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Chapter Text

The ringing in his ears was unbearable... but where, where was it? In a desperate panic, his eyes darted around him, eventually landing on the young boy who had the first Dragon Ball. It was him! The ringing was coming out of his mouth!

"Stop! Enough! I said, stop!" Lord Slug roared, firing a blast aimed for the child, silencing him at last.

Taking a second to recuperate, his eyes returned to the man he was fighting before, intent on finishing off the-

He blinked. It wasn't possible. The man from before was standing back on his feet, as if nothing had happened!

"Kaio-ken... Times Hundred!" he shouted.

"Kaio-what?" Slug's thoughts were cut off guard, as the man's aura exploded in a red glow.

No... That man wasn't alone. It was the Namekian! He was in the man's aura!

"It's you! You're in him!" he voiced his thoughts.

The man roared as he made a maddash for Slug, aiming for his torso before ripping through his body, throwing him backwards onto his ship, the Namekian coughing up blood as did so. With that, the man flew to the sky, with Slug following him in hot-pursuit, refusing to be killed. After a moment, the man threw a blast of energy towards Slug. Not his own energy though, pure life energy, which could kill any being of pure malice such as Lord Slug, himself.

In many timelines, this would be the case, bringing the Namekian's long life to an end. But in this specific timeline, Goku and his allies weren't so lucky. The Divergence in this timeline happened much earlier, however, when Lord Slug first summoned Shenron. In most timelines he summoned the Eternal Dragon, and wished for Eternal Youth, but in this one...

"Why have you summoned me? Tell me your wish."

"Great Dragon... Remove the yoke time has placed upon me, and free me from the shackles strapped to me by age! Grant me Immortality!"

Shenron's eyes glowed, as Lord Slug's flesh began to brim with newfound life, and his old muscles crackled with renewed strength.

"It is done..." Shenron proclaimed, before glowing golden, and dispersing in the form of the Dragon Balls once more.

There. That single change in a wish would spell the difference between life and death for many. These are the previously told events, but in this timeline.

As Goku raced towards the sky, Lord Slug flew right after him, his wounds beginning to heal at an incredible rate.

"Now... You die!" Slug roared, before firing a massive blast from his mouth.

The blast collided with the Spirit Bomb fired by Goku, before overtaking it, alongside Goku, himself. Overwhelmed by it, the Saiyan fell hopelessly back to Earth.

Lord Slug cackled as he slammed back onto the Earth, the shockwaves alone being enough to throw Goku backwards several feet.

"So, now what?" Lord Slug taunted. "Where's your red glow, now? Or what about the yellow glow from before?"

Goku roared with determination, using every ounce of strength left in his body to return to his feet. But after his reckless use of the Kaio-ken, his body was broken, breathing was a challenge enough, as-is.

"No? No to the glow?"

Lord Slug chuckled again, taking massive steps after another, as he walked closer and closer to Goku, each footstep sounding louder and closer each time.

"You like this planet, don't you?" he asked the Saiyan.

Goku didn't respond, as his body began to slowly lose consciousness.

Slug nodded, finally getting close enough to Goku to grab him by his arm, using only his index finger and thumb.

"Then, here! You can have it!"

With that, Lord Slug whipped Goku downwards, slamming him into the Earth. His home.

Miles elsewhere, Kami felt his heart sink. Goku's energy had disappeared. They had no options left. He then thought about Piccolo.

He pondered the thought. If he merged with Piccolo, their combined strength could likely seal Lord Slug away.

...However, if they did merge, the Dragon Balls would no longer exist, making it impossible to undo the damage done, including potentially reviving Goku. Unless... Yes! They could use his ship and travel to Namek! That way they could-

"As for you..." Lord Slug spat, walking over to the now-unconscious Piccolo. "You should've remembered your place..."

Slug chuckled, before raising his boot.

"Under my foot!"

Kami's blood ran cold.

No. His plan. His plan could've worked. It would have...

Falling to his knees he looked down at the planet he had sworn to protect...

Fading away, he choked his final words.

"I'm sorry..."

With everyone who defied him gone, Lord Slug had little problem conquering the rest of the world. Every last Earthling became one of Slug's Subjects, while the rest... were killed.

Lord Slug would search for the Dragon Balls again, but to no avail. However, while subjugating the Humans, he would come across one he recognized. The woman with the Dragon Radar. Given her talent, alongside his newfound need for scientists, he would begin to mold her into one of his many subjects. Bulma was resilient, like many before her, but just like them, she would be broken.

From then on, Lord Slug's Empire would grow, at some point rivaling even Lord Frieza's Empire. Eventually the two would come to blows, but with his immortality and improved strength, Frieza and the rest of his family stood no chance. In the end, Lord Slug's Empire would take over the majority of the universe. His rule was brutal, and like he, would never perish.

A bitter end for the universe, and yet one so narrowly avoided. How a single sentence can spell an entirely different outcome for an entire universe, is both fascinating, but horrifying. That's the most important power of all: our own words. With those, we choose to either create or destroy; perhaps to not this horrifying of a degree, but to a degree nevertheless. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Goku let out a massive roar as he dashed straight for Merged Zamasu, his arms hanging limp at his sides, with the rest of his body moving from sheer determination alone. His legs being his best option, he rapidly kicked the fusion, even spinning and flipping to string more attacks together.

Merged Zamasu gritted his teeth, grabbing one of Goku's legs and gripping it tightly, encasing his own hand in ki in order to burn the Saiyan's flesh.

Goku screamed in pain, before gritting his teeth, turning his pain into power. He let out another roar, before engulfing himself in a red aura.

"KAIO-KEN!"

"What the-?"

With the short-lived boost, Goku freed himself from the Dark Kai's grip, before kicking him away.

"KAIO-KEN... TIMES TEN!"

This is where the timelines split. In an act of pure desperation, Goku used everything he had, and more, continuing his assault, in an attempt to either burn through Zamasu's Healing Factor or at least buy enough time. That was his goal, and he did all he could to get through it.

His red aura doubling in size, Goku flew to reach Merged Zamasu again, before kicking him upwards, backflipping in the air, before flying upwards, headbutting the fusion, before hitting him with a spin kick to the face.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Kai of both Universe 7 and 10 would call Vegeta and Future Trunks, as Gowasu had thought of a plan.

"Look at Zamasu's body. It's healing, yes, but notice that as Goku continues to wear down on his body, the healing slows down. Goku must've realized this, so he's trying to overload it so that Zamasu can be defeated."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Still, we're fighting a losing battle, aren't we? Now that the Future Zamasu is in that guy, the Fusion's immortal too, right?"

Gowasu shook his head. "Not necessarily. Zamasu's body isn't fully immortal, as Black's body wasn't. This seems to have weakened immortality. He can heal from his wounds, yes, but his body is still partially mortal. That means there's a limit that it can take."

Future Trunks nodded, starting to understand. "Do you mean Goku can defeat him?"

Gowasu shook his head again.

"No. The power to wear out Zamasu's regeneration would have to be far more powerful than anything a single mortal can do."

Vegeta punched the ground. "So, it's hopeless, then."

"Again, not necessarily..."

With that Gowasu brought his hands to his ears, before removing his Potara earrings.

Shin smiled brightly. "Yes, of course! The Potara earrings will allow Vegeta and Trunks to fuse, as well! With their combined strength they should be able to overpower Zamasu with no problem at all!"

"Out of the question." Vegeta spoke flatly, surprising Shin, Gowasu, and even Future Trunks.

"But Father, this is our only chance!"

Gowasu sighed, before nodding.

"I understand. It would be asking a lot of anyone to even consider the idea of sacrificing their free will, if not even for a single hour."

"An hour?" Shin repeated with a confused tone. "I thought fusion with Potara Earrings lasted for eternity."

"When a Supreme Kai is involved, yes. But between mortals, the fusion lasts only an hour."

Vegeta paused to rethink the situation.

His son was right, as much as he hated to admit it. They only had two Senzu's left, and no doubt Kakarot was going to need one after he was done. Not to mention every second he wasted, Kakarot would be endangering his life more.

He looked at his son.

That was right. He wasn't just fighting for himself, or his own world anymore. He was fighting for his son's. If fusing was the only option for taking down the psycho that destroyed his son's world, that killed this world's Bulma... Well, he supposed there was no reason to argue. And besides, it'd only be an hour.

"Damn it, give me the earring, old man."

"What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, or I'm changing my mind. Now hand over the earring!"

With that Gowasu smiled, handing over one earring to Vegeta and one to Trunks. Shin smiled as well, holding out the Senzu Bean they would eat after merging. This was it.

Meanwhile, Goku screamed in pain as he pushed his body further, using the last of strength as he pushed harder. Zamasu screamed back, before bringing his hand to Goku's mouth, intent on giving the Saiyan a 'taste' of Divine Justice. As a response, Goku bit down on the Dark Kai's hand, before freeing himself from Zamasu's grasp, and leaping away from the enemy.

"KAIO-KEN... TIMES... TWENTY!"

The red aura grew again, before beginning to shrink slowly centering on Goku, as even the glow of blue began to flash in and out of Goku's hair.

"KA...ME...HA...ME..."

Zamasu froze, looking at Goku's broken arms in confusion. There was no ki forming. Was he bluffing?

In an instance, Goku flipped, before aiming both feet straight for Zamasu himself.

"HAAAAAA!"

With the bright blue ki blast aimed square for the kai, Goku zipped downwards, being propelled by his own blast and into the hard ground. A large dust cloud engulfed the area as Goku did his best to pick himself up, but only being able to look up to the sky; his eyelids barely able to stay open. Despite that, he could still see the one thing he didn't want to. Merged Zamasu, despite his gi torn to shreds and his body battered and bruised, still alive and well.

Zamasu panted deeply, the attack doing more damage than he expected.

"I'm disappointed Goku... Is that really everything? I suppose it's to be expected from a mere mortal... Either way... this is where our battle ends."

With that Zamasu floated downwards to where Goku was, holding out his arm and forming his ki blade.

"That's right. Your fight's with me."

Both Goku and Zamasu perked up, as a different dual-voice spoke up, before teleporting in, courtesy of Shin. Neither recognized them, but they somehow looked familiar.

The person in question had spiked hair, most of it jet black, but some portions a light blue color. Their facial features were sharp, and maintained a serious expression. Lastly they wore a set of blue Saiyan armor, not unlike Vegeta wore, but with dark gray pants, a red scarf atop. The most notable article, however, was a pair of Green Potara earrings.

The revelation actually sent Zamasu into weak, but maniacal laughter.

"A Potara Fusion..? Must the mockery continue? Go on, then, tell me... Who might you be?"

The fusion gritted his teeth, before speaking up.

"I am the last of the Royal Saiyans' bloodline! The final Saiyan Elite! The legacy of the ultimate warrior race! The Fusion of Vegeta and Trunks, and the bringer of your death!"

With that the fusion screamed out, before transforming into a Super Saiyan Ikari.

Sensing the energy, Shin gasped in surprise. "I don't believe it! Even with Trunks' weaker power, Vegeta and Trunks' Familial Boost is incredible. It would probably even hold its own against the fusion of Goku and Vegeta..!"

Even Goku was surprised by the fusion's power, before falling backwards in exhaustion, Shin giving the Saiyan the final Senzu bean. Zamasu only gritted his teeth as he looked down at his new challenger.

"I am Vegeks! And I've come for you, Zamasu..."

Zamasu smirked. "Is that all then? Have you come to talk me to death then? Or will you-"

In less than a second, Vegeks teleported and slammed his fist into the syrupy side of Zamasu's face, before spinning and kicking his face again, before jumping backwards and uppercutting his gut; knocking the wind out of the Evil Fusion.

"You've spoken enough Zamasu... It's time to pay for everyone you've taken away..."

Zamasu roared, charging his ki blade again, before aiming straight for Vegeks, only for the Saiyan fusion to parry the blow with a fist encased in golden ki, then striking Zamasu's face with another ki-encased fist, before striking with his other fist. With that, the Saiyan Fusion placed their feet on Zamasu's shoulders, leaping off the Dark Kai and jumping backwards.

Vegeks grit his teeth, as he held out his right hand, a light blue blast forming.

"Big Bang Attack!" he shouted as he fired the blast, the attack being so intense it threw Zamasu backwards, dragging him along the hard ground.

"That was for Universe 6!" Vegeks shouted.

Zamasu growled as he picked himself back up, his rage beginning to make him lose focus, firing out ki blasts everywhere.

"This cannot be happening!" Zamasu screamed in pure anger, beginning to grow in size. "I cannot lose to anyone! No mortal is above Zamasu!"

Swatting away any ki blasts near him, Vegeks slammed a double ax-handle to Zamasu's head downwards, before landing then striking him again with a double hammerfist upwards, each attack causing lightning to erupt from both warriors. After landing again, Vegeks ran up Zamasu's body like a parkourist, before hitting him with a backflip kick up the Dark Kai's chin; whipping his head backwards.

"That was for Mai!" Vegeks shouted again.

"I'll... I'll kill you!" Zamasu roared in anger, his energy weakening, as he was forced to shrink down to his normal size.

Vegeks cracked his neck, before jumping backwards and performing multiple rapid hand movements, before bringing his open arms to his side, then holding them forward with his wrists together.

"And this... is for BULMA! FINAL BURNING FLASH!"

With a massive crimson-yellow blast aiming straight for Zamasu's body, the Dark Kai's eyes went white, and his body was disintegrated, not a single atom able to regenerate from. Vegeks quickly defused, before all three Saiyans noted the glowing embers from where Zamasu's body once stood.

From here, the timeline resembles most. With Zamasu's soul still immortal and no longer held back from his flawed body, Zamasu would take over the remainder of the universe, only to be destroyed by the Future Zeno. "All Roads Lead To Rome", as your timeline states, right?

Still, this timeline still intrigues me. It shows how the best of us, put together, can make a real change and save the Darkest of Times, literally in this case. It's a beautiful way to remind us to always cling on to "Hope". I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

"Dear #18, come to your senses... and join with me..." Android 17 smiled, speaking in a cool, almost comforting tone. "We belong together... deep down you know..."

Android 18 stepped back, as Krillin turned to both his wife and daughter. His blood was running cold... He had a bad feeling about this...

"It would be fantastic if you joined us to destroy these people, and everything they've worked for..."

Android 17 shot a smile. It was terrifying, it was filled with such evil, and yet, bliss. It was almost as if he truly believed what he was saying, that this was his destiny.

"After all... we are best buddies..."

As he spoke, Android 17's eyes began to gain a pink glow, sending a shiver down Krillin's spine. Looking towards 18 in desperation, his heart sank as 18's eyes began to develop the same glow.

"We are friends, forever..." Android 18 mumbled, almost as if she were talking in her sleep. "We're meant to be together..."

In the same trance, 18 began to walk towards her brother, leaving her family behind.

"It's time for me to go home. It's been so very long."

17 nodded, wagging his finger towards himself. "Yes, you and I are partners..."

Krillin's heart was racing, as he watched his wife walk away from him. The memories of the person she once was, and what she could've become terrified him... and the thought of her returning to that life, and fulfilling her mission scared him even more.

"Don't do it, 18!" he called out to his wife in pure distress, trying his best to appeal to the good he knew was still within her. "You can't do this, 18! You have a child, and a husband!"

18 stopped, before looking towards Krillin, snapping out the daze; her eyes returning to their blue color.

17 only rolled his eyes. "Give me a break, shorty. Android 18 is just that, an Android like me, built by the brilliant Dr. Gero."

"Brilliant?" Krillin echoed, turning towards Android 17 with a look of mixed confusion and disgust. "How could you even think to call a monster like him 'brilliant'? You destroyed him yourself, remember?"

Almost working the same as his sister, Android 17 froze, the pink in his eyes nearly fading.

"You resented him so much because he gave you human emotions!"

17 paused for a moment, pondering his thoughts, his own true nature nearly returning.

"He... gave me emotions..? And I killed him..?"

Stopping him from going any further, the voice of the other Android 17 rang in his brain.

"What are you doing, 17? Snap out of it!" it hissed, growing impatient. "You have to come find me, our time has come!"

"You can't take her! She's not a part of you anymore!" Krillin reinstated.

The voices grew louder in Android 17's head, convincing him slowly but surely, eventually he agreed with them fully. He held out his hand, aimed directly for Krillin.

"You're right!" 17 shouted, firing a blast right through Krillin, killing him instantly.

As Krillin's family mourned his death, Android 17's connection with the other 17 re-structuralized. After a moment, he turned back to Android 18, prepared to make one final offer.

18 didn't even let him speak, whipping her head at 17 she hissed. "You killed him... You killed him!"

In the blink of an eye, she attacked her brother, blinded by her rage, and throwing him into a nearby building.

"I'll kill you!" she roared.

There. That's where The Divergence happened in this timeline. As Android 17 was being attacked, his counterpart, dubbed Hell Fighter 17, continued to chip away at his morality.

"Look at her... This is what I was telling you. You can't trust her. You can only trust yourself... She's a liability, a handicap, a crutch. One you must now shed, before joining with me..."

Android 17 froze.

"You can't mean..." he replied.

"But I do... Shed her... Eliminate her. Toss away your crutch... and stand on your own two feet."

In many timelines, Android 17 attacked Android 18, but spared her life, his morals just barely being able to save her life. This small amount of morality would be what saved them both later, as after Android 17 merged with Hell Fighter 17, and becoming Super 17, Android 18 would be able to appeal to his morals. Together with Goku, Super Android 17 would be destroyed, and the Earth would be saved.

This was not one of those timelines.

"He's right..." Android 17 nodded, stepping out of the rubble and looking at his sister. "And so was that shorty..."

Android 18 hissed. "His name was Krillin."

"You're not a part of me anymore... And when you see him again... tell him he was right..."

"What do you mean, 'when I-'."

With no warning or dignity, Android 17 fired a blast through Android 18's body, exactly like he did to Krillin. The only person left was their daughter... Android 17 turned towards her, and raised his hand a final time...

After destroying his sister, alongside her family, the timeline would, in a way, return to remaining unchanged. From there, Android 17 and Hell Fighter 17 would finally merge together, becoming Super Android 17, and defeating the rest of the Z-Fighters. Afterwards, Goku would arrive and the two would battle, but after exhausting his options and having the majority of his energy stolen by Super 17, Goku would find himself defeated.

Super Android 17 chuckled to himself, holding out both arms towards the defeated Son Goku, and charging up his Electro Eclipse Bomb.

The fallen Saiyan forced a chuckle. "Huh... I can't even move my pinky, so moving my whole body is definitely out of the question..."

"Trust me, this time I won't miss..." Super 17 chuckled to himself.

"Sorry, I let everyone down... I tried."

Meanwhile, Mr. Myuu let out a villainous laugh, and he danced with glee. "Finally! We defeated the great Goku!"

Super 17 smiled, his energy blast finally complete. "Prepare yourself Goku! It ends now!"

Goku flinched, closing his eyes.

"DIE!"

"Big Bang Attack!"

Goku quickly opened his eyes, and instead of seeing King Yemma he saw Vegeta, who had narrowly saved him from Super 17's attack. He looked battered and tired, no doubt coming to his rescue without even being healed in any way.

"Kakarot, are you okay?" Vegeta called to his fellow Saiyan.

Goku grunted slightly, unable to speak in any shape, way, or form.

Vegeta sighed, the situation was bad, and he knew it. Even if he and Goku fused, their chances would be slim.

Super 17 just chuckled. "I've never seen you look so desperate, Vegeta... It's pathetic"

Vegeta gritted his teeth, before using all the energy he had to power up, the glow of his aura becoming so bright both Goku and Dr. Myuu could barely see; whereas Super 17 only smiled.

Once the dust settled, Vegeta's hair had lengthened considerably and his eyebrows disappeared, but his power was the most notable change, which had skyrocketed.

Super 17 pushed his hair back, before goading the Saiyan further.

"What? Is that the best you can do? That's pretty sad..."

"Sad for you!" Vegeta screamed, as his aura exploded, crackling with energy, before rushing the android.

The increased speed actually caught Super 17 off guard, allowing Vegeta to land several punches to the android's stomach before sending him flying with a spin kick.

"Super Android 17!" Dr. Myuu cried in fear, starting to get concerned.

Vegeta slammed downwards, landing right in front of Dr. Myuu and sending the surrounding rocks flying.

"Hiding behind a worthless machine? Where's your pride!?" Vegeta roared, before punching a hole into Dr. Myuu's robotic body and firing a blast, incinerating the mad scientist.

With only a single opponent left, Vegeta flew to the sky before cracking his neck, and preparing a massive energy wave.

"Time to send you back to Hell! Hyper Galick Gun..."

Super 17 rose from the rubble he had been knocked into, before dashing straight for Vegeta.

"FIRE!"

Without even the need to absorb Vegeta's energy, Super 17 dashed right through the attack, before holding his hands forward and firing a massive blast at Vegeta, throwing the Saiyan Prince backwards.

Following up his attack he punched Vegeta in the gut, just as he had previously, before grabbing him by his newly-lengthened hair and whipping him down into the ground. With that, Super 17 slammed downwards, landing on Vegeta's chest, before stepping off of him. Vegeta coughed loudly, slipping out of Super Saiyan 3 and back to his base.

The Super Android only chuckled before kicking Vegeta's body near Goku.

"If you wanted to die next to Goku, you should've just asked." Super 17 began to charge a large energy blast from his hand, as he leaned downwards to Vegeta.

"Speaking of asking... You actually reminded me of a question I've got for you..."

Vegeta's eyes slowly closed, as he began to fade from consciousness.

"Does someone as prideful as you feel fear?"

With one final blast from Super 17, Vegeta was gone.

One Saiyan down and one to go, Super 17 smiled as he glared down at Goku. A part of him wanted to simply obliterate Goku with another Electro Eclipse Bomb, but that wouldn't satisfy him anymore. Goku's death needed to be slow. Slow and very painful...

He smiled as he looked at the red gems on his hands, meant to be used to absorb energy manually. He hadn't used them his whole 'life', as he wanted to save them for a good use... this certainly applied.

With that, Super 17 pushed his hair backwards again, before walking towards Goku and lifting him up by his throat, absorbing his very life force slowly. As Goku felt himself lose consciousness, the last words he heard were from Super 17 himself.

"Say 'hello' to Krillin for me..."

With the death of Goku many more followed. The rest of the Z-Fighters sought to avenge their comrades, but with Goku's strength added to Super Android 17, they were quickly defeated. Nothing was left for Super Android 17, both of his creators were gone and his best challenges were behind him. The revelation broke him: he no longer had any purpose. With Goku destroyed, and his 'life' goal accomplished, he should've felt glorious, but instead he didn't feel anything at all. Super 17 would seclude himself from everything, not interested in causing anymore harm, as there would be no point.

This would've stayed the way, until one day when Bulma attempted to help her fallen friends by gathering the Dragon Balls, however this would be in vain, as something else awoke from within the Dragon Balls. Something far, far more dangerous than what anyone could've expected. However, this scorching of the Earth would awaken something else. Something that had been repressed within Super 17. A desire to protect nature, as well as the animals that lived within it.

This is another story that haunts me, and yet, in a way, motivates me. The fact that a single person's morals could be the difference between the prospering or the extinction of all of humanity is incredible, if not rather daunting. While perhaps never in this extreme of circumstances, I believe we all have that power. The power to choose to bring good into the world, and help it prosper. Prosper into a universe with a happier ending, then the one where we chose not to. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

"Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!" Natt robotically laughed, taunting the quarter-saiyan. "You're outclassed, little girl! Take my advice and surrender!"

Pan's blood boiled, after the Robotic Hell she had nearly escaped from, there was no chance of that happening.

Gritting her teeth, she roared. "Never!"

Leaping to her feet, she made a mad-dash for the Sigma Force robot, punching directly for it. The smaller robot only melted into the wall, escaping, with Pan causing a dent where Natt previously was. Natt only appeared elsewhere to taunt Pan, with Pan slamming her fist into the wall again. The process repeated several times, with Pan even opting to fire a large blast at the wall; but still to no avail.

"It's useless, you fool." Natt taunted again.

Pan hissed, before getting an idea. She teleported away, before preparing a blast.

"Over here, pal!" she taunted back.

"The hand is quicker than the eye!" the robot replied, before firing a missile, but not at Pan.

Within less than a second, Pan feinted, teleporting elsewhere to fire her blast, only to be struck by the missile fired by Natt: her move had been predicted. Slamming into the ground, Pan growled in anger.

"You... trash compactor!"

Natt only re-appeared to taunt again. "That was a sneaky little trick that you tried. I bet you're wondering how I knew exactly what you were going to do next..."

Pan paused. Actually... How did he know that?

"Well... You can thank the one you call 'Giru' for that."

The quarter-saiyan's heart sank. No... Please, no...

"He recorded all of your fights and stored them in his files. It's all been downloaded into my memory banks. I know every move that you make!"

Pan's eyes began to fill with tears, falling to her knees, she slammed her fists against the hard metal.

Why? Why, Giru? The truth was Pan didn't have many friends outside of her family. Sure, they had some issues, and sure, she had hit him a few times, but they had good times too. Playing video games, searching for Dragon Balls. They were friends. They were friends.

In this timeline, something changed in Pan. It's possible it was due to simply the believed betrayal of her friend, possibly due to her own issues of not being taken seriously in her family, or perhaps simply due to the power inherited by her father. Regardless of the cause, Pan's sadness transitioned to pain, and that pain slowly transitioned... into power.

"Giru... How could you..? I trusted you... " she mumbled. "I was your friend..."

For a brief second Pan's eyes flashed green, before Pan let out a pained scream.

"I was your friend!"

With a final blood-curdling scream, Pan's aura expanded, a golden light exploding throughout the room, the pressure becoming so intense Natt's frame began to contort before overloading.

Natt's body fell from the wall, before crashing into the floor and beginning to shut down.

Pan only gritted her teeth, before tightening her bandana over new, golden spiked hair, then bringing her hands forward, firing a blast through the wall. With that, she raced through the halls, eventually finding the room she was looking for; the one holding Goku and Trunks.

"Alright..." Pan spoke, her voice was calm, but it was obvious to everyone in the room she was clearly not. "Where's my grandpa..?"

"How did you find this lab, girl?" Nezi spoke up.

"You defective robots are easy to find..."

Goku perked up, his eyes wide in excitement. "Pan, you're a Super Saiyan!"

His excitement was short-lived, however, as Bizu quickly appeared behind Pan, ready to attack her.

"Pan! Watch out!"

Bizu struck Pan with an open hand, only for his hand to stop completely; Pan not moving in the least. Pan shot Goku a smile, before turning around and smirking at Bizu, raising her own hand.

"My turn."

In a single slap, Pan sliced the robot in half, exploding it in a glorious blaze. With two Sigma Force units down, and two to go, Pan only glared at the terrified robots.

"...Could I perchance talk you out of this..?" Nezi perked up, forcing a chuckle.

"You know all of my moves... You tell me..."

With a single blast each, the Sigma Force was no more, and in no time Goku and Trunks were free from their constraints. While Goku was ecstatic at Pan's transformation and Trunks was blown away, Pan only had one thing on her mind.

"Where. Is. Giru?"

From here the timeline diverges greatly from the one you know. With the Sigma Force dismantled, the lack of Trunks' capture, and Pan's newfound strength; when came time to battle General Rilldo, the Machine Mutant hardly stood a chance. The trio would go off in order to find the Dragon Balls, and could come face-to-face with Giru. Explanations would occur, and while Goku and Trunks were quick to forgive the small robot, Pan would continue to hold a grudge with him.

Feelings aside, Giru would guide the trio to Dr. Myuu and his creation: Baby, both of which would be killed. With him destroyed, Baby would never take the Black Star Dragon Balls for himself, therefore the our heroes would return to Earth, and use the balls to prevent its destruction.

This story shows the power of our emotions, and how they can change the entire world. Pan allowed her grief and pain to transform into power, power that would save not only her family, but lead to the saving of her entire planet. Never forget that you have that power, too. The power to turn what appears to be negative into something positive, and to use that positivity to help others. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Vegeta chuckled to himself, before uppercutting Ginyu's body, then grabbing the Elite by his leg, before throwing him into the ground. Captain Ginyu, himself, only chuckled back. Everything was going perfectly... he'd let Vegeta have his little moment, and when he had an opening, he'd strike.

Krillin and Gohan both watched the one-sided battle with a mixture of shock and fear, feeling, like they had many times that day, happy that Vegeta was on their side. Goku, however, was the only one who had caught on to what was really happening. Even then, he was powerless to do a single thing; his body had been beaten down to weaken Ginyu further, but if Ginyu's plan happened, it would've all been for naught.

"Vegeta..!" Goku attempted to call out, his voice too dry to be anything more than a low groan. "You have to stop..!"

Goku's warnings would fall on deaf ears and Vegeta continued to pummel Ginyu. In his own mind, this was his moment. After years of being afraid of the Ginyu Force, here he was, crushing their leader. He slammed his fist against Ginyu's face again, throwing the alien backwards, and causing him to stumble in order to stay on his feet.

Despite that, Ginyu kept smiling, before taunting the Saiyan further.

"C'mon, Vegeta... Is that all you've got?"

Vegeta only gritted his teeth, before grabbing Ginyu by his horns and throwing him to the sky.

"I'm just getting warmed up!" Vegeta retorted, before flying after Ginyu, prepared to deliver the coup de grâce. "Incoming!"

The timeline splits right here. In the universe you're familiar with, Goku managed to find a Namekian Frog, which would intercept Ginyu's Body Swap; saving Vegeta, and by extension, the rest of their lives.

However, in this timeline no frog appeared. With Goku powerless to stop Ginyu's Body Swap, and Gohan and Krillin unaware of what was occurring until far too late... well...

"I'm all yours Vegeta! Change, now!"

That second, only then did Vegeta realize what was happening, one second too late, that is. In that moment Vegeta felt himself ache with unimaginable pain. Between having to damage his own bodies and deal with difficult missions, Ginyu had developed an incredible pain tolerance; a blessing Vegeta didn't have. His mouth was filled with the taste of blood and his ears were ringing like a nightmare. Despite that, there was one thing he was able to hear all too well, the laugh of Captain Ginyu.

Despite his eyes being foggy, Vegeta could easily make out the person in front of him: himself. Ginyu laughed with glee as he looked proudly at his new body, tightening his gloves before staring down at Vegeta.

"Now, isn't that better?" Ginyu chuckled, giving Vegeta an evil smirk.

Within a second, Ginyu zipped towards Vegeta, before punching him in the stomach, hitting hard enough to shatter his armor.

He chuckled again. "Now trust me when I say this, Vegeta... I know how much that hurts..."

Ginyu wasn't able to properly utilize Goku's body when he stole it, because of Goku's unique fighting style. Goku's fighting style is one composed of several years, several teachers, and several ideologies all rolled into one. Meanwhile, Vegeta's fighting style was bent on pure power, and his body was molded that way from being used to destroy races and planets; exactly what Ginyu had lived his life doing. For Ginyu, using Vegeta's body was like second-nature.

Ginyu smiled, before using his fist to throw Vegeta around him, spinning him, before flying downwards and pushing Vegeta into the ground. Ginyu quickly landed near Vegeta, making sure to pose dramatically, before walking toward Vegeta and scowling at him. He wanted Vegeta to feel this. He raised his left leg and planted it firmly on his former body, intentionally driving his heel into the chest wound he had given himself.

Vegeta had the audacity to kill Jeice right in front of his eyes, this would make things fair. With that, Ginyu held up his hand and began to charge a familiar, red energy sphere. This one was going to be for Jeice.

"But... But... How..?" Vegeta stammered, his voice was hoarse and tears began to form in his eyes.

Ginyu finally smiled again, raising his arm, the Crusher Ball fully charged. Pointing his thumb towards himself, his words echoed through Vegeta's brain for the short rest of his life.

"Because... I'm the Prince of all Saiyans..."

From there, Ginyu would put down Goku and his allies; none of them stood a chance against the Captain's new strength. After disposing of the three of them, Ginyu would return to Lord Frieza...

Upon reaching Lord Frieza's destroyed ship, alongside where the Dragon Balls were being held, Ginyu quickly landed downward and knelt.

"Lord Frieza, I've returned!"

Frieza was dumbfounded, the voice was Ginyu's, but the body was Vegeta's. Was this someone's idea of being funny? He'd have them-

Oh.

Oh...

Now, this was funny.

Floating over in his Hover Pod, Frieza couldn't help but laugh proudly at his underling.

"Ginyu, are you sure you've been eating well? I swear, you look like you've gotten shorter!" he joked with a chuckle.

"Too right, Lord Frieza! But my Power has been boosted tremendously! Stealing Vegeta's Body has also given me his incredible Power Level of 250,000!"

"250,000..?" Frieza echoed, nodding his head. "That is impressive... Had Vegeta not been taken care of, he might have proved to have been more trouble than he's worth."

"Indeed! But there's more, Lord Frieza! Vegeta's power only seemed to increase when battled my Force! Meaning to increase this power further-"

"You'd need to battle even more powerful foes..." Frieza finished Ginyu's words, before beginning to smirk evilly. "Intriguing..."

From there, the universe would change forever. Frieza would never gain his immortality, as the Dragon Balls would turn to stone shortly afterwards, but it hardly mattered. In this universe, Frieza would never be opposed, meaning, Frieza's Empire would continue to grow as Captain Ginyu continued to train and improve his new body. Frieza's Empire would eventually reach from one galaxy to another, then another. There was hardly a soul that didn't know about Lord Frieza, and his second-in-command, Captain Ginyu: The Super Saiyan.

This story, like others, is one of worth. It shows how important every living being is, from an entire Empire to a single frog. It shows that everyone is needed, that everyone has their place in the world; even if they don't see it yet. One single frog is the difference between countless lives spared or lost. Or the difference between three lives taken, to three given back. Every life is invaluable. This is another very, very important lesson that is crucial to the multiverse. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Majin Buu cackled evilly as he landed another powerful blow to Goku's face, throwing the Saiyan backwards and into a pile of rocks. With another malicious laugh, he raced downwards to where Goku had landed, prepared to land what was sure to be the finishing blow. He would end it, then he could finish what he started with Go-

Suddenly a sharp pain raced throughout the Majin's body. Not like the pain of combat, this was a new kind of pain; pain from within. It was over in less than a second, but at the same time he could feel his power skyrocket downwards, as the jacket he wore quickly changed into a cape matching Piccolo's.

No...

Getting back to his feet Goku smirked, putting his hands on his hips. "That's a bit disappointing..."

Proving his point, he de-transformed into his base form.

"With you like this now, Gohan can beat you without going to the trouble of combining with me!"

Right then is where the timelines diverge. Majin Buu's anger and hatred burned at the thought of being passed off. Passed off to be destroyed by... him. Gohan. The same man who had made a fool of him before, that he was only now getting payback for, until Goku had shown up.

Majin Buu grit his teeth. Damn him. Damn both of them.

His original plan was to absorb Gohan, then kill Goku, but things had changed... Gohan had beaten him, humiliated him. Now, he was going to reciprocate the gesture.

"I bet you didn't see that coming..." Goku said with a smirk.

"See this coming!" Buu retorted, before gesturing towards his fallen tentacle.

Without giving anyone a chance to react, the piece flew towards Goku, beginning to constrict him like a venomous snake. Goku gasped, which only made it easier for Majin Buu to continue to suffocate him. Using the little strength he could, he removed the earring from his left ear, and called out to his son.

"Gohan..! Find someone..! Other ear!"

Not making the same mistake twice, Gohan caught the earring, but could only watch in horror as he saw the pink substance overtake his father, before covering Majin Buu. The sky began to grow dark, as Majin Buu's body began to change.

A loud thunder roared, but was mere background to the roaring of laughter of Majin Buu and he reshaped and reformed, eventually taking on his regular body, but with one simple addition. An orange gi, with a blue shirt underneath.

Gohan hissed with rage. That was his father's gi. The very same that he wore to honor him. And now this monster was wearing it to mock him, to mock both of them. With a massive scream, Gohan made a mad dash for the Majin.

"Take off that gi!" he roared.

But without even blinking, Majin Buu caught his punch, but instead of laughing, he simply sighed.

"Now, you're just disappointing us all, Gohan..."

He slammed his fist into Gohan's stomach, the pain was unbearable, forcing him to hunch over.

"Goku raised you better than that, didn't he? And Piccolo taught you better..."

Gohan roared, attempting to kick Buu, only for his leg to be caught without issue.

"And how you loved to show off to Goten and Trunks... Is this really all you can do, even after all that?"

Fighting a chuckle, Buu began to spin, taking Gohan along for the ride.

"What happened to 'killing' me, huh? Where did all of that go?"

Gohan only groaned as a response, a mixture of pain and dizziness.

"Wrong answer! Alley-oop!"

With that Buu let go of Gohan's leg, tossing him like a ragdoll and into several rocks. Finally, he let out another boorish laugh. He was going to enjoy this.

He stretched his arms and punched into the ground, before treating his own body like a slingshot, and throwing himself at Gohan, slamming onto him with both feet; furthering burying Gohan into the ground. With a leap, he repeated the process, this time, slamming both fists around Gohan, and stomping on his torso again, then again. Buu cackled insanely, humored at his brutal 'trampoline', as he called it. Each attack forced a scream from Gohan, which was like music to Majin Buu's ears.

Despite his pain, Gohan never let go of the two earrings his father gave him, his final words echoing through his mind. As broken as his body was becoming, Gohan would strive to honor those words.

While Gohan's torture was brutal, it proved vital to this timeline's survival, as without it, Buu would've likely destroyed simply Earth. However, Buu's hatred towards Gohan caused him to drag out the battle. Long enough for someone to arrive...

Majin Buu cackled furiously.

"I think it's finally time I put an end to our little game, Gohan..."

Gohan winced as Majin Buu let off his rampage, before flying high into the sky.

"And I think of no better technique to end it then one very dear to us..."

Despite his injuries, Gohan could easily make out what was happening, as Buu entered a familiar stance.

"Ka... me..."

"Not yet!"

Gohan perked up. That ki...

Majin Buu was equally caught-off-guard, as standing behind him was none other than Vegeta.

"Vegeta..?" he questioned, before beginning to break into a loud obnoxious laughter. "Now, this is too good!"

He gestured towards the Saiyan.

"That halo suits you well! Now... don't tell me you intend to die to me twice?"

Vegeta grit his teeth, before cracking his neck. "Figure I will die... but this time, I'll make sure to take you with me!"

With that, their battle began. Meanwhile, Gohan called out to Vegeta, but to no avail; his voice too hoarse to be audible. Gohan groaned in pain, as he attempted to pick himself up, but the pain was unbearable. It was... as a matter of fact, it wasn't as bad as he thought...

"Dende..?"

The small Namekian said nothing, only putting a finger to his lips, as he continued to heal Gohan of his wounds. It was bad, but he could get him back into fighting shape if Vegeta was buying them both some time.

After taking several punches to the face, Vegeta spat blood, before bringing his hands to his side.

"Galick Gun... Fire!"

With a large purple blast, Buu was scattered apart, his regeneration already taking place. It would take very little time, but little time was better than no time at all. Racing to the sky, Gohan called out to Vegeta, begging for his help.

"Vegeta! Please, I need your help!"

"Obviously, Gohan. You distract him, and I'll prepare the killing blow."

"That won't work! You have to listen!"

As an argument was beginning to brew, both were quick to notice Buu's body already taking form once again.

"Vegeta, please!" Gohan begged, holding out the other Potara earring. "You have to put this earring on your left ear. You have to!"

"And why would I put on that hideous thing?"

"Because, Dad-"

Cutting both off, Buu roared as he dashed for both warriors, before smacking their heads against one another, then grabbing them again, and throwing them onto the hard ground.

This was bad, Gohan thought to himself. He had one idea, but it was never a technique he had used before. He had seen his Dad use it, alongside Krillin and Tien Shinhan. He was just going to have to go off that...

Continuing his attack, Buu dropped dowards again, but just as he did, Gohan jumped to his feet, before bringing his hands to his eyes.

"Solar Flare!"

With a blinding light, Buu screamed in pain, unable to see anything; allowing Gohan and Vegeta a quick exit. While both on the fly, Gohan cried out again to his only ally.

"Vegeta, I'm telling you. This was Dad's plan. We need to-"

Vegeta cut the half-saiyan off. "Who cares about Kakarot! Look where his 'plan' got him! If Kakarot's 'plan' was so good, why are we the ones playing hide-and-seek?"

Gohan sighed, before finally facing Vegeta; revealing the tears in his eyes.

"Look... I'm begging you." he began again, this time his voice was broken, not speaking out of fear, but of desperation. "We both fought Buu. And we both lost. I know you don't like my father, but this is bigger than that. It's bigger than both of us..."

He clenched his fist.

"He killed my mother right in front of Goten and Trunks... He ate our friends like their lives didn't mean anything. He killed Bulma just for a snack..."

Vegeta closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh. Finally, he spoke up.

"Do you even know what the earring will do?" he asked.

"No, I don't."

"So, we're betting our lives on something we don't even know about?"

"I guess we are."

Vegeta stood up. "Give it to me."

"What?" Gohan replied, taken aback.

"Give it to me, right now."

Placing the earring on his left ear, Vegeta nodded his head. Here he was again, this was for them. Trunks, Bulma, and Kakarot.

With his vision finally returned, Majin Buu roared, before calling out to his challengers, but was met by someone else.

"Majin Buu. It's time to end this." a voice spoke up, but it wasn't Vegeta or Gohan.

Instead, the warrior wore a blue gi, with an orange shirt underneath, and Saiyan boots and gloves. Their hair was jet black and spiked upwards, but with an iconic bang hanging below. Their facial features were sharp and filled with sheer determination; lastly, they were two earrings, ones that looked rather familiar to the Majin.

Majin Buu tilted his head in humor, turning his head so much it was nearly at a 90 degree angle. "And who are you..?"

The warrior wasted no time. "Vegehan... And I'm finally going to make do a promise I made..."

"And what promise is that-?"

Before the demon could finish his sentence, Vegehan was already in his face, before landing three consecutive punches on the monster's face, before spin kicking him away.

"I'm going to kill you."

Despite not having a Familial Boost or Rival Boost, Vegehan's power was simply incredible. In an interesting way, it was those differences that made this fusion so powerful. While Gohan has book smarts, Vegeta has battle smarts. While Vegeta has pride, Gohan has coolheadedness. And yet, both had experienced battle since they were young, both were fighting in space and defeating powerful foes since they began their life. It was poetic. The final Pure-Blooded Elite, and the first Saiyan-Hybrid.

However, there was one more important similarity both warriors shared. Undying. Unrelenting. Rage.

Majin Buu left back into the air, starting to feel panic. Deciding to play into his wits, he spoke up to the fusion.

"Fusion? Is that really how you want to beat me? Where's your pride, huh? Whatever happened to-"

Vegehan held a ki blast in his hand, before shoving it into Majin Buu's body; causing him to explode.

"Shut up."

His regeneration being his only saving grace, Buu spoke back up.

"How about we put that strength of your's to the test?" Buu attempted to manipulate again, doing his best to appear cool and collected, meanwhile on the inside, he was fearing for his life. "Why don't we play a game?"

Vegehan said nothing.

"How about this? I'll-"

In a split-second's time, Vegehan brought his hand to Buu's throat, before slamming the Majin into the ground. Out of his fingertips came five rings that forced Buu down further, one around his neck, two on his wrists, and two on his ankles. With that, Vegehan flew to the sky, before slamming back down, crushing the monster underneath his boots not unlike what the Majin had done to Gohan previously.

"I already told you."

Vegehan lept, before stomping down on the Majin a second time.

"Shut."

Then again.

"Your."

And again.

"Mouth."

Vegehan's voice never went above a calm tone, never screaming, and yet the anger and hatred in his voice was no one else's before.

"You have no right to speak."

With one final flip, Vegehan held his hand forward before preparing a ki-blast.

"Big Bang Kamehameha!"

Said attack demolished the section of the ground the Majin laid on, before, like clockwork, Majin Buu began reshape and reform, taking to the skies in a desperate attempt to buy some time from his foe.

Cracking his neck, Vegehan landed back onto the ground, before bringing his hands upwards to his side, then bringing them to his forehead.

"You've lived long enough, Majin Buu... Galick..."

Buu reformed, before attempting one final trick: absorption. He lept straight for the fusion, before-

"Masenko-HA!"

Without a second left, Majin Buu was extinguished; erased without a trace. From there, Vegehan would call out Kibito Kai and ask them to use the Namekian Dragon Balls to bring back everyone who was killed, absorbed, or eaten since the beginning of the World Tournament. Afterwards, Vegehan would ask for the memories of Buu to be erased, and lastly, to be defused.

This is another story that makes me wonder. If two warriors so different from one another can work together to save the universe, it's anyone's guess as to what can be accomplished when others work together. In that sense, it gives me hope. It makes me believe that one day, when all the fighting is over, we can accomplish great things with those we once called enemies. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Goku Black smirked evilly, as he watched his 'Shadows' surround Goku and Vegeta.

"What's the matter, mortals?" he taunted. "Relax, don't be afraid. I thought you Saiyan loved fighting the strongest."

With that, Goku and Vegeta went to battle his Shadows, but it would be all in vain. While they would do away with one, three more would take its place. Now all Black needed to do was watch and while Goku and Vegeta wasted all of their energy.

Now back-to-back with Vegeta, Goku grit his teeth.

"Any ideas? Everytime we take out one group, another batch shows up."

Crossing his arms, Black smirked. "And just like that, you're back to feeling overwhelmed again... You can't take out Zamasu's defenses, and you have no answer for my offensive might!"

"We are not done yet!" Vegeta roared, channeling his aura with Goku.

Both Saiyans charged up as many ki blasts as they could, before firing them at every Shadow they could see, exploding them into a pink smoke. Watching his opponents use everything they had, Goku Black smirked, as within seconds, the smoke began to reform into an even greater amount of Shadows.

"Damn it!" Goku hissed. "This isn't working!"

Smiling smugly, Black continued to taunt. "While you're stuck in a stalemate, Zamasu is locating Trunks and the remaining humans, and torturing them to death!"

"You're a coward, Black! If you want to prove you're better, then fight us, yourself!"

Black rolled his eyes, humored by his opposite's anger.

"Oh, I will! But not until we finish destroying the friends and loved ones you've sworn to protect... The anger of the loss will make you reach new heights of power. Which will in turn, strengthen me!"

Black held back a chuckle, before inevitably breaking into a hysteric, evil laughter. Everything was working out perfectly in his favor. With the rift his scythe had created, he had also inadvertently impaired Goku's Instant Transmission, making it impossible to rescue his friends. He was powerless to do a single thing, while Zamasu-

Goku Black blood ran cold.

Zamasu's ki had just vanished.

It wasn't possible. Even with his new power, Trunks didn't stand a chance against Zamasu's immortality. None of this made any sense. What had that mortal done?

That's right. In this timeline, Trunks' attempt to seal Future Zamasu away had a very different outcome. Here the Mafuba used to seal Immortal Kai away had a proper seal, not allowing Zamasu any way to escape. In this timeline, Zamasu was trapped, forever.

However, by putting one threat to rest, it would give birth to another danger; possibly more dangerous.

Goku Black grit his teeth, bringing his fingertips to his forehead and locking on Trunks' energy immediately, before using Instant Transmission, leaving Goku and Vegeta behind. In an instant, he appeared above Trunks, the rage in his body burning like never before, he screamed out to the half-Saiyan.

"Where is Zamasu?!"

Trunks grit his teeth, holding up an arm to block the women behind them, signaling them to run, but still panting in exhaustion.

"He's gone, Black. Gone forever." he managed to say through a smile. "Now, your Zero Mortal Plan will never be complete!"

Goku Black charged up his aura, burning almost as much as his own anger.

"If I can't kill every mortal..." Goku Black entered his fighting stance, before charging at the Time Traveler with a punch. "Then I'll be satisfied by killing YOU!"

Trunks entered his own stance, prepared for a fight, only for Goku to appear, arriving via Instant Transmission as well, and catching Goku Black's fist.

"Not yet, Black! Vegeta's already had his turn, so It's my turn now."

Goku Black scowled, stretching his other arm, and activating his ki blade.

"Are you in that much of a rush to die? A simple wish... one I'll happily grant!"

Black swung his blade at Goku, who released the false Saiyan's fist, before leaping backwards, dodging the energy blade. After checking back at Trunks, and giving him a nod, Goku rushed Black with an array of punches, shoving him away from survivors, and through several destroyed buildings. With everyone at a safe distance away, Goku performed a backflip, kicking Goku Black skyward.

Coughing hard and spitting blood, Black brought his hands to his side, before charging up an attack.

"Kamehame-"

Before he could finish the attack, Goku slammed his fist into Black's face, interrupting him and throwing him back.

"No more, Black!" Goku called out. "You never knew the man that invented that technique! You never experienced the life that grew that strength! The hard work, just like Master Roshi taught!"

Charging his own aura, Goku brought his own hands to his side, preparing his own attack.

"You don't get to disgrace his name, anymore!"

Goku Black mirrored the action, his aura charging as well. "You scold me? You dare lecture a god?"

With a loud shout, both warriors fired their own Kamehamehas, entering an intense beam struggle, the shockwave of both energy blasts disintegrating what was left of the empty city around them.

"What kind of god cheats his way to the top? Who uses shortcuts to gain his strength?" Goku roared, before beginning to channel a red aura over his blue. "Kaio-ken!"

Within seconds, Goku's Kamehameha overwhelmed Black's, hitting him with the full force of the blast. Despite the damage, it didn't stop Black from teleporting behind Goku, attempting to catch the Saiyan off-guard with his ki blade. His Kaio-ken still activated, Goku didn't even flinch, catching the blade with a single finger; before raising his other arm and striking Black with a one-inch punch to Black's gut, which he followed up with a double hammerfist, slamming Black into the hard ground.

Dropping both auras, Goku crossed his arms, as he descended to meet Black, who was currently on his hands and knees, back in his base form, now trying to find the strength to stand up.

"Had enough, Black? Or should we do it again?"

Black said nothing, only slumping to his knees, breathing heavier than before.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta called out, flying over alongside Trunks. "That's enough. I believe it's my turn, again."

The tension in Goku's face dropped. "Oh, come on, Vegeta! That's not fair, and you know it! If anything, it should be Trunks' turn."

As the two Saiyan's continued to argue, Black's blood boiled. They were arguing like children; arguing over who would be the one to kill him. It was like they no longer saw him as a threat, now only a toy to play with.

"I said 'no', Kakarot! We agreed that I'd be the one to finish this fake!"

Black growled with wrath, transforming back into a Super Saiyan Rosé, but with his aura charging up and filling with lightning.

"I am not a fake!" he shouted, punching the ground hard enough to form a crater. "Do you hear me?"

Black's aura began to glow, with his hair began to do the same.

"I. AM. GOKU!"

With a loud roar, Black's aura exploded, forcing Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks to cover their eyes. When the light faded, Black was back on his feet, his aura now a denser, darker purple, his muscle mass increased, and his hair spiked further, now also darker.

All three warriors watched in fear as Black, himself, examined his transformation.

"Amazing... The anger of loss has made me reach new heights of power..." he thought out loud, quoting himself.

Goku only swallowed hard, as he sensed Black's new power. The gap between them was mostly closed, give or take, but if he, Vegeta, and Trunks fought together; there was a good chance they would win.

Black simply stared at his hands, before speaking up again.

"Incredible... It seems I've underestimated the potential of this body..."

His mind raced with the possibilities. Between the scythe he made earlier, and now this... 'evolved' Super Saiyan Rosé... It was clear that his power had no limits. A level beyond this one? That red glow Goku had used before? A power surpassing the Gods of Destruction themselves? This whole time he had been thinking too small. He had been focusing on reaching Goku's level of power, but now... he would find new levels. Levels beyond anything Goku had ever imagined, beyond anything any mortal had ever imagined.

In the blink of an eye, Black lept backwards, creating his scythe in an instant. With dramatic flare, he opened another rift in the sky, before turning back at his opponents, all of which were currently frozen in shock.

"I am Goku." he repeated, this time not enraged, but confidently, as if he was stating a simple fact.

Fearing nothing, Black flew into the rift he created, the rift closing as he did so.

With the threat of the Zero Mortals Plan technically taken care of, the remaining survivors of the Universe celebrated, except for Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks. With Goku Black still alive, and the potential for his power to grow, none were able to call the situation a true victory. From there, all three would continue to train, always on guard for the day Goku Black would arrive. It didn't matter if it would be days, weeks, or even years; the day Goku Black returned, they'd be ready.

The timeline shows that the future is something that none of us can truly expect to be written. Even I, who views time like images on a scroll, cannot write time as if it were a book. The only thing one can truly do is work hard to ensure the future you have is a pleasant one. Humorously, it's not unlike how as a famous Doctor once put it, "Your future is whatever you make it. So, make it a good one." I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Energy formed around the parasite's palms in a familiar manner, before being fired in the form of a pink Final Flash. Uub grit his teeth, bringing his arms to his left and responding with a Kamehameha, both beams clashing in midair and beginning an intense beam struggle.

Baby only cackled evilly. "All of your fighting strategies have Goku's stink on them. And considering what I did to him, what do you think you can do?"

Even with all the strength Uub could muster, Baby only smirked, doubling the size of his beam attack, and overpowering Uub, who only narrowly avoided the blast. Despite dodging the brunt of the attack, Uub was sent pummelting downwards.

Baby simply crossed his arms, disappointed in the human's performance, or lack thereof.

"So, that was his limit... I was foolish to have had higher expectations..." he grumbled.

Holding his arm in pain, Uub slowly landed on the solid ground, before collapsing. The pain was unbearable, with Uub only being able to make out Pan's cries of fear and frustration, only to be swatted away by Baby. Using whatever strength he could find, Uub slowly picked himself up, intent on facing the Tuffle Parasite once again.

"That looks like it really hurts, but don't worry, I'll put a stop to that..." Baby taunted, raising his arms and powering up a Revenge Death Ball.

Uub grit teeth as he forced himself to stand, all while Baby continued to chuckle.

"Ah... Goku would be so disappointed. I stand above you holding your death in my hands, and all you can do is look scared..." Baby continued to taunt.

Uub coughed hard. He hated to admit it, but Baby was right. He was scared; horrified, even. It felt like his body was on fire, but his stomach was tied in knots like he was sick.

"I thought you'd be a more gifted fighter; someone to try my new Saiyan skills out on. Again, I underestimated your kind's ability to hold your own." Baby spat. "Always relying on someone to save your pathetic little lives. Never fighting for yourselves!"

Uub fell to a knee, his body starting to give out already.

"I don't know what Goku ever saw in you..."

That was the divergence for this timeline. Baby's words resonated with Uub, more than young boy cared to admit. He had relied on Goku for far too long; he needed to fight for himself for once. And not just for himself, but for everyone else, just like Goku would.

With his final insult, Baby fired his Revenge Death Ball, aimed dead-on for Uub... only for all of a sudden, a large figure to suddenly get between the two of them; tanking the blast for Uub, covering the entire area with smoke. Believing his work to be done, Baby took his leave.

Uub, now completely drained of energy, groaned loudly.

"Someone saved me... but who was it?" he thought aloud.

"Uub..." a voice called out. "Uub!"

"Who are you?" Uub called out, only now realizing he was far from where he was before. "Did you bring me to this place?"

A pink figure appeared in front of him, one that almost resembled the one that saved him. Yes! It had to have been him!

"I am Buu!" the figure replied happily.

"Are you..?" Uub began, perking up slightly. "I don't know what it is, but I've got the feeling we've met before... I have memories of you..."

"Long ago Buu and Uub were one in the same! This Majin Buu brought all his energies together and a good Buu was created!" Buu explained. "It was you, Uub! Born of the good inside!"

"You and I are the same being? Really?"

"That's right! Time now for Buu and Uub to be one, again! Buu's power plus Uub's power!"

With that, Uub felt his body slowly feel his wounds heal... no, not just heal, his body felt incredible. Better than it ever had before. Within seconds, he flew to the sky, good as new, surprising even himself.

"What happened?" he thought aloud.

"Buu and Uub have become the same!" Buu cheered, his voice was now in Uub's head.

"I feel... I feel stronger than I ever thought I'd be. Thanks Buu, I owe you one... Now let's go see Baby!"

With Majuub's new power, he remembered Baby's last words to him. And he was ready to prove him wrong. Majuub raced off, flying with speed he couldn't imagine was his, all while his mind fuzzed with memories he found himself remembering. It was the oddest sensation, as if his mind was trying to tell him was there, when Majuub knew he wasn't.

Sensing Uub's new power, Baby leapt from the ship he was riding in, meeting with Uub halfway.

"You're alive... What luck." he parasite remarked with dry sarcasm.

"Luck has nothing to do with it, monster." Majuub growled back. "And you won't be rid of me until you're dead."

Baby didn't seem to care, simply looking down at the humans he had infected, and remarking. "That probably isn't the best place to stand..."

As the tuffleized humans slowly backed away, Majuub clenched his fists, before letting out a massive scream, powering up as high as he could. As his power skyrocketed, pink lightning fell from the sky, causing the humans to run away, as Baby only narrowed his eyes.

With that, Majuub rushed straight for Baby, hitting him as hard as he could with a headbutt, the impact enough to knock the wind out of Tuffle. Backing up, Majuub grabbed Baby's leg, attempting to drag him back to ground, only for Baby to use his other leg to kick him, forcing him to let go.

Landing on his feet, Baby took a second to regain his breath, before speaking up with a chuckle.

"So it's not just that ridiculous outfit of yours that's changed." he smirked. "Maybe you'll do as a decent punching bag after all."

Majuub said nothing, as he picked himself off the ground, the pain he was feeling moments ago fading fast. He thought back to when he had fought Vegeta before. Sure, this wasn't exactly Vegeta, but it'd do.

With that, Majuub dashed towards Baby again, before smacking him with a massive double-hammerfist to the back of his head. He followed up by hitting him with a massive kick, and finally a hard headbutt; enough to make the Tuffle stumble.

Majuub froze.

He had never fought Vegeta before. And yet the memories, the movements he performed, they were so fluid and clear.

"Buu?" he thought to himself. "What's happening?"

Buu's excited voice replied.

"Buu and Uub have become the same!" Buu repeated. "That means Buu's power, Buu's strength! And Buu's memories, too!"

Yes. In this timeline, Buu and Uub unified in a deeper way, not just acting as an addition to Uub's power; but an awakening, an unlocking of what was dormant within Uub. The memories of not only Majin Buu, but of Kid Buu's were accessible to Uub. And his power wasn't limited to those either, but even to...

Baby grit his teeth, before clenching his fist and hitting Majuub with a massive punch to the face, snapping Majuub out of his thoughts, only to be hit by another punch, this one hard enough to throw him backwards.

"So what?" Baby scowled. "You think a few lucky hits and costume change is enough to beat me?"

Baby raised his arm, opening his palm and aiming straight for Majuub.

"Let's see you take on this! Big Bang Attack!"

A plan formed in Majuub's head instantly, quickly flipping and landing on his feet, then sucking in as much air as he could, before blowing as hard as he could. Sure enough, the wind was strong enough to shoot the blast right back towards the Tuffle, who jumped out of the way just in time. With that, Majuub leaped forward straight for Baby, preparing another punch, only to be hit in the face by a powerful punch by Baby, stopping him in his tracks.

Majuub landed on his hands, before pushing himself onto his feet, then squatting down. He punched the ground, before shooting a barrage of ki blasts into the ground. Baby growled, before bringing his arms to his sides, preparing another Final Flash, only for the ki blasts to burst from the ground around him, catching him off-guard, and weakening the ground enough to cause it to fall. As Baby lept to avoid falling, Majuub surprised him with a drop kick to his torso, then landing on the solid ground.

There was a brief pause as both warriors took a second to catch their breath.

"I'm intrigued boy." Baby nodded. "Not impressed, but intrigued. Perhaps there's a real fighter in there, after all... But, if you truly think your new games will be enough to best me, you're sorely mistaken."

As the villain continued to monologue, Majuub thought to himself. He definitely had the stamina to hold off Baby, but to finish him was a completely different story. There was also the struggle to save Vegeta, as it wouldn't be easy to defeat Baby without killing Vegeta in the process.

"Buu?" he thought. "What should I do? Are there any ways I can separate the two?"

"Hmm... Let Buu think!"

Majuub paused.

"Buu doesn't know!"

Majuub sighed in frustration, before doing his best to think back to his 'new memories'. He thought back to growing up in his village, the furthest back he could remember... Closing his eyes, he thought back further; remembering his battle against Goku, Vegeta, and... Buu?

He shook his head, before thinking, this time remembering fighting a man in a blue gi, then Gohan... and then a young Super Saiyan.

No, no, no. None of this would help him. He needed a way to separate Baby from Vegeta.

He thought back to battling Goku again, this time alongside a wrinkled sorcerer, again against Vegeta, and before that, a man with red skin and a blue robe. And before even that... another man... one that almost resembled Buu in a funny kind of way.

He paused. There was something about that man that was so familiar... Familiar in the same way Buu was before...

"What are you gawking at? I'm sorry, are you bored? Am I boring you?" Baby scowled, before bringing both hands to sides once more and charging a Final Flash. "Then how about this, hmm? Does this bore you?"

Damn it! He needed more time! There was something there, he knew it!

Majuub brought his own arms to his left, before charging a pink Kamehameha. "Ka...meh...ha...me..."

"FINAL FLASH!"

"HA!"

As the beams clashed in the center of the wasteland, Majuub did his best to focus on the man from his memories. He wanted to remember all he could of him; he remembered battling him in a beautiful landscape, one he remembered fondly. He also remembered the battle to be one of the fiercest he ever experienced. The closest thing being his battle against a goat-like monster-

Wait.. what?

That's right. In addition to Kid Buu and Majin Buu's memories, Majuub had access to the Grand Supreme Kai, which Majin Buu had absorbed. After millions of years of absorption, Grand Supreme Kai permanently merged with the Majin, including his power, strength, and yes, his memories as well.

As Baby continued to press on with his attack, Majuub held his mind on the goat-like man. His destructive ability was like no other, and yet, he had memories of defeating him. It was a long and brutal fight, one that took the lives of many. It was a brutal battle that could only end when-

That was it.

Majuub closed his eyes, as he prepared to use a technique Goku had warned him about. It would hurt, but with the way his body healed earlier, it might just work.

"Kaio-ken!"

As his body engulfed in a red aura, his Kamehameha doubled in size, overpowering Baby's own blast. With that, he dashed for the Tuffle parasite, using his increased speed to shove him into the ground. Stretching both arms out, Majuub shouted, using the last of his Kaio-ken in order to assist him.

"Kai Kai Matoru!"

Using the exact technique used by the Grand Supreme Kai to strip away Moro's magic from him, Majuub managed to strip Baby entirely from Vegeta's body; forcing him out of the Saiyan. Horrified at the impromptu fission, Baby was torn, not knowing whether to beg for mercy or be enraged and attempt a counterattack. Majuub, however, happily solved that problem with a simple question.

"Hey, Baby! Do you like chocolate?"

With a well-timed Candy Beam, the threat of the final Machine Mutant and Tuffle had ended; and thanks to help from Goku and Kibito Kai, the residents of Earth were purified, using the Sacred Water. Afterwards, Majuub was heralded as a hero, and would be seen as Goku's true successor when the Saiyan would eventually leave with Shenron. Anyone who would dare threaten Earth afterwards would be met by Majuub, and, in a manner of speaking, receive their just desserts.

This story is one that I find myself returning to, as it proves that there's strong potential in every single one of us to be a hero. That every moment we live is building up to that day when we all finally show the world what we're made of. Good luck to us, and good riddance to the enemies that face us. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Cooler perked up at the news Salza had given him.

"What? My brother, killed by a Saiyan?" he scoffed. "Impossible. How could a Saiyan generate enough power to destroy Frieza?"

"It happened, my lord!" Neiz reinforced the claim. "The Saiyan is living on Earth! He left Vegeta right before Lord Frieza blew it up!"

Cooler narrowed his eyes. "I never did like him. And now he goes and disgraces my father and I, by getting killed by a Saiyan."

Cooler grit his teeth. It served Frieza right. He had been born with his great power, unlike himself. He never had to claw and fight for what was his, it was always handed to him. That's why their father preferred him over the two of them. Not because he had earned his strength, not because of his hard work, because he had gotten lucky. Well, it looked like his luck had finally run out. Good riddance.

"Father always spoiled you rotten, you little brat!" he spat to his late brother, before preparing to stand. "Salza, prepare the ship for departure!"

Salza said nothing, simply raising his hand in a salute.

Doore spoke up, with a proud nod. "Yes, sire! Let's show this 'Super Saiyan' what for!"

Right then. That's where the Divergence in this timeline happened. While it was likely implied, no one had actively said that phrase yet.

'Super Saiyan'. It was one that resonated with Cooler. He remembered long ago when his father, King Cold, and him were still on speaking terms. He had warned him of those he should never challenge. Majin Buu. Beerus the Destroyer. And, of course, a warning of a prophecy; The Super Saiyan of Legend.

Cooler thought to himself, if this 'Super Saiyan' was on the level of the likes of Majin Buu or Beerus the Destroyer... He couldn't afford to not take this threat seriously.

With that, Cooler spoke back up, sitting back on this throne.

"As a matter of fact... Belay that order."

Salza stopped, turning towards Cooler in a parade-rest like manner.

"You three. Leave this planet." Cooler commanded. "I am to be left undisturbed here. I need to concentrate on how to best handle this 'Super Saiyan'. Continue operations as usual, but do not go anywhere near Earth's Solar System. Understood?"

All three of Cooler's soldiers took a knee, before shouting in return. "Sir, yes, sir!"

With this, all three men entered the ship, which quickly flew off, leaving the Frost Demon alone. Finally taking a stand, Cooler let out a massive scream, his aura crackling as his body bulked, within seconds transforming into his Fifth form.

He stared at his hands, before examining the rest of his body.

He had previously thought to himself that this power would be enough to destroy anyone, even his own brother if he stepped out of line. But to take on a Super Saiyan?

No...

No, this wouldn't be enough...

He needed to train his body further, to new heights. Heights high enough that not even the great Majin Buu could trample over. A power to even rival Beerus the Destroyer. A power to put this Awoken Super Saiyan Legend to rest. Permanently.

With a powerful goal in mind, Cooler would do just this. He spent several years subjecting himself to the most arduous training he had ever done, until one day, something finally snapped, something inside him. Something that would spell the end of his problems for him, and for this timeline, the end of peace for the galaxy.

After perfecting his new power, Cooler would set a course for Earth, where he'd hunt down the Super Saiyan that killed his brother, not unlike in the timeline you know. Eventually he'd come to blows with Goku, and after feeling out the Saiyan's power, he'd push Goku to his limits using his Fifth Form, eventually causing him to transform into a Super Saiyan.

Cooler nodded his head, as he stared down at the Saiyan's transformation, his eyes narrowing. "Yes... This must be it... The Super Saiyan of Legend."

Goku glared at the Frost Demon, teleporting towards him in an instant, and grabbing him by the arm.

"Why don't you wake up? You're hurting people! What have they done to you?"

Cooler said nothing, only ripping his arm from Goku's grip effortlessly.

Goku simply stared down at the tyrant. "I can't let you take your unhappiness out on other people anymore!"

Cooler only laughed. "What do you know? I kill what I want! The weak die, and the strong survive!"

Goku charged his aura. "Alright then, we'll play by your rules, Cooler! Let's go!"

With a cry, Goku dashed straight for Cooler with a punch, which Cooler quickly caught, before blocking a knee strike as well. As Goku continued to attack, Cooler continued to raise his power to match, all while his evil laughter continued.

"So is this the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan?" he asked, before catching Goku's arm, and throwing him over his shoulder. "I'd be impressed if it weren't so pathetic!"

Cooler fired an energy wave as a distraction, temporarily blinding the Super Saiyan, as he flew upwards to charge up a massive Supernova.

Goku's eyes widened as the sun-like energy ball filled the sky, as Cooler continued to roar with laughter.

"Sleeping on the job, Super Saiyan? I can gather energy a lot faster than my brother... You never should've taken your eyes off me, now die with this planet!"

As Cooler fired his blast, he glared with vitriol, watching Goku struggle to catch his Supernova and save his planet.

"Don't you see that it's worthless?" he taunted. "You don't have a prayer to save your life! Your legend ends today, Super Saiyan!"

Cooler stared down, only to see his Supernova beginning to rise, as Goku's Kamehameha began to push it away from the Earth, and instead towards him. Cooler grit his teeth, before preparing to catch it, raising his power as high as it could.

And so, in your timeline, this is where the brother of Frieza met his end. But in this timeline, Cooler rose his power not only to its highest, but to the level beyond that he had found before.

Suddenly, the Supernova exploded, pieces of the destroyed blast falling from the sky like fireworks. Goku only watched in horror as Cooler stood stationary in the sky, his body changed, now sporting a golden color.

"What do you think?" Cooler asked, as he admired his transformation. "I figured it would only be fair if we..."

Cooler pretended to think.

"What did you say again..? Ah, that's right... 'play by your rules'... turning golden and all..."

Goku said nothing, as he felt Cooler's nearly limitless power.

"I warned you, didn't I? You don't have a prayer to save your life."

Goku swallowed hard, before gathering all of his strength for one final stand, and he dashed straight for Golden Cooler, who only raised his finger.

"I WON'T LET YOU-"

Golden Cooler fired a single Death Beam, sending Goku plummeting back to the Earth, ending the Saiyan's life in less than a second.

"You can rest now, Super Saiyan. You'll be seeing your friends and family very soon."

With the death of Goku, Cooler would obliterate Earth, as well as the entire Solar System; before going on to reclaim any planet that once belonged to Frieza's Empire, adding it to his own. Years and years would pass, with Cooler eventually being recognized to all as the Emperor of the Universe. There wasn't a person in the Universe that didn't know his name... including a certain God of Destruction when he awoke.

Beerus would eventually confront Cooler, with the two developing a far more stable relationship than the one Beerus had with Frieza (their shared hatred for Frieza being a major contributing factor, ironically). And so, Beerus would grant Cooler the same position as Frieza once held, being in charge of destroying whatever Beerus couldn't be bothered to; and from there both parties would be on relatively friendly terms. However, in secret, Beerus didn't trust Cooler for a second, with him being ready to destroy Cooler at any moment. Meanwhile Cooler would continue his training in secret as well, intent on one day finding a power that would defeat Lord Beerus, as well.

This story is a fearful example of the foes we may face. An example as to why we must always be ready, ready for whatever challenge may be thrown at us. This is why we must never settle for what we are now, but continue to improve ourselves in any way we can. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

"Hahahahaha! Well, well! Now that is beautiful!" Frieza roared with laughter. "See? Look, Dodoria, Zarbon! Look at the fireworks! Aren't they splendid? Hahahahaha!"

Bardock's head burned as the same vision played again and again, the vision of Frieza's delight... at the destruction of Planet Vegeta.

Stumbling over, Bardock grit his teeth, before standing back up with a scream of pure vigor.

"I'm not going crazy! It is the future!" He mumbled to himself, as he continued to make his way to the dining area, forced to lean on the walls so he wouldn't faceplant. "I've got to let the others know... If I'm able to see the future, there might be a chance to change it."

Using every ounce of strength he had, Bardock stepped into the dining area, full of rowdy Saiyans. Yes! If at least one of them would listen... there might be a chance of them stopping Frieza. There might be a chance for all of them to survive!

Moving his hand to lean onto a table, instead of the wall, Bardock raised his voice, only for the table to topple over, with Bardock quickly following.

"Bardock, what's wrong?" the Saiyan who was sitting at the table asked, while some other Saiyans simply laughed.

Bardock ignored them, instead picking himself up, and delivering his message. "Listen everybody. It's Frieza! He's coming for us!"

"...'Us'?" one of the Saiyans responded. "You mean 'you', right?"

"No... 'Us'. You. Me. Everyone here. It's true. He's scared of us. He wants us all dead!" Bardock replied, his arms slumped as he spoke and stood with his willpower alone allowing it. "My whole crew is dead thanks to that freak!"

"Bardock gets his tail whipped and it's the end of the world, right?" another Saiyan heckled, before laughing boorishly, the rest of the Saiyans joining in.

"Maybe you goons should stop pretending to be elites!" another taunted.

"No kidding, Bardock! Welcome to the real world, buddy-boy!" yet another mocked.

"Hurts, don't it?" another goaded.

As the insults continued and the laughter only got rowdier, Bardock scoffed.

Of course he couldn't rely on these idiots...

Bardock picked himself up, doing his best to stand up straight, only to slump downwards again. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to stand up straight... until he felt someone grab his arm and wrap it over their shoulder, helping him stand properly.

"I heard what happened to your crew... I'm sorry..." the Saiyan spoke up.

This Saiyan's choice was where the Divergence happened. In the timeline you know this Saiyan, named Ruta, heard Bardock's message and felt pity for him, knowing of what happened to his crew. Despite this, she would do nothing, and the result is one you already know of. But in this timeline, something changed, something special happened.

Instead of standing idly, Ruta stood with Bardock, and lent him a hand. That single gesture would spell an entirely different outcome, for not only Bardock, but the rest of the universe.

As if to help him get away from the obnoxious laughter and mockery, Ruta guided him back into the hallway, where she spoke back up.

"Look... Don't get the wrong idea... It's just..." Ruta sighed softly. "I just got a little one, barely even a week old... If you're sure about what you're saying... and you know how to save us all... tell me how I can help."

Bardock coughed loudly, before speaking back up, albeit weakly. "I need to speak with the King."

Ruta said nothing, only nodding her head.

From there both Saiyans would rush the throne room, anyone who dared step in their way would be tossed aside by Bardock. Eventually, they would enter the throne room, where King Vegeta sat.

"Who dares enter my presence without permission?" King Vegeta growled, only for Ruta to reply.

"Sire, please, you must listen! Bardock claims to have had a vision of Frieza. He plans to kill us all!"

Bardock called back up. "We must raise an army! We can save everyone if we destroy Frieza now!"

King Vegeta scoffed.

"And what? Shall I risk our people's lives on a vision?"

"Our lives are at risk either way!" Bardock screamed. "We live on borrowed time! Until Frieza decides he's had enough of us! If not now, then one day! If not us, then our children!"

King Vegeta said nothing. Despite how it enraged his pride, Bardock had a point. But facing Frieza? It was impossible, he was invincible. He knew that even his battle power was dwarfed by Frieza's own.

But then he thought about his son, the Prince, whom Frieza had taken away and made into his own servant.

King Vegeta sat up. "How do you even suggest we do this? Lord Frieza will not be phased by an army. If he can destroy us all at once, what would facing him head-on be, other than suicide?"

Bardock paused, thinking, before getting an idea.

"Frieza's afraid of the Super Saiyan, right? Then I say we bring him one!"

"The Super Saiyan of Legend?" King Vegeta parroted. "That's only a myth..."

Ruta perked up. "Do the Royal Libraries not say anything about the Super Saiyan? Perhaps, more information can be found there..."

King Vegeta said nothing, considering the idea. This was a dangerous game they were playing, but it might just work...

That day Frieza scheduled all Saiyans to return to Planet Vegeta, in which he would meet with the king; a meeting that, in your timeline, ended with the Saiyan King's death.

However, with a plan in motion, King Vegeta requested that the meeting be delayed. It was a risky maneuver, one that only succeeded as King Vegeta claimed to have found a beautiful planet (one he had been holding onto to use as a bargaining chip) for Frieza to conquer; a planet called Earth.

Three months would pass, until Frieza would once again call for all the Saiyans to return back to Planet Vegeta, exactly as Bardock had predicted. However, this time, the Saiyans were ready, as not only information was found on the Super Saiyan Legend, but something far, far greater: The Legend of the Super Saiyan God.

On that day, five pure-hearted Saiyans were brought before the King, Saiyans that were once called useless for their lack of desire for battle were now the ones who would save the planet. Of these were a man named 'Tillo', a woman named 'May', Ruta, the King's son: Tarble, and Bardock's wife: Gine.

King Vegeta nodded his head, before standing from his throne, and standing within the circle created by the other Saiyans.

Ruta carefully spoke up. "Sire, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but, did the legend not call for six pure-hearted Saiyans?"

"My heart is exceptionally pure." King Vegeta replied, not phased by the comment. "Pure evil to the core."

With this, the Saiyans would join hands, placing them on King Vegeta's back, pouring the entirety of their energy into the Saiyan Elite. Slowly a blue, flame-like aura began to cover all six Saiyans, before settling in on King Vegeta, and turning a fiery red color. With a bright light, King Vegeta's hair became a scarlet red color, while the others simply watched in awe.

As the Saiyans mumbled amongst themselves, King Vegeta said nothing, there only being a single thing on his mind; his son, Prince Vegeta.

Now in the realm of the gods, King Vegeta would take through the skies, smashing through Frieza's ship as if it were made of glass; his sheer speed and god ki making him undetectable by any scouter. In a matter of seconds, King Vegeta tore several holes into Frieza ship, as he searched every inch of the spacecraft for his son, while tearing apart the ship and several soldier's alike.

Now aware of the disturbance, Frieza didn't hesitate for a second, powering up and transforming into his Final Form, with the King swiftly crashing into the tyrant, and through what remained of the spacecraft.

"Frieza!" King Vegeta roared. "Where is my son?"

Frieza tilted his head, furiously. "You dare speak to me in this manner? You dare lay your filthy hands upon me?"

Frieza held up his arm, pointing his finger at the Saiyan King, his sanity shattering by the second, as he prepared a Death Beam.

"I should've killed you all from the beginning. Every one of you filthy monkeys!" he growled, before firing his blast. "You will die by my hand!"

The blast struck King Vegeta directly at his face, causing his head to be thrown back, but no further damage.

"You fool..." King Vegeta smirked, turning back to face the Emperor, before immediately striking him in the stomach, not enough to put down the monster, but to make him feel as much pain as possible.

Frieza gasped and closed his eyes, blindly waving his arms and using his telekinesis to throw shards of glass and broken metal from what remained of his ship at the Saiyan; but to no avail as King Vegeta destroyed the debris with a few ki blasts, not even looking. With that, King Vegeta dashed towards Frieza, gripping the tyrant's head between his hands, and slamming it against his knee, throwing the Frost Demon backwards. In a desperate attempt, Frieza spun, attempting to tighten his tail around the King's neck, only for King Vegeta to catch his tail, and whip it towards himself, punching Frieza's face as he came toward him, throwing him back, before repeating the process five times, then letting go off of the tail.

Frieza hacked loudly, before holding up his right hand in defense, while placing the other behind his back.

"Now, Vegeta... I understand you're angry... but, let's try to be cordial about this." the monster pleaded, but did his best to maintain his suave and elegant composure. "Let's... Let's make a deal. I'll make you my second-in-command! The position... recently opened up."

Frieza forced a laugh, but King Vegeta only grimaced.

"Anything you want, consider it yours!"

Frieza stretched his right hand to shake, forming a Death Saucer behind his back.

King Vegeta said nothing, but flew over grabbing Frieza's hand.

In an instant, Frieza whipped his left hand forward, firing the Death Saucer right at King Vegeta, only for the ki-disc to shatter like a plate against the King's fiery aura, leaving Frieza with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

King Vegeta only grit his teeth, tightening his grip on Frieza's hand, crushing it, before bringing his open palm to the Frost Demon's torso.

"I'll take your throne."

Without a second to prepare, Frieza was completely obliterated, without a trace of him surviving. From there, the five Saiyans, as well as Bardock were herald as saviors of Planet Vegeta, and would be responsible for granting King Vegeta the Super Saiyan God power, when the need would arise, such as when King Cold would travel to Planet Vegeta for revenge.

With no one holding them down, one would imagine the Saiyans would continue to conquer and destroy freely, and for the most part this was the case. However, in an interesting way, King Vegeta's stint into godhood would change the Saiyan's perspective, instead seeing his conquering of worlds, as a means of 'saving' them from themselves. A true god-complex.

Eventually, Prince Vegeta would be found on one of these planets, where he would be taken home, and a celebration would be held. At this celebration, Prince Vegeta would be crowned properly, as King Vegeta IV, and King Vegeta would crown himself as Lord Vegeta: God of Saiyans.

This is a story that shows us a great power; The Power of One. How one individual's choice to help another can spell an entirely different outcome. How, literally in this case, to help someone, helps everyone. Most beautifully of all, however, is the fact that this isn't a power exclusive to Ruta, or to any Saiyan, for that matter. It lives in all of us, we simply need to use it. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Majin Buu and the South Supreme Kai dashed straight for one another, headbutting in mid-air, only for Buu to teleport behind the Supreme Kai, kicking his back, then teleporting again to strike his shoulder. However, before the monster could react, South Supreme Kai grabbed him by his head, before bashing it against his own.

Majin Buu would attempt to counter with a kick to South Supreme Kai's head, only for the Kai to block the strike with his forearm, and when Buu would stretch his arm to punch him, South Supreme Kai would catch it with his other arm, pulling on it hard enough to rip it off.

Majin Buu leapt backwards to retreat, with South Supreme Kai turning back to him with a smirk, tossing his ripped arm back at the demon.

"I think this belongs to you..." South Supreme Kai taunted.

Majin Buu only grit his teeth, regenerating his lost arm, and tossing an energy blast at the Kai, only for South Supreme Kai to teleport rapidly, countering with his own energy blast, which easily overpowered Buu's. Majin Buu ducked to avoid the blast, only for it to whip around, curving, and aiming straight for him; at the same time, South Supreme Kai teleported, preparing to trap the monster in a bear hug, only for Majin Buu teleport from his would-be grip, and land a powerful kick to South Supreme Kai's neck. Flipping quickly, the Supreme Kai's blast returned to Buu's location, only for the demon to catch the blast in his mouth, before expelling the ki from his steam holes.

South Supreme Kai grit his teeth, preparing to return to his feet and return to the battle; however, unbeknownst to him, the severed arm of Majin Buu quickly melted into a goo-like substance. In an instance, the goo engulfed South Supreme Kai, trapping him within, before merging with Buu; transforming his body into a far taller, far more muscular form than ever before.

This story may seem familiar to one you know, but in this timeline, the circumstances were very different. Whereas in the timeline you know, South Supreme Kai was the third Supreme Kai attacked, and the first of two absorbed by Majin Buu, this was not the case here.

In this timeline, Bibidi's path would be slightly different, instead attacking the South Galaxy first, and would defeat and absorb South Supreme Kai from the beginning, which began a... horrifying pattern.

Bibidi cackled evilly, clapping his hands at the 'show'.

"Very, very good, Majin Buu!" he cheered, before tilting his head at his minion's transformation. "Now... what's this new trick you've learned..?"

Majin Buu said nothing, instead roaring loudly at Bibidi.

"Yes, yes, yes... Kill what you wish, I don't care..." Bibidi rolled his eyes, mock-responding to Buu's 'request', before perking up. "However, when we come face-to-face with another of those... Supreme Kai's..."

Bibidi grimaced as he said the title aloud.

"I want you to use that little trick of yours again..."

And so, this dreaded plan would be put into action; Bibidi and Majin Buu would continue to travel the stars, destroying anything Majin Buu wished to, traveling from one galaxy to another. Eventually, they would find themselves in the West portion of the universe, and face-to-face with the West Supreme Kai.

Majin Buu growled again, smashing parts of the icy mountains with the sound of his own voice alone, causing them to shatter into deadly icicles, which rained like hail. West Supreme Kai teleported rapidly, in her desperate attempt to avoid the falling ice, only for Majin Buu to quickly stretch his arm to grab her. He dragged her along, slamming her into multiple shards of ice, before bringing her to him, and slamming his forehead into hers, then trapping her in a bear hug.

Majin Buu then backflipped, powerbombing the West Supreme Kai into the mountains again, forcing a loud scream from the Kai. Finally releasing the Kai, Majin Buu held out his hand, preparing to finish off the barely breathing woman.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Bibidi's voice called out. "Remember our little agreement, Majin Buu! Use that little move of your's..."

Majin Buu growled at Bibidi, only for the sorcerer to snap back.

"How dare you speak to me that way! You forget I was the one who freed you from your little ball! Would you like me to put you back in there?!"

Majin Buu growled again, before turning away, and stretching his arm, his hand growing to size to cover the West Supreme Kai, before retracting, and absorbing her. With that, Majin Buu's body began to shift and change again; this time, slimming down slightly, not losing any muscle, but not being as excessive as before.

"Very good." Bibidi nodded his head, before smirking as he considered their next destination. "Now, let's continue."

"Fine." a growly voice replied.

Bibidi perked up, turning towards Majin Buu.

"What did you just say?"

"Me say 'fine'. We go now."

Bibidi's evil smile grew wider. He couldn't believe it! His theory had been right! When Majin Buu had absorbed those Supreme Kai's, he had not just gotten stronger, he'd gotten smarter, more intelligent. That meant if he absorbed more, he wouldn't be so damned impulsive! There was a chance he'd actually listen to his commands, instead of just going off on his own!

With this, Majin Buu and Bibidi would continue their journey, traveling to the North Galaxy, where Majin Buu would beat and absorb the North Supreme Kai, gaining even more power and intelligence, as well as developing better speech patterns, and an affinity for swords. Afterwards, they would travel to the East Galaxy, where East Supreme Kai (or as you know him, Shin) would suffer the same fate.

However, it would be after this battle, that another would appear, the most powerful of the Supreme Kai; Daikaioh, the Grand Supreme Kai. In many ways, this battle would spell a major change for the entire universe.

Daikaioh growled with his rarely-seen rage at Majin Buu.

"What... What have you done?"

Majin Buu replied calmly, almost void of any intent. "What I was told to do..."

Daikaioh gestured towards Bibidi.

"By him? You took thousands of lives because you were told to? You ripped my family's lives away because you were told to?"

"No! And that's the best part!" Bibidi interjected. "He did it all because he wanted to! Isn't that right, Buu?"

Majin Buu said nothing, almost a look of disappointment on his face.

"Right!" Bibidi answered for him. "Majin Buu doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do!"

As Bibidi continued to laugh evilly, Daikaioh continued speaking with Majin Buu; almost as if to level with the monster.

"I know there's good in you! A part of you knows what you're doing is wrong! You decide, not him!"

"Oh, blah blah blah!" Bibidi mocked, swatting the air with his hand, before calling out to Majin Buu. "No more talking, Buu! Absorb him! Do it! Do it or I'll seal you back in your ball, and you'll never get out!"

With that, Majin Buu took a deep breath, before dashing straight for Daikaioh, slamming into him and throwing him backwards. He held his hand to his right, before forming a large white ki blast and throwing it straight for the Grand Supreme Kai.

The Grand Supreme Kai, however, stabilized himself, before letting out a massive shout, causing a large barrier to surround him; deflecting the energy blast. Back on his feet, Daikaioh rushed for Majin Buu, before teleporting behind him, and landing a massive kick, knocking Majin Buu forward.

Despite this, three swords would form from Majin Buu's back, beginning to surround him, before he pointed forward and all three flew towards Daikaioh. Daikaioh only grit his teeth, before swatting one away with his bare hand, then the next with his forearm, with it slicing him only slightly, finally, he caught the last one, before tossing back towards Buu. Buu's body only split in two, dodging the attack and nearly hitting Bibidi, before bringing both parts together again. Holding out his hand, Majin Buu formed four smaller swords from between his fingers; before backhanding and tossing them back at Daikaioh like throwing knives.

Daikaioh prepared himself, only for Majin Buu to suddenly teleport behind him, and pull him into a Full-Nelson. Thinking quickly, Daikaioh activated his barrier, again, simultaneously throwing Buu off of him and blocking the swords.

It took a moment for Majin Buu to get back on his feet, before holding his arms forward and preparing a massive blast with both hands.

"This is over!" Daikaioh shouted, before taking a deep breath and firing his most powerful attack from his mouth; overpowering what energy Buu had gathered and attacking him head-on.

Now breathing hard, Daikaioh walked over to what remained of Majin Buu, somberly looking down at the monster.

"I'm sorry." he stated flatly.

"Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!" Bibidi cackled. "You mean you will be sorry! Now, Buu!"

Before Daikaioh could react, the remains of Buu quickly took form, latching onto his feet, and traveling up his legs, before slowly completely covering him then blowing out steam. When the steam disappeared, all that remained was a tall, well-built Majin Buu, now sporting a black vest and purple cape.

"Excellent! Excellent, Majin Buu! Now that those pesky Supreme Kai are dealt with, the universe is mine!" Bibidi laughed, dancing around in celebration. "Now! What do you say we find a new planet to destroy! I've been eyeing one called Earth! Shall we go?"

"No."

"...What did you say?"

Yes... Finally, after years and years of death and destruction, something in Majin Buu had finally changed. Maybe it was Daikaioh's words that resonated with him, or perhaps the inherent 'good' within the five Supreme Kai's had finally overcome the inherent evil within Majin Buu. Either way, Majin Buu's perspective was finally changed.

"I said, 'no'. No more destruction. No more killing without reason... What we're doing, what we've been doing is wrong... This isn't right, we can't keep doing this..."

Bibidi couldn't believe what he was hearing, shouting with all his anger against the Majin. "You stupid... ugly... foolish little freak! If you ever speak to me like that again, I swear, I will-"

Majin Buu squinted his eyes, raising his hand and forming a large ki blast, causing Bibidi to stop speaking immediately, instead awkwardly laughing.

"...Is what I'd be saying, if I didn't... completely agree! R-right, Buu?"

Majin Buu said nothing, instead continuing to charge his blast.

"Right..? Come now, Buu... 'No killing!' You said it yourself-"

"No killing without reason... and besides..." Majin Buu grinned. "Majin Buu doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do..."

"Nuwemwitts-"

Before he could finish speaking the Sealing Spell, Bibidi was vaporized, as was his control over Majin Buu. Leaving behind a different Majin Buu, in many ways.

Now free, this newly-dubbed Supreme Buu would wander the stars, using his power and wisdom to reshape the world for the better. Before any destruction there would be creation, and after every destruction, there would be creation. In an interesting way, Supreme Buu would take a position nearly resembling a God of Destruction: only destroying when necessary.

This is a story I have... mixed thoughts on. On one hand, to see such a monster of pure evil become a great ally is wonderful... but at the cost of so many, I cannot call this story a victory. I look closely at the example Daikaioh set, and how sometimes, it's better to use our words, instead of our fists. But sometimes, just like in Daikaioh's case, our words may simply not be enough. It's truly difficult to say one way or the other. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Turles stared down the Tree of Might, enjoying one of its many fruits, before letting out a frustrated sigh. While it was certainly good that the tree had been successfully grown, with a bountiful harvest no less, the collateral loss would take time to recover. As weak as the rest of Earth's defenses was, one of them, a Saiyan no less, had been powerful enough to not only down all of his men, but even give him a decent run for his money.

Turles took the final bite of his fruit, before shaking his head.

At least with all of them defeated, he could begin the process of harvesting the fruits, and bringing them into his ship. It would certainly take some time, considering the countless number of the fruits, but at the very least, Turles could say that all the trouble he had gone through was worth it. More Crusher Corps could be found, but the Fruit of Might had been his one goal for many years, and now it was finally his.

"Turles!" a voice behind him shouted, snapping him out of his thoughts.

It was the Saiyan from before! Kakarot!

He turned around to face the Saiyan, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Not you again..." he growled. "How did this happen?"

"I have the power of nature inside..."

Turles rolled his eyes.

How cute. He had the 'power of nature'.v

It didn't matter, now with his Fruits, even Lord Frieza would beg him for mercy. It didn't matter what 'power' he had, in mere moments, he'd have all the power in the universe-

Within seconds, Turles' scouter reacted to a powerful energy, one coming from Goku. But it wasn't his energy, it couldn't have been. Suddenly the scouter shattered, before a blue aura of energy began to surround Goku's fist, before launching straight for Turles.

In your universe, as well as many others, Turles would attempt to overpower the Spirit Bomb, before being overwhelmed and meeting his end. However, this is where the Divergence takes place in this universe. In a rare act of fear, instead of attempting to overpower the Spirit Bomb, Turles would dodge it, saving his own life... but at the cost of the Tree of Might.

The tree detonated in seconds, each of its fruits erupting into nothing, as the leaves melted into pure energy, which scattered everywhere, returning to the Earth and reviving the planet.

Turles' jaw dropped, as he watched the undoing of his life's work. After the years he spent, the risks he had taken to find that seed, and the years of trial and error, as he searched for a suitable planet. All of that hard work... for nothing.

He turned to Goku, glaring at him.

Because of him.

"You..." Turles growled, vitriol dripping from his voice. "Do you have any idea what you've just done..?"

Panting hard, Goku said nothing, only letting out a small chuckle, as he wiped some excess blood from his mouth.

Gritting his teeth, Turles dashed straight for Goku, slamming his fist into the Saiyan's stomach with a powerful uppercut.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Turles roared.

Continuing his rage-induced beatdown, Turles threw several more punches at Goku's face, eventually sending Goku to the ground; his face now in the Tree of Might's rotted roots.

Flying over Goku's body, Turles brought his hands together, before forming a ring of orange energy, then throwing it down to finish off Goku.

"Kill Driver!" Turles shouted, as he fired the attack.

Even with Goku's death, Turles' wrath wouldn't fade away, as he watched the Tree of Might fade to nothingness, Turles slammed into the ground in anger, clenching his fist in fury.

"Damn you, Kakarot!" Turles cursed, his mind flashing to everything that had been lost.

His blood boiled. It was all this damned planet's fault. The Seed of Might, his men... It was all gone, because of this 'Earth'... Turles shouted, again, punching the hard ground, as if to take out his anger on the planet itself.

"DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!" Turles shouted, his voice breaking.

In his anger, Turles' aura exploded, shaking the ground around him, as his hair spiked upwards, before glowing a golden yellow.

That's right. Turles' anger and hatred towards Earth would push his power to new heights, and into the realm of legend. After taking a moment to adjust to his new form, Turles would quickly begin on how to make Earth suffer for all it had done to him.

His mind shifted to the boy, the son of Kakarot. An evil smile formed on his face, as the perfect way to make Kakarot pay came to mind. Flying over to the rest of where Kakarot's allies layed, he spotted the boy. He did mention needing new Crusher Corps. Sure, the boy would need some molding, but so did every child.

Grabbing the unconscious half-Saiyan by his head, Turles chuckled, before making his way back to his ship. Once inside, Turles tossed the boy in the corner before beginning to pilot the shuttle. As the ship began to lift off, the front window showed the Planet Earth getting further and further away, beginning to wake Gohan up.

"What... What's going on? Where are we?"

Turles simply tapped the glass, which was now showing Earth in its entirety.

"Pretty, huh?" Turles taunted, his eyes filled with malice. "Here, I'll make it even prettier..."

Gohan scooted backwards, as Turles stood up from the chair he sat in, before walking in the center of the ship.

"Get away!" Gohan screamed in terror, as tears formed in his eyes. "Where's my daddy?"

"Shhh-shhh-shhh..." Turles shushed him, before smirking. "Watch the ship for me, would ya, kid?"

He gestured to the front window.

"And keep your eyes glued to that screen... You don't want to miss what comes next..."

Gohan swallowed hard.

"It's a hell of a show..."

Turles charged his golden aura, as the center of the ship lifted him onto the top of his ship, where he stared down the blue planet that had cost him so much.

"You took everything away from me..." he shouted at the planet, ignoring the cries from the half-Saiyan beneath him, as he raised his hand forming a massive white ki blast.

"So now I'm taking everything away from YOU!"

Closing his fist, Turles hurled his Force Explosion attack, sending it straight for Earth. The initial explosion was small, barely visible from his position, but then suddenly another explosion followed, before another, and then another. It was almost as if every volcano on Earth suddenly erupted, every geyser flared, every tectonic plate vibrated, all at once. The white, pillowy clouds of Earth grew dark and strained, as blue waters began to turn red... then black. Turles' eyes glistened as visible red cracks began to form everywhere on the planet that had given him so much trouble... before finally, it detonated.

After this, Turles would continue his reign over the Solar System, before moving onto the next. Eventually, rumors would begin to circle around the galaxy about a supposed 'Super Saiyan', which piqued the interest of a certain Emperor.

This would lead to Turles coming face-to-face with Frieza, who would be at his mercy... and receive none. After disposing of Frieza and his father, Turles would claim Frieza's Empire for his own, destroying anyone who refused to comply and recognize him as the Emperor of the Universe. And when Turles would eventually pass to time, he'd be succeeded by someone far more dangerous. A monster, with no thought or remorse for anything, who had been built that way from a lifetime of pain and suffering. A man named Gohan.

This is a painful story... even for me. The amount of hatred in Turles' heart, and the idea that he would pollute the mind of a young boy; forging him into an unfeeling killing machine. It's horrifying. It's also why we must do better. To protect those we love, raise the ones we care about correctly, guide them on a path so that when they return, they'll not only impress us... they'll surpass us. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Goku recoiled in pain, the last hit from Super 17 had hurt. A lot. He could barely move, and worse, he was running out of options. Any blast he hit him with, he'd only get stronger... This was bad.

"Flesh and blood organisms... So delicate and frail, I'd ask for my money back, if I were you..." Dr. Myuu taunted, as Super 17 prepared his next attack.

Holding out both harms, Super 17 brought his hands together, before forming a black ball of energy, which crackled with red lightning.

Goku grit his teeth as he eyed the blast.

"What is that?" he asked.

As if to answer his question, Super 17 fired the attack straight for him.

"Electro Eclipse Bomb!"

Goku felt his heartbeat race, as the massive energy wave drew closer and closer to him.

"Everyone's counting on me..." he thought to himself.

With all the energy he could muster, Goku rose back to his feet. "I can't give up!"

Using the explosion of energy as a cover up, Goku teleported behind Super 17, quickly grabbing hold of him and trapping him in a tight bearhug; even going as far as to use his legs to restrain the Android.

"What? How?" Super 17 roared in disbelief. "You were done for!"

"That wasn't too smart... It was a nice attack, but it provided me the perfect cover..." Goku replied, a bit of a chuckle in his voice. "Now, you can't attack me as long as I have you in this hold! Give it up, 17!"

Dr. Myuu stroked his mustache. "Yes, but I think you're forgetting something... You can't attack him, either! It's a stalemate!"

Dr. Myuu froze.

"Unless-!"

Goku finished the thought. "Unless, I'm willing to die with him!"

"You wouldn't dare, would you?"

"I sure would! Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of dying, but if that's the only way to stop you from hurting people, I'll do it!"

The fear running through Dr. Myuu's body was only surpassed by that of Super 17's, who quickly began to shift and shake like a misbehaving child.

"Let go of me! Are you crazy?" he begged.

"What's the matter? You only want to play the game if you're winning?" Goku roared, his anger flaring up once more. "Is that it?"

Super 17 screamed in a mixture of fear and anger, but would be silenced by Goku's own scream.

"17, I won't let you kill anymore!"

Goku's aura began to glow brightly, beginning to generate millions of white specks of energy that would surround the both of them, before finally, each one erupted like a supernova, a massive explosion covering the entire landscape.

An incredible display of power, indeed, but unfortunately, it would fail in destroying the Super Android. However, in this timeline, it would not have been for complete naught, as Goku's massive surge of power would alert the presence of another.

"Could it be over?" Goku asked himself, now weakened, and in his child body once more.

Goku's question would be answered by a bright yellow energy rising from the ocean, the source revealing himself to be Super 17, who was tattered, but alive.

"...Nope, definitely not."

Super 17 chuckled to himself. "You didn't make the grade as a kamikaze... I guess you can blame me for that because the shield I put up kept you alive as well!"

Goku forced a smile. "I should thank you, but I wish we were both in the next dimension..."

Another voice spoke up from behind them both. "Personally, I disagree... I think I've had my fill of that accursed place."

Goku perked up at the voice. It was Piccolo!

"Piccolo, is it really you? Boy am I glad to see you!" he spoke up in delight.

"Piccolo..." Super 17 spat out the word. "Never thought I'd see you again... But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a rematch against you-"

Without warning Piccolo shot a blast of lasers from his eyes, shooting directly through Super 17 shoulder, horrifying the Android, and causing him to scream in fear.

"Interesting... So you can only absorb energy if you can see it coming... I might have to take advantage of that."

Goku perked up. He couldn't describe it, but there was something... off, about Piccolo...

Super 17 grimaced. "What did you say?"

Piccolo only smirked, before tilting his head backwards as his chest began to puff out, then his throat. In seconds, Piccolo opened his mouth and fired a white object at Super 17, only for the Android to quickly catch his hands. However, the white object began to crack open as a green figure smashed out, quickly gripping Super 17's face.

"What the heck?" Super 17 screamed in fear. "What is this?"

Goku only swallowed hard, as he knew exactly what the creature was, as well as figuring out exactly what was different about Piccolo...

Right, right, right. I suppose I may have to explain a few things, don't I?

See, in this timeline, the Divergence happened much earlier. In the universe you may be familiar with, Android 18 was the one who saved Goku, not Piccolo, as he had perished alongside the entire Earth during the Baby Conflict.

However, in this timeline, Gohan refused to allow his mentor and teacher to be killed. The fear of losing his closest friend drew out the dormant power he had once lost, granting him access to his "Ultimate" form once more, and saving the life of Piccolo.

Despite this, the heroes of Earth's pyrrhic victory would be short-lived, as soon Earth and Hell would be linked together, allowing many fallen enemies to lay siege on Earth, with the intention of getting vengeance on the ones who slayed them before. One, however, would find themselves in a much more interesting position: the Great Demon King Piccolo.

Still wishing to right the Nameless Namekian's wrongs, Piccolo would confront his father, and the two would begin to speak. King Piccolo would attempt to persuade his son to join him, with Hell and Earth now one, the two could rule together and slay those who would stand in their way. Piccolo would argue back that both worlds could not exist linked together, as the instability would destroy both worlds, before preparing to battle his father.

...But that's when an idea came to Piccolo. One that would not only help him grow strong enough to defeat the enemies that had caused this problem, but also allow him to properly right his wrongs. Fusion. He convinced his father to merge bodies with him, using his younger, more experienced body as the base, so that they could "defeat any who would stand in their way". Believing his son to have finally begun seeing things his way, King Piccolo would agree...

"What is this?" Super 17 screamed in fear, as the green mutant latched on to his torso.

Piccolo dashed quickly for Super 17, landing a powerful blow to the Androids face, causing his head to whip backwards.

Super 17 brought his hand to grab the Mutant Namekian latched onto him, only for Piccolo to grab his hand before he could do so.

"Ah-ah-ah!" he replied with an evil chuckle. "I'm just getting warmed up."

Holding out his other hand, Piccolo prepared a large yellow blast, which he slammed into the Super Androids' back.

"Makosen!"

Super 17 slammed towards the ground, before getting up and quickly ripping the Mutant Namekian off of him. "That's enough! What the hell happened to you!"

Piccolo ignored his question, only cracking his neck and smiling.

"Do it."

Responding to the command, the Mutant Namekian cackled like a naughty child before glowing yellow, then exploding point-blank at Super 17. While not hurting him, the explosion temporarily blinded the Android, allowing Piccolo to stretch his arm and grab hold of him. In an instant, Piccolo zipped forward, withdrawing his arm, and landing an incredible drop kick to Super 17's stomach, then continuing to clobber the Android with several more punches to his face.

Super 17 activated his barrier, finally pushing Piccolo off of him. Despite having the safety of his barrier, Super 17 began to hyperventilate. This wasn't part of his plan.

Piccolo smirked, before bringing his hands together and slamming them against Super 17's barrier, smacking it upwards like a volleyball.

With a toothy grin, Piccolo fired several ki blasts straight for the Android, ones he only barely avoided, and yet Piccolo only chuckled at his display, as only he fired more blasts and more blasts, all of which only narrowly missed-

Super 17 froze.

Wait. He knew this technique. He looked around himself, only to see hundreds of energy blasts surrounding him, trapping him.

"Hellzone Grenade!"

"No... No!"

Super 17's eyes widened in fear as his barrier was filled with cracks, before shattering with a massive explosion, sending him hurtling down, pathetically spinning like a broken kite.

Piccolo said nothing, as he walked slowly towards the Super Android.

With sweat pouring down his face, Super 17 forced himself upwards, before forming a large blast and firing it directly for Piccolo. The Namekian didn't even blink, simply deflecting the blast with a backhand strike. Super 17 grimaced, firing several more blasts, most of which Piccolo simply deflected all the same, all walking ever closer; the last however, he simply caught, before intentionally slamming it into himself... to no effect at all.

"What... What the hell are you?" Super 17 growled, doing his best to keep his composure, as he pushed his hair behind him.

"Stronger."

Super 17 grit his teeth in anger, before taking to the sky and bringing his hands together and forming another Electro Eclipse Bomb.

"No! You know what you are? You're dead!" he shouted shakily, breathing heavily as his blast grew. "You hear me? You're dead!"

Piccolo said nothing, simply removing his turban and placing his fingers on his forehead, charging his own blast.

"I'm going to kill you! And then I'm going to kill Goku! And then I'm going to kill everyone else! Then you'll see! YOU'LL SEE WHO'S 'STRONGER' THEN!" Super 17 screamed, his patience shattered. "ELECTRO ECLIPSE BOMB!"

Piccolo closed his eyes, focusing, before firing his attack. "Special Beam Cannon!"

As both beams collided there was a brief moment of stalemate, despite Super 17's screams of anger. However, after a moment, the Special Beam Cannon began to make headway, before piercing through the Electro Eclipse Bomb, shattering through it like a bullet against a glass ball, striking Super 17 head on.

Super 17 gasped in fear and pain, before exploding, shaking the land all around them. Dr. Myuu's jaw dropped, but would be unable to say anything as Piccolo glared at him, firing a blast at him and destroying him immediately.

The only one left was Goku, who was probably the most horrified of them all; especially when Piccolo lowered down to meet him.

"Look at you!" Piccolo said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Reminds me of old times..."

Goku said swallowed hard.

"Remember that? I suppose it's finally time I repaid you, after all those years, shouldn't I?" Piccolo continued, before raising his fist towards him.

Goku flinched, only for Piccolo to give him a smile, opening his hand and revealing a Senzu Bean, not unlike the way Goku had offered him one at the 23rd Martial Arts Tournament.

"Huh... You really have changed, Piccolo..." Goku said through a tired chuckle.

With his energy restored, Goku smiled back, as both warriors prepared to begin working on restoring the planet; so that afterwards, they could fight afterwards, not as enemies or rivals, or even competitors, but as true friends.

This is a story that I have always found myself amused by. It shows us that we are not the sum of our past mistakes, but rather the forgers of our own futures; that instead of attempting to cover up our past, we should instead learn from it, grow from it, and become something our past would be proud of. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Trunks panted heavily, exhausted from the previous chase, all while knowing it was only the prelude to what was to come. Holding Mai's hand, he winced, unable to feel her pulse, because of...

He flinched at the sound of Goku Black chuckling.

Because of him...

"Finish your goodbyes, Saiyan... They're a waste of time."

Trunks looked up at the monster, gritting his teeth, as Black only glared.

"After all, you're going to be joining her soon..."

Trunks gripped Mai's hand, as he stared down the parody of Goku.

"That's where you're wrong..." he replied, before glancing at Capsule Corp.

"The building's still standing... Meaning he must not know about the Time Machine..." he thought to himself, before looking at the canister of fuel near his feet. "I can start it up before he realizes..."

Trunks swallowed hard.

"I just have to play this right..."

Goku Black gave a half-amused nod. "Hmm, funny... You have no chance of victory, yet you continue this resistance... Knowing full-well you can't win..."

He turned back to face Trunks.

"You Saiyan's are so fascinating in your flaws..."

Trunks said nothing, only glaring daggers at Black as he tightened his grip on Mai's hand, as if to gather his own strength.

"Don't you see I'm helping you?" Black continued his monologue. "Soon, you'll be with her... and the other creatures you love..."

Trunks grit his teeth at the word 'creatures', which only made Black laugh.

"If you had any sense, you'd know your death is a mercy for you and this world..."

Having had enough, Trunks let go of Mai's hand, before standing up and powering up to Super Saiyan 2 with a loud shout, something that made Black laugh even more.

"You're the creature!" Trunks spat. "You took her from me! You've taken EVERYTHING!"

With another scream, Trunks dashed right into Black, slamming his fist into his chest. Black's scream of pain turned into insane laughter, as he blocked two of Trunks' kicks, before punching him back in the chest, throwing him backwards. Trunks would catch himself with his hand, only for Black to kick him, causing the half-Saiyan to scream in pain.

Not letting him recover, Black continued his attack, slamming Trunks into a building, before kicking him into it, then pelting him with ki blasts, knocking his sword away and bringing Trunks to his knees .

"Are you finished?" Goku Black taunted. "Considering you represent the end of your 'proud warrior race', this is a pathetic showing from you, boy..."

Picking himself up, Trunks said nothing, only gritting his teeth as Black prepared another, much larger ki blast.

"Good riddance, Saiyan..."

Quickly grabbing it, Trunks tossed his sword like a boomerang, directly at Black's blast, denoting it early, and at Black point-blank. Catching his sword, Trunks raised his hands to prepare another blast.

"Enough!" Black roared.

"Masenko!"

Using the large blast as cover, Trunks raced into Capsule Corp, placing the fuel to the Time Machine within the device, and quickly leaping in and typing the proper coordinates.

With the only thing keeping him conscious, being the memories of his mother's final words and Mai's final breaths, Trunks took to the skies; spotting Goku Black shout something, before preparing a familiar blast. Trunks swallowed hard, as the Kamehameha grew closer, with his heartbeat racing like crazy, before...

From here, I believe you know where this went. Trunks would awaken in a timeline one familiar to the one you know, where Son Goku had survived his Heart Virus, Gohan had defeated Cell, the threat of Majin Buu had been handled, Goku had battled Beerus, and so on and so forth.

After coming to, and realizing that he had survived the trip, Trunks would explain to Goku and Vegeta the state of his timeline. It would be after his explanation and begging for assistance that The Divergence for these timelines would take place.

"Please, Father... Goku... Please help me defeat Black!"

"Absolutely not." a dry voice replied, one that made Trunks jump.

It was unlike any feeling Trunks had ever felt, a fear that surpassed the Androids, Cell, or even Black, himself, and it only grew as the source grew closer: Lord Beerus.

"Time Travel is a serious crime, one not even permitted by deities, such as myself..."

Trunks' heart sank at the word 'deity', before doing everything in his power to not leap as Lord Beerus gestured towards him.

"You. Go back where you came from. Don't let me ever see you again..."

Another voice was quick to interject, Goku's. "Oh, come on, Lord Beerus, don't be like that! Trunks needs our help! You can't just leave him-!"

"Goku-" Whis would attempt to correct, only for Beerus to speak over his attendant.

"Yes, I can... And I'm going to... And you're going to..." Beerus growled, his anger beginning to burn.

"Hey, now!" Bulma spoke up through a nervous chuckle. "We don't need to go that far! How about a Fish Sausage! Would that be enough to-"

Beerus glared at Bulma, causing her to stop short, as his horrifying purple aura began to glow around him.

"Perhaps I've been too lenient with you Earthlings..." he growled. "Am I some kind of stray animal you think you can win over with food scraps every time?"

Bulma swallowed nervously.

"Here's a better idea..." Lord Beerus continued, his voice growing more aggressive, raising his hand towards Trunks, which glowed with the same aura. "How about I make this far easier for all of us? Make it so that there's no need for you to help, and guarantee no more time travelers..?"

Trunks' eyes widened, his life flashing before his eyes.

Would you believe me if I told you that, even for me, there is nothing more terrifying than facing down a God of Destruction?

Goku brought his hands together, begging the God of Destruction. "Alright, fine, Lord Beerus! But, please! Could we just have a little bit of time before he leaves? Please, Lord Beerus?"

Lord Beerus said nothing.

"Super Saiyan please?"

Beerus grimaced, before dropping his arm and aura alike.

"24 hours." he stated flatly, before turning to Trunks, making the half-saiyan flinch. "Then you leave and never return. And the second you return home, you destroy that Machine. Got it?"

Trunks nodded his head.

"Got it?"

"Yes, Lord Beerus, sir!"

"Good..." Beerus replied, before sighing and turning to Bulma. "So, what were those? 'Fish Sausages'? Let's give them a try!"

Bulma's eyes widened as the sudden swap of demeanor, before nodding her head and guiding both Beerus and Whis aside.

"So, what are you thinking, Kakarot? Time Chamber?" Vegeta broke the silence.

"Definitely." Goku nodded, before holding out his fingers, as he mentally counted. "Not to mention we're going to Gohan, Trunks, and Goten, plus the three of us."

Goku shot Trunks a smile.

"Because I've got just the thing to help you take down that guy..."

With that, the twenty-four hours would pass and Trunks would return to his timeline. With a heavy heart, Trunks would keep his word, destroying the Time Machine and forever severing himself from the past. At the very least his grief wouldn't last long, as he would be reunited with Mai, having survived the previous encounter with Black. While it didn't completely undo the pain, it did help.

Despite this, their happiness would have to be cut short, as another would appear to 'welcome' Trunks back to the future...

"Well, look at this..." Goku Black chortled evilly. "And here I thought I had killed you both! Would it surprise you if I said I was almost happy, Trunks?"

Trunks said nothing, only signaling Mai to leave, something she'd have to be convinced to do.

"Because now I get to have the fun of killing you again..."

Trunks scowled at the counterfeit Saiyan. "You've killed enough, Black! Today's the day your reign of terror ends!"

"Well, well! I see cutting your hair isn't the only thing you've forgotten, has it, Trunks?" Black chuckled at Trunks' response. "Or are you just that much in a rush to die?"

Trunks only beckoned his hand towards Goku Black. "You're about to find out."

In a mix of anger and humor, Goku Black lunged for Trunks, dashing towards him with a punch, only for the half-Saiyan to simply turn his hand, catching the punch without even blinking.

"What?" Black questioned, before attempting to pull his hand back, only for Trunks to hold his grip on Black's fist, holding him in place.

With that, a fiery aura began to surround Trunks' body, as his body slimmed down, his hair loosened, and his eyes and hair turned a scarlet-red color.

You guessed it. As a means to guarantee Trunks' victory, Goku, alongside Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, and the present Trunks would channel their energy into Trunks, granting him incredible power: the power of the Super Saiyan God.

Trunks slowly raised his other arm, before curling his fingers into a fist; moving carefully as if Black was made of glass. Within a second, he slammed his fist into Black's chest, as if to shatter that glass, sending the counterfeit flying.

Goku Black spat with pain-mixed-surprise, as Trunks practically teleported back in front of him, before punching him with his other fist, earning another loud scream from Black. With a small twist of his hip, Trunks revved backwards, before slamming his fist into Black's stomach with a powerful uppercut; the force being enough to send him skyward.

Hacking loudly, Black gripped his stomach, almost refusing to believe the reality. Forcing a chuckle, Black powered up his own aura, before transforming into a Super Saiyan.

"Impressive... But what do you think of this color?" Black taunted, gesturing towards his golden aura, attempting to play it cool. "Is it not beauti-"

Black's only response was a knee to the stomach, as Trunks flew to meet him, before punching him right in the face. Temporarily blinded, Black aimlessly threw a punch, only for Trunks to block the strike with his forearm, before countering with an inverted hammerfist, then twisting his waist and spinkicking Black.

Black would've gone flying again, but Trunks grabbed hold of his leg, dashing downwards and throwing him into the hard ground.

After a struggle to return to his feet, Black would chuckle, before speaking back up.

"Amazing, Trunks... Truly amazing... Tell me, what is this new power of your's?"

Trunks said nothing. Black was buying time. He knew it.

"You've opened my eyes, Trunks... Allow me thank you, by telling you a little story... You see, long ago-"

Trunks' response was to draw his sword, holding it with serious intent, something that made Goku Black raise one of his hands in defense.

"Now, hold on Trunks! Let's not be hasty! Look at us, we're different! You, with the blood of Vegeta, and me with the blood of Goku! As Saiyans, we should both-"

"You are no Saiyan!" Trunks growled, leaping for Goku Black with his sword prepared.

Before anyone could react, Goku Black fired a blast, one that Trunks would slash through immediately... alongside Goku Black, himself.

"You're just a creature... Nothing more." Trunks finished, looking at the fallen monster.

With the death of Goku Black, Zamasu would prepare to make his presence known, hoping to catch Trunks off-guard, only to be stopped by someone else. Someone who, in the timelines you may be familiar with, had been dealt with due to the life-link of the Supreme Kai's.

Trunks flinched at the sound of something falling near him.

He turned, quickly finding the source, a large sword, one that almost resembled the Z-Sword.

"After 57 years, you finally appear..."

Trunks' heart sank as he immediately recognized the voice. Almost frozen in fear, he turned to face the new 'visitor'.

"Super Saiyan God..."

Would you believe me if I told you that, even for me, there is nothing more terrifying than facing down a God of Destruction?

It is not uncommon that we see a tale that covers multiple timelines, but this is one that sticks out to me, as it carries a powerful message. That even in the darkest times, the most helpless situations, we can turn to the trust of those we love, the power of heritage behind us, and the love and support of those from our past. Like the aura of the Super Saiyan God, that power burns like a great fire, a fire that will never be snuffed out. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Goku winced, as he felt thousands of ki signatures, thousands of lives just... vanish.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was so fast, all those lives gone, just like that. Then, as if to rub salt into the wound, he watched in horror as the image of Majin Buu preparing to demolish the empty city played in his head, not even being able to cover his eyes.

"Darn it..! He's made his point already! Goku growled. "Now he's just rubbing it in our faces!"

With a deep inhale, one deep enough to inflate the belly of Majin Buu like a balloon, the pink creature blew it all out, swaying his head back and forth as if he were a fire extinguisher, destroying the city in a matter of seconds.

"That's more like it!" Babidi's voice played back, an obnoxiously smug look on his face. "It's what I'll do to those three meddlers, too! So, one last reminder!"

Images flashed of Piccolo, Goten, and Trunks in his head.

"It's him, and him, and him!" Babidi cackled, before continuing his monologue. "There's really no point in protecting them... They are not your friends... They are spineless cowards! If they valued your lives at all, they would have already turned themselves over to me! Obviously they don't! Well, shame on them, I say!"

Goku grimaced at the sound of this.

"You now have an opportunity to teach these selfish brats a lesson! One chance to stand up for your self worth, and for Earthlings everywhere! It's simple really! Just tell me where they are!"

Babidi's lips curled into a smile.

"By the way... You have five days to measure the importance of your meager little lives. Take too long, and I'll have Buu annihilate you all!"

Piccolo growled with anger.

"Oh yes... There's one more important thing... You will need to contact me, so I'll tell you how you can. If you have some information for me, I can hear you! Start talking and I can hear you inside my head. I'm listening, so speak up now! If you tell me where those uncaring louts are hiding, I might even spare you!"

There was a slight pause, before suddenly, Goku felt another ki signature disappear.

"Now! Don't give me any more useless information! Give me what I want or else!"

Goku's blood boiled.

An innocent man had just died...

"I can't stand this..." he managed to say.

And yet despite that, Babidi's voice spoke back up, chipper as if nothing had happened.

"No rest for the wicked! I've got to keep you humans on your toes so perhaps a little more destruction will keep you all in line!"

Babidi turned back to Majin Buu, who had been keeping himself distracted the entire time.

"Majin Buu! Time to go!"

As the two took flight, Babidi closed his announcement.

"You never know! The next place we visit may be your hometown! Yes... You can consider this to be your last warning. Remember, you have only five days left until we tear this planet apart! C'mon! Give me a call!"

With that, the psychic message ended.

"Curse him!" Piccolo roared. "That demented wizard!"

While the others attempted to think of what to do, Goku stayed quiet. He couldn't shake the feelings of feeling those ki signatures. They didn't lessen until they were gone. There was no struggle. They just vanished, just like that. Like they were never there to begin with.

A part of him wondered if this was his fault. Because he had chosen to return to the living world. Because he fought Vegeta and allowed Majin Buu to be revived. Because he had lowered his guard, and allowed Vegeta to knock himself out. Now because of him, people were dying. Including Gohan and Vegeta.

"There's no way I can allow that to happen!" Piccolo had spoken back up, snapping Goku out of his thoughts. "I'll show myself!"

This is where The Divergence happened in this timeline. The mixture of Goku's guilt over the loss of so many lives, coupled with his own guilt for even being there. Goku knew that they didn't have many options. Or time, for that matter, which brought him to his plan.

"No, Piccolo! You can't!" he finally spoke up, trying his best to reason with his friend. "That's not going to help anybody, and you know it!"

Goku paused, before continuing.

"Besides, I think I have a plan for us to win. I'm going to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to teach Goten and Trunks fusion."

Piccolo crossed his arms, calming down slightly, while the others around them listened closely.

"You sure that's a good idea? Every second we waste is giving that monster another opportunity to kill more people! And besides, only two people can enter the room at a time!"

Goku nodded his head.

"I know. That's why we're only going to be in there for one minute."

Piccolo turned to face Goku fully, a look of confusion on face. "What are you talking about?"

"More than two people can be in the Chamber, there just won't be enough food for the whole year." Goku gestured to his halo. "We don't have enough time to spend the whole year, anyway. But just a couple of hours? We can do that. We can save time and lives. But I need you to stay here. With me gone, and Vegeta and Gohan..."

He hesitated to finish the sentence, with everyone else saying nothing, as Bulma flinched slightly.

"What I'm trying to say is that you'll be the strongest one left. I need you to stay here to watch over the others. I know we'll only be a minute, but with that monster out there, we can't risk losing anyone else. Please, Piccolo, can I trust you?"

Piccolo uncrossed his arms, before nodding his head. "You can trust me, Goku."

With this, Goku would make preparations for the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, while Piccolo woke Goten and Trunks up. It took some time, especially after learning what had become of Gohan and Vegeta, but after a stern speaking to, and a reminder of the ability to undo the damage with Dragon Balls, they made their way to the chamber.

As Goten and Trunks entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku turned back to see his friends, begging that everything would be under control once he returned.

"You know... This almost reminds me of when Cell showed up, remember Goku?" Piccolo asked, with a smile, doing his best to cut the tension.

"Yeah, I remember." Goku nodded, giving Piccolo a smile back.

"Let's hope those kids show as much promise as Gohan did, huh?"

"I hope so."

Finally, Goku closed the door behind him, before looking closely at Goten and Trunks. A part of it hurt, seeing their innocent faces and knowing what he was asking of them, but he also knew that they were literally living on borrowed time. That every second they spent not-training, was wasting that very time.

At first, the training began with teaching them the steps individually, allowing them to eat while they watched him. After the meal, Goku would walk them through it together, then showing how to perform the dance in sync, how to sync their minds and bodies; one mind, one body, one soul. Working it through the entire process in small 'lessons' with little breaks in between.

It wasn't easy. It took different strategies than he expected; playing guessing games and playing pretend in order to keep the kids' minds focused. After five hours, the boys performed the Fusion Dance, transforming into a young fusion that would dub himself 'the mighty Gotenks'.

With only an hour left, Goku thought of an idea, before speaking up.

"Alright, Gotenks! One last 'game', alright?"

Gotenks turned back to Goku, having gotten too distracted posing and flexing.

"Yeah, sure! Da..." Gotenks stopped himself. "Or... is it 'Goten's Dad', or just-"

Goku cut off the fusion by transforming into a Super Saiyan, and getting into a fighting pose, his expression completely serious. "Fight me."

Gotenks stepped backwards, as his face turned white. "F...fight?"

"Come on! Now!" Goku raised his voice sternly. "If you're gonna beat Buu, we have to know how strong you are, so fight me!"

Gotenks swallowed hard.

"Now!" Goku finally shouted.

With a wince, Gotenks clenched his fists, letting out a scream and charged straight towards his... father? Half-father?

Without blinking Goku caught his hand and formed an energy blast with his other hand, before slamming it into Gotenks, sending the younger half-saiyan flying.

"Try again." he said flatly.

As if to answer, Gotenks screamed again, dashing towards Goku with another punch; one that Goku easily caught, catching the boy's wrist between his index and little finger, before throwing him down with an open-palm strike to Gotenks' chest.

"Again. Like you mean it, Gotenks!"

"I'm trying!"

"Try harder! Think about Vegeta! About Gohan!"

Gotenks screamed, but this time, not to power up. This time his scream was full of frustration and pain, sorrow and loss. For a moment, his hair glowed golden, before falling back down, as he curled up, sniffling slightly.

Goku sighed, dropping his own Super Saiyan form, and gesturing towards the door of the Chamber. "Alright, that's enough. We'll have one more meal, and then rest until we have to leave."

Gotenks nodded silently.

After exiting the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku, Goten, and Trunks would be healed by Dende (due to there being no more Senzu Beans on standby). After being wished good luck by everyone, Goku would guide Goten and Trunks to an empty location, far from other innocent lives and far from West City, before calling out to Babidi.

"Babidi! I'm right here!" he shouted, closing his eyes, in order to connect with the wizard.

After a moment, Babidi's voice perked up. "Hmm? Who might you be..?"

The wizard scoffed. "You look an awful lot like one of those brats... This better not be some kind of game... Unless you want to end up just like the others!"

Goku grit his teeth in anger. "Listen! The boys are right here with me. Meet me here, so this can finally be over."

Goten's eyes widened, before opening his mouth to speak, only for Goku to quickly put his finger to his lips, signalling him to be quiet.

"Hmm... Alright, fine! But listen closely! If this is some kind of game, not only will I have my Buu kill you, I'll make sure to have him track down everyone you care about, and kill them too. Understood?"

Goku clenched his fists, doing his best to maintain his composure. "Yeah, understood."

"Very well! We look forward to seeing you, Mister..?"

"Goku."

"Mister Goku!"

Goku sighed, opening his eyes as the connection between him and Babidi ended, with the first thing he saw being the concerned looks of Goten and Trunks.

"Dad, is everything going to be alright?"

Goku shot his son a smile, before ruffling his hair. "Of course, Goten. Everything's going to be fine."

Despite his outward appearance, Goku's head was full of thoughts, something a different voice in his head would pick up on.

"Goku, is everything okay?"

Goku crossed his arms. "Hey, King Kai... I won't lie to you... I'm not really sure..."

"What do you mean?"

"It's these boys... I don't think they're quite ready yet. They're not like Gohan... They don't have that same fire."

Goku paused, looking up at his halo.

"And besides... Even when I pushed Gohan that time... It wasn't exactly without any problems."

King Kai's voice grew in panic. "So what are you going to do, Goku? Majin Buu's getting closer! He'll be there any minute!"

Goku brought his hands to his chest, before patting himself down.

"Hey, King Kai. Can this body let me do the things I could do in the Otherworld?"

"I think so, but Goku! What are you planning to do?"

Goku chuckled, scratching his nose.

"I was thinking a little bit of everything..."

"Goku-!"

King Kai's protests, however, would be cut short by another's arrival. Babidi, and the fearsome Majin Buu.

"Ah! There you are Goku..." Babidi chirped, before turning to the boys with a wrinkly smile. "And I see you've brought the boys for me... Lovely..."

Babidi's eyes twitched.

"And the green one? Where is he? I would have preferred to have them killed all at once..."

Goku chuckled. "Well that's where you're wrong Babidi. No one else here is dying..."

Goku pointed his finger towards him. "Except the two of you..."

Babidi tilted his head, a mixture of disgust and anger on his face.

"So this was a trick! You said the boys-"

"The boys are here... but if you want to get through them... You'll have to get through me."

Instantly Goku transformed into a Super Saiyan 2, causing Trunks to whoop in excitement.

"Yeah! That's the same form Dad uses!"

Goku chuckled again, before turning to Trunks. "That's right, Trunks... and this..."

Goku clenched his fists, before leaning forward, and his aura appeared to double, no, quadruple in size, before shouting aloud.

"IS TO GO EVEN FURTHER BEYOND!"

With a mighty shout, Goku's aura crackled with even more electricity than before, as the wind around him began to blow like a hurricane, all while Goten, Trunks, Babidi, and Buu all needed to cover their eyes to block the burning bright light of Goku's aura.

Despite King Kai's protests for Goku to stop, Goku continued to power up, his hair increasing in length, as his power increased even more; the sheer power he was exerting being enough to cause the Earth to shake.

His transformation finally complete, Goku smirked at his audience, all of which were speechless.

"I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others, but I haven't had much occasion to practice this one. This is what I call a Super Saiyan 3..."

Goku turned to Goten and Trunks.

"And boys... Here's your last lesson... Work hard. Study well. And eat and sleep plenty! Follow that advice... and maybe one day, you'll be as strong as this!"

In that moment, Goku teleported right between both villains, before punching and kicking Buu and Babidi respectively. With a spin, Goku formed a ki blast in his hands, preparing to use it to end Babidi then and there, only for the wizard to shout for Buu, who would stretch and take the hit for his master.

Splattering everywhere, Majin Buu took seconds to reform, before beginning to laugh gleefully, before quickly attacking with a rapid amount of ki blasts.

"That's Vegeta's technique!" Goku thought aloud, before swatting those that came his way, before bashing his head into Majin Buu's, before kicking him deep into the sea.

Gasping loudly, Babidi raised his hands to Goku before preparing an incantation. "Papara-"

Despite his attempts, Babidi's spell would be interrupted by Goku's fist, punching right through the wizard and quickly ending his life.

However, all he would hear was Majin Buu's excited laughter, before clapping his hands.

"Again, again, again!"

Goku formed two ki blasts in his hands, before turning to Buu fully.

"You act all cutesy, but you're bad news... Killing Vegeta was a bad idea. It showed me that I can't afford to hold back against you..."

As if to imitate his earlier attack, Buu stretched one of his arms, attempting to punch Goku, who only teleported, kicking Buu right in the face, before grabbing onto the Majin's antenna, and using it to pull him back toward him, bringing Buu's face back directly back into his fist. With another huge punch, Goku formed a ki blast into his hand before letting go of Buu's antenna and slamming the ki blast into the monster's body, before denoting it, causing him to explode into thousands of pieces.

Once again, the Majin prepared to regenerate again, but this time, the many pieces latched onto Goku, attempting to squeeze the Saiyan. Thinking quickly, Goku let out a massive scream, charging his aura and forcing the creature off of him, before rapidly teleporting away, guiding Majin Buu further and further away from the boys.

As he continued to lead the monster, Goku brought his hands to his side, preparing a familiar, powerful attack.

"Ka... me..."

Now fully regenerated, Majin Buu screamed in a mixture of excitement and antsiness, blowing steam out of his body rapidly as he shook his arms wildly.

"Ha..."

"You fun to play with! Me make you Peanut Butter and Jelly!"

Majin Buu threw his head forward, aiming his antenna towards Goku.

"Me..."

With a gleeful scream, Majin Buu fired his Transfiguration Beam towards Goku, only for the Saiyan to use Instant Transmission, appearing right behind the Majin, before engulfing himself in a fiery-red aura that would surround his regular golden aura.

"HA!"

Finally, after and only after combining the powers and techniques of all his former Masters past: Super Saiyan 3, the Kaio-ken, Instant Transmission, and of course, the Kamehameha, Majin Buu would finally be obliterated once and for all. In his final moments before Fortuneteller Baba would take him away, Goku would say goodbye to his family and friends, leaving them with love and a means of motivation for a power to one day reach.

Using the Namekian Dragon Balls, all those who were killed during the crisis of Majin Buu would be revived, except for those who were evil, including all of those killed by Majin Vegeta, those killed by Buu, and of course, Vegeta himself. Meanwhile, Gohan would be revealed to be alive as well, having gained a massive boost in power, as well.

And so, Gohan, Piccolo, and Vegeta would push themselves in order to grow stronger; in Vegeta's case, not in spite of, but because of, what Goku had done for them. While doing so, they would also make sure to push the next generation of fighters, in Goten and Trunks; hoping to see what Goku wished to, in the form of new saviors for not only the Earth, but the entire universe.

This is a story that showcases something beautiful; the power of love. While it may seem cliche, it is true that there is no greater power than love, the same love that gives us the strength to give it everything we've got, lay down our lives, and yes, sacrifice that very life, solely for those we care for so deeply. It very well may be the strongest power there is. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

"Janembaaaa!" Janemba whooped, before firing thousands of energy blasts from his stomach, all of which quickly honed in on Goku.

Despite the panic and confusion, Goku evaded, teleporting and flying as quickly as possible to avoid the demon's onslaught, who only whooped and laughed. Going as far as to spin around on his head, Janemba continued his attack, before falling over onto his stomach, where his own attacks caused himself to explode as a result.

As the explosion faded, a surge of power would flood through the landscape, as Goku began to shout, powering up enough to shake the entire Overworld, before causing the very dimensions to shift. With one final shout, Goku's hair lengthened as his aura grew and became filled with electric sparks, now transformed into a Super Saiyan 3.

"You should be proud of yourself... Only Majin Buu has pushed me this far in battle before." Goku said sternly, his eyes laser-focused on the odd monster.

Said monster only smiled, clapping his hands like an infant.

"Janemba! Janemba! Janemba!" he cheered.

Goku grimaced. "You may act all innocent, but you're deadly. It's over, Janemba."

Racing towards the chubby demon, Goku dodged a punch, before rapidly attacking, pushing Janemba skyward. Flailing his arms, the thousands of jelly-bean like constructs fell from the sky, which Goku smashed through, attacking Janemba with a large punch that sent the yellow creature flying.

Clenching his fist, Goku covered his hand in electric-like energy before punching Janemba again, causing the energy to explode like a lightning bolt striking; smashing Janemba until the countless 'jelly beans'. With a massive scream, Goku formed two large energy blasts in both hands, before racing towards and smashing them both into Janemba's body.

The impact caused Janemba to denote, slamming into the ground, and slowly deflating like a large, yellow water balloon; all while still screaming his own name in a mixture of panic and fear.

"Well, that was weird..." Goku thought aloud, only for his thoughts to be cut short as Janemba's body began to melt and contort.

Said melted goo would continue to shift and curdle, almost resembling a custard, only to begin shrinking and coming together, eventually taking form once again. Now sprouting a longer tail and horns, red skin, and light violet armor, the newly-transformed Janemba only glared at Goku, with a light growl.

Looking down at his new opponent, now more closely resembling a true demon, Goku only glared back.

"I don't like the feel of this..." he grumbled to himself.

Without a moment of hesitation, Janemba leapt for the Saiyan, aiming a kick for his head, which Goku narrowly dodged, before attempting a kick of his own that would be blocked by Janemba. The demon flipped, attempting to swat Goku with his tail, only for him to squat, using his hand to balance himself and landing a massive hit to Janemba's face in the form of a two-legged kick. Janemba grit his teeth as he recovered, quickly grabbing Goku's leg to counterattack, yet would instead be met by another kick to his face, courtesy of Goku's other leg.

Free from the monster's grasp, Goku threw an energy blast at Janemba, only for him to create a portal in front of his face, sending the energy blast behind Goku and sending him flying forward.

Catching himself, Goku lept back upwards, kneeing Janemba in the face, before teleporting and hitting him again with a spin kick, then teleporting again and forming another ki blast, prepared to slam it right into Janemba, only for the creature to suddenly break into hundreds of small cubes and slipping away.

Spinning to keep himself on balance, Goku scanned the area, when suddenly Janemba's hand formed in front of him, creating a ki blast as the rest of his body formed, then slamming the blast into Goku, hitting him point-blank in a massive cloud of pink smoke. As Goku stumbled backwards, Janemba only chuckled, before opening his mouth and firing a massive green blast from his mouth.

Having barely tanked the blast, Goku took a defensive stance, doing his best to catch his breath, all while Janemba slowly walked ever closer to him. Stopping short, Janemba looked down at the ground, before grabbing a small mace below him and transforming it into a large red sword.

Not even giving a moment's grace, Janemba cackled, leaping towards Goku and slashing him with his new weapon, throwing him backwards. Flipping to catch himself Goku sidestepped, quickly avoiding Janemba's next slash and throwing another ki blast, one Janemba would slash through all the same; and yet, one of the halves of the blast would manage to crash into him, causing a massive explosion. Using said explosion as a smokescreen, Goku took to the skies, hoping to gain some distance, but Janemba only smiled through the literal hellfire, raising his sword and slashing upwards, managing to nick Goku's shoulder.

Suddenly appearing behind him Janemba continued to slash at Goku, throwing him backwards with each strike, eventually knocking him back to base, and throwing him into a warped section of the Blood Pond, which he would slice to fit Goku in perfectly.

Chuckling evilly, Janemba raised his arm to slice once more, when all of a sudden a familiar attack would strike through Janemba, a Special Beam Cannon. Meanwhile another familiar face managed to pull Goku from his liquid prison.

Goku gave a relieved smile at his savior. "Pikkon! Am I glad to see you!"

Pikkon smiled back, before looking towards Janemba, who quickly healed the hole the previous attack had left on him. "Maybe save the thanks for later, Goku. We've got to get you out of here, and fast!"

"We?"

"Don't think this changes a thing for a second Goku..." a deep voice perked up, one Goku recognized all too well: Cell, clearly he was the one to fire the earlier attack. "Consider this more of an elimination of a fellow obstacle..."

"That's right, monkey. Once this is over, I look forward to killing you..." another voice spoke up, as well: Frieza.

As both villains prepared to hold off Janemba, Pikkon grabbed Goku's arm, wrapping it over his shoulder, before carrying him over to somewhere away from the battle, so the two could discuss a strategy.

Hmm... I suppose there may be a few questions, aren't there? Allow me to explain...

See, in the universe, the Divergence took place much earlier, in fact, the key difference in this universe and the one you may be familiar with, is one you may already be aware of. In this universe, Goku succeeded in defeating Majin Buu before the monster transformed, and thus, returned to the Overworld, while the rest of Majin Buu's victims were revived. Thus, Vegeta would never arrive, and instead, Pikkon would have to double his efforts to free King Yemma, in order to support Goku.

Similarly, now free and hoping for revenge, Cell and Frieza would attempt to find Goku as well, only to be met with Pikkon. After being made aware of the situation, the villains would agree to fight Janemba, with the promise of him being "the strongest in the universe", something that would spark the desire to prove otherwise; thus forming the uneasy truce.

Cell and Frieza simultaneously fired a Destructo Disk and Death Saucer respectively, both of which Janemba would slice through using his sword, before slashing at Frieza while striking Cell with the butt of the sword; throwing both villains back.

Cell chuckled, before getting into a familiar pose. "Well, well! I suppose this may be a fun challenge after all! But let's see how you like this little maneuver! Kamehameha!"

Janemba's response would be a cackle, before opening a portal in front of himself, allowing the kamehameha to flow right through, then suddenly appearing behind Cell and hitting him and Frieza square-on.

Teleporting in front of Cell and Frieza, Janemba opened his mouth to fire another energy wave, one Cell would quickly counter with his barrier, narrowly saving himself and Frieza.

"Drop this barrier on my mark!" Frieza demanded.

"If you insist!" Cell replied with a chuckle.

As Janemba finished his attack, Frieza gave the signal, in which Cell quickly teleported using Instant Transmission, before appearing behind Janemba, grabbing him in a Full-Nelson and holding him in place.

Covering himself in a ball-like aura, Frieza charged at Janemba, attempting to tackle him, only for Janemba to cause his arms to break into small cubes, freeing himself from Cell's grasp, before reforming in front of himself, allowing him to catch Frieza easily. With this, Janemba flipped, knocking Cell forward, before spiking Frieza into him, as he were a massive volleyball, sending both into the ground.

Picking himself up, Frieza his teeth in anger.

"Insolent... little..." he growled, closing one eye to aim properly, before firing a barrage of Death Beams for Janemba, all of which he'd easily block with the blade of his sword.

"How I hate those..."

Despite their durability and vast amount of abilities, Frieza and Cell would prove powerless against Super Janemba, but fortunately, they'd at least entertain Janemba for long enough for Goku and Pikkon to begin to develop a strategy.

"So, Goku? What are you thinking? Maybe the Kaio-ken?" Pikkon questioned.

Gathering the strength to stand up, Goku shook his head.

"I don't know if I have the energy to pull off something like that right now... And besides, even with Kaio-ken, I probably wouldn't have the strength to take him on, anyway."

He couldn't help but chuckle excitedly. "He's really something else..."

Pikkon crossed his arms, thinking.

"What about a seal? Do you think we could seal him away?

Goku paused, thinking over the idea, before shaking his head again.

"That might get rid of him, but it wouldn't change everything else. It wouldn't get rid of the barrier or the portal connected to Earth... We have to take him down, but..."

Goku stopped short, prompting Pikkon to tilt his head.

"But what?"

Goku brought his hand to his chin, before giving a half shrug.

"I don't really know... when I was fighting that guy, I felt something... something else..." Goku spoke back up, pacing around as he recovered his strength. "I don't really know what it is, but I feel like there's someone else there. Someone besides Janemba..."

Goku punched his palm, cracking his knuckles.

"I think I've got an idea as to how to stop Janemba and save that person, but it would take a ton of power, more than I think I can do alone..."

Pikkon nodded his head. "Alright, good. So, what do you need from me?"

"Remember the Metamorans?"

After several practice sessions, and a few failed attempts, Cell and Frieza's distraction would finally bear fruit, in the form of a warrior that would not only save themselves, but also the rest of the Overworld and living world, as well.

Panting hard, Cell raised his right arm, having to support it upright with the left, forming a red energy blast in his palm.

"Big Bang Crash!" he shouted as he fired it.

Just as quickly, however, Janemba caught the blast, spinning around, then tossing right back towards Cell, causing a large explosion.

Frieza growled in rage, bulking up to his full power, before raising his finger skyward, forming a small energy ball.

"No... No more games!" Frieza managed to say through his own maniacal, nervous laughter. "If I can't destroy you... then, I'll just..."

In seconds the energy ball grew massive, as Frieza flung the blast towards Janemba.

"I'll just destroy everything!"

Despite the massive attack facing towards him, Janemba smirked, suddenly screaming with the soundwaves being forceful enough to casually push the Death Ball away and into one of the large jellybean-like structures. The display acting as the perfect coverup, Janemba dashed into Frieza with a massive punch to his stomach, before flipping and slamming Frieza downwards with his tail; sending him not far from where Cell had landed as well.

Looking down at his fallen opponents, Janemba raised his finger, using it to draw an imaginary line in the air, which quickly took form in the shape of sharp, glass-like structures, before falling down towards Frieza and Cell like hail.

Suddenly another figure appeared in front of Frieza and Cell, who managed to easily deflect the attack with a wave of their hand.

"Sorry for the wait, but I really didn't want to mess this up, you know?" said the figure, speaking with a kind of dual-voice.

The figure turned towards the villains, giving them a small smile.

They were surprisingly well-built, with a muscular frame like Goku's, yet their skin was a dark green color. Their face appeared human, with ears, hair, a nose, eyebrows and sharp facial features, but their irises were a deep red with black pupils, while their hair was black and spiked up, like Goku when he went Super Saiyan. Lastly, for attire, they wore odd baggy pants, with a teal sash acting as belt, and even more odd short-cut black vest, with strange yellow padding.

"I'll take care of this." the warrior smiled, before turning towards Janemba and staring him down. "I'm not Pikkon or Goku, I'm Pikku and I'm the one who's going to take you down, Janemba!"

Taking a fighting stance, Pikku charged a golden aura, before dashing upwards to Janemba, smashing into him and throwing an uppercut at his face, knocking his head back. Janemba slashed his sword at Pikku, only for his opponent to charge his aura, which took a fire-like appearance, causing the blade to shatter against it; allowing Pikku to throw another punch at Janemba's gut, then grabbing the demon's leg and spinning him and throwing him into the ground. Quickly picking himself up, Janemba lept back towards Pikku who screamed back at him.

"Disgusting freak!" he shouted, and just as the barriers did before him, Janemba's body shattered like glass, allowing Pikku teleport behind him, before striking a series of poses, crossing his arms, then bringing his fists together, and then finally bringing both arms to his side in a familiar stance.

"Thunder Flash Kamehameha!"

As the flame-like kamehameha engulfed Janemba, Pikku closed his eyes, doing his best to sense the demon's energy. Their answer would come quickly in the form of Janemba's arms wrapping around them from behind, trapping him in a tight bear hug, which they would narrowly escape by use of Instant Transmission and teleporting near Cell and Frieza once more.

Closing their eyes again, they focused on someone else, before speaking out to them.

"King Kai? You there?"

"Yeah, we're all right here!" King Kai's voice spoke up. "What's going on? Can't you beat him?"

Pikku opened his eyes, leaping out of the way to dodge a punch from Janemba, landing on his fist, before stepping on his head and leaping again.

"That's the thing... I'm not really sure... If this guy's pure evil, I won't be able to finish him and save the person inside, I'll need some help from the others. All of our friends in the Overworld and Earth. Can you talk to them? Tell them to send me their energy!"

"I'll try, just give me a minute!"

"Just let me know when, and hurry!"

Teleporting to dodge another blast, Pikku screamed back at the monster, hurling another insult to buy his time.

"Heinous monster!"

Janemba growled in anger, cracking and regenerating just as quickly, as he tried to claw at Pikku, with the fusion grabbing his arm and throwing him over his shoulder, slamming a ki blast into his stomach as he slammed into the ground. Forming two more blasts, Pikku raised his arms above his head, combining both blasts and preparing to slam them into Janemba, with the monster saving himself by pixelating and appearing far from Pikku.

Clearly starting to grow frustrated, Janemba screamed, creating several, smaller copies of himself, which Pikku casually destroyed with a single punch each, as he dashed towards Janemba, punching him hard in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.

"Pikku! Everyone's ready!"

Pikku nodded, speeding past Janemba and raising his arm. "Thanks, King Kai. I owe you, one."

The positive energy quickly flew towards Pikku's hand, taking the form of a small Spirit Bomb, which erupted into a beautiful blue aura as Pikku closed his fist, the energy surrounding Pikku's arm as he glared at Janemba.

"It's time to end this, Janemba!"

With that, Pikku dashed towards Janemba at super speed, revving up his fist for the final blow.

"Spirit Dragon Fist!" Pikku shouted, as the aura took the form of a massive dragon, which crashed against Janemba's body, shattering off the boy within, like a large wave of water.

Catching the boy in his arms, Pikku smiled as he watched the Overworld slowly shift back to normal, as the portal to Earth and the barriers slowly faded away, before giving a nod as he thought to planet Goku once called home, and the residents of the Overworld Pikkon and Goku now lived in.

"Thanks for the help, guys..."

This is truly one of the greatest stories, showing that the ways we help one another, the ways we support one another, and the ways we work together can surpass anything. No matter if they are former enemies, allies from an era past, or even former loved ones from a previous life, when we work together, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish, come hell or high water. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Vegeta hacked loudly, before catching his breath and wiping his mouth, a stain of blood marking his glove; which only made Vegeta hiss in anger. Despite his pain, Vegeta forced himself upwards, standing up straight and spitting to his right, all while maintaining eye-contact with Hit.

"Have you formulated your strategy yet?" Hit finally spoke up, breaking the brief silence.

Vegeta only chuckled, as he charged his Super Saiyan Blue aura.

"My plan's to charge you head-on 'til you cry for mercy!" Vegeta shouted.

With a loud scream, Vegeta did just that, preparing a massive punch as he lept straight for Hit. With a quick shout of his own, Hit plunged his fist straight for Vegeta's stomach, who hissed in pain, before just as quickly grabbing Hit's wrist, holding it in place.

Vegeta cackled aloud. "Just like that I neutralized your advantage!"

Aiming a punch for Hit's face, Vegeta's would-be attack would be his final, as in a split-second, Hit punched using his other arm, this time far deeper and more impactful than his previous attack.

The air blasted from his throat, Vegeta's response would be a few gasps of pain.

"How... do you... this?" he managed to sputter, before depowering and falling flat onto his face; ending the match between the two.

As everyone reacted to the battle's sudden end, Hit simply turned to face the Tournament Announcer.

"It's against the rules for me to kill him, correct?"

The announcer himself hardly knew how to answer.

"Uh... yeah..?" he finally spoke up.

"Well, then. What do we do now? He can't very well announce his surrender to me, if he's knocked out."

"Uh... Hmm..." the announcer stuttered and mumbled, before suddenly getting an idea, posing dramatically as he spoke just as so. "Okay! The Winner, by knockout, Contestant Hit!"

Hit, meanwhile, barely addressed the theatrics, simply looked down at Vegeta.

"Of all the people I've fought, and taken that many of my attacks, you were the only one to live." he said to the unconscious Saiyan.

With that, Hit turned away, while Champa laughed proudly at his victory, Beerus, meanwhile hissed in frustration at his respective loss. During this time, the others attempted to find the reason for the loss, and study Hit's strategies; hoping to learn the secrets of his strength, as the preparations would be made for the next match of the Tournament.

"Alright, fans! For our next match, Contestant Hit will face off against a new face from Seventh Universe... Majin Buu!"

Surprised? See, in the universe, unlike the one you may be familiar with, Majin Buu would not fall asleep during the Tournament's Written Exam. In this universe, before the Tournament had even begun, Mr. Satan had decided to motivate Buu even further, promising the Majin that if their team returned victorious, he'd reward him with a 'Ultra-Super Buffet Celebration'.

While a simple reward, the idea of more food than he could imagine worked like a charm, and Majin Buu was able to zip through the Written Exam, managing to pass with exactly a 50 (even if it was because he was fortunate to guess most of the answers correctly). And thus, after Vegeta's defeat to Hit, Majin Buu would be the next to face up against the Legendary Hitman of Universe 6.

With a gleeful shout, Majin Buu leapt from the stands onto the tournament platform, ogling closely at Hit, before casually speaking up.

"Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Purple Man look funny! Buu ready to play with you lots!"

Hit said nothing, only narrowing his eyes and getting into his stance, as Champa fired a blast at the gong, causing it to make a loud sound.

"Begin!" the Tournament Announcer shouted, posing dramatically.

Without a second's notice, Majin Buu dashed straight for Hit, with the assassin simply dodging the large flurry of attacks, hardly putting in any effort, and keeping his hands in his pockets. After a moment, Hit vanished, just for a moment, before reappearing right in front Majin Buu and slamming his fist into the Majin's stomach, the sheer force causing his hand to sink into Buu's body; causing everyone from Universe 6, including Hit himself to react in sudden shock, with Hit quickly removing his fist from Buu.

"Ahh! You hurt Buu very very bad!" Buu cried, squatting downwards and covering his stomach.

In an instant, Buu's eyes opened briefly as he stood up quickly and smacked Hit in the face. "Got ya!"

Admittedly surprised, Hit regathered himself, casually shaking off the hit before staring down at Majin Buu again.

"I'll admit you had me fooled, but your technique is sloppy and predictable. You won't catch me off guard again."

Majin Buu's response was to crack up laughing. "Purple Man talk funny, too!"

Hit grit his teeth, as Majin Buu continued to mock him, even deepening his voice to imitate Hit's and mumbling some nonsense.

As if to shut up the Majin, Hit brought his hands upward, keeping his hands loose and unclenched, before rapidly clenching and unclenching his fists, performing a series of one-inch punches, with the air pressure being enough to strike Buu rapidly, causing him to stumble backwards. With Buu disoriented, Hit rushed toward his opponent, before landing a massive strike to Buu's head, only for his neck to stretch backward from the impact, flinging back forward and bashing into Hit's head.

While not damaged, Hit took a few steps backwards, staring down at the Majin, who responded with a big smile.

"Okay! Now Buu's turn!"

To Hit's amazement, Majin Buu's next attack would be a repeat of his previous, and yet, not quite the same. It was as if he had changed his strategy, or, moreso, he lacked one to begin with. Instead of simply punching like before Majin Buu began to incorporate ki blasts and beam attacks, ones that looked remarkably like the ones Frost had used before. Dodging said attacks were easy enough, and even better, the previous display had shown Hit that he could afford to use more strength than before, without any fear of taking his opponent's life.

Taking his stance properly, Hit landed on his feet easily, before revving up his arm and punching the air again, attacking with a full force attack, which Majin Buu lept upwards, managing to narrowly avoid the attack, before continuing to bounce rapidly like a super bouncy ball.

Squinting his eyes, Hit threw several more punches, analyzing Buu's patterns, as well as checking where he was defending, as there was a good chance that's where his vitals would be located as well.

While killing may have been disallowed from the tournament, a well-aimed attack, at just the right position would allow him to not only critically harm his opponent, but also discourage them from fighting further. He had done something similar against his last opponent, so doing it again would be child's play.

Majin Buu cackled ecstatically, only for Hit to leapt upwards, using Time Skip to catch Buu off guard, before throwing another punch, the air pressure hitting him dead-on and throwing the Majin downwards, with Hit meeting him back on the tournament grounds.

"It doesn't matter how endurant you are, your vitals are your weakness. Stay down and surrender, or I'll have no choice but to continue." Hit warned, eying the fallen Majin closely.

Majin Buu's response was to quickly leap back up, before giggling giddily like a child, clapping his hands excitedly.

"Again, again, again!"

Hit's eyes widened, he couldn't believe it. This creature in front of him was insane, being able to take such intense hits so casually... it was like he didn't even have vitals to begin with! He couldn't stop now, leaping in the air and preparing for another attack, only for Majin Buu to leap upwards to meet him, as Hit punched Majin Buu again, his fist once more sinking into his stomach, only for Buu to grab his arm and bring himself closer, slamming his head into Hit's.

Skipping time, Hit teleported behind Buu, chopping his neck, only for Buu to teleport and respond with a punch to Hit's stomach. Skipping again, Hit flew above Majin Buu, hammerfisting the top of his head, only for Buu to grab onto Hit's leg as he flew downwards, throwing Hit further down, then teleporting again.

It was an odd sensation, but Hit could tell something was different about his opponent. He was getting faster, reacting quicker, almost as if he were time-skipping as well, but that was impossible. It was more like he figured out the principles of time-skipping, but to do so just by watching him... it was incredibly impressive. It was another odd sensation, as, for the first time in many years, he was starting to enjoy himself a little, fighting such an odd opponent.

Majin Buu grinned, before blowing steam from his body, creating a smokescreen, then stretching his arm to attack Hit, only for the assassin to grab his arm, and yank it towards him, bashing Buu's face into his fist. Despite that, Buu used his other hand, covering Hit's face with his glove and attempting to push him while in the air.

Throwing Buu over his shoulder, Hit threw yet another punch, dispersing some of the steam and hitting Majin Buu head-on, causing a hole to appear in his stomach, which would quickly regenerate as Majin Buu chuckled.

Once again, teleporting with his own Pseudo Time-Skip Majin Buu grabbed Hit's face with both hands, squeezing it tightly, before shoving Hit downwards, all while continuing to laugh like a wild child. Hit chuckled back, then landed a powerful blow, directly punching Majin Buu and sending him flying, releasing him, and slamming him into the barrier.

Catching his breath, Hit landed, his feet hitting the ground, as he watched Majin Buu slide down the clear barrier comedically, and hitting the hard rock of the planet, out of the bounds of the tournament.

Suddenly the Tournament's Announcer picked up. "Oh! A very close match, but the winner is... Contestant Buu of the Seventh Universe, by Ring Out!"

Hit blinked, swearing he had misheard, only to realize where he, himself, had landed, a mere few feet away from the tournament grounds, indeed out-of-bounds, a mere seconds before Majin Buu's own would-be ring out. He couldn't help but chuckle a little, he had lost, fair-and-square.

"The Winner of the Tournament is the Seventh Universe!"

While celebrations would be had by the Seventh Universe, and threats of destruction for the Sixth, both would be suddenly cut short, as another made their appearance known, putting a deep fear to Lord Beerus', Lord Champa's, and my own spine: Grand Omni-King Zeno.

Despite everyone's fear, two individuals would quickly catch Grand Omni-King Zeno's eye. Son Goku, due to his casual nature and treatment of Grand Zeno (much to Beerus, Champa, and my own chagrin) and surprisingly Majin Buu, whose odd fighting style and behavior would charm Zeno, said charm appearing to be mutual.

"Hee-hee-hee! Little man look fun! We play together, sometime?"

Zeno's guards would quickly prepare to reprimand the Majin, only for Grand Zeno to hold up his index finger, and with a simple shush, both guards would quiver with fear, doing as their master had said.

"Yes, of course! You looked very, very fun yourself! What was your name, again?"

"Me Buu! Majin Buu!"

"Well, then it's very good to meet you, Majin Buu! I think you and I should play together sometime, too!"

Much to the amazement of everyone (again, myself included), Grand Zeno and Majin Buu would develop an odd friendship, with their shared interest in games and similar personalities making them quick friends.

Over time, Grand Zeno and Majin Buu would have multiple playdates, with Grand Zeno even getting introduced to Majin Buu's other friend: Mr. Satan, who, in a humorous way, had his true life quickly turn stranger than his fiction. Regardless, all three would find themselves in an odd friendship, full of whatever fun they desired.

While this story may be many things... odd, confusing, and yes, horrifying for myself... it's also something else very unique. It's fun. Sometimes, it's easy to overlook the importance of simply having fun. Taking a moment to relax from the struggles of day-to-day life, it may very well be the very thing we need to regather our belongings, regain our strength, all so that we may continue living on. Perhaps sometimes, we needn't not have something to teach us, or have something to grow from. Sometimes, we simply need to have fun. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

As Gohan leaped skyward, Android 17 opened his eyes, having faked being defeated, before firing a massive ki blast for Gohan; one that was casually deflected, before he was surprised by a punch to the face, which threw him backward. Catching himself with his arm, Gohan flipped onto the ground, quickly leaping away, with Android 17 in hot pursuit. Firing multiple ki blasts, Gohan teleported, amazingly dodging a would-be attack from Android 18, before elbowing her back, sending her falling.

As the aforementioned ki blasts hit their target, sending Android 17 down like a crashing plane, Gohan grabbed Android 18 by the ankle, before whipping her like a Rat Tail Towel into a building, throwing her through the hard concrete.

Landing back on the ground, Gohan glared at where the Androids would've landed, and just as so, both Androids rose from the rumble and debris, both definitely appearing damaged, but hardly beaten.

Gritting his teeth, Gohan growled, charging his aura, while a bolt of lightning struck a nearby building; the echo of thunder and sudden forming of storm clouds slowly followed. As the rain began to pour, both Androids readied themselves, slowly walking towards their opponent, but stopping short.

Android 17 looked at this sister, who simply gave him a nod.

"This thunderstorm is a perfect backdrop for your demise..." he said bluntly.

Gohan wasn't fazed. "There is no end for me. No end!"

In the moment, both Androids movements practically became one, as both charged straight for him, the first attack Gohan barely dodged, but from there only a massive barrage followed, one that Gohan could hardly keep up with. Suddenly, Android 17 slid his leg across Gohan's, sweeping his legs and almost tripping him; Gohan quickly regained his balance, before taking flight, trying to escape the deadly duo.

Both Androids only followed, however, before firing a pair of twin ki blasts in front of Gohan, creating a smokescreen and allowing them both a free hit, sending Gohan into another building. Following up their attack, Android 17 and 18 bombarded Gohan with an overwhelming amount of ki blasts, pelting the half-Saiyan with an impossible amount of energy that would surely slay anyone in its path.

In the timelines you know, this would, in fact, be the case for Gohan... however, here is where the Divergence occurred. In that moment, those mere seconds as Gohan's life force weakened, Gohan thought back to a technique Android 17 had used against him, a means of transforming his own aura to resist ki attacks; a kind of 'barrier'.

He didn't know if he could, and even if he did, would it even work in fooling his enemies, but in this situation, it truly was his own option at survival.

With the last of his energy and another scream, Gohan thought back to his father, his mother, Piccolo, Bulma and Trunks, before charging his aura which hardened like a candy-coated shell around him. Despite the blasts still slamming him into the concrete of the town, Gohan had survived, the stunt costing him the rest of the energy and dropping him out of his Super Saiyan form. The Android's inability to sense ki being Gohan's saving grace, the twins simply flew away, content with their work and searching for yet another town to torture.

After several hours Trunks would manage to find Gohan, left behind in the pouring rain; beaten unconscious, completely out of energy, but thankfully, alive. After bringing Gohan back to what remained of Capsule Corp, Bulma would finally reveal to them both her own plan for dealing with the Androids: a Time Machine.

Trunks would volunteer, but Gohan would quickly shut him down. The way he saw it, he had been too late in gathering the Dragon Balls all those years ago, he had brushed off his fathers first symptoms, believing they'd simply be the results of his battle with Frieza. Simply put, this reality was his fault, therefore it was his responsibility to fix his mistakes and save his father's life.

Understanding the guilt her once best friend's son had been going through, Bulma agreed, and gave him the instructions of what he was to do. He was to travel back in time approximately two years before Goku's death to the Heart Virus, and deliver the Medicine to his father, as well as warning them both of the Red Ribbon Army's return and the Androids. If done properly, neither his father would die to the Virus, and the Z-Fighters would be strong enough to defeat the Androids.

With a hopeful goodbye, Gohan would enter the Time Machine and disappear into the sky. However, from his perspective, and our's, he would travel through the boundaries of time; and into a new, younger timeline, where his father and all of his friends were still alive.

Unlike Trunks' journey throughout the timelines you know of, Gohan's quest would take a slightly different path. Unlike Trunks, who would diverge this timeline's path before Goku's arrival, by appearing before Frieza and his father, and challenging them both, Gohan would be patient. He remembered the day, and that his father would arrive in time to defeat the tyrants, by way of Instant Transmission. He remembered it so, because it was the first time he had watched his father fight someone so seriously as a Super Saiyan, and because it was what he based his own fighting style on.

Instead Gohan would wait patiently for his father to arrive, doing his best to stay calm as he watched the intense battle he'd have with the tyrants. How his father fought with such vigor, yet despite the power, the aggression, he was never afraid of his father, he felt protected: safe. Like, as long as he had his father, he'd get through anything.

As long as he had his father...

Lowering his power level, Gohan would leave the battlefield. Not only was the reality that his father would want to reunite with his loved ones, there was also the chance that his old friends would recognize him, despite his age.

With this, Gohan would wait until later that night. He remembered his father's routine of leaving to fish for their dinner, while his mother would get started on cooking the rice. Such memories of full stomachs and warm meals made it even harder to see his father's face, but the fact was, if he did this, there might've been a chance that the struggles he had lived through would've been worth something after all.

Standing outside his old home, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, before the door opened to reveal his father: Son Goku. Alive and well, and with a big smile he always had when they were together. Despite his rehearsed speech he had planned, everything thought in his brain flashed as he looked at this father, face-to-face for the first time in fourteen long years.

His eyes filled with tears and his mouth went dry, but before anything else, his father spoke up.

"Can I help..." his father paused, looking up and down at his surprise visitor. "Gohan..?"

Without sparing a word, Gohan gave his father a hug, breaking down and crying at the sight of him, who was almost overwhelmed by the experience, himself. There, in front of his very eyes, stood Gohan, his Gohan, the same boy who had just begun washing dishes and set the table with his mother.

But he also knew this Gohan was different, he was older, obviously, but that wasn't everything. Just from his appearance, his scars, his arm, the look in his eyes. This Gohan was tired, he fought, he had bled, he had lost. Lost more than he could imagine.

"Gohan... Let's go fishing."

Gohan gasped between sobs. He knew this was selfish. He knew this wasn't fair. He knew that every minute he spent hugging his father was a minute Bulma and Trunks back home spent sleeping on the ice cold concrete; waiting for his great return. This wasn't his father, he had his own Gohan, one waiting patiently for his father to return with dinner.

But still... it was the closest thing he could have.

"Al-alright..."

After setting up camp near the river, Gohan would speak up, explaining to his father what he had been sent to do.

"I... I guess you can tell I'm from a lot further away than here... " he began. "The truth is, I'm from sixteen years in the future... In about three years from this day, two Androids are going to appear. I'll try to gather the Dragon Balls, but... I was too late..."

Gohan paused, sitting down and looking down into the lake, doing his best to avoid eye contact.

"It was my fault... After that, the Androids kill everyone. The only ones left alive, are myself, Bulma, and-"

Gohan cut himself off again, deciding not to mention Trunks.

"...And a few others."

Goku nodded somberly, looking down at his son, before placing his hand gently on his head, the same way he did to his Gohan.

"Then I'll make sure that won't happen." he told him, reminding Gohan of something else.

"Right, I almost forgot." Gohan perked up, reaching into his pocket. "In my time, you don't make it even before then. A terrible pandemic occurred the year before, a heart virus, and it killed a lot of people... Including you, Dad."

Pulling out the small canister of medicine, Gohan held it towards his father.

"But with this medicine, you'll be able to survive. You need to take it as soon as the symptoms arrive, not sooner or later, alright?"

Goku nodded again, looking into Gohan's eyes. Despite how much older he had gotten, despite the pain he must've felt. Deep down, he was still his boy. He still had the look in his eyes that his Gohan had, whenever he asked for seconds, whenever he wanted to go with him to ride on Nimbus. He couldn't imagine what had happened to his son in the future, but if what he was saying was true. Maybe, just maybe, he could make sure his Gohan didn't have to live through the same.

"Alright, Gohan, I promise."

With his mission complete, Gohan would return back to his time, believing he had saved his whole reality. Unfortunately, as you and I know, this would not be the case. Instead, two parallel universes had been created, much to Gohan's (and my own) frustration. Now, as it stood, there were two timelines at risk of being destroyed by the Androids, but at least one still had a chance.

After discussing with Bulma, she and Gohan agreed that in two years, Gohan would return to the past, and guarantee that their timeline succeeded. With their warnings and added help from Gohan, their victory could be assured, and when Gohan returned to the future, there's could be as well.

However, you and I both know things would turn out differently. From Goku's virus appearing later than expected, more Androids appearing in this timeline, and most importantly the sudden arrival of Dr. Gero's most powerful creation: Cell; nothing had gone as previously planned. The Androids had defeated the Z-Fighters, Goku had fallen ill, and with every passing hour Cell was growing stronger and stronger.

Gohan, however, would stand by his father through his sickness, taking good care of him alongside his mother (who had also figured out the Time Traveler's identity). Many sleepless nights were had, but thankfully, Goku would live, and inform Gohan, his present counterpart, and Vegeta of the means of them all getting stronger: The Hyperbolic Time Chamber. After Vegeta's first use, and Cell's ascension to perfection, Goku would enter with his eldest son, before promising to enter with the younger Gohan afterwards.

"Alright!" Goku called out, punching his palm with a look of excitement on his face. "When we're in here, we don't have to hold anything back! Give me everything you've got, son!"

"Okay!" Gohan shouted back, before letting out a massive scream, and transforming into a Super Saiyan.

Getting even more excited, Goku screamed back, transforming as well and getting to his fighting stance, awaiting Gohan's first attack. His answer would come in the form of Gohan dashing towards him with a massive punch, which Goku would respond to with a punch of his own, both fists meeting with a massive explosion that echoed throughout the infinite chamber.

Suddenly teleporting, Gohan appeared behind his father, kicking him in the back, only for Goku to spin around, chopping at Gohan with his hand, who grabbed his hand just as quickly. Yanking Goku's arm towards him and forcing his knee into his stomach, Gohan let go of his father, forming a ki blast in his hand and preparing to slam it into Goku. Goku, however, would quickly grab hold of Gohan's wrist, twisting it and turning himself around, throwing Gohan over his shoulder and away from himself.

Catching himself by flipping off of his single arm, Gohan fired two blasts towards Goku, ones he casually dodged, as he ran towards him with two blasts of his own in both hands. Gohan, however, would wave his arm back towards him, and the two ki blasts he had fired would redirect towards Goku. Running towards Goku as well, Gohan prepared an elbow strike, only for Goku to bring his fingers to his forehead, disappearing in an instant. Forced to deal with his own blasts, Gohan crossed his arms and charged his aura, hardening it like a barrier and blocking both blasts.

The display costing him a fair amount of power, Gohan scanned the area, searching for his father, only for the man to appear right in front of him, before revving up a punch and... he flinched.

Goku's fist didn't even make full contact, instead he watched as his son's eyes widened in fear, before closing slowly as his body slumped backwards, hitting the ground and powering down to base form.

Looking at his own fist, Goku said nothing. Not sure the exact words his son needed to hear that moment.

In reality, the real impact that had been left on Goku in his battle was... well, the lack of impact. Right in front of him was Gohan, his Gohan, or better so a Gohan who had grown up fighting. A Gohan who had lived his entire life fighting the people who had taken everything away from him, and for all intents and purposes, should have been outraged. Infuriated. Wrathful.

And despite that reality, here in front of him laid a Gohan with no fire. No flame in his punches, no desire to fight. A Gohan who fought like he had already lost, and was simply fighting to survive. Not to win, simply to live. Deep down inside, he was still a young boy. He didn't have the heart of a fighter, he had the heart of a broken son.

In that moment, Goku made a choice, one he knew would have major consequences if done incorrectly, but it was the only way he could think he could make sure everyone would be safe after his battle with Cell.

Afterwards Goku and Gohan would complete their year of training inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, both having grown much stronger than they before, and even surpassing Vegeta in his Ascended Super Saiyan state. With that, Goku would take his second year in the Chamber, this time with the Present Gohan. Unlike with his future counterpart, Goku's training with him would be more lax; less focused on surpassing him and more on simply becoming stronger, strong enough to protect himself and his mother, on the occasion his father wasn't there.

Finally, after that second year in the chamber and a few days outside, the day of the Cell Games would arrive, and after Cell's warm up, courtesy of Hercule Satan, the real tournament would begin.

"So... Let's get the tournament underway. Who will be first?" Cell asked the lot, looking over the Z-Fighters. "Will it be Goku? To start things off?"

Without a word, Goku approached the tournament ground, stepping up with one foot, before speaking up. "Let's just get going, Cell..."

Cell smirked.

"But before we do..." Goku spoke back up, causing Cell to tilt in his head slightly. "I want one last rule added to your little 'Cell Games'..."

"Feeling in a bargaining mood, are we, Goku?" Cell glared at the Saiyan. "Fine. I'll hear you out? What's this 'rule' of your's?"

Goku's own smile disappeared, instead a sharp look in his eyes pierce right into Cell. "I'm the one you want, isn't that right?"

Cell only smirked.

"Then leave the others out of this. I'll fight you, with everything I've got. But win or lose, you leave the rest of the Earth alone."

There was a brief pause, which was quickly broken by Cell's devilish laughter, something that only made Goku glare deeper. After he had finished laughing, Cell sighed in satisfaction, before shaking his head slightly at Goku.

"Oh, Goku, you jokester... Tell me why exactly I would agree to that? And furthermore, you understand that when you say 'win or lose', we both mean 'I kill you' or 'you kill me'. What guarantee would you even have that if I kill you, I'll even honor this little promise of ours?"

Goku raised his fist, not breaking eye contact with the Bio-Android.

"Because if you don't, I won't fight you."

Silence filled the air, with no one able to react properly to the words Goku had just said. Vegeta hissed with anger, while Gohan and his present counterpart only watched with stunned expressions. Krillin and Yamcha's reaction was more a less a combination of fearful sputters and nervous laughter, while Tien and Piccolo simply stared deeply at Goku, begging to know what was going through the Saiyan's head.

Cell's own reaction with a mixture of them all, first clenching his fists in anger at the audacity, while a part of him burned with curiosity at what Goku was planning. He had implanted knowledge on Goku, especially Goku, and none of this was like him. It made him feel unnerved, and yet the primal feeling he felt was impatience.

He had gone through so much, so many battles, so many lives taken, but they were all paltry compared to this. This was Son Goku, the one he had been created to destroy.

Cell crossed his arms, letting out a sigh of frustration.

"Very well, Goku. I'll play ball with you... There's an entire universe of weaklings to torture once I'm done with you, so what's one little dirtball?"

Cell narrowed his eyes.

"But if you so much as hold back a single punch... I'll take my time destroying everything and everyone you've everheld dear..."

Goku said nothing, only stepping up fully onto the stage and facing Cell face-to-face, charging his aura, the mere pressure surprising everyone around them. Everyone but Cell.

"Just say when, Cell."

Cell's first response would be to power up, the sheer weight of his own power leaving the onlookers speechless.

"When."

In an instant, Goku and Cell dashed right for one another, an explosion of lightning scattering around the tournament grounds, while both threw punches and kicks at an incredible rate, yet neither landing a blow quite yet. Finally Cell threw a punch, which Goku quickly teleported behind him to block, only for the Bio-Android to call his movement, swiftly jerking his arm back and smacking Goku in the face with his elbow, causing him to take a few steps back to recover.

After a second, Goku rushed Cell, preparing a massive uppercut, one Cell just as quickly blocked, only for the afterimage to fade; surprised by the technique Cell dropped his guard, just for a second, allowing Goku to land the uppercut on Cell, throwing him back. Flipping to maintain his balance, Cell prepared a chop which Goku caught, before throwing his own punch, which Cell caught. With both arms occupied a battle of brute strength began, with both fighters attempting to shove the other off.

Cell chuckled between grunts, before tilting his head back and slamming it into Goku's, screaming in pain, Goku only responded by doing the same, slamming his own head back into Cell's. After being on the receiving end of yet another headbutt, Cell chuckled again, before his eyes glowed for a second, making Goku gasp in fear. In less than a second, beams of energy fired from Cell's eyes, ones Goku only narrowly dodged, thanks to his Instant Transmission, before kicking Cell in the back of head; already being off-balance, the Bio-Android was sent face-first into hard ground of the tournament floor.

Without allowing him a minute to recover, Goku leapt into the air, firing a series of ki blasts down at Cell, which were all swiftly avoided, with a series of leaps and teleportation. Despite this, Goku's attack didn't let up, while everyone else focused on what Goku would have been planning, only Piccolo knew the real answer.

"That's... my technique!" he relayed to the Z-Fighters.

Sure enough, Cell would be surprised to learn that the blasts Goku fired were no mere blasts, but instead a series of aerial landmines trapping him in place, as they floated all around him. Goku nodded, bringing his hands together and guiding all the ki blasts to one location: Cell.

"Hellzone Grenade!" Goku shouted.

With that every blast flew directly towards Cell, the display of energy becoming so bright it practically blinded everyone around them. However, when the smoke cleared the reality was not in the Z-Fighters' favor, as a large barrier had appeared over Cell

"You know, Goku... I'm rather disappointed." Cell muttered, rolling his eyes. "I know for a fact you had seen that trick from Piccolo, and yet, you forget the same way Android 17 managed to avoid it is at my disposal."

Piccolo hissed in frustration, while the others only watched in terror.

"The truth is, I would've assumed you had something bigger planned than..."

Cell paused, as he, and everyone else had spotted where Goku was: he was still high into the sky, but this time he was charging a kamehameha. In an instant he vanished before appearing right in front of Cell.

"HAAAA!"

Attacking at full force and at point blank, the impact casually destroyed the top half of Cell, disintegrating his head, upper torso, and arms without a trace. Celebrations would be held throughout the crowd, which would all be cut short, as the bottom half of Cell would spring up, and in a few short seconds, the upper half would grow out from the bottom like a terrifying mushroom.

Panting heavily from his resurrection, Cell smirked at Goku, a tilt of his head out of respect for the fighter as he spoke aloud.

"I'm impressed, Goku... Very impressed. You really had me going there for a minute, thinking that the Hellzone Grenade technique was your ace-in-the-hole..."

Goku chuckled slightly, panting rather hard himself.

"Now, I see that I've really started to push you to the limit, but I'm not so sure I'm satisfied with that anymore... I want to break that limit, shatter it. Whether or not you live or die! I just want to see everything you've got!"

Cell chuckled slightly, flexing his muscles and spreading his wings slightly, before raising a single arm skyward.

"And to do that I believe you and I might need to... 'spread our wings' a little."

With a single wave of his arm, the tournament grounds beneath them were reduced to dust, utilizing a technique not dissimilar to the one used by Nappa, or the one Frieza used in his Second Form on Namek. Regardless, with no ring, yet no other changes to the tournament, Cell only smirked, preparing for his next attack, as Goku prepared to gather his energy.

"Now... What else shall we try?" Cell taunted, before perking up. "Oh, I've got one... Try this one on for size."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Cell charged his energy before splitting into two, then four. Goku grit his teeth, doing his best to catch his breath, while all four Cell's simply chuckled in sync.

"Multi-Form... What do you think, Goku? Won't this make things more interesting?"

His breath caught, Goku only entered his fighting stance, before charging his aura, as if to tell the monster 'Bring it'.

Accepting the challenge, three of the four Cells raced towards Goku, the other staying behind and throwing a series of ki blasts. Goku lept the air, dodging the blasts, and boosting off one of the Cell's to leap even higher, only for one Cell's arm to stretch and grab hold of Goku's leg, slowing him down, while the other two advanced on him. Both Cells bombarded Goku with a series of punches and kicks, only to both be swiftly taken aback by Goku firing an air pressure attack to throw them off, before kicking downwards at the Cell below him to release him.

The Cell would only tighten his grip, as Goku continued to slam his foot into his head, before freezing at the spike of ki he felt around him, one in the form of a Cell firing a Death Beam, while the other fired a Special Beam Cannon.

Thinking quickly, Goku twisted his hip, dodging the Death Beam by the skin of his teeth, before forcing his legs over him, flipping and taking the Cell on his legs for the ride. Positioning himself proper, Special Beam Cannon pierced through the arms that were holding him, freeing Goku, as well as causing the spiral attack to slam through the Cell that had fired the Death Beam. With a breath of exhaustion, Goku allowed himself to fall to the ground, where he could-

"Dad, no!"

In that second, Goku realized the purpose of Cell's Multi-Form stunt. It wasn't to surprise him, it was to exhaust him. And distract him. He watched in horror as he slowly descended near the actual Cell who had been charging a familiar purple ki blast.

"Galick Gun, FIRE!"

With a mixture of fear and shock, Goku would be completely overwhelmed by the blast's energy, both exhausted mentally and physically, the Galick Gun would... cause Son Goku to perish.

As the Z-Fighters watched in terror as they no longer felt Goku's ki signature, the other Cells merged with the original, whose soft pants would transition to intense laughter.

"Well then! Wasn't that just splendid!" he smiled, placing his hands on his hips, before turning to Vegeta. "Tell me, Vegeta, you can take a degree of pride from that, can't you? I could've used a Kamehameha wave, but I chose something a little more interesting... What do you think?"

Cell's answer would come in the form of not Vegeta, but rather two sudden surges of energy, the change of ki feeling like a sudden gust of wind on the entire battlefield. The ground around them shook, as the clouds around them would be pushed away, with the center of it all being, not just one, but both Gohans.

With a mighty shout, both Gohan's power levels doubled, their aura's crackling with electricity, while their hair spiked higher than before.

Little did Goku know through his own death, a revival would be done. The revitalization of fire that had been locked away in two humble hearts. A young man with a broken existence, forced to watch his father die for the third time, and a child who had seen his future through another, and forced to live through the same. Deep down inside, both fires had finally burned bright enough to spark, and explode.

The older Gohan would step forward, with the younger following shortly after.

"Cell... We will be your next opponent..."

Cell, despite feeling the boys' incredible increase in power, only narrowed his eyes, chuckling slightly.

"Oh? Does the little time traveler and his baby brother want to come and avenge Daddy? You don't seriously plan on fighting me, do you?"

The younger Gohan shook his head. "No..."

Before Cell could gloat, his response would instead be a throaty scream, as both Gohan's practically teleported; delivering dual punches to his abdomen.

The older Gohan finished his counterpart's sentence. "We plan to kill you."

This is a story about potential, the one that lives in all of us. It doesn't matter our struggles, our failures, or our loss of motivation. Deep down, we all have the potential to grow stronger, and to protect the ones we love. Our lows may seem impossible to escape from, but the truth is, they only exist to remind us how much higher we can soar, and surpass the times that brought us down. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Beerus chuckled to himself, as he rattled the two Potara Earrings in his palm.

"Alright... Once we have our own merged fighter, we'll be back in control."

Champa's surprise trick had paid off in spades, as the fusion of Kale and Caulfila, or Kefla, had taken the tournament by surprise, giving even Goku a run for his money. Despite the initial pushback, and accusations of cheating, the fusion technique was given the 'okay' by Grand Zeno, and so, Potara Fusions were declared fair game, not just for Universe 6, but for every universe in the tournament.

"Well then!" Shin perked up. "Might I suggest Android 17 and 18 and candidates?"

The suggestion surprised all the humans on the stands, most of all Krillin.

"Hey, now! That's my wife you're talking about!" He protested.

Krillin's complaints would fall on deaf ears, as Beerus only clenched the earrings closer, perking up at the suggestion.

"Oh yes, they are twin siblings, aren't they? That would make them well suited for merging. Good thinking, Supreme Kai!"

"We could call them 'Android 35'! That has a pleasant ring to it!"

"If I may, sirs..." Whis suddenly spoke up. "While a combined warrior would be formidable... to use such an ace-up-our-sleeves, at a time like this, may prove to be a waste, considering others may follow our lead. And considering..."

They all watched as a large explosion erupted from Kefla's battle with Goku.

Beerus rolled his eyes. "Very well... We can save this conversation for later..."

Bet I got ya, didn't I?

While, yes, in the timeline you may be familiar with, Whis would make a strong point against the merging of fighters, due to the risk of losing two fighters at once, in this timeline his point-of-view would be slightly different. It was clear that Potara Fusions were powerful, if Kefla was any indication, but with such power in mind, it was clear that other fighters would likely gang up on these fusions; even worse, these gangs could potentially consist of other fusions.

And so, it would only be until after Kefla's defeat, after Goku had been exhausted of all his energy that the real change would happen.

Ribranne and Roazie both giggled, as more of their teammates appeared, surrounding Goku.

"So, your whole team's gonna gang up on me, huh?" Goku asked, still trying to catch his breath.

"That's how love is!" Ribranne replied gleefully. "It can hit you all at once, and knock you off your feet!"

Goku only gritted his teeth, doing his best to gather his strength.

"This is our chance, Roazie! It's time to show the cosmos what we do!" Ribranne cheered to her teammate.

"Sounds good to me, Ribranne!"

With that, both magical girls would leap into the air, before landing on a rock behind them.

Goku cringed, preparing his body for whatever was to come, only to be surprised by two others who suddenly leapt in front of him: Android 17 and Android 18.

"Boy, am I glad to see you two..." Goku said through a chuckle. "Any chance I could get a hand with these guys..?"

Android 17 only gave a half-hearted smile to Goku, as a response, before turning to face his sister fully. "Tell me, 18. Does now sound good to you?"

Android 18 smiled back, half-shrugging. "Good as time as any, I guess."

With that, both Androids pulled out their trump cards from their respective pockets: Shin's Potara Earrings.

"Woah! Don't tell be you're gonna-"

Goku's answer would be the Android's doing just as he expected, with Android 17 placing his Potara on his left ear and Android 18 on her right, there was a powerful glow of a blue energy; one so bright it managed to stop Ribranne and Roazie in their tracks, with the remainder of Universe 2's team simply staring in awe. When the light faded, in its place stood a single Android in between.

The new android wore an olive green tracksuit jacket, with a pair of jeans, and white fingerless gloves. Their facial features were sharp, with blue eyes, and a mix of blonde and black locks of hair.

Turning around to face Goku, Android 35 chuckled slightly, before glaring at Universe 2's team.

"Why don't you take five, Goku, and let me handle these guys..."

In a mixture of amazement and bewilderment, Goku giggled, leaning backwards onto his arms, while Android 35 entered their fighting stance.

"You guys wanna come at me all at once, or should I take you down one and a time?" they taunted.

"H-h-how dare you speak to us that way!" Ribranne shouted. "Unforgivable! In the name of love, I will punish-"

Ribranne's monologue would be swiftly interrupted by Android 35, who quickly leapt onto the rock they stood on, between her and Roazie, firing two blasts from both hands and throwing them off of the structure. Quickly doing her best to recover, Roazie lept from platform to platform, before rushing right after Android 35 with her Yacchaina Fist.

Despite Android 35 swiftly dodging each attack, Roazie's speed only increased, putting 35 on the defense, as they sped around the area. Taking advantage of Roazie's distraction, Ribranne brought her hands together, forming a heart, before firing a Pretty Cannon.

In an instant, Android 35 activated their barrier, blocking the ki blast and throwing Roazie off of them, before quickly grabbing Roazie's arm, spinning her around and tossing her into Ribranne.

Landing back on their feet, Android 35 crossed their arms.

"That all you got?" they taunted.

Their answer would come in the form of Zirloin appearing behind them, before grabbing hold of them in a bearhug; meanwhile, Zarbuto and Rabanra both charged straight for them, both intending on attacking with their full force.

Cracking a smile, Android 35 boosted themselves off the ground, flipping over and freeing themselves from Zirloin, before slamming a fist into his back. With their momentum already at its peak, both Zarbuto and Rabanra crashed into Zirlion throwing him backwards.

Sliding between Zirloin's legs like a parkourist, Android 35 flipped with a spin, slamming Zarbuto and Rabanra's heads against one another, before landing on their feet and firing a massive ki blast towards the three of them, sending them tumbling down like pins, and right off of the tournament ground, eliminating all three in a single blow.

"Y-y-you- You monster!" Ribranne shouted in a mixture of panic and bemusement. "How- How could you! You're- You're going to pay for this dearly!"

Android 35 rolled their eyes, before waving their hand as if to say 'give me your best shot'.

"B-b-b-bring it." Android 35 mocked the stutter, their tone still as flat as an old soda.

With that, Ribranne fired a chain of heart-shaped energy, which quickly latched onto Android 35's wrist; instead of being afraid, however, Android 35 only whipped their arm backwards, tugging Ribranne towards themselves, where she'd quickly end on the receiving end of a massive punch, which threw her back.

Forming a Destructo Disc in the opposite hand, Android 35 sliced the chain off of them, before leaping after Ribranne and slamming her into the ground with a kick, the impact hitting with a large 'thud'.

Landing a short distance from the Kamikaze Fireball, Android 35 held up both hands, preparing a large ki blast, sure to finish Ribranne off and eliminate her from the tournament.

"Well, I'm bored now. Time to finish this..."

"Ribranne!"

In less than a second, Roazie leapt between the two of them, her arms wide and taking the hit for her comrade. Sent flying off the tournament grounds, Android 35 simply shrugged off the gesture, holding out their hands again, prepared for the next attack.

However, Ribranne would suddenly begin to glow with a white light, picking herself up. After a few seconds, Android 35 perked up at sound, turning around to see the entirety of Universe 2's team from the stands (and even some from Universe 6) cheering and chanting Ribranne's name.

In a surprising act, Ribranne stood to her feet, putting her hands on her hips.

"Do you feel it? That's love! The strongest power there is! Stronger than war, or hatred!"

As the white light continued to glow brighter, Ribranne began to slowly grow in size and suddenly sprouted a pair of butterfly-like wings.

"And it's definitely stronger than you! Love is the greatest thing there is! It's why we fight!"

Holding out her arms upwards, Ribranne smiled brightly, as a massive heart-shaped attack began to form in her hands, its soon-to-be target, very, very clear. Getting into their fighting stance, Android 35 glared at the attack, preparing their own ki blast in their hands and shouting back.

"You think I don't know that?" Android 35 shouted. "17 might act all 'too cool' to admit it, and 18 might be too shy to say, but the only reason they came together was because of that love! Their love for each other, their love for their families, and their love for their universe!"

Throwing her hand downwards, not unlike a Spirit Bomb, Ribranne launched the 'Love Bomb' straight for Android 35, who only prepared to fire their blast as well.

"You wanna see that love? Take it!"

With a battlecry, Android 35 fired their blast towards the Love Bomb which collided in mid-air. Pushing with all her might, Ribranne let out a scream of her own, her wings fluttering quickly, as she slowly began to fly higher. Meanwhile, Android 35 only continued to focus on their blast, a focus that was nearly shaken by another's voice.

"Hey... Thanks for buying the time. How 'bout I give you a hand?" Goku perked up, powering up to a Super Saiyan.

Android 35 nodded, turning to him with a smile. "Think you can hold off that blast for a second?"

"You bet."

Bringing his hands to his side, a familiar blue energy formed in his hands, before exploding into the iconic blast.

"Kamehameha!"

With the combined two blasts overwhelming Ribranne's, Android 35 leapt to the sky, activating their barrier, before phasing through the Love Bomb. Breaching out of it like a whale from the ocean, and revving up one final punch towards Ribranne.

In that split second, right before the impact, Ribranne smiled.

"You do have love..!" she gasped in delight.

With that, Android 35's punch connected, swatting Ribranne downwards and slamming her through the tournament grounds, eliminating her and finishing off the last of Universe 2's team. Landing downwards and somberly watching as the rest of the team and the entirety of Universe 2 was erased, Android 35 promised themselves that at the end of the tournament, they'd set things right.

Of course, you know the rest of the story, Universe 7 would lead one final charge against Jiren, with Goku and Frieza powering through their remaining energy and ringing Jiren out. As the last one standing, Android 35 would make due on their promise, wishing for the revival of every universe that had been erased; a wish not made out of spite, like the wish made by Android 17 in the timeline you know, but one made out of genuine and true love. After defusing, Android 17 and 18 would actually return back to their usual lives, admittedly, not as separate as they once were.

This story's theme could not be more clear: love. It doesn't matter if it's love for family, love for a community, love for a partner, or even love for one's own lifestyle; love is quite possibly the most powerful thing in the world. Have it be the love that makes one willing to be more vulnerable, or the love that gives us the strength to power through and care on; love is something we simply cannot live without. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Flying towards the large mole-like creature, Goku stopped a few feet short and landed on the ground, putting his hands on his hips and letting out an impressed chuckle.

"When you get all worked up, you're a pretty good fighter! It's really too bad it takes so much to get you in the mood!"

"When I'm angry, I'm ten-times the fighter you just fought!" The Shadow Dragon rolled his eyes.

Having just caught up, and with a new hat no less, Pan perked up, asking the obvious question.

"So, you never told us which wish it was that brought you into existence..."

The Shadow Dragon narrowed his eyes, before beginning his narration.

"Do you remember the evil wizard Babidi? He took control of Vegeta at the World Martial Arts Tournament... I was born of the wish that restored the innocent lives that Vegeta stole that day!"

Pan rolled her eyes. "That sounds kind of dramatic, the last dragon was born from a wish for underwear..."

"You see, that's exactly the kind of ignorance I've come to expect from you people..."

With their preamble finished, Naturon Shenron let out a roar before slamming one of his paws onto the ground, and just as so, a blast of energy ripped from the ground, throwing Goku and Pan backwards, with the latter losing their hat, as well.

"See that? That's what I like to call the 'Aftershock Technique'! No one can handle a concentrated blast of energy from below! Everyone gets blown away!"

Taking a minute to gather himself, Goku looked down at the dragon, Pan taking flight nearby him.

"Well... I have to admit it... As far as Dragons go, you're the most interesting, so far..."

Naturon Shenron chuckled as a response. "Why, thank you... And as far as little boys that turn into grown men go, you're interesting too!"

Getting an idea, Pan would speak up next, doing her best to hide her smile. "That technique you just used couldn't work if your opponent is in the air, could it?"

Naturon Shenron's chuckling stopped.

"Oh my! Guess I hit the bullseye, again!" Pan whooped, giggling slightly.

"Alright, fine! You got me there. Ho ho ho!" Naturon Shenron replied in a mocking tone, before beginning to stomp and puff air from his nostrils. "But don't think flying people like yourselves are out from behind enemy lines!"

With yet another roar, Naturon Shenron slammed both fists into the ground, forcing another wave of ki to erupt from the ground like a deadly geyser. Despite firing the technique multiple times, neither Goku nor Pan seemed to have any trouble dodging, even laughing and having a bit of fun as they did so.

"This attack isn't that bad!" Goku commented with a smile.

"It's kind of like playin' dodgeball at school!"

Naturon Shenron, meanwhile, only watched with befuddlement.

"What's wrong with you people? Why do you keep making fun of me? I'll show you what kind of dragon you're dealing with!"

As if to meet with his challenge, Goku and Pan both landed atop the Dragon's head.

"We're up here!" Goku taunted.

"Come on, Naturon! Give us your best shot!" Pan goaded, as well.

"Get off my head!" Naturon Shenron groaned in protest. "I'm trying to concentrate-"

The mole-like dragon's complaints would be cut short, as a massive explosion erupted below him; with the Dragon right in the crossfires and the blast attacking him point blank.

"Aw, man! That's the oldest trick in the book!" Pan whooped happily, as the smoke settled, revealing the Shadow Dragon, now burnt and covered in debris.

Goku brought his arms to his side, prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

"I'd love to keep playing, but it's time to bring this fight to a close..."

"B-B-Beaten... by... my own technique..." the Dragon mumbled. "How- That wasn't-"

And with one final stammer, Naturon Shenron slammed to the ground, much to Goku and Pan's surprise.

"Well... That's a little anticlimactic..." Goku muttered, before turning to Pan. "Do you think he's got another round in him?"

Goku's answer would come in the form of an explosion of black smoke, with the blue, cracked Dragon Ball flinging out, as a result.

Quick to catch it, Pan smiled proudly. "And just like that, the Seven-Star Ball is our's!"

Before either her or Goku could react, the Dragon Ball began to glow with a bright blue color, gaining a powerful aura that would grow in size, eventually swallowing Pan within it.

From the aura a voice growled out. "And just like that, the little girl is the Seven-Star Ball's!"

"Pan!" Goku shouted in panic, watching her horror as the burning bright light consumed his granddaughter, before dropping his jaw at what stood before him once the light faded.

In front of very eyes stood Pan, yet... different...

The Pan that stood before him looked taller, slightly older, her hair was longer. She now wore a dark turquoise, robe-like dress, with a puffy collar, resembling the one she wore on Monmaasu, when dressed as a bee, and on her wrist she wore a corsage, with the blue, cracked Dragon Ball like a gemstone. Despite this, her face, facial features, and even the orange bandana she wore on her head looked just like normal, which only made Goku's stomach twist more. The feeling that not only had this thing just taken Pan, but his Pan, his granddaughter.

"Surprised?" the 'new' Pan spoke, her voice a little deeper than before. "What do you think, 'grandpa'?"

It's unfortunate, but yes, things were very different in the universe. The Divergence took place far before this battle took place, and as soon as Naturon Shenron first laid his eyes on Son Goku. Ever the trickster, Naturon Shenron developed a plan that would spell a vastly different outcome. Instead of simply powering up further and taking a bigger, scarier appearance, in order to goad Goku into their next battle; Naturon Shenron would instead form a different strategy, which involved breaking Son Goku. But first, he would need to get into his head, and what better way to do so, than with his own blood.

Goku roared, charging up his Super Saiyan 4 aura.

"You-! You monster! What did you do to Pan?" Goku shouted in a mixture of fury and confusion. "How are you still alive? You couldn't have survived that blast!"

This new, 'Naturon Pan' only cracked a smile, before rolling her shoulders back and stretching her arms.

"In a way, I didn't." she replied, before gesturing behind her. "Not in that weak little body, at least."

Goku glared at wherever the Shadow Dragon had pointed, gasping in shock at the sight: a single measly mole.

"I used that little mole as my first model, but now I have a much needed upgrade!"

Growling in anger, Goku charged his aura again, before racing towards Naturon with a fist at the ready.

Naturon Pan's eyes widened, before quickly covering their face the way a child would.

"Grandpa!" she cried.

Goku flinched, stopping short, and allowing Naturon to land a kick to his torso, launching him backwards; not just due to power granted by the union, but doubling as they had managed to catch Goku off-guard.

Placing her hands on her hips, Naturon Pan laughed loudly.

"Come on, now! That was almost too easy! You mean to say, not only do I get to knock you around... I even get a free plate during the family gatherings?"

Picking himself up, Goku stared the dark reflection of his granddaughter down.

Bringing her fingers to her chin, Naturon Pan hummed thoughtfully, before perking back up. "It's been a while since we've done one of those... hasn't it, Grandpa? Remember when we used to get ice cream together?"

The memory caused Goku's eyes to widen, leaving him open for a second, and allowing Naturon Pan to take advantage of the situation, throwing a series of punches at kicks straight for Goku. Despite being able to avoid or dodge every attack, Goku would be pushed back slowly, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to attack the girl.

"Come on, Grandpa! Aren't ya gonna fight me?" Naturon Pan taunted, before gasping, and getting an idea.

Leaping backwards, she took a familiar pose, bringing both arms to her sides, with her wrists meeting together.

"Let's try this one on for size! We can do it at the same time! All we need is a good chant!"

Naturon Pan smirked, pretending to think.

"Oh! I've got one, let's try 'Pickle Pot, Pepper Pot, Purple Pot', yeah?"

Screaming with a mixture of frustration, anger, and loss, Goku brought his hands to his head, clutching it as he shook violently. "S-Stop it! Get out of my head! Get out of my granddaughter's body!"

Almost as a response, a voice rang through Goku's head, one that sounded like Pan; the real Pan.

"Grandpa, please! You have to fight! Please!"

Goku's eyes widened again.

"Grandpa..? Aren't you going to fight me?" he heard again, but this time coming from Naturon Pan, almost sounding dejected, like the way the real Pan sounded whenever she was upset.

"Grandpa?"

"Grandpa!"

"You have to fight! It's the only way to win!"

"Please fight..."

Clenching his fists, Goku rushed towards Naturon Pan throwing punch after punch at the younger fighter, and sending her flying. Without letting her regather herself, he grabbed her legs before spinning her around and throwing her into a nearby rock structure, then firing a Kamehameha.

As the smoke settled, Goku called out, hoping that it had somehow worked, and that Pan had returned to normal.

"Pan!"

Goku's only response would be the eerie chuckling of Naturon Pan, who, while certainly roughed up, was still standing right and proper.

"Now that's more like it! When you get all worked up, you're a pretty good fighter..." Naturon Pan snickered, mocking Goku's words from before. "It's really too bad it takes so much to get you in the mood!"

Goku took a step back.

"That voice! Was that you, or Pan?"

Naturon Pan shrugged, uncaringly. "Who knows, who cares? What I wanna know is why you're still holding back! Come on, Grandpa! I told you not to hold back against me!"

Putting her hands on her hips, Naturon Pan only continued to complain.

"That's what I can't stand about all you adults! You treat me like a little kid! How am I supposed to get stronger, if all you do is baby me!"

Goku froze. It was only getting harder to tell what Naturon was simply parroting from what he must've heard from before, and things that Pan could actually be saying. Maybe Naturon Shenron had maybe gotten access to Pan's memories? Or maybe it was the Dragon Balls themselves who had retained knowledge from them all? Naturon Shenron had mentioned Babidi earlier, maybe they had? Or could it be that Naturon Shenron had been following them underground, and had-

Suddenly a higher pitched voice perked up from behind Goku.

"Giru-Giru-Giru!" Giru chirped, picking himself up from the rubble of the previous battle, before stabilizing himself in the air.

"Giru!" Naturon Pan whooped, sounding delighted at the sight of the Machine Mutant and reaching her arms out towards him, as if inviting him for a hug.

Just as confused as Goku, Giru tilted his 'head' a number of times and spun around, before joyfully racing towards Pan to receive the hug.

"Pan, Pan! Pan, Pan!" he sang as she embraced him.

Naturon Pan smiled, before rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "I'm happy to see somebody's treating me as normal!"

She gestured towards Goku, as if to say 'get a load of this guy'.

"Grandpa can't even stand the look at me!"

Goku looked down at his hands. Was he fighting Pan after all? Had he just launched a barrage of attacks at his own granddaughter? Had Pan somehow come back to her senses during the beatdown? But then, why did she still look different? Why had she mocked what he had said to Naturon Shenron?

In that moment, with his mind scattered, not knowing left from right, or even the identity of the girl in front of him, Goku stood motionless. Thus, making him the perfect prey for the enemy to strike.

Tossing Giru behind herself, not even caring to see where he landed, Naturon Pan dashed straight for Goku, hitting him with a barrage of powerful blows to his stomach, before leaping back. Forming a ki blast in her hand Naturon Pan slammed it downwards, causing the ground underneath Goku to erupt like a volcano.

His senses overloaded and his mind overblown, Goku brought his pointer and middle finger to his forehead, hoping to concentrate, when-

His head would whip back, having been struck by Pan in the face, by the same backhand that her corsage was worn on, and where the Dragon Ball laid.

Suddenly the ground would shake like an earthquake, not unlike it had earlier that day, but on a completely different magnitude. An explosion of light filled the entire area, with over a mile radius. The clouds above began to part, before slowly starting to revolve around the light, as if the beginning of a tornado formed, while lightning cracked from above, the loud thunder sounding like something out of a nightmare.

Flung from the light was Pan, now returned to her usual appearance, and after being shaken awake by the uproar that occurred would be the first to lay witness to the monster that had been borne once the lightshow faded.

The figure appeared as a tall man, one only barely resembling her grandfather in his Super Saiyan 4 state, yet with even more wild black hair, dark turquoise fur and similar turquoise markings around his eyes, which now sported red irises. Around his neck he wore a thin, popped collar, almost resembling the frilled neck of a lizard, while his tail also looked more reptilian in appearance. Lastly, the once golden yellow pants had turned white, with the sash turning a red color.

The newly born 'Naturon Goku' shot a toothy grin at Pan, causing the young girl to scamper backwards in fear.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Naturon Goku growled. "A head-on attack? Sure, anyone can avoid that... But a concentrated attack from below? One you're not quite expecting?"

The Shadow Dragon screamed in a mixture of vigor and delight, charing his aura, the pressure being enough to throw Pan backwards.

"Everyone gets blown away!"

This story, this utterly terrifying story is about fear. How it can shake us, and how it can break us. And most importantly, why we must be willing to stand up to it, and fight for it. It's often said that bravery is not the lack of fear, but rather the acceptance of said fear, but refusal to let oneself's be defined by it. True bravery is to say "Yes, I am afraid, but I will keep fighting." I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

"You are testing my patience, Kakarot..." Raditz rolled his eyes, toying with a piece of fruit. "I've been more than generous with you so far, so for the last time... I strongly recommend that you join us!"

Goku grit his teeth, clenching his fists. "I don't care what you 'recommend', the answer is still no!"

"You should listen to your big brother..."

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a brother."

Watching from the sidelines, Piccolo rolled his eyes. He couldn't care less about Goku's family quarrels. He had a score to settle with Goku, but at the moment there were bigger things at play. This quote-unquote 'Saiyan' was dangerous, and if left unchecked, could spell bad news for the rest of the world. A world that was rightfully his to rule.

"It's too bad, little brother! I do think you'd find the life of a Saiyan to be quite invigorating!"

Tossing the fruit into the air and catching it, Raditz continued.

"Traveling to worlds unknown, fighting whoever you please, living a life of freedom! And yet, you choose to side with a fraction of that! A single measly planet, with a bunch of worthless humans... and a Namekian."

With a hiss, Raditz shattered the fruit with his grip.

"I don't care about that!" Goku shouted back. "Earth is my home! So give back Gohan, and just get out of here!"

Catch that?

The Divergence in this timeline may have been subtle, but its impact would be monumental. The simple acknowledgement of Piccolo's true origin would prove to have little impact on Piccolo himself, as his mind would be better focused on the battle with Raditz, the revelation would shake the very core of another: Kami.

While Piccolo and Goku dealt with Raditz, sudden memories flashed into the elder, almost overwhelmingly. And yet, upon meditating deeply on them (as well as the situation regarding the Saiyans, and the two that would be arriving) over the course of months, only one choice could be made...

It would be after the fourth month of training for the Saiyan Invasion that Kami would attempt to reach out to Piccolo using telepathy, and it would be many more months of being ignored by his evil half. Day and night he would call him, begging, swearing on their shared life that no ill will was at play.

Finally, after the eighth month Piccolo would acquiesce, meeting Kami on the Lookout on a late night once the other Z-Fighters and Gohan had all fallen asleep, a long day of training behind them.

"What do you want, old man? For four months you've pestered me, interrupted my mediating with your whining. What's so important?"

Closing his eyes, as if to gather his strength Kami replied.

"Try to understand, Piccolo. I wouldn't have attempted to contact you if the need wasn't urgent. I have mediated, as well, you see. Right now, we find ourselves on the crux of a great calamity, one far beyond the scale that we once fled when we were one."

Piccolo rolled his eyes.

"Right, the Saiyans. That's why we're training, why you're training the humans."

Kami shook his head.

"The Saiyans are a threat, yes, but they are not the one I refer to. I refer to the one they answer to, to which they are but fodder to."

Piccolo perked up.

"Even if, perchance, we are able to stand up to the Saiyans, and defeat them, someone stronger will take their place, and after them, someone even stronger. We cannot risk the Earth becoming a battleground, in the same vein we cannot allow the Dragon Balls to fall into their hands."

"So... what do you suggest?"

Bringing his hands together and resting on his staff, Kami sighed deeply, before speaking back up.

"I created the Dragon Balls nearly 300 years ago... They are linked to me, and I am linked to them. If I were to perish, or disappear from this reality, they would cease to exist..."

"So, if either of us die." Piccolo continued the thought.

"Or, if you and I become one again."

Piccolo stepped back, before standing up fully and shouting at the older Namekian.

"Are you out of your mind?!" he protested.

"Piccolo, try to be reasonable. Do you think I'm happy with this reality? Giving up my free will? But this is reality. And it is the only reality where we can guarantee victory against the Saiyans and guarantee that the Dragon Balls will not fall into evil's hands."

Kami paused, walking over the edge of the Lookout to view the Earth below.

"After the threat of the Saiyans is over, we will travel back to our homeworld, Namek. We can use the Dragon Balls on their world to repair the damage done to Earth. We may even find a means to create new Dragon Balls for this world, but we will not be able to split ourselves apart. This will be the reality for us both, forever."

Piccolo wanted to argue, but everything Kami had said was true. This was the only way to guarantee victory.

"We'll wait until the day the Saiyans arrive, until after Goku has been revived. On that day, come meet with me, and we will merge."

With an unhappy grunt, Piccolo nodded, before turning away.

"I've been watching you, Piccolo. You and that boy."

Piccolo prepared to snap back, but Kami spoke back up.

"You are raising him well... Have a good night."

With another annoyed grunt, Piccolo would leave, and as planned, they would remain separate for the remainder of the year they had. However, soon the day would come, and as promised, Piccolo would return to the Lookout.

Kami would have one final moment to himself, watching the dark sky turn blue for the final time, before telling Piccolo how much he had changed, and that life was a beautiful thing. Despite rejecting the notion of his change, Piccolo would place his hands on Kami, and with a mighty shout that shook the lookout... Kami was gone.

Returning to meet with Gohan, they would be joined by Krillin after a few hours, and shortly after a massive wave of energy could be felt racing towards them, like a sudden gust of wind. Within seconds, the source of the energy made itself known, the Saiyans.

"So, one more joined them! What do you suppose these three are out doing in the middle of nowhere." the larger one chuckled.

"I think they were waiting for us..." the shorter replied. "Yes... I know it."

Meanwhile, Krillin could barely stand, his nerves shaking him to his core.

"Woah... This is it, it's really happening... So these are the Saiyans, can you feel those power levels?" he panicked. "They're even stronger than I imagined... What are we gonna do, guys?"

"Krillin!" Piccolo spoke over him, in a stern, but calming tone. "Calm down. Remember your training. This is what we prepared for, all of us."

Krillin nodded his head, before agreeing. "Y-Yeah... Yeah, you're right, Piccolo..."

Piccolo blinked. It wasn't like him to care about the short one, but it didn't matter, he seemed calmer, which was good. It was difficult to focus with him chattering, anyway.

As both Saiyans landed in front of him, Piccolo grit his teeth, before speaking up first.

"Let's skip the preamble. Leave this planet, and tell whoever sent you to leave Earth alone. This planet is mine to protect, and this is your only chance to leave it with your lives."

The shorter Saiyan seemed unimpressed, but perked up regardless.

"That voice! I see... You're the one who defeated Raditz one year ago, the Namekian, no doubt!"

"My voice?"

"Right... Didn't Raditz tell you?"

The Saiyan gestured to the machine covering his eye.

"Our scouters also work as communicators..."

Piccolo grit his teeth again, before clenching his fists.

"Huh... How about that... Then, why don't you go ahead and deliver this message to your superiors!"

With that, Piccolo let out a furious roar, charging his aura and shaking the ground around them, much to the shock of Gohan, Krillin, and especially the Saiyans.

The larger Saiyan brought his hand to his communicator, bewildered by the number appearing on it.

"That's impossible! His power level won't stop rising..! 3,000..! 5,000..! 10,000..!"

In an instance, the machinery around both Saiyans' eyes shattered, and in another Piccolo appeared between the two of them, firing a blast of air at the taller one, throwing him across the landscape, while launching a kick at the shorter, throwing him directly into the ground where he planted his foot atop him.

"Consider that a very generous warning. Leave now. Otherwise, I might put my back into my next attacks."

The shorter Saiyan growled, his voice muffled from the ground below.

"I am Vegeta, a Saiyan Elite! I am the Prince of All Saiyans!"

A series of loud screams filled the air, as Piccolo turned to the source, six odd-look alien creatures, all followed by the larger Saiyan.

"Put your back into this!" he shouted.

Crossing his arms, Piccolo smirked. "Alright."

Leaping towards the monsters, Piccolo casually dodged all of their attacks, before grabbing on by the head and using it as a weapon to smack another, smashing both like rotten watermelons. Quickly spinning, Piccolo weaved through the rest of the creatures, before turning and smacking the taller Saiyan with his arm, his back to him.

Bringing his other hand forward, Piccolo fired four blasts from his primary fingers, each aimed perfectly at the smaller aliens, destroying them immediately; before bringing his other arm back, while simply pointing his opposite thumb towards the Saiyan behind him, and firing a ki blast, destroying him entirely.

As the rest of the Z-Fighters (including Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu, who had arrived during the battle) watched in awe, the other Saiyan, Vegeta, only hissed in anger, picking himself off the ground and wiping blood from his face.

"How... How dare you shed my royal blood?" he growled. "Do you have any idea who you're up against?

As his growls turned into chuckles of insanity, the tail wrapped around his waist like a make-shift belt unraveled, swaying back and forth like a snake.

"So, that's your move, eh?" Piccolo chuckled. "Tough for you, there is no moon on this planet, not anymore!"

Vegeta only continued to cackle, as he raised his hand, creating a white ki blast and holding it proudly.

"Is that so? Well then, unfortunately for you, we Saiyans have dealt with the issue before... and so, bear witness to the ultimate power of the elite warrior race: the Saiyans!"

Tossing the blast into the air, Vegeta clenched his fist, causing the blast to explode into a large moon-like source of energy.

"Burst, open, and mix!"

"Gohan, cover your eyes!"

Obeying Krillin, the rest of the Z-Fighters all watched in horror as Vegeta's eyes went white, while his teeth slowly sharpened. In a matter of seconds, Vegeta's body began to grow in size, while the hair on his body thickened into brown fur; transforming into the powerful Oozaru.

Stunned, the Z-Fighters could do nothing but stare in a mixture of fear and panic, all... save for Piccolo, who only chuckled.

"Well, then..! This might actually start to get a little interesting!" Piccolo remarked.

"Feel free to act confident, Namekian!" Vegeta roared, his voice barely understandable. "But, you're dreaming if you believe you can still take me on, as the planet-destroying Oozaru!"

Piccolo cracked his neck, before bringing his arms to his sides again.

"I'll be honest, I am a little curious about how strong you are. But, for the sake of keeping things fair, I say we fight on the same playing field!"

Letting out another deafening scream, everyone watched as Piccolo began to slowly grow in size, as well, just as he did when he battled Goku at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.

"What-? What is this?" Vegeta shouted in a mixture of fear and confusion.

Vegeta's answer would come in the form of a swift punch to the face, whipping his head backwards and throwing him off balance. Trying to keep himself up, Vegeta roared, firing a massive wave of ki from his mouth, which Piccolo would tank, before throwing another punch, right through the blast and against Vegeta, sending him slamming on his back against the hard ground.

Huffing in both exhaustion and rage, the Oozaru tore a nearby tree from the ground, waving it like a club and shattering it against Piccolo's leg and he lept upwards, only for Piccolo to shove Vegeta back downwards into the dirt, before firing his own ki blast from his mouth, intentionally missing just to prove his point.

Stubborn, Vegeta picked himself back up, before charging straight for Piccolo, who raised his arms to catch Vegeta's, holding him in place, even as he attempted to shove him back.

With yet another roar, Vegeta prepared another blast from his mouth, only for Piccolo to slam his head against Vegeta's, causing him to stumble slightly. Letting go of his arms, Piccolo shoved the Oozaru, landing a massive uppercut to his stomach, before grabbing the ape's head and slamming it into his knee. Coughing and groaning, Vegeta stepped backwards, almost as if dizzy.

Not letting up, Piccolo threw another punch, causing Vegeta to whip around, allowing Piccolo to grab hold of his tail, before tugging onto it, then striking with a massive kick to the Saiyan's back; the sheer force being enough to sever the tail.

Just like that, Vegeta roared in pain, screaming in agony, as he fell to the floor, before slowly beginning to shrink in size. In a matter of seconds, the extra fur faded away as Vegeta returned to his normal form, rolling over and staring up into the sky, his eyes practically white, panting heavily.

"What- What kind of Namekian are... you..?" he groaned, his speech slurred and sloppy.

Staring down at the depowered Saiyan, now in his regular form once again, he answered his question. "A Super Namekian... one with no name."

Raising his massive leg, the Great Namekian bid the monstrous Saiyan farewell.

"Dust to dust, Prince of Saiyans..."

With the threat of the Saiyans taken care of, the Namekian explained to the remaining Z-Fighters (including Goku, who had arrived eventually; more disappointed in having missed the incredible fight than anything else) the next part of his plan.

He was to travel to Planet Namek, his original homeworld, to use the Dragon Balls to repair the damage done to Earth. Despite respecting Goku's refusal to his offer all those years ago, he asked that Goku act as a kind of pseudo-guardian to the Earth, as even with his old ship, the trip to Namek would be a long one; at least a month's time.

On the lengthy trip, the Nameless Namek would meditate deeply, searching within himself to find memories from long ago. Unfortunately, it would be during this trip that another would make their way to Namek as well: Frieza, who had learned from Vegeta and Nappa's scouters, of the power of the Namekians. But even more valuable to himself, Frieza would also begin searching for the Dragon Balls, hoping for his greatest desire to be granted to him: eternal life.

As he grew closer to Namek, the Namekian's head rang with a voice (a feeling that was unfortunately, all too familiar to him) crying out for help; having sensed his energy approaching and begging for a warrior to save their planet. Finally on Namek, he traveled to where the voice called him, meeting with the Grand Elder of the planet: Guru.

"Katas... I do not believe it... Is that truly you?"

"Perhaps in another life... Sorry to say, but my memories are a little hazy. Still, I'm here to help against that monster."

Guru nodded slowly.

"Yes... Frieza. He is a great deal more powerful than even the strongest of us, but you... You may have the power to defeat him once and for all... For you have within you an amazing amount of potential."

The Nameless Namekian nodded in return.

"For now, I'd like to discuss another matter, the Dragon Balls... I've come this great distance for another reason..."

Guru raised his hand to stop the Namekian, before speaking up.

"Allow me... For I will read your mind and all of these things... in addition, I'll also unlock whatever power still sleeps within you. With this added strength, Frieza will stand no chance against you."

"Understood."

Both Namekians closed their eyes, and with a matter of seconds passed, a powerful aura surrounded the younger Namek, the sheer output of energy alone being enough to shock Nail; the guardian entering the home in sheer surprise.

"I see..." Guru spoke back up.

"What do you see, Grand Elder Guru?" Nail asked.

"This warrior before us has gone through the most troubling history. Wars within himself, the watching of such strife over the course of centuries... all while powerless to stop them. And now... Now, it appears I'm the one being taught something."

"Grand Elder?"

"Nail... Listen carefully, my son. As of this moment, Moori of the Dragon Clan, in the Eastern Village is to be Grand Elder. He will guide this planet into prosperity."

"What? Grand Elder! What are you saying? You can't leave us!"

Guru sat up fully, readjusting himself.

"Do not mourn, my son. For I will live, I will live a beautiful, glorious life full of wonder..."

Guru nodded again, before gently rubbing the Nameless Namekian's head, like a father to a child.

"Within this young man."

"Grand Elder, no!" Nail protested. "If anything I will merge with the Nameless one! Please!"

"No, Nail!" Guru replied, raising his voice for the first time, before lowering it. "Listen to me... I am old, my son. My years left in this realm are few at most... and on this day we face a great calamity. My body is linked to our planet's Dragon Balls. If Frieza gets ahold of them, as well as the password, it won't just be the end of our people... it will be the end of the entire universe."

"But Lord Guru-!"

"And when I am gone, this planet will be left defenseless. I need someone to train the young, teach them to defend themselves. I can trust no one more than I trust you, my son... Will you promise me you'll do this?"

Tears filling his eyes, Nail nodded slowly.

"I promise you, Grand Elder... and... Goodbye."

With tears in his own eyes, Guru nodded his head, and with one final breath, a bright light filled the room. When it vanished, so had Guru.

Perking up, Nail turned to the newly transformed Namekian.

"Are you in there, Grand Elder? Can you hear me?"

The Namekian nodded his head, a warm smile on his face.

"I can hear you, Nail..."

Looking at his hands, he nodded.

"But I am no longer Guru... I am not Piccolo, not Kami... Not even Katas..."

Nail stared, as he glanced at the Dragon Ball upon Guru's former throne, now turned into a mere stone.

"Then who are you, sir?"

The Namekian paused, before speaking back up.

"Call me... 'Limax'. I like the sound of that..."

With his new power, and new name to boot, Limax raced out of the Elder's home, searching for the strongest energy signature: its source obvious, and exactly the person he was looking for.

Lord Frieza yawned, watching as the waves of his soldiers continued to destroy and slaughter throughout the village, each of them searching for the next Dragon Ball.

"L-Lord Frieza?" a voice perked up from his scouter. "We- We appear to have an issue with the Dragon Balls..."

Frieza rolled his eyes. "Then the problem had better be fixed by the time I've returned, or the only issue I'll be dealing with is finding a new general. Understood, Zarbon?"

"But, Lord Frieza-"

Cutting off the transmission, Frieza yawned again, only for a voice to call out above him.

"That's enough! Leave my children alone this instant, monster!" Limax shouted, staring down the emperor.

"Oh, ho-hum... Yet another Namekian Warrior wishing to challenge me and avenge their brethren, how quant."

The tyrant rolled his eyes.

"You're rather fortunate I'm in such high-spirits, as I'm on the crux of eternal life, so I suppose I'll allow you to entertain me for as long as you stay breathing."

Limax shouted in return.

"You won't be receiving anything! In fact, I'm here to deliver, personally, the end of your life!"

"Ooh... fighting words... I love fighting-"

Frieza would stop short, his scouter exploding as Limax powered up, before slamming into him, destroying his Hover Pod in an instant and throwing him into the floor.

"Insignificant..." Frieza growled. "Do you have any idea who you're up against?"

Limax growled. "The Saiyan you sent to my home said the same thing..."

He punched his palm.

"We didn't quite get along..."

Frieza let out a sarcastic laugh. "Ha, ha. So that's where Vegeta disappeared off to... Is that supposed to scare me? Do you expect me to run off home, with my tail between my legs like a scared animal?"

"You're not going anywhere..."

"Oh?"

"Because I'm going to kill you, myself..."

Growling at the rebellion, Frieza's lips curled into a slight smile as charged his aura, his own body beginning to crack around him, before shattering off like a hard shell; revealing his final, true form beneath.

"Once I'm finished with you... You'll be begging for death..."

With that, Frieza raced for Limax, flipping and attempting to strike him with his tail, only for the Namekian to catch it, before throwing him forward. Leaping after him, Limax slammed his fist into Frieza's body, throwing him into the blue field of Namek, grabbing onto him and lifting him in the air, then throwing him back onto the ground again. Forming two blasts in his hands, he prepared to launch them into Frieza, only for the demon to use his tail to latch onto one of Limax's legs, sliding around him, and flying above him; before shooting a Death Beam straight for his chest.

"Ha! Even with all that, you're still nothing before Lord Frieza!"

Almost as if he hadn't noticed, Limax slowly turned around to face Frieza, only to reveal not a single scratch on where the blast had landed, going as far as to dust off the spot.

Frieza froze in panic, before firing a series of Death Beams, possibly hundreds of them, all of which Limax smacked away with ease, before finally catching one and throwing it at another; causing an explosion and smokescreen, which he used to slam back into Frieza, using his entire body as a weapon to throw him backwards.

"My turn."

Bringing his index and middle fingers to his forehead, Limax backflipped, kicking Frieza with one foot, then hitting him with the other, landing like a superhero; legs apart and hand on the ground, before leaping for the tyrant.

Without a second to recover, Frieza stumbled backward like a child who had lost his balance, as Limax spun and delivered an elbow to his chest, sending him to the ground. As Frieza scurried backwards like an insect, Limax leapt into the air, before finally pointing his fingers toward the monster.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

A cloud of smoke filling the entire landscape, Limax only looked down, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. Rolling his arms upwards, a golden aura surrounded his body, before aiming both hands towards the ground.

Through the smoke and ash another voice could be heard, as Frieza, burnt, bleeding and missing his parts of his legs and tail, shot through the air, in an admittedly valiant attempt to fight back.

"I am the Emperor of the Universe!

Breathing deeply, Limax shouted deeply as a white blast in the form of a dragon shot from his hands, and just like a dragon consuming a meal, the blast consumed Frieza in an instant.

"Grand Dragon Blaster!" Limax shouted.

The impact was immediate, the victor even more so. Within seconds, the combined power of the strongest Namekians easily overpowered Frieza, throwing him back into the ground, with streams of ki erupting from around him like geysers. With a final aftershock shaking the ground, it was clear that Frieza had obliterated, a victory for Namek, a blessing for the universe.

With their leader dead, the remainder of Frieza's soldiers were handled rather easily. Afterwards, Moori would be named the next Grand Elder, and the Dragon Balls would be remade. Afterwards, Limax would select a Namekian to return to Earth, where he would act as the Earth's New Guardian and creator of the new Dragon Balls. He selected a young Namekian, one he saw great potential in, one named Dende.

Afterwards, a time of peace would fall over both planets, with Nail acting as a great general and commander to Namek's forces, and Limax taking a more "active" guardian role over Earth, preparing to protect the planet against whatever forces would come next.

This is a story about unity. Perhaps not as precisely as the one formed by Piccolo, Kami, and Guru, but simply the principle of it. Choosing to work together, instead of fighting alone, choosing love and forgiveness over hatred or grudges. When people are brought together like so, there isn't a single thing that cannot be accomplished. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

An odd sense of silence filled the landscape. What was a battlefield not a few moments ago had slowly died down into an odd, empty lot. As it turned out, everything had just been a huge misunderstanding. In a sense, it almost felt anticlimactic.

"So, what do you make of all this?" Gamma 1 broke the silence, turning to his twin brother.

"Dunno." was the superhero's quick response. "But the situation is not what we thought it was..."

Watching the conversation from below, Gohan turned to face upwards, as a small aircraft appeared from the horizon, landing nearby the Androids. The shutter door opened, revealing the driver, Bulma.

"Okay!" she called aloud, as Goten, Trunks, 18, and Krillin exited the aircraft, with her following behind. "I gathered the mightiest warriors on Earth... and Krillin's here, too!"

Krillin groaned in frustration. "Jeez, that was brutal. I have superhuman strength, you know! All the boys down at the station think I'm tough!"

Running over to him, Goten's eyes lit up in excitement. "Woah! This must be a pretty big deal. Even Gohan is jumping into the fight!"

"No way!" Gohan replied, happy to see his brother, all the same. "Goten? Hey Trunks!"

While Bulma greeted Pan, 18 turned to Gohan, before glaring at Gamma 1 and 2.

"Those two over there. Are they the new Androids?"

"Yep." Piccolo answered for him.

"Woah, they're kind of cool." Trunks remarked.

Piccolo squinted slightly at the half-saiyan, then to Goten, not quite recognizing the boys.

"They look familiar... Wait, is that-?"

Pan, however, was excited to confirm. "That one is Trunks, and that one is Goten!"

While the party continued their conversation and the Gamma's their own, none were any the wiser of the true terror that was unfolding. That deep within the laboratories of Red Pharmaceuticals a large webbed, spider egg-like structure had been activated by the soon-to-be-late Magenta, and that within this structure held a force so dangerous, even Dr. Hedo had feared it, putting it off to focus on his Gammas, whom he knew he could trust.

In a matter of seconds, a cloud of smoke exploded from the core of Red Pharmaceuticals, shaking the ground, the sheer pressure shattering all the remaining windows of the building behind them. Gohan and the others all turned to the explosion, with the first thing they saw being smaller aircraft zooming through the smoke. The machine malfunctioning, it quickly fell to the ground and landed not far away from them, revealing the pilot: Dr. Hedo. Despite his own safety, Dr. Hedo would immediately scurry out from the machine, running over to his Androids.

"G-G-Gamma 1, Gamma 2! They- They did it! They really did it-!" he shouted, stuttering over his own words, sounding absolutely terrified. "They- They activated- They- They activated-!"

Gohan and the others stared in shock, unsure how to react with everything happening all at once.

"What Dr. Hedo?" Gamma 1 replied, trying his best to calm down his creator. "What did they activate?"

Dr. Hedo's voice went calm, almost deathly calm, as everyone quickly felt hundreds of power levels from behind them.

"Everyone..."

As these power levels flew into the sky, Gohan felt his heart race like never before, as he squinted his eyes to better see the new enemy. It wasn't hard to make out, as this army had a set of faces he knew too well: Piccolo, Master Roshi, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and even Jaco. They seemed lifeless and greyscale, but they were still very clearly meant to be counterfeits of his friends.

"What- What the hell is this?" Android 18 hissed in anger, turning to Dr. Hedo for an explanation.

"I- I'm so sorry, everyone..!" he begged, his face completely white. "They- They told me they'd use them as an army! A peacekeeping army!"

"Right... Because I'm feeling so 'peaceful' right now..."

"They told me to follow Grandpa's example! They made me modify Hachimaru so he could gather blood samples when all those crazy guys showed up!"

Gohan's eyes widened, remembering the last time he had seen Jaco, Yamcha, and Tien. "You mean when those Galactic Bandit guys showed up?"

"Yeah, sure! I guess..?" Dr. Hedo shot an awkward smile, unable to confirm or deny.

Allow me to confirm for him.

As you may have noticed, the Divergence in this timeline happened earlier, much earlier. In this timeline, Magenta and Red Pharmaceuticals would approach Dr. Hedo a few years beforehand, and things would spell out rather differently.

Upon learning that the data Dr. Hedo had inherited on the Bio-Android, Cell, had been destroyed, Red Pharmaceuticals would bribe and manipulate Dr. Hedo into continuing his grandfather's research; studying genetic engineering and the modification of cells, while letting him create his Gammas on the side.

However, things would reach their peak during the Moro Conflict on Earth. With never a better time to collect the cells of powerful warriors, the modified Hachimaru would do just that, gathering cells and blood samples of the Z-Fighters and the Galactic Bandit Brigade (with the exception of those who were cybernetic in nature), intent on the creation of a new, far more powerful Cell. Not wishing to waste money or resources, a proof of concept would be needed, in the form of basic clones of the more human-like in nature, disguised as a 'peace-keeping army'. Slowly but surely, more and more clones would be created, until the process was deemed a success, and work on the next Bio-Android could finally begin...

The sound of a loud shout will fill the area, the sheer force fully parting the smoke away, all while many familiar ki signatures could be felt in a single area; a sensation most of Z-Fighters had felt long ago and could never forget.

"Is- Is that... Cell?" Krillin gasped in fear.

"Not- Not exactly..!" Dr. Hedo replied, his voice almost too shaky to understand. "Putting- Putting all the cells together needed something strong to hold them together- someone strong! They- They needed-!"

Gohan took a step back in fear as he saw the abomination of a Bio-Android that stood before him; one whose appearance looked nearly exactly like him.

There were a few differences, of course. The Bio-Android's skin appeared far more pale, almost white, with light gray markings resembling Cell's scales on his cheeks and forehead. His eyes were sharp, blood red, and his hair seemed... different. Like it had been gelled and combed in order to match how Gohan's hair typically looked. He even had a tail, looking just like a Saiyan's, which swayed back and forth casually. However, the biggest differences were in the outfit he wore, wearing a black suit and tie, not unlike the kind Carmine wore.

"There you are..." the Bio-Android spoke with a calm voice, almost sounding formal. "I knew there was something special about me... About all of us... I don't exactly know all the details..."

The Bio-Android raised his arm, pointing towards Gohan.

"But I know it involves you..."

Gohan raised both of his hands, holding them defensively. "Listen! We don't have to do this! You don't have to fight anyone!"

"Of course I do!" the counterpart replied casually, a smile on his face. "I can feel it! Every cell in my body demands that I fight. It is my duty to save this world, and to do so, I'll fight anyone who stands in my way..."

"Hero, listen!" Dr. Hedo shouted, attempting to get through the Bio-Android. "You were lied to! We all were! You-"

Hero cut him off.

"I am listening, Doctor. To my heart. My blood. My very bones. This world needs a hero. One willing to take a stand against the evils of this world. And that's what I intend to do. Me and my army will stop every villain, every threat to this world... no matter how minor, even if they haven't happened yet!"

"Are you listening to yourself?" Gamma 1 shouted over him. "You're no hero! You could endanger lives! You could-"

"Quiet." Hero hissed, cutting his brother off. "What are you going to do? Rescue cats from trees and help little old ladies across the road? Is that how you plan to be a hero?"

"I'd rather be a hero like he would, than like you!" Gamma 2 retorted.

Hero's lips curled into a smile.

"So you do plan to stand in my way..."

Raising his hand, Hero charged his aura, before shouting loudly.

"Peacekeepers! Attack these false heroes, and let us begin to save this world!"

Like terrifying fireworks, the army of clones rained down, all locked in on the Z-Fighters, the Z-Fighters, themselves, prepared for the fight.

Charging his own aura and preparing to take flight, Goten shouted.

"We'll handle these guys! You and Piccolo take on 'Clo-han'!"

Gohan nodded at the plan, before turning to Bulma. "Bulma, take care of Pan!"

Not needing a second thought, Pan and Bulma quickly ran to the airship, while Goten, Trunks, 18, Krillin, and the Gamma's took to the skies. After confirming that Hedo had gotten far enough away on his own airship, Piccolo quickly powered up to Orange while Gohan went Super Saiyan.

"Something tells me this is going to be bad, Gohan..." Piccolo growled, as Hero's power only increased by the second.

"Oh, don't be so pessimistic, Piccolo... This..." Hero replied, a smirk on his face.

At that moment, Hero's aura practically exploded.

"This is going to be fun..."

With that, Hero raced towards Piccolo and Gohan, slamming into both of them with his arms and throwing them backwards. Gohan sliding backwards and Piccolo flipping to balance themselves, before rushing back toward Hero, both throwing a punch at the Bio-Android, but to no avail, who even chuckled at the effort. With a single palm-heel strike, he sent Gohan flying away from him, before jumping and slamming his knee into Piccolo's stomach, before throwing a punch and spinning, kicking the Namekian away, as well.

Not slowing down for a second, Piccolo would race right back for Hero, a punch at the ready, only for him to slip right through him, his target turning out to be a mere afterimage. Spotting the real Hero, Piccolo teleported rapidly before dashing for him, but with a casual wave from the Bio-Android, a piece of debris slammed into Piccolo, forcing him to punch into that instead. With a quick teleport of his own, Hero fired a ki blast through the rock, shattering through it as if it were plastic, and throwing Piccolo backwards.

Despite that, Hero would feel a burst of ki slam into him, making him stumble slightly, before scowling and turning to the source: Gohan, now in his Ultimate form.

"Thanks for the Senzu, Piccolo. I owe you one..." he remarked, before turning to Hero. "So we can hit you..."

Hero's scowl quickly shifted into a terrifying smile. "Funny guy..."

Meanwhile, up in the sky, the Peacekeeper's continued their attack. A number of Tiens and Yamchas fired a series of ki blasts at the boys, who casually swatted away the attack, before going back-to-back and spinning, firing a blast of their own in a sweeping motion and taking a good number of clones down.

"Galick Gun!"

"Kamehameha!"

Watching the display, a Piccolo clone clasped his hands together, charging a Light Grenade firing straight for Goten and Trunks, only for Gamma 2 to leap in the way and activate his barrier. Once the attack had dissipated, Gamma 2 posed dramatically, flipping and twisting his gun, and firing several shots at the Piccolo clone and a few others nearby, destroying them in a single shot.

"Woah! Cool pose!" Trunks whooped, before getting into one of his own poses. "But what do you think about... this one!"

"Ooh! Nice! But don't you try this-"

"Focus on the fight!" Gamma 1 interrupted the conversation.

Almost to further his point, he fired a blast from his own gun, destroying another Tien clone that was very clearly trying to sneak up on the party. The message made loud and clear, Goten, Trunks, and Gamma 2 split up, intending on taking on more clones.

Back on the ground, the clones unable to fly, namely Master Roshis and Jacos, were being taken care of by Krillin and Android 18. Several Jacos raced around them both, firing blast after blast from their guns, with 18 activating a barrier around herself and Krillin.

While the Jacos reloaded their blasters, Krillin shouted.

"Now!"

On cue, 18 released the barrier, allowing Krillin to leap into the air, forming a massive Destructo Disc, which he launched straight for the rows of clones, bisecting many, before curving upwards and splitting into more, all of them turning around and returning to slice through even more clones.

Landing on the ground, 18 took to the skies instead, firing ki blasts like an air strike team over the clones. Meanwhile, Krillin continued to run around through clones, punching and kicking through the hoards, before freezing at the sight of a Master Roshi clone, powered to 100% and preparing a Kamehameha. However, before the attack could launch, the clone would explode from a stray Tri-Beam from the battle in the sky.

Krillin looked up to see the Clone Tien Shinhan.

"Uh... Thanks!" he said with a smile, only for the clone to aim for him next.

Luckily for him, the Tien clone would be easily kicked away by Gamma 1, giving the former monk a nod.

"Uh... Thanks..." Krillin repeated, this time directed towards the Android.

Elsewhere, Gohan and Piccolo's battle with Hero continued, and even with their restored energy, the Bio-Android was nearly impossible to predict.

"Why do you insist on defying me? I only wish to help, as the Red Ribbon Army did. If the world has someone to look up to, they won't have to commit crimes. They won't have to be afraid!"

"Because they'll be afraid of you!" Gohan retorted, throwing a punch for Hero's face, while Piccolo moved in, sweeping his legs.

Twisting his hips in mid-air, Hero landed like a superhero, before creating a ki blade over his arm and going into attack, Gohan having to flip and slide to avoid his strikes, even throwing a number of ki blasts for good measure, all of which would be sliced through by Hero's blade.

"You really think the Red Ribbon Army are the good guys here? You think people being too afraid to move means they're protected?"

Running towards Gohan, Hero formed a Spirit Ball with the opposite hand, slicing and stabbing at Gohan, putting him on the defensive, and forcing him to dip and weave to dodge both the blade and ki sphere, which Hero had been manipulating around him, like an obnoxious insect.

"Don't act like you understand!" Hero hissed. "You can try and pretend, but you don't know a thing about being a hero! To protect everyone, hard choices need to be made! Every threat needs to be handled, no matter how small! Even if it means risking a few lives! In the grand scheme of it all-"

Hero's monologue would be cut off by a Makosen, courtesy of Piccolo.

"Seems to me the biggest threat here is you." he muttered, before running towards Hero at full speed.

Letting his Spirit Ball go free, Hero kicked Gohan away, insteading focusing on Piccolo. Racing straight for the Namekian, he slammed into him, both of them grasping hands and attempting to shove the other. After a short struggle, Hero pushed Piccolo backwards, before firing a Dodon Ray from his fingers which Piccolo would dodge by leaping to the side, then delivering a kick to Hero's back. Taking a second to regain his balance, Hero threw a punch which clashed with Piccolo's own, before slamming his fist into Piccolo's face, making him stumble, then counterattack with a knee to Hero's stomach.

Grabbing hold of Piccolo's knee, Hero spun, throwing him a few feet back. With some distance between them, Hero raised his arms and brought them to his side, firing a familiar blast.

"Kamehameha!"

Crossing his arms, Piccolo took the blast head-on, and when the blast dissipated, the top of his gi was completely gone, yet he remained on his feet.

Panting hard, Piccolo still managed to crack a smile.

"Honestly, I'm just happy I can't sense Goku in you... You couldn't get your hands on his blood, could you?"

Hero was unamused, narrowing his eyes.

"Hachimaru was blown away in the later, more intense fights, and so it could not gather the blood of the more powerful fighters..." he explained. "It was thought better to leave with what was gathered than risk losing everything. Such sacrifices were needed to be taken in pursuit of a truly peaceful world."

"That right? Then it's too bad you're what they settled on..." Piccolo taunted, doing his best to keep a brave face. "If you had Goku and Vegeta's power, I might've actually had to take you seriously."

A nerve struck, Hero zipped towards Piccolo, practically teleporting, then slamming his fist into his stomach. Gasping in pain and without a moment to recover, Piccolo leaned forward, where Hero would throw a downwards punch to Piccolo's back, then slamming his knee back into Piccolo's stomach, then finishing off with a double hammer fist to Piccolo's back again.

Backing off for a moment, Hero nodded his head, almost proud of himself, as he watched Piccolo stumble forward, coughing loudly. Raising his fists like a boxer, Hero threw an uppercut to Piccolo's head, making his head whip backwards, before jumping and throwing a spin kick to Piccolo's stomach, then forming a ki blast and slamming against him. Finally, Hero raised both arms which glowed with a green electricity, before firing the lightning-like ki at the Namekian, shocking him with crazy energy.

"How about this? Am I good enough for you now?" Hero growled, practically scowling in anger. "Are you taking me seriously now?"

"That's enough!" Gohan shouted, flying with a huge kick to Hero's head.

Despite barely being fazed by the attack, Hero released the Thunder Shock Surprise, giving Gohan his full attention. Piccolo fell to his knees, hacking and dropping from his Orange form to base form, then falling to the ground. Meanwhile, Gohan's focus was solely on Hero: the friendly, hero-like smile completely gone, Hero narrowed his eyes, before stating the exact notion Gohan was feeling.

"Time to end this."

Raising his hand, palm over chest, Hero formed five small ki blasts from each finger, then waving his arm as if he were tossing dice, firing each blast straight for Gohan. Gohan would race straight through these blasts, spinning in the air, before flying right above Hero and slamming his fist downward against his head. As if to return to favor, Hero uppercutted Gohan right back, hitting in the face and throwing him upward.

Taking to the sky to follow him, Hero formed a ki blast, before squeezing it in his hand, the energy pouring from between his fingers. Backhanding towards Gohan, the ki struck in the form of a slashclaw, forcing Gohan to dodge, though the attack slicing through a bit of his gi. Hero repeated the motion, again and again, the stray ki being sharp enough to slice through the concrete of the former base of Red Pharmaceuticals and bisecting several tens of Peacekeepers in the process.

Flying underneath him, Gohan would end up behind Hero, elbowing him in the back, before turning and following up with a punch, then another, before forming a two ki blast of each hand and slamming them both into Hero, both exploding into a massive wave against him. Flipping in the air to gather himself, Hero brought both hands to his forehead, palms forward, a motion Gohan would perform as well, then firing together.

"Masenko-HA!"

Both blasts exploding, Hero and Gohan clashed in the air, slamming opposite forearms to try and push the other. Bringing his other arm up, Hero threw a huge punch for Gohan's head, only making the half-Saiyan push harder. Forming his ki blade back in his hand, Hero prepared for the finishing strike, with Gohan catching him off guard by grabbing him by the wrist, then slamming his head into Hero's. Hissing in pain, Hero released his blade, instead firing a ki blast at Gohan's face, with Gohan kicking Hero in the stomach with both legs as a response. Thrown backward, Hero mimed the act of pulling something towards him, and without even looking, Gohan dodged the broken piece of debris Hero had levitated, instead allowing it fly right past him.

Bringing both hands upwards, Gohan charged a Masendan before throwing it at Hero, slamming him back on the ground. Despite landing where he expected Hero to be, the Bio-Android appeared behind him, and with a shout, two balls of ki surrounded his fists. Using the ki like boxing gloves, Hero threw more punches for Gohan, with the half-Saiyan sweeping the first two, but taking the next head on, the first to his face, then the next to his stomach. With another massive uppercut, the ki around one hand shattered like candy coating, and with a backhand strike the other did as well.

As Gohan stepped back to recover, Hero pursued, only to step on a small ki blast landmine Gohan had placed, causing an explosion and making smoke and dust rise from the ground. The small distraction working, Gohan tackled Hero to the ground, throwing punch after punch to his side. Overwhelmed, Hero brought his available hand to Gohan's face, firing another blast to his face point-blank and throwing Gohan off of him.

Landing back on his feet, Gohan brought his hands forward, while Hero kipped-up casually. Gohan fired more ki blasts at Hero, who, after taking a breath, shouted with a sonic scream that scattered the blasts like confetti, hitting Gohan in the process. Teleporting closer, Hero screamed again, intending on hitting Gohan with the attack head-on, but Gohan would surprise him with a Solar Flare, stunning the Bio-Android instead.

Taking a moment for both to readjust their senses, Gohan fired a Makosen, which Hero blocked, realizing too late that the blast had been a feint, with Gohan appearing behind him and socking him in the face. Whipping around to counterattack with a chop, Hero would hit nothing, as Gohan teleported behind him again, kneeing him in the back, before teleporting to avoid Hero's next attack. After being hit by a double-punch, Hero growled, charging his aura to throw Gohan back, before transferring his aura to his arm, then uppercutting him with the entirety of the energy, throwing Gohan skyward.

Capitalizing, Hero flew higher, kicking Gohan in the stomach downwards and back into the concrete. Panting hard, Gohan's hair began to flatten slightly, before narrowing his eyes and charging his aura, raising his power to the max. Despite this, Gohan's aura would swap to a golden color, with his hair matching the change. Picking himself back up, Gohan watched as Hero landed near him, and had begun slowly walking towards him. Not flying, not even running. Just casually walking.

With no other options, Gohan brought both arms towards his sides, and prepared his last-ditch attack. His hands burning from the energy alone, Gohan ignored the pain, his mind solely focused on those he was protecting: Goten, Piccolo, Pan...

Hero didn't react, instead electing to continue walking towards Gohan, not even bothering to block, only coming closer at his steady pace.

Finally, Gohan released his attack.

"Kamehameha!"

With an explosion that caught the attention of the other Z-Fighters, the Kamehameha wave blew through whatever stood in its way, even taking down a huge number of the clones. Despite the pressure, Gohan screamed even harder, refusing to hold a single thing back, when-

A hand pushed through the wave, grabbing him by his neck, and forcing him to let go of the blast. The blast faded, Gohan watched in terror and what stood before him: Hero. His coat and dress shirt destroyed, several cuts and nicks in his skin, but with a single grunt, the majority of his wounds healed themselves.

"It ends." he hissed.

Bringing his other hand upwards, Hero prepared to release his ki blade, when-

"S-Stop it!" a voice shouted.

Hero froze.

That wasn't the voice of a fighter, of a person there to challenge him. He looked down, to see the source of the voice. A little girl, with black hair and bright eyes, face flushed red and her lips quivering. A child. A crying child.

"Leave- Leave my daddy alone! Just stop it! Stop it and go away!"

Hero's eyes widened. He was making a child cry. The children he should be protecting, that Red Ribbon said he would be protecting.

He heard Gohan's weak voice grunt, a voice of panic and anger coming out.

"Don't you... touch her!" he grunted. "Look at me! I'm right here! I'm the one you want!"

Hero paused, looking at Gohan, then back at the little girl.

Was he about to do this? Killing a child's father, right in front of their very eyes?

"Look at me! Look at me, you monster!"

Monster? He wasn't a monster... He was a hero!

Continuing to try and fight, Gohan threw punch after punch at Hero's face, so drained of energy the punches so weak Hero could barely feel them, but Gohan refused to stop fighting.

...Right?

"I'm the one you're fighting! Just don't hurt her! Please!"

In that moment, Hero let go of Gohan, before looking down at his hands, then looking around himself. The beaten Namekian he had laid waste to, the destruction around him, the once beautiful building and landscape now reduced to debris, all while what remained of his Peacekeepers continued to fight the others.

'Peacekeepers'...

Could he really call himself that? Could he even call himself a 'hero'?

Unsure how to answer, Hero looked to the sky, before taking flight at an amazing speed, racing off to somewhere no one knew, least of all himself.

With time, the remainder of the Peacekeepers would be dealt with and the injured would be healed. Despite the battle technically won, no one could really call it a victory. Hero was still out in the world (he himself not quite sure his place in it), and while the physical wounds were healed, the others were going to need much more time.

Regardless, life returned mostly back to normal for the Z-Fighters, but with some slight changes. Dr. Hedo and his Gammas would be welcomed with open arms at Capsule Corp. and Dr. Hedo's charges would be cleared (mostly due to the majority of them falling under Red Ribbon's influence, and the others for the sake of brevity). However, the biggest change would come in the form of Gohan. While he, nor anyone, knew what Hero's plan was, what he did know was that there was always going to be another threat, which he'd have to be ready for.

This is a story about humanity. What it means to be human, and I don't refer only to Earthlings. No matter the race, the species; Namekian, Saiyan, Kai, or Bio-Android, to decide our humanity is to make a choice, a choice that defines how the world affects us, and how we affect the world. To decide whether or not we want to change the world in a positive way, or a negative way, is a choice only you and you alone can make. Make sure to make it one you'll be proud of in the end. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

After a long night of heavy debates, talk of price money, a bit of pleading, and a dash of threats, it appeared that Universe 7 had finally secured a proper team for the Tournament of Power, with the exception of... well...

"Bulma's prize doesn't change that we're still down a man..." Shin muttered.

"Yeah, and we're almost out of time!" Beerus replied, shouting at the top of his lungs. "There must be someone else! The universe is enormous! And yet all the decent fighters seem on, or from, this teeny booger of a planet!"

Beerus hissed, pointing to the incomplete team.

"We would've had such an issue filling that tenth spot, if you goody-two-shoes weren't killing every monster that came your way!"

Did you catch-

"Perfect, just perfect!"

Did you catch that? One slight change in tongue from Lord Beerus would birth a very different idea from Goku. An idea that wouldn't involve reviving the monstrous Frieza, but rather...

"I've got it!" Goku perked up, slamming his fist into his palm. "We'll get Cell!"

The remainder of the team immediately froze, turning to question the decision.

"Excuse me?" Android 18 was the first to protest.

"You're talking about Cell? The same monster that killed you, Cell?" next was Krillin.

"Dad? Are you sure about this?" followed by Gohan.

"Are you joking, Kakarot?" and then Vegeta.

Goku quickly raised his hands to protest.

"Just hear me out, guys!" Goku spoke up to defend himself. "We can ask Baba to bring him back, only for a day! He'll fight in the tournament with us, and then he'll go back to being dead!"

Tien would speak up next. "But Goku... Can you even trust him?"

Goku actually chuckled at the question.

"I don't really know!" he shot a funny smile. "Honestly, my first thought was Frieza, actually! But trying to convince him?"

He shot a raspberry.

"But then I thought of how much stronger he got in so little time! Plus, Cell's always been excited about fighting strong guys, so the Tournament of Power would be fun for him! Not to mention, the guy's given us time in the past, so what's the harm?"

Android 18 stepped up, bringing her hand to Goku's chest and poking it. "If you even think I'm going to work together with that monster, then you're far from mistaken!"

Goku raised both arms, before cracking another smile. "Oh, come on, 18! You're already getting your money! And I'm not saying the two of you have to be all buddy-buddy! We just need to work together to win! That's all! "

Goku giggled.

"And besides, he killed me and I'm fine! What's the worry?"

Vegeta clenched his fist in anger. "Kakarot, are you listening to yourself? You want to bring back Cell, the same monster who nearly doomed us all, and lest to you forget-"

"Alright, that's enough, already!" Beerus shouted over them all. "I don't know who this 'Cell' person is, and I don't care either! But we need a tenth member and I don't hear the rest of you lot suggesting anything!"

Beerus waved off, gesturing towards Goku.

"Go on, already! Find this 'Cell' and quit wasting so much time!"

With another chuckle, Goku leapt to the sky, calling out for Nimbus.

"Thanks, Lord Beerus!"

After speaking to Lord Yemma and making the conditions clear, Goku would travel to Cell's personal Hell, one made specifically for the Bio-Android to suffer through.

Unlike Frieza's which was sparkly and colorful: filled with happy animals that sang and danced all day; Cell's was dim, yet filled with sounds. Wall-to-wall with television screens, showing off non-stop, never-ending fights. Some simple grudge matches between alien animals, and some featuring the most intense battles Goku and co. had ever lived through.

Goku entered the room, opening his mouth to call out, but as soon as he did, his lips went chapped, his throat was dry, and his voice wouldn't come out.

Blinking in confusion, Goku closed his eyes before bringing both index and middle finger to his forehead, walking deeper into the room, and following the Bio-Android's ki. A ki that felt like his own, Vegeta's, Piccolo's, Frieza's, and other's; one he never knew, himself, but assumed was Frieza's father's.

Once he was close enough, he called out to the ki by telepathy.

"Cell?"

No response.

"Cell?!" Goku repeated.

"Hey, that was a clever idea, using that Kamehameha wave, Buu..." he finally heard Cell reply.

Goku blinked. Cell hadn't answered Goku in a taunt, he wasn't replying. Cell's tone was dry, like was repeating something he had heard over and over again.

"What?" Goku replied.

"No, really. And then that Galick Gun. Woah... yeah... I could've been killed. Hmm... maybe I am exaggerating a little bit, but I could've at least gotten a bruise or a little cut."

Running over to the source of the energy, Goku finally found the Bio-Android. He was sitting in a steel chair, one with no back support, surrounded by television screens, which only seemed louder the longer he stayed in. Goku looked up and down before realizing exactly what he was looking at.

Cell, unable to move or speak, unable to whoop and cheer at any fight. And even worse, not a single fight featured him in it, he couldn't even commentate or punch at the air in excitement. He was trapped: trapped in the reality that he could never fight again, and forced to watch everyone else have fun without him.

"Goku? Is that really you?" Cell finally perked up, looking over to where Goku was standing. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're here to gloat after all these years. To sit down and watch television with me, giving me your... director's commentary."

Finally Cell raised his voice, hints of aggression and anger flaring up.

"Is that the reason you're here?" he roared in Goku's head.

Goku narrowed his eyes, staring down Cell with serious intent.

"Calm down, Cell... I think you'll like what I'm going to offer..."

"Is it to kill you and all of your little friends?"

Goku shook his head. "Don't make this any harder. What if I told you the entire universe was at stake?"

"I'd smile and wish it so." Cell interrupted.

Goku continued anyway. "But what if I then said, with your help, there could be a chance to save it?"

Cell tilted his head slightly, unable to move it any further due to his restraints.

"I believe I see what's going on..." Cell chuckled. "You don't just want my help... you need it. You're desperate for it... Teaming up with the same person who killed you, if it means saving your precious little world..."

Goku stayed quiet, deciding it was better to let Cell imagine whatever he pleased, if it made him comply.

"So, then tell me... What's in it for me? I'm already dead, and the rest of you joining me sounds lovely... so, what do I get in return for saving the universe?"

Finally Goku smiled.

"Exactly what you want... The one thing you want..." he replied, gesturing to the thousands of television screens. "The only way to save our universe is to win in a tournament, with way more universes in it. All you have to do is fight, and isn't that what you want?"

Cell narrowed his eyes, not happy to hear the tone of slight smugness in Goku's voice.

"Right..?"

Cell closed his eyes, before finally replying.

"Fine. I'll fight in your little 'tournament'... but don't think for a moment that this makes us all good-and-friendly, understood? I'm just there to enjoy myself..."

Goku nodded, before raising his hand and preparing a ki blast.

"That's fine with me... as long as you don't cause any trouble for the rest of us... And no killing either! That's against the rules, too."

"Fine. No killing. Cross my heart and hope to... well, you know the saying..."

With that, Goku fired a ki blast, destroying the chair Cell had been trapped with, finally allowing the Bio-Android movement after thirteen long years.

"That's already better..." Cell remarked. "Now with Step 1 out of the way, let's talk about Steps 2 to 12..."

Goku looked away.

"You stay put, Cell. An old lady's gonna come pick you up, and I'll meet you outside."

Just as he said, Fortuneteller Baba would retrieve Cell from the afterlife, and after some brief reminiscing Goku would meet with him. However... there would unfortunately be another party waiting for them both. Ever the trickster, Quitela had begun making plans to ensure Universe 7's downfall, convincing Universe 9's God of Destruction Sidra, into organizing an attack to fall on Goku and his allies...

Staring up at the assassins, almost hundreds in total, Goku quickly brought his index and middle fingers to his forehead, silently suggesting to Cell a quick escape in the form of Instant Transmission.

Cell, however, would only chuckle, putting his hands on his hips, and stopping Goku.

"Now, let's not get hasty, Goku! Here we have ourselves an opportunity for me to really get warmed up, and to team up with you of all people!"

Cell looked around himself, his eyes locking on each of the assassins.

"Don't tell me the idea doesn't excite you!"

Goku paused, pondering the idea. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Cell to get back into the swing of fighting, especially after having been tied down for so long. And to say the idea of actually fighting alongside Cell wasn't at the very least intriguing to him...

Goku nodded. "Alright, just a few to get you back in the feel of things, and then we meet with the others. Okay?"

Cell smirked wickedly, bringing both arms upwards, and taking his fighting stance. "Perfect."

As the rest of the assassins prepared themselves, Cell quickly used Instant Transmission, slamming his fist into one of the assassins, who was shot backwards, slamming into a few other assassins, who quickly stabilized him.

With that, the Leader of the Assassins shouted above them all. "Attack!"

Looking down at his fist, before clenching it and unclenching it, Cell awaited as the many assassins went straight for him. Many fired blasts for him, while others went straight for Cell, striking punch after punch for him; overwhelming the Bio-Android.

"Cell!" Goku shouted, only for Cell to suddenly speak up.

"Oh, yes..." he growled, chuckling slightly. "How... I've... missed this!"

Immediately, Cell's barrier activated, throwing the assassins off of him, before going straight for one. Throwing an ensemble of punches to his stomach, he quickly grabbed his arm before teleporting behind him and breaking it behind his back.

As another assassin launched blasts to weaken him, Cell simply threw the assassin in his arms at his attacker, before teleporting behind them both and slamming them into the water.

Goku's eyes widened, scanning the battlefield as Cell continued to take on the assassins, focusing on them one-at-a-time, while still avoiding attacks from the others. Even though he had begun a bit stiff, his movements very quickly began to sharpen: getting faster, hitting harder... to the point where Goku recognized them as being like the ones he had fought against during the Cell Games.

Taking to the skies to get in on the fun, Goku leapt into the air, taking down assassins with a single punch each, before going after a number of them at once; rushing into them by flight, and shoving them all together, before leaping back and bringing both hands to his sides and preparing his blast.

"Kamehameha!"

Careful to hold back enough to spare the assassins, Goku's attack would only excite Cell into getting a bit bold with his strategies, before holding out his hand and firing a different blast at another assassin.

"Big Bang Attack!"

With the assassin thrown back, Cell would race straight for him before clobbering him with several mean hooks to his face, then finishing him off with a knee to the stomach and an elbow to his back.

The assassins having noticed the change as well, one took a step back, only for Cell to suddenly teleport in front of them, and hold out his hand, firing a massive blast... the manner itself reminding Goku very much of a technique used by the Demon King Dabura when he had killed Kibito.

"Oh... how I've waited to try that one out..." Cell chuckled, before looking upwards towards the rest of the assassins, his eyes practically sparkling in excitement.

"Oh! And then there's this one..."

Cell smirked, raising his hand forming a yellow sphere in his hand which quickly expanded into a ring-like shape. Throwing his hand forward, the single ring expanded into many, before surrounding themselves around several assassins.

Goku couldn't believe what he was seeing. First Dabura's technique, now Gotenks'. He had already known that Cell had been forced to watch several years of battles without end, but it had only now resonated how much of a torturous experience that must've been. Seeing all sorts of new and exciting techniques, curious how each of them worked... yet being powerless to find out for himself. And yet now... he was free to do as he pleased. He must have memorized the ones he wanted the most, dreamed of, and now... the gloves were off.

Taking the sky, Cell smirked, before bringing his hands to his sides as well, then firing a Kamehameha, sweeping the attack over all of his trapped foes.

And yet, without being bothered, Cell only chuckled.

"Ah... Now that one felt good..." he told himself, before looking towards Goku. "You have no idea how frustrating it was to see Gohan escape from it, and so doing it, and doing it right just feels... cathartic..."

Goku narrowed his eyes as he took stock of the assassins. It was clear that most of them had already begun debating retreating, while the Commander maintained a firm look. Flying over to Cell, he finally spoke up.

"Alright, Cell. That's enough. You've had your warm-up, we need to go, now."

Cell rolled his eyes. "Leaving mid-fight? How familiar, isn't it, Goku?"

Goku ignored the taunt. "We don't have time to mess around anymore. We have to-"

Goku would suddenly cut himself off as he noticed the commander form a blast of ki from his hand.

No.

Not form. More like... pull forth. Like he had been holding onto it.

It took a second to recognize the blast.

"Cell, watch out!"

"Leaving so soon?" the Commander shouted, before tossing the Energy of Destruction at them both, intending to destroy them both in a single shot.

Goku froze in panic, before having to make a choice. Either save himself, and risk Cell being destroyed, or the other way around; neither being ideal. And thus, he took Door Number 3.

"Cell! Raise your power!" he shouted as the blast consumed them, before transforming into a Super Saiyan Blue.

Screaming in a mixture between power and genuine pain, Cell's aura exploded into its lightning-filled golden. As he could feel his own feet and arms being shattered into nothing, Cell pushed harder, refusing to lose the life he had just regained, breaking his own limit and continuing to power up... and yet, neither him nor Goku could fully fight it off.

That's when suddenly the Destruction Energy dissipated, the reason revealing himself just as quickly.

"There you are, Goku. I was wondering what took you so long..."

Taking a second to regain his breath, Goku let out his typical giddy laughter.

"Hey, thanks Lord Beerus! I really owe you one..."

"More importantly... is this the one you said could be our tenth member?" Beerus replied, unamused as he gestured towards Cell; who was currently missing both legs, and forearms. "Doesn't look too special to me."

Panting hard, Cell hissed at the lackluster before shouting and regenerating his missing parts, then quickly locking eyes with the Assassin Commander.

"You." he hissed. "You think you're cute with your little borrowed trick, don't you?!"

The Commander swallowed hard, almost frozen in fear.

"Oh, yes. I can tell for certain that was your little ace-in-the-hole. Someone else's energy, am I right? I couldn't sense it, but I can sense your's."

Without so much as a word, the Commander prepared to scurry away as fast as he could... only for Cell to stop him by way of telekinesis.

"Leaving so soon?"

As soon as Cell clenched his fist, the Commander erupted; the strategy reminded Goku a little too much of a display on Namek. And moreso, Cell's power had somehow seemed even higher than before, even higher than it seemed to go when he believed they would both be destroyed.

He swallowed hard. Had Cell just gained another boost in strength after surviving destruction? And even more importantly, how much stronger could he get throughout the whole tournament?

Having Cell get stronger through the tournament was always a part of the plan, in some way or another, but at the rate he was going now... it made him question if he had made the right choice after all. Regardless, the two of them would go over to meet with the remainder of the group, the tension in the air being enough to be cut with a knife.

Cell smiled proudly as he looked down at the group, who all stared daggers at him.

"Well, well! Look at all of you!" he said with a chuckle, putting his hands on his hips. "You all like you're doing well for yourselves!"

Vegeta would be the first to perk up, looking up at Cell's halo.

"Same to you, Cell... In fact, I'd say you look better than the last time I saw you."

Cell narrowed his eyes, briefly before looking at the rest of them, cracking another smirk as he then turned 17 and 18.

"And look at you, two!" he said through another smile. "Isn't this nice! All three of us, back together again!"

Cell faked as if he had just remembered something.

"Actually... hold on... Wasn't there one more..?"

18 narrowed her eyes, as 17 turned away uncaringly, all while Cell continued to egg them on.

"There was someone else, right? I know there is... I just can't get it out of my head..."

Finally Gohan spoke up.

"Maybe a good kick to it, would help." he replied, walking over to Cell and staring him down.

Cell's smile disappeared, before reappearing as Gohan approached him. Unlike in the past, where he had to literally look down at the boy, but now he had grown. Not enough to the point where they were at eye-level, but closer enough to respect.

"Ah... Gohan..." Cell began, giving the half-Saiyan his full attention. "It's good to see you dear boy... How's the studying going? You passed all your little tests?"

Gohan narrowed his eyes, as Cell continued to speak to him like he was a child.

"Yeah. Everything's been great. How's Hell been?"

Cell crossed his arms.

"Disappointing, to say the least... My time in Hell gave me every opportunity to see every fight you and all your little friends' have ever experienced..."

The rest of the group perked up slightly.

"And so, to see as my greatest challenger become slowly but surely softer and more pathetic..."

Cell clicked his tongue.

"Bit of a shame."

Finally 18's temper reached her breaking point, shoving Gohan aside to give Cell a piece of her mind.

"Alright, Cell. You listen here. Don't think for a second that anything's forgiven for what you've done. So, if you think we're going to work together with you and be good and friendly, you've got another thing coming."

Cell smirked slightly at the display, before turning to 17.

"And what about you, Seventeen? Do you have anything to add?"

17, who had been leaning against the patio's railing, with his eyes closed finally spoke.

"I don't care what you do, personally." he said casually, before opening his eyes, ice dripping from his voice. "Just stay out of my way."

Sensing the hostility reaching its peak, Shin would speak up, trying to gather everyone into the same mindset.

"Everyone if I may... The Tournament of Power's a Battle Royale between teams of eight distinct universes. It's important that you conserve your strength, so form up into a group right away." he began, with the rest of the group nodding along.

"When enemies approach, fight as a team: avoid all duels. If one enemy wants to fight, two of you should engage. And if it's two enemies, then three of you should counter."

This part of the speech actually made Goku perk up, with him replying. "Uh... avoiding one-on-one fights is kind of cowardly..."

Vegeta would agree with the notion. "Yeah, you forget that we Saiyans are a proud warrior race. We don't rely on numbers to win our fights."

Beerus would suddenly growl in anger, before shouting.

"I don't care if it's an 'honorable fight', or not! All that matters is that we win!"

While Cell agreed with Goku and Vegeta's mindset, he chose to remain quiet, deciding to use his wits above all else. Even with his recent power boosts, and being stronger than most there, he could tell his power was still dwarfed by the likes of Goku, Vegeta, or Gohan, and maybe even Piccolo and Android 17.

Regardless, finally Whis spoke up to break the silence, waving around a bright red flash with a large '7' on it.

"Alright, Team Seventh Universe! It's time to go to the Null Realm!"

"To make a long story short, you're not allowed to fight alone!" Beerus would add. "You jerks got that?"

Through a chuckle, Whis would continue. "Okay! I'd like everyone to join hands and form a circle!"

Even though there was a bit of a hesitation, the group would gather together and would be teleported to the realm that would hold the Tournament of Power. While Goku and Vegeta would have some fun interactions with the other Saiyans, Cell couldn't care less. It wasn't so much that he disliked his own source material, but rather, it was the countless other species and races that intrigued him; something that exceeded even the wildest things he had been forced to watch in Hell. And now, here he was, allowed to fight each and everyone of them, to his heart's content...

As soon as the Tournament began, the arena exploded into an array of chaos and explosions; which Cell used as an easy cover to slip away from the rest of the Team, something both Goku and Vegeta would do as well.

Racing off to find whoever he found the most interesting, Cell would instead be cut off by someone else: Majora, the odd fennec-like creature from Universe 4.

"Do you mind?" Cell snapped, as he caught the sudden attack; albeit being thrown back a bit.

"No. Of course I don't mind." he replied calmly. "I'd like to knock you out of this tournament... Do you mind?"

Cell narrowed his eyes. While he wanted to fight more interesting opponents, the calmness in this man's voice only angered him enough to be goaded into fighting.

"No. Not at all..."

Immediately, Cell raced straight for Majora, who quickly leaped out of the way. Cell would spin around, catching himself, then turning back to attack, only for Majora to slip away again.

Finally closing his eyes to concentrate, Cell brought both index and pointer fingers to his forehead, teleporting right behind Majora, who managed to just barely dodge his attack, albeit being slightly grazed.

"Now that was an interesting one..." Majora remarked, the same infuriating tonality in his voice. "I didn't expect such a trick."

Through with the games, Cell crossed his arms. "Alright, what's your deal? Can you see the future or something?"

Majora shot him a smile.

"Oh, no, no, no. I can't see the future." he replied. "In fact... Seeing doesn't have anything to do with it."

Finally understanding, Cell growled.

"So that's it, then? You have some kind of super-senses, is that it?"

Clenching both fists, Cell cracked a smirk.

"Well, that's unfortunate for you..."

"Oh?"

"Yes... That means everything must be a little extra to you, right? A little extra loud, a little extra fragrant..."

Majora finally stopped smiling.

"And there's a limit to how much you can take, right?"

Immediately, Cell teleported behind Majora, but instead of attacking him, he trapped him in a tight bear-hug, before shouting and raising his power, crushing him in his arms and burning his ears.

As Majora struggled to break free, all Cell would need was a single moment, before finally letting go of the fighter, and while he attempted to let his senses adjust, he'd feel a sharp pain in his stomach, and Cell would punt him into the sky and off the tournament grounds.

Seemingly proud of his work, Cell prepared to continue his plan, only for yet someone else to shout at him.

"You there!"

Cell froze, this time meeting with a man who looked older than most, but wore an over-the-top looking jumpsuit, looking like a character out of a comic book.

"You fight with no honor!" he shouted, before holding out his hand. "I, Kahseral, of the Pride Troopers, will thus, give you a loss far better than that of what you deserve!"

Cell rolled his eyes at the display, unamused at what the elderly man had to say. At the very least he was intrigued by the fact that this man appeared to be a cyborg.

"Oh, what the hell, I'll play along..." Cell remarked, before replying. "Then, I, Cell, the Perfect Being and Ultimate Lifeform shall show you what you're dealing with!"

Getting into his fighting stance, Cell prepared to attack... only for the man to suddenly zip towards him, his hands covering themselves in lightning-like energy, which burned against Cell, throwing him backwards and into one of the rocky structures. Without any worry, Kahseral brought both energy-covered hands together, which burned into a bright light.

"Justice Burst!"

Overwhelmed, the blast would hit Cell square-on, and when it faded... there was nothing.

From the sidelines, Beerus hissed in anger, while the remainder of the group simply waited for Cell to appear near them, curious if he had even survived. Even the Zeno's above weren't sure either, debating amongst themselves whether or not Kahseral would be disqualified for killing an opponent.

The answer to all of their questions would suddenly be answered when Kahseral suddenly felt a hand grip his neck behind him. Everyone watching perked up as a familiar power level quickly rose, before quickly skyrocketing as Cell appeared, alive-and-well, though admittedly a bit wet.

"H...how..?" Kahseral croaked.

Cell wouldn't even reply, only narrowing his eyes, and throwing Kahseral forward, sending him tumbling against the ground. At a new, blinding speed, Cell caught up with him, dragging him by a single leg and slamming him against whatever rocks were nearby, before slamming him into the ground and punching him in the stomach several times, leaving Kahseral gasping in fear and pain.

With another throw, Cell used Instant Transmission to teleport and catch Kahseral by the back, then creating and naming his new attack.

"Justice Breaker."

With a golden yellow blast, Cell fired, shooting Kahseral away from him and off the tournament grounds.

While arguments would arise between Beerus, Champa, and Quitela over Beerus' supposed 'invincible' fighter, the Zeno's would give Beerus a pass; and while some of the members of Team Universe 7 were intrigued by Cell's now third Zenkai, the one most intrigued was Cell himself, burning with curiosity as to what else could be done.

Despite this, Cell's next matchups wouldn't be much to dwell on: he'd join in on the charge against Agnilasa, and take down a few other opponents, but more interestingly, Cell's next battle, would put him up against an enemy that would warrant him teaming up with the last person he expected.

Dyspo cackled excitedly, knocking his opponent around, as he leapt from structure to structure like a super bouncy ball.

"If ya give up now, I'll make sure to knock you off quickly!" he taunted.

Landed nearby them, Cell only smirked.

"Well, don't you look like you're having fun, Gohan?"

Crossing his arms to defend, Gohan was only barely able to reply.

"If you're just here to watch, just save it!"

Cell leapt downwards, now reaching them on the same level, before shaking his head.

"Oh, don't worry, Gohan... I'm actually here to help you!" he smiled, before continuing. "...from both this idiot, and further embarrassing yourself."

Stopping his attacks, Dyspo paused to eye-up Cell, only to quickly notice something.

"Hold on a sec! You're the one who beat the crap outta Kahseral!"

Cell only smirked smugly.

"Oh, was he your friend? I honestly couldn't recognize who you were talking about until I noticed your ridiculous outfit..."

Hissing in anger, Dyspo leapt straight for Cell and began to throw him backwards, only for Dyspo to feel someone punch behind him; just as quickly seeing another Cell.

"What the-?"

"What? You really think I'd be stupid enough to fight you without some precautions?" The first Cell chuckled.

"Which- Which one-a-ya are the real one?"

Both Cells answered in sync. "Me, of course!"

A decent distraction at play, Dyspo was suddenly shoved away from both Cells, as Gohan began to pummel him with several punches. Speeding back up, however, Dyspo zipped away Gohan, ready to hit him from behind, only to be swatted by another punch from Cell, now back to a single form.

"You try to hit people from behind, you realize that?" Cell taunted. "It makes you easy to predict. And another thing... you may be fast... but you're still not fast enough to be called 'instant'."

At his breaking point, Dyspo snapped, his aura flaring upwards, before turning a purple-color.

"Then how do you like this?" Dyspo shouted, before nearly teleporting over and slamming his fist against both Cell and Gohan, making them both stumble.

The previous comment seemingly hitting a nerve, Dyspo dashed towards Cell, hitting him in the stomach tens of times before leaping backwards and getting ready to deliver his final attack; only for Cell to activate his barrier, stopping Dyspo in his tracks.

Despite that, Cell's next attack would hit the air, as Dyspo dodged the attack by zipping away, then avoiding Gohan's next attack.

Standing back-to-back, Cell and Gohan surveyed the area, as Dyspo continued to speed around, racing around them in a large circle, like a shark after too much sugar.

"Round 'an round 'an round 'an round we go!" Dyspo whooped. "Who I'll hit, you'll never know!"

Holding up his hands, Cell prepared his next attack, and as soon as Dyspo aimed for him, Cell stretched his arm, activating his barrier and holding it over to catch Dyspo within.

Taking a minute to catch his breath, Cell taunted cheekily.

"Well, well. Looks like I caught a rabbit!"

Despite that, the barrier surrounding Dyspo would slowly begin to crack, unbeknownst to Cell, making Gohan leap between them.

"Cell, watch out!"

Breaking out of the barrier, Dyspo prepared to hit Cell, only for Gohan to block the hit for him, allowing Cell to throw a punch, finally hitting Dyspo, with Gohan sliding his feet, tripping him as well.

Saving himself, Dyspo flipped onto his hands, then back on his feet, before performing a flip and raising both hands like a magician after performing a magic trick.

"So you're not impossible to hit, even when you're all glowy like that..." Gohan commented. "I think I might've figured out the weakness of that little trick. You need a big, open space to use it to its fullest, don't you?"

Dyspo remained smiling, unbothered by the calling out of this trick.

"And..?"

Cell smiled, having caught on what Gohan was thinking. Holding out both hands, he activated his barrier, making it wide enough to hold them all within it, but not enough that Dyspo had enough to move.

The action actually made Dyspo cackle.

"So that's it? That's your big plan?" he chuckled. "Did you forget that I could already break out of your little ball? What's stopping me from doing that again? Or what's stopping me from just attacking you?!"

Dyspo gestured towards Cell.

Gohan, however, stood in front of Cell. "Same answer to both questions. Me."

Dyspo rolled his eyes, before raising both hands up like a boxer.

"Fine... You, first."

In an instant, Dyspo slammed into Gohan, throwing him backwards, before bouncing straight back and slamming Dyspo back, hitting his head against his. Dyspo hissed in pain, as he slammed against the barrier, before getting back up for more, only to be shot by a pair of laser eyes, courtesy of Cell.

Gritting his teeth, Dyspo picked up speed, racing around the inside of the barrier, before getting ready to hit Gohan, only to need to slow down as he nearly found himself running directly into Gohan's fist.

Stumbling backwards, Dyspo would then circle back around, only to hit the barrier again, where Gohan flipped, slamming Dyspo back with a kick in the face, then throwing another punch, throwing Dyspo back against the barrier. Dyspo growled in pain, starting to have his fill of the barrier, only to realize how much closer he had become to Cell and Gohan.

Suddenly the revelation hit: the barrier was getting smaller.

Starting to feel fear, Dyspo charged his aura, before starting to circle the barrier again; this time, for some odd reason not hitting Gohan at all this time. Despite that, he reached enough speed, preparing to break the barrier with a massive kick.

With a leap, Dyspo aimed his foot... only for the barrier to suddenly disappear. His own momentum acting as his downfall, Dyspo slammed into a nearby rock, hitting the ground as he fell.

Now in real pain, Dyspo stumbled to his feet, his aura dropped, but still ready for more.

"Is that... all... you've got?" he groaned.

Unfortunately for him, he would suddenly feel arms around him, as Cell would make way by Instant Transmission and grab hold of Dyspo and trap him in a bear hug.

"What the- let go of me!" he shouted in fear.

Now realizing the reality, Dyspo began to shake, using his super speed in order to wiggle out from Cell's arms, only for Cell to chuckle.

"Ah-ah-ah..." he chuckled. "Can't have you leaving just yet!"

Before Dyspo could react, a golden ring formed around him, squeezing around him and locking him and Cell together. As the ring squeezed tighter, it was starting to become very clear what was to come next.

"W-wait a minute! What are you doing? Are you an idiot! You're trapping us both!"

Cell only let out a chuckle.

"For someone so quick on their feet, you're pretty slow on the uptake..."

Dyspo's eyes widened.

"Gohan..?"

With that, Gohan walked closer, bringing his hands to his side, before charging a familiar blast.

"Try to hold back a little this time... Wouldn't want to kill me again, would we?"

Dyspo's breathing only got faster, forcing Cell to squeeze tighter as he chuckled. "Woah, easy now! You're not going anywhere, and neither am I! This is the end for us, I'm afraid!"

Gohan swallowed hard. Deep down, he couldn't believe what was happening. Right here, right now, Cell was laying down his own life in order to help him. He was insane... he almost wondered if-

"And one more thing... Don't think this changes anything, Gohan. I haven't changed or anything stupid like that..."

Gohan rolled his eyes. Well, that settled that.

"Because I've always been perfect."

With that, Gohan fired the Kamehameha, sending both Cell and Dsypo off the stage and ending the battle. Taking a deep breath, Gohan nodded, catching his breath... only for a hand to pat his shoulder.

"There! That wasn't so hard was it?"

Gohan suddenly jerked backwards, as the source of the voice was clear: it was Cell, who chuckled at the half-Saiyan's reaction.

"What? Did you really think I'd let myself go so stupidly? Don't be ridiculous!" Cell cackled. "Simple Multi-Form, nothing more."

With a cocky smile, Cell took his leave, leaving Gohan somehow both seething and dumbfounded.

As both Cell and Gohan recuperated and regained some of their energy, other battles would continue to rage on, including one between Vegeta, Android 17, and Toppo. Two of them would only narrowly win against the God of Destruction candidate, but only after Vegeta's valiant explosion of power knocked him out.

At last, only six fighters remained: Goku, Vegeta, Android 17, Gohan, Cell... and Jiren, the last challenger of Universe 11. Despite his obvious frustrations, Jiren took a deep breath, before speaking up.

"Your universe has fought well. I commend your strength. It is a shame such a streak must come to an end here..."

Cell rolled his eyes, as Android 17, Goku, and Gohan all readied themselves, Vegeta also taking a minute to catch his breath, before straightening himself out.

"As a symbol of respect, allow me to show you something."

With that, Jiren clenched both fists, before letting out a shout, his aura finally showing itself as it began to grow with seemingly no limit; looking as if the entire arena had been set aflame.

While most watched in panic, Cell hissed with rage. He had only managed to pull through this far by the skin of his teeth, forcing Zenkais, using different techniques, even having to team up with others... but this...

This was a completely different level.

If he wanted to win this, he was going to have to give it everything he had.

It was infuriating... and a little exciting.

Finally, Jiren's aura settled, parts of the arena still flickering with embers of ki and a brief silence filled the tournament grounds. Silence that was almost immediately broken by Vegeta speaking up, walking towards Jiren and adjusting his gloves.

"So, now that all your little friends are gone, you're finally getting serious..." he taunted.

"Vegeta..." Goku spoke up, trying to stop the Prince.

"It's about time. Though it won't change much. I'll crush you, too, and claim my prize..."

Jiren turned to face Vegeta proper.

"Come now. Don't be foolish." he stated flatly. "You have no chance against me, especially in your current form."

Vegeta's first response would be to transform once more into his Super Saiyan Blue Evolved form, before leaping straight for the Grey. With no other option, Goku, Gohan, and Android 17 all joined in on the rush.

Despite the intense flurry of attacks of each fighter, all of them would be casually blocked, dodged, or even just ignored by Jiren. Without even seeming to put in any effort, the Pride Trooper lifted his hand and shoved Vegeta, sending the Saiyan flying, before throwing a punch to 17's stomach, throwing him back as well. Avoiding his would-be attack, both Goku and Gohan both backed off, instead bringing their hands together and firing a combined Masenko-Kamehameha.

The blast would prove to have basically no effect, but it worked as good coverage for Vegeta to get in a knee to Jiren's face, then a punch. As Jiren grabbed hold of Vegeta, Goku activated his Kaio-ken, kicking Jiren right in the face, then wheeling back for another punch. Jiren, however, would catch him as well, before slamming the two Saiyans' heads against each other's, then throwing them in opposite directions.

Gohan would follow-up next, throwing a series of punches all aimed for the warrior's torso, who would respond with more annoyance than pain. However, this would swiftly change as several ki blasts pelted him from behind, a shout of vigor revealing the source: Android 17. Finally moving, Jiren turned, waving his arm behind him, the air pressure being enough to knock 17 off his feet, before using the motion to slam his fist into Gohan's stomach, smashing him through several rock structures.

Finally Cell made his appearance, teleporting right in front of Jiren and firing a red blast point-blank, using Dabura's technique once more. The blast casually glided off the Grey, but Cell didn't let up, creating two blades of lightning-like ki covering his hands, looking exactly like Kahseral's technique. With wide strikes and sways of his arms, Cell stabbed and slashed with his new blades, but the attack would do nothing as well.

Having reached his fill of the Bio-Android, Jiren would reach forward, grabbing Jiren and holding him up, before casually lifting his other hand to form a ball of ki and slamming it into Cell, throwing him into the abyss of the void. However, in doing this, revealed the true scope of what Cell had been brewing together, as a small army began to fall from the sky; an army consisting of what appeared to be six Cells and about eighteen Cell Jr's.

While the Cell Jr's rained down ki blasts like hail, three Cells landed right in front of Jiren and began to attack him head-on. Despite the impressive display, Jiren would handle all three Cells' attacks easily, blocking and slipping each punch or kick, all while allowing the blasts to hit him, seeming about as bothered by them as one would be raindrops. Finally deciding to fight back, Jiren would throw each Cell off of him with only a single punch, the sheer force shooting them into the air where they faded to nothing.

With a wave of his hand, he prepared to sweep up each Cell Jr all the same, only to be suddenly struck by a massive kick to the back of his head, from Goku of all people, using his Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken power once more. With a loud roar, Vegeta raced towards Jiren as well, throwing a punch to his gut, which Jiren would tank, before grabbing hold of Goku's leg and throwing him into Vegeta and sending them both flying.

Suddenly the last of the Cell Jr's latched themselves onto Jiren, trying to restrain him, though their grip would be quickly broken and the Cell Jr's themselves obliterated, Jiren would receive a surprise in the form of two Kamehameha's, courtesy of two more Cells. Jiren would raise both hands, managing to catch and briefly hold off the blasts, but after a knee to the head from Gohan, both would overtake him.

Despite the massive explosion, Jiren would survive without a scratch, even after Gohan and 17 continued to attack him suddenly.

"Both of you! Move it!"

Recognizing the voice as Cell's, both leapt out of the way, as a bright orange and pink light raced towards them both, another shout calling out the name.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

For the first time caught off-guard, Jiren took the full force of the attack, hitting him square in the torso, and while it didn't pierce him, it clearly hurt the Pride Trooper, knocking the breath from his mouth and forcing him to hunch over slightly.

As Cell revealed himself, looking smugly, Jiren just as quickly shot a blast for him, forcing him to fade and revealing himself as yet another copy. Groaning in frustration, Jiren stood up properly, only to hear Cell's voice again.

"Oh boy, you are a tough nut to crack." he stated flatly, not attacking, but instead standing casually behind Jiren. "I mean, that thing took a while to charge, and look at you! Still not even a scratch...

Jiren turned around to face him, facing the Bio-Android face-to-face for what was likely the first time proper.

"I am tired of playing your games. I am not interested in dealing with any more of your duplications."

Cell rolled his eyes, a humored look on his face.

"Oh, relax. This is the real me. Even with as many Multi-Forms and children as I could handle, I still can't lay a hand on you."

"So, why do you approach me?"

Everyone on the battlefield paused to watch the interaction, as Cell flexed, spreading his wings slightly and chuckled.

"Because I do have one final technique left, and I'd like to hit you with it."

While most in the audience's eyes widened at the casual tone (if not audacity), Jiren simply narrowed his eyes, while Cell continued.

"You allowed Goku's Spirit Bomb and you let Vegeta hit you with his attack; which, by the way? Real original. So, what do you say?"

Jiren closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then opening them back up.

"Very well. Use your technique. I will not leave this spot."

With a smirk Cell charged his aura, before flexing and suddenly puffing up his chest. His aura was unlike anything seen thus far, but Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan all perked up, recognizing what Cell was about to do. Continuing to grunt and growl, Cell's body would begin to grow in size, before beginning to expand like a water balloon being overfilled.

Jiren however, would simply roll his eyes. "Is this it, then? Am I supposed to be impressed?"

Continuing to grow in size, Cell's voice came out slightly growlier than before.

"Oh, you will be..."

Glowing with a yellow color, Cell let out a massive shout, before suddenly erupting in an amazing display of lights, surprising even Jiren with the sudden explosion. As lights exploded like fireworks, the tournament grounds lit up like a concert show.

"Damn it!" Android 17 shouted. "He just had to steal my ace, too..."

Vegeta scoffed, feeling a similar sentiment, before perking up. "You really think he went for it, Kakarot? Or do you think he's playing at something else?"

Goku would say nothing, simply thinking it over and humming curiously.

As the dust faded, Cell wouldn't be seen, but Jiren had hunched over, now hands on his knees and panting hard. His uniform had been tattered, but unfortunately, that appeared to be the most of his injuries.

With no sign of the Bio-Android, Cell would be deemed eliminated, however, seeing Jiren stumble lightly would motivate the rest, and so the final battle would continue. Most of this battle would mirror the one you know of, with Vegeta sacrificing himself and Goku finally mastering the power of Ultra Instinct. After an amazing battle between Goku and Jiren, with the latter breaking his own limits as well, the fight was over, with Goku seemingly victorious: the final combatants left in the tournament being Goku, Gohan, and Jiren.

Jiren groaned in pain-mixed-exhaustion, struggling to even look up at Goku, who glowed in his glorious aura.

"Why don't you finish me?" he asked.

Goku narrowed his eyes. "As incredible as you are, now you have to admit what I'm saying is true, right? You understand, don't you?"

Jiren hissed in annoyance, picking himself up only slightly, then growling back.

"Don't waste time trying to preach to me! This fight is over. Throw me off the edge."

Growling in frustration, Goku would prepare to acquiesce, forming a ball of energy in his hand, with even Jiren forcing himself to sit up to accept his defeat. Goku looked over the Grey with saddened eyes, as Jiren closed his own, ready to take what was coming.

Suddenly an explosion of purple lightning-like erupted from Goku, with a surge of blood flooding out. Screaming in excruciating pain, Goku stumbled to the floor, trying to pick himself up, only for more lightning to crackle out of him, slamming him back onto the ground. There his hair returned to his original jet black color. His body not used to the power of Ultra Instinct, as well as being pushed to its absolute limit had finally let out.

Taking the opportunity, Jiren forced himself to his legs, then holding out his hand to Goku and forming his own ki blast.

"You are a true warrior, Goku: the greatest I've ever seen, no doubt. And while I am sorry that our battle is to end this way, and your universe will be erased. Understand that you will live on in my memory, and I promise that I will never forget-"

"Big Bang Attack!" a voice would suddenly call it, and just with it, a red ball of condensed ki would slam into Jiren, forcing him to stumble backwards.

Everyone perking up to the source, the perpetrator would reveal themselves, as... you guessed it: Cell.

Suddenly realizing everything, Gohan shook his head in an amazing mixture of surprise, relief, and bemusement.

"Sure took your time this time, didn't you, Cell?" he said with a chuckle.

Cell shrugged his shoulders, revealing himself.

"Well, the plan was to let Goku do the work and stay hidden, but leave it to Goku to stop a fight mid-way, as usual." Cell mocked, before smirking wickedly, clenching his fist. "Though, I'd be lying if I said I would've been disappointed if I never got to test out my new power."

Gohan's eyes widened.

"Tell me. 'You ever heard the phrase 'Don't mess with Perfection'? I agree! ...But a new coat of paint never hurts."

With that Cell powered up, the lightning-filled aura maintaining it's typical yellow appearance before suddenly turning brighter and filling with golden color, before taking on an appearance more like yellow fire. With another shout, Cell's body transformed, the green, spotted sections becoming golden in color, while his eyes turned blood-red.

No warning given, Cell appeared right in front of Jiren, punching him directly into the stomach and making him gasp.

"Now... I know, I know... Gold isn't at all original... In fact, I almost considered red and green! But let's be honest... Doesn't 'Golden Cell' have such a nice ring to it?"

Introductions complete, Cell threw another punch into Jiren, making the Pride Trooper groan in pain once more, before finally throwing his own punch back at Cell. The attack seeming to rather vigorate the Bio-Android, Cell launched another punch to Jiren's face, then another, until finally Jiren kicked him in the torso, forcing him to back off.

With a humored chuckle, Cell created another ki blade, using it to slice at Jiren, which finally seemed to actually take damage, though he would eventually catch Cell's wrist and throw him over his shoulder. This not stopping him for a second, Cell teleporting above Jiren via Instant Transmission, smacking him with a kick to the face, before backflipping and forming a blast in his hand. Bringing it straight to Jiren's stomach before making it explode point-blank, in the same vein Jiren's attack had worked, and sending Jiren flying.

Not letting up, Cell raced straight for Jiren, delivering a double-hammerfist, then continuing to punch Jiren through the tournament grounds and towards the voice below. Not yet ready to lose, Jiren grabbed hold of Cell's head, squeezing it within his palms to hold him in place and forcing him to stop. With quick thinking, Jiren began to maneuver himself towards a piece of rubble, then leaping off it towards more solid ground.

Despite this plan, a roar would be heard, in the form of Goku racing towards them both, his hair flashing from black to gold, leaping straight for Jiren and stopping him in mid-air. His momentum gone, the only thing keeping them mid-air was their sheer power output alone, but with Goku's failing energy, they would slowly begin to move in Jiren's desired direction.

That's when Cell grabbed hold of Jiren's head, charging his energy, then shouting.

"Hey, Gohan!"

Gohan snapped back to reality, having gotten lost in the display. "What?"

"This time... don't hold back."

Realizing what Cell was asking him, Gohan brought his hands to his sides in the ever-familiar position... before hesitating.

Could he do this?

Was he even remotely on the same playing field as the three of these?

His father, Goku, who had done something that not even some of the Gods of Destruction had done, Jiren, who was reportedly the strongest in the multiverse, and Cell, a monster that could be, and had been, growing more powerful by the second?

Cell's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"And when I say 'don't hold back', I mean it! No use in being humble! You're powerful! So show it! Show them all! Show them the power that once destroyed the perfect being!"

In perhaps a mixture of Cell's words, the reality of the situation, or Cell's admittance of the past, something sparked inside of Gohan.

Standing up straight, Gohan nodded, before performing a backflip to gain a better angle, then, just as he had done in the past, held out a single hand and before calling out.

"Kamehameha..."

With bated breath, both Goku and Cell charged their auras, holding Jiren in place for the final attack, while the rest of Universe 7's team shouted encouragement.

"Do it!"

"Finish it!"

"Now's the chance!"

"You've got it!"

Finally, Gohan shot his arm forward, and for a brief second his hair flashed white and his eyes red.

"HAAAAAAAA!"

With a massive explosion of power, the Kamehameha shot straight for Jiren, Goku, and Cell and once it faded... all three of them appeared in the tournament stands. The victor clear, Gohan would be presented with the Super Dragon Balls, and given the chance to grant any single wish. After a brief pause to consider, there was only one that came to mind: the revival of all those who had been erased as a result of the Tournament of Power, and restoration of their universes.

As everyone prepared to return home, in an interesting twist, Cell would be revived courtesy of Whis; much to everyone's shock and horror, seemingly as a request from Lord Beerus.

"Now, why the heck would you do that?" Vegeta protested.

Cell, however, would simply chuckle, nodding as a 'thank you', before turning away.

"Now, now. Don't worry, Vegeta. I won't be bothering you, or your little 'Earth'..." he smiled, before winking. "At least for now."

Despite what was being said, everyone prepared themselves.

"If anything, this tournament's shown me that I've been limiting myself! How boring would it be to just spend my life on one puny little marble! I think I'll go explore the cosmos, go on a bit of a galactic pilgrimage..."

Cell smirked.

"Maybe I'll go visit some of those animals I saw while in Hell. Now that sounds like fun."

And with that, the team would return home, Cell doing just as he promised, with even Lord Beerus apparently offering him Frieza's old job, having seen a lot of what he liked from the Bio-Android. Earth, however, would not forget Cell; preparing for the day he may inevitably come back, especially Gohan, who was intrigued by the taste of power he had felt.

However, after a long and difficult tournament... At least for that day, they could relax a bit.

This story's meaning is a simple one. It's about collaboration through conquering the past. It can be easy to hold on to the past, and let it define us, limit us. We can tell ourselves that ignoring our pasts is what makes us strong, but in reality, I believe that true strength is when we're able to look past those things and instead, use our paths to make us stronger, and do greater things. And even better, when we are able to do this with allies, then can we truly take charge, in which there is nothing that can only us back. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

After nearly a year of adventuring, seeing dozens of planets, meeting new friends, and having more than plenty of battles, Goku, Pan and Trunks finally returned home to Earth. At last: the Grand Tour of the Universe had come to an end, and the Seven Black Star Dragon Balls had been gathered. The only thing that was left to do was summon the dragon, the one called 'Ultimate Shenron', and wish for the Earth to be spared.

This, however, would already be where things differed from the timeline you know, through a series of small changes. Changes that may appear simple enough on their own, but when put together, spell something drastically, amazingly different.

The first would be their initial destination: Bulma insisted on throwing a massive party to celebrate their arrival. In addition to food and drink, music and dancing, and everyone being invited; after being told the situation at hand, Bulma came up with another surprise: both Shenrons would be arriving. First, Ultimate Shenron was summoned to undo the destruction of the planet, allowing the Black Star Dragon Balls to scatter throughout the universe, unable to be brought together again. Then, secondly, the regular green Shenron would return Goku back to his usual age, effectively returning everything back to normal. Despite initial disappointment at being an 'old man' again by Goku (much to Chi-Chi and Bulma's chagrin) everyone was happy.

Of course, Bulma was ecstatic to see her son again, Vegeta was proud of his boy for taking care of himself (joking about having to be the 'adult', compared to Goku), and even Bra was impressed by her brother, having seen so much of the universe and wanting to know more. Meanwhile, Goku was greeted with open arms by his family, who were happy to see him again, back to normal, and with Uub happy to see his master well and good, and somehow more powerful than ever.

The only one to be greeted in less-than-savory means was Pan, albeit only initially. She was given a thorough scolding by Gohan and Videl, for sneaking onto the spaceship and endangering her life. Despite snapping back at first, Pan would be calmed down after both Goku and Mr. Satan spoke to Pan's defense. After a long talk, Gohan and Videl calmed down, eventually agreeing to allow Pan to train with Goku in the future... after being grounded for at least three months.

At long last, the party would come to an end, and while everyone would begin to work together on cleaning up, Pan slipped away, flying to an area a decent distance away. Noticing this, as well as the clear frustration on her face, Trunks followed her, meeting her privately.

"Pan?" he called to her. "Is everything alright?"

Pan sighed, shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes. "I mean, I was just scolded like a kid, so that was fun..."

Trunks chuckled slightly, taking a minute to appreciate the cool breezes of wind and sounds of cicadas chirping.

"They're just worried about you. They know you're strong, I know you're strong, but..." Trunks paused, giving Pan a smile. "They're still your family. Family's gonna worry, wanna look out for you, freak out when you're in danger. It's what we do."

Pan rolled her eyes again, turning to fully face Trunks.

"I suppose."

Trunks chuckled again. He had never heard Pan use the phrase 'I suppose' before.

Fiddling with her hands slightly, Pan spoke back up, awkwardly smiling as she looked Trunks right in the eye.

"I'm really glad you're here, Trunks... I wanted to talk to you, anyway..."

Trunks perked up slightly.

"It wasn't the right time before, with everything going on, but I think I noticed it on Planet Pital..."

Trunks blinked.

"You're... you're perfect for me..." Pan continued. "I want to make you mine..."

Was Pan... confessing to him?

He bit his lip slightly. Alright, admittedly he had a bit of an idea that Pan maybe had a small crush on him, but this? He was not expecting this. What would he even say? That it was weird? That he was old enough to be her-

Pan closed her eyes, the same smile on her face, before opening them: revealing red lines within them. In seconds three red lines formed on her face, two going down to her hairline to her eyes, and one going up from her chin to her. When she spoke up next, her voice sounded similar, but with a slight rasp to it and a hint of confidence behind her words.

"Remember me?"

Trunks flinched at the sudden change of demeanor. He wasn't completely sure of what was happening, but one thing had become very clear.

"You're not- You're not Pan!"

Pan narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists while her aura formed, her hair slightly floating upwards, as if she were swimming in water.

"Well, who am I, Saiyan?"

Now for the next small change. Baby, in this universe he had made a cunning change in his plans. Instead of infecting Trunks, then leaving to conquer the rest of the Earth, Baby decided to slow his plans down slightly. While reviving his race was a noble cause, it was blinded by his true purpose: to make the Saiyans that had slain them pay. But not just pay, suffer.

Immediately, Baby zipped towards Trunks, attacking him brutally, with no sense of honor; attacking his face, eyes, and vitals, as quickly as possible. Barely able to defend himself, Trunks fell to the floor, before clenching both fists, ready to turn Super Saiyan, and bring this monster down when-

The next thing he saw was Pan above him, bringing her hand to his face, and cupping him by the mouth.

After a moment, Trunks closed his eyes before opening them. Taking a moment to check, Baby looked him over, before finally removing the hand that was covering his mouth.

"Are you done?" she asked dryly.

Trunks blinked a couple of times before sitting up straight, his eyes now sporting a deep black coloring around them.

"Ah... sorry about that, Lord Baby." he spoke up, before standing up. "What's the plan, exactly?"

Baby hissed.

"It's those accursed Saiyans. They've made themselves home on this planet, and so we shall do exactly what they did to our home. Take it for ourselves, steal what is theirs, and then settle comfortably on our new planet."

Trunks nodded slowly. "So, where do we start?"

"My father- " Baby paused, before correcting himself. "The girl's father, Goku's eldest, is the strongest of their kin by far. But if we want to make him one of us, we'll need numbers. I'll get the other of Vegeta's brat, and you get the other of Goku's."

Trunks grinned villainously. "With great pleasure."

With that, both Tuffle-Hybrids would go their separate ways, with Baby going after Bra, dropping his transformation to better disguise himself as Pan.

While everyone had been working hard on cleaning up, Bra was lounging around, sitting a tall tower of chairs as if it were a massive throne, while poking around at a small device in her hands. Walking over towards her, Baby forced a smile, beginning to think of a decent conversation starter.

Bra, however, would speak up first. "Heya, Pan! What's up?"

Baby blinked at the friendly interaction.

"...'Heya'." he mumbled back awkwardly, speaking in Pan's original voice.

"I couldn't find you earlier!" Bra perked right back up. "I wanted to show you something funny I found! It's so you! As soon as I saw it, I was like 'this is so Pan!', wanna see?"

Baby scrunched. He didn't care about what Bra had to say, but if it led to her lowering her guard, then whatever.

"...Sure."

Bra immediately went back to poking on her device again, something that initially angered Baby. The girl had just told him that she'd be showing him something, and instead she was fiddling with a stupid toy. However, after a moment, Bra quickly turned the device back around, the device having a display like a computer screen, which showed him a video of... some kind of Earthling animal. It was a short video, one showing the small animal behaving... oddly; pretending to drink a liquid despite being too far away, randomly attacking inanimate objects, then reacting in fear when the item recoiled.

Baby looked closely at the odd, furry creature's continuous antics, before feeling an odd sensation in his stomach; a slight jerking, like a reflex, which made him puff air from his nostrils.

He had just laughed. He couldn't believe it.

The very concept would have driven him to retching, and the only reason why he didn't was to maintain the illusion that he was Pan, the real Pan.

Raising his hand to push the device away, Baby spoke up.

"Yeah, that was pretty good..." he began, beginning to walk away, but gesturing to guide Bra. "But I've got something even better to show you!"

Bra rolled her eyes, before smiling and leaping off the tower of chairs. "Better than cat videos? This better be good!"

Baby smirked evilly, guiding Bra to the very location he had guided Trunks just a few minutes ago. "Just me. You'll be agreeing with me in no time."

After double-checking that no one was close enough to see, Baby turned around to face Bra, who only looked back with a humored expression.

"Well? What exactly is so great that you want to show me?"

In a second, Baby transformed back into his transformed state, making Bra gasp.

"This."

"What the-?"

Immediately Baby threw a massive punch at Bra's stomach, forcing the breath from her mouth, making her bend over, and allowing Baby to throw a kick up at her face.

Not one to go down without a fight, Bra coughed loudly, before bringing both fists forward.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You're not Pan, that's for sure! And another thing-!"

Baby would be quick to silence the half-Saiyan, squatting down and sweeping both her legs, then standing right back up to chop her downwards, slamming her against the hard ground. Just as he had to Trunks, he covered Bra's mouth.

"You've got a mouth on you, brat." Baby spat. "You're just like that father of your's. At least with you, your life will at least serve a purpose as a decent lieutenant on my new planet."

Bra closed her eyes and opened them, her eyes as well, now sporting a deep outline around them. Nodding, Baby released her.

"Are you up to speed?" he asked.

Bra nodded, the Tuffle Hivemind within them making the plan very clear. "Yes. We'll go after Gohan next, Trunks has already infected Goten, meaning we have the numbers to take him down."

Baby nodded, before crossing his eyes.

"Numbers alone won't be good enough." he replied, before closing his eyes and contacting Trunks and Goten telepathically. "Trunks, Goten. Come here, now."

With now four Tuffle-Saiyan-Human Hybrids at Baby's beck and call, a plan to bring Gohan down would be formed. However, before anything else could come into play, Baby would take one final measure: as insurance.

Baby nodded slowly, as Goten, Trunks, and Bra all surrounded him, holding their hands out to him.

"Save enough for yourselves, because even with Gohan with us, it's going to take a lot to take down those filthy pure-blooded Saiyans." he remarked, gritting his teeth.

All agreeing, the Tufflized Hybrids poured their energy into Baby, the sheer amount of power granting him another transformation. Pan's eyes would turn completely blue, like visors, while her hair began to float upwards once more, but now turning completely white. More red markings appeared on her body, but the key change came in the form of her attire. Pan was now sporting a red jacket-like outfit, with yellow accents, and small metallic fin-like appendages on the back, all underneath a full-black bodysuit.

The sheer increase in power was nearly too much to keep hidden, but luckily, the plan accounted for that, with Goten shouting loudly, calling out for Gohan.

While most of the remaining fighters inside would be alerted to the new, powerful ki-signature, Gohan responded immediately, exactly according to plan. As soon as he exited the area, Bra grabbed hold of him from behind in a bearhug. Despite being able to break out easily, Gohan remained calm, with a mixture of fear and shock holding him back, in addition to being too fearful of hurting Bra.

"Now!" Baby shouted.

Immediately Goten and Trunks unleashed an ensemble of ki blasts on Capsule Corporation's building, toppling the ceiling, and leaving anyone without super strength trapped.

"Stop!" Gohan shouted, finally breaking out of Bra's grip, only to feel a sharp pain in his stomach, coming from a massive kick from Baby.

Gasping in pain, Gohan would feel another blast of pain from behind him, on his back, now being hit by a kick from Bra. And yet, Baby would hit Gohan again, this time slamming him with a massive uppercut.

Recognizing that Baby was, in fact, not his daughter, Gohan would let out a mighty shout, throwing Bra off of him, and making Baby need to block to avoid damage.

"You listen, here!" Gohan hissed in rage. "I don't know who you are, but whatever you did my little girl, you better undo, right now!"

Gohan's anger, however, would only be responded to by Goten and Trunks flying over, and grabbing him by each of his arms, while Bra would grab him from behind by the neck in a chokehold.

Gohan would struggle, twisting and turning to try and shake off the Tuffles, only for Baby to fly right over to him, bringing his hand to Gohan's face.

"Welcome to the family, Dad."

With all of the Saiyan Hybrids under Baby's control, and the Pure Saiyans themselves still underneath hundreds of pounds of concrete, Baby would make preparations for his finale. He would transfer his consciousness to Gohan, then have the rest of his servants go off and infect every other living thing on the planet that was soon to be his, all while finally putting down the Saiyans, himself. Everything was perfect, and the only thing the situation needed... was a brief speech.

Baby cackled, straightening the bandana he wore on his head, before calling out.

"How does it feel down there, Saiyans? Do you feel humiliated? Violated? Does it feel like everything you've built up over the course of years is being ripped away? Because it is!" he roared. "Now you feel the same pain you endured onto countless Tuffles, and your pain will take the form of your own kin! Blood for blood! If you want to fight back, you'll do it at the cost of your own children, which are now mine to behold!"

Baby screamed in vigor and anger, channeling his aura, which sparkled with a brilliant pink.

"So what do you have to say to that?"

Silence filled the arena, letting Baby nod in satisfaction, when two quiet voices could be heard, saying a small chant in perfect synchronization.

Before anyone could react, white lights peered through the cracks of the broken concrete, before an even greater light smashed them all away. From the light came a golden aura, before the lights faded and revealed a single man, with sharp facial features, spiked golden hair, and an odd looking black and orange vest.

Baby glared down at the Super Saiyan, trying his best to identify them.

"Vegeta..! No... Goku?"

The Saiyan replied.

"Yes to both. I am both Goku and Vegeta! I am Gogeta!" Gogeta announced. "I don't care what the Saiyans did! If you go after my family, I go after you! It ends now, Tuffle!"

Baby grit his teeth in anger, before holding out his hand, commanding his forces to attack the Saiyan.

"Kill him!"

Despite Gohan dashing in forward first, his fist would only hit air, as Gogeta appeared right behind Bra, holding a beautiful orb of energy in his hand, holding it skyward.

"How did-?" Bra began, before suddenly Gogeta slammed the Soul Punisher into her, demolishing the evil within, id est: Baby.

Thrown back, Bra would just as quickly be caught by Gogeta, placing her down gently on the ground, now returned to her usual self. Gogeta, however, only looked around him, preparing for his next target.

Goten scoffed cockily. "Okay! So, we're fusing? Alright! Come on, Trunks! Let's fuse!"

Despite the plan, Gogeta casually raised his fist, performing a one-inch punch in the air, the pressure from the attack being enough to send Goten back far enough to turn his back, and prepare a second Soul Punisher.

Hissing in anger, Trunks brough both hands to his side, palms forward.

"That's the way you want it? That's the way you're gonna get it! Galick Gun... Fire!"

Despite the attack, Gogeta leapt forward, casually gliding across the blast using the Soul Punisher, he shoved Trunks hands aside, then crushing the Soul Punisher in his hand, covering his fist with the aura, then punching Trunks with the attack; throwing him downwards and purifying him, as well.

Goten swallowed hard, now terrified at what he was seeing, meanwhile Gohan simply did his best to keep his cool, despite seeing how dire the situation had become for the Tuffles.

Despite all of this, the one most terrified was Baby himself. After years and years of planning his new world in his head, imagining what he'd do with his new kingdom, all he could do was watch, as everything was ripped away in a matter of seconds.

He had imagined so many glorious things: a castle that put King Vegeta's to shame, new technology that would've made the Saiyans' look primitive, and a huge dining area where he could enjoy delicious meals with his family, like Gohan and Videl-

Wait...

What?

Indeed. In those panicked moments, Baby finally realized what he was. What he was beyond a Tuffle Revival Project, beyond a Machine Mutant. Alone. Despite retching at the idea previously, hissing and growling in anger at the sight of 'family', the one thing Baby wanted, above all else, was a place where he felt he belonged.

While he imagined it as his New Planet Tuffle, the feeling of enjoying a warm meal with smiling faces, and laughing with like-minded individuals still felt... nice. It felt like... he supposed... a family.

Sizing up the strongest one, Gogeta narrowed his eyes, before holding out both hands skyward, preparing for another Soul Punisher, this time aimed for Gohan.

Finally, something snapped within Baby. He wouldn't allow anyone else taken away from him, from his family. It was stupid but... he remembered what Trunks had told him, what family did: worry, look out for each other, and freak out when they're in danger. In a funny sense, he had really done all three.

His blast ready, Gogeta fired it straight for Gohan... only for Baby to stand in the way, taking the hit for him. The consequences not hitting him until a second too late, Baby could only smirk at the irony, as his control, and life, slowly slipped away.

With Baby's defeat, Gogeta would purify Gohan and Goten properly, before helping undo some of the damage done, then finally defusing. At long last, everything had returned to the status quo.

And as Baby slowly made his way to the afterlife, he didn't regret a thing. He had done things his way, and deep down, all he could hope for was his next life; hopefully, one filled with warm meals.

If Baby's assertion didn't make it clear enough, this story is about: family and redemption. Even if not a family blood ties or water of the womb, a family-like connection is one of the most powerful efforts, one that cannot be broken by even the most powerful of enemies. And yet, redemption is also a powerful tool. While one may believe through redemption, love can be found, it's also true that with love, redemption can be found. And perhaps, when life makes fools of us all, and all we have left is the love and redemption we give each other, in that sense, we can form family ties all the same. Even those with the darkest of hearts cannot deny that. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Vegeta narrowed his eyes on the enemy: the counterfeit Goku, and the Supreme Kai of Universe 10. The pot that was going to be used to seal away Zamasu had been destroyed in the Time Machine, and any attempts to talk them down from Gowasu and Shin had proven pointless. Both were fine with him, frankly, as he made very clear earlier: the only true way to end this would be through the Saiyan way.

Both engulfed in their Super Saiyan Blue aura, Goku spoke up.

"I'll let you pick. Which do you think you can take?"

Vegeta scoffed, staring down at Goku Black. The same monster that had turned his future son's world into a nightmare.

"The one that looks like you, of course."

Goku simply scoffed back. "Good luck. You're talking like you really think you can beat him."

"I've never been afraid of you, Kakarot. So, why the hell would I be afraid of your stupid counterfeit?"

With that, he took his fighting stance, with Goku doing the same, and Goku Black and Zamasu following suit. No more prelude required, Vegeta leapt forward for the false Saiyan, his own speed surprised Black, earning him the first hit; a quick two punches to his face.

While Black would throw his own punches at Vegeta, the Saiyan prince would dodge them, before spinning around and throwing a tornado kick, sending Black backwards.

Charging his ki blade, Black launched a series of sharp ki-based constructs, which Vegeta slipped through, before grabbing Black's wrist and twisting him, then personally reintroducing his own fist into Black's face.

"Take this!" he shouted as his fist crashed into Black.

As Vegeta revved his fist back for another hit, Black grabbed hold of his hand with his own free hand, interlacing their fingers as they pushed towards each other, hoping to knock the other off.

"You Saiyans really do deserve your reputation as a warrior race!" Goku Black hissed.

Vegeta would focus on the fight however, taking steps forward and forcing Black backwards, his feet sliding across the ground and leaving trail marks behind him. Charing his aura, Vegeta let out a roar, before lifting his left and kneeing Black in the stomach, then kicking him backwards, sending him into a number of destroyed buildings. Racing after him, Vegeta slammed through the same buildings, before catching up with Black and kicking him through another.

While he'd be caught off-guard briefly by a hit from Zamasu, Goku would have his back; kicking the Dark Kai away, with a shout.

"You'd better focus on me!"

"Mortals do not tell gods what to do!"

Meanwhile, Vegeta would continue his fight, the rubble of the buildings falling slowly by comparison, he continued to pummel Black, even performing a backflip to kick him in the face. The next punch, Black would catch, however, before activating his ki blade once more, preparing to slice through Vegeta... only for him to block the attack with his arm.

Goku Black swallowed hard, amazed by the impossible feat.

"You want to know what your big mistake was, Black?" Vegeta finally spat out.

Almost as infuriated as he was terrified, Black shouted back. "What mistake?"

Vegeta's aura exploded, as he continued.

"It's that stolen body!" he shouted, throwing another punch into Black's chest. "Every muscle, every cell!"

Vegeta threw another punch at Black's chest, then his face, before grabbing hold of him, and slamming him through the grounds of the destroyed building.

"His body was built from a lifetime of intense battles! But you took it! It's all second-hand!"

Vegeta threw a kick at Black's stomach, before throwing an ensemble of punches, throwing him deeper into the building and towards the ground.

"You feel the power in those Saiyan cells, but you don't truly understand it! Because you didn't build it... and you'll never learn to think like that clown!"

With a final punch, Vegeta crushed Black through the remainder of the building, throwing it back into the hard ground, where his aura exploded with power; destroying what was left of the building he now stood in.

Covered in bruises and scratches, Black screamed in wrath. "How can there be such a huge power gap between us?!"

Vegeta would answer by grabbing Black by his hair.

"That's simple..." he growled, before headbutting him and kicking him backwards again. "You're an interloper: a Saiyan imposter. And I'm the real thing."

With a final explosion of his aura, Vegeta shouted.

"The almighty Prince Vegeta!"

His explanation complete, Vegeta slammed another punch into Black's face, before continuing to beat on the false Saiyan, who could only defend himself, both physically and through speech.

"I admit you're impressive! But you're still just an appetizer!" he shouted, before throwing a punch at Vegeta's face.

Vegeta would casually lean backwards to dodge, before raising both legs to grab Black, then suplexing and spinning him quick enough to throw him into another building.

Despite the battle raging on, Black wouldn't leap out from the rubble, forcing Vegeta to fly above and smoke him out with a Big Bang attack.

Crossing his arms in annoyance, he shouted out.

"Are you going to lie there all day, or are we going to fight? Get up, you miserable thief!"

As if to answer, Black exploded from the rubble, flying in the air to match Vegeta, then explaining what took him so long to do so.

"Now, I figured it out. The reason for the runaway growth in your power, compared to my own."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes.

"It's anger, isn't it?" Black asked. "Watching us hurt your son made you angry, which made you stronger..."

He paused, as if to consider the thought, before smiling.

"So that's how Saiyan strength works! How primal! Turning your fleeting raw emotions into power! Only a pathetic mortal like yourself could thrive on a tactic that is unrefined, which explains why it took me so long to realize it!"

Vegeta remained quiet, but was seething in anger deep down.

"But, if that's what fuels this body, I shall use my anger!"

With that, Black charged his aura, raising his arm.

"Anger toward the mortals who defile the universe. Anger toward the other gods who have tolerated such behavior..." he shouted, before transferring his entire aura into his hand, creating his ki blade, and bringing it to his other palm.

"And most importantly, the white hot rage I now feel toward myself... for letting you get the upper hand on me in our battle..."

With that, Black forced his own ki blade against his palm, which, didn't cut through it, crackled with electricity and ki. Despite hissing in pain and anger, Black only continued until his hands were practically touching... before closing his own palm and essentially 'grabbing' the ki forced within it.

In a swift movement, the ki blade transformed itself, now becoming a large scythe-shaped ki structure in his hand.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at the display.

"Now he's got a scythe..?"

Goku Black chuckled, seemingly proud of his work, he answered the rhetorical question.

"That's right, mortal... by channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument with which to destroy you."

With that, he aimed the blade towards Vegeta.

"You must realize the consequences of my learning rage is a source of power... My fury runs deeper than any mortal mind can ever comprehend which means my might will be unrivaled too."

Vegeta remained unamused, as Black toyed with his new plaything.

"And this scythe will carve a reminder into your mortal flesh with the strength of my divine wrath!"

At this point, through with the theatrics, Vegeta loosened up, not even in his fighting stance.

Just like that, however, Goku Black slashed his blade at Vegeta, firing a wave of energy which Vegeta would dodge all the same, teleporting behind him.

"If you think that gives you the upper hand-"

Vegeta would be cut off by an explosion, as the wave that missed him exploded into a rift in the sky, its exact nature unclear.

"What the hell is that?"

In a funny way, Goku Black would react with a smile.

"Good question. To be honest I'm not sure myself. Have I slashed a hole into another universe? Or to the distant past or future? Maybe it's a physical manifestation of the anger stewing in my own divine consciousness?"

He cackled in devilish excitement.

"All I know now is that my strength surpasses my own understanding! It's a higher summit than either man or god has yet explored!"

Much to my own chagrin, Black would be correct in his assertion. Due to the nature of his time ring, godly ki, and now enhanced power through anger, Black's own power had ripped a hole through not only spacetime, but practically understanding itself; creating a rift in reality of his own imagination.

Vegeta's eyes widened in aura as pink smoke exited the rift, before taking shape in the form of Goku Black, in his Super Saiyan Rose form. Just as quickly, more smoke exited the rift, creating more and more 'Shadows' of Goku Black, which began to surround Vegeta all the same.

This is where the Divergence occurs in this timeline. Where in the reality you know, Vegeta would receive backup from Goku, in this reality Zamasu would keep his focus on Goku, not allowing him to assist Vegeta. In his mind, the battle was already won, and so letting his counterpart finish off his 'appetizer' wouldn't bother him at all, and they would destroy the last of the mortals together.

Vegeta screamed again, charging his aura and smashing through the hoard of ever-present Shadows, slamming through them and turning them into smoke. Moving a bit like zombies, three Shadows raised their hands, before firing a series of ki blasts, all pelting Vegeta's back and slowing him down. Stopped in his tracks, two more Shadows went straight after Vegeta, punching after him and forcing him on the defensive.

The sensation was infuriating, every punch against Shadow felt like it went straight through it: feeling like attempting to hit a literal shadow. Meanwhile, every punch and every blast that hit him felt real, and not just real, they hurt. Goku Black was correct, his own anger had increased his power, and with no backup, he was basically at their mercy.

Suddenly, another Shadow grabbed him by his leg, yanking him downwards, and swinging him over into the punch of another Shadow, hitting him straight in the face, before two Goku Black's swooped in and kicked him in the back, throwing him towards the ground. Just as quickly, Vegeta flew upwards again, punching through another four or so Shadows, before making a beeline for the real Goku Black.

The real Goku Black however, only teleported right in front of him, punching him back down, while the swarm of Shadows caught him, surrounding him in a circle, and taking turns knocking him between them.

Putting his arms up to block, Vegeta thought.

What other options did he have? He could swap his strategies, maybe confuse the Shadows? Maybe he could distract them all using ki blasts, then rush Black with all his force? While he hated the idea, there was also the option of escaping, and getting back up.

In that moment, through all of Vegeta's indecisiveness and thinking, he remembered something Whis had told him; the day he told him and Goku their supposed biggest weaknesses.

"Your end goal should be to master the ability to have each part of your body move independently of the other parts. But I admit this is exceedingly difficult; In fact, not even Lord Beerus has mastered it, and he's a god."

If that was what was needed to surpass Lord Beerus, then maybe it's what was needed to defeat Black.

With that, Vegeta lowered his hands, closing his eyes, and instead focused. Every breath, the wind on his face. The sounds around him, the smell of smoke and dirt.

Another sharp pain blasted against his stomach, then a sharp pain of his hair being pulled, before feeling the blow of an attack on his back. Still, Vegeta tried to focus on what Whis had said. He wasn't going to move his body, instead, he was going to allow his body to move on its own.

Meanwhile, Goku Black crossed his arms, watching the display as his Shadows continued to attack Vegeta, and even more curiously, as Vegeta seemed to let it all happen.

"What? Are you giving up, already?" he taunted. "Is this all the power that the 'Almighty Prince Vegeta' can muster? Or are you finally ready to accept your supreme ruler?"

Vegeta hissed in anger, but tried to remain focused and unfazed by the insults.

"In fact, I think I finally see the resemblance between you and your son! You both talk a big show, but once you're on the defense, you curl up like a dog with his tail between his legs!"

Vegeta clenched his fist.

"Yes, yes... Now, I see it fully. That's where he got his stupidity... and his fragility from his mother! What fun I had turning her into dust."

Wrong thing to say, Black.

His breaking point reached, Vegeta caught the next punch that would've hit him, before charging his aura.

To hell with whatever Whis had been teaching him. He was no angel. He was a Saiyan. And so, he was going to put this clown down the Saiyan way.

Vegeta's aura doubled in size, getting large enough to actually stop the Shadows in their tracks, while even Black perked up to see for himself.

"What's this?" he practically whispered.

As Vegeta's power rose, his hair began to glow, before finally something snapped, something inside of him, as his aura began to fluctuate, then growing up again, almost appearing denser and stronger than before.

"You're mortal!" Goku Black roared, almost too shocked and angered for reason. "How? Why? Why do you insist on not laying down and dying?"

Finally, Vegeta replied, speaking up.

"You answered your own question, Black."

Goku Black perked up at the response, as with a new blinding speed, the Shadows turned into dust, as if they had all been swept away. Suddenly then, a glowing aura appeared right in front of him, as he felt a sharp pain to his chest.

"It's because I'm mortal! Because I'm a Saiyan!" he heard Vegeta say.

Black screamed in pain as he felt a blast of pain at his back, then back at his stomach, then a blast straight for his face. Meanwhile, all he could see was a quick, glowing aura.

Finally, the pain stopped, as something grabbed him by his ki, the figure moving slow enough to finally be seen. It was Vegeta, his aura had transformed, no- evolved. His air and aura practically glowed, and his eyes were piercing. But of course, the greatest change was his power. If he thought it was strong before, this was on an entirely new level.

Sputtering in fear and pain, Black barely managed to speak.

"But you- You had already powered up, and it wasn't like this! A mortal shouldn't be this strong! You must have a limit!"

Vegeta smirked, before throwing another powerful punch to Black's face.

"You overthink, that's why you fail!"

Vegeta slammed his fist against Black's stomach, throwing him upwards, before appearing above him and kicking him back down with both feet. Another punch would meet Black down there, followed by another backflip kick to his face.

"To hell with your stupid thinking! With your limits!"

Stumbling backwards, Black looked back towards his rift, hoping to spawn even more of his kin, only to suddenly feel a powerful aura behind him, then seeing Vegeta preparing a blast.

"And to hell with YOU! Big Bang Attack!"

With a mixture of fear and possibly acceptance, Black only froze as the blast came over him. A part of him found the situation funny... until he noticed the Time Ring on his finger was missing.

Goku Black's death would be felt by everyone there, and while cheers would be had by the likes of Bulma, Trunks, Mai, and Goku; Zamasu was far less than pleased, screaming in rage as he raced after Goku, however this would just as quickly prove to be a bad idea.

"Alright, Vegeta!" Goku smiled, as Vegeta raced over to him. "Now let's get serious!"

Zamasu would roll his eyes, amused by the prospect that Goku was trying to fool him, only for Goku to shout again.

"Kaio-ken!"

With that, Goku's blue aura gained a second, larger red aura which surrounded him, while his power multiplied tenfold.

"I didn't want Black stealing this one, so sorry I had to wait so long." Goku remarked, a cocky grin on his face.

With no warning, Goku zipped straight for Zamasu, knocking him back against a building, where Vegeta slammed him, throwing punches to shove him through. As soon as they were out of the building, Goku slammed back into him and threw him into the air.

Racing after him, Goku called out to Vegeta.

"Vegeta!"

"I know!"

With that, the Saiyans flew together towards Zamasu, going back-to-back and charging their own signature blast.

"Are you brave enough to take this one?"

"This is how I feel about your immortality!"

However, even with a 'Galick Kamehameha', Zamasu's body would prove to remain unable to to be destroyed. With no options left, one final trip to the past would be made: this time, Trunks would travel back and grab the proper seal, while Goku and Vegeta held off Zamasu. It was a difficult fight, but finally, the future would be saved.

After the celebrations came to their close, Vegeta just as quickly returned to focusing on his own goal of getting stronger. However, now with his decision to reject the teaching of Whis, the Saiyan Prince found himself in a state of lack of direction; as well as making it slightly awkward whenever he trained on Beerus' Planet... until Beerus approached with a different outlook.

Vegeta's training wouldn't get him far at first, but eventually everything would reach its peak... when the situation called for it: at the Tournament of Power.

Vegeta hissed in pain and anger as he felt himself being pelted with more and more ki blasts, all coming from the once justice-obsessed leader of the Pride Troopers: Toppo. It was almost insane, Toppo was plenty strong before, but with this new insane 'Destroyer Mode' power put him on a completely different level.

With no other options, he slid on the ground, escaping the ensemble before leaping into the air and landing on a tall structure of destroyed Kachi Katchin. He charged his aura, before stretching both arms to his sides, then bringing them together in front of him, firing his iconic blast.

"Final Flash!"

Toppo simply raised his hands, as well, before firing and launching his own blast of destruction energy.

"Hakai!"

As both blasts collided, Vegeta pushed further, shouting as he did so.

"You'll need more than your fancy 'destruction energy' to stop me!"

Raising his power higher, Vegeta screamed with power, as Toppo only growled in return, before finally, his destruction energy tore through the Final Flash, racing straight for Vegeta, who only barely dodged.

As the ball of destruction flew through the null realm, Vegeta only grimaced.

How could he even compare to something like that? Even with all his might and training, the most he had ever been able to destroy using destruction energy was a couple of small rocks.

"So, is that the most your pride affords you, Saiyan?" Toppo finally spoke up, before narrowing his eyes. "You still cannot defeat me, warrior. Accept your fate."

That simple statement made Vegeta's blood boil.

Except his fate? By that did he mean destruction? The destruction of his home, his family, and his universe? And lastly, to simply turn his back on the promise he made to Cabba?

He clenched his fist.

"Sorry, but no. I made a promise to my wife, I'd come home safely, and I made a promise to Cabba that I'd win this little tournament, and I intend to keep them both!"

With that, Vegeta leapt straight for Toppo, who jumped toward Vegeta as well. Despite getting the first punch in, it would have little effect on the Pride Trooper. Toppo would, however, respond in tow, punching Vegeta directly in his face, throwing him backwards, before following it up with another blast, hitting him point-blank in the stomach and sending him flying. And yet, Toppo would teleport right behind Vegeta, slamming him into the ground.

Quickly flipping back up, Vegeta would leap backwards, avoiding Toppo's next few attacks, before leaning backwards and tripping him, making Toppo stumble and then kneeing him right in the face. Covering his face, Vegeta would throw a few more punches at his stomach, before finally Toppo would throw both hands forward, which Vegeta would only barely catch.

"So this is it, huh? After all that talk of 'justice', you decide 'destruction' is the path you've decided to take?"

Growling as he attempted to shove Vegeta backwards, Toppo replied.

"What good is justice if it cannot save us now? What use is there in not accepting who I am?"

With that, Toppo kicked Vegeta in his stomach, before throwing both hands forward and firing another blast point-blank at Vegeta, slamming him into the hard broken structures once more.

Hissing in pain and frustration, Vegeta closed his eyes, trying to think back on what he was fighting for. Bulma, Trunks, and Bra. Cabba, and the rest of Universe 6. But even thinking about them just made his head hurt.

He thought backwards to the last few hits Toppo had thrown at him. Maybe if he teleported more often, he could catch him off guard. Or maybe, he could make Toppo use his own energy against him-

He blinked.

He was doing it again. He was overthinking.

But how? What else could he do?

Toppo's voice roared throughout the Tournament grounds.

"This is who I truly am!" he growled.

Suddenly, Vegeta remembered something. Something Beerus had told him while they trained.

"As long as doubt weighs down your soul, this power will never be yours to wield." is what he said.

That power. The power of destruction. The same power now fully on display before him. From a man who had accepted his role in the world, abandoning his past thoughts.

"Listen, if you really want this power you're gonna have to destroy any stray thoughts, and recreate yourself from scratch. Before creation comes destruction."

That was it.

Everything had made sense. For this moment, he couldn't overthink, or underthink. He couldn't let his emotions get the best of his, and let his doubts and past hold him back

He had to focus on one single thing: the fight.

Charing his aura, Vegeta exploded from the rocks, flying straight for Toppo and throwing a series of punches at him, the first few seemingly doing a bit of damage, before Toppo would grab Vegeta's arm and throw him like a ragdoll.

Without any worry, Vegeta casually picked himself back up, racing right back at Toppo and continuing to attack him, this time Toppo needing to slam him into the ground to get him to stop. And yet, once again Vegeta stood back up, wiping the blood from his mouth, and racing back towards Toppo, again.

Finally snapping, Toppo lifted his hand, catching Vegeta like a baseball, then firing a blast and throwing him back away.

"Enough!" he growled. "If you crave destruction so badly, then you shall have it!"

With that, he fired another massive blast of destruction energy back at Vegeta, who just as quickly caught the blast... only for it to slowly consume him.

Even as the rest of Team Universe 7 watched in horror, and even Toppo perked up slightly, Vegeta didn't scream at all... as eventually the blast began to shrink in size, with an even greater power being felt from within it.

Suddenly, the blast exploded and where it once stood was now Vegeta, standing upright with a smile on his face.

His appearance, however, had changed slightly. His facial features had sharpened, almost appearing animal-like, with his eyebrows disappearing, while his hair spiked upwards, looking more intense and rugged, but now sporting a beautiful dark purple color

Toppo would be the first to ask.

"What... What is this? What have you done?"

Vegeta only cackled

"Unlike you, I've truly accepted who I am. This is who I truly am." he mocked Toppo's earlier statement. "The most powerful mortal alive. A Saiyan who's reached the level of not only the gods, but the Gods of Destruction themselves... the almighty Prince Vegeta..."

Toppo only hissed.

"Yes, and also the most egotistical it seems."

Vegeta only chuckled.

"Let Kakarot use his thoughtless, mindless Ultra Instinct. I'm winning this battle my way, with my power. In fact, go ahead and call this Ultra Ego."

His explanation complete, Vegeta raced straight for Toppo, the Pride Trooper throwing his fist into Vegeta's face, but the prince only smiled, tanking the hit like a champion, before slamming his own fist right back into Toppo's face. Immediately Toppo gasped in pain, as yet another punch followed, this time at his chest, then one up his face again, and then another at his stomach.

Stumbling backwards, Toppo leapt backwards, holding out his fingers and firing a series of blasts from each finger.

"Justice Flash!" he shouted.

Despite the blasts, Vegeta simply smiled again, slowly walking through the blasts, taking each hit with a smile on his face.

Finally, when the distance was small enough, Vegeta clasped his hands together, slamming his fists up Toppo's head again, in a double hammerfist, before slamming them back down, throwing him back to the ground. Slamming both hands onto the ground, Toppo threw him back up, only for Vegeta to surprise him with a drop kick to the face.

Stabilizing himself, Toppo finally threw his hand up and towards Vegeta.

"Hakai!" he shouted.

Like a parkourist, Vegeta grabbed onto Toppo's arm, pulling himself onto it and performing a handstand, before flipping over and kicking Toppo in the back of his head: his fired Hakai hitting a nearby rock instead.

Landing like a superhero, Vegeta spun around, throwing a punch to Toppo's stomach, then backflipping him and kicking him in the face again.

Sputtering in pain, Toppo shouted once more, firing another blast.

"Hakai!"

Narrowly dodging the blast, Vegeta landed casually, before squatting down and sweeping both legs to knock Toppo backwards. The Pride Trooper would pick himself up just as quickly, only for his face to be met by Vegeta's knee.

Stepping backwards, and losing his balance, Toppo growled, shouting again, his voice beginning to sound hazy and desperate.

"Hakai."

The blast flew straight for Vegeta, slamming into his face, and throwing his head back... only for him to casually lower it back down with a smile.

"You're a so-called Hero of Justice pretending to be a Destroyer." Vegeta finally said with a smile, crossing his arms. "As long as you struggle to decide which one you are, you'll never have a chance at beating me..."

As he continued to speak, Vegeta took a step forward... and Toppo took a step back.

"Now..." Vegeta smirked, his voice barely above a whisper. "My turn."

Just as casually, Vegeta brought his own hand upward and aimed it for Toppo.

"Hakai."

With an explosive force, the ball of destruction energy raced towards Toppo, the Pride Trooper holding out both hands to catch the blast. Despite all his strength, the ball of energy began to push him back slowly, before finally, shoving him backwards and across the tournament grounds, when...

Vegeta closed his hand, the blast exploding like dirty, dirty fireworks.

Just like that, the commander of the Pride Troopers appeared back in the stands, where the rest of the Universe 11 team that had fallen. At last, with Toppo defeated, and only about five minutes left of the tournament; there was only one obstacle that stood in the way of Team Universe 7, and their victory.

With that there was a brief moment of silence, before finally Jiren spoke up, walking up, turning to the rest of the team, but making eye-contact with Vegeta.

"It's stunning you could find so much power without sacrificing your ideals." he complimented. "You fought hard to defeat Toppo. Well done."

Vegeta said nothing, simply narrowing his eyes in annoyance; while Jiren, for the very first time throughout the tournament, actually smiled, clenching his fist.

"There's something I would like you to see..."

With that, Jiren brought both arms to his sides before beginning to shout, his already-massive power began to increase, as the pillar of broken Kachi Katchin began to stumble downwards.

"Well, this should be interesting." Android 17 mumbled dryly, as Vegeta scoffed.

"What the hell?" Goku grumbled.

Meanwhile, Jiren only continued to scream and shout, the ground around them shuffling and shaking, all while a fiery-like aura began to surround Jiren, which only grew the more he powered up. Finally, the ground beneath Jiren shattered, as Jiren's feet sank into the ground, his aura now on full-display for all to see.

"His energy's out of this world!" Goku remarked, almost sounding more scared than excited for the first time.

"What is this guy? Some kind of monster?" was 17's comment.

Without warning, Jiren's aura exploded again, some of it pushing Goku and 17 back as well.

"I never woulda guessed he was holding back this much!"

Despite the display, Vegeta only narrowed his eyes, entering his fighting stance. While it was true that Jiren's power had increased, a lot for that matter, as his power now dwarfed Toppo's from earlier... he was still confident he could beat him, now with his new power.

Charging his own purple, violent aura as a response, Vegeta ran over towards Jiren, fighting through his own monstrous aura.

"Vegeta..! Wait!"

Despite Goku's protests, Vegeta would only continue to rush towards Jiren, with the latter taunting as a result.

"Understand this. Even with your new powerup, you have no chance of beating me. I'd recommend-"

"I don't give a damn what you 'recommend'!" Vegeta would snap back, interrupting him.

With that, Vegeta would slam his fist against Jiren's stomach, who despite clearly feeling the hit, would respond in tow, hitting the Saiyan right back in the stomach. While Vegeta would gasp in pain at first, his lips would curl into a smile, before revving back and hitting Jiren back with his head, before pulling away and getting ready for another, only for suddenly Goku to appear, in Super Saiyan Blue, throwing a kick to Jiren's head, and momentarily stunning the Pride Trooper.

While Vegeta prepared to shout at Goku to leave, Jiren suddenly palmed his face, before grabbing onto Goku with his other hand and whipping him downwards and throwing him. With that hand free, Jiren opened his hand and prepared a ki blast, only for him to stumble forwards as Android 17 pelted him with ki blasts to his back. Groaning in pain, Jiren's hand loosened just enough for Vegeta to grip his arm, yanking it away from him and jumping backwards.

Preparing to continue his attack, Vegeta clenched his fists, only for Goku to leap ahead of him, now in Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken. Dashing towards Jiren, Goku continued to throw punch after punch after him, which actually seemed to throw Jiren for a short loop, as he was still dealing with 17's attacks, but eventually he'd throw an arm behind him, with the impact forcing 17 to stop attacking, to instead activate his barrier. At the same time, he glared at Goku, firing an Invisible Eye Blast which hit like several tens of punches, throwing Goku backwards.

Vegeta hissed in anger. Why did they keep getting in his way? This was his fight. He was the strongest one here. He was the one with the promise. So, why were they bothering?

With an opening, Vegeta leapt straight for Jiren, throwing an uppercut to his stomach as he jumped into the air, then slamming both fists down against his head, then spinning around and kicking him in the stomach again. Jiren would respond by punching him right back in the face, and yet, the pain only made his blood boil with excitement, like adding fuel to a fire. Instead of backing off, Vegeta slammed his head against Jiren, before holding out both hands and firing a huge wave of ki point-blank, forcing Jiren to block, sliding backwards. Getting ready to follow up, Vegeta prepared to attack with a dropkick, only for this time Android 17 to appear, this time dropping downwards with a massive kick to Jiren's face.

Despite wanting to berate the Android, Vegeta would be cut off before he even began by Goku's voice.

"Vegeta, duck!"

Admittedly frustrated, Vegeta obeyed and Goku fired a massive Destructo Disk straight for Jiren, who would smack it away with ease. The disk shattered into dozens of pieces, which all sliced into the ground and into the abyss.

With that, the battle paused for a moment, as Jiren and everyone panted hard to regather themselves.

"I'll admit it to you, you are powerful... all of you..." Jiren stated flatly. "But 'power' and 'strength' are not the same... To have true strength, you must not rely on others, using cheap tricks and transformations to weaken your foes..."

Vegeta rolled his eyes, as the Grey continued his speech.

Jiren however, raised both hands to his chest, before beginning to create a ball of fire-like ki. Lifting it over his head, Jiren continued.

"And that's what this is. No fancy transformations, no biological advancements, no divine energy. Just myself! And this is what-"

Jiren would be suddenly caught off guard as a beam of red energy suddenly shot towards him, hitting the blast he held and causing it to erupt prematurely with him in the center of it. While the rest of the group braced or blocked, an infamous laughter could be heard, making its obvious perpetrator clear: Frieza.

As the dust began to settle, Frieza leapt onto the battlefield, where Jiren was assumed to be. With a big smile, he placed his hands on his hips, taunting the Pride Trooper.

"Well, look who thinks they're so special..." Frieza cackled.

Turning to face the group, Frieza rolled his eyes, a content expression on his face... until suddenly through the dust a gloved hand gripped him by the tail.

"Tyrant Frieza..." Jiren hissed, his voice sounding growler than before.

In a single quick movement, Frieza was lifted up into the air, before being whipped into the tournament grounds. The quick movement was enough to blow the dust away, revealing Jiren, who had finally begun to look tattered, the upper half of his uniform destroyed, but above all... looking livid. His aura flared up in a beautiful red and white, each step he took felt like an earthquake.

Without words, Jiren lifted Frieza back into the air, slamming him against the tournament grounds, again and again, before throwing him into several pillars of rock. Ever persistent, however, Frieza leapt right back towards Jiren, firing Death Beam after Death Beam at the Pride Trooper, which all disintegrated against his aura alone, which seemed somehow even denser before.

With an incredible jump of his own, Jiren grabbed hold of Frieza, slamming him into the tournament grounds again, this time in the form of a pile driver, before picking him back up by the tail and preparing a ki blast. Gasping in surprise, Frieza could do nothing as Jiren brought the blast to his chest, firing it point blank and sending him flying.

A few seconds passed and Frieza appeared in the sidelines.

After taking a second to breathe, Jiren glared at 17, with a look that said 'you're next'. Despite creating a number of barriers between them, Jiren smashed through them all as if they were glass, then grabbing hold of Android 17 and throwing him behind him.

Next Jiren locked eyes with Vegeta, racing after him and throwing a massive punch, one Vegeta was only barely able to block, when suddenly Goku appeared behind Jiren, now with a Kaio-ken x20, throwing a massive kick to Jiren's head. Brushing off the first hit, Jiren whipped around, tanking Goku's next punch, then catching the one after, before throwing him into the ground as well. After a moment, his aura dropped, his hair returning to its black color.

"It's unfortunate our battle has to end this way, Son Goku." he remarked. "You fought with honor, something that couldn't be said for your allies."

Vegeta grimaced, getting ready to counter, only for Goku to speak up.

"Thanks... but... I haven't been fighting you for 'honor', or 'justice', or anything like that... I've been fightin' because I've got a whole lotta people relying on me to win!"

Jiren paused, holding back from delivering the final blow.

Goku let out a goofy chuckle. "And also... I just love to fight!"

Jiren's response was a simple grunt, seemingly uninterested, but on the other hand, Vegeta actually perked up a bit. Goku had been taking this tournament seriously. They all must've.

He paused, realizing something. Right then, he had been fighting alongside Goku, Frieza, and Android 17; all people he had once trained and swore to destroy, and while nothing was forgiven for what Frieza had done... he could deal with the tyrant if- when he won this battle.

Focusing his mind on destruction once more, Vegeta channeled his Ultra Ego aura once more, and while Jiren noticed, he shot Vegeta a look that said 'I'll be right with you', before turning back to Goku and forming a blast in his hand once more. As Goku simply closed his eyes in acceptance, Vegeta hissed in annoyance. He'd make sure to give Jiren one for Goku's sake.

"Farewell, Goku." Jiren stated flatly, before firing the ki blast, which exploded through the opposite ends of the tournament grounds.

With bated breath everyone prepared for Goku to appear in the stands... only for a rush of energy to suddenly fill the Null Realm, and a beautiful white glow appeared behind Jiren. Both Jiren and Vegeta both perked up slightly, before suddenly a powerful wind brushed past them both, throwing Jiren back.

While Jiren's eyes widened in panic, Vegeta could only smirk: he knew exactly who that was. In an instance, the glowing revealed themselves, Goku, holding the blast of orange ki Jiren had fired at him earlier. Vegeta watched in amazement as he walked ever closer, the glow of his aura finally settling on his hair, becoming pure white in color.

Amazed at his rival, he couldn't help but crack up in laughter.

"You really did it, didn't you Kakarot? I don't believe it! That's it, isn't it? That's your mastered Ultra Instinct?" he shouted. "Incredible!"

Goku gave him a look, lips curled into a smile as his voice came out with an echo.

"I could say the same thing for you, Vegeta..." he replied, before staring down at Jiren. "Now, let's finish this..."

Growling annoyance, Jiren charged his own aura, while Goku and Vegeta did the same, before finally, all three combatants raced towards one another. While Jiren threw a punch, Goku dodged the attack, Vegeta tanked it, smirking and responding in tow, with his own punch to Jiren's stomach, while Goku appeared behind them both, delivering a backflip kick to Jiren's face. Stumbling backwards, Jiren lunged back in for another punch, only to be on the receiving end of a double roundhouse kick, courtesy of Goku and Vegeta.

Charging his aura further, a means to make a kind of 'barrier', Jiren held out both arms, before firing ki blasts at both Saiyans, with Goku dodging each one gracefully, while Vegeta flipped and ducked like a parkourist. Almost sharing a mind for a second, the moment Jiren took a second to breathe, both Saiyans raced after him, throwing an ensemble of punches and kicks and forcing Jiren on the defense, even with his limits broken, one bad block and he would be eliminated.

Suddenly Jiren's eyes glowed, stunning both Saiyans for less than a second, which was all Jiren needed, before firing a blast at Vegeta and sending him backwards, then going after Goku and attacking him primarily. He was trying to separate them.

Despite most of his punches hitting nothing but air, Goku found himself being pushed back and around the tournament grounds. Providing backup, Vegeta leapt to the highest tower, where he began to fire ki blasts wherever they appeared.

Both leaping away from each other, Jiren and Goku both bounced from different pillars before clashing in mid-air, locking fists with one another, before slamming heads against the other. Jiren revved backwards for an uppercut, only for Goku to appear behind him, kicking his back, which Jiren then grabbed hold of his leg and spun him around, throwing him.

"Hakai!" Vegeta shouted, aiming straight for Jiren.

Jiren leapt, dodging the destruction energy which destroyed the area of the ground he stood on, before throwing a punch at Vegeta, who took the hit, before throwing a punch of his own right back at Jiren. Both stumbling backwards, Vegeta and Jiren both stabilized themselves, before returning to their battle, staying on the same pillar and treating it like their own arena, like boxers.

Vegeta threw a quick flurry of punches, which Jiren managed to block with his hand alone, only to trip when Vegeta ducked and slipped his feet. Jumping into the air, Vegeta threw a superman punch, which Jiren dodged by rolling, Vegeta's fist making a crater in the ground when he hit it. Retalizating, Jiren threw a kick at Vegeta's stomach, who was still on the ground. Despite getting hit, Vegeta grabbed hold of Jiren's leg, tugging him forward and making him lose balance. Picking himself back up, Vegeta threw another punch, this time sending Jiren to the ground thanks to his loss of balance.

With an impressive, kip-up Jiren prepared for another round, only for Goku to show back up, slamming against Jiren and sending them both flying. Picking himself up and ready to support, Vegeta raised his hands, before shouting once more.

"Hakai!"

With another rumble and missed explosion, Vegeta clenched his fist, ready for another, before a voice suddenly caught him off-guard.

"Jeez, cool it with the destruction. Some of us are trying to lay low."

Shocked to hear the voice, Vegeta turned to the source. "Seventeen?"

Android 17 nodded, squatting below the pillar Vegeta was standing on.

"That's right, keep it down. Goku and I have a plan."

"Alright, why do I care?"

"Because I think you're gonna like it, now listen close."

Charging his aura once more, Goku threw another punch, which Jiren blocked with his forearm, attempting to knee back, only for Goku to step away in just time. With an elbow as a return, Jiren caught the attack before throwing another punch, which Goku blocked, catching Jiren's forearm with his own.

Both leaping into the air, twisting and turning, Jiren threw a series of energy blasts, all of which Goku slipped through majestically, before getting right in front of Jiren preparing his own blast in return.

"Kamehameha!"

"Omega Heat Magnetron!"

Both blasts exploding in mid air, Jiren leapt back for Goku, who had been propelled by his blast, grabbing hold of him and preparing for another punch, when suddenly Android 17 leapt between them.

"Sorry, am I interrupting anything?" he taunted, before activating his barrier, entrapping all three of them.

"What are you doing?!" Jiren hissed, before getting ready to attack him, only for Goku to get in the way, blocking each attack.

With even the aftershock of the attacks being enough to crack the barrier, Android 17 hissed, reinforcing his barrier, and even creating a second and third around them. As Goku and Jiren continued to battle, the reality finally set in on Jiren as to what Android 17's true motive was: he was guiding them all through the destroyed tournament grounds and into the Null Realm.

Finally, Jiren threw a punch which Goku dodged, only to realize that the blast wasn't aimed for 17, but for the barrier, shattering in a single strike. As all three tumbled down, Jiren positioned himself, aiming for one of the stray broken pieces of Kachi Katchin, only for Android 17 to grab hold of him by his legs. Trying to shake him off, Jiren would instead be met with a punch in the face by Goku, while 17 shouted.

"Vegeta, now!"

With a cocky smile, Vegeta revealed himself, before holding out his hand before aiming towards the piece of debris Jiren had been aiming for.

"Hakai!" he shouted, before letting out a cackle.

With his last piece of strength, Jiren reached out, hoping to deflect the blast, only for Goku to land another punch to his face. Growling in pain, he looked back at Goku, before noticing... he was smiling.

He could tell it wasn't because his team had won. He was smiling because... he was just enjoying himself. He really had been enjoying the fight.

Jiren shook in disbelief, before smiling back.

Universe 7 was... unbelievable...

And yet also incredible.

At long last, the Tournament of Power had come to an end, Universe 7 was victorious and Universe 11 was erased from existence. As the Super Dragon Balls descended over Vegeta while the Grand Priest asked Vegeta what he wished for. He thought carefully, originally planning to just revive Universe 6, but after the battle had Jiren, with Toppo, with everyone... and burning to know if he would ever fight anyone like them again, only one wish came to mind.

"Everyone who was erased from this tournament, them and their universes. I wish for them all to be revived."

The Grand Priest looked closely, a small smile on his face formed.

"Are you sure that's what you wish for, Vegeta?"

Vegeta replied, crossing his arms. "Yes, I'm sure of it."

Nodding his head, the Grand Priest translated the wish, and with that everyone that had been erased returned, having been sent back to their universe. And while Vegeta was less-than pleased at Frieza's own revival, his main concern was returning home, where he was greeted with open arms by his family. At last, he had fulfilled two of his promises: the revival of Universe 6 and his own safe return. The last was one he had made to himself: to grow stronger than he already was... but that one could at least wait until after a nice celebratory meal.

This story is about two amazing things: Self-Acceptance and Self-Worth. We should all strive to be something more, but in doing so, we should never betray who we are as people. No matter how much power, how much gain is received, we are always at our strongest, when we are ourselves. In reality, we are all fighting our own battles, and while we may share battlefields, each battle is our own. In order to succeed, we must all do our part, and only then, are we truly the strongest in the multiverse. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Omega Shenron hissed in anger, learning the reality that the Earth was no longer covered in his darkness.

"You... You're despicable! Are you saying that you changed the Karma Ball into positive energy and used my own weapon to destroy the negative energy that was covering the Earth?"

Gogeta smirked, seeming rather proud of himself.

"Hey! Check out the big brain on Omega! 'Couldn't have said it better myself!" He taunted the Shadow Dragon.

"Why you-!" Omega Shenron would growl in response, only to be cut short by Gogeta once more.

"There's only one thing left undone!"

Bringing both arms forward, a glowing blue ball of pure energy appeared before Gogeta's hands.

"Big Bang Kamehameha!"

With the name of the attack announced, the ball of energy erupted into an energy wave with overwhelming power; its sole target being Omega Shenron himself. With a mighty shout and a blinding light, the blast completely blanked over the Shadow Dragon, and once the lightshow faded, down from the sky rained a single Dragon Ball, the Four Star Ball, returned to its traditional form. While the other Dragon Balls couldn't be spotted, one thing was clear, they weren't in the possession of the Shadow Dragon: 'Omega Shenron' was no more.

"The Dragon Balls! They did it! Yeah!" Pan whooped and cheered, catching the ball.

"Thank goodness..." Trunks nodded, a wave of relief falling over him and the rest of the Z-Fighters.

This relief, however, would be short lived, as all who could began to sense a dark ki presence, which they all believed they never would feel again.

"No..! Please, not again!" Goten would voice their worries.

Unfortunately, their answer would come in the form of Omega Shenron, now detransformed as 'Syn Shenron'; blacked and bruised from the blast, but still alive.

"I haven't dropped dead, yet, Saiyan!" Syn Shenron growled. "Omega lives on!"

"That was an impressive feat." Gogeta would reply. "But your power has been severely crippled! One more blast like that and you're history, and you know it, Dragon!"

Bringing his hands forwards as he did previously, Gogeta would prepare another attack.

"Big Bang Kamehame-!"

Unfortunately, the coup de grâce would be cut short, as Gogeta would swiftly split back into his fusees.

"I'm me! We're us, again!" Goku shouted in panic. "Surely a half an hour hasn't passed yet, has it?"

"No! It's been ten minutes!" Vegeta replied. "Fifteen minutes, at the most! What the heck happened, Kakarot?"

Goku paused to think.

"Oh! I know! Since we're at Super Saiyan 4, we use a lot more power! Which means the length of time we stay fused is shortened!" Goku perked back up, before smiling giddily and resting his head on his hands behind him. "See? I knew there was an explanation!"

Vegeta, however, was much less giddy; instead shouting at the top of his lungs.

"You idiotic fool! Shouldn't we have known about that beforehand?"

"Hey, it's not my fault! I can't have all the answers!"

"Darn, we were there, just one more blast!"

"Too bad: you had me. But fate has turned the tables again!" Syn Shenron only cackled evilly at the Saiyans' argument. "Now it's your turn to face the terror!"

Their attention back on the Shadow Dragon, Vegeta spoke back up.

"Don't be so sure! Look at you! You're hardly even worth my time..."

"In your current state, I can beat you all by myself!" Goku added.

Syn Shenron flexed, his eyes glowing red.

"You both presume too much! Shadow Dragons Power: Unite!"

With that, the other six Dragon Balls would race back towards Syn Shenron allowing him to absorb them all, consuming them as if they were made from candy. The sole exception would be the Four Star, which remained in Pan's hand for as long as she could keep her grip on it.

Here's where the Divergence takes place in this timeline, in an attempt to ensure his daughter's safety, Gohan would be the first to act; quickly grabbing hold of his daughter, in an attempt stop Omega Shenron's power from sending her to the battlefield, as well as the Dragon Ball. As the Dragon Ball managed to slip through Pan's fingers, Gohan would leap forward, grabbing the ball and keeping it close, while his father dealt with the Dragon.

Omega Shenron's eyes would immediately lock onto the half-Saiyan, who had taken flight to defend his daughter and family.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Racing straight for Gohan, Omega Shenron would be cut off by Goku who teleported between them by way of Instant Transmission.

"Easy now, Omega... Don't you think you've had enough..? You're gonna get a stomachache..."

Bringing both hands to the sides of his face, Goku attacked using the Solar Flare technique, blinding the Dragon, as he growled with anger.

"Gohan, get out of here! Quick! Vegeta and I will handle Omega!" Goku shouted to his son, before turning to Vegeta. "Vegeta, we need to fuse, again! Now!"

Agreeing, Gohan would race in the opposite direction, and yet, despite his blindness, Omega Shenron would claw against Goku, throwing him backwards.

"Allow me to make this crystal clear: there will be no more fusion amongst you. If you truly think I'll allow you that kind of power again, you're even more foolish than I thought!"

Vegeta raced to back up Goku, both Saiyans entering their battle stance; where Omega simply powered up the same.

"I'm going to take my time tearing you two apart... And once I'm done, I'll track down the other, and take back my final piece. So, tell me, are you ready to die?"

Vegeta only growled, charging his aura, as Goku did the same. "Ready when you are."

As Gohan raced away from the battlefield, not necessarily heading anywhere specific, he couldn't help but curse himself. He could still feel the bursts of ki sparking behind him, no doubt the aftershocks of the intense battle between Omega Shenron, Vegeta, and his father.

He should be there. Fighting. Protecting his home, and his family.

And what was he doing?/

Running away, like a scared child.

Gohan shook his head in frustration, looking down at the Dragon Ball in his hand, shining brightly as he raced through the demolished cities.

"If only I was stronger..." Gohan mumbled to himself.

Suddenly he heard a voice in his head.

"Gohan..? Is that you..?"

Gohan stopped, freezing in place in the air.

"What?" he asked.

"It is you..! I don't believe it! You've grown so much, boy..."

Gohan searched his surroundings, looking for the source of the voice.

"I remember fondly all the mischief you would get into... I miss seeing it all from atop your head."

Gohan's eyes widened, before looking down at the Dragon Ball in his hand: the Four Star Ball that once rested atop his hat, during his youth.

Yes. In the timeline you may be familiar with, Nuova Shenron was granted a second chance at life by absorbing the positive energy taken in by Goku's er- 'ingestion' of the Four Star Dragon Ball. However, in this universe, Gohan's natural connection to the Dragon Ball, as well as his desire to fight acted as a beacon of positive energy that would awaken the same desires that still resided within the ball itself.

"Are you..?" he asked.

"That's right, Gohan... I am Nuova Shenron, the Four Star Dragon. I feel your desire... And I understand. I, too, wish to help your father, and defeat that monster... But we are, neither of us have the power to do anything."

Gohan sighed in frustration, knowing the reality all too well.

Nuouva Shenron's voice perked back up.

"But perhaps together."

Goku screamed in pain, as Omega Shenron grabbed hold of his head, palming his face with a single hand, before slamming him into the hard ground. Raising his other hand, a red blast of energy formed in Omega's hand, intending on slamming it into Goku, only for the Saiyan to turn his head and bite down on the Shadow Dragon's hand.

"What the-?"

The distraction worked long enough for Vegeta to tackle Omega Shenron off of Goku, the red blast flying skyward, and allowing Goku to leap back onto his feet.

Quickly grabbing Vegeta off of him, Omega Shenron forced Vegeta into a bear hug, before shouting. With a rumble of the clouds, a bolt of golden lightning struck them both, Vegeta taking the brunt of the damage. As Goku raced to help Vegeta, Omega Shenron's eyes glowed blue, before firing a blast of freezing cold energy, trapping Goku's legs in ice, before letting go of Vegeta, the Saiyan Prince falling to the floor as Omega Shenron planted his foot atop him.

"D-Damn it..." Vegeta growled, the attack hurting him a lot more than he was comfortable admitting.

Cackling to himself, Omega Shenron raised both arms, aiming each hand towards Goku and Vegeta, with his index, pinky, and thumb raised.

"Dust to dust, Saiyans!" Omega roared.

However, before the whirlwind technique could be used, Omega Shenron would be stunned by a large blast of fire, forcing the Shadow Dragon to stumble back a few steps; freeing Vegeta, and making some distance between him and Goku.

Landing in front of Goku was a figure, appearing as a tall, muscular man with white eyes, their exact features difficult to make out from behind an aura that looked like a wall of fire. The figure raised their hands towards him, making Goku flinch, only for the figure to place their hands atop the ice that encased his legs, melting it immediately.

"Uh... Thank you..!" Goku thanked with a silly grin, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Dropping the aura, the man revealed themself.

"No problem, Dad."

Goku's eyes widened as he saw before him. It was Gohan, and yet, he had changed.

His hair was still its black color, but had become wild, and flamelike in appearance, while his eyes had become a dark reddish color. His attire had also changed, wearing a large golden-yellow gi over a purple bodysuit (the design itself not looking unlike his former 'Saiyaman' outfit, sans the cape), complete with a pair of white shoes and gloves.

Despite his new appearance, the first thing Goku wanted to do was warn Gohan to leave, not sure how safe they were with the Four Star Ball, when suddenly everything clicked. The new appearance, Gohan's new power, the Four Star Dragon Ball: Gohan's Dragon Ball... Nuova Shenron, the one Shadow Dragon they could trust.

Without even needing to say a word to confirm, Goku nodded at this 'Nuova Gohan', only for the two of them to turn into Omega Shenron; growling in anger, seemingly having also figured out the situation.

"Nuova Shenron..." Omega Shenron hissed. "You coward! Hiding away in that Earthling? Now I'll have to rip him apart to get to you!"

Picking himself up, and entering his battle stance, Goku charged with aura, with Gohan doing the same.

"Fat chance, Omega! You're getting that Dragon Ball over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged..."

With that, Omega Shenron lifted both fists into the air, before slamming them into the ground, energy erupting beneath Goku and Gohan, which they barely managed to avoid, dashing toward Omega Shenron and landly a dual-punch to his face. Not one to be left behind on the action, Vegeta would follow up the attack by landing a kick to Omega's back before launching a series of ki blasts.

Needing to get all three off of him, Omega Shenron crossed, then uncrossing his arms, shooting several strings from his fingertips of Electric Slime, electrocuting the Saiyans and holding them in place, only for Gohan to activate his Heat Armor, glowing in his flame-like aura and freeing himself, then blasting Omega with multiple blasts of burning-hot fire, forcing the Dragon to let up his attack.

Gritting his teeth, Omega Shenron closed an eye to aim, before aiming a Ice Blast straight for Gohan, only for the half-Saiyan to suddenly form a lens from his hands, acting as a mirror and deflecting the blast to Omega, freezing his arm temporarily.

Taking advantage of the situation, Vegeta leapt into the air, holding out an arm and firing a Big Bang Attack. Omega Shenron flew into the air, using the ice on his fist as a gauntlet to punch the ki blast right past Vegeta, only for him to be struck from behind by a Dragon Fist, compliments of Goku. Off-guard, Vegeta followed up with in the form of a Final Impact, sending Omega Shenron downwards, where Gohan would be ready, firing a Nova Star and throwing the Shadow Dragon flying backwards.

Landing on his back, Omega Shenron roared with anger, slamming on the ground again with both arms. As the Saiyans did their best to avoid Aftershock Technique, Omega Shenron dashed back into the air, flexing his body and causing a mighty wind to pick up, making it practically impossible to get to him directly with the heavy wind blowing as sharp as glass.

Getting an idea, Gohan perked up. "Dad, Vegeta! Follow my lead!"

"What-?"

"Just listen to him, Vegeta!"

Aiming for the Shadow Dragon, Gohan fired a ton of ki blasts, maybe ten every second, all of them being blown away or around by the Mighty Hurricane Fury, and despite the confusion, Goku and Vegeta did the same.

Unimpressed by the display, Omega Shenron only laughed, a part of him genuinely amused by the Saiyan's efforts, only to be surprised when Gohan only shouted.

"Hellzone Grenade!"

In an instance, all of the energy blasts curved back around, all aimed at the same target: Omega Shenron himself. The sheer pressure of the flurry of blasts rushed past the heavy winds, and for every one blast that was blown away, another three or four would break past. A massive explosion followed, but the Saiyans didn't let up, with Gohan rushing towards Omega Shenron, even before the dust settled.

His fiery aura covering himself again, Gohan slammed into Omega Shenron, actively shoving the Dragon. Throwing several punches to his face, Gohan grabbed hold of Omega Shenron's head, before charging his aura, the red flame turning yellow, before letting the energy explode off of him, hitting the Shadow Dragon with all of it.

"Helium Flash!"

Leaping backward, Gohan landed before looking down at the explosion, only for when it faded, Omega Shenron to be revealed without a scratch.

"Is that the best you can do? A little heat?" he hissed.

Omega would be cut off, however, as an energy disk struck him at the side of his face, fired by Vegeta. While the energy didn't slice him, it nicked him slightly, providing solid cover for another Dragon Fist, thanks to Goku, who rushed towards Omega for another round.

Quick to catch him Omega Shenron grabbed Goku by the throat, exuding a toxic gas from his body to choke him out, before his eyes glowed preparing to fire a blast, only for a Special Beam Cannon to quickly shoot off his arm, courtesy of Goha. Freed, Goku teleported away, narrowly avoiding the eye laser.

Growling, what remained of Omega Shenron's arm dripped the same electric slime from before, leaking downwards and hardening, taking the form of a new arm, just like the one he had lost. His arm regenerated, Omega Shenron dropped from the air, with Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan all landing as well, surrounding him.

"The three of you are beginning to annoy me..." Omega Shenron growled, before raising his arm skyward. "It's time to end this... In mere moments, it won't matter how many of you combine forces, or merge together. You'll all die like insects beneath me! Beneath Omega Shenron!"

As he began to slowly take to the skies a crimson-red ball of negative energy would fill his palm, beginning to grow and double in size by the second.

"Take this time to mourn, for in a matter of minutes you, your people, your culture, and your entire planet will be reduced to nothing! You won't even be a memory!"

Watching in terror as the glare of the Negative Karma Ball filled the sky once more, Goku could do nothing but look at his family, also staring terrified.

"Gohan... Vegeta... We can't stop that..." he sputtered.

Gohan couldn't say anything either, instead staring back at his friends and family, as well, especially at Pan; his little girl, for what would very likely be the last time.

"Daddy..?" she mouthed.

Closing his eyes, Gohan turned back to Karma Ball, before finally speaking up.

"No, Dad... But we can try."

Raising both hands to the sky, a massive lens from above them, angled nicely between themselves and Omega Shenron. Charging his aura one final time, he brought hands to his forehead, crossed armed and aimed with Omega Shenron in his crosshairs. Nodding his head, Goku took a stand next to his son, before bringing his arms to his sides, taking a familiar stance that he had taken many times since childhood. Lastly, Vegeta stood on the opposite side, having already lost one future, lost one home, and damned if he were going to lose another, spread his arms, charging a glowing green light in both hands.

"Say 'goodbye', Earth!" Omega Shenron growled, before launching his massive attack towards the Saiyans.

As the ground around them cracked and shattered, their feet planted firmly into the ground, ready to stay in that spot for the remainder of their lives if it meant it, all three fired their own attacks as well.

"Maximum Final Flash!"

"Times Ten Kamehameha!"

"Nova Masenko-HA!"

With all three blasts magnified towards the Negative Karma Ball, the clashing of attacks caused a shockwave large enough to shake the ground underneath. And yet with all that power, the Karma Ball wouldn't be fazed, with Omega Shenron still pushing it towards Earth with all of his might.

"Dad... Vegeta..! Raise your powers!" Gohan pleaded.

Despite all of their best efforts, Omega Shenron would only laugh in turn, taunting with a but a sense of mock-pity.

"Give it up, already, Saiyans! Feel the weight of your sins press against you, and crush you from within! Just lay down and die already! Grieve your final moments, as your world tears from the consequences of its own actions!"

"Hey, Omega!"

A sudden different voice would cut the Dragon off: Majuub.

"Can't we settle this over some chocolate?"

Firing his own Chocolate Kamehameha, Omega Shenron rose one hand, still pushing the Karma Ball with the other, and catching the blast with no issue.

Majuub swallowed hard, knowing that what he was about to do would be costly, but as it stood, there was nothing left to lose.

"Kaio-ken times ten!"

As Majuub put everything he had into his attack, his own regeneration doing the best it could to keep him in one piece, Omega Shenron would be put on the defensive, at least for a second.

"Everyone, now!" Gohan shouted.

Pouring out every last ounce of energy, Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan's blasts shattered through the Karma Ball, melting through it like hot milk through a cocoa bomb, before slamming against Omega Shenron, overtaking him and obliterating the final Shadow Dragon.

As the Dragon Balls fell from the Heavens, Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta returned to their regular forms and the Four Star Dragon Ball repearring in Gohan's hand. One final time Shenron: the original green serpent-like Shenron appeared before them all. After agreeing to revive the fallen, Shenron would make preparations to depart; the Earth needing to learn to live by themselves for a time, before asking Goku if he would join him as company.

Saying his final goodbyes, Goku would tell his friends and families that they had the power to live on without him, as well as the Dragon Balls. If there were any threats, any villains, or any crises, they could handle them together.

After Goku's departure, the remainder of the Z-Fighters would prepare for the inevitable day: Pan, with the things she had learned from her grandfather, Majuub, with the wisdom imparted to him by his teacher, Vegeta, with his Super Saiyan 4 and never ending respect for his fellow Saiyan and rival, and Gohan, with the everlasting love he had from his father, and the power his body had learned from the Four Star Dragon Ball.

This is a story about the experiences of life, and how they shape us into who we are. There may come times in life that test us, nearly break us, but we grow and get through them. Like a burning hot iron that is heated, hammered, and grinded, it is put under pressure, but at the end of the day, it will be able to fight and to survive as a beautiful weapon, all thanks to those experiences. It's only when the time is right that we may recognize it, but everything we live through in life, the good and the bad, happens to make us into the best versions of ourselves. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

The young woman glared at constant explosions, feeling the vibrations that felt like earthquakes under her feet, all while she ran towards the source of the destruction. She readied her weapon, tightening her grip over her axe, before continuing to race towards the calamity, no longer afraid, tired of being afraid.

Today it all ended.

She would kill the monster that had ruined her life, killed her father, and only destroyed more and more every month. The monster that had snuck into her life, pretending to be all cute and innocent, when in reality, was nothing more than a beast.

She spat at the thought of his name.

"This ends now..." Chi-Chi muttered. "Goku..."

Yes, it appears that one small change spelled a very, very different outcome in this universe's future. While in the timelines you know, young Goku was sent to Earth and would land on Mount Paozu, where he would be adopted and raised by Gohan, as the young child's grandpa.

However, in this universe, Goku's space pod would instead crash land on Fire Mountain, and would instead be found by Gyūmaō: The Ox-King. While the Emperor already had his hands full raising his daughter, Chi-Chi, especially after his wife had passed, he decided to take in the young child. He would still, however, attempt to contact his old friend, Gohan, asking for advice; whom suggested teaching the boy discipline through martial arts, and even suggesting a name for the boy: Goku.

Despite a short few years of a relatively happy life, disaster would strike, on the night of the Full Moon...

Chi-Chi glared at the massive monkey-like creature, screaming and growling at the top of its lungs, shooting energy from its mouth and demolishing whatever was left of the poor village it had already laid waste to. Finally caught up to it, Chi-Chi shouted, before throwing her large axe like a boomerang, the blade slicing the Great Ape's cheek, then curving backwards and landing in Chi-Chi's hand.

"I'm right here, Goku!" she goaded the Saiyan, hoping to lure the beast away from the village, or at least, what was left of it.

Roaring in pain from the attack, the Great Ape raced straight for Chi-Chi, exactly as she expected, as she bolted away from the primate, running as fast as she could. She wasn't nearly as fast as him, but it was less about getting away from him, and more so, getting him away from the remaining survivors.

Still, despite that, the whole ordeal brought back rotten memories. Memories of being a powerless little girl, running off to some kind of shelter, anything.

She couldn't believe what she had seen. The same young boy she had been so friendly with, so kind with, even finding him kind of cute, all that gone in an instant. In a single night he had thrown all of that away, showing his true colors, transforming into a monster and destroying her home... even killing her father.

And to make matters worse, the next day? He acted like an idiot. Like he had no idea what he had done.

That day she swore she'd kill him.

This time, though, things were different. This time she wasn't running away from him. He wasn't hunting her down. She was hunting him.

With a roar, the Great Ape fired a blast from his mouth, scarring the land and sending rocks flying; something that worked nicely in Chi-Chi's favor. Running towards where the debris landed, Chi-Chi lifted one of the larger rocks above her head, throwing it right back at the ape's head.

As it covered its eyes in defense, Chi-Chi leapt into the air, slicing at both its legs with her axe, only to be swatted back down with its hand. Picking herself back up, she flipped, this time running and using her axe like a vault to throw herself higher into the air, before stabbing it into the Great Ape's shoulder, with the monkey growling in pain, firing a beam of energy into the air.

As much as she wished to follow-up the attack, the Great Ape's movements and jerking around made it nearly impossible to hold on, instead slipping through its tough fur and back onto the ground, her legs feeling like they were on fire.

Needing a minute to gather herself, Chi-Chi only glared as the monster ripped her axe from his shoulder and threw it to the ground a fair distance away.

With yet another growl, the beast fired another mouth blast at her, which she managed to narrowly block by crossing her arms, and activating her Red Blazing Aura. The blast was strong, and it shoved her backwards, the heat burning like crazy, but it wasn't anything she wasn't prepared for.

Her original plan, afterall, was to go after her father's Master: the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. Unfortunately, according to what he had learned from his sister, the old man had died sealing away a 'Demon King' that had threatened the world.

Luckily for her, the old witch, Baba, could help her in a different way; leading her to a place she had only heard from her father, a place between this world and the next: the Furnace of Eight Divisions. There she trained under the ruler of that realm: Annin, learning from her ways and fighting off demons she held back, as part of her training.

After all... what better way to learn how to take down a massive demon, than by fighting hundreds of smaller ones?

Eventually, Annin would teach her, herself, it being especially helpful, once Annin stopped holding back, fighting in her Giant Form. It was good to learn how to fight against someone significantly larger than her.

Panting hard, Chi-Chi picked herself up, rolling her shoulders back, as she watched the giant monkey begin to walk away from her. How dare he! Was he really going to pretend that they were done? Did he forget who she was?

She raised her arms towards him, narrowing her eyes and preparing to aim, while a spark exploded into each of her palms, creating a ball of literal flame.

She was Chi-Chi: Princess of Fire Mountain.

It was another trick she had picked up from the Furnace. She never wanted to learn to fight with energy blasts, instead wanting to fight the way her father did, but she made an exception for this one...

Launching both blasts straight for Great Ape, Chi-Chi watched as the fireballs raced towards its back... only to fizzle out upon hitting him.

Using her own burning anger like a literal fuel source, Chi-Chi fired blast after blast, each to no avail, before revving both arms backwards and firing a huge wave of fire, the move resembling a literal flamethrower.

Finally, the monster stopped.

Chi-Chi clenched her fists, ready for the next round... only for the monkey to begin walking in the same direction, again.

Her rage snapping, Chi-Chi ran towards where her axe had landed, grabbing hold of it, before igniting it with flame and throwing it with all her might; ready to see if the monkey would ignore that.

Sure enough, the axe spun like a shuriken, slicing at the Great Ape's tail, and after a moment... the tail separated from its base. The Great Ape roared, screaming like a monster and falling to its hands and knees, writhing in pain as a huge cloud of dust filled the environment.

With a nod, Chi-Chi dashed towards the monster, rushing past the dust, and intending to follow up on her attack. But when she made it, and the dust had cleared, the monster was gone, and its place was Goku, in his regular, human-like form. He was picking himself up so casually, as if he had just gotten out of bed, before looking around at his surroundings, blinking hard and noting his lack of tail.

Seeing him like that only made Chi-Chi's blood boil more.

"Goku!" she growled. "There you are!"

Goku's eyes widened, looking to the source, before staring at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Woah... Chi-Chi? Is that you? What's going on?"

Sick of display, Chi-Chi closed the gap between the two, leaping towards him and chopping Goku with her hand, before turning and hitting him with her opposite forearm, then landing another punch, before spinning and delivering a massive kick to his head.

Stumbling backwards and trying to regather himself from the attacks, Goku brought his hands up to defend himself, just out of instinct, but the act only made Chi-Chi more angry.

"Look around you! Look at everything around you!" she hissed in rage. "You look at all that, and you've still got the nerve to ask me 'what's going on?'"

Ducking down, Chi-Chi swept her leg under Goku's, spinning below, before picking herself up and hitting him with a double open-palm strike, then hitting him with her forearm, before forming a fireball in the other, which she would slam into him.

As Chi-Chi's beating would continue, Goku would indeed look around him. The ground covered in fire, cracked with rocks all over the place, and the entire landscape completely scarred. It reminded him of the last time he had seen Chi-Chi, on Fire Mountain. The same day she had blamed him for everything, for Ox-King's death.

But why? He had been sleeping the whole time...

Managing to slip the next couple of punches, Goku leapt backwards to regain the distance, before asking again.

"I- I'm serious, Chi-Chi! I haven't seen you in years! What's going on? What happened?"

Chi-Chi simply dashed back towards him, elbowing him in the face, and shouting back.

"I'll tell you what happened! I've spent the last years of my life hunting down a monster!"

The words struck Goku like lightning.

A monster? Is that what had caused the destruction here? And all the destruction on Fire Mountain, as well?

In fact, Goku thought backwards, to the other places he had lived. Places he had been chased out of by destruction, they'd all be destroyed too. He always just thought that's how it went, but... could it be that the destruction had been following him? Could it all be the result of the monster as well?

As he did his best to avoid Chi-Chi's next attacks, Goku racked his brain, trying to remember what had happened before those attacks. Something that could help Chi-Chi find this monster and stop attacking him.

She chopped at his ribs, which he managed to block, only to get a punch in the face. While he tried to recover, Chi-Chi lept, before kicking him in the face with a hurricane kick, making him lean over in pain. As he felt more fireballs hit him, his face whipped backwards, the light from the fire lighting up the landscape.

Again, Chi-Chi swept his legs, this time making him fall to the ground, his face up to the sky, when-

He saw it. The Full Moon.

Suddenly all the memories came back, every single time destruction came to destroy his newfound home. He'd see the Full Moon, go to bed, and then wake up to destruction. He had never thought of it, but... could the Full Moon be the cause of it?

"Wait, Chi-Chi! I get it! It's-! It's the Full Moon!" Goku finally shouted back, trying his best to tell Chi-Chi what he had learned. "The Full Moon brings the monster!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chi-Chi growled, forming a fireball in one hand before squeezing it, and allowing the flames to cover her fist, which she used to uppercut Goku, throwing him back onto the ground.

"You're the monster!" she shouted.

Goku froze, hearing the words that made all too much sense. The words that painted a picture he didn't want to see, but also couldn't deny was the only explanation that made sense.

He was the monster. Something about the Full Moon had turned him into a monster. He had destroyed Fire Mountain, and all of the other homes he had managed to escape them. Every single peaceful village he had served on a platter to his own monstrous alter-ego. He had killed/ Ox-King.

As Chi-Chi walked over to him, she ignited her fist again with flame, intending the next blow to be the final. Staring down at him, she only watched to see what Goku had next to say, what joke he had left to spell.

Instead, Goku said nothing. His face had gone blank, he had tears in his eyes. Chi-Chi stopped short, as Goku finally muttered something.

"I'm the monster..." he repeated.

Chi-Chi looked around herself, confused at what he had said.

"W-What?" she shouted.

Goku replied, his voice sounding empty, and almost full of regret.

"You're right... I'm the monster... I killed all those people... I- I killed Ox-King..."

Chi-Chi looked down at him, her confusion almost doubling at what she was hearing. The way he was speaking didn't sound proud of his actions, it sounded like he was just figuring them out for himself. Like he had never realized it until she had told him right then.

Was this some kind of joke? A ploy to trick her into letting her guard down?

Goku muttered again, not to her, just to himself.

"I- I don't- What have I-?" he mumbled, unable to form a sentence.

That look in his eyes, a look of shock, confusion, but most importantly... terror.

"It was me... I had no idea... If only I could take it all back... I wish I could take it all back..."

Chi-Chi blinked. That word. 'Wish'.

For a moment, she wanted to ignore the feeling in her heart. The one that saw the scared man as just that, a scared, broken man; whereas the other wanted to silence him, end the reign of this monster.

She thought about what her father would've done.

Chi-Chi raised her hand upwards, still encased in flame, the action making Goku close his eyes, accepting what was about to happen.

Taking a deep breath, she unclenched her fist and fire went out.

"How badly?"

Goku's eyes opened, perking up slightly, but still quietly.

"Huh?"

Chi-Chi hissed, before replying.

"How badly do you wish you could take it all back? What would you do?"

Goku sputtered some nonsense out at first, unsure how to answer the question properly before finally saying. "I don't know- I'd- I'd do anything..."

Chi-Chi sighed, unhappy that she was about to make this decision. Finally, she spoke up.

"Have you ever heard the legend of the Dragon Balls?"

"The... what?"

"They say there are seven mystical balls scattered around the world. If you gather all seven, a dragon appears. They say it can grant any one wish."

Goku's eyes widened, starting to understand where Chi-Chi was going with the situation.

"So you mean..?" he asked, his voice filled with a bit of hope.

"Yes. Maybe. ...I don't know."

Finally, Chi-Chi held her out to Goku, offering him a chance to stand back up.

"We're going to have to find out... Both of us."

Goku nodded his head, before picking himself up with Chi-Chi's help. It was a little hard to get used to balancing himself without his tail, but Chi-Chi helped him get stabilized, as the two of them walked, beginning their quest.

"Don't get the wrong idea." Chi-Chi spoke back up, a bit of ice back in her voice. "Just give me one reason, and I will kill you. Understood?"

Goku nodded. He understood.

Chi-Chi looked him up and down, sizing him up, before her face slightly flushed.

"We should- We should probably start by getting you some new clothes..."

This story's message may be a bold one, but it's one we mustn't forget. Forgiveness and Redemption. While it may be easier to let our anger consume us, to let the pain and sorrow of life consume us, we must never underestimate the power of mercy. In a xenoverse like our own, that's full of powerful warriors, the strongest aren't the ones who can crush their enemies beneath their feet or unleash flames from their hands. But rather, those who can look past it all, to rescue someone, and have mercy, are the strongest of all. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Goku gritted his teeth, feeling the ground rumble beneath, as the monster in front of him took step after step, each one threatening to crush his granddaughter right beneath his feet.

"Baby..!" he roared, bringing his hands together to his side, preparing to form a Kamehameha. His body screamed for him to stop, but he forced himself to ignore it.

Meanwhile, the Golden Great Ape only growled as a response.

Goku narrowed his eyes. "One inch closer, and I'll blast you so hard, my last attack... will feel like a tickle! Leave her out of this! This is where the battle is!"

Baby finally snapped back.

"You're bluffing! I'll bet you're using all the energy you have just to stand up! Do your worst!"

With that, Baby took another step closer to Pan; making Goku's heartbeat race faster in fear and panic; the Super Saiyan 4 transformation making his blood boil more than he had ever known.

"Baby, this is your last warning! Stay away! Or die!" Goku growled, and yet, it only hurt more to try and force the ki into his hands.

Despite all this, Baby took yet another step, before finally raising his foot, holding it over Pan.

Goku hissed. "This ends now! Kamehame..."

Baby began to lower his foot, making Pan scramble backwards.

"Uh... Grandpa..?"

"Ha!"

Shooting both hands forward in a gamble, Goku would perk up slightly, as a beam of energy indeed slammed into Baby, throwing him backwards, albeit only a bit.

"Looks like that miracle... came just in time..." he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, Pan uncovered her eyes, revealing the true source of the blast: Trunks.

"Boy, did that feel good..! I've felt a little pent up lately..."

Baby hissed in anger, picking himself up while shouting back.

"Fool! I'm your master! What have you done?!"

"You're not my master! You controlled my body like a puppet, nothing more!"

Standing up fully, Baby only shouted back.

"We were going to unite the universe! No more individuals fighting one another! Everyone would have been of one mind!"

Trunks only narrowed his eyes: taking flight.

"People have to choose that! You can't achieve it by taking away their free will!"

With that, Trunks let out a mighty shout, transforming into a Super Saiyan, and racing straight for Baby. Despite his bravery, as Goku would note, it would prove pointless.

"That's not enough, Trunks! You can't beat him in that state! Don't do it!"

Powering up to his highest, Trunks raced for Baby, smacking the Great Ape repeatedly in the face, before uppercutting him straight in the chin, admittedly throwing the Tuffle's head backward.

"Have you no respect for your father's body, Trunks?" Baby taunted.

The revelation made Trunks freeze, allowing Baby to slam his head back downwards; smacking Trunks with his chin and sending him to the ground, where Baby would pin him on the ground with his foot, crushing him.

Screaming in pain, Trunks powered down, before shouting back at the Tuffle.

"Why did you say that about my father?"

The Tuffle replied smugly.

"Don't you recognize him? This is your father's body transformed!"

Trunks' eyes widened, as he looked up at the monster, trying to distinguish anything that resembled his father, all while Baby cackled devilishly.

"Now you see our true potential... 'son'!" he taunted again, before revving back and kicking Trunks away with his massive foot.

Luckily, Trunks would be caught by another: Gohan, who had been teleported in, courtesy of Kibito Kai, alongside Goten and Trunks.

"Don't worry, Trunks. It's really me." Gohan assured.

"Gohan... Thank goodness."

"Who's responsible for this?" Baby hissed, clearly not pleased with the surprise visitors.

"You are!" Gohan snapped back. "You took our bodies and our free will, and now we've got them back! It was only a matter of time!"

Baby growled in anger, as Goten added.

"You have to steal power from others, because you're weak!"

Back on the ground below, Pan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming..."

Luckily, Kibito Kai would teleport next to her, both confirming the reality, and offering an escape route; finally reuniting Goku with the rest of his family, as well as Trunks. After thanking the fused Kai, the next order of business was clear: finding a way to defeat Baby.

"Hey, Trunks." Goten began, before cracking a smile. "How about some fusion?"

Trunks only grinned back. "Sure."

Nodding along, Gohan agreed. "Yeah, that's our best bet. Let's do it!"

"Right!"

"It won't work." Goku would suddenly interject, surprising everyone.

"It has to work, Dad! It's the only way!" Goten replied. "We'll do fusion, then we'll all attack together!"

Goku shook his head.

"I've already fought him, I know how strong he is. Even if the two of you do fusion, and we attack in a group..."

Goku paused, closing his eyes in frustration, clearly unhappy, himself, with the reality.

"He'd still defeat us... We wouldn't even have a slim chance..."

Baby, having grown sick of waiting, roared in anger, calling them all out.

"You cowards! Stop your whispering and come forward and fight! It doesn't matter what you plan, you're all going to die!"

With that, Baby let out a mighty shout, his sheer power being enough to shake the ground beneath them all.

"So, what then?" Goten shouted over the chaos. "We can't win? So we're just going to sit here, like helpless lambs, and let him slaughter us?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Goten..." Goku replied, as the carnage settled down. "There is one way that we can beat him, but fusion would just get us killed. I have to fight him alone to win."

The rest of the group's eyes widened, while others gasped in shock.

"You'll each have to give me your energy, just like you did to Baby before..." Goku continued. "If it worked for him..."

"It can work for us..." Pan finished the thought for her grandfather.

"Exactly, Pan. Super Saiyan 4 is our strongest hand, it has to be me. And I have to win."

While everyone stayed quiet, soaking in what Goku had said, Pan would be the first to speak up.

"Yes, sir! You can do it, Grandpa! I know you can!"

Everyone would perk up slightly at Pan's assertion, something she'd pick up on, turning to them, to further hype them up on the idea.

"You should've seen him fully powered, you guys! Grandpa had that giant monkey on the ground, but then Bulma used this huge tower to send out all these waves, and then-"

Unfortunately, Pan's small speech wouldn't motivate the boys alone, as Baby would hiss in anger, before beginning to power up.

"He's coming!"

"The little brat's right!" Baby roared back. "I cannot let him power up again!"

Firing a massive wave of energy from his mouth, a large-scale game of 'keep away' would begin among the group. As Baby raced across the battlefield, firing blast after blast of energy for Goku; with the rest of half-Saiyans either having to swerve or take the hit for Goku. Even after Baby took a massive leap for Goku, it would be only after a brief Solar Flare that they would survive. While watching this display, finally the first few Divergences would take place.

Screaming in pain, Baby would fall to the ground as his senses readjusted, before forcing himself to stand, beginning on his hands and knees, then picking himself up. Bringing on hand to a nearby ledge, he slowly pulled upwards... before suddenly feeling a massive force strike him in the head, throwing him backwards, and back onto the ground.

"What the?" he screamed in anger and confusion, only for the cause to reveal himself.

"You like that? It's called 'Katchin'! It's the strongest, hardest, stuff in the universe!" Kibito Kai shouted, forming another block above his hand, and launching it back at Baby. "Have some more!"

The brief stint allowed some breathing room, Goten, Trunks, and Gohan all landed on the ground, standing around Goku and raising their hands, powering up into the Super Saiyans.

"How about another!" Kibito shouted, only for the next block of Katchin to be caught by Baby.

Screaming in anger and pain, the Tuffleized monster roared. "Stop it!"

Admittedly having a bit of fun, Kibito Kai held up another, before holding up his head, then waving his hands like a magician, and tossing it at Baby, again. Only for the monster to suddenly whip his head forward, raising his arm and catching the block of metal in his hand. Gritting his teeth he shouted.

"Here! You can have it back!"

In an instance, Baby wheeled back, throwing the metal right for Kibito Kai sending him flying. Picking himself up and standing fully, Baby let out another monstrous roar, then leaping into the air and taking flight.

"What is he doing?" Goten asked.

Gohan would only shout back. "Don't worry about it! Right now, we just need to keep giving our energy!"

Trunks would speak up next. "Still... is it going to be enough?"

Gohan opened his mouth to answer, before staying quiet, not happy with his own unspoken-answer.

Gohan's lack of response would only make everyone more worried, as Baby brought both hands to his side, taking a stance they all knew too well: Vegeta's famous Galick Gun.

"Behold!" Baby shouted. "The glorious extinction of the Saiyan race!"

Despite his claim, and the Saiyans' worry, Baby would be stopped in his tracks by another outside party, or, more accurately, an 'inside' party: Majuub. He had been previously turned into chocolate and eaten by Baby, but thanks to his magic, was now fighting on the inside. Powering up to his highest, he expelled as much energy as possible, making Baby's body swell and forcing him to abandon his blast, falling to the ground.

"No one beats me with my own technique!" Majuub roared within Baby, continuing to push further, then going further by taunting the Tuffle. "How do you like your 'Chocolate Surprise', now, Baby? You should really be careful what you eat!"

And yet, Baby's problems would only worsen as he felt a sharp blow to the side of his face, the feeling being one he had already felt too many times for his own liking: Katchin.

"Miss me?" Kibito Kai taunted, before lining up to Baby's face and launching an ensemble of ki blasts.

As Baby would respond with screams of pain and attempts to power-up; Gohan, Goten, and Trunks would continue pouring energy into Goku, who watched the display with pride.

"I don't believe it..." he chuckled. "Look at that, Majuub planned this from the start, he knew Baby would swallow him, he counted on it... And Kibito Kai, too! Look at him go!"

He nodded at the boys around him.

"That's it, boys. Just a little more power, and I should be able to end this."

Suddenly a voice perked up from behind him.

"Wait for me, Grandpa!"

Despite Hercule's worries and protests, Pan raced over towards Goku, before powering up and lending her energy as well. Goku nodded, shooting Pan a smile, as she raised her hands and began to lend her power to her grandfather. Despite that, yet another voice would perk up.

"And... and me, as well..."

The group perked up slightly, as they noticed the source of the new voice: a young girl, dusting herself off from rubble, with a red hairband and aqua hair.

"Bra..?" Trunks called out to her.

Indeed.

Technically, this Divergence took place much earlier in this universe. When Vegeta was first attacked by Gohan and Goten, under Baby's influence, Vegeta tossed his daughter aside; in an effort to protect her.

Despite being fearful, all Bra could do was watch as Vegeta battled both of Goku's sons, how he laughed with glee during his fight. Seeing his confidence and happiness made her feel better, like the situation was under control.

That was until the real terror revealed itself... and how Vegeta struggled and failed to hold it off, eventually becoming servant to it. It left her with a disgusting taste in her mouth and a rotten feeling in her stomach. Not only had her father been taken control of, she couldn't help but wonder... if he wasn't trying to protect her, would he still have lost?

Had she been... a handicap?

Her Saiyan blood boiled at the thought, and all it made her want to do was set things right, however way she could.

She narrowed her eyes towards Goku.

"Do you think you can save Dad?"

Goku took a deep breath, before looking towards Bra and matching her sincerity.

"That's the plan, Bra."

Nodding her head, Bra stepped closer, before powering up and raising her hands towards Goku.

"Then, I'll give what I can. It may not be much, but..."

"Thank you, Bra." Goku nodded in return, accepting the power and sentiment, before turning to the rest of them and closing his eyes. "Thank you, everyone..."

In that moment, that amazing moment something beautiful happened. A ritual performed without any of them the wiser; one which called for five righteous Saiyans pouring their energies into another, and raising that Saiyan above... into the divine realm.

Slowly, Goku's aura went from golden to a fiery red, as his hair shortened to its traditional length, returning himself to his base form, but still in his adult body: the divine ki responding to Goku's soul, not his body. His body slimming down slightly and his hair became a brilliant scarlet, and yet the most amazing change was his energy... it appeared to disappear. And yet, despite that, everyone around him could feel the pressure that now emitted from Goku's new form. A power not like anything they had felt until then.

"Grandpa..?" Pan would speak up first. "What is that form? Some kind of... Super Saiyan 5?"

"No, I don't think so..." Trunks mumbled back. "It feels like something totally different..."

"Then what is it?" Goten would ask.

Goku however, only raised his hand, clenching his fist. "It's how we're gonna win this."

Right on time, Baby finally let out another growl, before reaching forward and grabbing hold of Kibito Kai, throwing him as far as he could, all while continuing to growl, doing his best to raise his power. With sheer power and energy output, he finally managed to throw his neck back, before spitting out Majuub from his body.

Finally free from the pain, Baby would race towards the Saiyans, before leaping and preparing to crush them beneath his feet.

"Dust to dust!"

...Only to feel his foot being stopped, then slowly being lifted up.

"You don't get it, do you Baby?" Goku spoke up, lifting the massive foot with his hand alone, before throwing it, as well as Baby backwards.

While the rest of the group gave him some room, Goku only began to slowly walk towards Baby, who was now hissing in anger. Goku however seemed completely different. As a Super Saiyan 4 his voice was rougher, and his attitude seemed more aggressive, but this new, different form his voice sounded like normal, yet calmer, almost soothing.

"You think that the light is just something you can just stomp out and be done with. But that's where you're wrong... the light is something far beyond you, far beyond any of us..."

Goku cracked a smirk, before getting into his fighting stance.

"Now, let's make this last fight a good one..."

Before Baby could even react, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, throwing him backwards, only to feel another strike to his upper back, then finally another strong smack to his face, sending him tumbling downwards. As Baby would attempt to claw towards Goku, Goku would only grab hold of the giant monkey's arm, before pulling it behind his back, and pinning him down like a wrestler. Thinking quickly, Baby would open his palm, firing a blast at Goku point-blank.

Picking himself fully, Baby looked around, searching for where Goku may have drifted off to, only to hear surprised laughter. As the dust settled, the source of the laughter revealed itself to be Goku, still in the exact spot he was previously, which only made Baby more irate.

"What's so funny? Why are you laughing?!" he roared.

After calming down and wiping a tear from his eye, Goku replied. "I'm laughing because I was wrong..."

Baby narrowed his eyes. "You were wrong..? About what?"

Goku just smiled.

"I was so convinced I had to beat you by myself... Now, I realize that only because of the others... Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Pan, Bra... even Majuub and Kibito Kai... it's because of them, I'm going to beat you."

Baby growled again, before throwing a punch at Goku with his massive fist.

"You shut your mouth!"

Despite the force behind it and the massive fist itself, Goku would casually tank the attack, as if it were nothing. The lack of response only infuriated Baby more, he continued to throw punch after punch, all of which Goku would take with little issue. Finally, Goku would stop his fist with his palm, then revving back and shooting the palm forwards with an open-hand strike, sending Baby flying.

Everything about the situation infuriated Baby. These people, the same people he had seen as pawns had begun to fight back, and not just that, but continued to get in his way, transforming, combining powers, using crazy techniques to hold him at bay. And now, this Saiyan, with no energy to sense, was making a fool of him. And the worst part?

Goku wiped his nose a little, before chuckling.

He was smiling. Like was enjoying himself, like he was enjoying the fight.

The Tuffle's mixed blood boiled, before finally, he went for a gamble, closing his eyes and speaking telepathically.

"Bulma! More Blutz Waves, now!"

Bulma's voice responded in his head. "L-Lord Baby? Are you sure? Your body can barely handle-"

Baby snapped back. "Did I ask you to comment on the matter? I need to transform like Goku did!"

"But you can't-"

"Silence!"

After a brief pause, a massive wave of energy passed through the landscape, making Goku leap back out of reflex, only for the blast to strike against Baby, making the situation clear. While Baby screamed in a mixture of vigor in delight, his wounds healing and his power restoring, he growled.

"M-more..." he grumbled through his growl, clenching his fist. "More!"

Following the trail of energy with his eyes, Goku charged his aura before taking flight and racing along the trail, before spotting the source: an odd looking machine.

Immediately Bulma perked up from within it before hissing at Goku.

"What are you doing here?" she shouted, both angry and admittedly surprised. "Get- get away from here you disgusting Saiyan!"

Goku raised his eyebrows, chuckling slightly at his longtime friend's demeanor.

"Wow." he spoke casually. "You're even more scary than the usual Bulma!"

Bulma blinked at the audacity of his cheerful tone.

"And too bad I'm gonna have to break this thing. Sorry! You can make another when you're not evil!"

Before Bulma could react, Goku formed a ball of fire-like ki, sending it straight for the machine's funnels, and destroying them, as well as a huge portion of the machine itself; being careful to not accidentally harm Bulma in the process.

Putting his hands on his hips proudly, Goku nodded.

"Alright, that solves that problem. Just sit tight and I'll have Kibito Kai fix you up, and then-"

Goku paused, as he felt something behind him: a ki signature that was getting stronger, amazingly stronger. In a funny sense, it almost made him feel excited, but that feeling was quickly replaced with one of worry, terrified of what Baby might do to his friends and family.

Bringing both his index and middle finger to his forehead, he focused on his family's ki, before teleporting and spotting the source of the ki signature.

It was Baby, now sporting a wild hair style, with two long pointed bangs hanging down by his neck and crazy hair that draped down his back. His face was covered in more red markings, which almost resembled scars at this point, with dark blue outlines around his eyes. The top half of his bodysuit was gone, now showing off a thick coat of white fur, underneath his original yellow jacket, all while a large white tail completed the change.

"Goku..." he croaked, his voice sounding a little rougher than earlier. "How kind of you to join us... Tell me, what do you think?"

Goku stayed quiet, looking over the monster, a part of him amazed, while the other was confused. Baby hadn't been able to transform into a Super Saiyan 4 earlier, so what made him able to now? Had he just brute-forced through it?

In a way, yes. Baby's anger against the Saiyans filled with his such a primal need for destruction, his willpower and hatred being so oddly... 'Saiyan-like' and with more Blutz Waves than naturally possible in his system... his stolen body was forced to evolve, or be destroyed. Thus forcing an unnatural and disgusting transformation, turning him into a monster: an abomination.

"Don't tell me you're scared, Goku..." Baby continued to taunt. "Or are you just jealous that it looks better on me?"

Finally Goku spoke up, raising his arm to keep the other behind him, before chuckling.

"Nah, it's not that. You just surprised me for a moment... I didn't think someone like you could look any more nasty." he taunted back, before turning to Kibito Kai. "Get the others out of here and get to Bulma. She's still under Baby's control."

Nodding his head, the others grabbed hold of Kibito Kai, before he teleported away; leaving Goku alone with Baby for the final showdown.

"That was a bad idea, Goku..." Baby snarled wickedly. "Now, I know where everyone will be, after I've crushed you..."

Goku just smiled, waving his hand toward himself as if to say 'bring it on'.

"Yeah? Alright, then. Crush me."

Posing for dramatics, Baby paused for a moment before racing straight for Goku, his fist hitting the hard ground as Goku dodged. Turning wildly to find Goku, he quickly made another leap for Goku throwing an ensemble of punches, all of which the Saiyan would dodge with ease, not even fighting back, as Baby attempted to slide his leg to trip him, who casually bounced upwards towards to dodge.

"Fight back, already!" Baby hissed.

"Okay!"

As if to fulfill the request, Goku punched forward bluntly, his fist slamming into Baby's face and making him stumble, covering his face in fear. Still intent on fighting, Baby limped towards Goku, uncovering his face and going in for another punch, only for Goku to step closer to him, slipping the punch, and grabbing hold of Baby's tail and yanking him back, slamming his face into his awaiting elbow.

Roaring in pain, Baby shoved his way backward, before wiping the blood that dripped from his nose, then running back after Goku who just as quickly took a step to the side, leaving his foot out to trip Baby. Stumbling and making a fool of himself, Baby tried to save himself by performing a flip, turning around and throwing an ensemble of energy blasts straight for Goku, who didn't even bother dodging.

"Oh hey, there's Vegeta!" he joked.

"Joke while you can Saiyan! I'm going to crush you! Then your friends and family! And everyone else you love!"

As a response to the threat, Goku raced through the blasts, before swatting Baby's arms away with one hand, then bringing the other to uppercut him in the stomach; knocking the breath out of the parasite. His opposite hand now free, Goku revved back, before delivering a massive punch to Baby's face, then using the other to rock him with another uppercut to his face, throwing him into the air and then back to the ground.

Picking himself up, Baby struggled to stand properly, instead having to stand with his hands on his knees. The amount of pain being too much, Baby hunched over, coughing loudly then falling to his knees.

"How..? Why..?" he sputtered out, before coughing again and shouting. "Why can't I hit you?"

Goku smiled again, crossing his arms and slowly taking flight.

"I thought I already told you that part... It's because you're not fighting me, Baby..."

Goku raised both arms, gesturing around him.

"You're fighting all of us."

His breaking point near, Baby leapt into the air, throwing a series of more punches at Goku, which he avoided, before stopping Baby short in his barrage with a massive knee to his gut, then crossing his arms, and kicking him with his other leg. As Baby brought both arms to his stomach in recoil, Goku whipped his face backwards with another kick, then spinning and kicking him again.

His flight dizzy and his eyes watered, Baby could only speak in nonsense, before finally screaming in rage and running straight for Goku again, another punch at the ready, when finally-

He felt his arm crackle like it had been shocked. Baby froze in panic, the feeling began to race up his arm, then the rest of his body. Falling to the ground, Baby screamed in pain, as slowly but surely... his hair began to shorten, and his fur began to disappear.

"What's... happening..?" he managed to croak.

Baby's hastiness had finally caught up with him, and the atrocity he had become could no longer hold. Like a structure that can only hold enough weight, the more damage Baby's body had received, the less stable it had become. With enough powerful blows, that structure had finally loosened enough in order to collapse, stripping Baby of not just his Super Saiyan 4... but of everything.

Screaming out even more, Baby's hair began to fall, as the lines on his face shrunk to nothing, and the white of his hair returned to Vegeta's jet black. Even his clothing began to fade, returning back to Vegeta's old outfit.

"N-no..." Baby mumbled, his voice getting weaker.

The battle seemingly over, Goku lowered down, his fiery red aura still on full display.

"That's enough, Baby... " he said, coming closer. "Get out of Vegeta's body already and give up. If you say you're sorry and promise to leave peacefully, I'll let you go. Our fight's over."

Baby's breathing grew heavy, as suddenly his eyes locked on Goku, when suddenly the Tuffle Parasite injected from Vegeta's body.

"Over for you!" he cackled... only for Goku to leap back, tossing his own aura off of him, and trapping Baby within it.

Baby's voice died down, as he looked down at Vegeta, now free from his control, and then back at Goku. Before he could even think of a way to save himself, Goku brought both hands to his sides, and giving him a smile, almost one that said 'you just couldn't help yourself, huh?'. He hated that smile.

"You know... I was really hoping you were going to pick the other option..."

With one final satisfying blast, Baby was obliterated and the reign of the Tuffle nightmare had come to a close, with help from Kibito Kai and the Sacred Water, of course.

Despite everyone returning to their senses, it was clear that returning the world back to normal was going to take a lot more legwork. The process was gratuitous, but there were some interesting moments, from Elder Kai confirming he knew of what transformation Goku had achieved: a Super Saiyan God, to Vegeta challenging Goku to a battle between his Super Saiyan 4, and his own (which his body appeared to learn from Baby).

And yet, the most amazing to me was one that took the situation as a learning experience. One that chose not to look at the situation as one in passing, nor in stride, but rather as a terrifying wake up call. One that all came together when Bra made a sudden request to her father: she wished for him to train her.

This is a story about Unity. How, while separate, a situation may seem helpless, or how we may feel the need to fight our battles alone, without the help of others. Perhaps we may believe it is our duty to fight them, or believe we are the only ones able to, strong enough to. But in truth, real strength comes not from a single person, but rather by a person who embraces those around them, letting them be their strength. Only then can we topple our past, inner demons, or even sworn enemies. That is when we can stand victorious. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

Piccolo's eyes scanned back and forth throughout the rugged landscape, searching for any sign of the remaining Android. He hissed to himself, the area filled with so many rocks and cracked mountains, it was a gamble to assume any spot was safe. It was bad enough that there was no way to sense the Android's energy, but even worse, it seemed like it had an infinite supply. They could be hiding for hours, even days, if they wanted to.

He looked towards the direction Vegeta had flown, before looking behind him where Gohan and the others were following. The whole ordeal was infuriating, not a few hours ago the Android was casually putting down humans and destroying buildings, but now that it was on the backfoot, now it wanted to hide.

Unbeknownst to Piccolo, this was exactly what Android 20 had planned. He was buying time, hoping to catch one of the Z-Fighters off guard, stealing their energy one-by-one and slowly climbing up the ladder to take them all down.

In the reality you may know, Android 20 would begin by attempting to steal Piccolo's energy, causing the Namekian and Android 20 to enter an intense battle. This battle would lead to Android 20 retreating once more; this time, traveling to his own laboratory and activating Androids 17 and 18; however, this is where the Divergence in our story begins.

In this timeline, Android 20 would attempt to steal another person's energy, spelling a very different reality for the Earth.

In an instant, Piccolo perked up, his antennae twitching as he felt his entire body react to the energy he was sensing. It was Gohan's! And it was weakening very quickly, just as Goku's had when Android 19 had been draining him.

Fueled by adrenaline, Piccolo's aura blazed, as he raced towards where he felt Gohan's energy. Just as he sensed it, there he stood; that... freak of a monster, holding up Gohan's by his neck, the boy's skin beginning to turn white while his eyes rolled back.

"Get away from him!" he roared.

Without a second of hesitation, Piccolo closed the gap between the two, slamming into Android 20, sending him flying and forcing him to release Gohan.

Sensing the surge of power, the other Z-Fighters quickly began making their way to the battlefield, with Krillin quickly giving Gohan a Senzu Bean and healing him.

"So, you finally decide to show yourself, Android..." Vegeta remarked, crossing his arms smugly. "Are you finally ready to die at the hands of a Super Saiyan, or are you going to keep wasting my time?"

Piccolo quickly spoke up, however, removing his turban and cape as he did so.

"Not a chance, Vegeta. You've had your fun with the other one, this one's mine."

The remark would actually make Vegeta cackle, a part of him genuinely amused, before shrugging his shoulders, as if to say 'sure, whatever.'

"I don't care what you do." he remarked. "As long as you keep it from absorbing more energy, like that fool Kakarot did, I couldn't care less."

Piccolo narrowed his eyes.

"Trust me. I'll guarantee that won't happen again."

Android 20 glared at Piccolo.

"While, I admire your confidence, Piccolo. With my data on you, and the energy I've stolen from the child, you're going to have a much harder time-"

The Android's sentence would be cut off by Piccolo punching him right in the face, throwing him backwards again, only to hit him again with another punch to the face. Not letting up, Piccolo continued to clobber the Android with more punches, hitting him in the stomach several times, before slamming him backwards with an uppercut.

Pretending to be stunned for a second longer than he was, Android 20 quickly opened his eyes, firing beams of lasers which Piccolo swatted away with a powerful backhand, before racing towards the Android, clutching him by the face, and slamming him into the ground.

Letting go for a moment, Piccolo revved up, prepared to punt the Android like a soccer ball, only to be surprised by a sudden sock to the face by Android 20, having picked himself up just in the nick of time. As if to return to the message, Piccolo punched Android 20 back in the face, harder this time, stunning him for a moment, before revving back again and hitting him with a spin kick. Sent smashing against the rocks below, the Android would hiss in anger, only for Piccolo to race back to him, grabbing hold of him, just to slam him back onto the ground.

With a stern look, the Namekian crossed his arms, waiting for the Android's next move.

Just as such, Android 20 kept his eyes closed, trying the same trick from before and pretending to be down, before leaping for Piccolo, his arm outstretched, intending to steal the Namekian's energy for himself.

"Your power is incredible, Piccolo! I look forward to adding to my own-"

...Only for the Android to realize that his hand had been caught by Piccolo, grabbing hold of him by the forearm. In a desperate attempt, Android 20 attempted to punch with his other hand, trying to free himself, only for Piccolo to catch his other arm in the same way.

"Someone really ought to teach you to keep your hands to yourself." Piccolo joked, before scowling and crushing both arms like they were made out of paper.

Screaming in a mixture of fear and panic, Android 20 would attempt to slam his head against Piccolo's, but to no avail.

"My turn."

With a massive headbutt, Piccolo threw Android 20 back, throwing him back to the ground, and severing his robotic arms from him.

Android 20's hissed in anger and fear, refusing to accept the reality.

"N-No! This can't be happening! My- My data shows you can't be this strong! I- I will kill you!"

Piccolo only narrowed his eyes again, dropping the severed arms with the same casualty as someone dropping a pencil.

"You don't get it, do you? One day you'll learn that the more you hurt others, the harder your life will become. It's simple. Your desire to kill is killing you."

Opening his hand, Piccolo formed a blast of energy in his palm, its target clear.

"Say your prayers, Android."

Firing his blast, Android 20 would be obliterated, and celebrations from the rest of the Z-Fighters would be had, save for Vegeta, of course, who merely rolled his eyes at the display, as well as Piccolo's speech.

"Woah, Piccolo! That was awesome!" Krillin whooped in excitement. "You might even be as strong as a Super Saiyan, now!"

"Yeah, thanks for the help back there, Piccolo!" Gohan added, a slight tinge of bashfulness in his voice. "If it weren't for you, I don't know what would've happened!"

"Gotta say, I sure am happy you're one of the good guys, now!" Krillin chuckled, even going as far as to nudge Piccolo slightly; making the Namekian grunt in frustration.

Deep down, the Namekian didn't know what to think. In all truth, he hadn't realized it up until now, but... he really had just helped someone else, someone he considered... a friend. He had risked the chance of losing energy from the Android, getting himself hurt and risking making the enemy stronger, all in order to make sure Gohan was fine.

And to top it all off, here was was, the center of attention, being... thanked by the very people he had once sworn to rule over.

Piccolo's thoughts would be cut off, by another's appearance: Trunks. While most were ecstatic to see him (again Vegeta having his own, separate thoughts on the matter) Trunks would explain the unfortunate reality.

"I don't know what to say to you, everyone, but I'm afraid the Androids that you've been facing aren't the ones I saw in the future."

Tien narrowed his eyes, gripping his own fist. "So, you mean to say that the Androids that kill us could still be out there?"

Trunks looked away, answering the question with his silence.

"Alright, fine." Tien replied. "Then we start looking. The two from the future, what do they look like? If we search around the world, maybe we can find them before they hurt anyone."

Trunks nodded.

"Good idea. The first is a young man with long black hair and a scarf tied around his neck; he's called 'Seventeen'. The other's 'Eighteen': she's a girl with blonde hair to her shoulders, if she weren't evil, you might even think she was cute."

Krillin raised an eyebrow. "Woah, a girl. Wasn't expecting that."

"They both wear earrings, round ones, so that might help you identify them. And they're eyes are as cold as ice. But both are extremely dangerous. If you find one, call everyone else, don't try to fight them alone. Their powers are terrifying, and worse, they never get tired. So, please, if anyone-"

Vegeta, however, flared up his aura, powering up and cutting off the time traveler.

"Oh, please. I won't need anyone's help. While you may have been gazing into their eyes, I'll crush them in a single blow when I find them!"

"But wait!"

Flying off, Vegeta began his search with Trunks flying after him, hoping to make his father see reason. The others, meanwhile, would begin to plan their own search, only to be greeted by Bulma, having finally arrived.

"Hey, everyone! What's going on? Did we win already?"

Tien shook his head. "Afraid not. Apparently there's even more Androids, and I've got a bad feeling they'll be even stronger."

"Honestly, I'm not afraid. Between Vegeta, Trunks, and now Piccolo, here, I'm sure we'll be able to take on anyone!" Krillin perked up with a smile, even slapping Piccolo's back casually.

Finally, all of the emotions flared back up with Piccolo, the gesture from Krillin and the unforeseen reality finally bringing him to his breaking point.

"Don't think for a second that we're friends, here!" Piccolo shouted, moving Krillin's arm away from him, before leaping into the air and taking flight, firing a blast below him but intentionally missing the others.

"We may have had a truce, but don't forget for a moment that world domination is still my goal here! Everything so far has just been a roadblock to it, nothing more!"

With that, Piccolo took off, as well, leaving the others stunned and confused.

"Krillin..?" Gohan asked. "Do you really think Piccolo meant all that?"

Krillin rolled his eyes, comforting the child. "Nah, don't mind him, Gohan. I think Piccolo's going through his own stuff, just the same as we are."

Krillin perked up slightly, looking up at the direction where Piccolo had gone. "And I think he's just going through it the only way he knows how."

Krillin's assertion would be correct. Sharp thoughts bouncing and whirling in his head, like ice in a blender: questioning who he was, what his role in the world was turning into; Piccolo made his way to the place he knew he could be alone, as well as a get a look on the world and search for the Androids: Kami's Lookout.

Despite surprising Mr. Popo, Piccolo made it clear to both him and Kami that his intentions were simply to look down at the world, and search for the Androids, as well as to meditate.

After a few days of silence, Kami finally spoke up.

"Something troubles you, Piccolo..." he started. "I sense confliction within you. Is there something wrong?"

Piccolo grimaced. "I have no interest in talking with you, Kami."

Kami nodded, respecting the answer. "Very well."

Suddenly, Piccolo heard a voice in his head, in the form of telepathy.

"Is this better?"

Growling in annoyance, Piccolo finally stood up to leave, only for Kami to speak up normally.

"Just a moment, Piccolo... You may not be willing to speak about what battles you are fighting, but please. Listen to mine. As it stands, these past several years have shown me more than I could've expected in decades. It amazes me... and yet also terrifies me."

Piccolo sighed in frustration, not really wanting to hear what his other-half was saying, but still sat back down; closing his eyes and listening while meditating.

"In these past years alone, I've felt not one, but five different beings appear on Earth from the stars, all of which, their power completely dwarfed my own. First the Saiyans... and then the tyrant Frieza, and his father..."

Kami paused, leaning on his cane, and readjusting his position.

"When I first sensed Frieza's energy, it horrified me. Not just from its sheer power... but because deep down within his heart I felt nothing but evil. His willingness to casually wipe out the entire planet in a single stroke... We are lucky that the boy from the future was there..."

Piccolo perked up to speak, but Kami would speak up first.

"Yes... I am aware of the boy's origins... And I am also aware that there is more to come. I've been doing as you are now, Piccolo, scanning below on the Earth, searching for what may have caused the boy so much strife. And while I have felt nothing, I have a feeling that something is coming. Something that would surpass the likes of Frieza in both strife and scope..."

Walking closer, Kami placed his hand on Piccolo's shoulder, the same way a father might to their son.

"Piccolo... when we battled in the past, I might've compared you to the likes of those... but the way I see you now... Well... it is almost like night and day..."

Piccolo raised his hand to push Kami's hand away. "You listen here, old man-"

"You can try your best to convince yourself, but you will not convince me, Piccolo. You're still young, and you lack knowledge of the world... but to ensure that this world remains, and that the ones we both care for can continue to live in it peacefully... I believe I'm now willing to help you... by adding my power to your own."

"Wait... You don't mean..."

Indeed.

Seeing the way Piccolo had fought to protect Gohan against Android 20, and even then before then, willing to face off the Android to protect Goku, willing to battle Frieza, his father... it had convinced Kami that he could trust in Piccolo; and become the Nameless Namekian once more, and battle the threats that were on their way.

It would take a bit more convincing, but finally, the two would merge into one. But still, Piccolo required time to adjust, time to meditate on who he was. Choosing to take every precaution, he'd enter the Room of Spirit and Time: The Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

While this time the alternate dimension would allow himself much clarity, it would also leave him unaware of the sudden surge of power that could be felt throughout the Earth: a monster containing a ki signature feeling like a monstrous combination of Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Frieza, and King Cold.

The surge of energy acting as a beacon, Vegeta would be the first to arrive, and the first to learn where the supposed 'Androids' were. Both shocked and partially-humored, he had ended up not too far from where Piccolo had defeated Android 20: in a filthy, partially destroyed lab hidden within the mountains.

"Ah. There you are, Android. What a happy little home you've made for yourself..." Vegeta taunted, before holding out his hand and preparing a ki blast. "I look forward to making it also serve as your grave."

The Android said nothing at first, instead he looked down at his hands, then at his own body; practically admiring himself, as if seeing himself for the very first time. The Android appeared far more different than ones beforehand, instead nearly resembling an insect, yet still maintaining human-like features, such as five-fingered hands, feet that resembled shoes, a built torso, and facial features not unlike the average person.

"What's the matter, Android? Are you frozen in fear? Or do you simply wish to go silently at the hands of a Super Saiyan?"

Finally, the Android spoke up, his voice smooth and deep.

"Oh, I'm far from afraid, Vegeta..." he said with a bit of a chuckle. "Still, it's good to finally meet you, face-to-face. I'm assuming you're here to fight me?"

Vegeta spat. "I'm here to end-"

Vegeta's taunt would be cut off, however, by a powerful uppercut to his stomach, immediately causing him to hack loudly, closing his eyes, only to be released from the strike, then hit by another one in the same spot, before suddenly another smack to his face sent him to the ground.

"Come now, Vegeta... I've craved for a time to use this perfect power, you're not giving me much to work with!"

Taking to the sky and forcing his hand upward, Vegeta formed a ki blast in his hands, his arm shaking as he raised it.

"Oh? And what do you plan to do with that?"

As if to answer the mysterious android's question, Vegeta fired the blast in the form of a wave, the blast itself merely gliding off of the Android, like the blast was made of water.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!" the Android chuckled. "My turn!"

With that, the Android grabbed hold of Vegeta in the form of bearhug, crushing the Saiyan in his arms, before slamming downwards and hitting the Prince with a massive powerbomb. Letting go briefly, he fired several blasts into the fallen Saiyan's back, before finally raising both fingers into the sky and exploding the landscape from below.

Dust everywhere, Vegeta slipped away, something that only made the Android smile proudly, as if stalking his prey, he whistled as he casually walked through the dust, looking for where the Prince had gone.

"Hiding, Vegeta? Is that what we're doing? Come now! Where's that little 'pride' of yours?"

Meanwhile, Vegeta hissed in anger, something the Android had counted on.

"Yoo-hoo..." the Android taunted. "Marco..?"

He pretended to wait for a response.

"Polo..?"

Suddenly an answer would come in the form of a shout and a blast headed straight for him.

"BIG BANG ATTACK!"

While the blast would hit the Android head-on, even admittedly impressing him, it would do nothing; as when Vegeta would come straight for him, ready to follow up his attack... only for the Android to casually catch him by the face.

"What..? What the hell are you?" Vegeta gasped in fear-mixed-panic.

The Android smiled a smug smirk.

"The Perfect Android... call me Cell."

Introductions complete, Cell lifted Vegeta into the air by his face, prepared to deliver his final attack, only for suddenly something else to slam into him. As it hit the ground, the loud clatter made it clear: a sword.

"Get away from him!" the origin of the strike shouted, making himself known: Trunks.

Turning his attention away from Vegeta, Cell released the Prince, before giving Trunks his whole attention.

"Ah, Trunks... How kind of you to join us... I was hoping to see you soon and thank you..!"

"Thank me?" Trunks repeated, only to be cut off by his father.

"Get away from here, this is my fight! I don't need your help!"

With that, Vegeta raced after Cell and delivered a kick to his head. Even though Cell took no damage, it allowed Trunks to throw a kick of his own, the effect being about the same as his father's.

Cell only chuckled, before crossing both arms, then spreading them, shaking off both opponents with the air pressure alone. A big smile on his face, Cell would allow both Vegeta and Trunks to attack him with a flurry of attacks, being able to casually slip or block any attack with either arm, before finally hitting them both in the face with his elbows, then stepping back and slamming their heads together. His patience nearing its limit, Cell revved back before delivering an intense uppercut to Vegeta's stomach, sending him to his knees, then the ground.

"Had enough, Vegeta?" Cell mocked.

Vegeta glared back before charging his aura before taking flight, seemingly flying away from Cell, but Trunks would quickly catch on to his father's real plan, taking flight and following the same path.

"If you're really my son, you'd better use this move with pride!" Vegeta hissed, before bringing his arms to his side, at around shoulder level.

Mocking his father's position, Trunks nodded. "Yes, I will!"

"Let's see how you stand up to this, 'Cell'! Galick Gun..."

"Galick Gun..!"

Cell's eyes widened, a smile on his face, as he stretched his arms and prepared to take the blast head-on, for the first time in the fight beginning to feel a sense of excitement.

"FIRE!"

With that, dual purple lights filled the arena, before launching together in a powerful singular wave, the two fusing into one, stronger blast: all aimed at the same target. The explosion shook the ground, sending shards of rock flying into the air, all while leaving the ground torched. At last the dust would begin to settle, with no sign of the Android.

"Maybe you aren't as weak as I thought..." Vegeta commented, not looking his son in the eye, before shouting at the empty wasteland. "What do you think of that? How do you like the power of two Super Saiyans!"

Despite not expecting (or wanting, for that matter) a response, one would be heard.

"I like it just fine..."

In an instant, Cell practically teleported in front Vegeta and punching him in the stomach. While Vegeta would attempt to punch back, Cell would just as quickly catch his arm, twisting it, and breaking it.

"Bye-bye!" he smiled, the same tonality one might use when speaking to a child.

And just like that, Cell raised his hand, before firing a blast directly into Vegeta, sending the Saiyan plummeting down like a bad paper plane.

"Father..!" Trunks screamed in panic, attempting to attack Cell, only to get his kick blocked by him.

"Oh? Do you want to protect 'Papa'? Very wholesome!" Cell taunted again. "Here! I'll make sure you spend plenty of time together..."

In that moment, Cell crushed Trunks' ankle in his hand, before racing towards where he had tossed Vegeta, making sure to slam Trunks against any rock formations or mountains that were on the way. Finally, he whipped Trunks downwards, making sure that he'd land next to Vegeta, before crossing his arms and descending slowly.

"Now, before I end this... I'd figure I'd leave you with a little explanation. I did mention wanting to thank you, and so here we are now..!" Cell began before chuckling slightly. "You see, I spent so much time searching for my missing pieces; Androids 17 and 18, and yet imagine my surprise when I would learn they had been destroyed by you!"

Trunks, despite hissing in pain, managed to speak. "But... I haven't..?"

Cell scoffed. "Oh, well of course you haven't! Not yet, anyway! And so, color me amazed when I learned you decided to surprise me with a gift for my birthday..."

Trunks' eyes widened, finally catching on. "The- The time machine!"

Cell only smirked, nodding his head.

"Now, you've got it... Oh, and what a surprise it was, not only the machine, but also finding myself in a reality where, not only were both Androids alive, they hadn't even been activated yet! All that there was left to do was activate them, absorb them as soon as they were out, and... voilà: perfection."

Cell brought his fist towards Trunks, making the half-Saiyan flinch, before opening his hand and closing it.

"And yet... for some reason it doesn't feel like it. It doesn't feel like it quite yet. This didn't feel like a grand reveal, more like... a warm up..."

Despite his own wounds taking up the majority of his body's functions, Vegeta would still manage to hiss in anger at the audacity.

"No, no, no... This isn't right..." Cell continued to think out loud, even bringing his hand to his chin. "Something's missing..."

Cell paused, before snapping his fingers.

"Tell you what. As one final little thank you, I think I'll let you live! I've got one more little surprise for the world, and it'd be a shame if you never got to see it!"

Trunks' eyes widened at what he was hearing.

"See? I'm not such a bad guy, after all. I just saved your life! No need to thank me!"

With that, Cell spread his wings, before taking flight, going as far as to wave 'goodbye' to Trunks. "Stay frosty!"

That's right. Little did Piccolo know that destroying Android 20 had allowed Cell near instant-access to his Perfect Form, and once exiting the Time Chamber he would have to be caught up on everything. That Cell had casually defeated both Vegeta and Trunks (who thankfully, were able recover thanks to Bulma) and that he had announced his own tournament, dubbed "The Cell Games"; putting a equivalent of a time bomb on the Earth's life with ten days as the countdown.

Fortunately, more savory news followed; in the form of Goku's full-recovery, who had come up with an idea as a means to grow stronger, one that Piccolo had already utilized: the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Still, with pride hurt and body hurt worse, Vegeta insisted on going in first, bringing in Trunks, as well. And while, the two of them would work on their own strength within (even resolving some issues in the process), other things would be accomplished in the outside world.

"Woah! So the two of you really did finally become one!" Goku perked up, a giddy smile on his face. "Does that mean you're 'Kamicollo', now? Or... 'Pickami'? Or maybe-"

Piccolo rolled his eyes, cutting him off. "It's just 'Piccolo'. We combined our powers, is all. Not our names."

The answer seemed to only make Goku more excited. "So, you must be a whole lot stronger now! You think you can beat Cell?"

Piccolo stayed quiet, not answering at first, before shaking his head slightly.

"I don't know for sure. From what I heard from Trunks, Cell was able to handle them both at the same time, and he probably wasn't even trying."

"Why don't you ask Korin?"

"What?"

"Korin. He's been pretty good at gauging power levels for as long as I can remember. Maybe ask him?"

Piccolo tilted his head, considering the idea, then nodding his head slightly. "Huh. Maybe I will."

With that, Piccolo charged his aura, flying downwards and heading towards Korin's Tower, before descending and hovering near the entrance of the cat's home.

"Korin? Are you there?" he called out.

"Woah!" Korin replied, tossing his staff into the air in sheer surprise. "Kami? Is that you? I don't believe it!"

"Yes and no. Kami and I combined into one, again. I need you to gauge my power and compare it to the Android down below: Cell. He's gonna feel like Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, his dad, and me all at the same time."

Korin's whiskers twitched, before shaking his head, and gesturing for Piccolo to come closer. "Uh... alright, then! Whatever you say, Kami. Let me see what you've got."

Doing as asked, Piccolo closed his eyes, as a light blue aura surrounded his body, crackling and shaking like burning, blue fire, before finally Piccolo let out a shout; his aura exploding into its traditional white, wave-like appearance. As Piccolo continued to shout, his power only increased the wind alone, enough to knock back Korrin's tea, which had been placed on his table; the table itself falling over, shortly after, before finally Korrin shouted for him to stop.

"Alright, alright! That's enough!" he shouted, waving his arms out for Piccolo to notice.

Obeying, Piccolo's aura calmed down to nothing, with the winds dissipating as well.

"Well? What do you think?"

Korin paused, looking downwards to Earth, as if searching for Cell, bringing his hand to his chin.

"I really don't know. It's kind of hard to say, considering it doesn't seem like your guy is putting out too much energy right now... But, if I had to place a wager..."

Korin clicked his tongue empathetically.

"Sorry, pal."

Sighing in frustration and disappointment, Piccolo shook his head.

"It's no worry, Korin. Thanks."

Taking his leave back to The Lookout, he would be greeted by the friendly smile of Gohan, ecstatic to see him.

"Woah, was that all you, Piccolo? That was awesome! I had no idea you had gotten so strong!"

Landing back on the Lookout grounds, Piccolo smiled, patting the boy's head, before responding back to him, as well as Goku.

"Not as strong as I thought, unfortunately. Looks like we're going to need you and your Dad if you want a chance at this, after all."

Piccolo looked away, prepared to deliver the unsavory news.

"Especially since we don't have the Dragon Balls anymore..."

Gohan perked up immediately, having not known of the news himself. "What?"

Goku's response was a bit more casual. "Aw, that's no biggie. Piccolo, can't you just make us new Dragon Balls, then?"

Piccolo shook his head. "Afraid not. There are two different types of Namekians, see. Warrior-types, like myself or Nail, and Dragon-type, like Kami or Guru-"

Piccolo cut himself off.

Just then an idea formed in Piccolo's head, he had remembered something about the late Grand Elder Guru; how he was able to boost Gohan and Krillin's power significantly against Frieza. If the Grand Elder back then could that, maybe, just maybe...

"Oh, that's not so bad then! All we need is another Namekian then! I'll just go to New Namek and ask one to be our new guardian!"

While Mr. Popo would react with excitement, Gohan would react with confusion. "But, Dad! We don't even know where New Namek is!"

Goku only giggled. "That's no problem, Gohan! Remember..?"

He brought his index and middle fingers to his forehead, signifying Instant Transmission.

"Wait, hold on, Goku!" Piccolo suddenly spoke up.

Goku paused, turning to face him. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I think I've got an idea, too. When you find New Namek, do you mind bringing me along with you?"

Goku smiled, giving a half-shrug. "Sure, why not? You can just use King Kai to tell me when you're ready to come back, alright?"

While everyone wondered what Piccolo's idea might be, Piccolo's focus would be on one single thing: getting strong enough to stop Cell. From what Trunks had told him, Cell was able to get his full power from absorbing the Androids that were meant to kill them all. If Android 20 were as much of a threat to his friends as he thought, and the other Androids, who were meant to be stronger than them were now a part of Cell, who knew how strong he'd be.

Huh.

He really had just called them his friends.

Strangely enough, he didn't hate the feeling.

Finally, the remaining days would pass, Vegeta and Trunks exited the Chamber, and would be followed by Goku and Gohan, who would then be followed by Vegeta and Trunks a second time. With three days left, Piccolo reached back out to Goku, returning to Earth. Goku immediately recognized Piccolo's change, but chose not to dwell on it; instead choosing to spend his time relaxing, while Piccolo would return to The Lookout, spending time with Dende and Mr. Popo, as well as mediating, until finally... the day of the Cell Games arrived.

After a rousing preamble, provided by Hercule Satan, Cell directed his attention to Goku, calling him forth for their long-awaited battle... only for Piccolo to raise his arm in front of Goku.

"Actually, Goku... I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me taking the first round." he remarked.

Goku, having noted Piccolo's increase in power, and honestly wanting to see it in action, only looked up at Cell, a small smile on his face.

"Sure, I don't mind... As long as that's fine with you, Cell..." he said, an oddly smug look on his face, which only made Cell's blood boil.

Still, the Bio-Android folded.

"Very well, Piccolo. What's a good fight without a bit of a warm up? I thought I had my fill tossing that idiot aside, but sure. What good's an appetizer without a little chew?"

Walking over to the tournament grounds, Piccolo only rolled his shoulders back, before removing his turban and cape, leaving them on the ground beside the tiled floor.

"I see we're starting off without the weights, aren't we? Very good! I want you to do your best for my little exercise routine before Goku."

Piccolo only narrowed his eyes, getting into his fighting stance.

"Trust me, 'Cell'... I'll make sure to really get the blood flowing..."

Cell only smirked, before charging his golden aura, surrounding him like a beautiful fire.

Piccolo would respond in tow, however, his aura producing slightly different effects from before; turning flame-like as usual, but sporting a golden color, as well, with his green turning a brighter, lime-like color, while the lines on his arms disappeared; meanwhile his gi's color turned into a slight magenta. And yet, the most notable change was his power, which had skyrocketed to an amazing degree.

"Woah... that's Piccolo?" Gohan remarked from the sidelines, the young Super Saiyan amazed at his mentor's power. "He wasn't that strong before, was he?"

Goku only nodded his head in approval, before answering Gohan. "No... I don't think so. Whatever Piccolo's done... it's incredible."

Despite their amazed reactions, the one most excited was Cell himself, getting into his own fighting stance, before speaking right back up.

"Well, well... This might be more interesting than I expected..." he remarked. "Shall we get started, then?"

Cell began first, by cracking Piccolo straight in the face with a powerful punch, but the Namekian responded in tow again, uppercutting Cell's chin and throwing his head backward. Despite being knocked back slightly, Cell struck with his elbow at Piccolo's chest, who took advantage of the position to smack Cell back with a headbutt. Countering, Cell would rev back, before unloading with a series of quick punches to Piccolo's gut, all of which Piccolo tanked, and formed twin ki blasts to fire at Cell's face, point-blank.

Admittedly humored, Cell bounced on his heels lightly, before taking to the skies, where Piccolo followed him all the same. Piccolo's first few punches would hit the air, as would Cell's first couple of kicks, before finally landing a solid slam to Piccolo's face. Piccolo grabbed Cell by the leg as a response, spinning him and tossing him away, then following up his attack with his own series of punches. Starting to block, Cell grit his teeth before shoving the Namekian off of him, then using his telekinesis to grab two boulders from the ground, before tossing them both at Piccolo, intending to sandwich him between them.

Piccolo, however, raised both his arms, catching both rocks in the air, through his own telekinesis, and tossing them both right back at Cell. Despite being able to toss them both aside, he'd be surprised to learn the technique being used as a cover up, as Piccolo raced right towards him and delivered a powerful kick in the face.

Cell prepared to counterattack, only for Piccolo to back off, instead beginning to fire ki blast after ki blast after Cell. Crossing his arms, Cell would smugly dipping and weaving past each blast, and yet, Piccolo continued to fire them. Now confused by the display, Cell stood in place, making the reality very clear: Piccolo wasn't aiming for him, he was aiming everywhere else. In that moment, Cell and those watching from the sidelines, watched in awe at the massive array of blasts surrounding Cell.

Panting hard, Piccolo forced a chuckle. "Here's a new one, made just for you, Cell..."

Holding out both arms, Piccolo mimed the act of bringing all the blasts together, all aimed directly for Cell.

"Hellzone Grendade!"

Just as he mimed, every blast came crashing straight for the Bio-Android, the lightshow being enough to make everyone in the audience cover their eyes, all still in awe of the display.

"Yeah, he got him!" Krillin whooped in excitement. "That's our Piccolo!"

Krillin's celebration would be premature, however, a glowing ball of energy made itself known, appearing where Cell was, slowly fading away to reveal the Bio-Android: a barrier. The Bio-Android had been singed slightly, likely activating the barrier last-minute, and was panting hard, and yet was still alive and well.

Almost as a sign of respect, Cell would drop back to the side of the tournament grounds, Piccolo meeting him across the grounds.

"Well, well, Piccolo..." Cell began, panting slightly. "I suppose I was wrong to call you a warm up! If anything, I suppose I can promote you from mere 'warm up' to my first, actual challenge!"

Cell chuckled slightly, before gesturing to Vegeta and Trunks.

"Not like those two embarrassments..."

The taunt earned him a growl from Vegeta, as Cell only smiled, before stretching his body and rolling his arms backwards.

"So, I suppose congratulations are in order! Good work, Piccolo! But, unfortunately for you, I think I've had my fun, so if you don't mind getting off my stage and letting Goku up, that'd be fantastic."

Piccolo crossed his arms.

"Sorry Cell, but that won't be happening."

"Oh?"

"Trunks told us all about you. You were only able to get that power because Dr. Gero never activated the Androids, because I got to him first."

Cell shrugged his shoulders, a humored look on his face.

"And? Do you expect a 'thank you' as well?"

"I expect you to understand this. The way I see it, it's my fault you're here, so I'm going to make sure it's me that takes you out."

The notion would actually earn a chuckle from Cell.

"So is that what this is about? You're seeking a little 'redemption'? How cute!" Cell would taunt, before bringing his arms back in a familiar stance. "Then, fine! If you want to pay for your crimes, then so be it! I'll make sure you pay in full!"

With that, Cell would begin charging his Kamehameha. While the others would show signs of fear and shock, Piccolo said nothing, simply narrowing his eyes and placing both index and middle fingers to his forehead.

While Cell may have been close in his assertion, he wasn't fully-correct. In that moment, staring death in the face, did Piccolo finally understand, himself. In that moment, he wasn't fighting solely to make up for his mistake, he wasn't fighting solely to protect his friends, and he wasn't fighting because he wanted to save the Earth.

At that moment, he was fighting for all three.

He was going to defeat Cell, or die trying. It was his choice to destroy Android 20, and so was this. He was ready for this to be his final Special Beam Cannon.

As the Cell Games arena cracked and leveled from the sheer power output alone, Cell couldn't help but taunt further.

"Oh, and by the way..! Goku! If you wouldn't mind stepping out of the way? The rest of you can stay, I just wouldn't want my real opponent getting swept up by my victory. Hear that, Vegeta? Trunks? You can have front-row seats!"

Despite most of the Z-Fighters stepping away from the action, Goku stayed put, with Gohan staying by him to ask why.

"Dad! What are you doing? We have to go, now!"

"Look at what attack Piccolo's using." Goku replied. "He isn't just planning to struggle against Cell's attack, he's planning to pierce right through it."

Gohan's eyes widened. "But what about the rest of the blast? What's going to happen to Piccolo?"

Goku said nothing, making the answer obvious.

"Then... Then what are we supposed to do? We can't just leave him!"

Goku narrowed his eyes, before walking forward. "We fight."

Both aura's crackling like a forest fire, Cell and Piccolo would fire their attacks simultaneously.

"Kamehameha!"

"Special Beam Cannon!"

Both blasts colliding with an aftershock following, wind blowing dust and rock alike, the ground cracking beneath them both, the tiles beneath only adding to the rubble being tossed away like cheap confetti.

"While it's sad this is how it ends, I hope you're getting the satisfaction you were hoping for, Piccolo!" Cell only continued to taunt. "It's a shame, too. It would've been nice to have yet another spectator to my glorious battle!"

Piccolo only growled in a mixture of effort and pain, forcing his body to pour out more energy to defeat the monster, but Cell's sheer energy was almost overwhelming.

"And what a wonderful fight it will be! If you want to look at the bright side, at least you'll be happy to know you'll be seeing Goku very, very soon!"

Right on cue, another blast joined Piccolo's.

"Kamehameha!"

Turning to see the source, Piccolo's eyes widened. "Goku?"

"Goku!" Cell repeated. "What do you think you're doing here? I thought I told you to wait your turn!"

"I don't care what you said, Cell! I'm not going to let my friend die alone! That's never been my style!"

Cell would grit his teeth in anger, before instead laughing off the notion.

"Alright, then! In a rush to die so badly? I'm a generous person... I'll grant you both what you want! No need to thank me!"

Putting more power into his blast, with Piccolo and Goku doing their darndest to push back as well, the struggle admittedly starting getting too much for them.

"Just had to be the hero, didn't you, Piccolo?" Goku would joke.

Piccolo narrowed his eyes, before softening them, smiling for the first time in a while.

"Right back at you."

Despite their combined power, Cell's kamehameha would almost be too much, until...

"Masenko-HA!"

"Gohan?"

"Gohan!"

Putting all his power into his single blast, Gohan only gave a mild chuckle.

"H-hey, Mr. Piccolo!"

Nearly snapping at the display, Cell shouted. "And here comes another one! Lining up to die! Do you really all wish to throw your lives away? Is that what you want?"

While the monster's tirade continued, Goku spoke over him, doing his best to rally up Piccolo and Gohan.

"Come on, you guys! Raise your powers more! Gohan, get angry! Think about what's going to happen if we fail! What's gonna happen to us! To your mother, Gohan!"

Gohan nodded, letting his anger boil and turning it into his power.

"Come on, Piccolo! We can do this! We can beat this guy!" Goku added, before cracking a smile. "Besides... I thought 'world domination' was your goal here!"

Chuckling slightly at the jape, Piccolo pushed further, and together the combined blast had begun to make headway against the Bio-Android.

"Is that the best you can do?" Cell continued to shout, not letting up. "You're nothing! You'll always be nothing!"

Suddenly another voice perked up from behind them.

"Hey, Cell!"

Looking up the source, Cell made eye contact with the perpetrator: Vegeta.

"Stay frosty!" Vegeta taunted, firing a massive blast straight for Cell.

While said it didn't hurt him much, it stunned him for a second. Enough time for one final push.

"Now's our chance!"

In that moment, all three auras became one, with Piccolo's turning orange for a second and Gohan's filling with lightning. As such, the two blasts would shove Cell's away, allowing the Special Beam Cannon to shoot right through, like a sniper; blasting straight through Cell, then the other blasts to finish the job. Feeling his own life slipping away, Cell could only deny himself the reality that was becoming very true.

"This... isn't possible! I am the future..! I am perfect!"

With his final words, Cell would be obliterated with not a single part of him able to survive, leaving a peaceful world at last, free from the influence of Doctor Gero and the Red Ribbon Army.

At last, this chapter for Piccolo and his allies would come to a close. Trunks would return to his timeline and defeat the Androids and Cell, finally ridding the world of the Androids in every timeline.

The story is one about the bonds we make, and how they can push us past our limits, or see past the ones we've set for ourselves; have it be from our past or our pride. Even if we're not literally dealing with our own "personal demons" like Piccolo, or fighting back against a villain of our own design; we will always go through hardships. It's a fact of life. However, another fact of life is that we do not have to go through it alone. We can call on those close to use to help us grow, fight back against our hardships, and become the best version of ourselves. I am the Supreme Kai of Time, and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Chapter Text

With a massive explosion, green smoke filled the arena, while shards of the clay pot scattered as huge shrapnel. Trunks quickly stood in the way, guarding Mai and his mother behind him, but through the smoke a figure revealed himself.

Trunks cursed himself, as Zamasu took to the skies. While he seemed terrified out of his wits and was panting hard, it didn't change the brutal reality. The Evil Containment Wave, their one chance of winning... had failed.

Swallowing hard, he felt Mai's hand come to his for comfort, which he gave a slight squeeze in support.

Suddenly, he felt his heart sink as Goku Black appeared next to Zamasu, in his Super Saiyan Rosé form.

"Now he's here?" he asked, almost not wanting to believe it.

Fortunately, better news would come in the form of Shin, and the Supreme Kai of Universe 10: Gowasu appearing, as well as Goku and Vegeta appearing by way of Instant Transmission, as well.

"You're okay!" Trunks shouted in relief.

Vegeta would speak up, his mind on the situation as a whole. "Bulma, is anyone hurt?"

"What?" was her first response, before confirming. "No..."

"Good, we'll take it from here..."

As Trunks watched in fear and panic, Goku Black turned to his counterpart, with a scoff. Did he somehow know what had happened?

"How'd you disgrace yourself against those mortals?" Black asked the Kai. "We were barely separated. What went wrong?"

"It... It seems many of our assumptions about mortals were badly mistaken." Zamasu replied, still trying to catch his breath. "They are much more than insignificant worms. If we're not careful, our dream of utopia is going to be ruined before it's even begun!"

Black grunted in annoyance, not pleased with the answer.

"So that's what it is. It's treason, then."

Looking down at the rest of them, Black shook his head in frustration, before turning back to Zamasu.

"I believe it is time, then. No point in holding anything back."

Zamasu perked up.

"Are you sure? You seemed hesitant at first."

Black shook his head. "What's done will be done. Liberties must be taken in the pursuit of divine justice."

With that, Zamasu and Goku Black returned to face Goku and Vegeta.

"Now, then... shall we, mortals?" Zamasu taunted.

"If you're referring to 'shall we get on to your defeat'..?" Vegeta taunted back. "By all means..."

Zamasu and Black both smirked, charging their auras, while Goku and Vegeta did the same, and just like that, the battle continued.

You may have noticed the Divergence early, here. Unlike in the timeline you know, Black and Zamasu chose not to fuse using their Potara earrings. This is because, in this timeline, they had developed a far different plan.

With that, Goku and Vegeta raced for both of them, this time neither specifying one or the other, and instead fighting side-by-side. Without warning, Goku socked Black in the face, with Vegeta throwing a kick at Zamasu, before both Saiyans flew back-to-back, literally watching the other's back. Goku raced for Black, throwing a massive punch at his stomach, before throwing him towards Vegeta's awaiting elbow, directly to his face.

Without even needing to look, Vegeta dodged Zamasu's ki blade, catching him by the forearm, before throwing him over his shoulder and towards the ground. Looking down at him, both he and Goku began to fire dozens of ki blasts to keep him down.

Suddenly familiar shards of ki shot towards Vegeta, with the source making itself known within seconds: Goku Black with his scythe, forcing Vegeta to race away in the opposite direction. As Goku went in to attack Black, Black brought two fingers to his forehead, using Instant Transmission and teleporting behind Goku, trapping the Saiyan in a Full Nelson.

"Now, my counterpart!" Black shouted.

In that second, Zamasu teleported in front of them both with a devilish grin.

"What are you going to do?" Goku hissed.

Without speaking, Zamasu simply turned his head, before bringing his hand to left ear, where he wore his Potara.

As the situation made itself clear, Goku Black spoke up.

"Oh, you misunderstand Goku... It's not a matter of what he's going to do... but rather... what we're going to do."

Twisting and shuffling around, Goku charged his aura, doing his best to break free from Black's grip, while Zamasu casually removed his Potara, before slowly bringing it to Goku's ear and-

Immediately a beautiful white light filled the ruins of the city, as a single power began to explode into existence.

"No!" Trunks roared.

Transforming into Super Saiyan Ikari, Trunks shot into the air, spreading both arms outward, before shooting them forward, a golden light exploding within them.

"Final Flash!" he shouted.

Despite the blast hitting the source of the light, it did nothing to stop the energy from growing higher, and even when Vegeta arrived back and shot his own series of energy blasts, it would all prove useless.

The white light began to fade, taking the form of a single man, who stretched his arms and legs, before clenching his fists and speaking.

"Incredible! This is just incredible!" he said, his voice sounding exactly like Goku's, but with a slight echo and more confident tone. "So this is what happens when Goku fuses with Goku..."

As the glow of energy began to fade away, the man's full appearance could be made out. He looked exactly like Goku, obviously, with green Potara earrings on each ear. His gi was a gray color, just like Black's, with a blue shirt underneath and matching wristbands. The sash he wore was red in color and his shoes were white, resembling Black's. His hair stood upwards, in the typical Super Saiyan-fashion, but instead colored a majestic violet color.

With a proud smile, Zamasu clapped sinisterly, before nodding his head.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, my dreams will be realized! My ultimate weapon of divine justice has been born! Now, go! Go and destroy the ones who stand in our way!"

The Merged Goku glared at Zamasu, before speaking up, his voice smooth, yet casual.

"Right... I don't know about any 'divine justice'..." he remarked, before clenching his fist.

Without warning, he casually punched the air; the pressure being enough to demolish the top of a destroyed building miles away. A smile forming on his face, Merged Goku looked down at his hand.

"But I want to see just how strong this power is!"

He narrowed his eyes, scanning over the arena, before locking in on Vegeta and Trunks. Vegeta swallowed a lump in his throat, while Trunks' heartbeat raced through his entire body. Suddenly Merged Goku cracked a smirk, before shouting.

"Against you two!"

With that, Merged Goku immediately lunged for Trunks, knocking him backwards with merely a shove of his arm, before getting right back in his face and spiking him to the ground with a single punch. Vegeta dashed right for the fusion, hoping to surprise him with a sudden punch of his own, only for Merged Goku to casually slip out of the way. In a single movement, Merged Goku brought his palm to Vegeta's chin, before lifting it upwards, making the Saiyan Prince flip several times, before sending him flying with a huge kick to his back.

With a shout from Trunks, Merged Goku would be hit by a massive Burning Attack, only for the half-Saiyan to appear above him, sword in hand, now powered by ki itself and preparing to slice at him. Despite the display, Merged Goku would only raise a finger, blocking the sword with ease, then using his other hand to hit Trunks with a palm heel strike, sending him backwards.

As both Vegeta and Trunks picked themselves up on the ground, Merged Goku looked down at the finger he had used to block Trunks' sword, before getting an idea. Charging his energy, he brought his aura towards his single hand, before pulling the energy away with his opposite hand, using the same motion one might use if they were tugging onto a shirtsleeve. The result was a long, thin structure of a ki, resembling the scythe Black had made earlier, but with no sharp blade.

Vegeta looked into the air, watching in horror as the fusion toyed with the new ki-staff, spinning around on his finger, before tossing it into the air and catching it.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" he hissed.

Almost as a response, Merged Goku slammed downwards between the two of them, before smacking Vegeta upside the head with it, then striking Trunks in the stomach with the butt of it, then turning and smacking both across the face with opposite ends. Spinning the staff around for theatrics, Merged Goku leapt into the air, smacking both Trunks and Vegeta again, before shouting aloud.

"Extend!"

With that, the staff extended to an incredible length, shoving both Trunks and Vegeta back and through several buildings.

Letting the ki-staff dissipate in his hand, Merged Goku looked down at his hands, an amazed smile on his face.

"Wow..." he muttered to himself.

Zamasu was less impressed, shouting in anger at the fusion.

"You let them go? What is wrong with you? This was not the plan!"

Merged Goku rolled eyes. "Relax, Zamasu. They want this fight as much as I do. They're not going anywhere. Let them heal, let them come back stronger. It'll make the battle even more incredible, once I've beaten them..."

Meanwhile, Trunks and Vegeta would be thankfully found by Bulma, and would receive healing by Shin and Gowasu. As the pair would be healed, the group would scope out the situation, as well as what plans could be done.

"Damn it!" Vegeta hissed. "Even if we charge in at full power, we won't even be able to touch him! And even if we do manage to beat him, we'll lose Kakarot, as well!"

Gowasu would speak up. "Settle down. If we can wait out the hour, we can save Goku."

Vegeta perked up.

"Hour? The hell do you mean 'hour'?"

"The Potara's effects last only an hour if a Supreme Kai isn't involved. I never told Zamasu this, so I don't think he realizes that in a mortal body, the fusion's time is limited."

Trunks sat up, with Shin continuing to heal him. "Great! So we just need to lay low until the fusion wears off-"

"No, we are not 'laying low'." Vegeta cut his son off. "We're fighting that double-Kakarot, and that's final."

"But father-"

"Even if we somehow wait out the timer on that fusion, we'll still have to deal with Black and the other Zamasu's stupid immortality."

Gowasu would reply. "Then what do you suggest? If you go as you are now, you'll be slaughtered."

Vegeta paused, thinking of a solution, before replying.

"Use that 'Time Ring' of your's and return to the past, alongside my wife and Trunks' girlfriend. Figure out when wrong with the Containment Spell, then come back."

Trunks nodded slowly at the surprisingly well-thought-out plan, while Bulma teased her husband.

"Aww! Protecting your adorable wife, look at you!" she cooed. "And here I was thinking you weren't interested in using 'some magic trick' to win the fight!"

Vegeta grimaced, turning away to hide his obvious embarrassment.

"Sh-shut up! They used a cheap trick on us to take one of our own, so we'll do the same. That's all there is to it."

While Trunks, Shin, and Mai all found themselves amused by the display, Gowasu would clear his throat, before speaking back up.

"That doesn't explain how you intend to hold off the combined Goku. Or even worse, if we do travel through time, what's to stop them from following us using their own Time Ring?"

Looking over Trunks, then Bulma and Mai, Vegeta crossed his arms.

"Leave that to us..." he began, before looking over to Gowasu. "But, I'm going to need something of yours."

With that, the plan was set into motion, beginning a massive explosion of white, beautiful light. Acting as a beacon, Merged Goku raced towards the light, only for a new face to fly out from it.

The person in question wore a set of Saiyan armor, resembling the kind Vegeta wore, but with a pair of dark gray pants. With boots that looked Vegeta's, but with an olive-green color, a pair of white gloves, and a red scarf tied around their neck. Their hair was spiked upward with two long bangs, jet-black in color, but with light blue portions on the side. Most notably, however, was that they were a pair of green Potara earrings on their ears.

"What the-? Who are you?" Merged Goku shouted towards his new opponent, his voice neither scared nor angry, but more so intrigued.

The warrior narrowed his eyes before replying.

"We figured we might as well fight on the same playing field. I'm the fusion of Vegeta and Trunks: Vegeks! And this..."

Bringing both hands to his sides, Vegeks' aura exploded as it filled with electricity, turning golden on the outside and a gorgeous blue on the inside.

"...is Super Vegeks!"

Merged Goku's response was a surprise, his lips curling into a smile.

"Amazing..!" he cackled, before charging his own aura. "You do know how to party!"

"Finish them off fast!" Zamasu shouted. "We have no time to-"

"Shut it." Merged Goku suddenly snapped back, making Zamasu take a step back, before he turned back to Vegeks. "Where were we?"

Vegeks would answer by entering his battle stance, which Merged Goku would respond in tow, the whole display resembling Goku and Vegeta's first battle on Earth. With two beacons of glowing violet and gold-and-blue lights filling the arena, the standoff would only last a second before finally, both fusions collided with one another.

Gripping hands and attempting to shove the opposite, Merged Goku immediately slammed his head into Vegeks, who groaned in pain, before kneeing Merged Goku right back in the stomach. Merged Goku's grumbles of pain would just as quickly turn into cackles of delight, as he leaned his head back, then returning with another headbutt, then another, and another.

Finally retorting, Vegeks would charge his aura, shoving Merged Goku off, then backflipping and landing back on the solid ground. When Merged Goku joined him, Vegeks rushed after him, with a powerful punch at the ready, however, Merged Goku twisted his hip, slipping the punch and throwing him, using his own momentum against him. With this, he'd take flight, chasing after him, slamming his fist into Vegeks' back and spiking him into the ground.

Going in for another hit, Merged Goku would leap, punching back down, only for Vegeks to quickly roll over, kipping-up, and kicking Merged Goku in the stomach, throwing him backwards. Quick to capitalize, Vegeks would throw a series of ki blasts, most of which Merged Goku would dodge, before getting cocky and catching one in his hand. Just like that, the ki blast activated, wrapping around Merged Goku's wrist, and tugging his arm behind him. As he raised his opposite hand and tore off the energy ring, Vegeks would surprise him once more by racing over and delivering a massive uppercut to his stomach.

Catching himself with a backflip, Merged Goku would hold up a finger again, before drawing an imaginary horizontal line in front of him, and just like that his ki-staff reappeared. Grabbing it with one hand, Merged Goku smirked at Vegeks, challenging him.

Vegeks would respond in tow, lifting one of his arms up, before creating a ki-blade of his own, not dissimilar to Goku Black's or Zamasu's. Without even smiling, Vegeks raised his other hand and made a 'come and get it' gesture.

A wicked smile on Merged Goku's face, he lunged straight for Vegeks, ready to smack him across the face with his staff, only for Vegeks to block the attack with his own blade. More swings of his staff would be met with the same response, before finally Merged Goku would push further, attempting to shove Vegeks' own blade against himself. Vegeks' response would be to raise his opposite hand and crack him right in the face with his fist, forcing him to back off.

Taking a step back, Vegeks would allow his blade to dissipate, before forming a number of quick hand motions, then holding out a single arm, being stabilized by the other.

"Big Burning Attack!" he shouted.

Despite the attack being just as quickly swatted away by Merged Goku's staff, the attack's real purpose would be revealed soon enough, as Merged Goku's head would whip back from a huge kick to the face, courtesy of Vegeks. His opponent stumbling, Vegeks would continue, landing on the ground and throwing a series of left and right hooks, all straight to Merged Goku's face, before side-stepping Merged Goku's next attack.

"Extend!" Merged Goku shouted, with the ki-staff lengthening significantly, but hitting nothing.

Out of the way, right on time, Vegeks would grab hold of the ki staff, then kicking Merged Goku in the stomach and ripping the staff out of his hands and tossing it away, making sure to smack him across the head as he did so.

Taking a few steps backwards, Merged Goku wiped his face slightly, opening his mouth a bit to stretch his jaw.

"You really are amazing. Seriously. If Vegeta and Trunks were the appetizers, you... you are the main course, my friend..."

Vegeks said nothing, only narrowing his eyes slightly.

"The vibrations that rock through my body with every hit, the feeling of my heart racing... It's incredible... And this body... it's amazing... it's like it's screaming at me to continue. Different fighting strategies, different techniques... I want more..."

Merged Goku's aura exploded around him, looking like literal fire.

"I need more!"

Suddenly raising both arms, two disks of energy formed in his hands, which he just as quickly launched for Vegeks.

"Destructo Disk!" he shouted, a sense of excitement in his voice, almost like a child imitating a move they heard on television.

As both disks raced for Vegeks, the fusion quickly dodged, avoiding both disks, only for them both to curve and race back for him again. Ready for a chase, Vegeks leapt into the air, preparing to fly, only for Merged Goku to crack a wicked grin, then firing a wave of energy towards him.

The blast would harden into a whip-like structure, wrapping around Vegeks' leg and holding him back from flying away.

"Gotcha!" he hissed with a smile.

Thinking quickly, Vegeks instead dashed straight for Merged Goku, who prepared to block whatever attack Vegeks intended to throw, only for him to slide down onto the ground, and zip between his legs.

His arm jerked beneath him and his own attack aimed straight at his face, Merged Goku cackled, before releasing Vegeks and holding out both hands towards the energy disks. With a mighty shout, he fired a wave of energy, destroying both disks, only to be blindsided by a knee to his back from Vegeks.

Getting his balance back, Merged Goku would dodge the next punch thrown, before using the same whip-like technique to yank Vegeks' fist downward, sending him downward. Catching himself, Vegeks threw another energy ring, this time slotting Merged Goku's foot to the ground, before twisting his hip and standing up again. Using the momentum of the effort, he threw a punch at the same time that Merged Goku did, and the two of them ended up socking each other in the face at the same time.

As both stumbled back slightly, Merged Goku chuckled again, pointing upwards with his thumb, then hopping slightly and taking to the skies: challenging him. Accepting the challenge, Vegeks raced to catch up, intending to smack him upwards with a punch, but Merged Goku would dodge the attack, spinning around and using his whip to force Vegeks' face to his knee. With a backflip, Vegeks backed off, and the two paused for a moment, spinning around the other as if they were dancing.

Holding out his hand and making the shape of a finger gun, Merged Goku 'shot' multiple ki blasts for Vegeks, all of which would be destroyed by quick slashes of his created ki blade. As he went in for a strike with the blade itself, Vegeks would immediately be sent backwards by a hit from Merged Goku's ki-staff extending and shooting him downwards.

Using his blade to slice the staff, Vegeks spun around, throwing his half of it with all his might directly at Merged Goku, nailing him in the head with it. Despite getting knocked backwards, Merged Goku only cackled with excitement, abandoning his staff and going in for a huge punch to Vegeks' face, then another with the other fist. Vegeks' would block the next punch, before taking a massive kick to his side. Thinking fast, Vegeks grabbed hold of his leg, before spinning him around and throwing Merged Goku; who flipped and twisted in the air, restabilizing himself before chuckling and charging his aura, again.

The aura exploded, growing brighter and larger, before taking a form that looked exactly like Merged Goku himself. As a response, Vegeks charged his own aura, which grew brighter as well, before zipping forward, towards the massive Ki-Avatar.

Within the avatar, Merged Goku threw a punch, and just like that, the avatar did the same, throwing a massive punch straight for the impending fusion. Vegeks, instead of faltering, let out a scream, as the pressure and speed made their aura slim and widen; taking the form of a massive spearhead as Vegeks prepared his own punch as well.

With a beautiful display, both fusions collided, their auras exploding as they both punched each other's fists, the collision sending currents of wind that looked more like a natural disaster. Within the whirlwind, both Saiyans continued to battle, throwing punches and kicks all the same, before both backing to prepare and fire a blast.

"Kamehameha!"

"Galick Gun, Fire!"

The blast's collision forcing the whirlwind to dissipate, both Merged Goku and Vegeks paused briefly, taking a minute to catch their breath.

"Ha... You really are the gift that keeps on giving 'Super Vegeks'..."

Vegeks simply narrowed his eyes, taunting back.

"Yeah? So, what, then? Shall we do it all, again? Or do you want to try and mix things up a bit?"

Merged Goku only chuckled again, a hinge of Goku's silly giggle in there somewhere.

"Hmm... Maybe." he replied. "It's just so hard to say... It's like playing with a new toy, you know? I've got so many ideas of how we could play, but..."

He gestured to Vegeks.

"I'm afraid of breaking it."

Vegeks rolled his eyes.

"Oh trust me. I don't break easy. Come at me. No more holding back."

The request hitting a nerve in just the right way, Merged Goku's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Are you sure about that..?"

"I'm not afraid of you."

Merged Goku chuckled, before immediately charginging his aura again, this time the aura growing in size and power alike, becoming sharper and more violent, when suddenly... Merged Goku shouted.

"Kaio-ken!"

Suddenly the aura shrunk back to its normal size, while a second red aura exploded over it, this one the same size as the original was previously. Now with two majestic looking auras, one red, the other violet, Merged Goku glared down at Vegeks, who, while surprised, remained in his battle stance.

"Let's see if we can change that..."

With no other words, Merged Goku lept straight for the fusion, slamming his fist against Vegeks' face, making him flip backwards. With another punch, Vegeks slammed through against a destroyed building. Merged Goku would follow-up with a massive drop kick, only for Vegeks to quickly zip out of the way, right in time.

Vegeks would toss more Energy Rings at Merged Goku, hoping to slow him down, but all of them would be swatted away uncaringly. With no way to attack at the moment, Vegeks would charge his aura again, prepared to take flight; only for Merged Goku to appear in front of him, teleporting by way of Instant Transmission with a wicked grin.

"Where ya going?" he asked, before smacking him across the face with a powerful backhand.

As Vegeks spun in recoil, Merged Goku formed his whip-like construct again, wrapping it around Vegeks' arm, and jerking him towards himself, forcing his face into his elbow. Releasing the construct for a moment, he struck Vegeks with a palm-heel strike to force some distance.

Using said distance, Merged Goku activated his construct again, this time throwing Vegeks further away, throwing him into the air, and into yet another destroyed building.

"Still with me?" Merged Goku said to no one. "Don't tell me that was all I needed to do, was it?"

As he waited for a response, Zamasu finally made his presence known, flying over to meet with his partner.

"It's about time..." he sighed in frustration. "You had a little too much fun with that one."

"Oh, relax. I liken it to a good meal. You can't just scarf your way through it, you need to savor each bite-"

Suddenly, the fusion cut himself off, immediately getting into his fighting stance, as the building Vegeks had fallen into began to crumble, but a strong presence remained. Merged Goku hissed in excitement, as with a large explosion, the building fell apart: Vegeks leaping out as it did so.

"You didn't seriously rule me out yet, did you?" Vegeks grumbled, slowly getting into his fighting stance.

Merged Goku smiled in excitement, almost happy to see the fusion alive and well.

"I told you to give me your best, and I'm still waiting..."

"Very well..." Merged Goku replied, before charging his dual-aura once more.

It was clear Zamasu wanted to speak, but knew wiser at this point, and instead took a few steps back, letting the battle continue.

"Let's see what it takes to 'rule you out'."

Merged Goku's aura began to grow in size once more, with even Vegeks' eyes widening in surprise; not expecting his power to even continue to grow, when finally:

"Kaio-ken times ten!" he shouted, before racing straight for Vegeks throwing a massive punch.

Surprisingly, Vegeks managed to block the hit, though a massive blast of energy exploded between the two of them. Leaping into the air, Merged Goku launched blast after blast at Vegeks, before bringing his arms to his sides and firing the ever-familiar blast.

"Kamehameha!" he shouted.

Despite the explosion beneath him, Merged Goku would feel a sharp pain in his back as Vegeks elbowed him, somehow appearing behind him, then with another flash of light, wheeled back with a cartwheel-kick, knocking Merged Goku backwards.

Further charging his dual-aura, Merged Goku steadied himself, before recreating his ki-staff and throwing it straight for Vegeks. Despite the fusion dodging it casually, Merged Goku smirked, as the staff extended in mid-air, the end of smacking Vegeks at the back of his neck and sending him back to the ground. Intending to trample the Saiyan, Merged Goku leapt into the air, before slamming down with a huge drop-kick, only for Vegeks to slip out of the way right on time.

A dust cloud filled the arena, but it was only through it that Merged Goku would finally be able to make out what was going on; spotting a fiery aura.

Merged Goku smirked, dropping his Kaio-ken, then beginning to applaud.

"Of course... Now, I get it..." he applauded. "You really are something else, Vegeks... I couldn't understand it at first... how you could somehow still match my power, with that ridiculous power-up..."

He gestured to Vegeks, who remained silent.

"But you're not, are you? Every time you've landed a blow, blocked one of my attacks, dodged one of my strikes... You've been transforming, haven't you?"

Vegeks narrowed his eyes, confirming Merged Goku's suspicion.

"That's a very fun idea..." Merged Goku continued, his voice almost mocking. "Swapping between that form and Super Saiyan God..."

Merged Goku suddenly narrowed his eyes, activating the Kaio-ken once more.

"I'm only curious how long you can keep it up for... Or if you can continue to transform in time..." he practically hissed.

Getting back into his stance, Vegeks readied himself, as suddenly Merged Goku held up his hand, throwing a ki blast, which Vegeks dodged casually. However, the ki blast would instead strike a nearby piece of debris, and with a simple wave of his hand, the wreckage would launch straight for Vegeks.

Noticing at the last second, Vegeks would backflip, dodging the debris, but Merged Goku would only smile, throwing more blasts and plunging more ki into pieces of broken rock and metal. With more dramatic waves of arms, the rubble all launched at Vegeks, the fusion forced to dip and weave out of the way, needing to transform into Super Saiyan God a number of times for the increased speed. Meanwhile, Merged Goku only laughed in amusement, twisting and turning as he continued to manipulate the debris, to make it appear as if he were 'dancing alongside Vegeks'.

Vegeks dodged another chunk of rock, with the debris heading way to Merged Goku. However, the amalgam would also dodge this, before waving his hand again, causing the rock to curve right back. Once it was close enough to Vegeks, Merged Goku opened his hand, causing the ki within it to explode right in front of him, point-blank, hitting him with ki and shrapnel alike. Needing a second to recover, Vegeks would receive the opposite, as Merged Goku instead sent more rubble his way, smacking him across the face and against his back, until Vegeks finally charged his aura, causing it to explode around him; destroying what was left of the weaponized wreckage.

Still exhausted from the beating, Vegeks took a knee, as Merged Goku only smiled, walking closer to him almost casually.

"Aw... What's the matter? Already spent?" he taunted, now within a good distance of Vegeks.

"Not yet!" Vegeks shouted back, suddenly holding out his hand and throwing a handful of dirt into Merged Goku's face, obscuring his view, but only for a second.

Taking advantage of his position, Vegeks transformed into Super Saiyan God, before landing a mean uppercut to Merged Goku's face, then punching his head down with the other fist, followed by bringing both hands to his face then landing a backflip kick..

His vision returned to normal, Merged Goku cupped Vegeks' face, slamming him back into the ground, before raising his foot to step down on him. Just in time, Vegeks teleported behind him, transforming back into Super Saiyan God, and revving back for another massive punch.

Merged Goku cackled, revving back as well and charging his 'times 10' aura, before suddenly the Time Ring on his finger glowed.

As their fists collided, massive shockwaves exploded between the two of them, before the very air around them appeared to crack.

If you can believe it, due to their sheer power output, in tandem with Merged Goku's Time Ring, the very reality around them shattered, pushing them both through reality and time... and into a different one.

Both leaping backwards for a moment, both fusions quickly scoped out the land they were in; one looking similar to where they already were, in a similarly destroyed city, but instead with portions covered in shards of ice and fire.

Not caring about the battlefield, Merged Goku raced back for Vegeks, throwing a massive spin kick, which Vegeks blocked with his arms, then throwing a punch for his face with Super Saiyan God. Merged Goku would respond by throwing an ensemble of punches to Vegeks' torso, Vegeks' fiery aura being his saving grace. Forming his whip again, Merged Goku caught hold of Vegeks neck, before forcing his face into his knee.

Behind them, another building crashed down, with a tall man with long black hair, slamming through it; no doubt a resident from this reality. Despite the tumble, he picked himself up, patting his body and extinguishing the bits of fire that remained. Regardless, his eyes focused on something in front of him; his eyes blue and sharp, almost uncomfortably familiar to Vegeks.

"You are strong... but you will go down, soon enough..." a different voice called out to him.

"We'll see, Dragon. You might be the first challenge I've had from your kind... But nobody can beat me when I'm Super 17!" the man shouted back, before racing back towards where he had been shot.

The display acting as a good cover, Vegeks grabbed hold of Merged Goku's knee, before flying downward, slamming them both into the ground. Leaping off of him quickly, Vegeks transformed into a Super Saiyan God once more, then transferring the entire aura into a single fist. His anger burning hotter, Merged Goku channeled his own Godly ki, before both fusion revved back, punching each other in the stomach simultaneously.

Despite both gasping in pain, neither could ignore as the air around them shattered again, sending them both to a different reality once more.

Now around them was a beautiful landscape, a far cry from where they had been previously, with the sun shining and birds chirping. With a nice open space, Vegeks didn't hold back this time, firing a crazy amount of ki blasts at Merged Goku.

Recognizing Vegeta's technique, Merged Goku only smiled, each blast hardly damaging him, each feeling a water balloon if anything.

However, he'd suddenly be surprised by Vegeks appearing right in front of him; the blasts acting as coverup, as his hair and eyes turned scarlet, he delivered a massive double-hammerfirst to his face, then a massive punch across it.

Taking to the skies to recover, Merged Goku shook off the attacks, before holding out his hands, now creating five constructs from each finger and holding them skyward, each of them drooping down like streamers. With a new weapon, Merged Goku slammed back down to the ground, then whipping all five constructions at Vegeks, who leaned back to dodge, then kicking forward with both feet.

His opponent off balance, Vegeks slipped Merged Goku's legs, before once again activating Super Saiyan God, then shooting the fusion in the opposite direction with a massive palm-heel strike.

Restabilizing himself, Merged Goku would prepare to return, only to stop short as he saw something. Someone. Someone he recognized.

It was another local from this reality, of course, but she had long black hair, bright black eyes... lips like cherry. And yet, she also wore an intense look (one she wore rather well, actually) as she clenched her fists, which were engulfed in flame, at the same time her whole body covered in a glorious aura.

"Just tell me what you need, Goku..." she said.

Recognizing the name, Merged Goku's eyes widened as he recognized the man behind her as... himself, as Goku, in a Super Saiyan state, staring down a large man with red-orange hair and green-and-black armor.

"One minute. Just buy me one minute, Chi-Chi..." the other Goku said quietly.

Suddenly, Merged Goku's heart raced once he recognized the opportunity in his hands: a chance to fight another Goku. His eyes wide and excited, he immediately formed an energy blade around his hand, before leaping straight for him... only for Vegeks to appear right in front of him, stopping him from getting too close, and catching his energy blade with his own.

The impact of both attacks was massive, shaking the ground beneath them, and once more, causing the reality around them to shatter. The locals were not at all to find in this reality, as both Vegeks and Merged Goku immediately felt an intense power above them, as a creature with wild black hair, dark turquoise fur and similar turquoise markings around his eyes, with red irises.

Suddenly the voice of a young girl cried out, both fusions looking down to see, she wore a red shirt, jeans with a chain, and an orange bandana, which barely covered her golden, spiked hair, resembling Super Saiyan.

"Stop it! Just stop it, and give me back my grandpa!" she cried.

The creature cackled. "Aw... don't be sad. I'm still kind of like your grandpa! You can even call me Pop-Pop!"

Before the child could respond, an intense storm of energy appeared between them both. Taking shape, the source revealed himself as a young man, with red fur resembling the creature's, but black hair and yellow eyes. The child perked up slightly.

"Daddy?" she asked.

The young man smiled at her, before turning to and staring down the creature. With only a chuckle from the creature, both men raced towards each other, entering an intense battle.

Wanting in on the fun, Merged Goku leapt to the air, trying to get in on the fight, only for Vegeks to grab hold of his leg, charging his aura, then throwing Merged Goku like a ragdoll across the landscape.

Having had his fill of being interrupted, Merged Goku let out a massive shout; charging his aura, as well, before launching himself straight for Vegeks, using his entire body as a weapon. As Vegeks did the same, both continued to throw attack after attack, no longer worried about trying to catch the other off guard with special techniques, just a war of attrition on full-display.

Each hit caused another skip to another reality, so many and so fast, that neither could even take notice. One where Gohan could be seen fighting side-by-side with a man looking just like him, but with ash-white skin and wearing a suit and tie. One where a man with dark green skin, black spiked hair (looking not unlike Goku's when he went Super Saiyan) and an odd orange-and-black vest could be seen dueling a member of Frieza's race. One where the whole planet appeared frozen, banners covering every building with the image of a Namekian on them.

Finally, both Merged Goku and Vegeks leapt backwards from each other, then charging their respective blasts, aimed straight for one another.

"Galick Gun..."

"Kamehame..."

"FIRE!"

"HAAA!"

The reality shattering around them, the world looking familiar... as both fusions stopped for a moment, panting hard and needing a moment, dropping out of Kaio-ken and returning to Super Saiyan Ikari respectively.

"There- There you are!" Zamasu suddenly cried, his voice sounding relieved. "Where... where were you? Where did you go?"

Merged Goku didn't answer his question, his eyes still locked on Vegeks.

"I'll explain in a minute." he replied flatly, before turning to Vegeks, hissing in anger. "Damn it, Vegeks... Why? Why don't you understand? There's so much more out there! So many good fights just waiting!"

"You've had your way once, you're not getting it again." he replied, before entering his battle stance, but not activating his godly ki just yet. "You want them so badly? You’re gonna have to finish me off first!"

With another shout, Merged Goku's aura exploded around him.

"You want me to 'finish you', then?" Merged Goku shouted, having seemingly finally reached his limit. "Is that right? Fine, then!"

Clenching his fists, the ground beneath Merged Goku began to crack, all while his aura began to grow once again, this time growing even larger than before, until finally...

"Kaio-ken times twenty!"

Vegeks narrowed his eyes, turning back into Super Saiyan God and stabilizing himself, getting ready for what was to come.

Almost instantaneously, Merged Goku leapt straight for Vegeks, the latter only barely managing to dodge, only for what he had perceived to be an afterimage, as the real Merged Goku appeared right above him, slamming his foot against his face and knocking him backwards. As if he had teleported, Merged Goku appeared behind Vegeks, punching his back as he stumbled, then appearing right back in front of him, and kicking him in the stomach.

Without a means to counter, Vegeks spat, tumbling backwards, as he attempted to stay standing.

Merged Goku finally spoke up, cracking his knuckles, and creating his ki-staff once more.

"Aw... look at you... Looks like I ended up breaking my new toy, after all... Oh well!"

The amalgam chuckled, well Vegeks grumbled, his energy finally reaching his limit, as he powered-up, but only able to go as high as Super Saiyan Ikari, which even then had begun to falter.

"But don't be disappointed... Just know I had fun! And I promise! I won't ever forget you as long as I live!"

Taking his stance, Merged Goku readied himself, activating Kaio-ken one last time. Betting everything on now, Vegeks hissed, getting into his own stance. With a mighty roar, Merged Goku raced for the fusion, when finally-

There was a flash of light.

It was quick, but when it faded, Merged Goku had been replaced by Goku Black and Goku once more. Their momentum already in place, Vegeks quickly grabbed hold of Goku Black, holding him upwards by his gi; while Goku instead stumbled to the ground.

"What..? But I..." Goku Black stammered, back to his base form and with sweat dripping down his face.

"It's about time..." Vegeks hissed, panting hard, but his voice dripping with anger not seen until that point. "And it looks like yours is just about run out... You know, for all that talk of gods and mortals, you really never understood either..."

Goku Black said nothing, his entire body frozen in fear, meanwhile Vegeks clenched his gi, beginning to lift him into the air, Black's legs kicking in powerless panic.

"But as for me? I don't give a damn about any of that stuff. This is for one thing, and one thing alone..."

Vegeks narrowed his eyes, before pouring energy into his hand, it just about ready to rush into Black.

"This is for Bulma."

With that, the energy engulfed Black, and with a flash he was gone, Vegeks keeping his arm held up, watching the specks of ki soar into the sky. Meanwhile, Goku only watched in amazement at the display.

As a brief silence filled the arena, it was quickly broken by a sudden shout from a very angry Zamasu.

"You... primal... insignificant... beasts..." he hissed, trying his darndest to keep his composure. "You may- You might- You might've destroyed my sword, but the shield still remains! The Zero Mortals Plan will-"

Zamasu would be cut off as suddenly a powerful wind picked up, as suddenly a green aura surrounded him, twisting and contorting into a sensation he unfortunately knew all too well.

"What the-? No! No, no, no, no, no!" he screamed in panic, his voice becoming nearly blood-curling as he continued.

Vegeks and Goku both smiled, also recognizing the technique, as Zamasu would be lifted into the air, also being twisted and turned, before suddenly glowing brightly and flying into the air.

The source would reveal themselves with a loud shout, forcing the glowing light to zoom into a large pot, being held by Bulma, who forced it shut with a seal, before greeting the duo casually.

"Hey, guys. Sorry for the wait." Piccolo said with a smile.

"Woah! Hey, Piccolo! What are you doing here?" Goku perked up, slowly picking himself up.

"When I sensed Supreme Kai and Bulma return without you guys, I figured something must've gone wrong with the sealing spell." the Namekian replied.

He chuckled slightly, before giving a humored shrug.

"And then I thought, maybe I oughta tag along, this time. Make sure everything works out this time. I mean, it's not like I had anything else going on..."

With the battle officially over, Goku let out one of his silly giggles, with the rest of the group following, before Vegeks split back into his fusees, both tumbling over the other, and the group laughing harder at the display.

Despite the happy moment, it still left the world with plenty of rebuilding to do, before suddenly Piccolo made a suggestion.

"Hey, by the way, I've been wondering something. Why haven't you tried looking for New Namek and asked to use their Dragon Balls?"

The question made both Trunks and Goku perk up, as the idea hadn't occurred to either of them.

Finally, Trunks replied. "We had no idea as to where it was... and now, if anything, none of them are probably even alive, now that Goku Black and Zamasu killed every other mortal in the world?"

"Is that what they said?" Piccolo chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Please, Namekians have lived through plenty of calamities. I don't care what they said, they're not omniscient. I wouldn't be surprised if there were at least a few kicking around, on different planets, if not a few eggs at the very least."

With a plan decided on, a few lone Namekians were found, having been sent to other planets and hidden away, one, named Racol, agreed to act as the Earth's new guardian. With the condition being that one of the first three wishes to be made would be the revival of the Namekian people, as well.

An agreement made, the Dragon Balls would be reborn into existence, and the people of Earth killed in the last year were all revived. Finally, and only then, could the rebuilding of the future truly begin. At that moment, the future felt something it had been missing for a long time. It felt full of... Hope.

This is a wonderful story, and it's one that fills me with such happiness. While, sure, we could simply chalk it up to being a story about unity, or about love, or about hope, this story shows me the beauty of life. How life grows and changes, and how sometimes it feels like we are in the darkest of timelines. I'm not saying that it's going to be the easiest or happiest of times, but what I am saying is that when we do find ourselves in the moments that truly feel happy, it's because we were able to brave through the hard parts. It makes living through them easier, and it makes me hopeful for the future. I am the Supreme Kai of-

...

Hmm.

Actually... call me 'Chronoa', and these are the Tales of the Xenoverse.

Thank you so much for listening to my stories.