Gohan............(Done)

We'll begin now. The history of Gohan. It's not an easy tale to tell. It's not one of those "horrible dark past" tales, nor is it particularly lighthearted. What the story is is one of realism, of a world around us the way it is. It will explore human nature, it will explore evil. Even then, there will be the unfair things revealed, and the good as well. There are beautiful things in our world! It was Goha who discovered this for himself in this story. This young boy, who, even at young ages, was able to go around and learn about the world through these experiences, has easily learned more than many other characters. He defined a maturity that borders on wisdom. Perhaps it isn't quite wisdom yet, but it's certainly something worth noting him for. While others attempt to be all great Gary Stus, Gohan's realism in these situations makes him worth clapping for.

Now, the story doesn't need to start with birth. That's stupid. The only information that you need to know is that Gohan was born in with a father, a mother, and he has two older brothers, twins. He has lived in Karakura Town most of his life, though throughout his years of youth, he traveled very often. His family is pretty good with money. He has been to Italy (Rome, Florence), The USA (California, Florida, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Texas, New York, Connecticut, Hawaii), Mexico (Mexico City), France (Paris, Nice, Normandy), Germany (Berlin), Switzerland (Geneva), Russia (Moscow), England (London, Manchester, Liverpool, Middlesbourgh, Chelsea), Japan (he lives in Karakura, Tokyo), China (Hong Kong, Shanghai), Thailand (Bangkok), and South Korea (Seoul). He has basically been all over the world! He has great experience with culture and arts and the like because of it! He knows and has seen a lot. Even from a young age he was like that. His dad worked as a businessman, and CEO of several companies, and he hasn't seen his brothers since they went to college 6 years ago.

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~Chapter 1: Death and Revolver

Who...am I? I'm a guy that experienced punishment from my own sins. If you look at me, it's nothing but the body of someone attempting to rectify his wrongs. I suffered retribution for what I did, and it's a burden that I have to carry forever. I have traveled to and seen many places throughout my life. And if you care to stay and listen, these are stories that I will tell you. I'll explain what it is that happened to me throughout my life, and what brought me to be who I am today. You'll learn from my mistakes and experiences, and hopefully you won't have to face what it is that I faced for my own stupid errors. I'll tell you what happened to me, now. It all started around five and a half years ago, only a couple of months after my tenth birthday. I remember it well, for it was almost Christmas at that time. . . .

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. . .And the snow was falling beautifully. It was white, and puffy. Somber, but beautiful all the same. Despite how cold it was, it continued to mesmerize. It reflected sunlight and shined magnificently, and it froze the water to create beautiful glittering icicles, music for the eyes. When the first signs of the approaching winter first began to show themselves, Gohan was filled with joy. Despite the snow on the ground, the sun was shining beautifully in the sky. The sky itself was the most pristine of blues, clearer than the water, and a magical sapphire that glinted in the same wonderful way as the ocean and the earth. The way the earth seemed to be filling the quiet little town with beauty was amazing. Even in the cold, it was never short of beauty. Snowmen and snow women decorated the fronts of homes, and lakes and rivers had frozen over to become magical ice skating rinks for children, families, and couples too.

Only days previously, Gohan had gotten his greatest wish as a gift. From the start, it had been a dog that he wanted. The little brown Labrador puppy followed him everywhere. By the name of King, this puppy continued to trot and run and follow Gohan around when Gohan trudged through the snow. King yipped merrily, though earlier in that morning he had whined sadly, attempting to wake everyone up so that someone could play with him. Gohan had joyfully taken up the activity, taking the dog and having him follow once they went outside to make snowballs and snowmen, awaiting Gohan's two visiting older brothers, who had already gone to college, to come out and play. The dog's first reaction to snow had been shock. He'd taken a single step into it, and then done a back flip and begun a hilarious frolicking. It was the happiest of times, that morning.

Maybe that was the time when things started to be less happy, for that was when the explosion happened. Around nine AM, just as the sun was cracking a high that caused its yellow glint to cast itself in gold over the town. The rooftop of the house was blown apart, and flames stretched as a gaping mouth over it, crackling and growling as a lion, and eating the house. Smoke was coming out, the sound of the explosion had thrown Gohan to the ground in shock and fear, his face burying itself in the snow. The world around continued to look beautiful despite the destruction that had then taken place. Gohan finally looked up to see King screaming, barking and whining at the top of his little puppy lungs as a man became visible, standing within the house. He wore a black suit, and his hair was also black, a bit grown out but clean. He had calm black eyes, and a devilish smile to his face. Somehow, even the man seemed beautiful with the surroundings.

The fire swerved to avoid him. The man turned fully to smile icily at Gohan, and Gohan's heart pounded a single thud of thunder and drums. Everything froze as thorns pierced into his whole body, stabbing every goose bump of the cold. His shivering spine snaked along, and his eyes grew wide as the man hoisted a corpse out into his hand. Held by the neck, though that neck was broken and the head was shattered and in an awkward position, the corpse of Gohan's father was there. It was covered in blood, and Gohan stared in complete shock. Emotions could not even register. The scene didn't stop being serene or beautiful, and seemed rather like it was moving in slow motion. The stranger threw the corpse out into the snow, right in front of Gohan. Gohan tried to get the words out, but they wouldn't come. He could only scream as tears started falling from his eyes. Anger didn't even come to him.

He was only horrified. The man glanced downwards, seeing that Gohan's mother was still there, but unconscious. He left her there, untouched, and flew down in a gliding motion. He got on one knee, patting Gohan's head almost affectionately, sweetly. His calm eyes were blacker than his soul, than the night and the fabric of the universe. "You'll come find me, won't you?" he asked in a sweet, almost seductive voice. It was cheerful, as if he was discussing the weather casually whilst he bowled. "It won't be any fun if you don't." He stood up, leaving a business card laying there on Gohan's head while Gohan cried and sobbed. The man turned away and disappeared in a flash of black light, leaving behind only a dark red smoke which soon dissipated. And all the while, the world continued to remain beautiful.


~Chapter 2: Practicing to Fear

When I was 10 my father was murdered by a man named Kuuragi Sotowa. At that time I didn't know the reason behind it, though I knew who Kuuragi Sotowa was. A big time politician in Japan. We saw him on TV all the time, and my stomach started to churn whenever I saw his advertisements. He won office in whatever he went for, and I came to hate him in only a matter of days. I was sad and angry at the same time, and I didn't want to believe that it happened either. They call that the five stages of grief in study. Sadness, denial, anger, reasoning, and acceptance. King whined and stayed by my side, sensing my sadness and trying to comfort me. My mother drifted through the house blankly, giving small whispers as orders as workers tried to fix it. She made me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and she smiled a fake smile to try to comfort me. I did the same, even though I just should have hugged her. We both felt the pain. That was when a man approached me. I remember him because. . .

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. . .he held out his hand, covered as it was by a white silk glove, complimented as his body was by a long blue trench coat and gray khaki pants. The black dress shoes made him seem official, and his blue eyes gazed into Gohan's, which were still green at the time, just as his hair was also brown back then. He looked to be in his late twenties. "Come with me." he said, his hand outstretched. "I know what happened, and strength is something I can give you." Gohan looked to his mother for reassurance. His mother smiled weakly, but tears could be seen forming as glistening crystals in her eyes. They were diamonds, falling as beautiful and sparkling, and dropping onto the ground, shattering almost immediately after leaving her smooth and beautiful cheeks. Gohan looked back at the man as his mother nodded her approval.

"He's a friend of your father. They worked in the same business." she told him, "He's a very important and strong man who will look after you." Gohan couldn't take his eyes off of the man, who had one of the more official appearances he had seen. He started to cry as well in that moment, the diamonds of a young child's sorrow breaking like the rays of the sun, scattering into the air upon dropping from his chin. "I don't want to leave you..." Gohan admitted to his mom. "I...I don't want to lose you like dad...!" With both family members crying, the moment became an emotional one, one of the more beautiful moments in human interaction. It was a beautiful world on that day too, only two days after the death of Gohan's father. It was a beautiful moment for a beautiful day, despite the destruction that had hit the house, despite the sadness that was plaguing them.

"This isn't goodbye. We'll be together again very soon." His mother replied, attempting to act strong in that moment. "I just can't take care of you right now. I'm...not fit to be your mother if I can't do anything for you at a time like this. I'm sorry, Gohan!" The tears were a waterfall of earnest while they poured. Rain could not be more honest than that. Gohan felt the same thing happening to his eyes and his face, even though he had been told that this wasn't goodbye. He looked back to the stranger, who still had his hand out. He took the stranger's hand, shaking it for a moment. The stranger and Gohan both stood, whereas before Gohan had been sitting on a staircase with King next to him. "Take King with you..." his mother said. "And..." She turned, leaving the room momentarily. She returned only a few seconds later with a pendant on a chain. It was a bullet bill.

"Please...take this and think of me..." She pleaded. Gohan took the pendant, putting it around his neck even while he was crying. He couldn't help but feel how sad everything was. There could be nothing worse than that feeling of separation. The stranger had his hands in his pockets then, while Gohan walked upstairs to his demolished room, and started the slow and painful process of crying and packing. Because of the explosion, he had very few possessions. Even without it, his grief was something that stopped him from wanting possessions anyway. All he took was his clothing, and only half of that. The rest of what he took was only the pendant, toys for Gohan, and a swiss army knife that his dad had owned, and which had been salvaged despite the wreckage. Gohan got it all into a brown briefcase, and then he lugged it down the stairs, back to the obliterated living room, where he took one last hug from his mother with a final kiss on the cheek.

And then, he turned to the new stranger. "I can teach you." the stranger explained to Gohan. "The things that no one else told you about. About your power, about your dad too. One day we'll get the justice needed. Until then, please sit tight and keep with it. Things will get better. I promise, Gohan, the night is darkest just before the dawn. As long as you stand up and remember to keep going, you'll always be fine." Gohan sniffled, wiping his tears from his face. His eyes were red and puffy, and his vision was hazy. He was wearing in that moment a red trench coat over a black tank top and pants. It was starting to snow outside when the stranger and Gohan began walking. Gohan drew his hood up, and the stranger opened an umbrella. King followed along without the usual cheer, and as the mother watched, soon the three had vanished into the distance.


~Chapter 3: Fear to Learn

The stranger that took me was named John. He and my dad (Mu Sasori) were business partners in the company they were worked, Death Inc. The two of them were Executives on the board, for at that time the order of things was different. They worked importantly under a man named "Death." Their jobs varied I found out, from assassination, to espionage, to corporate takeover. They were securing a monopoly for Death Inc, for everything to secretly fall into control of that company. They wanted to promote it to be the largest organization in the world, and the one that did successfully run the world, among other goals. They had a dream of a perfect world, one that I know now was probably unrealistic. They worked hard towards it anyway, as John explained to me on the plane while we moved to his home country of England. That was where he'd train me. I remember the very first day clearly. . .

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. . .For it was Christmas morning when John took Gohan out to a snow covered clearing in his backyard, the backyard of an enormous mansion. The yard was easily the size of a town. He had plenty of space there, and the only thing around for all that space was trees, snow, and beautiful sunlight, crackling once again as the rays dispersed themselves, stretching thin across the world with the gaze of the golden eye. Gohan's first impression of what he saw was that it was a rather empty and depressing place, but John was smiling confidently while the ten year old took a few steps in. He was observing as Gohan made himself feel at home by taking in the view, and then continued to smirk as Gohan finally turned to him, his eyes still sad because of the recent events of the last few days.

"You're going to learn how to use your special power today, Gohan!" John declared then, his eyes filled with a burning confidence that he could pound that kind of thing into the boy. On the way, he'd explained the concept of Reiatsu, and of spirits that Gohan had seen his whole life. He also explained the concept of Chi, and what it was and what it could do. That Chi had been a power Mu had used, a power that John still did use. And it was a power that Gohan had the potential to unlock. With John's help, Gohan would become strong enough to find the justice that he wanted for that guy. "This is the road to manhood, Gohan. It will be full of troubles and hardships. You will find all sorts of pain. Do you have the strength to keep going, anyway?" Gohan's eyes glazed over for a moment, but then he looked back at John. "Shut up and start me."


"You only get one clue. Survive by unlocking your Soul State today. Soul State is unlocked through a memory that's important to you. Soul Stae is unlocked through pride." At that, John pulled out a handgun, which suddenly turned into a handgun with ten different barrels, something huge. A red orb generated in front of it as he squeezed the trigger, and a powerful burst of red light shot at it. Gohan jumped out of the way with a scream. He hadn't expected this! He hadn't known that this was what was going to be happen! He started running away, screaming in fear. "I...I DON'T WANT TO DIE...! PLEASE STOP...!" he cried. I'm really going to die! he thought. "You cocky shit. You thought you were going to have an easy road? I told you! There's nothing but hardships on the road to manhood! So grow the hell up, or I'm going to kill you!" John shouted.

Gohan kept running while John walked after him, taking large steps so that he could keep up. By luck alone, Gohan managed to dodge John's powerful beams of red. He saw what happened to those that got hit, for a tree that was struck by the beam disintegrated, turning to ash instantly. Gohan kept running and panting. He was running surprisingly was not out of stamina. "I DON'T WANNA DIIEEEE!!!! PLEASE! I SURRENDER!" he kept screaming. John didn't even give him the honor or dignity of a lecture. He kept shooting. Gohan knew that he had to find a way to survive, then. That was the only way. He was scared, and he was running. While he was running, he had to think. My...pride...! What's my pride? The things dear to me is this pendant from my mom...And my pride is...is...I DON'T KNOW! He couldn't figure it out.

The beam got so close that it tore the buttons of his coat, which flew off and away under the force of the attack. He was left in that snowy area with his tank top and pants. He tried to run, he did, but the beam got closer with every shot. My pride! What's my pride?! I want justice. I want to punch Kuuragi! I want to punish and kill him! That's what it is! Gohan stopped and closed his eyes. He was focusing on that thought. The mental image of that hated man being beaten to a bloody pulp. Suddenly, energy shot out of Gohan in a column, and it exploded into the sky. John jumped back, and held both of his hands out as the column spread towards him. A counter of energy danced around, and two columns of energy fused together, making a beacon to the sky. As it started to fade, Gohan looked down to see it. He was wearing weird looking exuding a small force of energy.

~Chapter 4: Growing Up

Time flew by after I got it. My soul state' power augmented my own, but it took me two years to unlock the ability too fully utilize it. A power that releases one's spiritual energy like the opening of a tap in order too strengthen the user too extreme levels. That's what my Soul State does. It's all a bit complicated. While I was practicing with it, I was coached and aided for that time by John. I still held onto the naive thought that I would see my mother again. After two years, I should have figured that I'd never get the chance that I wanted to again. To see that happiness. After two years, John told me that I should return to Japan, to Karakura Town. I wasn't strong enough to fight, yet, he reasoned, but I should go be with my mother. He'd never gotten word from her that she was ready for me to come back, though. He also thought something was wrong, that's why he was sending me back. He said he had business, but that he'd soon follow. Getting back, I was horrified. . .

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...By the sight he saw. Gohan walked into the house, declaring "I'm home!" in awaiting for his mother to run out of the fully fixed kitchen, smiling and throwing her arms around him. That never happened, though. Gohan, now wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt, was greeted by silence, until he saw the blood everywhere. Blood was on the walls, and blood was on the floor and everything. He gasped in horror, and ran into that same kitchen, where he found his mother lying on her side, blood visibly drained out of her. "N...No!" he exclaimed. She looked like she'd been attacked by something. But, looking at the knife in her hand, he knew the truth. Attempted suicide. He could see she was still breathing, but that she had given up and tried to abandon this world. When she looked up, her eyes widened. But she couldn't say anything.

"Mom...sit tight..." Gohan muttered. "I'm going...to try to fix you." John had earlier tried a trick of putting his hand against Gohan's body, and drawing out energy from Gohan's reistu to try to heal him. It was a healing technique, and what Gohan didn't understand was that he wouldn't be capable of it. Putting his hands on his mother's back, he closed his eyes, sensing her energy. He tried to push his soul state's energy in, grabbing at what felt like her soul, and pulling out all of the energy that he could. It was like he was trying to force soul state into awakening in his mother. That was the wrong thing to do. It was Winter again, almost Christmas again, and so the snow and icicles and sunlight made everything beautiful in Karakura even though chaos happened again. Black energy and shock waves shot Gohan away from his mother, who started forcefully having a fit.

Seizures and spasms hit her body as it began to bubble grotesquely. The skin dried up and tightened around the bones as she doubled in length along the torso, spider legs ripping out of her abdomen. Her head turned upside down as it faced Gohan, fangs growing out of it and her hair falling out, her eyes glowing an evil red. Gohan stared. This was what a failed Soul state looked like. "M...Mom...What did I to you?!" He started crying, in much the same way he had when his dad died, and when he was separated from his mother. He didn't get what was happening. This was how it started. His mom turning into that demonic thing. It rushed at Gohan, trying to bite and kill him. He rolled out of the way, screaming. King stepped into the house then, yipping, and Gohan's mother hissed, lashing out at the puppy. "NO!" Kento screamed, his Soul State forming.

He blasted himself into the way, and one of the spider legs stabbed him while his Mom bit him. Gohan cried while blood came out of his stomach and his mouth. "M...Mom..." he cried. "I'm so so sorry, Mom...I'm so sorry..." He punched into her head with full force, slamming his fist there. It lodged in, and he held it for 3 seconds. He felt his arm start to shake because of that. The head exploded, and the rest of the body shattered into pieces. Gohan kept crying. He'd been forced to kill his own mother just then. "W...what did I do...?" he asked to anyone who was listening. He fell to his knees crying tears of shame and guilt. He was crying diamonds of pain. His face planted against the floor. He didn't know what to do. He thought that since he'd been hurt, he should just bleed out and die there. Forget revenge or justice. Gohan had done that sort of thing to his own mom.

He was found there shortly after by John, who finally got there to look at the scene of horror. He healed Gohan, who could not even speak. He didn't realize, but the process had had its own negative effects on him too. His mother's claw had left a scar over his eye which john healed, and it had turned Gohan's hair black. He kept screaming as soon as Gohan found him, and he screamed even while he was asleep and John watched over him. Gohan didn't stop screaming until John finally knocked him out to try to calm him down. Then, asleep for days. Gohan went into a deep hazy trance for days, and stayed there, ignoring the beauty of the world in favor of the ugliness of his nightmares. Everything was just all so sad. Everything was evil. He saw the world at that time as darkness. It was nothing but horrible.

~Chapter 5: Sadness and Sin

I was horrified at what I'd done. That wasn't the end of my misdeeds, though. No, I had other sins that I later committed. One of these was against Kuuragi. He was a man, too, after all. He had a family. He had a wife and kids. He had two daughters, ages six and four. I remember that because I went searching for him in vengeance when John was out. I woke up with numbness and anger, and I went searching. I found his house, and peered in through the window. I saw him eating dinner happily with his family, laughing with them. Lovingly. That was something I should have been doing. But he swooped in, and he took them from me. He killed my family, he took them from me! I couldn't stand the thought that he got this kind of happiness when he deprived me of my own. I saw that sight, and I stared for hours. When Kuuragi went out, I feel as if I fell asleep when he was gone. When I awoke, opening my eyes. . .

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. . .A horrible sight lay before Gohan. All over his hands and body, blood. Yet there was not a single wound on his body. He was in a house that was burning, and full of destruction. Though it was spring then, so flowers and sakura blossoms drifted through the air. The cloudless blue sky added to the wonders as white and pink petals continued to cascade down. The sun reflected off of these too. Even despite that burning house, with all of the destruction, the world stayed beautiful. Violin music could be heard from a stereo upstairs, which had survived. Even with the beautiful world, there was blood all over the house. The corpses of two little girls were crushed in everywhere, and their blood was splattered across the walls. The same was true of a grown woman. Gohan was shaking and sobbing when he finally realized what had happened.

He'd killed them. They were innocent. They didn't do it. Kuuragi did. Two innocent little girls and an innocent woman. Three people that didn't do anything, and he'd killed them mercilessly in cold blood. Judging by the wounds, it looked like he'd done it slowly and made it as painful as possible. Gohan was horrified at what he'd done. He kept shaking violently, not even sure what to do. They...they were innocent! W...what have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Gohan grabbed his temples, screaming. He couldn't stop screaming, either. It was horrible! He bashed his face into the wall while his tears streamed. They were streamlining from his face in wild, boars across a field in a stampede. He couldn't stop them from coming, and he couldn't stop the violent shakes that had his body. What had he done?

A hand rested on Gohan's shoulder. John had found him. Gohan screamed wordlessly, punching towards John. It was John's fault! He'd given Gohan this power! And Gohan had used it to murder innocents! Then, coming to after a swift round house kick from John stunned him, Gohan fell to his knees crying once again. He was the one at fault. He was the one that had abused and used his own power for that kind of murder. It wasn't right what he'd done, and he didn't even know how he could fix it, if he could fix it. It was possible, wasn't it? No, it wasn't. He was an unforgivable murderer. Gohan was crying, and he couldn't stop. The beauty of the world...suddenly didn't seem to be there at all. But he knew he couldn't die either. That would be the easy way out. What he had to do was the hard way. Gohan had to live for the hardships. That was the only way to make up for it.

John embraced Gohan for the first time there, hugging the boy to comfort him. "You've chosen your path, haven't you, Gohan?" he murmured. Yes, Gohan had chosen his path. He'd chosen the path of right. He wasn't going to allow these kinds of things to happen anymore. He wasn't so arrogant that he'd try to save the world. But, what he could do, he could try his hardest to set things right in a small way. Gohan couldn't even save himself from his emotions, so he wasn't sure what it would be like to try to save other people. He thought though, that maybe he could work for the cause that his parents had. For peace. A peaceful and blissful world would be a great thing to work towards, even if it took many years. Even if he had to give his life up, he'd work for Death Inc now. He knew that he was willing to. "I...want to work with Death Inc..." Gohan admitted.

"Not to save the world with peace or anything...but to help the people trying to do that. I want to live to a happy tomorrow, where no one has to lose themselves to all of this pain..." He wasn't sure what to call that kind of goal. It wasn't even his own goal, just his retribution. He did things because he had to. It was out of necessity. That beautiful melody wouldn't stop playing. The one on the stereo upstairs. He'd heard it playing this whole time, and it had probably even been playing when he'd killed everyone here today. In Gohan's mind perhaps, there was nothing he could do about what he'd done here today. He'd just have to keep on walking, and then do what it was that he could. That was his life now. Even from the age of 12, he knew. This was something he had to do. John nodded, then. "We'll begin your advanced training in one week. You have that time to sort your emotions out."

~Chapter 6: Agony

It was far beyond what I'd ever expected to feel. And only now do I finally understand what John told me when we first met. That the adventure I was embarking on was the road to manhood. It was full of hardships and troubles that I'd have to overcome. I'd thought for a while that I was strong enough to overcome these things. When I got my Soul State, I thought that do-or-die was the worst thing that would happen to me. And then I thought later that if someone close to me died, that would be the worst. I'd experienced some of the worse feelings there that day. Being the murderer of the innocent, doing it in cold blood. That was the worst for me. Carrying these things on my back...I wasn't sure at the time if I could. I carry them even today. I have to. A year passed to mark my 13th year, and that was when I returned home, where I lived with John, to find a horrible sight. It was. . .

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. . .The same sight as that day three years ago. With the house roof gone, and the flames everywhere. Once again, there was a beautiful world, but it was Spring now. Just as the flower petals drifted on the air, so too did the ash. Black and white and pink all together, and this time in the night. With the full moon shining its radiant white light, a ghost's pale smile. Perhaps beautiful was the wrong word for the scene. Even despite that was happening, it was truly magnificent, just as it had been before. Three years ago had seen this happen during Winter in the day, and now it happened again in Spring at night, three years later. Of course, the same man stood to observe the scene. This was the one in the black suit and with the hair, the same man that had given that smile and those words all those years ago as well. Even with his family dead, he was smiling.

He'd probably already grieved for them, and gotten to the point where he could smile falsely. He was holding yet another corpse with a broken neck and a blasted open head. The horrified face of John was there. Kento was watching with cold eyes this time, eyes that had matured and become strong over three years. Kuuragi tossed John's corpse aside, and flew down to greet Gohan. No words were exchanged in between them, yet. It was a quiet, and somber moment between two people that probably hated each other. Gohan, who had seen his father murdered by Kuuragi, his mother ruined by the situation, and now his master killed. Kuuragi, whose family had been destroyed in cold blood by Gohan. The two of them were eye to eye, even if Kuuragi was taller by a foot or so. They were still relatively even in that scale.

Kuuragi's smile was the thing Gohan noticed the most when he saw it up close. It wasn't a smile that belonged to a man filled with grief or hatred or the need for vengeance. It looked calm, relaxed. It was a peaceful gaze. Kuuragi's smile was...real. It wasn't a false smile like Gohan had given when he was eleven. He'd been unable to smile for real because of his grief. Actually he was still having a hard time smiling. Gohan watched Kuuragi's eyes too. They were gleeful, calm. They sparkled in the beautiful Spring night. Gohan didn't understand it at all while he watched Kuuragi. The two kept watching each other, and the happiness plainly visible on Kuuragi's face was evident now. Was he happy that he'd killed John? Was he happy that Gohan was so filled with hatred because of the things he'd done?! The more he looked at Kuuragi, the more the hatred began to fill him.

Kento's third soul state was out quickly, and he smashed into Kuuragi at his greatest speed. He'd risked damage to his own body by holding the punch for two full seconds, and he jammed his fist at Kuuragi. Almost instantly, Kuuragi had identical skills and gloves, except with red domes instead of blue, and he was blocking Gohan's punch. A hole exploded into existence under Kuuragi because of the force of Gohan's strike, and it sent him down into it, deeply in. Gohan landed on his feet just at the edge of the hole. "Get up. You're not allowed to die until I'm satisfied that you've paid for your misdeeds." Gohan said, his eyes filled with anger and hate as he glared into the hole. Kuuragi shot out of the hole suddenly, and punched Gohan in the face. He was faster than Gohan. When the punch connected, Gohan felt his body spasm and go immobile, and he flew backwards, skidding.

Kuuragi landed on top of him, knees pinning the chest, fist over Gohan's face. Kuuragi didn't look badly injured, and he still couldn't stop smiling. "Finish it, then. Finish what you started three years ago, Kuuragi." Gohan said. Kuuragi smiled, and patted Gohan on the head, his gloves disappearing. When he patted Gohan's head, he stood up. "I'm so happy." he admitted, turning away from Gohan, though Gohan caught tears of joy actually falling out of Kuuragi's eyes. He didn't understand anymore! It was like Kuuragi was mocking him! Gohan felt rage and hate burning even worse than before. "You've gotten so strong...Little Brother..." Gohan's eyes widened, the flames of the house nearby reflected in them. "W...What did you say?!" Gohan stammered. Kuuragi turned to him, despite the tears he'd been hiding. "Come to me on October the 15th in this same place, when the moon is at its highest." He disappeared in a flash of black light, and dark red smoke was all that could be seen.

~Chapter 7: Face

That's what he told me. We were brothers. When I saw his face, and paid attention to it, I saw my brother in it. The eldest, that's who I remember seeing there. Kuuragi Sotowa. He'd been a politician for 5 years only when he killed my dad. I remember it, now. A year after my brothers both left the house, I remember my parents discussing it, a conversation I'd forgotten about. They talked about my brothers, and how the path they'd chosen was a path my father would disown them for. They were never welcome back. I suppose that when I was waiting for the visit they promised in their letter, that's what they'd met. Kuuragi Sotowa was actually Goten Sasori. I saw the eyes and face, and I don't know how I failed to recognize him before. He'd changed so much in 6 years, I suppose, even more so in a total of 9. And, I remember the night I fought him, just before my birthday. It was. . .

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Once again, it was beautiful, but different this time. At last, everything had ceased to blossom and had fallen, and the dried leaves of the Autumn existed in surplus as they drifted. Carried by the wind and brought across the air, reflective of the moon's beautiful pale rays cast by the crescent grin of the Swiss cheese, they hummed a sorrowful song in a vocal hymn. The hymn of a young girl, otherworldly and beautiful, played in Gohan's head. Where it came from, he did not know. He could only enjoy it as he took in the scenery, seeing that this time the house had not been fixed. It was left in ruin. He'd lived elsewhere, in a rented out room for the last few months. He'd trained in solitude, preparing himself for a time when he would kill Kuuragi, though he was more uncertain than before, now. It wasn't the same hatred. It was a necessity again.

He had to serve unbiased justice, that was why. Gohan saw his older brother at that time, sitting on what was left of the house chimney, humming the same sad song that Gohan hummed. That was it. Their mother had used it as a lullaby when they were younger. "What happened to Daichi?" Gohan asked quietly when Kuuragi glided from the rooftop, landing on his feet in front of Gohan. Daichi of course was their brother. He was the middle brother. Though Daichi and Ken'Ichi had been twins, Daichi was the younger by five minutes. "He died." Kuuragi replied sadly. "I watched him burst into flames at the hands of someone strong. Someone from an underground syndicate." Gohan was interested now, even though he'd thought whatever Kuuragi said must be lies. Somehow, he believed it. He saw the sorrow in Kuuragi's eyes this time.

"Daichi and I...discovered this organization, a complete opposite to the one dad worked for. It's stronger than Death Inc, but dad wouldn't listen to us when we said to get out while he could. So together, the two of us decided to fight instead of escape. We entered this organization, and infiltrated it to a high level. But, Daichi lost his nerve, and betrayed the boss. The boss killed him that night while I watched. After that, they ordered me to kill dad. I've been inside for 9 years, and I don't see a way it can be beaten right now. I killed dad, and I spared mom and I spared you. I just...I just wanted you to become strong, Gohan. So that...I wouldn't have to lose my little brother. So that...you could be strong enough to survive when they finally start to move."

Goten." Gohan cut off. "I understand your sentiments now. But I can't be biased. That's not what I was taught. I can't forgive you for what you did. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. Your actions have consequences." His third soul state would activate his hair spiking upward and a fierce flame like aura coming about him. "I'm...going to kill you tonight." Kuuragi smiled at Gohan, a cleansed smile of joy. Tears dropped out of his eyes again, just like months ago when he'd first told Gohan the truth. "I know that, Gohan. I just...wanted you to know...before I died. I was going to have you fight me to prove your strength, anyway. So you can kill me for my crimes. So you can show me that you can live on your own." Gohan sighed and exhaled as Kuuragi's soul state formed too. They had similar powers, but Gohan was the one who was destined to win, of course.

He shot forwards regretfully, punching at Kuuragi really quickly. Kuuragi side stepped, and punched towards Gohan, pushing him forwards while he aimed both hands at Kuuragi. "AHHHH." he said as beam of energy shoot from his hands, and a huge blast of massive force hit Kuuragi. Some sort of defense was not manageable for Kuuragi, and he smiled as his bones started to snap and crumble and then shatter. His body was ruined, and Gohan had to tear his hands out of firing position to dull the force and spare his brother from being blown apart into blood and guts. Kuuragi fell to the ground, laying there on his back with blood everywhere. His bones had snapped and torn through the skin to be visible too. He was in a shape of pain and death. He was dying.

He seemed like he could ignore the pain, though. "I'm so glad...Gohan..." Kuuragi whispered. "You're definitely...strong enough to survive." Gohan couldn't help but cry as he rushed over to his brother, holding him up after killing him. The two of them looked into each other's eyes. Kuuragi held up his hands, putting them over Gohan's. The soul states melted away, turning into reiatsu that entered Gohan's body. "I'm...giving you my power too...so you can unlock an even greater power." Kuuragi said. It started beating and pulsing as Gohan's mind became flooded with new feeling he had more of a lust for battle everything was different. He stared in shock, but didn't scream because Kuuragi cut him off. "Don't be frightened. That's the resolve we all share. To face death, and overcome it. We're not going to die arrogantly for any stupid cause. We're going to get the world dad wanted, and live through to see it happily with our pack."


~Chapter 8: Finale

It's strange. All the hatred for my brother dissipated when I learned the truth, but no new hatred formed in its place. I wasn't sure what to feel. I was rather empty about it. I didn't have anywhere to put my emotions, so I channeled it into my tears as my brother talked to me, of course. I got to have one last conversation with my older brother, and there are stories that he told me, memories he shared that are too precious for me to divulge. But I will say this much. From my story and his story together, I learned about the weight of the world. I learned that sometimes, it's best to keep walking, and never look back. Don't hesitate, just keep going. Forge ahead to a bright new tomorrow, carve your path through the world. And one day, you'll find that which you're looking for. That's what I know for certain. It's what I learned from my brother. And I remember what he said too. . .

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. . ."Keep up with school, Gohan. Finish it, get a good education, and then strive for your dreams." Gohan's eyes were teary as Kuuragi spoke to him for the last time, the two brothers watching the moon together as dried leaves drifted across the air. "I...I will. I've studied hard all these years too..." Gohan said, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. Reunited with a brother he'd hated, and then torn apart again by fate. And yet, there was no hatred. Gohan didn't feel anything of the sort. Everything was so beautiful, but nothing was the way it should be. Gohan realized that, now. He saw that there was a lot to the world that he'd have to overcome still. He'd be strong for it, and these would be the last tears that he would let himself shed. He'd cried so much throughout his time, that he didn't think he could afford to let any more tears out.

He learned that the world was unfair, and that it was cruel. He learned that there was corruption and evil everywhere in the world, and that at heart mankind is full of darkness. The world that he witnessed was a world that was rotting, and there was nothing anyone could do about that other than destroy those that made it rot, humanity. However, there were good qualities too. Music, and song. Stories, and friends and family. The bonds and the fun times. Some things made life worth living, and made the world a much better place. It was definitely a time when Kento could finally mature, for he was realizing all of these things, now. He was ready to strive forwards towards a brighter and better tomorrow, one which he would help to forge. He probably wasn't strong enough to make it himself, and that was why he would back up the people that were.

A bell tolled in the distance off far away somewhere, and Kuuragi looked up at Gohan. "Happy birthday, Gohan. . ." he said with a smile, wishing his brother that good wish for the very last time. Gohan was not going to cry anymore, but he looked down with sad eyes as he turned 16. It had cost 6 years, this whole adventure. Now though, he was going to become mature and strong to do that which he wanted. He'd return to a normal life again, and he'd live it right. He was going to go too school and he was going to try for a future. Everything was telling him to do so. He had to be strong and mature, have a flame of a confidence to know that he really could do just about anything. If he could do these things, he could really make people and himself happy. That was how he'd make retribution for what he'd done in crime, and it was how he'd honor Kuuragi and the others dead.

Kuuragi smiled, and then his eyes shut. He closed them, and let his life drift away. Gohan buried his face in his brother's destroyed chest, and waited there for around an hour. Even then, he waited a little while longer. Then he stood up, and he went into the house to get a shovel. Gohan returned, and started to dig a large hole. It took him hours, and cost him much of his strength. Day was beginning to break by the time he had a large and deep enough hole for the two of them, John and Kuuragi. He gently dragged both of them into the hole, laying them in there. He then had to put all of the dirt back in and settle it, and this he did. He was covered in dirt and filth by this time, and his face was just dirty in general. Gohan's black hair was full of specs of brown as well. His soul state had already turned off, and his eyes were accepting again.

Gohan walked back into the house, finding the one bathroom that was not destroyed, and he turned on the shower. Luckily, the water was still running in that house. He cleaned himself well, rinsing off the past, and cleansing himself for the future. Donning new clothes that he found laying around, leaving the house and continuing to walk, Gohan pressed forwards. He didn't stop walking, and continued on into the future. l Today Gohan lives alone in a new house in Karakura Town supported by money left behind by his parents, and by Kuuragi. He started Karakura Public High School as a freshman, and is now a sophomore. He has made many new friends over the last year, and relies on and loves them above all else, though no one especially has a special place in his heart. He still has King, and he continues to strive for the better future. He was a PEA in Death Inc for a time, working for a peace, and accepting missions on his own terms, only. Later, he later quit after it wa disbanded. But to him, the future now looks brighter than ever.