Son Gohan The Destroyer

by EmeraldSaiyan

Death greets Gohan at the end of the Cell Games, yet instead of passing on to the Otherworld, Whis takes an interest in the young half-saiyan's incredible power and decides to train him as Lord Beerus' successor. With the balance of the universe at stake, Gohan accepts the deity's offer. (AU)

31. Overhaul

A/N: I'm still here! Chapter 31 has been months in the making, but here it is too! Thank you so so much for being so wonderfully patient with me during these difficult times. This story still has a long way to go and I will continue to deliver it to you unrushed and completed!

Hope everyone is remaining safe out there. Thank you for all your reviews and support. I really do appreciate them all even if I may not reply! As always, please enjoy the next chapter in Gohan's journey :)

ES

x

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Chapter Thirty-One

Overhaul

Demons run when a good man goes to war.

Night will fall and drown the sun,

When a good man goes to war.

Friendship dies and true love lies,

Night will fall and the dark will rise,

When a good man goes to war.

Demons run, but count the cost.

The battle's won but the child is lost…

Somewhere in deep HFIL.

It is said that if one can't overcome their own demons, then they will never find the strength to defeat another.

And yet here Gohan was, in a pocket of Hell that was solely reserved for him. A pitiful prison with invisible bars, with only his name upon the equally invisible doorway and shackles moulded specifically to his wrist size.

From the black came an unearthly, satisfied chuckle, "Tell me Gohan, how do you run away from the things inside of your head?"

"I'm not running," he frowned deeply, which only seemed to amuse Wrath further.

Brilliant white teeth glowed in the unholy wreath of firelight that continued to surge and flicker around them, "You know, lying is considered a most unfavourable trait for a soul still awaiting judgement - a judgement that is long overdue. I'd be more careful, if I were you."

"See what I care about your so called judgement," Gohan spat, "Especially when you're wearing that bastard's mask."

Wrath's smirk grew so wide that it nearly split it two, "Dear boy, it appears you're delusional. For I am not the only one who bares a mask."

A feral bolt of electricity crossed the teen's hardened gaze, emerald eyes intense as he remained silent. He refused to let Hell get the better of him again.

"Your silence only exposes your weaknesses," the cruel manifestation of Cell mused smugly, pale hands flexing into clenched fists, "I see the shadows of regret upon your face, the guilt that plagues your heart, the dullness to your eyes that could be mistaken for sadness… but it is a state of numbness. Dead eyes immune to the horror they have witnessed, the sign of a boy who has experienced far too much far too young. I wonder, do you have any idea how old you were when you first committed murder?"

His steely resolve faltered for a split second, "W-what?"

"Five," they stated, not missing a beat as they stretched out five fingers in front of them, continuing as if they had never heard Gohan utter a sound, "You were five years old when you and the Earthlings Krillin and Bulma were ambushed on Planet Namek by a pair of Frieza's henchmen. And you, having already fought a most gruesome battle against the Saiyans on Earth, snapped that soldiers neck without hesitation before leaving him to drown in the lake along with his comrade."

"H-How do you - ?"

"Your soul is not as pure as you pretend it to be, Destroyer," said Wrath, fuchsia eyes glowing red, "It is tainted, hopeless. So give in to its true desires, there is no use in trying to resist condemnation!"

"I've had enough of your so called preaching," Gohan snarled, ignoring the stoic ghosts of his family and friends that surrounded him and focussing on Wrath alone, "I don't have to justify my past to you."

Another chuckle, "Perhaps, but if you continue to ignore what lurks within the deep crevices of your mind then it will ultimately lead to your downfall. Darkness spreads when left unattended, and it is the reason why you can never hope to defeat me, boy. Not when you oh so naively bury your head in the sand."

"Ah yes," Wrath continued almost gleefully, watching the anger unfold within the halflings gaze, "The closer I get, the more I see the darkness simmering within. I will unpick your soul, unravel you until there is nothing left but an empty shell."

"I said ENOUGH!" Gohan roared, kicking off from the ground and launching himself towards the gloating features of his old enemy.

A magnificent swirl of golden energy ignited around his fist as he took deadly aim, but to much to his fury, his strike met nothing but air.

Damn it! Where the hell did they go - ?!

The ground opened up beneath his feet without warning, finding himself falling through another tunnel of darkness. Wind screamed past his ears, an invisible force pulling him down, down. Like some sort of gigantic monster had opened its jaws, sucking him inwards and swallowing him whole.

Though this time, his fall didn't last anywhere near as long as the first one, and he landed with an enormous splash in the middle of a body of water. Waves rocked up against him as his landing disturbed the once stagnant lagoon, finding that it rose right up to his chest.

He sat up, blinking the wetness out of his eyes but found himself struggling to do so. It stung more than he had expected, though as he lifted his arm up to rub at the irritation, did he realise why.

He jumped back, his breath catching in his throat, startled by the slick crimson that dripped down his arm.

Blood.

He stood quickly, ignoring the revolting sloshing noise his body made as he did so. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the appearance of his drenched attire, the blood having seeped into his spandex pants and causing him to let out an involuntary shiver.

It was stone cold. Though he wasn't sure if he'd rather it be warm.

The lagoon stretched out for miles from what Gohan could see, the golden aura pulsating around his frame providing some form of light. It bounced off of the surface, his murky shadow evident in amongst the thick scarlet.

The air was tainted with decay, though over the years he had become somewhat immune to the familiar smell of despair. It was unbearably quiet, and once again his opponent was nowhere to be found, the only sound that of a faint trickle of what he assumed was a lazy river feeding into the lake - although he couldn't determine just where it was coming from.

Frustrated, Gohan gritted his teeth and started forwards, looking for an escape route - or dry land at least. Blood didn't make for good terrain, his legs felt heavy what with it coming up just past his knees, and he was careful not to slip on the soft sludge that he could feel underneath his boots as he trod. He decided not to fly for now, just incase any more portals decided to unexpectedly make an appearance and he would be thrust into yet another strange place with no clear way of escape.

The blood slopped sluggishly against his body as he continued forwards, using his hands as clumsy ores and trying to focus on the haunting darkness in front of him should Wrath suddenly spring forth and attack.

Then a distant twitter reached his ears. At first, it sounded like static, intermingling with the gentle peal of the rippling lagoon as he moved. He dared not stop, as the sound wound itself around his ears and began to change, like a terrible lullaby. It came from the background of the abyss, and Gohan recognised it as the eerie whispers that he had first heard back at King Yemma's check-in station - only much louder.

It rocked against his eardrums, ebbing and flowing like ocean waves against moonlit sand. And then came words, although it was no language that he knew of. It hissed as it spoke, getting louder and louder, more uninterpretable as he got closer to the source.

His skin prickled, as the voice of Wrath - no, Hell - boomed suddenly over the mysterious mutters, "There is no hope left for you, Son Gohan. You have already made your choice in this world. After all, Destroyers are nothing more than creations shadow, doomed to deliver nought but death long after their own demise. Negative emotions, horrifying memories fuel their power, and they are forced to relive it time and time again. Tell me, boy, what is it that fuels the Hakai you unleash to deliver the final sentence? What is the memory that plagues you?"

"N-No, come back! DADDYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

A childlike scream, desperate and hoarse, penetrated the void, and Gohan wasn't sure if the haunting memory was echoing only in his mind or if the sinister entity had heard it too.

"Ah, I see," the deadly voice mused, confirming the his worst suspicions. "Regret. A most powerful emotion, and the most absurd. The longing for impossible things, the nostalgia for what never was, the desire for what could of been. It shatters from the inside, the half-tones of a soul's consciousness, creating a painful landscape within, an eternal sunset of what we are, or rather - what we were…"

"Show yourself!" Gohan bellowed angrily, stopping in his path and snarling upwards even though he still couldn't tell where the voice was coming from - the whispers were getting louder, like a swarm of bees buzzing noisily in his ears, "I'm tired of playing your sick games!"

"You punish yourself, don't you?"

"Shut up!" He roared, his fists breaking the surface in anger and sending blood flying, "Just shut the hell up!"

"There is no use in avoiding your own truths, Gohan," laughter cut through the abyss like a knife, "And there is certainly no hiding your imperfections from me. Don't deny it, every time you use the Hakai you relive that painful memory over and over again, don't you?"

His gut churned, a sickening realisation hitting him all at once. It wasn't as though he didn't know it himself, but it was something else to hear it being said out loud - his biggest secret revealed, something that he had never admitted to anyone, even to himself. And worst of all, Hell knew it too.

"Oh this is spectacular!" Hell cackled, the manic tones like painful shards stabbing at his resolve, "You can't save the ones you Destroy so in turn you inwardly destroy yourself! Clever child! I've never met someone so willing to torture their own soul! It appears that you've done most of the hard work for me!"

Hell's damning words threatened to suffocate him, buried by his own self afflicted pain. His lungs constricted around his aching yet useless heart. It may as well of been a black hole, for there was barely anything left to hurt.

"And does it make you feel better, young Destroyer?" The wicked being asked with feint curiosity, "Is it a sufficient enough exchange? Is forcing yourself to relive your contribution to your father's demise enough to balance out the billions of lives you've wiped from existence? How naive."

Gohan said nothing, as the shrill hiss of whispers began to peter out, allowing for Hell to speak again.

"You are remorseful, that is all too clear," they said, almost in pity, "But mere remorse will not be enough to save you. It's too late. You of all people should know that your actions have consequences, and yet you fail to learn. So, let's seal the deal shall we?"

With that, the lake began to drain, shrinking rapidly in size so that it only just covered the tops of his boots. It caved inwards as though an unseen barrier had built up around it, leaving a long path of river stretched out before him - of which he could not see an end.

Just what was that bastard up to now?!

"Didn't you hear me?!" Gohan snarled, his aura blazing and lightening bolts rippling over his frame, snapping and sizzling as though joining him in his outburst, "I said I've had enough of this bullshit! Why don't you come out and face me instead of hiding behind your damn monologuing!"

Silence, apart from the splitter spatter of his foot against the slow trickle of blood as he stomped the ground in anger.

"Great," he seethed to himself, before his sharply trained eyes noticed the slow movement below his boots.

A current? He frowned, his gaze following the path up ahead. It appeared that the demonic being wanted him to go this way, and as much as he didn't want to play into Hell's hands, he couldn't see any other route to take. And he'd be damned if he just stood around whilst Janemba was still at large.

No, he shook his head in defiance, golden hair sweeping over his brow and shaking the last remains of Hell's laughter from his mind. Whatever was awaiting him, he'd have to defeat it, despite the hurt that lingered.

He took off running against the current, not oblivious to the way that the whispers started up again as soon as he had moved. Red rained from either side as his feet pounded relentlessly at the stream, scarlet blotches disappearing into the blackness.

He skidded to a halt, as a door appeared out of nowhere. Rich mahogany stood out against the backdrop of the dark, its design taking some regal inspiration of sorts for it was not of the standard rectangular shape, more of an archway that brought every eye upward. It stood nearly twice as tall as Gohan, with elegant depictions of ancient dragons carved expertly into the woodwork. Long bodies twisted around dark panels, solid silver claws and teeth protruded outwards as though they were about to jump right off of their foundations and fly free.

His mouth ran dry, a cold sense of familiarity and unease striking him in the gut. The whispering became louder, harsher and high pitched as he noticed that the stream of blood was indeed oozing from the gap underneath the doorframe.

With his gloves still wet with crimson, he reached for the shining silver doorknob - that was, until a bloodcurdling scream tore through the abyss.

He jolted back from the shock, fingers jumping away from the handle as the scream came again, most certainly from beyond the door. It was desperate, terrified … human.

It was the kind of scream that puts every other thought on hold, and roots every single moving organism to the spot. Whoever it belonged to was wracked with agony, barely able to draw in a haggard breath before another wretched cry was pulled from their throat. There was a distinct fumbling and some sort of commotion from the other side of the doorway, the sound of something breaking and a mutter of a hurried apology, followed by a voice that he knew all too well.

"Thank goodness you brought her to me, I don't think that any medical teams on Earth would be prepared for something like this."

Dende? The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as another voice, more frantic than the last, spoke over the merciless whispers and unrelenting screams.

"I brought her as soon as I felt her Ki plummet," His father came in hard and serious, "I've done what I can - but the bleeding, I-I can't stop it!"

Another throaty wail unleashed, and he felt as though his soul had indeed left his body just as Hell had promised as his father's insistent voice reached him again, "It's okay Videl, you're going to be alright. Just breathe - breathe, stay with me kiddo. C'mon, stay with me."

The door swung open without him having to touch it, revealing the sudden brightness of the white room. Marbled tiles from floor to ceiling, stretching outwards and upwards until meeting once again in four tall corners. A small array of potted plants, an ancient looking dresser and a comfy armchair decorated the room, along with picturesque paintings of mountains and oceans lined in beautiful golden frames.

The Lookout didn't receive many visitors - save for times when the Earth were in danger and it provided the Z-Fighters with some sort of unofficial headquarters. So it was a wonder as to why the temple had so many rooms made up for guests just like this one.

Gohan remembered staying in one of the guest rooms not long before the Cell Games, when his parents had allowed him a few sleepovers with Dende in the sanctuary above the clouds. Piccolo, and even Mister Popo had scolded them for staying up so late, talking into the early hours before sunrise and sneaking around the ancient passageways on the hunt for adventure.

What was left of those happy, childhood memories were immediately quashed, as his gaze settled on the four poster bed - which was central to the horrifying scene that presented him. Flashes of red jumped out at him against the glaring white of the bedsheets, the once pristine cloth soaking up the blood like a sponge.

It was all over the floor, the curtains of the bed painted with scarlet patterns of fingerprints from where they at been wrenched open in a hurry before laying the girl on the mattress. It coated her bare legs which spread out beneath the bottom of the sheet, the worst of it pouring out from in between them.

And as it continued to drain out of her in its garish red, her skin took on the pallor of a corpse. If it wasn't for the fact that she was moving, crying, screaming he would have thought she was just that.

"VIDEL!" He cried, his heart wedged in his throat so that it came out as a strangled choke. Adrenaline surged through him as he barrelled towards her, tears stinging his eyes as he tried desperately not to scream.

Oh Gods, oh GODS - what was happening?!

"Videl, Videl please!" He pleaded, utter terror eclipsing him so that he could no longer think straight. "Oh Gods V-Videl, p-please hang on - !"

He was cut short, his eyes blowing wide open as the girl let out another rip-roaring shriek of hysteria. Her swollen stomach, that he had only just now noticed under the heap of drenched sheets surrounding her, protruded upwards as her back arched in agony.

W-Was she in - ?

"Dende, hurry!" Goku shouted, Gohan had almost forgotten he was there, "She's not going to last much longer!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?!" The teenager bellowed at his father, panic breeding fear, the fact that he was still in his Super Saiyan Two form didn't do much to help his heightened emotions. "What do you mean she's not going to last much longer?! She's - !"

Her screams rattled his insides as she continued to howl, clutching at her stomach as though she wanted to claw it out, her fingernails raking across the stretched skin and drawing welts of blood.

His father grabbed her hand to stop her from wounding herself any further, desperately clutching at the other from where he was haunched over the side of the bed by her sodden pillow. A soft silvery glow emitted from their joined hands, spreading up the girl's arm and simmering around her pale frame. Gohan could see the beads of sweat evident on his father's knitted brow, a distinct tremble to his lips as well as his forearms which were caked in Videl's blood.

It didn't take a genius to realise that he was feeding her his Ki, though the output of power must have been more than he realised if it was enough to make his father tremble like that. But then again, he realised grimly, that maybe it wasn't just down to the upkeep of transferring his energy to another.

Videl wasn't in an any better state, her hair was so matted with sweat that it was almost slick off her face. The hospital gown she was wearing looked as though it had been dunked in water, and he noticed that she still had a hospital ID band wrapped around her wrist.

Her knuckles were nearly as white as the marble tiles, as she continued to hold onto Goku's hands like a lifeline. The sheets underneath her turned completely scarlet, a heart wrenched sob escaping her as a fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks - that were now borderline grey.

He tried to talk to her, to comfort her through his own fear, but his words fell on deaf ears. It appeared that no one could hear him. He was nothing but a ghost.

"D-Dad…" Videl groaned, her voice weak and hoarse, crying out as another contraction rippled through her.

"Your dad's on the way Videl," his father cooed, obsidian eyes darting about her pained features, "I promise, he'll be here soon."

This wasn't normal.

His mother had always gushed about the raw beauty of birth, particularly around the time when Bulma was pregnant with Trunks. Chi-Chi had said that whilst labour had been painful, she had forgotten all about it once her baby boy was in her arms, and of course, she had gone through it all over again with Goten. So what she had said must have been true, right?

But this…

It wasn't right, Gohan thought, uncaring of the wetness that spilled onto his own cheeks. Videl's screams had a raw quality that was only akin to those he had heard upon a battlefield, the realness of a person consumed by pain that knew no end or limit. She would go quiet for but a few seconds, just panting before her body was possessed by torture once more.

Mister Popo bustled over dutifully, placing a cool flannel cloth upon her head in a vain attempt to sooth her as she cried. Dende's healing hands cast a golden hue over the bedspread, it hummed and bounced off the walls, reflecting in his father's anxious eyes as he continued to feed her energy, desperately trying to keep her alive.

"Dende…," Gohan croaked uselessly, he knew no one could hear him. "Please, save her!"

It wasn't enough. It wasn't working. The blood poured and poured, thicker, darker, heavier now.

"It's tearing her apart," a new voice from the doorway approached. It was Piccolo, a grim look upon his features as he strode into the room with purpose, "Her mortal body can't handle the labour, it's progressing too fast and she can't keep up. If we don't act now then she'll die - both of them."

N-No…

"Fucking ACT then!" The young saiyan roared at his former mentor, "Stop wasting time - !"

He took a breath. It was sharp, like breathing in razor blades, "I-I can't, I won't lose them!"

"Stupid child, you never had them to begin with…"

He stopped short. It wasn't real. Hell.

"Make it stop," He snarled through hot tears, "MAKE IT STOP, YOU SADISTIC BASTARD! I know it's not real, it can't be!"

"It's like I told you, your selfish actions have consequences… how do you know that it's not real, and not a premonition of what is to come?"

"Because I WON'T let them die!" Gohan bellowed, the grief eating at him, "Whatever it takes, I will keep them safe!"

BOOM!

He was blown backwards by the subsequent explosion, the air knocked out of his lungs as he was launched from the room entirely. The door slammed shut with a loud bang, Videl's screams becoming distant before the doorway disappeared altogether.

"Videl!" He yelled, arms springing forwards but reaching nothing but darkness.

He landed heavily on his side, kicking up a long line of thick mud in his wake. Disorientated, he pushed himself upright, smoothing his golden hair out of his eyes and trying to steady his breathing. His ears were still ringing with the aftershocks of Videl's screams, it may not have been real, but the agony he felt from seeing her at the brink of death, her and the baby…

Focus Gohan, he berated himself, slapping the heel of his palm against his forehead a few times for good measure, the tears drying on his cheeks.

Gods he was a mess.

You're letting Hell get to you. It won't happen. It was just a trick. They're safe. So get a bloody hold of yourself and beat this bastard so you can keep them that way.

He breathed out slowly, the dread that had gripped him steadily unraveling him from its clutches. He gazed out at the abyss, small bloody puddles were all that remained of the lagoon now, although he was more concerned with the abundance of broken buildings towering over him.

With the all encompassing darkness a stark contrast to the bright white of the Lookout, his eyes took a little more time to adjust to his surroundings. At first, he thought he had landed in some sort of abandoned city - that was, until he caught sight of a piece of broken driftwood in amongst a pile of twisted metal. He bolted upright, the unmistakable pink lettering of Kame House staring right back at him.

In fact, there were an array of buildings that he recognised, although it was difficult what with them stacked atop of one another like a scrapheap. His eyes were drawn to the creaking threshold of his childhood home, groaning under the weight of a large chunk of yellow brick which looked as though it had once belonged to a part of Capsule Corporation.

The walls of the cottage had long since crumbled, and in their place stood a skeleton of wood, blackened and charred from where flames had ravaged them. The ruins were still smoking, and he could see the faintest glow of embers amongst the rubble as he stood up to full height. Black dust hung in the air, broken glass littered the muddy ground and sparkled like diamonds amidst the destruction.

Melted metal support beams jutted out of place from where they had fallen, and Gohan recognised the collection of half destroyed buildings as a jigsaw of not only his parents house, but Capsule Corp., Kame House, the Lookout, his grandfather's home on fire mountain, Videl's apartment block and even Satan mansion. All of them - gone.

He looked up, where indeed, the broken pieces of Korin's tower floated above him, suspended by an other-worldly force.

"How can you hope to save anyone?" Hell's diabolical words echoed over the abyss, "When you can't even save yourself?"

Gohan's jaw clenched, the timber letting out a painful creak as though it would give out at any moment.

"You're lost, admit it. You're nothing but a lost little boy struggling to prove himself. You have embarked on a path in which you are still so unsure of, and where there is uncertainty, there is no clear future. Your soul is tied down by the past that haunts you and it cannot move forwards. There is no hope for you, nor the ones you claim to love."

"I'm not done," he spat, emerald eyes like venom, "Not even close."

Hell chuckled darkly, "Just look at yourself, Gohan. You are stuck in a limbo, unknowing of who you are, and what you might become. You're afraid of losing everything you had, including that which made you 'good'."

A stray lightening bolt leapt off his aura as the demonic beings words hung in the air. It was true, as much as he'd hate to admit it. He was still so unsure of what he was meant to do, of what he was meant to become. So how could he be so certain of what the future held? Not only for himself, but for his family and friends back on Earth? For the entire universe?

When he had chosen to embark upon the gruelling path of a Destroyer, he had in turn chosen to leave his past behind. But try as he might, he couldn't let go, even after all of those brutal years training under Whis and Lord Beerus. He felt as though every step he took towards the mantle of a God of Destruction was another stab in the back to his parents, and the betrayal had stayed with him. Even though he had told himself that what he was doing was right, that by keeping the universe in a state of balance - he would be keeping all those he held dear safe.

But now, with that balance being threatened, was all the pain and disgrace he had endured thus far worth it?

"Remember why you chose this path," The Oracle had informed him, "Remember who you are."

Indeed, he had chosen this path. He had chosen it because he couldn't, wouldn't let them down again. No one should have to die because of his stupid mistakes. Not again.

"There is a time that comes in everyones life, where one must make the choice between what is right and what is easy," Whis had said all those years ago, "Some a lot sooner than others."

"Alright," the young boy smiled up at the Angel, his eyes alight with a fierce determination far beyond his years, "I'll do it."

Gohan closed his eyes, blocking out the destruction, the imposing darkness, the conniving taunts of Hell -

"Believe," came the mysterious whisper high atop the cliff face in the Kais sacred realm.

…

Piccolo's hand ruffled his hair, making it even more messier than usual, "If it wasn't right, then you wouldn't have accepted the role in the first place. I have never doubted you Gohan, so you shouldn't doubt yourself."

…

"I know that you'll always do the best that you can," said his father, donned in blue and white saiyan armour as they stood in the intimidating vastness of the time chamber. He knelt down to his small height, tapping him playfully on the nose with a gloved fingertip, "And no matter what happens, I'll always be proud of you, understand?"

…

"I just wish you weren't so bloody noble," she sighed sadly, her beautiful sapphire eyes pouring into his soul.

Videl. He wavered, feeling a cold mass of lecherous fingers gripping at his very soul. Whether they were truly physical or not he couldn't tell, instead he forced his eyes to remain shut, delving into the dark crevices of his mind just as Hell had done - attempting to find something amongst the cobwebs.

…

"There are times when, I'm sure even your angsty teenage ass has noticed, that you've let your emotions blind you, becoming so intense that they overwhelm your natural instincts," the harsh gravel of his grandfather's voice crept up from the shadows inside his head, "You're givin' in too quickly to your damned feelings and ignoring what your blood is screaming at you, you're unfocused!"

Focus, damn it! Focus!

…

"Dang, who died?" Makhai joked, swinging an arm over his shoulders, his lanky frame towering over his.

Gohan glanced briefly at the boy's cheery grin in the reflection of the large mirror before looking back at his own glum expression.

"Woah, woah! I was only joking, Sparky!" He whistled, his amber eyes blinking in surprise, "What's with the long face?"

"I dunno, sorry," he shrugged, running a hand through his dark shoulder length hair, "It's just… well, I-I Destroyed my first planet today."

"Yeah," he replied knowingly, "I heard."

A small yet grateful smile tugged at his lips, he had a feeling that his friend's impromptu visit to the Destroyers world was more than just a coincidence.

He nodded, swallowing thickly, "I suppose that it's just hit me a little hard, is all."

Makhai observed him for what seemed like a full minute, "Well, I suppose it had to happen sometime. But you know, the first time for anything isn't all that it's cracked up to be, trust me on that one."

The young teen wrinkled his nose in disgust, "Don't be gross."

Makhai gave a short laugh, "Just trying to lighten the mood."

Gohan sighed, staring at his reflection once more, the garb of a Junior Destroyer suddenly felt weighty and suffocating on his frame, "I knew that it had to happen, but I mean… all of those people just gone forever. All because of me."

An exasperated, overdramatic eye roll was the response, "You seriously need to get over this whole emo phase you've got going on. Look, I accepted the huge fringe and weird music taste, hell I'll even accept eyeliner and black nail polish if it takes your fancy - but you are becoming way too depressing to be around right now."

He shrugged off his arm angrily, "It's not funny."

"You're telling me, holding auditions for a new best friend isn't exactly a walk in the park."

"Piss off," he glowered, though he failed to hide his amusement.

Makhai smiled in triumph as the halflings lips quirked upwards, although his scowl was still evident , "Listen Gohan, you can't think like that. Just think of all the people you've saved by Destroying that planet, if you hadn't then our universe would have become unbalanced. And then ALL of our heads would have been on the chopping block."

"I-I know that," he said, heaving another sigh and plonking himself down on a nearby bed. The boys chamber still felt empty even after all these months, Gohan had even attempted to spread out his things out a little more to make it feel fuller. "But you didn't see the look on those people's faces, Makhai. The look that everyone gives me when they realise that I'm Lord Beerus' successor. They see me as nothing more than a monster."

To his surprise, Makhai snorted, "You, a monster? You fold your socks mate, forgive me if I'm not trembling at the sight of you."

A breathy chuckle escaped him, as the ginger-haired Guardian took a seat beside him, the bedsprings groaning under his weight, "Can't say I don't envy you though. It's not a role just anyone can do, and it's only gonna get harder from this point out."

"I knew that it wasn't going to be easy," said Gohan, "It's just…"

He tailed off, causing Makhai to sigh, "I know how bad you must feel, but think about just how much worse it'd be if you quit now after all you've been through, just because things got a little tough."

"Y-You're right," he sniffed, roughly wiping his watery eyes on the back of his hand.

"Of course I'm right!" His best friend scoffed, "Ugh and can you imagine just how fucking infuriating Kratos would be if you just suddenly bailed?! If you're not going to do it for yourself, me, hell even the universe - promise you'll hang on in there just to spite that miserable old git."

Gohan laughed, genuinely this time, "Thanks, Makhai. I promise."

…

"Get up," Lord Beerus glowered, "Try it again."

Gohan coughed from where he was doubled up on the ground in pain, blood running unforgivingly down his chin, his body aching all over. The long golden hair of his third form had retreated back to normal length, turning back to black, which had displeased his predecessor greatly.

"Get up, boy," he demanded, hovering several feet off of the ground in front of him, "I won't ask you a third time."

"W-Wait a minute," the halfling panted, fingernails dragging long lines into the dirt in an attempt to force his body to move - but it wouldn't, "I-I just need a - pant pant - break."

"A BREAK?!" Lord Beerus scorned, dark eyes reflecting the glorious array of galaxies above them. It was long into the night, they must have been at this for hours by now.

Gohan groaned as he stumbled wearily to his feet, almost toppling back over as he did so. Barely a boy of sixteen, he'd had a significant growth spurt in recent months. His muscles had become more defined, more bulky, and his stature now (finally) rose above Alala's. He almost resembled a man.

He winced, grasping at his shoulder that had popped out of its socket after Lord Beerus' last smackdown, "M-My shoulder, it hurts. I just - pant - need a - pant - moment to -."

Gods it hurt, the muscle fibres ached right down to his bones. It felt as though his whole arm had broken. But his opponent seemed unfazed by his injury.

"What is the point in us stopping before the lesson has sunk into that thick skull of yours?" He snarled, landing gracefully before him, "I'm supposed to be teaching you, am I not?"

"Well, y-yes but -."

"Then let me give you a piece of advice," he stated, his threatening stare boring into his, "There is no such thing as a painless lesson. They just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary, you cannot gain anything without losing something first. Whether it be something trivial like trading money for food, or something debilitating like losing an arm to win a battle. The important thing to note is that if you can endure the pain of loss, and walk away from it, then you'll find that you have a heart - a resolve - strong enough to overcome any obstacle. Even one that seems unbeatable."

Gohan stared, open mouthed at the God of Destruction. It was one of those rare moments in which Lord Beerus actually gave him some awe-inspiring wisdom instead of just pummelling him into the ground in one of their training sessions.

"So," he continued with a smirk, a clawed fist unravelling and beckoning him forwards, "Why don't you find that resolve that I know you have inside of you to ignore your boo-boos and come at me with everything you've got?"

Endure it. And walk away.

…

"Stop letting everything else consume you, that's the only way that you're gonna make it fit right!" His grandfather's determined bellow roared through his entire being, "Let go of your damned FEAR and get over yourself!"

Let it go.

…

"Gohan, let it go."

Android Sixteen…

"It is not a sin to fight for the right cause. There are those who words alone will not reach."

It's not a sin.

"Let it go."

He had to let everything go.

His eyes snapped open at that moment, a wave of acceptance washing over him. He felt it all at once, a sudden rush of tranquility that fuelled the adrenaline that followed.

It was like someone had set off a firecracker into the dark, as his golden aura surged with a shockwave of electricity. It swelled and sparked around him, flickering vibrant shades of multicolour before finally settling on an alarming crimson. Like a frenzied fire that enveloped him, his long, now red hair whipped around his strong shoulders in the feral winds his power had created.

The breathtaking pressure levelled the decimated buildings in one fowl swoop before they were swallowed by the void, no longer serving their purpose. Yet Gohan remained standing, drenched in scarlet light like a shining beacon that cast imposing shadows in the blackness.

Hard crimson eyes were now in place of emerald, as the sound of his shuddering power clattered through the abyss.

"Oh? What's this?" Hell chimed, seemingly bemused by the fire ignited within him, "A second wind, perhaps?"

"You know Hell, I've got to admit that I've never been up against anyone like you before," said Gohan, the confidence in his sonorous tone undeniable, "I'll even admit that you're right, maybe I am afraid of losing everything, and that's precisely why I'm going to defeat you, so I can make sure that never happens."

A round of sickening laughter penetrated the dark, "Such bravery! But it can only get you so far, Son Gohan. One last ditch effort isn't going to save your soul from damnation, even with divine power!"

The teenager scoffed, "You really think that after everything I've been through, that I'm going to just lose to you and your mind games? Well, you've got another thing coming. You might have exposed my flaws, my fears, the pain I that feel every single time I Destroy. But so what? I may have a lot of demons to face, and I'll probably spend the rest of my existence trying to fight them. But I have a lot of people believing in me, and a hell of a lot riding on the outcome of this fight. The point, is that you're nothing, just another demon that I've got to put to rest."

"Is that so?"

Gohan turned, eyes narrowing in disgust as Wrath appeared behind him once more, a sadistic grin plastered across Cell's wicked features.

"Didn't I tell you that it is impossible to escape me, boy?" Wrath hummed, the familiar squeak-tap of his angular feet squelching in the mud on his approach.

"You did," he smirked, slipping into a flawless fighting stance, "But still, I'd like to prove you wrong."

"I see," they observed, fuchsia eyes glaring right back at him, "I may have exposed your sins but I have yet to break your spirit, you're far more of a challenge than I had first anticipated."

Gohan's lips twitched, "Nope, just stubborn."

Wrath's nostrils flared in anger, as the young saiyan phased out without a moments warning. There was a earsplitting CRACK that rang out across the void a millisecond later, as Gohan smashed his fist into his targets jaw, sending Wrath soaring through the frigid air before they landed in a pitiful heap in the mud.

Wrath sprang up almost immediately, using Cell's wings as momentum before cracking his broken neck back into place with a sickening POP.

Well, that was disturbing… the teenager thought.

"Your brutality is but another stain upon your - OOF!" Wrath was cut short, as Gohan's elbow plunged into their sternum.

A wad of blood and saliva spewed from their lips, as the teen followed up in his attack in a swirl of Godly Ki, his boot cracking across his opponents armoured skull and sending them flying. He was quick to meet the wretched being, phasing in front of them before they landed and delivering another deadly punch to their gut.

Wrath's subsequent cries of agony had barely escaped Cell's lips, as Gohan spun on his heel, unleashing a crimson blast from his palm that disintegrated the ghostly sin to ashes.

There was a short interlude of silence, where he watched the dust particles filter past his aura. That was, until the sound of a slow applause came from behind him -

"A valiant effort," Wrath mused, strutting out from the shadows and clapping Cell's hands together, "Though still not enough."

"Seriously," he said scathingly, rolling his eyes, "Just how many times do I have to kill Cell?!"

"As many times as it takes for you to give in," they leered, "So why bother with this pointless charade? This can all end in an instant, if only you give your soul to me."

"The answer is no," Gohan shot back, "With a side of fuck you."

Wrath smirked, "Pity."

And then, a vibrant blue hue eclipsed them, as Wrath cupped Cell's hands to the side in an all too familiar pose. Fuchsia eyes reflecting the brilliant glow, the gloating laughter of his old enemy ringing out across the void as he chanted.

"KA - MEH - HA - MEH - !"

Gohan was more than ready to oblige, a wicked grin playing on his lips as he copied his opponents stance, the dazzling brightness of his own Ki illuminating his palms and contrasting with his crimson aura.

"KA - MEH - HA - MEH - HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

He unleashed the swirl of white hot energy just as Wrath did, their combined roars reverberating throughout the darkness. The beams clashed, swelling with magnificent power and light so that it created an enormous dome in the centre.

The ground shook beneath their feet, the wet mud drying rapidly from the heat and cracking apart so that a twister of dirt billowed around them. An enormous shockwave dispelled the air as soon as the blasts connected, sending tremor after tremor rushing through the void and escaping to only who knows where.

"You cannot win oh great Super Saiyan God!" Came Hell's voice over the screech of battling energies, "No matter how much you fight against me, you will never escape the darkness within, the shame that lies heavy on your soul!"

"There is no shame in falling, Hell," Gohan spouted over the thunderous attack, beautiful blue flames dancing before him as they exuded from his palms, "The shame is in not standing up again!"

Vrooooooom!

The power grew, bright and glaring in the dark, eclipsing Wrath's beam of light and prompting Hell to snarl.

"You're in denial!" The voice sounded angrier, more desperate, "Like an all consuming ache that you can't possibly ignore! A desperate storm raging within! The wounds upon your heart may heal, the blood may clot and stop more from flowing forth - but it has already left many a scar!"

He snorted, holding his own, not even breaking a sweat. "Then I suppose that I'll just have to wear them with pride."

"Stupid child, what hope do you have?!"

"Well, the fact that I'm only using about eight percent of my power right now stands me in pretty good stead I'd wager," said Gohan, smirking deviously through the vibrant blue and clashing red of his aura.

"WHAT?!" Hell shrieked, the horror and shock reflecting in Wrath's fuchsia eyes on the other side of the chasm.

"You spoke a lot about my flaws," the teenager spoke darkly, "But I have to say, your biggest flaw has to be your stupidity. I mean, what sort of supposed omnipotent being is stupid enough not to realise when their opponent has been stalling for time?"

"You insufferable wretch! You DARE to mock me?!" The raw, all encompassing voice clamoured out of the vacant air, "I WILL REAP YOUR SOUL AND I WILL REAP IT NOW!"

"Fine by me!" He called, "Only you might want to give your little puppet here a heads up before you do!"

"Just what are you - ?!"

KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Hell screamed with undeniable rage, as the sharp point of a giant blood red arrow tore through the empty sky. It ripped a jagged hole right through the abyss, a distant pinkish hue of light escaping the opening as the Mass Extinction breached the prison of darkness.

It soared like an enormous rocket overhead, making a beeline for Wrath and causing the ghost of Cell to waver - distracted by the giant spear of energy. Gohan yelled, thrusting his hands further forwards as his muscular arms bulged with power. His Kamehameha Wave exploded tenfold, erupting outwards, quickly taking over Wrath's and obliterating Hell's favourite puppet in an instant.

It continued to surge and spin across the desolate void, colliding with Gohan's signature attack as planned. It detonated in a thunderous earthquake, the massive explosion blowing the teenager's long crimson hair back from his face and prompting him to shield his head with his forearms.

The worst of it dwindled, but the tremors still remained, sending vibrations rocking through the air one after another. This was his chance! He thought, praising his own quick thinking as he kicked off from the ground into the air, rushing towards the mammoth hole he had created.

"You BRAT! How dare you trick me!" Hell's arduous tone bellowed over the resounding convulsions of power, "I told you that you can't run from the inevitable, how can you hope to escape me forever?!"

"It's like I told you, Hell," Gohan paused in midair, giving the void one last blazing look of resentment, "I'm all kinds of stubborn."

The subsequent cries of fury were lost on him, as the teenager blew his red aura around him and fired himself through his DIY exit. Leaving the ruinous void behind him, he was almost relieved to be greeted by a sky full of colourful jellybeans and an array of twisted mountain peaks that lay beyond the horizon. Dark clouds and rippling crimson lightening bolts thrashed across the warped purple sky, just as he had left it.

Although, he frowned, he could also depict hundreds upon hundreds of swirling vortexes dotted around the desolate landscape, that no doubt led to the living realm as he flew. There was no sign of Janemba from what he could see, nor anyone else for that matter.

He breathed out a shuddering breath, the reality of his brush with Hell itself suddenly hitting him full force. He slowed in his flight momentarily, allowing himself a moment. Attempting to calm himself down and force the damning echo of Videl's agonising screams from his mind -

No, he couldn't afford to dwell on that right now. First things first, he needed to make sure that his grandparents and Raditz were okay, before he gave that dastardly demon Janemba what for.

Speeding through the suffocating air and soaring temperatures as fires raged dangerously below, he realised that he didn't have the faintest idea as to where he was going. He stretched out his senses urgently, but was frustrated to find that they were too overwhelmed by the amount of crippling dark energy surrounding him.

He pulled back a little, the icy chill threatening to bring his alcohol-fuelled headache back full force, when at the last second something familiar broke through the fog. It sparked from somewhere way up ahead, and Gohan wasted no time in rocketing forwards, allowing his divine speed to take control. A sonic boom rippled over the atmosphere, blowing back the sludge-like clouds and revealing the chopped up belly of Snake-Way above.

He careened to a halt as soon as he reached the spark, and it was no wonder that it had stood out so prominently above everything else, including the pair that flanked him. He could hardly believe his eyes when he managed to skid to a stop in midair, and it seemed that the person as to whom the bright Ki belonged to couldn't believe his eyes either.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!" His grandfather roared, positively furious, spit flying from his mouth as he leered over him.

Gohan gaped, spluttering madly as the brilliant golden glow surged around the man in glorious waves of light, "G-Grandpa… y-you, you're a-a super saiy - !"

"I FUCKING KNOW!" Bardock yelled, his dazzling gold hair standing upright on his head in much the same manner as his father's did when he transformed. "I thought that dumb fuck had obliterated your stupid punk ass!"

The teenager felt a sudden, unexpected warmth appear in his chest, "S-so you… because of me - ?"

"Don't get sentimental kid!" He snarled, his hulking muscles pulsating with newfound power, "The ONLY reason I reached this form is because you're the only damned hope we have of keeping this stinkin' universe from going bye-bye, so no you equals no universe, which means no fucking easy retirement for me!"

Gohan couldn't help but gulp, as his grandfather's steely emerald gaze seemed to burn right through him. There really was no fury like a newly transformed super saiyan, and it appeared that Bardock was no exception to the rule.

"Oh I'm so glad you're safe!" His grandmother gushed suddenly, throwing her arms around him and sobbing into his chest. "We were so worried!"

"I'm fine Grandma," he implored, patting her warily on the back as she continued to cry. That was - until she smacked him roughly upside the head.

"Then where were you?!" Gine scolded, smacking him again, her dark eyes fierce, "Do you think it's funny to disappear into black holes and scare your poor grandmother to the end of her afterlife?!"

"N-No I -!" He blundered, cowering as she raised her hand again.

"Yeah, we couldn't sense you anywhere and suddenly you just appear?! Were you sleeping off your hangover or something whilst we've all been getting our asses kicked?!" Raditz chimed in, clearly unimpressed, though managed to catch Gine's fist out of the air and save him from her wrath. "And is that blood?!"

Gohan winced, as his uncle's startled gaze gave him a thorough once over. Although they didn't look in much better condition.

Their armour was in tatters, scorch marks and cracks littering the shiny bodices and broken off in places. His grandfather had a particularly nasty burn on his neck and shoulder, whilst Raditz was bleeding from a large gash on his forehead. His grandmother looked as though she had been tossed into a pile of mud at one point, dirt caking her back, and she was sporting a number of scrapes and bruises to boot.

"Sorry," He sighed, rubbing his sore head, "But I haven't really got time to explain. Where's Janemba?"

Raditz opened his mouth to argue, when Bardock cut across him.

"Busy being an annoying prick and warping everything he can get his demonic little hands on," he stated irritably, "Basically using HFIL as his playground and having a fuckin' whale of a time doing it."

"We can't get close to him with that damned sword of his," said Raditz, "Every time we try, he just swots us away like flies when he's not trying to cleave us in half."

"Bardock managed to get a few good hits in when he first transformed," his grandmother told him, having finally calmed down, "But as soon as Janemba recovered from the shock of the attack he was up to his old tricks again."

"Pfft, whatever," Bardock scoffed, "I still managed to do more damage than any of you useless fucks."

"I take it you haven't had much luck in freeing King Yemma either?" Gohan asked, sighing as Gine and Raditz shook their heads glumly, "Right, well I suppose I'll have to put an end to this once and for all, we've wasted enough time as it is."

"Wasted - !" His grandfather balked, "You're one to talk, kid. You've been missing for the last ten minutes whilst we've been trying to stop that fuckwit from making this shitty place even shittier!"

Ten minutes? He frowned, Is that all?!

"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Bardock yelled in an ungodly blaze of gold, practically foaming at the mouth as he pointed towards a distant mountain range, "Go and defeat that asshole before I super saiyan smash your synapses outta your skull!"

"R-Right!" The teenager squeaked, his flame-like aura bursting around him before he shot in the direction to where his irate grandfather had instructed.

The crimson tail of his energy ignited the sky, cutting through the dark clouds on his approach to the wicked demon who he soon spotted terrorising a group of around a dozen petrified ogres beyond the valley of twisted peaks.

He landed swiftly, backhanding an electrifying blast up into the air just before it incinerated a bunch of King Yemma's attendants. It exploded in a dazzling display, causing the ogres to shriek in surprise at the halfling's sudden appearance.

"Blimey! I-It's Lord Gohan!" One of the larger ogres squawked in both shock and relief, as the others gasped around him.

Gohan didn't turn to acknowledge their flabbergasted expressions. Instead, his hard crimson gaze was fixed on the smirking demon in front of him, whose yellow eyes sparkled with malicious delight as soon as he had made his presence known. A clawed hand lowered from where he had released his deadly attack, the other clutching the hilt of his blood red sword.

"Get out of here," the young Destroyer told the ogres boldly, his fierce stare never leaving Janemba, "Head to the Check-In station. King Yemma is still trapped there, and he'll need all the help he can get."

"Y-Yes s-sir!" "Right away m-my Lord!" They gulped simultaneously, his commanding tone sending shivers down their spines.

They scarpered quickly, leaving Gohan and Janemba alone. The halfling narrowed his eyes, the pressurised power of the Super Saiyan God surging through his veins, "This ends now, Janemba. I won't let you cause any more trouble."

True to form, the wicked demon said nothing. Yellow eyes widened, providing nothing but a portal to the madness within. Janemba's sharp teeth glistened as his smirk grew wider, swiping his blade through the air in one fowl swoop.

Gohan leapt out of harms way as a string of deadly Ki hurtled towards him, exuding from the sword and threatening to slice him in half. The teenager ducked and dodged with magnificent agility and speed, as Janemba continued to unleash wave after wave of razor sharp swipes, his arm blurring in motion as the sword ripped through the air.

Rock formations and the floating spheres above were sliced rapidly apart, but not one strike came close to colliding with its target. It was clear that Janemba was becoming frustrated, as the demon snarled, charging up a devastating blast that Gohan swiftly cancelled out with his own ball of rampaging Ki.

He whirled around quickly, as the shrouding negatively of the demon's energy appeared behind him. Blocks of Janemba's body appeared out of thin air, piecing itself together in an unholy fashion before his fist came flying out of a portal beside him.

He countered in a flash, Janemba's lethal fist all but grazing his cheek before he parried the oncoming blade, knocking it out of harms way before smashing his knee into the brutes nose. His opponent yowled and spat in anger, delivering an uppercut straight into Gohan's stomach before he could so much as blink.

The young saiyan choked, though recovered instantly, forcing his energy into his hands as Janemba's sword came speeding towards his head. A ruinous CLASH reverberated across the hellish sky, as Gohan suspended the blade just above his hair. The crimson locks rippled in the aftershock, and for the first time in this battle, his adversary actually looked surprised.

"So it's a sword fight you want, is it?" Gohan challenged through gritted teeth, "Well, as long as we're comparing -."

A puzzled look crossed Janemba's features, as the teenager raised his energy even higher, crimson flames dancing around his left hand as it held the weapon in place, whilst he threw out his right in determination.

"Give it a minute," he told the fiend from where they were locked in a stalemate in midair, a devilish look about his stare.

A beat of tension, and then a faint whistling that grew louder and louder - heading straight for them. Janemba looked up, distracted by the penetrating sound as something shiny winked at them in the distance.

The small slip in concentration was all that Gohan needed, and with a mighty bellow, he wretched the blade upwards, breaking Janemba's hold. He was too fast for the demon to react, as he followed up with a powerful kick to the gut, launching Janemba out of the sky and sending him colliding through the warped mountain range. A great tower of rubble rained down upon the beast, burying him completely just as the teen caught the strong hilt of the Z-Sword out of the air.

"Well, well, well," Z huffed indignantly, "Look whose come craaaaawling back!"

Gohan sighed, he should have expected a lecture from him after the way he'd acted back in the sacred garden on Lord Beerus' planet.

"This really isn't the time Z -," he started, watching the dust clouds dissipate below.

"Hmph, obviously," the ancient relic chastised, "It seems that you only want to talk when it suits YOU."

Feeling guilty, the young saiyan bit his lip, "Look, I'm sorry for what I said, okay? I didn't mean it. I was… emotional."

"Not to mention downright rude."

"Alright, I was a brat," he admitted, "And I'm really really sorry. But right now we need to focus, I need your eyes on this one."

"YIKES!" Z shrieked, taking note of the deadly demon that just fought his way out of the rubble, a threatening dark aura surrounding his armoured frame, "Who's this chew toy we're up against?"

"Calls himself Janemba," explained Gohan, glaring down at his opponent, "Messing with dimensions. Packs a wallop."

"JANEMBA?!" The sword bellowed in unrestrained terror, "Please tell me that you're joking?!"

"No, why?" He asked, "Do you know him?"

"KNOW HIM?!" Z guffawed, "That menace is only one of the most fearsome beings in all of existence! It's said that he was born from the evil hearts of mortals, cast out into demon realm by the ancient Gods themselves! There is no rhyme nor reasoning to the chaos he creates, just an anarchic being who relishes in inflicting damage to everything he touches! How did he even get here?!"

"King Yemma said something about a build up of negative energy in the universe causing the power within the demon realm to grow," he replied, his eyes narrowing as Janemba gave him a malicious grin from below, swinging his sword around in a circle - almost playfully, "It must have been how Janemba managed to get so strong to be able to cross over to HFIL's dimension, and warp the barriers between Otherworld and the living realm."

Z let out a low whistle, "Well, you've certainly got your work cut out for you this time, lad. How do you manage to get yourself into these messes?"

"Believe me, I'm fed up of asking myself the same thing," he stated darkly, a spark of gruesome Ki illuminating his senses, "But I can dwell on that later - here he comes!"

CLANG!

The Z-Sword flashed as he swiped it though the air, meeting Janemba's blade head on. Steel upon steel sang over the fiery wastelands of HFIL, the baneful tune drumming through his chest and sending vibrations through the bones of his arm.

He forced the monster back, prying the sharp edge away from his own before slashing at the menace with a brutal yet elegant vigour. It was maddening, Gohan fumed, as Janemba's sword clashed expertly with his own. He was a Super Saiyan God for goodness sake, yet this demon was still able to give him a hard time.

It didn't feel right, Janemba shouldn't be this strong, no matter what Z said. He couldn't help but think, as their swords clattered and chimed together in rapid succession, that King Yemma was correct in assuming that Perses' negative force sweeping across the universe had something to do with it - it appeared to be feeding Janemba's evil force and increasing his power tenfold.

SWIPE! CHING! CLANG!

Well, the halfling snarled to himself, his blade almost making contact with the demon's side before he melted out of harms way in that weird block-like fashion of his. He would just have to make sure that he ended this quickly before Janemba got even stronger.

"AHHHHHH! GREAT ZALAMA'S BEARD!" Z screeched, as the swords clanged together once more, "HE'S GOT THE DIMENSION SWORD! COUNTER, GOHAN! DUCK! FAST-STRIKE!"

CLANG! CHING!

"WAHHHHH! OVER TO THE RIGHT! AHHH! WATCH OUT!"

SIIING! SWIPE!

"OH MAN WE'RE SO SCREWED! THE DIMENSION SWORD! AHHH!"

CLANG!

"AS -IF - THINGS - COULDN'T - GET - ANY - WORSE!"

"Will you stop that?!" Gohan yelled, spinning on the spot before leaping over Janemba's head - avoiding another deadly blow, "Your screaming isn't helping me concentrate!"

ZING! CLATTER!

"It's all well and good for YOU!" he yelped, "You're not the one he's hitting!"

The teenager sighed in annoyance, booting Janemba away with a fierce kick to the jaw as the relic wailed again.

"That sword is capable of altering reality as we know it!" He spluttered, "You'd be wise not to underestimate its power sonny boy!"

"Oh yeah?" Gohan glowered, as the wicked demon rose to meet him, yellow eyes goading him, although he looked pretty beaten up, "Well my sword can best any foe. So he'd better not underestimate me either."

"Pfft, no pressure then," Z said sarcastically.

A vicious clang ricocheted over the depths of HFIL, drowning out the relic's objections, as the blades seared across one another once more in a harrowing skirmish. The force of impact sent a plethora of destructive lightening bolts clattering across the atmosphere, the dark clouds groaning in protest.

The final bout was at hand, the battle drawing the attention of the Gods themselves - unbeknownst to Gohan. Shockwaves of mighty power reached to the far corners of the Otherworld and beyond, their fate for survival resting on the shoulders of a sole fledgling Destroyer.

---

Northern Wastelands, Planet Earth.

"Tell me Goku, just where is their hero now?"

The freezing cold rain pounded relentlessly against his skin, bouncing back on contact before joining its brethren on the murky ground, forming deep puddles at his feet. It fell in crazed, chaotic drops, the gusting wind carrying them in wild vortices one moment and in diagonal sheets the next. It ran thickly down his hair, collecting at his eyelashes before dripping onto his cheeks.

He couldn't help but think that mother nature had looked into his soul and wrenched the storm right out of him. For as he stared at the decapitated stone of his eldest son's head, did he feel the chaos leap from his chest, his mind swirling with a dark ruinous fog akin to the clashing clouds far above their heads.

"M-Me?" Gohan stammered, wide emerald eyes blinking up at him in disbelief, "Fight w-with C-Cell?"

"Look, we all know that Gohan is strong for his age," Krillin tried to reason, glancing worriedly towards the boy in question, "But… b-but fighting Cell?!"

"Goku, stop this!" Piccolo snarled, looking positively astounded, "Think about what you're saying! Think about what's going to happen if you maintain this course of action! If Gohan fights with Cell, he's going to DIE!"

"Okay Dad," he nodded, his brow furrowing in determination - trusting his judgement completely, "I'll do it."

A thunderous roar unleashed into the battling Earth sky. Wild and unbarred, Goku's anger, grief and sorrow erupted in a magnificent explosion of power. His golden aura clamoured around his frame, wet hair spiking upwards and turning gold, drying instantly from the hot Ki that poured out of him.

Lightening bolts danced around him, reflecting the electric emerald in his eyes as he set his ferocious stare on the diabolical android in front of him. The already battered flowers and precious gifts had scattered around the wasteland from the force of his transformation - the grave now completely ruined. But it was nothing compared to what he was about to do to Cell.

"Did I touch a nerve?" The evil android taunted, though Goku noticed a slight tremble to his fuchsia eyes that wasn't there before.

"You'll pay," he breathed heavily through gritted teeth, struggling to hold himself together, "You'll pay for what you did to him."

"My, my," Cell mused, "You're just as persistent as ever it seems. But know this, this time the battle will be between just you and I. That is, unless you've got any other sons just as willing to die for you as Gohan was."

Goku snapped, firing himself towards Cell without another word uttered. A small crater formed beneath his boots as he charged at the android in unrestrained fury. His electrifying aura surged around him as he met Cell with a crippling blow, the resounding CRACK informing him that his jaw had shattered on impact.

Blood spurted outwards, vicious purple intermingling with the splattering grey rainfall. Cell choked, as Goku was unrelenting in his onslaught, raining hot vengeance on every inch of green scaled skin he could reach.

If hatred was visible then the air would have been scarlet. Cell stumbled, shouting in some sort of panicked rage, coming at him with a leg - which he grabbed. Elbow strike. He felt the shin bone splinter and heard the cry of agony that followed.

It was like music to his ears, and Goku was intent on causing the brute just as much pain as he had caused him. The loss of Gohan, the fact that his death had ultimately led him on a path that had pulled him away from the parents that loved him, adored him, the heartache that very role of Destruction had brought to both his son and his family - all because of him.

Cell skidded on the thick mud as he attempted to put distance between them, using Piccolo's stolen cells to regenerate his left arm that Goku had blasted apart with the Ki blast that followed. But the earth-raised saiyan wasn't going to fall victim to a break in the fight, and the wicked android was all but left with a veiny stump before Goku was upon him again.

The shady gallows of his mind were fraught with grief, blinding him, consuming him. So much so, that he barely registered the presence of another Ki landing a few feet away. There was so much force in every blow, each hit ricocheted over the wasteland and sent tremors hurtling over the atmosphere, the clouds roared in protest, becoming even darker and quaking with sparking energy.

A short pause, as Cell managed to press two fingers to his forehead and disappear out of range. Goku snarled, his knee strike hitting nothing but air as his senses quickly found his target hovering above him.

Both arms now fully intact, Cell cupped his hands to his side and bellowed, "KAMEHAMEHAAAAA!"

The bright blue beam churned through the skies, burning every atom in way of its destructive path before it met its destination in an explosion of cerulean fire and wet dirt. And as the smoke cleared, creating a thick and murky smog in the rainfall, Goku remained standing. His golden aura surged around him in rapid succession, his stance just as stoic as his features - and even though his jeans and jacket were singed and torn, he was completely unharmed.

Cell panted, his fury building. Gritting his teeth that were now marred with blood, he spat venomously towards the ground, "Y-You! How dare you! Just when did you get so strong?!"

Goku said nothing. Clearly, the brute wanted some sort of tactical battle - a perfect showcase of skill and wit and another chance to prove his power. But there was no way on Earth, or on any world for that matter, was Goku going to give him what he wanted.

He had made that mistake once before. He had played into Cell's clutches many years ago, and allowed him to host a tournament that he himself had no chance of winning. He had given him a chance to flaunt his power, a chance to fight his son and push that same boy to the point of no return. And even though he had every faith that Gohan would win, he had given Cell exactly what he had wanted.

And just what had it cost him?

"The one named Son Gohan is not alive, nor is he within the realms of the dead," the Eternal Dragon had delivered the painful news all those years ago, "I cannot reach him there, nor can I bring him here."

"B-But what does that even mean?!" He had heard Krillin gasp through King Kai's telepathic connection to Earth. His grip had tightened upon his old master's shoulder so hard that it had caused the man to yelp, "You're telling us that Gohan can't come back to Earth?"

"That is correct. Choose another wish."

No, Goku thought, never again.

He attacked before giving Cell chance to retaliate. He didn't just want Cell dead, banished back to HFIL where he belonged. No, he wanted him smashed, obliterated, with nothing left to bury.

Rage and sadness began to fade and its replacement was blackness. It was akin to when he had first transformed into a super saiyan against Frieza, or when Babidi had managed to imprison his mind in the battle with Majin Buu. It was like watching his body at work, his swinging fists blurring in motion and penetrating Cell's every defence. Knuckles slick with purple blood and bits of shredded flesh from where his hands had sunk into his enemy's torso.

Goku, stop!

A voice poked at the corner of his conscious, but it was so small - quiet, and it struggled to break through the heavy blanket of darkness that eclipsed his mind.

Wrenching back his fist, and launching a spinning kick that collided with the back of Cell's skull, he watched numbly as he plummeted to the ground in a mutilated heap. But it wasn't enough.

It would never be enough.

He didn't even bother to use instant transmission to reach him, instead using his own sizzling energy to slingshot towards the vile android.

BOOM!

Goku landed with a nauseating crash, his knees harshly impacting with the ground either side of Cell's body, the force of which caused an even larger crater to form below them. Rainwater poured unforgivingly into the centre, cascading inwards in slopes of viscous sludge.

He loomed over Cell's pained form from where he was straddled heavily across his chest, his golden aura so violent and heated that it scorched the armoured shine of his torso. Punches surged forth with every expelled breath Goku took, barely registering his enemy's gargled shrieks of protest.

He felt nothing yet everything all at once. He was numb to Cell's shouts and sudden desperate pleas for mercy, yet he felt everything that he had ever bottled up inside swell, the cataclysmic pressure building so intensely that the lid burst and out it all spewed in the form of vengeance.

Goku wasn't often vengeful, but right now he was at the mercy of its temptation. It clutched him where it hurt the most and refused to let go. Like a leach sucking out every ounce of joy he had allowed himself to have over the last eight years and leaving nothing but an empty shell.

Faintly, he heard the voice again. It was shouting now. Closer. Or was it the wind? For it howled and waned, as though mourning along with him. It battered against his eardrums just as much as the relentless rainfall pelted his skin. But as quickly as it fell, it was barely able to wash away the blood of his victim before more oozed onto his hands, reaching his wrists, his forearms, and splattering onto his shirt, staining the fabric in a lasting memento.

GOKU, STOP THIS! LEAVE HIM!

There was an awful hollowness to the tone, though whether or not it was because he felt as though he himself were disappearing he wasn't sure. All that he knew for certain was that he couldn't leave. He wasn't ready.

Just like he hadn't been ready to grieve. To say, goodbye.

---

September Age 770, Planet Earth.

Even though the little cottage at the foot of the mountains relished in its seclusion beyond a long stretch of deep forest, it wasn't unaccustomed to visitors. In fact, the mountain air was often filled with the childish laughter of two small boys as they played, their mothers' warnings not to stray too far or bring any unwelcome dinosaurs back not far behind them.

It was a stark contrast to a little over three years ago, where instead of laughter, a thick tension had swept the forest, accompanied by ruinous quakes and tremors as three figures trained for an upcoming battle of which the outcome would no doubt decide the fate of the planet.

So joy was indeed welcomed here, it briefly eclipsed the aftershocks of sorrow that had upheaved the quaint family home not long after that very battle had taken place.

A lot had changed since then, and not all for the better.

Autumn leaves drifted from the depths of the forest and out onto the lawn at the front of the house. The crisp wind danced around a pile of deadened orange and red sycamore leaves, allowing a few to escape the corner they had been raked into.

Numerous orange and blue gi flapped in protest of the breeze from their place upon the washing line, hung out in good faith it was presumed, as the days were now growing shorter and the nights getting cooler and darker. The sun wasn't yet set, the fabric soaking up the last rays of sunshine before it succumbed to the twilight.

The sound of axe clattering against wood sang through the air in rapid succession. It echoed from the around the back of the cottage, drawing Piccolo's attention as he landed.

Goku looked up as soon as his feet touched the grass, allowing the freshly chopped wood to fall to the ground and leaving the sharp point of the axe embedded in the well-used tree stump. He picked up his discarded shirt, wiping the small beads of sweat from his face as they threatened to roll onto his bare muscular chest.

"Oh hey, Piccolo," he greeted pleasantly, tossing the filth laden garment to the disturbed earth, "What can I do ya for?"

The Namekian looked increasingly displeased, his arms remained folded across his chest in a cold manner, his tone just as chilling as his demeanour, "So, you're back."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Goku frowned, following his visitor's gaze to the rounded spaceship tucked behind the mountain of firewood, "Oh yeah. I haven't exactly managed to get this old girl back to Dr Briefs yet what with the changin' season. Did you know that he's retiring soon? Bulma is gonna take over the business apparently."

It was clear that Piccolo wasn't here for small talk, nor did he appreciate it. "You're early. I thought you were going for four months, you've only been gone two."

The cheery smile he was wearing slipped right off his face, "Piccolo, I -."

"You're not going back, are you?"

Goku froze, as his words lingered in the air. The tension between them grew, thick and palpable, and his lack of response gave Piccolo all the answers he needed.

"Typical," he spat, venom in his eyes, "I should have known that you would have given up eventually, but I didn't want to believe it."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Goku replied just as sharply, a dark look about him.

"As if I really need to explain it," Piccolo stated, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"Daddy! Daddy!" An excitable shout interrupted them as a small boy rounded the corner.

Goku's glaring features softened as Goten approached, wisps of spikey black hair falling about him as he bounced on his heels, cupping something hidden in his chubby hands. At aged two and a half, he was already a whirlwind, and it probably didn't help that he was permanently glued to Vegeta's sons side.

Despite his ever growing willingness to be just like his best friend, Goten was incredibly similar to his father - even his crazy hairstyle that refused to stay put no matter how much his mother tried to tame it. He stopped short in whatever he was babbling on about, gasping loudly as he looked up at the tall Namekian with wide obsidian eyes.

"Oh hiya Mista' Piccalow!" He chimed gleefully, oblivious to the tension between the two adults, "What are ya doin' here?! Ooh! Ooh! Have ya come to play?!"

Piccolo's frown only deepened, yet Goku didn't give him chance to reply, instead kneeling down to the boy's height.

"What have you got there, kiddo?" He asked, gesturing to his clasped hands.

Goten blinked in confusion, before he remembered, "Oh yeah! I found a lizard Daddy! It made Mummy scream 'cause I put it in the salad!"

Goku frowned, although he failed to hide his amusement, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as the boy opened his hands and revealed a thin brown lizard, who looked rather startled by him peering over it.

"Why did you put it in the salad?" He asked his son, who replied simply.

"Well, I thought he might be hungry," he shrugged, "And nobody ever eats salad anyway, it's yucky."

The earth-raised saiyan snorted, but attempted to put on his serious face, "You know, just because you think it's yucky, doesn't mean that you can put lizards in it and scare your poor mum. Now why don't you find Mr. Lizard something better to eat in the forest and apologise to Mummy before dinner? I bet she'd love it if you drew her a picture of the lizard instead."

"Okay, Daddy!" He beamed, clutching the reptile lovingly to his chest and scurrying off into the thick bushes at the forest edge.

"And don't go too far, Goten!" Goku called after him, the small shout of confirmation soon after telling him that his message had been received and understood.

As soon as Goten's footsteps retreated, Goku's demeanour changed. His eyes hardened as he stood to full height, glaring right back at his comrade.

"We're not doing this here," he told him sternly, "Not now."

Piccolo's jaw clenched, "I'm not waiting for a convenient time for you to explain yourself. Does Chi-Chi know that you're giving up on Gohan? Or are you planning on keeping that tidbit of information to yourself until people catch on?"

For a split second, Goku's eyes flashed green, "I'm not giving up on him. Look, I don't expect you to understand, but -."

"You're right, I don't understand," he interrupted harshly, his voice rising, "I don't understand why you're throwing in the towel after only three years of searching. You know as well as I do that death doesn't stick. Gohan may be dead but he still needs our help, what do you think he would say if he knew that his father was giving up on him? I bet he'd be just as disgusted as I am."

He was stunned, angered and shocked all at once, "Piccolo, it's not like that - !"

"And I'll tell you what you don't understand, Goku," Piccolo growled, "You don't seem to grasp the fact that Gohan - your son - died in my arms only for his soul to disappear without a trace! I watched him leave, helpless and unable to save him from whatever Hell awaited him. I watched him die. So don't you dare damned well tell me what I do and don't understand, because you weren't there!"

A heavy beat of silence followed, as Piccolo's arduous words bristled into the wind and over the trees and their dying leaves. The branches seemed to shudder from the force, causing even more to flutter to the ground.

This had been a long time coming, it seemed, as Goku had never seen him look so utterly livid. There was a certain desperation to his dark eyes that he couldn't help but notice. It was the same kind that he had seen reflected in his own whenever he looked in the mirror, a hollowness to their depths that made him wonder if they would ever return back to their usual light.

Much like their relationship, for it had been barely a friendship for some time. Piccolo had hardly spoken to him since that dreadful day unless he really had to, and had similarly kept his distance. Goku had given him his time, his space, and tried not to push it. But evidently, that hadn't worked either.

Goku let out a shaky breath, grabbing his blue undershirt and pulling it over his head, "Like I said, I'm not doing this here. Not where Chi-Chi can hear… she's gone through enough."

Piccolo scoffed irritably, though placed a hand on his shoulder as he positioned two fingers to his forehead. In an instant, they reappeared in a forest clearing a good few miles away from the cottage. There weren't any large energies around from what Piccolo could determine, so Goku must have honed in on the Ki of a nearby rabbit or deer in order to use his instant transmission. It was impressive, though unsurprising given the fact that he had been using the technique to navigate through space for the last three years.

An ancient apple tree was their only audience, standing tall above them, the warm September sun illuminating its groves and finding every shade of brown within its withered walls. From deep chestnut to rich mahogany, it was a stark contrast to the thinner trees that led deeper into the woodland. Curling cream bark stood out amongst the dense parade of autumn. Rich gold and scarlet pictured in a beautiful mosaic that led right back up to the distant Eastern mountain range.

Crisp red apples hung delicately from its eclipsing branches, although some lay rotten on the ground from where they had fallen. One particular unlucky apple had gotten caught in the large hole half way up the thick trunk - it was unnatural, as though something had smashed its way through once upon a time - a colony of ants traced intricate patterns up the bark, eagerly feasting on the apple's sunken core.

Piccolo turned his attention to Goku, who stared at the hole in the tree for a second longer than was probably necessary. The man sighed, running a hand through his spikey mass of dark hair before his haunted eyes drew upwards to meet his.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this, Piccolo," he said, "Although, I should probably explain -."

"I'm waiting," he shot back, arms folded and eyes narrowed, "Though I doubt any explanation you have to offer will suffice."

Goku frowned, his lips drew into a thin line, though he remained firm, "Look, just hear me out. You want to know why I came back early, don't you?"

The Namekian said nothing, allowing for him to continue with a tired sigh, "It was for them. Chi-Chi and Goten, I mean. The last time… the last time I was gone, it was for nearly 6 months. Goten had only just started to walk back then, and at that age, going so long without seeing his dad really affected him. When I got back, he… he wouldn't come to me Piccolo, it was like he wasn't sure who I was."

He paused, casting his gaze towards the hole in the apple tree once more, "Chi-Chi and I have spoken about it a lot. And I can't keep doing this to them, disappearing off into space for months at a time. I can't keep abandoning them like that."

Piccolo snarled, suddenly and unexpectedly, "Oh? And yet you think it's alright to abandon Gohan?!"

Goku closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath as the words cut through the air like a knife. As he opened them again, he failed to stop his voice from rising, "Don't you get it? This is killing me, Piccolo!"

A dark bark of gruff laughter hung at the edge of his tongue, "Clearly, not enough."

"He was my son," he bit back, "I would have done anything for that kid, I would die for him over and over again - have done even. I would do the same for Goten, and I have to be there for him too!"

"Yet you sent Gohan to his death," Piccolo scorned, "And now you're throwing the dirt on his grave. This isn't over, Goku, not by a long shot. Gohan is still out there somewhere, I just know it."

"How do you know that?!" He yelled, his voice bristled the autumn leaves, and a withered apple fell from its branch, "You don't know! None of us do! We can't keep kidding ourselves! I've been all across the galaxy looking for answers, prayed in ancient temples, followed myths about gateways to other worlds, asked Baba, King Kai and King Yemma for help and every lead I have ends up growing cold! Not even the Eternal Dragon has answers, I'm doing nothing but chasing my own tail!"

"Save the dramatics," he said snidely, "Do you honestly think I don't feel just as helpless?"

"Then why didn't you come with me?!" Goku asked hotly, still shouting, "If you're that concerned then why didn't you ever come?! Krillin, Yamcha, even Vegeta did but you didn't!"

Piccolo scoffed, his nose winkled as though a foul stench had infiltrated his nostrils, "As usual you fail you recognise what else is going on when it doesn't involve you. If you haven't noticed, we have a new Guardian of Earth to train, which involves a hell of a lot of work owing to the safety and prosperity of the entire planet!

And when I haven't been guiding Dende, I spend every waking moment trying to find and help Gohan! The Lookout his full of spiritual guides and texts of ancient planes, scrolls packed with information about portals to other worlds and dimensions we haven't even considered searching. The answer is out there Goku, and I won't rest until I find it."

"I'm just trying to think of other options!" The saiyan spouted, his voice breaking. "I'm wasting all of my time in space, hurting what's left of my family in the process when I could be searching elsewhere! King Kai said something about asking deities even higher up than he is, b-but …"

He tailed off unexpectedly, the rest of his sentence caught in his throat like cotton, eyes shining with frustration and sorrow, and something much deeper. There was something he wasn't telling him, something he could barely bring himself to say out loud.

"But what?! Spit it out Goku!" Piccolo snarled, as the man let out a shuddering breath.

Goku scrunched up his eyes as the words tumbled from his lips, "King Kai said something that made me think… he said -."

Another breath, "He said that Gohan's soul might have already returned to the planet he was born on … t-that he might have already been -."

"Don't," he snapped, cutting him off. He didn't want to hear it, despite Kami's whisper of wisdom making itself known from the back of his subconscious like it always did in the worst possible moments.

Oh yes, he knew all too well of the possibilities of reincarnation, of especially young souls being recycled from the offset, having not fully completed their journey on the living plane.

"Piccolo," Goku's tears shone clearer, but he didn't let them spill, "What if… what if he doesn't exist anymore?"

Tears never failed to make him despise a creature more, although there was only one such creature that would be able to get away with it in his eyes. For he never mistook his softness for weakness. No, to him, it was just a different kind of strength.

The Namekian's lips curled at his blatant display of softness, though he could feel his own frustration burning away at him. "King Yemma would have known, he would have told us - you - if that had happened, right?"

Goku hesitated, as he spoke again, "Making someone none existent isn't something just anyone takes likely, Goku. Not even Gods."

"M-Maybe you're right," he said, wiping his eyes against the back of his forearm, "Even though I don't want to believe it, and believe me I don't, you can't deny that it's not a possibility."

"Just look at yourself, are you so ready to admit defeat?!" Piccolo condemned, the sky was rapidly growing amber now, the sunset ebbing the horizon. "It's like I said before, this is far from over. And if you think that you can just walk away because it's getting harder to face then you're more delusional than I thought. For once in your life, Goku, think of your son instead of your goddamn SELF!"

Shock and fury consumed him, his mouth falling open, "Aren't you listening?! I've done nothing but think of Gohan - where he might be for the last three years! I spend every waking moment of my life thinking about HIM!"

He snorted darkly, "Makes a change."

"You know, I'm getting real fed up of you looking down on me, Piccolo," he fumed, "You've got no right. You're not his father."

"That might be true," Piccolo challenged, "But I raised him."

"W-What?" He blundered, startled by the statement, anger coursing through his veins all the same.

"You weren't there when Gohan needed you the most," he said, "If you weren't dead, you were off training. He wasn't like you Goku, no matter how much you wanted to pretend that he was. He never trained because he liked it, he never fought for the thrill of it. He wanted to spend time with you, to impress you. And where did it get him?"

"If Gohan hadn't fought Cell then we would have been doomed!" Goku spouted hotly, his eyes flashed green - and stayed there, "Cell would have destroyed everything, you and me both - !"

"So you regret nothing."

"OF COURSE I DO!" He roared, it boomed past the trees and caused their branches to shudder, "I never wanted Gohan to face Cell! I tried everything to reach a level beyond Super Saiyan in the time chamber, and I couldn't do it! Vegeta and Trunks too, we failed and yet G-Gohan… well shit you saw it yourself, Piccolo!"

A pregnant paused lingered in the air, as Goku sighed in a vain attempt to calm himself down. Usually, Piccolo would have found the fact that the goody-two-shoes saiyan just swore rather amusing, but now was certainly not the time. His eyes narrowed, as he spoke again.

"I-I never wanted to send him out there… and it wasn't meant to be this way!" Goku pressed in desperation, "If I had known that Gohan would die then believe me I would have never ever have let him fight!"

"But he did die!" Piccolo growled just as fiercely, "Your stupid oversight killed him just as much as Cell did, and THIS is how you repay him?! You talk about Goten, about being there for him. What a joke. If you ask me you're just trying to rectify the mistakes you made with Gohan."

He blanched for a split second, as the Namekian scorned, "And what will happen when you start training Goten? I know that you sense his potential just as much as I do. Don't forget that he's a child, not a weapon."

"That's not fair Piccolo!" He yelled, "I didn't - !"

"I'll tell you what's not fair," he spat spitefully, "The fact that any kid of yours have to rip themselves to shreds in order to gain your attention. I just hope that Goten comes to his senses before his headstone winds up next to Gohan's."

A blaze of gold, twisting and unfurling from the sudden glow that eclipsed his frame. Rays of rage filtered outwards, intermingling with the biting autumn air. His black hair stood on end as he threatened to reach the next level of his power.

"You take that back," Goku said lowly, shaking with anger as he struggled to contain his transformation. Although, he was tempted to let it come forth.

"Or what?" Piccolo replied offhandedly, however his arms came to rest at his side as he sensed the saiyan's rise in Ki. "If it's a fight you want Goku, I'd be more than ready to oblige."

"Fine by me," he said, his hair swiftly turning golden before spiking even further upwards in a more stagnant style.

A plethora of lightening bolts rippled across his frame as he ascended higher, though Piccolo appeared to expect such a drastic spike in power, his own white aura erupting around his form and creating violent sparks of electricity of its own making.

Piccolo's cape and turban hit the ground in rapid succession, just as the earth began to tremble from the outpour of the warriors' power. Rocks and dirt sprung upwards, escaping their confinement underneath the surface and intermingled with the whirlwind that suddenly surrounded them.

The sky darkened, clouds crashed and let out thunderous cries of protest, as though anticipating the fallout of what was to come. There was a frozen second between stand off and fighting, expressions unreadable. No fear and no invitational smirk.

And then it happened. Piccolo and Goku leapt at one another before any more scathing words could be uttered between them. The resounding clash of their fists sent a rip-roaring shockwave clattering across both earth and sky.

Any chance of a tactical fight was cast aside before the first punch was thrown. There was no glory to be had in the outcome of this particular battle. It was broken. Unfulfilled. And it was evident in the way that the pair continued to slug each other in the face.

Managing to break free with a violent growl, Piccolo grabbed Goku by the back of the shirt and swung, causing the super saiyan to go spiralling through the air. Though much to his annoyance, he disappeared out of sight before reappearing a millisecond later, snatching at his antenna before bringing his knee sharply into his nose.

A sonic boom broke the atmosphere and blew back the clouds to reveal the deepening sunset. Though Piccolo was seeing stars, ignoring his bleeding nose and sinking his fist into Goku's gut and causing him to let go with a gruff grunt of pain.

They were way too overpowered for such a close range skirmish, but were far too angry with each other to do anything about it - not to mention stubborn.

A short yell escaped Goku's lips as his opponent aimed for his stomach again, a bolt of feral electricity jolted across his emerald gaze that was bordering on wild. He broke through Piccolo's guard, taking fistfuls of the Namekian's gi and slammed him to the ground.

Dirt and grass upheaved around them, the forest letting out a baneful groan as the trees were blown backwards, and almost every apple dropped to the floor from above as though attracted by some sort of giant magnet. Piccolo coughed, suitably winded, though managed to catch Goku's oncoming punch mid-swing.

A crippling knee-strike to the sternum momentarily caused the saiyan to stumble, but he was soon upon him again. Snarling, grappling and scrapping with one another as they wrestled in the dirt, there was no clear winner to this super powered scuffle.

But neither showed signs of letting up any time soon, even though they were now suitably bruised and bloodied. That was, until a spark of Ki intruded their senses and a vibrant, white hot blast came hurtling out of nowhere. They saved themselves at the last second, ducking and rolling out of harms way just as the attack connected - incinerating the very patch of earth they had been fighting upon.

Goku and Piccolo stared at each other over the freshly moulded crater that continued to smoke and sizzle in the aftermath.

"And that Trunks, is how you break up the weakling's fight."

Looking up, they found the source of the attack in the form of a very unimpressed Vegeta, who was hovering several feet above them. Despite the intimidating glare he was giving them he looked rather casual, dressed in jeans and a zipped up leather jacket, a bright blue duffle bag slung over his shoulder and his young son Trunks balancing on his hip.

"V-Vegeta?" Goku panted, "What are you doing out here?"

"Trust you to forget our arrangements, Kakarot. The brats' have a sleepover," The prince snapped in annoyance, swiftly landing at the edge of the crater, "Now, what the HELL are you two ingrates doing?"

Piccolo spat a wad of blood and saliva to the ground, "Ask him."

"As if I'm going to get a straight answer out of that clown," he scoffed, hoisting Trunks further up his waist as the young boy impressively matched his father's scowl, "So, care to tell me why you fools are causing earthquakes in the middle of the forest with complete disregard for your surroundings? And here was me thinking you gave way more of a shit about this rotten mud ball than I did."

Goku's frown deepened, though said nothing as he dropped out of his transformation, his hair and eyes turning back to black. Piccolo too, looked away, instead wiping the thick trail of blood from his chin.

A vein in Vegeta's temple throbbed, "No answer? Really?! You're both acting like a couple of maidens! What, did you lose your balls as well as your pride in that pathetic little scrap you just had?! If you're going to fight so recklessly then at least make it interesting to watch, the boy here could pick up some bad habits."

Trunks blinked curiously up at him, as Piccolo snarled angrily, "Back off, Vegeta. This has nothing to do with you!"

"On the contrary, I'll think you'll find it does," he shot back, "My whelp has an appointment with Kakarot's demon spawn, and this ridiculous cat fight is making us late, which means you are cutting into my relaxation time. That makes me mad, and my woman bitchy. Which makes me want to kill something. So spill before you BOTH become the something."

Goku sighed, heavy and ragged, a nasty bruise marring his cheek, "It… it doesn't matter. Just leave it."

"Tch," Piccolo mustered darkly, "Your answer for everything, as usual."

He pursed his lips, trying to keep himself from flying off of the handle again. Although, it was proving increasingly difficult. There was a short grunt behind him, as a sense of realisation appeared to dawn on Vegeta.

"Ah," he stated, a not so subtle roll of his eyes following suit, "Of course."

"What?" Goku asked rather sharply, as the elder saiyan snorted.

"The boy," he retorted, "Do the two of you really think he'd approve of how your acting? Not to mention disgracing the peace that he left behind."

"Vegeta -."

"The only reason that Gohan is as dead as a doornail in the first place is because of that damned saviour complex of his," he asserted, "It couldn't have been helped."

"Bullshit, Vegeta!" Piccolo bellowed, a reddish hue intermingled with the dark amber horizon, the first stars now winking at them from overhead, "You know as well as I do that Goku sent Gohan to his death! It was his FAULT that Cell killed him, and the very reason why he isn't standing with us right now!"

The prince looked unfazed by his outburst, "So he made a mistake. None of us are perfect, including you Namekian."

The warrior in question clenched his jaw tight, as Vegeta continued.

"I didn't see you stepping up after kamikaze Kakarot here went and blew himself up, so get off your -," he paused, turning to Trunks, "Ears covered, boy."

Trunks quickly obeyed, clapping his hands over either side of his head, as Vegeta snarled " - so get off your fucking pedestal, un-bunch your panties, put on your big boy turban and take a good hard look at yourself!"

Before either of them could speak, he had already rounded on Goku.

"And YOU!" Vegeta scorned, jabbing the saiyan hard in the chest with an accusatory finger, "Did you honestly think you were going to nip up to space as easy as going out to get milk and expect to find the brat in a week?! In case you haven't noticed, Kakarot. Space. Is. Fucking. Big!"

"And if I wanted to watch a pair of school girls scrap over which one of them loves Gohan more, then all I'd have to do is stand at the foot of his grave every damn year on the anniversary of the Cell Games!" He continued to shout, "I expect this level of bitching from teenage girls, NOT from experienced warriors like you!"

A stunned beat of silence eclipsed them, as Vegeta's arduous tone clattered through the darkening sky. Deeming it safe now that his father had stopped shouting, Trunks uncovered his ears just as Piccolo sneered.

"Enough of this," he said lowly, grabbing his discarded cape and turban before lifting into the air, "I'm leaving."

Vegeta grunted in annoyance, clearing unbothered by the Namekian's exit.

"Piccolo -," Goku started, coming to his senses somewhat. Vegeta was right, this fight really was stupid, and he couldn't let his old friend just walk away without sorting things out. But just as he had feared, it was too late, as Piccolo turned abruptly at the sound of his voice and glared daggers down towards him.

"Do you want to know what Gohan said? Before he died?" He asked coldly, catching him off guard. Although, he had a horrible sinking feeling that he was going to tell him anyway - and he did. "He said he was sorry."

"S-Sorry?" He asked uncertainly, "What for?"

"I don't know," he replied shortly, turning away one final time and running his gaze over the beautiful twilight as it approached, "Maybe ask him yourself when I find him. That is, if he can even stand to look at you. I know that I'm having a hard time doing so lately."

With a burst of fiery white Ki he was gone, leaving a soft trial of energy behind him. A horrible ache attacked Goku's chest, and he barely heard Vegeta call him to get a move on as the guilt and regret sunk its lecherous claws even further into his heart.

He watched the last remains of Piccolo's energy filter into the atmosphere, leaving nothing behind. It disappeared just like Gohan had, without so much of a trace. And even though he had told himself that he hadn't given up on his first born like Piccolo had suggested, the feeling of defeat lay heavily on his soul.

After all, he thought, staring at the small wisps of white as they vanished, he felt like he was doing nothing but chasing mist.

GOKU!

Again, again and again knuckles pounded upon bone, thick leather-like skin breaking and muscle fibres tearing apart.

He was drenched, so much so that he couldn't tell where the rain ended and the blood began. It intermingled with the deep puddle of freezing cold as Cell sunk further into the mud, water flooding half of his body now, teasing the corners of his gasping mouth and threatening to invade his lungs.

He wanted to end him, he wanted to end the sadness, guilt and regret - the emptiness that plagued him.

STOP!

No he wouldn't, he couldn't.

He raised his fist in one final motion, terror flashing in what was left of Cell's bleeding features. When suddenly -

WHAM!

Long green fingers wrapped around his forearm, strong enough to stop him in his tracks. His golden aura blew back from the force, flames of furious light wavering in protest. Blazing sheets of fine droplets cascaded downwards in the deadly silence that followed, the tension mounting in the electrifying air. The deep puddle rippled from the impact of rainfall, a distant roll of thunder rumbling overhead.

And as he finally locked eyes with the tall Namekian before him, he felt his blinding grief and anger quiver, and the shame begin to creep through.

Piccolo's sharp nails dug into his skin before he could speak, dragging him upwards and shoving him off of Cell completely. Goku skidded in the pool of rapidly building blood and water, boots squelching in the thick mud. Shocked that he would push him away, the bubbling fury returned full force.

"Stay out of this Piccolo!" He snarled, lurching towards his enemy once more.

But Piccolo stood his ground, arms folded and a ruinous glare revered only for him, it acted like a solid brick wall between him and Cell.

"Why should I?" He stated ruinously, his cloak billowing in the breeze of wind that roared past them, "You've done enough!"

"N-No!" He cried, a sudden tightness to his chest, "I-I have to finish him!"

His old friend stared him down, "He's already long dead, Goku. What good will it do?"

"I-I - !" He faltered, his breathing laboured and he could feel the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, "I have to - !"

Piccolo's eyes flashed, baring his sharp fangs as he spoke, "I know. I'm furious too, but would this really make you feel better?!"

Goku's eyes widened, the wetness threatening to spill over. His vision blurred.

"For once, think!" He spat, "How would Gohan feel if he saw you in this state?! Is this really how you go about honouring your son?! Pull yourself together!"

A striking realisation cast out the blackness in one fowl swoop. And Goku felt incredibly sick. He felt a warmth roll down his cheeks, intermingling with the freezing rain as it continued to pour.

Emerald eyes drifted over to Cell's crumpled form. He was still breathing, barely. But the rest of him was hardly recognisable amongst the blood and mesh of broken flesh, his shattered jaw sticking right out of his skin and his face caved in in places. It was a mess.

Great Kami, just what had overcome him? What had he done?

He collapsed onto his knees, no longer able to hold himself upright. He let go of his transformation completely, golden aura snuffing out as easily as blowing out a candle. His hair and eyes returning back to black. The pool of water splashed against him as he fell, no longer able to look Piccolo in the eye.

"I-I," he tried, utterly defeated.

He suddenly felt as though his own insides were toxic, wishing nothing more to erase the poison from his veins so that it no longer interfered with his mind. It was just like when Babidi had turned him into that monster, and he no longer felt like him.

He had done unspeakable things, that he was certain of. But it had been Piccolo who had finally managed to get through to him - somehow, even though Krillin and the others had tried their hardest.

And then, a horrific gagging noise penetrated through the fog of his misery, followed by a rasping cough.

"P-Pathetic -," Cell wheezed, choking on his own blood from where he lay uselessly on the ground. It was a wonder how he was able to form words from the gaping wounds in his throat, teeth showing widely though the ghastly rips in his cheeks, "So w-weak … G-Goku, f-falling - into … the s-same s-spiral of h-hell as h-he did. L-Like h-him, it'll - lead - to - y-your … demis - "

He was cut short, as a brilliant spiral of purple and yellow light struck him directly through the heart. Purple blood spurted outwards, as Cell's body stilled.

Goku swallowed thickly, looking down at his bloodied hands as Cell's form disappeared in fine particles of black smoke. It disintegrated into the air, taking him back to HFIL in a spectacular anticlimax. Hopefully, he would stay there for good.

Clearly repulsed, Piccolo snorted, lowering his outstretched arm and rounding back upon Goku. "Get up. You're a mess."

He said nothing, unable to speak as though the shame held his very vocal chords in a vice grip. So he was surprised, when a green hand was thrust into his vision, causing him to look up in shock at the Namekian's disgruntled yet determined features.

"Come on," said Piccolo, "This isn't over yet."

Of course, Goku thought, they weren't out of the woods just yet. He had been so wrapped up in his own retribution, he had allowed everything else to fall to the wayside. And his family and friends could be in trouble.

Grasping Piccolo's hand, he allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. His fellow Z-Fighter quickly let go, turning away from him in that aloof manner he always bestowed upon him nowadays. He should have listened to Videl's warning earlier, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go after Cell by himself, there were so many feelings that remained unaddressed. He had thought he had been ready to face them, but clearly he had been wrong. And it seemed that Piccolo, in his ever farsighted wisdom, had known this too.

His mouth ran dry, "P-Piccolo, thank you."

"For what?" He grunted dismissively, still not looking at him, surveying the decapitated statue and ruined flowers. The rain had started to let up, petering out into a soft patter. "Look at the state of this place…"

"Y-Yeah," he replied glumly, unsure of how to answer. Their relationship had become so strained over the years, even though they had fought side by side against Majin Buu.

How on earth did they wind up like this?

"Piccolo, I meant what I said," he tried again, "You… you saved my butt back there. From myself, I mean. I-I just couldn't stop."

Finally, he turned to look at him, giving him a calculated stare before he spoke, "Don't mention it. I understand."

Goku nodded, a sense of understanding drifting between them. He gave him a small but weak smile, "I suppose I've been a little blind, huh? You're hurting too, I mean. And you have been for a long time. I'm… I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you, like you were back then for me old friend."

Piccolo looked surprised for a split second, before he scoffed, "Don't be stupid."

"No, you know it's true," he pressed adamantly, drawing his gaze again.

"It's not that," he said, frustrated, "I'm - sigh - the fault is mind too. I was.. wrapped up in my own anger. And, Gohan - Gohan said that we shouldn't be fighting about what happened in the past. He doesn't blame any of us, so we shouldn't be blaming each other."

"H-He said that?" He blundered, eyes wide.

"When he first appeared on Earth and I figured out who he really was," said Piccolo. If he was smug about that fact, he was thankful that he didn't show it, "I've spent a lot of time meditating, believe me Goku. After everything, I can't help but agree with the soft hearted brat. And we won't be able to help him if we're fighting amongst ourselves, now will we?"

Goku's smile widened, his chest feeling a little lighter, even though his friend looked increasingly uncomfortable by his expression.

"Thanks, Piccolo."

An exasperated eye roll was all that was offered in response, although he caught the subtle softness to his usually hard face. "Yeah, yeah you've thanked me already. Now let's go, I can sense the others headed for where Vegeta is."

"Right," he chuckled, following Piccolo into the air.

Their auras pushed rapidly through the rain, heading for the dense buzz of dark energy in the East and leaving the flooded wastelands far behind them.

---

Grand Kai's Planet, The Otherworld.

"This is bad! This is bad! This is really REALLY bad!" West Kai cried, his monocle reflecting the magnified image airing on the giant crystal ball in front of him.

"So you keep saying, Westie!" King Kai of the North puffed in annoyance, "And it's not helping any!"

"Well excuse me for being a little nervous!" The shorter deity argued back, frantically biting at his nail beds, "Just about every dimension is at threat of colliding, whilst an ancient killer demon is on the loose!"

"Yeah," the tall, pink-skinned Kai of the South observed, the crystal ball lighting up with a vibrant Ki blast that shot across the sphere, "And all of our hopes are restin' on a deity in training, not to mention a Destroyer."

He deliberately finished the end of his sentence in a hushed whisper, attempting to hide his obvious discontent towards the young Destroyer. The three Kais shuddered in unison, before an abrupt shout cut across them.

"Oi!" Makhai spouted from where he was taking tea with the East Kai a ways off, and causing them to flinch, "You lot have got to have more faith! I trust Gohan!"

"You really think that young lad knows what he's doing?" East Kai asked from across the small rounded table the pair were sat upon, blinking over her dark sunglasses.

Makhai snorted, sipping at his patterned china cup, "Well, I wouldn't go that far."

"Makhai!" Kratos' bellowed from the other side of the busy courtyard, "Will you stop horsing around and HELP already?!"

The Grand Kai's planet, a usually blissful sanctuary for valiant warriors of the past, could now only be described as chaotic. Thousands of deceased heroes had gathered form all over the sacred world as soon as the alarm had sounded about the situation in HFIL and similarly across the rest of the universe.

The hellions that had managed to breach the Grand Kai's domain were quickly put back in their place, However, despite the lower Kais pleas, not one of the deceased heroes had managed to shatter the barrier that led to the Check-In Station, and to where King Yemma was still imprisoned.

The arrival of the Supreme Guard was indeed welcomed, the departed teens having had controlled most of the dire condition of the universe for now. However, it appeared that they were having just as much trouble breaking through the mysterious impenetrable wall as they had.

"Righto!" The ginger-haired guardian chimed, placing down his cup and saucer and sending a cheeky wink towards the East Kai, "Sorry love, duty calls. Cheers for the tea!"

East Kai giggled girlishly, batting her eyelashes at him as she blushed, "Oh anytime. You know that, Makhai."

"You're impossible," Alala rolled her eyes as he finally joined the rest of the Guard at the edge of a tall ancient building.

It was part of the great fortress that encompassed the Grand Kai's palace, the impressive brickwork spread out in a grid like fashion with more circular walls enveloping those. Training grounds and living quarters were separated into sectors, and an enormous tournament stage was visible just beyond the horizon on the other side of the planet.

The planet itself hung under a pinkish sky, though due to recent events the sky had turned into a garish crimson. Black sludge-like clouds had started to creep towards the planet from way way below, and distant rolls of thunder could be heard getting louder and louder as they approached.

Makhai sent a winning smile towards the girl, peering out over the ledge at the seemingly limitless drop below.

"Never underestimate the impossible Alala," he told her, as a ripple of lighting escaped the clashing maelstrom off the edge of the planet, "Speaking of, how are we doing? Good? Bad?"

"What do you think?" Deimos said snidely, firing another blast from his palm which immediately got swallowed by the thick sludge.

"Well, at least we're not exploded!" He grinned, before giving a shrug, "I mean, not yet."

"Will you shut up?!" Kratos snarled, smoke filtering from his palms from where he had just unleashed rapid fire - but to no avail, "Dammit! What is this vile concoction?! It's like it's completely impregnable!"

"It's terrible," Bia shuddered, running her hands up and down her biceps, "It's full of corruption… so cold and dark."

"But not invincible," said Eris, her sharp eyes narrowing in determination, "I believe that a full power shot might just do it."

"Perhaps," said Alala wisely, "But we'll have to be careful. It'll have to be extremely powerful to break all the way through to HFIL, and we can't risk putting the Kais and the warriors of the dead in danger."

"I'm on it," said Bia, stepping onto a higher ledge and calling down to the large crowd below, who were watching the unfolding battle between the mighty demon and Super Saiyan God with awestruck expressions.

"Valiant warriors! Benevolent Kais!" She cried, gaining their attention, "The great and almighty Grand Kai! Please step back and put up shields if you are able!"

"Yeah, we're about to smash this barriers back doors in!" Makhai spouted, as a murmur of uncertainty escaped the crowd, "So you'd better do as she says if you'd rather keep your heads attached to your shoulders!"

At once, the crowd scattered and a flurry of multicoloured shields suddenly materialised, protecting them from the impending explosion.

"Right on dudes and dudettes!" The Grand Kai called from his throne that was front and centre of the crystal ball, giving him the best view of Gohan's ongoing fight with Janemba.

He was a skinny gentleman with the pointed ears of a Kai and a long grey beard tied into a knot at the end. He resembled an old rock and roller with skinny ripped jeans and a denim jacket with numerous patches decorating the fabric. A red bandana held his long grey hair off of his face, and he held a long wooden pipe between his teeth as he gave the Guard a double 'rock-on' salute.

"Don't worry about the grounds," he told them, dark shades balancing on his nose, "Just make sure you don't hit my pad!"

"Received and understood Grand Kai, sir," Kratos bowed respectfully before Makhai interrupted him.

"Ooh! Any chance of recording the fight so that I can watch it on play back?" He asked the divine leader, "You know, just incase we miss anything whilst we're down below!"

Kratos growled, "Don't be so ridiculous! As if the Grand Kai is going to - !"

"Anythaang for my supplier," Grand Kai confirmed with a wink, taking another toke of his pipe and causing him to have a minor coughing fit, "N-Now, y-you kids watch your backs down in HFIL ya here?"

Kratos slapped a hand to is face out of exasperation, as Alala sighed, "Seriously?!"

"What?" Makhai scoffed, "Man's gotta make a trade somehow. Dead hard to keep up after kicking the bucket, believe you me."

Deimos let out a short noise of irritation before igniting a powerful green aura around his frame, dazzling the others momentarily. And then, one after the other they followed suit, causing a distinct tremble to exude throughout the entire planet.

And then one, two, three, four, five auras joined his, dancing around the Guard in flames of magnificent multicolour. The sky above appeared to darken so that it was now almost purple, a distinct tremor quaking the entire planet as their jaw-dropping power began to swell.

"Ready?" Alala spoke over the shuddering earth, her bow and arrow poised, the sharp point glowing with a dangerous amount of Ki.

At once, they enhanced looks of determination, their palms ignited with the embers of their most powerful attacks, fingertips were all that stopped the flames of fury from spewing forth. There was a moment of calm, a beat of heavy silence before Eris' shrill battle cry penetrated the air -

"FIRE!"

Jets of light exploded outwards, slicing through the putrid air in calamitous succession. Green, violet, crimson, silver, amber and gold rushed forwards, spurred on by their creators, criss-crossing, zig-zagging and intertwining in a colourful spectacle. Almost like setting off a dazzling yet destructive firework display.

The throngs of warriors below 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at the sight before them, as with an almighty bellow did the blasts come to a focal-point. Entwined in a deadly force of Ki, a rip-roaring thunderclap penetrated the dark clouds of evil sludge, causing the entire atmosphere to shudder and wane from the impact.

The aftershock forced the crowd back a few feet, a few of their seemingly impregnable shields shattering on impact. Yet the Supreme Guard stood stoic and unwavering, the smoke clearing away in the aftermath of their attack.

That was, until everything set on fire.

"OH SHIT!" Deimos bellowed, as angry flames of purple and black leapt up from the sludge-like clouds, threatening to spill over onto the holy planet and reduce it to ash.

The others were in a similar state of panic, shouting for the crowds of deceased warriors and Kais to create some distance. The inferno only seemed to grow, creating a massive tornado of pungent flames roaring high above them.

"Outta the way! Outta the way!" Makhai hollered over them. He had disappeared without anyone noticing, thanks to his unrivalled speed, and was currently zipping back to them, carrying what looked to be a fire extinguisher under his arm, the nozzle pointing directly up at the fiery monstrosity.

Eris clicked her tongue angrily, "Makhai! There is no way that is going to - !"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The ginger-haired Lethien screamed, charging manically at the giant flames and unleashing absolute hell - er, foam.

The white bubbling mass eclipsed the hazardous flames, unbelievably putting them to rest and leaving nothing but a thick covering of foam over the dark abyss. In fact, it almost looked serene, like snow. Even the remnants of foam filtered through the air like snowflakes.

Although, it didn't take a genius to realise that the barrier was still very much intact.

"Well, that was a dud," Makhai shrugged, chucking the empty canister over his shoulder and ignoring his angry looking comrades that now resembled angry snowmen.

But it was nothing compared to Kratos who was sporting a foamy beard and moustache, complete with matching thick eyebrows that threatened to drop off completely as he stomped angrily towards him.

"What the HELL was that?!"

"Oi, don't blame me!" He blundered, holding his hands up in defence, "It was princess overboard over there's idea - how was I supposed to know that sludge was as flammable as Deimos' underpants!"

Eris and Deimos snarled in unison, taking a threatening step towards him -

"Woah, woah!" Alala spouted, skidding in between them, her dark hair sticking to her lilac features, "Come on now guys, now is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves! This isn't helping Gohan any!"

"That's not the point Alala," Kratos scorned, "That idiot shouldn't have been in HFIL this long in the first place! Not to mention that this fight is out of his jurisdiction as a Junior Destroyer!"

A short pause, as Makhai cleared his throat, "I know that you're being super serious right now, but it's real hard to take you seriously with that old wise wizard look you've got going on."

The Guard snorted, as Kratos viciously wiped his face with his garb, "SHUT UP!"

"Besides," he continued, oblivious to his fellow warriors reddening face, "If you ask me, you're just jealous that you haven't had a crack at this Janemba bloke yourself. You've gotta let it go, mate."

"Makhai please," Bia implored, touching Kratos' shoulder and sending a calming aura washing over him, "Can we just focus on the task at hand? Gohan is - !"

"Gohan is fiiiiiiiine," Makhai scoffed, waving off her concerns, "Do you even hear yourselves? This is our Gohan we're talking about! As if some random old decrepit demon is going to get the best of him. I mean, he made his grand entrance from the TOILET for goodness sake! You lot worry too much."

Suddenly, a strangled cry of pain penetrated the air from the crystal ball below, followed by startled gasps from the crowd and cries of horror from the Kais.

"See?" Makhai nodded smugly, folding his arms across his chest as his back remained facing away from the crystal ball, "I bet that's our boy slicing his ugly-ass head off right now. Betcha old Janemba made a right mess of his -."

"MAKHAI!" They yelled, prompting the teen to finally make sense of the fact that all the blood had drained from his comrades faces.

"Wha - ?" He mustered, spinning on his heel where his amber gaze settled on the alarming scene before him.

A flash of a blade and a cascade of blood was all it took for Makhai to scream, "Oh no, GOHAN!"

---

Home For Infinite Losers.

The searing heat cut through him much like Janemba's sword had driven into his side, grazing his organs as the blade slid right back out of him. It had completely penetrated through his armour, feeling the warm blood ooze from the wound as he clutched his side in agony. Crimson trickled slowly in-between his fingers, drenching his gloves and spilling onto the ground below.

He faintly heard Z screaming profanities in his ears, his entire body going numb for a split second as the reality of what just happened began to sink in.

This was bad.

"Damn it!" Gohan snarled, attempting to stifle a rasping cough as blood gathered in his throat and dribbled from his lips.

Wiping his chin with the back of his hand, he fired the madly grinning Janemba away with a ferocious kick to the skull. The edges of his vision blurred momentarily as he watched him go, although he knew that his attack wouldn't keep him at bay for long.

An odd feeling came over him as he hung there in the sky, one hand at his ribs and the other clutching the Z-Sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white beneath his ripped glove. Gohan had been stabbed before - more times than he would care to admit. But this was different.

It was akin to waking up with that terrible hangover this morning. His movements felt sluggish and a distinct fog threatened to eclipse his mind. He couldn't help put notice that his breathing was a little more laboured than usual, though he was certain that Janemba's sword hadn't perforated his lung. Even if he had, he was a lot more durable than that what with being dead and all.

No, something was wrong.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?!"

Gohan blinked, shaking himself out of his foggy stupor as Z's frantic tone clattered against his eardrums.

"H-Huh?"

"You've got to finish this quickly!" The ancient relic cried, "That, or freaking RUN! That sword's is poisonous you know!"

It took a moment for him to realise what Z had just said, before he positively bellowed at the relic in his hand, "It's WHAT?!"

"Poison, stupid!" He huffed, although he failed to hide the trepidation in his voice, "I told you not to underestimate that sword! It's blade emits a venom as soon as it touches blood! It rots you from the inside out. Basically, delivering a slow, painful, horrifying death to anyone who comes into contact with it!"

Gohan gaped, "Why the hell didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

"I forgot!"

"FORGOT?!" He spluttered blindly, the force of his yell causing his head to spin, "How could you just forget something so important as that?!"

"I'm a sword," Z scoffed, "Not an encyclopaedia!"

"Yeah, you know what, my bad," He spat sarcastically, "It's pretty damned obvious to me now that you're all pervert and no bloody BRAINS!"

"How dare - LOOK OUT!"

He ducked, just as a deadly crimson blast came hurtling out of nowhere. He winced as the heat singed the top of his hair, watching with anger as it exploded somewhere in the distance. An enormous dome of light and fire eclipsed the sky momentarily, leaving nothing left of a distant mountain range.

CHING! CLANG! ZING!

The fight was back on. Red and silver blades clashed and sang over the vast valleys of HFIL. Raging sparks flew from the swords each time they met, their wielders becoming more and more fierce against the other - and more desperate.

Gohan desperately tried to ignore the burning agony eating away at his side, driving the Z-sword upwards and attempting to knock Janemba's blade out of his grasp. But it was no use, a horrific stab of pain caught the young saiyan unawares, exuding from the wound and coursing through his entire upper body.

He jerked, almost falling out of the sky as he lost his balance, though managed to phase out at the last second as Janemba swung his sword in one blaze of fury. Gohan swallowed thickly, bile rising to his throat as a deep crevice blasted the ground apart far beneath them, spewing forth a torrent of lava in its wake.

If he hadn't of moved, he would have been sliced in two.

"It's no use, sonny!" Z cried, "You're too hurt! We've got to retreat!"

"And let Janemba win?!" He snarled, coughing up another wad of blood, "Not a chance!"

"Oh for the love of the ancient Gods! Why, oh WHY did I get stuck with a teenaged saiyan as a -!"

"GOHAN!"

He looked up as his grandfather's deep bellow reached him, along with a sonic boom and a clattering wave of golden light. He blinked, dazed and unaware of what the hell was going on for a second, when a smoking pile of rubble caught the corner of his eye in the distance and the next thing he knew - said grandfather was right in front of his face.

"Hey! Hey!" Bardock pressed, slapping his hands against Gohan's pale cheeks, "You still with me Super Saiyan God? Come on, kid. That hit won't hold that overgrown tampon for long."

Emerald eyes bore into his crimson ones, and he couldn't help but notice the spark of concern within their hardened depths.

"G-Grandpa," he mustered, sloppily trying to bat his hands away, but instead they rested firmly upon either side of his face, "Get out of here, i-it's too dangerous."

"That's why we told mother to hang back," Raditz told him from where he was knelt down beside him, applying pressure to his gaping side with a piece of torn cloth.

Just when did his uncle get there?! And since when was he sat on a boulder away from the battlefield?!

Gohan's eyes widened, as a gripping realisation dawned, "T-This is a lot worse than I thought, isn't it?"

"I'll say," Raditz snorted, although his grim expression lingered as he pulled the compress away from his torso. "What the hell did that monster hit you with?"

Beneath the hazardous cracks in the armour sat the deep wound surrounded by copious amounts of red blood and clots, but that was not the most alarming thing. For where Gohan's white skin should be was nothing but purple - but wait, that was his skin. It spread from the wound to his back and stomach and was now creeping above his armour to his neck.

Dark splotches of black and purple alerted him to the fact that the poison from Janemba's blade was well and truly in his system, rotting every cell from the inside out just like Z had said. And worst of all, it was spreading fast.

"Poison," he breathed, more heavily now. The pressure from Raditz's palms wasn't helping either. "F-From the… s-sword."

"Fuck," his grandfather let out a low and gruff whistle under his breath, before looking back towards him, "You really don't do things by fucking halves, do ya kid?"

He chuckled, but it came out as another rasping wheeze of pain. It was all over his body now, like millions of tiny insects were crawling through his veins, sinking their fangs into every nerve and sending jolts of agony rushing through him whenever he tried to move.

Gohan winced, "Y-You shouldn't be here. J-Janemba could -."

"Even when you're on deaths door for the second time running, you're still soft as shit," Bardock scoffed, "Fact is, you can bitch and moan all you want Gohan. We're staying."

He opened his mouth to argue, when Z chose that moment to interject.

"He's not wrong, there's no way that you can win this fight without help, much less fight at all - just look at you," The relic mustered wisely, resting beside him on the icy boulder, "The venom is spreading so quickly because it is tainted with evil. It doesn't work in the same way as snake venom per-say, it attacks the good inside of you."

Gohan started, tearing his gaze away from his grandfather and looking directly at the sword, much to Bardock and Raditz's confusion.

"It's too grotesque, too negative for your body to fight," said Z, rather solemnly, "I'm sorry sonny, but this might be the end for you if we don't get you some help quickly!"

He was silent, attempting to ignoring the crippling pain as the cogs in his head began to turn. And the relic caught on.

"Don't make it worse by putting a bigger toll on your body and fighting that menace one on one, do you hear me?!" Z panicked, "It's no use! The venom is too strong, and the bad will take over the good until there's nothing left!"

The young Destroyer allowed the ancient sword's words to wash over him, a sudden spark to his crimson eyes as a determined grin lifted itself from his pained and pale features.

"Well then," said Gohan, "I guess I'll just have to embrace the bad."

"Huh?" Raditz spouted in confusion, suddenly alarmed as the teenager clambered wearily to his feet, "Just what the hell do you think you're doing, brat?!"

"S-Somethin' that I should have done a long t-time ago," he said, stammering as another wave of agony hit him.

Bardock looked absolutely livid, "Did the poison hit your goddamn brain already?! Sit the fuck back down, there's no way that I'm letting you go out there! You're injured, slurring your words, bleeding out - not to mention that you look like a fucking blueberry!"

"GRANDPA!" Gohan yelled, pushing out his power so that his flame-like aura burst around his frame, the pressure and heat catching the man off guard.

Ignoring the fact that his entire body was burning from the strain, the teenager stared down his grandfather, "I-I'm sorry, I appreciate the help. I really do. B-But - ow, shit - I have a plan, and I can beat this guy. You just need to trust me, o-okay?"

Bardock hesitated, as Gohan just about managed to stand his ground, "Fine. You get ONE shot. But if you blow it, me and Raditz jump back in, got it?"

"Got it," he grinned, as Raditz looked aghast.

"Seriously?! You're actually going to let him fight that monster when he can barely stand upright?!"

"I trust his gut," said Bardock firmly, before a snide grin played at his lips, "What's wrong? You actually worried about your kid nephew or somethin'?"

"W-What?!" He blundered, his cheeks reddening, "N-No! I was just saying was all-!"

"Right," the Commander said with a roll of his eyes, before turning back to Gohan, "How much room do ya need?"

Gohan all but raised an eyebrow in response, prompting his grandfather to let out an awe-filled whistle before lifting off into the air and pulling a reluctant looking Raditz with him.

Once they were well out of earshot, Z piped up, "Well that seemed like a stupid idea, do you really have a plan?"

"Kind of," he replied, his crimson aura casting shadows over the rocky crevices that currently hid him away from Janemba.

"KIND OF?!"

"Well, it's more of a t-theory, really," he told him, stepping forwards heavily and nearly losing his balance. "B-But I think it might work, o-or at least h-hold the venom o-off."

The ancient relic gulped, "It was nice knowing you, kid."

Gohan rolled his eyes, ignoring him and resting the palm of his hand on a jagged piece of stone in order to steady himself, the other clutching the wound on his side. He took a moment to compose his resolve, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath inwards.

Well, here goes.

"OI JANEMBA!" He roared, his calamitous tone echoing across the deep abyss of HFIL, "I'M READY WHEN YOU ARE, YOU GREAT UGLY GIT! COME AND GET ME!"

A dissonant shriek echoed in the distance, shrill and manic as Janemba's evil force shot towards him like a speeding bullet. His fiery aura wilted slightly, as Gohan drew himself further into a state of calmness and slipped vastly into the darkness.

Death and destruction greeted him with open arms, as if welcoming an old friend. He had toyed with the darkness before, oh yes, delved into it numerous times when he had no other choice. But this time, instead of a fleeting rendezvous, he allowed himself to swim out into the murky depths of his pain - way off into the deep end until he was pulled under the surface.

He had faced his demons here in the dark abyss of HFIL, but now he realised that he needed to embrace them. They were apart of him after all, woven into his soul just like Hell had told him. And if he didn't accept that, the bad broken parts of him, then there was no way that he could win.

With that thought in mind, a negative build up of pressure swelled around his frame. It snuffed out the remaining embers of his aura until streams of purple flame replaced them His hair remained its stark shade of red, though it appeared darker under the deep hue of his aura.

And then, his eyes opened to reveal the crimson iris' of the Super Saiyan God, but just for a moment - did they flash violet.

"Hakai."

KA-BOOM!

Stone and boulder melted away as soon as his aura exploded outwards, nothing was safe from its destructive path - all that was left of the safe haven were thousands of purple particles that filtered into the air, revealing the young Destroyer in all his glory.

The devastating wave of destruction caused the entire realm to shudder from the force, the thick dark clouds blew backwards and hundreds of multi-coloured jelly beans fell victim to the slaughter, vanishing in an instant. A gigantic crater a hundred metres long and wide had formed around the catalyst, who was surrounded by a ruinous blaze of dark purple flames.

Yet Gohan stood strong, no longer hindered by his injuries. The poison had stopped in its venomous path, leaving the skin on his torso stained black and purple, but it had yet to rise above his neck. The halflings glaring gaze fixated on Janemba who had skidded to a halt before him, having nearly been blown away by the crippling pressure he exuded.

A pregnant pause hung hot and heavy in the stagnant air, as the two otherworldly forces regarded their foe. That was, until Janemba decided to make the first move with manic gumption, wildly charging the young saiyan with his deadly weapon raised high above his wicked horns.

WHAM!

Janemba's yellow eyes widened in astonishment, as Gohan caught the offending blade in one hand, not even attempting to counter with his own. A harrowing wind erupted around them, sending waves of dust clouds spewing forth across the crimson dirt. His palm was alight with the corrupted power of the Hakai, which obliterated the Dimension Sword before either of them could blink.

A shower of purple particles exploded outwards, causing the demon to stumble backwards in shock. Snarling viciously in warning, the demon frantically put distance between them as his executioner took a threatening step towards him.

"It's over, Janemba," said Gohan, his sonorous tone echoing around the barren wasteland, "Your time is up."

---

Grand Kais Planet, The Otherworld

"HOLY ZALAMA'S UNDERPANTS!"

"Makhai, please - just for once can you show an air of decorum?" Deimos sighed, rolling his eyes at the ginger-haired Guardian.

"Oh shove off Deimos!" Makhai shouted, "You all FEEL that, right?!"

"Of course we do, stupid," Eris griped, tearing her gaze away from the dazzling purple light emitting from the large crystal ball, "I wouldn't be surprised if Gohan's power could be felt all the way over in the next dimension right now."

"Tch, I wouldn't go that far," Kratos grumbled, moodily folding his arms across his broad chest. "It's not that impressive."

"You're joking right?!" Makhai scoffed, "Even that nasty old demon looks like he's about to piss himself!"

Bia sighed hopelessly at her comrades, as a small voice interrupted them.

"Er, excuse me, y-you er - you don't think that Lord Gohan is going to D-Destroy HFIL, d-d-d-do you?" one of the deceased warriors approached them in the packed courtyard, who looked equally just as terrified as her comrades.

"Who KNOWS!" Makhai said cheekily, grinning from ear to ear, "He's pretty ticked off right now, he might wind up erasing the whole of the Otherworld if it takes his fancy!"

They gulped simultaneously, one blue-skinned amphibian looking warrior even bursting into tears.

"Oh ignore him!" Alala chimed in, coming to the rescue, "Gohan knows what he's doing, he's not going to put anyone in danger."

"How can you be so certain?!" A green-skinned alien scorned, dressed in white robes and a turban, he almost resembled a Namekian.

"Because he's our friend," said Bia, her beautiful eyes cutting through the warrior's glare, "And you would be wise to trust his judgement too."

"Yeah that and I've never been so scared of Gohan in my entire afterlife!" Makhai practically squealed, clearly loving every moment.

"MAKHAI!"

"What?! It's freaking awesome!"

---

Orange Star City, Planet Earth.

For a few moments, it appeared that their victory had been short lived. For as soon as the mighty saiyan prince had blasted Frieza apart with a final flash of hell and fire, did the vortexes high above Orange Star city start to wane and shudder, and outpoured a tremendous pressure that sent Earth's greatest protectors tumbling to their knees.

"What the hell is that?!" Vegeta snarled, struggling back to his feet as tunnels of wind erupted from the great rips in between dimensions.

"I don't know!" Yamcha called worriedly, "But whatever it is, I don't really want to stick around and find out what's causing it!"

By now, all the Z-Fighters had gathered in one place, having finished clearing out their designated cities of evil doers. Vegeta, as to be expected, had taken his time in dealing with Frieza which allowed for the rest of the gang to gladly watch the remaining fight… er, beating.

Trunks, Goten and Marron had been particularly enthusiastic with their commentary, which had resulted in the evil emperor lose his temper and ultimately the battle when he had threatened Vegeta's son.

Their subsequent cheers had soon been silenced, as the sudden overwhelming force had threatened to crush their bodies as well as their hopes. A horrible feeling of dread reaching into their very souls, winding, twisting and distorting their resolve until all that was left was nought but doom.

"Quit whining Yamcha," Piccolo shot back, although a bead of sweat trickled down his brow. He and Goku had appeared not long after Frieza's defeat, only to be greeted by such a terrible surge of negative energy. "Whatever it is, it's no friend. It's too dark… unholy."

"Well duh, Green Man, it's coming from HFIL by the looks of it," Android Seventeen scoffed cooly, dark eyes darting to one of the quivering vortexes.

Before Piccolo could offer a disgruntled retort, did Goku pipe up, "You're wrong, Piccolo."

"Excuse you?" He snarled.

"S-Sorry," the saiyan chuckled, one hand reaching towards the back of his head, their relationship not quite fully healed just yet, "It's just that I don't think it's an enemy… I-I think, I think that power is Gohan."

They stared.

"A-Are you sure Goku?" Krillin blinked up at him, "I mean, don't you think that power is a bit too -."

"He's a Destroyer now Krillin," Goku said firmly, "And don't you think that negative force is similar to what we all felt back on the ship at Bulma's birthday? Not only that, but I can feel something familiar beneath the darkness."

There was a mixed murmur of agreement and denial between them, when Videl spoke.

"I can feel it too," she said, causing them to look towards her in astonishment. Her fierce sapphire eyes were shining with emotion, but she kept her voice stern. "I-I don't know how we can sense him, maybe it's through the vortexes or through his strength alone I'm not entirely sure. But I just know that's Gohan."

And just like that, did an all too familiar voice escape the swirling maelstroms hanging in the sky.

"It's over, Janemba," it said, booming over the empty streets, its tone both commanding and condemning, "Your time is up."

Jaws hitting the ground, Master Roshi whispered, "Well, I'll be. It really is him."

As the rest of the Z-Fighter's erupted into excited cheers and hollers, egging the young saiyan on even though they had no idea if he could hear them or not, Goku grinned. He grinned wider than he had done in a long time, and casting his eyes towards the atmosphere, he sent all his love and strength towards his eldest son in the hopes that it would reach him in this - the final hour that they had been waiting for.

"Do it, son."

---

On an unknown world…

Underneath a vast array of stars and galaxies, the body-snatcher turned to their companion, "Do you sense that?"

"Oh yes," the thief grinned pleasantly back, though their eyes were tainted with malice, "Not long now, my dear friend. Not long now."

---

Home For Infinite Losers.

It was as though his blood had become acid, intent on destroying him from the inside out. It bubbled and burned and coursed through his veins in venomous waves. Although Gohan wasn't sure if the damning feeling was due to the remaining poison in his system or the fact that he was emitting such destructive might that it was beginning to take a toll on his already wounded body.

The strength of the almighty Super Saiyan God combined with the devastating Hakai was almost overwhelming, for he had never combined them so powerfully before now. But it was like Grandpa Bardock had said, he needed to control the anguish and rage that had always fuelled his power, rather than let it control him. And for the dastardly Janemba, doing so meant it would be his end.

"I'm going to give you one last chance to convince me not to wipe you from existence," said Gohan, his crimson stare narrowing dangerously at the demon, "But given your aversion to conversation during this fight, I highly doubt you're going to sway me on this one."

Janemba all but smirked, much to the halflings displeasure, instead throwing back his horned head and unleashing manic barks of laughter towards the sky. His cackles reached far and wide, battering against his ear drums in annoyance.

Gohan snorted in distaste. There was just no reasoning with the brute. It was clear that Janemba had no goal of sorts. He was the sheer embodiment of chaos, and was content on unleashing it on whatever dimension he could sink his wicked claws into. And there was no tolerating it in this universe. The one that Gohan had sworn to protect.

"So that's your answer," he observed coldly, as Janemba's chilling laughter came to an end, "I hope that you've made peace with your decision, Janemba, because you'll have no chance to reflect on it once you're obliterated."

"Woah! Hang on a tick!" Z cried suddenly from where the young saiyan still had hold of the relic in his hand, "You can't just Destroy him without authorisation! Think of the trouble you'll be in with Whis and Lord Beerus! You're already on thin ice!"

"I'm more worried about the trouble the universe will be in if I don't put an end to this right here, right now," Gohan told him sharply, his dark stare never leaving Janemba, "Don't you get it? If the walls between dimensions go down, that means that the barriers around the void will fall too and Perses will be free. And until that happens, I want to be ready so that I can beat him!"

A crackle of violet lightening bolts rippled over his frame, prompting his violent aura to grow in size. His muscles contracted and bulged with catastrophic might, the air sizzling with electrifying grandeur as the teenager readied himself to attack.

Sensing his end was near, Janemba let out a calamitous screech of fury and desperation,and charged towards Gohan in a tornado of black and crimson energy. Pointed fangs glinting in the clashing light of their auras, the demon opened fire - unleashing a devastating rain of blackened spheres from his palms.

Yet it was no use, for as soon as the blasts touched the surface of Gohan's aura, did they disappear from existence altogether. The strength of the aura of Destruction overpowering Janemba's attacks effortlessly, so effortlessly in fact that the teenager didn't even attempt to move.

He smirked at the look that swept across the demon's features, recognising it all too familiarly as one of pure fear.

Then, in an instant, the young Destroyer disappeared, leaving Janemba reeling. The evil being whipped his head around, clawed fists clenched ready to strike should the halfling suddenly spring up from out of -

"Psst, behind you."

Janemba had no time to react, as Gohan struck from behind with a ferocious kick to the spine. The demon monster was sent flying across the deserted plane, before the teenager met him head on, phasing out and reappearing before he landed.

BOOM! CRASH! WALLOP!

He moved so fast that all that could be seen were the indents of Gohan's fists in Janemba's torso. The brute had no choice but to dodge, too injured to melt away, as the Z-Sword shot towards him from out of nowhere like a boomerang, slicing off the tips of his horns before vanishing once more. He roared in agony, blood and spit flying from his mouth as the halfling appeared again, his sharp knee impacting with the side of the demon's skull and sending him colliding with the dirt.

The crimson and amber mud picked up in a long jagged line as Janemba's body skidded across the ground. Viscous globules of blood dripped from his chin as he struggled upright, gasping for air as his chest was gruesomely caved inwards.

Gohan landed silently a few feet away, his purple aura humming around his frame in a solemn cradle. Deep red eyes met a desperate yellow, and the halfling all but wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"The trouble is with beings like you, Janemba, is that you always fail to realise that where there is evil, there will always be good to rise up against it," he stated, swinging the ancient relic around in one hand, "Even if that good has to get their hands dirty in order to overcome it."

In one last wretched attempt, Janemba's aura blasted around him before he feverishly hurtled towards the young Destroyer. Howling with rage, his manic fist sped towards its target - but to the demon's horror, it didn't make it.

Janemba looked down with wide panicked eyes, as an unbelievable amount of heat and pressure struck him in the chest, suspending him in midair above his opponent. He was completely frozen, whether it be by fear or by some kind of divine force, all he knew that he was staring a fate worse than death right in the eyes. The dangerous eyes of the beast.

Violet rays of glorious light reflected off his damaged armoured bodice, as Gohan held the almighty sphere of Destruction in one hand.

"And you're just one more demon that I've got to put to rest," he said, before the damnation fell from his lips, "HAKAI!"

All Janemba could muster was a silent scream, as his body became completely rigid. And then, like always, there was a final beat of mourning for the soul that was to be Destroyed, before he exploded into a swarm of small purple lights that disintegrated up into the air and then into nothingness.

Janemba was gone. As were the great rips in between dimensions and sludge-like clouds that fell in much the same manner as the evil demon. HFIL lit up with a brilliant violet hue, as thousands upon thousands of tiny particles drifted downwards from the heavens above, almost like destructive little snowflakes.

"I-It's over," Gohan sighed, letting out a shuddering breath as the pain came back with a vengeance. He powered down completely, his aura snuffed out and his hair and eyes returning back to black, almost toppling over as the shooting agony in his side almost made him cry out in pain.

"GOHAN!"

He looked up wearily, catching sight of his grandmother speeding towards him, leaping over a mountain of rubble before she barrelled into his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

It took all of his might not to yelp as she held onto his side, though he was grateful that she didn't crush him as much as usual due to his injuries. He couldn't help but chuckle, dropping the Z-Sword to the dusty ground and wrapping his arms around her, returning the hug.

"Oh my poor little cub! I was so WORRIED about you!" Gine cried, her voice muffled as she all but wailed into his armour, "If you weren't so hurt I would punch you so hard right now! Oh I'm so PROUD of you!"

"Er…," the teenager started awkwardly, but thankfully a gruff voice managed to yank her away.

"Enough with the tears, woman!" Bardock spouted irritably, his hair and eyes no longer sporting the colours of a super saiyan, "You're goin' to drown him!"

"S-Sorry," Gine sniffed, wiping her watery eyes, "I'm just so glad that he's alright!"

"Yeah, yeah," said Bardock, still holding onto her shoulders so that she didn't launch herself at the teen again, "The kid did good, but you're gonna ruin it if he keels over because his daft grandmother keeps swaddling him like a freakin' newborn."

The saiyan woman scowled, smacking him hard on the arm and causing Gohan to let out a shaky laugh. He could really do with being healed right now, but instead smiled back at his grandfather, for it was hard to miss the pride in the old man's eyes as he regarded him.

"Thanks, Grandpa," said Gohan, "I couldn't have done it without you and Raditz's help, you really saved my hide back there."

"Don't mention it. It was your quick thinkin' that sent that bastard packing, and because of that, we might actually get some fucking piece and quiet around here," he shrugged, waving off his praise, though there was a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks, "Now, about those injuries of yours, we'd better get them seen to before you try and do that stupid weak-ass thing you do and bleed out again."

"I-I'm fine, really," he lied, he didn't want to be fussed over, "Where's Raditz?"

"Back over there somewhere," Bardock replied simply, inclining his head to the distance, "Your grandmother decked him in the nuts when he tried to stop her from rushing over here after Janemba went bye-bye."

Gohan looked suitably horrified as his grandfather scoffed, "It's his own fault really, you don't get in the way of a saiyan woman and her younglings."

As if on cue, there was a shout from a ways off, before he caught sight of Raditz, along with Bardock's crew, Nappa, Turles and the rest of the saiyans rushing towards them. Although it appeared that his uncle was flagging a little behind the large group.

Apparently, the crowd of burly saiyans had been watching the fight from afar, judging by the awe filled and enthusiastic way they greeted him. After he had been suitably slapped on the back a hundred times, crushed into bear hugs a hundred more by Nappa, and his hair was now messier than ever before due to the number of times his grandfather's crew had ruffled it, did someone finally suggest that it was time to rest.

"Old taverns still standing," suggested Nappa, grinning wickedly at the halfling, "You look like you could use a stiff drink kid, and you'll need one if Turles here is gonna sew up that wound o' yours up."

The teenager paled, as Raditz snorted, "I'd be surprised if he could manage another drink after last night."

Bardock nodded in agreement, "I'm more surprised that he didn't hurl whilst fightin', looks like you've got a stronger stomach than I thought kid!"

The saiyans roared with laughter, causing Gohan to pout, "I'm really not bothered about a drink, I just need to rest and clean up. Whis and Lord Beerus are going to kill me if they catch sight of me like this -."

"I'll say."

He almost jumped a mile, sending a plethora of shooting pains surging through his body as he did so. Wincing, he turned, only to come face to face with his superiors - who did not look pleased.

"Gohan," Whis quipped, his sharp blue eyes looking him up and down, "What are you wearing?"

The halfling gaped, "Seriously Whis?! I just Destroyed an inter-dimensional killer demon, stopped HFIL from unleashing on the living realm and prevented the universe from imploding in on itself, and your first question is what happened to my DRESS?!"

The Angel pursed his lips, "Armour was not the agreed attire."

"But I - !"

"And neither was it agreed for you to have an involvement in this MESS!" Lord Beerus snapped, his snout almost touching his nose as he leered angrily towards him, "You had best count your lucky stars that the decision for Janemba's Destruction would have been authorised by myself anyway, and as such I can give the order for my junior to carry out the deed for me. HOWEVER, you have grossly overstepped your position, boy!"

"But if not for your decision - which was the right one by all accounts - then the universe would have been in dire straits indeed," Whis interjected wisely, prompting Lord Beerus to growl in annoyance.

"Well, yes," he scorned, "But because you sought to take matters into your own hands instead of alerting us in the first place, you lose dessert privileges for a week!"

"Aw man," Gohan whined.

"Don't make me make it two!"

He sighed, folding his arms haughtily across his chest as the saiyans snickered behind him, "Fine."

"Oh and before I forget," Whis smiled, waving his staff in a handsome fashion, and immediately the young saiyan felt a gracious warmth wrap around him, his injuries healed completely and the venom from Janemba's sword disappearing from his veins.

His broken, bloodied armour was replaced by his ceremonial blue garb and pristine white gi trousers. He breathed a sigh a relief, grinning back at his mentor, "Thanks Whis, that's a lot better."

"You're welcome, my boy," he smiled back, a twinkle in his eye as he spoke, "And I have to say that you're getting a lot better at finding a balance within yourself. Combining the power of the Super Saiyan God and the Hakai was a daring move, but like most of your little stunts, it paid off."

His grandfather gave him a wink from out of the corner of his eye, as Whis continued, "Which is why we will go straight back to training once you've eaten a proper meal. I daresay you've earned one."

"But you'd better eat quickly so that we can get a proper training session in," said Lord Beerus, "You have to be up early tomorrow to clean up the mess you made in HFIL."

"Wait, w-what?"

"Oh don't look so shocked Gohan," Whis sighed forlornly, "It is part of your punishment after all, or did you forget?"

"… No."

"Good," he replied curtly, "Maybe then you'll appreciate how much hard work it takes to clean up after one of your battles. And teach you not to make so much of a mess next time."

Gohan pouted, as Whis turned to the saiyans, who still hadn't quite recovered from the appearance of the two deities.

"Oh and thank you for your help saiyan folk!" He sang, "You've been such a help to our Junior Destroyer it seems."

"Er… don't mention it," Bardock mustered, clearing his throat awkwardly as the Angel giggled at their gruff demeanour.

"Such a colourful family you have, Gohan," he told him, as Lord Beerus looked increasingly bored, "I suppose it wouldn't be too troublesome if you came down here to spar with them from time to time, it's always incredibly useful to learn from others you know, especially the ancient ways of your ancestors."

"Yeah!" The halfling beamed, a little enthusiastically, causing him to blush in front of his saiyan clan, "I mean, er, yeah. That would be … cool, I suppose."

"Excellent," Whis smiled knowingly, "Now, are you ready to go home, Gohan?"

"Yeah, I -," he stopped suddenly in his tracks, turning a sickly shade of green. His stomach flipped in a most unnatural fashion, and Lord Beerus was about to ask him what the hell his problem was when -

"HUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLL!"

Whis screamed and Lord Beerus roared in anger, as Gohan subsequently doubled over and upchucked all over the God of Destruction's shoes.

"Ah, there it is," Bardock observed, calmly watching the chaos ensue as Raditz tentatively started rubbing poor Gohan's back in soothing circular motions.

"Better out than in nephew, better out than in."

---

After Lord Beerus had been suitably cleaned up and finished yelling at Gohan, and Whis had stopped hyperventilating - who knew the Angel had such a dramatic repulsion towards vomit? The divine trio finally bid their goodbyes, with Gohan still looking a little ghastly and with a bucket in hand should he vomit again on the warp ride home.

Once the bright torrent of light had carried them upwards and across dimensions back to the living world, Tora had called the saiyans back to the tavern for a well earned celebration which they wasted no time in accepting.

Though Bardock and Gine stayed behind after assuring Raditz they wouldn't be long, unable to tear their gaze away from the space where their grandson had disappeared.

"I'll miss him," Gine sighed, resting her head on her husbands bicep.

Bardock snorted, "He'll be back soon enough in that ridiculous get-up of his and annoying the shit out of me."

She chuckled, "You don't really mean that, my moonshine."

He paused, dark eyes fixated on the reddish hue of the sky above them, "Was he what you imagined he'd be like?"

"No," she said simply, prompting him to finally look towards her, "He was more."

Bardock grunted, saying nothing. But then again, he didn't have to.

"He really is Kakarot's son, isn't he?" Gine spoke wistfully, "So selfless."

"Soft as shit you mean," he replied with a sly grin, "I think he gets that from you too -."

She growled playfully, raising her fist to clock him over the skull, when he suddenly fell to his knees.

Gine scoffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance, "Oh come on! Now who's soft? I didn't even touch you - huh, Bardock?"

She panicked, as Bardock let out a sudden scream of agony, digging his fingers so hard into his temples that he started to draw blood. She dropped to the ground beside him, as the Commander looked as though he was experiencing the worst pain imaginable.

Thick hot veins started to protrude up from his neck to his jaw and towards his skull, pulsating with more streams of agony that caused Bardock to let out another bellowing cry of pain. Gine grabbed tightly onto his wrists to stop him from hurting himself any further, but his superior strength proved too much for her to handle and she was subsequently thrown off him as though she had been electrocuted.

Though thankfully, before she had to call Raditz and the others for help - did it stop just as quickly as it had started.

Bardock opened his eyes, that were wide and feral like he had seen a million and one horrors all at once. He panted, attempting to slow his breathing as he held himself upright on his hands and knees, staring at the ground with an almost empty stare, a small trickle of blood escaping his left nostril.

"B-Bardock?" Gine whispered tentatively, crawling back towards him and placing a soothing hand on his shoulder, "Was it a vision? What did you see?"

"Something bad, Gine. Somethin' really fucking bad," He panted, shaking his head free from cold sweat and casting his wide eyes up towards the place where Gohan had left.

"And for all of our sakes, I really hope I'm wrong."

---

3rd December, 2020.

---

A/N: OH DAYUM. What was Bardock's vision? I sincerely hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. It was super fun to write and Makhai and Bardock are my best boys so I really hope you loved them just as much as I do! To be fair, I could have split this chapter into two parts. But I wanted to get the 'HFIL saga' over with and get on with the next arc. As well as that it has been months since I posted and I think its only fair to give ya'll the GOODS.

Thank you once again everyone for all the love, patience and support you've shown me, especially this year when I haven't been as frequent with my updates! I'm really looking forward to the next chapter, hope you are too!

Mucho love!

ES x