-Trunks-
When Trunks came bursting out of the front door of his home, he anticipated Seventeen or Cell, or maybe even a new, undiscovered threat awaiting him. He'd almost expected some fresh, destructive menace to the entire city, the likes of which only he could stop.
What he hadn't expected to see was an old Capsule Corp. hover car crashed onto their front lawn, having carved a long brown line through the dry and unkempt grass.
Trunks' mouth fell open, confused, as Bulma, Peni and Erasa came flooding out of the house around him. Each appeared equally perplexed by the situation.
"What's going on?" Peni asked pointedly.
"Not sure…?" Trunks responded, cocking an eyebrow.
Bulma leaned in, squinting as she mumbled, "Wait a second…isn't that…!"
As if on cue, the driver's side door flung open, before a rather rotund man sporting a scraggly black beard and wearing an old, faded yukata came tumbling out. Trunks' eyes narrowed as he studied the vaguely familiar man with beads of sweat rolling down his face.
"Ew." Peni recoiled with a wrinkled nose. "He's so fat."
"Peni!" Erasa scolded, swatting her arm. "Manners!
"Actually," Trunks began, slowly beginning to place the man's face. So rarely did Trunks see him away from the lookout. "I think that's–"
"Yajirobe!" Bulma cheered, walking over to meet the wheezing ronin as he stepped away from the crumpled wreckage that had once been his car. Despite the crash, the old warrior looked no worse for wear aside from a scrape on his brow. Bulma clapped a hand on Yajirobe's shoulder fondly, wearing a grim smile. "It's wonderful to see you again, but…I have to admit that your timing isn't the best."
"I have to disagree." Yajirobe responded with a serious look. Digging through into his robes, the old ronin produced a small, familiar brown pouch.
Bulma's eyes lit up as they fell on the bag. "Senzu beans!" she exclaimed, instantly snatching the pouch from Yajirobe's open hand before digging into the bag. The smile on her face fell, however, as she regarded the contents of the pouch. Bulma's eyes lifted until they found Yajirobe's hardened gaze. "...Bean. There's…only one."
"The last one." Yajirobe confirmed, hints of regret bleeding through his stern expression. "I…could sense what was going on from Korin Tower. I can tell that whatever Gohan is fighting out there is worse than anything he's ever faced before."
The joy in Bulma's eyes finally extinguished as she came to the same realization Trunks had. "So…the Senzu bean… isn't for…" her words trailed away as she numbly turned to her son.
Trunks winced as his mother's eyes landed on him, inspecting all the same injuries he'd been regarding mere minutes ago. Finally, her gaze rose until their eyes met, and Trunks felt a sharp stab of guilt within his heart as her face withered with sorrow.
"I'm sorry." Yajirobe continued, his expression sympathetic, but firm. "I understand why you're upset, but right now, Gohan needs that bean. If my car hadn't broken down midway from how hard I was pushing it, I would have tried to give it to him myself. It's dumb luck that I was close enough to crash land here when my engine finally blew." He shook his head reverently. "Now, there's only one person who can get that senzu where it needs to go in time."
Yajirobe's gaze shifted, and slowly the others followed as all eyes eventually found Trunks.
Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, the demi-saiyan clenched his fingers into fists before crossing the short distance between him and his mom. Extending an open hand toward his mother, he answered. "I'll do it."
Bulma stepped back, clutching the bag to her chest with both hands as tears began to prickle from the corners of her eyes. stammering, Bulma said between shaky breaths, "B-but, T-trunks, my son…t-this could-"
"I know, mom. I know." He flashed a reassuring smile before reaching out and pulling his mother into a warm embrace. "This could heal me up, give me back my old eye, basically make me as good as new." he pulled back, holding his mother by her shoulders as he met her tearful gaze with an urgent one. "But, right now, Gohan needs that senzu bean more than anyone. If he falls, then the entire world might be doomed." Trunks set his jaw, gritting his teeth. "If there is anything we can do to help, we have to do it."
Over his shoulder, Trunks heard Peni cheer, "Hell yeah!" before Erasa's chiding voice immediately chastised Peni for swearing.
Tears were racing down Bulma's cheeks freely as her head slowly turned to regard all the other faces staring back at her, expectantly. With a slow, reluctant sigh, Bulma's grip eased on the bag clutched to her bosom. Sniffling, she offered the pouch with trembling hands before Trunks gingerly took it and pushed it deep into his pocket.
"Thank you, Mom." He flashed her one last encouraging grin before turning and posing to take flight.
A pair of arms abruptly wrapped around him, stopping Trunks in his tracks.
Looking over his shoulder, he found his crying mother clinging to him with a tight embrace, her body trembling as she choked out the words, "Y-you have to promise you're coming back home to me." she sniffed, "You have to promise! I won't let you go otherwise!"
Trunks felt a fresh blade of guilt plunge into his chest, deeper than the first as his words died in his throat. Watching his tearful mother, trembling and distraught, not-so-patiently awaiting his answer with a shaky grip, Trunks couldn't help but discover yet another similarity between him and his master.
"I promise, Mom." he held her gaze with a warm, soothing smile before turning around and returning his mother's hug. "I'm coming back home."
After hesitating a handful of moments, Bulma's grip on Trunks gently eased until he was free from the warmth of her embrace.
A part of Trunks wished he'd been able to enjoy it just a few moments longer.
"I love you, Son." Bulma croaked out the words, holding her quivering hands to her chest.
Feeling tears beginning to brim around his remaining eye, Trunks answered, "I love you too, Mom."
Before his resolve could crumble, Trunks exploded into the sky, twisting into the air before shooting off in the direction he could feel the massive power struggle between his master and monster still warring.
Trunks didn't let himself look back. He didn't know if he was strong enough.
Despite himself, despite the battle ahead, despite so much resting in the balance…Trunks couldn't help but continue to ponder one question.
I wonder how many promises Gohan has had to make…that he didn't know if he'd be able to keep…
-Seventeen-
"Hahaha! That's right! Take it all! Everything you deserve!" Seventeen bellowed maniacally as his palms unleashed barrage after barrage of golden destruction down toward the glowing form of Blondie. The spheres of twinkling yellow death fanned out like a blooming flower before descending, surrounding Gohan in a hailstorm of devastation.
You're trapped now you piece of shit! This'll show you for putting your hands on my sister!
Seventeen winced as the image of Eighteen actually going out with this filth flashed through his mind, only serving to stoke the flames of the android's complete and utter loathing.
DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!
The command echoed like a roar through Seventeen's mind as his arms worked in tandem, each limb drawing back with power and before unleashing it in a blur of motion not unlike machine–gun–fire.
He watched eagerly as his initial wave of ki-blasts finally reached the ground, ballooning around the Super Saiyan before erupting in a cacophony of deafening explosions so volatile and enormous Seventeen found himself squinting against the enormous swells of light.
Survive that you stupid, dickless, spineless-!
Seventeen's hateful thought was short lived as a shape came bursting out of the gathering explosions of energy, trailing a thin line of smoke as he did. Gohan's golden aura thrashed vibrantly as he shot into the sky like a bullet, swerving and dodging out of the way of ki blasts in a series of expertly timed maneuvers while swatting away others that got too close. Seventeen swallowed nervously as his gaze met with Gohan's hardened glare. The unwavering hatred in Gohan's eyes was now locked-on to him as the Super Saiyan began to rapidly close the distance between them despite Seventeen's best efforts to keep him at bay.
Seventeen tightened his focus, listened to the mechanical whirring of his arms moving as fast as they possibly could to unleash wave after wave of golden energy. Gohan's pace slowed, but did not stop as he grunted with frustration, his form blurring in and out of sight as he narrowly began to slip through the cascade of deadly ki blocking his way.
How is he doing this?!
Seventeen's brow furrowed, a mixture of frustration and confusion written on his disfigured features. The energy barrage never failed! No matter how deftly Gohan dodged or how fast he flew, the Super Saiyan had never been able to completely avoid the attack like he was now!
Seventeen startled as he was suddenly forced to pull his head back, narrowly avoiding one of the blasts Gohan managed to swat back in his direction. The super nuisance had reduced the distance between them to just a few paces, blurring in and out of sight as Seventeen found himself having to adjust his aim, his arms trailing after the evasive form of Blondie in a desperate attempt to actually hit Gohan as he zig-zagged through the air.
I don't understand! Why isn't this working?!
By this time in most fights, Gohan would have been either blown away or left in a heap of rubble somewhere nearby. Regardless if Gohan managed to dodge Seventeen's energy volley, Eighteen's twin-volley would surely catch him—
Seventeen stiffened, his eye growing wide.
Oh.
The realization hit Seventeen almost as hard as Gohan's boot did as the Super Saiyan appeared at his side, lashing out with a calculated spinning heel-kick that cracked against Seventeen's chin.
Seventeen's vision swam as his head snapped back, his face burning with debilitating pain as the tender flesh of his decimated face took the brunt of the impact. Before the android could recover, a knee buried itself deep into Seventeen's abdomen forcing a mixture of saliva and dark, oily viscera to fly from his lips before he doubled over in pain. Gasping for air, Seventeen couldn't react when an elbow with all the force of a meteor strike slammed straight into the center of his vertebrae, sending the android careening to the ground.
Seventeen let out a screaming cry of pain as he watched the world race up to meet him, knowing he was helpless to stop it. He crashed into the Earth with such a calamitous SLAM that the world appeared to sink as his head snapped forward, violenting cracking against–!
"..."
[Auto-reboot_sequence_initiated[]
"...!"
[Critical_damage_detected]
"..."
[Restore_sequence_initiated]
"...!"
Seventeen's eye snapped open before he lurched forward, sitting up in a start. His head was pounding, his liver and spine still screaming in agony while the tortured, burning sensation of his mangled face being even further injured registered all at once. Despite a suffering that felt across nearly his entire body, only one question was on Seventeen's mind.
How long was I out?!
Panic began to thunder in his chest as Seventeen checked his surroundings urgently, only to discover himself sitting at the center of a crater large enough to be a small lake. The slowly descending dust cloud enveloping him left Seventeen breathing a sigh of relief.
The dust is still settling. Looks like I was only out for a few seconds…damn it! A pitiful hit like that can knock me out now?!
Seventeen heard his teeth grinding as he trembled with frustration, his fingers beginning to claw into the ground to form fists. It didn't take the android long to realize his newest injury was more than just a blindspot, it was now a significant weak point as well; one he would have to do his very best to keep protected if he didn't want to go down like a chump.
I got lucky that my reboot process was quick this time…next time, it might not be.
Seventeen decided with a growl that he wouldn't give Gohan the chance.
Either way, the android decided the situation was still…good. Seventeen was relieved he hadn't blacked out long enough for Cell to be overwhelmed and killed by Gohan and…Eighteen.
"..."
Shakily, Seventeen rose to his feet, his gaze downcast as he spared these short moments being obscured to collect himself…as well as consider how the battle between Cell and Eighteen was going. He couldn't sense life energy like Cell or Gohan, so he was left to speculate the outcome of their battle. He knew neither side had won, yet, otherwise the winner would naturally come to help here…but that knowledge only served to send a sinking sensation to Seventeen's stomach.
Knowing that his brother, Cell, and his sister, Eighteen, were now in a battle to the death…left Seventeen feeling lost as he came to a chilling revelation.
One way or the other…someone in my family is dying tonight.
The dark thought left Seventeen feeling dumbstruck, his eyes glossing over as he acknowledge that by morning, he will have lost his sister…the person who he'd known his entire life, the person who'd always been there by his side through thick and thin…the one he thought would be at his side…forever.
Or…
Seventeen will have lost the only person in his life who still cared about him, who had remained loyal to him despite clear, pre-programmed instincts to do the opposite. On top of this, Seventeen knew his treatment of his Brother had been…less than stellar at the start of their kinship. It felt like only recently that Seventeen had really begun to open up to the big–green–bug; something the android now wished he'd done sooner….
Despite everything that should have led to Cell's betrayal…it never came.
Cell was a monster, through and through, but, no matter how hideous, demented, and downright revolting his exterior was…deep down inside, Seventeen knew Cell had his back, no matter what.
As far as he was concerned, that made Cell his family more than Eighteen ever was.
Then again…does Eighteen even still consider us family anymore?
As if in answer, Eighteen's voice echoed within the walls of his mind as if booming from massive speakers.
"The person that was my brother…died a long time ago."
Seventeen's face fell, his head lowering as locks of dark and dirtied hair fell before his eyes.
I guess… I've already lost one family member.
Gritting his teeth, Seventeen felt his resolve hardened to diamond, before his face snapped upward. Bearing his teeth, Seventeen felt a new flame erupt in his stomach.
I won't lose another!
Noting that the dust cloud engulfing him was finally dispersing enough to see Gohan's golden aura through the haze, Seventeen prepared to shoot back into the air, his legs coiling beneath him before–
"Wait!"
Seventeen staggered, his head whipping back and forth in alarm as he called back, "Bug-Bro?"
"Be silent!" Cell hushed him, somehow sounding as if he were standing just next to the baffled android. "I've found a way to communicate telepathically."
Seventeen's mouth fell slack-jaw just as the last of the dust settled at his feet, revealing Gohan's golden form floating in the air, awaiting him with a suspicious glare.
"How?" Seventeen tried to think loudly, only for his voice to sound soft within his thoughts. "And how did you manage to yell at me in my mind?"
"There is no time for questions! I have a plan but I need you to trust me!"
Seventeen smirked, releasing a soft chuckle of bemusement as Gohan shot him a wary, confused look. Of—course Cell had figured out a way to talk to him in his head. That's just the right amount of weird to be in line with the rest of the bizarre shit the Big–Bag–Bug was typically into.
Snickering, Seventeen responded without speaking, "Lay it on me, Bug-Bro."
-Gohan-
The golden aura engulfing Gohan flared aggressively as the Super Saiyan shot forward like a burning missile. He dove inside of the crater made by his own attack before reaching Seventeen and lashing out with a wicked elbow strike that flowed into a roundhouse kick. Both attacks narrowly missed their marks as Seventeen performed a well-timed back handspring, landing, before growling. Seventeen's eye narrowed to a slit as his hateful glare met Gohan's fierce snarl. The Super Saiyan readied himself, expecting the android to rocket back at him: full force. Much to his surprise, the android kicked off the ground and shot out of the crater like an arrow in flight.
Where is he going?
Gohan growled in frustration before blasting off in pursuit. His eyes narrowed on Seventeen suspiciously, watching as the android dove into the treeline while checking over his shoulder, seemingly waiting for something…!
A split second after Gohan cleared the lip of the crater, a shape over his shoulder and shrouded in the darkness of the forest's canopy leapt out. Their outline blossomed with crimson flame as Gohan heard a sinister voice roar, "Kaio-ken!"
Gohan felt his blood run as cold as ice, his senses overwhelmed by Cell's energy exploding just over his shoulder in a flash of power so immense that, for a moment, Gohan couldn't distinguish which of them was stronger.
Where the hell did Eighteen go?!
Wasn't she supposed to be holding Cell off?! Knowing he didn't have time to ponder his question, Gohan let instincts take over. Stealing a desperate glance over his shoulder, he watched the deadly point of Cell's tail stabbing straight toward the center of his spine. Grunting, the Super Saiyan barely had enough time to shift to the side, feeling the needle–like–tip of Cell's sickening appendage graze the side of his ribcage. Gohan winced, feeling as if his skin had just been split by a razor-blade as Cell's tail over-extended just below his armpit.
With a shout, Gohan brought down his elbow with blinding speed, sandwiching Cell's tail with a sickening crunch as the delicate cartilage of the limb was crushed between Gohan's elbow and rib cage. Cell released a bitter hiss of pain as his tail went completely limp beyond the point Gohan had broken it.
Maybe Cell can't heal as fast if the limb is only broken. I think I remember Master Piccolo mentioning that Namekian physiology can only regenerate new limbs, not heal them faster.
Gohan winced, feeling his fresh cut press against the sickening smooth scales of Cell's tail, feeling as if a serpent was writhing in his arm. Hoping his hunch was right, Gohan attempted to release the tail and whirl around to unleash enough energy to push Cell back—
—only to jolt in panic as he felt Cell's spindly limbs wrap around him from behind, pinning his arms and legs together before the grip of Cell's hands and feet locked
Instantly, Gohan realized his mistake.
The tail was bait!
Cell had purposely aimed for his lower back, predicting he would try to catch it!
"Do it now!" Cell roared just next to Gohan's ear, who winced, struggling to pull away. "Unleash your greatest attack!"
Gohan's eyes snapped forward in alarm, finally remembering Seventeen positioned only a few paces away, facing Gohan's now exposed and vulnerable chest.
"What about you?" Seventeen asked with concern, his brow furrowing.
Gohan roared, slamming his head back and thrashing against the iron-grips containing him, his muscles screaming as Gohan strained every muscle fiber trying to break free from Cell's hold.
Why does he feel so much stronger?!
Gohan thought in panic as Cell responded, "Fear not, Brother! You have seen first hand the capabilities of my regeneration. Do your worse."
It appeared as if the flames of Gohan's golden aura were fighting for dominance against the defiant crimson flames rippling off of Cell's form as Gohan struggled to loosen the monster's seemingly unbreakable grip.
Seventeen snickered, shaking his head before shrugging, "Whatever you say, bro." The android's arms snapped out to either side in a flash of movement that made Gohan jump. The android stretched out his fingers before crackling golden energy began to rapidly fill within each palm. "Just don't get pissy if you come out the other side of this looking like an over cooked cockroach."
Gohan strained himself against Cell's grip, feeling his desperation grow as, despite his best efforts, the android's grip clenched, sinking into a hold Gohan knew he wouldn't be able to break in time. Gohan's nervous eyes reflected the growing glow of Seventeen's attack, the two orbs filling with complete and total annihilation. Judging from the size of each sphere filling to the brim with utter destruction, Gohan could tell they were rapidly drawing close to their zenith.
Understanding he was out of other options, Gohan's eyes searched the sky frantically, hoping against hope that he would see Eighteen rapidly closing the distance. Sure, considering everything that he knew now, Gohan wouldn't exactly consider himself thrilled to be turning to android Eighteen for aid. Then again…re-considering everything he knew now…Gohan had felt confident he could at the very least trust that android Eighteen would remain his ally.
Did I make…another assumption?
"Android Eighteen cannot save you this time." Cell's sinister voice whispered maliciously in his ear. "I made sure of that."
Gohan's body stiffened, his eyes growing wide as something tightened in his chest. Despite himself, despite everything that had happened, a flash of worry even greater than the threats he now faced raced through Gohan's mind as he urgently asked. "She's dead?!"
The disturbing substitute for Cell's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Is that concern I detect, Son Gohan?" His voice was strained and labored as he spoke—a consequence of maintaining the Kaio-ken for so long—but his grip became no weaker for it. "How ironic to know is for someone as loathsome as Android Eighteen. Besides, did you not actively decide to fight alone? You decided to divide yourselves, isolate yourselves, discarding your greatest advantage and leaving you vulnerable. Fret not, Son Gohan. Soon enough, all of your worries will be eternally silenced."
"Get ready, Cell!" Seventeen shouted before clenching his teeth, the two orbs of golden death—each just as wide as Seventeen was tall—having reached their peaks. Drawing back his arms in preparation, Seventeen added, "I like to call this one: Power Blitz!".
Seventeen spun, twisting as he hurled the twin orbs of destruction one after another, roaring all the while, "Time for me to do what Eighteen should've done two months ago and finally kill you!"
Gohan writhed and twisted, slamming his body against Cell in desperate attempts to rip free or at the very least shift them out of the way. Nothing worked. Time seemed to move slowly as he struggled, knowing that if he didn't break free in a matter of moments…
The light of Seventeen's Power Blitz enveloped Gohan in those final seconds, reflecting off of the Super Saiyan's eyes as he finally accepted…that he would not be able to break free.
So…this is it?
Gohan had faced death so many times…to see it approaching here, and now felt…strange.
A life full of struggle, full of death and wanton destruction flashed through Gohan's eyes as he considered his final moments. There were more memories of brutal punishment and debilitating torture than he would like to admit…but there had been some good times, too. Gohan remembered training with his father, Goku, alongside his master, Piccolo during the short lived years of peace following the events of Namek. He recalled when he was still a kid and enjoying his mother's incredible home-cooked meals, specifically when he would stuff his cheeks until his stomach felt like it would pop. Even following the androids' emergence, memories of going out with Trunks to get ice cream rushed to his mind, recalling the bright smile his little brother wore upon first discovering pecan-pie flavor. He recalled birthdays and holidays spent over at master Roshi's home, times when the threat of the androids could be pushed to the back of the mind…mosty. Finally, the face of…Videl pushed to the forefront of his thoughts as he remembered the way his chest had fluttered the very first—and what he was rapidly realizing would be the last—time they kissed.
The sweet…no, bitter memory echoed within his thoughts, his mind replaying the short lived fantasy Gohan hadn't known until now had been insidiously filling his head with lies.
I actually thought…things were going to get better from now on.
For a brief, handful of blissful hours, Gohan had believed that his life was finally on track to be good for once. The androids defeated, his mother and he finally on speaking terms again, his student and brother, Trunks, a bonafide Super Saiyan at last, and finally, there was Videl…a beautiful, wonderfully witty, determined, and driven woman he could have seen himself…potentially…spending the rest of his life with.
Gohan had known he was getting way ahead of himself back when he'd first considered the idea following Bulma and Videl departing for…"dinner". He'd done his best to dismiss the idea, realizing all at once the powerful effect puppy love can have on the psyche. Statistically speaking, Gohan knew that his odds of finding 'the one' on the first try was absurd. It was more likely that he would discover something about Videl that was a deal breaker: Like that She didn't like Trunks or was cruel to animals. Still…Gohan had held out a small hope for the possibility of their future together.
Gohan scoffed grimly. If he'd only known just how much of a deal breaker had been to be heading his way.
The last of Gohan's racing memories surged through his mind, leaving only the lingering image of Videl's face at the forefront of his thoughts as his eyes glazed over with the looming sight of death approaching. Gohan was bathed in golden light, his form enveloped in its radiant glow before his vision seemed to smear.
His eyes snapped open wide, suddenly alert as he watched what appeared to be a lightning bolt of vibrant, violet electricity streak through sky in a flash of movement so abrupt Gohan couldn't distinguish where it came from to where it was going. He didn't even realize there was a person leading the charge of crackling purple–lightning until they blurred into existence just between him and the golden wave of oblivion racing to meet them.
He saw a flash of what appeared to be Videl's desperate, determined face glaring defiantly at the twin orbs of death, her leg cocked back and crackling with indigo–energy before she swung.
Gohan's eyes were forced shut as he was swallowed in a wave of all consuming ki. Grimacing, he felt Cell's grip finally release him as they were both carried away by an explosive wave of devastating, white energy.
"...!"
Gohan lurched awake, before grimacing and immediately regretting his decision. Reaching a hand to the side of his head, he could already tell he most likely had a concussion if the dizziness and ringing in his ears were anything to go off of.
Looks like I got knocked out for a little bit.
His eyes, squinting from the vicious headache now plaguing him, turned to the night sky before he breathed a sigh of relief.
The moon hasn't lowered yet. I haven't been out for long.
Looking around, Gohan discovered that he'd been launched far enough away to land by a lake surrounded by forest—having evidently carved a path in the dirt that ended only a handful of meters away from the lip of the water. Wondering where that put him in relation to before, Gohan rose to shaky feet, growling with frustration as he tried to blink away the concussion he now had to ignore.
Knocked out…but still alive.
Gohan had no delusions that he had survived Seventeen's most devastating attack single handedly. That said…everything had happened so fast that Gohan hadn't been able to make heads or tales of it. Frowning, Gohan took the time to regard the fresh burns and scrapes he could feel littering his upper-back and shoulders—where his body had impacted the ground.
How did Eighteen…do that? And…what did she do, exactly?
He tried to rewind his memory, playing back everything he'd seen in those precious nano-seconds before everything turned white.
Eighteen had appeared instantaneously, or damn near close to it considering Gohan hadn't even been able to track her trajectory. It was as if she hadn't even existed in one moment, only to apparate the very next.
No false bravado or ego stood in the way of Gohan knowing he had never even approached speeds like that, not to mention the impressive display of power Eighteen had unleashed once she'd arrived.
In an instant, Eighteen was able to close an impossible distance while charging up enough power in a single limb to rival Seventeen's strongest attack…
From what Gohan could remember through the pounding in his skull, Eighteen had spun in a single, deft motion, her leg crackling with dangerous, violet–lightning before it crashed against the first half of Seventeen's Power Blitz. Much to Gohan's astonishment, she actually managed to drive the initial ki blast back despite supposedly being the weaker of the two androids. The two halves of Seventeen's attack collided with each other before they could reach their target, and that's when Gohan's memory ended as the world was drenched in a light so overwhelming that all the stars in the night sky faded away.
Seventeen put everything he had and then some into those twin blasts. Has…has Eighteen been holding back all this time?
The thought baffled Gohan. Why had she been holding back? And, if so, why had Eighteen waited all the way up until the situation was cataclysmic to finally reveal it?! Had she brought that type of power to the fight in the beginning this could have all been over already!
Gohan scoffed, the bitter irony of the situation leaving a foul taste in his mouth. He could recall dozens of times he wished the android could have held back a little bit, but now was certainly not one of them!
The warrior could feel his blood beginning to boil, but knew that he couldn't let his rage get the better of him. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Gohan slowly pushed his mind back to his current situation. Glancing down at his scraped and bruised arm, he regarded the lack of protective, golden flames coating his body, his hair no more gold than the night sky.
Frowning, Gohan took an internal stock of his power reserves.
Less than half…damn.
Despite Eighteen's best efforts, Seventeen's attack had still managed to succeed in draining him of his ki, his body having to expend more than Gohan would have l hoped to stop anything lethal from puncturing his skin. A knot of anxiety began to form in the pit of Gohan's stomach as he considered his new odds…
They weren't good.
If Seventeen or Cell find me like this…
Checking his surroundings, the world felt…quiet, too quiet. Gohan's fingers clasped into a fist. Setting his jaw, he turned, tightening his focus as he spread out his ki sense to span the forest stretching out for miles in all directions. In the same breath, Gohan flattened his ki signature, making it virtually untraceable without standing beside him. He needed to find out where Eighteen was, but barring that, he needed to know where Cell might be hiding now. If either Cell or Seventeen managed to find him and rally the other before he found Eighteen…it could mean the end.
Gohan scowled as his search came up empty. Growling, he decided to redouble his efforts, a sweat running down his brow as he focused for a second time.
Where are you, you little monster…?!
Gohan paused, his head slowly cocking to the side as, instead of finding the sickly ki–signature of the monstrosity that was Cell…he discovered a much smaller, weaker ki source he hadn't been expecting at all.
Turning his head to look out at the water, Gohan's brow furrowed.
…is that…?
Like a candle next to a roaring bush fire, the flickering ki source was almost nothing when compared to pools of power like Gohan or Cell. Gohan imagined he would have passed right over it, assuming at a glance that the ki source belonged to a rogue animal in the area…if not for the fact that he recognized it.
…Videl?
Gohan stepped closer to the water, squinting as he searched the area to find the faintest pulse of ki struggling to maintain itself. It was so small, so fragile that Gohan couldn't envision the owner of such a delicate, seemingly innocent ki signature—barely greater than your average person—belonging to the monster that it did.
Gohan's eyes snapped open wide as they landed a lone figure floating on the surface of the water, so far out in the center of the lake Gohan hadn't noticed them before.
Oh no…
A pang of fear began to stab into Gohan's chest as he noted that the shape wasn't moving. The sound of his heart beat thundered in his chest as the demi-saiyan took to the air, closing the distance between him and the floating form of Eighteen in a seconds.
A shaky breath escaped Gohan's lips as he arrived, his pupils dilating as he regarded the motionless shape of Eighteen floating with her face just barely above the water's edge. Her eyes were glazed over and distant, barely open, appearing as if still unconscious.
Despite himself, despite knowing all the atrocities Eighteen was responsible for, despite knowing the woman likely deserved far worse in retribution, Gohan couldn't help but recoil, grimacing upon seeing her wounds. The entire right side of Eighteen's body—the side that had taken the brunt of Seventeen's attack—was charred and burned almost entirely. Patches of dark and cooked skin littered her arms and legs, leaving Eighteen with more burnt spots than otherwise. Her attire—a simply white forming tanktop and black slacks—had been dirtied and shredded beyond repair, her right leg revealing a naked thigh where a prior ki blast had made the fabric melt away leaving the skin exposed to bubble and burn from the severity of Seventeen's attack.
Glancing down at the shredded remains of his own gi being no more than a pair of pants with one leg torn off at the knee, alongside the savage burns and bloody cuts littering his upper chest and arm, Gohan realized that he wasn't looking much better.
Turning back to Eighteen's unstirring form, Gohan winced as he noticed something he hadn't before as Eighteen's leg briefly bobbed above the water. The shin Gohan had seen make impact with Seventeen's attack had been melted down to the shiny, metallic bone, leaving metal clad wires and complicated looking mechanisms exposed from her ankle all the way up to her knee.
The sight made Gohan's skin crawl. It was one thing to know in the back of your mind that someone was an android, it was a whole other story to actually see the shiny–metal–difference spilling out of someone who had seemed so human…somehow.
Gohan's face fell.
She's not…dead…is she?
A strange, sturing of emotions began to bubble to the surface within Gohan as he grew still, regarding the woman who he knew…he should hate with every fiber of his being. This was someone who'd taken personal pleasure in beating Gohan into broken, battered, submission time and time again. Someone who had slaughtered countless others, who had devastated entire countries, wiped out cities, murdered his best friends, and no doubt deserved the same fate she had dealt to thousands—by Seventeen's own attack no less. Gohan couldn't think of a more dramatically fitting way to die: killed in an android attack just like all the poor, innocent souls she'd slaughtered before.
Gohan's lips formed a thin line.
Then again…she wasn't just android Eighteen anymore…was she? She had grown to become more than how the past had defined her, which left Gohan to question what he was truly feeling…or maybe just what he felt he should be feeling. He tried to consider what his Father would do, or master Piccolo, but nothing seemed to be working. At a loss for words, Gohan's shoulders sagged, his face withering as he shook with a shuddering fear that—
"Heh…I must look pretty banged up to have you making a face like that…"
Gohan startled, "Eighteen!" he began, feeling his lips curl into a smile. "You're alive!"
Each word sounded like a struggle as Eighteen croaked out her sentence, "And so…are you." Her eyes lazily shifted until, eventually, they found him. Gohan felt a tenderness to Eighteen's gaze as she held his, her eyes like two exhausted pools of relief as she regarded Gohan with a strained smile. "I'm…so glad. I thought I was…gonna be too late for a second, there."
Gohan felt himself trapped as he stared into those pools of emotions staring back at him—one as blue as the morning sky, the other a warm, chocolate brown. Judging from the weight behind those eyes… he could tell there was a lot she wanted to say, too, but knew as he did that their enemies were not the type to wait.
Seventeen and Cell are probably gathering themselves as we speak…
Using the thought to rip himself free of the distraction that was Eighteen's tender gaze, Gohan checked over his shoulder, scanning the skyline with narrowed slits for eyes. He didn't see or sense anything yet…but the demi-saiyan doubted this hiatus would last for long.
"I…" Gohan trailed off, the storm of emotions within making what he wanted to say…difficult. There was so much he wanted to say—no—needed to say, but now wasn't the time. Breathing out an extremely frustrated sigh, he decided to put the safety of the world over his personal struggles, before finally grunting out, "You need to get up. Seventeen and Cell are probably going to be on us any second."
"No can do…" Eighteen rasped out, her words growing slower and more strained with every passing second. "I…sorta…used up everything I had left…in that kick."
Gohan's shoulders tensed, his eyes growing wide from the shocking information. "What? What are you talking about? I thought you and Seventeen never ran out of power. You can get back up from anything." Gohan hissed, his fingers curling into a fist to try and mask the concern he could feel bubbling in his stomach. "I've seen it first hand. Now come on, get up."
"Not this time…Gohan." Eighteen snickered, revealing a bloody grin. "Turns out…I sorta overdid it in my fight against Seventeen." Gohan's mind flashed to the brutal imprint of a fist carved into Seventeen's cheek. "Bulma said I somehow jammed a regulator valve or something. Basically means: my infinite energy reactor is…now very finite." Gohan felt an uncomfortable melancholy fall over him as he watched Eighteen's body drift limply with the waves, not strong enough to even lift a finger. "In the end, Bulma managed to juice me back up to, like, a half-tank before Trunks warned us that something was up and I came running...flying…you know what I mean."
So…is that the reason I can feel her ki signature? There's barely any artificial energy left to suppress it? Wait a second…!
Gohan's mouth fell slack. "Hold on, you knew that you had this injury…and came back to help anyway?"
"I said I was coming back, didn't I?" Eighteen's response came with a smile so sweet and warm that the harsh scowl Gohan was forcing himself to wear began to melt. "Besides…I wouldn't be doing a good job of…trying to live up to my new mantra…if I let anything happen to you, Gohan."
His lips pulled into a puzzled frown. "New…mantra?"
Eighteen's eyes pulled away from him to stare out into the night sky. "Do you remember…when you told me that not one death would go unaccounted for?"
Gohan winced, his mind flashing through the brutal events that had followed shortly after he'd made the statement she was referring to. It was a battle like so many others in which Eighteen had aided her brother in beating and breaking Gohan until he didn't have the strength to pick himself back up anymore…before…
Before Eighteen…decided to spare my life.
Slowly, Gohan nodded. "I do."
"Well…I've killed so, so many people. Ripped hundreds of thousands of innocents away from their loved ones…forever." Gohan blinked, stunned as he watched trickles of tears begin to trail down the sides of Eighteen's cheeks. "I thought it would only be fitting…that I try to make up for taking those lives by protecting the people they cared about the most, the family and friends who survived and are. still. here." Eighteen said the last words as if they were a chant, her eyes reminiscent as tears ran like streams down her cheeks. "So, I decided: not one more life will go to waste. Not. One." Her watery eyes turned back to him. Sniffling, she added, "That includes yours, ofcourse, Son Gohan."
Gohan felt all the bark to his bite bleed out of him as he stared back into Eighteen's watery eyes. "You're trying to account…for their deaths." The words fell out of him numbly, his mind in a haze as he tried to process what he was hearing.
"Yeah…but, looks like I'm doing a pretty crummy job." Eighteen released a short, bitter laugh. "Took everything I had just to protect two people. I gotta hand it to ya, you made it look a lot easier than it is."
Gohan scoffed out a soft, melancholy laugh, his lips curving downward as he said, "I doubt it ever 'looked easy'."
Eighteen's face fell, her lips pulling into a tight frown as she looked away with remorse. "No. It didn't." Her eyes found his again, her gaze hardening with conviction as she continued, "It looked like one of the hardest fucking things anyone's ever had to do. What you went through was…brutal, horrible…unforgivable…" she sucked in a shaky breath. "And the fact that you're still alive today, strong, determined, and never backing down from doing what's right despite facing decades worth of the worst monsters imaginable…" A memory flashed through Gohan's mind as Eighteen paused to take a strained breath, staring back at him with eyes swelling with adoration, and sincerity. "Is just proof that you're the most incredible, extraordinary, powerful, devoted, handsome–" Eighteen paused, blinking away tears before letting out a short pleasant laugh that made Gohan wish it had lasted just a little longer..."-interesting, courageous person on the planet…and…you're also my hero."
The way her eyes were resting on him, staring so deeply into his as if she were peering wistfully at a masterfully crafted painting…it was the same look Videl…no..she had given him back on the couch.
Gohan felt his mouth go dry, his mind trying to place these moments of Eighteen's kindness alongside the vast stores of brutal punishment she'd inflicted on him in the past. "Your…hero?" he repeated, his voice barely a whisper.
"Yes." she smiled, widely with tired eyes. "You're my hero, Son Gohan. You helped save me…from the monster I'd become." Her words began to slur as her voice became more strained, her eyelids slowly slipping closed. "I only wish…I could have done more…to repay you."
A sudden movement out of the corner of Gohan's eye ripped his attention away from the sight of Eighteen's fading consciousness. Only a few dozen miles away, Gohan spotted a dark silhouette burst from the treeline, soaring far into the clouds. The subtle glow of the morning sun preparing to crest over the horizon gave Gohan just enough detail to distinguish Seventeen's android's head snapped side to side, frantically searching the forest with his good eye.
Acting on instinct, Gohan felt the cold shock of frigid water as he plunged himself waist high into the lake, positioning himself just next to Eighteen. Years of training rescuing the wounded immediately kicked in as Gohan reached out, sloping his shoulders to better hoist Eighteen onto his back once he scooped her up-
His hand froze, just barely not touching the woman who'd once used the very same hand now floating inches away from him as a tool to leave a gaping hole in his stomach.
Am I really…going to save Android Eighteen?
It was one thing to work alongside a monster like android Eighteen, but to save such a dark and twisted soul? His entire body began to tremble, but not from the chill of the freezing water. Gohan could feel himself twitching from a raging war of emotions battling fiercely for dominance in his mind.
She's killed hundreds of thousands of people! Butchered them like cattle! Worse than cattle! Slaughtered them like their lives meant nothing!
Gohan felt his body tense, his face contorting into a loathful snarl–
…She also saved Bulma's life, fighting off Seventeen to the point of malfunction to ensure she held him off.
His shoulders slumped, the flame in his eyes withering to a flicker. It didn't undo all the death…but Bulma was like a second mother to Gohan, and the literal mother of Trunks. To say knowing Bulma was safe at home now was a relief would be the understatement of the century… and knowing that was due to Eighteen's personal efforts…certainly changed things.
She's brutalized me more times than I can remember…the cause of so many of my nightmares…and trauma…
His fingers tightened into a fisted beneath the gentle tides of the calm lake, his face twisting into a pained grimace.
She also…helped me rebuild myself when I felt like I had lost my way. When I was at my lowest…somehow, someway, she was the one there to help me find my way back. I used to be…so scared of what the world thought of me. I was so afraid to face the backlash of a world that only saw my failures…because that's all I could see.
He took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling all the tension leave his body.
She helped me finally see some of the good that I've done. She helped me see that there's a lot for me to be proud of too. I'm…I'm not the same man I was before I met…her.
Staring down at the peacefully drifting form of android Eighteen, her eyes so delicately closed, her face so tranquil, Gohan could have mistaken the woman for simply being asleep—if not for the horrible circumstances.
How…? How is this possible? How is she…both of them?
Gohan couldn't fit the two people together in his mind. The person that was Android Eighteen and the person that was floating just before him, didn't click together when he tried to connect them as the one and the same. It was like comparing a jagged, shard of splintered and bloodied wood to a carved and crafted statue meant to be placed on a shelf—to say they were the same…would be simply wrong.
Gohan's eyes darted after a sharp movement he noticed in the skyline, tracking the dark outline of Seventeen flying through the clouds in search. Judging from the fact that he wasn't coming this way, Gohan gathered Seventeen hadn't spotted them yet.
Knowing he didn't have much more time to decide, Gohan set his jaw, shutting his eyes in resignation.
Gently, Gohan's arm stretched out and wrapped around Eighteen's shoulder before pulling her in until he could feel the damp strands of her burnt hair resting against his bicep.
I guess…my answer is a lot easier than I thought.
Gohan made his decision.
He wasn't going to save android Eighteen…because that person had died some time ago…he just hadn't been told. The person resting in his arm now? Well…he couldn't say for certain he knew who she actually was.
But…he knew that he wanted to find out.
"W-what are you doing?" Eighteen's voice croaked weakly, her eyes fluttering open lazily.
"Getting us out of here." He stated firmly.
Eighteen's lips pulled into a sad smile that made Gohan's chest stir uncomfortably. "You big, dumb, hero. There's no way you can get me out in your condition." Gohan frowned, glancing down at his torso and all of the crimson washing off of his scrapped and slashed body. "If you try to blast off carrying me, Cell can track you and will lead Seventeen straight to us. No doubt he'll be faster than you while trying to carry me. If you go the slow and stealthy route…it won't be long until Seventeen's scorched earth tactics weed us out."
Gohan's mouth fell agape, his eyes staring in shock at Eighteen rapid, and yet somehow accurate conclusions. "B-but what about-"
"Me?" Eighteen's smile widened, "Careful there, hero. You almost sound sad for an android, remember?" She sniffled, forcing out a soft, fake laugh. "Besides, I knew this was a one way ticket the moment I used that technique you saw. I've used it once before…and knew it would drain me of basically everything I had left. Probably better that way, considering Cell…" she scoffed, "Now, I'm waiting here, trying to conserve the little bit of ki I've got left for…the final push."
Gohan finally understood why he could sense Eighteen's ki signature weakly pulsing within the waves. It was the only thing she had left to fuel her systems. Beyond this, another discovery left Gohan dumbstruck, "W-wait, you knew all of this? And you still did it anyway?"
All this time, Gohan had been under the impression that Eighteen had unleashed this pinnacle of power accidentally, rendering herself in this vulnerable condition through inexperience and not…self-sacrifice.
"Yeah. The moment I blasted off…I sorta knew that I wasn't going to be coming back." she spoke slowly, her voice full of reverence as her gaze slipped past him and towards the sky. "But, then again, I also think saving you might be the best thing I'll ever do." Turning her head, Eighteen paused, regarding Gohan's upper torso and arm wrapped around her. Before Gohan could question it, Eighteen's arms shot out of the water and pulled him into a tight, albeit wet embrace.
"...It wasn't the last time." she whispered fondly, her body easing into his as he tensed, feeling a strange concoction of panic…and reassurance wash over him. Her body felt so…soft, comforting, but with a grip that he knew could rip buildings in half if she so chose.
A deep, inner part of Gohan felt terrified of what she could do holding him so close in such a vulnerable position. Another, more reasonable side of him felt safe in those arms, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Eighteen would not hurt him.
Just as Gohan finally began to feel something inside that wasn't fear or resentment bubbling toward the surface, Eighteen pulled away, untangling them from one another in an awkward release. "Sorry." she stammered out, looking away with a bashful expression. "I just needed to do that, before…I…lost the chance."
Gohan drew a sharp breath, trying to find the right words, the right solution to save everyone. Before he could come up with anything, Eighteen's face adopted a tight grimace as her hands clenched into fists. With visible effort, Eighteen's body began to slowly drift into the sky, her entire body trembling from the effort.
Gasping, Gohan reached out and seized her forearm before she could float off into the sky. "What are you doing?!"
Eighteen looked over her shoulder, flashing an apologetic grin through gritted teeth. "The final push. I know Seventeen's close and Cell won't be far behind. Based on my estimates, I should have enough power for three, maybe four minutes of flight?" She made a tired, teeter-totter motion with her other hand. "It's a rough guess, but it should be enough time for you to get a decent enough head start."
"B-but-" Gohan stammered, trying desperately to come up with something, anything that didn't involve…doing this. It felt wrong! This! Everything! All of it! It was wrong!
"H-hold on a second. Let me think! We can both get out of this, I know it! I can figure out a way!" he pleaded, desperate as his mind ran through a dozen different scenarios—each ending with their likely death.
Eighteen's lips pulled into a frown, her eyebrows furrowing sympathetically. "Please, Gohan." She reached over and gently placed her other hand over the fingers wrapped around her wrist. "There's no time and…no other way. Let me do this. Let me finally make things right." Fresh tears began to brim around the edges of Eighteen's reddened eyes. "I can finally do right by you…and make the world a whole lot happier in one fell swoop."
Gohan's fingers felt numb as he finally let Eighteen pry them from her wrist. His arm fell limply at his side as Eighteen rose fully from the water before floating a few feet away, tiny droplets of water dripping off of her form.
Gohan felt lost as Eighteen's eyes lingered on his with a sorrowful, remorseful look that held with it a thousand words. The android gathered herself before her shoulders tensed, her fingers tightening to fists and she stammered out, "Gohan, before I go, I just need you to know that I lo-" Gohan felt a something tighten in his chest as Eighteen's voice died in her throat, her face grimacing as she bit her tongue. "I…leave the rest to you." Her face eased, her expression softening until she was regarding him with a soft, reassuring smile that made his heart wither. "Go back and regroup with Trunks. Between the two of you, I'm sure you'll be able to take down Cell and Seventeen. Nothing's guaranteed…but I know you'll be able to train that little snot up to a full fledged hero. He's definitely got the guts to do it, and so do you. I believe in you."
"Eighteen…" Gohan's sentence trailed off as he said her name. Even that felt wrong to call her now. She was more than simply: android Eighteen…but what else could he call her?
Before he could finish his sentence, Eighteen completed it first. "Goodbye, Son Gohan."
Without another word, Eighteen shot up and into the sky with enough force the lake ruptured, sending a small tidal wave to collapse onto Gohan's unsuspecting form. Before he could react, he was swept beneath the current, washed into the tide and toward the shoreline all in one fell swoop.
Gohan thrashed beneath the waves, the disorientation and abrupt lack of oxygen leaving the demi-saiyan so perplexed he didn't find the surface of the lake until he felt the soft sand of the shoreline on his back.
Gohan blinked away the water in his eyes, finding his footing a moment later before his attention snapped to the sky, terror swelling in his chest as he searched frantically for Eighteen.
There!
She had positioned herself dead center in the middle of the sky, completely unobscured, and obvious. Her arms were crossed, her lips pulled back into a smug smile with an aura of false bravado—just as Seventeen's appeared in a blur before her.
Gohan felt his panic surge, his eyes unblinking as he watched the pair from below. He could see that they were talking, but their conversation was too far away to hear.
A remark from Eighteen made Seventeen snarl before lashing out with a brutal right hook that snapped Eighteen head to the side with a viciousness that made Gohan's entire body jolt in shock.
Gohan watched, horrified as Eighteen spat out a mouth full of blood and teeth, before her gaze shifted back to Seventeen and she flashed a bloodied grin.
No, no, no, no, NO!
Gohan watched with terror, his body frozen as Seventeen drove fist after fist into Eighteen's helpless form. Her body contorted and ragdolled painfully, folding around Seventeen's attacks limply as involuntary cries of pain escaped her lips.
Gohan tried to make his body move, tried to make his limbs react and get away so Eighteen's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain—but he couldn't. Gohan knew his other choice, to challenge Seventeen now and begin the fight anew…would only only lead to his death. He felt locked in place, his body trembling as he looked on in horror at the brutal punishment Eighteen was having to go through…
…And what it would mean once the pain had finally stopped.
Is this all some kind of sick, twisted joke?!
Tears began to trickle down the sides of Gohan's face as his mind finally broke. It was all too much to bear, the weight of it all, the dark, demented truth of what was now his reality. He'd finally come to terms with saving Eighteen, finally found a way to divide the two people he knew as android Eighteen…and Videl…and now he was being told all of that had been pointless?!
Was it all pointless?! Was everything, all of this struggle and torment to get to this point…worthless?!
Gohan could feel his teeth cracking from how hard they were clenched, his fingers balled into a fist so tight he could feel his nails cutting into his palms. Blood began dripping from whitened knuckles, but Gohan didn't care. He liked the pain, it was the only thing he knew, the only thing this world seemingly ever had to offer him ever since he was a little boy!
I thought things were finally going to be different!
He'd held out hope, something he'd learned to ignore a long, long time ago. It wasn't the same hope he held for the world, his dream that one day the people of earth would finally know peace, and prosperity. One of the first lessons he'd learned in his formative years battling the androids was the resilience of the human race, and that another hero will always rise up, no matter the odds. No, his faith in the world one day ridding itself of the monsters festering it had remained intact throughout the years of torment and torture…what hadn't survived, was Gohan's hope that he would live long enough to see that dream to fruition.
For as long as Gohan could remember, he had accepted his death as…inevitable. The bitter, painful taste of defeat had become so repetitious that it became second nature for Gohan to lose, and retreat. He'd known it would only be a matter of time before the androids scored a lucky enough hit to put him down for good...but that all changed, once she entered his life.
Before, Gohan had felt as if his life was locked on a permanent loop: train, fight, lose, recover, repeat.
Once he met Videl, his life had become more.
Suddenly, Gohan found himself going to bars, out to clubs, making new friends, defeating the androids, going camping, going to dinner, getting a girlfriend, visiting old friends, and, most of all: living a life he finally felt was worth living! All at once, Gohan discovered himself finding hope for a future he never thought he would be a part of. He hadn't known he still could hope…not for himself, at least….and not until he'd found the one person who made him feel like life was finally worth something!
Of course! Nothing can ever be that simple!
Gohan thought spitefully as he snarled, feeling his shoulders tremble with rage as Eighteen's cries became no more than whimpers, her body growing so limp that Seventeen had to hold her by the collar of her ripped shirt just to keep her in the air. Numbly, Gohan could overhear Seventeen demanding Eighteen to fight back as he drove another fist into her solar plexus.
Of—course the woman he'd eventually come to love had to turn out to be a murderous, evil android in her past! And of—course, the moment he discovered the truth, a world-ending threat appeared! And, of—course, that world ending threat also had to take their life away so he would never know if anything she said was true!
The thought chilled Gohan to his very core, the tears in his eyes drying almost instantly as he sucked in a nervous breath.
Was…any of it…real?
Gohan's eyes stared out at nothing, hollow, empty, as he considered…that once Eighteen was dead, he would never know.
Do I even really… know her?
At what point did Videl end, and Eighteen start? And better yet, why did she decide to do all of this? Had there ever been a point to manipulating his heart with so many lies and so much deceit that he couldn't even define what the relationship was between them anymore? Most importantly…was anything they had together…for as brief a time as it lasted…genuine?
Did I ever…truly…matter to her?
There were so many questions that Gohan knew would never be answered. So many infuriating, maddening questions that only served to punctuate the cruel misfortune that seemed to follow Gohan wherever he went.
His body and mind went numb as the sights and sounds around Gohan faded away. The unfairness of it all became a crushing, overwhelming force that barred Gohan from taking another step.
Not until he faced it.
Gohan felt like he was standing at the edge of a great and massive chasm, so deep and bottomless he would never touch the ground once he fell in. Staring down into that endless depth, Gohan could see that what awaited him was a madness like no other. It was all the rage he felt for a world that seemed to hold nothing but contempt for him. The unbridled loathing for a lifetime of abuse and defeat that had no end. Each brutal experience, every unfair decision made by the world for him, every slight, each and every way his life had been prosecuted and wronged came fuming to the surface, the events staring back up at Gohan as he stared into its frenzy. It wanted revenge, to take back from the world what it took from him, to devastate and destroy in the same ways he'd always barred himself from doing. It wanted complete, and utter annihilation.
Like a raging inferno, Gohan knew it would consume him completely.
For some reason…that didn't seem so bad anymore.
Gohan felt weightless, his mind in a fog as he stepped out into that void.
As he fell, experiencing everything rushing over him all at once, he felt something writhing within. Like a shackled monster, something locked away deep inside finally snapped.
Author's Notes
Hey all! I hope the month-long wait wasn't too bad. It's been hectic for me!
Unfortunately for my sleep schedule, finals are rolling around and I've been swamped with college. Thankfully, I found the time to return and release this chapter in a (relatively) short time frame. Due to the obvious significance of this chapter, I've completed perhaps dozens of pass throughs trying to ensure it's just right and punctuates the perfect emotions for what will be happening in the upcoming chapters. Hopefully, it is to everyone's liking :).
Unfortunately, Ben Thryss' impeccable editing is absent from this chapter as his personal obligations were too much. I hope to have him back for the next chapter, once situations have become less demanding on both of our schedules. Everyone please still send Ben your best wishes, of course!
Moving back to the content of this chapter, I deeply appreciated exploring Trunks' section. That scene went through so many drafts, at first I had Trunks deceive his mother as to spare her the hurt, popping it in his mouth before flying off when she turned her back. I am glad I redrafted it into what it became, speaking to Trunks' honesty, and his conviction, despite the heart break it caused.
Moving on to the battle at hand, I had sooooo much fun giving these hits a 'pow' so to speak. Though, in truth, the battle was merely the set piece to design Gohan's descending spiral throughout. Even before Gohan knows all is lost, he is falling deeper within a pit in his mind while he's clawing at its walls, trying to find purchase on something that makes sense. Unfortunately, everything he catches crumbles away.
Despite the lack of presence in this chapter, Eighteen's speech similarly went through many drafts. I wanted to convey exactly what she was sacrificing, and how convicted she is to finally do right by Gohan. I hope the 'chant' call back registered.
Gohan's final descent went through maybe five or six revisions in total, as that section felt the most important of all…I hope for obvious reasons.
I can't wait to come back when Gohan finally lets the monster out. ;)
Until Next time!