"Okay, so what's the plan?" Krillin looked around the group once everyone assembled together in God's Temple. Behind him, Lazuli didn't look too pleased about the concept of her husband jumping at the opportunity to take a shot at Meta-Cell, but even she understood it couldn't have been helped. If they didn't retrieve the rest of the Ultimate Dragon Balls from Meta-Cell's clutches–the Earth, and their peaceful familial lives here, would be history.
"We train!" Goku flashed a goofy, sheepish smile as if the solution was as simple as that. "Do whatever we can to prepare as best as we can until Cell comes calling. Then we play Cell's game, and win!"
"You say it like it's that easy. You haven't even fought Cell before," Lazuli objected, disgusted by Son Goku's seemingly aloof attitude toward a threat that put all their lives and the future of Planet Earth itself in jeopardy. "With Vegeta having signed out, our odds of being able to defeat Cell are even smaller!"
"That's true, I'm a bit disappointed that Vegeta lost his will to fight. It's not very much like him," Goku brought his arms down from a position of a relaxed stretch. "Maybe, if I'll be able to, I'll talk to him. I'm sure a guy like him only needs a bit of a push in the right direction to flare up again. No way Vegeta's going to let Cell put the lives of his family and the Saiyan race at risk, if he can help it. I think that Vegeta only needs some time to figure things out. We should give it to him for now."
"I'm not fostering any delusions that I'll be able to fight Cell," Krillin sighed. "I've given him all I had already, and that was way back when he was much weaker than he is now. But that doesn't mean I won't fight or that I won't help. I've got a crazy training method in mind already. By duplicating myself, I should be able to have each duplicate train individually, then, when we converge, in theory, the fruits of my training should be multiplied."
"That's amazing!" Goku yelled out as if he had just tasted something delectable and wanted the world to know it. "Sounds like those Yardratans really taught you an impressive technique!"
"I believe I can slip back into the Paradox Dimension," Yamcha spoke up, hesitantly and with a hint of irritation in his voice, but the declaration earned a bundle of wary looks.
"No way, Yamcha-kun!" Pearl objected passionately. "You've just come back to me! What if you can't come back from that place again?"
"The Paradox Dimension? Isn't that the void outside the confines of our, or any other universe? A realm where the rules and restrictions of space-time and laws of physics don't apply? Just how do you intend to enter a place like that without a freak accident, more importantly, how will you return?" Piccolo wondered.
"All I need is to cause a paradox big enough, like using Instant Transmission multiple times in quick succession, or Instant Movement in a way that makes me exist in multiple places at once. If I can stress the validity of the laws of physics enough, I should be able to tear a rift open," Yamcha said. "Training inside the Paradox Dimension is invaluable, I'll be able to put in any amount of time of training with no time having passed on this dimension."
"Hmm… Wouldn't you still starve or grow thirsty?" Piccolo wondered.
"No," Yamcha shook his head. "It's something I noticed, the laws of physics that dictate the way energy works don't apply inside that dimension. Your cells don't need fuel to work right. You don't need to eat or drink at all."
"Sounds like a perfect place to train, too bad you're the only one who's advanced in the field of Instant Transmission and Instant Movement to access that dimension," Piccolo sighed in disappointment.
"I see, sounds great, what do you intend to do, Piccolo?" Goku turned to his once rival, now one of his most trusted allies.
"It's not like have much of a choice–I'll see what I can still make of the Room of Spirit and Time, now that Chayote's ripped it apart. From what I've heard, Mr. Popo was working on mending some of the damage. That's about the best thing I can come up with," Piccolo scratched his neck, feeling somehow inferior and lazy for suggesting such an ancient and obsolete method of training.
"Alright," Goku nodded. "Chayote, what about you?"
"I don't need training, I'm good crushing Cell the way I am now," Chayote closed her eyes and shut herself off. "Maybe I'll help train up the young folks, just to make myself useful in the meantime."
"You don't have to," Muten Roshi objected. "I'm more than enough for that. You shouldn't dismiss the opportunity to grow stronger, given the chance. No one's perfectly strong and no fighter is invincible. I thought I had already beaten that foolish notion out of your head."
"Cell believes itself to be invincible," Chayote glared back at the old martial arts master. "Vegeta likely agrees with it."
"Then both of them are wrong!" Muten Roshi exclaimed. "Nobody is invincible! Every martial artist, every martial arts technique, has a weakness. Moreover, every martial artist and every martial arts technique can be improved. To suggest otherwise is to display your lack of perception and your ignorance."
"I agree with Muten Roshi-san," Kami Upa approached Chayote from behind. "I humbly offer you full access to the God Temple and all of its mystical chambers to use for the sake of your training as you see fit."
"Kami-sama, is that such a good idea?" Mr. Popo wondered. "Chayote-san destroyed the Room of Spirit and Time dimension that connects every planet and every realm in our universe. Is it truly worth subjecting all our artifacts and mystical chambers, assembled by your predecessors through countless millennia, to an uncontrollable, hysterical woman like that?"
"Chayote is one of our strongest warriors. If Cell is to be defeated, it is more than likely that Chayote's own hand will defeat it. To save the Earth, I'm willing to sacrifice any part of my predecessors' legacy, or even all the legacy of all the Kami that have served this world in the past," Kami Upa nodded.
"In that case, I should use the Room of Time and go back to relieve some tension on Frieza or the Androids to get some training in," Chayote smirked, stretching her shoulders and doing some light warm-up exercises.
"Dwelling in the past and defeating old enemies won't do you much good," Muten Roshi bent his arms behind his back and scratched his tired, old back. "May I suggest you go back to my old martial arts master Mutaito's time? I'm sure that if you explain your situation to him, Master Mutaito will help you devise a superior training method with the tools at your disposal."
"Hmm?" Goku scratched his cheek, overcome by curiosity. "Oh, yeah!" he exclaimed, punching an open fist. "Master Mutaito, that sure brings back memories from when we were preparing for Piccolo Jr. to leave the Room of Spirit and Time! All of us have visited him in the past and he's helped us out with our training! He's an extremely experienced and knowledgeable guy, Chayote!"
"Master Mutaito, huh?" Chayote scratched her head. "Sounds like a step backward, training with someone who got himself killed by the old Demon King Piccolo, but… Fine, it's not like I've got anything better to do."
"Man, this is getting me so fired up!" Goku exclaimed, throwing his fists in the air. "Everyone's training their hardest, just like old times! I can't wait to see how strong all of you become!"
"All of you?" Krillin turned to Goku. "You mean you won't be training?"
"Well, maybe not in the conventional sense," Goku blushed and rubbed his nose with his index finger, smiling sheepishly.
"What!?" Gohan exclaimed in surprise. "B-But… Dad!"
"It's okay, Gohan. It's not like I'm letting my hands down and accepting defeat or anything. There's something really important I must do. I'll just entrust defeating Cell and saving the world to you this time, okay, Gohan?" Goku placed his hand on Gohan's shoulder, making the overwhelmed teen stagger back and for his eyes to whimper and fill with tears.
"Son!" Piccolo hissed out. "This isn't about that demented resignation to being surpassed and replaced by the next generation of fighters of yours, is it?"
"Huh? The next generation?" Gohan blinked, switching his attention between the two most influential mentors of his life. His father brought him up, raised him into everything Gohan is today, trained him in martial arts, and made him love both martial arts and life itself. Meanwhile, Piccolo helped and shaped Gohan during one of the most painful times of his life, when the boy lost his grandmother to illness in a fate that couldn't be reversed.
"Don't worry, Piccolo. When the time comes, I'll show up and I'll give Cell more than a handful to deal with. I'll make sure to send Cell flying when we fight too, so don't feel pressured to save the Earth or anything. Don't forget to get plenty of rest too, enjoy your time with your loved ones, enjoy training, and enjoy life to your fullest. I won't let Cell destroy our peace. Though… After Cell is knocked flat, I'm afraid things will have to change. Maybe it will be time, time for the next generation of promising martial artists to take over," Goku explained himself before turning to Sharpner, Videl, Goten, and Navy training with each other, blitzing around and causing a ruckus behind.
"Goku…" Krillin approached his best friend and placed his hand on Goku's shoulder, reaching way up to do it. "It's only now dawned on me the kind of pressure we've been placing on you all this time. The Rainbow Brigade, Demon King Piccolo, the invasion of the Demon Realm, the Saiyans, Frieza, the Artificial Humans, now this… You've always been our beacon of hope, even if you didn't save the day yourself, it was because of you we all had the strength and inspiration to do our best and work our hardest. I'm sorry, Goku…"
"What are you talking about?" Goku squinted his right eye, playfully nudging his friend's shoulder with his knuckle. "You know I just can't help it but get worked up about fighting powerful guys. I ain't no hero of hope or anything. In any case, you guys take care and have fun. This is something I feel like I have to do myself."
"Dad… Why do you make it seem so ominous? What are you planning to do?" Gohan stepped up and made his way out from the fold of the group.
"Don't worry, Gohan. You did good this far, you've gone ahead and left me at your age in the dust already. Whatever you decide to do, I know you'll work hard and do your best," Goku gave his son a cheerful and encouraging thumb up before taking off and disappearing into the skyline.
"Hmm… What an oddball, that Goku-sa…" Chi-Chi sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "I could swear he's headed toward the Son Family Home."
"Home…?" Gohan muttered to himself, wondering what his father could have wanted from that place. It couldn't have been something as simple as a full fridge and a place to kick back in. Gohan also didn't think that his father would have wanted to tend to his radishes either, not with their neighbors pitching in to help while they were away.
For what a simplistic and shallow man Gohan has always taken his father to be, he'd have never thought Son Goku to ever be able to surprise him and leave him confused about something like that.
"Hmph… The showoff always has to have the last word. Seriously, it's like he thinks of himself as a main character or something," Lazuli tsked and crossed her arms before stuffing them in her pockets and walking off toward the edge of the temple, staring off into the horizon.
"Lazuli, what are you doing?" Krillin rushed up to his wife, approaching her from behind, but looking anxious about reaching out to her before he knew what she was working through.
"You go ahead and train hard, Krillin," Lazuli said. "Cell's threatening our family life. Our jobs, our homes, and the children we might have in the future. All that neat talk of the next generation replacing us and letting us just live our lives to our fullest sounds nice, but it won't matter if Cell kills us and we don't bring the Ultimate Dragon Balls back here in time."
"Right, what are you up to though?" Krillin asked, prodding his fingers shyly. Before he could be emboldened to hug his wife from behind, Lazuli turned around and pressed his forehead against her lips, then squeezed him with an ironclad hold that nearly suffocated Krillin with her adamantine tenderness and care.
"I'm going to find Lapis. I'm the only one who can find him when he doesn't want to be found. Cell used the Puri & Co radar system to track me and our ship back then, meaning I should be able to do the same with Lapis. If he won't help us fight Cell, at the very least I'll have him train me up. Cell's a sick freak that needs to be put out of its misery, but I think Cell is right to an extent. I've spent too much time playing house. It's about time I start contributing to protecting our home and our family too and stop relying on you protecting us all the time," Lazuli replied before hovering lightly above the God Temple. After waving goodbye to Krillin, Lazuli took off, heading north-south of the temple.
"Hello, hello! This is Capsule Corporations' headquarters, President Bulma speaking," Bulma's voice relayed that she'd picked up the phone to answer Gohan's call. Behind him, clamoring and rowdy shockwaves made it rather difficult to make out the voice of one woman over a choppy connection.
"Bulma-san, this is Gohan," Gohan introduced himself. "I apologize for the connection, I'm calling you from the God Temple."
"Oh, I see, hello, Gohan-kun, is anything the matter?" Bulma wondered.
"Well… This might seem like it's coming out of nowhere, but… I would like to come over and train at your facilities. I believe Vegeta-san used to use a gravity chamber, right? I'd like to use that too, if that's not too much trouble. I want to prepare the best I can before we go to face off against Cell," Gohan spoke his request.
"I see… Yes, of course, Gohan-kun. In fact, I'd love it if you came over. Vegeta-san isn't even using the gravity chamber or the battle simulations. He's not even doing any training, just sulking. Trunks-kun has been so miserable too lately, the boy's become quite dependent on his father and… Well… Future Trunks said that you two were tight in the future, so… Maybe you two could hit it off in this timeline too?" Bulma wondered. "In any case, we'd love to have you!"
"I see, this is excellent news, thank you, Bulma-san!" Gohan nodded and bowed, despite his polite bowing being unperceivable to someone speaking over the phone.
"Oh, umm… One more thing, Gohan-kun, do you think maybe you could convince Dr. Puri's Artificial Humans there in the God Temple to come with you to Capsule Corps? I'd love to take a look at them and do some repairs and updates on them, to the best of my abilities. I'm sure it will be hard to improve upon the designs of both Dr. Puri and the Four-Stars, but I just want to make sure I'm helping you guys out as best I can too. If Cell is to be stopped, everyone needs to do their part, right?" Bulma asked.
"I'll see what I can do," Gohan nodded. "I'll be over at Capsule Corps soon, until then, Bulma-san."
"Until then, Gohan-kun," Bulma nodded and hung up.
"So, you're leaving for Bulma-san's place?" Videl asked Gohan, having snuck up on him from behind and listened in on his phone conversation, which, admittedly, Gohan didn't put any effort into concealing.
"Sorry, Videl-san," Gohan bowed in apology, looking worked up about it. "Training with King Kai-sama was incredibly useful, but it only taught me an ace technique. What Muten Roshi-san said about every martial artist having space for improvement made me think. I feel like, despite knowing King Kai-sama's new secret technique, I could still use some training for my default strength. I feel like I've been delving into this technique so much that my body lagged behind in strength. I'm sorry, Videl-san. I'd love to spend more time with you, train with you, go on another date some time, but…"
"I understand," Videl smiled. Walking up to Gohan, she put her dukes up and nudged his cheek with her knuckle. "Get strong and beat up Cell, then we can go on plenty of dates and enjoy our ordinary high school days at last."
"Right," Gohan nodded and ran off to look for Dr. Puri's family. Just like he expected, those two were bundled up together and sat in a remote corner of the God Temple. Even when he was sitting, Ultimate Artificial Human No. 16 measured up as decently taller than his doll-like little sister.
"Gohan-kun, it's a pleasure to see you are doing well," Ultimate No. 16 looked up and glared at Gohan through its black vizor as the two beckoning red lights, interconnected with a thin red line, glared at Gohan from afar.
"Hmph…" Super Artificial Human No. One-Nine squinted as if trying to delete Gohan's presence away with just the intensity of her glare.
"No. 16, likewise!" Gohan nodded with a cheerful smile. "I thought of training at Capsule Corporations' facilities. When I called Bulma-san to check up with her, she asked that I take the two of you to Capsule Corporations so that she could take a look at you two and see if she could upgrade you."
"That sounds like a splendid idea. Bulma's family has helped No. 8 a great deal and are great friends of No. 8," Ultimate Artificial Human No. 16 stood up, displaying its intimidating bulk and presence and making Gohan's lower lip drag and shake a bit.
"Hmph… What a ridiculous proposition. Though, I suppose, I'll humor it. Just to prove it to Bulma once and for all that the creations of our Mother are far superior to whatever she can tinker together in that hilariously outdated basement of hers. It will be rich making her admit just how clueless she is, as there's no way our peerless technology can be improved in any way," Super No. One-Nine chuckled to herself.
The trio took off, and headed toward the Capsule Corps headquarters in West City. Bit by bit, everyone was beginning their training for the upcoming and inevitable clash with Cell.