A Saiyan's Journey

~48 Years Later

Goku woke up, and wasn't able to shake the feeling that something was wrong. He had the body of a 28 year old man, who worked out heavily. All of his muscles shone through his well-fit shirt, making him look even stronger than he was. He heard a laugh that sent chills down his spine. He got up, and was unhappily surprised to find that it was still dark outside. He caught a quick glimpse of the moon, and looked away using all his self control. It was much darker than usual, almost unnaturally. Even so, he couldn't help but be worried. He looked around as to try to pinpoint Celestia’s location. Then, he saw, more like felt her presence. He got up and flew to her position. She was on the ground, seemingly in pain. He shook her a few times, and she came to her senses.

“Goku, Luna has started-“ but was cut off by a loud laughing, and he turned around. After the initial reaction, Goku was still having trouble believing that she was the shy, quiet, and quite frankly lonely younger sister of the now downed princess.

“What have you done to her?” Goku demanded, his cool composure never slipping.

“Oh, nothing. I wouldn't have had to do anything if not for her ignorance!” She said, spitting out the words with malice, and a hatred that Goku didn't think was her own doing.

Standing up, Goku slowly walked towards her. She took a step back, from the ferocity in his eyes. She then seemed to remember her place, and stepped back forwards, meeting his eyes with her own, cocky, arrogant ones. She brought up her hands in a quick flash, and Goku parried with his own. Both were moving at impossible speeds, each attack left a shock wave in its wake. All that could be seen by the untrained eye were disturbances in the air. The attacks were splintering windows, and rattling the concrete. Then the royal guards walked in, only to be stopped by the princess.

Goku’s POV

Why would she do this, we were friends! And, her sister… I wont forgive her. I walked over to her, barely able to contain my rage. She looked different, but that wasn't the biggest change. The energy given off was sinister in nature, and her eyes… they were that of a monster. I felt the attack coming before it did, and I blocked it with ease. Might as well enjoy the fight before I have to end it, I suppose. She bolted after me, and I sidestepped, my foot coming up as a reasonably slow speed. Apparently I put too much into it, because it went past her defense and hit her, sending her flying into the back wall. I rushed after, only to be surprised by a blast of energy going towards me. I blocked it, and decided that she shall pay for it immediately. I rushed to her with unparalleled speed, and she barely got a surprised look out before I hit her with all I had. Quickly she brought her own foot up, and I blocked that. Only for another blast to hit me square on the nose. I was cartwheeled on the ground, and we continued to match each other blow for blow. Little did she know I wasn't…

Nighmare’s POV

…Trying. Puh, this is all the little monkey has! Pathetic, I’ll take it up a notch.

“You ready to end the warm-up?” I asked with malice, awaiting the surprised answer.

“I was about to say the same thing!” To add emphasis on his obvious lie, he began stretching. Hah, as if! Those blows were feeble and meaningless,  just like his pitiful strength. Wait, somethings different about him. He is glowing red, what is that? His strength seems to be skyrocketing, lets see if we can have a little more fun, though only prolonging the inevitable. We both charged each other, and after several minutes, he seemed to be tiring. HAH, so this wont last long anyways.

“I thought we were done with the warm up!” he said, smiling at me. But his eyes told differently. There was a hatred, a burning desire to see me beaten, and save his friends. Too bad its futile. I simply raised my power to 60%, to try to scare him off. He muttered, “I’m sorry Celestia…” Before glowing a deeper red, and his muscles bulging even more. He screamed in agony, but he was matching my power! It was impossible! I powered up\, and he only smiled, before we both disappeared from the visible spectrum once again.

Celestia’s POV

It was incredible, Goku seemed to have the upper hand. I knew I trained him well, but this exceeds any and every expectation that I would have even thought possible. Then, he did it. He let his rage consume him, and started using the ancient ways. Using his internal energy to power up his strength. I told him not to, but this situation was dire enough. They disappeared, and all that was heard were the sonic booms that meant a successful hit. At the end, goku fell, defeated. He was out of energy, but nightmare was not in much better shape. Then she saw something that surprised her. Goku stood up. Any shred of doubt regarding goku’s strength, or determination was gone at this point, as he stood up. He knew he couldn’t win, he could barely walk. Sure, nightmare had taken her fair share of damage, but the odds were still in her favor. Then, she flew forwards at incredible speeds, and kicked him in the face. He collapsed on the ground, and the only sounds from him were those of slow breathing.

Nightmare advanced on Celestia, grin not contained any longer.

“I need to kill you now, for you have been nothing but an insuperable barrier to me. My greatness, my pride, everything that I have had, was crushed by you. You are nothing more than a figurehead  representing a cap on my bottle of greatness, the resistance to my brilliant plans.” She paused, and smiled, pointing back to Goku.

“And now, the filthy monkey can’t even save you from this.” No sooner had she said this, that an explosion was heard. The guards no longer were being restrained by a barrier that Celestia had put up, and had surrounded Nightmare. She looked around, grinning. “Well, your persistence is most admirable, as is your loyalty. But, this move was foolish.” She said, as she poked one of the guards on his helmet. He then had them raise their spears, and held them to her. Her only response was laughing as her bubble of magic shot outwards, launching the guards at the walls. The spears were still being held in place from her magic. The young son of Captain sparkle stood up, still the symbol of defiance. He looked at her, a smirk on his face. She looked at him, and a frown graced her face for only a moment, before every single spear (save one) was thrown at him. He dodged them, but one clipped his right quad, and scraped his thigh. He stood up, only to see a final spear launched at him, and saw no more.

Goku stood up, and ran to him, finding strength suddenly return to his body. He looked down at him, ignoring the jests of nightmare. He tried to speak to his old friend, but to no avail. He continued to try, long after he had passed. He then stood up, and turned around to face his killer.

Nightmare sighed in annoyance. ‘him again, how many times to I have to get that annoying pest?’ she thought to herself. Then, after what seemed to take ages, he stood up. Finally she though, before he turned around. Then she saw him. They say you can always see how people really feel through their eyes. She now new this to be true, as his eyes seemed to pierce right through her.  The blue irises could see right through her, and she new that she needed to stop him. He strode towards her, never breaking eye contact or blinking. She shot an immobilizing spell at him. He stopped for only a moment, before screaming at the top of his lungs. Around him was a new aura, one of gold, and of an unspoken power. His eyes still remained an icy blue, and his hair was spiky and golden. Rushing towards him at full speed, and threw a single, desperate punch but he caught her hand in mid punch. He then said to Celestia,

“She is not completely evil, and I do not want to have to kill your sister,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “However, I will say that I will not hesitate to if she leaves me no choice.” Seeing no choice in the matter, Celestia replied back in a choked whisper,

“Do what you must.” Goku then did a full 360 thrusting his leg into her belly, shattering her armour and launching her through the castle’s walls.

Nightmare was stunned at the new strength and speed he had acquired through his new transformation. She had never seen this side of him before, and through Luna’s memories, she never once saw him as anything special. She decided that she would not be beaten by some piece of alien trash, and her rage burst forth, causing her muscles to bulge mildly. Her aura was still a deep purple, but it let out a surprising amount of power. After several more bouts, she saw that nothing she did could stop him. So, she simply gave up, and said that she was ‘sorry’ to her sister for all she had done. After doing so, Goku calmed down, and the fiery gold aura around him disintegrated. He seemed no longer injured, as if that inner power had rejuvenated him. She saw her chance, and she pulled out a rather large combat knife, and grabbed for Goku, getting him pinned as she held the knife to his throat. “Don’t move, or he dies!” she said, putting extra emphasis on the last word. Goku just smiled and mouthed the words, ‘its okay’ to Celestia. Before she could react, he glowed gold, but with less intensity. He then began to disappear, and he and nightmare turned into a beam of rainbow, as they both were sent to the moon. Both in stone, on the moon. She smiled, as tears slowly left her eyes, leaving trails down her face. She didn't bother trying to hide them. She then went over to the fallen guard. She pulled his eyelids down, in a sign of respect. The years ahead would not be easy for her, and she now had to face them-

Alone