"Hmm…" Chayote looked up at the shrouded evening sky. She took in a sensation that she long hadn't felt–a whiff of a Ki signature. It was a familiar pair too. Trunks slowly strutted out from the temple and stood by Chayote's side. Their shoulders almost brushed against each other.
"It's Krillin and Yamcha, isn't it?" Trunks said while the two stared at the sky, scaring the bustling crowd of human refugees that had set up camp all over the God Temple ground to avoid conversion. "They've grown powerful in space. I wish I had thought of heading out to space back in my timeline. Maybe I'd have been strong enough to stand against 21's armies."
"You can't stand against everyone. Even the two of us fought and got this far as a team," Chayote sighed and turned back. What they've created for these people fleeing the cybernetic conversion wasn't quite the paradise she knows the Earth as, but it was a living. Soon enough, they'd reclaim their world and Chayote would do everything she can to welcome those people back to their homes just like they've welcomed her. Even if Chayote wasn't particularly looking for a welcome and wanted to get out as soon as possible back when.
The moment that Chayote turned her eyes back, a dome of violet mystic energy lit up. A violent thud resonated through the God Temple, rustling everyone's hair and throwing vendors and tents around as Krillin and Yamcha's spaceship turned to a robust fireball and began skidding across the mystical dome in a round trajectory to crash down in the Sacred Land of Korin below.
"Shit, I forgot about Upa's mystical protection," Chayote rolled her eyes and vanished. The Saiyan appeared by the side of the energy dome and in direct opposition to the skidding spacecraft. It took little oomph from Chayote's shoulders to stop the skidding spaceship, so it startled the Saiyan woman to hear the whizz of Trunks' hyper fast movement that alerted her that the traveler from the future had blitzed in to assist her. "It's just a spaceship, I can handle it." Chayote said.
"Doesn't mean you have to do it alone," Trunks replied with a sprinkle of sass in his tone. A reflection of Chayote's earlier sentiment as the two peeled the spaceship's door wide open. Krillin and Yamcha had already been waiting at the other end with freaked out expressions. They looked as if they were attacked before landing. That must have been exactly what they thought, since they looked ready to rumble. The spacesuits were off and Krillin sported the Turtle School gi, whereas Yamcha donned something resembling a baseball team uniform.
"Sorry, you guys. Your spacecraft can't get through to the God Temple. Upa toughened up the protections so that no Artificial Humans can get through. Even Trunks has to wear a trinket in his sword hilt just to get through," Chayote bent her head to the side in a cutesy way. It was her way of apologizing to the crew for the bumpy landing.
"Let's not hassle Bora-san with more space trash. He has enough cyborg soldiers, drones and other aircraft to deal with," future Trunks signaled for Yamcha and Krillin to jump out while he held the spaceship suspended in the air. With Krillin and Yamcha out, Trunks wondered for a second about where he could put it.
"You know, we really could've used a heads up about that!" Krillin pressed his knuckles to his waist before breaking into a playful cackle as he hugged Chayote after a long time not having seen her. Yamcha looked paled out. At this moment, he'd have rather laid siege on Dr. Puri's stronghold alone rather than come closer to Chayote. Whether he still considered her a violent and ill-tempered Saiyan from the harsh times and beat downs he took during their training or because he still felt awkwardness from their failed date some years ago.
"Sorry, we didn't know you would come back. As we've said, our technological capacity currently is quite limited because of the powerful new wards Upa put together," Chayote pointed out.
"She forgot. She stared at you guys for a handful of minutes before you crashed…" future Trunks observed with a calm expression before swooping down with the wreckage to offer Bora's tribe of native Sacred Land of Korin protectors another mechanical dome. It may have been a tad ironic but the scrap from all the destroyed tanks, robots, cyborgs and all other mechanical machines of warfare Android 21 sent here provided the tribe of Sacred Land of Korin with weaponry, housing and just about every convenience they needed to advance themselves to being a worthy asset to the humanity's rebellion against the conversion.
"Sheesh…" Krillin squinted, leaning in to Chayote. "How did you pull off getting this guy so mellow? Just a few months ago he was more deadly and serious than those Android guys…"
"Nah, we sorted stuff out eventually," Chayote waved her arm, dismissing Krillin's jest. "Come on up, the place is different from how you guys left it but it's surprising how quickly you can get used to it."
"So, did you find that Mecha Frieza thing that Trunks was looking for?" Yamcha wondered while the trio ascended up the Korin Tower toward the looming God's Temple up over the clouds.
"Nope, we've singled down the potential locations, though. Not how Trunks wanted to play this, but it seems like we'll be smashing 21's empire at the same time as we'll be retrieving Frieza's remains," Chayote replied while keeping her eyes on the edge of the temple. Krillin exclaimed in shock after seeing the temple flushed with civilians and camps of human survivors. Small, vendor-based businesses blooming and children running and playing around just as innocently as they would back in their hometowns.
Tenshinhan hovered over the mystical barrier that repelled all technology with previously unseen efficiency to where not even Kami Upa could select exceptions to his mystical barrier, yet one that proved incredibly effective against the Artificial Humans and Dr. Puri's legions of mechanical soldiers and warfare automatons. Muten Roshi tried to pinch Launch's breasts with a devious expression to him from underneath one of Tenshinhan's armpits while the mischievous blonde rubbed her cheek against Tenshinhan's.
It was quite impossible to tell which one of these two indecencies provided the shame that flushed over Tenshinhan's cheeks and prevented him from landing with grace and dignity he usually steamed out from his cool exterior. The martial artist looked all too glad to place the two co-passengers of his down on solid ground and greet his old friends again.
"Thanks for the heads up about the spaceship," Tenshinhan nodded to Chayote. "I'm not sure how Bulma will come to retrieve it. I can only hope she built a recall function in them. Ours is hovering in the orbit."
"Don't thank her," Yamcha crossed his arms and tightened the left side of his lips while skewering Chayote with bitter looks. "It's Trunks who established the communication station using the wreckage of our ship down near Bora's camp."
"Trunks? Trunks from the future is still here?" Muten Roshi wondered shortly after recovering from Launch's elbow nearly cracking his skull and her hammering fists making bone powder with tomato sauce of his nose as a punishment for his harassment.
"He is. Well… It's tough to explain…" Krillin rubbed the back of his head with a squint of embarrassment and a vigorous color brimming in his cheeks. "Just remind me to stay away from the action when Bulma gets here…"
"You must be Gohehn!" a tall man of a burly physique and a tanned complexion donning a suit and a badge of Chayote Security approached the landing teenager accompanied by a slightly shorter Namekian right behind him. Despite the professional look and weaponry, the man had a hairy physique and a black curly afro, a mustache and trimmed sideburns that didn't quite mesh with the rest of the package.
"I am Gohan, yes," Gohan nodded. The teen looked discomforted about the burly man's curious pronunciation of his name, though the young man had better manners than to lash out at the security officer over it. Immediately after the pair, Piccolo swooped down in a spiraling dive and strutted toward the temple, completely ignoring the joker in front of him.
"Hey, hey! W… Wait… That wouldn't be the Demon King Piccolo now, would it!?" the man leaned back and staggered in terror almost immediately after stepping out of line and nearly getting all over Piccolo's face about his blatant and nonchalant strut away from the welcoming committee.
"Demon King Piccolo? You remember that? Just who is this guy?" Gohan wondered, scratching his cheek with a goofy simper.
"Hm…" Piccolo looked around, noting the rich presence of bustling human crowds on the God's Temple. Mr. Popo popped out of nowhere with his hands behind his back.
"Welcome back. Things have changed some around these parts. Not quite the old Kami's methods, but then again, the old Kami never had to deal with anything like the Artificial Humans, so… Mr. Popo assures you, this is all Kami Upa's will. Do you disapprove?" Mr. Popo wondered.
"No. It's long since past the time that a Kami got involved in Earth's affairs and providing shelter to those fleeing the persecution of evil is the best thing a Kami has ever accomplished on this rock," Piccolo muttered with a husky tone as if having something stuck down his throat. Evidence of an incomplete recovery. Kami Upa himself stepped out from the shady cover of the door. The once lean and thin like a young willow teen was now a tough-looking adult man with an intimidating yet shiny and heroic aura to him. Piccolo couldn't help but to stop by the staircase leading up the God's Temple and smirk.
"Nice job taking care of Earth. We'll take it over from here," Piccolo touched Upa's shoulder. He no longer had to slouch or to tuck his knees when doing so. In fact, Kami Upa's scalp now sought from up higher than Piccolo's eye level. The two now could speak like equals. The Super Namekian shared a look and a nod with future Trunks as the future traveler crossed paths with him. The two understood each other without words that Gohan was nowhere near the path of his future counterpart.
"Chayote-san, we've got one Gohehn over here. Another Demon King Piccolo lookalike strut past my perimeter. He doesn't seem up to no good though, can I let the boy and the undergrown Demon King Piccolo lookalike through to the camp?" the hairy and burly security officer spoke into the microphone, cradling and leaning to the side to where he didn't even notice future Trunks walking right past him and extending his hand to greet Gohan.
"Gohan-san, welcome back," Trunks said with a strict tone that differed little from Vegeta's, even though the content of his words relayed respect. "Don't mind Mark Satan. He's Chayote's head of staff. He might look like a very hairy civilian, but he is incredibly charismatic, and he helps to keep the morale of the refugees way up. He acts like a goofball but you should have seen him taking a plunge down with his jetpack to scoop up kids that played too close to the edge and fell off without wasting a second to hesitate."
"Hmm? Is that so? How come he knows Piccolo-san?" Gohan wondered.
"He was a martial artist once. He was there on the island when the demons attacked the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and declared the Tournament of Doom. That was why Chayote hired him. We can use every capable hand she can get after…" future Trunks looked away, having accidentally stumbled to the topic that he was responsible for several deaths amongst the Earth's protectors too, even if he currently fought to preserve every innocent life on this timeline.
"You shouldn't blame yourself for this," Gohan tried consoling future Trunks while the two walked past and admired the bustling refugee camp. "What you did may sit uneasy on your conscience and you were wrong to do that, but what's important is that you're fighting on the right side now. You did a lot of good for this timeline and stuck out your neck more than you had to."
"Thank you, Gohan-san. You must be tired after the trip. You should rest until everyone gathers. I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of waiting around and we may need to confront Android 21 tonight. We'll patch everyone in on the details when everyone's here, relax for now," future Trunks nodded and patted Gohan on the back. Dende and Gohan walked off to talk to some other local refugee kids while Trunks approached Piccolo, who just stood with his back pressed by the temple wall and observed the lovely pocket of chaos swirl.
"I see you've done an excellent job with Gohan-san," future Trunks said. "To think that I once contemplated taking him out if things go awry… You know, these Chayote's suits, even if they lack the strength to change anything, I'm jealous of them sometimes. When people in trouble see them, they look up and reach out to them. They do everything they ask them to. When I return to what I've done to those security officers just doing their jobs or when I realize I've contemplated assassinating a child version of my mentor before he converts… I wish I was half the hero Mark Satan is."
"Stepping away from under Son's and Chi-Chi's wing did the kid a lot of good," Piccolo admitted, closing his eyes. "He realized that there's more to this universe, more to this world than just the matters of his family, which was all that has known until leaving for space. When one sees the vastness of the universe they're a part of, even grief of a loved one hits different. I believe that this Gohan and his future counterpart couldn't be more different. No matter how many people this young man loses in his life, he'll always look up ahead and do the right thing. I'm sure of it. When things get tough, he doesn't fold. He whines a lot, but in the end he draws the hidden strength that was always within him and does what's right."
"That was what was so frightening about Gohan-san in the future. He was quite similar to what you're describing, but he fought on the wrong side. A man like that is a terrifying enemy," future Trunks sighed. "Though I wouldn't harm a hair on this child's head, even if he joined Android 21 as her hunter."
"Talk about changes. You may have gone through quite a bit of a change yourself," Piccolo smirked. "Is that a secret for now, or can I congratulate you?"
A bright sky beam pierced the atmosphere and slammed with splintering shimmer at the edge of the God's Temple. Vegeta stood in the front of the pack with a sneer signature to him that didn't let one doubt for a second that this was some cyborg replacement of his. Bulma with little Trunks' hand stood behind him while a shadowy orb almost the size of Earth itself hovered in full-sight, eclipsing the early peeks of the evening moon with its size and shine.
"I don't remember you leaving in that…" Krillin shrugged, teasing his old friend. "If we knew that beaming up and down was an option, we'd have tried that instead of crashing."
"That is the Capsule Corps Star. It houses what's left of the Saiyan race. Vegeta, this is the Earth's Kami, remember what we spoke of," Bulma approached the father of her child who kept clenching the fists of his crossed arms and gritting his teeth while a furious vein pumped on the right side of his forehead. "You don't want to be kicked out again, do you?"
"The entire Saiyan race? What's the meaning of this, Bulma?" Kami Upa approached, trying to peer into Vegeta's eyes, but the proud Saiyan king eluded the Kami's stare so the Earth's guardian sought Bulma's eyes instead.
"A disaster known as the Big Gete Star and its lapdog, Cooler, hit the Saiyan race. There's… Bulma says there's not enough Saiyans left to sustain a population naturally so I've brought them to live here until we can restore our numbers with Earthling-Saiyan hybrids and return to Planet Vegeta," Vegeta barked out like a rabid dog, stepping up to Kami Upa, almost like he was challenging the Earthling deity to transport him elsewhere. "Earthling-Saiyan hybrids are strong enough to serve as the backbone of the new Saiyan race. I've come to accept those terms."
"That's not very humble coming from a begging man, Vegeta," Chayote stepped out from the crowd and crossed her arms, answering Vegeta's prideful sneer with a spiteful one of her own.
"That's king Vegeta to you, renegade!" Vegeta clenched his fist and stepped out from conflict with Kami Upa, getting all over Chayote's face now. "You still serve me as Saiyan blood still pumps through your veins!"
"Enough, Vegeta. Chayote is my disciple and now she's started her own life here on Earth. She owes you nothing since serving on Planet Vegeta already cost Chayote her life and a soldier is only expected to serve until their death," Bulma pointed out, trying to get her significant other to settle down before he ruins everything and Kami Upa becomes sick of him once more.
"My opinion on this hasn't changed," Kami Upa sighed, waving his hand in dismissal. "I will allow the Saiyans to live here, as long as they don't disturb peace. Chayote's case supersedes any ill will I may have had toward their race. She is a living proof that Saiyans can live peaceful lives and use their strength for Earth's benefit, same with Son Goku as well," Kami Upa ruled. "That being said, you take full responsibility for Vegeta, Bulma. By the power given to me by my predecessors as Kami, I pronounce you two husband and wife."
"Eh?" Bulma scratched underneath her eye with a goofy smirk stretching out under her face.
"This is a kangaroo wedding!" Vegeta erupted over it. "I did not consent to this!"
"You did. If you consent to living on this planet and ruling your people. I can easily transport you back to your desolate world while your people live here under my care, you know," Kami Upa turned around, having been halfway done with walking away.
"Congratulations, Bulma," Chayote sighed. "I guess that makes you the queen of Saiyans."
"Heh… Heh…" Bulma's eye twitched as the nervous breakdown forced a strand of hair to pop out of order from her hairdo. One that young Trunks had to spit in his hand and hover over his mother's head and brush his hand over her hair to correct.