Orange City, at least what had been left of it was slowly being cleaned up by the people of Earth. There wasn't many big cities in the area so getting equipment in and hauling it out wasn't exactly the most convenient for them. While plenty of the rubble had been removed and things were looking more well kept, they had still had a long way to go before the clean up was done. Of course Athren had been wanting to make a wish, wanting to fix it all in a matter of a few words.  It was the least he could do, he had managed to fix some of his own problems using Dragon Balls, why couldn't he fix the issues he caused everybody else? While he still had friends to bring back,  this was on his priority list if he ever managed to actually find the Dragon Balls.  Though out of the remains of what used to be a city, there was one bright light here even on this dark and raining night. The people of Earth had managed to clean out one section and make a temporary memorial. He assumed that it would be permanent one day but it was covered with flowers, notes, memories and pictures. The picture of course, were those who died at his actions. Whether or not the great apes had done it or his own blast, it was his plan that had killed them. Every single one of them died by a stupid decision, one that had also led Athren into the worst moment of his life. 



A sigh escaped the Demon-Saiyans lips as he looked up into the dark and cold night sky, his eyes shutting as he felt the rain drop down against his skin. His thoughts calmly being assessed, the harsh reality of a single lie that Earthlings believed at the act of Liari's defeat. Who was Athren? The media claimed him to be Earth's hero at one point, the one that stood between South City and the Majin, the one that saved the city and countless lives, yet here he was standing in all the evidence to contradict that.  Nobody had known who he really was, what he was capable of, the destruction he left on this world. His former friends wouldn't know he existed when they had been brought back, no memory of the times they ran together through space as a crew, as family. All the consequences of his actions, of the rubble he stood upon but he didn't even start thinking about the worst one of them all.

The night Orange City fell had completed the plans of another faction, the Planet Trade. They hired him and they attempted to clean up all loose ends. His faction, his friends, his children. He barely survived, the choice to wish his children forget him simply to preserve their life and allow them to live happy but he knew he'd lose them forever. His daughter Cress, would never know about the times they spent exploring planets just to explore, for her to investigate the plant life or see the animals on a planet.  Athren didn't care for that stuff but the memories were ever lasting, at least for him and he was more than happy to be there, participating in what his daughter enjoyed. It's been over a year since he got to talk to her, to see her close up and personal. 

His son Celric, would never remember all the training, the countless hours of practice that went in to turn him into a warrior.  Of course, it was what he wanted. He wanted to grow up to be like his dad, strong, powerful and what he perceived to be fearless. Athren wondered, if Celric remembered the training but only forgot who was there. Maybe there was some chance that those memories could be fixed, but then what? Add more danger to his childs life? He couldn't. He though back to the last time he saw his son close, heard his voice.

South City, he pictured it in his head as clear as day. Another memory that he'd never forget.  Liari's power was immense, like nothing Athren had ever fought before. His Super Saiyan form barely managing to hold it's own in the fight, the situation dire. Celric appearing, trying to be the warrior he was trained to be, trying to help people against Ayu's wishes.  

Celric's words echoed in his head,
"Finish this.."

The look in the young boys eyes, glaring up at the person who he wanted to be.  Not even realize it was his own father, the failure of one who made the decision that got him killed. Athren remembered, that look. His son amazed by a Super Saiyan, the very same transformation that came from the emotion that Athren bottled up at his childs death. 

"....I love you, Kid."

He whispered it to himself, just like he did back in South City, the last time he got to see his boy close up moments before he became the hero that the Earth had labeled him as. When in reality, he was the furthest thing from it. He failed as a father, he failed that boy, his little girl. He sensed the presence of power on Namek, he had heard Callion's message. Something big was about to happen, he knew it, he just didn't have the details. Was the Earth going to expect to see the same hero take up the same role? Defend them from somebody like he once was? Was he to be glorified again even when he stood in what remained of a once populated city? Hell, he couldn't imagine that all the bodies had even been found yet.  Athren didn't normally look back on these moments, he tried to suppress them. He often thought there wasn't much purpose about thinking of the negatives of the past but it wasn't avoidable, especially when he was standing on Death, Destruction and his own demons.

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Word Count: 1,001
Power Level: 300,079