Piccolo landed inside the crater that Vegeta had made just moments before. He looked round and stared at the pink blobs scattered around the area then sighed. Least it's over… he thought.
"He made a really big hole, didn't he?" asked a small voice that made him jump. He looked round to see Zara kneeling by the edge of the crater, looking sadly into it. He frowned.
"I thought I told you to follow the others." He asked but she didn't answer and instead slid down the side to meet him. Once down there, she looked round at the blobs.
"Buu looks pretty dead so where's the danger?" she asked as she nudged the nearest blob with her foot.
"Don't touch that! I can still feel some energy in that thing!" snapped Piccolo. Zara jumped away from it and rubbed the back of her head.
"Heh, sorry." She said before staring at it. "Wait a minute, if there's still energy in those things then wouldn't that mean Buu's alive? How can that be?" she asked. Piccolo stared over at her and then at the blob.
"I don't know. Just be careful." He said making Zara roll her eyes. She didn't answer him and just started to walk over to him when something caught her eye.
"Hey, is that supposed to be doing that?" she asked, pointing to one of the blobs. Piccolo turned round to see it wiggling and slowly moving towards another blob. Zara stared at it then noticed several other blobs doing the exact same thing. Slowly all the blobs moved towards one in the centre, joining together into one big ball.
"What are they doing?" Zara asked. Piccolo stared at the ball. Something wasn't right. Suddenly Piccolo grabbed Zara and took off as fast as he could.
"Hey!" she yelled then noticed the ball was sprouting arms and legs. He's alive? After that? But that means…NO! She thought as the ball slowly disappeared into the distance.
Several minutes later they landed on the lookout. Piccolo dropped Zara and walked over to the main building where everybody else was waiting. Zara got up and stared after him.
"Geese, thanks a lot…" Zara mumbled before walking cautiously over to the others. Dende was explaining what was happening.
"Luckily it's extremely difficult to kill a dead man so Goku's fine." He was saying. Krillen gave a sigh of relief and Piccolo looked over at the edge.
"What about Gohan? Is he alright?" Piccolo asked. Dende sighed.
"To be honest, I'm not sure. He received a lot of damage from Buu. I haven't been able to sense him since his fight…" the guardian trailed off and looked to the edge as well. Krillen looked up at the sound of Buu's name.
"Oh yea, did Vegeta destroy him?" he asked Piccolo shook his head but didn't have a chance to answer.
"How could he have survived anyway? I just don't understand it…" Zara said making everyone stare at her. Krillen turned to Piccolo.
"You brought her up here?" he asked. Piccolo stared at him.
"What did you think I was going to do with her? Leave her in a crater with a monster? I'm not completely heartless."
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that I was just surprised…" Krillen said before looking back at Zara and getting up to look at her properly.
"I just didn't think you had anything for her up here while we plan. There's a pretty big absence of dolls and other toys for little girls." Krillen added. Zara gave him a cold stare that made him instantly back up.
"Err…ok…so when did you say Goku will be getting here?" Krillen asked, quickly changing the subject. Dende smiled.
"Well, I'd say he'd get here right about…now." Dende finished just as the super saiyan himself came round the corner.
"Hey guys. You wouldn't happen to have a senzu on you would ya? Vegeta stole my last one." Goku asked as soon as he spotted them.
Zara looked up at the new comer then back at the floor. Vegeta…she thought sadly. She slowly glanced up to see Dende healing Goku as he told them his plan.
"You see I learned this technique from an alien species in other world. They were some of the strongest guys around because of it and I think it'll help us out a lot. But since Gohan and Vegeta are…gone then it wouldn't work. There's no one strong enough to do a fusion with." He explained. Krillen stopped him there.
"Wait, do you mean fuchsia, like the colour of my shirt?" He asked. Goku shook his head.
"No. Fusion. It's where two people of similar height and strength merge together to become one powerful warrior capable of doing what one couldn't. Like taking down a monster that's terrorising the planet." Goku answered and the other men nodded.
"You know Trunks and Goten are about the same height." Dende said thoughtfully making Goku look up. Zara turned her head and stepped away from her corner for a better look.
"You know that isn't such a bad idea. It'll probably work for them. But I don't know if I'll have enough time to teach it to them." Goku said looking thoughtful. Piccolo stepped forward.
"Don't worry Goku. I could continue teaching them after you've gone back to other world. You'll just have to show them what to do." He said and Goku nodded.
"Good idea. And it should work too. Well, it'll have to…" Goku said grinning. Zara watched him thoughtfully. Fusion huh? That I'd like to see…maybe I should get in some training as well. She thought before her attention was taken away from the group of men. The sky was turning black.
"Is that what I think it is?" Goku asked as he stood up. Piccolo rushed to the side of the lookout with Dende.
"Looks like it. Bulma has just summoned Shenron." He informed.
"Oh great, she must be wishing back everyone Vegeta hurt. I gotta stop her, we'll need the wish later!" Goku said as he raised his index and middle finger to his forehead and disappeared. A few moments later he appeared with a large group of people. Bulma broke out of the line.
"Ok Goku start explaining. I want to know exactly what's been going on around here!" she demanded. Goku raised his hands in defence.
"Ok, ok. But it's not the best of news." He looked round at everyone then sighed and went into the long explanation as to how Majin Buu had come to be released and Vegeta's sacrifice. Everyone stayed deathly silent until the end.
"You mean Vegeta…" Bulma began then trailed off. Chichi was staring horrified at her husband.
"Gohan's…my baby, he's…" she started. Goku nodded.
"Vegeta's gone. He gave his life to try and stop Buu. And as for Gohan…we haven't been able to sense him so that only points to one thing…"Goku said, not daring to look at his wife.
"No! I refuse to believe that! Gohan is still alive! I can feel it!" Videl cried, surprising everyone. No one said anything. Zara just listened to them she was staring at the building in the centre of the lookout. There she could sense something that put a small smile on her face.
Trunks slowly sat up rubbing his eyes.
"Dad?" he mumbled as he looked round. He was in what looked like a bedroom. He was on a large, comfy bed with Goten next to him still fast asleep. Trunks frowned at the new surroundings and starting nudging Goten awake.
"What?" the younger boy sleepily asked, not opening his eyes.
"Wake up. Something's up and I can't sense dad." Trunks answered as he jumped off of the bed and went to peek out of the room. Goten slowly sat up.
"How'd we get here?" he mumbled.
"I dunno. I just woke up here. Come on, we gotta look around and work out where we are." Trunks quickly said before running out the room.
"Hey! Wait up Trunks!" Goten said scrambling to the door.
They both started walking through the many corridors in the bottom of the lookout. Trunks could roughly recognise the building but he wasn't sure where from. He had only been a year old when he had last been to the lookout and Goten had never seen it before.
Trunks opened a door and looked in to find a table filled with food.
"Think we hit pay dirt…" he mumbled then led the way in. Goten grinned and ran to the table and started stuffing his face straight away.
"Wow, this stuff sure is good! And I was getting really hungry too!" he said between mouthfuls. Trunks stared blankly at his friend as he sat opposite.
"Geese, don't you have any manners?" Trunks asked as he grabbed the nearest plate. Goten stared at his friend and started eating slower.
Soon the door opened and Trunks looked up at the man that walked in.
"I should have known that you boys would find the food." Mr Popo said when he entered.
"Hey 'ten, I think we have trouble, lets go." Trunks said. Goten swallowed what was in his mouth.
"But Trunks, I'm eating…" he said. Trunks growled.
"Never mind that, CHARGE!" he yelled and Goten nodded and jumped up before following Trunks in an attack on Mr Popo in an attempt to escape. Mr Popo could barely block the punches the two demi-saiyans were throwing at him and was forced backwards out of the door. The boys followed and kept pushing him back with their high-speed punches that only one voice was able to stop.
"HEY! Where are your manners, boys? Mr Popo here gives you a place to rest up and you attack him? That isn't very nice." It said and Trunks immediately stopped and held back Goten.
"Zara? What's up?" he asked as he stared at his friend who stood at the end of the corridor, grinning but with a sad look in her eyes.
"You'll see." She said as Goku walked round the corner.
"You two gave Popo a run for his money I see. Well if you're done I need you boys." He said then led the way up top, the kids running after him.
"What? How could that have happened?" Trunks cried as he stared at Goku. They had been taken to a room to learn the fusion dance and Goku had just finished explaining to them what had happened. The boys were in the centre of the room with Goku with Piccolo leaning against the wall and Zara sitting on the railing that went along the outside.
"No! That couldn't have happened to Gohan…" Goten was saying. Both boys were tearful and were staring at the ground.
"Boys, stop that. I have to teach you this technique so that we can stop this monster. That means no time for tears or anything like it, understand?" Goku said firmly. Trunks looked up at Goku, his eyes narrowed, then nodded and wiped away his tears and Goten did the same. Goku was right. There was no more time. They were the earth's last hope and now Trunks had a job: avenge his father.
Both boys looked serious as they stared at Goku.
"Alright then, time to train." He said as he grinned down at the boys, and earth's last hope.
......
A/n: I'm leaving it there. Will the boys master fusion before time runs out? Find out next time!
Oh & before I forget I should be starting a joint fic with Emily11 soon under the penname Emra. Watch out for it, it should be a good one. & I'll try not to let it get in the way of finishing this one!