The Long Road

by Drakthul

AU: Abducted at the age of three and a half, taken through thirteen years of bloodshed and strife, Gohan finds his way back to Earth... to finish a backlogged contract. On Earth, he will either overcome what he is, or be destroyed by it. Rated M.

28. Chapter 28: Legends

Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or really any other property. Thank you.

The Long Road

Chapter 28: Legends

Broly:

They were all so... pitiful.

The mark he bore on his head was a symbol of his own weakness, it infused him with a power far weaker then his own, but one which could be controlled. It was his entire existence up until this point suffering with the consequences of his own faults. The destruction of his home planet, something vivid in his memories still. Memories which included the blade descending from a guard, stabbing him through his throat as his father watched on, trying to save him from death. The planet disappearing into flames and smoke, as what he truly was awakened within him. The days that followed were a blur, a blur of him tumbling through space, only to find salvation on a planet an insurmountable distance away.

But inside of all of that, there was that screaming and crying. Inside all of that there was a name he heard more then his own. There was Kakarot.

Even when he and his father journeyed the galaxy afterwards, even when he was six years old and had to face down the purple skinned monster who took his father away, and left him to die on a dying planet, helpless and alone, he still remembered Kakarot.

Now, for the first time in the decades past, for the first time in his numb existence since fighting the creature which ripped his father from him, he could see the one who first made him feel weak, the one who defied him. Something stirred in his chest for the first time as he stepped forward once again, struggling to contain the newly roused fury within himself. There were others here as well. A short, purple creature, a purple haired man, a tall green one bearing the Majin mark, and another Saiyan with a scar over his eye... much like the scar his father bore. At the end of the list, he saw a man who looked like King Vegeta.

A field of green energy burst from Broly for the first time in years. The entire ship rumbled at the exertion of the hidden energy as he continued to walk towards Kakarot.

"Hey! Brute! I am speaking! It is your master here!" the voice squawked in his mind. "I order you to kill the Supreme Kai, immediately. Deal with the others only once he is-"

The mark of Babidi urged him to try and change his course. Every annoying word in his mind almost compelled him, under the shackles of control, to change his direction. The small purple creature was to be his target... the irrelevant creature. Every muscle in his body protested as he turned his head to look towards the little imp. There was a struggling noise that escaped his throat as he clenched his teeth, fighting the control with every fibre of his being.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but we don't want to hurt you," Kakarot said. "You can fight whatever hold Babidi has over you."

There was something about even the way he spoke. The weak and irritating way of it, that caused him to turn his attention away from his master's intended victim. Something swelled beneath the surface as smokey green power rolled from his shoulders. It was almost too much to stand.

"Goku," the green one then remarked, grinning to himself as he crossed his arms. "I'm going to enjoy this..."

"Piccolo, please don't do this. We're friends. Whatever I've done, we can sort this all out," Kakarot said again.

It was too much for Broly. There was too much weakness, and worse, too much humiliation. This whiney thing was the thing that embarrassed him? This was the boy who caused him to burst into tears, who scared him when he was weak and alone? Next to him was the bastard child of King Vegeta, he could smell it. Waves of hatred rolled over him as he grunted and growled for a moment, fighting against the control.

"Kakarot," he seethed. "You will be my first victim."

That startled the green one, who turned to Broly with an intense gaze. This was obviously a problem for him. Just the very idea that this green freak wanted to confront him, somehow drove up the power he felt beneath his skin. The trapped energy, boiling to get out, pushed against all his restraints again. He could feel all of Babidi's influence being exerted on his mind a second later.

"You stupid oaf! I ordered you to kill the Supreme Kai, not fight this 'Kakarot'!"

"Goku was promised to me," the green one snapped. "He's mine."

Every binding on his mind waxed and waned with the pressure. Old hooks placed there from the moment he became Babidi's slave when he was a mere child were tested to their limit. They'd stood for over three decades in service for their dark master, seemingly standing amidst a sea of chaos. They had once seemed invincible, and as eternal as the stars which drifted among the galaxies. As they strained, as they crumbled under the pressure of the force within, there was more being revealed to Broly then just his own thoughts.

The restraints in his mind were as strong as those stars, but the stars themselves should cower at his approach. Everything in the universe should learn to fear him. Words his father had spoken to him when he was young returned vividly.

You are the chosen one, the Super Saiyan.

Only one part of that was true. He was the chosen one, he was chosen to be so much more then a Super Saiyan.

The shackles in his mind snapped, one by one.

"W-what are you doing!?"

A dark smile appeared across his lips as Broly slowly began to chuckle... a chuckle which turned into something as dark and depraved as the power within him. All of the weaklings there, from Babidi's slave to the warriors he was to kill seemed to step back, their eyes focused on him nervously.

"I am your master!"

Another swirl of green energy burst around him as he cackled, the last chain being snapped.

There was a frustrated growl from his side.

"I said he's mine!"

With that, the green alien approached him, snarling almost as he pulled back his arm to strike. Without even moving to intercept him, Broly felt the natural response overtake him. Opening the vent of the power dwelling within him, a geyser of power exploded, emerald coloured power exploding off of him in a great gust of force. The force sent the Namekian back at incredible speeds, slamming him into the very walls of the ship. There was a look of surprise written across his face at what had just occurred.

To Broly, it was empowering. It was the first time he'd ever exerted this power since he'd been a child. It'd been the first time he'd let the true monster out since he'd faced certain death for the second time. The dark power which had propelled him across the starts, the same power which made him a Super Saiyan... was a power which had been gestating inside of him for years. It fed, and it grew, and now it was finally coming back into the world. What it was, was so much more then it'd ever been before.

Ignoring the green freak, Broly just continued to grin.

"I choose my victims, slave," Broly chuckled. "Kakarot."

Stepping in front of Kakarot, King Vegeta's offspring looked at him dead in the eyes.

"If anyone is to defeat Kakarot, it is me," he said, his voice laced with overconfidence and arrogance.

Tilting his head forward, the tall Saiyan looked down at the short one. It was too perfect. There was no way he would fall to this midget, or Kakarot. If anything, this presented him with an opportunity to scratch an itch he'd been bothered by.

"And who are you exactly?" he asked, feeling the power within him slowly rising with another wave of energy within.

There was a flash of golden energy before him as the little creature tried to intimidate him in response. The aura around him flickered violently and was brimmed with powerful electrical sparks. For someone so pathetic, he wasn't as pathetic as Dabura. With a laugh, Broly took another step forward.

"I am Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans," he proclaimed. From behind, another golden aura burst into view, this one belonging to Kakarot. Looking past Vegeta, towards Kakarot, he knew who was the real power among the two.

Even if he was annoying, and pitiful, he was the strongest warrior in the room, aside from himself. When another golden flash appeared, and then another, Broly growled with annoyance. Each power in the room was now trying to somehow band together.

None of them could even hope, or begin to understand the power he felt coursing through his veins. It was a power which grew with every heartbeat.

"Then why are weaker then Kakarot?" Broly laughed. "You're the prince of ash."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Goku:

A plan, that was what they needed right now. Whatever Babidi thought he was controlling, he didn't sense the dark power growing inside whoever this was. The fact he knew who he was, but Goku didn't know who this monster was, made the situation all the more uncomfortable. Just who the Hell was this? What really mattered of course, was he was a cackling, maddened beast, with an energy that was incredible dark.

Looking towards Piccolo, who was just dislodging himself from the wall, Goku tensed when his friend looked up with a deadly sneer. Well, it looked like that hadn't changed, making the situation all the worse. They needed a way to break Piccolo free from Babidi's control, or at least to subdue him. Right now with the tall Saiyan in front of them intent on fighting Vegeta and himself, that eliminated them.

Turning his head, Goku looked towards the Supreme Kai, who was left standing there with eyes wide open in shock. The power he felt in this newcomer was significant, but not something that should have been terrifying. Which meant either the Supreme Kai felt something they didn't, or had never come across something like this before, which Goku doubted.

Trunks looked ready to fight at least, which meant if they did this right, the four of them could put down this Saiyan quickly-

There was a pause when Goku turned and looked at Gohan, realizing the look on his face mimicked the Supreme Kai's. Something was wrong. Even in his social awkwardness, Goku understood exactly what that look said. Gohan was terrified of whoever this was, any attack he launched would be in absolute terror of the one they were standing across from. He'd never known Gohan to be the bravest, at least before the Turles incident years ago, but he didn't expect to see this kind of fear out of someone without good cause. On his own, Gohan was probably stronger then this guy, right now.

Unless the Supreme Kai and Gohan are picking up something I'm not.

"Goku," Gohan finally said after a moment. "If we fight that thing, we'll die."

Gohan knew something.

"What's going on Gohan? He's no stronger then Vegeta or me," Goku responded quickly as the brutish Saiyan stopped walking in front of them, just grinning.

"That's where you're wrong," the figure said, flexing his arms forward once before pulling back, stretching out.

Another wave of force washed over them as his muscles bulged. On the edge of it, Goku could sense what the Supreme Kai must have. There was something much greater beneath the surface. The nature of the power was different as well, not just in its alignment, but its very substance.

"Trunks," Vegeta said, turning his head after the wave washed over them. "Take Gohan and the Supreme Kai to the next level. We can deal with this pathetic excuse for a warrior."

With a twist, Goku faced Vegeta a second later, making eye contact with his rival, who just nodded back.

"I doubt he'll even be much of a challenge," Vegeta then added, before smirking confidently.

There was a cackle in response, and quickly Goku shifted his eyes to the man they were expected to fight. He had blown off Piccolo without any real effort. The strength they felt at that moment wasn't his real power, most of it was being contained within, trying to hide itself away. Somehow Gohan must have known it as well.

"He's a monster," Shin then whispered. "How could Babidi have such a beast under his control?"

"That little worm is telling me to kill all of you before you can escape," the figure then said, before looking up towards him. "I only want Kakarot, and Vegeta, for now."

That was good enough as far as Goku was concerned.

"I'll kill the rest of you, and everyone on this pathetic planet, after that."

Well, at least he was direct about it.

Looking up towards Piccolo, Goku could see a struggle behind his eyes. It was Babidi's magic, he knew it. For some reason Piccolo thought he had to prove himself against him. They'd moved past their bad blood so long ago, Goku didn't even understand where all the hostility came from. It didn't take much to understand where Piccolo's marching orders came from however. He was fighting Babidi's orders if only because they didn't coincide with the pact he'd made.

Right now, they had more to deal with then just this monster.

"Everyone, Vegeta's right. Vegeta and I will stay here and stop this one, you guys get moving. Remember, there is still Majin Buu to worry about," Goku advised.

The beast before them cracked his neck from side to side, more power rolling off his shoulders as he grinned once again.

"Enough talk," he said, before sloppily bracing himself.

With a growl, Piccolo jumped through the door in the floor, going to the next level below. So, he was following Babidi's orders.

"Gohan, I know this may be hard, but I need you to fight Piccolo. Someone has to push on to stop Babidi, and the Supreme Kai and Trunks can do it. I don't know if Trunks can stop Piccolo as he is now."

Turning his head, Goku nodded towards Gohan once, who was still looking deeply concerned about what was happening on this level.

"Fine, I'll fight the Namek," Gohan responded. "Once we deal with him and that deadman, Dabura, I'll be back."

With that, Gohan moved to the exit, before turning and snarling to the Supreme Kai and Trunks.

"Come on you two morons, we've got people to fight."

"Kakarot... Goku, whatever... Be careful," Gohan's mental voice was mixed with real concern.

It was strange, Gohan expressing so much concern for his well being. He always believed it was there, but even a hint of it being shown, even if telepathically, was remarkable to Goku. Every day since the day Gohan came home had been spent wondering how his son truly felt. It was hard not to say that his son cared, or was misunderstood in his anger. It was incredibly rare for him to actually show anything like this, save for his expressions of affection for Chi-Chi.

Despite the difficulty of the situation, and despite the power he and Vegeta were about to face, Goku felt himself smile.

"Save Piccolo. I know you can do it, Gohan."

With Gohan disappearing down the hole, and the Supreme Kai following, there was only one more second, which Trunks turned and looked towards Vegeta, before descending down the hole as well.

Almost as soon as Trunks disappeared through the entrance, the world started to rumble around them as the green energy around this Saiyan started to almost ignite with power. What had been hidden below, was starting to awaken in full. Turbulent and unstable, the power held within this Saiyan seemed more like a force of nature, then it did anything Goku had ever felt before.

In a flash of energy energy, Goku saw the battle begin.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Gohan:

A thousand directions.

The world he found himself in was grabbing at him from a thousand directions. Each one of those directions now guided him through his critical actions, and inaction. Back in that room he had a real chance to warn Goku what he was standing across from, and he didn't. Even now he could turn up and yell out and warn them, or even do so telepathically, but fear held him back. There was a fear that it was Broly, the Legend Paragus spoke of all the time. The way he spoke about the son he'd lost was fantastical, his eye would look off into the distance with sparkles of something Gohan could never fully understand. Perhaps it was because it was his son, but perhaps it was because he saw, and felt something in Broly. A child of the age of six who went toe to toe, fighting Lord Cooler.

A legendary warrior who grew only stronger with the passage of time, and grew only stronger with every battle he was in. It was the embodiment of their race, and it was standing a level about him, about to fight his fath-Goku, and Vegeta. It was everything Paragus described him as being... a God.

If that were the only thing pulling at him, he would have acted now. But there was the problem that was a deck below him.

Babidi.

The short, gimpy little monster and his pet Dabura. The idea of being drawn away from the goal of slaughtering those two was painful, whether it be the Saiyan up one level, or the Namek before him, was nearly unthinkable. Above this damned ship, standing in the sand above, his mother was dead, and frozen into a rock. The last moments of her life immortalized in the stone, and those moments were filled with fear and desperation. Killing the big red monster would be the easy part, making Babidi suffer for what he did would be the more complicated matter.

If he had to, he'd get the little urchin out of reach of the others before he started to show him his appreciation. It would take the little shit hours to die, just so he could feel a fraction of what he deserved after what he and his brute did to his mother.

But in front of him was the other thing immediately pulling on his mind. The mentor who'd been most responsible for his understanding how to fight since he arrived on this mudball. Of all his training so far, the Namekian had provided him with the most advice, but more then anything had provided him with... companionship. Even when he couldn't bring himself to face his family, or when he would make the wrong choices, it was the Namekian who had been there to save him from himself. Just as much as Goku, Piccolo hadn't given up on him. Even when preparing for this tournament, a tournament now completely ruined, it'd been Gohan the green warrior had wanted to train with.

Looking across the room to Piccolo, there was the weight of responsibility weighing on his shoulders. Responsibility was something he saw with increased derision, especially because his whole life any responsibilities he had were the worst kinds of burdens. It was his responsibility to destroy the populations of whole worlds. It was his responsibility to kill men under his command who couldn't do their job any longer. It was his responsibility to fight Turles, and to kill him. Now he was responsible for this as well. Fighting Piccolo like this when he first got to Earth would have been a pleasure, now it was among the last things he wanted to do.

Every fibre of his being wanted to just leave that wretch Trunks to fight Piccolo, so he could move past him and kill Dabura. The truth was though, Goku was right. The Namekian across from him would defeat Trunks, and it wasn't his responsibility.

"Gohan, we need to get past him," Shin said quietly as the ship rumbled again. "We must stop Majin Buu. Then we can help your father and Vegeta."

With a stern look forward, the battle scarred Saiyan almost wanted to spit. For a god this creature was really clueless. Majin Buu, Majin Buu, Majin Buu... What Gohan was really concerned about was the thing a level above them. Something that would crack this ship in two soon, and if they didn't stop it, would go on to kill everyone on the planet.

Everyone including the 'brat', and the little girl he'd met at the tournament.

"That creature a level above us is going to kill everyone here, including whatever Majin Buu could be," Gohan said seriously before looking at Piccolo. "At six years old, he fought, and nearly beat a creature as powerful as Frieza. That's someone I know you're well acquainted with. Whatever you let get a hold of you Piccolo, you need to snap out of it."

"Majin Buu is the greatest threat to the universe Gohan, even if what you're saying about that creature is too, the power Buu has is unimaginable by comparison!" Mohawk offered as a response.

The Namekian looked with an annoyed glance at Shin, but Gohan kept his eyes peeled forward, despite wanting to turn about and backhanding the Supreme Kai. Whatever this Buu was, Gohan didn't care.

"So I'll have to wait for that brute up there to fail before I get what I want," Piccolo responded a second later, turning his attention back to Gohan.

"He offered you what, Piccolo? A chance to fight Goku? You've already had a dozen of those," Gohan said, rolling his eyes. "I thought you had more dignity then to just be controlled like this."

Turning his eyes towards Trunks, Gohan felt himself almost growl just at the sight of him.

"When Piccolo comes at me, grab the Supreme Kai and head to the level below," Gohan sent, looking with deadly seriousness to Trunks. "Get him to stop whining and actually stop this Buu thing from waking up. I'll handle this."

There was a nod in response, even if reluctant.

The Namekian slowly assumed a fighting stance, before smirking.

"I know you're not going to fight me seriously as long as those two are here, and you think I'm going to defend Babidi's plans," Piccolo said, a confident smile written across his face. "You're no Goku, Gohan. You're too arrogant and you lack the fundamental skills your father does. Without a real power advantage, your nothing a warmup."

It was clear that Piccolo was trying to set him off. It was clear enough that Gohan managed to keep his cool, though his teeth clenched together as he braced himself. Shooting pain ripped up his arm again, but for now he could keep his head clear enough to not only keep his cool, but keep his mind focused. The pain was manageable, if he let it be manageable.

"You heard him," Gohan said, turning his eyes towards the two. "It's time for you two to vacate... Go."

It was hard to say the words, because it meant letting another man, someone he hated, get the opportunity to slaughter Babidi and his minion. Right now he owed the Namekian, and Goku. His mother was dead, and he'd do everything he could to avenge her. Honour dictated he tried to do all he could to save Piccolo.

Across from him, Piccolo grinned confidently. Even if Gohan was sure that he held the strength advantage, he knew full well just how skilled his opponent was. Even at half his strength, he could at the very least be a problem.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Babidi:

What the Hell were all of these fools doing? Just what the Hell was going on here?

Broly had seemingly lost what little of a mind Babidi attributed to him, and his latest slave was letting the victims he wanted him to kill just past him!

It now became a study of where to focus his attention first, to try and remedy and influence this situation? For the moment at the very least Broly and Piccolo could do was gather energy for the release of Majin Buu. Which meant that they would have to prepare for guests. The weakest of the Saiyans, as far as he could tell, and that wretched Supreme Kai. Everything was still likely to go perfectly. Once he had Majin Buu, he could discard all of these pitiful burdens, including Dabura.

The ship rumbled violently again, and Babidi quickly turned to his crystal ball, gazing into what was happening. Something dark and overwhelming was emerging from Broly, which was stripping his control of him away. Whatever it was, it was wild, untamed, and unstable. Looking up towards the killi meter, the tiny wizard felt his heart race for a moment as the scale wildly wavered back and forth. The first thing he needed to do was get this battle off his ship.

Waving his hands out before the crystalline orb before him, Babidi began to conjure his spell, twisting and warping the fabrics of the world itself within his ship. The very air itself began to mutate and shift into the world outside, into the fabric of the planet they were on. Of all the places to pick, Babidi chose an environment he knew wouldn't impede the fight. The floor of the ship mutated into earthy mud, covered in grass. Spare trees littered the landscape, and long rivers and streams cracked along it. The fighters were no longer in his ship per say, but in a pristine valley. This place would soon become a desolate wasteland, if not the mountains around it as well, which was more then fine for Babidi.

This planet's value was minimal at best anyway, especially now that he had Majin Buu so close to his release.

Now, he had to turn to the next mess. The slave Piccolo, who was being stubborn as well. At least he'd be distracting the psychopath of the group, given his outburst at the death of the weaklings on the surface above. The last thing Babidi wanted was that one getting through. He had the same distant stare most of those Planet Trade thugs often had, which meant he wouldn't doubt death by his hands would be crude, and excessively painful.

Warping reality once again, Babidi knew the perfect place to have these two resolve their battle. The area around the two warriors began to melt away into a new setting, once more on this world. This time manifesting itself into the very ring the two had occupied before they were brought to their new destination. Hopefully compassion for the local populace would interfere with the Saiyan's battle strategy... and if he was as crazed as Babidi thought he might be, then it didn't matter either way.

Looking towards his most loyal slave, Dabura, Babidi just grinned to himself. Dabura would be more then enough to handle the other Saiyan, which left only the Supreme Kai to worry about. That was where things could become complicated, especially when defending Buu from the God's plans. There had to be a way to subdue him, and quickly. Even if he hated the Kai, he knew just how powerful he was, having been strong enough to have killed his father.

"Dabura," Babidi said, turning to his minion. "I have a Saiyan I need you to kill. You can do that for me, can't you?"

The large warrior just grinned, turning his gazed towards him, before quietly nodding.

"It would be my pleasure, Master Babidi."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Goku:

The world had warped around them, just as it had in the middle of the World Martial Arts Tournament. Instead of being in the space ship, they found themselves standing in the middle of a remote plain. Green grass rolled over the hills, and a gentle breeze blew past. The Super Saiyan however, had no real time to take in the scenery. In front of him the M marked beast started to grin to himself, another wave of power rolling off him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking increasingly confident and amused. "Haven't you see the power of a true Super Saiyan, Kakarot? Or how about you, Vegeta?"

To Goku, it was hardly words to incite an immediate response, but the latter half of the sentence was dangerous for his position, if only because it could set Vegeta into action. The Prince was someone he needed to fight this battle, and that was just if his power stayed where it was. With as quick a response as he could, Goku turned his head to Vegeta.

The attack he feared, premature and ill thought, looked to be about to begin.

"Vegeta, wait!"

The words left too late as Vegeta's aura burst around him, a scowl imbedded in his features as he powered two orbs of energy into his hands.

"I am the strongest Saiyan alive! I am the Prince of all Saiyans, and you will recognize your place beneath me!"

With those words, the bolts were let loose, streaking towards their intended target. Colliding a moment later, two explosions rocked the landscape, sending scattered ground and burnt grass in all directions. The waves of force that followed caused a nearby river to rumble, causing the once steady stream of water to descend into a chaotic mix of unstable liquid. Smoke rose from the point of impact as Vegeta remained stationary, staring into the burnt, small crater.

When the smoke parted a moment later, Goku internally immediately went into crisis response mode. Shifting his weight to one side, moving his arm out, he shoved Vegeta aside and pulled back as the golden haired figure blasted between the two of them, coming in for a tackle, only to find empty space. The tall figure's legs slammed into the earth below them, causing a massive build up of soil and rock before him as the earth cracked beneath him and his pressure. The act slowed the Saiyan's movement, giving him time to turn and face Goku. With a scowl set across his features, he reached his own hand out and a green orb formed as his body continued to slide along the earth, continuing to form a new hill of soil in his path.

When he threw his hand out, Goku felt confident he could easily dodge the incoming orb of energy... until it fracture. Hundreds of energy blasts scattered from one, and Goku's face twisted into one of a frustrated surprise. Jumping from the ground, he dodged one below him, before twisting his body in the air like a pretzel to dodge the next two, moving his legs and arms to twist around them, before flying up a moment later.

The valley, which had been a beautiful testament to untouched, pure and wild land, quickly transformed. Green tinted explosions rolled over the landscape, blasting trees, dirt, water, and fire in all directions. Dust and dirt were sent into the air, as well as smoke and burnt fragments of flora. Hovering back, moving away from the now looming smoke clouds, Goku turned just in time to see the next attack coming. Before it could connection, moving with reflex alone, Goku spun about, cracking his foot up along the side of the beast's head, driving him back down towards the Earth.

Before he could collide with the ground below, Vegeta returned to the fight, appearing with lightning quickness and agility in the air. The Saiyan Prince drove his knees into the monster's side, causing the Saiyan to gape for a moment in pain, before driving both his fists down on the brute's chest, speeding his body's trajectory into the ground.

Hitting with the force of a meteorite, the ground beneath shattered beneath Babidi's slave. Dust was cast into the air, but not in a billowing cloud such as the other scars now littering the landscape.

The energy was still ever present, it'd not been bled off at all. Worse, it was still growing. When the ground below, the ground the monster was buried in, began to glow green, Goku could see the scowl appear across Vegeta's face.

"Vegeta, we're going to have to work together to stop him. The best we can hope for working alone is just staving him off," Goku offered.

The confident smirk that appeared across Vegeta's face said it all.

"What's wrong Kakarot, afraid of some slave of Babidi's? This brute may have some power, but he's not as skilled or talented fighter in the slightest," the Prince pointed out. "For all that power, he's not but an unthinking buffoon."

Then the shattered ground below, scattered in the midst of an intense green light. Waves of dust, force, and gravel began to trail out in all directions from a core point in the ground. Floating there in the middle of all of it, the source of the power appeared to be gathering his strength.

Looking up at them, his eyes blazing with hatred, the Saiyan just sneered.

"Did you really think that would harm me?" he snapped. "Do you really think just because there are two of you, that you can challenge the power I have coursing through my veins?!"

There was another pulse of energy which rose over his body. It was hard to understand how quickly it came over him. Goku felt his heart start to race as a terrifying cackle echoed through the valley.

"I can't wait to strip everything you care about away from the two of you," Broly cackled. "For everything you've done to me, I'll make you suffer as no one has ever suffered. I will find everyone you care about, everyone you love, and I'll make sure they die slowly, just as you are going to die slowly."

The energy circling Broly exploded around him as he took off towards the two. Moving with all his speed to intercept him, Vegeta in tow, Goku drove an elbow into one of Broly's traps. The impact boomed over the entire valley, just as loud as any explosion so far. The flesh barely gave way, it barely moved in the slightest. There was no visible sight of pain at all from him either. Even when Vegeta's fist cracked across Broly's jaw, the head barely shifted, skin barely moved with the force of the blow, and the giant kept going.

Grabbing Vegeta's arm, and then Goku's, the Saiyan just grinned at the two.

"What's wrong, surprised?" the Super Saiyan laughed, before dragging the two down at break neck speeds, bursting back towards the ground.

Grabbing desperately at the hand locked like iron around his forearm, Goku desperately pulled. During the struggle he kicked the tall Saiyan in the chest and side as he wrestled to get free, all to no avail. Before the lock could be broken, Goku felt the hand release, knowing exactly what that meant. Within a second of the grip releasing, both he and Vegeta slammed into the ground, their bodies cracking the Earth beneath them.

Rolling in time, Goku avoided a vicious boot coming down to stomp him into the ground. Quickly spring to his feet out of the roll, Goku raised his guard, only to find a huge fist already steering towards him. It found its home in his stomach, arching Goku into the air as he coughed spit up a second later. Before another move could seemingly even start to happen, he felt the the air around him shift, just in time for the hulk to step forward, twisting in the air, pulling his arm back from Goku' stomach. In the same instance seemingly, the arm came swinging back around, before battering the side of Goku's face with the same fist like a hammer. With his entire face pushing to one side from the violent assault, Goku lost what little control of his body in the air, before being sent back in a blur of speed. Skidding across the ground several times, his frame bounced before slamming into one of the dozens of craters nearby. Mud gave way for his body to make room.

It was only two hits, and his entire body felt like it'd just been through an entire sparring match. Slowly, he began to pull himself up, his head first. Mud caked his face, neck, and chest. Moving his hands up a second later, he cleared the worst of it from his eyes before hearing several loud cracks and booms in the distance.

As soon as he looked up, a blue and gold blur came blurring towards him. Without time to move, and being startled by it, Vegeta slammed into Goku's chest, knocking him back down into the muddy ground beneath his feet. It took several moments for the two to untangle themselves from one another, before Vegeta shoved Goku back.

"Get away from me, you third class fool!" Vegeta barked, breathing heavily as he turned towards their enemy, who now casually and confidently walked towards them. "I'll kill this foolish brute for challenging me!"

"Vegeta, I already told you, we need to work together!" Goku shouted. "Please, follow my lead, and we can do this!"

There was a moment where Vegeta just bristled at the remark. It was true though, and then needed to work together.

"I'll distract him," Goku said quietly. "When I use my Kamehameha, I need you to attack from behind. If we hit him on both sides, he won't be able to respond."

With an angry sneer, Vegeta growled for several moments, before his aura flared around him.

"Fine, Kakarot," Vegeta snapped, before taking off into the sky.

Before their attacker could intercept, Goku shouted out.

"Hey, you! What's your name anyway?!" he called.

The big figure froze, before looking towards Goku with his dangerous blue-green eyes. With a smirk edging over his features, the monster just seemed to chuckle.

"Dead men shouldn't care, Kakarot," he laughed. "And I remember you all too well, you pitiful crying brat. That's all you could do was just lay there and cry! No one could do anything about it as you squirmed there like some useless child!"

A confused look came over Goku's face at the remark, he really, really didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Uhm, maybe you have me confused with someone else. Hey! I know! I've got this guy that looks just like me! I think he was my brother, his name was Turles! Maybe he's the one who made you so mad? I don't remember crying all that much-"

Before Goku could continue, a rage filled cry escaped Babidi's beast, and Goku immediately became serious once again. The ground between them burst from the ground, before Broly took off towards him. The wave of near pure energy which moved over him was almost overwhelming, and Goku could still feel the power growing. It threatened to overflow again, and this time Goku didn't know what would happen.

Placing two fingers to his forehead, Goku concentrated and thought of where he needed to be. It wasn't speed he moved by, but thought. Disappearing in under a second, without a trace, Goku flashed from existence, before reconstituting himself on the other side of the valley. Flaring up his energy intentionally a second later, he wanted to let the fighter know exactly where he was.

Clasping his hands together, Goku began to concentrate and gather yet more power. A familiar blue glow emanated from between his palms a second later as he prepared himself for what was to come. Looking up towards the sky, Goku could see the golden energy of Vegeta roaming the skies, waiting for his own moment to strike. Turning ahead once again, a pathway of destruction could be seen. The valley itself succumbed to the very motion of the monster they were facing, crashing in on itself when he moved.

Now, his rampage was coming back towards him again. In the distance Goku could hear the dull roar of "Kakarot" echoing through the valley.

It didn't take long for the moving fissure to make its way towards him. A huge cloud of debris scattered in all directions, sending rocks crashing down over the once lush fields around them. The rivers themselves now emptied into the chasm now moving through the valley.

"Kaaaaa..."

In the midst of the travelling disaster, in its core, Goku could make out the green glowing figure.

"Meeeeee..."

Another violent rumble occurred, before the giant broke through the smoke and debris, leading the destruction from the front now, his face twisted with hate.

"Haaaaa..."

The distance between the two continued to close, only now the blue glow to Goku's right became unbearably bright. More and more power poured into the assault. This had to work, this had to end this.

"Meeeeeeee!..."

The terrifying eyes in Broly's head slowly started to fade into blank nothingness, before he opened his mouth, roaring with fury as he charged ahead. The distance between them finally closed. Pulling back his arm, as the entire Earth seemed to pull back with him, the creature snarled before preparing to attack.

That was Goku's cue, and just as he felt his own power peak. Pulling his own arms forward, just as the ground around him splintered and warped from the power being generated. The immediate ground beneath him almost collapsed before he could even attack, but it held, as if the Earth itself was supporting him to save it from this leviathan.

"HAAAAAA!"

The wave exploded ahead, the light bursting forward as it consuming the huge Saiyan, who looked shocked at the last moment. It was immediate that Goku could feel resistance. The wave continued to burst forward, until slowing to a half. Keeping his hands and his energy focused, Goku could look through the beam to see a furious Saiyan on the other side, both his hands pressed against his beam, trying to take control.

"Kakarot!"

It was behind however, that Goku could sense another power spiking, just as planned.

"Big Bang Attack!"

Another blue bolt appeared in the air, before rocketing towards the conflicted energy wave. The massive blast found its mark, and even Goku saw the monster's hands splay out in the last moments, before a new blinding light took over. The wave and the bolt merging their energy from both sides, before reaching critical mass.

Swelling unnaturally, the energy began to distort, before finally the climatic ending happened in a flash. A massive explosion followed, the ground itself lifted up for miles, the entire valley's earth tearing up from the sheer force of the blast, even before the full shock-wave emanated out. The full force was too much for Goku even, who felt himself raise his guard, but was completely swept away in the chaotic explosion that followed.

Spiralling helplessly through the air, the full blast wave about to follow, Goku used instant transmission one more time, this time finding his home as high in the air as he could. Looking back down, just as Vegeta closed with the clouds himself, the full power of the blast could be seen. A massive tower of energy, smoke, debris, and flames sundered the land mercilessly in the blast. The shock-wave itself became trapped within the valley, resounding back and forth between the mountains as the entire area was swept back and forth in the blue tinted nightmare below.

Even at that distance, a strong pulse of wind blew Goku and Vegeta back as they watched their attack fade slowly into the past, and looking down only at what had once been a beautiful valley, was now a burnt, ravaged pit between a group of mountains.

With a smirk across his face, Vegeta crossed his arms.

"That was hardly even a challenge," he boasted, before raising his head arrogantly. "Hardly worth our time even-"

The words trailed off for Goku as he felt something in the heart of the valley, slowly emerging from their fading energy. It took a moment, but the shock set in almost immediately as Goku's eyes widened.

"No... No that's impossible," he whispered.

There was no way he survived that.

"What is it, Kakarot?" Vegeta said with a smirk. "Was it that my attack was what finished-"

It took only a moment this time for Vegeta to feel it as well.

"What is going on here?" Vegeta whispered. "That can't be possible."

The world itself seemed to start to rumble as clouds gathered above the valley, lightning arching down and around it. A green glow faintly began to replace the old blue one. Descending from above, the two Saiyan warriors landed once more in the valley.

Huge clouds of dust still swirled around the valley, massive plums of smoke as well, but all slowly began to be pushed away, blasting towards the mountains within seconds as this green, glowing monstrosity formed.

Then, Goku heard something which sent shivers up his spine. A feral cry, it was almost a death cry in many ways, but it was something else. Looking into the light, Goku saw their adversary, and he felt the power they'd fought hard to stop from being unleashed, cresting once again. Only this time, it wasn't just there... it was pushing whoever this was beyond.

In a horrifying display, waves of green energy rolled off of him, causing the entire planet to quake in the agony of this transformation. In a blinding display of light, something new was born. It's scream faded, and what was left behind was something else.

A golden glow hummed around him, and this time lightning trailed all around his frame and aura. Floating there was a massive, giant of a warrior. His body had increased in size, and his muscles had bulged out tremendously. With the wave of power around him, the monster just snarled for several moments before a dark smile settled in, stepping forward, his huge feet thudding into the muddy ground, the monster finally spoke.

"Die Kakarot."

A moment later, it was followed by a howl of power and fury, as the golden aura around the monster flared monstrously... followed by a dark, terrible laughter, it was something which reverberated inside Goku's very soul.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Gohan:

When the world shifted around him, under his very feet, Gohan's toes quickly tapped themselves against the familiar stone flooring of the arena ring. So, Babidi controlled space and time throughout this room, so much so that he just simply turned it into the arena? Or rather, placed the room in the arena, and had it assume its form? It was utterly bizarre either way. It only took a moment of looking at his surroundings for Gohan to turn back to Piccolo.

After all the training, this was their first real fight, when it boiled right down to it. It was odd to feel his own reluctance, as he looked into the face of his green counterpart. The wind fluttered through his cape as he stood there with his arms prepared to battle. Slowly, his foot started to edge forward. For a brief second Gohan just wanted to talk. It was strange, it was foreign to him, but it was there because he felt something for the Namek he couldn't say he felt for many. He respected Piccolo.

"Wait," Gohan said, motioning his hand up.

"My goodness! It looks likes two of the fighters have returned to the ring!"

"Shut the Hell up!" Gohan shouted at the blond haired man, before quickly turning back to Piccolo.

There was a lot to say, but only a few things could be said right now.

"You're one of the only ones on this planet who believed in me Piccolo," Gohan admitted, his own arms slowly dropping. "You don't have to prove anything to me. You're one of the best fighters I've ever seen. You don't need to let Babidi control you."

It was so strange to speak without any kind of defence. No emotional defence, no physical defence, it was just there, standing on its own, just as he was. It was there for Piccolo to see though, and he could make his decision from there.

Maybe, maybe if the Namek saw sense, Gohan could still get to Dabura and Babidi first, before Trunks and the Supreme Asshole. It was a pipe dream and Gohan knew it, but he still held a small hope. A small hope that he could kill the people who killed his mother.

Slowly relaxing his own fighting stance, Piccolo stood at his full height. A smirk crossed his face, before he grasped his turban, tossing it aside a moment later, the heavy material thudding against the ground.

Silently, Gohan closed his eyes, knowing exactly what was to follow. There were some wise words of his father to remember. On his first purge with Turles, when he felt sick to his stomach and could barely move by the time it was done. When he saw women and children torn apart, and had atomized the defenders of the world itself, before levelling their cities to the ground, when he could barely stomach who he was, he'd been told the thing that kept him going for over a decade afterwards.

"Don't take any of this personally kid, don't even think about them. This is just a job, and you're a professional."

When the cape hit the side of the arena, Gohan silently hardened his heart, locking it behind a wall of indifference. Even if he did his very best to never listen to it, after everything he'd gone through today, the last thing he could afford was being soft. Despite all the things the Namekian had done for him, for Goku, and hell even for his family as a whole, this fight wasn't about those things. Whatever screws the Namekian lost when Babidi approached him didn't matter anymore.

"Without a real power advantage, your finished Gohan, and you know it," Piccolo said, cracking his neck from side to side. "The only one who could have hoped to stop me was Goku, and that freak back there ruined that."

Something itched at the back of Gohan's mind. The way Piccolo was talking, he wanted to lose to Goku. Narrowing his eyes, Gohan just stared at the man who taught him how to detect energy, or really combat an expert opponent. This was the fighter who helped him unlearn a lot of the poor training he received... on the job, as it were. Why would he want to lose? If he wanted to lose in the first place, why didn't he just not do this to begin with?

"Why did you want to lose? Why would you do this at all if you thought you'd lose, Piccolo?"

That was enough to make the Namekian freeze in place, looking back at Gohan with deadly serious eyes. It was hard to see what was happening behind his eyes, but Gohan knew there was a debate happening in there, he had reached him. What that meant also, was that he was right about the Namek wanting to lose. The pause between the two was deafening, but it persisted for second after second before Piccolo finally spoke.

"It's not about whether I win, or I lose," Piccolo responded. "It's about getting the opportunity to finally be on a level playing field. I struggled for years, decades, to keep up with Son Goku. Then I had to struggle to keep up with Vegeta. Then you came along and there was another struggle to keep up with you as well. I was humiliated by Cell. Even after merging with my other half, it still wasn't enough."

"The only thing any of you ever have is power. You all muscle your way out of your problems, and it's insulting. I was one the Demon King of Planet Earth, and its Guardian. I have hundreds of years of battle experience, and decades of training to be the best, to hone my skills to perfection, and I can be beaten by someone who just gets stronger. They think that makes them a great warrior. Even in this damned Tournament I was robbed of any chance to prove myself," Piccolo almost spat. "All for the greater good. Well I am going to prove myself. If I have to stop you first, fine, I will move on to Goku after I'm done with you, Gohan."

A smile crept across Gohan's face as he lowered his head towards Piccolo.

"You trained me yourself Piccolo, we've trained for a whole year in the time chamber, and years outside of it. If anyone is going to match you, it's me," Gohan responded. "I don't need raw power to beat you."

There was a smile on the Namekian's face in response as he slowly resumed his combat stance. In turn, Gohan resumed his own, bracing himself. Slowly, his aura started to pulse around himself once again, and the green and black aura slowly started to slip over the Namek. Both of them were looking for flaws, looking for any weaknesses, anywhere they could approach on the other. This wasn't some opponent Gohan could just bludgeon his way through.

As if on command, both fighters saw what they perceived as their avenue of attack. Gohan peered into a weakness on Piccolo's left side. With lightning quick speed he blurred with speed, moving to strike his enemy. At the same moment, Piccolo blurred as well. When the two fighters reappeared, they'd changed positions almost. Slamming his foot into the ground and cracking the the stone floor as he did, Gohan sharply turned himself about, before leaping back towards Piccolo in a flash of pure speed. The mirror image of his motion had been applied across from him, as Piccolo came charging in response.

Striking out as the two collided, Gohan threw a quick, violent punch, connecting with the Namek's jaw and cheek, sending his head reeling back. It was hard to follow the Namek's own attack, which plunged a knee into his stomach. Gasping in pain, Gohan felt his ribs complain. The blow was hard enough even that his arm's protests could be heard again. Still, both fighters moved back for a brief second, rallying themselves, before plunging back in towards one another.

Blows were thrown past one another in lightning quick motion. Each fighter side stepped the other. Legs were caught on knees, fists caught on forearms, or both were dodged all together. Moving at increasing speeds around the ring, the blur of motion could only be followed by the blurs of gold and green jumping across the ring. In this fury of motion and blurs, each punch, each kick, faded past one another.

In the midst of this chaos, finally there was a separation.

Appearing on the edge of the ring, Gohan looked about the ring for several seconds, trying to capture Piccolo's movements. Opening his eyes in shock, he only had a millisecond to respond as he realized the pattern the Namekian had moved across the ring. With all his speed, he raised his left arm just in time, locking Piccolo's fist against his forearm. Immediately pain splintered through his body as he let out a cry of pain as the army pulsed in agony, but regardless he held on. There was not flinching from him, no moving away, as he held Piccolo at bay with grit teeth, staring into the Namekian's eyes.

"Very good," Piccolo muttered, his own teeth clenched as he tried to press his advantage, keeping his fist shoved into Gohan's arm. "You did listen to what I taught you."

With pain grit teeth, Gohan didn't respond with words, but with action. Shoving the arm away with all his remaining resolve, Gohan moved inside Piccolo's defence. Before the Namekian knew what was happening, an elbow found itself planted in his gut, before a knee followed. In a twirling blur of golden energy, Gohan then lashed out. Jumping into it with all his strength and power, his right arm lashed out as he moved into the Namekian's defence one more time. The rising uppercut found its mark, crashing into the Namekian's jaw. Immediately Piccolo was sent skywards in a burst of motion.

His left arm was finally offered some relief, but the exertion of so much power had drained its power. It couldn't recover like it used to. Strained and still pained, Gohan stayed on the ground rather then following up his attack. Reaching over with his other arm, he held his left shoulder and just hissed with pain. This arm had to get fixed, and soon. He couldn't keep fighting like this. Even that little green couldn't fix this problem however. It wasn't a biological part of him that was broken, it was a synthetic organic machine. It was out of warranty, and bluntly worn out.

It was the legacy of his last life, looming over him.

But looming above right now, was Piccolo. Turning his gaze upward, he saw a scathingly angry Namekian looking down at him, blood trickling down his lip. Despite his own pain, Gohan smirked at the sight. Whatever magic had turned Piccolo had disrupted some of his normal thought process. He was getting too angry, there was too much hatred.

The smile disappeared when Piccolo's arms fired forward. The two limbs extended rapidly, covering distance at a rapid rate. Gohan had been ready for an energy blast, or some kind of motion, but not this. The first fist crashed into his left shoulder, Gohan's mouth gaped immediately in an unvoiced agony. Within a second the second fist landed, this one smashing into his face, locking his jaw together almost immediately before sending the Saiyan slamming into the ring. It was painful, but Gohan managed to roll up and out of it. Piccolo was already out of the air, landing in front of him.

Without a moment of hesitation, the Namekian took off towards him at break neck speeds. With his own thoughts clouded by pain, Gohan managed a defence. As soon as Piccolo shot his leg towards him in a speeding jump kick, the leg passed clear through an afterimage. Stopping immediately, Piccolo looked about both ways, before looking behind him.

"Masenko!"

It was fitting, having learned the attack from Piccolo. Having appeared behind Piccolo, this was his best chance to take things down a notch, and quickly. The golden beam with a purple hue to the edge of the energy, burned through the air around Gohan in a cascade of light. It was when Piccolo disappeared, that Gohan froze in horror as the beam sailed past.

"Shit," he whispered, before the blast landed in the stands of people, still in the arena watching the battle.

Flames exploded outwards as a massive segment was cut through, the blast burning away everything it touched.

Immediately air escaped Gohan's lungs as he watched the burning building, hearing screams of terror and pain from all around it. Something twitched behind his eyes as he looked at the all too familiar sight. It was an all too familiar sight he'd been responsible for most of his life. This time however, it was different. Something grabbed his heart, stopping it from beating as he heard the screams. Unconsciously he hands started to tremble as he took in what he'd done. It wasn't even that he knew them, or that he liked them. It was that he'd killed them, for no good reason at all. They died because he was sloppy.

More blood on his hands. More blood he couldn't wash away. For a moment he almost imagined himself drowning in it.

They'd been cheering for him earlier. His heart stopped when he remembered his daughter had been in the stands, during Videl's fight. The association was too much for him. Grabbing his head as he stepped back, the former Captain in the Planet Trade just stared on with empty eyes.

Pain exploded in his back a second later as he was driven to the ground by a hard chop to the back.

"Pathetic."

Barely able to use his arms to prop himself up, Gohan just tried to gather what he could of himself. Looking up with remorseful eyes to Piccolo, he just pulled himself up. The Namekian's eyes were cold on the outside, still driven by Babidi's spell.

"If these people are going to distract you from our fight, then let me clear away the rest of the problem."

Suddenly, the world itself started to tremble.

Immediately, an image of what Paragus had told him in his nightmares flashed before his eyes as he realized what this was. This was his punishment, brought back from the void. This was the thing that was going to drag him kicking and screaming down into the darkness to be judged for everything he'd done.

This was Broly... This was the Legendary Super Saiyan.

And Legends could not just be killed.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Babidi:

The remaining Guards hadn't been any deterrent for the two vermin coming for his precious Majin Buu, perhaps they'd bought him four, maybe five minutes. But they were precious minutes that he couldn't do without. Every moment they stalled the chance to awaken Majin Buu grew more steadily. Then the Kai would die, and so would all his insubordinate slaves, and anyone who followed that wretched Kai.

Still, looking towards Dabura, Babidi cringed a moment, before grasping his staff and walking forward.

"Dabura, how many of our men have been slaughtered in the halls now?"

"Forty, Master," Dabura responded.

"Oh? And how many do we have left?"

"None, Master," the Red Demon King responded.

"Oh no, that is where you are very, very wrong," Babidi said, before looking up at him with eyes filled with implication.

It took several seconds for it to set in.

"... GO! Get out there and stop them you idiot!"

Before another word could escape him, golden energy burst through the cracks in the door to his side, before raw force shoved the door down. Noise echoed through the room as the heavy entrance came crashing down. The word was still shaking, and before the attackers could get inside, Babidi looked into his crystal orb once more, and he saw the source of the disruption. Eyes widened, and his jaw dropped at what he saw. The slave, the monkey Super Saiyan, had become something more. Even now the Majin mark had left his head, burned away by whatever power was in the core of his being.

Without a chance to truly think on it, Babidi heard the collision of the bratty Super Saiyan and Dabura. The entire room quaked, and the force of their first impact sent the tiny wizard flipping through the air before he impacted the wall.

"Dabura, you idiot!"

The true horror for Babidi to behold however, was when the tiny, purple man ran past the two, and laid his hands on the shell sitting in the centre of the bridge. He'd placed his hands on Majin Buu's capsule... and that could mean-

In a blink, all of his work was destroyed.

The Supreme Kai, and Majin Buu... vanished.

A scream of pure fury, anguish, and hatred escaped the mage.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Piccolo:

The shaking of the Earth was enough to make Piccolo raise his head and look about. Whatever was causing this, it was dark. It didn't take more then a few moments for him to recognize it either. The changes he'd agreed to when Babidi took control of his mind, awakening an evil he'd thought had been conquered long ago, didn't stop him from feeling a concern for the Earth itself. Greed, a desire to prove himself finally on par with the Saiyans, still bore deeply into his system. But there was something he couldn't abandon, which was concern for the planet one half of himself had dedicated his whole existence to for hundreds of years.

A concerned growl escaped his throat, before he looked about at the crowd itself, running in panic as flames burst through one section of the arena. It all seemed like dull noise, but it penetrated his ears. This was the kind of chaos that Cell had wrought, this was the kind of agony Frieza inflicted. Was all this worth his pride?

What the Hell was he doing?

Stop thinking about it, fool! Finish the fight, and then move on to Goku!

The voice in the back of his head barked its orders, and Piccolo struggled with it, just as he struggled back on Babidi's ship. But just as back there, he turned his attention back to Gohan with a dark smile replacing the concern on his face.

"Goku and Vegeta are going to die," Gohan said, before looking up at Piccolo. "That thing over there is going to kill them. If we turn around and throw everything at it, with them before they die, we have a chance to survive."

There was another pause from Piccolo, this time turning his full attention to Gohan. How did he know that, of all people? Gohan was ignorant to almost everything when he first showed up on Earth, just one of the Planet Trade's thugs.

"And how do you of all people know that, Gohan?"

The battle scarred Saiyan looked up at him, resolve coming to his features as he rose to his full height, pulling his hand from his wounded shoulder. There was something there, something Piccolo hadn't seen in Gohan since the day after the battle with Turles. It wasn't his typical selfishness, or reluctant cowardice.

"I spent two years with his father. He was supposed to be dead, killed by Lord Cooler, but there is only one creature that could do what he's doing. He's not just some Super Saiyan. Paragus would ramble about his son, the Legendary Super Saiyan. At age six, he fought Cooler, and nearly won. Cooler destroyed the planet and killed the monster that way. But I know that's him."

"Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan," Gohan then continued, his voice eerily calm. "This isn't just some Saiyan, or even Super Saiyan... this is a walking nightmare. Now that he's loose from whatever control Babidi had over him, he'll destroy, and he'll kill. That is all the Super Saiyans of Legend do. They are invincible warriors, with an unsatisfiable bloodlust."

Bracing himself a second later, it was clear the Saiyan looked ready to fight.

Taking in what he'd just been said, Piccolo tried his best to weigh everything that was just remarked. If this was the case, Goku would be dead anyway, before they could fight. The whole planet was in danger. His friends were in danger.

An angry sneer formed over his features as the mark on his forehead almost burned. He'd be robbed of his chance, just like earlier! All because of some supposed beast?! Taking up his full stance, Piccolo just pointed his finger forward towards Gohan.

"I'm not worried about some Saiyan Legend! If you want to fly off to confront it, you'll have to get through me. I'm not going to put another fight on hold, just because you come up with some ridiculous excuse!"

Before Gohan could even respond, Piccolo launched himself forward in a blitz. Piccolo had given him his only option. The only real option for his student was to win. If he was all he made himself out to be, then he could prove his point on the battlefield.

Throwing his first punch, Piccolo was stunned to find Gohan caught it out of the air, locking his own hand around it. With an angry snarl, Piccolo threw his other hand, which was caught as well. Standing there in the ring, he hand both his arms locked with Gohan's. Breaking his hands from fists, he locked his fingers with Gohan's. Pressing forward with his new found Majin strength, a black aura burned around his body.

Across from him, Gohan pushed back, the familiar aura of a Super Saiyan pulsing around him. This was the kind of fight Piccolo knew he would win. Gohan's left arm would never hold up to the pressure. Even as they pushed against one another in this test of strength. The skin all over the Saiyan's left shoulder looked as if it was tissue paper, slowly burning away. With every push, the flesh seemed to evaporate. An agonized, but determined look cross his enemy's features, and as Piccolo looked into his eyes, he was taken back.

"My mom already died today, Piccolo!" he shouted. "You think I'm going to let you fuck this up, and let my dad die to?!"

Power.

Power pushed back against him. Across Gohan's body, patches of skin flaked and burned away. Beneath it, grey, sickly looking muscles revealed themselves. These were the engines that had kept the boy's body alive for so long. These were the components that were now failing, only they hadn't failed yet. It was impossible to resist the power pushing towards him in that second. Piccolo felt his arms buckle under the strength exerted.

He called Goku his father-

Before the thought could completely itself, Gohan pulled his arms back, and wide all at once, breaking Piccolo's wrists in one crucial moment. The pain was horrific, hardly the worst he'd experienced, but when he felt the aura in front of him expand, Piccolo realized exactly what had just happened. It was a familiar sight, but an unwelcome one.

Gohan snapped.

The pain in his arms grew as more bones broke all along them. Then, with one fell motion, Piccolo felt an all too familiar agony in both his shoulders, as bones crunched in his arms, and he felt flesh tear. Blood exploded in all directions from both sides as his arms were torn away. Open air touched his torn muscles and exposed bone, and Piccolo let out the howl he felt. Pain was blinding, he couldn't even concentrate, but his body was going into rapid response. Only even then, it would still take time.

Time Piccolo didn't have.

With his arms tossed aside by the furious Saiyan in front of him, Piccolo felt a painful blow crash into his ribs, before another strike caught him across his face. Twisting in the air, blood spurting from his shoulders, Piccolo twirled once before slamming into the ground cheek first. Before he could even hope to respond, Gohan had grabbed the back of his head, pulling it back up.

"You were supposed to be his god damn Friend! And you just left him to die in this ring!"

There was a terrible thud, as Piccolo felt the left side of his face impact the stone floor of the ring. Blood splattered from his sides as his body violently moved along with his head, and the impact was hard enough to make blood spit from his eyes.

It was true all the same, that he had just stood by. It was for the same reasons as when he left the Ring. It was supposed to be for the good of the Earth.

When his head was pulled back again, the Namekian just breathed, his sensitive ears hearing the next furious shout.

"Then when everyone needs to work today, then you somehow decide it's your time!? That it's your time to fight and prove yourself!? That you're sad because you're not strong?! You betray everyone! But most of all you betray him, again!"

The force driven on the back of his head was intense, and sharp. Unable to resist, Piccolo's head slapped into the ground again at high force. His skull fractured, and his jaw snapped to one side from the impact. Blood dribbled out of Piccolo's ear as he felt himself go half limp.

"He trusted you with his son. He had you look after my brother! And even after all that, he still asked me to save you!"

His head shot up again as Gohan pulled on it. Blood clouded Piccolo's vision, he could barely see anything anymore. His ears were ringing as well, but he could hear the heart beating in the chest of Gohan. Fingers dug into his skull, putting pressure on the fracture, and Piccolo felt like his head was about to collapse. It was unbearable. It wasn't just the physical torment. Everything Gohan said was true. He'd put everything else behind his own ruined plans for the tournament. Years of frustration boiling over with severe disappointment in everything happening around them.

But worst of all, because he knew even if he fell, and took the bargain... Goku would stop him. Now, his friend's life was in peril, and instead of doing somehow about it, he let this thing control him.

"I thought you were my friend."

There was a crack in Gohan's voice, and Piccolo stiffened upon hearing it.

Dizzying momentum followed as his head was driven into the ground one more time. With his head almost imbedded in the ring, Piccolo just gagged and struggled as he choked on blood, before finally losing consciousness.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Vegeta:

A nightmare.

That was what this was, it was some kind of nightmare.

Even now, even as he finally agreed to work with Kakarot, it just felt empty. Desperately Vegeta swung his fists and threw his kicks through the air, but the giant dodged everything. Even with Kakarot on the other side of him, doing the same. It was a blur of motion, every blow was placed exactly where they needed to be, but just before the impact the entire frame of the creature had shifted, and changed. Not one blow landed between the two of them.

This was hopeless. It slowly began to dawn on Vegeta just exactly what they were fighting. This wasn't just any Super Saiyan, this Saiyan was something more. The power he was facing was beyond anything he'd ever been confronted with. It superseded Cell, Bojack, and even Kakarot's wretched identical brother Turles. It was something more. Even now his mind had trouble fully grasping it. Even before this latest transformation, they'd not been able to match this thing's power.

What hope was there for anyone facing this monster?

No! I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans!... I won't just be cast aside by some... some... low born!

Power surged through Vegeta's muscles as he slipped out of the frenzied exchange, before turning back into it seconds later. The ground beneath him cracked and burned with energy, before he corkscrewed into the Super Saiyan at fully speed. It was his finest moment, his leg collided with the beast's knee, and his fists impacted his abdomen and chin in blurs of perfectly placed attacks. Each blow felt utterly useless.

They proved to be, as even with his fist in the giant's chin, the monster just smiled.

Vegeta's voice was caught in his throat, before he jumped back and braced himself.

"Prince Vegeta," the Titan mocked, stepping forward, slowly moving after him. "What was waste you are."

"Vegeta, look out!" Kakarot's voice shouted out.

It was too late, even Vegeta recognized that. Before he could even move a muscle, and in a frantic motion, the huge Super Saiyan collided with him. A giant fist slammed into his abdomen. It was impossible not to be knocked into the air. His feet vanished from the ground as they were thrown into the air just by the very virtue the monster had struck him. Before any response even to the pain could be given, Vegeta felt a giant elbow slam into his back.

The pain was overwhelming, colossal even. When his body fell to the ground helplessly, Vegeta felt as though he'd just been in several rounds of battle with Kakarot. Struggling to breath, Vegeta only had time to look up and see a giant boot looming over him.

"So long, Prince Vegeta," it chuckled. "You were just as pathetic as my father said."

Before the boot could land, Vegeta found himself on the other side of the desolated valley. Struggling to sit, he did so after a few seconds of concentrated effort. Everything still hurt, and it was from only two blows.

"Vegeta, are you alright?" Kakarot asked, concern written across his face, before looking up and over to the monster in the distance.

Nothing was working, and even more then ever, Vegeta knew what this was. This was the Legendary Super Saiyan. Majin Buu? Who cared some pitiful creature like that? Before them was the Saiyan of legends. They were doomed.

"It's useless," Vegeta managed, looking up himself at the titan walking towards them in the distance again. "We can't even harm him. He completely ignores everything we try."

"We can't think like that Vegeta. If we work together-"

The unending optimism twisted Vegeta's stomach and almost made him nauseous. Always with that heavily caked on dialogue of hope. Kakarot was an idiot. They were finished, completely outclassed.

"Then we can die here, together," Vegeta spat. "Apart or at the same time, it doesn't matter. That thing can't be hurt."

The look Kakarot gave him a moment later was like that of a small child who had just been told some fairy-tale wasn't real. But it quickly shifted back to his typical, obnoxiously determined self. Finding it within himself to stand at full height, Vegeta grimaced at what he was to face. It was one thing to fight, it was another to fight a battle you could never win.

"Goku! Dad!"

Descending from the air above them, Trunks... his son from the future, landed at their side. Any relief Vegeta felt was quickly dashed, as he realized his son was here as well. It was just another lamb to the slaughter. When Trunks landed next to Goku and himself, he felt angry. The boy needed to leave, now.

"Boy, I want you to go find your younger self, and get your mother. Tell her to take Bra and get to the space ship, they need to leave the Earth, now."

There was a puzzled look across his son's features. Right now, Vegeta didn't have time to explain, and that beast would lash out at any moment. Even now he only took his time to let them panic more before he moved in for the kill. It was what any self respecting Saiyan would do. It was exactly what he would do, and perhaps even exactly what Gohan would have done.

"But father-" Trunks tried.

"Trunks, stay, we'll need your help to stop this thing," Kakarot quickly cut in. "Did you take care of Babidi-"

"Kind of, the Supreme Kai took care of Buu, but Babidi and Dabura-" Trunks' explanation never finished.

That was enough to incite real anger in Vegeta. Kakarot's woman was already dead, what did he care if his wife died? The fool didn't even care enough to evacuate his own family from this deathtrap of a world.

"How dare you countermand my orders, Kakarot!?"

Before the discussion could go any further, the monster was standing in front of the three of them, grinning at them with his increasingly revolting smile.

" You think Three on One will do you any good? Do you think just because there is another one of you, that you are safe?" the monster laughed. "None of you have the power to stop me!"

He was right. Vegeta knew he was right at that.

"That doesn't mean we'll give up," Kakarot responded.

Before anything else could be said, the beast charged them. The ground separated for him, like parting the ocean. It cracked and gave way, as his body moved in between all of them, scattering them. None were given time for a response. A huge uppercut blew Trunks away, and a strong kick sent Vegeta himself flying. Kakarot was blasted back just by the force of the energy field around the Super Saiyan himself.

Green energy amassed around Broly a moment later as he cackled.

There was a bright green flash a moment later, and before Vegeta even realized it, waves of force and heat were washing over him and the others. The mountains themselves seemed to start to crumble from the power alone, as the valley was turned into a crater itself.

They were doomed.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Goku:

When the light faded, Goku knew just how outclassed they were now. Maybe Vegeta was right, but why other option did they have but to fight? This was his home, this was his friend's homes, and he would just give up because someone was stronger then him. His whole life bad people had appeared, all boasting strength, and always misusing it. Every time he rose to the occasion to stop them. This time would be no different, it couldn't be.

After all they'd been through, after all they'd sacrificed, this couldn't be the end.

Slowly getting up, seeing Vegeta and Trunks scattered across the wasteland, Goku only had time to look up to see this Super Saiyan, just grinning at him. They'd been fighting him hopelessly now for what seemed like an eternity.

"What's wrong, Kakarot? You look depressed," it laughed, walking towards him. They needed time to rally to even start having a fighting chance. They needed more help. The Supreme Kai, Piccolo, Gohan, anyone.

With the same smile plastered across his face, the titan just repeated what he'd said before.

"Die, Kakarot."

"Hey Broly!"

The smile immediately left "Broly's" face. But it was more then that. Turning his own head up to look at the origin of the voice, Goku felt a wave of relief. It was Gohan. It'd been a long time since he was that happy to see his eldest son. Whatever differences the two of them had didn't matter at times like this. Among everyone who was there, Gohan seemed to know the most about this demon.

It only took a moment however for Goku to see all the patches of missing skin across his body, with grey-muscle like structures in its place.

"Get to the others, I've got to talk with Broly," Gohan said, before cracking his knuckles.

"So, you know who I am?" Broly asked, turning to look up at his son in the sky. "And you think just because you know something like my name, you're going to stop me?"

"No, I think I'm going to stop you because you should already be dead. Does the name Lord Cooler ring any bells for you, Broly?"

The ground around them started to quake as energy rippled off the giant Saiyan, a furious scowl written across his face.

It was time to get to the others. Using instant transmission, Goku appeared next to Vegeta, before grabbing him and appearing next to Trunks.

"Gohan is buying us time, we've got to get a plan together to fight him," Goku said quickly. "Look, I know he's strong, but if we can all focus our attacks on one point, then maybe-"

A terrible thrumming sound echoed out over the valley. It quickly turned into a high pitched whine. Turning his attention towards the two figures in the distance, Broly on the ground, and Gohan in the air, Goku only saw a bright green burst forming in Broly's hand, before he started to cackle madly once again. A golden field appeared around Gohan, but the energy wave forming was so powerful it seemed to cause the Earth to splinter beneath them.

"Gohan!"

Goku couldn't help but call out as the attack was launched.

A supernova of green energy blasted outward. Around them the mountains themselves began to crumble, avalanches long overdue, and never conceived, rolled down their respective mountains. The peaks themselves crumbled into rubble, before rolling down the sides of the mountains. In the midst of the light, Goku could still sense Gohan. He wasn't about to just let him suffer and die in seconds. This was his son.

Using instant Transmission, Goku immediately felt his body burning, it almost seemed to catch fire. His skin itself felt like it was being cooked in the energy around him. Blindly reaching out, he grabbed what he knew was his son's arm, feeling the unnatural texture. With the last of his strength, Goku teleported back. As soon as he hit the ground, he could smell the burnt flesh.

Gasping in pain, Gohan fell back, trembling.

"S-Shit," he breathed. "He-he's much stronger then... then I imagined."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Goku almost fell back with his son. Looking up though, he saw the monster returning. Looking to his left, he saw Trunks beginning to get up, but looking savaged from the blast from before. Vegeta looked barely better off.

They were running out of options. They were going to have to pull back, and soon. It was then that he felt something. More people were coming? But Tien and Krillin were out of the picture, and they weren't this strong. Was it the Supreme Kai and Piccolo? Once again, they were too weak to be them, especially given the situation. But who was-

Two golden fields travelled through the sky, and Goku felt his heart leap into his throat.

No, no, get away! Turn back!

Rocketing onto the scene from over the mountains, Goku saw the most terrifying sight he could see. It was Goten and Trunks.

Barely sitting up next to him, Gohan winced in pain himself.

"Who the Hell is... Goten?"

There was a burst of motion next to them, as Vegeta pulled himself forward.

"Trunks!"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Goten:

They'd been flying as far and as fast as they could away from the ship. Goten had tears in his eyes almost the entire time, his mother having been turned to rock, right in front of him. It'd been too much for him to see, it'd been too painful to watch. The way she froze in horror, the way she stopped moving... how she was cold like a stone. His mother had been there for him his whole life, and even if strict sometimes, she loved him. She always cooked big meals for him and his father, and she always gave him hugs whenever they were apart for too long, and came back together. Now she was gone.

Truthfully, Trunks had reminded him that they would use the Dragon Balls to bring her back. But it wasn't about that, it was about the fact he'd let that happen to her. Everyone let it happen to her, his dad, his 'brother', and all the others. None of them had been ready, and no one could save her.

But it was while they were flying, when they felt that horrible power in the distance, that the two boys had stopped in mid flight. It was there the deal was struck. They would help their fathers against whatever this monster was. Their dads were down there, and they couldn't just leave them there to die. Especially after what had happened before. Transforming and changing course, they'd travelled with all their speed.

Mountains came into view just as a series of massive green bursts of energy could be seen in the distance. Worry immediately set in to Goten's features, not for himself, but for his dad. He could sense everyone's power levels down there, and a lot of it was fluctuating. What if they were down there, losing because they were too late to save them? Their dads were the strongest guys in the whole world, but sometimes they weren't too bright. They needed them right now. It was their job to help out.

"Oh man Goten, this looks bad," Trunks commented, looking nervous as they approached. "I don't think our dads are doing too good... Or, well, me."

Another massive show of green energy thrummed through the air, and Goten felt Gohan's energy, and then felt it decline in seconds.

"Do you think they're going to lose?" Goten asked, his eyes widening with shock.

"No way! Our days wouldn't lose to some... stupid monster! C'mon, we can do this! We've just got to push harder and we can get there, and once we get there, we can help our dads beat this creep!"

Nodding, his eyes set with determination, Goten pushed himself as hard as he could, his body flying faster then he ever had before. Slowly everyone came into view. His father was next to Gohan, and Gohan looked like he was down. The older Trunks was standing, if only, and Vegeta looked like he was about to take off. Where was Piccolo? Where was the purple one?

It didn't matter. Arching his trajectory, and looking to Trunks to lead the way, Goten continued to fly in.

"There he is! Follow my lead," Trunks shouted, his own features twisting into angry ones. "This is what you get for hurting my dad, you big jerk!"

Spiralling through the air, following Trunks lead, the two of them zoomed in on their assault. With his fists clenched angrily, Goten shouted out as well.

"Leave my dad alone, you big bully!"

Diving with his leg out, arching towards the monster's neck, Goten drove his foot into the gap between his neck and shoulder. Pain exploded in his own foot, as whoever this was didn't even budge. Trunks' leg crashed into his face, and only managed to move his cheek. It left the monster completely unfazed. A fundamental disconnect followed in Goten's mind, unable to fully grasp what had just happened.

"I hate children," the monster responded, before smiling.

Blinding pain followed. It was so intense Goten felt like the left side of his face had vanished. Whatever hit him, it was so hard that he couldn't see out of his left eye, at all. Dizziness and nausea followed as he fell from the air, collapsing into the ground after only one hit. With his one good eye, he spied Trunks being brutally backhanded away as well.

Something warm was leaking out of his own forehead, and his left eyesocket. Dully, it started to ache and Goten fully couldn't grasp why. With the dizziness making the world spin, he couldn't hold his form any longer, his hair turning black, and his eyes as well.

"Which one of you, belongs to who?" It asked with a dark smile. "Let's see which one responds when I kill you."

Pointing his hand at Trunks and started to laugh as his best friend struggled to get to his knees, Goten could only watch helplessly as the green orb grew in intensity. Fear pulsed through the boy's stomach and blood as he realized what was about to happen.

Trunks was about to die.

"Trunks!" a voice called in through it all. It was all too recognizable.

Vegeta jumped into view, before landing just in front of Trunks, grabbing his friend. Every instinct told Goten he knew Vegeta was about to jump away to safety. At the final moment however, the monster lashed out, appearing next to them with his green orb, and shoving it into their side. At the last second, Vegeta turned and pulled his own body over to cover Trunks.

In a terrible explosion, Goten saw his friend and his father disappear into burning smoke. Before he could even fully realize what had happened, something grabbed his own arm. Looking up with his one eye, Goten saw his father, anger and concern written across his face. In only seconds, everything had fallen apart. Where was Trunks, was he alright? Where was his dad? Before he could be pulled away by his father even, his entire body shook before being tossed aside in a wave of force.

Flipping through the air, his senses disoriented, Goten could only see his father, and behind him... Gohan of all people, trying to hold the monster at bay, squaring off against him hesitantly. Next to them, the billowing crater where his friend was. Even if only for a second, he could feel Trunks and Vegeta. Relief washed over him.

The pain in the left side of his face, ceased being dull. It started to grow and grow, as the place felt hotter and hotter.

"Leave my son out of this! He's just a boy!" Goku shouted, before a horrific cackle came in response.

"Tell me Kakarot, how much do you love your son?"

The words sent chills down Goten's spine as he tried to pull himself up. It was almost impossible to stand with all the dizziness. Moving at all seemed impossible. Without any warning, a violent explusion from his stomach lead to him vomiting as he tried to stand, spilling the last meal his mother had cooked him all over the baked mud beneath him.

Looking up in a dizzy fit again, he saw his father lock arms with the giant, only to fold under his strength in seconds. Anxiety, washed over him as he watched his father fight, and for the first time in front of Goten, he lost.

Tossed into the air, Goku was simply kicked aside as if he were nothing, slamming into the ground meters away and left barely moving. Looking ahead again, Goten only saw Gohan's last few strikes, before he too was bashed down, straight down, into the ground. His brother crumbled under the pressure of the attack. When Goten looked at her, he could see Gohan's mouth open desperately.

"RUN!"

Ice ran into his blood as he looked into Gohan's eyes. The same Gohan he hated, was trying to save him. Staggering to the side, the ten year old couldn't fly, he could barely walk. The pain in the side of his face became increasingly sharp, so much that he could barely keep his good eye open. In a haze, he tried his best to run. It took only five steps before he fell face first, landing on the dried mud. Struggling to rise, Goten felt a huge hand grasp him by the back of the neck, before pulling him into the air. With his other hand, the giant reached up his other hand, wrapping it around his throat, before letting the other go. Holding him in place, the Saiyan just started to chuckle for a moment.

"Look at how pathetic you all are, you're all just a waste of Saiyan Blood."

Slowly, the grip on his neck began to tighten like a vice. Every few seconds the monster's grip closed a little more. With his one good eye, Goten looked out across the others. Even as the stress on his neck made the left side of his face swell and feel wetter, and filled with a hot pain, he could start to see. In the blurred vision of his eye, he saw Vegeta's body starting to become visible in the smoke, clutching onto Trunks as he just looked haggard.

Trembling from the pain, Goten further shook when he realized Vegeta was burned... badly, all over his left side. His left arm looked like... it... it looked like it was being held together by... strands.

When his eye turned away, he felt the hand clench even tighter. His lungs began to panic for air as his throat tightened too tightly. Tears welled in his eyes as he struggled, kicking out several times. The fingers became rougher as well, while the monster that held him just... laughed.

Gohan. Gohan was getting up, and so was his father. They'd save him from this thing, they had to. Every time anything bad ever came up, his father was always there. Before was different, his dad would-

Suddenly there was a popping sound in his neck, and pain shot violently through the boy's frame.

There was no concealing his fear anymore, there was no concealing his pain.

Everything clawed and reached out from inside his mind. A scream of absolute agony escaped his throat, before his neck was tightened too far. Choking, pained noises gasped out of him as he moved his hands up, trying to pry the fingers away. Suddenly, with one more pop, his entire lower body went numb. There was no more struggle.

All he could hear was his neck and bones shifting under the pressure.

Help. Someone help me.

"GOTEN!"

The last voice he heard was his father's voice as he ran towards him. For a brief second Goten managed to barely smile, even amongst the pain, even among the fear. His father was coming for him.

It was followed quickly be the sound of bones not popping, but breaking. Sharp pain shot through his system, before he felt his everything disappear. He couldn't hear his own breathing anymore, he couldn't feel anything. He couldn't hear.

In the final seconds, all he saw were his brother and father running towards him.

And then he couldn't see.

Goten was dead.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Author's Notes:

Holy crap was that ever a big chapter to write. I apology to everyone who doesn't like huge chapters, but there was a lot I wanted to get done this chapter. The next two chapters will be big as well. But man was that big.

I hope everyone likes it. Right now I am focusing a bit more on TLR then The Catalyst, because this saga only has 2 more chapters to go. After that, I'll switch focus a bit more Catalyst heavy, until I get to their next Saga.

Now then, I'll be adding some notes for people regarding characters today. I actually really need music to write personally. So a lot of this was written to the soundtrack to the Movie Dub of Broly: Movie 8. Mainly obviously for Broly Scenes. For the Gohan scenes, tons of stuff. But I'd say his most consistent "theme" is Where, By Ultraspank. Seems to fit his character best, a lot of his motivations and ect.

Anyway, I just want to point out to people one thing:

Power Levels aren't a huge deal. I'm not writing this story with them in mind. I see power as in who is currently strongest, not in terms of exact, defined numbers.

And on a fun/serious/thankful note:

Also, I just want to thank everyone who reviews my story. I sincerely appreciate it, gives me great motivation to keep on writing. I'm shocked the story has as many reviews, favourites, and follows as it has. So, thank you everyone, and I hope you continue to enjoy.

Also, if the story goes over 600 reviews this week, I'll try to get another chapter up for next week again. But no promises, I've got tons of work to do.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Reviewers:

Jordino:

It should, but you'd need the Dragon Balls handy to do it. They aren't in a position to do that right now.

ShadowLDrago:

Yea, these last few chapters have been pretty all over the place. I can't wait to write Chapter 30. I've got huge plans for it.

Reven228:

I'll try to stay Golden, but I tend to stay more of a green really. :)

Maesede:

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Poor Piccolo got himself into a mess (no, I wouldn't use pickle. I won't make that pun. Not this day.), I really liked writing his scene out, I hope everyone enjoyed it.

Euroteres:

Well, Piccolo shouldn't have made Gohan mad XD

Other then that, Gohan's hatred of Babidi was too strong. He didn't get beyond the Majin mark by willpower alone, a lot of that was hate.

KaosMoshpit:

Piccolo's redemption was different the the canon, he had a lot of reasons to be upset about recent events, and the long term trend of his power. He's not perfect, no one is. And as his point of view shows, he realizes he made a mistake even.

Guest:

Thanks!

Pyromania101:

Thanks a bunch. You'll find that Broly has been gaining some serious power over his decades of imprisonment. It's too bad for Babidi that he didn't recognize it... until now, of course. But keep reading, there is more good stuff to come! (well, kinda good stuff given the subject matter)

asweetliltypo:

Buu who? Get it. Lol

Anyway, expect to see more Dabura in Chapter 29/30! Expect lots! It'll be super cool fun time! Lol

Also, I'll spell your name even worse this time! I have the power! XD

Super Spoiler:

Not gonna lie, this was one of my favourite reviews of last chapter. Also, it might be true, so I can't blame you for pointing it out. Lol

Brelic:

Even with his disdain for Gohan, Trunks was just not the best target for Babidi. He was the weakest Saiyan, and the most purehearted of anyone who possessed any hatred. Also, if he mind controlled him and Gohan at the same time, that may have ended up being counter productive.

Commedia:

Babidi didn't know Broly's true power. He knows now. And he just lost Buu...

Eveline:

A lot more pain acoming :(

Guest2:

Screwing up accomplished sir. Lol

lil Dynamic:

Think I answered this one by PM.

JohnnySpectre:

FUUUUUUUU

Chemestry-Deaf:

answered by PM

Guest3:

I dunno. There is no SSJ3 around to really fight him, so honestly not sure.

Guest4:

Gohan is also a professional. He does his job first.

Guest5:

Personally? I avoid using the Battle Power scale, or anything like that. I measure fighters compared to one another, not through the number system.

ShMikeX:

I think I answered this by PM.

xdevil-Childx:

I hope I didn't disappoint.

MasenkoX:

Piccolo also had a bit more pride still in this universe. I personally think the Supreme Kai is probably most responsible for his turning. Lol

DBZfan The First:

Thanks!

xxxpossessedforlifexxx:

I know right?

Runtu:

Uhm. I don't know how I'd include anyone in the story like that. Uhhh... sorry?

Guest1:

It'll never come up, so honestly it doesn't really matter. I'm much more of one of those "Cross that bridge when we come to it" and given we won't, its not that big a deal.

Ulfark:

Answered by PM.

DarkKnightShiva:

Thanks!... And I think I answered the question by PM!

Kagome:

This happened next! :O

Guest6:

Once again, no need to fight over it. It's not a big deal. C'mon gang, can't we all just sit around the fire and pass around the peace pipe? :D

... So I can report you and sent you federal penitentiary O.O

RoxaShadow:

Just in time!...

And yea, this chapter demonstrates that, ne? Lol