Gohan didn't respond immediately, his gaze back on the battlefield. His entire body tense, as he watched the exchange between Cell and his father. He knew how this all went down, this was his memory, after all. Which was why he couldn't help but shift his gaze over to one of the specs standing by the cliffside... a young blonde boy with a white cape, who was much too young to be here.
"Alright, time for you to take over!" Goku called out, as if it was just a normal occurrence, and not the end of the world at stake. "... Gohan."
On the outside, it looked like they were evenly matched. But as it turned out, my dad was giving it his all, while Cell was just humoring him. I... didn't really think that could be true, since my dad was the strongest fighter I knew, but...
Goku flew up to the cliffs then, standing in front of the younger Gohan. And even though the conversation was far away, Gohan himself could hear it plain as day, meaning Videl could too. "You're up for this, right?"
"M-Me... take him on...? I-I don't--"
"This is madness, Goku! There's no way the boy can win!" Piccolo suddenly cut in, looking absolutely livid. And just like that, both Gohan and Videl were right there, as part of the group, watching the scene unfold. "I'll admit, Gohan's abilities are far beyond what they used to be... but you're pitting him up against a foe even you couldn't beat!"
"Listen, you have to trust me," Goku cut in, still sounding like he wasn't worried. "Gohan has a power within him that's greater than anything you could possibly imagine."
Goku turned to look at his son, all the while the older Gohan couldn't help but tense at the words being spoken.
"Just think about it for a second... he's been fighting alongside us ever since he was little, against some of the toughest enemies around. I remember what I was like back when I was his age. I wasn't half as strong, not even close."
I didn't do it because I wanted to. I did it because I had to.
"Hey, come on man," Krillin cut in. "It's great that he's already a Super Saiyan, but what you're asking is..." He turned to glance at Gohan, more than a little worried. "It's kind of a tall order... right?"
The older Gohan took a deep breath, closing his eyes. As much as he thought he was prepared for this, he wasn't having the greatest time hearing all these things over again. Arguing over why he should fight, why he shouldn't. Treating his power like a tool to be used, at an age when he... didn't really know what he wanted.
Goku knelt in front of the younger Gohan then, speaking softly. "What do you think? Did you see Cell hit me with anything you couldn't handle? Did you see me go at him with anything you don't have?"
"... I... I don't think so, no..." Gohan stammered, hesitant. "But you were both holding back, right? I'm sure it'd be a lot different if you were going all out."
"I don't know about Cell, but I was giving it everything I had..." Goku answered, before placing both hands on Gohan's shoulders. "You thought I was holding back, because the whole time you were gauging my energy against your own."
... He's right. I thought he was holding back, because he was weaker than me, and I thought there was no way that could be right.
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"Alright, time for you to take over!" Goku called out, as if it was just a normal occurrence, and not the end of the world at stake. "... Gohan."
On the outside, it looked like they were evenly matched. But as it turned out, my dad was giving it his all, while Cell was just humoring him. I... didn't really think that could be true, since my dad was the strongest fighter I knew, but...
Goku flew up to the cliffs then, standing in front of the younger Gohan. And even though the conversation was far away, Gohan himself could hear it plain as day, meaning Videl could too. "You're up for this, right?"
"M-Me... take him on...? I-I don't--"
"This is madness, Goku! There's no way the boy can win!" Piccolo suddenly cut in, looking absolutely livid. And just like that, both Gohan and Videl were right there, as part of the group, watching the scene unfold. "I'll admit, Gohan's abilities are far beyond what they used to be... but you're pitting him up against a foe even you couldn't beat!"
"Listen, you have to trust me," Goku cut in, still sounding like he wasn't worried. "Gohan has a power within him that's greater than anything you could possibly imagine."
Goku turned to look at his son, all the while the older Gohan couldn't help but tense at the words being spoken.
"Just think about it for a second... he's been fighting alongside us ever since he was little, against some of the toughest enemies around. I remember what I was like back when I was his age. I wasn't half as strong, not even close."
I didn't do it because I wanted to. I did it because I had to.
"Hey, come on man," Krillin cut in. "It's great that he's already a Super Saiyan, but what you're asking is..." He turned to glance at Gohan, more than a little worried. "It's kind of a tall order... right?"
The older Gohan took a deep breath, closing his eyes. As much as he thought he was prepared for this, he wasn't having the greatest time hearing all these things over again. Arguing over why he should fight, why he shouldn't. Treating his power like a tool to be used, at an age when he... didn't really know what he wanted.
Goku knelt in front of the younger Gohan then, speaking softly. "What do you think? Did you see Cell hit me with anything you couldn't handle? Did you see me go at him with anything you don't have?"
"... I... I don't think so, no..." Gohan stammered, hesitant. "But you were both holding back, right? I'm sure it'd be a lot different if you were going all out."
"I don't know about Cell, but I was giving it everything I had..." Goku answered, before placing both hands on Gohan's shoulders. "You thought I was holding back, because the whole time you were gauging my energy against your own."
... He's right. I thought he was holding back, because he was weaker than me, and I thought there was no way that could be right.
"Gohan, answer me. Is this true?" Piccolo asked.
"... Y-Yeah..."