Blecker x Dragonball

Train! The room beyond time and spirit

Goku had gathered the others at the Lookout. "The Cell Games begin in 10 days. We've given all we can, but there's one more trick we can use."

He led them to a small building at the center of the Lookout. "In here, you can get a year of training in a day. It's an intense experience. When I went there as a child, I could only handle a month. But maybe if we go in pairs, we can survive an entire year. While out here, only a day will have passed."

Vegeta grabbed Future Trunks with a huff and stepped into the room. "Then we're going first. You guys can wait a day and figure out the order of the rest of you."

No one had time to react before the door slammed shut behind them. Cross looked nervous. "What is this room like?"

Goku gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. "It's a giant white void with nothing in it. The further you go out, the heavier the gravity gets."

Cross looked even more nervous. "I'm not sure I'm cut out for that. I'm not good with isolation. It forces me to face my past, and I'm really not in a headspace where I can do that."

"Because of the black hole?" Goku asked.

She nodded. "If I'm alone with my own thoughts for too long, I remember the black hole and just how helpless I was."

"Tch," 17 scoffed. "What black hole?"

Cross took a long breath and explained her story to those who didn't know it, mainly 16, 17, and the gladiators.

"Your entire home wiped out by a cosmic horror... that's hard to process," Brisket said in a muted voice.

"It's why we joined to fight Frieza. His cruelty and disregard for the billions of lives on a planet that he can casually destroy gripped the universe in fear," Charizo added.

"Destroying a planet isn't even that hard," Nappa explained. "At this point, even Puar is strong enough to destroy a planet."

"But she wouldn't. That's the point. Having the strength to do it is different from casually doing it because someone looked at you the wrong way," Charizo countered.

Nappa nodded. "No, I get what you guys are saying. I'm just saying that level of power... we've long since passed it."

16 stepped forward, placing a hand on Cross's shoulder. "I will go with you to help ground you."

Cross gave a small smile. "In my travels, I've met quite a few kind machines. I think you'd get along with them. I'll bring my tools and see what I can do to upgrade you as well."

16 gave a small smile. "That is much appreciated."

##############

The room was an oppressive, endless field of white. Just inside the entryway, there were a couple of beds and some food, but nothing else—just endless white. As Cross and 16 ventured out into it, they felt the oppressive gravity. The further they went, the stronger the gravity and the more endless the white seemed. The oppressive gravity made every movement a struggle, their muscles ached, and the air felt heavy and hard to breathe. Even near the entry, where ten times gravity had become second nature, the emptiness made Cross's heart race. The silence was deafening, with no sound or echo, as if the void swallowed everything. Even when they spoke, their words seemed to fall off and vanish into the silence after just a few meters, not carrying beyond the immediate space they were in. The white stretched out infinitely, with no landmarks or points of reference, making it feel like they were floating in nothingness.

At first, the two were committed and began training. But after only a few days in the void, Cross turned back, heading for the door.

"I-I can't do this, 16. I can't endure this emptiness. It's too much like what I've lost—the endless void of nothing. I can't do this."

16 remained stoic and calm. "You struggle because you've always had to ignore loneliness and push on for the sake of others. Your journey began because you were left alone, but you are not alone. Even though we are here, committed for a year, remember, you are not alone. The others are waiting for you back outside to see your new strength, and I am here, as are your memories."

Cross held her chest and moved to the bed to sit. "Y-you're right, I know that. But I don't know if I can keep it together. I can't go back to being alone."

16 nodded. "Then share your burden with me. I will listen, and together we will push through."

Cross took a long breath. "Thank you, 16."

##################

It had only been a day to them when Cross and 16 emerged. The Ranger ran to those gathered, wrapping her arms around them, tears streaming down her face. She could not be happier to be out of that place. The vibrant colors and sounds of the Lookout were a stark contrast to the oppressive emptiness of the chamber. Those who had been through it before understood her feelings. They had faced the void and oppressive loneliness and come out the other end, but not unscathed. Sure, they were stronger, but that year of loneliness had taken a toll on them. As they emerged and felt the overwhelming power of Cell, they were reminded why they made the journey in the first place.

Goku and Gohan soon emerged, surprising everyone by being in Super Saiyan form casually, which they then maintained for the rest of their time.

Several understood what they were doing, or why. Cross had been in that place, a new power, overwhelming and uncontrollable, that you had to force yourself to master. She saw it in them; she knew how demanding and destructive Super Saiyan was. To see them fighting with that destructive nature, all while trying to simply exist, was a true test of character. To truly master Super Saiyan, you had to be able to control your emotions.

Chichi was not taking it well. That devilish blonde hair and those demonic blue eyes haunted her memories from Namek. It seemed like her son was drifting away from her. He wasn't in this demonic form trying to play nice. He was in that form making tea every day. He seemed to drift further and further away from her.

They only had a couple of days left before the ultimatum was up, before they had to make their appearance down on Earth. The world champion was making a big bravado about saving the planet from the evil Cell.

In truth, his strength was impressive for someone who was only human and had no mastery of ki. Cross would even find him impressive on her world.

But for Chichi, seeing her son and her husband shifting so far away from what she knew, she was reaching her breaking point.

"Gohan, you wash that damn blonde out of your hair. You know how dangerous that form is. And no turning into a girl. You're my boy; you need to act like it, not... not a delinquent."

The outburst happened during a dinner that Cross was invited to. At first, she was going to speak up to defend him, even apologize for teaching him. But Gohan defended himself.

"Mom, it's okay. I know all these changes are scary. I was on Namek too. When Ted transformed, I know how scary this form looks to those not experiencing it. But I know my other form seems like I'm drifting away from you, but I promise you, Mom, I'm still me. I still want to become a scholar and make you proud, but I also have a home to protect, just like Cross, just like we all did. This is not something we can just ignore."

Chichi broke down into tears. "I'm scared, Gohan. I don't want you to fight. I don't want you to die. Cell is terrifying, and we don't even know his limits. But he's also taken a friend of ours and is threatening our home. I know we can't ignore him, but I still..."

Gohan comforted his mother. "No matter what the future brings, we are the Son family. We will make it through."

Goku smiled, pulling them both into a hug. Cross tried to slip away unnoticed, not wanting to interfere in this family moment.

"Where are you going, Miss Cross?"

She coughed. "This isn't my place to step in."

Chichi smiled, beckoning her. "Don't be ridiculous. Without you, I wouldn't have my son and husband. You're part of the family."

Cross dried a tear as Goku pulled her in.