Reliving History
DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ.
SUMMARY: Gohan goes back in time to stop Cell, who has fled during the Cell Games. Alone, with no else to turn to, can Gohan find Cell before he changes history too much?
CHAPTER 1: Entering the Tournament
Gohan strolled down the streets of Papaya Island, so lost in his own mind that the outside world appeared to be little more than a blur to him, seemingly passing by at its own uninteresting pace.
How did I end up here? he wondered. But deep down inside, he already knew the answer. I should have killed Cell immediately! If I did, Father wouldn't be dead and Cell... Gohan involuntarily clenched his fist, his brows furrowing. I shouldn't have underestimated Cell! Now I've got to find him and stop him before he destroys this world too.
Gohan looked up and was surprised to find himself at the front gate of the World Martial Arts Tournament building, so lost in thought had he been that he hadn't noticed where he was going, his feet moving by of their own accord.
It had been only three days since he had arrived here, and beyond that, two months more since the end of the Cell Games, at which time Cell had stolen Trunks's time machine from his dead body and fled into the past. He could remember all too clearly the last words Cell had spoken to him before he left, as though they were burned into his very psyche:
"It seems I have underestimated you Saiyans, but I assure you, this is a mistake I will soon rectify. I'm afraid that I am going to have to take my leave of you now. But if you wish to follow me, then I expect to see you, Gohan, at the conclusion of the event known as the Twenty-Second World Martial Arts Tournament. If you cannot stop me there, you can say goodbye to the Earth of that time and all of your friends! Until then."
And with that, Cell placed two fingertips to his forehead and vanished, leaving a very stunned Gohan and the remaining Z Fighters behind.
Fortunately for them, they were able to locate Trunks's other time machine, the one that Cell himself had hijacked and used to get to their time in search of Androids Seventeen and Eighteen. It was wrecked beyond repair, but thankfully Bulma was able to use a lot of its parts in construction on a new one. Its power was limited, she told them, and it could only be used for two trips, whereas the one Trunks had arrived in was capable of four, but it would work well enough to follow Cell back in time and get the time traveler in question home to boot.
Gohan had volunteered, despite vehement protests from Chi-Chi. In the end, though, he was able to convince her that if he didn't stop Cell before she and Goku got together, he would destroy the Earth and prevent him from ever being born, and Chi-Chi hadn't put up further argument. Aside from that, Gohan felt that, besides being the strongest among the Z Fighters, and as the one responsible for their current predicament, it was his job to seek out Cell and bring him to justice.
"And now, here I am," Gohan muttered, looking at the entrance to the coliseum with a determined stare. "Well, I'm going to make sure you don't win again, Cell. That's a promise."
Walking up to the registration desk, Gohan stood expectantly in front of the clerk working behind the desk, waiting patiently for the man to notice him. The man glanced up, realizing that Gohan was there for the first time. "Hello," he said to Gohan. "Are you here to compete in the tournament or watch?"
"Uh, compete," Gohan stated.
After two months of contemplation back in his own time, Gohan had decided that the best way to find Cell might be to lure him out into the open. He hadn't exactly ordered Gohan to take part in the Twenty-Second World Martial Arts Tournament, but Gohan had a gut feeling that competing in the tournament would draw out Cell more quickly. He had to trust his instincts on this matter. He could not afford to waste any time, not when every second counted. Of course, fighting in the tournament also meant seeing his dad again, as well as a lot of his other old friends. It was going to be a very trying next couple of days.
"Okay. If I could just have your name, please, we'll be all set," the clerk said.
"My name's Go..." Gohan caught himself just in time.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" the clerk asked in confusion.
I can't use my real name or the others will discover me! Gohan thought anxiously. If I do anything to interfere in the future of this timeline, the other me might not be born! Think of something else!
"Sir?" the clerk prompted.
Gohan blurted out the first name he could think of.
"Icarus. My name's Icarus," he said quickly.
The clerk blinked his eyes, but after a moment he nodded his head and scribbled the name down on the registry pad. Looking up, he said, "Okay, Icarus, you're all signed up. To be sure, you do understand that the Tournament Committee is not responsible for any injuries you may receive and that foreign objects are not allowed, excepting claws and other natural weapons?"
Gohan nodded.
"Very well then. Off with you now," the clerk replied, shooing Gohan away.
Gohan chuckled. He was ready to move off when he sensed a dozen familiar energy signatures heading his way. Turning his head, he spotted two taxis driving up. They stopped in front of the building. The doors opened, and out stepped the occupants.
Gohan almost seized up.
They were undoubtedly the younger versions of his friends. There was Krillin, Yamcha, Master Roshi, Bulma, Puar, Oolong, Turtle, and a blonde-haired woman Gohan didn't know.
Gohan looked on in numb shock as they approached the registration counter, his mind going a thousand miles an hour. I didn't expect to see them so soon! But where's Daddy? Why isn't he here with them? Reaching out with his senses, he felt his father's life force, a few hundred miles off, though still on the same island.
"He'd better hurry," Oolong was saying. "If he's not careful, he'll miss the entries."
"It's not like him to be late. I sure hope he didn't forget what day it is," Master Roshi said pensively.
"Hey, is that him?" Bulma suddenly asked loudly.
Gohan started, and to his surprise and utter horror, his future friends were now staring at him. Unable to think of anything to say, too stunned to even move, Gohan could only stand there, the unintentional center of attention for his friends' penetrating eyes, blinking and sweating profusely.
Now what am I going to do? Gohan thought in terror. I've got to say something, but I can't move at all! It feels like my entire body is frozen! I didn't think seeing them again would be this hard!
But not a moment had passed when Master Roshi said, "Hm? No, it isn't, but it sure looks like him."
He walked towards him. Gohan managed to bite down the blind panic that had threatened to overwhelm him, mentally repeating a calming mantra Piccolo had taught him before the arrival of the Saiyans. Master Roshi stared at Gohan perplexedly, tilting his head to the side, as if attempting to figure him out. "Hello. I'm the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. Sorry if we startled you. We thought you were someone that we knew. Are you here to compete in the World Martial Arts Tournament?"
Taking in a deep breath and trying to ignore the sudden thundering of his frightened heart, Gohan nodded and said in as steady a voice as he could muster, "Um, yeah. My name's Goha..." Biting down what he had been about to say, Gohan said instead, "I mean Icarus. My name is Icarus. Heh heh," he laughed weakly.
"Icarus, huh?" Yamcha said. "That's an unusual name. Say, where do you come from, kid?"
Gohan gulped. "Uh, I live in the 439 Mountain Area, near Mt. Paoz," he said.
Technically, this wasn't a lie; in his own time, he did live there, and it had been his home all his life, so he hoped they'd buy it.
To his immense relief, they seemed to accept it, but not without some surprise.
"Mt. Paoz?" Bulma repeated. "That's miles away. You must be really dedicated to fighting in this tournament."
"Uh, yeah, well, you know how it is. I just love fighting. Been doing it all my life." Gohan laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, a trait he had inherited from his father.
"You're not Goku, but you sure do act a lot like him," Krillin observed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that the two of you were related."
Gohan removed his hand from his head, hoping to correct his error. "Uh, yeah, well, I don't even know this Goku guy. Is he a friend of yours?" he asked, cursing his own inborn honesty and the difficulties with lying that this entailed. He hoped that the change in subject would divert their attention away from him, at least for the moment.
Thankfully, this seemed to do the trick, for they all glanced down the road leading off into the distance.
"Yes, he is, but for some reason he's not here," Bulma said. "And he was really looking forward to the competition."
"He'll wait and show up at the last minute. Just you watch," Oolong snorted.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about," the blonde-headed woman suddenly grunted. "Fighting with rules, how boring."
Gohan stared at the woman. Wow, is she really serious?
"If anyone else but you had said that, I would have thought they were bragging," Turtle sighed.
"Sweet sauerkraut," Gohan heard Master Roshi say from behind him, his hyper-sensitive hearing enabling him to pick up every word quite clearly, "I almost forgot to sign up."
Surprised, Gohan followed Master Roshi with his senses. He didn't know Master Roshi had competed in the Twenty-Second World Martial Arts Tournament! Then again, considering what little he knew about the tournaments and his friends' fights in them, maybe it should come as no surprise. He listened to him speaking with the tournament worker in hushed tones.
"Say, there's a name I'd like to enter in the tournament," he told the man. "Jackie Chun."
Gohan almost gasped. Master Roshi is Jackie Chun? He's the one who defeated my father in the first tournament he ever fought in?
The clerk appeared to be having a similar reaction.
"Jackie Chun?" he repeated. "You don't mean THE Jackie Chun who won the championship at the last competition? I don't believe it, you're him?"
"Shhh!" Master Roshi shushed, turning back to face the others. Gohan managed to avert his gaze in time, but inwardly he was very puzzled. Why would Master Roshi enter the tournament in disguise? Is he trying to avoid the fame? Somehow, I don't think so. So why is he doing this? He made a mental note to ask Master Roshi about it later; obviously he wanted to keep it a secret, so that's what Gohan was going to do.
"Oh, there's only five minutes left!" Bulma exclaimed, looking at her watch.
"He's not gonna make it," Oolong said pessimistically.
Gohan was tempted to tell them that Goku was very close, but that would just lead to awkward questions as to how he knew that, so he bit his tongue and stayed silent. Although it was weaker and significantly different than that of the Goku he knew, Gohan could sense his father's distinct energy pattern, and he knew that he would be here within minutes, with just enough time left to register at the front desk.
"Master, Goku is going to make it in time, isn't he?" Krillin said to Master Roshi, who had returned quietly.
"Just keep your eye on that road, he'll be here," Master Roshi said confidently.
"Uh, hey, you were chatting with that clerk like you were best friends," Turtle observed, glancing upwards at Master Roshi.
"That's none of your business!" Master Roshi snapped.
"Hello," a voice behind them announced.
"Hm?" Master Roshi said, turning around.
Gohan followed suit, as did the rest of his future friends.
There were three people standing there behind them. Two of them were very familiar to Gohan. It was, without a doubt, the younger counterparts of Tien and Chiaotzu, but they looked very, very different from the ones back in his time. Unlike the Tien and Chiaotzu back home, the two fighters standing in front of him looked smug, and there was an inner darkness to them that Gohan had never sensed around them before.
The last person finishing the trio was someone Gohan had never met before, in either time. Standing higher than Chiaotzu but shorter than Tien, he wore the same green tunic and yellow-and-black pants with the symbol of a crane on his outfit. Perched atop his head was a hat that was bird-like in design, and a pair of dark sunglasses completed the look. Overall, he reminded Gohan of a darker version of Master Roshi.
"Nice to see you've come out of your shell, Master Roshi," he said haughtily.
"Hm, Hermit Crane, what a surprise," Master Roshi sniffed. "After all these years you're still alive?"
"The lines on your face are just as deep, old friend," the man retorted.
"Well, that was rude," Bulma said.
"Relax, I didn't come here to start trouble," the man said smoothly. "In fact, I heard a silly little whisper that your pupils did quite well during the last tournament. I guess the saying is true. Anything can happen."
While Master Roshi swelled in indignation, all Gohan felt was confusion. Who is this guy? And why is he talking about Father and Master Roshi like that?
"What's it to you, huh?" Roshi snapped.
"You're out of your league, Roshi, admit it! You were privileged by my absence last time, but we both know fighting against my team is an exercise in futility. Not even Jackie Chun could handle my boys," the man said snidely. "Do yourself a favor and go home!"
There was a moment of tense silence, then the man burst out laughing.
"I sympathize with your crew, I really, really do. Inadequacy is always such a tough pill to swallow, but it sure beats public humiliation."
"Thanks for the concern, it's nice to see some things haven't changed, like you're still full of hot air," Master Roshi shot back.
Suddenly the two got in each other's faces, snarling angrily and glaring daggers at the other.
"You'd better stay out my way!" the man yelled.
"We're not turning tail for you or anyone!" Master Roshi shouted.
Despite an ever increasing sense of bewilderment, Gohan knew he couldn't let this erupt into bloodshed. Stepping in between the two, he held out his palms and said, "Master Roshi, please, stop fighting! What's there to be upset over? Can't we talk about this?"
Master Roshi tried gently pushing Gohan away, but Gohan refused to budge. After a couple of tense minutes, the other man backed away, laughing. "You have this little boy to thank for my sparing you, Roshi, but make no mistake, I won't extend the same generosity twice!" Returning to Tien and Chiaotzu, the man uttered a final insult, "You've been warned, now suffer the consequences! Let's go, I've wasted enough time on these peons!"
The three departed.
"Who was that?" Gohan wondered. And what are Tien and Chiaotzu doing with him? he added silently.
"Hmph, his name's Master Shen, but I used to call him 'friend,'" Master Roshi spat. Looking down at Gohan, he added, "You shouldn't have gotten involved, Icarus. Shen and his pupils are ruthless men. They won't hesitate a second to take their vengeance out on you. Do not provoke their wrath."
Gohan was about to answer that he wasn't afraid of this Shen person when Oolong shouted, "Time's almost up! We have one minute left!"
"He's late!" Turtle exclaimed.
"Relax," Yamcha said, turning to his trusty feline familiar. "Puar, I want you to transform into Goku and register as him."
"Right!" Puar said.
"No!" Gohan snapped, shocking everyone, including himself. "He'll be here."
Yamcha was just about to retort when suddenly a dust cloud appeared on the horizon. At closer glance it was revealed to be a person... it was Goku!
"Look, he's right!" Launch said. "Here he is!"
"Hello, everybody!" Goku called to them. "Wait up, I'm coming!"
It took all of Gohan's willpower not to launch himself at Goku in tears and apologize over and over again, seeking his pardon for his erroneous judgment in handling Cell. His father's death was like an open wound, made worse especially by the fact that it was his fault, he had been responsible. If he hadn't wanted to make Cell suffer... and now, seeing his father again, so young and innocent and carefree and unaware of what the future held... it was almost too much for Gohan to bear.
Goku came to a stop in front of them. "Long time no see!" His friends rushed over, completely ignoring Gohan.
Gohan watched through a numb haze as Goku and his friends conversed happily, reunited after a long period of being apart. Gohan suddenly didn't want to be there anymore. He was vaguely aware of them talking as he stood off to the side, fighting against tears.
He had failed his father! If only he hadn't been so stupid! He had let his new powers go to his head, and his father had paid the ultimate price for his arrogance. I shouldn't be here! Gohan thought glumly. I don't even deserve to stand in their presence. I'm no hero. I let my daddy die. It should have been me, not him! It should have been me!
Gohan stared miserably at the ground, unaware of the shadow that fell over him.
"Uh, excuse me, but who are you?"
Gohan froze.
He looked up.
