Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Where do I belong? ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball/Z/GT, it characters, or anything in it; nor do I own any other licensed product/item that may appear throughout this fan fiction piece.

AN: As promised, with the flood of reviews at a decent speed, I'm giving you a chapter in a shorter time. A number of you are asking why I don't post all the chapters I have written; well the answer is pretty simple. If I were to post them all now, 1) I wouldn't get the amount of reviews I would if I wait. 2) You would have to wait longer for updates while I got my bearings straight and kept going. 3) I'm just plain mean. ^_^

A few more questions have been asked. Age is one of them. I have the timeline from the anime from the DBZGT Legacy website, which is an official one. So thanks to go them. Gohan was born in May of 757 and the Cell Games occur on May 26, 767. This would make him ten. Add in the months of the Room of Spirit and Time, and he was eleven when he defeated Cell. Now, in my story there are a few changes you would have to make. In Goku's reflection, he stated tenth birthday because he was going by years, not thinking if he had been in the chamber with him. And a very important thing for you to remember is that when I speak of Gohan's age (as in alive not memories) I base it off of the thought that his birthday is celebrated on October 12th. The day he was found (and the estimate that he was four). I know it's complicated, but should you have any questions, email me, instant message me, or ask in reviews. I have a timeline of this story written out so I can keep track of it myself. [Thank you Android 71 for pointing out that I should explain this. Don't worry, I never would have taken the age thing as a flame.]

Long AN today huh? A lot of you have talked about him appearing in the Cell games. If you noticed, my summary changed and by calculation you realize he doesn't show up. This was a very hard thing for me to do, but in reality would you, a nine year old child, go off in the face of battle? Especially one as depressed and mentally shaken as this one? The answer is no. As much as I would have loved to have him go (the Cell Saga is my favorite) I'm afraid he won't make an appearance. But the Cell Games to play a large role in this. You'll see why. For those who don't know my writing style, I like to take things from earlier chapters and bring them into the later ones. Please remember, the Cell games were televised! ^_^ Enjoy!

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Chapter 9

All around the globe, families and friends gathered around their television sets to watch the outcome of the battle for Earth. For the most part, people of Earth were ignorant to off world threats or any other sort of battle for the planets future. However, one reporter had gone to cover the event, relaying the battle to those everywhere.

For the Z-senshi, it was another day working to save the world. For their loved ones, it was another battle to worry through. For the world, it was a day of reckoning.

The Daemons gathered around their television that day to watch the battle as well. No one was really into the battle, but merely going through the motions. It was a broken home, a broken family. Angel and Erik were curled up on one end of the couch, while Cassandra sat at the other end. This young girl's attention was not on the television, but on her brother. He was seated on the floor in front of her, leaning against the couch. Gohan was watching the battle, only Cassandra knew he saw more in this battle than anyone.

He hadn't spoken, but she had been able to notice some improvement in his coloration. She always noticed things like this in her brother. Just now, he was watching the TV steadily, but it was like there was something more to it. Turning her attention back to the screen, she couldn't help but smile a bit as she watched Mr. Satan's students attempt to fight. She was trained in the martial arts and knew that those two couldn't compare. The fact that she could sense Cell's strange energy from the couch only confirmed the fact that these guys would be unable to do a thing.

Gohan merely stared at the two fools as they attempted strange attacks, each disposed of with ease. His own senses told him more than his sister's. He knew that Cell could beat anyone there, only a few would have the ability to compare to him. These powers belonged to three of the "mysterious group of fighters." Surveying the group, Gohan felt something as he studied a few of the men. The blonde fighter, the bald man, and the green man seemed familiar. But he would remember a green man, wouldn't he?

Chewing on his lip, Gohan stifled a laugh as he surveyed Hercule's defeat. The champion of the world had fallen with a swat of the hand. As one of the mysterious fighters took the ring, Gohan searched his family's expressions. His father was surveying fighting styles and comparing technique as usual. His mother was pensively watching while eyeing him in the corner of her eye. Meeting each other's gaze, she gave him a tentative smile. For the first time in months, Angel watched as her son gave a very small smile as well. Her face brightened immediately while she internally resisted the overwhelming desire to hug him tightly.

Turning his attention back to the blonde fighter, Gohan noticed so many similarities. The fighting techniques, speed, strength all displayed were nothing compared to what he saw at normal competitions. As the mysterious man began to glow a bright gold, Gohan was swept down into memory lane. He remembered that fateful night . . . shivering he pulled himself from the dark and dismal world of his own memories.

Cassandra, who noticed his shaking, leaned down, wrapping her arms around her brother's neck and placing her chin on the crook of his neck. Lying there, she softly whispered comforting words. Mentally, she winced as her brother flinched from her touch. However, the grateful look he sent her made up for that infraction. Without removing herself from her brother, she shifted to lay down before turning her attention back to the television.

Cell seemed to be speaking to the mysterious golden fighter. They spoke so quietly the reception was lost. Erik, Angel, and Cassandra couldn't help but compare the similarities between the fighter on screen to Gohan. Both had golden hair, green eyes, golden light, and had used similar light/energy attacks. The only thing was that the man on screen had always been that way, whereas Gohan had transformed. Each had their own worries of revelation . . . could this be his lost family?

Gohan was also thinking of this. The man on television seemed so familiar. Bringing his hand up to his dog tags, Gohan clutched them tightly. He never removed those tags. They were his only link to his true past. As much as he had accepted his new family, he couldn't help but think of his origin. He knew of how he had been found as well as his oddities. He had seen the strange pod Erik had found him in. They had kept it in a building deeper into the woods.

Fingering the tags, Gohan couldn't help but wonder if this was his family. There had always been a near impossible chance that he would find his original family, but there was a man who may have been able to answer questions and he didn't have a name or anything. Lowering his head, Gohan couldn't bear to watch the fight any longer. It was haunting him.

Who was he?

What was he?

Why was he not with his true family?

How did he really get there?

Where did he belong?

All questions without answers. Without them, Gohan felt lost. Sighing, Gohan pushed these thoughts from his head and watched as a single silver tear fell to the hard wooden floor.

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"What's the matter Goku? I am a perfect being. You were a fool to think you could compare to me."

Goku merely looked Cell straight into the eye. His last technique had failed. He was finally without a reserve, without a plan. His energy was gone; the Kamehameha wave took it all. With all of his attempts, Cell had merely regenerated. It was useless. After so many years of defending the Planet Earth, a being who was inspired by a man's hate and need for revenge against him would wipe Earth from existence. Guilt weighed heavily upon his heart. He could have continued training in the Room of Spirit and Time (or Hyperbolic Time Chamber if you prefer) or actually worked outside. But now it was too late, the world would end as would his, his family and friend's, and billions of other's lives would end. All was lost.

Ignorant to Goku's inner thoughts, Cell continued to taunt him. "Now you will die. You and your friends and your family and every other person on this retched planet will die. And no one can stop me. I am the perfect being!!!" he exclaimed with an evil cackle.

Up on a cliffside, not far from the battle field, Piccolo hung his head. "It is over." He announced. "Son has nothing left to give. Cell has won." Even after his merge with Kami, he couldn't stand up to Cell. No one could.

The rest of the group seemed to acknowledge the truth, each with thoughts running through their head.

Krillin merely regretted all he had never had . . . including a serious girlfriend. His life had centered around Earth and now, after everything they had done for the planet, it would end with the strong opponent no one could battle evenly with.

Yamcha and Tien had similar thoughts as Krillin. So many regrets and memories ran through their heads. They had also sacrificed their lives for the planet before, and yet, they could do nothing this time around. It was the end.

Mirai Trunks merely looked at the ground in shame. He couldn't save his own timeline, his best friend in either timeline, and now, he couldn't save this timeline. He was a failure. He was unable to do a thing. And now, both this world and his own world would be destroyed. His mother would never know what had happened and the Androids would continue to destroy his own world. It was over.

Vegeta stood perfectly still. He had died before, he had been tortured and tormented, and he had destroyed a number of planets without thought. But now, it was happening here, and he couldn't do any thing about it. `Damn you Kakarott! You have always been ahead of me and even you can't defeat this monster.' A brief thought crossed his mind of a blue haired woman and a lavender haired child. He had a family . . . in blood. Silently, he hoped that he could have another chance, a chance to be happy and live the life he had been denied when with Frieza. All the coldness and darkness within him had been illuminated by the `onna' and the `brat.' But second chances weren't given to the evil ones, it wasn't given at all.

Vegeta's eyes wandered over his son from the future. So much of his mother, but so much of him. For the first time, Vegeta accepted him. The boy had traveled across dimensions to save them, to see them. He had come from a world of pure darkness and hatred, yet was not ruined. Vegeta was proud, proud of his life, and proud of his son.

As if feeling this, Mirai Trunks looked as his father to take in his own last look. He had only heard of Vegeta in stories told by Gohan or Bulma. Both were so reluctant to speak of any of the Z-senshi. But Trunks understood that. For he couldn't think, much less speak, of Gohan without feeling the guilt, sadness, and emptiness he experienced when he found the bloody body on that rainy night. Meeting his father square in the eye, it was like he was looking through a window at his father's soul. He could see the shadows and pain his father possessed, the loneliness and the pride, but deep down, he could see the light, the life. His father was proud . . . proud of him.

Goku merely kept his eyes to the ground. He couldn't face those he had failed. However, Cell's mocking voice was able to reach his ears and pierce through the thoughts and emotions Goku was living at the moment.

"Tell me, Goku. How does it feel to know that all you hold dear will be destroyed? Perhaps I should keep you alive . . . the sole survivor of this planet. Left alone to know that everything you hold dear is gone. Tell me, Goku. Do you have a wife? A child? A family? Yes, I think you do. And what about friends? How does it feel to know that they will die by my hands? At the hands of the one you could not defeat?"

These words were like attacks themselves. Each one dealing a blow to Goku's heart and soul. His life was centered on saving the universe and working to protect the defenseless.

"And then, when I'm done with Earth, I will move on and destroy other worlds… other galaxies . . . I am the universe's end!" he declared with zest.

Something deep within Goku snapped at these words. His death would not be in vain. No, he had to battle until the end. He would not give up. So many people were counting on him. The fate of the universe was in his hands. Faces flashed before his eyes. Bulma, Yamcha, Krillin, Master Roshi, Lunch, Tien, Choutzu, Piccolo, Vegeta, Mirai Trunks, Chibi Trunks, Dende, Mr. Popo, Ox King, Grandpa Gohan, Korin, Yajarobie. All of them flashed before his eyes so quickly. His friends, his family. Then, slower, Chi-Chi's face appeared, so radiant and happy on their wedding day, so happy with the news of pregnancy, so full of love. His wife. Then, a blank picture containing a signal of the child within Chi-Chi. The child on the way. His son, his child, his future. And finally, Gohan appeared. As a tiny baby in his larger hands, just learning to walk, crying over a scratch, safe from the apple tree, exhausted from defeating Garlic Jr., clinging to a branch by the waterfall, playing with Turtle and a crab . . . His first son, his first hope, his lost life.

Anger and rage at so many things poured into him. Anger at his helplessness against Cell, frustration against defeat, rage about his first son, and so many more things combined and flooded his blood. His rage was plain on his face as he unleashed a yell to the highest heavens. Grief and rage boiled within him, unleashing something untouched . . .

Lights flashed around his body as his energy level soared. His anger in life fueling his desire to win, his desire for revenge. Dust cleared, revealing a stern and darkened face of Goku, Earth's defender. His hair was a solid gold, spiked higher and longer than before. Lightening bolts of energy sparked around him. His green eyes, void of any positive emotion, were dark with hatred. Anger and hatred from so many things in life, all focused on one thing.

Cell.

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Sorry about how out of character Vegeta is, but in the Cell Saga, he does have an epiphany about his life (when Trunks is killed). But without Gohan, things change, so when he figures they are all going to die, his epiphany comes.

Alright, I have to address this again. So many of you are anticipating the reunion between Gohan and his biological parents. I am very happy to hear the enthusiasm over this story, but I am going to clarify this. As my summary says, they meet up 13 yrs later, making him high school aged. Okay? By my count, he should be at that age around chapter 20. So if you can't tell, there are some major things happening between these times. This story is going to be a long one. Hope you guys are in for the long haul, but don't worry, I don't think it gets too boring. Please Review and tell me somethn! Let me know your opinions!

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MAILING LIST: As I've said for the past eight chapters, send me an email or tell me in your review that you want to join the WDIB Update list. Make sure you give me your email address Minna-san!

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SNEAK PEAK: (Should I keep doing this or leave you people in the dark?) Lots of stuff happen!!!! The Cell Games end, the Dragonballs are used, the credit is give (or taken) and healing ensues.

"Sighing, he laid down on the cool grass. At that moment, he felt so small in the world. His problems, his life, his very existence was so small in comparison to those of the universe. He was merely one person, one being on the planet. And for a moment, the world he knew could have been destroyed."

"`It's been six years, Chi-Chi. We have to move on. As much as we wish it weren't true, our little boy is gone. He's never coming back. We've kept his memory alive for so long, its time to let him live in peace. I know this sounds so hard, Chi. I miss him as much as you do, but we can't keep ourselves haunted by him. He would have wanted us to be happy, to move on.'"