Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

Gohan, Vegeta, and Goku descended back onto the Capsule Corp lawn, their bodies sore but their minds sharper from the recent encounter with the masked fighter. As soon as their feet touched the grass, they were approached by Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Piccolo, all with varying degrees of curiosity and concern etched on their faces. Everyone else had already gone home except for Goten, who was inside with Trunks.

Goku's eyes immediately found Chi-Chi's, worry filling his voice as he approached her. "Chi-Chi, are you okay? Did that masked guy do anything to you?"

Chi-Chi, clearly knowing more than Goku anticipated, struggled to stifle a laugh. She waved a dismissive hand. "I'm fine, Goku. That masked man didn't do anything to me." Her lips twitched, trying to hide her amusement as she thought about Mori.

Vegeta and Gohan, now standing beside Bulma and Piccolo, asked them similar questions. "Are you two alright?" Gohan's voice was filled with concern, while Vegeta remained stern, scanning the area for any lingering threats.

Piccolo crossed his arms and exchanged a glance with Bulma before smirking slightly. "We're fine, Gohan. Don't worry about us," Piccolo replied with a knowing look. Bulma nodded in agreement, her hand on her hip, her posture relaxed. "Yeah, everything's good here," she said with a smirk, clearly amused by something that Gohan and Vegeta didn't understand.

Vegeta, Gohan, and Goku exchanged confused glances, but they didn't press the issue further. They turned away from the group and walked a few steps toward the lawn's edge, their expressions turning serious as they started to piece together the strange encounter they had just experienced.

Goku was the first to speak. "That guy... whoever he was, knew our moves. Every one of them." He glanced at Vegeta and Gohan, his brow furrowed. "He didn't let us transform any further, either. He must know we can grow even stronger."

Gohan nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's like he was deliberately keeping us at a certain level." He paused, then added, "But what I don't get is how he knew all our techniques. That Kamehameha… even Vegeta's Galick Gun. It's unsettling."

Vegeta's fists clenched, his teeth grinding in frustration. "There's no doubt in my mind," he growled. "That masked being has something to do with Cell. That stance he took—it's the same one Cell used when he fought me."

Gohan shook his head, frowning. "But Cell's long gone, Vegeta. Uncle Mori killed him years ago. Why would he come back now of all times?"

Goku nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "And he didn't have Cell's energy or appearance. Whoever this guy is, he's not Cell. But he knew our every move."

The trio stood in silence for a moment, contemplating the implications. Finally, Vegeta broke the tension, his voice resolute. "Whoever he is, we'll be ready. If he shows up again, we're going to crush him."

Goku and Gohan nodded in agreement. Goku smiled softly at his son. "Let's head home. We can't worry about this forever."

With that, Goku and Gohan went back inside to retrieve Chi-Chi and Goten, while Vegeta lingered for a moment before walking inside Capsule Corp with Bulma. 

---

A few days passed, and life resumed its normal rhythm. The masked fighter hadn't made another appearance, and everything seemed peaceful. Mori, meanwhile, had been spending his days in the village, relaxing and reflecting on his encounter with the trio, amused at their confusion but pleased with their strength.

In West City, Vegeta found himself doing something far from fighting: shopping with Bulma. As they walked through the bustling city streets, Bulma handled most of the actual shopping, while Vegeta impatiently tagged along, his mind constantly on high alert for threats. Despite his frustration, he remained silent—until something caught his eye.

In the reflection of a nearby glass building, he saw it: the same masked figure, standing atop a distant rooftop, watching him.

Vegeta's blood boiled instantly. His hands balled into fists, his muscles tensing. He turned fully to face the masked being, his eyes narrowing in on Mori's figure. Bulma noticed his sudden change in demeanor and followed his gaze. 

"Vegeta?" she asked, concern lining her voice as she spotted the masked figure as well.

Vegeta's voice was low, filled with intensity. "Go home, Bulma. I have a score to settle."

Bulma, sensing the tension, nodded quickly. "Alright, but be careful." With one last glance at the masked man, she turned and hurried back toward Capsule Corp.

As soon as Bulma was clear, Vegeta shot into the air, a golden aura surrounding him as he powered up to Super Saiyan 2. With a fierce battle cry, he charged directly at the masked being, his body a blur of speed.

Mori stood still, watching Vegeta with calm composure. When Vegeta was within range, he grabbed Mori by the head and hurled him out of the city, flinging him across the sky and toward a distant arctic wasteland.

Mori, of course, let Vegeta throw him. He was curious to see how far Vegeta had come, but the prince's rage was impressive nonetheless. As his body soared through the air, he mentally noted Vegeta's growth.

Vegeta, still powered up, followed closely behind, his speed tearing through the sky. As soon as they reached the icy expanse, Vegeta descended with a powerful overhead punch, aiming to crush Mori into the ground. But Mori raised his arms in time, blocking the strike with relative ease. Before Mori could retaliate, Vegeta charged a ki blast in his free hand and slammed it into Mori's stomach, sending him skidding across the frozen landscape.

Mori winced slightly as he came to a stop, shaking off the frost that clung to his cloak. "That hurt a lot more than I expected," he muttered to himself. Vegeta was clearly not holding back. Mori grinned behind his mask, impressed.

As Vegeta rushed him once again, Mori flipped backward into the air, his foot glowing with ki as he launched a blast from his heel. The attack caught Vegeta off guard, forcing the prince to deflect it. Taking advantage of the distraction, Mori grabbed Vegeta's tail and swung him around, throwing him into a nearby ice wall.

Vegeta crashed hard into the ice, but he quickly powered up, shattering the ice around him as he emerged, his body glowing with a fierce new energy. His hair grew longer, his brows disappearing—he had transformed into Super Saiyan 3.

Vegeta calmly walked toward Mori before vanishing in an instant, reappearing behind him and delivering a brutal kick to Mori's back. Mori was launched forward, but Vegeta grabbed his arm and pulled him back, slamming a punch into his stomach. Mori doubled over in pain, gasping for breath, just as Vegeta kneed him in the face, cracking Mori's mask and sending him flying into the sky.

As Vegeta rushed in for another attack, Mori took a deep breath. "Yeah, that form has no eyebrows. It's stupid," he thought, shaking his head. As Vegeta's kick came flying toward him, Mori caught his foot mid-air and twisted, flinging the prince into the frozen ground below.

Mori powered up, his aura flaring as he matched Vegeta's strength. With a burst of speed, he unleashed a barrage of kicks, each one landing with precision and power. Vegeta grunted under the assault, his defenses faltering. Mori followed up with a series of ki blasts, each one pushing Vegeta further back.

The two warriors clashed in the sky, their fists colliding with explosive force. Vegeta growled, his energy spiking again as he tried to overpower Mori, but Mori powered up even more, knocking Vegeta away.

Just as Mori prepared to continue the fight, he felt a familiar energy signature approaching—Gohan. And then, in an instant, Goku materialized next to Vegeta, his face serious.

Mori smirked beneath his mask. "That's enough for today." He powered down, concealing his ki before vanishing, leaving the battlefield as Goku and Gohan arrived. 

Vegeta, frustrated and bruised, stood silently, glaring at the spot where the masked fighter had been just moments ago.

(Author note: I've decided to push the Buu saga back one extra year and Do an AU arc with the main character. Sorry for any confusion with the Buu Arc.)