Ch. 18

[At the Lookout]

Gohan stood with Dende and his father, who were staring over the edge of the lookout. He hated that Piccolo had gone down alone. It wasn't right. He felt like they were abandoning him when he was facing their most dangerous opponent. How could his father have let him go on his own? They could have used instant transmission and returned when Trunks and Vegeta were out. Maybe it wasn't too late?

"They're talking." Dende muttered, pulling Gohan out of his thoughts.

"About what?" Goku wanted to know. Gohan peered down into the white fluffy clouds like the other two, waiting for Dende to speak.

"An…android?" He finally said in surprise. Goku looked over at him.

"What about the androids?" He asked.

"Cell. He's an android." Dende shared. Goku ran a hand through his hair.

"Another one? Man oh man, Trunks was way off on this one. Four androids? This is unbelievable." Dende shook his head as he continued to listen.

"There's more." Both saiyans looked incredulously at the small namekian guardian.

"This being…is from the future." Dende said as he scrunched up his face, trying to concentrate hard so as not to miss anything.

"Like Trunks?" Gohan asked.

"Yes. And…ah." A small smile of satisfaction crept onto Dende's face.

"What is it?" Gohan asked.

"The reason we can sense Goku and yourself down there Gohan. It seems that Dr. Gero has been following you guys for years, gathering cells to create this monster." Dende shook his head. How could anyone come up with something like this? It was unheard of on his planet.

"You mean that thing has our cells? What does that mean?" Goku asked in astonishment.

"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he probably has some of everyone's characteristics Goku. He's got Saiyan cells; so a thirst for battle. He's got Namekian cells; so he's very clever and observant. And he's got human cells as well from the others." Dende said as he thought about it.

Goku felt like the wind had gone out of his lungs. He'd fought many opponents, and he definitely felt the thrill of a challenge, but his worry was about numbers. There were four androids and seven of them. And to be honest, Krillin, Yamcha and Tien were no match for probably three out of four of those androids, if not all four. Not to mention his son's weakened heart and head injury… He knew he couldn't give up hope and had to maintain a brave face for the others, but his usual carefree optimism was absent this time. This time, he felt like they were truly in over their heads.

"Dad?" Gohan watched as his father's face fell into a dark frown. He'd expected his dad to laugh it off, and say something lighthearted but it hadn't happened. He could see that his dad was worried, and Gohan realized that if his dad was worried, then they were in real trouble.

"They're going to fight." Dende said quietly. Gohan turned towards the clouds in panic. He was afraid for his mentor. His fists were clenched as he waited for Dende's next update.

"Piccolo is confident, but this beast is strong." Dende remarked.

"Now that Piccolo has fused with Kami, Piccolo is strong as well." Goku answered.

"He seems thrown off by the attacks Cell is using." Dende said in surprise.

"What kind of attacks?" Goku asked.

"I believe he said, kameha…something." Dende scrunched up his face even more.

"Wait a minute, was it kamehameha?" Goku asked incredulously.

"Yes that's it. And I felt your energy for a moment there." Dende said as he nodded with his eyes closed.

"That's an attack taught by the turtle school. Me, Yamcha and Krillin are the only ones who do that attack. Aside from master Roshi of course." Goku said as he looked at Gohan thoughtfully for a moment. He wondered briefly why he'd never taught it to his son. Something else to do in the time chamber.

"Piccolo is losing." Dende said sadly. Both saiyans stared at the guardian in shock.

"How bad?" Goku asked, prepared to intervene. Gohan looked at his father desperately hoping he would decide they should join Piccolo below.

"Wait, they've stopped." Dende said as he put out his hand. No one spoke for a few moments.

"He's letting Piccolo go." Dende told the saiyans.

"Why would he do that?" Gohan asked in surprise.

"I don't know." Dende said as he opened his eyes and rubbed them.

"For now, let's call this a win." Goku said as he turned away from the clouds.

"Ill keep an eye on him." Dende said with a nod.

"Are you sure you don't need to rest?" Gohan asked as he eyed his friend with scrutiny. Dende looked exhausted.

"I'll be fine. But thank you for the concern Gohan." Dende said kindly. Gohan nodded.

"Gohan, will you let me know when Piccolo gets back?" Goku asked as he ran a hand through his hair deep in thought.

"Sure dad." Gohan answered.

"Thanks." Goku turned and headed towards the lookout, turning down the hall and disappearing out of sight. Gohan wondered where he was headed but decided not to follow. If his dad was coming up with a plan, he didn't want to get in the way.

…

Chichi walked around in amazement, wondering why Goku had never told her how beautiful and peaceful this place was. He'd only mentioned the lookout a couple of times, but had never really described it in detail. There were gardens filled with the most beautiful flowers, and the floor seemed to be made of real marble, just like the sanctuary itself. Everything shined and Chichi was sure you could eat right off the floors. The whole place not only helped to calm her nerves but also felt kind of romantic. Blushing at the thought, Chichi didn't notice someone walking around the corner and ended up slamming into her husband. Though he barely felt a thing, Chichi fell backwards onto her behind with a thud.

"Ouch!" She cried as she hit the floor hard. Goku immediately hurried towards her.

"I'm sorry Chi! I guess I wasn't paying attention." Goku offered Chichi a hand, which she accepted with a frown.

"Goodness Goku you're like a solid wall." She muttered. Goku chuckled as he helped her to her feet.

"Where are you headed?" Goku asked, surprised that she wasn't hovering over their son.

"I was just admiring this place. It's just so beautiful. Gives you a real sense of calm." Chichi smiled as she looked up at the detailed ceiling. Goku smiled back at her.

"You know, you look so beautiful when you're at peace." Goku hadn't meant to say it, but the moment he thought it the words came tumbling out of his mouth. He was relieved when Chichi grinned and blushed.

"That's very sweet of you to say." For a moment the couple just looked at each other, neither one really knowing how to fill the silence. Then Chichi burst out laughing, unable to contain herself.

"Gosh Goku look at us. We're like a pair of newlyweds all over again." Tucking a hair behind her ear, she noticed Goku's expression turn serious for a moment.

"You look like you could use some rest Chichi." Goku said quietly. Chichi immediately felt insulted, until she realized what Goku was implying.

"Here?" She asked him in disbelief.

"Right this way." Goku said as he walked ahead of her. Chichi looked around nervously before following, feeling slightly giddy.

…

Gohan stood beside Dende in silence, wanting to talk to him but not wanting to interfere with his observations on earth. He was about to speak up when he noticed Krillin and Yamcha approaching the lookout. For a moment he relaxed, happy that they had collected all the dragon balls in case something should happen. The dragon balls had become a safety net of sorts, and he always felt safe in the knowledge that if something really bad happened, they could use them to make things right. Maybe there was a way they could wish their enemies away!

"It's nice to see you smile." Dende said, making Gohan jump.

"I was just thinking about the dragon balls." Gohan replied. Dende frowned.

"It will be great to have them, but they won't make our enemies disappear Gohan." Dende told him sadly.

"Maybe there's a way we can phrase the wish so that…"

"No Gohan." Dende shook his head. "The dragon balls don't work that way. They don't take away life, no matter how wicked." Gohan let his shoulders drop.

"Well, maybe we don't have to wish for them to die. Maybe we wish for them to have a decrease in strength so that we can win." Gohan answered. Dende considered this for a moment.

"I suppose we could. But, it's one wish gone and if it doesn't work…" Gohan nodded in agreement. Dende was right; it was a risky move.

"We need an advantage Dende." Gohan told the guardian seriously. Dende turned toward him in concern.

"You're not giving up are you?" He asked his friend fearfully. He'd always known Gohan to be optimistic. This seriousness was out of character for the young saiyan.

"Never. Things are just bad, that's all." Gohan reassured him. Dende smiled in relief, then turned his attention back to earth.

"Things will progress as they will. We just have to prepare ourselves the best we can." He told Gohan. Gohan looked at Dende in awe. He was an incredibly wise guardian for someone so young. He admired his friend's peacefulness, even in the face of danger. Dende saw the situation and didn't become absorbed in it- he looked at things objectively and accepted what was. Instead of wasting energy fighting what was happening, he simply let it happen and used his energy to take action that would lead his planet in the right direction.

"Gohan!" Gohan turned as Krillin and Yamcha touched down.

"Krillin! Did you get all the dragon balls?" Gohan asked as the two approached.

"Yep, got them all here." Krillin said with a smile. Yamcha walked over and passed the bag to Dende.

"Great, I'll have Mr. Popo keep these inside in case we need them." Dende said before walking away to find Mr. Popo.

"Did Piccolo fight with that monster?" Yamcha asked Gohan.

"His name is Cell. They fought, but they've stopped." Gohan took a deep breath before updating the other two on what they'd learned. He watched both fighters frown as they realized the danger they were about to face.

"It's even worse than I thought." Krillin admitted sadly. He rubbed his head in frustration.

"I hate to say it, but we're not going to be much help." Yamcha said, embarrassed.

"Don't say that Yamcha. The more fighters we have, the more chance we have to win." Gohan replied.

"Vegeta and Trunks are still in the chamber?" Krillin asked as the group made their way to the sanctuary.

"Yes. I hope they come out soon." Gohan answered. Arriving at the front steps, Gohan and Krillin sat down while Yamcha looked around.

"Where's your dad Gohan?" Yamcha asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure. He's around here somewhere." Gohan said as he looked around himself.

"Probably coming up with a plan. Goku always has a plan." Krillin said with a smile. Gohan didn't respond. The look on his father's face earlier was stuck in his mind.

"Of course he does. Everything will be fine." Yamcha said as he crossed his arms confidently.

'I sure hope you're right.' Gohan thought to himself as he thought of the poor people below who were disappearing without a trace. Gohan wondered if he should go meet Piccolo and chat with him a bit before he went into the chamber to train. He was about to stand when a noise behind them signalled the arrival of Vegeta and Trunks.

"They're done." Yamcha said as the door behind them swung open.

"I better find my dad." Gohan said as he stood up in excitement.

"Good idea." Krillin answered with his eyes on the door.

…

"Goku where are you going?" Chichi said sleepily from under the covers. Goku smiled as he tied his boots."

"It's time Chichi. I have to go train with Gohan." Chichi immediately sat up alarmed.

"You're just going to train right?" She asked fearfully.

"Yes, I promise. For right now, we're just going to train. We'll be gone a day." He told her as he stood up.

"Be careful Goku. He's been hurt and sick. He might not be as strong as you hope." Chichi said sadly.

"I know. I'll be careful I promise." Goku walked over and gave his wife a quick kiss on the head before walking out. Chichi tenderly touched the spot he'd kissed, wondering just how scared her husband must be. He wasn't usually so affectionate, and though he tried to hide it, she could read him better than he knew.

Goku walked over to the time chamber where the others stood waiting. He was itching to get inside and get started with training. He already had several ideas on what they could work on and he was curious to see where his son was at, considering everything that had happened. He hoped that Vegeta and Trunks had made the most of their training, but something told him they would focus primarily on power, possibly compromising speed. If they were going to beat these guys they were going to need to be at their best.

"Dad, I was just looking for you. Vegeta and Trunks are done." Gohan said as he rounded the corner and saw Goku walking towards him.

"Ya, I can sense them. Are you ready son?" Goku asked seriously. Gohan nodded.

"Yep." Goku smiled and ruffled Gohan's hair as he came up beside him.

"Alright then." Both saiyan's headed to the chamber, where Goku began to feel out Vegeta and Trunks's new power. They were much stronger, that was great to see. But Goku felt like he'd been right. He could get stronger than these two, and he was fairly confident Gohan could too. It would take a lot of hard work, but they could do it. Trunks was the first to walk out of the chamber. Everyone stared at him in awe as he exited with much more power than he'd entered with. And Goku was certain that he was holding back. His clothes were torn and he looked somewhat relieved to be out of the chamber. Immediately Yamcha and Krillin began firing questions at him, to which Trunks smiled modestly and answered vaguely. Goku smirked, like father like son. Trunks wasn't going to give anything away.

Vegeta was the next to exit. Goku could sense that he was stronger than Trunks, but not by that much. He had a smug look on his face like he thought he was now the strongest man alive. This was what made Goku certain that Vegeta hadn't attained the highest level possible. Vegeta's ego was his biggest barrier.

"So what's happening down there you guys." Trunks asked.

"These guys can let you know the details. We'd better head inside for training." Goku answered. He motioned to Gohan who followed him towards the door.

"You guys won't even need it. I'll take care of this." Vegeta said with glee. Goku chuckled with his back to him.

"I wish that were true." Goku said as he walked inside the door and disappeared. Gohan turned and saw the rage on Vegeta's face before he too disappeared behind the door. He couldn't help but giggle as he stepped into the chamber.

…

[In the time chamber]

"So what's the plan dad?" Gohan asked his father upon entering the chamber. Goku looked around at the bunk beds and kitchenette, then looked down at his son. He wondered what it must have been like for him when he entered this place alone for the first time. He remembered his first time well; it had been challenging.

"Dad?" Gohan asked again. Goku frowned.

"Alright, we don't have much time. First things first, we need to master the super saiyan transformation." Goku replied. Gohan looked at him in confusion.

"I thought you had already done that dad." He asked curiously as he sat on one of the bunk beds.

"No. What I did on Yardrat was learn to transform without the rage and strong emotions. That will be your first step here. But as I watched you transform earlier, something occurred to me." Goku explained.

"What's that?" Gohan asked.

"When you transformed, your power level grew substantially, but you also drained yourself of energy by transforming. Though I don't drain myself as much as you, transforming still takes a toll. I want us to be able to transform effortlessly and without losing out on precious energy." Goku said as he looked out towards the back.

"How do we do that?" Gohan asked in wonder.

"I will start right now." Goku said before transforming. Gohan smiled at how effortlessly his father was able to become a super saiyan. He looked forward to it being that easy for him.

"Now, I'm going to stay a super saiyan at all times, except for when I sleep. This way my body will become used to it. I'll no longer need to use up energy to transform. I can instead use that energy for another transformation. It will be hard to maintain at first, but I think it will get easier with time." Goku said as he crossed his arms. Gohan stared into his aqua eyes as he pondered what his father had said.

"Makes sense." He finally answered.

"You need to learn to transform as I did on Yardrat. So that will be your first task. When you complete it, then you can start this training." Goku said as he walked out of the bunker and into the clouded opening. Gohan watched him in silence. His dad always had a plan. No matter how bad things got, his dad could always come up with something. He hoped that one day, he could be a strong warrior like his father, who didn't panic when things got bad.