Chapter 4: The Return to Another World

Luna Nova Magical Academy, 2017

11 years have passed since the magical icon, Shiny Chariot, mysteriously disappeared. Not much was known about what happened to her, but supposedly, her last performance resulted in the moon's surface being marked with some sort of star-like shape. That was the final time anyone saw the Shiny Rod, or as most people in the magical community knew it, Claiomh Solais, as well. Although many tried and failed to locate Chariot's current whereabouts, she seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth, most likely out of shame for the people she drained magical energy from. These people had no recollection of what happened that night, but most witches and wizards who learned of this event did not.

Some even went as far as to denounce Chariot as nothing more than a half-baked witch who didn't deserve the recognition she had gotten. The damage she caused to the moon, for them, was proof enough of this fact.

Others, like Professor Miranda Holbrooke, thought differently. Being the 44th headmistress of Luna Nova Magical Academy, she was a short old woman with light green hair and blue eyes that were partly concealed by a pair of rectangular glasses. She wore a red jacket over her normal witch's uniform, a necklace with multiple green stones, and a white scarf that extended just beneath her chin. The most eccentric part of her appearance, however was a large purple hat that covered the top of her head. It was much bigger than the hats Luna Nova's teachers usually wore.

Professor Holbrooke was currently seated in a large brown chair positioned in the center of her office. Behind her was a long row of uniquely-shaped hats that each represented the school's founders, the Nine Olde Witches. These greatly powerful witches opened the school over 1,600 years ago and had long since passed on. They went by the names, Professor Sif Woodward, Beatrix Cavendish, Skade Jotun, Frigga "Frigg" Garnder, Freyja Elfin, Circe Bandora, Elvira Svartal, Helena "Hel" Maximoff, and Brokkr Deville respectively. Knowledge about their exact fates was lost to time, but some believe that one of them could be found hidden deep within the legendary Arcturus Forest. Only a rare few were brave enough to investigate these woods, though.

The old witch sighed. She could still remember the day Chariot told her about that boy's fight with the Titan so many years ago. It was hard to believe that a single child did what the great witch, Jennifer, couldn't and destroyed it for good. Back then, it made her wonder if this Son Goku person could have been transported from Professor Baba's own world. She did, after all, have a perverted younger brother who could fire the same Kamehameha Wave that this boy did. Only this time, she was smart enough to tell that Goku had long since surpassed him in terms of power. He wouldn't have been able to kill the Bound Giant so easily otherwise.

Holbrooke couldn't help, but smile and shake her head at this thought. Chariot was so excited to talk to her about Goku that she didn't even care about failing Professor Finnelan's exam just moments earlier. She only wished that things could have turned out better for the poor girl.

Now, as a result of that unfortunate concert, the Claiomh Solais was no longer hers to wield. It needed to be discovered by a new person who could help unlock all Seven Words of Arcturus and, finally, reawaken the Grand Triskellion.

Unfortunately, magic was no longer as prosperous as it used to be during Chariot's time as a student. Holbrooke could foresee a dark force approaching Luna Nova Academy and its students. This force hadn't been seen since the school's initial destruction during the 19th century by his and the Witch Hunter's hands. And with the number of witches slowly dwindling, she wasn't sure magic alone would be enough to stop it.

That was why a crazy idea came to her head; one that related to both Professor Baba and her younger brother's protégé, Son Goku. Although Luna Nova was primarily a school for girls, it has always been in need of a protector who would help keep its students safe from harm. The Nine Olde Witches had one and now it was now time for a successor to be chosen.

She believed that Goku, who was likely far stronger than he used to be, could fil this role rather well. She just hoped that there was a proper way to contact him after all these years.

"This is what's best for the school. I won't allow it to be destroyed again by some malevolent being or… whatever it may be." Holbrooke whispered to herself. "Now, how should I explain this to Baba…"

In that moment, a young, thirty-year-old woman walked in with tons of paperwork in her hands. She had long, shoulder-length blue hair that was tied down into a ponytail by yellow bandages. Her red eyes were covered by oval-rimmed glasses, which had two black rims hidden by thin blue bangs. She wore a dark violet uniform with a red flame-like pattern drawn slightly below her hips and boots of the same color. A black choker was also wrapped around her neck.

This woman, Ursula Callistis, clumsily lost her footing and dropped most of these papers on the floor. Gasping in embarrassment, she hurriedly grabbed at them, so she wouldn't further humiliate herself in front of Professor Holbrooke.

"S-Sorry about this, ma'am! I've always been such a klutz!"

She gathered all the papers back into the paper while Professor Holbrooke just smiled.

"That's quite alright, dear. Take your time." The old witch assured her. "I've actually been meaning to talk to you about something. It's important."

Ursula adjusted her glasses, looking somewhat intrigued. "Important in what way, Professor?"

Holbrooke got out of her chair to look up at the multiple windows situated behind her desk. She grimaced in slight sadness.

"As the headmistress, I've always been privy to making the toughest of decisions. I always try to keep with past traditions and not request outside help from anyone, not even other magical academies, as little as there may be at the moment." She explained in a regretful tone. "However, I can sense a sudden… change in the magical energy surrounding us. Something about it feels off; as if the very existence of Luna Nova is hanging on by a thread…"

Ursula pursed her lips. "Does it have something to do with our Sorcerer's Stone? Will we have time to fix it?"

"I don't know what it is, Professor Callistis. But I fear that dark forces are slowly beginning to reform after years and years of lying dormant. Magic isn't enough to defeat it this time, though." Holbrooke replied, continuing to hang her chin up. "For the sake of keeping the Nine Olde Witches' legacy alive, we need to contact someone from another world entire galaxies away."

She then sat back in her chair and glared at Ursula in complete seriousness. She didn't bother breaking eye contact from her whatsoever.

"And I believe… that world is one you already established a connection with, my dear."

Shocked by this remark, Ursula dropped her paperwork once more. She shook her head in disbelief.

"Hold the phone. Are you suggesting that we bring Goku back here? 11 whole years after I last saw him?" The young teacher asked. She then looked down at the floor, sadly reminiscing about the last time she saw him in person. "He's probably not even the same person he was back then. A lot can change in that amount of time."

"Exactly. A lot has changed since then. That most likely includes his power, ki abilities, and values in life." Holbrooke pointed out with a wide smile. "If Goku was able to defeat the Titan as a sixteen-year-old boy, there's no telling what he could accomplish as a thirty-year-old man. He'd be perfect as Luna Nova's next protector and guardian. I'm certain of it."

Ursula tightly balled her fists. Tears began to steadily build in her eyes just thinking of the promise she made to Goku all those years ago. She utterly failed to be his equal in every way imaginable. It was the primary reason she disposed of her prior identity as Chariot du Nord, in fact. She just couldn't live with the shame of letting him and everyone else down.

"I know you're right, Professor Holbrooke, but…" She sniffled in growing sadness. "…I just don't know if I'd even have the strength to face him again. What if he recognizes who I am? What if he's disappointed in the type of witch I ended up becoming? What if he… he…"

Holbrooke used her brown staff to levitate a tissue close to Ursula's face. The blue-haired witch grabbed it and slowly, but surely wiped her tear-stained eyes.

"Don't despair, child. Based on what little you've told me about him, I know for a fact that Goku would never outright hate you. I feel that he'd be able to understand your pain more than anyone." She proclaimed in a calm, yet soothing voice. "Now, try to remain strong. You're a Magic Astrology teacher now, remember? The past is the past. All you can do is move on from Shiny Chariot and embrace who you are this very moment, Professor Ursula Callistis."

She finished wiping her eyes and nodded in agreement. There was a chance that Goku wouldn't even recognize her new appearance in the first place. She'd just be happy to see him again, regardless.

"You're right. I'm sorry for getting so emotional like this…"

Holbrooke smiled and said. "Just be glad Professor Finnelan wasn't here. She wouldn't be anywhere near as comforting as I am."

"Yeah, definitely," Ursula chuckled. "Are you planning to open up a Ley Line then?"

"Not yet, actually. There's an old mentor of mine I need to contact first."

After waving her staff a few times, Professor Holbrooke used green magical energy to project a small screen in front of them. This screen, functioning similarly to a normal Ley Line, gave them a glimpse of the North Galaxy's version of Earth.

Here, they could see the inside of a large blue-yellow palace filled with two sets of candles and skeletons along each wall. A woman even shorter and older than Holbrooke stood within this palace's main room. She had short purple hair and wore a black witch's outfit.

"Professor Baba? Can you hear me?"

The newly named Baba gave a closer look at her crystal ball in minor annoyance. She then smiled after seeing the person who contacted her.

"Ah. Look who it is." Baba said. "How's life been treating you, Miranda?"

"Not entirely well these days, but I can't complain. We've just been struggling to locate more students to enroll here." Holbrooke muttered in reply. "It's times like this where I wish you were still headmistress…"

Ursula's mouth hung open in surprise and thought, "This little old lady used to be Luna Nova's headmistress?!"

"Feh! I sure as hell don't. No disrespect to you or anyone else working at Luna Nova, but this fortunetelling business is money in the bank. It wouldn't make sense for me to come back." Baba laughed with a proud smirk on her face.

"Right. It's good to know that you haven't changed much, Professor Baba."

"Hey, I didn't make the rules, kid. Money makes my and your worlds go round." She grunted. "And, just so you know, it's Fortuneteller Baba. I prefer not to go by any other title nowadays."

Her eyes then darted over to the spot where Ursula was standing. She raised an eyebrow, wondering why there was a giant pile of papers beneath her feet.

"Who's this, by the way?"

"Oh yes. Where are my manners?" Holbrooke exclaimed. She then gestured her hand towards the blue-haired witch in question. "This is Ursula Callistis. She's been teaching Magic Astrology for a good few years now."

"I-It's an honor to meet you… erm… former headmistress." Ursula murmured while politely bowing her head.

Baba looked at her from top-to-bottom. Apart from her young, curvaceous figure, she didn't look all that impressed.

"Astrology, huh? Hmph. Never been much of a fan, personally. Divination was always more my speed."

"Well, I believe you'll be more interested to learn that young Ursula has some history with a man from your world named Son Goku." Holbrooke not-so-subtly revealed.

"Goku? Didn't expect his name to come up." Baba snorted in surprise. "Figures that idiot would end up here of all places. How far back does this history go?"

"I met him when I was still a student at Luna Nova 11 years ago. We fought and defeated the Titan sealed underneath Blytonbury together." Ursula briefly explained. "Next thing I knew, he fell into a Ley Line and traveled back home."

"Tch. Sounds like Goku, alright. That man will jump at any chance to fight strong opponents. That monster sealed by Jennifer is a prime example." The old fortuneteller shook her head in amusement. "Though, I guess I can't complain. Without Goku's interest in getting stronger, he wouldn't have saved as many people as he did."

Ursula smiled in a melancholic sort of way. Even if she wasn't around to see it firsthand, she felt happy that Goku was still out there protecting people.

"How is he? Have you seen him?"

"Well, about that…" Baba frowned in newfound sadness. "Goku is… erm… how do I put this?"

"Is there something wrong with him, Baba?" Holbrooke asked in concern.

"He's dead."

An awkward silence permeated throughout the room. Neither Ursula or Professor Holbrooke ever expected to hear such horrible news.

"WHAT?!"

"G-Goku's… dead?" The young witch croaked out. She stepped back a few feet and almost lost her balance. "No… No, no, no. You have to be exaggerating, right?"

"Unfortunately, kid, I'm not. Goku sacrificed himself to stop an evil bio-android named Cell from destroying the Earth. And to make matters worse, he couldn't even finish the job by doing that." Baba vividly recalled. "His son, Gohan, had to finish that monster off about one year ago. Things are fine now, but Goku chose to stay dead in Other World. I'm sorry."

Ursula fell to her knees, looking distraught by Goku's passing. Part of her felt a little sad that he had a family with someone else, but that wasn't important right now. She just couldn't believe that the person who inspired her to become Shiny Chariot was gone.

"I didn't even get a chance to see him again…" She whispered.

"This is a very… sorrowful turn of events, Baba. I was hoping to induct Goku as Luna Nova's next protector, but I guess we were far too late…" Holbrooke grimaced.

"Now, hold on. Don't lose hope just yet, Miranda. Death doesn't exactly as much staying power as it does here." The fortuneteller calmly assured them. "Truth to be told, this is the second time Goku has died. He was brought back to life about five years prior to this one. That's all thanks to the Dragon Balls, magical orange spheres that grant any wish a person desires."

Ursula stood up straight in an even greater state of shock. She was now more confused than sad.

"Goku's died TWICE already? And I didn't even know?!"

"Oh, I almost forgot about those. You mentioned them during our last conversation, I believe." Holbrooke mumbled in slight recollection.

"Yep. They're nifty little suckers, but they can be quite dangerous at the same time."

"Does that mean… Goku can still be brought back?" Ursula asked with a hopeful look in her red eyes.

"Not exactly. Once a person dies twice, Earth's Dragon Balls are unable to revive them. His friends offered to use the Namekian Dragon Balls to bring him back, but Goku refused. He insisted that keeping himself alive would only draw more enemies to Earth than before." Baba replied while shrugging her small shoulders. "Flawed logic, I know, but he certainly meant well, nonetheless."

Ursula crossed both arms underneath her chest. She didn't exactly know what a Namekian was, but she got the gist of Baba's explanation.

"Then, he really isn't going to return here, after all…"

"Well, maybe by those means, sure, but I have another method that I'd like to try out. If I can convince Goku to take up this "guardian" position, I should be able to gather enough ki and magical energy to bring his physical body back in your world, the West Galaxy's version of Earth. That way, he'll be able to travel through the dimensional Ley Lines without any issue." Baba described her method of resurrecting people from the dead. "It'll function as a more permanent version of my One-Day Revival spell. I've done it for his grandfather, so I can certainly doing it for him. It's the least I can do."

Ursula gasped in sudden delight. "Can you really do that, Baba? Will it work?"

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, but it wouldn't hurt to try."

Professor Holbrooke beamed. "I knew I could count on your assistance, Baba. Please bring Goku here as soon as you can."

"Will do. Just remember that I'll be negotiating with Grand Kai about this issue, so it might take longer than expected."

"I understand. Take your time, Baba. I can wait." Luna Nova's headmistress nodded in understanding.

"Alright. Talk to you again soon, Miranda." Baba said, darting her eyes from Holbrooke to Ursula and back. "And you as well, kid."

The magical screen then abruptly dispersed in a flash of green light. Holbrooke clasped her hands together, looking rather pleased by how well this discussion turned out.

"I'd say that went better than I expected."

"I don't know. It still bothers me that Goku was killed twice in only 11 years. I can't even imagine what kind of monsters he's fought." Ursula murmured sympathetically. "Or how it's affected his son and… wife…"

That last word left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she couldn't understand why. Goku hadn't spent much time with her in Blytonbury. There was no reason for her to feel jealous.

After all, Chariot du Nord, as a person, didn't exist anymore. Her and Goku might as well be strangers to one another at this point.

"It's not wise to dwell on those thoughts, Ursula. We need to focus on reporting to the other teachers about what's going on."

Ursula slumped her shoulders. "Even Finnelan?"

"Yes. Especially Professor Finnelan." Holbrooke insisted.

Sighing in reluctance, Ursula watched as Luna Nova's headmistress got out of her chair and walked towards the door. They then exited the office and prepared to gather the rest of the school's faculty together.

As they walked, Ursula's mind began to be filled with lingering thoughts about Goku.

"I wonder what he's doing right now…"

Meanwhile… Somewhere on Grand Kai's planet, Age 768

One year has officially passed since Super Perfect Cell's defeat by the hands of Gohan. Although peace was brought to Earth as a result, Goku still had a lot of work to do. He managed to compete in the esteemed Other World Tournament against many fighters from across the entire universe, but due to tying in his fight against Pikkon, the West Area's strongest fighter, Goku brought it upon himself to train day after day without stopping. Choosing to stay dead, although difficult for his friends and family, gave him the chance to properly break his limits and grow stronger than ever before.

However, due to lacking any serious opponents who were equal to Cell in power, the thirty-year-old martial artist had yet to unlock Super Saiyan 2. He was close, of course, but the emotional trigger necessary to activate that form just wasn't there. Gohan had the advantage in that regard, which made him incredibly proud as both the boy's father and mentor. He just wished that he could have parted with his son on better terms.

The Saiyan from Earth was currently residing on Grand Kai's planet due to Cell destroying the one owned by King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory. There, he would either spar with fighters from his own part of the universe or the West, South, and East Areas. His favorite person to train with, of course, was Pikkon himself.

"Come on, Pikkon! Let's go!"

Compared to his sixteen-year-old self, Goku was significantly taller and bulkier as an adult. He wore his usual orange gi, a blue sash wrapped around his waist, blue wristbands, and matching boots with red laces. His black, spiky hair and face did not change at all, apart from the yellow halo now hovering above him.

He crouched down into his trademark, Turtle School of Martial Arts fighting stance and smirked in sheer anticipation. Standing before him was his current rival, a tall green alien with pink lips and red eyes. A black turban and white bandana covered the top of his head, matching the rest of his outfit almost perfectly. He also wore a blue, long-sleeved shirt underneath his white cloak and a black belt that kept everything else together.

Pikkon accepted Goku's challenge without argument and stood in his own fighting stance. He had a halo hovering above his head too.

"Hmph. Ready when you are, Goku." The alien warrior replied. "Let's not make this fight a draw again, shall we?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll try not to hold back this time." Goku said. He then tightly balled his fists and activated his aura. "Hyaah!"

Within seconds, Goku's hair stood on end and became golden yellow in color. His black eyes now glowed a brilliant green, officially signifying his status as a Super Saiyan. A fiery yellow aura then surrounded his body as he flew towards Pikkon.

"Hraagh!"

West Kai's prized fighter retaliated with his Burning Shoot technique. He surrounded himself in orange flames and attempted to kick Goku across the face. The Saiyan blocked this kick with his own arm, causing both of them to enter a flurry of fast-paced blocks, punches, and other attacks.

"Hyaah!"

"Raah!"

They quickly darted from one point in the sky to another at faster-than-light speeds. Powerful shockwaves produced from each of their blows caused damage to the surrounding grass and trees. Their fight became so chaotic, in fact, that other fighters couldn't even train in peace. They were far too transfixed by the raw power produced from both warriors.

After a few more moments of punching each other, Goku gained the upper hand and slammed his elbow down onto Pikkon's neck. The alien was sent crashing back down to the surface, but managed to stop himself from completely hitting the ground.

"Try to dodge this!" He shouted. Pikkon then spun himself around, shooting a gigantic tornado directly at his opponent. Recognizing this technique from the Other World Tournament, Goku smirked and placed two fingers on his forehead.

"Heh. That's not going work this time, Pikkon. I've gotten a lot stronger since our last fight."

Using Instant Transmission, he teleported himself directly behind Pikkon and, much to the green fighter's shock, roundhouse kicked him in the ribs. He was sent flying into a sea of trees, almost knocking into a few martial artists as a result.

He grinded his feet against the ground and panted from exhaustion. Fresh blood seemed to be dripping out of his mouth.

"Damn. He really has gotten stronger." Pikkon thought in surprise. He narrowed his red eyes. "I won't let it end this way. I want to keep fighting him."

He materialized himself directly across from where Goku was floating. He crossed his arms and smirked.

"I'll admit, you're doing a lot better against me than last time. But you're not the only one who's gotten stronger."

He then spun his arms around, causing the energy within his body to skyrocket. Before he could finish, Goku decided to show off his own signature move.

"Kaaaa… Meee…"

He cupping his hands together and produced a large sphere of ki in between each palm.

"Haaa… Meee…

The ki sphere became much bigger than before and generated multiple pillars of white light that simultaneously spun around.

At the same time, Pikkon crossed his arms and placed them against his chest. He then outstretched both of his fists and surrounded himself in a blue, flame-like aura.

"THUNDER FLASH ATTACK!" He screamed. A massive, elongated pillar of flames was launched from Pikkon's knuckles and sent careening towards his Saiyan opponent.

Goku then unleashed the Kamehameha Wave in all its devastating glory.

"HAAAA!"

Just as the two blasts were about to collide, a green portal materialized out of thin air. Calmly walking out of this portal was Fortuneteller Baba and her crystal ball.

Goku immediately took notice of the strange magical energy being generated from this portal. He remembered going through one of them 11 years ago.

"Huh? Is that one of those Ley Line things?" He wondered in surprised. His eyes then widened at the sight of Master Roshi's older sister. "And Baba of all people?!"

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, GRANNY!"

Baba squinted her eyes to see Goku in his Super Saiyan form. She didn't even notice the chaotic beam struggle that was about to take place before her very eyes.

"What are you blathering on about—"

It was then that the Kamehameha and Pikkon's Thunder Flash Attack slammed into each other. This caused a flaming blue explosion that Baba just barely managed to block with a magical shield.

"GAH!"

Other spectators weren't so lucky. The flames produced from the Thunder Flash Attack scorched everything in its path, including Grand Kai's own lawn and fighters who were unfortunate to be standing there in that moment. Luckily, apart from the grass and trees, no one was seriously injured.

Pikkon and Goku stared at one another for a moment. They couldn't even tell what just happened. Everything went by so fast.

"I guess that's another draw then…" Pikkon awkwardly muttered.

They both floated back down to check if Baba was alright. She was laid flat on the ground and covered head-to-toe in small burns.

Goku, transforming out of his Super Saiyan state, scooped her up in concern.

"Baba! Baba, are you alright? Wake up!"

Pikkon cupped his chin in curiosity. "You sure she wasn't dead from the beginning?"

This comment immediately caused Baba to wake up and float back on top of her crystal ball in anger. She pointed at Pikkon with fully narrowed eyes.

"I'm not dead, you inconsiderate moron! I actually look pretty good for an over 500-year-old woman!

He stepped back a bit and held his hands up in mock surrender. "M-My bad. Sorry, ma'am."

"Hmph. You should be!" Baba scowled. "If you weren't one of Goku's friends, I'd make you feel really sorry."

Pikkon cleared his throat in slight embarrassment. "Well, I wouldn't say we're really friends, but duly noted."

Goku just smiled and then turned his attention back to the old witch. "What brings you here, anyway, Baba? I didn't request to visit Earth or anything."

"I'm well aware, Goku, but I wish to discuss something with you and Grand Kai." She informed. "It's about you becoming a protector for some school in the West Quadrant called Luna Nova Magical Academy. That ring any bells for you?"

"Luna Nova… Luna Nova… Hmm…" Goku thought. He then snapped his fingers in sudden recognition. "Oh, that's right! That's the school Chariot wanted me to visit back when I was a kid. Man, talk about a blast from the past."

"Correct. The headmistress, Miranda Holbrooke, is concerned for her new students' safety, so due to what you did to stop that Titan in Blytonbury, she thinks you can protect them from any magical and non-magical threats that may come their way."

"Magical and non-magical threats, huh? That does sound promising, I'll admit." Goku nodded along in steadily building interest. "Was a red-haired girl with her by any chance? Like somewhere around my age or younger?"

Baba shook her head. "Afraid not. I only spoke with Miranda and one of the teachers working there."

Goku heavily sighed in disappointment.

"I see. I was really hoping I could meet her again, but oh well. It was worth a shot."

"Not to seem rude, Goku, but what do you have anything to do with the West Quadrant and its planets? If anything, I would be a more suitable person to protect this "magic" school." Pikkon pointed out in a serious tone.

"The headmistress only requested Goku's help. She's not familiar with any other fighters from the West Quadrant, even if their version of Earth is, in fact, located there."

"Then maybe we should ask what North and West Kai think about this… proposition we're dealing with here." Pikkon suggested.

Goku suddenly looked around the planet in confusion. "Speaking of which, where even is King Kai?"

"ARE YOU FLIPPIN' KIDDING ME?!"

The three spun around to see King Kai and West Kai inspecting the immense damage done to the planet. King Kai was a short bug-like alien wearing black sunglasses and a black tunic with red sleeves. He had light blue skin, catfish-like whiskers on both of his cheeks, and black antennae protruding from atop his head.

West Kai, in contrast, was a shorter alien with purple skin and two, big elf-like ears. He wore a black cap with one single antenna growing out of it. His left eye was also covered by a single blue monocle.

"What part of 'hold back your full power until the next tournament', did you not understand?!" King Kai screamed in rage. He stomped over to Goku and practically snarled at him.

Goku nervously scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, King Kai. I guess I got a little carried away. Hehe."

The Kai took another look at the planet's scorched surface and plant life.

"A… little?! You call all of this a little carried away?!" He shouted. He then rubbed his aching forehead in clear disappointment. "Good grief. You have absolutely no self-control."

"Wonder where he gets that from, Dead Kai. Hehe." West Kai snorted.

"Errgh! Shut up, West Kai! Pikkon's just as much at fault and you know it!"

"Outrageous! Your Goku's just a bad influence! He's rubbing his North Galaxy stench all over the poor man!"

King Kai pinched his nose in response to the other Kai's bad breath. "Feh. At least I know what proper hygiene is…"

"Says the guy with a monkey for a pet!"

"Bubbles is not a pet! He's a close companion of mine! Get your facts straight!"

He then took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. That was when he finally noticed Baba's presence.

"Fortuneteller Baba? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here tobring Goku to the West Galaxy's version of Earth, so he can help protect some young witches there. All I need is permission from you and Grand Kai, and we'll be all set to leave."

West Kai waved his hands in front of him. This issue became a huge problem the very moment his galaxy was brought up in conversation.

"Whoa, whoa! Who said you could do anything with my Earth? I control that particular quadrant, so if anyone's going to be transported there, I have to grant them permission." He said while roughly jerking a thumb at his chest.

He then adjusted his monocle to inspect Goku's body in overblown disgust. He upturned his nose and defiantly crossed both of his arms.

"And to someone like Goku, I say absolutely…"

"Yeah. I don't have a problem with that, old witch lady."

Calmly approaching them from his mansion was Grand Kai himself. Sporting pale skin and a bushy white beard that covered his chin, he wore black robes with yellow sleeves underneath. His eyes were covered by a pair of black Wayfarer sunglasses that glinted in the planet's sunlight. In the center of his chest, a symbol that roughly translated to the word, "Grand", was present in bold black lettering.

""G-Grand Kai?!""

King Kai, West Kai, and Pikkon all bowed in his presence. Goku and Baba, on the other hand, continued standing.

"Really? You don't?" Baba asked.

"Nah. If Luna Nova Magical Academy is indeed in some kinda trouble, then Goku's the right man for the job. He's made a hell of a lot of good progress here." Grand Kai replied.

"Gee. Thanks a bunch, Grand Kai. I still have room for improvement, though."

"Which is why going to this alternative world might help you, my man. Causing all this needless destruction might cause you to stagnate a little, don't you think? And as any true warrior should know, stagnation can become the greatest enemy of all."

"Right. That does make sense." Goku said in acknowledgement.

"Of course it does, idiot. He's Grand Kai. You should listen to what he says." King Kai advised in an annoyed tone.

The Saiyan warrior still felt a little conflicted about this deal. While a part of him did want to see what Luna Nova Magical Academy was like, the other part felt afraid that he wouldn't receive a proper challenge in this alternate Earth. He desperately needed to unlock Super Saiyan 2 and, potentially, find some way to go even further beyond that point.

Then again, there was a chance that he could encounter that Thor person again. He hadn't seen him in 11 years, obviously, but fighting him was still a big goal for him.

"So, you're okay with me leaving then?"

King Kai pursed his lips and looked down at the floor.

"I wouldn't say I'm okay with it, but if it'll help you grow stronger, then I'll allow you to do what needs to be done. That's all I can do for you as your former instructor." The bug-like man proclaimed. "Just, please, don't get yourself killed by some dumb powerful monster or whatever. After what happened with Cell, I don't think I can take that kind of pressure anymore."

"You got it, King Kai. I won't let you down!" Goku beamed as he happily patted King Kai on the shoulder. He slightly convulsed from the force of the Saiyan's hand hitting his skin.

"Given that you helped contribute to the destruction of my one and only planet, there's nothing really left to be let down by, but alright. I'll take your word for it." King Kai grumbled. He had a sinking feeling that he was going to be eating those words soon.

"I suggest you take Pikkon here with you. I can't afford to let him be surpassed in strength, because of a planet that I technically own!" West Kai shouted while tugging on Pikkon's pantleg.

"We don't own the planets, man. We just oversee them." Grand Kai sighed while stroking his beard. "Besides, I'm confident that Goku can do this protector job all on his own. That is what he's known for, right? Protecting people?"

"But, Pikkon can—"

"It's fine, West Kai. I'd be more comfortable training here, anyway." The green alien assured his mentor. "I don't exactly have a face that young witches would find… comforting."

That last remark was a pretty good point. While Goku could pass off as any other human, Pikkon would stick out like a sore thumb and potentially scare people away from Luna Nova. That's how Piccolo was usually perceived to common people, at least.

"That's an understatement." Baba muttered under her breath.

"Though, if you need any assistance with training or fighting some strong opponents, Goku, I'd be happy to come over to that world and help. All you need to do is ask." Pikkon offered with a kind, inviting smile.

Goku smiled from ear-to-ear and gave him an appreciative thumbs up. He'd really miss sparring with him every-so-often. Apart from eating, that was his favorite pastime on this planet.

"Appreciate it, Pikkon. I'll take you up on that offer and then some."

He then held out his hand, which Pikkon gladly squeezed and shook.

"Take care of yourself, Goku. I'll look forward to our next fight."

"Same here."

As they ended their handshake on good terms, West Kai and King Kai profusely glared at one another. It appeared that the Kais' rivalry would continue to persist longer than either of their two students'.

"So, how does this work, Baba? I still have my body, but won't it just vanish when I arrive at Luna Nova? I wasn't revived with the Dragon Balls this time, after all."

"Fret not, Goku. Witches like Baba here have the power to regenerate your body using magical energy. So, as long as you remain in the West Area's Earth, you'll be fully resurrected and be able to live a third time." Grand Kai informed with a carefree smile.

Baba quirked a brow, looking impressed by how accurate this explanation was. "I'm surprised you know so much about us and our spells."

"I'm the Grand Kai, babe. I know everything that goes on in all parts of the universe, not just this one." He said matter-of-factly. "I ain't called the Grand Lord of Worlds for nothing."

"Hm. Fair point." The old fortuneteller nodded. "You ready to head out, Goku?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Baba."

With a swift wave of her hands, another, slightly larger Ley Line appeared in front of them. The brown branch-like roots were still present 11 whole years after Goku first saw them.

"This portal will directly transport us to Luna Nova's main courtyard. Professor Holbrooke and some other teachers will be waiting for us there." Baba sternly instructed. "Andplease, whatever you do, don't fall out."

"Yeah, I remember." Goku nodded his head. He then waved back at the group and smiled. "See you guys later! Tell Olibu that I'll be gone for a while, King Kai!"

Afterwards, Goku and Baba were sucked into the green portal, and disappeared just like that. There was absolutely no trace of their existence left.

"Do you think it was wise to send Goku on his own like that?" Pikkon asked.

"Not sure. I mainly just wanted your fight with him to end, so my precious mansion wouldn't be put at any sort of risk." Grand Kai admitted in a comical sigh of relief. "But, in all seriousness, I'm sure Goku will do a fine job protecting Luna Nova. You have my word on that."

He then grimaced in a more serious, dour manner. This change in mood, however, wasn't noticed by anyone else.

"I just hope he ends up becoming strong enough to face what's to come…"

Grand Kai walked back to his mansion while King Kai glanced up at the pink skies of this outer planet. He displayed what could be best be described as a small grin and nodded.

"Good luck, Goku. Try not to get into too much trouble over there."

Back at Luna Nova Magical Academy, 2017

Close to midnight, there was still no sign of Goku and Baba near the school's entrance. Professor Holbrooke was hoping that they'd arrive before Luna Nova's opening ceremony began tomorrow morning, but it appeared that plans needed to be changed. Some teachers even went as far as to doubt that the martial artist would even show up. They assumed everything from his inability to be resurrected, his laziness, or his outright refusal of their entire proposal in general. One of the witches with this mindset was Professor Anne Finnelan, a Magic Linguistics teacher.

She was a middle-aged woman with long brown hair that was tied up into a bun, blue eyes, and pale skin. Unlike Ursula, she had two red feathers in her hat to emphasize her status as an advanced magician. This status made her a rather strict, authoritative teacher who detested bad manners and tardiness above all else.

For that reason, she was already starting to develop a lukewarm opinion about this "Son Goku" person.

"Tch. Are you sure this man is really needed here, Professor Holbrooke? How is he supposed to protect our students if he can't even arrive on time?" Professor Finnelan scowled. "We've been waiting for almost two hours now."

"Patience, Anne. Him and Baba are traveling quite a bit of distance from Other World to here. Even going through a Ley Line will take a few hours at most."

Finnelan sighed in growing annoyance. "I suppose you're right, headmistress. I just wish Baba could have given us more of a warning. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"They should be here any moment now, Professor Finnelan. You'll see." Ursula said. She didn't even bother looking away from Luna Nova's gates when speaking.

Finnelan squinted her eyes in suspicion. "Why are you suddenly so eager about their arrival, Ms. Ursula? I've never seen you to get this excited about… well, anything before."

Ursula turned around to nervously chuckle at her fellow teacher. She almost forgot that Finnelan didn't know about her past as Chariot du Nord, or Shiny Chariot for that matter.

"Guess I'm just curious to find out what our school's guardian is like. Hehe."

Suddenly, in that moment, a giant Ley Line appeared inside of Luna Nova's central gate. Goku and Baba both floated out of the portal with calm expressions on their faces.

His feet gently touched the ground as he examined the entire school in utter amazement. "Wow! This place is a whole lot bigger than I expected!"

While he childishly looked around Luna Nova's premises, Ursula set her red eyes upon him. She froze in place and held a hand over mouth, trying to contain the emotions that were starting to break through all at once. Tears built up in her eyes once more upon seeing that Goku was still the same kind, goofy kid he always was. He just had the body of an adult now.

"He… He hasn't changed at all…"

She tightly held a hand over her chest and took deep, shallow breaths. Finnelan was concerned to see the young, typically clumsy witch in such a borderline catatonic state.

"Ms. Ursula? Are you alright?"

Then, before she could even realize what she was doing, Ursula ran towards the spiky-haired man as fast as she could. Bittersweet tear after tear fell from her eyes with each subsequent step.

"GOKU!"

She slammed into his body and tightly wrapped her arms around him. He almost fell off his feet from surprise.

"Oomph!"

Ursula smothered her cheek against his chest. It felt hard and chiseled, yet warm at the same time. She was now crying tears of relief and, arguably, happiness feeling Goku in her arms like this.

"I'm so glad… to see that you're alright…"

Finnelan whispered over to Holbrooke, wondering if they should do something about this, but the headmistress just shook her head. She wanted to give the girl some time to reunite with her old friend.

Goku didn't exactly know what to do in this situation. He glanced down to see the witch's half-lidded red eyes. They seemed incredibly familiar to him.

"Those eyes. Could she be…?!" He thought in uncertainty. "No, it can't be. She has blue hair…"

Deciding to play along until he found the right time to ask her if she was indeed Chariot or not, Goku smiled and gently patted her on the back.

"I mean, going through the Ley Line wasn't that bad of a trip, miss, but thanks for the concern. Haha." The martial artist chuckled. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Ursula's eyes widened. His voice managed to break her out of this trance and allow her to act normal again.

"Oh, that's right. He doesn't recognize who I am." She realized at the last second. This caused her to frown, but still feel happy at the same time. In a way, this meeting could function as a partial second chance for her.

"I guess it's better that way. I'm just glad I can talk to him again after so long." She thought. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

Ursula wasted no time in cleared her throat and parting herself from Goku's body.

"Ahem. Sorry about that, Goku. I've just heard so much about your exploits in Blytonbury that I couldn't seem to contain my… erm… excitement about it." She said in a more professional tone. "My name is Ursula Callistis. Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine, Ursula. I'm glad to be here." Goku replied with a slightly strained grin. He still felt a little suspicious about her true identity, but that wasn't important right now.

"Apologies for that little display, Mr. Son. Our teachers rarely participate in such peculiar behavior, so do forgive Ms. Ursula for that." Finnelan sighed while glaring at Ursula in displeasure. "My name is Professor Anne Finnelan. Welcome to our school."

"Nice to meet you, Anne—"

"That's Professor Finnelan to you, Mr. Son. You'd best not be so informal within schoolgrounds."

"Hmph. You don't seem to have the looks or brains of a talented fighter, but I suppose your muscles say otherwise. Then again, defeating the Bound Giant sealed by the great witch, Jennifer, is no small feat. I'd say you'll do well enough as a protector."

"Uh… Thank you?"

"Trust me, Finnelan. Goku may act like a moron sometimes, but when it comes to fighters, he's the best of the best. There's no one who could do this job better than him."

"I have no reason to doubt your judgements then, former headmistress." Finnelan remarked with a wistful smile. "It's good to see you, by the way. How long has it been now, Baba? 25 years? Maybe 30?"

"Somewhere around there. You still giving students a hard time like I taught you?"

The Magic Linguistics teacher chuckled. "Heh. I learned from the best."

"Ata girl."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you've made it one piece, Son Goku. I'm the 44th headmistress of this academy, Professor Miranda Holbrooke." The short green-haired witch exclaimed. "It may be hard to believe, but I was actually a student of Baba's during her days as a teacher here."

"Wow. Seriously?! You must have left a big impression on this school then, Baba."

"I guess you can say that. Didn't leave much of an impression on me (or my wallet), though, but eh, I still made some good friends and memories here." Baba said with a small shrug. "Better than the days I spent raising my younger brother, anyway. Now, that was hell."

"Huh. Didn't think Roshi would be that bad as a kid."

Baba slightly shivered in remembrance of those days. "Ugh. You'd be surprised."

"Well, thank you for bringing Goku here, Baba. It was great to see you in person again." Holbrooke warmly expressed.

"Likewise, Miranda. If you need any help putting these young whippersnappers into shape, you know where to find me." Baba snickered.

The small witch then floated closer to Goku, so she could bid him farewell.

"Well, guess this is goodbye, Goku. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, alright?"

Goku brushed aside her concerns. "Eh, there's no need to worry about that. I'll be on my best behavior."

"Right. Sure you will." Baba snorted while rolling her eyes. "Take care, everyone."

With a prominent snap of her fingers, she projected a Ley Line through the school's gate and floated into it. It then fully dispersed with her still inside of it.

"Welp, guess that's that then." Goku whispered with an affirmative bob of his head. "Where are we heading to next, guys?"

"Now that we've got our basic introductions out of the way, you may follow us to the headmistress' office. There's some more things we need to discuss with you there." Professor Finnelan curtly informed.

She had to stop herself from balking in disgust at the man's poor posture and etiquette. It's time like this where she was glad Luna Nova only accepted female students.

"Like what exactly?"

"It's the beginning of the fall semester for Luna Nova, so many new students will be enrolled by tomorrow morning. For the opening ceremony, I'm hoping that you'll be able to introduce yourself to the girls and make them comfortable with your presence." Professor Holbrooke instructed the oblivious fish-out-of-water that was Goku. "Not all of them have to like you right away, of course, but you should still make a good first impression, nonetheless."

"And given what happened just a few minutes ago, there's still plenty of work that needs to be done before then. We'll try to explain more about the school's history and customs, so please…

Professor Finnelan got up in Goku's personal space to glare at him with fully squinted blue eyes. This made him gulp in nervousness.

"Try to follow along, Mr. Son."

"Alright. I'll try my best… erm… Professor Finnelan." Goku awkwardly muttered. "You don't have to keep calling me that, by the way. I'm usually just called Goku."

Finnelan turned her head to the side to glance at the Saiyan martial artist. She didn't appear to be taking what he said seriously.

"We're not on a first name basis yet, Mr. Son. Prove your worth as a guardian for this school and maybe, just maybe… I'll consider that."

She then marched in front of everyone else and headed for Professor Holbrooke's office posthaste.

"Now, It's getting rather late, so don't fall behind and follow us."

Professor Holbrooke just pinched the bridge of her nose and did as Finnelan asked. She highly respected her as a witch, but even Luna Nova's headmistress could see that the Magic Linguistics teacher was far too harsh for her own good.

Goku, in contrast, stood behind, looking dumbfounded. "Was there something I said?"

"Don't take what she said too personally, Goku. Professor Finnelan is like that with everyone." Ursula assured him with a smile. "I think the students, both new and old, will like you just fine."

Goku smiled back. He was, admittedly, still getting a little lost in her sparkling red eyes. It contrasted pretty well with her long blue hair, in his opinion.

"Thanks, Ursula. I'm looking forward to getting to know you some more."

She coughed to hide the red blush threatening to stain her cheeks. She desperately needed to keep that old, childish crush under control. The man was married, for god's sake.

"Ahem. The feeling's mutual, but we can talk more after you're done meeting with Professor Holbrooke. Let's keep moving."

Goku nodded. "Right."

They then walked side-by-side into Luna Nova Magical Academy. When he wasn't looking, Ursula glanced over at Goku's handsome face and warmly smiled. She was unable to stop the deep blush from emerging this time.

"I really hope you decide to stay for a long time, Goku. I always wanted to see what you'd think of Luna Nova, but it never ended up happening… until now." The blue-haired woman thought. "I just wish we could have reunited under better circumstances."

She grimaced, thinking about the day that changed her life forever. She still couldn't quite get over her best friend, Croix's, betrayal and her failure to keep her promise to Goku. The overwhelming sense guilt was eating her up inside, but right now, she couldn't let that bother her.

With Goku enrolled as Luna Nova's protector, Ursula had a chance to become the optimistic, free-spirited person she used to be. She just needed him to stay by her side, even if they only remained friends at best.

"Regardless, I don't want to say goodbye to you again. Not yet, at least." She promised while holding a hand over chest. "There's so much more I want to learn about you… and so much more that I want you to know about me."

She then shared one last, longing look with Goku before staring straight ahead and putting on a brave face.

"And deep down, I hope you feel the same way, even if I don't look or act like Chariot du Nord anymore."

With that last, hopeful thought, both of them continued following after Professors Finnelan and Holbrooke to the school's main office.

Goku, as he marveled at how intricately designed Luna Nova's halls were, could only wonder what Holbrooke required his service to deal with. Did this world have some kind of new threat that could put Cell to shame? Or was some old enemy of his waiting for their right moment to strike back and take revenge?

He supposed that would be one big mystery he'd need to solve as a protector, or Saiyan of Luna Nova.