SON GOHAN

It was weird seeing all these different universes. The unnerving part of it was all the ones where they had clearly lost. For him he couldn’t help but stare at the universes that contained Cell and Bojack. Maybe he should have entered this tournament, but only to avenge his other selves, which he knew with how this worked wasn’t even a guarantee. At least some of the universes seemed okay. He couldn’t help but gawk at the one with… wait… that couldn’t be? Videl? It had to be a coincidence that her sword looked like the Z-sword. No it had to be. Maybe if he got the chance he could talk to them, find out how she got it. Probably let them know to just break the darn thing.

The only other two universes that felt familiar was… oh. He really hated to admit it but seeing his dad as his normal self stung a bit, was it a hint of jealousy? Vegito was, okay. But he wasn’t his goofy dad. A shake of the head, he didn’t want to think about it too much. The other universe was, wait where did Trunks go? 16 seemed to be just standing around, he had to remind himself to say hi to an old friend.

His train of thought would be interrupted by a somehow familiar voice. Was that what he sounded like? Eyes would stop on what was clearly himself. Bulkier, more of a warrior than he ever was and clearly scarred from it. So this is who trained Trunks. Features would soften and he’d give his other self a cheery grin and reply. “Of course! Friendlies are always welcome here! I kinda always wanted to meet my uh.. hmm..” How could he put it? He’d go into thought for what felt like a second too long. “Future? Self?” That would have probably made more sense if he was still a kid and not a grown adult with a wife and kid.

He lets out a chuckle as he hops over the stand’s wall and hears his other self try to picture some of it all together. Then he shrugs his shoulders and crosses his arms. “I suppose that’s one way of calling it. I’m not sure how old you are, but you look like you’re getting here...” He pats his own cheek and returns his arms to a crossed state. “Lucky for those saiyan genes of ours... or my age would really show!” He lets out a chuckle before scratching the back of his head. He looks like their father, for sure. More then maybe anyone else ever will in the original timeline... and that might not be from genetics alone. Life style sure did contribute. The Gi doesn’t help either. He then mellows his facial expressions out and eyes both Vegito, and then the ring with Goku & Vegeta.

“I gotta be honest... I’m not sure which timeline we travelled back to help. It could be yours... since the diverging point happened while we were back in our timeline.” He ponders, but shoots a glance at himself, then the wife and child he has at the stands nearby. He looks down though and sighs. “I saw the match with Bojack... I’m sorry about what happened.” Then he examines his past self closer. He seems to have become a scholar, like the warrior strived to do. So it makes him feel more comfortable that in a few universes, he got the peace he wanted. It’s not easy, fighting for peace, but it feels good when you earn it. The Scholar earned it. The Warrior was still getting there.

         The Arcosian Emperor had travelled far from his intergalactic domain to seek out the man who had brought dishonor to his bloodline. Though the eldest son of Cold had finally (and rightfully) been given the crown that was denied while his little brother lived, dissatisfaction of how it was obtained had tainted what jubilation he would have felt otherwise. Rather than by his own merits, it was simply passed along due to being the remaining heir… one final slight by his wretched father, who had long since passed. It was an unacceptable reasoning, especially as he had continuously proven himself far more level-headed and capable of leadership compared to his flighty brother.

         So, in order to cleanse himself of this familial shame and cement himself as the true heir of the Cold Empire, Cooler had decided on accomplishing the one thing his brother had failed to achieve before his death: eliminating this co-called Super Saiyan. The man they called Son Goku. And what better way to draw him out, then by invading his adoptive home planet and smoking him out?

         And yet, there was something peculiar about this world; the populace was surprisingly small, even less than that of a dwarf planet. And despite the destruction he had caused, this Super Saiyan had yet to appear—no, instead, another with a similar visage to him had shown up, screaming with righteous fury and platitudes of lament towards the loss of innocents. The violet-toned Arcosian ceased his onslaught as he turned his scarlet irises onto the other man, his obsidian lips curling into a contemplative frown as he examined the orange-clad warrior.

         “I am Cooler, Emperor of the Universe… and eldest brother of Freeza,” he responded to the dark-eyed warrior, his tail flickering about dangerously. “Now tell me, boy… where is Son Goku? Where is this Super Saiyan, who destroyed my little brother?”

Little Brother? That comment made it all click together like a puzzle in the Warrior’s mind. His fists clenched and he gave the elder Frost Demon a look of frustrated rage. The way his knuckles cracked from the tightness of his fists could be heard. The mention of his father’s full name calms him though. Not in a way that assures him that this will be an easy day, but in a way that reminds him to remain level headed. Son Gohan realizes that the triumphs of the father, and subsequently the trouble they bring, shall fall upon him. He once heard the term “The Sins of the Father shall weigh upon the son.” and even though destroying Freeza was no sin, he realized that all the slime of his remaining empire would come seeking revenge for their fallen emperor.

He didn’t account for Family, though. This world had been ravaged though. Destroyed and dominated by two cyborgs who craved nothing but what they deemed “fun”. That was the destruction of anything lower then them. Son Gohan was currently in the process of cleaning up their reign of destruction after having returned from a hard fought battle in the past. So the world was fragile state right now, and some self proclaimed “emperor of the universe” isn’t going to make it any better. He won’t allow this bastard to destroy his home just because of something that happened so long ago! 

“Son Goku is dead. Claimed by a heart virus.” He says, calmly, but the overtones of fury behind his voice are all so apparent. “I am his last son... Son Gohan. If you came looking for a fight, then I’ll be your opponent.” He clenched fists tightly and began gritting teeth. Cooler game looking for a Super Saiyan? He’d get one. Hair begins to raise, black locks soak with a golden color. His eyes go from a darker color, to a brighter more vibrant green. A roar of power is let out as a fiery aura explodes around him, wind rushing around him. 

            Her leg slammed into his side and, as planned, sent him careening into the sea. Another inward pout; she hoped he might be able to resist her better in the powered up state. However, it seemed his attack drained even more of his already dangerously depleted energy tank. She supposed she had no own to blame but herself; she took a mental note to scale back the waves of clones she bombarded the last heroes with. Or hero. Trunks would be all that was left after this but. Gohan would be devoured, his power stockpiling onto her own.

           Which meant she couldn’t let him die just yet. Her snacks required life. And what a pitiful way for such a diligent and resilient fighter to go down after all his struggles. She would honor him with being her first treat since awakening rather than drowning in freezing water.

          Diving downward, 21 pierced the surface of the water, chill etching over her skin and seeping into the remnants of her clothing. A mere discomfort for the android. She found him drifting lower and lower into the depths, too exhausted to fend death off himself. She dove deeper and grasped his ankle before shooting back to the water’s surface and out of its icy clutches.

            She tossed him onto shore, his limp body skidding across the ice. “ Drowning is not how you die, Gohan. It wouldn’t be any fun or particularly helpful to my cause. ” She strode over to him, slow. A predator deciding just how to feast on her prey. “ Now what should I turn you into? Cake? A donut or éclair? Or perhaps a macaron? My mouth is watering just thinking about it! ”

When she gets within inches of him, his eyes snap open. Like a dead possum suddenly springing into a growling hyena, he fights off all urges of pain just too be able to do this. His body roars in agony as he moves, it physically hurts to even manage a feat like this, but it’s what he has to do to ensure his won survival. “Feast on this!” His middle and index fingers raise to his temple and a bright white light of energy flares out like a flash bang. “TAIYO-KEN!!!” The Solar flare exploding out like a micro sun.

If she manages to be blinded by the solar flare, the next phase of his plan comes into action. He’ll not even bother to try and hit her. It’d just give away his position- it’d be stupid too. He instead just hurls a ki bomb at her feat in order to create an explosion of smoke and light that will add even more confusion. Then, he suppresses his energy into levels that are unreadable. He can’t be found or detected or else this entire plan is left to waste. He can’t leave Trunks to fend on his own either. He needs to be warned about this Android’s ability. 

He’ll try and flee into the nearby ruined village that the clones attacked and hide among the rubble and crumbled buildings, trying to find a place to hide. If she flees, or takes time to search, she won’t find him immediately and maybe he can rest up just enough to gain enough strength back for a fighting chance. Anything to give him an edge. 

Frieza’s eyes could roll straight out of their sockets.

Short. Childish. Fearful. A glowing review of that caliber should have easily set Frieza off into a flurry of threats to vaporize this son of a Saiyan, but with his father and his brother in the audience, he didn’t feel like throwing a tantrum. What would Cooler say? No doubt some snide comment about his size. You’re acting your age again, Frieza.

He doesn’t dignify Gohan with more than a twitch. However-

Super Saiyan. His gaze narrows, darkly shaded by disgust, a scoff caught in his throat.

“Then why don’t you sit this one out, Gohan? Let your Super Saiyan father fight me- I’d so hate to embarrass you in front of your own family.”

His tail smacks the ground, and his lips curl into a sneer.

“Because what I’m about to do to you will be nothing less.”

“Oh don’t worry, Freeza. You’re going to fight a Super Saiyan.” He narrows his gaze. “It isn’t going to be my father, though.” and as he says this, he clenches his fist. The smile disappears as he channels his inner rage, inner fighting spirit. His warrior power. Veins pop out on his forehead as teeth grit, black hair raising itself as wind picks up around Gohan’s feet. 

Eyes transform into a green color, washing like ink drowning into water as it begins to spike up. Rocks and loose debris picking up as growls turn to roar and suddenly the Half Saiyan let’s out a roar. A flash of golden light and a flaming aura furiously consuming him as he lets out a “ RAUGH  !!!! ”

Soon, the light clears and the dust settles. The Golden energy pulsating around Gohan as he stares down Freeza. Suddenly his smirk returns. This feels cathartic; Showing the transformation the tyrant fears right to his face. He narrows his gaze. 

The amount of force was unexpected, managing to push the larger Saiyan back as he undergoes the series of hooks and punches shortly after. He staggers back with every blow he takes, his vision becoming nothing but a mix of orange and gold as his head is knocked from left to right, up and down.

Not once does the stain of hate plastered on his face go away though. Not once does he cry in agony, beg for mercy, or plead for the pummeling to end. He’s enjoying this. Every second of it. Every punch that makes contact with his body practically fuels him with his insatiable lust for battle. It’s pushing him further into the battle hungry machine he was created to be, making him angrier by the second. He’s practically begging for more. He wants to feel Kakarots’ anger again. Feel how much stronger - or weak -  he’s become.

This was nothing! Broly had felt worse. He was nothing back on New Vegeta and he was as worthless as ever now. This time, he would tear him apart bathe in his bloo–

       “KRGH–!!!”

A muffled sound of pain breaks though Brolys’ teeth in response to the fist making direct contact with his prominent battle scar gifted to him by Kakarot himself. He felt that familiar pain again. Actual pain. He’s practically lurched forward to the point of falling on the others shoulder as the sheer wave of it floods his body. This wasn’t happening. He wasn’t going to relive that nightmare again! He REFUSES to lose to him again!

       “Rrrrrrh…” A growl swallows up his pain as he quickly gathers himself, an arm shooting up to grip the wrist of the same fist that tried to reopen that wound. His grip grows tighter as he yanks the arm down, forcing the other towards him to deliver a deadly headbutt to the face with enough force that would have shattered a typical humans skull. This is followed up with Brolys’ free hand quickly gathering energy in the meantime while he uses the opportunity to swing the other around in a full circle before throwing him to create distance.

Whether or not Gohan managed to collect himself before hitting the ground didn’t matter, Broly remained locked on target. Without a seconds notice, the shimmering green mass in his hand was launched forward at high speed, followed by another, then another, picking up speed until a complete barrage was sent forth in Gohans’ direction.

An easy to dodge move for the most part, definitely, but it would leave the earth more scarred than it already was and hopefully keep the other at bay while Broly collected himself from that single punch.

The headbutt leaves him disoriented for a moment, and as he’s flung through the air, he has to spin and shake his head in order to regain his bearings. When Broly had grabbed his wrist, he had felt a crushing pressure, but his rage was overpowering. The only time he’s ever felt this much anger toward a person was after the androids had killed Piccolo. Piccolo had been an uncle, and at times as good of a father-figure as the actual Father that was Son Goku. To see him struck down with little effort and left to rot in a pool of his own blood had sent Gohan over the edge, enough to unlock the legendary form that he battled Broly in now. Over the years, anger and frustration had fueled him enough to battle the androids head on... but never this much. He’d never been this angry before. He felt himself gradually powering up with each hit he’d received and everything that Broly had done to make him angry.

They were Saiyans, through and through. Sons of the last generation of Planet Vegeta. Sons of those who’d survived the fire. Though Broly was much older, Gohan felt a closer connection to him then arguably his father had had with him. It wasn’t due to any shared history, either. It was just due to how similar their nature was, but how opposite their uses of power were. Broly was a fighter, lusting for battle and an increase of strength. He was a Warrior who thirsted for blood. Son Gohan, on the other hand, was a fighter who strived to protect the innocent. A Warrior who fought for peace and justice; The Preservation of life.

The first few energy bombs make contact with him. He shields his arms over his body as they collide with him. Each one wrapping him in a small explosion of light and a large mound of smoke. Part of his gi is torn near the upper right shoulder. His sleeves are torn and bruises and burns are caked around his forearms. His wristbands are also scuffed now, so are his pants and wasitbelt. He growls though, resolve hardening. With a sudden roar of power, his aura explodes around him. Gohan swipes the last few energy barrage bombs away as they explode in the air. Then he dashes towards Broly and prepares to kick him directly in the face with a more powered up form. 

            Her glee dissipated into a pout as the light of Gohan’s transformation faded upon impact with the ice, spiderweb cracks spinning out from his still form. Surely she hadn’t overestimated him. Despite his battles with her clones, he still had more to give, and his data spurred her to force it out of him and see just how far she could push him for her own benefit. But his hair shifting back to its usual black hue after a single attack proved disappointing.

           He rose to his feet again, and the rage contorting his features returned the hostile grin to her features. Her taunt had done its work, and his shouts echoed off the ice in a terrifyingly beautiful chorus. How power leapt with the return of gold and green, bounding far above his previous state.  Her heart pounded in her chest. Hunger roared in her with greater appeal, urging her to take this chance to turn the hybrid into a delectable, power-packed sweet for her to devour. But she could get more out of him. She just knew it.

            She watched him shift his arm back, blue-white energy forming in his palm. His father’s signature attack. How fitting for this moment. She considered dodging once more, but where was the fun in that? If it didn’t render him hopeless, wouldn’t seeing her take the brunt of his blast and survive advocate better for him to come at her with his all?

            The wave of ki shot toward her, propelled by his aggression and need to destroy her. 21 lifted her arms and crossed them in front of her. Light and heat overtook her. Pain erupted all over her body, a delightful sting of power. Fabric frayed and tore, her glasses cracked. Finally, the frozen tundra came back into focus and she lowered her arms. With a small huff, she shook out her hair and discarded her nearly destroyed lab coat with the ease and nonchalance of one who spilled coffee on it rather than taking a life threatening blast.

           “ That was my favorite coat, Gohan, ” she chided, dusting her now torn, color blocked dress off. In a blink she shot down to him and swung her leg into his side, the force of which would send him sailing into the icy sea should it make contact properly.

The Kick sends him spiraling through the air. He can feel a crack burning through his body as he spirals through the air and into the water. A large crash of water consumes him. Like knives the cold plunges into his skin. He can only hope Trunks feels the drop of energy and knows the danger looming near him. His vision starts to go blurry as he falls deep into the water, back eventually hitting the floor of the lake as he feels the water filling his lungs. It’s icy, but his skin’s already numb from the pain he’s endured.

He’s tired. He’s so tired. He can’t give up like this, can he? Fighting forever and defending the planet only to be a victim of exhaustion, drowning at the bottom of a lake as the red eyes of his killer peer above the glassy water. He’s not sure what her plans are for him. All he knows is that he can’t let them come to fruition. So he needs to act fast, and his only plan of action right now is to use the  Taiyōken as soon as she gets close to him. Once he does that, he’ll have to suppress his energy and bury himself under something as soon as he can.

He hates that he has to resort to these tactics. He hasn’t had to hide from an opponent since The Androids took his arm. After travelling back to the past, wishing it back, and returning, all of his fights have gone one of two ways- He’s won, or Luck has saved him. The battles with Goku Black always ended one way or the other, with Trunks and Gohan managing to evade Black with a well placed attack or via the Time Machine. There wasn’t full on energy suppression and hiding for quite some time. It would be stupid to suppress now, even if his energy is dangerously low. He’s borderline undetectable now. However, she knows where he landed.

When she heard someone come in, she had expected Goku or her 11 year old son. The man she found standing in the main room was neither, and yet…… even the orange gi he was wearing aside, he looked familiar. Like she should know him.

Then he spoke.

“Gohan….?” 

 “Are you….” From the future timeline? “Oh no….” Abruptly rushing forward, she looked at him closer, feeling the scar over his eye, seeing just how battle hardened he looked. “They didn’t tell me you were here, too….” There was a tremble in her voice now, and oh she could feel tears pricking at her eyes. Just thinking about what hardships her boy must have gone through, even if this Gohan wasn’t her boy, strictly speaking….. it broke her heart. She had heard some of the story from the other timeline. But hearing about it was one thing, seeing was another….

Breathing slowly, she manages to calm herself down for the most part, and with slightly unsteady hands she beckons him to sit down. “I’ll make ya some tea an’ yer favorite snack, okay?”

When she reaches out to touch his scar he hesitates, recoiling a bit. It’s strange, this encounter. The scar is healed in a way that makes it ugly. It’s permeant, will never go away. Most of these scars will never go away. It was only thanks to the Dragonballs of this time that he was able to wish his arm back, which was something he had to do before he saw her. The very sight of him without an arm would crush her. A scar is one thing, but all that damage for a mother to see is cruel. It’s cruel and disgusting to put someone through that pain, and he hates that the mother in his timeline hasn’t heard from him... that he hasn’t had the strength or guts to face her. He’s... ashamed of himself. He feels like he’s let her down.

“It’s.... It’s okay.” You don’t have to do that. You don’t have to pretend that it’s okay. You can scream and yell if you want. Please don’t say you support this. Please, be angry. He’s finding it hard to remain stoic. He wants her to be mad, wants her to hate that he’s become a fighter.... because if she hates him, then it means the one in his timeline hates him too. Someone who hates you won’t worry about you, won’t go through stress every night worrying if you’ll make it back or not in one piece. They won’t ask about whether or not you’ve eaten enough or if you’re sleeping somewhere warm. Which he hasn’t. He sleeps in a cave with a radio, a lantern and a outside. Always a radio is on to give reports about the death toll caused by the androids. Always he has to put off a fight because he’s too tired.

Now here, with Cell, with everything feeling so hopeless and insignificant... he debates on whether they should run back to the future with their tail tucked between their legs- him and Trunks. Cell would just follow, wouldn’t he? He can’t just abandon his father, Piccolo, Krillin, Bulma... Mom... He just can’t. So he stays, regardless of whether or not this is a fight they can win. He’s not sure. Finally though, he focuses in on the now and looks up at her.

           Though his kick was swift, the bioandroid bent back to avoid its arc, the power behind it apparent in the gust the brushed over her front and mussed her hair. He hadn’t lost all his fight yet. Good. She dodged and blocked each blow that followed, each one surprisingly sure for his current state. It surprised her that he had yet to transform, as she was well aware that he was capable of far more than this. If she remembered her data correctly, he had not ascended beyond the first Super Saiyan tier. If he had not figured it out already, he would realize soon enough that wouldn’t be enough to defeat her.

           With a staged yawn, 21 caught his fist in her hand. Strong. Despite his exhaustion. Such palpable rage, delectable strength. “ Come now, Gohan. You can do better than this. Your father would be so disappointed. ” Crimson energy built in her free palm, wicked grin twisting her lips. “ You’re going to make this too easy for me! ”

           She shoved the sphere of ki into his abdomen and released his fist in hopes of sending him crashing to the rubble far beneath them.

He’s sent flying into the ground, only having moments before he’s able to look her in the eyes before he’s sent crashing into the ground. A loud BOOM echoing through the air as the ice smashes under him and cold water splashes against his skin. It feels like a cold knife stabbing into hot skin. Before he can even get up, gold vanishes from his hair, turning to a dark black. It rises into the air like a white, golden glittery dust. He’s out of energy and she’s knocked the Super Saiyan out of him. There’s nothing he can do. He can’t even really get up, as the moment he gets up onto a knee- he crashes back onto his back, letting out a loud sigh. 

He was totally powerless against her. Like a snake that struck a tired lamb, he was totally helpless to defend against her. Each pierce of her fangs injecting more and more venom into him until he was nothing more then a poisoned animal. Her words echo through his head as he remembers what she just said to him only moments ago, ‘YOUR FATHER WOULD BE DISSAPOINTED.’ His face cringes, contorting at the idea of his father looking down on him with shame. After all he’s done to defend the world from Goku Black, The Androids, everything he’s done to train Trunks and to defend the little populace left after all the waning destruction. His eyes snap open. His fists clench and he pushes himself up to his feet, ice and snow crunching under him as he musters up the strength to stand onto his feet.

“How the hell would you know what my father thinks?”

He feels this surge of rage swirling inside him. Blood is dripping down his face and the bruises are causing this numbness to consume his body, but the numbness is burned away by this flame igniting in his chest. The ice cracking underneath him as snow and water is pushed away. Far, Far away. He spits blood out onto the ice, the red standing out as he says something so smug, you’d think it was the spirit of Piccolo talking, that or Vegeta. “I hate to break it to you, bitch... but he’s been dead a long time. What he thinks doesn’t matter anymore.” His eyes suddenly snap up at her, and this enraged fury in his heart re-energizes a spark in him. His eyes flood with a green and his hair spikes up before his aura explodes around him and his hair turns gold again. His clothes ruffle from the wind and he pulls an arm back. 

“The only thing worth thinking about right now, is the HERE and NOW... and what’s going to happen here and now is simple. My name is Son Gohan! And I will be the one to defeat you!” He shouts at her as blue energy grows around his palms and his arms are pulled back. His aura flares up and expands with each passing second as he mutters out a, “KA.... MAE.... HA.... MAE....” The blue energy littering with white sparks as it shatters the ice around him, the platform Gohan’s standing on barely supporting him. Before he finishes the iconic chant that comes before the attack, he takes a sharp inhale and braces himself. Then he hurls his palm forward and let’s loose his strongest energy wave toward the rampaging majin android, the brightness of the energy and sheer size of it causing the sky to darken as it roars through the air.

“HA!!”