Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

Mori soared through the golden clouds of Snake Way, heading toward King Kai's planet with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. His body, still worn from the battle with Cell, throbbed with the aftershocks of that final, all-out struggle. Yet, as he approached King Kai's tiny planet, there was a strange sense of peace in his heart. This wasn't an ending—just another chapter in his journey.

He touched down on the lush green grass, the planet's gravity immediately pressing down on him more than any force on Earth. His muscles tensed for a moment, adjusting, but he quickly shook it off. He had felt worse.

King Kai greeted him with his usual cheerful demeanor, antennae twitching slightly. "Welcome, Mori! It's been a while since I've had a visitor like you." The Kai chuckled, looking him over with a knowing smile.

Mori offered a grin in return. "Good to be here, King Kai. Though, I was hoping I wouldn't need to be." He glanced around the planet, appreciating the tranquility for a moment before turning back to King Kai. "Before we start, there's something I've gotta do. Is it possible for me to talk to my friends?"

King Kai nodded and gestured for Mori to place a hand on his shoulder. "Of course! Just touch my shoulder, and I'll link you up with them."

Mori followed the instructions, and within seconds, he felt a connection, like a thread binding him to Earth despite the distance. It was subtle but unmistakable. He took a breath before testing it. "Hello, hello. Can anyone hear me?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Goku's familiar voice rang in his mind. "Brother! Is that you? Why did you choose not to come back to life?"

Mori rolled his eyes, even though no one could see. "Man, hush. I got a great feeling that if you were the one who died, you wouldn't have wanted to come back either."

Goku laughed heartily, his signature laugh bringing a smirk to Mori's face.

Before Mori could say anything else, another voice chimed in. It was Gohan, but unlike Goku, his tone was somber and filled with sadness. "Uncle… why did you fight Cell alone? You didn't have to do it…"

Mori's heart clenched at the sound of Gohan's sadness. He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then responded gently. "And let you, my nephew, go through something as intense as that? No way. I knew you were already stronger than Goku, which meant that if I wasn't around, you'd have to fight Cell yourself. What kind of uncle would I be if I let you face that monster alone?"

There was a brief silence from Gohan, followed by a soft, "Oh…"

Mori didn't want to let the conversation spiral into melancholy, so he spoke up before anyone else could ask him more questions. "Listen up, everyone. That fight with Cell was the best I've ever had. I was finally able to unleash all my power without holding back or having Goku jump in to save me. I don't regret it one bit. And let me tell you something—I let Cell get that strong because I believed in you all. I wanted everyone to grow."

He paused, thinking about the journey they'd all been through. "Look at Piccolo—he's stronger than ever. A Namekian even surpassed the Saiyans for a while. And Goku, you've mastered Super Saiyan to perfection. Gohan, you're on the verge of something even greater, don't think I didn't notice that ascended form you showed in the Time Chamber. Train hard, unleash it, and be the first to truly ascend. Don't let your father or Vegeta beat you to it."

He could feel Gohan's shock at being called out, but he continued.

"And then there's Trunks," Mori said, turning his attention to the half-Saiyan from the future. "You've come so far since you first arrived, looking like a frail kid. You're more than ready to handle the androids in your timeline. But before you go back, talk to Vegeta. Ask him about a 'specific' transformation—trust me, it'll help."

Mori's words hung in the air for a moment before he turned to the Prince of Saiyans. "Vegeta, I can tell you've changed. You're not as arrogant as before. Drop the act, man. Be with your family, but don't forget to train. When I come back, I expect you to have fully unlocked what we couldn't achieve before."

Mori chuckled, knowing how Vegeta would react, but moved on. "Krillin, you're not slick. I saw that interaction with 18. Go pursue that, buddy. Settle down, have a family, and take a break from fighting. You've earned it."

He continued, addressing the others. "Tien, stop avoiding Launch and settle down, man. You deserve a break too. Yamcha… honestly, I think you'd make a great baseball player. Get on that! Now everyone, we're in a time of peace. Train, eat, have fun, and sleep. Don't forget any of that. I expect everyone who keeps training to be stronger than me when I fought Cell. And if you're not, I'll come back and beat you all senseless. Even the ones who don't train will get a beating!"

Mori let out a hearty laugh at the end, feeling lighter after saying everything that had been weighing on his mind. He lifted his hand from King Kai's shoulder and stepped back, letting the connection fade. The weight of it all seemed to flow out of him as he flopped onto the grass, staring up at the sky.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he didn't try to stop them. King Kai stood nearby, watching quietly, not saying anything. He knew Mori needed this moment, this release.

For ten minutes, Mori lay there, letting the tears fall. He thought of everything—the fights, the friends, the sacrifices. It had been one hell of a journey, and now he was ready for the next chapter.

Eventually, Mori stood up, wiping his face, and pretended nothing had happened. "So, King Kai, what's the plan? I'm staying dead for a while."

King Kai smiled knowingly but didn't mention the tears. "Well, we train on this planet. The gravity here is intense, and I've got some techniques to teach you."

Mori nodded, cracking his neck. "Sounds good to me."

Two hours later, after allowing himself to rest and process everything, Mori began his training on King Kai's planet, the next phase of his life—or afterlife—underway.