A/N: This is it. With the last update cut in two parts, this is the longest chapter. At first, I wasn't sure where to end it but thought where I did is as good as any.
As for the fight itself… just go with me on this one, please? I'll explain my reasoning at the bottom. It was entertaining to write, at least. I hope some of that enjoyment is conveyed.
Before that, I want to thank everyone who has given support to this story. Whether it is with follows, favorites, reviews, or simply being a silent reader. It means a lot, as I try to convert the craziest and my personal favorite saga into my writing. There are a couple references here to Chances and earlier in this story, but that's not the biggest change I have made for this chapter.
For that… *deep breath* Ehehehe…
Disclaimer: Nada nope!
When his feet touched the ground and he registered his surroundings, Gohan realized what his father had picked up was true. The planet was empty of most life. He could detect maybe five energy readings. His nails dug into his palm, and he faced the direction Buu was.
"I'm sorry I can't take you any closer."
"It's all right. It should only take a second for me to get over there." He glanced down at his clothes. "Um, Mr. Kibito? Can you give me a new gi? Like my father's, please."
Kibito complied, turning the ceremonial Kai robes he was wearing to an orange and navy gi.
"Thank you!" Gohan tugged on the fabric. "It's nice to get out of that and into something familiar. And to honor my dad." Kibito huffed, as Gohan flew up in the air, waving goodbye.
"We'll be watching from the Other World. Good luck, Son Gohan." He disappeared.
With a burst of speed, Gohan raced off to where he felt his brother's ki. "Hold on Goten, Piccolo, Trunks. I'm coming."
X_X
Miles away, Buu woke up from his nap with a start. None of his opponents took heed, as they froze and locked their gazes to the approaching ki. Piccolo was the first to speak as the ki came closer. "Goku, no, it's-"
"Big brother!" Goten leaped into the air. "Big brother is alive!" Trunks' eyes widened as he joined his friend in the air.
"It is Gohan!"
A second later, Gohan landed in between the three of them and Buu. The two boys rushed the older male, with Piccolo stuck in shock. "Big brother. You're all right."
"Yeah, sorry it took me so long guys. You did good." He ruffled his brother's hair and took a step toward Buu, who watched on with mild curiosity.
"He's real strong." Goten went on, pouting. "Mom, big sis, and everyone is gone!" Goten sniffed and went to follow his brother. Gohan threw up his hand to block him. Fury burned beneath his skin, but over it, he had never felt so in control and calm. It was unnerving.
"It's true!" Trunks added. "We fought him but we ran out of time. You need to be careful, Gohan."
He nodded, his eyes serious as he glared at Buu. Then he spoke quietly, "I got this. I need you three to retreat somewhere safe."
"Gohan," Piccolo started.
The aforementioned teenager glanced over his shoulder and held up a thumbs up for his oldest friend. "It won't be a problem, Mister Piccolo. Thanks for watching the boys." He powered up the rest of the way, approaching Buu slowly. Piccolo blinked, overwhelmed at his student's new power, then snapped at the other two.
"Let's go. Gohan will be fine." Goten and Trunks broke out of their awe before they followed.
"Kick his butt, big brother!"
"Yeah, kill that bastard for everyone, Gohan!"
He did not turn around to look at them. He relaxed though, knowing that they can handle themselves. Plus, Piccolo was there to keep them out of trouble. He stopped in front of Buu, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"You're here to fight me?" The pink demon asked.
"No, I'm here to kill you." Buu's smile dropped. Gohan gave him no time to think, firing a blast through Buu's chest. Then, closing his fist, he punched Buu so he was thrown back into the surrounding rocks.
He heard a cheer off in the distance. Gohan had to smile, despite guessing that they had not retreated far enough. Buu pulled himself up and healed the gaping wound in his chest. Panting, he rubbed his side. Irritation flashed in his black eyes. "You got me angry." Buu flared up his ki and charged at him.
Gohan dodged to the side, grabbing Buu's arm. He spun the Majin around, and then tossed him away, being careful to throw him in the opposite direction of Piccolo and the kids. When he let go, he shot off several bursts after him, each stronger than the last.
When he lost to Buu the first time, everyone was alive. Videl, Vegeta, his mom, Bulma, Krillin… everyone. His dad was dead, but he had time to spend with him. Then he was out of commission, and everything went to hell without him able to help. All that was left of the planet was memories. He would not let Buu kill anyone else.
"Gohan!" Piccolo. "Don't lose your head! You have to finish him quickly. Don't let him regenerate to the point where you get tired."
His lips quirked up at the words. This wasn't Cell. He knew how to finish a fight. "Don't worry about it, Piccolo." He replied, not raising his voice above normal with knowledge the Namekian could hear him fine.
He rammed into Buu and kicked him down. A flexible leg snaked around his, trapping him. Gohan charged an attack while his arms were still free. "Kamehame-HA!" He fired the beam at Buu's head. For a split second, the limb that wrapped around him loosened prior to tightening to a stronger hold. The alien was headless and did not relent. Gohan sighed and fired up his ki, dispelling Buu's grip and flying back.
"You sure are durable. I'll give you that." Gohan rubbed his legs, releasing the tautness there.
Buu grew his head back. Thoroughly unamused, he fired ki at Gohan, causing the teen to jump in the air and dodging it no problem. "And you can pack a hit."
They shared a few blows, raising in the air as they did so. Gohan deflected a punch and chopped at Buu's neck. The earth shook below them as each delivered their blows. From the corner of his eye, Gohan spotted Goten and Trunks fall to the ground as they lost their balance. He met Piccolo's eyes and smirked at his mentor.
Buu kneed him in the stomach, and Gohan hooked his foot over Buu's free leg and tripped him in the air, kicking him away and forming a crater as Buu landed. He raised his hands. "Masenko!"
As the fight continued, and Gohan continued to push Buu back, his analytical mind had a minute to judge his chances and temperament. Compared to when he went Super Saiyan 2 against Cell, he was more at ease. When he was fighting the bio android, all his rage came to the surface to such lengths that it leveled out and gave him an outward calm. In this fight, the fury burned beneath his skin, but his mind reached a level of peace where nothing could disrupt it.
He stared down at his body, with the white aura flickering around him. The half-Saiyan grinned and started to form a ball of ki. "I can get used to this."
X_X
Supreme Kai, Goku, Kibito and the Elder Kai huddled around the crystal ball showing the fight. Goku crooned excitedly. "He's doing it."
"Yes, my handiwork is quite good. And the kid has a good head on his shoulders to use it." Elder Kai stated. "Now all he needs to do is finish him off."
"You got this, son!"
X_X
"Is that Gohan?" Krillin watched through King Kai. He had finally got through the impossibly long line at Yema's and now was surrounded by the fighters on Grand Kai's world.
"You're the one that knows the kid." King Kai grumbled, "Yes, that's Son Gohan."
"Woo! Go Gohan!"
X_X
"Kame-" Gohan brought his hands together. He zeroed in on Buu. "This is for the planet, Buu!" The ball grew larger. "Hame-" He sensed his father watching, and the weight of the souls that passed on because of the Majin. "HA!" He fired the beam.
There was nothing left of Buu, yet Gohan felt his ki. He rotated around and saw a wriggling pink mass that separated from the main body a few yards away. It reformed back into the full Buu, and the first thing out of his mouth was a grunt of displeasure. "That hurt." In the split second it took for Gohan to comprehend what was happening, Buu punched him in the face. "I'm glad I made a backup."
Gohan leaned back, wiping his face. "I'll have to ensure all of you is in one place next time." He was unfazed and started to charge another attack.
Buu's laughter cut him off. Gohan paused, uneasy, and let his hands drop at his side. "Backup." Buu chuckled. A pink aura surrounded Buu. As it grew, Gohan spotted an opening to attack, but more than that red flags popped up that said it will be large enough to take out Piccolo and the boys unless he warned him. He cursed, shooting toward cover.
"We need to clear out!" He shouted toward them and dived into a nearby ravine. The others didn't wait, falling in place behind him as Buu disappeared in an intense light.
The blast cleared out a minute later, and the four of them left their cover hesitantly. Gohan's eyes narrowed as he examined the surroundings. "Is Buu gone?" Goten asked.
"No, something like that won't take him out." Gohan answered.
"Gohan, that was amazing! You showed him." Trunks swung his fists and beamed at the older half-Saiyan.
"Thanks, Trunks." Gohan started to pick up on different ki signatures in the area. There weren't many, but…
"The Lookout is gone. We were the only ones who survived. The dragon bal-" Piccolo started.
"Actually," Gohan grinned. "I don't think you guys are the only ones who got out of there. There are a couple energy readings nearby."
Piccolo focused. Then his lips spread into a smile. "That's Dende."
"Yup, and that means we still have dragon balls and we can get everyone back."
Trunks and Goten, who were listening to their conversation, brightened up considerably. "Really, big brother?"
"Mhm." Gohan shot into the air and turned toward where he detected the young guardian's ki. "Let's hurry. I don't know when Buu will show himself again."
While they were flying, Goten drew next to his brother. "You're so much stronger now, big brother! What happened to you?"
Piccolo came up on his other side as Trunks stayed low to study the ground below. "I am curious myself to see how you survived Buu. None of us could pick up your ki."
"After I passed out, Supreme Kai took me to his world."
"What?" Piccolo exclaimed.
"There I was training with this weapon called the Z Sword until Dad joined me. After we sparred for a bit, we found out an older Kai was trapped in the sword." Gohan explained. "Then for the last day or so I've been getting this powerup."
"You saw Dad again, big brother?" Goten asked. Goten was worn out, more than Gohan had ever wanted to see him. Nonetheless, his little brother smiled up at him.
"Yeah. He was able to watch you two fight, and he's proud of you Goten." The child cheered.
Below them, Trunks pointed toward the ground, "Look there!"
Gohan followed his gaze and laughed nervously. "Is that…?"
Piccolo chuckled. "So, he did survive after all."
Trunks flew down to meet the world champ, "Hey, old man! Over here!" Before scooping him up.
X_X
Mr. Satan had a very long few days. Sure, they weren't as drawn out as some. In that time, however, he had won the tournament through a farce, seen the stadium stands be blown up, let his daughter go off on her own, befriended an alien that was destroying the planet, and then losing that friend as, by his estimations, his evil half took over- quite literally. It was more than he could handle.
He spent the last hour wandering the wilderness. The only other sign of life was the pup he and Buu rescued. He was far from human life, and he sought to change that. Walking in the direction he knew the nearest town was in, he passed no one on his way: no farmers heading in with crops, no people on the roads, nobody. He was aware Buu scared or killed the majority before he arrived at his house, but he thought he would spot someone. The world in front of him was lifeless.
His canine companion barked. Hercule returned it with a sigh. "I don't know what happened either."
Pulling out his phone, he stared at it sadly. Throughout these misadventures, he had called Videl to see how his daughter was doing, in the thick of it more than he was.
The first time was shortly after the mysterious halo warrior had taken her away to safety. The honest truth was that it was barely five minutes later. That time he had not gotten a response. He called again in another five minutes with better success.
"Hey, Daddy."
She sounded exhausted. "Hey, sweetie. How are you."
There were several seconds where she did not answer. He was about to yell at someone for upsetting his little girl when she replied.
"I'm doing all right. But…" she trailed off. "Everyone thinks that Gohan is dead. I- I don't know what to think."
Those words failed to process. His daughter's sweet, strong boyfriend? He worked his mouth for several seconds. Videl was unusually quiet. She was never a crier, but he thought he had picked something else on her mood. "I'm sorry, Videl dear."
"He's alive." She snapped. Then she calmed down. "Sorry. I just… I want to believe it. My heart tells me it's true."
"Of course. My girl's intuition is the best. You're safe?"
"I am. I should go. I'll see you later, Daddy."
The next time was after the wizard Babadi telepathed his message, and Buu started to destroy cities. He believed his daughter and allowed her to hold her precautionary press conference, but at the same time, he was in disbelief. That was his coping mechanism for all this crazy ki and extraterrestrial stuff. He was in his bunker preparing how he was going to face Buu.
"Hey, Daddy." She sounded better. Not cheerful, she was still solemn, but her voice was not devoid of life.
"I love you sweetie." He said because he could not think of anything else.
"I love you too." He heard the sad smile in her tone, the catch in her voice.
"How are you? Are you safe?" He knew she was. He wouldn't let her go with the strange fighters if she wasn't.
"I am, you?"
"Yes," he did not tell her he was thinking of confronting Buu. She would think him mad. He was pretty sure he agreed.
There were a few seconds of silence. He did not want to hang up, despite having no words to say. He wanted to hold his girl in his arms and keep this connection active, present.
"Goku had to return to the afterlife. We're waiting to see if the boys can fight Buu."
"That was the blonde that was seen fighting Buu?" Hercule remembered him. It had been over seven years, but it was hard to forget the warrior that fought Cell. More importantly, he remembered seeing the man smiling to his son before he disappeared with whatever Cell was. That stuck with a person, especially another father.
"Yeah, that's him." He heard shuffling on the other side. "It made me think- well, I, I love you, Daddy. Stay safe."
That was the last conversation he had with her. Hercule had not called while with Buu. He was afraid talking to her would snap him out of whatever haze he was in that plucked up his courage and made him befriend him. He should have. The last time he called was ten minutes ago. There was no answer.
His thumb hovered over her number, ready to try again. His fingers would not cooperate. He slipped the phone back in his pocket.
He heard a shout in the distance, and a second later he was picked up off the ground and was flying through the air. He won't lie; he screamed. "Sheesh, old man. You're all right." Hercule glanced up and spotted the kid that knocked him out at the tournament.
His pup was being carried by his friend and both children gave him tight smiles. He looked around, ignoring the height and fall he would suffer if he was dropped. Then he spotted Gohan. "You-? Videl told me everyone thought you were dead." He did not put effort to hide the contempt in his voice. Where was the young man if he was alive? He couldn't have known how much Videl worried about him.
Gohan gave him a wane smile. "We'll explain everything once we are all together. There's another person we need to find."
Five minutes later they landed. Trunks placed him down and then the two kids ran to the individual a few paces away. He appeared to be akin to the tall individual that accompanied him, with his pale skin and pointy ears.
"Dende!" The stranger was surrounded by his friends, relief on all their faces. He knew most of Videl's recent friends, some more than others. He couldn't remember this one. The short male focused on his daughter's boyfriend, clasping his hands in intense joy, feeling his pulse to ensure he was alive.
"Gohan! You're all right, thank goodness."
"Yeah, sorry Dende. We sure got you in a pinch giving you this duty years ago."
"Who is he?" Mr. Satan asked Goten when the boy backed up to give his brother and friend time to reunite.
"That's Dende. He's the Guardian of Earth, or Kami."
His eyes bulged. Trunks went on for his friend.
"We were staying at his home, the Lookout. That's where Auntie was too." Hercule tried to ignore the use of past tense there.
"I'm glad you are all right. I'm afraid Buu has gotten nearly everyone on the planet. What happened? Mr. Popo threw me off the Lookout after we thought you three were trapped inside." He nodded to the trio, sans Gohan.
"Yes, what happened?" Mr. Satan took charge. He placed both hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. "Where's my Videl? What happened to everyone?"
The group spent the next few minutes catching up on their stories. Well, the rest did. Mr. Satan stood there without much to add besides how the new Buu formed, and the two Namekians (that's what Videl informed him they called themselves) watched the scene from their viewpoint anyway.
That was not what got him up in arms. He marched up to Gohan. "Who do you think you are? You promised you'll be there for her." Then, before common sense could tell him otherwise, he punched the teenager in the face. Gohan lurched back, despite the punch not doing anything to him. Mr. Satan's knuckles hurt, but at least they were not broken.
The rest glared at him. Goten and Trunks ran to his side, tugging on his clothes. "That's not fair, Mister. It wasn't big brother's fault. We were the ones with big sis and everyone, and we couldn't save them." Goten started. Trunks nodded along.
"He's right. If you're going to be angry at anyone for Auntie, it's us." Both boys were dejected yet ready to defend Gohan. Mr. Satan felt his anger dissolve, sadness and frustration in its place.
Gohan made no immediate reactions. After the two came to his defense, he stepped forward and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, pushing them back.
Onyx eyes met his blue ones, and Hercule watched as the boy bowed low. "I'm sorry." His voice was tinged with regret, and the grieving father wanted to shake him and tell him that was not enough. When those dark eyes met his again, all actions froze in his mind. They were pits of immeasurable responsibility, self-hatred, and sadness. Beneath that was a resolve Mr. Satan only saw once before. In the same boy who faced down Cell.
He swallowed. "R-right." He believed the younger male meant it. It wouldn't bring his daughter back.
Gohan stepped back and walked over to Dende. "I will defeat Buu once he shows himself again. Then as long as Dende is all right." He touched his friend's shoulder, "We will have a way to bring Videl and the others back." Mr. Satan gaped at him.
He did not have the chance to ask, as Gohan suddenly became serious again. He looked to the west, where the others zeroed in on as well. Was he missing something here?
"He's coming this way." Gohan murmured. "I don't get it… what's different?" He glanced at his friends. "You guys should hide. I will take care of this."
His dog friend barked, being the next to recognize the change. Trunks grabbed his arm and dragged him away without fanfare. What was going on? Then he felt the ground shake, and heard the whistle in the trees, as something came toward them at high speeds. Another moment and he noticed Buu. He ran off after the others.
X_X
Gohan waited until Buu landed, ready to drop back on the defensive. He had hardly received damage from the fight prior, and he would be ready for whatever surprises delivered. He had to do that for everyone. For his mother, for Videl… his gaze momentarily traveled in the direction Mr. Satan disappeared off to. He had failed to keep her safe. He wouldn't blame the worried father hating him. He hated himself.
He spent enough of his childhood in a state of self-despair. Luckily, Buu did not take advantage with his mind being elsewhere. In fact, the tall pink fighter also had his attention on the others. Gohan's hands curled into fists, and he positioned himself in between them, ready to be their defense if needed.
"You two runts! Come out and fight me." Buu called.
"What?" His voice was echoed by his little brother, who stuck his head out from behind a rock. Trunks popped up next to his friend. The two children were cautious.
Buu motioned with his finger for them to come closer. The two glanced at each other. "Come on, you said you wanted to prove how strong you are." Taken in by the jab, the kids stepped out. Gohan threw his arm up.
"Wait, I don't think that's a good idea."
"It's all right Gohan. We haven't gotten him back yet for Dad and everyone."
"Yeah! Big brother, watch us. We're really strong."
The back of his neck itched with warning, yet Gohan had no idea how to stop them. Piccolo was in the same boat as he was half-willing to drag the two back. Gohan lips flashed to a quick smile. He himself as a child was no where near as troublesome as the younger pair.
His eyes on the two as they performed their fusion; nonetheless, he kept Buu in the corner of his vision. Why was he making this gamble to have more fighters to worry about? Their opponent smirked, unconcerned.
"Fusion-ha!"
Gohan covered his face as the flash temporarily blinded him. He can't say he had ever felt any that strong, bar his father going SSJ3 or Buu himself. He lowered his arms and blinked. Gotenks gave the peace sign, beaming with pride. "Yes! Right into Super Saiyan 3!" He exclaimed cheerfully.
Gohan had no time to register the kid's fusion when Piccolo called out. Gohan faced the direction of his old friend and was stunned to see him swallowed up by some of Buu's bubblegum flesh. Gotenks screamed as he was left to the same fate. Gohan powered up and went on the offensive. "What are you…?"
It was too late. The two blobs that contained his friends and little brother were claimed by Buu. Gohan never saw Cell personally absorb anyone. He could guess this was quicker, though. Buu pushed him back with a ki orb before he could get a chance to form his own.
X_X
Supreme Kai stumbled back, with Goku and the rest staring at him in surprise. The god was trembling and mumbled inaudibly under his breath.
"What, what is it? Buu's ki is getting stronger." Goku commented. His face pressed close to the crystal ball.
"Trouble. Buu takes in fighters to add to his arsenal and power." Supreme Kai rejoined them from where he fell back. "Come on, Gohan."
Goku blew a raspberry is displeasure. "Can't people get stronger on their own?"
"You taught the youngsters the fusion technique, didn't you?" Elder Kai asked. Goku nodded, face passive.
"Yeah, well, it was as a last resort. The kids did not have time otherwise, even if they used all of it in the Time Chamber."
X_X
Gohan studied the new Buu carefully. He could feel the more prominent ki, and the Majin now sported a vest similar to what Gotenks wore. Gohan shifted his feet, preparing to dodge if it was necessary. Behind him, he heard Dende and Mr. Satan freak out.
"Hey, Gohan." The teenager froze. That voice was unmistakable as Buu's, yet it reminded him so much of Piccolo that he had to pause and assess the situation again. Buu tapped his bicep and then his head. "I now have the strength of the brats, and smarts of the Namekian. I believe you will find it harder to take me down."
Gohan returned to his fighting stance. "I beat a monster that claimed to be perfect for taking the lives of others. You won't be a problem."
Buu grinned. It was unnerving how much he sounded like Piccolo. "I'm not Cell, kid." His eyes widened. Buu had no way to know about Cell. Before he had a chance to react, Buu was in front of him and delivered a powerful blow to his stomach.
Landing heavily on the stone ground, Gohan flew into the air as Buu came in for another attack. 'Okay, he is stronger.' He thought of the determined and sad expression of the two boys, Piccolo's smile, and Mr. Satan's eyes that reminded him so much of Videl's when he met up with everyone. His ki shot up and he blasted Buu down as the villain came at him. 'Not strong enough. I'll make sure of it.'
"You guys get somewhere safe!" He yelled to Dende and swiped his foot out to catch Buu's side as he came closer. He heard the two retreat, with the yip and call of the dog behind them. One less thing to worry about. He would not allow this to become an empty planet.
"Focus," Buu grabbed his foot and flung him toward the rocks below. Gohan grunted and flipped in the air.
"Kamehameha!" He fired the beam, taking out his enemy's arm. The Majin was unfazed, staring down at the missing limb.
"You know, Piccolo only had one arm when he killed your father." He regrew his arm with no trouble.
It was like another punch in the stomach. Gohan refined his stance in midair, attempting to not let the words bother him. "How do yo-?"
"Tell me if this is also familiar to you, Gohan." Buu used his regenerated arm to summon a small speck of ki that steadily grew. "Ka… me… ha… me…" He was only using one arm. Gohan's mind whirled until he was stuck in the worst situation of his life, standing against Cell while down an arm. The force of the ki in that broken arena blowing against his face, his dead father's encouragement in his ear.
"No!" He barreled at Buu, with the resolve of that eleven-year-old boy, broken but not defeated. He was in almost a state of complete calm since he had his powerup. However, with Buu's taunting, the rage of a Saiyan once more thrummed through his veins, circling his thoughts.
"Ha!" Buu raised his hand and fired the attack in his face. Gohan's vision momentarily disappeared as fell to the earth.
X_X
"What's going on?" Goku picked up the ball that gave him view of his son. His brows furrowed in concentration and worry, he turned to the Kais. "How does he know this stuff?"
"Put that down!" Elder Kai reprehended. "I want to see."
Supreme Kai wiped his brow and leaned forward. He had not overcome his nerves from seeing Buu absorb someone again. "Buu adapts to the personalities of those he absorbs. I imagine he picks up on their memories as well, but I have never seen it be used strategically."
"Gohan needs to keep a clear head if he wants to win this fight with Buu's increased strength." Kibito commented.
Goku hummed in agreement, setting the crystal ball back down. "You can do it, son. The world's counting on you."
X_X
Gohan's knees hit the dirt prior to his awareness coming back to him. He wanted to strangle Buu. Memories tugged at his mind, happy memories that he fought for. The painful ones, the ones he overcame. He won't let Buu use them to get the best of him.
"Over here, big brother."
Gohan jerked up as he thought he heard Goten's voice. The next second, Buu kicked him in the back. His muscles screamed in protest as he careened into the nearby ravine.
He suppressed his ki while he collected his bearings. Buu wanted him to lose his focus. With Cell, the bio android had provoked him to the point where Gohan wanted to see him suffer, not to finish the job. And his mistake came back to haunt him. He did not win fast enough. No more. He won't allow Buu to get him off track. 'I need to wait for an opening and not get distracted.'
"You're so strong, big brother!"
"Don't let your mother down, dear. I know you have it in you."
"You're unbeatable, son."
His family counted on him. His friends did too.
"You've grown, kid."
"Gohan, you saved me when we were young. There's few people I trust more than you."
"Yeah, you're pretty cool, Gohan. But that suit is stupid."
"You have to play the hero, nerd… go kick his ass."
Rubble collapsed around him, and Gohan parried Buu's incoming blow with his arm. His ki flared, and stubborn, relentless energy returned to his limbs.
X_X
Tien paused from his meditation. Over the last few days, it was impossible not to notice Buu's ki (as he learned through Babadi's telepathic message), and the rest of the Z fighters. Vegeta's, Piccolo's, everybody's, even Goku's. He remembered being in awe of seeing his inspiration show up to fight Buu when that was broadcasted to the world. Son Goku never ceased to become stronger.
All of them had disappeared. Not only his friends', but the rest of the planet's ki plummeted and disappeared the same time the ki strikes came from the sky. That had to be Buu. Then it was nothing but silence. He and Chaozu had managed to avoid them, but since then the world had been nothing except a tomb.
His oldest friend floated next to him, with his pale face etched with worry. "There's no one nearby, Tien. Do you think the worst has happened?"
He had no idea the distance, but he picked up on two powerful ki signatures.
Son Gohan and Majin Buu.
He remembered the young boy fighting off Cell, thinking how proud his father must be. The child that grew up to be peaceful but always put his faith and safety on the line to defend others. The last time he had seen any of them was when Videl found him for training.
Both youths had the same desire to protect and stand strong against anything. He remembered thinking that. He also knew that he could learn from them, like he learned from the boy he narrowly defeated in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
He faced Chaozu. His small companion's face saddened. "Tien…"
"I have to go. You continue to see if you can detect anyone else's ki. If I don't return… then I can say I died a warrior."
Chaozu's small hands covered his own, and he felt some ki be transferred over to him. "Stay strong."
Tien nodded and took off in the direction where the two dominant powers were fighting.
X_X
Gohan blocked the hits as they kept on coming. He tried to avoid them, but Buu's flurry of attacks stayed persistent. His arms started to ache at the stress. They would break if this barrage continued. He growled out. "Masenko."
The attack cut across the air as it approached Buu. The Majin disappeared from his position and appeared behind him. Suddenly, his air was cut off as Buu choked him out. "Piccolo told you to pick up on your opponent's ki to attack, didn't he?"
Gohan ground his teeth together. It was hard hearing almost-Piccolo's voice coming from the monster. He dropped his hands from trying to free himself, as if surrendering. Once Buu's loosened grip gave him a second of air, Gohan formed a large ki ball, twisting it around until he could shoot him in the stomach. The maneuver only took a second, granting no time for Buu to recognize what he was doing.
Buu screamed and reared back. Gohan rubbed his neck. Checking his handiwork, the damage was sufficient. Buu had a gaping hole in his stomach, and Gohan started to gather his energy for another blow. One strong one to knock him out of existence. It worked against Cell; it would work on Buu. The Majin smirked and tilted his head back.
"That wasn't nice. That's too strong for me." He returned to Goten's softer, higher pitched voice. Gohan's brow twitched in annoyance. His ki he collected increased in size. "Why do you have to hurt me?"
"Stop it!" The ki dissipated, and he zeroed on Buu with a heated fury. He knew that it wasn't actually Goten. A small part of him shriveled though at the idea that he hurt his brother. Did anyone Buu absorb keep their consciousness? He had no idea if they were dead, dead. Was he hurting them? He jammed his elbow at Buu's face, kicking him in the leg. The Majin grabbed his wrist while he healed his stomach.
"You have to play dirty sometimes if you want to win our game, Gohan." Trunks' mischievous smile mocked him on Buu's face. The Majin jerked his wrist, and Gohan heard a crack with detached interest. The pain registered when his back intercepted with the nearest mountain. The world cracked around him, and he was pushed through to the other side.
'Not yet,' He thought. "Kamehameha!" He honed the attack on Buu. As he dodged, the beam redirected itself until it landed on Buu's head. Gohan put all his effort into it, increasing the ki until Buu's head disappeared. That done, Gohan begun another assault, the ki pooling in his hands.
He had to trust that once Buu was gone; the others will come back with the dragon balls. Dende was alive. Namek was out there. He would see his loved ones again. Buu was not them, yet Gohan's heart frayed and reformed its walls every time Buu mocked him.
Gohan was not an idiot. Buu was not unbeatable. If the conversation he heard from his father and the Kais before he left was true then the fusion would drop before long. His goal was to survive until that happened. Buu kept healing from his damage, at a rate that was greater than Cell or Piccolo. He either had to wait until they powered down inside him or get a lucky shot in.
He learned to conserve his energy in the brief fight he had with his father in his Super Saiyan 3 state. That had been one-sided until Goku tired out. Patience. Gohan was one of the most patient fighters in their group. They all were-
"That's it." He muttered to himself.
Time to try to get his lucky shot in. All the fighters he grew up with had a similar weakness. Their stubbornness, pride, and their desire for power, to prove they could be stronger, unbeatable. That had cursed them as much as it had saved their lives. Buu had absorbed Piccolo and the boys, and he already had a thirst of power all of the maniacs he met had before that.
Piccolo had told him Vegeta had provoked Cell into taking his Final Flash. That nearly worked because Cell was made of the same essence and weaknesses of the strongest fighters in the universe. Gohan smiled. A prickle of light formed. "Majin Buu!"
He channeled all his confidence, all his pride, as a fighter and protector in his voice. The Majin paused and crossed him arms. Buu threw his shoulders back like Piccolo did when he thought his student was getting overconfident. Gohan ignored it. "I bet you can't take this attack. My brother will be able to. But you're not him, or Piccolo, or Trunks. You can try to act like them, but you'll never have the same skill and heart to look into this head on!"
Buu smirked. "Try me, kid."
"Try me, kid." Piccolo stared down at his pupil. The two left the Lookout and were ready to spar. Gohan had just told him Goku was coming home for the tournament. They had light practice sessions the last seven years, a number of relaxing spars, but nothing serious.
Piccolo wanted a tougher fight. He wanted to be at their best when the time came. Gohan agreed. A sphere appeared in his hand, swirling in ki as its size became bigger.
And bigger, and bigger. It grew larger than what he had with his fight with Piccolo. He paused in its growth, exhaling all his tension in a deep breath. Buu was stationary, unimpressed. Gohan brought the ball in front of him. He wanted Cell to taste defeat. He wanted Buu to drown in it. He accomplished one, now time to place his hopes on the latter.
"HAA!" He fired the large beam of energy at Buu. He noted the bubblegum being's eyes widen a fraction before it swallowed him whole. Assured it was a direct hit, Gohan screamed and funneled all his power into it.
A minute later, the light faded. He could not see Buu. He spun around and shot at the pink blob that separated and survived from the main body. The lump of rubbery flesh jiggled in the air and lurched upward to avoid it. Then it continued its trajectory and attached to his arm.
The wiggling mass started to expand, and Gohan sunk his nails into it. He channeled his spare ki and fired it into the offending pink blob and his arm, grunting at the pain. However, the part of Buu was gone. Buu was…
"No," Gohan redirected his attention, spinning around once more. An angry Buu floated several yards away. The young fighter cursed. Buu must have used it as a distraction and had another piece of himself as backup somewhere else. Damn it.
"That hurt." Buu scowled. Gohan blinked. Something wasn't right; Buu was not alone. He was flanked by a number of what appeared to be ghost versions of himself.
"What the hell?"
"You can thank Gotenks for this attack." Buu stated. It was the closest to the creature's natural voice since he absorbed his friends. The ghosts circled around him, and Gohan darted higher on the air out of instinct.
"Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack!"
The ghost-Buus lunged. One of them, with Goten's voice, giggled as it wrapped his arms around Gohan's torso. "Hug, big brother." The rest joined in for a group hug. Then they promptly exploded.
X_X
Goku punched the ground. "Damn it! You can't touch them Gohan." His voice deepened. He rested his head on his palm. "Gohan…"
"Looks like you have to join him, Goku."
"What?" The Saiyan averted his eyes from the crystal ball and up to Elder Kai.
"But Goku's dead. He can never go back to the realm of the living." Supreme Kai stated.
He nodded. "Besides, even if I was, I'm not strong enough to help Gohan right now. Buu's power should be dropping due to the fusion ending soon."
Elder Kai rolled his crystal ball closer to him. "Tell me, do you really not want to fight Majin Buu? After everything he did, are you willing to pass on the task like you have so far?"
Goku would admit that it was agony to see all the stuff he couldn't do to help, as a dead man. It was easier with Cell because back then he had done his part. He was never even supposed to be on Earth when Buu came up; it just happened to fall on the same day as the tournament. His decision to stay dead, when for once the threat to his home had not come because of him.
Being sidelined was not worth his whole family and planet dying.
"What do I have to do?"
"Now listen to my plan and don't squander it. I'm making this sacrifice for the good of this entire universe…" the Elder Kai started.
X_X
"You are one of best chances we have, and I know you want another opportunity to fight him." King Yema met his eyes. The Saiyan Prince glared back up at him. "You weren't supposed to keep your body, but I am putting my faith on you."
Vegeta chuckled. "On me, huh? You must be desperate." He grasped the air in front of him, imagining Buu cowering before him. He owed it to his family, and Kakarot and the rest. His pride was slighted being unable to protect what was important to him.
No one was allowed to get away with it.
X_X
Gohan moaned and sank his fingers into the dirt. His whole body was on fire, and he spent the majority of his energy on the blast trying to take out Buu. He heard him laughing above him, and the Gohan forced his eyes open. He worked through worse pain before… he still had this. He dragged his arms into position to push himself up.
"Gohan!" the familiar voice drifted to his ears. He was either really exhausted, or Dende's voice was softer than usual. He turned his head. The young Namekian came to a halt next to him. Above them, Buu stopped laughing, but he refrained from attacking.
That changed when Dende started to heal him. Gohan was recovering his energy when Buu's face morphed into a scowl, ready to take both of them out. "No," the half-Saiyan muttered and tried to force himself to his feet. Not fully healed, but he won't let one of his only friends left die in front of him. He remained on the edge of exhaustion, and he couldn't move quick enough, damn it…
Buu's attack soared closer. Suddenly, it ricocheted off another attack and both landed harmlessly in the distance. The ground shook, and Mr. Satan's screech of terror cut through the air.
"What…?" Gohan sat up, his arms shaking. Dende quickly went back to healing him.
"Gohan, Dende, are you two all right?" Tien jumped from his position on a distant rock to land beside them.
"Tien, you survived!" Relief flooded his voice. Gohan placed a hand on Dende's shoulder in thanks and stood up.
The triclops nodded. "Yeah, Chaozu and I managed to dodge the attack. It's good to see you, Gohan."
"Oh, let's just have all of you come out of the woodwork." Buu's fury reverberated across the landscape. "How about I blow this whole planet up?" He started to gather up his ki, and Gohan prepared himself.
"I need you guys to find Mr. Satan and all of you to get out of here. I'll take care of Buu." Try to. If his guess was correct then Gotenks fusion will be at an end inside him soon. He will buy his friends cover until that point.
Buu waved his finger at him, and he saw so much of the boys in the motion. "I don't think so, Gohan." That was Piccolo but not a Piccolo that Gohan ever knew. It was the Piccolo that was the reincarnation of the Demon King. Gohan growled and moved to the side to buy the others time.
It was a pointless effort. Tien spun around, only to have Buu appear beside him and kick him in the neck. "Knockout." Buu landed lightly on the ground.
"No!"
Gohan swung at Buu, with the Majin catching his fist easily. He tossed him into Dende, and then rose in the air. "Let's finish this." Before he could launch an attack, a whiz of energy sliced through Buu and cut his thought process off.
The upper half of Buu turned around, and Gohan and Dende followed his gaze. In midair behind Buu, was a very much alive Son Goku. Gohan blinked rapidly to make sure he wasn't seeing things. His dad remained, and there was no halo above his head.
"Dad!"
"Hey, son." Goku grinned and lowered to the ground next to him. "I thought I'll bring you backup."
"How?"
Buu cut him off before he could ask the older Saiyan what he was doing alive. The Majin's expression was curious as he landed a few yards away from them. "You're that guy who showed off the transformations." He tilted his head to the side. "You're help will be pointless." His body merged back into itself.
"Nah, I think we got this."
As they were talking, Dende slipped away to heal Tien. Goku went on, holding his hand out to Gohan. "Here, you need to…"
He trailed off when Buu grunted in frustration. The pink monster clung to his head, muttering to himself. "No, a couple minutes more…" Then a barely audible pop went out, and Buu's clothes shifted from Gotenks' to Piccolo's.
Goku laughed and pulled back. "The kiddos fusion ran out! Piccolo's coming out as the strongest now." His tone was cheerful. He met his son's eyes. "I'm sure Gohan can beat you by himself now."
Gohan recalled all his friends, and the state of the planet, and he powered up. "Yeah, I think I got this."
Goku turned Super Saiyan. With his infectious smile, he got in position beside his son. "Together?" Gohan nodded.
X_X
"No!" Elder Kai banged on the crystal ball. "You should use the fusion. You don't want him to get the upper hand."
Kibito Kai lowered himself from his standing position, sitting next to his elder. He was anxious yet attempted to put some cheer in his voice. "They wouldn't want to be stuck like that. It is a last resort." The newly fused god stated.
"That's true. I don't want to having to had died for nothing, though."
X_X
Gohan and Goku railed on Buu, and the Majin did everything to block the successive punches. There was no time for him to try to taunt them with their friends' memories or to get an opening. Gohan smirked and punched Buu in the stomach. Buu retreated and glanced at the ground. He dropped pieces of him earlier, as insurance, and a couple were left. All he needed was an opening.
The younger of the two noted what Buu was doing and fired a ki blast to disintegrate it. The pink blob fizzled out.
"Nice try, Buu." Gohan nailed him into the ground and followed close behind. "I won't let you hurt anyone else."
Buu chuckled and wiped a trickle of blood off his face. "Who said I only had one?" He gathered ki in his core and started to expand it out. Gohan jumped back, wary, and prepared a counterattack.
"It's not going to work. Ka-me…"
"Gohan, look ou-!" Goku called down. His voice was drowned out though when Buu unleashed the blast.
The teenager dug his heels into the dirt and dissipated his ki, blocking his face. The heat ripped into his clothes and skin. When it faded, he took a step forward, smoke drifting off his clothes. "I said, I'm going to kill you."
"Uh uh," Buu was using Piccolo's voice again. Gohan clenched his fists. "You didn't listen to what I said. That was not my only one."
"What?"
"Gohan!" Goku was making his best effort to communicate to his kid. "Behind you!"
"Huh?" He turned behind to see a wall of pink swallow him whole. Gohan screamed in frustration and tried to shoot through it, yet it already closed around him. A flash of light came from within and then died down.
"GOHAN!" Goku watched as his son was absorbed by Buu. He transformed to Super Saiyan 3, without even noting that it only took a few seconds, as rage pumped through his system. The new Buu laughed, wearing Gohan's – and his – shirt. His hand lowered to the Potara earring he slipped in his belt. "Damn it, I-"
"Sorry, Dad. I guess I let my guard down." Buu spoke in Gohan's voice. Goku threw an energy ball at him.
"Don't! You have no right to use his voice!" The ground shook as ki flowed through his body. He had no idea what to do now. He returned to life to help Gohan, as his son was in a better position to win. Even with his SSJ3 transformation, Buu as he was now would be impossible for him.
Goku never accepted never without a fight. He teleported behind Buu, "Kamehameha!" The beam shot upward. When it cleared, Buu glared at him, with his clothes frayed, otherwise unharmed. Shit, and that had worked well on Cell.
"Stupid Goku, don't you know to not try the same tricks more than once." Buu rammed his fist in the Saiyan's face, and Goku fell to the ground. The cracked rocks almost buried him as they crumbled around his from.
He swiped the pebbles and rocks away, sitting up with a groan. "This… isn't going well. If only I accepted the gramps' plan."
Dende, Tien, and Mr. Satan. Tien had left to give them room to fight. Dende was not built for fighting, and Mr. Satan…
"This isn't fair!" Goku's ki spiked, scattering the remaining rubble. He was about to retreat to find out where the three left (they were all together, so maybe they were finding a safe place until the fighting was done), when a new ki intercepted his consciousness. His eyes widened in shock. "How? But that's-?" Laughter bubbled up in his chest, and he dropped back to his base form.
"It is!" Goku just caught the biggest break in his life, but the Saiyan Prince would hate it if he told him that. He raised his fingers to his forehead and concentrated. The next second, he vanished.
Buu stared down at where the Saiyan was. "What's he thinking?" None of the four sets of memories inside him could provide an answer. Sometimes, the thought processes of full-blooded Saiyans could not be comprehended.
A/N: Ehahaha… and Buu proves once again after Cell, regeneration and absorbing people is the most annoying and trolling thing ever for an opponent to do. With Piccolo's brains especially, he will know not to keep all of himself in one spot.
Now, with Buu psychologically screwing with Gohan. It is something I wanted to experiment with for a long time. From what I gather with the information given on Buu, when he first absorbed the Grand Supreme Kai, that changed his disposition to pure chaotic evil to the somewhat playful, food-loving Buu that was the form first revealed to the audience. There's one moment, after he took in Gotenks and Piccolo, where Buu taunts Gohan using Piccolo's teaching, when he shouldn't even know what Piccolo was to Gohan. For this… I took all of it and dialed it up to a hundred. Then that way the fight with the new Buu and Gohan would be more entertaining and give greater differentiation from Perfect Cell, the default villain in DBZ known for absorbing and becoming stronger from others. That was my hope at least. Also, I made Buutenks and Gohan a bit more evenly matched, giving Gohan a few other cool moments (in my mind) as he is the nerd fighter.
Despite all this, much like Videl in her fight, I knew I wouldn't give him the win. There's a couple more changes in the next chapter where Buu's psychological shtick starts to break down, and that wouldn't have happened without Gohan being absorbed. There will be people who dislike that, ultimately, I did not change the outcome of one of Gohan's most cheated fights. I'm sorry. Gohan's impact on the fight does not end here, and most of the last chapter is fluff with him, his family, and Videl.
Mr. Satan's calls to Videl were the most honest and heartfelt in this chapter. I knew I had to include something like that as I established modern technology is present in my stories, compared to only Videl having a cellphone for her police work in the original show. The rest of the chapter was a total blast for me, to be sure, but I will always adore writing family and relationship moments most. Although, it does cause a small inconsistency and continuity error in this story as Hercule thought Gohan was alive when he went to meet Buu, and Videl told him before that everyone thought he was dead. Oops .
Thank you if you have read my ramble, and if you did not, I do not blame you. Whether you care on rambling author's notes or just read the story, thank you everyone for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. I'll do my best to update as soon as possible. Only two chapters left, so I think my goal to be done before Halloween will be reached. Yay!
X
ValdieWhittaker123: Thank you! That's a good analogy to compare to. I love it. The majority of the heavy-hitter moments is out there. There are a couple more, but my goal now is to have fun with it. What I have for the rest of the story so far has me fired up or smiling in glee.
