Author's Note:

Only three more chapters, guys!

Disclaimer: I do not own this show!

CHAPTER TWENTY (Oh, gosh, I remember starting this... *-* I feel old.)

Goku threw his fist towards Buu for what seemed like the millionth time when he disappeared. The sun had set some time ago. Night had come and gone, and Goku had used up almost all his energy. Now the sun was rising over the horizon, and things seemed hopeless. Goku was beaten and bloodied, and at this point, his soul was quite literally fading from this Earth. He had traded blows and blows and more blows with Buu, all in the hopes of protecting his son. His devotion burned like a fire in his belly, and that fire was the only thing Goku could draw from. He had fallen out of super saiyan three long ago, and was pretty much being used as a Saiyan punching bag by now.

Goku's soul finally faded from Earth as he was deposited rather roughly on the Supreme Kai's planet. For a moment, all the black haired Saiyan could do was lie there, gasping for breath. Every one of his ribs were broken, his left lung punctured with a bone. His heart was barely able to keep up with the required oxygen, beating like a fast drum within his chest. His stomach had been punched so many times that Goku was pretty sure that his intestines were crushed, his stomach cavern cut open. He couldn't even count the number of bruises on his body, nor the number of cuts or scrapes. Goku's hands were all broken, along with all the bones in his ankles and feet. He was in such horrible, horrible pain, but he could only think of Gohan...

Goku had this horrible ache in his stomach, barely able to process what had been going on during the fight. He was fighting his own inner battle inside, and now that he was able to hide away from it all, all he could do was think of his son. Memories flashed through his head briefly, of a smiling little boy. Black hair, ebony eyes, a tail. An adorable little coat. A boy who loved the world. A boy who grew with compassion and kindness, a boy Goku was proud to call his own. That was when Goku took a breath, probably his last. He let it go, feeling the oxygen leave his body as his lungs stopped accepting oxygen. He did not fight death. His heart stopped beating, and a sense of peace filled Goku.

He had done it. He had bought the one day they required. Goku smiled up at the sky, letting go, full of peace and of memories of his son. But, they do say, "speak of the devil and he shall appear." Gohan popped his face right in Goku's fading vision. Tears were dropping off his son's face, and Goku was reminded exactly why he fought. He registered the despair in Gohan's eyes, and he struggled. He forced his lungs to work, a fire reigniting within his belly. His heart began to pick up speed, as he became conscious of the fact that Gohan was gripping one of his broken hands. Goku laughed softly, raising an arm and bringing his son close. Gohan was gentle with him. His son lay over his chest, crying his eyes out.

"It's okay." Goku's voice broke from misuse, raw and scratchy from all the screaming he had been doing. "I'm okay." Goku coughed, and someone from behind helped him sit up. Goku closed his eyes, keeping Gohan close to him. No matter how many years they spent in Otherworld, Gohan would always look the same. Black hair going all over in the place in a palm-tree shape, ebony eyes full of joy, yet the wisdom that only comes with years of suffering. Goku lay his head back, feeling something at his lips. It was cool, and didn't taste or smell odd. Goku believed it was water, which he accepted greedily. The water went down his throat, soothing the dryness of his inner skin and flowing down like silk.

He could feel a warm tingly feeling that began in his chest, and he weakly opened his eyes to see someone he did not know with hands just above his torn and tattered chest, flaps of skin and blood all over the place. Slowly, the cuts began closing and the pain decreased. Goku was able to sit up on his own, and turned his eyes to his son. Goku almost choked on his own spit at his son's appearance. Gohan was staring at him with tear stained cheeks, his hair ebony black and in it's regular position. Those things were not what worried Goku - Gohan had swirls of energy coming off of his body that looked like nebulas - purple, sparkling, and pretty much radiating power.

Gohan's eyes were a baby blue colour, much lighter than they were in his super saiyan form. They were shining with tears as some more slipped out. As Goku gaped like a fish, Gohan hugged his father. Goku looked down at the ground and almost choked once more. The ground., except for precisely where they were standing, was ripped up and destroyed completely. Right below them was a nebula, swirling with energy. It pulsed with every move Gohan made. Clutched in Gohan's left hand was a sword, unlike any other Goku had ever seen. He almost immediately felt like bowing towards it, unsure of how to handle this situation. Wearily, he looked his son in the eyes.

"Gohan?" Goku murmured, too exhausted and hurt to do much else.

"Dad." Gohan smiled. "This is the Z Sword. And, I guess, my hidden power. I can defeat Buu!" Gohan's eyes were burning with an unbridled rage. "It'll be okay, Dad. You don't have to fight alone anymore."

(Back on Earth, with Piccolo and the terrible two.)

It had been one year, and now, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was kicking them out. Piccolo had almost strangled both of those stupid kids. He really wasn't sure why everyone stuck him with the children. Yes, he was good with Gohan. But that was because Gohan was Gohan, and no one else in the world was like Gohan. No one was as kind, no one was as powerful, (in Piccolo's opinion) and no one was as intelligent. (Once more, in Piccolo's opinion. Lastly, no one in the world was as beautiful as Gohan. Now, Piccolo, being a Namekian, was unable to judge people based upon their physical features. There were other things that made Gohan beautiful. Things only Gohan possessed.

The way Gohan's eyes would light up when he saw food, how he loved to play with anything and everyone, how he forgave everyone. The sparks in his eyes when he became angry, when those sparks turned into raging fires when he was pushed. How his buttons were strategically placed, how he would snap under pressure. How when Gohan was challenged, he blew all of your expectations out of the water. How Gohan forgave anyone and everything, how he had the ability to understand anyone, even if he hadn't gone through the same trials. How he saw the best in everyone, how he was able to pull you into his heart, and all too late, you discovered you had been under his spell this whole time.

Those stupid brats were not anything like Gohan. And that frustrated Piccolo to no end. He loved Gohan, he hated these two. They were walking out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, prepared for the very worst to have happened. They exited, shutting the door behind them and looking over to see any sort of damage. The Lookout seemed mostly intact, but the three were not prepared for the chocolate bars that were scattered everywhere. Piccolo was confused, picking one up before hearing the sound of someone stuffing their face. Piccolo snarled in disgust, and followed the noise, motioning for the boys to follow quietly. They actually listened this time, apparently sensing how serious the situation might just be.

They rounded the corner to see a slim, tall pink version of Buu eating chocolate. They all blinked in confusion as the monstrosity devoured chocolate after chocolate, smirking cruelly. His laugh echoed across the Lookout, and Piccolo began having this awful feeling in his gut. Something was wrong. The monster turned to face them, chocolate smeared across his face. Piccolo sharpened his senses and almost cried out loud at the kis he could sense within Buu's belly. Piccolo brought a hand to his mouth, trying to stifle the vomit, as the children realized the truth of the matter from behind him. Trunks did throw up, falling to his knees. Goten merely stood in shock, eyes wide and trying to digest the face that Buu had eaten their friends and family.

"They were good." Buu grinned, displaying his sharp teeth, chocolate smeared across them, staining the white colour. "They were good snacks." he promised. "They refused to tell me where the other warrior went. The one with the orange fighting outfit. He disappeared during a fight, but I'm not sure if I killed him or not. Then I sensed you, and they refused to tell me where you were too." Buu's face had twisted, displaying his sick madness. "So when they disobey Buu, Buu must punish them. They must be punished!" Buu screamed the last sentence, his face contorting with rage. "I turned them all into chocolate and gobbled them up. They have been punished, but now you and the man in the orange must received your judgement." Buu smiled cruelly, tilting his head.

Goten made a sound like he was being strangled, while Trunks focused his senses in on Buu's stomach, where he could sense the kis of his mother and father. Trunks closed his eyes as tears dripped off his face, he felt like he was being torn apart. Torn apart. His parents had been very important to him. Trunks did not think he could live without his mother's hugs and kisses, without her burned cookies and attempts to make him feel better. Without her blue hair that always smelled like bubblegum. Without his father, who tried to be strict and unfeeling, but even Trunks could see just how clearly Vegeta loved him. How his father would spend all of his time watching over his son.

All those times Trunks had been sick, or had a nightmare, Trunks would wake up to his father sitting in the corner of the room, staring unblinkingly at him. When Trunks had been afraid of the dark, he could remember waking up to light, light that comforted him. And sitting in a corner, on a chair, was Vegeta. Trunks' father was in his super saiyan form, snoring softly. The light cast a warm glow over Trunks' room, and caused a wave of peace to sink into his skin and stay there. From that point on, Trunks hadn't been afraid of the dark. Trunks looked up with fire in his eyes, horror and pain shining through his eyes, imagining the demise of his parents. He could almost hear their screams as their bones snapped, as their forms shrunk, as they were torn apart by sharp teeth. It sickened Trunks to his very core.

Goten was still standing. It was if a dragon had ignited a fire in his belly. He could feel the rage, and that rage pushed him to his limit and beyond. Goten arched his head back and screamed, a sound so savage it tore through the walls of the Lookout. Trunks did not make any noise, but had reached the same point. Tears were falling down Trunks' cheeks, still stuck in his horror. Goten opened his eyes, almost able to hear his mother's screams. His hair went gold, his eyes went blue, his hair spiking up to form a flame shaped mass of spikes upon his head. Trunks had gotten up, his blue eyes sharpened. His hair had turned golden, stiffening and spiking upwards to the sky.

The boys prepared to fight. They were driven by rage, the screams of their loved ones echoing in their ears. Unfortunately, all of us must open our eyes to the cruelty of the world at some point. And it had happened to them, but much, much too early...

And yet, at the same time, too late.

~Next time, Goten and Trunks attempt to fight Buu. Will they have to, or will Gohan make it in time to save them?~

daisukigohan: Thanks so much!

Gohanforever: Yup! However, they will change after this... I honestly thought that during the anime, the Buu saga wasn't dark enough. They put a playful spin to it that I didn't agree with. People were getting murdered left and right, with a lighthearted attitude. This shall be much darker, like how I imagined it... hehe. :3

hfrivera02: Why thank you! I try. I can write one chapter in about one hour, so yeah. I do get the joke, but thankfully, I'm not actually SSJ Mirai Gohan. XD Because if I had to type with one arm, chapters would take much longer. XD

Hinta-Hime-Starz: Yup! WOOT WOOT!

Patachu: Yeah, do you like it?

Ky111: Thanks so much!

Gyni: Thank you. Did you like this chapter too?