Chapter 20 – Goku and Gohan

Rage Shenron barely had time to glance in Pan's direction before she was hit by a blast harder and more devastating than anything Piccolo had thrown at her. Overwhelmed, she was forced off of the Namekian and hurled several yards away by the bright beam emanating from Pan's hands. As it cleared, Piccolo caught his breath and looked at the dragon.

She was breathing with difficulty, her hands clutching her left side, which had received the most damage. Her eyes and teeth were clenched tightly.

Turning his head to Pan, Piccolo gaped. Her eyes were filled with a reckless rage that he had only seen on Gohan so many years before. After a moment's silence, he spoke.

"Pan..." he whispered. "Where did you learn that technique?"

Pan's eyes were locked onto Rage Shenron, and she almost seemed not to hear him. However, she spoke evenly and deliberately.

"The Shin Masenko. My dad taught it to me when I was younger. I never really used it until now."

Rage Shenron opened her eyes. She was livid, even more so than Pan.

"What are you going to do now, little girl!" she shrieked. "You've just used up half your ki, only to cause my power level to shoot up! I'd say it wouldn't give me any pleasure to kill someone so stupid," she said, narrowing her eyes menacingly. "But I'd be lying."

In one swift motion, Pan reached into her pocket, pulled out the senzu bean she had taken earlier, and swallowed it. Piccolo did the same. They both raised their power levels as high as they would go, and charged at the dragon, who howled with fury as she charged back.

Trunks, having recovered his sword, pulled out of his dive and looked back at the battle above him. Goten wasn't making much progress against Nightros Shenron; even as a Super Saiyan, the dragon was wearing him down. He dodged a punch, only to be tripped a split-second later. Nightros Shenron was playing with him.

Trunks flew back up, hand extended. The ki blast hit its target in the back; the dragon spasmed, and Goten kicked him upside the head. Trunks slammed him downward with the hilt of his sword. Goten staggered against him.

"Are you all right?" asked Trunks in alarm.

"Yeah," panted Goten, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "He's just...a little tougher than I thought."

Below them, Nightros Shenron was taking his time getting up from the ground. He evaluated the fight he had just had.

Hmm. Trunks has a bit more tact, but Goten's not an awful fighter. But I can sense some hidden raw power. One of them can reach the next level, and he hasn't shown me yet. He watched Trunks pat Goten on the back and support him for a moment. He grinned malevolently, stood up and stretched his arms.

"Found it," he said quietly.
Goku was silent. He flew alongside Gohan, who was flying as fast as his father could go, but no faster. They didn't speak the whole way; they were both occupied with their own thoughts.

Gohan was worried about the immense ki signal they had felt from the newest shadow dragon, one even greater than his own. Goku was thinking about the words that the Elder Kaioshin had said to him on the Planet of the Kais: "The dormant power that lies only in the Super Saiyans of legend! An incredibly dangerous power that is not to be used lightly. It will make you roughly as strong as your son." He had felt ready for this power ever since he left to fight Super 17, and only needed the conditions to be right. "Once you're at your maximum power level, you have to call on the Saiyan powers of Oozaru and have the necessary rage in your heart."

Their thoughts carried them all the way to a tall, red dragon with pointy ears, wings, and no nose. The four-star Dragonball was lodged in his chest. He was not in the act of destroying a city; in fact he was standing in the middle of a barren desert, waiting for them. They landed.

"Hello," he said, in a deep, rasping voice. "My name is Nova Shenron. I'm here to fight you and kill you." He said it simply, with no pretense or emotion.

A little unnerved by this, as well as by the creature's enormous power level, Gohan stammered foolishly, "Why?"

"Because of the negative energy that created me. Also," he said, with an icy glint in his eye, "I have a bit of a score to settle with you, Son Gohan." As he spoke, fire blazed around all three of them.

"Me?" asked Gohan, regaining his confidence now that a fight was about to begin. He tensed.

"Of course. I assume you remember Cell? It was the wish to revive those he killed that created me. I must do what he could not."

Something about this did not sound right in Goku's mind. "Wait a minute," he said slowly. "That wish was made a long time ago. So what's with this power we're feeling from you?"

Nova Shenron turned to him. "Son Goku," he said, smiling almost in greeting. Then, "there was a small anomaly in the negative energy for this wish. Two dragons were created from it. There lies much of my power; and since there are two of you, it might be fun to try it out." He opened his mouth.

Immediately, Goku and Gohan felt his power decrease very slightly. Then an identical signal emerged from within the dragon's body. There seemed to be two of the same ki signal in one shadow dragon.

A second dragon tumbled out of Nova Shenron's mouth and onto the ground. Gohan was reminded unpleasantly of the Cell Jrs as the dragon climbed to his feet. He was identical to his brother, although icy blue in color, and with the three-star Dragonball embedded in his chest.

"Hey," he said in the same voice. "Eiss Shenron. Nice to see you, Son." He indicated Gohan pointedly.

"Shall I take Son Goku, then?" asked Nova Shenron.

"Definitely," said Eiss Shenron, shivering with anticipation. "Let's fight, boy."

Nova Shenron turned his attention to Goku. In one swift, seamless movement, Goku's hair turned golden and flew down his back simultaneously.

"Is that your full, unrestrained power?" asked his opponent, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Yes," said Goku seriously. Both Nova and Eiss Shenron were stronger than him; roughly as strong as Gohan. "For now." Goten and Trunks went on the offensive. Shooting off in different directions, they doubled back at different speeds to hit Nightros Shenron twice in quick succession. But he was ready for them this time. He casually hurled a ki blast at Trunks, distracting him for the moment. He jumped up, avoiding Goten's attack, and fired another blast which slammed Goten into the ground.

The dragon rejoined Goten at ground zero. He grabbed him by the arm and tossed him into the air.

"You're not even giving it all you've got," he said angrily. "Why not?"

"I..." began Goten.

Nightros Shenron soared after him, punching him in the mouth.

"C'mon, what's it gonna take?" he demanded. "I'm beating the hell out of you, you're losing! Take it up a notch!"

He was unprepared for Trunks' recovery. He noticed at the last possible moment that Trunks' sword was glowing with energy. The young Saiyan swished it in a sweeping arc aimed at Nightros Shenron, who leapt out of the way just in time.

Trunks grinned. Out of the tip of the sword poured the energy, straight into the dragon's chest. He was thrown several yards away.

"Nice move, Trunks," said Goten appreciatively.

"Thanks," said Trunks. "But this guy isn't going down so easily. I'm thinking we might need a little extra firepower."

"I've been trying to get Super Saiyan 2 back, but it isn't coming!" yelled Goten in frustration.

"No," said Trunks, shaking his head. "Not that."

Nightros Shenron, who had by now recovered, watched with interest. What could this mean?

"Oh, yeah?" said Goten. "That dance, huh?"

Trunks nodded.

"All right, Nightros Shenron!" he called. "Let us show you how powerful we can get!" He turned to face the dragon...and was shocked to see that he was gone.

"What?" he wondered aloud. "Where'd he...? Goten? Do you see anything?"

Goten looked at Trunks. "No," he said after a beat.

Trunks raised his eyebrows. He watched Goten flex his muscles briefly. Then his aura flared up furiously, there was a sound like a small explosion, and Goten was a Super Saiyan 2.

"Oh," he said to himself. "So that's what it is."

"Goten, what are you...?" Trunks was feeling a bit nervous. "What happened to you? Who are you?"

Goten looked at him, and laughed a deep laugh.

"Heh, don't you recognize me? I know it must be hard in all this," he indicated his body, "but it's still me."

Trunks narrowed his eyes. "I should have guessed," he said. "Baby's wish."

Nightros Shenron nodded. Then he charged.