1976/AWftF: Another Man's Legacy

AWftF: Another Man's Legacy
Date of Scene:	07 April 2015
Location:	Void - Super Solar System
Synopsis:	Kakator and Gohan share information about each other. What are their intentions?
Cast of Characters:	334, 723
Tinyplot:	A Wish for the Future

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Kakarot (723) has posed:
Kakarot decided against meeting with Gohan in his flagship. It doesn't set the tone he wants to establish. Instead, he's chosen an unremarkable planet nearby. Blue skies, waving grass, rolling hills. If the grass wasn't purple, with roaming packs of multi-headed alien creatures munching on the grass in docile herbivorous life, it might be able to be mistaken for Earth in some ways.

Perfect.

Kakarot sits crosslegged on top of one of the hills, looking out over the land and staring into the distance. Perhaps he is looking for the man he is to meet. Or perhaps he is looking for something else. It's hard to tell.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    When Gohan arrives on the world where he would be meeting with Kakarot, it's not with the air of a potential king. In fact, he doesn't even show up dressed as a Saiyan should be. Nor is he in his Namekian gi. Instead, it seems as though he's had something custom made. It is clearly armored, but it doesn't look like armor. It looks more like a school uniform, only classed up. A black jacket, buttoned up to the neck and trimmed in gold. The material is clearly Saiyan composition, as the joints and shoulders bear the telltale patterns of their armor. His pants are black as well, with a simple leather belt holding them at his waist. The knees bear the same armored points, and lead into leather boots. Across his back is his sword, now in a sheath that has a Saiyan's tail pattern on it.

    It's an odd merging of cultures.

    He approaches on foot, with his aura flaring as to not give the impression of stealth. He climbs the hill on which Kakarot sits, then stands before the Neo Saiyan's king and offers a small incline of the head.

    "D.. Kakarot," he says, keeping his eyes to the ground for a moment.

Kakarot (723) has posed:
Kakarot stands when Gohan approaches, looking down at the man who is said to be his sone from another universe's self. He is quiet for several moments as he reaches out, grasping the clothing Gohan wears in a firm grip for a moment. Is he going to tear it off? What will he do?

A moment later, he lets go, the hand moving to touch at the shoulders, the hand running down the arms. His expression is inscrutable for the several seconds it takes as he inspects the clothing. He makes the occasional grunt or noise, then steps back, nodding in return to Gohan. "That is a good suit." He replies.

There are everal more moments of silence, and then he gestures. "You are curious about me, and I am curious about you. So either tell me what you wish to know, or tell me about yourself. There is no need for conflict yet."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan tenses a bit as Kakarot grabs at his suit, his aura humming to an outline. As he is released, however, he smirks a bit. "A blend of my races," he says, "It's only right that I not come in something strictly Saiyan or strictly human. I'm both, but neither at the same time." He is a unique specimen, with only Trunks sharing his unique blend of bloods. "It is good to know you can appreciate it," he adds after a moment.

    He remains standing, crossing his arms. "Yeah, I'm not here to fight, but you can't be too careful." He gestures idly to the sword behind him, the weapon speaking of his caution without outright aggression. "Well... I suppose I'll start, then," he says, rolling his shoulders. "You say your father took over the Saiyan crown through a coup, correct? Then he died of a heart disease." He looks at Kakarot with a mild look of concern. "Do you have this disease too?"

Kakarot (723) has posed:
Kakarot nods. "You are who you are." He says, his tone neutral. The mention of his father's death causes Kakarot to frown, a surge of anger coming from him, but Gohan can tell it doesn't appear to be directed at him, as he turns away and looks up into the sky. "As far as our medical technology can tell, I am free of the disease. But Bardock showed no signs of it either until it happened. There is no guarantee I am free of it." He looks back to Gohan, his expression calming a bit. "Are you concerned for my health?"

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan frowns a bit. He can feel the roll of anger, much like the hidden power deep within himself, but he stands tall regardless. He figures it must just be the pain of loss causing the King's anger. "I am," he says, "What I know of Saiyan culture is that they... we, I guess, thrive on battle. To succumb to your body being sick... I'm sure he regrets it. And so would you, if you were to succumb to such a thing. Besides," he says, smirking, "After this you know we'll have to fight at some point. If not in malice or on orders, then just because I want to see your strength for myself. The you that I know... he was a warrior without equal until Frieza came along and killed him. He never reached the levels of strength that the rest of us have. Even Raditz is a Super Saiyan. Ascended, if memory serves." He shakes his head.

    "I guess I'm a bit concerned that if you have this disease, and it flares up while you're fighting, it would be a shame." He relaxes his arms a bit. "So, that's one of my curiousities settled. How about one of yours?"

Kakarot (723) has posed:
Kakarot listens intently, folding his arms as Gohan lays out his concerns. "You are correct. The greatest end for a Saiyan King is to die in battle with glory and honor." Kakarot grunts, then, clenching a fist. "I would have preferred it to be after he reached old age. He was taken too soon." He sighs, and then gestures. "I don't believe I will have to worry about such a thing, however."

He pauses, then, considering. "You have told me some about this other me. Tell me about your mother. What kind of woman was she that he would choose her?"

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan nods. "I figured as much," he says, then Kakarot menetions he lost his dad too soon. "Yeah, I wish I hadn't lost my dad so soon either," he notes, keeping the note of bitterness in his tone to a minimum. His father dying on Namek had been such a shame, but what was done was done.

    The topic shifts, and Gohan lets it. He chuckles a bit at the question, then explains. "Dad, or Goku as he was known to everyone on Earth, hit his head and forgot his orders to wipe out Earth's population. He ended up meeting my mom, Chi-Chi, when they were both young. I think she might be the only thing in the entire universe he was afraid of, and she is quite strong in her own right. She doesn't really fight at all now, but I guess she was trained pretty well. I guess that strength, and maybe some fear, was what drew him to her. She's... pretty scary when she gets mad." Almost like a Super Saiyan. He laughs again. "She's also kind when she wants to be as well, so maybe that was a bit of it too. Goku was extremely gentle outside of combat. Almost like a big kid. But when he got serious, there wasn't anything he couldn't do. Or so we all thought."

Kakarot (723) has posed:
"Hmmm." Kakarot replies. "She must have been fantastically strong. I never really expected humanity to be capable of even matching me back when I was a child." He thinks for a moment. "I can see why, even without his memories, he'd be attracted to such a person."

He shakes his head, though. "I can't imagine anyone calling me gentle or kind, though. I can see why people were put off by my appearance, he must have made a lot of impact before that happened... I'm not that man, though."

The last is said firmly, letting it sit there for several seconds, before he then asks, "So what are you doing now? How are you dealing with this insane multiverse?"

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan rolls his shoulders. "I'm sure there's more to it than that, but I never really got the chance to find out everything," he says. Frieza and Vegeta had seen to that rather handily. "Humans are quite strong when given something to fight for. They don't have the genetic and social advantages of a Saiyan, but they can hold their own in a fight well enough, and they're tenacious." Krillin, fighting to the end despite his fear, springs to mind. "Yes, you two are different. It's amazing what a few small changes can do to an entire course of history," he says, "You have the face of my father, but he was never king material. He would never want to be. It just wasn't in his nature."

    Gohan rolls his shoulders again. "I joined the Confederacy with the Planet Trade Organization. Met Serori. Met Taylita. Took over a couple worlds held by Elites, and I just learn about new things all the time. It's not so crazy if you just accept you'll never see everything it can offer." He smirks, then shrugs again. "As for right now... I'm using my resources to find a world for the Saiyans to call home. After that... well... I have some things to settle up, and then I will disband the PTO and find my path in life." He shakes his head. "I thought I wanted to be a King, someone the Saiyans could look up to and forge a new reputation through. Now, though, I think I should leave that up to the purebloods. I have to find where I'm needed for myself."

Kakarot (723) has posed:
"You have your own Planetary Trade Organization too, eh?" Kakarot says, nodding once more. "We took it over from Freiza too. Or at least, what parts of it didn't immediately leave as soon as they heard the tyrant was dead. He had almost five hundred planets under his control, they said." He shrugs. "Not yet, anyway. Over time, the Neo-Saiyan Empire will become strong enough to face any challenge." He turns to face Gohan again. "They would welcome your people if you wished to bring them. As far as where you're needed..."

He grunts, and turns back away, looking up into the air. After a few seconds of silence, he comments, "You know, I never really thought humans were that powerful. I never lost my memory. I destroyed the people of my Earth. When they came to pick me up and return me to my father for training, after he had become the ruler, I was living alone on a ruined planet." He looks back over his shoulder, perhaps watching Gohan.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan nods. "I took it from Vegeta after he took it from Frieza. Now... it can at least do something good with all the terrible things we've done under its banner, and then it can be lost to history," he says, cracking his wrists as he speaks. "He had only gotten more widespread by the time Vegeta killed him in our world," he adds, "But most of the planets had nothing left worth anything. The only two I'm really concerned with are Namamura and Beli Klum's Earth. Both have their... problems, but I plan on addressing those when I dissolve the PTO."

    He grimaces a bit. If it hadn't been for Goku losing his orders, he very easily could've wiped out Earth. They never would've learned from him, or him from them, to better prepare his friends to fight threats like the Saiyans. "Yeah..." he says, "Against a Saiyan, without any of the power players that existed in my world, you likely had little to no trouble. You... probably killed your universe's version of my mom, if she existed at all." He shakes his head. "I guess that's the tangent point, huh? I mean, for me not existing in your reality. It's a bit surreal to think about." He shakes his head. This was a version of Kakarot that had never known human kindness. Humans, likely, were extinct in his universe now, not being capable of widespread space travel. There's a spark of anger for a moment, but he lets it die. It was a different universe. Nothing could carry over.

    "Your strength is nothing to sneeze at, even still. Goku was Vegeta's greatest rival. He could never best him. When Frieza did it, Vegeta lost all control. That's why he was able to ascend. What was your trigger?"

Kakarot (723) has posed:
"I've never heard of a Saiyan being so willing to let go of power. It is strange to me. But then, I've never heard of a half-human, half Saiyan before either." Kakarot shrugs. He doesn't seem to comment on Gohan's audible thoughts about the destruction of his Earth.

"Vegeta has strength, but he's willing to put everything on the line for his own ego. He talks a good game, but he barely has an original thought in his head, with all of his talk of Saiyan history and education." He shakes his head. "He's going to do nothing but lead the Saiyans to destruction or slavery again. He doesn't even have the decency to be mortal."

He grunts, then, his asperity fading back into that stony Saiyan expression, something Gohan probably knows quite well. "The first time was a response to an assassination attempt. My mother was killed, and I survived because of that same rage. The number of attempts on my life fell dramatically after that."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan shrugs. "Power is nothing without strength and conviction behind it, and I have no conviction to maintain the PTO anymore. It's an outdated organization, and once it has done this last thing I need of it, it will not be around anymore." His shoulders pop as he stretches a bit. "There are only, to my knowledge, two of us. Trunks is Vegeta's son, and then there's me," he says, "Two halfbreeds and, until recently, a handful of Saiyans."

    Gohan frowns a bit. "I don't know what way is right. It may be that the only good matter of course would be to let the Saiyans decide their own leadership. If I am able to beat Vegeta in our duel, at least his Empire will get that choice back. Yours already has it, and they seem loyal. Then there's the matter of direction, and I'm no more sure of the right path there than anyone else. Both you and Vegeta have a vision for the future, and my guess is that the stronger of those two visions will win out."

    Gohan recoils a bit at Kakarot's story. It made a certain degree of sense, though. They had risen to power through assassination and coup, so why would another attempt not be made? "I was driven to my breaking point by Vegeta, and my desire to see him broken at my feet eventually pushed me into ascension," he says, "As much as I hate him, he did awaken power inside of me."

Kakarot (723) has posed:
Kakarot hums again as he listens. "You make a good point..." He pauses. "You are planning to duel Vegeta?" He asks, suddenly interested. "It is true that we're going to fight. It's inevitable. But I don't think the future is going to end up being decided between us. Not if I have anything to say about it. There are many kinds of strength, and it takes more than a loud voice and the ability to fling ki around to be truly strong."

He clenches a hand. "My dedication is to the Saiyan People over all else. They are loyal to me because I am in turn loyal to them. I eat with them, fight alongsde them. I do not use them as tools, but treat them as fellow men and women. One day this Empire will be strong enough that even this Union and Confederacy will be forced to meet with it with respect."

Gohan than explains Vegeta's influence and relationship with him... in a manner of speaking. "He did it for a reason. He craves a rival, someone to batter against and use to lift himself higher. It is his weakness. He is incapable of standing on his own when need be."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan nods. "I need to. I need to come out from his shadow. Until I prove I am either superior or inferior, I can't rest. I need to figure out my path, and fighting Vegeta regardless of the outcome will give me an idea of where to start." He rolls his shoulders, then taps his ear. He gives a quick nod, then growls under his breath. Tapping his ear again, he nods and smiles. "I feel like I've gotten a clearer picture of who you are and your mentality," he says. "I have a lot of respect for you as a person, even if you did invade my ally's planet. I don't hold any personal malice toward you. Orders, however, are orders. If that comes, know that I won't fight dirty."

    He nods a bit. "When he lost Goku as a rival, he had to make the next best thing," he says, "I guess that's what happened. I never really thought of it that way before. Maybe, though, he can change. He's already proven it's possible."

    He stretches again, then nods to Kakarot. "I think I've slaked my thirst for answers. Thank you for your time, King Kakarot." He offers another incline of the head, his head buzzing with new information.

Kakarot (723) has posed:
"All right." Kakarot nods. "When the time comes for us to fight, don't hold back. I want to see what you're really capable of." He turns away. "We'll see how much Vegeta really can change." He flexes, and launches up into the air, before stopping to turn back towards Gohan. "One more thing, Gohan." He says.

"Don't lose." He says this, simply and straightforward. "Exceed Vegeta. Prove that you can beat him at his own game. Use every strength you have, and do whatever it takes. If you let him control you, it's going to be for nothing."

At that, Kakarot turns back to the sky, and vanishes in a supersonic blast of speed, leaving Gohan to his own thoughts.