Chapter 124 - Shatter BREAK
Earth, East District 439, Evening
The evening sun hung low over the Son household. A warm glow was cast over the open field in front of the house, and a gentle breeze rolled through, rustling the grass as two figured stood facing each other - one, small and diminutive, the other, taller and confident.
Pen's face was set, fierce determination on her small features as she squared up against her mother. The young hybrid's fists were clenched tight, her small frame vibrating with excitement. Standing across from her, Erasa adopted a firm stance, her purple gi ruffling in the wind.
"Alright sweetie," said Erasa, smiling. "I promised you we'd have a training session after the dojo lessons concluded today. So let's see if you've improved enough to land a hit on me."
The young girl's blue eyes shone brightly. "Mama, I won't just land a hit! I'm gonna win today!"
On the sidelines, two spectators watched with interest.
Chi-Chi sat comfortably on a cloth laid out over the grass, a soft smile playing over her face as she cradled her growing child in her arms. The young Gojō was growing well, and her shock of black hair rustled in the wind. She slept peacefully in her mother's arms. She shifted ever so slightly in her sleep, and her tail poked out slightly from under the swaddle. Gine sat next to her daughter-in-law, hands in her latch, watching the training session with keen eyes.
"It's always very interesting to watch an Earthling training regime performed by one with Saiyan instincts," Gine said, turning to Chi-Chi with a smile. "But little Pen's a good mix of both her parents, isn't she?"
"You think so?" said Chi-Chi, adjusting the sleeping infant in her arms. "She's as sweet as Gohan, and she's got Erasa's tenacity, definitely," she sighed, watching her granddaughter rush Erasa with impressive speed for one so small. "But...she reminds me so much of Gokū when we were young."
"When Kakarrot was little?" Gine mused, smiling wistfully as the lost years with her youngest son. Her tail twitched. "Saiyan blood really runs deep, even in half-breeds."
In the sparring match itself, Pen's small form had become a blur. She swung her tiny fist, only for her mother to side-step the blow with ease. Pen struck again, this time with her leg, yet her mother effortlessly caught it mid-blow.
"Very good," said Erasa, her tone approving. "However, it's still predictable."
Gently, she sent her daughter stumbled back; the small fighter recovered almost instantly, digging her feet into the ground. Her aura flared to life around her, white flames blazing around her.
"I'm not done yet!"
Gine smiled. "She's so strong for such a young Saiyan."
Chi-Chi hummed in agreement, absently rocking Gojō as she watched her granddaughter's fierce display. "I wouldn't be surprised she taps into Super Saiyan before she's even five years old," she rolled her eyes. "These kids. Honestly, with little Pen's hair, I can't even hope she doesn't become a delinquent."
Gojō stirred, her mother's voice rousing her. Her wide eyes opened, and she cooed, her arms stretching upwards towards Chi-Chi's face. Gine leaned over, peeking at her granddaughter. Her expression was gentle and warm. "And what of this little one? Think she'll be a fighter too?"
Chi-Chi glanced down at her child, her smile wary but affectionate. "Oh please, let me have one normal child." She sighed. "But let's be realistic. In this family? Little Gojō stands no chance."
Gine chuckled. "Not at all."
A sudden shout had drawn their attention from the infant back to the fight - Pen, with a burst of clever manoeuvring, and speed, had feinted left, then spun into a midair kick. The blow was swift, sharp, and unexpected - and to everyone's surprise, it actually hit home.
Erasa felt her face where the child's small fist had connected, her eyes widening in surprise, before her face broke out into a proud grin. "Now that was a solid hit!"
Pen jumped up and down in excitement. "I did it!"
Chi-Chi sighed, shaking her head. "Well, Gohan is going to be happy, seeing how strong she's getting."
"I give your little one two years before she's trying to throw punches with her niece," said Gine playfully.
"I need a nap just thinking about it," said Chi-Chi, groaning theatrically.
Pen ran back towards her mother, eager to try and spar again, while her grandmother and great-grandmother continued to watch peacefully from the sidelines, enjoying this quiet moment they'd earned.
Earth, Satan City, Evening
Satan City was the jewel in the crown of the collection of riches owned by Mr. Satan. Initially a small village in the distant past, it grew around the legend and history associated with the One-Star Dragon Ball, and so, when Gohan had come to this city for the very first time, it called Orange Star City. But now, the city had evolved well past its simple village roots - and even past its metropolis stylings from years ago. Satan City's gleaming spires pierced the violet sky, a testament to the massive changes Bulma brought about that even a non-Cardinal city could reach such heights. A network of elevated highways and sleek monorails crisscrossed the cityscape, weaving an intricate pattern across its skies. Satan Tower rested at the centre of everything, Mr. Satan's face flickering in and out of an electronic bull board.
Far below these towers, high-rises, and roads, however, was a cozy building, secluded in a corner of the city. It was a bar, themed after the Eastern Capital's famous izakaya-style bars, as opposed to the ones popular in the Western Capital. The interior of the bar was abuzz with the sound of clinking cups, sizzling skewers, and the hum of laughter emanating from the other patrons. The lanterns cast a warm, amber glow across the wooden counter, where sat Gohan and, surprisingly, Sharpener.
Time had been good to Sharpener, whose good looks had only been accentuated over the decade. Hs blonde hair, formerly long, was cut, and worn sleek. His eyes retained their piercing shape, and his suit was clearly well tailored. The man had kept his interest in all things physical well past their youth, and had started a set of online courses for physical wellness.
When Gohan had published his book, Groundbreaking Science, Sharpener had surprised Gohan by coming to a book signing, and asking to know more. After learning how to use ki himself, Sharpener had worked them into his courses and they exploded in terms of popularity and success. Now, he found himself the founder and CEO of a company called "Ki Fusion", which managed a variety of content teaching every day Earthlings how to use ki to enhance their lives.
Ever since they'd graduated from Orange Star High, Gohan had found Sharpener gradually became easier to talk to. Running a business had done well to mature him, and over time, Gohan opened up to Sharpener about many things - the man knew exactly what Gohan was, what he could do, and was frequently updated on Gohan's adventures. Which is why, as the blonde man took another gulp from his glass of beer, he found himself grinning at Gohan.
"You don't really get how odd all that is," said Sharpener, having just finished listening to Gohan talk about the events from the future. "You go from time traveling, to defeating an evil version of your dad, to—" he pretended to check an imaginary list, "—sitting in a lecture hall, running through Holo-Slides to a bunch of sleep deprived students?"
Gohan leaned back against the wooden booth, adjusting his glasses as he took a sip of sake. "It's all about work life balance," he said, inclining his head towards his friend. "I think its become I can come home to that sort of peace, that I don't find fighting for it to be really all that difficult anymore."
Sharpener popped an edamame seed into his mouth. His eyebrows flew up in amusement as he chewed. "You say that like you're a normal guy. You're a literal god now, and frequently go toe-to-toe with planet destroying monsters."
"Well," the black haired man mused, moving on to a yakitori skewer, "even the strongest guy has to have a day job, right? Besides, giving lectures is its own kind of challenge. You try getting this new generation of university kids to pay attention to you when they think their P.D.A.s can give them all the information at the push of a button! Sometimes, it's almost easier to fight the bad guys!" He grinned, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol.
"Listen to the Golden Warrior go on," said Sharpener, folding his arms and leaning back himself. "Or was it 'Mystic Man' last time they mentioned you in the news? You could bring back the old hero antics. Ditch the glasses and holo-board; go full spandex."
Gohan laughed, discarding the empty skewer stick and pouring more sake into a cup. "Not a chance. Don't get me wrong - I will always step up to defend those who need it. But I like normalcy. My family, friends, and being able to dive into a good book. It's best when someone isn't trying to blow up the planet or wipe humanity out of existence."
The blonde man raised a glass to his friend. "Fair enough. I can't say I blame you either. Me? I'm happy sticking to teaching my classes, helping people keep in shape. Noting world-ending, but it's good work."
"Your little wellness program exploding into such a big company surprised all of us," said Gohan, remembering Erasa forwarding him the article, along with a video message of her own excitement at seeing how well their friend was doing during one of his lectures. The memory still made him chuckle; his students weren't able to focus when they saw how excited his wife could be. "You took what you loved and you made it your passion."
"Yeah, well," said Sharpener, taking another swig of beer, "I had to do something, realising I wasn't the strongest guy in the room. Remember in high-school, I thought I was hot stuff. It was already hard being friends with a rich vigilante. Then you show up, your little sports display put even star athletes to shame, and suddenly I feel like a background character in my own life."
The half-Saiyan grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."
Sharpener waved him off. "Don't worry about it. It was a good reality check for me. So, how's Erasa doing? I hear she runs a dojo now?" It truly had been some time since Sharpener and Gohan had been able to gather together for drinks like this, and he hadn't really been able to keep up with every aspect of Gohan's life.
"Oh, her dojo is thriving," Gohan chuckled. "Erasa runs the show - she's great with students, and even our little girl has taken to martial arts pretty well. She's become so famous even the Tenkaichi Budōkai's new selection method sought her out for the tournament last time."
"The Tenkaichi Budōkai, eh?" Sharpener poured himself another drink, wistfully recalling older times. "Hard to believe she ventured off into martial arts. I never thought she had her head on straight for the longest time, but I guess that was just her way of dealing with life."
Gohan smiled proudly. "She's come a long way. She trains every day, and her students are really coming along. Neither of us fight professionally but if anyone tries to fight her seriously, I feel sorry for them."
"Between her, yourself, and little Pen, I feel bad for anyone who picks a fight with your family," Sharpener said, shaking his head. "That kid of yours is going to be terrifying when she grows up."
Gohan laughed. "Yeah, we're already having a hard time keeping her form challenging fully grown fighters. She's got my dad's love of battle, I can tell you."
"Good luck with that, buddy," whistled Sharpener. "Looks like you've got a handful."
The old friends clinked glasses together, grinning as they continued into further discussions.
Earth, The Palace of God, Night
Dende was standing out at the edge of the Palace, holding tight to the cane which the former God had left in the position after he merged with Piccolo. He looked out over the Palace's rim, the sun dipping below the horizon, casting the world he was God of, the world he was the Guardian of, in a cloak of deepening, crimson shadow. The young deity felt an inexplicable knot in the pit of his stomach which had nothing to do with indigestion; Nameccians, who subsisted entirely on water, weren't privy to those inconveniences.
"Is something troubling you?" inquired Mr. Popo, stepping up to the Nameccian's side. He watched him with a mixture of trepidation and concern.
"I feel an immense disturbance..." said Dende, hie eyes closed in concentration. Deep concentration was etched into his young face, which grimaced with the weight of the ripple he'd felt shoot out through the universe. Opening his eyes, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his head. "There's just been a massive loss of life somewhere..."
"On Earth?!" asked Mr. Popo, alarmed.
"No...in the wider Universe," said Dende. His voice was solemn and heavy, weighted with the pain of what he'd just felt. "Several planets were obliterated entirely."
"Is there something we can do, God?" Mr Popo asked.
"Not yet..." Dende frowned. "But this wasn't natural...and it wasn't Hakaishin Beerus, either. Something is coming for us."
A deafening CRASH! split the sky as two figures, wreathed in flames, slammed into the Palace of God's pristine white tiles. Cracks rippled through the sacred Palace, and the impact let loose a gust so powerful that the surrounding trees bent every which way under the pressure, a storm-like maelstrom whipping around the Palace.
Dende stumbled backwards, his face frozen in shock. Mr. Popo caught the young God, his eyes widening in shock - a rare display of surprise from the normally calm caretaker. The dust slowly settled, revealing the two who had sown the chaos.
There were two individuals, imposing and stern, and had contrasting heights. The shorter of the two had shaggy, spiked black hair, and tanned skin. He wore a form-fitting blue top, with a black and white armoured portion over his neck and chest. A gold ring rested on his left bicep; tied over his waist was a bright red cloth, worn over dark blue pants. His boots were white, tipped in gold. His comrade was taller, burlier, with wild, unkempt black hair, a dark, tight shirt, a gold ring over his left bicep, and white gloves. He two wore cloth tied around his waist, a navy blue worn over blue pants, and white, gold-tipped boots. Both men had furred, monkey-like tails swishing behind them.
Two Saiyans had arrived at the Palace.
Dende swallowed nervously. "Who are you two?"
"That's not important," said the shorter of the two, taking a step forward, his boots crunching against the fracture tiles. The effort he was taking to not pulp Dende then and there came through in his voice. "What matters is that we are here, now."
"And you're not going to waste our time," said the taller Saiyan, letting his eyes wander between Dende and Mr. Popo.
"What do you want, then?" inquired Mr. Popo.
"Nothing too complicated," said the shorter Saiyan. "We're simply here to deliver a message today. Tell the son of Kakarot...Lady Rīshe has set her sights on him."
A/N: I managed to do it, right before it was time for my trip! I promised the start of the new arc in early 2025, and I intended to deliver. We. Are. Here. The final arc, "The Gathering Arc", has begun. First off, to everyone waiting on Tale of the Sky Maiden and The Heart of Adventurers, I promise new chapters are coming. The issue with those two is I wrote them with a co-author, who is currently MIA and has been for some time. Erased, as my first proper fanfic, is one that is much easier to update regularly. HOWEVER, with Dragon Ball Daima being a great inspiration, I can continue on more easily with Heart, as my co-author was setting up for some magical stuff that was not easy to reconcile on my own. With Daima, however, this will be easier.
But here it is. The final arc has finally begun. I cannot believe it. I hope you all look forward to what I have planned. I actually will not explain the pun behind Rīshe right now, as it would explain too much; the explanation will be given in due time, however! Alright! I will be taking a flight in a few days, flying to Japan! Once I am back, I will try to address either Heart of Adventurers or Sky Maiden and get them updated! I hope to see you all soon, in the next exciting episode of the Erased Chronicles!