Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. It's been updated.

Chapter 20... Future future

Cyber was his son.

Goku drank the air like a man dying of thirst. He didn't know how he knew this information, he just did. A child? Him? This… this wasn't something Goku considered was possible seeing as he hadn't… well. He gulped, and felt a trickle of sweat slide over his brow.

"Are you okay? You're as white as a sheet."

He turned to Yamcha in what felt like slow motion, and said the first thing that came to mind.

"I just died."

Deservedly, a wary glance was sent his way. "You're scaring me, man."

But that's what just happened. Goku had felt himself die at the hands of some monster. Cyber -no, it was Gohan, was there too. He released breath he didn't know he was holding in, hollowing his chest until he felt woozy. This was his son, the boy he had named for his grandfather's memory, something Chi-Chi had wholeheartedly supported hi-

Wait. S-sure, he just proposed… and, b-but. Since when? He barely knew Chi-Chi really, but he could recall her so easily.

Blurs of intimate memories between them blinded him, and his face displayed a rainbow of colours.

"Hey, Goku! Goku!"

Snapping his neck back, the vision of Yamcha's ever increasing anxiety grounded him. What was happening to him?

"You're right," Goku mustered up with a sober expression. "Something's really wrong. I-I'm not right. I've always been able to rely on my instincts but ever since the tournament everything has been sorta' out of whack for me. There was supposed to be something big happening here today -but this wasn't it." His friend's eyes were loyally firm on him, but that glimmer of fear was clear as day. "I think we're all in incredible danger, and the only person strong enough to face it isn't here."

Yamcha stared hard at him until he couldn't, turning back and eying his suitcase with an uneasy smile.

"Dude," he breathed not without humour, "I have no clue what you're talking about, but I've been relying on your instincts for years and we've always come out on top. Whatever you wanna' do I've got your back, and so do the other guys."

The words meant a lot, but Goku still somehow felt empty.

"Goku! GOKU!"

He wasn't able to react quick enough and was swept clean off of the bench by a blue and red blur. The tornado embraced him so tightly he though he was going to pop.

"Ah, Chi-Chi!" he was genuinely surprised to see her, honestly forgetting that she was even here. Still feeling a little awkward and shy if to be honest, he rested a hand on her back and rubbed it without dedication.

Something was off. She felt grimy under his hands, and, well,

"You smell funny."

Pits of black fire glared up at him.

"Smell funny?! Do I, Goku? DO I?" she roared, squeezing his robes. Now he got to look at her, he noticed that she was absolutely filthy. Caked from top to bottom in dirt, with her hair no longer looking impossibly sleek and pretty, resulting in a tangled mess, she gave off a slimy gleam.

"What happened to you?" Yamcha beat him to it.

Chi-Chi appeared scandalised. "Whilst you boys were here playing martial arts, I have been held captive!" A growl from her core sounded. "Goku, where were you? I was waiting for you!"

"I had no idea!" Goku palmed her back, worrying the matted fabric. He grabbed her shoulders in a firm, yet gentle, manner, knowing that she was about as thin as rice paper to him. His eyes darted around madly in aim of looking for his next words. "Chi-Chi," he began, ignoring the smell of rot coming from her. "Do you have this feeling, this really stran-"

"Darn it! You can't run away like that!" A new voice snapped up from behind them.

"Hey, you're that Borg guy," Yamcha offered.

Standing there, looking incredibly tired, even more so over encumbered with emotion, was the young lilac-haired man that was often seen with Cyber. His boots and hands were as equally grimy as Chi-Chi's entirety, and his forehead appeared damp with sweat.

"Trunks," Chi-Chi deadpanned, turning her head back on Goku. "He's the one who saved me!"

"Trunks?" Yamcha rubbed his temples. "I'm very confused, like really confused. Is that your real name?"

"I came here to try and stop from too much of the future changing, yet I feel that I've failed once again," Trunks drawled softly as if speaking to himself, but his eyes were directed at Goku.

"Trunks is from the future!" Chi-Chi added quickly from atop Goku's lap. Future? Like a time traveller?

"What?" Goku choked out. When he stood up Chi-Chi felt flat on her bottom. "Is that even possible?"

Borg, or rather Trunks, looked very torn. "Yes," he replied gingerly and slowly, "it's all very possible. Things have gotten out of hand here, Goku, and I need your help."

Even though the man appeared earnest, Goku didn't stop Yamcha calling him out on the sheer ludicrousness of it all.

"Time travel? This isn't some movie, kid. I mean, that's ridiculous, right, Goku?"

Time travel? Goku considered this latest revelation. Cyber was his son, something Goku seemed to just know. That was impossible in itself. This feeling in the pit of his stomach screamed out that the impossible all seemed very possible today. If Yamcha suggested that he should trust his instincts then okay, fine, he will.

"They say they found Gohan's body in a mountain district," Goku said thickly, testing Trunks' reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. Trunks' eyebrows creased and he allowed himself a sigh. "So they say, but when I just spoke with officials they haven't the body in custody. I believe there's something funny going on here..."

"He can't be dead!" Chi-Chi spoke shrilly and with such knowing that Goku really could have kissed her then. But Goku felt it. Gohan had died.

Trunks avoided her eyes in what Goku imagined to be agreement with him.

"Who's Gohan? Goku, what's going on?"

Looking at Yamcha, Goku knew he owed the man, and the rest of his friends, the information he knew.

"I believe him," Goku said to his friend. The sense of Trunks smiling behind him instilled him with confidence. "This man is from the future, and so is the boy who participated in the tournament of whom I'm 100% sure that he is my son." There, he said it. It all flowed very naturally from the tongue, as though he'd often spoken about having a son, and that this was all very normal day-to-day activity.

Wide eyed, Yamcha mouthed a silent 'oh' and reached absently for his suitcase.

"He's not dead, Goku," Chi-Chi insisted once again.

"I felt it!" Goku snapped in a manner he didn't know he had.

"So did I!"

"I still can't feel his energy," Trunks added, downcast. His eyes were heavy with burden. "I don't understand though. He's very strong, I mean, he's the strongest person I know- I can't imagine him just… y'know, erm, dying."

"That's because he's not dead," Chi-Chi repeated. She moved towards Trunks and grabbed his arm with fire in her eyes. "My son is still alive."

"How could you possibly know?" he asked weakly. Looking between Goku and Chi-Chi, he glowered accusingly. "How you both know what you know I have no idea. This has never happened before. I mean I know I haven't said anything to either of you. Did Go-?"

Chi-Chi looked to Goku as he interrupted. "I remembered something… important."

She nodded, "I just know. It's like I've always known. It's not special, or even a revelation for me. He's my son, and always has been. I even have these memories, some which I know aren't possible-"

"Goku! You said you just died! You must have remembered dying!" Yamcha cried out before turning to Trunks. "Does Goku die?"

Trunks stayed silent for a moment. "I can't disrupt the future too-"

Chi-Chi scoffed, "oh, it's a bit late for that one, isn't it?"

Frustrated, he growled back at her. "You don't understand! It's more sensitive than that! There's so much you don't know yet, so much you can't know! The future, Gohan's future, heck, MY future, depends on what you guys may or may not know. I mean, who knows how much has been changed even now?"

"The dragon balls."

All three turned to Goku. "We'll use them to wipe our memories. It should be a clean slate from there, right? But Trunks, we need to know the full story right now to help you."

Trunks considered them. A steam of air left him and he looked tired enough to fall asleep there on his feet. "Goku does die," he said gravely, "twice, actually."

Goku felt himself go completely numb. Twice, which meant the dragon balls couldn't bring him back.

"But I believe we should start from the beginning." The young man took a seat on the bench beside Yamcha, and settled in for what Goku assumed was going to be a long tale. "It started for me when two androids destroyed my time and turned it into an apocalyptic nightmare, and I had to travel back in time to stop them. That's where I met you, Goku, because you were already dead in my time from a heart virus. That's where I also met the version of Gohan you know."

Yamcha raised a hand. "Wait, you're from the future future?"

Trunks brushed a hand through his hair and quirked a smile. "I'm from the future future."

"I'm not interested. You created Cell. You're a monster."

Gero's bottom lip twitched upward, sneering in a manner most uncomfortable to Gohan. "No, my dear boy, not yet. I could –in the future, but right now I am focusing on another more… personal project at the moment."

Gohan felt his eyes narrow. The doctor's shifty demeanour unsettled him. At this stage Gohan could take Gero out, no sweat. This would clearly be against Bulma's wishes, and her time travelling codes, but considering how much he had already screwed up he supposed he didn't matter any longer.

"I could stop you now, so there won't be a Cell at all-" Gero stepped forward and chuckled, creasing his already crinkled cheeks. 'Cell will always exist. I will give Bulma Briefs one thing; she is a genius: a one of a kind, especially for a woman. She invented the means to travel through time, incredible, but alas, not to change it. Gohan, are you familiar with multiverse theory?"

"Yes," Gohan answered hesitantly. He knew what Gero was getting at here. Despite any drastic changes that may occur, it would not affect the timeline he was originally from, only this new pathway he had created when he travelled here.

"Cell has access to this timeline, and yours, and any others he wishes to visit. One Cell, two Cell, three Cell, four –it doesn't matter. This original Cell from your timeline will always exist and have possible presence anywhere. You can kill me, but the only chances you're hurting are your own. Son Gohan, I can help you."

"Oh yeah, and why would you?" Gohan growled. Cell was Gero's monster, his perfect invention. Gero looked sombre for a moment, grasping at the lining in his lab coat pockets.

"Boy," he began, "I'm clearly not alive in your timeline, am I? This creature was my maker, was he not? I don't wish to destroy the world, only to rule it."

Gohan wanted to correct Gero and tell him that he only died because of the woman standing right beside him. 18 ignored Gohan's quick glance in her direction.

"In this time," Gero breathed, "I have no desire to create Cell."

Wait, seriously? "You honestly mean that?" Gohan pushed, somewhat surprised. "I thought you'd be super impressed with your really strong creation."

"Oh, I am," Gero smirked. "My genius surprises me –a fine piece of craftsmanship to be honest, but I still hold my life dearer."

"A fine piece of craftsmanship? That thing of yours has murdered thousands of people!" he growled back at the scientist. "He keeps on hurting people too, I know it, and I still can't find him to stop him. It's like an awful cat-and-mouse chase and he's always one step ahead!"

"I'm aware," the scientist nodded as 18 scribbled something down in that note book of hers. "But he's here for a reason, other than petty revenge. He sought me out to gain knowledge on one thing alone: the back door."

"What?"

"The back door. Essentially, it's the method of accessing devices without needing to go through privacy settings, and being able to shut them down. All my creations have back doors. It's common practice. I place bombs in my androids for self-destructive purposes for if they become too dangerous, or remotes that only I have access to in which to control them." Gero's grey hand streaked through an even greyer beard. "Yes, even Cell has a back door."

"You mean we can stop him that easily?" Gohan gasped. After all this time there was a different way.

"I wouldn't call it easy," 18 grunted, still with pen to paper. Her blonde hair shielded her eyes but Gohan could tell the whole situation made her uncomfortable.

"Yes," Gero agreed. "It's most difficult for a creature such as Cell for he is neither a cyborg nor an android, but I wouldn't have been so foolish as to leave myself defenceless. I have a hypothesis, but whether or not it's correct is another story."

Well, it was the best they had!

Gohan jumped up. "Wh-"

"Mother!" cried a new voice from the doorway. It was babyish, squeaky, and full of fear.

Stood in the doorway was a short, blonde girl with large blue eyes. In one hand she held a battered book that was so large that it swept at the floor as she entered the room.

"Lazuli, I told you to stay in the office," 18 growled. When the girl didn't move, watching Gohan with curious eyes, she sighed and placed the notebook down. "Excuse me, doctor."

She walked over to the girl and gave her a quick slap around the back of her head. Gohan winced when the girl squeaked.

"I told you to stay with your brother!" he heard her say as she dragged the girl back out of the room.

Gero chuckled from behind Gohan. "I've already placed a remote deactivation system in her, and a bomb. Same for the brother. Agatha kindly donated them to me -they'll be some of my finest by the time I'm done."

Wait, but… the woman... She wasn't 18?

That girl… was she 18? No…

"They'll be my answer to Cell." Gero concluded, looking completely self satisfied.

Gohan felt a little sick. Gero was a monster! But he was also oblivious to how strong Cell really was. Considering Cell managed to absorb both 17 and 18 in his timeline, this Gero wasn't really too far off track what his counterpart managed to accomplish back home. Gohan wasn't too worried about this Gero managing to outclass Cell, but the idea he was using kids? Gross.

"Don't look too sad, Son Gohan, they'll have a wonderful life. They'll have a greater purpose to aspire to."

"Like killing my dad?" he spat.

"Exactly," he smirked. "But let's talk about YOUR timeline. I can help you with Cell but I do have a condition."

Gohan swallowed and furrowed his brow. "Which is?"

Gero batted his hand and smiled absently, his cold eyes twinkling. "Nothing too extravagant, my boy. I just want the remains of Cell. You could possibly understand how much time it would save if I could fathom what my future self used in order to create such a being. It would save me years of research."

"What," Gohan seethed, "so you can use the information against my dad and friends?"

The old man clicked his tongue. "Why do you care so much about this timeline? These people aren't yours."

"Yes they are! Good and evil don't differ between timelines!"

There was only coldness in Gero's eyes now, completely worn out by Gohan's difficulties. "That's my offer, boy, take it or don't. But my help has a price."

He could just lie, Gohan considered darkly. But it wasn't in him to break promise even if it was with a bad guy. What would his father do?

Greetings from the dead. I must have written most of this chapter years ago because I found it at the back of the dustiest graveyard of my laptop. Apologies if there's millions of errors, bigger apologies on the lack of an update. I really fell out of love with this story a long time ago because I was but a wee whipper snapper when I began writing it. I'm now in my twenties, and working in China so I can't say I'm as dedicated to the fandom as I used to be! I'm not promising I'll continue with it but who knows what the future holds? Thank-you, thank-you so much to everyone who has ever clicked and opened any of my stories. I still love Dragonball as much I as did when I was a kid and it's mostly thanks to the fanfiction community that my anime fire still burns so strong! A special thanks for all the reviews and PMs (some of these have been very motivating -and guilt-tripping! Haha!) And perhaps I'll catch you with another update in the future. Perhaps.