Son Gohan The Destroyer Chapter 36: The Fruition of Sin, a dragon ball z fanfic

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Fruition of Sin

A barrage of unholy screams assaulted his senses, as Goku and Vegeta charged.

BOOM!

The sheer force of their combined punch cracked the earth apart. There was a terrific tremble as the sudden crash formed a crater beneath their feet.

Sparking blue eyes widened, as Gohan caught their united fists with one hand. Poised, and joined together from wrist to elbow, Goku and Vegeta attempted to push back.

It was like trying to move against a brick wall, for Gohan's stance remained stoic and unwavering. Vegeta swore through gritted teeth, as the dark purple Ki blade came hurtling towards them without warning, singing through the air in a vicious swipe.

He was upon them as soon as they sprang apart. Now on the offensive, Gohan gave them no room for pause. The blade came at them with a sharp and calculated ferocity, reflected within Gohan's steely grey eyes.

Vibrant flashes of blue and fuchsia exploded out into the dark air, the pressure of Divine energy dispelling with every contact.

Goku ducked underneath another hefty blow from Gohan, the deadly edge of solid Ki soaring right over his head. Yet Gohan caught his oncoming fist with ease, grabbing him painfully by the wrist and launching him over his shoulder and into a nearby snowdrift.

Vegeta joined his comrade under the snow not a moment later. Meeting Gohan's Almighty glare as they fought their way out of their icy prison.

"There will be no time for rest," Gohan glowered, his sonorous tone echoing over the frozen grounds of Capsule Corp. "If I were Perses, you'd already be dead."

Goku attacked before Gohan released the white hot blast that he held in his palm. His gaze laced with determination, he feigned a head on assault before pressing two fingers to his forehead and disappearing out of sight.

Yet it was Vegeta - not his father - who appeared next, his strong hands clasped eagerly together in a hammer-strike as he drove them furiously towards his skull.

There was a blinding flash of violet light, as Gohan quickly brought the sword above his head like a shield. Vegeta's onslaught exploded straight into it, but the blade refused to break.

Expecting Vegeta to let out a growl of frustration, he was startled momentarily by the smirk that spread across his face.

A rapid spark of energy alerted his senses. Thinking fast, Gohan booted Vegeta away and launched into the air - just as a bright blue beam of furious Ki careened towards him. An explosion of snow and smoke exploded into the sky, his father's Kamehameha missing him by milliseconds.

Looking down, Gohan couldn't help but feel a little stunned. His father and Vegeta were actually working together in a fight. He allowed a small chuckle to escape his chest, he never thought he would see the day.

"Something funny, boy?" Vegeta hollered, sheets of falling hail bouncing off his skin. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, not when Kakarot was merely seconds from barbecuing your pathetic pink ass."

Gohan scoffed, "I wouldn't go that far, Vegeta. I was just admiring your cute combo techniques."

His dark eyes narrowed with malice, "I'll show you cute."

"Bring it," said Gohan, spinning the Ki-Sword effortlessly in his palm.

Vegeta met him head on, a devastating clash of fists and blade sang through the dark clouds. Goku was not far behind him, and Gohan found himself surrounded by a rush of sharp limbs, elbows and knees. Their bright blue auras created a powerful and almost impenetrable force around his body, that Gohan realised he did have to put significantly more effort of breaking free of than he had anticipated.

A yell tore from his throat, as he pushed his power outwards, blowing Goku and Vegeta back a few feet. The air was heavy now. Heated and heady. A thick blanket of fog hung over West City, a low and ominous grumble of thunder made itself known.

Dancing the vibrant blade between his hands like a majorette with a baton, Gohan locked eyes with his opponents, and wagged his finger in a 'come hither' gesture.

"I think it's time we stepped it up a notch, don't you Vegeta?" said Goku, blue flames pulsating around him.

"Hn," Vegeta huffed, "I thought you'd never ask."

A sonic boom cut through the clouds, the darkness dispersed momentarily as Goku and Vegeta's heavenly auras lit up the night.

Ready and waiting, Gohan slashed the ki-blade towards the pair in a series of intricate yet deadly manoeuvres. It was as though the glowing sword was an extension of himself, each strike aiming to make deadly contact.

He wasn't about to make this easy for them.

Goku and Vegeta dodged and dived out of the way. They were lightening fast, as their divine energy surged to new heights, Gohan having to raise his own power to meet theirs as it continued to climb.

A golden blast erupted from Vegeta's outstretched palm, followed by another, then another. A rapid, calamitous fire of heat exploding all around him. But Gohan wasn't stupid, he was certain that it was just another distraction tactic they had come up with.

Whipping the Ki-Sword around his head, harsh winds picked up around his frame. His fuchsia aura curled upwards and above his head, intermingling with the roaring winds until a stark pinkish tornado raged above them.

Vegeta yelled in surprise, bracing himself as he threatened to be sucked into rampaging twister. His divine aura quivered, the tornado siphoning the blue flames and hail out of the sky. It quirked and quivered, getting larger, more erratic as Blue lightening shuddered over its cataclysmic form.

Goku struggled against the pull of the hurricane, when an almighty bellow forced its way out of his throat. His muscles bulged as the devastating winds howled, and he catapulted towards the eye of the abyss without warning.

Crrrrrrrackkk!

A smouldering eruption of pressure and lightening cascaded over the entire city, as Goku's boot met the edge of Gohan's blade in a deafening clash.

The ki-blade shattered apart, remnants of violet energy dispersing into the air as the twister gave out and died, the winds settling into more of a gale rather than an all out cyclone.

Goku let out a bark of laughter at the shock that lingered on his son's face.

He actually managed to stop that… Gohan thought, but quickly quelled the excitement that swelled in his chest, as his father's features became serious once more.

"You may be ahead in terms of power Gohan, but you forget one thing," he said, his gi shirt completely torn off and his trousers in tatters.

"What would that be, Dad?" he asked.

"We've been fighting for twice as long as you have, and that experience counts for something," said Goku, as Gohan felt Vegeta's presence appear behind him.

"You want us to prove to you that we can go up against Black?" Vegeta's gruff tone carried towards him, "We don't need to prove anything to you. But if it's a beating that's going to seal the deal, I'd be happy to oblige."

Goku tutted at his comrade, "What Vegeta means is that if we can go toe to toe with you, then Black shouldn't be a problem if we all work together. And if the three of us can take Black and Zamasu out, we can get to Perses. A warrior is only as strong as those who stand beside him."

The hail had lessened now, but the smog was worse. Gohan was glad that their aura's were so bright, else he wouldn't have been able to see the hope in his father's eyes.

No matter how dire the situation was, hope was something that Son Goku was never short of. It was how he had managed to stay so positive all of these years - and he had been right, he had been doing this for far longer than Gohan had been.

Hope was what had brought Goku out into the Northern Wastes long ago, rushing into a battle that would ultimately award him with a death sentence, but he did it to save his only son. And yet, even though he had died in the fight with Raditz, he came screaming onto the battle field a year later against more Saiyans. Ones that had utterly decimated his closest friends.

Hope was what had carried him out into the stars and against Frieza, the worst of the worst, the most evil emperor to ever grace the cosmos in recent history. Frieza had been the one to annihilate not only Goku's home planet, but his entire race - his family.

Yet he didn't give up. He would never give in because he had hope in his heart. It was like the very feeling was ingrained into his life-force. Perhaps, because Goku's parents, Gohan's grandparents instilled that hope within little baby Kakarot when they had sent him to Earth.

Hope was a lifeline. It was written on the side of the Time Machine that had brought a warning from the future.

Goku had been right to heed the warning, and even when everything seemed hopeless, Gohan was quietly reassured, because his dad had the hope that everything would work out just fine. He even told him so himself.

Little did he know, that he had been the hope he had seen reflected in his father's eyes.

He saw it again through the smoke and fog that swaddled them, closed inwards and threatened to engulf them completely.

The stakes had certainly never been higher. They were going up against Gods, evil ones at that. He couldn't deny that what his father and Vegeta had showed him so far was beyond impressive, better than he could have imagined, even.

They weren't quite up to his level, of course, but they had closed the gap considerably - and had done so all their own.

But would it be enough?

A warrior is only as strong as those who stand beside him.

Gohan closed his eyes. Heaving a deep sigh, he made a bold decision, and began to conjure something lethal within his palm. "Let's find out then."

"Eh? Gohan?" Goku blinked, his senses kicking to to overdrive as the pressure in the air intensified tenfold. It was suddenly much harder to breathe.

"Kakarot, be on your guard." Vegeta said, but his warning was drowned out by the sound of electricity fizzling to life around Gohan.

Sharp, violet crackles of energy surged around his enclosed fist, before slowly opening. Then, just as Gohan delved into the darkness, he settled into an all too familiar stance.

Goku's mouth fell open, "Wait, i-is that - ?"

"Ka…" Gohan chanted, his palm revealing a rapidly building ball of energy, sizzling with darkness. For where the Turtle School's signature move should shine a brilliant blue, was this particular Kamehameha dense and black, almost as though Gohan was holding a black hole right beneath his finger tips.

"Meh… !" He cried, his eyes snapping open. They were darker, almost black. The iris' seemingly lost to oblivion and burning with a ferocious violet light deep within its depths.

The Earth shook with an intensity far from reason, deep crevices started to appear within the yellow brickwork of the buildings below their feet. An impending sense of death and doom struck every mortal present.

Jets of unholy black energy spewed outwards from the gaps in between Gohan's fingers, struggling to be contained by his grip. The veins in his right arm bulged with a destructive power as Goku finally fought his way through the stormy beacon that now surrounded his son.

"Gohan, STOP! THIS IS TOO MUCH!"

"Stop?!" He thundered, his voice striking Goku in the chest, his Almighty tone causing his bones to tremble. "WHO ARE YOU TO STOP ME, MORTAL?! YOU ARE NOTHING. I WILL REDUCE YOU AND YOUR DISGUSTING WORLD TO ASH!"

"W-What?!" Goku looked bewildered, "Gohan, what are you saying?!"

"SILENCE, SCUM!" He roared, the ball of blackened energy, tainted and unyielding, growing bigger and bigger with each passing second, "You want to stop me, you'll have to do better than sitting back and WHIMPERING like a COWARD!"

"Gohan - !"

"HA…..!"

"Kakarot, stop mewling at the brat and fight!" Vegeta cried, his outstretched hands crackling a furious golden Ki, "It's a test!"

"MEH - !"

"A wha - ?"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"OH CRAP!"

Goku quickly gathered his own Kamehameha and unleashed it full throttle behind Vegeta's Final Flash.

The rip-roaring sound of the two beams screeching towards the Dark Kamehameha clattered through the sky. Blue encircled gold as the beams combined and doubled in side, the combination of their divine energy fed their attacks with a holy fury as they rushed to meet Gohan's.

The clash was ruinous. It blasted the heavy mass of clouds and fog apart and revealed the twinkling stars above. Yet the velvet night was soon eclipsed by the dazzling hue of the warring blasts as they connected.

Gohan's attack, polluted and impure, slowly pushed ahead, feasting eagerly on the bright wholesome light that exuded from Goku and Vegeta's outstretched palms.

They yelled as one, sweat pouring from their brows, yet they managed to force the blackened energy back once more. Gohan gritted his teeth, feeding more power into his attack as they struggled against him.

The pressure mounted, building with intensity. It was going to give way soon, he could feel it. When suddenly -

KA - BOOM!

The trio were flung back by the subsequent explosion, a colossal plume of colourful fire erupted into the atmosphere as they managed to divert it away from the Earth.

Gohan managed to catch himself before he crashed into Capsule Corp.'s main building, careening to a halt just in the nick of time. His father and Vegeta each slammed into the ground with rapid succession, the fluffy snow not enough to cushion their fall as the hard earth swallowed them up.

He landed before them, panting. He had never been so happy to have been out of breath. His dad sat up a little woozily, dropping out of his Blue form, his dark locks of hair still sticking out of place. He was grinning.

Gohan smiled and offered a hand to help him up, "Okay, you win."

Goku's eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Yeah," said Gohan, walking over to Vegeta, "You two stubborn gits have managed to convince me."

"I'm glad to see that you've finally to come to your senses," Vegeta huffed, knocking Gohan's hand away and getting to his feet.

"Oh cool, so Dad and Vegeta are helping," said Makai, looking rather windswept.

His ginger hair was standing upright on top of his head as though he had been electrocuted, and his clothes weren't in much better shape, "That's great! But Gohan, please promise me to never to that scary Destroyer "I'll kill you all mortal scum" shit again - at least not aimed at us, you can go wild with Perses."

Gohan shrugged, "I wanted to see how far I could push them, I had to make it convincing."

"It was a little too convincing," said a frazzled looking Bulma, smacking him upside the head.

"He practices his scary voice in the mirror at home," said Makhai, causing Gohan to roll his eyes.

"ARE YOU THREE CRAZY?!"

They jumped a mile, as his mother stuck her head out of one of the windows on the lower levels. She had a face like thunder, as she positively glowered at them from above.

"NO. MORE. FIGHTING!" Chi-Chi yelled, pointing accusingly at her husband, "What did we talk about just last night, Goku?!"

His father was taken aback, "Uhh…"

An exasperated sigh left her lips, "I told you that Videl is in a delicate state, and anything could set her off!"

Goku gave her an apologetic smile, bringing his voice to a whisper, "Sorry Chi, I didn't know that she was here already!"

"Well she is!" She snapped, causing Goku to jump at her sharp tone, "All this roughhousing is making the baby kick and she's supposed to be resting! Not to mention that Gohan has been healed all of five minutes and you're already throwing punches at him!"

"But he - !"

"Wind it in, Goku!"

"Sorry."

"Roughhousing?" Kratos scoffed in annoyance, as Chi-Chi slammed the window shut with a loud SNAP, "Does she think that Divine energy is some sort of play thing?!"

"Oi, watch it," Gohan fumed, "That's my mum you're talking about."

"Yeah," said Makhai, "She spanked a God of Destruction and lived to tell the tale, so I'd be more careful with your words, Kratos."

Kratos grumbled with annoyance, as Makhai sighed longingly at the place where Chi-Chi had disappeared.

"On the other hand, she could spank me any day," he mustered whimsically, "Your mother is a fine lady, Gohan."

"Oh my god, shut up."

Thankfully, Kratos chose that moment to round on Goku and Vegeta, "That being said, you are treading on dangerous territory, mortals. Not only are you so bold to perform a Divine ritual without authorisation, you think that you actually have a chance at going up against Gods?!"

"First of all, it's a Saiyan ritual, not a Divine one," Goku frowned, "Vegeta and I have are the last full-bloodied Saiyans left so I think you'll find that we can can use it want to. Second of all, I disagree. I know that we have a chance to not only go up against this threat, but we have a chance to win. It doesn't matter if we're mortal or divine. I don't know much about where you come from Kratos, but here on Earth, we stand and fight as one, no matter what our background."

Kratos pursed his lips, staring at Goku as a beat of heavy silence drifted between them.

Then, he turned to Gohan.

"He's just about as insufferable as you are."

Gohan couldn't help but smile, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Fine, have it your way," said Kratos, "But I won't be the one that explains this to Master Whis and Lord Beerus."

"Speaking of, we should probably take this time waiting around to come up with some sort of plan," said Makhai.

"Then let's get to it and out of this cold!" Goku chimed, grinning madly, "Not to mention, that we haven't had dessert yet!"

With that, the others filtered back inside. The warm lights from indoors casting dark shadows over the snowy grounds. The hail had started back up again, the dark clouds creeping back over the sky and blocking out the stars.

Gohan found himself staring back up at the soft glow of lamplight that illuminated one of the windows of the lower floor, before Makhai swiftly grabbed him by the hand, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Come on Sparky, get inside before you catch your death - Ha! Get it? Catch your death?! Because you're already - !"

"I get it," he sighed, shaking his head as he allowed himself to be pulled into the welcoming warmth of the Briefs kitchen. "Hilarious, Makhai."

Gohan took a seat opposite his father, who was already ploughing his way through the mountain of desserts that was Mrs Briefs had presented, spread across the long oak table. The rest of the group were already seated.

Krillin, who was sat next to Goku, grimaced, "You know, you'd think I'd have got used to it all of these years, but…"

"Mmfph?" Goku asked, his cheeks stuffed with cream cake.

Unfazed, Gohan shrugged and grabbed his own sweet treat off the platter in front of him, inhaling it within seconds.

"Do all Saiyans eat like starved beasts?" Makhai pondered, watching in horror as Vegeta shovelled several steamed buns in his mouth at once.

"You'll have to get used to it if you're taking Goku and Vegeta with you to fight," said Piccolo, "Although I doubt there will be much time to feast whilst the universe is at stake."

Goku choked on a piece of apple pie, "You t'ake tha' back, 'iccolo."

"Actually, Piccolo has a point," said Gohan, eyeing his father and Vegeta, "Whilst you guys have made amazing progress, we are no where near to going head to head to Perses and his cronies. It's not going to be a matter of one big glorious battle for our lives and then we all pack up and go home. You're not ready, none of us are."

"Then what do you suggest?" Vegeta asked, swallowing his mouthful, "Your father and I won't be able to go back into the Time Chamber again, we've already reached our limit for a lifetime, or at least until the little Namekian can find a way to lift the restriction."

Dende shrunk away from his pointed eyes, as Gohan shook his head.

"No, I'm not thinking about going into the Time Chamber," he explained, "I say we go after the last Super Dragonball first, using Bulma's radar."

"See?" Bulma said smugly from the kitchen island, "I am a genius."

"We can take my ship," said Gohan, "There's enough space for us to sleep and train in. As well as that, it's made up of certain special components that make it so it can travel through wormholes in space, basically shortcuts that means we could jump from galaxy to galaxy if we wanted. That, and its speed is pretty much unrivalled."

"It's only unrivalled because Gohan drives at the speed of nightmares," added Makhai.

Gohan rolled his eyes, "I can get us from A to B can't I? It doesn't matter how we get there."

"It does when you've not got enough seatbelts."

"Hang on, since when do you have a spaceship?" Krillin asked, "I mean, is that normal for a God to have a spaceship?"

"Not really," he admitted, "Lord Beerus absolutely despises it, but I managed to convince Whis to let me keep it. In all honestly, I think he was just glad that it would give him a break from playing taxi service all of the time."

Kratos hummed in thought, "I suppose that it would give us an opportunity to increase our battle power whilst searching for the last Dragonball."

"Exactly," said Gohan, "And I can always ask Lord Beerus to talk to his brother. Lord Champa could keep an eye out for the Dragonball in his universe whilst we look in this one."

"Lord Beerus has a brother?" Vegeta quirked disbelievingly.

Gohan nodded, "He's the God of Destruction for the sixth universe. He and Lord Beerus don't really see eye to eye, but hopefully they will put aside their differences for the sake of the multiverse."

"Don't bank on it," Makhai mumbled under his breath.

"So, where do we start looking?" Goku asked eagerly, "Any ideas?"

Gesturing to Makhai to pass him his communicator, Gohan caught the device out of the air before setting it in front of him on the table. Pushing some empty plates aside, he stood to his feet and began to tap and swipe his fingers across the screen.

He stepped back, as light sprang into the air in between them. A series of intricate schematics surrounded them, stars and galaxies dotted about their heads in a silvery glow. The entire universe hung before them in a huge projection, stretching from wall to wall and floor to sealing, crushed into the Briefs kitchen.

"This is a map of the universe, or at least the part that makes up the Living Realm," said Gohan, "The Super Dragonballs are said to be as big as planets, but one won't be easy to spot if they are disguised as one. No one has used them for at least a thousand years, so it's highly likely that the one we're looking for is covered in space dust or debris."

Bar Makhai and Kratos, their awe filled gaze reflected the many stars that twinkled before them. Gohan walked over to something large and glowing near the refrigerator, prodding at it with his finger.

It didn't look like a star, it was shaped more like a diamond, and surrounded by what looked like small flames that filtered ominously into the air.

"This right here is the centre of our universe," he explained, looking back at them, "We start here and find the signal of the Dragonball, and work our way outwards."

"Not to be a buzzkill, but wouldn't it take centuries to reach the centre of the universe?" Yamcha interjected, "Even with your high-speed ship?"

"Well there's a route we can take," said Gohan, flicking his wrist so that a tunnel of mysterious light weaved around the map, before meeting the diamond next to him. "We follow the Astra Eridanus."

The others looked confused, as Kratos and Makhai's eyes widened.

"Right, so not only are we going to the deepest, darkest, scariest part of space straight off the bat, but you want to travel via the Astra Eridanus?!" Makhai guffawed, "What, did Perses give you brain damage as well as make minced meat out of your organs?!"

"It's the fastest route, Makhai," he implored, "It makes sense."

"What's the Astra Eridanus?" asked Goku, interrupting Makhai's flabbergasted retort.

"It's one of many celestial rivers that run through our reality," Kratos began to explain, a dark look about him, "It is the largest by far, a river of stars that connects all universes and dimensions. It is also said that it connects the flow of time itself. It holds all magic, power and memory of everything that ever was or ever will be. It connects each and every soul to one another at its core, which is fitting seen as it drifts through every core of each universe."

"Well that sounds pretty impressive," said Piccolo, his gaze landing on Makhai, "But why are you so worried about it?"

"There are many legends surrounding the Astra Eridanus," said Kratos, as his comrade all but gulped, "It supposedly holds the life-blood of the ancient Gods, and not only that, but the DragonGod Zalama itself was birthed from it's depths. Despite this ethereal history, it attracts the wrong sorts of mortal kind. They are enticed by its possibilities and enchanted by its mystery. This is why the majority of those who seek the celestial river often do not return, for they stray too far into its depths and are overwhelmed by its other-worldly power and succumb to its might. Those who do manage to free themselves of it are nothing but husks, shells of their former selves that are doomed to live out the rest of their days as a wretched existence."

"Yeah," Makhai puffed, as they were stunned into a tense silence, "And those zombies hang around the place ready to murder anyone who tries to seek it out. Strange things happen around there man, I don't like it one bit."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted, "It sounds as though the river turns them into that for its own benefit, almost as though it has a mind of its own."

"Yeah, but we're not going in the Astra Eridanus, we just have to follow it," Gohan pressed, getting his point across, "I get that it's risky, but it's the best hope we have to get this done quickly."

"Well, I'm in," his father grinned, "It sounds like there's something really strong out there, it would be a good test of my new powers!"

Vegeta huffed, "I'll be the first one to test my powers to the fullest, Kakarot. Even if these fairytales they are spouting turn out to be nothing but just that."

Makhai gave Gohan a pointed look, "It's official. They're mad."

He sighed, "Don't worry, Nothing bad is going to happen as long as we can avoid Perses, Zamasu and Black."

"Tch, famous last words," said Makhai.

Vegeta looked stern, "That being said, the only thing that I don't like about this plan is that it feels like we're hiding from these ingrates instead of fighting them."

"We're not running and hiding," Gohan replied firmly, determined, "We're just playing them at their own dirty game. Trust me, I would love to get revenge on them for what they did back on New Mars, but we have to look at the bigger picture. We get to that Dragonball first and Perses won't have near as much chance of achieving his goal."

"We still don't know what exactly they plan on wishing for," said Makhai, gloomily, "Do you think he would really wish for the multiverse's destruction with his wish?"

Gohan shook his head, "From what I know about Perses, it doesn't sound like his style. It'd be too simple, and Perses is too clever for that. But there's not a doubt in my mind that it's something pretty diabolical."

"Then you should set off before long," Piccolo interjected, "With him free of the Void there's no telling just how powerful he could become without his restraints. You have to act quickly."

"We have to wait for Master Whis and Lord Beerus," said Kratos, the frustration evident in his eyes, "It's like I said before, we cannot follow through with this plan without authorisation. That, and we will need Eris and Deimos' support."

Gohan sighed heavily, "Fine. But if they aren't here by sunrise then we leave without their blessing and try to contact them on the way. We've wasted enough time."

"So I'm just going to address the obvious here," Bulma piped up, she was admiring a nebula near the fruit bowl and eating out of a tub of ice cream, "But when you do manage to swipe the Dragonball from under Perses' nose, how then do you defeat Perses seen as he is pretty much invincible? And didn't you say that Zamasu was immortal now? Not to mention Black."

A tense silence unfurled as Gohan felt every pair of eyes shift towards him, looking for answers.

"I…," he started uneasily, "I don't know."

"Well, Gohan can take Black," Makhai piped up helpfully, "I mean, he is him."

"So there's just the immortal and the ancient killer Destroyer we've got to deal with then?" Krillin balked, "Oh man…"

"The Junior Destroyer from Universe Eleven told us that an immortal could be Destroyed by a God of Destruction as long as their Hakai was stronger than them," said Kratos, his eyes narrowing towards Gohan, "So you'd better hope that yours is."

"Well that doesn't feel like a large amount of unnecessary pressure."

"Wait, Whis and Lord Beerus managed to seal Perses away a thousand years ago right?" Goku offered, "Could they do it again?"

"I'm not sure," Gohan admitted, "Even if they did, whose to say that Perses couldn't break free again? Besides, Lord Beerus is … weaker than he was before. Perses has already seen to that by draining a portion of his power in order to help him escape. He's definitely got the advantage over us."

"So if you can't defeat him, and no one can trap him - what are we going to do?" Yamcha asked worriedly, looking around him as if an answer would just pop out of the air in front of him.

When, quite unexpectedly, it did.

"Mafuba."

"Bless you," said Makhai.

"No, the Mafuba," Piccolo repeated gruffly, eyeing Goku and Krillin specifically, "Surely you two know what it is?"

"Mafuba," Goku hummed in thought, placing his chin in his hand, "I think I remember Master Roshi mentioning something before…"

"That's it!" Krillin exclaimed with a snap of his fingers, "The Evil Containment Wave! Yikes, I didn't think you of all people would bring that one up. You know… what with your dad and all…"

"Evil Containment Wave?" Gohan quirked, as all of his father's friends seemed to know what they were talking about, save Vegeta. He looked equally as perplexed as he did.

"Oh yeah!" His father chimed, finally catching on, "It was what Master Mutaito - Roshi's mentor - used to seal ol' Demon King Piccolo away back when he was wreaking havoc on the Earth all those years ago!"

Tien directed his gaze towards Piccolo, "You really think that could work?"

"Perses may be eons stronger than the Demon King, but I'm far beyond Mutaito," he responded wisely, "As long as you have an intact containment seal, the Mafuba can seal away any evil, no matter how strong."

"I don't know, Piccolo," said Goku, becoming serious, "Master Mutaito gave his life for that technique."

"What?" Gohan immediately exclaimed, "Hell no! We'll find another way, you can't - !"

"Relax kid, I don't plan on dying," Piccolo said with a wry smile, "The technique was untested when Mutaito did it from what I can access of my father's memories. It had flaws. I'll make sure that when I perform it on Perses that there won't be any. I do have first hand experience… almost… it makes sense that I'd be the best person for this task."

He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, "Piccolo…"

"Ah he'll be fine, Gohan," Goku had reached him a few short strides, placing a reassuring hand upon his shoulder, "Don't worry about us. You forget that we can look after ourselves. And if Piccolo comes along with us, we can spend plenty of time helping him practice! Isn't that right, Vegeta?"

"What does this have to do with me?" He glowered.

"Well, it only seems right that he should practice on you, seen as you're the meanest out of all of us - you were technically evil before."

"You are NOT sealing me up in a blasted box like some magical genie!"

"Actually, they used a rice cooker to seal up King Piccolo -."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

Gohan turned curiously back to Piccolo as they continued to bicker, "A rice cooker? Is that why you freaked out that one time when Mum brought our rice cooker out for dinner whilst we were training for the androids?"

Piccolo's cheeks reddened, but he couldn't tell whether it was out of embarrassment or anger. Probably both.

"That's not the point," he growled, folding his arms haughtily across his broad chest, "I didn't trust her back then."

He snorted, failing to hide his snicker behind his hand.

"So where does that leave us?" asked Krillin nervously, "I-I mean, not that I wouldn't love to join you on your terrifying space expedition…"

"The Earth will still need protection whilst Vegeta, Piccolo and I are gone, and who knows how long it will take," said Goku, giving him a winning smile, "But I trust you, Krillin. You guys have got plenty strong over the years."

"In that case, we'll train hard too," Tien said boldly, clenching his fists, "Dende, is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber ready to go again?"

"Er, well," Dende stammered, "Mister Popo still has to repair a few things, and restock the food supplies after Goku and Vegeta's training. But I suppose that it could be ready quite soon if I explain the urgency of the situation."

He nodded, turning to Krillin, "What do you say? It's been a while since we trained together."

"Thanks for the offer Tien, but I'll pass," Krillin mustered, "It wouldn't feel right to leave Eighteen and Marron for a whole year, even if it is just a day for them out here. I would be too worried if something happened whilst I was gone."

Eighteen give her husband a small smile that almost went unnoticed by the rest of the group.

"I'll go," volunteered Yamcha, he looked determined, "I want to see how far I can push my limits, a year in the Time Chamber might be just what I need."

Vegeta scoffed under his breath, "You'll need more than a year, weakling."

"I think it's a great idea," Goku smiled, "But Krillin, if you're going to train out here, then I want you to take Goten and make sure that he's up to scratch incase something happens."

The gang exchanged a stunned look as Krillin's eyes widened, "A-Are you sure Goku? But he's a Super Saiyan! What could I possibly teach him?"

"Plenty," he pressed, "He's got a lot of power that he doesn't really know what to do with, and you're the best person I know to teach him how to channel that power into skill. Krillin, I want you to promise me that you'll take care of him."

"Well…" Krillin still looked a little hesitant, "Okay. If you're sure, Goku."

"Thanks," he grinned, a cheeky glint in his eye, "Oh by the way, Trunks will probably want to join in too if Goten's getting to learn cool new stuff. Good luck with that."

"Hang on a minute - !"

"Don't worry," Eighteen interjected, "I'll just toss them at my brother if they get a little much. Seventeen will soon whip them into shape. Not to mention that they can burn off some steam on that island of his, poachers are always trying kidnap the endangered animals he cares for."

"Then it's settled!" Goku beamed, clapping his hands together, "Hey Bulma, do you think you could get some supplies together for us for the road?"

"What do I look like, your personal butler?" She growled, "It's not like I already slaved away for months creating the very thing that could save the whole multiverse!"

"Eep! I didn't say that I wasn't grateful - !"

As his father cowered under Bulma's ferocious glare, Gohan felt his senses tingle with a familiar energy.

He locked onto it as it began to steadily rise. The energy trembled as his grew sharply and unexpectedly, when it fell again. It fell quickly, but not fatally. He was confused, as the Ki felt normal again, calm even.

He stood still, stoic, thinking that he had imagined it when it suddenly rose again. The warmth he had come to associate with that particular energy caressed his senses before it increased so much that it was burning. It signalled to alarm, coming to a peak, then as quickly as it came it cooled.

Calm, serene. No danger.

Those that could sense Ki began to catch on too, inclining their heads to the corridor that led down towards the medical bay.

When her energy climbed again, Gohan felt panic grip him. It snaked slowly and unexpectedly around his insides, inching its way over his ribcage and snatching at his heart.

His father locked eyes with him, catching the startled look on his face with an air of understanding. But before he could open his mouth, Vegeta cut across him.

"Oh fan-friggin-tastic," he groaned, as they felt Videl's Ki settle once more, "The damned girl's in labour."

His words barrelled into him like a forceful punch to the gut, and Gohan suddenly felt the urge to sit down before his knees buckled underneath him.

"Hey, Gohan, hey," Goku was in his line of sight faster than he could find a chair, luckily his father managed to guide him to one.

He felt dazed as he sat there on the edge of the bar stool, his father gripping on tightly to both shoulders. He wasn't at all listening to what he was saying, even though his lips were moving a mile a minute.

He had a concerned stare about him but Gohan could depict the spark excitement with his eyes. He was going to be a grandfather after all.

He didn't want to ruin this moment for him. Yet all Gohan could think was why now?

Why was this happening now when they were about to set their plan into motion to defeat the greatest threat the cosmos had ever known?

Not now. Please, not now.

Cool glass pressed against his palm. He snapped his head upwards. Bulma had handed him some water. Ice bounced as he accepted it from her, but he didn't sip it. He felt sick to his stomach.

"You okay?" Her pity was palpable.

The sound of footsteps approaching relieved him from forming a response, as his mother appeared at the foot of the stairs and peered into the kitchen.

"Bulma, I think it's time," she mustered gently, her eyes lingering on him for but a moment, "Can you call for the doctor?"

Gohan had allowed his father to guide him to a comfier position by the time Doctor Chiron had finished his checks with Videl, although it gave him no such comfort.

He was sat on the sofa next to an uneasy looking Makhai back in the living room. He could feel his amber eyes dart to him every few seconds. He didn't offer any words, for once. Not even a single crude joke. It didn't help ease Gohan's anxiety at all.

Doctor Chiron had arrived exactly fifty-four minutes ago, judging by the clock that ticked agonisingly slow above the fireplace.

The fire had died out earlier during his fight with his father and Vegeta, but Krillin had dutifully collected some more wood from the wood store outside and lit it again. He had a hunch that Krillin had only volunteered in an effort to try and do something helpful, or have a momentary break from the awkwardness.

And it was awkward. Glaringly so. Gohan was sat there useless whilst his child was potentially being born above him. He felt the need to act, to do something, but he knew - they knew - that he couldn't.

Yamcha and Tien were conversing in low voices from the coffee table, whilst his father was restlessly tapping his fingers on his knee a nearby armchair. The repetitive sound was irritating Piccolo, his frown deepening with every tap tap tap.

Bulma had disappeared with Chi-Chi as the doctor had arrived. Gohan had concluded that she had enlisted Doctor Chiron's expertise and discretion to ensure that everything went smoothly. Videl's pregnancy wasn't exactly conventional, after all.

Vegeta yawned loudly, his bored features illuminated by the florescent blare of the television. He was busying himself by scrolling through shopping channels, there wan't much else worth watching this late at night it appeared.

The noise caught Kratos' attention from where he was brooding up the corner. He locked eyes with Gohan, and glared. He had no qualms in making it known just how furious he was with him, for now his ultimate mistake was beginning to come into full fruition. The great taboo of the Gods would soon be amongst them.

Eighteen chose that moment to check on the kids, her footsteps carrying off down the corridor as he watched her go.

The door hung open, daring him almost.

The steady rise and fall of Videl's Ki continued to taunt him as he stared at the darkened hallway. It was true that he may have had a part in how the child came to be, but he was no sort of father. He would never get a chance to be one, so he was better off keeping his distance.

Still, worry rose in him with each chime of the ticking clock. Doctor Chiron was taking far too long in his opinion. Not that he knew a damned thing about babies.

Was this normal? How long did it take? Shouldn't he have heard a newborn's wail by now?

Just as Gohan was about to throw all hell to the wind and barge down there himself to see what was going on, did Doctor Chiron appear, with his mother not far behind him.

He was on his feet so quick that he nearly knocked Makhai's tumbler of brandy flying.

"It's going to be a long night, I'm afraid," said Doctor Chiron, catching the attention of the others, "Perfectly normal with this being a first baby. Better to let things progress naturally. Don't worry yourself Mrs Son, Videl's a strong girl and baby is strong too. They'll do just fine."

"Well, thank you for coming Doctor," smiled Chi-Chi, relief spreading across her features, "We really appreciate it."

"Not at all," he gave her a gentle smile back, before hauling his bulky satchel over his shoulder, "Now remember, I'm only staying over the way incase I'm needed. Give me a call when the contractions start to get stronger and closer together, or if Videl feels that she'd like something stronger for the pain. Likewise if you're worried about anything, don't hesitate to call. I'll be straight over."

Another rush of 'thank yous' and 'goodnights' followed, as the good Doctor made his exit.

Gohan was still standing as his mother reappeared, repeating what he had said to the group with a reassuring smile, even though they had all heard it. Her eyes jumped over him, as if avoiding his stare but she was gone before he could question her.

"Gohan, mate," Makhai mustered, wiping himself down with a napkin, "You need to sit down and relax. You are way too jumpy."

"Sorry," he sighed, running a hand through his short locks of hair before flopping himself back down next to him, "This is just a lot right now."

"Here," he said, pushing a small glass vile into his palm, "Have some of this, it'll help."

Gohan frowned, "What is it?"

"It's a calming tonic," Makhai explained, his expression was rather serious, even though Gohan could tell that he was attempting to shrug it off, "I keep a spare on me, just incase. About half would do you, I think. It's pretty potent so just be careful."

He mustered his thanks, popping the cap and taking a grateful swig. He made a mental note to himself that his best friend apparently needed to take such a thing on the regular, which was… new.

A strange tingling sensation lingered on his tongue after he swallowed. It was odd, it almost tasted like peppermint. It probably took some time to take effect, as he certainly didn't feel any different just yet.

"Everything will be fine Gohan, you'll see," his father smiled in reassurance, as he pocketed the rest, "Your mum was in labour a really long time with you, like two whole days. It was a bit less with Goten, but she was just fine!"

"That doesn't make me feel any better, Dad."

"Well, I'm just saying that it's normal, you heard the doctor -."

"I know," he cut across him, massaging his temples with his fingertips, before once again getting to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Piccolo asked sternly.

"I need a walk, I can't just sit here."

"Maybe we should all try and get some sleep, instead?" Krillin reasoned tentatively, "It's getting late."

He left the room without another word, feeling everyone's worrisome stare burning into his back as he went. But Gohan didn't care, he felt suffocated next to the heat of the fire.

It was all too easy to get lost within the vast hallways of Capsule Corp. The corridors were long, winding and seemingly endless. Gohan wasn't paying much attention to where he was going, he just needed to keep walking to give himself something other than the continuous rise and fall of Videl's unstable energy to focus on.

It was snowing again, he noted, flurries of white and violet blasted past the dark windows with each burst of wind. He wondered if it was ever going to let up, yet it appeared that the battle on New Mars had caused lasting damage to the Earth's climate.

He was so busy staring out at the snowfall, he hadn't even noticed that he had come to a stop. That was, until he felt a familiar presence emerge from the small kitchenette a couple of doors down - it was most likely used by the staff who worked in the medical wing.

He heard her let out a soft gasp before he turned to meet her eyes.

"Gohan," his mother spoke, her frown deepening, "You shouldn't be up here."

He swallowed, he had no idea how he had ended up on the lower floors so close to the medical bay. It was like a sodding maze for a start.

"I didn't mean -," he began to explain, but a low groan from the opposite end of the corridor cut him short.

Videl's Ki sparked, reaching a peak and staying there for a few seconds. Her moan of pain got louder, making his stomach drop. Slowly, her energy plateaued, beating steady once more as silence resumed.

"Is she okay?" He found himself asking with bated breath.

Chi-Chi paused, warring with herself.

"I know I can't see her," he explained, before she could point out the obvious herself, "But I'm worried. I'm allowed to be worried aren't I?"

"She's perfectly fine, we're still in the early stages," she finally relented, gesturing to the tray of fruit, biscuits and juice, "I was just bringing her something light to keep her energy up. Bulma is with her at the moment."

There was a sadness to his mother's gaze as she spoke. She didn't say the words out loud but she didn't have to, Gohan was perceptive enough to draw his own conclusions. Videl didn't want him there. It was probably for the best, he could agree to that much.

He nodded quietly, he knew his place was not and never could be beside her.

She stepped forwards, her grip tightening on the silver tray.

"You had best get some sleep, you've not long healed," she told him, yet the sudden firmness to her tone faltered, "Don't worry, she'll be alright. Hercule is on his way too, there's plenty of us here for her, and the Doctor is just a phone call away when things get going."

"Don't worry," she repeated, balancing on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek as she passed, "Get some sleep."

He silently watched her go, the door to the medical bay opening gently a ways off with a mechanical beep. The sound of soft voices reached his ears before it closed again. He couldn't move, his feet grounded to the spot right where he stood in the corridor alone.

A sharp and unwelcome rise of anger grew in his chest. How could he possibly sleep when Videl was birthing their child under the same roof? He knew that his mother was only reiterating what he already knew, be kind to him whilst also being an advocate for Videl - but it still pissed him off.

He was told not to worry, which was laughable honestly. He was beyond worried -terrified - would be the word he would use to describe how he was feeling right now.

Everything might be going smoothly at the moment, but what if something bad happened? What if something went wrong?

Scarlet handprints marred the pristine white curtains of the fourposter bed, the Lookout was swimming in the thick red liquid that gushed out of her with each wave of agony that wracked her body.

His father was yelling over Videl's blood-curdling screams, panicking, begging Dende to save her life - !

He shook his head free of the damning depictions that suddenly entered his mind. His clash with Hell during the battle with Janemba had left behind a seed of doubt, a feeling of dread within him that he couldn't quite shake.

"No, stop it," he scolded himself quietly, "That was just Hell messing with your head. She's fine, they're fine."

It's like I told you, Hell had told him viciously, Your selfish actions have consequences. How do you know that it's not real, and not a premonition of what is to come?

Another low moan drifted into the hallway. His stomach clenched, he really hoped that tonic kicked in soon.

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep until it did, he decided to set up camp right there in the middle of the corridor. He was keeping to his word and maintaining his distance, but at least by staying put he would be the first to hear of any news.

He lowered his Ki, just in case his presence disturbed Videl, he didn't want anyone to think that he was lingering outside in some kind of protest.

He sighed, attempting to get comfy on the floor with his back leaning up against the wall. His stomach was still in knots as he closed his eyes, tracing the peaks and troughs of her contractions with his senses.

Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

It didn't help, not in the slightest, but he felt as though he was there with her at least, although he had definitely gotten off lightly.

Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

Bulma came out of the bay after a while, offering him a blanket with a surprised yet knowing expression on her face. Once she was satisfied that he would be warm enough, she retired upstairs where he could feel the majority of the gang still awake.

He could definitely sense his father pacing for a start, his strong energy practically buzzing with anticipation. A smaller Ki joined him after a while, which he recognised as Hercule after a moments focus. Apparently, they were just as anxious as he was.

Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

They were lasting longer, he observed, feeling his stomach give out another unpleasant jolt. This was nerve wracking.

A gruff noise of frustration left his throat, as he shoved a hand into his pocket and reached for the vial. He took a bigger swig this time, praying for some solace a second time around as he chucked the bottle on the floor next to him.

Up the mountain. Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

He sat there for a long time, just riding the surges with her. His guts were still twisting with nerves, concluding that the supposed 'calming' tonic must have had no such effect on higher deities. That, or it was some sort of placebo that Makhai had given him to try and make him feel better.

He sighed in annoyance, closing his eyes as the back of his head fell lightly against the wall.

Up the mountain. Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

Now that he thought about it, he actually found the rhythm quite soothing, all things considered.

Up the mountain. Up the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Peak of the mountain. Down the mountain.

The next thing he was aware of, was the sound of angered voices jolting him awake.

Groggy and confused, the panicked shouts barrelled through his delirium, bursting through the surface and hitting him square in the face.

" - needs to be seen by a specialist! I don't care, I'm flying her OUT!

"Don't be ridiculous - ! You can't move her - !"

"I can and I WILL, I am her FATHER!"

His head pulsated with pain, almost as though he was hungover. His neck was stiff and his whole body felt heavy and uncooperative. The voices drummed through his chest as they grew louder and louder.

The slam of a fist against plasterboard finally brought him out of his stupor.

"Mister Satan, please calm down!" Came a frightened squeak, "Doctor Chiron is doing all he can - !"

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Hercule half bellowed, half sobbed, "That's my baby girl in there, and I won't lose her like her mother!"

What?

Gohan's heart caught in his throat, dread and disbelief flooding every one of his senses. He managed to force his eyes open, catching sight of his mother and Hercule at loggerheads with one another further down the corridor. A terrified junior doctor the only thing seemly stopping them from ripping each other apart.

He locked eyes with his mother, tears cascading down her feverish cheeks as she gasped and hurtled towards him. He was standing now, ready to catch her as she fell into his arms.

"Oh Gohan, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry - we couldn't wake you - and - !"

"What's going on? Mum? Mum!" He grabbed her shoulders, trying to make sense of what the hell was happening as the hot tears choked her words right out of her, "What's happened?!"

WHAM!

Chi-Chi's cries were cut short, as a newly revived Lord Beerus suddenly barged in through an adjacent door. His father was immediately behind him, struggling to pull him back, Whis striding in after them.

Just when the hell did they get here?!

His stomach sank, as the chaos continued to unfold before his eyes. He had taken too much of that damned tonic, it had wiped him clean out.

"Lord Beerus, wait - !" Goku spouted hotly, yet the Destroyer ignored him.

"Where is he?" Lord Beerus growled, "I'm taking Gohan home - right now, so hurry up and say your goodbyes - ! Aha! There you are brat, let's go!"

"He can't go now!" Chi-Chi was positively distraught, "Don't you have any idea what's going on - ?!"

"I'm telling you I'm flying her out - !" Mister Satan roared at several more medics who had arrived to try and tame him, "You can't stop me - !"

Lord Beerus was livid, rounding on his mother, "You had better quieten down, or I will slap you again wench!"

"Touch my wife and you'll regret it - !"

"Mister Satan - no! You can't go in there!"

"Ha! Don't embarrass yourself, Saiyan - Gohan, let's go -."

"ENOUGH!" Gohan bellowed, a sharp gust of pressure expelling from the purplish aura that sprang around him, "Just shut up the lot of you!"

They were stunned into silence, as he rounded on one of the flabbergasted medics, putting a finger at one of them and causing them to let out an undignified squawk as the energy continued to simmer around his frame.

"You," he glowered, "Tell me what the hell is going on in there."

"I-I -," the doctor mustered weakly, bleak and hopeless, "I'm so sorry Sir, w-we're trying everything, b-but we're losing her."

We're losing her.

A strangled sob left Hercule as he surrendered to his knees, but Gohan didn't even flinch.

Hell had been right. He had been right. But being right gave him no solace, it manifested as a sharp and overwhelming pain that struck him down like lightening. And then, he was numb.

Her Ki plummeted quickly, dangerously, as it headed straight for oblivion.

"Stay here," he ordered everyone present, taking control as his hardened gaze snapped to Whis, "Look, I'll be good and do whatever needs to be done, just come with me first. We need to fix this."

He didn't stop to catch the perturbed look that eclipsed his mentor's features, nor did the angered shouts of Lord Beerus halt him in his tracks.

"What the - ?!" Lord Beerus positively seethed, "Just where do you think you're going, boy?!"

Gohan exploded into the room where her fading Ki resided. The doctors and nurses were huddled together at the foot of the bed, - there was nothing more that could be done. Their sorrow was replaced by shock, as Gohan nearly sent them flying with nothing but the mighty surge of his energy.

Then, just like that, he was by her side. He knelt at the edge of the rickety hospital bed as he grasped her hand tightly with his own. Fingers locking into gaps, trying desperately to bolt her back down to Earth.

She was as cold as ice, the heart monitor she was attached to beeped erratically, mimicking her thready, irregular pulse. Wires encircled her chest and the crooks of her arms. Tight straps wrapped over her pregnant belly, exposing the taught skin to the harsh yellow light of the room.

The baby's heartbeat sounded like a drumroll from where it was linked up to its own monitor, but Gohan wasn't sure if it sounded so fast because Videl's was incredibly slow.

"G-Gohan?" Videl croaked, her breath coming up short.

"I'm here," he told her, clasping his other hand over their entwined ones, "I'm here, Videl."

They must have given her pain relief, he concluded, for she was no longer groaning with the peaks and troughs of contractions, even though he could see them as obvious as mountains on the screen beside them. For that, he was grateful.

"G-Gohan," she whispered so quietly so that only he could hear, "Gohan, I-I'm scared."

He felt the raw ache building behind his own eyes, but fought it back down. He had to be strong for her.

"It's okay, Videl. You're fine, you're going to be fine."

"N-No," she groaned, frustrated, "Something's not right, s-something's wrong -."

"You've just got to get through this," he found himself saying, willing it into fruition, "You'll get through this - and you'll be -."

"D-Don't lie to me, Gohan!" Her angered gasps cut through his resolve, and her tears came, hot and endless.

She was fading too quickly, and she knew it too.

"Does it hurt?" She asked him, the eternal glow from the halo hanging above his head shone stark and obvious in her dull blue eyes.

He paused, before pressing his lips to her damp hair, "Only for a moment."

His mentor's presence appeared behind him not a moment later, but he was too focussed on holding Videl to take much notice of the medical staff murmuring in astonishment. A soft white light threaded over the walls, as Whis waved his staff intricately over Videl's dying form.

"Hmm," Whis chimed calmly, lingering over her belly, "You aren't going to budge any time soon are you, little one? Ah yes, much too comfortable."

"W-Whis?" Videl peered through weary eyes, "W-What -?"

"Shh, Vi. Please, try and save your strength, okay?" Gohan rested his head on hers, trying to get her to look at him, to focus only on him. He wasn't sure if Whis could help even if he wanted to, but Videl didn't need to know that. It was a shot in the dark.

It could be it - was it. The end of their story. They had loved each other too quickly so that when the passion cooled, fate had intervened. The rest of the world had caught up, and it had imploded.

"You're actually saving it?"

Lord Beerus was here now too, although he spoke quietly to the Angel.

"The child is perfectly fine, it is the mother who is dying," Whis explained, "Without a father, the girl will need her mother."

A girl. It was a girl.

"What does it matter?" He hissed in annoyance.

Whis tutted, "Really now, my Lord. An orphaned demigod who lacks stability in a parental figure? One who may or may not struggle with the powers they wield? Who, might I add, may or may not eventually find out that the Divine beings present at her birth could have saved her mother? Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me."

Silence reigned, the steady thrum of the baby's heart monitor echoing around them.

Finally, Lord Beerus sighed angrily, "Oh fine! Do what you must. It's not like it'll make a difference, we're all doomed anyway!"

Gohan nearly choked on his words, "W-Whis, c-can you actually - ?"

"Of course I can," Whis smiled, "All Angels are certified midwives, after all. It appears that the Divine energy emitted by the child as it copes with the labour was far too much for Videl's mortal body to contain, therefore, the energy has been slowly killing her as her labour progresses. She will need some time to recover from this, I'm afraid."

"T-That doesn't matter!" Hercule stammered, he hadn't even noticed that he and his mother had slipped back in, "Just do what you can to save my baby!"

"Very well."

Gohan closed his eyes tight as he clenched Videl's hand a little firmer, hoping, praying that this would work. Videl's breath was ragged now, shallow. No more words escaped her, he didn't have to look at her monitor to know that the numbers were sharply plummeting to almost nothing - she was barely hanging on.

All turned white. A spectacular beacon erupted from the tip of Whis' staff and almost blinded them. There was a glaring flash of dazzling light that eclipsed the entire room, lasting but a few agonising seconds before everything came back into focus.

And then, a cry. A cry of new life that escaped the swaddle of white cloth that Whis held in his arms.

"VIDEL!" Hercule cried, rushing to her other side opposite Gohan, "V-Videl, speak to me - you're okay honey, you're gonna be okay!"

Videl said nothing, merely creaked open her eyes as much as she could manage. She gave him a small warm smile, affording Gohan a gentle squeeze of the hand before she surrendered to sleep.

"V-Videl?" He croaked, stroking her hair off her pale face, cold sweat lingering on her brow.

"I ensure you she will be well, Mister Satan," Whis assured, and as he did so, her heart rate started to beep more rhythmically. "She just needs rest, her body has been through an awful lot over the last few hours."

Gohan remained glued to Videl's side, his hand still moulded with hers, as his mother promptly took the wailing bundle from Whis.

"Oh, thank goodness," Chi-Chi sniffed, her voice thick with emotion, "Goku, did you hear? Everything is going to be just fine."

His father - who had raced into the room during the big flash of light - beamed brightly, sheer relief spreading ear to ear. "Y-Yeah, I was really worried for a moment there. So, this is him?"

"Her," his mother corrected, a joyous smile starting to creep over her features, "Isn't she just beautiful?"

"Wow, a girl?!" said Goku, a bark of laughter escaping him, "I can't believe it!"

"Gohan," Chi-Chi cooed, giving him a warm smile, "Would you like to meet your daughter?"

He tore his gaze away from Videl momentarily, an indescribable pang seared straight through his heart. A shock of unruly black hair peaked out from in-between the blankets in her grasp.

His daughter.

"No, he doesn't want to meet it," Lord Beerus snarled, reminding him of his place.

"It's ok, Mum," Gohan cut across his mother as she opened her mouth in furious protest, "It's for the best."

"But Gohan - ."

"Watch over her? Please?" He asked them, glancing back at Videl's sleeping form as he got to his feet, "I just - I need a moment."

He took his leave and forced himself not to look back. The baby's high-pitched cries followed him out into the corridor, before they became muffled by the metallic doors sliding shut.

Gohan found his way to the kitchenette a short distance away, his composure wavered and he promptly fell to pieces. He stumbled, his legs nearly giving way as he barrelled into the countertop, sachets of coffee spilling all over the floor.

His chest heaved, bile rising to his throat as he pressed his hand to his mouth, but failed to stop the sob that wrenched itself from his lips.

The artificial light buzzed and flickered as he let it all out. He didn't care. He was alone and no one could see him and nor would they ever know.

He cried. He cried so hard that his voice became dry and raspy with each desperate howl that escaped him. Reality threatened to tear his entire chest cavity apart, he felt his heart ache and the useless muscles twist and contort in pain.

Videl should have died today.

Fate had staked its claim on her soul, and it had been destined for the afterlife.

Videl should be dead and their child should be orphaned. She wouldn't have been able to be brought back with the dragonballs either, he was well aware of the rules, for if she had died in childbirth then it would have been deemed a natural death - thus any chance of resurrection would have been nil and void.

Only, Divine intervention had saved her. If Whis hadn't have been able to help, and worse, if he had refused -

Grief, anger, relief filled him up so that he could no longer contain it. He could taste his own salty tears as another fresh wave hit him and it spilled over.

He allowed himself this much, allowed himself to become nothing more than a hot weeping mess of snot and tears. For so long he'd had to be strong. Had to be strong not only for the sake of others but for himself as well.

Contain your emotions, Gohan. He was told.

Don't let them get in the way of your duty.

Don't feel.

Stay strong, stay focussed.

Be smart, be powerful, be the best, be unflappable.

Gohan didn't want nor could he be any of those things right now, the mask had slipped and he allowed himself to break because he needed to.

And break he did. Here, alone in this humble little kitchen off of a dark and lonely corridor - and it felt spectacular.

7th December, 2022.

AN:

Videl wins the prize for the longest pregnancy ever...

Pan is finally here! But Gohan's now gotta try and save the universe with the Z-Fighters in tow.

Hope you have enjoyed this story so far, thanks for sticking with it and me. I know the length between chapters is painful at this point! Please know that this story is not dead, I wish I could get more out quicker but alas life gets in the way.

Really looking forward to the next chapter - the official start of this stories next arc, and the adventures and horrors Gohan and co are going to face!

Until next time.

ES x