~Babidi Saga~

Chapter 17 – Silver Lining in the Growing Darkness

The silver Gohan looked at Darkon, but spoke to Vegeta. "This is my problem...my battle with my own darkness. I hate to steal a fight from you Vegeta, but he's mine."

Vegeta could only nod. For a second he had thought about his own fight with his inner darkness and how he had to fight it alone, though it didn't come to this extreme. When the silver Gohan took a fighting stance, Vegeta's mind was pulled away from his thoughts as he slowly flew back and out of the way.

Darkon was also wide eyed. He had thought is own power was one of the best. It reminded him of when he had forced his own dark energy with Gohan's when he had been fighting Vegeta before the spit happened. Shaking off the momentary stun, Darkon shook his head. "Who are you? You done showing off?"

The silver Gohan grinned. "My name is Grahan. And I'm just getting started."

Darkon spat at the ground near the silver fighters feet. "Anyone can light up the sky and blow snow around."

Grahan only kept grinning. The display of self confidence started to work it's way onto Darkon's nerves. "You got a death wish?"

Grahan's face then flashed to serious. "I used to. I think part of me still does...but I've learned something." Silence filled the area as both fighters glared at the other. Finally Grahan spoke up. "I can't hide parts of myself any more. The last fight were I fought as one was against Cell. I...I hated him, but I didn't fight just for that. I fought for my friends. I fought with all of my emotions. But after dad...died...I put part of myself deep down and locked it away."

Grahan then lifted his hand and pointed it at Darkon. "And this has come of it. You're my problem that I've let grow for to long. So now, I'll take care of you, once and for all."

Darkon just glared at Gohan for a while. The only movement was snow being swept away by a slight chilling breeze. A smile slowly started to grow over his face. "You...talk way to much."

Darkon then disappeared. Grahan stood still, only his eyes flashing from left to right. Quickly turning and ducking down, he swept the area behind him with his leg. Darkon fazed back into view, twisting mid air from being hit from the swipe. With little extra motion, Grahan brought back his leg that he swept with and thrust it at his opponent. The kick connected squarely with Darkon's chest. His eyes looked like they has been knocked from their sockets as he shot away at rapid speeds from the force of the kick. Before he made it far however, Grahan fazed in front of Darkon launching a punch. The punch hit Darkon's back, sending him flying back to where he was first hit. Grahan fazed in front of him yet again and hit him back. This continued as Grahan launched an unblock-able amount of punches and kicks, sending Darkon's body back and forth like a ping pong ball.

-DBZ-

Goku watched the small orb intensely. King Kai however was the first to speak. "Can Super Saiyans change their aura to silver? Is this super saiyan three or something?"

Goku shook his head. "He fused...with himself."

Grand Kai nodded. "Ya...but how'd the kid do it? As far as I know you need two people to do fusion."

Goku looked around the training area they were in before finding what he wanted and waved. "Hey, Cha! Could you come here for a sec?"

Everyone looked over to find a small bluish creature with three horns on its head running up to them. "What's up Goku?"

Goku smiled. "Not much. Just got a question for ya."

King Kai however asked first. "Goku, who is he?"

Goku turned. "Huh? Oh, this is Cha. Him and his brother were the Metamoran's that taught me fusion."

Cha waved happily. "It's an honor to meet you."

The others bowed back. After the intro, Cha turned back to Goku. "So what's up?"

Goku smiled nervously. "Well...I have another question about Fusion..."

The creature looked as if he were about to cry. "Another? Goku...it was hard enough trying to teach you Fusion...but why do you keep forgetting?"

Goku put his hand behind his head, waving the other out in front of him. "Hey, it only took about a month for me to really start getting it...it's a really hard thing to understand. I'm still not sure how it works..."

Cha rubbed his eyes. "What do want to know..."

"Can someone fuse with himself?" Goku looked at Cha intently.

Cha blinked. "Er...fusion is the combination of two people to make one...so no."

Goku then pointed at the small crystal ball. "But Gohan just did it."

Moving in to get a better view, Cha intently watched the crystal ball. No kidding, those were fusion clothes. "And you're sure that no one fused with him?"

Goku crossed his arms in front of himself and nodded. "Yup. The only thing that changed was his hair color and aura."

Cha looked down, deep in thought. After a while, he sighed. "Maybe Nge will know. Let me go get him."

Cha quickly got up and ran off from where he had come from. King Kai turned to Goku. "Nge?"

Goku nodded. "That's his twin brothers name."

King Kai blinked. Cha and Nge?

Moment's later two identical looking small blue creatures with three horns ran towards them. Nge bowed when he got close. "It's nice to meet you."

Cha, not wasting time, pointed at the crystal ball. "See?"

Nge got onto his knees and looked at Grahan through the ball. "And you're sure he didn't fuse with someone else?"

Grand Kai nodded. "As sure as I am good looking."

Cha and Nge looked at each other for a second before looking back at the crystal ball. Goku however wasn't able to control himself, and a small giggle escaped his lips. King Kai quickly sprung into action. "Goku! Show some respect! Grand Kai, you look simply stunning!"

Grand Kai sighed. "King Kai...shut up."

-DBZ-

With arms crossed, Grahan back flipped and ended his string of attack by slamming his leg into Darkon's back, sending the limp body crashing into the snow and ice of the ground creating a twenty foot crater in the snow. Looking very uninterested, Grahan floated down hovering just above his enemy. After waiting a few moments and Darkon's body not moving, Grahan spoke up. "You're telling me that is all you have? Please, what was the point of me doing this if you're just going to die like that."

Darkon answered with an energy pulse. The first wave was small, just wrapping itself around him. Slowly he looked up from the snow. "Y...you think this is my limit? Heh...hehe.."

A second pulse shot from Darkon's body. This energy wave was a solid dark wall spanning two stories high. Grahan fazed in front of the others, jabbing at the wall as it closed in. Silver energy wrapped around his flat hand, creating a blade. In a blur, Grahan slashed in all directions. Seconds later the dark wall in that area broke apart. The wall continued everywhere else however, flattening mountains of snow and ice. As Grahan's arm powered down, he noticed Darkon was standing back up. That's not possible, I broke every bone in his body...

Squinting, Grahan realized something. He wasn't standing, however his energy was holding him up. "Tch, what a guy."

Darkon's face was darkened from his own energy, adding to the scariness of this man. "You think that was my limit! You don't know what you're messing with punk! I haven't started yet!"

Darkon's arm slowly rose from his side. His entire body looked broken. Bloody and bruised, this demon still wanted to fight. A dark orb formed in his hand. "The dark seed is yet to even start to give me power...but if you so wish to see how you stack up against it...sit tight! I'll give you it all!" An evil grin crossed over Darkon's face, and then he opened his mouth forcing the dark orb into his mouth.

His throat expanded unlike a human should be able to as it passed down. Grahan and the others were taken back. Vegeta curled his hands into fists. He was holding back...but how much. I know I could beat him as is...but what is this feeling...my body is telling me to run? Tch.

As soon as the dark orb passed through Darkon's throat, his energy dropped. His body seemingly hung in the air. For a few moments that seemed to take forever, everyone quietly waited to see what was going to happen next.

Grahan's eyes squinted as he started to feel it coming. What it was, he wasn't sure. But it was big and cold.

At first, Darkon's wounds started to heal at a rapid rate, giving off smoke as the wounds sealed and bones set themselves back into place. Grahan waved his arms in a circle around him, creating an energy shield around everyone. Just as the shield finished, the place were Darkon was standing was consumed in an explosion of black. The shield wavered at the first impact, but it held.

Videl, who was next to Trunks and Goten who were on the ground now and right behind Vegeta, shot her head from left and right. The black flames had covered the entire shield. They were so thick that one couldn't see anything past the shield. The only reason they could still see each other was Grahan's silver aura around him, lighting up the darkness. This pitch black...it's like when I woke up in the coffin...A shiver went up her spine as she recalled the memory.

Finally, the black flamed explosion subsided, and Grahan let the shield fade away. His eyes widened slightly as he felt the energy radiating from the body at the center of where the explosion was. The snow around where Darkon was standing had even turned a dark purple from the exposure to the dark energy. The black lines on his body had changed. They now looked like bones. He had a skeleton tattooed to the front and back of his body. It stopped at his neck however. His eye lashes had vanished, with a solid black line replacing them. His had lost his shirt in the process somehow, showing the tattooed rib cage. His muscles had also grown in size. He stood up right, his head hanging limp. Slowly, he looked up at Grahan, his breath visible due to the cold.

Grahan looked seriously at his enemy, glaring his changes down. The silence was broken by Darkon. "He...hehe...hehaha! Now you don't have a snowballs change in hell!" In an explosion of snow and black energy, Darkon shot towards Grahan, getting withing striking distance quicker than a blink of an eye. Grahan brought up his knee and blocked Darkon's punch, his face not changing while crossing his arms. "Hmm...I'm going to have to use my hands..."

Darkon glared at the silver fighter. "Tch!" His hands were encircled by his black aura as he started to send a volley of punches at Grahan. Grahan, as he said, started blocking the attacks with his hands, realizing that the dark energy around them would definitely make the punches hurt a lot more. Looking behind him, he could tell that his friends were to stunned to move. "Catch me if you can!"

In a flash, Grahan was gone as Darkon shot a punch at the air where he had been. The air pressure from the punch shot a gust of wind past the group of onlookers. With Trunks and Goten on the ground, they didn't budge. Vegeta crossed his arms in front of himself, trying to hold his ground as he slid back slightly. Videl however wasn't able to and rolled back a few times before she could dig her hands into the snow and stop. She looked up, wide eyed that a simple punch was able to hold so much power. Is...is that even possible?...tch, like I'd give up on that...I'll figure out the trick behind this, and I'll get that strong too! I won't let them get any further ahead...Gohan, you better get out of this ok so you can train me...

Grahan reappeared high in the sky, watching quietly as Darkon shot up to meet him. Darkon didn't waist any time, sending a barrage of black energy balls at Grahan as he closed in. Grahan batted them away safely towards the ground exploding harmlessly. As the energy balls hit the snow, the snow that was on the edge of the explosions turned dark purple. Grahan glared as his arm was consumed my his silver energy, creating the silver blade again. Darkon launched another barrage of energy blasts. Grahan this time sliced them all in half as he slowly started to make his way towards Darkon. Darkon stopped with the little balls and focused for a moment, creating a much larger dark ball before throwing it. Grahan held his hand out, pointing the blade at the incoming ball. His silver aura wrapped around his entire body as the blade suddenly grew, going straight through the large ball. Darkon was just able to react to the sword, leaning back far enough so the blade just missed his head as it continued to grow.

Grahan moved his hand to point strait up into the sky, the sword with the energy ball still on it following suit. With a smile, he moved his hand so his palm was facing up towards the ball. Grinning, energy shot from his hand, sending a silver energy wave along the path of the sword until it hit the dark ball, sending it high into the atmosphere where it exploded harmlessly.

Darkon glared at Grahan, who calmly grinned back. The two looked at each other for a few moments before shooting towards each other, launching volleys of punches at kicks at each other only for the other to block it. Finally, both jumped back.

Time stood still for a moment. Both warriors glared at the other, trying to come up with a way to win. Darkon held his hands out in front of him, his hands flat. Darkness wrapped around them, creating dark energy balls around them. Then, just under his neck, the bone tattoo's started to glow. The single glow spread out, passing through the tattoo's as the light made it's way to his arms. As the glow worked down to his hands, Grahan held both his hands out flat as well, creating silver swords around them both.

Darkon smiled. "Heeeheeeheehehahah!." His laugh had changed, to a longer and more drawn out and all around creepier sound. As the light from the bone tattoo's entered the dark orbs around his hands, a dark light shot from them as he arched his back. Hey yelled out to the sky as his dark aura surrounded him, the dark orbs around his hands shining evilly. As his yell faded, the dark orbs started to stretch out into long slender whip looking things.

Grahan, not waiting to find out, shot towards Darkon, holding his blades at the ready. Darkon however was ready and slashed his right arm down and then back up, causing the black energy to do the same. Grahan slashed his left hand blade at it, but his blade did not cut through, the dark energy was dense enough to not be cut so easily. Grahan flipped over the whip, trying to get close enough where the black whips couldn't be used. Darkon however smiled, crossing his arms in front of himself. The whips started to surround Grahan as he got closer, creating a sort of tunnel that was closing quickly. Grahan started to spin as he flew, slashing his blades around creating a silver tornado that was quickly closing in on Darkon. Darkon brought his hands in front of his chest and then pushed out. The whips quickly retracted and wrapped around itself, creating a circular shield. Continued to spin, shooting straight through the shield, ripping the black whips to shreds causing the shreds to fade away. Darkon brought back his right fist, which still had the black energy orbs around it, and threw a punch at the incoming Grahan. One of Grahan's blades made contact with the punch, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. Face to face, both fighters glared at each other, growling at the other. Grahan slashed his free hand at Darkon only for that to be blocked with his free hand. At a dead lock, both kept pushing back against the other.

With a crack, one of Grahan's blades made a crack in one of the orbs. Grinning, Grahan let out a battle cry as silver energy wrapped around him as he started to push with all he had. The orb continued to crack, until a piece fell off and disappeared. Grahan's grin also disappeared when he saw Darkon was still grinning. Without warning, black smoke started to pour out of the crack in the orb. Grahan tried to jump back and out of the way, but it was to late, and the black smoke surrounded him. Darkon flew back a few back. Smiling coldly, he held up his hand and after a few moments, snapped his fingers. Just as he snapped, the cloud erupted in lighting.

A yell of pain from Grahan could be heard as the lightning consumed him in the cloud. Finally it stopped and the cloud faded into nothingness. Grahan was breathing heavily, wiping a trail of blood that was coming from his mouth.

Darkon started to laugh, crushing what was left of the dark orbs against each other. Dark smoke came from them, but this cloud was twice the size as the last. Grahan winced in pain, watching the smoke cloud grow. Thrusting his arms out, the cloud started to move from Darkon towards Grahan.

Grahan held his index and middle finger together, bringing them both to his forehead. As the cloud grew closer, his glare intensified as silver lighting started to dance around his hand. As the cloud was just about to come into contact with Grahan, he jumped back and pointed his fingers at the black cloud. "Silver Beam Cannon!"

A silver beam shot from his fingers with a second silver beam spiraling around the first. It shot strait through the cloud and right for Darkon. Darkon's eyes widened as he saw the blast coming, shooting to the side in an attempt to dodge it. It was to late, and the wave glanced his right arm taking a chunk of skin with it. His other hand shot to his shoulder where the wound was and put pressure on it, yelling out in pain.

As the cloud faded away, both fighters glared at each other, breathing heavily from the wounds they both took.

After a few moments of silence, Darkon's skeleton tattoo lit up completely as he twisted his face in anger. "You're dead!" Holding his hands behind him, his eye whites turned black and the skeleton started to glow even brighter. "Ka...me...ha...me...HA!" A pure black Kamehameha shot from Darkon as he shot his hands forward. The earth itself started to rumble as the shear amount of energy was released.

Grahan arched back as his silver aurora shot from within him, consuming his entire body in energy. Turning down to face the attack coming at him, the energy around him came to a point just above his head. Putting his arms to his sides and his feet together, at full speed he shot head long at the Kamehameha.

As the two closed in on each other, Grahan started to spin, his energy matching his movements creating a huge silver tornado. When the silver tornado connected with the Kamehameha, the two stopped dead in their tracks.

Vegeta couldn't believe the caliber of the fight he was watching. Those two were on a completely different level. What the hell is going on? A silver saiyan! Damn it Kakarot, how do you manage to torment me eve from the grave!

Trunks and Goten had managed to sit up now, there eyes wide in amazement. The two children were glued to what was happening, their mouths gaping a little. Goten stuttered. "Big brothers...amazing..."

Trunks, not breaking eyesight with the fight, responded. "D...dad is stronger...I bet..." Right? O-of course he is...

Videl watched what she could. They had been moving at speeds her eyes couldn't keep up with. However this final attack was something that she could see. The earth under her was shaking from the massive amount of power. Is...is this what daddy saw at the Cell games? A-and he still called it a trick with light and mirrors?

-DBZ-

Goku, King Kai, Grand Kai, Cha, and Nge were all huddled around the crystal ball, watching as the two final attacks hit. Everyone except Goku was wide eyed and on the edge of their seats, however Goku was just sitting strait up and glaring at the ball. King Kai somehow broke from the crystal ball and looked at Goku.

"You want to talk to him like last time?" King Kai still had the shocked expression on his face.

Goku watched the crystal ball a few more seconds before answering with a smile. "Nah, he's got this one."

-DBZ-

Grahan's silver tornado and Darkon's pure black Kamehameha were at a deadlock. Both struggled to keep their attack going, knowing if they let it slip for even a moment it would all be over.

Darkon yelled at his opponent with a slightly strained voice. "It's over! Welcome to oblivion!" Darkon drew his hands back for a second and then thrust them back at him, the size of the Kamehameha growing quite a bit.

Grahan, spinning inside the silver tornado, felt his body starting to slip. Every fiber of his being felt like jelly. Closing his eyes, he started to did for any little scrap of energy he had left. Once his eyes closed though, his mind flashed to his friends and family. All the good memories Goku and Piccolo had shown him and how Goku had said it's ok to ask for help. That's right...I have to train Videl after this...heh...maybe I should let the blast get me...heh...his mind continued to think about all his friends, new and old. I have to do this...so everyone won't have to deal with my mistakes...but like dad said...they are my strength as well. I don't have to fight alone! Grahan's eyes shot open, his silver aura shooting out from in his body feeding into the tornado as it started to push back against the Kamehameha.

Darkon winced as he was pushed back. "What!"

From inside the silver tornado, somehow he could make out a voice. "I won't let you hurt them any more than you have!"

The silver tornado then started to rip through the pure black Kamehameha. Darkon's eyes widened as his attack was starting to fail. The silver tornado continued to gain speed as it drilled through. Darkon yelled out as the tornado neared him. "N-no! I just got this body! It's not fair!"

The silver tornado didn't stop. It blew right past his arms and dug into his chest. Just as it hit, a normal Gohan with his black hair and old cloths shot out the other side, all ready passed out. The rest of the silver tornado shot through Darkon and dispersed as it exited the large hole in his chest. His mouth and eyes were wide, blood freely flowing from his mouth and his huge wound. "I-its...i-t's not...f-fair..."

The body went limp in the air as it suddenly exploded in black flames. Ashes started to fall from the black cloud, only to be blown away by the wind never to be seen again.

Gohan slowly fell towards the earth. Limply he started to gain speed as he closed in on the snow below him. Vegeta flashed over just in time and caught the boy, looking at his face. He was smiling. "Tch."

In a flash, Vegeta was back over by the others, and slowly he set Gohan down.

Videl made her way quickly to his side. "G-Gohan?"

Vegeta huffed as he looked up to the sky to see two familiar green men descending. "I'm leaving..."

Slowly the prince took off into the air, heading back to Capsule Corp.

Piccolo and Dende landed on the snow next to Gohan. Videl looked up, swearing under her breath and jumping back when she saw the two Namekians standing there. "W-w-what the hell?"

Dende waved friendlily while Piccolo looked down at his pupil, letting a grin slip after a few moments.

Goten and Trunks rested their heads on opposite sides of Videl, smiling tiredly. Goten smiled. "Don't worry Videl...Mr Piccolo is a good guy."

Videl blinked at the two boys, and then looked at Piccolo. E-even if you say that...he's so scary looking!

Dende smiled. "Don't worry. We're here to help." He then looked at Gohan.

Everyone did the same, looking at how happy he looked as he slept. His body was a wreck, but he smiled none the less.

Authors Annotations:

Well, that takes the prize of longest chapter so far with ease if I am not mistaken. Anyway, Gohan is back to his normal self, well, except he has his tail back and he has a little depressed voice in his head. So ya, normal. And for those who reviewed, I agree. Grahan is kind of a silly name...but it's better than Gohay. At least I think so. It sounds ok if you say the Gra like Gray without the y and han as you would normally say Gohan's name. Anyway, I hope everyone decides to continue reading my story. After all...I'm only half done! And with what I have planned...this was the easy half to write. So in the end, please review and tell your friends if you like the story!