Chapter 19

Seeing his father's rigid back reminded Bardock of when Gohan in the past appeared before them in the same form. He was their saving grace. It was moments like this that made him happy to call his father the strongest in the world and his hero.

Goku laughed happily, one hand rubbing his bruised forehead, "Gohan! Oh man, it's so good to see you."

"You too, Dad," Gohan replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Vegeta," He gave a nod of greeting to the other man who simply gaped back. He glanced at Bardock who stared at him in awe. The smile grew. "Thanks for the advice you gave about the sword. I'm sorry I couldn't be here earlier. I assume everyone's on Namek since I can't sense them."

His son gave a jerky nod which Gohan chuckled amusedly at before he turned his attention back to Buuly, any sign of softness in his eyes hardening at the sight of the being who almost killed his family.

Buuly grunted, cracking his neck, "I'm surprised your still alive."

Gohan smirked slightly, "That makes two of us." He got into a fighting stance. "I'm not going down easily this time."

"So you're here to fight me?"

"Fight you? No," Gohan glared, echoing the words his past counterpart used in the same battle. "I'm here to kill you."

Buuly barked out an incredulous laugh before charging at him. Gohan dodged his attack and lifted his leg, his knee lodging into Buuly's gut. Buuly choked, spit and blood flying out of his mouth. Before he could let out another sound, Gohan elbowed him in the back and sent him into the ground.

While Buuly was stronger than the normal Super Buu from the past, he was no match for Gohan in this form. Past Gohan was strong, especially once his inner power was released, but this Gohan was much stronger before all of that. He may not have been able to take down the androids but he was still able to go Super Saiyan 2 without having to reach his limits like his past-self did.

Mystic Gohan was a force to be reckoned with and Buuly was just realizing that as he got his pink butt pummeled. Even so…

"This isn't gonna work," Bardock stated solemnly.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, frowning, "What do you mean? Gohan is much stronger and you seemed to think so as well."

Goku nodded beside him, "Yeah, Bardock. Have some faith in your dad. He's way stronger than I've ever felt. We could actually beat Buuly." He cheered when Gohan upper cut Buuly and grabbed his antenna to bring him back down and knee him in the face.

"You don't understand," Bardock shook his head, his breath escaping him too fast as he watched Gohan and Buuly throw blasts. "Dad is stronger than ever, even stronger than he was in the past, but Buuly is just as strong, if not stronger in his legendary form. Dad only has so much power in him. If he doesn't kill him now, Buuly will just keep getting stronger."

"So we'll help him," Goku suggested with his usual Son grin though Bardock was too deep into his thoughts to hear him. He nudged Vegeta's shoulder. "Let's get ready to do the fusion again."

Vegeta groaned, rolling his eyes, "As long as we never have to do it again."

Their voices reciting the familiar chant to fuse caught Bardock's attention, bringing him out of his daze. His eyes widened when he saw them take the last step of the dance, "What are you doing? No!"

He flinched back, covering his face when a flash of light blinded him. He watched in horror as Gogeta stood next to him once again. "No," He breathed. He raised his voice, shouting at the fusion, "You idiots! What are you doing fused?"

"Why shouldn't we be fused?" Gogeta demanded. "I'm much stronger now. I can help Gohan defeat Buuly."

"No, no, no!" Bardock shook his head wildly, unknowingly gaining the attention of the injured Buuly. "You're more of a liability this way! Not only does the fusion last for only 30 minutes, but if you're injured as Gogeta you are injured as Goku and Vegeta. If the both of you are out of commission, we can't defeat Buuly!"

As Gogeta glared at the half Saiyan, Buuly kicked Gohan away from him and made sure to land further away. He stood on one of the rocky cliffs and smirked. The pink Saiyan let a piece of himself fall. The blob discreetly scrambled its way towards the arguing Saiyans. It waited until Bardock turned his gaze back to Gohan and Buuly before it latched onto the fusion.

Gogeta jolted when he felt the goo grab onto him. He raised his power level, hoping to break it off, but it only held on stronger and grew larger, wrapping around his arms and legs.

Bardock tackled the fusion and tried to wrestle the goop off as well. He dug his fingers into it and pulled though it had little effect. It soon snapped back into place, ignoring him completely.

"Gogeta!" He shouted urgently as the blob consumed the fusion. He watched in horror as it flew towards Buuly and latched onto him before seeping into his being.

Buuly cackled as smoke billowed around him. When it died down, his entire body was bigger than it had ever been. His antenna was shaped liked Gogeta's and Broly's hair and his clothes matched Gogeta's as well.

This doesn't look good.

Bardock rolled his eyes, a bead of sweat dripping down his neck, "You think?" He quickly flew to his father, throwing him out of the way when Buuly let off a Big Bang Kamehameha.

The two hit the ground a few ways away, rolling in the dirt. Gohan lifted himself up, staring up at the now much stronger Buuly. "He absorbed Gogeta. Did he do that in the other timeline?"

"If I let Gotenks fight, he might have," Bardock mumbled. He spit out the dirt in his mouth and spoke raggedly, "We can't fight him like this, Dad. He's way too strong. He's probably stronger than Kid Buu was in the past."

"So what do we do?"

Ideas flew through Bardock's mind a mile a minute as Buuly slowly approached them, a sadistic grin stretching on his thin pink lips.

Fuse, you idiot! It's the only option.

Bardock, despite hating the idea, grabbed Gohan's arm and stared determinedly, "We have to fuse."

"Wha-now?" The two jumped apart as another blast came towards them.

Grunting as he lifted himself out of some rocks, Bardock nodded slightly, "It's the only way we'll have enough power. We have to do it." He dodged Buuly's fist and threw his head into his. He regretted it instantly when his skull almost caved in.

Buuly grabbed him by his gi and threw him towards his father. Gohan caught him and made quick to find a hiding place. Blearily, Bardock placed two fingers to his forehead and focused.

A moment later, the two were on the Lookout. Bardock dropped out of his father's arms and gagged, his brain still sloshing in his skull. He stood up shakily, regarding Gohan, "We don't have much time. I'm gonna show you the moves very quickly. While I do that, I need you to drop your power level to mine, alright?"

"I already know the moves," Gohan shook his head, dropping his power level. "Old Kai had a crystal ball and showed me everything."

Bardock let out a chuckle, "Well aren't I lucky?" He walked over and got into position, watching the other male copy him. "On three, okay? One, two, three…"

"Fuuuuuuusion ha!"

Neither had thought it would be like this.

Godock stood in their place, gazing at his hands and body disbelief. He never imagined he would one day come alive. He narrowed his eyes, sensing Buuly's power getting closer. A smirk came onto his face as he pressed two fingers to his forehead.

When he reappeared, Buuly seemed surprised at his presence. The pink Saiyan gazed at him with a childish grin, "It seems fusion is the only thing you know."

"You're one to talk," Godock retorted, his voice a mixture of Gohan's and Bardock's.

"I suppose you're right," Buuly shrugged nonchalantly. "But then again, I'm two fusions and you're only one. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Godock glared, "I guess we'll have to find out." He powered up to Super Saiyan 2 and flew at his opponent.

The two clashed in the middle, throwing punches and kicks that would've broken even the strongest of men. Each hit harsher than the previous. Buuly could feel the strength in each hit and he knew this was the fight he had been waiting for.

A punch to Buuly's face. "Give up, Buuly!" Another punch on the other cheek. "You're reign of terror ends today."

"Never!" Buuly screamed back, only to have his mouth punched in again. He growled viciously, "Once I destroy this galaxy, I'll kill Kakarot!" His antenna whipped out and curled around Godock's hands tightly. "Now die!"

A painful jolt flew through Godock's body as Buuly used his antenna to send a pink blast through him. He gritted his teeth and began to power up, hoping to counteract the blast and keep him from turning into the dreaded candy.

Before the fusion could become chocolate, Buuly opened his mouth wide, his jaw hitting his knees, and swallowed him.

Wrapped in the purple light, Godock shouted as he fell down Buuly's body to his stomach. Right as they hit the floor, the fusion broke, throwing Bardock and Gohan apart.

Bardock stood up abruptly, gazing at his limbs. He let out a loud groan of relief, "Thank god we're not chocolate. That barrier worked well." He gazed up at the organs around them with a thoughtful frown, "We are pretty small though."

"Maybe Buuly messed up," Gohan said, dusting himself off as he stood up. "We should find a way out of here."

"Wait, if we're inside Buuly that means we can get the other Buu and Grandpa and Vegeta out," Bardock said.

Gohan reared his head back, staring incredulously, "Didn't you say that if we did that Kid Buu would come out? We'll just be making Buuly into Kid Buuly. He'll be stronger than before."

Bardock shook his head, "Not if we get Broly out too." He began taking a path he assumed was to Buuly's head. "Come on, Dad. We gotta be quick. If I smell Buuly's stomach acids for another minute, I'm gonna throw up in him."

Staring at his son's retreating form, Gohan sighed heavily, "I don't know if I have faith in this part of the mission." He made quick to follow however.

If there was one thing Bardock was grateful about Broly being in Buu, it's that he got way too cocky. Granted, he was able to back it up but it also meant that there were no defense mechanisms in the pink being now that Broly was in charge of it.

The trek towards Buuly's head was horrible, mostly because it still smelled wherever they went. Bardock gagged, dragging his feet, "Why couldn't he have just left everyone in his stomach? It would've saved us a whole disgusting trip."

Gohan chuckled lightly, "Keep your head on, son. We've still got a mission to focus on."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" He soon straightened when they approached the path to Buuly's head. He tugged on his father's sleeve and gestured to the small tunnel.

They exchanged glances before nodding. On the other side of the tunnel, Goku and Vegeta were encased in a pink bulb, suspending them from the ground. Gohan was quick to check his father.

"They're alive," Gohan sighed in relief. He stepped back, powering up a ki blast in his hand. "Let's get them out of this."

The two shot ki blasts to rip off the tendrils holding up the bulbs. Once they were down, Bardock gazed around and mentally cheered when he found Buu's bulb. He made his way over only to halt when he felt a familiar ki next to him.

A bead of sweat fell past his temple as he slowly turned. He swallowed dryly as he stared at Broly, "So you're not in one of those."

"Why of course not," Broly smirked, all teeth. He stood before him in his Legendary Super Saiyan form, looking much more intimidating without Buu. "Did you really thing you could come in here and save your friends?"

"We wouldn't be in here if you were smart enough to not eat us that quickly," Bardock quipped dully, silently hoping that his father knew where he was.

Broly glared with his pupil-less eyes, "You must think you're so funny."

Bardock shrugged, "It's not my fault you have no sense of humor."

Riling up Broly wasn't ever a good idea but if it meant he would be distracted while Gohan took the other Buu, Bardock would take the challenge and not fear the consequences. He pushed himself at the older Saiyan, throwing his entire weight to knock him off balance.

He dodged a punch and retaliated the same. Broly caught his fist, squeezing and slowly crushing it. Bardock gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain as he threw his head back and slamming it forward. A sharp pain pierced his skull. He endured it for nothing for Broly simply smirked and gripped his throat with his free hand.

Air left his lungs before he could think of another way to escape. He gripped Broly's wrist but gazed at his father. "Now, Dad!"

He was dropped when Gohan tackled Broly, his hands filled with the bulbs. Before Bardock hit the floor, he gripped onto his father's gi and put two fingers to his head.

Moments later, they were back outside with Buuly standing still in front of them, in a city now instead of the terrain they were fighting in. Bardock felt his ears pop when his body poofed back into its normal size.

"You alright?" Gohan asked as he pried the bulbs off Goku and Vegeta.

Bardock blinked, trying to get his bearings back, "Yeah. I'm good." He walked over to Buu and helped take the bulb off him as well.

Uh, kid. You might wanna turn around.

He stiffened, slowly turning his eyes to Buuly as steam began billowing out of the holes on his arms in chest, soon engulfing the pink Saiyan in smoke.

Dread filled his chest when he laid eyes on an all too familiar being.