The Lookout
"Dende, this is Mr. Popo. He's guided more Guardians than you can count," Gohan said as he led Dende onto the white tiles of the Lookout.
"Hello, Mr. Popo. I'll be in your care," Dende bowed, impeccably polite.
"Don't stand on ceremony," Mr. Popo replied, eyes glistening for a heartbeat. "By title I'm only the Guardian's attendant."
Gohan rolled his eyes inwardly. Attendant, my foot there's probably not another 'attendant' this strong in the whole universe.
"Please teach me well," Dende said again.
"This was Kami's staff," Popo said, producing a tall, timeworn scepter. "If it recognizes you, you will be Guardian in duty as well as name."
The staff was nearly twice Dende's height, but his small hands wrapped around it anyway. The moment he took hold, a gentle shock ran through the air. A white cape unfurled over his shoulders. Streams of knowledge ritual, watchfulness, the subtle sense of this world poured into his mind.
Dende walked to the Lookout's edge, staff in hand, closed his eyes, and just as Kami once had spread his awareness across the planet.
"Too perfect," Mr. Popo murmured at the familiar silhouette.
"How could it not be? He's a Namekian," Gohan said.
Minutes ticked by in silence. Gohan and Popo waited. At last after a good half hour Dende turned, eyes bright.
"Gohan, I can see everything on Earth," he said, brimming with excitement. "And… it's like I can sense the good and evil in people's hearts."
"You don't have to announce that to the world," Gohan smiled. "Keep it in your toolkit. Dende, you're Dragon Clan you should be able to restore Shenron, right?"
"Porunga's maker's art? I can," Dende said, "but I'd need time to craft a model."
"No need," Popo said. "Before Kami made the final Shenron, he built several prototypes. I kept one."
He disappeared into a storeroom and returned with a glass-domed carving of a serpentine dragon coiled around a pedestal.
"Perfect. With this, I can revive the dragon now," Dende said. He extended both hands. A current pulsed from his palms hopeful, miraculous, and unlike ki or psychic force.
So this is it, Gohan thought, eyes narrowing. A rule–type power. Not ki. Not telekinesis. Something that talks to the world itself.
In under a minute, the little model blazed like a newborn star, stretched into a bar of light, then streaked skyward and split into seven. Across the globe, seven dormant orbs woke with a warm orange glow.
"All done," Dende exhaled, sweat pearling at his brow. "I strengthened him, too. Shenron can now grant three wishes same as Porunga."
"You okay?" Gohan asked.
"I'm fine just a little tired. It was my first time making a dragon. I didn't expect it to work in one go," Dende admitted, pleased with himself despite the fatigue.
"Good. Rest. If anything comes up, speak to me by telepathy," Gohan said, then nodded to Popo. "Mr. Popo, he's in your hands."
"Of course," Popo said, expression unreadable.
"See you, Dende."
"Come visit, Gohan!" Dende waved.
"I will." Gohan vanished with a flicker.
King Kai's Planet
"Wah! Gohan it's you. Don't scare a god like that!" King Kai yelped as Gohan popped into being.
"Didn't know gods were so skittish," Gohan teased. "I'm here for Vegeta. Do you know where he ended up?"
"The Blood Pond," King Kai said, sobering. "His soul's sealed there."
"The Blood Pond? Sealed?" Gohan blinked.
"If I hadn't put in a word with King Yemma, he'd be in Hell proper," King Kai sniffed. "Think Cooler would've let him be? Use your head."
"…Right. Then I owe you, King Kai," Gohan said; he honestly hadn't connected those dots.
"The Blood Pond is on the lowest level of Hell. Go on I'll ask Yemma to lift the seal," King Kai said.
"Thanks." Gohan winked out.
The Blood Pond
A gelatinous, crimson lake trembled. In its congealed heart, Vegeta's soul hung suspended like an insect in amber.
"Vegeta. Can you hear me?" Gohan called.
Vegeta's eyes snapped open. His lips moved, but the Blood Pond swallowed all sound.
Then the jelly turned thin, the whole lake relaxing into liquid blood.
Shhk!
Vegeta burst free, gasping greedily at air that was hardly clean.
"Gohan. Why are you here?" he asked after a moment.
"Letting you just… end like this would be a waste," Gohan said evenly.
"Heh. So the prince has his uses after all?"
With Frieza, Cooler, and King Cold dead, his worst hatreds had ebbed. Sealed in the Blood Pond, he'd had time too much of it to replay his life. The day he'd seen Gohan go Super Saiyan, he'd known the age had turned without him. He'd raged at first. Time sanded that down. In the end, he accepted the fact of his death.
"Whether you're 'useful' or not is beside the point. There aren't many Saiyans left," Gohan said. "And as it happens, I can bring you back."
"The terms?" Vegeta asked at once.
"No terms. You're the Saiyan prince. Just keep getting stronger."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"…Fine. I accept. I owe you one," Vegeta said, cool as ever.
"Good. Come to King Kai's with me. I can line up one more shot at growth. My dad trained there once it helped a lot," Gohan said, and took him straight to King Kai's Planet.
"Why'd you bring him here?" King Kai's antennae bristled.
Given Vegeta's past ruthless, bloodstained King Kai wasn't exactly a fan.
"Please, King Kai. What's done is done. He's my clansman. Train him for a while," Gohan said, bowing his head.
King Kai looked at the boy, sighed, and relented. "All right. For your sake."
"When will you revive me?" Vegeta asked Gohan.
"Soon. Won't be long," Gohan said and disappeared.
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