Chapter Text
Dragon Ball: Epilogue
Chapter One: The End Of Goku
--It is recommended to listen to Scatterbrain (As Dead As Leaves) by Radiohead for this chapter.--
It was a sunny day on the planet Earth. The planet that the strongest fighters who lived there had protected for ages. Well, there were two main protectors, and five backup fighters, all of which hadn’t fought on a grand scale for ages as well. The main two fighters, had a lifelong rivalry. They were Prince Vegeta, of the fallen planet Vegeta, and Son Goku, a random ass farmer who also happened to be one of three Saiyans left in the universe, alongside Vegeta and Broly, who lived on another planet.
Ages. Ages it had been since their wives died. This sent them into a blue funk that would inhabit nearly, but not completely, the rest of their lives. They kept going, and going, and kept trying to push each other to become even stronger, but found their limits. Limits. Something unimaginable to the two men, who had pushed each other again and again, even reaching forms difficult for the gods. The gods. They had reached the levels of the strongest gods. What point was there in pushing each other anymore? They were the strongest beings in existence, aside from the Angels, the Grand Priest, and the Grand Zenos. Hell, they could actually hold their own for a bit with Whis.
“Kakarot.” Vegeta broke the silence as they were sitting on the shores of the old Kame House, which had long since been abandoned. “Kakarot, why do we do this anymore? Why? I’ve taught you everything about the Saiyans, and there hasn’t been a new threat for years. Our children are still incredibly strong, and we have reached our limits. There is nothing beyond our Ultra Ego and Ultra Instinct forms.” For a long time, the two rivals sat in silence. Finally, Goku said, “I know. We’ll hold the final battle between us. To the death. All out.” Vegeta was stunned. Kakarot, suggest the actual final battle, the one thing that symbolized the end? He couldn’t believe it. But the expression on Kakarot’s worn, tired face said it all.
What do we have to lose?
They shook hands. They knew that someone was going to emerge victorious, was going the be the strongest of the two. They had known each other so long, but never did it occur to them to figure out who was truly better. They had years to perfect their Super Saiyan forms, to use absolute minimal energy.
Nothing. We have nothing to lose.
They shot into space, looking at the blue Earth, knowing this would be the last time one of them would ever see it. Goku, having mostly lost his cheery demeanor years prior, said, “Ready when you are.”
The first punch. To the face. To the face. A gunshot. The gunshot to the face that started it all. Punches and kicks from both sides. Remembering the blue-haired girl in search of legendary wishing orbs. Bulma. My first friend. Vegeta’s wife. All their misadventures together, being comically hated by Lord Pilaf and his two assistants. Later on, Master Roshi. We were just at his old home. Where I met Krillin. Krillin, his longtime best friend. Next, the Red Ribbon Army. With each punch, kick, and blast around this point, it reminded him of all the times the Red Ribbon had tried to hunt him down. The Red Ribbon Army. Creators of Cell and the Androids. Forget them for now, he was remembering Piccolo and his dad. Ancient evil. An evil turned good. Piccolo. He was in the World Tournament competing with me. The World Martial Arts Tournament. Where I got engaged with Chi-Chi.
Galick Gun!!
The blast kept Goku on his toes, reminding him of when he and Vegeta first met.
Ka… Me… Ha… Me… HA!!
How he came back to his friends in dire danger. Friends. Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Yamcha, even his son Gohan. The battle with Vegeta. He remembered the Kaio-Ken, training under King Kai. Eventually getting on better terms with Vegeta and defeating Frieza. Frieza. Finding the Super Saiyan form. Then, Trunks. Vegeta’s son from the future, warning us of the Androids. The Androids. Cell. We befriended 17 and 18, and Gohan obliterated Cell. Then, the nightmare of Majin Buu. Meeting the Supreme Kai. Going into the Demon World with the Supreme Kai. Meeting Beerus, and all the other Destroyers. Getting to be a grandparent. Grand Zeno. Befriending the most dangerous person to interact with in all of reality. Defeating Zamazu and seeing Future Trunks for the last time. The Tournament of Power. Universes erased and brought back. Fighting Jiren and ascending to the level of the gods. Going Ultra Instinct. Fighting Cell Max. Years of peace, and then meeting Uub. Here we are now.
Nothing to lose.
KRRRAKK!!
Punches and kicks endlessly connected and blasts fired, as images of both of their lives flashed through the men’s eyes. Of the people they once loved, once protected.
A flash. The final one, really. A tired, angry voice shouted…
“FINAL FLASH!”
It truly was a final flash.
Not even a thud- they were in space.
Well, this is it.
Vegeta carried the body back to Earth, to the Kame House. Tears in his eyes. No. The prince of all Saiyans, crying over a dead moron?
The prince of all two Saiyans.
“Hey, Dad. We sensed you and Goku’s energy skyrocket, but then his disappeared, and- oh.” Trunks stopped when he registered that the man in the unforgettable orange gi was dead. Son Goku, one of the last Saiyans, was dead. Gohan, Goten, and Pan were outraged. “Vegeta, how COULD you? Why?” Gohan yelled. “WHY?!” The rise in his aura made everyone flinch.
“We agreed on it.”
The silence was loud. Finally, Pan said, “What made you agree to that? After you two pushed each other for so long?” Vegeta snapped back with, “It was the plan the whole time! Now was the time we decided to see who was stronger!” Silence again. “It still turns out that he was the idiot he always was the whole time.”
One week later
“Rest in peace, Son Goku.”
The faces through the crowd were solemn. Even the Saiyan Prince. After the funeral, Whis and Beerus appeared. Whis started with, “Well done, Vegeta. You are now to be the next God of Destruction.”
--End chapter. Enjoy the rest of the song (if it’s still playing) and stay tuned.--