//------------------------------// // episode 2: The legend. The Myth. The Stallion Son Goku...? // Story: Dragonball MLP: Buu's Calamity! // by ultrapoknee //------------------------------// [Intro.] High over the horizon, a long, serpentine-like dragon, Shenron, soars through skies. Upon his head were the likes of Gohan, Goten, and Trunks enjoying the ride. Moments later, a portal opens. Flying past the dragon, Vegeta, and Piccolo enters the portal first as the trio looks on in awe. Shenron lets out a roar as he follows the two through it. The scenery quickly changes from Earth to Equis. Celestia was enjoying a cup of tea on her balcony with her sister Luna as Shenron exits the portal in the background. Fluttershy was busy tending to the animals in her sanctuary as Angel bunny frantically points to the dragon above. The yellow pegasus looks up and gasps at the sight. Over in Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack hauling in her product before a large gust of wind from Shenron's passing blows her hat off. The farm mare puts down her produce and gives chase. In Ponyville, Pinkie gasps as she hovers in the air while Shenron passes. A moment later, the party mare disappears, leaving behind an outline of smoke. At the carousel boutique, Rarity struggling on a new line featuring the combat Gi's Spike and Scootaloo wore before Shenron passes by her window. A look of inspiration hit the fashion mare as she quickly stretches something out before running outside. Rainbow Dash was resting on a cloud when she spotted Shenron in the skies. Looking at their destination, Rainbow shot off her perch with her signature sonic rain-boom. The trios of Saiyans leap off the great dragon while landing in front of the castle. There, Twilight is standing at the entrance, waving them over. The rest of the elements of harmony, Piccolo and Vegeta were there to greet them. Elsewhere, Dragonlord Ember was walking through a hellish landscape. The silhouette of a massive dragon was reaching toward her. She closes her eyes only to open them again as Spike looks at her with concern. In a coliseum filled with cheering spectators, Scootaloo walks in with the E.A.T. belt around her waist. Her opponent was a man in a brown and white Gi that sported an afro. She shots her opponent a confident grin as the two charges one another. A second later, Scootaloo sends her rival out of bounds as two announcers - one blond human and Earth pony of similar features - declare her the winner. The sunsets as the moon rising over a statue of Goku. Spike and Scootaloo stood there wearing somber expressions at the loss of their beloved mentor. However, the transparent image of Goku puts a reassuring hand on Scootaloo's and Spike's shoulders. They turn around in shock at his appearance. He smiles at his pupils before he fades away, with the two of them chasing after him. They don't get far as several figures cloaked in shadows appear before them. Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten land beside them as they all take combat stances. There was a staredown between the two factions before they collide in an explosion of light. Finally, the ponies and dragons stand next to the Z fighters in front of the School of Friendship. Goku lands between his wife while draping his arm over Gohan's shoulder. They both share wide grins that for their friends and family. [School of Friendship - Gohan's P.O.V.] I wish I could say that things slowed down after the first day. But sadly, I can't afford that luxury. The students started bombarding me with questions about dating the crusaders. But mostly everyone wanted to know about the reigning E.A.T. champion. I'd always gave a vague answer like 'She is great' or 'She like everyone else.' Then it got awkward like when some of the guys here ask how far I've gotten with each of them. I don't give a substantial answer to those questions because I haven't the faintest clue about what they mean. Sadly, that didn't disparage anyone from talking about the girls or me. I am the latest source of gossip going around the school for a week now. It also didn't help that Videl is still suspicious of me. Sometimes during class, I would always catch her glaring at me. Other times, I could feel her presence when I am either alone in the dorms or with the girls. I don't know why she's so bent on learning my secret. It can't be that big of a deal. "Who am I kidding? Of course, it's a big deal..." I groaned. "At least it can't get much worse," "Hey, Gohan!" I looked up to see Sharpner standing in front of me. It as then that I noticed he had a bright red ball resting in his hands. He tosses the ball at me as I looked confused. "We need another player to balance out the teams," "H-huh? But I never played any sports before!" Sharpner walks over and drapes his arm over mine while pushing me along. "Relax. You're a smart guy. You can figure it out," We're at the gym inside of the school in no time. Many of the other students lined up in a big crowd. Videl was there in front of the group. "Yo, Videl. I found your new player!" Videl turns around frowns when she saw me. "You can't be serious!" She said. "You could always forfeit if you're not up to the challenge," Sharpner teased. Videl huffs at Sharpner before glaring at me. "Well? Are you going to stand there all day?" I blinked in confusion before I remembered something important. "Wait! I don't have the proper gear!" Sharpner came beside me with a duffle bag. "Here you go, slugger. I got a spare set of clothes. They should fit," "Um, ok..." I said. I wish I could say I knew what was going on, but I don't. Videl had me sitting on the bleachers as the game went on for several periods. It certainly looked easy enough. There are twelve people on the floor - a line separating the two teams - with six members on each side. The game they were playing was something called dodgeball. You had to hit the opposing team with the red ball until no one was left, making your side the winner. If you catch a ball thrown at you, then you get a player back, and the person who threw the ball is out. I think the hardest players are the Pegasi and Unicorns. Pegasi can hover in the air, but they can only dodge in strifes. But they can hold up to three balls if they're on the ground. Unicorns can hold two shots in their magic, but they have to catch the ball with their hands to make it fair. Right now, Videl only had one other person with her. A unicorn. The unicorn was a mare. She was rotating the ball around as a shield and deflecting any projectiles launched at her. Videl relied on her speed and agility to dodge any balls thrown at her. Unfortunately, Sharpner had five of his six players. One player, a yak, throws the ball hard enough to knock the unicorn's shot out of their magical grasp. Then, a pegasus follows up and eliminates Videl's last player, leaving her all alone. Funny thing is Videl seemed to grow more determined. Sharpner grins as he commanded every to throw at once. There's Nothing Videl could do there. Videl defends herself as all the balls bounce off of her. She glares at Shaprner, who celebrates his victory. "Oh, that has to sting. Now we're tied one each and its time for the players swap for new players," I had no idea why Sharpner was smiling, but that meant I was up next. As I made my way on the court, Videl stands in front of me. "Listen, Gohan, just let the others handle everything. You stay in the back and out of the way!" "Eh, haha, I'll do my best..." The teams reset, and things got intense in a hurry. Sharpner ordered his teammates to take out our most influential players first. That being the unicorn stallion and pegasus mare. The unicorn fell early, as Sharpner directed his team to overwhelm him. He was able to block the first two balls, but the third one nailed right in the stomach. The pegasi mare fared better at dodging until the opposing team got wised up and threw their shots ahead of her flight path. Looking to my left, I saw a hippogriff hit the floor with a ball lodged in their beak. Soon, all of my teammates were down, and Videl was livid. She had a vicious snarl direct at Sharpner grins back at her. She looks back at the court and frowns. Everyone was down but me while the other team only lost two members. One player, an earth pony stallion, smirks at me while stepping forward. He must believe I will be an easy target. He made a show of ducking down with his left arm outstretched in front, almost touching the ground while bringing his right arm with the ball behind him. The Stallion curves his right arm and throws the ball at me. It was fast, but hardly anything shocking. I tilt my body to the left as the ball flew past me. "W-what?" The Stallion asked as the ball bounces off the wall. "Hey, nice throw," I said. The other members took my words as a challenge as they hurled their shots my way. I swiftly evaded them with ease. Honestly, Goten could throw these balls faster, and he can't fly yet. Now, most of the shots were on our side. Rushing over to one of them, I got ready and tagged my targets. 'I should get rid of their air support, then attack their heavy hitters,' One of the pegasi in the air had no idea what happened as my shot knock him to the ground. Everyone looked shocked that I scored an elimination, but I am only getting started. My next target was too busy gawking at their fallen teammate to react quickly enough to dodge. The other pegasi let out a grunt as my ball made contact with her stomach. "I think I got the hang of this game now!" "Wow, Gohan's got game!" Elisa said. "You better step it up Sharpner~," The other team started scrambling across their side, making it harder to land a decent shot. But the other team ran in predictable ways. I picked my targets and threw my ball at a yak. From there, the ball bounced to three other opposing members. The ball hit the ground as everyone cradle the spot where I struck. Going over the count, I successfully eliminated the enemy team. "Alright! We won the round!" I turned back to the stands, expecting to see everyone's happy faces, but what I got was the same shocked expressions the other team was giving me. Especially Videl. I swear her eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. "What just happened?" Sharpner asked. "How could you let him win that round!?" To my surprise, Videl came to my defense. "Hey, you brought him here, Sharpner. Unless you were thinking to cheat on the bet by sabotaging my team?" Sharpner's face started to turn red. "I-It was just a fluke! That's all! Everyone gets on the field for the last round!!!" The final consisted of all members on each on the court for the blitz round. The craziness resumed, with players dropping out left and right. The focus of the enemy's attention was squarely on myself and Videl. She seemed more determined to win than earlier. The way she moved was fantastic. It was like watching a stream of water flowing past rocks. But she can give as well as she could take. Most of the elimination of this round came from Videl. I was mostly dodging and blocking any shots coming my way. I had to be careful not to show off my power. The problem was my secret was in danger, the longer I stayed on the field. I had to get knocked out of the game, but without rising too much suspicion. That's when I got an idea. "It looks like we got this game in the bag. It certainly helps when the other team can't the broad side of a barn!" My taunts worked as the enemy started focusing more on me. I dodge the attempts to make it look more convincing as I continued. "Where did you find these players, Sharpner, foal hood playground!" "Gohan?" Videl asked, but I had no time to respond as another volley of balls came my way. "You're dead twerp!!!" Sharpner growled. "With the way you're aiming, I'm more likely to die from boredom!" Sharpner's face was turning red as everyone started laughing at my remarks. "That's it! Summer Blaze!" I quirked a brow as a female Kirin stepped up to Sharpner's side. "It's time to severe up to the spicy meatball!" The kirin nodded in response as Sharpner handed her his ball. Moments later, the Kirin shifted into a Nerik. Purple flames encased the ball in her hands. It was a little unnerving staring into the Nerik's bright white eyes. The Nerik rears back and throws the flaming 'spicy meatball' at me. It was moving considerably faster, and I heard the other student yell out in shock. I braced myself as the flaming dodge ball struck me against my chest. I let myself hit the ground for added effect. Everyone was awestruck from what happened. I also think my shirt is on fire, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it might've looked. I decided to play it up a little more by clutching my chest and groaning. "What the heck was that Sharpner!?" I heard Videl shout. "W-what? He was supposed to duck under it like a little sissy!" Sharpner responded. "And you didn't think that supercharging a ball with magical flames wasn't dangerous in the slightest? It doesn't matter the bets off. Someone needs to take Gohan to the nurse!" "Don't worry. We've got it," I peeked through my eyelids when I heard a familiar voice. "Diamond Tiara? Silver Spoon?" I asked in complete shock. Silver Spoon places her finger over my lips. "Shh, not so loud. Come on. We have to move before anyone else recognizes us," Silver Spoon said. Both of them helped me to my feet while Videl was still giving Sharpner an ear full. We left the gym in a hurry until we rounded a corner. Once we were out of sight, both of the girls proceeded to glomp me. "We missed you so much!" "Yeah, we would've been at the opening, but we had a modeling arrangement that day," Diamond Tiara said. Then a mischievous grin formed on Diamond's face. "Did you get our last one~?" That's right. These two are models now. All of the girls in the herd made sure to send me plenty of letters of their occupations. Including one that was a little more-- Suggestive. "Y-Yeah...! You two looked great in those cowgirl outfits..." https://www.furaffinity.net/view/12666462/ (Here is what they look like now. Check out the artist. Great stuff) Silver Spoon let out a giggle as she got closer. "How great are we talking~?" "Um..." Diamond Tiara followed suit and pressed herself against me as well. "I doubt a picture can compare to seeing it in person. That way, we can get a more honest answer~," "H-hey! I just realized I never asked why you're both here. So..." Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon gave me this look mom sometimes send me. I don't fully understand the context, but I gather that it means I said something wrong, or I am missing something obvious. "We're here because this is the first time the entire herd was together since we're kids. The C.M.C. had you all to themselves when the school opened, so unless you're playing favorites, we want to spend equal time with our colt friend too!" Silver Spoon said while crossing her arms. Diamond Tiara then glares at me while pointing her finger in my face. "Honestly, we come all the way here from our busy schedule, and you stonewall us. Do you have any idea how many stallions and mares make a pass at us? Our occupation has a lot of poachers," I arched a brow at this. "Poachers?" "Urgh! Ponies that take other ponies from their herds for themselves!" Silver Spoon nodded in agreement. "Some do it to boost their status in the industry or do it out a sense of entitlement or plain old lust. But most like the idea of taking something from someone else to establish dominance," "That's right. It is a game for upper-class ponies. Of course, none could match your status as a powerful alien that saved the world," Diamond Tiara said. "But wait, they shouldn't know about that," I said. "And they don't. All any of our colleagues know is that we're in a herd with other high position mare attached to a homely and cute stallion," I felt a blush works its way on my cheeks. "It gets tiresome after a while, and we want to relax. That's why the girls are waiting in the park for a picnic, so let's go!" "Yeah, and you're sitting to us!" Silver Spoon said. I decided to nod and go along with the girls as they hooked my arms and dragged outside. [The Park.] The park is a famous hang out for the students. Many were here walking through it, playing games, and having an outing like us. However, Diamond told me we would be in a more remote location away from any prying eyes. On the way to our spot, I stopped in my tracks when I saw a statue. It was a depiction of a stallion waving his hand to those passersby's while wearing a huge grin. But what made me stop was the fact that this Stallion wore a Gi. A similar Gi to my father along with his signature hairstyle. The statue was somehow coming closer to me as memories from the Cell games came rushing back. I was so distracted that I didn't realize I was standing in front of the statue while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon called for me. I looked back to the girls as they came running to me before reading the description on the plaque. "This statue is to commemorate a hero from afar whose selflessness and courage won the day. May all who read this come the appreciate the sacrifices of Son Goku..." It felt like forever since I said my dad's full name. It almost sounds foreign to me. It wasn't until I felt a tug on my shoulder. Looking back, I saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon with concerned looks adorning their features. Then Silver Spoon comes up to me with her handkerchief. Confused, I touched my cheek and felt water dripping from my eyes. When did I start crying? We made it to the location without further incident. It was a beautiful little spot surround by tall trees and some bushes. As long as we knelt, then no one would see us. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were there waiting for us. And the next thing I knew was hitting the ground after their trademark triple glomp. "Gohan, you made it!" Sweetie exclaimed. "Y'all sure took your sweet time getting here," Applebloom said before turning to Diamond and Silver. "Any reason for that?" "We're just catching up on lost time, chatting, hugging, and swapping spit," Diamond said with a coy grin. "Hey! We agreed that we wouldn't do any of that stuff until Gohan settled in more!" Sweetie Belle huffed. "And you three don't? As councilors, you can make passes at him anytime you want!" Silver Spoon rebuttal. "We don't abuse our position like that!!!" Applebloom stated, getting into Diamond's face while Sweetie Belle does the same to Silver Spoon. You could see the sparks in their eyes as they glared at each other. Things were escalating fast, and I tried to play peacemaker. "I got a suggestion!" Everyone turned Scootaloo, who was lying on her side on top of the blanket. She was resting her head on her right palm while her right hand gently lift the hem of her shorts. "We're all by ourselves here. We can fool around right now if any of you guys feel neglected~." There was a smirk on her face that I couldn't place as all the other girls' cheeks turned red. A moment later, the girls all burst out laughing. "Come on, Y'all. these vittles ain't going to eat themselves!" Applebloom said. We sat down and ate to our heart's content. Applebloom takes a lot after her sister when it comes to baking. This apple pie was delicious. The girls all chatted about their day. It was nice until Scootloo brought up her parents. "Hey, Gohan. My parents have been bugging me about meeting yours for "a ripe shindig," as my dad like to say," "Oh yeah, you sent letters about them. They work as cryptozoologists, right?" "Yep. My mom wanted to meet with Goku--" "Oh..." And just like that, the festive mood died out. Applebloom bumps Scootaloo against her arm. "Didn't you tell your parents that Goku isn't with us anymore!?" "I'm sorry. It's been a while since my parent's last visit, and I didn't want to write about it in a simple letter..." Scootaloo said. "I didn't mean to upset you, Gohan..." I was quiet for a time before my thoughts went back to the statue. "I'm guessing the princesses decided turning my dad into a stallion wouldn't raise suspicion," "Twilight said the statue is a symbol that even though Goku was an alien, he was no different from any other pony," Sweetie Belle said solemnly. "You seem to be doing better than the last time we talked about it," Diamond Tiara said. "Do you want to talk about it?" Silver Spoon asked. I deeply sighed while looking back in the direction of the statue. "I don't know where to start..." [Seven Years Ago - Planet Earth - Capsule corporation.] "I'm glad all of you could make it here today. My father and I can't wait to show you our progress!" Bulma exclaimed. Me, my mom, Piccolo, Yamcha, Krillin, Vegeta, Tien, and Master Roshi were all sitting in Bulma's lab. She called us over the phone about something important and told us to head over to Capsule Corp. "So what's the special occasion, Bulma? It must be good if Piccolo is here," Yamcha stated. The Namkian warrior grunted in response. "I promise this will be worth the trip. As you all know, we came into contact with another planet. Ever since then, we've been improving on how to visit that world without space travel," Bulma stated. "You mean you figured out how to go to Equis without a spaceship?" I asked as Bulma nodded. "Does it have anything to do with that tarp?" "Very observant, Gohan. Now gather around. This invention will be the pinnacle of anything Capsule Corp made thus far! I call it the Portal Frame!" "Just get on with it, woman!" Vegeta said. "Hmph!" Bulma walked up to the tarp and pulled it away. It looked like a metal doorframe with the capsule corp logo at the center of it. "Um, not that I doubt your expertise, Bulma, but usually doorframes have a wooden door attached to it," Yamcha criticized. "Well, to the untrained meatheads in this room, you would be correct. However, this frame does have a door. When we got back from Equis a few days ago, we noticed that the ship held some residual magic from the planet. After hours of studying it, I determined that we can lock on to these mana waves and - using the same method for spacetravel via the magnetic storm particles - apply it through the doorway. After that, we walk right inside and, bam, we're on Equis!" "Whoa...!" I said in awe. "And you've tested this, right?" Tien asked. Bulma started to look nervous as she rubs the back of her head. "This demonstration will be the first field test..." Then her smile became more confident. "It's a good thing I have the most capable warriors that can survive almost everything!" "This development does not inspire confidence," Krillin said sheepishly. "You'll be fine. Besides..." Bulma steps to her machine and hits the red panel on its side. A swirling vortex of purple energy covered the inside of the doorframe. "Walking through a portal is much easier than fighting some freaky alien genotype bent universal domination," "I suppose that makes sense," Master Roshi said. "So, who is it going to be?" I wanted to give it a try, but my mom grips my shoulders. "Oh no, Gohan. I won't have you risking your life on some untested device. You have far too much studying to do," All of us like between one another before the sound of Vegeta chuckling drew our attention. "Why not send scar face over there? Out of all of us, he's the most expendable," "Hey! I--" "That a great idea Vegeta. Come on, Yamcha. The portal frame locks in on the last position of the ship on Equis, so you should appear in front of Castle Friendship," Bulma said as she pulls Yamcha to the machine despite his protest. "Take this capsule. Inside is a return pad back here. Once the test is successful, we'll build another portal frame on Equis," Yamcha sighs as took the capsule. He tried to steady himself, but Bulma thought to hurry him along and push him through the portal. It was a few seconds before Yamcha fell back through the portal with all the girls, Spike, Celestia, Luna, and the fillies piling on top of him. Pinkie was the first to recover as she looks around with a broad smile. "See! See! I told you girls that we'd see our Earth pals today!!!" "Well, I'll be an Appleseed on an orange tree! We ain't in Equestria no more!" Applejack said. "Hmm, the interior is spacious, but the colors are rather bland. Nothing I can't with, mind you!" Rarity grunted out. "I thought visiting an alien planet would be much cooler than this," Rainbow complain as she hoovers in the air. "Oh, I think it's unique for alien interior," Fluttershy said. "It is a bizarre shift from the usual cobble brick of the castle. Wouldn't you agree, sister?" LUna said. "Indeed, Luna," Celestia agreed. "I'm glad you all approve," Bulma said. That caught the attention of all the girls as Pinkie went to hug her. "Bulma!!!" Pinkie exclaimed, nuzzling her cheek against Bulma's. The rest of the girls join in, leaving Yamcha twitching on the ground with crosses in his eyes. Mother and I laugh at his misfortune until I felt the presence of eyes on me. The C.M.C. and the Sugar lumps al had grins that matched Pinkies. "H-hey girls--" "GOHAN!!!" All the fillies said as the piled onto me, knocking me from my mom's side. It was hard to make out what they were saying in between the nuzzles and kisses. "We missed you so much!" "Did you miss us?" "We're happy to see you!" "It feels like forever since we hugged!" "And kissed!" *Clears Throat* The girls all froze as they looked up toward my mother. "And just what do you girls think you are doing to my son!?" The colors all drained from the fillies' faces as they scrambled to their hooves. "W-we're sorry Gohan's mom--" Applebloom started, but mom cut her off. "Chi-Chi!" The girls flinched again. "Ms. Chi-Chi, ma'am!" My mother began staring the girls down as they all went rigid. "You all seem very familiar with my Gohan. Are you all competing with each other for his attention?" Mom asked as she crosses her arms. Scootaloo was the only one brave enough to speak. "N-no, ma'am. We're already in a herd!" "A herd? You're saying you're planning to whisk Gohan away to the north or something?" "No, Gohan is our colt friend," Sweetie Belle said timidly. I started to sweat as mom looked confused for a moment because of the different term. I could see her connecting the pieces as her eyes widened. She instantly turned her sharp glare on me. "Gohan! I can't believe you! Stringing these naive girls along, you've become a lecher like that old fart over there!" She gestures to Master Roshi. "I didn't raise my son to be a heartbreaker! You're much too young to be thinking about relationships in the first place!!!" "B-but mom--" "I don't want to hear it!" Everyone in the room save for Vegeta looked tensed. I saw Krillin move to Twilight and the others as he whispered something. "You guys might want to get the kids out of here. Chi-Chi won't hurt them, but I hate to see their feelings get crushed," "Parental approval is a big part of any aspiring herd, darling. We can't interfere with my sister's herd affairs. It isn't proper!" Rarity said. "Yeah, but if that old hag tries to tell off Scootaloo, then she can answer to my two fists!" Rainbow threatened. "Apple bucker and Kicks Mcgee just might lend a hoof if anyone upset Applebloom!" Applejack added. "Trust me, a fight with Chi-Chi isn't something you girls want!" Krillin insisted. "Shush. It's getting good!" Pinkie said as she ate a tube of popcorn. Thankfully, Scootaloo jumped in front of my mom. "Hey. All of us agree to be Gohan's filly friends!" That's when my mother went back to glaring at the others. "How can all of you be suitable to be Gohan's girlfriend all at once!?" "Actually. Equestria's courtship customs has always supported the use of multiple partners. The ratio of females had always outweighed the number of males dating back to the Faustian era when pony society began its first trot in the world. The more partners the male has, the greater the chance of a colt being born to balance out the population..." Twilight stops her lecture as an ominous aura left my mom's body. "...Sorry..." "So my son is nothing but a breeding bull to you, is that it?" Mom said. "No! He's way more than that! He's the kindest person we've ever met!" Sweetie Belle said. "He saved us from the blood hooves!" Silver Spoon added. "And he's the strongest stallion - uh - boy in the universe!" Scootaloo said. "I already know of Gohan's qualities. But what makes you girls think I would allow this relationship?" My mom asked. She started to circle the fillies while judging their features. The girls all lined up side by side as if present themselves for my mom's approval. Scootaloo displayed her wings wide. Sweetie Belle focuses a bit of her magic on the tip of her horn. And that left Applebloom, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon to widen their stances and arch their tails up ever. "Silver Spoon and I are both loaded! My daddy is the owner of Barnyard Bargains. So my family is one of the richest in Equestria. Gohan won't ever have to worry about money," My mom looked unimpressed by Diamond's attitude, but her eyes did a twitch at the mention of money. "I am the daughter of the Ox-King. That makes Gohan a prince by default. Money is never an issue for us. You've got 'daddy's spoiled little princess' written all over you. That isn't a girl I want involved with, my son!" Diamond Tiara flinched back, but Silver Spoon step up in her place. "Hey, Diamond Tiara, change a lot. She isn't that spoiled anymore!" Diamond frowns at her best friend's defense. "Thanks, Silvie...!" Applebloom stepped up next. "My name is Applebloom, and I'm an apple. Mah family runs Sweet Apple Acres, where we produce the best darn apple-based product for all of Equestria!!!" "Darn tooting," Applejack praised. My mom dropped her glare for a moment as she smiles. "Well, that's a lot better. My family is a radish farmer. It's good to know there's a nice wholesome girl for my Gohan," Applebloom beams at the praise before it quickly fell as my mom's glare returned. Sweetie Belle gulps as she steps up. "My sister owns a string of boutique around Equestria..." My mom was about to comment again, but Sweetie continued. "But my friends and I are known as the CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!!" Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle yelled. "We provide a service to help all the ponies of Equestria earn their cutie marks and discover what they mean! We even won the key to Ponyville!" My mother glare softens again as she nodded. "I don't what cutie marks are, but helping others out of goodwill is admirable. Goku did the same when he was your age," There was a small pause that the girls missed. Things were looking suitable for the girls now. Scootaloo looked more confident as her turn came. "I'm Scootaloo. I'm the head mare of the herd. That means I look out for our stallions best interest and protect everypony!" "So, you would protect your friends and my son from danger?" The doubt in my mom's voice made me groan. "That's right. It won't be an issue because I am the Junior E.A.T. champion! Goku taught me everything he knows about Martial Arts!" A deep frown formed on my mother's face. She was starring at Scootaloo more intently. I think she noticed Scootaloo was wearing her Gi. "Unbelievable! Why am I not surprise that husband of mine passed on his brutish pass time to an impressionable youngster-- Urgh!" The fillies, as well as the others, gave my mother a baffled look. She crosses her arms and tilts her head upwards while closing her eyes. "Honestly. Why focus so much on beating others up and flexing your muscles when you should be flexing brains? Oh well, no turning back now..." Mom stood in front of my filly friends again as the straightened up. "I can't say I understand how your custom work, but I know Goku, as bullheaded he can be at times, is a good judge of people's hearts. I still think you're all too young to mess around with something like love, but I was no better at that age. So I expect Nothing but the best from you, girls!" Instantly, my mom found herself on the ground, a victim of a glomp, as my now endorsed girlfriend hugged and thanked her. I let a sigh of relief at my mom's approval. "I wouldn't relax yet, Gohan!" I tensed up as my mother was standing in front of me now. "Since you have five girlfriends, I expect that you treat them all right. Don't even think of using these girls as a way to skimp out on your studies either! Understand!?" "Uh, yes, mom," I said quickly. Finally satisfied, my mom relaxed. "Good," "Now that Gohan's business is over, I want to talk about this machine! I can sense residual magic emanating from it! Is that how Yamcha appeared in front of the castle!? Did you come up with a method to teleport directly to other planets!?" Twilight's questions came in rapid-fire succession as Bulma held up her hands. "I'm glad you haven't lost your intuitive Nature. I'll happily explain everything, but first, I have to contact our R&D team to begin assembly for another portal frame. This test was to see if we could do it at all. The return pad Yamcha used doesn't work on multiple people at once. You girls got lucky. You could've gotten your bodies mushed together in some horrific abomination against Nature," "Oh! Just like the one movie: The Pony Fly!" Pinkie stated. Rarity visibly shudders at the thought. "Yes, as much as I love you all, I enjoy my personal space. But what should we do in the meantime?" "How about a tour of Capsule Corp? Assembly will only take a few days, three at the most. There's plenty we have to offer," Bulma said. "Oh! We can have the first-ever interplanetary slumber party!!! Where is the snack? I already packed our sleeping bags!" Pinkie said as she pulled out several sleeping bags. "Tsk," A grunt to my left drew our attention to Vegeta, who was leaving the room. "Hey, Vegeta. Where you're going?" Pinkie asked. "Isn't that obvious? As far away from you fools as possible!" The girls were naturally offended, save for Pinkie, who looked confused. "Aw, but why?" "If you have to ask me that, then you are the queen of fools," With that said, Vegeta left the room. "I see Vegeta hasn't changed at all from his last visit. Really. Darling, how do you put with him," Rarity said with a huff. "Try your best to ignore him, girls. Let's start the tour," Bulma said. "Hold on, where's Goku?" Spike asked. It felt like my heart froze the moment Spike asked that question. "Verily. We expected sir Goku to be here as well," Luna said. "Android 16 is absent as well," Celestia reminded. "That's right. You guys had to fight some creep named Cell! What happened? I bet it was awesome!" Rainbow said with glee. "Honestly, darling, must you inquire about acts of violence?" Rarity asks in a huff. "Not all of us want to hear such tales, right, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity's face morphed into shock when the fillies all rush to me in excitement. "Tell us. Tell us. TELL US!!!" "Here, I can show you the results," Bulma said as she pulls out a remote from her lab coat. A tv screen appeared out of the wall displaying the news. "Every news channel hasn't stopped covering the Cell games for a month now. All of them have been on and on about this Hercule character," "We're here North Tv, still celebrating the defeat of the monster Cell at the Cell Games. I am your host Jimmy Firecracker. And, boy, are you all in for a special treat. Joining us today is the man who defeated Cell. I give you - the strongest man on planet Earth - Hercule!" "Thank you very much, Jimmy. I almost couldn't make it inside thanks to the fans blocking the entrance. It's been nonstop autograph sessions and photo ops since I beat that monster back into the stone age! Hahaha," "Right you did, champ. But the world wants to know; what was it like facing down terror incarnate?" "I suppose the average person would feel like that, but as I said at the tournament, it's all a bunch of smoke and mirrors. While I can get behind amping up a crowd for a fight, that monster took things too far when he threatened the Earth!" "What are your thoughts on the myriad band of misfits that also participated in the Cell games?" "Nothing but an afterthought for those posers! I may be a perfect fighting machine, but I can't remember some nobodies that pop up out of the woodwork. I'm still half-convinced they were in cahoots with Cell. How else can a bunch of no-name fighters get some recognition? "A sound theory champ. No one has been able to locate these fighters anywhere. But let's take you back once again to the Cell games! The station began to show a highlighted version of the Cell games. The video showcases my father first. I was on autopilot watching the fight again. The girls winced at every turn as my father fought Cell. I could tell they were shocked to see Cell use our techniques against him. But the real shocker came when my father announced his surrender and made me his replacement. Looking back, I felt like if I let go of my hesitance sooner than we wouldn't have lost so much. That thought made things harder when 16 jumped to use his bomb only to discover that Bulma removed it. That gave Cell the chance to destroy his body. The girls were all speechless and worried, but it only got worse when the Cell order his children to attack the others. That worry turned into horror as Cell destroyed 16's head, and I finally snapped. That was when the video cut from me and back to Hercule. But I stopped watching when I saw 16 head smashed in again. "What is going on here?" Spike asked. "Why do they keep saying this joker beat Cell? Why did Goku quit? What was that form?" "Yeah, Goku wouldn't quit!" Scootaloo supported. I looked over to everyone else who looked down solemnly. Piccolo was the only one that was neutral about everything. He walked up to in front of the group as he stares at the ponies. By now, the girls picked up on something being wrong. "The battle with Cell was far from an easy one. Goku wanted Gohan to face Cell because he believed Gohan's latent power was enough to defeat Cell if backed into a corner," "Are you talking about that power Gohan used against Chrysalis?" Scootaloo asked. Piccolo shook his head. "That form wasn't the power Gohan displayed. It was more like his power going berserk. The power Gohan used was far more controlled," "So why did you want until 16 died to use it!?" Spike growled out. I couldn't answer as my mother steps forward. "That's enough! My Gohan is not a battle hunger fantastic like Vegeta! He has dreams of becoming a scholar, not when the next manic is going to appear so he can punch him in the face!" "Well, I mean, if Goku knew you could beat Cell, then wouldn't be the smart move to go all out?" Rainbow asked. "There is a time and place for a student to advance themselves. I believe in Goku's assessment of Gohan's power. However, a teacher must know when a student is ready to make that leap," Celestia stated. Applejack shook her head. "Now, I respect the heck of Goku, but throwing his son the big bad wolf was a step too far!" "There wasn't a choice..." I said softly, gaining everyone's attention. "Father fought first so that I could see Cell's fighting style. But after what happen with Chrysalis trying to make me her slave, and past experiences, I was hesitant. Android 16's last words to me were to let go - that there are people like Cell who won't listen to reason. He asked to protect the animals and the life that he loved!" I closed my eyes as I felt tears start to build up. I felt the girls hug me again. "...And he was just an android, and I let him die..." I swallowed hard after what I was about to say next. "Just like I let my dad die!" The room went deathly silent as I felt the fillies pull away from me. "W-what...?" Scootaloo asked. "Gohan, darling, what do you mean?" Rarity asked. "Yeah, Sonny isn't dead, is he?" Pinkie Pie asked. "That's not true, right, Gohan?" Fluttershy asked softly. "I'm afraid he is..." Mater Roshi confirmed. "After I unlocked my power, Cell was no matched for me. There was a moment that I had Cell beat. My dad even urges me to finish him off, but I wanted Cell to suffer more. But when I backed Cell into a corner, he turned himself to a bomb that would destroy the planet. That was when my dad teleported Cell away from the Earth..." I didn't raise my head after my confession, so I can only imagine the Equestrian expression right now. "You let Goku die...!" I could hear Spike ask in disbelief. "I think it was more like you let your powers go to your head, and Goku had to bail you out!" "...Yes..." I admitted. Spike shook head and snorted smoke from his nose. "We should've come here. We could've used the elements on him, or took care of those Cell juniors faster. Goku would've never had to rely on you if that was the case!" "And what difference could you have made?" Piccolo said, walking over to Spike. "What could you offer against a being comprised of the cells from Earth's strongest warriors? There as no way to predict how the fight will turn out. The fact remains that only Gohan had the power to defeat Cell, especially after he came back from his detonation," "Hold on, are you saying this Cell creature self-destructed and returned from the dead!?" Twilight asked in a frazzled tone. "Yes, and because of his Saiyan cells, he was stronger than ever. In the end, it was Gohan that ultimately defeated Cell!" "Wait!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Let's us the Dragonballs like we did on Equis, then we can bring Goku back!" "YEAH!!" The fillies agreed. "That won't work!" Tien said, gaining everyone's attention. "Goku's been revived by the Dragonballs once before, and Shenron never revives the same person more than once," "We wanted to travel to Namek and use their Dragonballs, but Goku stopped us," Yamcha said. "Um, how could Goku talk to you if he was gone?" Fluttershy asked. "Goku was able to talk with us with the help of King Kai," "But why wouldn't Goku return to life?" Spike asked. "Goku brought a point about why the Earth as always in danger," Krillin said. "The Red Ribbon Army, the androids, Frieza, Cell. All of them are enemies Goku defeated in the past. He felt the Earth would be safer if he weren't around," "Yeah, Goku had a knack for attracting the worst of the worst, hehe," Yamcha joked lamely. "Yamcha! Too Soon!!" Pinkie scolded, her mane was straight. "So, we can't bring Goku back?" Scootaloo asked softly. "It was Goku's wish for the Earth to remain safe. If that meant remaining in Otherworld, then so be it," Piccolo stated. "Equestria faces old threats from relics of the past. Almost all of them either had a grudge against the princesses. He doesn't have to stay dead!" Twilight argued. "There times when It feels as though the universe creates adversity to maintain the balance. If harmony reigns, then agents of chaos will come to disrupt it. If chaos dominates the world, then champions of harmony will impede it," Celestia said. Luna nods her head in support of her sister. "Nature abhors a vacuum. If Goku is the strongest, then his power must face adversity," Luna then looks over to me. "I know the feeling of letting my abilities cloud my judgment. You are not at fault, Young Gohan," I looked down in shame again. "But if I finished Cell--" Luna cut me off as she embraced me in a hug. "You cannot dwell on happenstance. Your father left the world in your care because of his faith in his son. If that faith misplaced?" I sigh as I shook my head. "Then, there is no cause for worry. Come, friends, we should honor the life Goku led with celebration, not tears!" Instantly, Pinkie's hair sprang back up. "Oh! I have the thing right here..." Pinkie reaches into her mane pulls out a capsule. She presses the button down and throws it. Moments later, the room is pack with many party favors, games, and snacks. Bulma raises a hand at that. "Wasn't that one of my capsules?" "Yep. It fell out of your pocket when you got foalnapped. I figured it out and use it for my emergency party situations like this one!" There was a big banner that had the words 'Thank you, Sonny' wrote on it. There was also a little picture of my dad in cartoonish form. "Now, let's get this reunion party started!!!" The mood turned around in a hurry. Pinkie and the others managed to coax everyone else into joining the party. Although Piccolo sat near the snack table, there was a small smile on his face. Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien danced to the music while Bulma talked with the princesses. My mother and I stayed where we are, that is until I felt a tug on my arm. Scootaloo and the girls were pulling me onto the dance floor. They all had wide grins as I looked back at my mother. She waves her hand at me with a smile on her face. I smiled back and joined the girls. The party was a lot of fun. "I still miss my father, and I still feel responsible for him not being here, but I know he wouldn't let the stuff bother him," I said. "That's right! I doubt anything can bug Goku like that," Scootaloo agreed before frowning. "I still don't like the idea of Hercule lying about beating Cell! Why should a doofus like him take credit for something you did!?" "Yeah, a newborn foal couldn't beat that guy," Diamond said. "It's never been about fame for us. We got so used to stopping threats like Cell that I guess we save the world out of habit now," I said. "Fame isn't all it's crack up to be either," Sweetie Belle said. "Did we ever tell you about the time Twilight published her friendship book?" Applebloom let out a low groan. "Oh! Don't remind me of that fiasco. It took darn near forever to get the ponies off our farm!" "I never saw Rainbow avoid her fans before, but I can understand now," Scootaloo said. The date was a huge success. We spent the rest of the talking and enjoying each other's company. I'm am glad I have these amazing mares in my life.