What's Good About Life? (Dragon Ball Z SI Chapter 13)

"Hey, Dive?" Goku asked as he caught the iron ball with a ki orb over his hand, and kept moving it from ki orb to ki orb over his hands, before throwing the iron ball to Gohan, who did the same.

"Yeah?" Dive watched Gohan as the boy made sure not to decrease the iron ball's speed, according to the rules of their game, then suddenly threw it at Goku, rather than at Dive next, as they expected the order to go.

"Woah!" Goku used his ki orb to instantly deflect the iron ball to Dive, who caught it and started making the iron ball rotate around him. "Nice one, Gohan!"

"Thanks, dad!" Gohan grinned.

"You were saying?" Dive said, smiling at the interaction.

"Yeah, do you..." Goku paused and scratched his head for a moment. "Hate fighting? It's just, you never really want to spar with anyone. Just give us exercise to do, which is pretty cool, but I really wanna see how I measure up is all."

"Hmm?" Dive was contemplative for a second, before looking at Gohan and winking.

Gohan quickly got his ki orb to act as a deflecting spring board, as Dive let go of the iron ball from it's circular motion, the momentum making it move faster, and directly going for the kid Saiyan.

Only for the iron ball to hit Gohan's ki orb and angle toward Goku who reacted by catching it with his hand.

"Yes!" Gohan cheered.

Goku realized what happen, before he chuckled. "Oooh, sneaky." He grinned as the game paused with Goku losing a point, and Gohan gaining one.

"You know if we add two more players, we can make a dodge ball version of this, with one person in the middle, having to dodge, deflect or catch the ball, while the rest circle and try to hit him them." Dive noted.

"We should get Mr. Piccolo, Mr. Tien, Ms. Nach and Uncle Raditz to join in!" Gohan chimed.

"Huh, it would be fun to get everyone and organize a game." Goku said. "Well we are getting together to bring back Master Roshi with the Namekian Dragon Balls. Fortuneteller Baba kept pestering him till he agreed to come back."

"About what you were saying earlier," Dive spoke up. Goku turned to him, to see him looking from somewhere away, as if he was sensing someone. It's something Goku noticed Dive does on occasion, and when asked about it, said sometimes he feels like someone's is watching him but it's not important. "You know how if you spar with Gohan you limit yourself, while helping him get stronger and stronger, but can go more all out against Raditz or Nach?"

"Yeah?" Said Goku.

"You're all kids to me in the power department. I'm always fighting you in a teaching manner, I can't fight you in a sparring manner. It's fun to do from time to time, but it's not that stimulating. Kaio-ken is better but maybe you should develop it further, or teach the others so you can work together." Dive explained which Goku's eyes lit up at, getting Dive's feelings on the matter.

"Ooh! Yeah, gotcha." Goku looked thoughtful. "You think we're ready for Super Saiyan? That might make things more interesting." He said sincerely, not trying to be sly or anything.

"Yeah," Dive's crunched his eyebrows a bit. "You guys are actually way higher than Frieza 1st and 2nd forms now. I think you're already way past the requirement I gave you. Next time we meet up, we can immediately work on it."

"Y-Yeah, just a bit higher than the level you told us to be at, hahahaha." Goku didn't want to mention that he and the other used the improved gravity chamber Bulma made that can go up to thousand times Earth's gravity (not that the Saiyans can reach that yet), and had long since passed the 50 million power level mark. They were closer to a hundred give or take some point, but they wanted to surprise Dive with that.

Gohan looked away innocently trying to appear inconspicuous, since he knew too. His dad and uncle tended to brag about their achievements at home, while trying to sound hush about it.

Just then the trio of Saiyans felt a giant energy arrive from the direction of some wastelands.

The Saiyans looked at each other, and decided to move and check it out. Along the way, they met the other Z-Fighters, who also sensed the sudden huge power.

When they arrived there, they found a teenager with lavender hair.

"Oh, sorry how spooking you all. I'm waiting for Go...ku?" The boy seemed polite and well-spoken, but looked confused upon seeing Goku whom he had been waiting for.

"Yeah, What do you want?" Goku asked neutrally, still not know if this person was a friend or foe.

"Damn, did I mess up the date?" The boy muttered to himself. "I'm sorry, this is gonna sound weird but, did you fight the robot Frieza and King Cold yet?" He asked Goku.

"'Robot Frieza'?" Goku tilted his head. "No, we fought normal Frieza, and who's this 'Cold' guy?"

"Is Cold related to Frieza?" Dive called out.

"Um, yes, who are you?" The mysterious boy asked feeling thrown off right now.

"Oh, that's Dive, the one who beat Frieza." Goku said cheerfully, feeling the newcomer wasn't someone bad.

"Wha!? Huh? But..." The boy then looked panicked muttered about messing up time and things.

"Sooo...what did you want with me?" Goku just pushed through and asked. "Who are you by the way? You feel like a Saiyan, kinda, but I've never heard of you before."

"I..." The boy looked at Dive in confusion, before shaking his head. "Who I am isn't important." He decided to just focus on his tasked. "I came from the future, I came here to deliver a warning about an evil threat that will arrive in three years time. Two Android will appear and destroy the world." Future Boy went on to explain his message in full, where the Androids will arrive and at what time, along with warning Goku of a diseases he will contract in the future, and giving him the medicine for it.

"Woah, this is...just a lot to process." Goku rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry," Future Boy said back, before looking once more at the group. "Say, I wanted to ask but...who are those?" He said pointing at three Saiyans unknown to him.

"Oh, that's Nach, Dive and Raditz." Goku exclaimed.

"I haven't heard of the other two, but Raditz? You mean your brother?" Asked Future Boy.

"Yeah, isn't he there is in the future? Or wait, did he also get this Heart Virus?" Goku asked worried. "Shouldn't he also get this medicine?"

"N-No, that's the thing. I've never met him, I only remember my mo-I mean, I only remember hearing about him. That you fought him when you first met, and that was it." Explained Future Boy.

"Yeah, that was a tough fight." Goku chuckled. "The way it ended was a bit embarrassing since I died to Piccolo's attack, while Raditz got away. But it all ended okay, since I got to know my brother when I got back."

"Huh!?" Future Boy's eyes widened. "Wait, he..." He quickly covered his mouth as he muttered in a low voice. "He lived? But that's not what happened in the past, according to mom. What does this mean?"

"Hey, everything alright?" Goku asked.

"Y-Yeah," answered Future Boy. "And the other two?"

"Yeah, Nach was with Raditz when he arrived here the first time. Fought her too, now we're friends. As for the third one, that's Dive." Goku answered.

"Sorry if this sounds weird, but what is he?" Asked Future Boy.

"Just Saiyan." Said a voice behind the two.

"Woah!"

"Waaah!"

Goku and Future Boy were started by Dive suddenly being behind them.

"Sorry, got bored and came to talk." Said Dive, smiling in a carefree manner.

"Umm..." Future Boy wasn't sure what to do, but hide his anxiety with a stoic look.

"I have good hearing so I heard you. I got the jest of it. Evil robots in the future. Should be easy enough." Said Dive.

"This is serious!" Future Boy said with an intense look.

"I getcha, I getcha." Dive raised his hand placatingly. "Three years, right? Trust me that's way more than enough time, for these guys to prepare."

"That's right," Vegeta spoke up as he and the other approached once they saw the discussion carry on from Goku alone. "Which means, you've done your part, so now buzz off to your time, future boy."

"Wha...D...Vegeta!" Future Boy seemed stunned at Vegeta's callousness, but before he could say anything, the Saiyan Prince turned and flew away.

"Sorry about Vegeta." Gohan spoke up politely.

"He's...not all good with teamwork." Krillin was going to say something meaner, but held back.

"Right. I see." Future Boy slowly nodded.

"Hey," Nach spoke up. "If things are bad in the future, what the hell am I doing? Did I die already?" She said bluntly.

"Come on, don't say that." Raditz tried to sound optimistic. "Maybe we're there fighting the good fight."

"I'm sorry," Future Boy said looking down. "But the future I'm from, neither of you are there." He then got a hard look in his eyes, as he worried if he meddled in the past too much. "Sorry but Vegeta is right, it's time for me to head back."

"Huh? But us not being there, what does that mean?" Raditz said, while Nach looked away, her eyes narrowed. She was expecting the worse of a future version of herself, imaging that Future Nach bailed when things got tough.

"It means Multiverse Theory is a bitch." Said Dive, too amused with himself.

"Huh?"

"What?"

Future Boy and Dive's eyes met, as to the Future Boy's worry there was understanding in Dive's eyes.

"It means things can change in the past or future, and the only time you have is your present." Dive nodded to Future Trunk to which he boy, hesitantly nodded back. Dive then look up to the sky. "About that 'Cold' guy you were talking about, he should be here in six months. That should be a good chance for everyone to show the results of their training."

"Wait," Future Trunks said suddenly worried, as he turned to Goku. "Goku, can you turn into a Super Saiyan?"

"Ah, that." Goku smiled sheepishly. "Haven't figured it out yet? And Dive said he'll show us later."

Before Future Trunk could turn to Dive, the Red Saiyan spoke up.

"Yeah, but I think this event is a good motivator." He looked down, looking at each Saiyan present. "Gather up Vegeta and come meet me all up tomorrow. I think you're definitely at the point where it would be easy for you to achieve it. After that you can train with the form for till Cold arrives."

"Alright!"

"Hell yeah!"

Goku and Raditz shouted, while Nach just smirked.

Seeing that there is nothing else for him to do, Future Trunks quickly made his goodbyes, and got back into his time machine.

"Hey kid!" Future Trunks looked back toward Dive who called out to him. "Training offer is open to you to if you need it."

"...Thanks," Future Trunks smile, feeling a bit more reassured, even after realizing that this isn't his past.

And with that the time traveler left for his time.

The mood was one of sober at the future threat, yet excitement for the fighters to face a new challenge.

Yet one of them was feeling thrown off by all this.

It was Raditz of all people.

"Hey, Raditz, why are you looking down?" Goku came to him. "We're going to train, and even finally be Super Saiyans, aren't you excited?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm jazzed, it's just..." Raditz waved his brother off, but still looked down.

"We weren't in that kid's future." Nach spoke up, having caught on. "Not even in the sense that we died early on, but we were never there at all. According to that future kid, I wasn't even there with Raditz when he arrived on Earth, and Raditz died fighting you." She said looking at Goku. "So what? In his history, did I die on Vegeta, or did something else kill me before I ever got to Earth."

The group fell quiet at this revelation and melancholic mood.

"I mean," Raditz looked at his hands. "I...messed up. A lot after our planet was destroyed by Frieza. I wasn't a good guy at all but..." He clenched his fist in desperation. "Maybe I don't deserve redemption, but somehow, even though," he looked to Goku. "I killed you, you forgave me. I got a chance to build a real life here. I got to have a family," He turned from Goku, to Gohan who smile back, then to blue Launch who stood next to him, and held his hand. He smiled again, before that smile fell. "I got the chance...to be good. But what if...I was never meant to have that second chance. To just have died the first time I came to Earth. What if I am, my existence is..."

A mistake. For once, Nach didn't voice her blunt honest thoughts, yet she was also thinking the same.

Was she meant to die as that bitter, evil person who held onto Saiyan ideals that she didn't live up to?

"It means there is only you." Dive spoke up smiling, pushing his cheer and optimism into the somber mood.

"Huh?" Raditz echoed the sentiment of the group as they looked toward him.

"In the future, we're not there." Dive gestured to not just Raditz and Nach, but even himself. "Who knows what the past is if we can travel to it. At the end of the day, it just means, there's only you. Only this timeline, this present." He grinned at them with his fist extended. "So let's fight to make it a good one."

"Ha!" Raditz laughed. "What the hell am I getting mopey for! Fuck yeah, let's get ready to kick some android ass!" Raditz pumped his fist in the air, his cheer infectious as everyone's spirits went up. Raditz gave Dive a thumbs up, to which Dive turned his fist in to.

"Quite the inspiring speech even after saying, what was it? 'Multiverse Theory is a bitch'?"

Suddenly Raditz froze in his pose.

All the present Dragon Team froze. The world was so quiet. It was as if-

"No," Dive said to himself, frowning at this sudden development.

Time did stop.

He looked behind him at the person who spoke, only to see a pink skinned girl with red hair dressed as a kai, and...Future Trunks, the same one who had left, even his ki was the same but aged up, and more mature. He looked conflicted to be here.

"So," spoke up the Supreme Kai of Time. "Looks like I finally found the culprit for why this history is so different." She narrowed her eyes. "What do you have to say for yourself, Time Breaker?"