Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

The sun cast a warm golden glow over the landscape as Mori and Goku stood outside of their ship, both breathing in the fresh air of Earth after their long journey back from Yardrat. Mori glanced over at Goku, who was stretching his arms and enjoying the peace of home.

"So, about that medicine," Mori said, cutting through the silence. His tone was casual, but his eyes held a hint of concern. "Don't you think you should take that, buddy?"

Goku looked over at Mori, raising an eyebrow. "Well, yeah, but I don't feel like taking it right now," he replied with a nonchalant shrug, as though the warning about the heart virus hadn't been a big deal.

Mori just stared at him, dumbfounded, before letting out an awkward laugh. "Man, you're something else." He shook his head, knowing better than to press the issue. If Goku wasn't ready to take it, there was no changing his mind for now.

"Alright," Mori sighed, deciding to leave Goku to his own devices. "I'll catch up with you later, bro. I need to see how everyone's been holding up since we left."

Goku waved as Mori took off, soaring into the sky. "Say hi to the gang for me!"

Mori smiled but didn't respond. He flew away from Goku, soaring high above the forests and fields of Earth. His mind, however, wasn't focused on seeing his family just yet. Instead, he concentrated on locating Vegeta's ki signature. It didn't take long—Vegeta's presence was unmistakable, and the prince was nearby.

Mori brought two fingers to his forehead and, in an instant, teleported to Vegeta's location. When he reappeared, he found Vegeta standing outside, his arms crossed, gazing out at the horizon. The prince was deep in thought, no doubt brooding over the same thing he always did—his power.

"Well, 'prince,'" Mori's voice broke the silence, startling Vegeta as he materialized in front of him. "Not gonna lie, you need to get stronger. Right now, Goku and I have far surpassed you."

Vegeta's eyes widened in anger, his pride wounded by Mori's words. He clenched his fists, his aura flaring up with raw Saiyan rage. "What did you say?" Vegeta growled, stepping forward. "You think you're stronger than me, you lowly human?!"

Mori smirked, walking calmly toward Vegeta, his demeanor cool and collected. "I know I am," he replied bluntly. "Face it, Vegeta. Right now, you're lagging behind. But that can change."

Vegeta's scowl deepened. "Fight me, right now!" he demanded, his body tensing as he prepared to attack. 

But before Vegeta could make a move, Mori placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Vegeta's legs buckled under the sudden weight of Mori's strength, forcing him to his knees. Vegeta's eyes widened in shock as he realized the gap between their power. Mori leaned down, his voice low and serious.

"Listen, Vegeta. We have a life-ending threat coming in two years. We need to get as strong as we possibly can, and we can't afford to slack off." Mori's words cut through Vegeta's pride, and for a moment, the Saiyan prince was silent.

"I know you're strong," Mori continued, "but Goku and I figured out something important. Training with someone else? It doubles the gains. In two months, you and I will head into outer space, and we will train relentlessly. Until then, take it easy. Do some light training, but rest. You're going to need it."

Mori released Vegeta's shoulder and backed up, allowing the prince to stand. Vegeta, still stunned, rose to his feet and stared at Mori, his pride warring with the reality of the situation.

Vegeta opened his mouth to speak, but Mori cut him off with a smirk. "Tch, no androids are going to pose a threat to the prince of all Saiyans. I'll dismantle them to scraps when the time comes."

Vegeta's expression hardened, but Mori scoffed before Vegeta could say anything. "Think about it, Vegeta. You heard what happens to you all in the future. You all die. If those androids could easily wipe out even you, it's obvious that they're stronger than we think. And don't forget—those future androids didn't know about me."

Mori's words hung in the air for a moment. "But I exist here, in this timeline. Which means the androids could be even stronger than the ones that destroyed you all. So like I said, in two months, we meet back here. Then we leave to train."

Without waiting for a response, Mori placed two fingers on his forehead and teleported away, leaving Vegeta standing alone, clenching his fists in frustration.

Mori reappeared at Goku's house, where Piccolo, Gohan, and Chi-Chi were gathered. As soon as they saw Mori's serious expression, they knew something was up.

"What's going on, Mori?" Goku asked, sensing the tension in the air.

Mori crossed his arms. "I just talked to Vegeta," he explained. "I told him about what we need to do to prepare for the androids. They might be way stronger than the ones in the future. We need to be ready."

Chi-Chi folded her arms, her brow furrowing. "And what does that have to do with us?" she asked pointedly.

Mori turned to her, bowing his head low in a gesture of respect that surprised everyone present. "Chi-Chi, I know you don't want Gohan to train, but we need all the help we can get. Please, let Gohan train with Goku and Piccolo. We can't afford to hold back."

Chi-Chi was taken aback, blinking in surprise at Mori's sudden display of humility. "Oh my," she muttered. "Well, if you put it like that…" She paused, glancing over at Gohan, who was looking up at her with hopeful eyes. "Yes, Gohan can go train."

Mori, Gohan, and Goku all cheered in unison, excitement filling the air. Piccolo, of course, simply grunted, as usual, but even he couldn't hide a small smile of approval.

Mori excused himself once again, teleporting to Bulma's location. When he arrived, he found her working in her lab, as usual.

"Hey, Bulma," Mori called out. "Do you still have the Dragon Radar?"

Bulma turned around and grinned. "You mean these?" she said, holding up a capsule. She popped it open, and all seven Dragon Balls appeared before him. "I already collected them. What do you need them for?"

Mori smiled. "Can I borrow them for a bit?"

Bulma waved her hand. "Sure, knock yourself out."

Mori took the Dragon Balls and flew to a barren area, far from any civilization. He laid them out on the ground and summoned Shenron. The sky darkened as the eternal dragon rose, towering above him.

"Wassup, Mori," Shenron rumbled, a bit more casual than usual. "Liking those enhanced Zenkai boosts?"

Mori laughed. "Yeah, they've made me way stronger. I'm even on par with Goku now."

Shenron chuckled. "Good to hear. Now, what's your wish?"

Mori scratched his head, looking up at the dragon. "Honestly, I don't have a wish. I just summoned you to talk. I've got a bad feeling about the future."

Shenron was visibly surprised, but nodded. For the next few hours, Mori and Shenron talked about random things, everything from training tips to Mori's worries about the upcoming threat.

Finally, after three hours, Mori stretched and sighed. "Thanks for the chat, Shenron. You can go now."

Shenron nodded and vanished, the Dragon Balls dispersing across the planet once again. Mori watched them go before flying back to his village. He spent time talking with the villagers, catching up on everything he'd missed while he was away.

Two months passed quickly. Mori now stood in front of Capsule Corp, waiting. Vegeta's ki signature grew stronger as the Saiyan prince approached, his usual scowl firmly in place.

"Ready to go, Vegeta?" Mori asked, crossing his arms.

Vegeta only grunted in response, his eyes burning with determination.

The training was about to begin.