Hey, everybody! I know it's been a while. Hopefully I get more than 2 reviews for this chapter. It took me a while, so hopefully it's a good one! (Considering I'm staying up until 1 AM to finish it again…) Please share your thoughts. I just like hearing from everyone! Read and enjoy! Warning: A real tear-jerker, so be prepared.

Chapter 40: The Last War

"What a cruel thing is war; to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world." –Robert E. Lee

Pan had long since recognized the battle cries over the hills as the ones that had haunted her in her visions. They never failed her… stupid premonitions.

The plan was clear. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was something. Their orders were to wait for the army to come to them, and when they reached the base of the hill upon which the castle stood proudly, they were to send a shower of ki blasts raining down on them, taking out as many as they could before the hand-to-hand combat ensued.

As she watched the thousands of men pour over the valley in their direction, Pan felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked up into the smiling face of her grandfather.

"Ôjii-chan? How can you be smiling at a time like this?" She asked.

"I guess I'm just excited, that's all. Vegeta will be here, won't he?" Goku scanned the horizon hopefully.

"I think so. Why is that exciting?"

"Because we never finished our battle. Besides, there are a few things I need to talk to him about."

"What makes you think he'll want to talk?" Pan asked.

"Well, I know it's clear that he won't listen to reason, but I just want to know what he's thinking." He turned to look back at the scared faces of the men behind him. "Why would he want to cause more pain and suffering? After all that has already happened…"

Pan stared off into the distance. "There will be bloodshed for both sides. In this battle there will be no victor."

"Hmm?" Goku looked at her curiously.

"I saw this coming, you know. I should have told someone…"

"Ahh, another one of your visions, huh?" Goku sighed. "You know, Pan, there's something I never told you about that."

"What?" She turned to look him in the eyes.

"My father was just like you. He also claimed he could see the future. But no one believed him, and I think that's what killed him in the end."

Pan stared at the ground. "I'm sorry…"

"No, don't be. It's not your fault. The point is I think you somehow inherited the ability to see the future from him."

"You think?"

"Hey, what other explanation could there be?"

Pan smiled. Then a thought crossed her mind. "So… how did he die?"

She immediately regretted asking. Goku seemed to go into a rare moment of deep thought.

Finally, he answered, "He rebelled."

"Do you think we'll end up the same way?"

"If we do, I can't think of a more honorable cause to die for." Goku smiled.

Pan sighed, letting the same smile cross her features. "Yeah… me neither."

Freedom…

Zamuri came to his sister's side and took her hand.

"Here," he said, slipping a red piece of cloth into her palm.

Pan smiled at him before tying the cloth around her forehead.

"Now we really look like twins!" Zamuri grinned.

"Yeah…" Pan sighed softly, allowing her brother to pull her in for a hug.

"Stay with me?" he whispered in her ear.

"Always…" She replied.

They pulled away and looked back down the hill to see that King Vegeta had halted his advance. The king and his son now stood at the head of the ranks, eyeing the ragtag army before them.

"Well, would you look at that…" Prince Vegeta chuckled to himself. "Do they actually plan on fighting us?"

The king, however, was not so amused. He could see one group of Saiyans, but he sensed two. The second was much farther away, creeping slowly westward.

"Hmph… no doubt they're trying to hold us off so the weak ones can get away." He muttered. "Vegeta, new plan. I will deal with Kakarot and his pathetic excuse for an army. You take a small squad and make your way around the fortress and through the valleys to the west. There should be a rather large group of weak peasants trying to flee, and your little brother is among them." He smirked at his son. "Deal with them."

The prince saluted his father and ran off to assemble a few men.

King Vegeta faced the rebel army before him, and raised his voice to speak to them.

"This is your last chance, you rebel scum!" He hollered. "Give up, and I'll reconsider whether or not I should kill you all."

"Vegeta, we won't go down without a fight!" he heard Kakarot yell back at him.

"Heh… Very well, Kakarot! I just hope that all the death your stupidity causes today is enough to satisfy you!" He turned to his troops. "You know your orders! Kill all in your path! Spare no one! Charge!"

The rebels watched as the army ran towards them, enraged battle cries engulfing their ears. The five Sons and Trunks stood their ground, waiting anxiously for the soldiers to reach the base of their hill.

"Not until my signal!" Gohan called to his men. "Stand your ground!"

The men watched, terrified, as the army began advancing up the hill.

"Wait… wait a little longer…" said Gohan.

Pan and Zamuri readied themselves into their ki-firing stances, with palms facing forward and feet shoulder-width apart.

The army was now less than 500 feet in front of them.

"NOW!" Gohan yelled.

"FIRE!" Pan echoed, unleashing the supply of ki she had been building up. She concentrated all her energy on trying to hit targets as often as possible, and was barely aware of the thousands of ki blasts that had erupted from behind her, and were now raining down upon the enemy.

Anguished cries of pain and surprise could be heard from below. The plan had been effective, but they were still outnumbered nonetheless.

Numerous soldiers leapt out of the firing range, and came down on top of the rebels. The twins crouched into their fighting stances as they watched the soldiers come closer and closer.

The battle was on. Goku and Vegeta had met up almost immediately above the battle grounds, and were going at it like there was no tomorrow. Pan punched, kicked, and blasted her way through hoards of enemy soldiers, all the while keeping an eye on Zamuri, who was trying his best to stay close. She quickly became impressed with how much he had improved. Sure, his strength had decreased, but he made up for it in precision. Every move was exact and carefully planned so as not to waste energy. As a whole, he was holding his own just as well as Pan.

"Zam, duck!" She called, noticing a couple of soldiers coming up behind him. Zamuri obeyed, just as Pan carefully shot two deadly ki blasts right where his head had been. They both hit their targets head on, and the men collapsed on the ground in pain.

"Thanks, sis!" Zamuri shouted.

"Thank me later!" Pan responded, noticing now how many soldiers were ganging up on them, encircling them. The twins stood back to back, crouched in their fighting stances. Their enemies all seemed to have the same plan in mind. They all smirked, charging energy into their open palms. Pan looked on nervously, trying to figure out how she was going to deflect that many ki blasts at once. But she had barely any time to think before the blasts were fired. Zamuri whirled around, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Lend me your energy!" He shouted. Pan suddenly felt him pulling at her aura, and fusing it with his own. All at once, Zamuri let out a long, powerful cry, and a golden, sphere-shaped barrier of energy formed around the two, protecting them by neutralizing the oncoming blasts. Coming to her senses, Pan realized their shield was weakening fast and quickly pumped more energy into Zamuri. But it didn't seem to be working. He couldn't hold out much longer. Thinking quickly, Pan reached behind her and clasped her hands around Zamuri's waist.

"Hold on!" She shouted, rocketing off the ground and watching the barrier follow. "Are you okay?" She asked once the firing died down. "When did you learn this move?" She watched as the barrier faded away completely, and left Zamuri breathing hard against her shoulder.

"Sorry it's not that good yet. The ki barrier is still experimental, and I haven't had the chance to perfect it yet. I only thought of it about a week ago." Zamuri chuckled weakly. "I knew I wouldn't have enough energy to maintain it, so I borrowed some from you." He looked slightly embarrassed. Pan, however, was impressed. Only a week after thinking up such a move, he was already confident enough to use it in combat.

"Hey!" Someone called from behind. Letting go of a still unstable Zamuri, Pan whirled around to see her uncle speeding towards them. "What, tired already?" He asked.

"No!" Pan countered. She was about to make a callous remark about Goten's lack of training when her ki senses picked up something unusual to the west.

"Something wrong, sis?" Zamuri asked, but soon figured it out for himself.

"You sense it too?" Pan asked. Both Zamuri and Goten nodded.

"They're in trouble!" Goten cried. "I'll go ahead, you two find Gohan and Trunks!"

With no time to argue, the twins obliged and headed back down to the battlefield as their uncle sped off westward.

King Vegeta had his rival right where he wanted… in a headlock.

Goku had refrained from struggling, and waited calmly for an opening in which to kick the king off of him. But the disturbance in the west had reached him too. He looked over his shoulder at a smirking Vegeta, who seemed all too pleased with himself.

"Vegeta, I don't understand!" Goku said.

"What's not to understand, Kakarot? Not only has the strength of you and your kin been a nuisance to me, but you have also been the source of my rage since my wife passed away over five years ago! You've disgraced my family, thrown my kingdom into disorder, turned my eldest son against me, and corrupted the mind of my youngest! Not a day goes by that I don't think of how much I hate you for what you've done to me! You, a low-level peasant, making me pledge my word as if I were an equal!"

Goku blinked.

"Is this about that promise you gave me right before your wedding?" He looked back to see he was right. "Vegeta, there's no reason to get mad over that. You kept your promise! It's not your fault Bulma got sick! It could have happened to anyone! I just wanted to make sure you were going to treat her well and respect her. And you did just that!"

"Shut up!"

"No, Vegeta, I think it's time you listened to what one of your subjects has to say!"

"That's King Vegeta to you!"

"The way you've been running your kingdom lately, I'd say you don't deserve to be called king!"

"SHUT UP, KAKAROT!"

"NO, YOU SHUT UP!" Goku screamed. His fists balled and his whole body shook. He erupted into his Super Saiyan form, knocking Vegeta off of him from the sheer force of the transformation. Goku hovered in midair, breathing heavily, not out of fatigue, but from rage. He turned to face Vegeta, his chin lowered to his chest. "You… you're pathetic! Clinging on to the past for so long… it's taken over you! Now you're so caught up in that old promise, you can't ever keep your word!" Goku now raised his chin and stared down the Saiyan King. "That treaty we signed… you promised you wouldn't hurt them anymore… You gave me your word, Vegeta! YOU PROMISED!"

"Heh…" Vegeta smirked, transforming as well. "That's one promise that I never intended to keep. You see, from the day that treaty was created I planned to go against it. Every detail of that document was designed to set the stage for my plan. I had to let Trunks go, in order to gain your trust. But I also wanted Trunks to believe that I had forgiven him so he would feel no need to cause any more rebellions. Then there was the matter of my youngest son, whom by misfortune was named after you. I decided to let you raise him, befriend and confide in him. That way when the time came for his return he would know everything about you and your kingdom: you strengths and weaknesses, your strongholds and escape routes, everything! And finally, I kept your grandson imprisoned so as to keep you in check. With his wellbeing in my hands, I knew you fools wouldn't dare do anything stupid."

"You're sick." Goku spat. "Not only do you not deserve to be king, but with the way you threaten and manipulate others for your own selfish wants, I'd say you don't deserve to be a Saiyan!"

"What do you know about being Saiyan, you traitorous clown!" Vegeta refuted, finally losing his cool. He launched himself at his rival, fazing out of sight for a moment before reappearing above Goku and sending a sharp kick to the back of his head.

Prince Vegeta and his small band of soldiers had quickly caught up with the group of slow-moving weaklings his father had spoken of. Surely taking them out would be an easy task on the prince's part.

"You have your orders." He told his men. They had gotten ahead of their prey, and were now hiding behind a large boulder watching their unsuspecting victims round the bend, right into their trap.

The soldiers nodded to their prince and leapt out from behind the boulder, landing smoothly before the large crowd. Screams and panicked murmurs ran through the throng like wildfire. Prince Vegeta watched as the plan was carried out, and the people were shown no mercy. He took delight in their cries, and cackled to himself as he watched them try to run.

"Pathetic fools." He murmured, and set off to find his brother. But as soon as he stepped out from behind the boulder, he was met head-on by a young, dark-skinned man. "I don't know who you think you are, getting in my way…" The prince warned. "… but you'll regret it in the afterlife!"

"Come on, then!" Uub shouted back. "I'm not afraid!"

The prince smirked. "Good, then I can end this quickly." He disappeared from sight, reappearing inches from Uub's face. Uub didn't flinch.

"I told you, I'm not afraid." Uub repeated, catching a punch that was aimed for his gut. Vegeta sneered before head butting his opponent hard. Uub was knocked back several feet, but aside from the blood mark on his forehead, was unfazed.

"Why don't you fight back? Then maybe you'd be more of a challenge." Vegeta mocked.

"My objective is not to fight you." Uub smirked. "I simply need to stay alive long enough for the reinforcements to show up."

"What!" Sure enough, Vegeta could sense several decently strong power levels speeding towards them. Things were not going as planned. He took to the sky, intending to do an aerial search for his little brother. But Uub blocked him.

"Where are you going?" He leered, staring down the prince.

"Out of my way!" Vegeta growled.

"Heh… no."

"Grr… well then, I'll simply have to end your life now!" He snarled, his infamous red aura forming around him. He cackled to himself, imagining the pain he could cause this poor, third-rate pest. "Heh… you're in for it now." He smirked, once again flashing out of sight. Uub looked around frantically, but was caught off guard as Vegeta reappeared behind him, grabbed hold of both his wrists, and slammed both feet into his backside. Uub screamed, not only from his breaking spine, but also from the burning sensation that seared through all points of contact with the prince. His wrists and back felt like they were on fire. Vegeta roared with insane laughter as he heard the young man's spine finally shatter. Uub let out one final cry before consciousness left him, and his head fell back, blood dripping from his lips. Vegeta cast away Uub's body like a rag doll, sending one last ki blast at him to finish the job. Then, without another thought, his aura died away, and he commenced with his search.

It didn't last long. He spotted a couple of his men having a hard time with what looked to be a middle-aged woman. Her long, black braid whipped wildly behind her as she fended off the two soldiers, all the while protecting a small boy wearing something that resembled the Son family gi.

"I'll take it from here." Vegeta said, calling off his soldiers. "You do your jobs."

He looked over at the exhausted woman crouched into her fighting stance.

"Heh…" The prince smirked. "It's rare to see a woman of your fighting caliber these days. Tell you what…" He lowered his fists. "I'll let you live if you give up the boy."

"Never! You'll have to go through me to get to him!" Videl defied, ignoring her fatigue.

Vegeta shook his finger at her. "You know, I wish you hadn't said that. Now I'll have to get my hands dirty."

"Run, Goku!" Videl hissed over her shoulder. The young boy nodded, turned and sprinted off as best he could.

"Heh… How kind of you, wanting to preserve the child's innocence." Vegeta grinned evilly. "… We wouldn't want him bearing witness to something as gory as your demise. After all, I'll have to go through you."

The grassy field was ghostly quiet and littered with the bodies of the dead when Pan and Zamuri arrived. Behind them, Trunks and Gohan looked on in horror over the mass of destruction that had occurred. Goten had arrived just moments before them, and killed the soldiers still attacking the remains of the refugees.

"Okaa-san?" Pan called faintly, tears quickly forming. "OKAA-SAN!"

Her voice echoed over the valley, but no reply was heard.

"Over here! Gohan!" Goten called. Gohan dashed over to where his brother kneeled, his children right at his heels. Goten was leaning over the broken body of Videl. Blood streamed in thin lines down her pale cheeks. She was sprawled on her back, a bloody, fist-sized hole through her stomach.

"Videl!" Gohan cried, leaning down and scooping her head in his arms. "She's still breathing…" He looked down at her pale form and felt her cheek. It was still warm. "She's alive! Goten, find Dende! Get him here NOW!"

"G- Gohan…" Videl coughed weakly.

"Hold on, Videl. Dende's coming. You're going to be…"

Videl reached up and clutched her husband's shirt.

"Gohan… he… I couldn't stop him… he took Goku…"

"Save your breath, Videl! It's all right, we'll get him back."

"Mom!" Pan and Zamuri cried, kneeling at her side.

"Pan… Zam…" She gazed up at the two in their matching headbands and smiled warmly. "My babies…" Suddenly, her arm collapsed back down and her smile faded.

"Videl! Stay with us, Videl! Hold on just a little bit longer!"

But Videl could not hear her husband's words. Her eyes flickered shut, and her breathing ceased.

"Gohan!" Goten called, carrying the frightened little Namek by the armpits. "I've got Dende! He's right here!"

Gohan looked up at his brother sadly and shook his head.

"Mom?" Zamuri called, but to no avail. "Mom, no! Come back! Please, come back!"

Pan was silent, head down and eyes squeezed shut, her knuckles white as she clutched her pant legs. Tears fell, lightly dotting her hands.

(No… Mom…) she thought. Her head was spinning, her teeth were clenched, her heart was thumping hard, and her stomach felt heavy. The lump in her throat was too big to swallow. (Not again… Mommy… don't let it happen again… Mommy!)

Her head screamed the word over and over again until it seemed void of all meaning. Visions of Queen Bulma dying in her bed came to her, and would not go away. As she felt the strong hand of Trunks rest on her shoulder, Pan could tell he was seeing the same thing.