Chapter 122 - The Hero Born For Tomorrow
Gohanks stared down the blade Black had manifested. It had a twisted beauty about it, even he couldn't deny that there was an immense skill behind the polished appearance of the weapon. Inhaling deeply, the fused Saiyan exhaled quickly.
"We can't have more than a few minutes each," said Gohanks. "I'm sure you won't want to miss this chance to kill the both of us."
"As I'm sure you feel the same," replied Black, though his voice hinted incredulity at the idea Gohanks ever could.
"You're right," said Gohanks. "I do want to kill you."
The tension in the air was palpable; Black's own blade could have cut through it. Both were aware of the clock that dictated the length of this fight - and the survival of mankind - was ticking down for them both. For Black, it was an even more pressing matter, as Gohanks had been created after he had. Black's eyes glinted maliciously, following the sword that Gohanks unsheathed.
Both fighters were reaching their limit in every sense. Gohanks brought his sword into a ready stance. Black mirrored him, readying his crackling katana at his side. Ebony broadsword flashed and glinted, while the pink-hued energy blade snapped with power. The world around them seemed to grow still. They were present only in each other, and everything was drowned out, as if nature itself, the very world, held its breath in fear of what was to come.
Blurred, the duo rushed at each other, swords crossing in a shower of sparks, raining down in every direction. The clang of the swords, metal on solid light, reverberated throughout the Provincial Area; shockwaves ripples over the land, cracking the ground far beneath them. Their swords danced together in a deadly dance, katchin against energy creating a unique melody. Their blades met time and time again, each parry and thrust a symbol of their will. The air grew hot around them in the friction of their clashing blades.
Their blades locked momentarily, and neither combatant looked away from the other. Gohanks saw the hatred in Black's eyes, the madness of centuries beyond centuries festering behind them. The air was cleaved apart when their swords themselves broke apart, Black forcing Gohanks off with the power surging through his body. In an instant, Gohanks felt a wave of pressure narrowly miss him. He stepped back, ducking around the next incoming wave.
What's going on?! Gohanks brought his sword up in front of him, deflecting the next incoming pressurised blast. He couldn't tell what Black was doing, yet he was releasing a multitude of blasts. Igniting his palm, the fused Saiyan discharged a kikōha. Black cut it in half easily, the sphere bursting around him. No pressure this time... thought Gohanks. That relief didn't last long, however, as a barrage of pressurised waves rushed his way.
I can't avoid them all! Gohanks brought his own sword up to disrupt as much of the pressure waves as he could; the ones he missed sliced against his shoulder and thighs. Shit...! Blood spurted from the wounds, misting around him. Spinning in the air to avoid the next wave, Gohanks let loose another kikōha. The sphere burst in the air, transforming from one to many. Black batted each and every one aside, destroying them with ease. Gohanks' eyes followed the movements of Black's sword; the fused Saiyan brought it down to his waist, 'sheathing' it in a manner, before rapidly bringing it back out, discharging a wave from the tip of the blade.
Once.
Twice.
Several times over, Black repeated this motion in a near instant. Now that Gohanks could see what was going on, however, he was able to track the movements.
I see what he's doing now...rapidly moving his blade from resting to offensive releases pressure at a speed faster than anything he could make normally... Deftly, he weaved through each incoming wave, slipping up only near the end as one of the waves cut into his face, leaving a gash along his cheek. I've got him now! Gohanks ignored the pain, both palms blazing bright with light. He expelled them in various directions, before bringing them in on Black with precision. Black once again prepared himself to counter the incoming blasts, his gi whipping around from the force of the incoming blasts.
Got you! Gohanks surged forward, closing the distance between them and before Black could fully react, the blade sliced through the air, aiming to bisect him along the torso. He underestimated Black's reflexes, however. He backstepped in time, allowing the blade to graze him. The fabric of his robe parted, the tip of the blade cut up along his torso, and a thin red line blossomed and oozed.
"You missed your mark, mortal," sneered Black. He spun in the air,, his sword a rose-hued arc of menace carving through the space where Gohank's neck had been an instant before. Sensing the coming strike, Gohanks swerved to avoid it, the blade whistling harmlessly past him. However, the counter was only the opening act. As Black's blade completed its arc, he thrust it forward in a lightning-fast stab. Gohanks raised his own sword to block, the two weapons clanging together with a sound that burst throughout the Provincial Area like a divine gong. The force of the blow sent shockwaves outwards once more, uprooting trees and sending rocks hurtling into the sky. Their swords locked in a battle of wills, the two fighters pushed against each other, their muscles straining with the immense power held by both. Yet it was Gohan who broke the stalemate, his eyes flashing with the intensity of a thousand suns as he mustered a mighty shove, sending Black reeling backward.
Righting himself in the air, Black let out an actual snarl. His pupils dilated, clearly beginning to lose his cool. "Humble yourself! You dare defy the mightiest god in all of history?!"
"I'm not impressed," said Gohanks coolly. He gripped his sword, which began to shine , even without a direct light source shining on it.
"Disgusting infidel! Boasting before me with your god-given powers!" Black sounded truly cracked now, his voice reaching a fever pitch. He was speaking animatedly, the pressure of trying to end the battle within the right time frame and unable to make Gohanks budge beginning to get to him. "Human effort has failed! Time and time again! As it will continue to! There's nothing left for you base creatures!"
"As long as there's someone willing to stand up and put in the effort, nothing is wasted!" shot back Gohanks. "No one gets to decide the limitations of mankind! Least of all you, you pitiful creature who fears humans!"
A shine transpired between Black and Gohanks. Black felt a searing pain rush through his body, accompanied by the sort of coldness he wasn't familar with. The pain quickly spread outwards, and the cold was overcome by the warmth of what he quickly came to realise was blood. Glancing down, he saw the black blade of Trunks' sword, thrown by Gohanks, lodged deep within his body. The blade was glowing, bathed in ki. Blood rushed from his mouth, the man's pink-coloured hair reverting to its normal state. He'd been so caught up in his fury he'd not been paying attention, and failed to see Gohanks throw the sword at him. His own blade slipped from his hand.
"Shit...shit!"
Gohanks placed one palm behind the other, raising it above his head. Ki, brilliant and golden, burst to life above his head. "MASENKŌ..." He brought his hands down, cupping them at his side. The yellow blast changed hue, dying itself a deep blue. "KAMEHAMEHA!" Blue light, encircled by rivulets of golden ki, issued from Gohanks' hands when he thrust the blast forward. It was gargantuan, setting the very sky itself ablaze. Black, weakened by the surprise attack, the battle itself, and the loss of his Super Saiyan Rosé state left him unable to even dodge an attack coming towards him at such a speed. The fused Saiyan was enveloped in a stream of light, obscuring everything.
As Black was enveloped, leaving the two who had formed him within the maelstrom. Gohan Black's look of fury was not matched by Gokū Black's, who had a quizzical, almost forlorn look on his face. His mouth opened to say something, words that no one would ever hear, before he and Gohan Black were erased entirely. Gohanks' Masenkō Kamehameha petering out into the distance. Gohanks himself felt his strength leave him, his Super Saiyan Blue state dissipate, and he fell to the ground.
The ground, however, never came. Right before impact, Gohanks felt himself stopped by an invisible force. Materialising next to him were Mai, Bulma, Android 16, Dochi, Shin, and Gowasu. the latter two of whom were holding the fused Saiyan in the air with their own telekinetic powers. Gently, the two gods lowered their saviour onto the ground, setting hm upright.
"Gohan! Trunks! You won!" crowed Bulma.
"It's...it's really over, isn't it?" said Mai, sounding exhausted, yet simultaneously relieved. She felt as though she'd come to the end of a century of suffering in one fell swoop, and was struggling to stand.
Shin smiled. "You were incredible. To see the Potara put to such good use...I'm overcome."
"You look like Trunks," said Dochi. "But you also don't. I don't have a scientific explanation for this."
"ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴᴇ," said the familiar figure of Android 16. "ʙɪᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ, ʜᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʀᴜɴᴋꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏɴ ɢᴏʜᴀɴ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴜɴᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀɴᴀᴍᴏʟʏ."
"Android 16..." said Gohanks. Trunks' memories of meeting Android 16 alongside Dochi were mixing with Gohan's memories of Android 16's death at the hands of Cell so many years ago. "I'm...glad to see you're doing well here."
"ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴇᴛ," said Android 16 shortly.
"Not counting Trunks, Gohan met you in the past," said Gohanks. "It's a long story." He turned to Dochi. "Thank you. You really did save us when you helped Trunks."
"Don't mention it," said Dochi. "I just did what I had to do."
"I can't believe you were so powerful," said Bulma. "Your power was smothering the planet and now I can't even feel anything. I could probably beat you now."
A laugh escaped Gohanks' mouth as he stood there, basking in the praise from everyone. "I'm just hanging on by a thread," said the fused man. "I feel the two of us beginning to unravel."
"If that is the case..." Gowasu stepped in front of Shin, and bowed low before Gohanks. Hands at his side, the god of the tenth universe looked at the ground when he spoke. "Thank you! Sincerely! I cannot apologise enough for my failure with Zamasu becoming a problem for you and yours - your universe never should have suffered this degree of destabilisation. I regret that not only did it have to come to this, but you, two mortals, stepped in to fix my mistake."
"Gowasu, raise your head, please," Shin balked at Gowasu's display of humility. Gohanks, however, bowed back in turn, the manners from the two people who made up his fusion shining through in this moment.
"Don't mention it," said Gohanks casually, both he and Gowasu standing up to full height. "I'm not pinning the blame on anyone. But thank you, it means a lot." Gohanks began to glow, his entire form becoming brighter and brighter. The intensity grew unbearable, until he split; one became two, Gohan and Trunks popping out on either side of where Gohanks had stood, both looking as exhausted and beaten as he had.
Trunks removed his Potara, and handed it back to Gohan, who clipped it back on to his ear. The purple-haired Saiyan took a moment to breathe in, trying to process everything. "Gohan...thank you so much. I know I should feel pathetic, that I couldn't fix this problem myself - if Father were here, he'd chew me out something fierce for lacking proper Saiyan pride, I'm sure of it. At the same time...fighting side-by-side with you? Fighting as one person? It brought back so many memories." He didn't know where he wanted to cry, or punch the air with elation at their shared victory. "You're not the same Gohan who trained me...but you still mean everything to me."
Gohan placed a hand on Trunks' shoulder, smiling. "You're thinking too hard about it. We're not our fathers, after all. And I'm sure Vegeta - the one you came to knew - would be proud of you in his own way. And I enjoyed fighting with you, every second of it."
"What do we do now?" said Mai. "We're going to have to rebuild, but its going to take awhile."
"I know just the thing," said Bulma. "We'll use the Dragon Balls!"
"Dragon Balls?!" The word echoed around the group, between Mai, Gohan, Trunks, and even Gowasu. Dochi blinked in confusion, unfamiliar with the word.
"M-Mother, we don't have any Dragon Balls here," said Trunks. "Piccolo died years ago, remember?"
"And I doubt we could just bring ours here from the past," said Gohan.
"Dragon Balls, eh?" said Gowasu. "I'm surprised to hear about them from a planet like this...but that would fix the problem. However, I cannot in good conscience allow you to bring yours from the past here. Time travel is expressly forbidden by divine law - the fact that you haven't been punished is a miracle in and of itself, and should push come to shove, I will speak on your behalf. However, it is best not to push your luck in these matters."
Bulma frowned. The idea had seemed like such a good idea when she'd thought of it, but now it had been pulled out from under them without so much as mulling it over.
"Wait!" said Trunks, a memory returning to him from his time in the past. "New Namek! Can't we just go to New Namek and ask for one of the Nameccians there to come help us, like Gokū did in the past!?"
"Trunks, that's brilliant!" Gohan grinned, and Bulma excitedly jumped up and down, while Mai simply look confused. "Shin! We should rest today, but tomorrow, can you help us go to New Namek? We have to help fix this world before we return to the past, so we should rest at least for a day before we set out."
Shin nodded, taken aback but agreeable. "Y-Yes, I don't mind. There's nowhere in the Universe I can't take us to."
Gowasu smiled. "I'm glad you came to a solution. I really must return to the Tenth Universe. but I will not forget this." As the group waved him off, Gowasu teleported away, leaving them alone.
"Let's head back to the Western Capital," said Gohan. "Mother is there too! We can rest for a day, and then set out to New Namek."
The Next Morning, the Western Capital, Outside Capsule Corporation Ruins
Gohan stepped outside, seeing Trunks, Shin, and Mai already outside. The night before, he'd told his mother that everything had finally been resolved. Black had been defeated, and his father could rest in peace, his memory undefiled. However, he also told her to go home and rest; he would see her before he returned to the past, but his work was not done.
"Are we ready?" said Gohan, walking to join the three.
"I think so," said Trunks. He was, for the first time since Gohan had seen him since he'd returned to the past, unarmed. They'd retrieved his sword, but Gohan insisted he leave it at home. There was no reason to bring a weapon to the Nameccian's planet. "Dochi and Mother are tending to those who are still injured or suffering malnutrition. So it's just the four of us."
"Do all four of us need to go?" asked Mai. "Wouldn't it cause a panic if four people just...appear?" She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that they would be teleporting to another planet.
"I think so," said Shin. "They'll likely recognise me regardless, but it will help to have the three of you there. We're asking one of their own to uproot themselves and come to this planet - that's no small favour."
"Right," said Trunks. This sort of moment felt surreal. It was the first morning he'd woken up without needing to dear for his life since Black first arrived. And now, they were about to set things on the right track again.
"We're setting out!" said Shin, focusing on the location of New Namek - which he had divined last night. In an instant, the four of them vanished off the face of the Earth, and rematerialised on a planet entirely different. Gohan stepped out from the circle first, taking in the green skies and matching waters, the Ajisa trees that were growing nicely, stretching into the landscape. It seemed, however, that Shin had teleported them right into a village square; Gohan saw multiple familiar Nameccian-style houses dotting the landscape.
"This...is Namek?" said Trunks, scanning the entire village. Nameccians, who had been tending to a garden of freshly sprouting Ajisa, stopped to look at the four of them.
"P-Piccolo?!" Mai stammered, seeing the nearest Nameccian. No one had prepared her for what the Nameccians looked like, and memories of Piccolo Daimaō flooded her mind.
The Nameccians eyed them warily; even hearing a single familiar word did not endear them to strange new arrivals. The memory of Freeza was, after all, still fresh.
Shin stepped out into clearly view, and the eyes of the watching Nameccians softened.
"You...you are not an enemy," said the oldest present, a wizened Nameccian with a cane. "But who are you?"
"I am the Kaiōshin," said Shin. "You may know me as the one who stands above even the Grand Kaiō. I come here on behalf of the Earthlings today. Would you please allow me to speak with the Nameccian in charge?"
"L-Lord Kaiōshin..?!" repeated the elderly Nameccian. "Yes, sir, welcome. You've arrived in the village of the Grand Elder, Mūri. Please, wait."
A larger, squatter Nameccian came following in the wake of the wizened one. He carried himself with the same sort of dignity Gohan was so used to associating with Piccolo. The resemblance was there, even with the builds of their bodies being so different.
"Lord Kaiōshin," said the squatter Nameccian, bowing low. "My name is Mūri. I am the one who presides over Namek, who guides my sons and my brothers. What brings you here today?"
"I am here on behalf of the Earthlings," said Shin. He gestured for Gohan, Trunks, and Mai to step forward. "Their planet was ravaged by decades of conflict, and the Nameccian who presided over their world is long gone - and as such, their Dragon Balls are gone as well. Can you lend them your assistance, and allow a Nameccian from this planet to return to Earth with them, to become the new God?"
"Mūri, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Son Gohan," Gohan stepped forward a little more, and smiled. "My father was Son Gokū, and he fought against Freeza."
"Gohan! You're the son of the Super Saiyan who fought Freeza?!" Mūri's mouth opened comically, surprise giving way to joy and elation. "Your father saved us! We owe him so much!" At these words, the Nameccians in the village began to relax, and their own faces broke into smiles, or at best, neutral expressions. "Everyone! This is the child of the Saiyan who defeated Freeza for us!"
A cheer erupted around the village. and Mūri walked over to Gohan, wringing his hands. "Dende will be thrilled to see you again! He still talks about you and your friend Kuririn! We owe you all so much!"
"I-I'm not sure about that," said Gohan, embarrassment flooding his face with colour. "Namek still got destroyed in the end..."
"But your Dragon Balls brought us back, and we were able to make a new life here!" Mūri waved away Gohan's denials. "We will be more than happy to assist you, Son Gohan."
"Whoah..." said Mai, watching this exchange in amazement. "They're so different from Piccolo...and Gohan is quite famous."
"My mother told me a lot about what happened on Namek," explained Trunks. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if they were some sort of folk heroes on this planet now."
In the hustle and bustle, Mūri had agreed to go speak with Dende, who was the most talented member of the Dragon Clan - those Nameccians who could make Dragon Balls - on Planet Namek. The young Nameccian came out, and upon seeing Gohan, rushed to greet him.
"Gohan! It's you!"
"Dende!" Gohan grinned, clasping hands with the Nameccian. "Boy are you a sight for sore eyes!"
Trunks and Mai explained the entire situation to Mūri and Dende - how Earth had been ravaged first by the Androids, and after their attempts to rebuild, a man who claimed to be Son Gokū, who had brought the Earth to the brink. Gohan had returned from the past to help Trunks set everything right, and now they believed it was time for Earth to have a God, and Dragon Balls, once again.
"A time traveler..." said Mūri, eyeing Shin with some surprise. "Lord Kaiōshin, what do you have to say about this?"
"Divine law sometimes simply needs to bend," Shin replied lightly. "I will take the ramifications for this, should there be any, in Gohan and Trunks' stead. It is my failures as a God that led to this scenario, not theirs."
"My Lo-"
Shin raised a hand to silence Mūri. "If this has taught me anything, it is that we gods are not infallible. Humility comes for everyone in the end."
"I'll go with you all," said Dende. "Even if this isn't the Gohan I know, it doesn't change the fact that he saved my life all those years ago, and his family and friends fought hard for all of us. I'll do it. I'll become the new God."
After Dende said his farewells, and the group politely turned down an invitation to stay a little longer for a celebratory party, citing the need to fix Earth as soon as they could, Gohan, Trunks, Mai, and Dende gathered around Shin, and they teleported back to Earth - this time, towards the Palace of God.
Earth, Palace of God
"So this is where the God of Earth resides.." said Dende, the moment they materialised onto the floating platform. "I can definitely feel something here, calling out to me..." He closed his eyes, taking everything in. "It's the statue of your Shénlóng, I think."
Trunks blinked. "The statue?"
"Shénlóng is created from a statue that God himself moulds, and then Mr. Popo helps breathe life into," said Gohan. "But Mr Popo is gone as well..."
Dende shook his head. "This Mr Popo fellow must have helped the previous God. But that's fine, as long as the statue itself is here, I can remake Shénlóng. I just need to find it."
Finding the statue did, surprisingly, not take long. Once Dende had brought it out from the inner sanctum.
Gohan, remembering something from the last time this occurred, asked Dende, "Can you upgrade Shénlóng? In my time period, he is able to grant three wishes. But we'd also need him to be able to revive multiple people from death at once."
"If I do that, he'll only be able to grant two wishes if you revive multiple people," said Dende. "But something tells me you already knew that." He smiled knowingly, and Gohan reciprocated.
"Please," said Gohan.
Dende nodded. Placing his hands out over the statute itself, Dende muttered an incantation over it in the Nameccian tongue. The statue and its entire container began to glow, and the light burst from the statue into the air, splitting into seven as it flew in multiple directions. "There." said Dende. "The Dragon Balls have been restored"
"W-What, that's it?" said Mai, stunned.
"Yep, that's it," said Dende. "You can gather them now and make your wishes if you'd like."
"I've always wondered," said Trunks, voicing something he'd been wondering for some time. "In the past, Mother said they used the Dragon Balls often...is there any sort of ramification to that? Does overuse damage the Dragon Balls?" Trunks was asking because he knew they would have to use the Dragon Balls more than once to repair everything the Androids and Black had done; this wouldn't be a simple one and done.
"No," replied Dende simply. "That's impossible. The Dragon Balls recharge over the course of a year. There isn't any way to 'exhaust' a set of Dragon Balls. They weren't made with the concept of punishing the one who uses them. We will be able to fix Earth, Trunks, dob't worry."
Trunks heaved a sigh of relief. He'd been worried something catastrophic could happen, but perhaps he'd been too paranoid.
"I'll swing by Bulma, and see if the Dragon Radar survived in this timeline," said Gohan. "In the meantime, everyone, wait here? It shouldn't take long."
Take long it didn't. With his immense speed, Gohan found the Dragon Balls scattered around the world in little under an hour. Shin had gone to Capsule Corporation to retrieve everyone - Bulma, Qirka, Yajirobe, Dochi, and Android 16 joined Trunks, Mai, Gohan, and Dende in front of the amassed Dragon Balls.
"We really have Dragon Balls again," said Yajirobe, looking at the glowing orbs with no small amount of shock.
"Thank you, Dende," said Bulma, putting a gloved hand on the Nameccian's head.
"These are Dragon Balls...?" Dochi eyed them analytically. "They're like glass art. I can hardly believe they're magic."
"You're about to see, then," said Gohan. "Dende, go ahead!"
"Come forth, Shénlóng! And grant my wish!"
The seven Dragon Balls, as if they'd been waiting for these words in the more than two decades since they'd been inert, became suffused with light. The sky grew dark, and the light erupted like a geyser high into the sky, elongating, snaking its away into the shape of a large, emerald dragon. Its body undulating, yet never alternating in length, ruby eyes flashing with intent.
Shénlóng had been reborn.
"YOU WHO HAVE GATHERED THE SEVEN DRAGON BALLS! SPEAK YOUR WISHES! I MAY GRANT ANY THREE!"
"Trunks, this is your world," said Gohan, nudging the man forward to face Shénlóng. "These were your hardships longer than anyone else's. It's up to you to make these first wishes."
"M-Me?" Trunks pointed at himself, confused.
"He's right," said Mai. "You fought Black long before you and Bulma found me and took me in."
"You fought the Androids for even longer," said Bulma. "Go on, Trunks."
The purple-haired Saiyan swallowed. How do you make a wish that's going to decide the future of the world? He already had one in mind, one he desperately wanted...but he knew he had to make at least one more wish first. "Shénlóng! Can you revive everyone who was killed by the man we called "Black", and his accomplice?"
Shénlóng deliberated. "THESE ARE A GREAT MANY SOULS, BUT IT CAN BE DONE." Shénlóng's eyes glowed a bright crimson, yet nothing had outwardly changed from anyone else's perspective. "IT HAS BEEN DONE. I BROADENED THE DEFINITION OF YOUR WISH TO REVIVE THOSE ON OTHER PLANETS WHO HAD LOST THEIR LIVES AT THE HANDS OF BLACK AS WELL - WITHIN THE LAST YEAR."
"S-Shénlóng..." Bulma gaped. Their Shénlóng was not usually that kind.
Trunks felt a broad smile wash over his face. "Thank you, Shénlóng!" This wish had restored his mother too, he could feel it.
"WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH? YOU HAVE ONE MORE WISH REMAINING."
Trunks stood there in silence. This was his chance. The one wish he wanted to make, the one wish he had to make. But was it fair to everyone else? "I...everyone...I want to use this second wish for something personal."
Afterlife, Heaven
Son Gohan walked through the plane of heaven, taking in the odd skies, feeling the air on his body, and seeing the rush of souls flying throughout the realm. After meeting with his past self, he'd felt he was finally able to get some form of closure. When he'd arrived at Enma's desk, ready to receive judgement, Enma had a surprise waiting for him. He clasped Gohan's soul to his body once again, telling him that he had been waiting far too long for the young man to arrive from Limbo.
"You've given my paperwork quite a big of trouble," had said Enma sternly. "Most souls when they die come here immediately. Only those killed by Demons wander in Limbo the way you did. I've never seen a case quite like you."
Even his arm had been restored in this body. Enma had said someone like Gohan, who committed his entirely life to protecting those without regard for himself, was the sort of person afforded the opportunity to keep his body in the Afterlife. It hadn't been something the Saiyan had counted on; he'd been entirely obliterated by the Androids after all.
"How do I face everyone?" said Gohan. He stopped walking, his eyes following the seemingly endless horizon of Heaven. "How...how do I tell them I failed? And Dad...I couldn't live up to his legacy at all..."
"What makes you say that?"
The familiar voice made Gohan freeze. It couldn't be. They were both dead but...surely he was somewhere else? Turning around slowly, Gohan saw the familiar face and spiked hair of his father. "D-Dad..."
"It's good to see you, Gohan," said Son Gokū. "I was wondering when I would. I'm..." Gokū didn't know how to form the words. This sort of thing had never been his style. He communicated through his fists far easier than his words, but he knew Gohan wasn't that way. "I'm so proud of you, son."
"B-But why?" Gohan's voice cracked as he spoke, trying to take in every bit of his father his eyes could see. It had been so long, so many years. "I couldn't protect the Earth...I couldn't even get over myself when I died...You were always so strong, Dad, and I couldn't—" His voice shut down entirely when Gokū placed a hand on his shoulder.
His father's gaze was kind, his black eyes warm and consoling. "I'm sorry I never got to see you grow up," he said. "I wish I could have been around longer. But you did the best you could - and you brought Trunks up somethin' amazin' too. I saw everythin' with Kaiō-sama! A Super Saiyan at his age? And that sword!" He was trying to keep it casual, trying to keep everything easy. "You fought until your last breath to keep everythin' and everyone safe. As my son, I couldn't be prouder of you."
"D-Dad..." Gohan wrapped his arms around his father, and the man reciprocated, even if awkwardly. Father and son embraced in that moment, and Gokū simply let his son's emotions spill out. It was all he could do, but it was also what Gohan needed. It was a few moments before Gohan finally subsided, and the two broke apart.
"So...what do I do now?" said Gohan, confused. "I'm still not used to being dead."
"What do you mean?" said Gokū, pointing at Gohan's head. "You're goin' back home. It looks like Trunks fixed everything."
Gohan felt above his head. Nothing was there. The halo he'd had only moments before was entirely gone.
"I'm...alive?"
Gokū placed a hand on his shoulder, and placed two fingers to his forehead. "Let's get you back! Give your best to your mother for me, will you?"
Moments Earlier, Earth, Palace of God
"I want to revive Gohan," said Trunks. "Please."
A silence followed his proclamation. Everyone looked at each other, and Trunks braced for objections.
"I think that's a great idea!" said Bulma.
Yajirobe nodded. "I can't say I wasn't lookin' forward to usin' these Dragon Balls to revive Karin, but it's your call, Trunks!"
"I had a long talk with my future self earlier," said Gohan. "I met him at the border between this world and the next. I think he'd been there a long time. We'd been so caught up in everything going on, I wasn't able to relay the message, but I can now. He said he's proud of you. Go ahead, Trunks."
Trunks felt the corners of his eyes well up with tears. "T-Thank you, everyone!" Turning back to Shénlóng, who had just been about to speak, Trunks said. "Shénlóng, I'm sorry for the wait! Can you revive the one called Son Gohan, who lost his life fighting the Androids?!"
"THIS CAN BE DONE," said Shénlóng. "HIS BODY HAS BEEN RESTORED BY ENMA-SAMA. IT WILL BE UP TO HIM HOW HE RETURNS." Shénlóng's eyes flashed with their bright light once more, a crimson glow bursting from his face. "IT HAS BEEN DONE. SON GOHAN HAS BEEN REVIVED, AND YOUR WISHES HAVE BEEN GRANTED! FARE THEE WELL!" The Dragon Balls, glowing once again, rose into the air, and split off in multiple directions, the sky regaining its light once more.
Trunks looked around, trying to see if Gohan was going to manifest out of nowhere. "Did something go wrong?"
"No, this is how it works," said Bulma. "We usually have to teleport them here or something with the Dragon Balls. But Shénlóng said it would be up to Gohan as to how he gets back, so he might know something we don't. I think we'll just have to wait a moment."
"I'm surprised you didn't use the Dragon Balls to restore the planet to before Black got here," said Dochi, interrupting this little talk. Despite being a woman of science, she was taking the recent discovery of a magical Dragon surprisingly well.
"I mean, didn't you agree to help us anyway?" said Bulma.
"I did, but it seems practical," shrugged the small woman.
"It's fine," said Trunks. "We've rebuilt by hand before, and we'll do it again. This wish was important."
"I'm glad you think so," came a wizened old voice. "Because we've never done a revival and transport this quickly before." An old woman with short hair, black robe, and a witch's hat sitting atop a floating crystal ball had appeared out of nowhere. And next to her was—
"—Gohan!" Trunks voice' came out strangled, a mixture of joy and relief mixed in with the surprise at seeing his wish actually be granted. "I'm..." Now it was Trunks' turn to cry, stopping just short of Gohan. "I didn't live up to your training at all! I let you die, and—"
The irony in Gohan's mind was on full blast. He'd just had this conversation with his father, and now he was on the receiving end of the same doubt, the same crushing self image. He was starting to see how his father could so easily assuage his fears. How could Trunks ever think he was anything other than proud of him? Placing a hand on Trunks' shoulder, the same way Gokū had for him, Gohan said,
"Come on now, Trunks. You've been more courageous than I ever could have asked from my student. And look at you now! You've grown so much!"
Trunks wiped his eyes, feeling so much like the young child he'd been when he'd seen Gohan's body laying in the puddle in the middle of that destroyed cityscape. He didn't feel deserving of Gohan's words, but at the same time, they strengthened him, pulling him above the waters of his own self doubt, even if only a little. "We've still got a whole world to fix," said Trunks. "I'll give you the rundown of everything later, but...I'm so glad you're back, Gohan!"
"It's time for us to return, then," said Shin, walking over to the present Gohan, Bulma, and Qirka. "We've far overstayed the time that we should be in this era."
"You can't stay longer?" said the future Gohan. "I wanted to talk more with you, Gohan —and to thank you."
"You don't have to," said the present Gohan, extended a hand to his counterpart. "You're me, after all. I already know how you feel."
"Right," the future Gohan smiled, and gripped his counterpart's hand. "We're the same, after all."
Trunks ran back to the present Gohan, and, taking a deep breath, said, "Thank you, Gohan! And you, Mother, Lord Kaiōshin! For everything you did for me and our future here!"
Gohan's returning smile was warm. "Don't mention it, Trunks. I wouldn't just stay back while you needed help. But you brought us the warning and you acted on your own; this is as much your victory as anyone else's."
"Say hi to my future self for me!" said Bulma. "And Mai! Make me a proud grandmother!"
Mai flushed crimson, spluttering incoherently. The group gathered around Shin, and with his Time Ring, they vanished.
"There they go," said Gohan, watching the empty space where his counterpart and his comrades had been. "Now it's up to all of us, isn't it? To pave the way for this future."
"We'll do it together," said Trunks, standing side-by-side with his mentor.
Earth, Present Timeline, Capsule Corporation
It was as if Gohan's friends and family had known the return was today. No one could possibly have, and yet, gathered at Capsule Corporation's garden were Erasa, four-year old Pen in her arms, Piccolo, Whis, and Beerus were waiting. Gohan, Bulma, Qirka, and Shin appeared in a flash of light between them all, looking certainly pleased with their work.
"Papa!"
Pen wasted no time wrestling herself out of her mother's arms - no small feat, given Erasa's strength - and flying pell-mell towards her father, tackling the man out of the group and onto the ground. She nuzzled her cheek up to his, laughing the whole while. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too, kiddo!" Gohan smiled, laughing alongside his daughter. He held her up as he caught to his feet, embracing the rambunctious child. He fixed his gaze on Erasa. He'd only been gone for a few short days, but it had felt like so much longer, now that he saw Erasa standing in front of him. Part of him had been worried he might not have made it back to see her face again.
"I'm home."
Erasa walked over, wrapping her husband and daughter into her arms. She held them close, simply taking in the moment.
"Welcome home." she said simply warmly.
Shin stepped apart from the group as well, motioning Piccolo, Beerus, and Whis over. He explained the sequence of events in the future as he knew it, leaving out no details. Additionally, he filled Piccolo in on what he, Beerus, Whis, and Kibito had discovered in regards to the Kaiōshin of Time.
"Her seal was cracked?" Piccolo sounded aghast.
"I'm glad to see you appreciate the gravity of the situation," said Beerus. "I'm more surprised that here hasn't been repercussions; the flow of time is compromised, and it appears our young friend was at fault. And yet we all remain mercifully in one piece."
"Simple time travel is not enough to cause that degree of damage," Whis corrected. "While young Trunks is definutely in breach of divine law, it is as you said Lord Beerus. The Kaiōshin of Time herself allowed his passage through time. He shouldn't have even made his way here - his timeline was not directly connected to this timeline. But she allowed it to happen. Perhaps she favours him."
"I can't imagine we'd still be here if there was any other reason," agreed Shin.
"What are you all talking about? Who can bring retribution to the Hakaishin himself?" asked Piccolo.
"If the time ever comes, you'll see," said Whis casually. "I imagine, if the Kaiōshin of Time has taken action, that the time for everything to be revealed will be sooner than we think. But for now—" Whis turned their attention to Gohan, who, alongside Erasa, was playing a spirted game of tag with Pen. "—who are we to spoil this moment for them? They've all fought hard, and deserve to bask in this victory. Let's take our mind off things with a nice meal, Lord Beerus?"
"Very well," said the Hakaishin, folding his arms. "I'll let this play out. I've got my own suspicions, after all."
The Hakaishin and his attendant left a very confused Piccolo with an apologetic Shin.
A/N: Chapter Black has come to its conclusion! I genuinely hope you all enjoyed this arc! I had plans for things I wanted t do in this arc that I simply didn't have the time to write, or had to change to make things fit. I apolohise if the fight at the beginning ended too abruptly; it's always hard to fight the right way to end a fight, but here we are. I hope this arc was enjoyable for all of you. Now, to go over another name. Black's new technique was called Judgement Space Slash (空判斬撃 Kūhan Zangeki). Always wanted to work iaidō into a fanfic, so that was worth it.
I made a point to actually end this arc on a good note. Trunks, and by extension, Future Gohan, have honestly suffered enough nonsense. The ending of the arc in the original Super was just...fucking insane. It was absolutely ludicrous how comically depressing it was. So I went in the FULL OTHER DIRECTION. I don't think anyone is going to mind.
Now, I don't know how to say this: this ends Chapter Black, but that also means that this starts the final arc of the Erased Chronicles. The Gathering Arc will premier very soon, but I have to focus on Dragon Ball: The Heart of Adventurers and Tale of the Sky Maiden and get each of them a chapter to be uploaded soon. With my co-author on those two stories MIA for ages, I am basically alone on three stories. So I will not upload the first chapter of the final arc any time before January, which means I won't see you all with this story before 2025. Happy Holidays to all of you if this is my only story you read - I'll see you all very soon in the next exciting chapter of the Erased Chronicles!