" Said another bully four who rushed at Asashi from behind with a baseball bat that he picked up as Asashi was beating down his leader

"No one embarrasses our friend and gets away with it!" the bully yelled.

"You're too slow." Asashi ducked the swing of the bat and sweep-kicked the bully causing him to fall to the ground. "Here let me help you up." Asashi lent the bully a hand to help him up but then with his other hand he bawled up a fist and punched that bully back onto the ground. "I can forgive you for holding me down and beating me up when I couldn't defend myself, but I can't forgive what you did to my brother. Now sit down and apologize."

Asashi looked at the other three bullies. "Do any of you want to test your luck too? I wouldn't dream of it if I were you. I'll let you off with a warning for now but if I find out you're bullying my brother again, I will beat you senseless just like I did to your leader. Oh, and you can tell the school, your parents, or even the authorities but if you hurt my brother again, I promise none of them will save you from me."

"Y-Yes sir! We're sorry!" The remaining bullies left.

"Alright Mizuki, let's go."

"Wait a second Asashi." Said Mizuki as he walked up to the unconscious ringleader and pulled out a handkerchief. "You made me afraid to go to school and I was miserable because of you but even so, I don't want you to suffer or be humiliated. Just leave me alone from now on." Mizuki wiped the blood of bully one.

"Alright, Asashi let's go."

"Alright."

Later... The two brothers would arrive home.

"Hahahaha, that's my boy! You taught those boys not to mess with either of my sons! You're a bit banged up. You need to go to the hospital?" Said Ms. Hoshizawa.

"Nah, I'll be fine. They shouldn't be messing with Mizuki anymore." Said Asashi.

"Well, they better not because we know what will happen if they do!" Shiori chuckled.

"That was epic Asashi! You were like a manga character going berserk on the bad guys! I do think you may have gone a bit overboard though. For a second I thought you were going to kill those guys."

"Cut me some slack, I'd never go that far. What I did was totally reasonable. After what they did to you, I knew I couldn't let this slide. If I didn't step in, they never would have stopped." Said Asashi.

"And if you didn't step in, I would have!" Said Shiori.

"Right, mom." Both of the kids said.

"Mizuki, it was still sweet of you to clean up his injuries."

"Gee, thanks mom." Said Mizuki.

"As for you Asashi." She said sternly.

Asashi gulped in fear.

"Listen, if they find out what you did, you'll definitely get into trouble. I know you were just looking after your brother but other people won't take that. The story is you're grounded but instead of punishing you, what do we say we celebrate over dinner at a restaurant? You know, just as a reward for being a good brother."

Shiori hugged both her kids tightly. They did end up going to that restaurant. What Asashi did was find out because one of the bully's mother made him tell her. He got a stern talking to at school but he argued he was just defending his brother. Ultimately, nothing became of the situation.

When Mizuki went to school, people still avoided him, but they weren't bullying him anymore out of fear that they'd end up like the kid who targeted him. Things were fine for a while, that was until that faithful day. One day Mizuki was walking home from school. On this particular day, Mizuki ran into a lost little girl on his way home and decided to help her. Mizuki brought her home successfully and her parents thanked him.

It was now a bit later than the usual time he went home, and he was further away from his home than he normally was. He made it close to his home but in a quiet area where no one was around at the time, Mizuki was attacked by someone or something. The poor boy didn't even have time to react.

Mizuki was rendered unconscious and when he woke up, he was pinned against a tree in the woods. He felt heat coming from his side and suddenly he felt a lot of pain. He looked and saw claw marks on his side. The wounds weren't deep enough to be fatal but enough to cause an immense amount of pain.

"ARRGHH!"

"Ah, you're awake! You know little boys like you shouldn't wander alone. I wonder how the media will react when you come back all torn up." Said a deep female voice. The owner of the voice was covered in dark gray fur and was not human. She had a humanish face but she had animalistic features that were barely visible due to the cloak she wore which only slightly revealed her face. However, her claws were very much exposed."

"W-What are you?!" Said Mizuki fearfully.

"I'm a werewolf and I think found my prey for the night." She licked her lips. "I'd normally say I'm a different species but I felt like being honest today, just to change things up ya know?"

"P-Please don't kill me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You didn't do anything wrong, you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not planning on killing you, that would go against the point of why I'm doing this."

"You're a non-human, where is your host family?!" Said Mizuki.

"Ah yes, them. Money is one hell of a motivator, isn't it? A family just accepted me in for monetary gain. I planned to ruin them slowly, but I was saving that for a later time. Their child caught onto it, so I silenced him."

"Do you mean you k-k-killed him?" Mizuki asked.

"Killed him? You have a pretty twisted imagination, don't you? I merely mauled him and coerced him into framing an innocent non-human. There was no evidence that the liminal I made him frame was linked to the case so it was dropped, but I didn't need anyone to believe the story, just the idea that humans and liminals couldn't co-exist to spread. You seem like a smart kid, ever heard of Natura?"

"That's a political party, right? The one with a heavy emphasis on species purity? They're against procreation between species because they fear the species of today will one day be bred out of existence."

"Yes, that's the one. You see, I don't hate humans, in fact, I'm rather indifferent towards them but they're the ones who have all the power so coming here was more beneficial than a country of non-humans. Do you know what happens when humans and non-humans are allowed to breed? Some non-humans need humans to increase their numbers so that's fair game. However other species don't need humans and a union between a non-human of that species human would result in hybrid children. Those children will procreate with humans and non-human species and purebloods will grow old and die. Not just this, but our ways of life, our cultures, and our customs will become unrecognizable or cease to exist outright. The Interspecies Exchange Bill only offers short-term solutions but myself and Natura are thinking of the long-term effects of humans and non-humans living together so we made it our goal to cut the weed at its roots."

"What you're doing isn't going to help Natura's cause! If anything, you're just going to turn people against them!"

"On the contrary rodent. They didn't order me to do this, I chose this for myself, I don't work for Natura or anything. Our views just happen to align and I'm willing to do things that they aren't. I'm fully expecting to be caught eventually. I injure my victims badly enough to the point they think I'll kill them and then I coerce them into framing an innocent non-human by threatening to come after their families if they don't comply with what I tell them to do. The threats don't always work but fear is also a great motivator. Most don't know my actual species since they barely see my face so they can't pinpoint exactly who or what I am. Even after I'm eventually caught, the anti-liminal sentiment will rise, and more people will come to support Natura. Unfortunately, I've taken a few lives by mistake. You humans sure are fragile things, aren't you?"

"Y-You're a murderer! How many people did you did you do this to?!" Mizuki's stuttered out of fear and the pain of the claw marks on his side.

"Well so far, I have about 20 victims and four of them died from their injuries. I swear I didn't mean for them to die." She said with a hint of guilt. "Killing them wasn't my intention but their deaths will serve to further Natura's cause. If you're hoping I face judgment for my crimes, congratulations, you win. Do you want a prize to go with your victory too? Regardless of what happens to me, this will give people all the more reason to support what Natura stands for." She spoke.

"You're wrong! If anything, more people are going to be against Natura because they'll realize how it breeds psychos like you! Natura wants to sustain the purity of all species and argues that certain species are incompatible with humans and other species so they shouldn't live together but they don't advocate for violence!"

"I won't tell the public my intentions, I'll just give a cliché reason like I hate the fact that humans are so weak yet they're the dominant species. The general public would certainly eat that up. If you think about it, Natura's cause will prevent more deaths in the long run. Some extra species could easily kill humans on accident if they were to bump into them the wrong way and other species are even weaker than humans. Even if I did admit I was doing this for Natura and people despised them as a result, I'd be proving them right and whether or not people would like Natura, they'd still end up standing for the same thing."

"Y-You don't want to do this. You don't want to hurt people but you already started and you don't know how to stop." Said Mizuki.

"You think you got me all figured out, don't you? Do not try to understand my intentions brat. I'm a predator, plain and simple. I'm a dangerous and unpredictable creature who kills without a second thought." Said the werewolf.

"You wounded me, but why would you waste your time explaining yourself? Why stand here talking to me instead of killing me or leaving me alone to bleed out in this forest? You said you use your hood to conceal what species you are but you told me you're a werewolf and for some reason, I don't think you're lying this time."

The werewolf groaned. "Shut up before I cut out your tongue! I revealed myself because I was tired, okay?! I already got the point across with my first kill. I didn't mean to kill them, just to hurt them badly enough to spread panic!" She grimaced as she remembered digging her claws too deep into her victims and her voice became much softer. "But when I did kill them, I knew I wouldn't be punished lightly so I continued my spree to further hatred towards my species so I could ensure werewolves would no longer be allowed in the cultural exchange. Now will you shut up?!"

"But you don't need to be here. It would have been easier for you if you left me here and never revealed yourself." Said Mizuki calmly.

"It's like I said, I know I'm going to get caught. I just… I wanted to get it all off my chest before I was caught by law enforcement. I was going to continue for as long as I but I can't do this anymore. I get no thrill out of this like I used to and I'd rather die than live like this." She said.

"W-why join the cultural exchange in the first place?" Mizuki stuttered from the pain.

"It was the easiest way to sabotage it. My pack heard about it and sent myself and my kin to different countries to go and ruin relations. It's not like they forced me into it, we all knew exactly what we were doing. I threatened the son of my host family into keeping quiet but over time I started to enjoy life with them even with our rough start. I already had a secret identity though. I was a killer. This was a suicide mission from the beginning but came too far. That's why I want this to end before I get too attached to them and this life." She growled in frustration. "My name is Crescent so go ahead and report me for all I care.

"Crescent, I want to say it's not too late but… I can't tell you that in good faith. You killed four people and they deserve justice. I won't sugarcoat it, you're probably not going to know freedom again but if it makes you feel better, I forgive you. I know I shouldn't but I do. It's best for all parties that you turn yourself in."

"As if I'd accept your forgiveness. I don't believe it for a second. I hurt you badly and killed four people. Are you trying to get on my good graces or are you just trying to console me?" Said Cresent.

"Maybe a little bit of the latter but I'm being honest. What you did was evil but you seem like you genuinely regret everything. You feeling tired isn't just boredom over doing the same thing, the guilt is eating away at you and it has for a while."

"I do not want nor deserve your pity! I will turn myself in though. I only hope my actions will serve as a reminder of what could happen in the future if we choose to co-exist. If not, then everything we did will be for nothing." She said.

Asashi came from seemingly nowhere and tackled Crescent, rolling around for a bit until he was on top of her. He began punching the face. "Run Mizuki!" He yelled.

'Argh! Who are?! Wait Mizuki, I know that nam-' She wasn't able to finish her thoughts as she kept getting hit

"Asashi, you're here! Wait, I don't think she's a threat anymore." Mizuki exclaimed.

Asashi was too angry at the sight of Mizuki's claw marks to see reason. He sat on top of her and stopped punching for a moment to speak. "So, I'm dealing with a non-human. You know, I always wanted to fight one of you but I had a friendly spar in mind. Now, I don't care about that. All I want now is to break you. I couldn't care any less if you're a woman, you're going to pay for what you did to Mizuki!"

"Asashi stop!" Mizuki exclaimed.

"You shouldn't have attacked me! Hasn't your mother told you not to poke a WOLF?!" She roared in anger used her superior strength to lift him off her and slammed him onto the ground. She sat down on top of him and raised her claws at his neck. "You have no idea how much I'm holding back my urge to kill you! Just take your brother and leave because I promise, this won't end well for you."

"If you think I'm going to let you get away with what you did to Mizuki, you have another thing coming! Don't worry about insurance, I'll pay for all the medical stuff so you can live the rest of your life in shame!" Said Asashi.

"Do you even hear yourself? You're so unbelievably stupid to try attacking a werewolf head-on. A fragile and unarmed human like you has no chance against me! Quit trying to act cool, I doubt you could even afford that! Your punches do nothing when I'm expecting them so it's stupid of you to hit me but you know, I almost respect it." She slightly scratched his cheek to scare him. "Almost."

Mizuki got up while holding his bloody side. "C'mon Asashi, let's get out of here! She could slice us both up in seconds if she wanted to! She's letting us go!"

"Yes, listen to your brother. They'll find me and I'll be sent away to face my punishment anyway so you're wasting your time."

Asashi silently stared at her with resentment.

She moved her face closer to his. "Hey dumbass, just leave already! You aren't impressing anyone!"

Asashi stabbed her in the eye with a sharp rock he happened to pick up as he tackled the werewolf to the ground and rolled around with her. She recoiled in pain as she was permanently blinded in one eye.

"AAAAGGGHHH!" she screamed.

"You honestly expect me to believe that?! You kidnap my brother, and drag him into the woods! Your intentions are malicious! You expect me to believe you'll just let us go?! You're going to attack us as soon as we turn tail! I'm not taking any chances!" Said Asashi.

"How dare you! You take my eye and accuse me of being a coward?! You'll pay for that!" She became feral at the loss of her eye.

"Mizuki what are you doing?! Run away already!" Said Asashi as he prepared to cut out her other eye.

The werewolf was much faster than a human. She scratched his chest multiple times and started beating him half to death in a blind rage. Mizuki could only watch in horror. Once she calmed down, Asashi became unconscious and she realized what she had done.

"Again… I did it again. I killed another person."

"Y-You're a monster. That was my brother! And to think, I felt sympathy for you!" Said Mizuki through tears.

"I never asked for your pity! When a monster tells you they're a monster you should believe them!"

Mizuki ran up to Asashi's unconscious body. "Wake up Asashi! You idiot, why did you have to fight her? We could have escaped together!"

Crescent looked at the scene. The boy was mourning his dying brother. 'So, what, it's just another victim. It's not like I haven't killed people before. What's one more accidental murder on my long list of sins? In the end, it was for a good cause anyway. Liminals and humans, and even Liminals and other non-human species were never meant to co-exist. I killed people by accident but that situation was my fault. Other liminal could accidentally kill someone if they just happen to walk by without any malicious intent whatsoever. By doing this, I prevented more deaths and would therefore be protecting future liminals from the guilt of accidentally having killed a human… No, I'm just trying to make myself feel better. I still believe in species purity for the sake of the future but what about the people I killed? They had a future and I took that from them.' Crescent thought as she looked over at Mizuki trying to wake up Asashi. 'And here I am about to do it again. No… I have a chance to fix it this time. I won't run!'

"Your name is Mizuki, right brat? My host family's son talked about you. We weren't buddy-buddy or anything but he started to see me as a confidant as he became more distant from his parents. He always talked about how pathetic you were but one day he came back injured and he later found out that you treated his wounds. After that, he never talked about you negatively again."

"What's it to you? You're a monster! You took my brother from me! Why don't you go ahead and finish the job and kill me too murderer?!" Said Mizuki

These words hurt her. She knew it was true, but they hurt nevertheless. "Your brother isn't dead. Not yet anyway. There's still time to get you both to a hospital."

"And why should I believe you?!"

"Either trust me or let your brother die."

"What do you get out of this?!"

"Nothing much really. Either way, I'm screwed. But I took four lives and it weighs on me you know? I don't want to end a 5th life. I'll get what's coming to me sooner or later so are you coming or not?"

Mizuki reluctantly agreed. Crescent transformed into her beast form and placed both brothers onto her back. She sprinted as fast as she could out of the forest and into the nearest forest. As she ran, she thought about what just happened. 'This is so unlike me. Giving myself up to save two kids who I almost killed. I swear, my time in Japan made me soft.' Assuming Mizuki was still conscious she spoke to him as she ran. "Hey, brat! I won't be around to see it, so you better do something great in your life! I don't need your forgiveness but I'm glad you listened to me. I'm a killer so I don't deserve to feel peace but somehow, I do. It will be short-lived because I'll be heading straight to hell after this but you know, I'm willing to bet you're going to do great things and you'll prevent people from becoming like me. Welp, it was a good run!" She said in her wolf form. She had a slight grin until she reached the hospital. Mizuki never did respond as he blacked out as she spoke but he did hear most of what she said.

The police showed up and Shiori would scream and cry at the sight of her boys. Crescent was shortly apprehended and as she was being escorted out of the hospital, Shiori cursed at the werewolf but she accepted her words of resentment and kept quiet. Mizuki was able to be saved but it was less likely for Asashi. Luckily a pixie by the name of Airi was able to heal them both albeit with major fatigue. As for Crescent, she was sent back to her home country to face punishment.

Some of her pack members were either shot and killed due to being in countries where it was legal for citizens to carry guns around or they were sent back like her. A pack with authority decided their punishment. All surviving members of the pack were separated, had their fingers and by extension, their claws permanently cut off, and were forced to fend for themselves to survive. They weren't allowed to interact with any other pack and were banned from any civilization. They were forced to hunt alone with no claws and were treated as nothing more than wild wolves.

Flashback End

"Yeah, I still feel stupid about that. We had an argument after we survived because I didn't listen to you and almost died as a result. I want to hide behind the fact I was in middle school but it wasn't that long ago, was it? This was exactly what made me want to train to surpass liminals. None of my punches did much to her and she easily took me so easily. I got punished for taking her eye since I was a human but it was worth it to ensure your safety. I'm not looking to beat up non-humans but if I have to fight them again, I want to be ready. That loss only inspired me further to move past human limitations."

"If anyone could do it, it would be you." Said Mizuki.

"No, Goten did it first. He was a human like me, and he was stronger than any liminal I knew. He probably didn't see me this way but he was the greatest rival a man could ask for. But much more than that, he was an amazing friend. I'm going to miss him a lot." Said Asashi. 'Goten had a family and now he'll never see them again. If other worlds exist then do other heavens exist or is it just one place where all good souls go to? Goten if you're watching, I hope you see your family again.' He thought.

"I hear you Asashi. Playing games with Goten at the arcade opened me up to the joys of being around people who share your interests. When I was around Goten on that day, he was competitive and a fun guy to talk to but when I talk about him with you, I realize just how little we knew about him."

"Yeah, this sucks... I just hope Beytah isn't taking this too hard. He probably knew Goten better than any of us. I'm sad too, but Beytah is going to need our support." Said Asashi.

"It's just hard to believe. I've known Goten for such a short time, but he was so cool! He was such an extroverted guy, but he was also a gamer too. He was always so expressive and happy but there was a hint of sadness. I think there was a lot Goten wanted to do that he couldn't do back home, and he was trying to compensate for that." Said Mizuki.

"I'll be honest, I was a bit jealous of Goten. You idolized him and honestly, I miss when I was your hero. I was jealous but I was also glad that there was finally someone who could defend you against anyone no matter who they were. Imagine my surprise when he told me a secret way to get stronger than powerful liminals. I thought it was too good to be true. We spent some time together and we even fought a tree liminal together. Well, it was less of a fight and more like she attacked us. It was out of fear since people dumped trash in her forest. Goten broke out of her grip with ease and just when I thought he was going to kill her, he healed her instead. Do you know who he reminded me of in that moment? You, Mizuki."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you were gentle, so gentle you cleaned up the blood of the guy who hurt you so he wouldn't be humiliated. You even felt sympathy for Crescent and tried to comfort her after what she did. You really laid into me two years ago for taking out her eye."

"I'm sorry, I know you were just trying to protect me. We were middle school students so what could we do against an adult let alone one that's an extra species? I can see why you wouldn't believe her now."

"I was a bit crazy back then, wasn't I? Middle school was not my peak. I like to think I got better in high school. I mean if one thing changed, it's that I'm a super try-hard, a rank far above that of an average try-hard." Asashi smiled.

"Well, no matter how crazy you are, you'll always be my brother. Say, why don't we go to the gym? You said you trained with Goten, right? I know I won't make a good partner especially not compared to him but I know you've wanted to train with me for a long time and maybe it's time I work on myself for once."

"You'd do that Mizuki?! Thank you, I appreciate it but you know, I'm willing to do something for you too. Wanna hit the arcade someday?"

"You're on big bro!" Said Mizuki.

Shiori smiled at the boys bonding despite losing their mutual friend.

With Goten

Speaking of their mutual friend, he was very much alive and currently in a mountainous area far from people and animals and it would seem he was up against a powerful foe. Someone with a powerful level had fired a gargantuan energy wave at him and Goten was blocking it with his bare hands.

"ARRRRRGHHHHH! AHHHHHHHH!" Goten struggled to push the blast back, but he powered up a bit and the blast exploded with Goten unharmed although he was panting from defending against the blast. "Alright, let's step it up!" Goten's body was surrounded by a golden flame-like aura, and he became a Super Saiyan.

"I'm going to shatter my limits! HA!" Goten fired a ki wave into the sky. He raced against his ki blast and found himself defending against the very same blast he fired and his hair was back to black. "ERRGGHH!" Goten winced in pain as he struggled with a smaller yet more powerful blast. Unlike the previous blast, he was unable to toss it into the air. "Alright, have it your way!" Goten punched the ki blast multiple times while raising his ki until the blast dissipated.

*pant... pant...* "Sometimes I forget how much going Super Saiyan raises my power. I probably should have held back with that blast. I guess I'm still not ready to deal with any of my named attacks in my Super Saiyan form while I'm in base just yet. Well, I'll just have to give it a try a different time! HAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Goten transformed and repeated the process. At one point, he decided to test the full power of his Kamehameha against the power of a Super Saiyan. Goten flew to the sky and summoned a yellow sphere of energy and fired it towards the ground. Goten raced his own ki blast to the ground and reverted to base form.

"KAAAAAA...MEEEEE...HAAAAAA...MEEEE...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" While in base form, Goten fired a Kamehameha at the blast that was created using his power as a Super Saiyan. The blue energy wave was being overpowered by the yellow ki blast. "No, I will overcome my limits! I have to! FULL POWER!" Goten's Kamehameha was still being pushed back but it was at a much slower pace. Suddenly, Goten had a quick flashback. He remembered Cell's final attack before

Flashback

"I WON'T LET YOU! EVEN IF IT KILLS ME, I WON'T LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE! KAAAAAAA…..MEEEEEEEEEE….HAAAAAAAAA…MEEEEEEEEE….HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Said Goten as he fired a huge Kamehameha at the miniature Sun created by Cell.

"YOU IMBECILE! THERE'S NO WAY YOU'll SURVIVE THIS TECHNIQUE! …SO BE IT THEN! AT MY CURRENT LEVEL OF STRENGTH AND NEW ABILITIES, I DON'T NEED YOU TO DESTROY THE LIKES OF GOHAN! SAY GOODBYE SAIYAN!" Said Cell.

Goten remembered how much he struggled against that attack, he remembered how powerless he felt against it before Android 16 aided him against Cell's Crimson Carnation. Cell had God Ki, and he had normal ki. 16s blast was barely able to weaken the blast enough and Goten had to summon all his strength and more to counter it. In the end, the victory was short-lived as it wasn't enough to completely obliterate Cell.

Flashback end

As Goten struggled against his own ki blast, he remembered how he felt when he thought he won. He thought he finally accomplished what his father and brother had done many times before. He didn't have to feel like he was in their shadows anymore. But then Cell came back from space, nearly destroyed 16, devoured him, and injected him with venom which resulted in a very slow and painful almost-death for the poor Saiyan. He remembered Cell mocking him.

'That's right boy, take a moment to think of the many children without parents, businesses that have been destroyed, and people who are missing their lovers all because of your inability to act. Don't be sad, you can apologize to them after you join them, just like your friend Beta 1. You'll see what I see, feel what I feel, and you'll hear the screeching of OUR victims for all of eternity.' Cell's voice echoed in Goten's head.

'There are no longer any dragon balls in either this world or our world so everyone I consumed is gone forever.' Cell saying this pissed Goten off even more but at the time he couldn't do anything. Hearing that shattered his mind. Goten had already felt guilty about not preventing deaths that he could have had he gone straight to Cell, he was cruelly reminded of how nobody could be brought back to life anymore.

"AAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" Goten screamed out of both pain and rage as the ki blast from Super Saiyan Goten put a lot of pressure on his arms.

'That's right. I wonder how your dear big brother will react after I tell him of your failure and what became of you. After all, you are the last living person who would ever grieve for him.' This angered Goten the most. What did Cell mean by this? Gohan was loved by many people especially by his family. The implications of this were beyond infuriating for Goten.

"RRRRAAAAAAHHHHH! SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! DAMN YOU CELL!" Goten's Kamehameha became much stronger and slowly but surely, it overpowered the ki sphere created by his current sparring partner, himself as a Super Saiyan. The ki Sphere was pushed into the sky and exploded like fireworks.

"Alright, that's enough for today. I'm too angry for this." However as soon as he said this a lightbulb popped above his head. "Actually, wait a minute, that might work to my advantage. If anger is the source of a Saiyan's power, I can use the maximum power in my normal state. Alright, one last time!"

Goten once again charged up into a Super Saiyan. "Alright here goes! KAMEHAMEHA!" Goten fired a barely charged Kamehameha at a nearby hill and flew in front of it. The Saiyan reverted to base form and took the attack head-on with his bare hands. Goten was pushed back by the blast with outstanding force and was heading straight toward himself. Goten began charging up his ki while running and pushing the Ki wave.

"CMON GOTEN THINK OF THE PEOPLE HE KILLED, THINK OF ALL THE LIVES THAT WERE RUINED! MAKE THAT ANGER YOUR STRENGTH!" Said Goten.

The Kamehameha continued to head towards the hill.

"RRRGGGGHHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goten let out a scream as he released his full power in his base form and more but unfortunately, he was still being pushed back. He had only used a small percentage of his power as a Super Saiyan and yet the small amount of power Goten exerted as a Super Saiyan was too much for him. Despite that, Goten didn't give up.

"I-I MUST! I HAVE TO GET STRONGER! I WILL PROTECT MY NEW HOME!" Goten raised his ki even more in his base form but not enough to transform into a Super Saiyan and began pushing the Kamehameha back. He smirked and started running, pushing the blast back even further. He then kicked the Kamehameha into the sky where it would disappear.

"Okay, that's enough for today, I'll call it a night! I got school tomorrow. Man, this is going to be really awkward. Draconis and Melody think I'm dead and they might have told the others. Well, I should get home because I'm tired and it's pretty late."

Kimihito's residence.

It was late by the time Goten returned home. He came back covered in scratches.

"Oh, I guess everyone's asleep by now." Said Goten.

"Not everyone." Said Rachnera.

"Rachnera? What are you doing up so late?"

"Oh me? Nothing you should concern yourself with. If I were you, I would be concerned about myself. What happened to you?" Said the spider woman noticing the scratches on his body.

"Oh, it was nothing, just getting in some old-fashioned training ya know? Do I really look that bad?"

"Goten if I may be blunt, you look like you took quite the beating. There aren't many who could do this to you. How exactly were you training?"

"I started with warm-up exercises. You know, pushups, sit-ups. Then I started practicing my moves, mostly my Kamehameha. After that, I started blasting myself with my own attacks which is why I'm so banged up."

"Goten are you... suicidal?"

"What, no! Why would you say that?!"

"Well, what am I supposed to think? You did the exact same thing against Cell with the intention to kill and then you use it on yourself? You can hide it all you want. Your wounds may be gone but that feeling of guilt isn't." Said the Arachne.

"I'm not suicidal Rachnera. I'm not going to kill myself after surviving what I did. If anything, I value my life now more than ever. I am hurt by what happened, I've been transparent about that but training helped me blow off a bit of steam."

"I see now, so you did it to reduce stress but is harming yourself the healthiest way to achieve that?

"No, it isn't, but I wasn't trying to punish myself, I just used a bit too much power in the Kamehameha I fired at myself, that's all."

"Alright, I'll believe you for now, but I will warn you, it's not healthy to keep everything bottled in."

"You know Papi more or less said the same thing."

"Did she now? How unusually wise of her. She's right you know. I saw your little interview on television. You certainly made good on your promise and revealed a lot about the Red Ribbon army. I must admit, I'm surprised at just how much you revealed, particularly about yourself."

"I guess I did reveal a lot. To be honest, the whole interview was kind of a gamble. If you really think about it, what do I lose from revealing what I did? I was on life support, and you know who has access to hospital records? The Japanese government. It wasn't difficult to discern that they either knew who I was or were going to find out and I doubt M.O.N would have kept my identity under wraps. I used the Saiyaman X2 persona to avoid publicly being recognized as the guy who killed Cell for as long as I could but I'm pretty sure it's inevitable that someone else may eventually find out. During that interview, I wasn't just speaking to the public but I was addressing specific people too. I also wanted to establish that holding my true identity hostage wouldn't give anyone any real power over me."

"Talk about a power move. I like it, you're being honest and by doing so, you're making a statement. You're telling the Japanese government that you're willing to work with them, but they don't control you. Way to stick it to them."

"I don't want to take credit for beating Cell, but that sounds a lot better than someone dictating my every move for their own reasons, no thank you. I didn't mean to come across as hostile to anyone, but we both know how I feel about the laws."

"I see that hasn't changed. I was afraid you'd become a subservient dog to the Interspecies Exchange Bill, but I suppose some things never change. Still, I'm curious about something."

"What's that?"

"You don't want to take credit for killing Cell? You know, not many would pass up the opportunity to have people worship them as their savior. You have a lot to gain from people knowing your identity. Fame, fortune, and even... women. Is the thought not pleasing to you?" Rachnera wore a poker face but in reality, she was testing him.

"I don't want fame; I just want to be treated as a normal guy who happens to have powers. As for fortune, I don't really need that because I already have all the stability I need. It is nice to have it though even if most of it goes to fixing property damage. As for women, that sounds nice and all, but I'd rather it be authentic if you know what I mean. If I get a girlfriend, I don't want it to be because I saved the world, I want it to be because she genuinely likes me as a person."

"You desire so little yet you're asking for a lot. You play the hero, yet you don't want the reward that comes with it. Most would prefer the opposite but instead, you want the bare minimum. Simply living as you did is enough for you. Relationships, whether they're platonic or not, demand a certain level of trust, understanding, and willingness to put as much effort into the relationship as the other person. You won't get that from people who only care about you because you're the hero who killed Cell. But how could they see you as anything less than a hero after what you did? You avenged the deaths of everyone he killed. How could they not admire you?"

"Nothing I did as Saiyaman X2 was all that noteworthy. It was awesome but that's nothing compared to killing a guy who made enemies with every nation in the world. I killed Cell who just about made an enemy of every nation in the world. I'm glad I beat my first major bad guy, but I don't want to take credit. I'm fine with Saiyaman X2 being a publicly known hero but Son Goten? No way! Do you know how many problems that would cause in my personal life? But it's looking like that might be unavoidable now." Goten sighed.

"That is understandable, but you have no one to blame but yourself. After all, it was you who chose to be a fight, Cell."

"I only showed up because Cell had my father's energy and I fell right into his trap. I would have gone after him earlier if I knew who it was from the get-go but when I came to that lake at the Marine Park, I wasn't expecting a fight."

"Yet when your friend gave you a chance to run, you didn't leave him. You immediately went back as soon as you could. As Cell's venom was breaking you down from the inside out, you still got back up and went back to fight Cell knowing damn well he could absorb you and keep you as a part of him for the rest of time. To say I find you interesting would be an understatement." Said the Spider woman.

"Me, interesting? Really?" Goten pointed to himself.

"It's the way you carry yourself. It contradicts my perception of human nature. I'm fully aware you're a remnant of a dead race, but Saiyans were a brutal race of warriors that aimed to conquer and destroy, something that was a part of their nature. If that's the case, are Saiyans and humans really that different? Yes, most humans are more civil now than they used to be a long time ago and most say they want peace but if humans had the power to destroy worlds at their fingertips, and were capable of traveling to other worlds, would they have really been that different from how the Saiyans were? Humans may pretend to be kind on the surface but that's only for appearances sake. If they could get away with it without fear of judgment from their peers or being punished, I can almost guarantee that those same humans would have no issue with revealing how nasty they are."

"Rachnee... I know you don't have the best experiences with humans, but I thought you acknowledged that not all humans are so bad."

"I did acknowledge that, it's one of the reasons I love my honey so much but while I do tolerate other humans, that's not the same as liking them. Yes, humans can be genuinely kind and accepting but how often is that?"

"A lot more often than you think, that's for sure. They get spooked easily but the humans who step on eggshells around you probably don't mean anything by it. Back home when Trunks and I flew in public or displayed any of our powers, people were left speechless but that's just because they weren't used to seeing anything like it. People naturally fear what they don't understand but isn't that normal?" Said Goten.

"You're forgetting one small detail; I could easily take out a human. You can too, but when people see you, they'll just see another human but when they see me, they'll see a monster who could snuff them out at a moment's notice."

"But that's not what you are and you know it. Try frequenting a spot with Kimihito. People might be nervous about you at first but after they realize you aren't dangerous; they'll get used to you."

"And that's what you're not getting, I am dangerous. These claws of mine aren't for show, they're sharp enough to slice apart human flesh whether I intend to or not. There's something I left out on the night we met. It's true that my original host family was put off by my appearance but what happened is I fell and scratched their daughter's face. When they saw that I had hurt her, they decided we couldn't live together anymore. I know they were just waiting for the opportunity to kick me out but in the end, the reason was sound."

"Rachnee, I didn't kno-"

"But what really gets to me is how they sold me away for money to a fraudulent man who also made use of me to make a profit! He wasn't a legitimate host but it made no difference. Both he and my first host family treated me as a disposable tool to be used and thrown away like trash! It's not just their dishonesty that I hate, it's their greed! Of course, they'll pretend to be kind and accepting if there's a reward involved but if there's an opportunity to get rid of what they don't like while keeping the reward, they wouldn't hesitate to take it!"

"Jeez, when you put it like that, I kind of get why you hated humans so much. When your only exposure to them was that negative, it's no wonder you had such a low opinion of them. It sounds like they treated you like a pet and not a person." Said Goten.

"But that's part of why I'm fascinated by you. I found out about a certain incident. I heard Mero's distant relative was assaulted and you struck the person responsible in the face. You could have easily made him a missing person if you catch my drift, and no one would suspect a thing. You're a Saiyan yes, but as we established, Saiyan nature doesn't seem that different from human nature to me. You obviously didn't like the person responsible so why weren't you the one responsible for his disappearance?"

"Because killing him would have been the easy way out."

"Not the answer I was expecting but I'd like to hear an explanation."

"Believe me when I say I'd like to do a lot worse to him now that I know what he did to Melody. Even though I don't approve of what happened to him, I'd be lying if I said I felt bad for him. However, killing him would have been a sign of weakness because it would mean I resorted to the greatest extreme when there would have been other ways, better ways to deal with him and it would have been because I couldn't control my emotions."
"You know I'm glad that your power belongs to someone so levelheaded. At your age, it would be easy for that power to corrupt you. There's practically nothing stopping you from abusing it."

"I had good parents who taught me good lessons. Let's say I did take Hisato's life and left no traces of evidence. It'd only create more problems. I'd be taking a son from his parents, Melody would probably never get closure, I'd be depriving him of a chance to become a better person, and I'd have to live the rest of my life knowing that I'm responsible."

"With great power comes great responsibility." Said Rachnera.

Goten smiled. "And true strength comes with restraint."

"Aren't you a smart one? You seem to live by that line of thinking for now but I wonder how long you can stick to it. I seem to recall you saying you'd rip a hole through Boruchi if he did anything to your niece."

"I know what I said and I stand by it. No one hurts my family. If he did hurt Pan, I'd make him pay even if he were sorry for it. When it's your own family being harmed, it gets personal." Said Goten.

"That makes sense. It's only natural to want to seek vengeance for one's own family, but would you prevent someone else from enacting vengeance for the same reason? Don't you think it'd be a tad bit hypocritical if you were to stop them from avenging the deaths of their loved ones when you'd do the same in their situation?"

"Yes, and no. If a regular person were trying to get revenge on someone too powerful for them to handle, then of course I'd stop them to prevent them from getting themselves killed. If someone was trying to end the life of someone who was no longer a threat to them and was already going to be punished, then I'd stop them to prevent their hearts from being tainted. However, even I know that killing can be justified at times but even when it is, It's still a poison."

"Why is it poisonous if it's done for the right reasons? As long as it's not premeditated, there shouldn't be an issue, right?"

"When a police officer shoots a criminal dead for holding innocent people hostage, they aren't unjustified. However, killing can change a person's moral code. They might end up needlessly killing suspects or disregarding the lives of the people they're supposed to protect. Now I'm sure police officers are trained to try de-escalating situations before resorting to lethal force but corruption exists everywhere, even in the police force. Just like poison, you may not feel it at first, but it could only be a matter of time before it takes full effect."

Rachnera smiled slightly at Goten. "I never took you for the philosophical type. I knew you were an interesting person. This is quite the discussion we're having here but it begs the question. You've killed so do you think you're poisoned by the blood that's on your hands now as we speak?"

"Maybe, maybe not but my viewpoint hasn't changed. If someone chooses to harm innocent people, I'm not going to let them do that anymore. If they don't value the lives of others and refuse to change, then I won't value theirs, plain and simple. Cell was a tumor on the planet that needed to be destroyed but my reasons for wanting to kill him weren't entirely heroic. Cell took my father from me before I was born which was already bad enough, but then he came to this world and killed a ton of people and then he had the gall to blame me for their deaths. I wanted to make him suffer, I wanted revenge, and that was my poison."

"So, if I'm getting this right, you don't regret killing him, but you regret killing him out of vengeance instead of all your reasons being moral?"

"Not in the slightest." Said Goten without a hint of hesitation.

"Then why mention it in the first place?"

"I can admit that my reasons for killing him weren't entirely selfless while also acknowledging I did what I had to do. I don't see why I should be ashamed about that though. Feeling negative emotions and being motivated by them is a part of being human. As long as you long as you don't let those feelings control you, it's fine.

Rachnera smiled at his answer. "Good."

"I have enough self-awareness to know why I did it, why I had to do it, and I have enough self-control to prevent my morals from being corroded. If there's an antidote to the poison, that's it."

"I'm proud of you my dear Saiyan. For what it's worth I don't see wanting revenge as a bad thing but the fact that you aren't beating yourself up about it while openly admitting to it shows your maturity. Who cares if your motivations weren't completely selfless? Whose are? Anyone who says otherwise is a damn liar. You know who you are, and you aren't ashamed of it. Good on you. Well, I'm going to call it a night. See you in the morning."

"Alright, Goodnight Rachnera!" Said Goten before going to bed himself.

Next day...

Goten woke up for breakfast and was greeted by Kimihito and the girls.

"Oh, hey Goten, you're back now huh? What happened over at the police station?" Said Kimihito

"There's been some developments. I'm working with the government now so I might not be around all the time. I was pardoned for my actions as Saiyaman X2 but I have information that's vital to an important investigation." Goten looked at Suu. "Anyway, did anyone try asking you questions about what happened Suu?"

"The doctors asked questions about what happened to you and people did come to masters house but he wanted to be left alone. They know I live here now but I helped you fight Cell so they're giving Suu a room." said the slime girl.

"You're an official homestay? That's great Suu! I'm so happy for you." Said Goten excitedly. I guess that means the press isn't going to leave us alone anytime soon though."

"Don't worry, I have ways of making sure this isn't a recurring problem." Said Rachnera creepily.

Goten chuckled nervously. "Hehe, yeah, I'm sure you do Rachnee. Just try not to make the webs too tight."

"No promises." Rachnera smiled innocently.

"Oh yeah, I'm a protected species now." Said Goten.

"You are?" Kimihito asked.

"Well, I was interviewed and I let slip that I was a Saiyan. I didn't mention them being space pirates, but I did say there wasn't much of us left."

"We're well aware, we saw your interview on television. I thought you were afraid of people finding out about your extraterrestrial heritage." Cerea asked.

"Yeah, I was but I don't care anymore. A Saiyan is what I am, and I'm proud of that."

"So just out of curiosity do you see yourself as just a Saiyan or do you still see yourself as a human too?" Miia asked.

"I see myself as a Saiyan who is also human. Both sides of me are equally important. I'm the son of a Saiyan warrior and the woman who raised me and I want to become someone who'd make them proud even if they never see me again."

"That's so sad and beautiful at the same time! On the bright side at least your species gets a redo, right? This world has no bias against your kind and you're the key to a fresh new start for the Saiyan race." Said Miia.

"Yeah, I guess, but I'm not in a rush to rebuild the Saiyan race. The interspecies Exchange allows me to have relationships with both humans and non-humans because as far as anyone knows, I'm one of the only Saiyans in the world. However, they know how strong a Saiyan is or at least how strong we are on a surface level. If I have a kid, they'll be blessed with amazing power. They're trying to prevent nations from coming to Japan to take advantage of me so they can use my genes for military or political gain."

"Take advantage of you? That doesn't sound very nice." Said Papi.

"Yeah, but no child of mine is going to be treated like an object. I swear I'll never let that happen." Said Goten.

"In your interview, you said you don't care for what happened to your species. Do you honestly not fear the extinction of the Saiyan race?" Cerea asked.

"Of course I do. I don't want my family and our inner circle of friends to die." Said Goten.

"That's not what I meant. Do you care for the preservation of your kind?" Centorea asked.

"Well yeah, I guess but there's not much I can do about it. I always knew I was a Saiyan and I grew up around other Half-Saiyans like me so I guess I missed my chance to have a crisis about it. There used to be full-blooded female Saiyans but they were most likely all destroyed along with planet Vegeta so the remaining Saiyans had children with human women on my Earth. I'm a half-Saiyan myself, and my niece is a Quarter-Saiyan. You see where I'm going with this?" Said Goten

Cerea nodded solemnly as she understood what this meant. "I see. The Saiyan race was doomed the moment their home world was destroyed. They're capable of having children with humans but throughout the generations, their blood will become increasingly more diluted. In other words, their only hope of survival was to be absorbed into humanity, and even then Saiyan blood will eventually become almost non-existent."

Everyone felt pity for Goten.

"Goten, are you okay with that? I mean that's your entire species." Said Kimihito.

"Oh my God. I… I never realized…" Miia was speechless.

"Hey, what do you mean Saiyan blood will be diluted? Wouldn't Goten's children just be Saiyans like him?" Papi asked.

"When Goten has children, they will be less Saiyan and more human. When Goten's children have children, they'll become even less Saiyan. Goten's Saiyan genes will disappear over time." Said Suu.

Miia spoke up. "Goten isn't like us Papi; his species isn't mono-sexed and they don't naturally need humans to reproduce. There used to be female Saiyans but since they all died with their planet. Saiyan men had to procreate with humans to survive, but they'd normally do that with Saiyan women. My father was human but that doesn't make me Half-Lamia in the same way you aren't Half-Harpy. In Goten's case, he's Half-Saiyan because his mother was human."

Mero covered her mouth. "It's so tragic yet you seem as if you've resigned your species to that fate. Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Said Mero.

"Well, if I had a kid and Trunks had a kid and they got together then Saiyan blood would be kept alive a bit longer but they'd still fade away over time. There's only four full-blooded Saiyans as far as we know and only two of them had children which resulted in our respective families." Said Goten.

A lightbulb popped over Suu's head. "Suu has an idea!"

Everyone looked towards her.

"Really? What is it Suu?" Said Kimihito.

"Goten can have children and his children can have children with each other."

This caused Goten to choke on his food. He ran to a nearby trash and coughed up what he was eating.

"Well, that's certainly one way to preserve the Saiyan race." Said Mero.

"You're so smart Suu!" Said Papi.

"Suu! That was highly inappropriate!" Said Centorea.

Goten was done coughing up his food into the trash. "Suu, are you out of your mind?! That's not how this works! We can't hook up with our own relatives, it's weird! Not to mention the amount of problems that come with it! Yuck!"

"Why not? Didn't humans used to do that too? Isn't that how they grew in numbers? It also used to be practiced by kings and queens to keep their bloodlines pure." Said Suu sagely.

"Um Suu, how do you know about that?" Said Kimihito.

"Suu learned so much from absorbing Cell. She gained some of his memories and wanted to learn more so she read some of master's books." Said the slime.

"I see. That would explain why Suu became so much smarter within a short period of time." Said Cerea.

"Suu, that was a long time ago but times are different now. Some cultures still do that but it's frowned upon in most places. The first humans didn't really have much of a choice since everyone was related back then. It's true that royalty interbred to keep their bloodlines pure but we didn't have the knowledge we have now. It can lead to genetic disorders for the children born from that kind of relationship." Said Kimihito.

"Suu understands but isn't Goten like the first humans? His brother might also be here. If their children had children together, it would save the Saiyan race." Said Suu.

Goten plugged in his ears. "Nope, nope, not happening! Don't wanna hear this, conversation over!"

"Give it a rest, would you? It's clear he accepts the reality of his species. There's no need to stress over it." Said Rachnera.

Goten nodded. "I get that… interbreeding would technically be a way to prevent Saiyan's blood from being diluted but no one wants to do that and even if we were that desperate, we'd have to deal with a whole other problem. I don't think any of the Saiyans care about returning the Saiyan race to their former glory. I can't speak for the other Saiyans but I'm just happy we exist."

"Well, who said Saiyans had to be a part of only humanity? You live in a brand-new world where you aren't just restricted to humans and since you're an endangered species, it's not illegal for you to be with whoever you desire. Melody for one is quite smitten with you. She would love to be your lover. We're distant relatives but I still consider her family and I would be happy to welcome you to our family." Said Mero coyly.

Goten took a deep breath. "I used to think I couldn't love anyone here since I just assumed things would go my way and I'd be brought back to my world with the Dragon Balls. I was convinced coming to this world was just going to be another one of my wacky adventures. I was fine with making friends but anything more would be too much since I'd have to choose between my world and this one. But then I almost lost my life and if I died there, there'd be no coming back. I had to face the cruel reality that there was never any guarantee that I'd ever go back home and if I died that day, I wouldn't be satisfied with how I lived. Every minute of my life is priceless and I'm not going to waste my time. I'm putting everything into my life no matter where I spend it. My feelings are kind of complicated but I'll consider her feelings for me."

"You never cease to amaze me with how you manage to keep a positive outlook on life in the most difficult of times. Melody would be most pleased to hear you say that." Said Mero. She held both of Goten's hands. "You both have all of my support in your future endeavors!"

"You're embarrassing me, Mero..."

"Oh, my apologies. I'm just excited at the idea of it all. It sounds so romantic." Said Mero gushing over Goten and Melody possibly getting married in the future.

"Right. Well anyway, I'm way too young to be thinking about having kids but when I do it won't be to rebuild the Saiyan race, but because I want to have kids. But before that, the Red Ribbon Army, Red Pharmaceuticals, or whatever they call themselves now has got to go." Said Goten.

"We saw them on your computer screen when we thought you were dead. Are you going to go after them?" Papi asked.

"Well, no, I don't have the information to do that. I know where their main HQ is or at least the Headquarters for their front company. Even with what I know, I can't just fly over there and attack them out of the blue, it wouldn't be smart. I already gave the information I have to the Japanese government; we'll just have to see where it goes from here. In the meantime, I'll be training to prepare for another threat like Cell." Said Goten.

"That would be the best course of action. If you ever plan to go after them, you cannot afford to go ill-prepared." Said Cerea.

"Are you going to school today?" Kimihito asked. "I know you had an interview yesterday and you had a lot of legal stuff to deal with so I'd understand if you couldn't make it today."

"Well, I was planning to but I ran into a bit of a problem. You see, I don't have a school uniform anymore. My school pants were mostly destroyed in the fight against Cell and what was left of my shirt was dissolved inside of his tail."

"Oh right... How could we forget?" Said Miia disgusted. "I still haven't got over that. If you saw what he did to the park employees, you'd be sick."

"I think I got the picture. He explained what he did to them. It's hard to believe that could've happened to all of you if I was a few seconds late." Said Goten.

"Hey man, don't sweat it. You came just on time, there's no point in worrying about the past. You came through in the end." Said Kimihito.

"We're lucky to have you around. Seriously, thank you for getting rid of Cell. I hope as he burns in hell; he can see that you're doing just fine so he can be reminded that everything he did was all for nothing." Said Miia with an out-of-character amount of venom in her voice.

"He's just like my school uniform now, gone and never coming back." Said Goten.

"Suu raised a finger at Goten and a yellow beam emitted from her finger.

"Wait Suu, what are you doing?!" Said Cerea.

Goten was shot with a yellow laser and his body was enveloped by a yellow aura. Eventually, the aura subsided, and Goten was revealed to be back in his school uniform.

"Clothes Beam!" Suu shouted. "Suu made it come back for you Goten." Said Suu

"Woah, thanks Suu! Where did you learn this?" Said Goten.

"This one is from the green man, Piccolo. Suu has memories of him." She said.

"Do me next, do me next!" Said Papi.

"Clothes Beam!" Suu shouted as she fired a beam at Papi. The harpy was now wearing I white dress.

"Wow!" said Papi in excitement.

"That's amazing Suu! Can you just make clothes for free?" Said Miia.

"Yes, Suu can... Everyone gets new clothes!" Said Suu. The entire room lit up as everyone was blasted with clothes beams. Goten quickly devoured his food while dodging and left.

"Bye, everyone! And Suu, your training starts today!" Goten waved goodbye and went outside. Everyone now had new clothes. Rachnera was wearing a nurse outfit, Mero was wearing royal attire, Centorea was in a maid outfit, Miia was in a Kimono, and Kimihito was wearing a suit and a tie.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to dress up today... Said Kimihito.

Later...

"How did Goten die like that? He's so strong that even the claws of a werewolf mean nothing to him! Said Asashi.

"I know what I saw Asashi, I would not joke about this. Goten's injuries were far too grave. He survived the trip to the hospital, but he almost certainly died after being taken away. We must face the facts." Said Draconis as she closed her eyes.

"M-Maybe they took him so they could heal him!" Said Asashi.

"I'm sorry Asashi, but the person who did it almost certainly has ties to Red Pharmaceuticals. They pretend to be a regular company but they're doing immoral things behind the scenes and their technology is unlike anything you've seen." Said Melody.

"Come back Goten! Show me your smile one last time!" Said Draconis. The other members of the student council came to comfort her. After putting on a strong facade, it broke.

"Wait, Goten is dead?" Said a female human student.

"I never saw Draconis get so upset." Said a male Kobold.

"Well, I can't blame her. Goten was a fellow student, and she's the class rep. She may be scary but she really does care." Said Komi.

Suddenly a human approached Melody. "Excuse me, but did you say something about Red Pharmaceuticals?" Kosuke asked.

"Yes?"

"Well, Saiyaman X2 said they're the guys responsible for making that monster. If they're involved then they're everyone's enemy. They shouldn't have done that." Said Kosuke.

"That's right... Those fools are the ones who got my Goten killed! I will find them and I will breathe scorching flames upon them! Not even their ashes will remain! Draconis shouted angrily much to the fear of her classmates. "Wait... Saiyaman X2?" Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar face entered the classroom.

"Oh... hey Draconis. Lovely weather we're having here huh?" Said Goten nervously.

Draconis turned around with her eyes still watering at was met with a nervous Goten who couldn't even look her in the eye.

Goten chuckled nervously. "Man, this is so awkwa-" He was interrupted by a Dragon girl tackling him to a wall, surprising everyone.

"You're coming with me!" The Dragon pulled him out of the classroom to a place where no one was around and pressed him against a locker.

"What gives?" Said Goten.

Draconis breathed heavily while looking at Goten with a serious expression making the Saiyan concerned.

"Um, are you alright Draconis?"

Draconis's tail flew right past Goten at mock speeds and wrapped around his waist.

"Goten, you fool! How dare you make me worry about you?! You will pay the price! As punishment, I won't ever let you out of my grasp! The dragon dragged him closer to her with her tail. The serious expression on her face turned beat red and she began hugging and nuzzling the Saiyan.

"I'm sorry I made you worry but I'm back now." Said Goten.

"Don't ever scare me like that again! You understand?!" Said Draconis. She was interrupted by a certain Siren.

"H-How are you alive?! We saw your body at the hospital! You were on life support!" Said Melody who made her appearance in her wheelchair.

"I dunno, I just am," Goten shrugged. "I was so sure I died but I woke up without a scratch feeling stronger than ever. It was in a place called Black Lily Advanced Materials Laboratory."

"Yes, I'm well acquainted with them. They tried to purchase one of my scales. Wait that's beside the point! Melody, how did you know we'd be here?!" Said Draconis.

"Women's intuition. I knew you'd go somewhere where you'd thought you'd be alone. Did you think I'd allow you to be alone with him so you could seduce him? As the class rep you should know better." Melody said with a dignified expression.

"Melody! I wasn't trying to seduce him, and you know it! I'd never resort to something so underhanded! Unlike you, I can't seduce with a song!" Said Draconis.

"Perhaps not but you certainly have no problem seducing him with your body. Look at him, you're smothering him in that oversized chest of yours!" Said Melody.

"I am not! I am merely concerned about the well-being of one of my fellow students!" Said Draconis.

"Can't... breathe...," said Goten.

"Oh no Goten, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Said Draconis but before she could let go someone interrupted.

"GOTEN!" Asashi shouted as he rushed straight at Goten who was being restrained by Draconis's tail.

"Wait Asashi let me explai-" said Goten before he was tackled by a crying Asashi who knocked both him and Draconis over. Goten was now on the ground with both Draconis and Asashi lying on him, the former having him still wrapped up in her tail.

"Mizuki said you died! I'm so glad you're okay!" Said Asashi.

"Where did you even come from?! I'll have you know running in the halls is strictly prohibited." Said Draconis.

"Says the woman who grabbed Goten and stormed out of the classroom. While we're at it, do you mind telling me why you and Melody told my brother that Goten died? You know he's his idol, right? How could you tell him that?!"

"I'll explain everything but would you two mind getting off me?" Said Goten.

"Oh, my apologies." Said Draconis. She unwrapped her tail and got up while blushing.

"Sorry man, I got overexcited. I missed you, bro." Said Asashi as he also got up.

Melody rolled her wheelchair behind Goten and put a hand on his shoulder at the sight of Asashi. "We saw him in the hospital, and he was in irreparable condition. There was tissue exposed and some of it was missing from his face. and Draconis saw him before he ended up in there." Said Melody.

"He was barely recognizable. His body was ravaged beyond comprehension, it was as if his body had been partially consumed by a wild animal." Said Draconis.

"That's not too far off from what happened. I'll explain what I can but first, let's find somewhere more discreet."

Goten, Asashi, Draconis, and Melody all go to the courtyard to understand what happened.

"So, let's start by addressing the elephant in the room. I am alive but even I don't know why I am. Asashi, please don't be mad at them. They had a good reason to think I was dead. When Cell swallowed me up with his tail, there were rows of teeth inside that were covered in a type of venom. When I struggled to escape, the teeth cut me and the venom got inside me. Before I reached his stomach, a member of M.O.N. shot off his tail but it was too late. My body was breaking down from the inside out and I couldn't stop bleeding. I was going to die and there would have been nothing I could do about it."

"That's what happened to you?! It's no wonder your body looked as if it had been ravaged by a wild beast! He devoured you whole just like he almost did to us before his death!" Said Draconis.

"Yeah, and if he did, we would have been a part of him forever. We wouldn't even be able to die. Everyone that bastard absorbed had their souls trapped inside him and he had the nerve to taunt me about how I let those people die by not going straight to him. I hate him! I hate him so much!" Said Goten.

"Draconis, you were with Goten when it happened?" Asashi asked.

"I wasn't there when it started, Cell came to where I was. I happened to be in Odaiba at the time. He killed the people around me, so I naturally tried to destroy him, but he was too much. He stuck his tail into me and was going to absorb me like he did his other victims but that's when Goten descended from the clouds with a sword as tall as a building. He resembled an angry God getting ready to pass judgment and he swung his blade down at Cell forcing that roach to abandon me to dodge. Goten didn't even resemble a human anymore. Now I know why." Draconis gave Goten a sympathetic look. "To think you possess the endurance to fight when going through such agony. I'm truly honored to have fought by your side. I always respected you but now... The admiration I feel for you cannot be described in mere words. You were dying slowly and painfully but you came back to the battlefield to ensure Cell could no longer harm a single soul again."

"Yeah, he had the energy of a God so I couldn't sense him. I looked around and saw that giant sword on the ground so I picked it up so I could hit Cell from afar while focusing all my remaining energy on the sword and for some reason doing that amplified my energy by a ton. Luckily, I heard your roar and sensed your energy, so I was at least able to save you. I could barely comprehend anything at the time, I just knew Cell had to die." Said Goten.

"Hey, Goten. About your friend... I'm sure you heard the news but they couldn't save him. I'm sorry." Said Draconis.

"Don't be, he's in a better place." Said Goten dejected. "He was absorbed by Cell earlier, and unlike with me, no one was able to cut off his tail before he made it to his stomach. I'm glad I was able to force Cell to regurgitate him because at least now he can have a proper burial but still... I'm going to miss him."

"Beytah… is dead? No! Why is this happening?!" Said Asashi. "I never mentioned this, but Beytah helped me finish my homework right before it was due. He didn't just give me the answers, he gave up his own time to teach me how to get the answers. He explained it better than the teacher and that's how we became friends. We just met but I felt like we were going to have a meaningful friendship. Now he's gone." Said Asashi sadly.

"Beytah... no, Reaper was a troubled guy. Most of our interactions involved us fighting, but outside of our scuffles, we didn't really know that much about each other. I think that deep down he wanted to do good, but he was focused on the wrong things and acted for the wrong reasons. He hated people who hurt the innocent and wanted to inflict that same hurt on them. At first, he didn't care who got caught in the crossfire as long as the bad guy couldn't hurt anyone anymore. In his mind, a hero was just someone who eradicated evil and saved the day. We talked; I think I convinced him that justice was more important than vengeance and we started to become friends after that. It didn't make his previous crimes right, but it got him on the right track. He ended up fighting Cell to protect a group of kids. He didn't stand a chance, but he kept fighting so the kids and my friend Papi could escape, something the old Beta 1 wouldn't have done."

"So that was your relationship huh? You were enemies with opposing views, not friends. I had your relationship all wrong, but I guess it ended up being true in the end. If he was a criminal, why didn't you call the police?" Asashi asked.

"Beytah and I knew each other's identity and under the law, I was also a criminal. Don't tell anyone I said this but I'm Saiyaman X2. If I did get the police involved, he'd only reveal my identity. After the incident at the convenience store with M.O.N., he didn't kill anyone as far as I knew. Beytah ended up apologizing for trying to kill me and even bought lunch for me. When we sat together and I saw him socializing with you and the others, I realized that there was good in him. In the end, he gave his life which reaffirmed my belief that anyone could change."

"Even though I know what I do now, I still miss him. I know he committed crimes and almost took people's lives, but it sounds like he had no one to tell him he was wrong until you came into his life. He saw the light and he could have been an amazing person moving forward but Cell took that from him and took him from us." Said Asashi sadly.

"I'm sorry Asashi, I couldn't save him. He was dying but he used the last of his strength to prevent Cell from absorbing me. I was unconscious after what I thought was my last blow, but the souls of Cell's victims gave me their strength, and I was finally able to kill that bastard! He and Suu bought time for me to get up to finish Cell for good. He saved my life."

"So, it was you... you were the one who killed Cell." Said Asashi

"I've never thought I'd see him so upset." Said Melody.

"My history with Cell goes way back. Draconis already knows but 16 years ago, before I was born, Cell almost destroyed the world. He hosted a tournament called the Cell Games to decide the fate of the planet. If he won, he'd blow up Earth. My brother was around 11 but he was the strongest on the planet. He destroyed Cell but not before he killed my father. He took my father from me before I was even born."

"That's odd, you spoke as if your father was still alive on Wednesday." Said Melody.

"That's because my dad was resurrected by Elder Kai years later but that's a story for another time. For the first 7 years of my life, my dad wasn't present and all I had was Gohan, my mom, and my grandpa. Grandpa was there sometimes, but he wasn't always around. Gohan was my big brother but since dad wasn't around, he kind of took on the role of my father. I have a confession to make but please don't hate me for it."

"Goten, I could never hate you!" Said Melody.

"Emotions are high now, but you suffered too much already and after what you went through, I'm going to hear you out. Say whatever's on your mind." Said Asashi.

"On my honor as a Dragon, I hereby swear I will not hold whatever it is against you. Go on, speak. If it eases your mind, I will listen."

"I got all those people killed." Said Goten without a hint of emotion.

"Bullshit." Said Asashi.

"I didn't kill them myself, but I might as well have. I transformed into a Super Saiyan and that led Cell to Japan. Just like with Draconis, he stuck his tail into people and sucked them into his tail from the inside leaving only their clothes. He was going to do the same to me, but after I told him Gohan was my brother, he wanted to swallow me to keep me alive inside him so that Gohan would struggle to kill him knowing that if he did, he'd be killing his little brother."

"That's... oh God. That's the most demented thing I ever heard. What the hell is wrong with him?! How could someone be THAT evil?!" Said Asashi.

"That's psychotic, even by my standards! He tried to force someone to choose between fratricide or facing a fate worse than death! By Neptune's trident, where did this spawn of hell even come from?!" Said Melody.

"He was an android created by the Red Ribbon Army but don't be fooled, he was still a living being like you and me." Said Goten.

"Hey Goten, what's a Super Saiyan?" Asashi asked.

"Oh right, I never told you. Remember when I told you the story about the alien species that conquered planets and was wiped out? They were the Saiyans. I'm a half Saiyan. Asashi I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I thought It'd be easier for everyone including myself if I lived as a human and I thought if I told you what I was, you'd be discouraged when I taught you how to use ki."

"Don't worry about its buddy. You didn't owe me anything and for what it's worth, I'm grateful to you for teaching me what you did. Compared to what you went through, my problems are small in comparison. Surpassing liminals or even keeping up with you doesn't matter to me right now, you do. As long as you need me, I'll be here for you bro."

"Awww, that's so adorable! The friendship you have is so beautiful!" Draconis gushed at the sight of the two friends but immediately began blushing as she realized she had broken character. "Ahem, I mean it's admirable that even the thickest blade cannot get between your bond."

Goten sadly smiled at Asashi. "Thank you but I still haven't explained what a Super Saiyan is. Super Saiyan was a legend in Saiyan culture before their home planet was blown up. The Super Saiyan was said to be the strongest warrior in the universe and Frieza, the galactic tyrant of the universe feared this legend, so he blew up their planet and nearly wiped out the entire Saiyan race. Before that, my dad was sent to Earth as a baby. Fast forward to the future, Frieza goes to another planet and terrorizes the people there, my dad and his friends show up for their own reasons, and they bump into Frieza. No one stood a chance against Frieza, not even my dad. That was until Frieza killed Krillin, my dad's best friend since childhood. My dad was so enraged by his death that he transformed into the first Super Saiyan in ages and dominated Frieza like he was nothing. My dad became a living legend and brought peace to the universe by ending Frieza's reign of terror."

"Goten... THAT STORY WAS AWESOME! I can't believe you're related to someone like that! No wonder you're so strong!" Asashi's face went from happy to serious as he put his hands on Goten's shoulders. "Seriously though, you didn't get those people killed."

"I didn't have to transform, I just did it to disguise myself for something that wasn't even important. I'm practically always suppressed but when I transform, I raise my energy even if it's only temporary. When I transformed, Cell sensed my energy and came to Japan"

"Well, you know what I say? I say it's a good thing Cell came to Japan because he messed with the wrong country, the country you were living in! Imagine if Cell hadn't come to Japan and had more time to build up strength by absorbing more people. You freed their souls from a monster, what reason do I have to hate you? Cell sure, but not you." Said Asashi.

"It's all the Red Ribbon Army's fault! They lost to my dad, and they just couldn't let that go so they went and created Cell. I thought Hedo was a good guy. He created Cell Max but never wanted to do that and, in the end, we forgave him and even felt bad after one of his Androids was killed by Cell Max. What the hell is his excuse this time?!"

"Goten who is Hedo?" Melody asked.

"He's a famous scientist back in my world and the grandson of Cell's original creator, Dr. Gero. According to Cell, Hedo is responsible for the kidnappings. He allegedly has been turning people into Androids and it looks like he's working with the Red Ribbon Army or as you know them, Red Pharmaceuticals. I don't trust Cell but I do trust Reaper and 16s word. From what I gather, Hedo has been kidnapping people, experimenting on them, and turning them into androids while using the excuse that they were evil people."

"I apologize for bringing him up on this dreary day, but did you ever find out if Beytah was responsible for the disappearance of Hisato Nimura?"

"Yeah, he was. He wasn't proud of it, but he admitted it. When we were both dying, we had a discussion. Apparently Hisato is being experimented on now. I have no idea what Hedo is doing to him, but I doubt he's having a good time."

"Thank goodness! That low life won't victimize anyone ever again! Wherever he is, I hope he suffers in agony as he realizes for once money won't save him from his well-deserved fate." Said Melody.

"I don't blame you for hating Hisato for what he did to you, I hate him too. But Reaper felt a lot of guilt for what he did to him and now that he's dead, he can never take back what he did. When Reaper died, he regretted what he did because he brought grief to a mother, and it reminded him of his own mother that he left behind in our world." Said Goten.

"Hisato's parents were just as much at fault! They may have been polite, but their negligence and failure at parenting allowed their son to drive maids to suicide! He almost drove me to that point too! They gave everything to him on a silver platter and used their money to buy him out of any trouble he got himself into! His parents act so pitiful now but they didn't bat an eye when one of their maids died! It's no wonder he ended up such a lecherous waste of oxygen! I'd love nothing more than to watch him burn both figuratively and very literally!"

"Melody, all that stuff you said is probably true. You'd know more about them than anyone and I'm not criticizing you, but they were still parents who lost their son and from what I heard, they both had psychotic breakdowns. You have a good reason to not feel any pity for them so you don't need to force it, but remember Reaper died knowing he caused this, and he'd never get a chance to atone. You've got to realize how horrible it is to die like that. Take it from me, dying with regrets like those is one of the worst feelings a person can go through." Said Goten.

"Some of the maids had psychotic breakdowns too and they didn't care, so I don't see why I should care for them." Melody sighed. "But yes, I'd imagine that dying knowing you were the cause of a family losing their child would be devastating even if they were a horrible person. I shall express my condolences towards Beytah and his mother but not towards that pile of human garbage known as the Nimura family."

Goten smiled at her. "Thanks a bunch, Melody, it's all I could ask for. Sorry, I didn't do more to punish him. He took something important from you, and if I knew that from the start, I probably would have taken something important from him like his ability to walk. It's probably for the best that I didn't do that though. In the end, Hisato evaded consequences for too long and when his actions caught up to him, he was paid back 100-fold."

"It's quite alright Goten. That you would go so far for me shows how much you care. You're correct in assuming it was for the best. Hisato was rich and had ties to important figures. You could have found yourself in legal trouble and you'd become a target of people his family is connected to." Said the Siren.

"It makes no difference to me. As long as they focus on me and not my host family or other innocent people, I wouldn't be too hard on them. As for getting into legal trouble... Yeah, I'd have no defense against that except maybe leaving the country." Said the Saiyan teen.

Melody jumped out of her wheelchair and hugged Goten. "If that happened, we could flee together! Oh, I can only imagine! Me in your arms as we soar through the sky! We'd live in... I'm thinking Europe, and when we walk together the people will say 'Oh look at that adorable young couple!" Said Melody.

"Europe huh? What a coincidence." Said Goten.

"Did something happen in Europe?" Melody asked.

"Not that I know of, but there is something there that I'm interested in. Don't worry about it."

Melody held Goten's hands. "You have all my support Goten. Listen, I know what I said about the idea of you being in a depressed state turning me on. To be honest... It Kind of still does" Melody said that last part quietly. "But more than that, it saddens me. This isn't the most appropriate time to say it but Goten, I really do love you. When I saw your face at the hospital, you wore a smile on your face despite the damage that had been done to your body. The rest of you was covered up but seeing you smile in that condition broke my heart. Despite the pain you were in, you looked so peaceful, so beautiful, it was as if you made peace with your death, and I couldn't accept that. I couldn't imagine a world without you anymore. Please, don't die Goten. Even if you don't love me in that way, I love you; we love you." Said Melody.

"Melody I won't lie; I'm slightly disturbed by the fact that you seem to get off to the idea of me being miserable, but ever since we met and I brought you home to get away from your abusive host family, you've never acted on your desire to see me or others in pain and now that you see me in pain, you don't seem all that excited about it. You seem rather sad."

"Of course I am! When I saw you lying on your deathbed, I thought I'd never see you again. You were the one hope I had of being safe from my mother who I believe is working with Red Pharmaceuticals. It's much more than that, you saved me from my host family and gave me a better life." Said the Siren.

"I'm so lucky to be alive. I was dying a slow and painful death but I was still able to use the last of my strength and whatever hidden reserves I had to finish off Cell. That entire time I was barely clinging onto life; I don't even know how I survived as long as I did let alone why I'm fully healed. According to Cell, Gohan is in this world and something happened to him. I couldn't die not knowing what that is. I will find answers." Said Goten determined.

"I'm sorry, that must have been quite unpleasant. I did not mean to bring up horrific memories. Would you like me to request a therapist?" Draconis asked. "As class rep and a member of the student council, your health is of utmost concern!"

"I'm fine. I'll be getting my therapy very soon. I had never met Cell in person before that day, but he was even uglier in person." Said Goten.

"If you don't mind me asking, what Did Cell say happened to your brother?" Draconis asked.

"I dunno, he didn't elaborate but he said that killing him would have been a mercy which makes me all the more worried. He told me he was responsible for the death of someone close to me. If Gohan did that, then what would be the point of keeping me alive? The entire reason he wanted to keep me alive inside of him was so Gohan would be reluctant to destroy him again but if my brother really became a monster that would do something like that, why would Cell think he'd care about saving me? He used similar tactics against me as well. Before we fought, he absorbed two of my friends, one of them being Beytah. He used that to his advantage because I obviously didn't want to kill my friends. The fact that he was trying to keep me alive tells me that Cell at least believed Gohan was here, but he intentionally left me in the dark."

"He was probably just lying to get under your skin. You can't trust anything that monster says." Said Asashi.

"I want to believe that but based on how Cell acted, I think there's some truth to his words. I don't believe for a second that Gohan would do that under any circumstances but I do think something bad happened in my world and he might be in a state where I can't sense him." Suddenly Goten remembered something and his eyes widened in fear. "No... he didn't. Boruchi tried to take over my body before I came here so what if he went after my brother instead?! He wanted to wipe out the Saiyans, so it would all line up with his goal! Please don't let this be true!" Goten panicked. He got off the bench and fell to his knees. He placed his hands on his head and frantically shook his head. "No! No! NO!" Goten was covered in a white aura that flickered between white and yellow. His hair also rapidly switched colors but instead, it changed between black and yellow. The grass around him was reduced to a circle of dirt.

"Woah!" Said Asashi.

Melody used her angelic voice to soothe Goten but it didn't work so she needed to use words. She got off the bench crawled towards Goten and put a hand on his shoulder. 'How could I ever enjoy this?' Melody thought. She felt disgusted with herself. "Goten, I don't know who Boruchi is but remember, Cell was the one who said it. He's a sadist who puts me to shame and even if he thought he was telling the truth, he could be mistaken and brother and your friend are just fine. You'll find answers one day, I promise. Remember the Red Ribbon Army is my enemy too so you aren't alone." Said Melody in a soothing voice.

"Goten calmed down. "The last thing I want to do is fight my brother, not like that. I hope you're right Melody. Thank you for giving me hope."

"W-Was that a Super Saiyan?" Said Asashi.

Draconis nodded.

"Goten, you said you knew Hedo, the person who's apparently responsible for the kidnappings all over the world? How long ago did you see him?" Said Melody.

"Like literally right before I came to this world so around 2 weeks." Said Goten.

"That strikes me as odd because the kidnappings have been going on for a year now, which is also when Red Pharmaceuticals made themselves known to the public. If Hedo was responsible for the kidnappings, then that would mean he too was here for at least a year. It's possible that someone else was responsible and took over but something isn't adding up." Said Melody.

"Darn it you're right!" Goten exclaimed. "That means someone else might be behind all of this! But still, 16 and Reaper both say Hedo is responsible for kidnapping people but who can say for sure that it started with him? This just got one hundred times more complicated."

"It certainly is quite the mystery, isn't it?" Said Melody. "At the very least we share the same enemies. I will assist you in any way I can."

"Thank you, Melody. The Red Ribbon Army has been a pain in my family's sides since forever. Always trying to conquer the world and get revenge on dad. They hurt you and so many innocent people in both my world and this one. With your help, I think we can get rid of them for good. I know I kind of sort of rejected you before but it wasn't because I disliked you, I just couldn't have been a good boyfriend back then. Romance wasn't a priority since I had every intention of going back home so I avoided getting too close to people. After what happened, I decided to live the best life I could even if it was in this world. I'm giving my life everything I got and I'm not holding back. But before I do something reckless like falling in love, I still have some unfinished business.

"What may that be, love?" Melody asked.

"Nothing too important right now, just a lot of stuff to do behind the scenes. Come to the Library after school, okay?" Said Goten.

"You have my word, my love. For a single year, the Red Ribbon Army has made my life miserable. But the things they did to your family have been going on for far, hasn't it?" Melody spoke softly and gently towards the Saiyan she loved and showed no hint of taking any sort of pleasure in his suffering. "They're responsible for Cell and what he did to you must have been quite traumatic." Said Melody.

The Saiyan took a deep and prepared to open up. "Before he ate me, it wasn't enough to torture me, he had to break me mentally too. He killed Japanese soldiers in front of me and told me that since I was so strong, there would be no one who could save me and he forced me to listen to the screaming souls of his victims. He told me it was my fault that they died and reminded me that there were no Dragon Balls in this world so everyone he killed was dead for good. If he absorbed me, I would have been stuck inside him forever, forced to listen to their screams for eternity. The messed-up part is that in a way, Cell won. He's dead and gone, my scars are healed but can't be undone. They'll live with me for the rest of my life. The Red Ribbon army... they did this to me! It's all their fault!" Said Goten.

"Goten, snap out of it! He's dead, he can't hurt you anymore." Said Draconis. She put her hands on his shoulders so he'd know he wasn't alone. "Are you sure you should have come to school today? If you needed a longer break, I'm sure the teachers would understand. You're important to me Goten and if your scars can't be undone, I'll be the ointment that makes the pain bearable. If you want, I can tell the teacher you need to go home. People obviously use that as an excuse all the time, but I can vouch for you." Said Draconis.

"No, I need this. I want to properly say goodbye to my friend now that I know I won't be joining him just yet. He died next to me thinking I'd join him in the afterlife. If there's going to be a funeral today, this is my chance to say goodbye and apologize. Anyway, we should probably head back to our homeroom. The bell is going to ring soon." Said Goten.

The others nodded and silently went back. The bell rang, and Ms. Kyubi walked into class. By then, Ms. Kyubi was there and as she took attendance, she was surprised when Goten corrected her when she said he couldn't be here but continued anyway. As everyone left for the funeral service, she called up Goten to speak with him.

"Goten, I am surprised to see you here today. This may come as a surprise to you, but I was informed that you had been yet another victim of that creature. Witnesses said your body was barely identifiable due to your injuries and you were near an unconscious classmate who unfortunately passed on the way to the hospital. I believe you knew him as Beytah."

Goten looked down. "So, they told you that much huh?"

"There's a lot that I'd like to say but now isn't the time. Listen Goten, from the moment you came to this school, I was told about your predicament. You were first found in a crater on the sidewalk that you crashed into yet miraculously you were not a corpse. What struck me as odd was the fact that you had no previous records. No parents, no one who knew you, you had no background whatsoever. You were allegedly from another world or so they say, so we couldn't contact your parents either. I kept a close eye on you because I was concerned for your mental health. When I heard you got into a fight, I was even more worried because after that rumors were spread, and I feared you weren't compatible with other students. However, you made friends and you even managed to befriend the unapproachable Draconis Inferna. After that, I was under the impression that you were doing just fine, so I didn't need to step in. However, after recent developments, I'm once again concerned for you."

"Recent developments? Listen I appreciate the concern but I'm going to be okay."

"I believe you misunderstood what I was referring to. Haven't you heard? The identity of the hideous creature that caused so much mayhem in this world has been revealed. To think the Japanese army could not handle it yet one liminal boy on the brink of death could. To pull off such a feat, that boy must have been extraordinary. It's a shame he was abducted from the hospital when he was on life support but his relative seems to be confident that he survived somehow. Who knows? Perhaps it's just wishful thinking. What do you think Goten?"

"I don't know, maybe? I mean I might have heard something like that on television but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I won't beat around the bush anymore. Goten, are you a Saiyan?"

At this, Goten sighed. "Yeah, I guess I am. I just thought it would be easier to live as a human with special abilities than an alien."

"Goten, we need to know this sort of thing! I understand how you feel but this is a school that intends to unite humans and non-humans while supporting their every need. Every student must be accounted for to the best of our abilities. What if you get a disease unique to your species or you have specific needs? We need to know that kind of thing."

"If I had needs as a Saiyan, I wouldn't know about it. Ms. Kyubi, I'm only Half-Saiyan, but I really don't know much about my own species. I lived as a human for most of my life so as far as I'm concerned, human needs are Saiyan needs. My thought process back then was I probably wouldn't be taken seriously and if they did, they'd make a huge deal out of it so I figured it would be easier for everyone if I just said I'm human."

"You confessed so easily now. What changed?"

"That's because I don't want to hide it anymore. I'm proud of being a Saiyan, and nothing anyone does or says will change that. If anyone asks, I'll tell them straight up because I don't care anymore."

"That's excellent news Goten. Anyway, now that it's established that you're a Saiyan, I know I was right to be concerned for you. The Saiyan on television didn't care, but what about you Goten? The real you I mean. The stress of knowing you're one of the last living members of your race, feeling forced to hide who you are, having rumors spread about you, the death of your friend, and so on. That's a lot of stress for anyone let alone a teenage boy to handle. Are you sure you're alright? Do you need another day off? Because I can call home if needed."

"Hey, Ms. Kyubi." Goten smiled. "I'm okay, and I think Beytah will be too. I admit it, I am sad but that's okay. It's only natural but at the same time, I know things will be all right. Once it's my turn, I know I'll see him again and when I do, I'll tell him all about the life I lived."

"I'm glad to hear it!" She said.

Later...

A funeral would be held. In total 4 students at the school had unfortunately lost their lives. Cell deliberately attacked the Saitama prefecture last and that was on the date of his own death. However, one human student was unlucky enough to be outside of the Saitama prefecture and he was devoured by Cell on Tuesday. The three others were non-human species. One was a lizardfolk girl, another was a deer girl and the last one was an android-zombie who was none other than Beta 1. There was one more person who had a photograph at the funeral and that was Goten who was very much still alive.

At this point, it was well known that Beytah was indeed Beta 1. This meant it was common knowledge that he tried to kill Saiyaman X2 and M.O.N but the public didn't know what he did to Hisato. He had only transferred recently so there wasn't much known about him aside from his criminal actions and superficial things such as his looks. The principal went up to speak for the deceased students.

Ost: Our Light Persona 5

"What happened on Wednesday was a tragedy for everyone. Humans, liminals, men and women alike, I regret to inform you all that the creature did not just attack Japan but many other countries and communities of people as well. While the creature is dead, what we have lost from this incident is irreplaceable. Five of our students have tragically lost their lives at the hands of this creature and one brave young boy made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure no one else would suffer the same fate. It's never easy when a student loses their life, but many lives were destroyed in other ways. Some had their family members taken from them, some people lost their host families and all we can do is pray for their recovery." Said the principal.

"Lizi is dead... she's dead! She was my best friend and she's dead! We were supposed to go to the festival on Saturday! I-I'm going to be sick! I can't take this!" A female human fell on her knees and covered her face as she cried. Her friend squatted down to comfort her.

"Poor girl...," said another female student.

"T-That's my cousin Yuji! You liar... YOU LIAR! You said we would graduate at the same time! What about Yuika huh?! You were going to confess to her right?! I loved her too, but you were family! If you won, there would have been no hard feelings because I knew she'd be happy with you. But now that you're gone nothing has meaning anymore! I know we used to fight, but I loved you. Damn it! Come back to me Yuji! YUJIIIIIII!" A male human fell to the ground and banged on the ground as he screamed for his deceased cousin.

"Elka! Please wake me up from this bad dream! I'm begging you; I promise I'll be a better host family! Come on I said wake me up damn it! I want to feel your antlers in my fingers again, I want to see your smile, I want to be with you! The only thing left to remember you by is your clothes! Elka, if you're watching from above, I'm going to tell you what I always wanted to say." Said a human student. He broke down as he spoke further. "I love you, and there will always be a place for you in my heart. I don't know if I'll ever get over you. You were the one girl who was for me. I know the healthy thing to do would be to move on, but I just can't!"

Goten saw these reactions and fell to his knees. "No no no! They were right, staying here was a mistake! I should have called home!" Said Goten out loud.

"Stay with me buddy! It's going to be okay!" Said Asashi.

"So, we have a funeral huh? Of course, we have the Principal just gives some huge speech while pretending to care about the students. I mean they put a criminal up there! I know I'd be pissed if they put his photograph next to my dead relative!" Said an average-looking male human student.

Goten glared at them upon hearing that and grit his teeth in anger.

"Did anyone even know him? All I know is all the girls loved him. Probably let that go to his head. I bet he thought he was so much better than us because he was rich, popular, and smart enough to answer all the questions the teachers asked. The dude was a total showoff! Well, at least now none of the girls are going to go after a corpse haha." Said his friend who was also an average-looking male human student.

"Serves him right honestly. Are we just going to pretend he didn't try to murder someone? Actually, he tried to murder multiple people. I don't get why they even showed his picture, it's not like anyone's going to care now that the scumbag is gone. People probably cared more about that Goten guy than him and he was just a delinquent who tried to save face by kissing the ass of the student council." Said average human student #1

"You shut your mouth! Beytah was my friend, and he made a lot of mistakes, but that doesn't give you the right to spit on his grave!" Said Asashi to both of the students.

"Hey don't get your panties in a twist, it's not like you knew the guy. He was in school for like a day. If you knew who he was, you'd know he was a criminal! What, you think that because that wannabe superhero cried about him on TV, they were supposed to care about him? Hell no, he had it coming! Beytah tried to kill him and he just goes on TV acting like he was some kind of saint! Are we going to act like he would have cared if one of us died? The guy was a scumbag and if Saiyaman X2 is so great, where the hell was, he when all those people died huh?" Said average human student #1

"Hey... shut up." Said Goten quietly.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Said average human student #2

"Don't tell me you actually care about trash like him." A.H.S #1

Goten grabbed the shirt of the first guy. "I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!"

"Wait a minute, I saw your photograph, aren't you supposed to be dead?!" A.H.S #2

"You don't know anything about the real Beytah! You don't know the inner turmoil he went through or the sacrifices he made!"

"Oh, big deal, he saved some kids, that doesn't excuse the fact that he attempted to murder people." Said A.H.S #1

"Yeah, it doesn't, just how being ignorant doesn't excuse your disrespect! It's not up to you to forgive him, it's up to the people he wronged, not you! You don't have to like him but when people are grieving you better shut your damn mouth!" Said Goten.

"Or what? You going to cry? All you delinquents are the same quit trying to make a criminal seem like some virtuous person! What about his victims huh? How do you know he didn't wrong me? You don't! You're just like him too, a thug! You're in that portrait but you deserve to be in the ground like your friend! Just because Lady Draconis spends time with a dumb prick like you doesn't make you better than people like us!" Said A.H.S #1

"Goten, let him go!" Said a teacher. She looked over to the guys being disrespectful. "And you! You disappoint me! This is a funeral service; you should know better!"

Goten too enraged to see reason instead tightened his grip as he continued to berate him. "Beytah didn't just save those kids by fighting Cell, he was actively stopping Cell from killing more people! When someone you care about dies, I hope no one spits on their grave. Or maybe you're just too self-centered to care about anyone other than yourself. If you end up dying alone, at least you'll have yourself to keep you company."

"Goten, I know how you feel but this isn't the time for this! They aren't worth it." Said Draconis.

"Oh please, I have friends who died too but unlike your friend, they genuinely had value. But you know what? Everyone knows someone who died, what makes you special? I could be studying for a test but nooooo, we have to pretend to care about a bunch of nobodies that will just be forgotten in a few weeks!" A.H.S #1

Goten gritted his teeth and was about to say something until a small child ran from his parents and to Beytah's picture frame. This caught the Saiyan's attention.

"Hey there! Thank you for saving me and my friends! I dragged my mom all the way here just to see you! I'm such a big fan! It's thanks to you I was able to see my mommy again! I heard some adults say you were a bad person, but I know that's not true! Even Saiyaman says you changed and he's a good guy, right? When I grow up, I wanna be a superhero just like you!"

At the sight of this Goten instantly let the student go and stood in silence. "I'm sorry... I'll see myself out." Goten quietly walked out of the room with his head down.

"Goten!" Yelled Asashi, Draconis, Melody, and even Mizuki who had watched the scene from further away due to being in a grade below the others. Asashi ran towards the door but Goten had already vanished like a ghost.

OST END

After realizing Goten was nowhere to be seen, Asashi turned around and glared at the students who had mocked Beytah's death. He didn't just mock Beytah, but all the students who had died.

"Wow, what a weirdo, am I right? Just going to storm out after all that talk. What a coward!" Said the A.H.S #1

"Yeah, did you see him? 'I'm sorry, I'll see myself out!'. Isn't he supposed to be the guy who beat a werewolf in a fight? Isn't it funny how all the 'cool' kids always end up as total losers?" Said A.H.S #2

Asashi punched both of them in the face causing a scene. "I hope you both know you're both major assholes! If you didn't care, all you had to do was keep your mouths shut but your heads are so far up your asses to realize this isn't about you or your bullshit! So, what if you aren't popular with the ladies, you aren't wealthy, and you aren't smart, big deal! People died and all you can think about is what Beytah had that you didn't and how much you don't want to be here. Well, newsflash, the world doesn't revolve around you! Have you ever once considered that maybe there's a reason people don't like you?! No one and I mean no one deserves to be laughed at when they die! I'm going to check on my friend"

"Hey, I wasn't laughing, we were just being brutally honest!" Said A.H.S #2

Asashi left the room to look for Goten.

"Yeah, run while you can, that's all you're good for." Said A.H.S #2

"Sorry, but do you mind repeating what you said? Did you just call my cousin Yuji a nobody that no one will care about in a few weeks?!" Said the student who was grieving his cousin.

"No, I was talking about Beytah! You have to understand, he was a criminal! A scumbag who's better off dead!" A.H.S #1 flailed his hands as people started to collectively stare at him in contempt.

"You spit on the grave of the girl that I love! How dare you! And you had the nerve to call him a lowlife?!" Said the student who was grieving for the deer girl he loved.

"What about Goten huh? He's the one who grabbed my shirt! He IS a lowlife! Hey Lady Draconis, please help me out here!"

The dragon snarled at him. "Don't you dare call me Lady Draconis; you've lost the right to even speak my name. You dare disrespect the deceased and have the nerve to play it off as if you've done nothing wrong? You didn't just insult Goten and Beytah; you disrespected all the students who passed away and the people who cared for them! You said you must pretend to care, but no one is forcing you to do anything! I suppose basic decency is too much to ask from someone as sad as you. I know what this is really about. You're envious. When you see people grieve for the students who lost their lives, you're reminded that while you will be remembered, it won't be because you were loved, respected, or a good person so you're taking out your unhappiness on others."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you Lad-"

"I told you; you aren't worthy of speaking my name! You told a fellow student they're better off dead and mocked the death of not just someone I respected but everyone who is being mourned! Someone who'd give their lives to save 'some kids' as you worded it is a much more admirable person than you'll ever be! While we're on that topic, you want to know something about the person you called a delinquent who deserves to be dead in the ground?

"W-What?" A.H.S#1 quivered in fear.

"He saved my life. If it weren't for him, your 'Lady Draconis' wouldn't even be alive, so I'd hold my tongue if I were you! Now I'll give you permission to speak and choose your words wisely because you don't want to anger me any more than I already am! What have you done that makes you think you deserve to spend time with me?"

"Um... well I'm not a sissy, I could protect you from anyone! You saw how I stood up to that guy right? He grabbed my shirt and as soon as I defended myself, he ran off like a little baby! How is that my fault? Someone like him isn't worth your time! He may have saved your life but it was probably just so he could get close to you! You don't owe him anything! Just say thanks and leave it at that and if he messes with you, I can take care of him!" Said A.H.S#1

"For your information, I owe him my life! But let's say I didn't. You'd be right in saying I don't owe him anything, but I don't owe you anything either. But you know what the difference between you and him is?

"Um, no?" He said.

"The difference between you and him is I want to spend time with him but you? It would please me greatly if I never saw your face again. Goten was wrong to cause a scene but he apologized for his actions and left. Now remove yourself from this room at once lest I do it for you!" Said Draconis before looking at his friend. "And you, I'll let you off with a warning for now, but we will exchange words after school. Let it be known that I, Draconis Inferna will not tolerate any disrespect towards Goten. The poor boy's been through enough already!" Said Draconis while baring her sharp teeth at them.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Said both average-looking students.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on someone dear to me who doesn't treat being around me as a privilege." Said the Class rep before going to a teacher. "Sorry, but I need to check on Goten and Asashi." Said Draconis.

"I know Lady Draconis could be scary but jeez, she might as well have incinerated the guy." Said a male human student.

"Damn... Draconis really went hard on him." Said a non-human student.

"Yeah, but you can't deny she wasn't wrong there. They deserved it. Even if you don't like someone, you don't insult them at their funeral. That's just something you don't do." Said a non-human female.

"Hey, stop talking like I was the only one!" A.H.S#1 pointed at his friend. "He's the one who called Goten a delinquent who kisses ass when he thought he was dead and he mocked him after he stormed out the room!"

"Dude! How could you sell me out like that?!" Said A.H.S#2

"You two will leave this room at once! Your disrespect for your classmates is unacceptable and is a poor reflection on our school! Are you aware that parents are grieving for their children? How dare you say no one will remember their children when they're in the room!" Said the teacher.

"Y-Yes Ma-am." They both said.

The other students showed their displeasure with them, and they were both escorted out.

With Goten

The Saiyan was on the rooftop of the school. He figured no one would think to follow him there, not at this time. He stood in the same place where he and Beytah had their debate about justice.

"I told myself I was ready, that I was prepared to say goodbye, but I wasn't. I'm sorry Beytah, I couldn't save you. The red flags were there but I ignored them in favor of the possibility of seeing Dad again. It's odd, isn't it? There's no way I could have known it was Cell so why can't I shake this feeling of guilt? I made a scene at the funeral because I couldn't control my emotions. I'm supposed to be better than that!"

Goten walked up to the gates on the school rooftop. He grabbed the gate with his hands and looked down at the school exit.

"You know, I think if we had been friends sooner, we could have made a good team, maybe not as good as me and Trunks but we've been fighting together forever so that doesn't count. What did you mean Bulma wasn't active in years anyway? Last time I checked, Capsule Corp was still one of if not the most successful businesses in the world and if I remember things right, I've been here for around two weeks. Capsule Corp going out of business especially that fast just doesn't seem real. Reaper, what did you know that I didn't? Maybe 16 will know but I don't know when or if I'll see him again."

The Saiyan sat down by the gate and continued to speak to his deceased friend.

"Even though I came to terms with the fact that I might spend the rest of my life here, it would mean the world to me to be able to say goodbye to them you know? I hope you'll forgive me for making a scene at the funeral. I just couldn't stand those two jerks badmouthing you after what you did. Thank you for everything Beytah, you strengthened my belief that people can change for the better. I heard about how even with a hole in your body, you still fought hard to prevent Cell from absorbing me. How I survived my injuries is a mystery to me I bet it wouldn't have happened if not for your efforts alongside Draconis and Suu. Reaper, I swear to you I'll live on and protect this world. I will build a new life for myself even if I never see my friends and family again! It's the least I could do for you."

"Ah, there you are Goten! I've been looking for you!" Said Asashi.

"Oh, hey Asashi, what are you doing here?"

"I punched those two idiots at the funeral and left to find you but you were nowhere to be seen." Said Asashi.

"Thank you for that. I shouldn't say this but I'm glad you did that." Said Goten with a weak smile.

"Yeah, Ms. Kyubi is not going to be happy but that doesn't matter right now. I'm worried about you man! You've been like this all day."

"I didn't mean to make you worry but I just couldn't take it anymore. Whether I knew Cell was alive or not, those people would still be alive. I know it's not my fault but watching people grieve over people that you could have saved stings. That kid who walked up to Beytah's portrait and said that Beytah was a hero warmed my heart yet at the same time, but it reminded me that I was acting a fool at not just his funeral, but everyone else's too. I was glad he was appreciated by someone else but I'm sad he's gone. Draconis and Ms. Kyubi were right, coming here today was a mistake." Said Goten.

"Was it though? This could have been your only chance to say goodbye. It hurts, but getting that closure is what you need. The way we both acted was stupid but we acted that way because we care. I know you didn't mean to disrespect anyone."

"Of course I cared. I don't really understand what his relationship with Trunks was but I'm hearing he might be dead too. I don't want to believe it and for the sake of my own sanity, I'm not going to until I have proof, but the thought lives rent-free in my head. Trunks was... is my best friend. We knew each other since we were kids."

"Was he also a Saiyan like you?"

"Yeah, he was," Goten admitted. He was stronger than me since he was a year older. We were close even if he was in a higher grade. Our families were friends and we knew each other since we were kids so he's practically a cousin to me. I'm cut off from my world so I don't know anything.

"Jeez, that's some heavy stuff dude."

"And then there's my brother. His body could have been hijacked by an alien parasite hellbent on wiping out the Saiyans. His name was Boruchi and he's angry at my species for wiping out his kind. Before I came to this world, he beat me up and tried to steal my body to wipe out the rest of the Saiyans."

"That fool! I know what the Saiyans used to do but you weren't a part of that! I don't care how he tries to justify it, he's no different than the Saiyans who wiped out his kind!" Said Asashi.

"I wouldn't stand a chance but the last thing I'd ever want to do is fight my brother to the death. Even if I could, I love him too much. I could never kill my brother even if he was taken over by a vengeful alien who wants to kill my friends and family."

"You're really going through a lot, aren't you? It can't be easy for you. To think, I almost lashed out at you after you told me you were a Saiyan. I was angry because I thought you lied about it being possible for me to surpass liminals. But you were going through a lot so I couldn't be mad. Now that I know someone tried to wipe out your species, I feel like even more of a jerk." Said Asashi.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the full truth. For what it's worth, there are humans back in my world who are stronger than every other student here combined. If you push yourself, it's possible. You learned to use Ki on your first day, you have potential Asashi." Said Goten.

"No, I'm sorry. I thought you were just being overconfident but when you said you don't know if it's possible if me could surpass you looking back you were just being honest. Of course, you'd fear people trying to kill you after what happened with Boruchi."

"That was part of it," Goten admitted. "I lived in a world where people didn't care too much about what species you were. Piccolo who is a green alien known as a Namekian picks up my niece from school and the staff accepts him. There's no Exchange Bill or anything. If I told the government I was a Saiyan, I didn't know how they'd react so I figured it would save everyone trouble if I said I was human."

"I've never been good with comforting people but you know, I'm wishing the best for you. You're dad's a pretty tough guy though, right?" Said Asashi.

Goten nodded and gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, he is. He even fought a God of Destruction and saved the universe. He's awesome!"

"Then have some faith in yourself! If your dad can get that powerful then why can't you? You're a Saiyan just like he is. Your brother's body might have been taken over by some evil alien parasite but he's not dead! You still have a chance to save him! I'm sorry about Trunks though."

"Don't be. If Trunks is dead, they'll wish him back with the Dragon Balls. They're wish-granting orbs that grant almost any wish. Even if the ones on Earth don't work, there are other sets. If Trunks is really dead and they have to choose between bringing him back to life or bringing me back to my world, I don't mind staying here for another year." Said Goten.

"You're a great guy, aren't you? Well, don't think that changes anything! I'm still going to try to surpass you. I don't care if you're an unreachable goal, that just makes it all the more fun for me. Once I'm strong enough, I'll be able to fight monsters like Cell with you! As your self-proclaimed rival, I hate to admit this but I look up to you too. Maybe not like Mizuki, but I respect you a lot. You have all this power but you never let it get to your head."

Goten smiled. "Hey, no matter how strong you get, there's always a bigger fish. I'm strong but I'm not even close to the strongest. Anyway, have you been learning how to control your ki better?"

"Well yeah, I've been practicing in secret. I'd like to spar with you one of these days."

"Before that, I have two more things to teach you but after that, it's up to you to grow on your own. There's someone I'd like you to meet, and she would probably be a better sparring partner for you than I would."

"Looking forward to it! Are you feeling better Goten?"

"Yeah, let's go back!"

When the funeral was over, Goten returned to his homeroom which would last for a short amount of time before he went to his first class. He was immediately hugged by Melody.

"Goten, please don't be sad. I know your friend is watching you in heaven and he's proud of you. As for what happened during the funeral, I promise you that the fool has been dealt with accordingly. They insulted all the students who had unfortunately passed away. I hated and feared men, I saw them as monsters except for you. However, the funeral opened my eyes. When I saw the person grieving his cousin and the other guy grieving his dearly departed lover, I was at a loss for words. Men aren't evil monsters that are just waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of women to satisfy their own desires, they have feelings and genuinely care for others." Said Melody

"Goten, I've been looking for you! Where did you go!" Said Draconis.

"I was on the rooftop."

"I should have known you weren't indoors. You know that's prohibited at this time."

"I know, but I needed to be alone." Said Goten.

Draconis sighed. "I know you did. You don't take friends for granted. Even someone who had previously meant you harm is just as important to you as your other friends. May I say something to Beytah? I'm sure his spirit is watching."

"Go ahead." Said Goten.

"Alright here goes... Beytah, I know we didn't know each other well. I initially held a low opinion of you for attacking local law enforcement with the intent to kill. However, I followed you in private because I believed you were the person I was looking for. Even though you weren't the Golden Warrior, you were still a Golden Warrior. You protected children while simultaneously preventing Cell from consuming more innocent people and despite having a hole in your stomach, you fought valiantly to protect both myself and Son Goten. When I return home, I will tell tales of your bravery. It was an honor to fight by your side Reaper."

"Thank you for saying that, Draconis. You have no idea how much that means to me. I really am sorry about making a scene. I tried to force anyone to care for my friend but I couldn't stand people mocking his death when they might not even be alive if it wasn't for him. The least they could do was be respectful. The fact that both you and Asashi did care makes me feel a little better." Said Goten.

"You missed the public execution." Said Melody.

"Melody!" Said Draconis.

"I so desperately wanted to put those mongrels in their place but I couldn't do it bring myself to do it. I was a sadist yet it was rather disheartening when I witnessed those people mourn their loved ones. However those two fools ever so callously mocked their deaths! Seeing you show them their place was cathartic Draconis. And the way you openly declared that you would not tolerate any disrespect towards Goten was quite bold. I wish I had your courage." Said Melody

"Draconis, you did that for me?" Said Goten.

"Oh please, it was nothing. I wanted to ensure that you knew that you weren't the only one who appreciated Beytah. He fought as valiantly as everyone else, so he deserves to be respected. Of course, you were outstanding as well. It's because of you that we all have more time together. We should cherish that time, don't you think?" Said Draconis.

A small tear trickled down Goten's cheek. "Right."

Goten would later be scolded for his misconduct but was let off with a warning because they knew he was grieving. The two students who were being disrespectful were written up and sent to the principal's office, and unfortunately for Asashi, he was too but the only one who would be suspended was the guy who called everyone a bunch of nobodies. Both Goten and Asashi may have gotten into a bit of trouble, but people could see where they were coming from, and both of their reputations improved in the eyes of most students.

Kurusu Residence.

Miia was in the pool alone with Mero. She needed to ease her mind after hearing about what happened to her village.

"Lady Miia, you seem troubled." Said Mero.

"It's just something bad happened recently. I didn't bring it up before because Goten just came back and there wasn't anything anyone could do so I didn't mention it, but my home village was attacked by invaders."

"Oh no! Who would do such a thing?"

"Mama said it was a dragon and a group of individuals that attacked us because of our practices. I admit they aren't very tasteful but we kind of needed to do it to survive. These individuals didn't offer a solution, they just slaughtered us like dogs."

"Oh my! That's just cruel!"

"And to make matters worse, Cell attacked our village before he came to Japan, so a lot of Lamias died in a single day. Mama is trying to make things stable again but when she's done, she plans to visit Japan."

"Cell was a monster in every sense of the word. I'm so sorry Lady Miia! And you say a dragon attacked your village?"

"Yeah, Mother says that the dragon and a man in a hood were mostly responsible for the deaths. The others hunted down Lamias including the children, but the Dragon burned down buildings while the hooded man fired blasts like Goten and Cell all over the place which killed a huge amount of people. I don't know if my friends survived or not..." Said Miia.

Mero lifted Miia's hand. "Lady Miia, I want to help in any way I can!"

"That's sweet of you Mero, but how can you help?"

"It's rather embarrassing to say it outright but I'm quite wealthy you see. I can donate to your village and I'm sure I can convince people to help your village rebuild." Said Mero.

"Thank you, Mero, you're the best! But are you sure you want to do this? I mean one of us kidnapped a group of human men and that's all it took for that group of people to attack us. I hate to admit it, but this is normal practice or, so it was before Bill. The solution was to have men volunteer to become communal husbands who'd breed with the adult Lamias, but it wasn't enough to keep our numbers up. Although the men are generally treated well; all Lamia's aren't the same but Lamia's that do treat our humans badly are usually punished which is why slaughtering innocent people in our village was completely unnecessary! Mero, do you think less of me knowing what us Lamia's do?"

"Of course not Lady Miia! It's quite tragic that your species must resort to such means, but you do treat them well, yes? It's rather unfortunate for the men who are taken and their families. Is it possible to simply have a group of willing men immigrate to your village?" Said the Mermaid.

"Believe me, Lamia's have tried that, but the Interspecies Exchange is too cautious. We're an all-female species so we need a lot of men to continue our tribe, but they almost never let people visit the country so barely any men show up at all. With Cell attacking my village and the group of people who attacked after, our numbers are lower than ever, and my tribe is desperate. When men willingly want to come, they assume the worst. It's always 1 of 3 assumptions. 1, they think we poisoned the human man to alter their moods. 2, They think the man has bad intentions and wants to take advantage of our biology to turn our village into his personal harem or 3, they think some other form of coercion is at play. Cell attacked us because he's a monster but that other group of people attacked us for trying to survive. Because of Cell and that mysterious group of people, we need male humans more than ever but if Lamias go back to their old methods, they'll slaughter everyone in my village. No matter what we do, it's a lose-lose situation for us Lamias."

"That sounds dreadfully awful Lady Miia! It would seem the Interspecies Exchange is at fault in this case. I understand being cautious but they're putting your species at risk." Said Mero.

"Right? It's like they don't even consider the idea that people may genuinely want to help. There always has to be some ulterior motive." Said Miia. "My mother is the tribe leader so I'm hoping she can work out a deal with the humans. Mom texted me earlier and told me that a human army tried to come to their defense but was stopped before they could reach the village. It makes me feel a little better to know there was at least an effort to help us." Said Miia.

"Miia, wait! They went out of the way to try to help but it sounded like they were up against a foe they couldn't handle. The military got involved and in the same way Japan's military attempt at dispatching Cell was fruitless, the military that tried to rescue your village was also unsuccessful. Ms. Smith spoke of the androids who are individuals that are as indestructible and powerful as a Saiyan like Goten. I think there's only one group of people who could be responsible, Red Pharmaceuticals."

"You're right." Miia's eyes widened as she realized just how real of a threat they were. She believed Goten of course, but the fact that people that she knew personally were affected by this evil organization shined light on how dangerous they really were. "They're the monsters who created Cell and they have the gall to judge us for what we've done?!"

"Lady Miia, you have my word that I will make things right! And I know just the way to do it!" Mero reassured her friend.

Back with Goten

School would later end. It was mostly uneventful aside from Goten not socializing as much. He was heading somewhere and then he bumped into a certain someone.

"Goten! It's so good to see you! I was horrified by what happened to you! I'm glad to see it wasn't true!"

"Oh, heya Mizuki. I couldn't come to school yesterday because some stuff came up but I'm doing okay."

"I can't believe those jerks! How could they say that about people who died? Anyway, are you doing okay Goten? Draconis and Melody say your body was pretty much destroyed but you look like you don't have a scratch."

"They were right, I just mysteriously healed."

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not."

"No seriously, I'm just as if not more confused than everyone else. Asashi thinks the person who saved me was the guy who abducted me, but I don't understand how. Are there any liminals that could heal life-threatening injuries?"

"Well yeah, almost certainly. I mean I know fairies can definitely heal people with their magic, but I don't know how much they can heal. The one I did see was able to heal Asashi after he was hurt from protecting me from a liminal but I'm not sure if his injuries were something that could already be fixed by humans or not. Also, she got pretty tired after healing Asashi so I don't know how limited a fairy's magic is."

"Huh, that's interesting. Well, it was nice talking to you Mizuki, but I'm a bit in a hurry. It was good to see you again though." Said Goten.

"Bye Goten, I'm looking forward to hanging out with you again!" Mizuki waved at Goten as he left and Goten waved back.

Goten would make his way to the altar with portraits of the deceased students to pay his respects.

"So, I guess this is goodbye for good huh? Everyone else in this world has probably experienced loss in one way or another and if not, they're going to. Guys like us have too but unlike people back home, the people here never had the comfort of their loved ones mysteriously coming back to life. Even back home, most people didn't know about the Dragon Balls. Their families and friends just mysteriously came back to life. Sorry, I told you I'd be joining you in death, but it looks like you'll have to wait. You know I still don't agree with outright killing criminals if I don't have to but you made me realize something. In this world once someone dies, they aren't coming back so I need to be careful who I show mercy to. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to start blowing up people for shoplifting or anything like that, but if a threat like Cell shows up and takes the lives of innocent people, I'm not going to be so lenient with them even if they beg for mercy. If I spare the wrong person, it could mean more innocent people die. I'm not going to play with their lives, I swear it! I had a bit of an Epiphany before I killed Cell. You can't just go through life expecting things to automatically end well. We both know that not everyone will change their ways if you show them mercy. I won't just show mercy to just anyone. If I don't trust them to change their ways after they've killed innocent people, I will show as much mercy to them as they showed their victims. That's why I'd like to apologize to you, in advance I mean. I know how much you admire Dr. Hedo but right now he's looking like a pretty bad guy. I'm going to find him and ask him some questions and hopefully find answers. I don't want to kill Dr. Hedo but if he's responsible for turning innocent people into liminals and is taking lives without remorse, I might not have a choice. If it comes down to that I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. See you on the other side Reaper."

Goten left and headed to the library where Melody was. The Siren was reading a book until she saw Goten.

"Oh, hello Goten, what would you like to discuss?"

"I wanted your opinion on something. Are you free to chat?"

"Ah, it brings me joy to know you're feeling well enough to start talking again!"

"Oh, I just had a lot on my mind you know? But I'm feeling a bit better. Anyway, I wanted to ask, what do you think about having lunch or something with me tomorrow?"

Melody became giddy. "Oh Goten, are you asking me out on a date?!"

"I mean sure, if you want this to be a date. We've gotta discuss something pretty important but I'd be open to the idea."

"Do I want this to be a date? Did you even have to ask? Of course I do! Oh, this is wonderful! I can't wait to tell Mero! Does this mean you've finally fallen for my charm?" Said the Siren.

"Hmm? To be honest, I'm not really sure. I've been holding myself back from forming any sort of romantic connection with anyone but now that I made peace with possibly being stuck in this world for good, I don't feel like I need to do that anymore but now I'm just in this awkward spot. You know what they say though, you never know until you try." Said Goten.

"Could you describe how you feel?"

"I dunno, I guess I feel... empty. Like a part of me is missing. I mean I have an entirely new life to look forward to yet now that everything has settled in, I'm at a loss. Melody, you can relate right? You left your life in the ocean behind to live on the surface which had to be a huge change of pace for you."

"Indeed, it was difficult at first and my life with Hisato's family didn't make my time here any easier but since I've moved in with my new host family, my life has been far better than even back home or at least what life at home became."

"Then how did you deal with it?"

"I never truly did. As you know, I lived with Hisato who was a less than desirable host. However, I knew that no matter what, I could not return home. Being defiled by that repulsive cretin was far worse than anything that was going to happen to me in that kingdom. I hated men, and I hurt people as a result and the worst part is I enjoyed it which is as awful as it sounds but it's how I got by. I'm truly ashamed of my actions now but not everyone forgave me and why should they? However, when you punched Hisato and protected me from those assassins, you gave me a new sense of hope. There was but one path I could take with two options. I could end it or I could move forward but there was no going back. In the end, I chose to move forward because that's where you were going. You had your life stolen from you, but you kept living, that's one of the reasons I fell in love with you Son Goten."

This was enough to make Saiyan blush. "Aw Melody, that was really touching! Keep talking like that, and I might just fall in love with you for real."

Melody giggled. "In that case, I won't stop. I'm looking forward to our date."

"See ya tomorrow, Melody!" Goten waved at Melody before returning home.

When he got home, he was greeted by Papi.

"Goten, you're back!"

"Yes, I am, have you seen Suu?" Goten asked.

"Well, a lot of reporters showed up and tried to interview her, but she didn't understand a lot of the questions. Rachnera ended up scaring them away by trapping some of them in her web." Said Papi.

"They're so dramatic, I wasn't going to harm them. Not too much anyway." Said the spider woman who drinking a cup of coffee.

Goten would go upstairs to his room to undress out of his school uniform into something more casual. When he came downstairs, he saw Mero and Miia heading into the living room together.

"Oh, hey girls! What's up?" Said Goten.

"Sir Goten, it's good to see you returned safely! Your timing was impeccable! Lady Miia and I were discussing how we should raise money and awareness to help her village recover." Said Mero.

"Oh no, what happened?!" Said Goten.

"They were attacked by Cell and a group of androids afterward. Not even the army sent to help them was able to do anything. They were both liminals and humans, but they might have been as strong as you."

"That sounds bad! Do I need to go to your village to fight off some creeps? Because I've been itching for a fight with those jerks! I heard they're strong, but I'm no slouch myself. I've been doing some training."

"No, you don't need to do that! It's actually better for you if you don't. They did a number in my village. Buildings were burnt down, blown up, and many Lamias died in horrific ways. Even if you came, the androids that attacked already left."

Goten was engulfed in a white flame-like aura, and he screamed in anger. "Damn them! Those monsters think they can just get away with whatever they want! Well, I'll show them! Listen, girls, if you need help, I'm your guy! Wherever you need to go, just let me know!"

"Thank you so much for this Goten, I owe you for this!" Said Miia.

Goten, Miia, And Mero would shortly head outside the neighborhood to discuss what to do. "So does anyone have any skills that could be useful in entertaining people?" Said Goten.

"I happen to be very confident in my ability to sing!" Said Mero.

"I could use my ki to perform tricks. Watch this." Goten summoned to small orbs ki and used his hands to guide them around him. He began doing poses while dodging the balls of ki and he accelerated the speed until he was done. My ki has more uses than just fighting." Said Goten.

Mero gave Goten a round of applause. "That was quite the show Sir Goten! I'm impressed by your flexibility and your ability to do all those movements while simultaneously controlling those two spheres!"

Goten pats the back of his head. "Oh, it was nothing."

"That gave me an idea! Mero, you can sing! Goten, you can use your ki to do tricks and dances to synchronize your movements with Mero's voice and I will tell people about what happened to my village." Said Miia.

"That sounds great but there's one problem. I wasn't dancing, I was posing." Said Goten.

"Oh, same difference! It can still work to our advantage." Said Miia.

"Well, you're the boss Miia. This is all for you. I don't know how much this will help, but I'm pretty good at posing. My poses don't look as good when I'm alone but they're still awesome anyway! Let's get this show on the road!" Goten did the motion for the fusion dance causing Miia and Mero to sweat drop.

"What sort of pose is that Sir Goten? Where did you learn of such a peculiar movement?" Said Mero.

Goten looked to the sky as if he were reminiscing about something. "Well, this one was actually a dance. My dad taught it to me years ago. He was dead at the time, but he was allowed to go to the world of the living for a day. It's a technique but it involves two people, and they must be at the exact same level of power. It's mine and Trunks's trump card, or at least it was. Dad taught us the technique so we could become a warrior who could fight against a foe that was far stronger than even Cell.

"Wait a minute, you're like 16! How many years ago was this?" Miia asked.

"Uh, nine?"

"You're not telling me your dad tried to have you fight an even bigger monster than Cell... WHEN YOU WERE ONLY 7?!" The Lamia said angrily.

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds bad." Said Goten.

"It sounds bad because it is bad!" Miia exclaimed.

"Think of it like this, we were the last people on Earth who stood a chance against him, and he didn't have much time before he had to go back to the afterlife. As I said Majin Buu had the mind of a child and he liked fun so Dad was able to convince Majin Buu to give us time to master the technique so we could give him a proper fight. My dad was just trying to prepare us for a future where he wasn't around to protect the Earth. He was passing down the torch to us kids." Said Goten

"That sounds serious. Just how bad was this Majin Buu?" Mero asked.

"Talking about it brings up bad memories but remember when I said my brother was beaten so badly and we all thought he was dead? Majin Buu was responsible for that, and my brother was the same guy who defeated Cell at only 11 years old which is probably why Dad was so confident in us. I'll never forget when I first saw him. He turned the King of Demons into a giant cookie and ate him in one bite! Trunks and I were horrified when we saw that!"

"Oh, it was him! He's the one who hurt your brother so badly? I humbly apologize for bringing up any potential trauma. And he turned a Demon King into a cookie and consumed him? I hope this isn't presumptuous of me to ask but do all of your adversaries consume people?" Mero asked.

"No, just the worse ones. Majin Buu went from city to city destroying everything in his path turning people into all kinds of foods and eating them. Unlike Cell, he wasn't doing it for power, he was just hungry. If I had to describe Majin Buu, he was a big, fat, pink humanoid monster with the mind of a child who viewed humans as his toys to break. He didn't know right from wrong, he just wanted to cause destruction. Long story short, Majin Buu befriended Mr. Satan who convinced Majin Buu to turn away from evil, but something bad happened and Majin Buu split into two Buus, one good, the other pure evil. The evil one absorbed the good one and destroyed everything. In the end, things got so bad that Elder Kai literally had to give up his own life for my dad's because he was the only one who could handle Majin Buu. With the help of everyone on Earth, my dad was able to gather enough energy to create his ultimate technique, the Spirit Bomb and he destroyed Majin Buu once and for all."

"So, your dad ended up saving the day in the end anyway?" Said Miia.

"Well yeah but we all played our part. We helped by giving our energy to the spirit bomb along with everyone else on Earth. Since Elder Kai gave his life to resurrect Dad, he decided to stay, and I finally knew what it was like to have a father." Goten smiled. "You're right though, we were supposed to defeat Majin Buu, but we failed, so Dad had to take things into his own hands. That was just the beginning though. Ever since then, we've relied too much on Dad and when Cell Max was released, I think my brother realized that. Now that I fought and was almost killed by the original Cell, I realize it too. I need to get a lot stronger.

"Wow, it sounds like you have a lot of responsibilities. I can't even imagine how you feel. You weren't very strong compared to the others back in your world but now that you're in this world you have the responsibility that your dad had. When you're as strong as you are, you hold the fate of the world on your shoulders. But you know, Cell was wrong about his speech on the price of power." Said Miia.

"Are you talking about how Manako saved me?"

"Not just her, but Rachnera rescued you from being absorbed by Cell the first time and 16 was broken apart but he was still able to help you when Cell was going to destroy Japan. Doesn't that prove Cell wrong about how someone weaker than you can't save you? Manako used 16's arm so that was a team effort, but I heard Rachnera saved you all on her own by congesting his tail with her webs." Said Miia.

"I'm grateful for that, you know? Miia, even you tried to help me. Just before Cell nearly absorbed me, you tried to choke him out. I think you bought Manako enough time to shoot off his tail."

"I just couldn't watch anymore! I'd never want to kill anyone, but Cell was just so cruel I couldn't take it! I watched him kill people Goten, the shock of horror on their faces, the pain they were in, the fact that Cell delighted in every second of their suffering. It made me sick! I'd never want to kill a person, but Cell wasn't a person, and seeing that thing's smug grin as it tortured and taunted you was enough to push me over the edge. I don't regret trying to kill him either, not after finding out what he did to my village!"

"Well, that's why we're here right? We're going to let people know what happened and were going to have your village restored." Said Goten.

"That's right! I will do everything I can to give back to the village that raised me!" Said Miia with greater resolve.

And so, the group of liminals went to a nearby park and after some practice, they began a street performance. They were all dressed up into kimonos and changed their hair. Miia had a ponytail, Mero's long hair was now styled in a bun. As for Goten, his hair resembled Gohan's hair (His base hair style in DBS Superhero).

Goten started off by summoning a ball of ki and began waving it around himself as he did poses. At first, people looked at him awkwardly but then he started to impress them. He once again summoned another orb and danced around them but this time he added something new, ki rings. He summoned two ki rings and tossed one of the rings into the air, then he did a handstand using one hand, caught the ring on his foot, and began spinning the ring around in a circle. He used the hand that wasn't on the ground to toss the other ring into the air before tossing the other one into the air with his foot.

Goten guided the ball of ki through the rings multiple times before the rings had a chance to fall to the ground. Before they could hit the ground Goten caught both rings in his finger and began spinning them around. He did poses while spinning the rings in his fingers while simultaneously guiding the ball of ki to orbit him, sometimes having them go through the rings as he tossed them about. A small crowd gathered around Goten as he showed off his moves with the ki orbs and the small version of Gotenks's Galactic Donuts technique.

"Woah, that guy is awesome! Wicked moves man!" Said a kid as he witnessed Goten's tricks.

"Woah look at that ball, is he magic?!" Said another kid.

"Oh, I think there's magic at play for sure because I've definitely been enchanted by something!" Said a young man who was looking at Miia and Mero.

Mero saw the opportunity and raised her voice in a song. She sang a ballad that was soft and slow but filled with passion. Her song was one of a young noble girl who left her home to be with the man she loved only for his country to be ravaged by war by the time they arrived. The man had lost everything but was comforted by the presence of his lover. After they saw his ravaged country, she proposed they'd go back to her country only for her country to be ravaged by war as well.

They had both lost everything, but they had each other so they fled to another country to start a new life. However, the country they fled to was enemies with the land the young girl hailed from, and she was imprisoned and put on display to be mocked and ridiculed. No matter how much the young man pleaded with the country to free his lover, they would not budge because they were convinced that the young girl wished to trick the young man. Despite being imprisoned, the young man was allowed to visit his lover and when he did, she'd sing to him, and he'd dance to her song.

When Mero sang, she took the role of the young girl who was singing to her lover and to take the role of the young man, Goten moved his ki in unison to her voice and danced at a speed to match the speed of which Mero was singing. People told their friends and they gathered up a lot of people to watch. As Mero sang and Goten danced, Miia took this opportunity to speak to the crowd.

"What you saw just now was a play that portrayed two lovers being separated by war. We did this because this is the story based on something similar to what can and has happened between Lamia's and humans who were genuinely in love. Recently my village was attacked. First, it was Cell who you might know as the bug monster that attacked Japan. Then it was a group of androids like Cell. I know we aren't the only ones suffering but we Lamias are a mono-gendered species. We don't have the greatest past with humans, so the Interspecies Exchange Bill isn't allowing people to immigrate to our village even if they want to be there. Not only are our numbers dwindling but since Cell attacked everyone, our numbers are lower than ever, and we need human men to help us repopulate. I'm sure some of you know what us Lamias used to do to male humans, and it is awful, but it's how we survived as a species. Us Lamias are a mono-gendered species that need human males to reproduce so when the Bill outlawed kidnapping humans and offered us communal husbands for our entire village to have children with, the results allowed us to continue growing and humans didn't have to worry about being abducted but at the same time, but even then, the result wasn't so positive for us Lamias. The Interspecies Exchange Bill allowed us to have communal husbands who would mate with our villages but even that wasn't enough. If a Lamia truly falls in love with a human and wants to bring them to her village, the Interspecies Exchange will get suspicious and even if the man admits to wanting to come, they assume the worst. I don't hold it against the Interspecies Exchange for being cautious of us kidnapping humans, we shouldn't do that. But their current program benefits humans more than Lamias and now that Cell attacked, sending a few men every now and then isn't going to cut it. I'm not asking you to go there and sacrifice yourselves, I just want you to know about what's happening to us so you can spread the word. I didn't gather you all to recruit people to repopulate our villages, I'm here because I want to put pressure on the Interspecies Exchange Bill for the sake of my species. I understand if you despise us for our past but try to understand that we Lamias deserve to survive as a species just as much as anyone else. That's why I'm not telling you but asking you." Miia bowed down. "Please show us your support!"

"Lamias kidnap people? I knew them non-humans were no good!" Said an elderly man.

"But it's not all of them, right? And they're just trying to survive. Let's be honest, how many men would willingly go to a village where they have to copulate with an entire population of beautiful girls? I know I would and men from all over the world agree!" Said a younger man.

"Lamia's have taken male humans from their families but according to my research, they're treated well. As messed up as it is, the Lamias deserve to live but we need a better solution that benefits humans and Lamias equally. What we have now isn't going to cut it." Said a woman.

"If the androids who destroyed your village are connected to the guys that created Cell, then take my money! Fuck those guys!" Said a middle-aged man who was donating out of spite.

"Don't feel obligated to donate! It would be appreciated if you do, but we just want the word to spread." Said Goten

"Nah, you earned it! I hope everything goes well. Things are chaotic all over the place." Said a teenage girl.

Many people followed suit in donating money. Miia was brought to tears by the generosity of everyone around them.

"Thank you all for your donations!" Said the red-haired Lamia. She turned her attention to Goten and Mero. "Thank you for doing this for me. I'm so happy to call you, my friends."

"It was our pleasure!" Said Mero.

"Yeah! And if your village gets attacked again tell me because I'll be right there in a matter of minutes!" Said Goten.

Miia tearfully smiled. 'When I first started living with Darling, I wanted it to be our happy home with maybe a daughter or two but sharing our home with good friends isn't so bad.' She thought.

Later...

Goten and Suu were by the bridge where Suu and Papi played with kids who were using water guns.

"Alright, Suu hit me with all you got!" Goten went into a fighting stance.

"Suu doesn't want to hurt Goten."

"It's okay Suu, I can take a hit. This is all for you. You're strong Suu, like really strong. You're even stronger than me in my normal state, you just need to learn how to control your power. I'll be honest, I'm not the greatest teacher so you'll have to work with me, but this will be good for both of us."

"Alright. Suu will attack now!" Suu was in her adult form after drinking water from the lake and pointed her finger at Goten. A geyser of water came out of her finger soaking Goten's face and hair.

"Suu... you didn't use your energy in that. It was just water." Said Goten.

"Suu doesn't want to cause too much damage. She is afraid she'll destroy too much and hurt you on accident. You're not a Super Saiyan right now, and if Suu is stronger than you, then she worries she'll hurt you."

"It's nothing serious, it's just practice. You know the saying, no pain no gain. I want you to punch me square in the face with all you got. Don't worry about hurting me, I need to see where you're at."

Suu nodded and begrudgingly punched Goten in the face as hard as she could. It failed to push Goten back, but it definitely packed a punch and forced Goten's head to turn.

"Not bad Suu, that was a great punch! You're not bad at this at all! When you punched me, you exerted all of the force onto my face instead of just punching me. That's kind of the gist of controlling your ki, at least when it comes to the area of effect.

"So, when I use a ki blast, I have to focus on one point?"

"Exactly!" Goten pointed to a rock in the water that was underneath the bridge. Watch this." Goten flew over to the rock and extended his hand at the rock but then changed the formation of his hand to a gun and fired a tiny ki blast right through to rock using his index finger. "If I wanted it to, that bullet I just shot could have destroyed an entire building, but I focused it on one part of the rock, the part I intended to pierce through. Now you try."

"Okay, Suu will do her best!" She saluted Goten before speaking again. "But Suu doesn't know how to fly like you and she can't be in the water."

"Oh yeah, I kind of forgot about that, my bad." Goten pats the back of his head in embarrassment. "But hey, that's a good thing, it just means you can practice hitting targets from afar. Try shooting that rock from a distance, if it's too much, I'll swat it away, how does that sound?"

"Suu trusts you; Suu will fire!" Suu absorbed more water, and she pointed her finger at the rock. She thought about what Goten said. 'Suu's water projectiles can't go that far but Suu wants to impress her teacher with her own technique! Suu has an idea!' Suu shot the water out in the same fashion that she did to spray the kids who were using water guns, but the difference was this shot of water was much more focused. Instead of going all over the place, it was highly pressurized water that came out in one direction like a water hose. It also moved at extremely high speeds to the point that it didn't resemble water anymore, but a ray from a ray gun. The water went right through the rock without doing any unneeded damage.

"Did Suu do it right, Goten? Did Suu do good?"

"Did you do good? Are you kidding me?! That was better than good! You're a natural Suu! I could have been in serious trouble if that hit me when I was off guard!"

Suu smiled. "Suu is happy to learn from you Goten!"

Goten returned her smile. "At the end of the day, it all comes down to state of mind. To use the full extent of your power or to control how much power you want to put into your attacks, you need to relax your mind. I think... no, I know you have more power in you and to tell you the truth, I'm no expert at utilizing my full power either. My power up against Cell was a fight or flight response to the threat Cell posed against the new world I came to love; I can't access that power whenever I want, but I know how I get that power. A Saiyan's source of strength is his rage, but your trigger could be very different from mine. I couldn't tell you what the source of your power is if I wanted to, it's ultimately up to you to find out on your own."

"Suu thinks she gets it. She needs to focus on how she is using her ki instead of just using it. Suu understands how to control her power better but there's one thing that Suu wants to know about."

"And what's that Suu?" Said Goten gently.

"Suu wants to learn how to fly like her teacher!"

"Hahahaha, we'll see about that another time. Tell you what, for our next lesson you'll learn how to sense energy and if you do good, I'll give you flying lessons."

"Suu can't wait to be a birdie like Papi! A birdie, a birdie, Suu will be a birdie!" The slime girl ran around like an excited child.

Goten went from smiling to a somber expression. "Tch." He started to get choked up and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Flashback

"Okay, it's finally time to try our first flight. Just use your energy." Said a teenage Saiyan wearing a blue Gi. His expression turned into a nervous one. "And be careful."

A young boy no older than 7 years old began hopping up and down while the teenage girl next to him was standing on her toes, trying to push her energy under her so she could fly.

"No, no Goten, flying and hopping are two different things."

The young boy stopped hopping with a goofy look on his face.

"Use your energy." Said the older Hybrid Saiyan.

"Oh." The young boy with hair identical to his father's stood in one place with a neutral expression as he slightly looked down. The grass below him began to ripple in a circular motion around the body as if it were water that someone had tossed a rock into. Sure enough, the boy began slowly floating in the air.

"You mean like this?" Said Goten.

"Yeah, that's it! Good job!

"Look at me Gohan! I'm a little birdie! Hahahaha!"

Gohan smiled as Goten flew past him.

"That's really great Goten!

The teenage girl was struggling as Goten ascended.

"Not so high." Said Gohan.

Goten turned around. "Oh, don't worry Gohan. OOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Goten struggled to keep his focus and ended up falling and landing on his face.

"Goten!" Gohan shouted. "Are you okay?! Goten!"

Goten sat down with tears in his eyes from the pain.

The Saiyan teenager bent down to check on his little brother. "See, you should have listened to me! But don't worry. At this rate, you'll be flying high in no time!

*Sniffles* Goten turned to face Gohan. "But when can we have our real training?"

Gohan put his finger to his mouth. "Shhhh. Just as soon as Videl leaves, I promise we'll train extra hard after that, kay?"

"Okay!" Said Goten happily.

Flashback end

OST: Dragon Ball Super Ending 3 – Light Pink

The slime girl was shaking her teacher's arm. "What's wrong Goten? You're crying." Said Suu who was now in her childlike form.

Goten wiped his face and gave her a longing smile. "It's nothing, I was just thinking about some things. What do you say we go home?"

"Okay!" Said Suu.

Later...

Location: Kurusu Residence

"Goten, Suu, where have you two been?" Said Cerea.

"We were outside! Teacher taught Suu all kinds of things like how to not blow stuff up on accident!" Said the slime girl cheerfully.

"That sounds reassuring. Luckily, you and your teacher made it just in time for dinner. I found a way to reduce master's responsibilities. Starting today I'll be in charge of preparing salad. I want you all to clean your plates and don't be picky." Said Cerea.

"Hey not everybody's a herbivore in this house you know!" Said Miia.

"Yeah, this is boring! I want some meat, c'mon!" Said Papi.

"Oh, don't even! I will be as strict as the master was generous. From this day forward you won't get a scrap of meat until you finish every bite of your vegetables." Said the blonde centaur.

"No fair!" Said Papi and Miia simultaneously.

"Well, I don't mind a change, salads are quite healthy!" Said Mero.

"You said if I finish, I can have meat, right? Well can I have some of that along with some vegetables please?" Said Goten who had already finished his vegetables.

"Why of course. Your appetite never ceases to amaze me though I'm glad you enjoyed it." Cerea smiled only to return to a stern look. "Ladies, you could learn a thing or two from Goten."

"Wow thank you Cerea, I can never get these ladies to eat their vegetables." Said Kimihito.

"No, this is the least I can do! I have always carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. I didn't want to accept that there were some things I couldn't handle. Therefore, from now on I promise to do whatever I can do to the fullest!" Said Cerea. 'Thank you, strange girl! You have made me see myself in a new light.' She thought. "And in return, I'll ask for help whenever I need it master, is that alright with you?"

"Sure thing, anytime you want." Said Kimihito to which Cerea smiled. Her smile was almost immediately lost as Miia and Papi offered Goten their food.

"Wow Goten, you really like your vegetables huh? Would you like to have mine?" Said Miia.

"Yeah, me too!" Said Papi.

"Oh, it's not that I love vegetables although mom always made sure I cleaned my plate. I mean vegetables are fine I guess, but getting stronger takes more than just exercise, I need a balanced diet too. If I want to make the most out of my training, I need to eat when I can. Your offer is tempting, but you girls gotta eat too and I'm being mindful of others so I can't eat as much as I usually do back home." Said Goten. The Saiyan was used to eating fish that was much bigger than himself.

"Indeed, a healthy diet is important to remaining fit and will result in a longer life." Centorea nodded with her eyes closed but when she turned her attention to Miia and Papi, they were feeding Suu their food.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing; you have to eat it yourselves!" She said. She ultimately sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Oi Cerea! I don't have school tomorrow, so I'll be ready to train you in the morning. Get ready 'cause I'm not going to go easy on you!" Said Goten

The centaur smirked at the Saiyan. "Likewise. I won't be holding back when I teach you how to use a sword. I'm glad to hear you won't be pulling any punches. I wouldn't have it any other way... Sensei."

Goten returned her smirk and when he was done eating, he returned to his bedroom and as he laid in his bed, he looked at the photo of his family.

He remembered all the good times he had with his father. He remembered when he met his father for the first time after he temporarily came back from the dead for a day, and then he remembered fighting Trunks at the world tournament. That moment was especially important to Goten since even though he lost, his father was watching him compete in the tournament. He remembered his father teaching him the fusion dance, fighting Super Buu as Gotenks, his father letting him drive the tractor as he ate Chi-Chi's food, helping his dad become a Super Saiyan God, and witnessing his battle with Lord Beerus. He remembered watching him go Blue Kaioken against Hit in the Universe 6 tournament. He remembered his sadness at seeing his father's lifeless body after the Assassin from Universe 6, Hit temporarily killed him along with his desire for vengeance against his killer and his joy when he came back.

His final memory was watching the Super Great Saiyaman movie with his entire family including Gohan's wife Videl as his father was asleep. It wasn't anything crazy like some of his earlier memories but it was a day where he got to spend time with his entire family so he was highly fond of it. When Goten was done reminiscing he smiled at the family photo in his room.

"Dad, I made a lot of new friends. It really sucks that we may not see each other again but you know, I finally get what you were doing all those years ago. The day you came back to life, you fought Majin Buu, but you didn't go for the kill because you wanted to make sure the Earth was in good hands. To think I'd be in your position at this age. Someone even said that I sounded like an old man, can you believe that? You weren't in my life from the start, and you were gone quite a bit when you were but don't think for a second that I blame you for that. I couldn't be any happier to call you my dad. For almost half of my life, you weren't around but for the time you were, those were my best memories. I don't know if I'll ever go back but I do know I will never forget you and that goes for Mom, Trunks, Gohan, Videl, and even Mr. Satan. I love you, dad!" Goten fist-bumped the part of the photo where Goku's hand was.

Ost Ends

I thought I'd mention this, I'm posting this story on A03. I'm fixing slight errors and dumb plotholes or nonsensical things that I may have written but that may take time so I may not be posting chapters every month not that I rush chapters so I can reach a quota, I know how that story ends (Shivers). Anyway, Sparking Zero is a game I'm pretty hyped for so I can't wait for that. I can't wait to play as my favorite character Vegito(Best Fusion btw) and while I'm at it, I'll play a ton of other games too. In the meantime, there are some people I need to catch up with IRL, so I'll be focusing on that, but I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. I may not post for a while even if I do get the next chapter done. On the bright side, I might post chapters, but we'll have to see about that. Anyway, cya!

Serious Note: I'm dealing with a very scary situation irl. It started last year but I thought we got it solved. Recently, it came up again. Things are looking positive for the most part. We know who's responsible but we need solid proof. I'm not going to panic though; I'm going to remain calm and proceed with caution. Police are involved and I know God is on my side but situations like these are very stressful. Even after the suspect is caught, I might not update this story for a while. I brought this up not to make you worry but to give you an update on the future of the story. I'll be leaving this chapter with you since I know I might not be active for even longer. I figured it was almost done anyway so why not finish editing. Don't be upset, it just means the next chapter will have better quality. If I didn't take breaks, the Cell fight wouldn't have existed as it did. Anyway don't worry about me, I'll be fine, but I'm just taking a well needed break and focusing on real life stuff. In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, note to future me because I reread chapters: Don't rely too much on Grammarly.