"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Trunks threw back his head and screamed. He realized that he had gotten to his feet and was standing in the power-up position. Perched on his knees at Trunks's feet, Vegeta still grasped his hand.

If there was ever a moment where he had more than enough of the rage he needed, that moment for Trunks was now. Before, there was no power left in him. Now, he felt as though he had enough ire and chi to go up to Super 2. Maybe farther. After having taken the form of the Super Saiyan spikes, his lavender hair froze just short of going gold. The pupil in his eyes had disappeared, although they were still the color of the sky. Lightning and wind surged around him as his innards boiled with fury. They would pay for what they had done. Oh, yes. Trunks would make sure they never saw daylight again…

While Vegeta was bringing his son back up to speed, Goku was attending to his son. He bent over Goten, gripping the boy's shoulders as though he could pour life back into him by doing so. It was hard to tell which of them looked worse for the wear. Goku could barely hold himself up. He looked more like someone who was using Goten to prop himself in a sitting position, rather than a father who was focused on bringing his son back to his full strength.

"Come on, son. I know you can do this." Sweat dripped from his chin onto Goten's forehead in small droplets. Then he slipped and fell to his stomach next to his son. Refusing to give up, he reached his arm over Goten's body, trembling with fatigue. In one motion, he rolled onto his back and pulled Goten with him, holding him against his stomach. They made a sad pair, Goku gasping for breath and his son still moaning in pain. Goku was utterly spent, but he still had a little energy left in him. And he was going to give it all to Goten. He closed his eyes and called a rallying cry. Everyone! If you have any power left to give, send it to Goten and Trunks. He repeated it for emphasis. Give it all to Goten and Trunks! This fight is almost over, but I know we can still win it! I'm asking you all, please—bank everything on these guys. They may be young, but they won't let us down. He smiled weakly. Trust me.

And the Z fighters did. They always had. Tien and Yamcha couldn't stir themselves from where they had fallen, but they managed to each raise one hand and give their little remaining chi to the cause. The supine Piccolo grinned and lifted his arms high from where he lay. "I know those boys well enough to know that you're right, Goku," he muttered.

Krillen, sitting on the battlefield, didn't hesitate to level his hand on the Saiyans clustered together and feed them his power. "Those rascals, heroes?" He laughed to himself. "All right, but this had better work, Goku."

Gohan rose to his hands and knees and joined in by lifting his arm. "Right, Dad." He crumpled to the dirt with the other warriors as they all lost consciousness. "Go get 'em, little bro…"

Finally the two boys had the energy to be alert, ready, active. It was then that Goten realized that his father was giving everything for him. He began to wriggle in Goku's arms.

"No, Dad…you need power, too…what if you get hurt…?" Goten had never been able to escape his father's bear hug before, and he couldn't do so now.

"Nope," Goku said through a laugh, "you're gonna take everything I give you. You need to get back up and fight this guy." He gave his son a powerful squeeze of encouragement. "I know you're injured—your whole body hurts, doesn't it? And it won't do what you want. I know this is the hardest thing you've ever had to do." His hold was starting to get weaker, although his voice remained strong. "But you've got to push yourself to your limits and beyond. Find that power inside you, the power you need to win. And then let it all out!"

Trunks groaned long with effort. His face was enraged; his teeth were grinding together. Power washed over him. "That's it…" breathed Vegeta. "Harness your anger. Fuel your transformation!" Trunks's hand hurt from the intensity with which Vegeta was squeezing it, but he could hardly feel the pain or hear his father's words. There was a heat consuming him from within. It dwarfed the energy flowing hotly into his body from Vegeta and the others. Through the haze, he made out his father shouting. "What you saw was in the past! But this is now! Your fight is here! And you know exactly who your real enemy is!" The energy transfer was complete. All that was left now were their fathers' last words. "Now fight!" Vegeta roared at his son to ensure that he was heard.

"You can do it, Goten," Goku whispered to his youngest. "It's all up to you now. You're the last hope we've got."

"Remember your training," Vegeta urged Trunks. "Remember who you're fighting for."

"Be strong," Goku encouraged Goten.

"The people of Earth are relying on you this time!"

"So take the energy everyone gave you… take it…use it…and…"

The final call to arms came from both Saiyans, the last two of their kind in the universe. "FIGHT!" Then their heads fell back and their bodies went limp.

Two bellows rent the air. Two flashes of light heralded two explosions of power. Two half-Saiyans took their power farther than it had ever gone before. Lightning and yellow energy auras blossomed over the scene. Where two boys had been, two young warriors now stood. Their knee-length golden hair showed their newfound strength.

They had ascended. And it was time.

Trunks and Goten were ready for battle.