Chapter 23.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" Bulma asked the older version of her son.

"No, I kind of didn't tell my mom I was leaving." Future Trunks said sheepishly.

"And I can't stand this cesspool any longer." Future Zion grumbled earning more than a few heated glares, "Besides there's a bad stench in the air."

He had been distant and grumpy since Bra's party. It was a far cry from his psychotic happiness. Future Trunks had mumbled something about being glad Zion wasn't playing his games. Vegeta shuddered to think what those games were. At least he hadn't killed anyone.

Future Trunks waved before reaching into his pocket for the capsule that held the time machine. Future Zion rolled his eyes and grabbed his brother's shoulder before that just vanished.

"Wow. They didn't even use a time machine." Goten yelled in excitement.

Wow was not the world Vegeta would have used. More like shit. What couldn't that boy do? There had to be a limit. Then again mortals with the powers of Gods did have an endless ring to it. Vegeta scowled as his thoughts went down that road again. How could anyone have that much power? Worse still he didn't even have to work for it, he was born with it. Speaking of the rat, Vegeta needed to go and strangle a certain son of his. Why? For lying about his condition. He could have caused them a lot of trouble had they needed him. Older Zion's words still bugged him "You think he's pathetic. Don't try to deny it. I can see the truth. You wish he were like me. You haven't realised this yet but you will, in time, when you need him most and he cannot do what needs to be done. There is a part of you that you cannot escape no matter how hard you try. The part of you that Frieza raised."

What was coming? What was it that even had Zion going pale? Well other than the whole two different designs. How much longer did they have left?

Vegeta's musings were cut short as he sensed Zion approaching. Ah just the Sayian he was looking for. When Zion appeared he had a look of confusion on his features. It was a look that rarely graced his mind never mind his face. All thoughts of yelling died from his mind as he watched the seventeen year old approach.

"Do you guys feel that?" he asked.

The 'guys' in question were Trunks, Goten, King Vegeta, Bulma, Prince Vegeta, Gohan, Kakarot, Bardock, Tarble and Zorn. Chi Chi, Gohan's mate, Gure, Bra and little Kakarot were elsewhere.

"Feel what?" Kakarot asked.

"A strange energy. It's familiar but too far away to know why." Zion replied.

"Well come on then, let's go find out." Trunks said before jumping up and hovering into the air.

"Which way Zion?" Goten asked.

"Hang on boys. Bardock, what visions have you been having lately?" Zion asked.

"Well they mostly involve destruction but I'm always on missions so I didn't think much of it. now that you mention it though, it's always the same." Bardock replied shifting uncomfortably.

Zorn scouter bleeped. They were used as nothing more than communication devices now. He pressed the side and as the report came in he grew paler and paler.

"Milord, there are reports of an alien attacking the western cities. Apparently none can face him. They say that this creature appears to be absorbing the Sayians." Zorn repeated.

At the mention of Western cities Vegeta had immediately focused his senses in the western direction. Zion was right, it was familiar but he couldn't quite but his finger on it.

"Oh no." He gasped when he realised what it was.

His eyes had gone wide, his features frozen into an expression of horrific realisation.

"But that's impossible. I-I-I . . ." Zion managed to stutter out before words failed him completely.

"Let's go. Tarble, Zorn and Bulma you stay here. Father you too." Vegeta snapped, breaking out of his daze and jumping into the air.

"This time I will kill him." he muttered to himself as Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Kakarot, Zion and Bardock followed him.

"What is it?" Goten asked with Trunks nodding in agreement.

"Majin Buu." Gohan and Kakarot replied simultaneously.

"What? I thought Zion took care of that monster?" Trunks spluttered.

Everyone glanced at Zion. He was deep in thought and answered automatically.

"I did. I destroyed his entire being. He didn't even have a soul to go to the otherworld with. The Gods would not have resurrected him. Someone else must have. There are too many gaps in the design for me to see anything about this. We must be getting close." Zion said absently, almost to himself.

"Who is Majin Buu?" Bardock asked.

"An insanely powerful monster that does nothing but cause death and destruction." Gohan answered coldly.

"It does not matter. I know that each of you are thinking about fighting Buu solo. Believe me when I tell you not to." Zion said seriously.

That made Vegeta stop completely.

Zion flew so that he was in front of him.

"The fight with Buu was supposed to be a lot longer than I allowed it to be. It was going to be harder and more taxing. Earth would have been destroyed and so would the planet the Kai's lived on. Gohan, Bulma, Goten, Trunks, Piccolo, Krillen, 18, Yamcha, heck everyone except Mr Satan, Dende and Kakarot would have been dead. However it would have been ultimately Vegeta that brought everyone back to life, came up with the plan that would have killed Buu and ultimately Mr Satan that convinced the humans to provide the energy needed for Kakarot to create the spirit bomb that would have killed Buu." Zion said looking at his blue boots.

Vegeta was silent as he processed this.

"You mean that it would have taken that clown and me working together to defeat that pink blob." he demanded in an unnaturally calm voice.

"At one point you had actually fused together to create a warrior more powerful than Gohan and Buu himself, well before he transformed. The technique was a permanent fusion forming Vegito. You only would have agreed to it because Buu absorbed Trunks, Goten, Gohan and Piccolo. In your fused state you were unbeatable yet cocky. He has Vegeta's ego and Kakarot's playfulness. Buu managed to absorb you too. You let him so that you could try and find the others. You did but being absorbed by Buu cancelled the fusion." Zion continued in a small voice.

"Permanent fusion." Vegeta said in the same deadly calm voice.

"I recommend the other technique this time. He will have Vegeta's seriousness and Kakarot's sense of duty. He is Gogeta." Zion said brightly.

"There shouldn't have to be a this time! If you had done the job properly the first time around then we wouldn't even be having this conversation you incompetent imbecile!" Vegeta finally exploded.

"Hay Vegeta that's not fair!" Kakarot yelled in Zion's defence.

"Yeah well there is a this time and this is how it's going to go down. You and Kakarot can try and fight him alone, you can loose and we can all die. You can fuse, kill him and have a happy little victory party. You will need Gotenks and Gohan. Since I interrupted the training of Gotenks he has not reached super Sayian level 3. Oh and word of warning, DO NOT GO INTO SUPER SAYIAN 3. You will run out of energy too quickly and be powerless to stop Buu from killing you. I will get the Sayians he has already absorbed. My only question now becomes what form is he in." Zion yelled back at Vegeta.

"Fuse! With that clown. Never!" Vegeta protested.

"You don't stand a chance otherwise and I won't bring you back again." Zion snapped.

"Arg let's just go." Vegeta snapped continuing to fly.

They all followed him. Secretly Vegeta thought that the plan had promise but it meant that he would have to do the stupid dance. Not on his home planet. If he didn't though then he didn't stand a chance. Zion was right about that one. Shit. Unfortunately thinking about a possible fusion with the clown brought to mind an image of the actual dance. He shuddered. Never. Not ever. He'd die first.

They flew the rest of the way in silence. The closer they got the stronger Majin Buu's energy became. Vegeta grit his teeth in anger a he felt the slight change every few minutes. It meant that another Sayian had been absorbed, making Buu either stronger or just less hungry. Vegeta wasn't sure which.

They arrived at the western cities just in time to see a Sayian being consumed by a wiggling, squiggling pink blob. The blob was then absorbed into a larger pink figure. This Majin Buu was nothing like the one they had last seen. He wasn't a fat tube of lard. He was lean, muscular and more Sayian looking. He didn't have the hair but the pink antenna instead and his tail was pink, hairless and thicker. Vegeta's blood boiled at the sight of the pink abomination in Sayian armour.

"Ohkay, Goten and Trunks. You two fuse and power up to the maximum. Gohan go mystic. Kakarot and Father you sort out yourselves. Bardock you will have to help out where you can but be careful. This opponent isn't a joke. I'm going to get the Sayians." Zion ordered before flying towards the creature.

Goten and Trunks fused without a word and then flew up into the sky as Gotenks. He powered up as high as was smart before grinning cockily. Man that boy's ego was too much.

Gohan's power up caused a nice crater on the ground where they had landed. His physical appearance didn't change but his power level soared. The Sayians all thought that Gohan was the weakest of them since none of them had ever actually defined their exact level of power. Since Gohan never fought other than that one time when he had gone super Sayian the Sayians didn't actually know that he was the strongest without having to fuse. In fact he was stronger than Gotenks but was he stronger than this Gogeta?

"So Vegeta what's it going to be?" Kakarot asked.

"I haven't decided yet." Vegeta murmured.

"Well how about we just watch for now and see what happens." Kakarot said.

"Fine but only for now." Vegeta said with more bite than before.

Zion's POV.

Zion saw another pink blob wiggling its way towards an unsuspecting Sayian. He lunged forward and knocked the Sayian out of the way just as the blob tried to consume him, cover him.

"BROTHER!" he heard Gotenks yell but he ignored him.

"Oh yes, you will be a nice addition indeed." he heard Buu hiss in delight.

He managed to put up the shield just in time before he was swallowed. It was all one pink confusing blur for a few seconds. When things solidified he was standing inside of Buu.

"Eww. I hate squishy stuff." Zion whined floating into the air.

He looked around and started to make his way up trying desperately to avoid the digestive juices in Buu's body. Ew ew ew ew. . .

Zion didn't even try to hide his presence. He blasted anything that attacked him or rather anything that moved. He knew Vegeta would only do the fusion if things got bad. Hopefully by distracting Buu from the inside he could help the others on the outside.

Gotenks' POV.

"Hay ugly! Give back our brother!" Gotenks yelled rushing forward and slamming his fist into Buu's face.

"Gotenks! That was what Zion wanted. Now concentrate on keeping him busy until Zion gets out." Gohan yelled.

"What are you talking about you little pest?" Buu demanded recovering from Gotenks' blow.

Gohan didn't answer. Instead he dealt his own blow at the monster. Gotenks grinned before joining the fun.

"Hay big brother you're the best." Gotenks said with a laugh as he watched Gohan swing Buu around by the antenna.

Zion's POV.

The whole world tilted and Zion had to concentrate on not puking as everything was spun around and around. Was he spinning or was it Buu?

"Oh man." Zion said clutching at his stomach.

His gag reflex was starting to kick in. He held his breath in an effort to stop his breakfast from surging up his throat again. The force of Buu doing something caused him to go crashing into the squishy wall of Buu's something.

"Disgusting." Zion whined.

He shot away from the wall only to have a drop of acid drip onto his shoulder.

"Ow ow ow ow. . ." Zion yelled trying to rub the goo off, "This is going to take longer than I thought. More than anything I wish I had a nose plug and some fricken ear plugs."

Gotenks' POV.

His fist sunk into the pink rubber of Buu's stomach.

"Oh yeah. That gives a whole new meaning to a knuckle sandwich." Gotenks bragged too distracted to see the foot aimed at his ribs.

He flew away from Buu and into the ground creating a deep crater. He gingerly got to his feet rubbing his head. Gohan had been watching him fall so he didn't see the punch that sent him to the ground as well creating an equally magnificent crater.

"Stop messing around." Gohan complained getting to his feet.

"Gee stop worrying so much. This guy has got nothing on us." Gotenks grumbled taking off after his brother.

Buu to Gotenks' annoyance was laughing. He growled, his anger getting the better of his common sense. He charged right at Buu who flipped over Gotenks and slammed his foot into Gotenks' back sending him back to the ground.

"You Sayians really add a kick to my technique. Isn't this great?" Buu asked laughing in triumphant glee.

"I'm not my brother." Gohan said before slamming his fist into Buu's jaw.

Gotenks watched in amazement as Gohan pounded Buu's rubbery body right to the ground. As expected the creep got up without a scratch. He was just very angry. His tail whipped out and Gotenks phased out of sight to reappear in the tail's path blocking it with his arm. Gohan was behind him. Gotenks smirked when he heard the sigh of relief.

"You've only being playing with the little Sayians. Why don't you try out some Princes?" Gotenks taunted before gripping Buu's tail and sending a Ki blast at his head.

Gotenks roared with laughter as Buu floated around with no head and shoulders. Buu felt around on the top of his chest before reaching into the mushy substance and pulling out his head. Gotenks figured that his third crater in the ground was worth the laugh. If only his head wasn't pounding so much.

He flew back at Buu. Buu came to meet him halfway with a raised fist. As Buu swung Gotenks flew upwards and slammed his clasped hands into Buu's back making a nice crater and a trench to boot. Gotenks didn't stop there. He flew lower to the ground following the trench Buu had made as the creature sat up with an angry scowl.

As he flew to punch Buu the creep stretched out making himself so skinny that Gotenks flew right by. Gotenks scowled while skidding across the floor as Buu fattened out in the sky. Man that guy just did not play fair.

To prove the point, Buu's arm stretched out and wrapped around Gotenks' throat, pulling him off the ground and towards the pink creep. Buu tightened his hold while Gotenks struggled to get free.

"I'm hungry." Gotenks gasped out rather inappropriately.

"Gotenks!" Gohan exclaimed.

Gotenks then opened his mouth as wide and he could and chomped down HARD! Buu went from grinning and giggling manically to screaming in pain and shock. So much shock that he let Gotenks go. Or rather Gotenks slipped away.

He flew straight at Buu in rage. Buu simply made a hole in his stomach. Gotenks flew right through before he even realised quite what was happening. His momentum carried him right into the path of a building. Gotenks scrambled around trying desperately to slow down before crashing into the concrete. He managed to stop right as he got to the side and stop where he was breathing a sigh of relish accompanied by a self confident grin.

That was cut short as Buu flew straight at him, crashing them both into the building. Rubble and smoke covered everything as Sayians ran out of the way. Buu landed on a large piece of rubble none the worse for wear.

"Buu you creep! You shouldn't have done that." Gotenks said angrily, his golden aura exploding around him.

"Control your anger Gotenks!" Gohan yelled as Gotenks flew at Buu.

He flew blindly at the monster foot extended to deliver a kick. Buu opened his mouth wide and let loose a blast of Ki that more than singed a few hairs on the young warrior.

Gohan had to cover his face from the blast. When the smoke cleared Gotenks was twitching slightly in pain. His face was in a grimace and he was smoking.

"Ow. That really hurt." he whined.

Buu smirked and chuckled at the sight.

"You know you could help out a little Gohan!" Gotenks yelled.

"Your fusion has a time limit. My power doesn't. The way I figure it is that when you time out I'll still have plenty of energy to pick up the slack." Gohan replied.

"Thanks." Gotenks muttered.

Buu was still smirking so Gotenks in childish retaliation shot his own beam of Ki from his mouth. Buu fell to the ground in a smoking heap grunting in pain. Gotenks followed. He landed on the ground for mere milliseconds before pushing off and surging towards Buu. He slammed his foot into Buu jaw, making the monster stumble back a step.

Gotenks smirked at Buu outraged expression. Buu aimed a punch at Gotenks starting a intense one on one combat. Punches and kicks were aimed, blocked and hit from both members but it was clear that Gotenks was just no match for the monster. He wasn't any higher than an ascended super Sayian and Buu had been absorbing fellow Sayians. The best Gotenks could do was hold off a beating while trying to give one of his own.

Buu aimed a hit at Gotenks that hit him in the jaw, Gotenks flew backwards and into the hard earth below. Gohan figured now was a good time to step in. He took Gotenks' place and delivered more powerful blows than the younger warrior could.

Gotenks sat up and shook his head to try and stop the ringing. That last one had really hurt. He must be losing power. That or Buu was getting stronger. What the hell was taking Zion so long? He wanted to seriously kick this guy's butt not worry about his brother. He wondered if making Buu regenerate would hinder Zion's progress. Better not chance it. All they had to do was buy time right? What happened when Zion got out? Hopefully he would be strong enough to do something.

He flew back into the fight intent on repaying the favour. Gohan delivered a kick before backing off again. Gotenks slammed his fists into Buu's stomach as fast as he could and as hard as he could. Buu's tailed lashed out and sent him spiralling through the sky. Gotenks clutched at his ribs. That last blow had really, really hurt.

Buu flew at him again. He was grinning wildly. He was probably having the time of his life. His fist slammed into Gotenks' jaw sending the young warrior crashing to the ground and through several buildings. When Gotenks finally managed to crawl out of the rubble he was in his base form.

"You're really going to wish you hadn't done that." he choked out struggling to his feet.

"Oh? What are you going to do about it?" Buu taunted before sending a Ki blast at the warrior.

Gotenks screamed as it hit. He was thrown backwards and as he bounced on the floor he split into the two unconscious forms of Trunks and Goten. Gohan stepped in then. He grabbed the two and flew to where Goku and Vegeta were waiting. He looked at his father who nodded. Gohan then flew back to Buu.

Zion's POV.

Worms? Seriously? What part of the anatomy were they? Zion shook his head as he surveyed the giant worm standing in front of him. A smirk curved his lips upwards. If only his father was here. Oh the fun he could have had with that one.

It was bad enough that things moved and pulsated with life in this disgusting cesspool. He paused when he realised that his older self had used the same word earlier. He had no idea of the meaning. This place was dark, dank and too damn humid.

At one point he had touched down only to be sucked into the squishy substance and dropped straight into the digestive juices of the stomach. That one had burned like a bitch. He had had to blast his way out of there or end up going out the southern exit. Zion hoped that Buu felt that one. He hadn't exactly been subtle.

He had flown around for awhile before he had been attacked by strange little gloop dots. This was all while trying to remain upright while Buu fought. It was hard when everything was spinning like crazy. He had blasted the gloop dots none too subtly too. He chuckled at the memory. That was also round about when the worm had shown up. He roared and growled? He was a worm for crying out load.

Zion jumped up and kicked the disgusting slimy thing. It collapsed on the floor with a ground shaking crash. Another ion thought he was just about done for when the father worm started to yell at the younger worms. The father worm then APOLOGISED! All Zion could do was nod.

"Hay could you tell me if you've seen any other creatures that look like me around here?" Zion asked as sudden inspiration hit him.

The two younger worms nodded before pointing straight up at a dark hole. Brilliant.

"Well that looks inviting." Zion commented sarcastically.

Zion thanked the worms before shooting up towards the hole. Buu was too busy fighting to know that he was there. There were no defences in place so he had a direct uninterrupted path straight for the pods were the absorbed people were. There were also the two absorbed Kais. Wouldn't supreme Kai be happy?

Zion started to sever the bonds to the pods. With each pod being severed Buu's power changed. He wasn't sure if it went down or up but it did change. When all the pods had been severed Zion decided it was high time to get out of there.

Gohan's POV.

Buu stopped fighting to clutch at his stomach. He grimaced in pain and Gohan took advantage to get in a few blows. He stopped fighting however when Buu started to scream, clutching at his head.

"NOOO! I WON'T BE ME ANY MORE!" he screamed in agony.

Huh? What was he talking about? Zion. It had to be.

"STOP! NO! DON'T! I WON"T BE ME!" Buu continued to scream and surprisingly change.

Gohan was beyond confused when Sayians started to pop up around him. They were unconscious but otherwise unharmed. He did a double take when Kais popped up too. Lastly Zion popped into view. He looked thoroughly disgusted. Buu continued to yell.

"Does this mean he's going to get weaker now?" Gohan asked.

"No. His power is rising. He is returning to his base form. Get your father to take the Kais back to their planet. Tell him not to linger and to hurry back." Zion ordered.

"Right." Gohan said grabbing the unconscious Kais and flying over to his father.

"Zion says to take these back to the Kais home world but to hurry back because Buu's getting stronger. He says that Buu is returning to his base form." Gohan repeated.

"Great." Vegeta huffed as Kakarot nodded and took the Kais before disappearing.

Gohan turned back to Buu but Vegeta's voice stopped him.

"Gohan start getting these Sayians out of here." Vegeta said gruffly.

"Are you sure?" Gohan asked.

"Just do it." Vegeta snapped watching Buu and not moving his gaze from the sight.

Buu seemed to be in a lot of pain but Gohan didn't have time to waste as he went about removing the Sayians from the immediate area.

Vegeta's POV.

Buu was swelling up like a pink balloon. His muscles were expanding popping out like daisies. He seemed to be growing more feral, animalistic.

Kakarot reappeared with a look of seriousness on his features. So this was getting serious enough to fuse. Damn.

"He's twice as big as he was before." Kakarot commented.

Buu continued to yell and scream his pain.

"Watch, he's about to change." Vegeta commented tonelessly.

Buu swung his arms around. He growled and roared.

"Into a better dancer I hope." Kakarot joked.

Buu seemed to have reached the pinnacle of his transformation. He gasped for air and sweat ran down his head. He was shrinking before their very eyes. He became smaller and shorter. The small stature belied his power level with had been soaring the entire time.

"What are you waiting for? Fuse while you still can." Zion yelled.

"He's right you know." Kakarot commented quietly.

"I know." Vegeta replied not looking at the Sayian.

"Do you know the moves?" Kakarot asked.

"Unfortunately." Vegeta grumbled.

"Let's do this then." Kakarot said taking a few steps to the side.

"Is there really no other way?" Vegeta asked.

"There are two other ways but one will destroy the planet and the other is unstable. Finish the job quickly. Don't mess around." Zion replied.

This Buu had raw unrestrained power and Vegeta had to agree with Zion. He reluctantly got into position. Kakarot and Vegeta began the pose.

"FU . . . SION . . . HAA!"

Zion's POV.

The flash was blinding. It was enough to catch Buu's attention. Gogeta's power was more than he could have predicted due to the two fusees having the ability to reach super Sayian 3. The smirk on his face when the flash faded was pure Vegeta.

"This power is amazing. I think I'll even have enough time to play around." Gogeta bragged.

"Don't you dare! These fusions always have a knack of timing out right before the finishing move." Zion barked.

"Are you going to fight me?" Gogeta demanded angrily.

"If I have to." Zion said in a low serious tone.

"If you're so strong then why don't you go fight Buu?" Gogeta demanded.

"I'm the unstable solution. Now get going." Zion snapped.

"I'm going, I'm going. Keep your pants on. Try to remember that I am your father." Gogeta grumbled before shooting towards Buu.

"This time Buu, you'll die and stay dead." Gogeta declared raising a hand.

Zion watched as he started to gather energy into his upraised hand. He lowered so that the blast would project upwards. Buu watched in mild curiosity not really comprehending his impending death. Zion hopped that this would be enough.

"Take this Buu!" Gogeta yelled before letting the blast free.

Buu screamed in pain was he was consumed. Gogeta didn't stop there. He continued the blast until he started to noticeably loose power. He stopped and we all waited.

Nothing happened for five minutes. Nothing happened for ten minutes. Then one small pink blob started to wiggle. I blasted it with a highly concentrated amount of Ki.

"Is it over now?" Gogeta asked.

"I think it just might be. I mean you've never put that much power into a single attack before." Zion replied.
"You said to end it quickly." Gogeta whined.

Goten and Trunks stirred then. They got up and started to rub their heads.

"Wow!" Trunks yelled catching sight of Gogeta.

"They're so powerful." Goten said in awe.

"Wait until I tell mom." Trunks yelled.

Gogeta rolled his eyes.

"All this power and so much time left. What now?" Gogeta mused.

"You could always train. Maybe your separate halves will get stronger. Also it may help for when you need the form again." Zion suggested.

"I suppose so. I thought you said this would have been a challenge." Gogeta accused.

"Had it been the original Buu it would have been. This seems to have been a recreation. A poorly done version. He was strong, had all the traits but his proper genetic make-up had something missing. I guess it was the magical element." Zion mused.

"You guess?" Gogeta said with a snort and narrowing his eyes.

"Bibidi was a wizard." Zion said in defence.

"So you would have the means to recreate Buu?" Goten asked.

"The same person who has been warning me for a while now. This was just another warning, maybe even a test. Time is running out." Zion replied.