An End and A Beginning

When he heard the sharp crack of gunfire, he knew he was dead.

He knew that he would just be a name among thousands of names that died in the war. He wasn't a general. He wasn't a well-known figure. He wanted to consider himself as a "good guy," but even that was questionable. After all, the people he faced certainly didn't consider him "good."

As his body fell backward into the dirt, blood streaming out of his chest, his life flashed before his eyes. From the day of his birth to his high school graduation, then to his forced enlistment. He had so many things he wanted to do in life, people he wanted to help and protect. Even with his dying breath, he silently apologized to the soldiers he had bled and fought with for his death and muttered, "Fiat justitia ruat caelum." It was his personal life motto, a motto that he wanted to carry to the legal system and to his death.

Never did he expect death would come this quickly.

Despite the screams and shouts from his comrades, he slowly closed his eyes. He knew that death was awaiting him. And he was willing to embrace it.

It is said that within a handful of sand, there are ten thousands universes.

In one of these universes, in that universe's Earth, a certain boy was unconscious, not knowing that his own father had been killed due to his inaction and weakness. Neither was the boy aware that some of the strongest beings in the galaxy was heading towards his planet, bent on destroying his world and seizing incredible power. The boy had power, immense power. A power that rivaled his father's and the invaders. Yet he was young and innocent, he could not possibly control or imagine the power he harnessed. His father's "friend" waited for him to awaken to train him, but without the will or the mentality, training could only do so much.

This state of affairs had not gone unnoticed. A being, greater than all mortals and gods, had taken note. Billions of lives were at risk. And so, it determined it would act.

And so it was that the soul of a young dying man, humble and just, from one Earth was brought into the body of a young boy of another Earth.

It is also said that in each of the ten thousand universes in a handful of sand, there are ten thousand Buddhas. Each with the same overflowing compassion for humanity.

He woke up as he was beginning to suffocate.

When he tried to inhale, all he managed to swallow was cold water. The air in his lungs quickly disappeared as water began to flood into his body. Realizing his mistake, he closed his mouth shut and looked around.

Is this my punishment in hell? Suffocating for eternity? Just what did I do to deserve this punishment?

This thought quickly disappeared as he saw that light shined through the top. With air leaving his body and his strength slipping, he began to propel himself towards the surface, his right hand desperately reaching towards whatever was creating the light.

His head popped through the surface, his mouth instinctively gasping for air. Only then did he realize that he was taller than the depth of the water, his torso and head being completely above the surface.

"We have to talk. Get out of the water."

He turned to the source of the voice, a tall and green alien looking creature with a turban and cape. He stared at the creature for a few moments before speaking. "Are you some sort of devil?"

The green creature looked visibly annoyed as he slowly approached him. "I am Piccolo and I am not a devil."

"Where am I then? I thought that I would be in heaven or hell by now..." He hastily replied.

Piccolo looked at him with a strange look. "It is your father that is in the After Life. He sacrificed himself to save you from your kidnapper."

"Is this some sort of joke? My father died years ago from a car accident!"

"Listen to me, brat," Piccolo said as he lifted him up into the air, "Your father, Goku, died a few hours ago saving your life. Now you will learn how to fight in order to defeat the kidnapper's allies. Otherwise, we may all die!"

As he was tossed onto the ground, he realized that he was much, much shorter than the green creature in front of him. The ground looked closer to him as he stood up and he slowly inspected his body. He scampered towards the pond he woke up in and looked at his own reflection.

He was a mere little boy, around four or five years of age. As he took in his new reflection, his mind was screaming. Something had happened. He wasn't dead, nor was he in his real body. He was now a little boy, with his father apparently dead. And now a green creature wanted to train him to fight to fight the same people that killed his father.

Just when I thought I had fought in enough battles in one lifetime.

His hands began to clench and unclench on its own. Despite being a toddler, he felt incredible strength flowing through his body. A strength that he had never experienced even in his old body. He opened the palm of his right hand and felt a sudden rush in his arm. Without hesitation, he pulsed his hand and a ball of light came out the hand, flying into a small mountain and making it crumble into pieces.

For a moment, he looked at his hand in wonder and the green alien did the same.

Perhaps I was brought here to do something... A second chance. My battles aren't over yet.

He calmly turned towards the stunned Piccolo. "What is my name?"

"What?" The green creature seemed confused by the question and stunned by his actions.

"My name. I forgot my name."

Piccolo stared him down. "Are you saying you forgot your own name?"

He stared right back at his supposed "mentor."I was hit in the head pretty hard. I don't remember much."

It was a lie, but a necessary one. It would be strange to explain to the man (an alien man?) that he was actually 19 years old.

There was a long pause before Piccolo answered. "Gohan. Son Gohan. Your father is Son Goku and your mother is Chi-Chi. And you will be one of the saviors of Earth."

"Gohan" smiled. "Then teach me... sensei."

His old self was gone. He was no longer Hiroyoshi Osato, a student in the United States. He was Son Gohan, the future protector of the world.