Chapter 9: Unwanted Tears
Trunks
I set my forehead against Crystal's, but her expression was hard. Her gaze wasn't even towards me. I followed it until I found out she was glaring at Buu.
"Gah!" I shouted as I fell backward.
"Give Buu candy now," Buu growled.
"This?" Crystal raised the lollipop up. "Beat me and it's all yours. Just, uh, wait until I get changed first." I watched as she pulled out a capsule. Crystal clicked it and threw it aside. Through the smoke, I could see it was something similar to my mother's fashion-to-go, but not quite. There was a screen that was for changing, and I guess Crystal headed there. In a few seconds she was in an orange gi, the one Goku used to wear.
"I'm ready, Buu."
Goten
I growled. It didn't seem very good. I didn't think Aunt Crystal could handle it. Even with Trunks by her side. She'll need backup.
Gohan landed with Videl. They both rushed to Pan, checking to see if she was all right.
"Gohan, I can't stop thinking about them. I think they may need our help," I said through my teeth.
"Huh, is that so?" Gohan said as he looked off into the distance. "I guess we could go."
"No!" Marron shouted. She grabbed my arm and clung on tightly. I looked at her face and saw tears forming in her eyes. "Goten, please don't go! Crystal and Trunks can hold off on their own!"
I stared at her for a second. "It's okay, Marron. I'll be fine."
"Goten, please!" her voice cracked and a tear slid down the side of her cheek. I wiped it off.
"I promise I'll come back."
"No. Please sta-" Before she finished I pulled her in and kissed her.
Colm
I turned my head. It was sweet, but I wasn't mature enough to see it. I covered my eyes until I heard Goten and Pan's father, Gohan fly away. I opened my eyes once again and watched Marron as she sobbed. She was on her knees and Bulla and Pan were there, hugging her.
"I don't like the looks of this," Chichi said as she watched her two sons fly off. "They'll just get in Crystal's way!"
"Yeah, I kind of agree with you, Chichi," Bulma said.
Videl stood there with her hand over her chest. She looked as if she was going to break down, but she didn't. Videl had faith Gohan was coming back alive.
I stood up and walked around the lookout. We were so high up I could scarcely manage to breath. I got tired after a few laps.
"Hey, Colm," Pan greeted as she caught up to me.
"Hello."
"Sorry you got to get wrapped up in this stuff."
"No, it's fine. I've never been on an adventure. Besides going out to sea, of course."
"I wish Grandpa were here," her face saddened and I wanted to comfort her, but I don't know how. "He'd beat up Buu in no time."
We walked in silence for a bit.
"Who is Majuub?" I asked. Really, I had no clue. Bulla had talked about him, but not very much.
Pan gave a small smile. She stared at the ground. "He's Bulla boyfriend. They've been together for, I don't know, a year?"
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"I can see why Bulla is so eager to go back to Buu."
"I hate to see her this way. She's one of my best friends."
I nod, not knowing what else to say.
"Colm?"
"Yeah?" I looked at her.
"If. . .if we don't make it," Pan sniffled, "I want you to know. . . I love you."
For some reason, that didn't surprise me. I haven't dealt with girls before, but this was different. This was under different circumstances.
She wiped away a tear and threw her arms around me. She cried into my shirt. I didn't know what else to do, so I hugged back. I've seen her uncle do it lots of times today, so I thought I should say, "it's going to be all right." And I did.
Crystal
Finally Buu decided to show up. I was beginning to get a little bored. Trunks must've been disappointed since I ruined our kissing session.
I waited for Buu to make the first move, and he did. He leaped toward me and I was in a defense position. I knew the strategies of the Namekians very well. Piccolo's was similar.
Buu stayed back as I threw kicks and punches. He was going to attack when I was most vulnerable. My instincts sharped as a fist whizzed past my left ear. Reacting quickly, I grabbed the arm and slammed Buu into the floor. While guarding, I jumped back a few feet and prepared my next attack. Before I was even ready, Buu slammed his foot on the side of my head, causing me to go dizzy. I recovered fast and relied on my instincts, back flipping and rested for a few seconds before Buu could attack. I knew he was just kidding around, and he knew I was, too.
"Are you gonna fight, or what?" I asked. Buu wasn't much of a talker in combat, but Majuub was.
"Heh, Buu go beat you so Buu get candy!"
"Then let's fight for real."
I powered up until I was a Super Saiyan 3. I heard Goku beat Buu at that level. I got into my battle stance and lunged toward Buu, fist ready. It was like I was nothing. Buu swatted my arm away and used his free hand to sock me in the face. Without thinking, I summoned a ki blast and sliced off his antennae. That distracted him for a moment. I took my chance and got away from him as far as possible. I got ready for a Kamehameha Wave.
"Ka. . .Me. . .Ha. . .Me. . ." I pushed the energy forward. "HA!"
The blue wave engulfed Buu, or so as I thought. I felt a barrage of punches on my back and quickly swung a roundhouse kick into Buu's head. I kept doing that until I shoved a ki blast right into his face. I hadn't noticed but the pink antennae had made its way up my foot. He wasn't absorbing me that easily. I took off my boot and chucked it at Buu. He was surprised. I guess he hasn't faced anyone like me. It landed right where I wanted it to be: where it hurts most. It didn't exactly have a good effect, but it was enough to throw him off.
Trunks
I wasn't going to get into their fight. You know how Saiyans can be, so full of pride. I knew better than to interfere. I wasn't tracking power levels, but Goten and Gohan was heading here.
The fight was so fast I couldn't see much of it. Finally, there was a clear image and Buu had his hand around Crystal's neck. Like he did to Bulla. As much as I wanted to help, I could see that Crystal didn't want help.
"Aunt Crystal, we're coming!" I heard Gohan shout. The two brothers sent a piercing kick at Buu. Just like Buu wanted. It was a trap. Buu's pinkness went around Goten and Gohan faster than it did Crystal. Buu let go of her and she dropped to the ground. She was even more beat up than I thought; in the condition Bulla was in, maybe even worse. Her blonde hair changed back to black, but I couldn't think about her, not just yet.
I dashed towards Buu in the air and managed to go Super while at it. I sent a kick and some ki blasts, even some of my signature moves, but Super Saiyan wasn't powerful enough. I had to sit there and watch in horror as my friends got absorbed.
"Trunks!" Goten said as he reached out. "T-take these!" Goten threw a bag of Senzu Beans at me and I caught it. "T-tell M-m-marron I l-love her. . ." Finally, both Son brothers were absorbed. My best friends, gone. It enraged me. The girl I loved, injured, in an almost-dead state. Gohan and Goten, my closest friends, absorbed. And what was I doing? I sat there and watched. I watched as the people I loved got hurt. I'm the only one to blame.
I gripped the Senzu Bean bag tight. My body twitched, sending weird shocks I've never felt before, but I know I have. The aura around me flashed until it was fully gold. I had no idea I could tap into this kind of power. I guess this was what Dad meant of 'tapping into your feelings'.
As much as I wanted to beat the hay out of Buu, he was already too strong. Gohan could go Mystic and Goten, I don't know. He had Piccolo's smarts and Majuub's life force. There wasn't much I could do, but pick Crystal up and fly back to the lookout. Why didn't Buu absorb Crystal? She was much stronger than Goten. Maybe she was bait so Gohan would come. Or maybe it's a sign to get Goku to finally show up.
Speaking of Goku, where the heck is he?! He's never here when we need him. And where was my father? I hope they're ready because Buu will be after us sooner than expected.
Marron
I ran to Trunks as he landed. In his arms was Crystal. Her face was scratched, blotched with purple bruises. Blood was seeping through the corners of her mouth. Her gi looked torn and battered. If Buu did this to Crystal, what did he do to Goten?
"W-where's G-goten?" I asked. Half of me already knew the answer, but the other half had a hard time believing. "I-is he absorbed?"
Trunks simply nodded. I noticed his hair was much longer. I've seen drawings my Dad had made of Goku. He's quite the artist. I remember seeing a picture of Goku as a Super Saiyan 3, Trunks looked almost exact.
I sank to my knees and started crying. The tears came out naturally –I couldn't stop them. I used my sleeves to dab away my unwanted tears. Goten was my everything. His goofy smile always made my day. He'd always text me 'Good Night' and 'Good Morning', even if I didn't want him to. He would always be there for me when I cried, but not anymore. He was gone. If we destroyed Buu, we destroy Goten. Along with all the others we love.
