The two remaining Saiyans in the universe were joined by nearly all of Earth's special forces. Tien, Krillen, Yamcha, Gohan, and Videl touched down one by one. "Good, they're all here," Piccolo noted, satisfied. He went on to explain, "I called everyone here—I knew we'd have to pull out all the stops on this guy."

"Not like we needed convincing, once we felt that power level spike," added Krillen. "Hoo! Man, I haven't felt anything like that in a while."

"It's great to see all of you again," Goku said warmly. He scratched his head as he looked over them all. "Hmm, but where's Buu? We could really use his help."

Videl looked embarrassed. "Uh, my dad, well…he…sort of made a deal with Capsule Corp and went on vacation—planet hopping."

Goku's jaw dropped. "He's traveling the galaxy?"

"Well, probably outside of the galaxy, now," Videl amended. "And he…he took Buu and Bi with him."

Earth's greatest hero groaned. "Great. Right when we need him the most…" He rubbed his head. "They'd never make it back here in time."

"He's always wanted to see outer space," Videl mumbled her makeshift apology.

Vegeta folded his arms over his chest. "It's all right. We don't need Buu's help, anyway," he grunted. Glaring around, he pointed out, "Those of us who are here are more than enough to meet this threat." He turned to look at Goku's eldest son. "Although some of us will have to go."

Gohan massaged the back of his head self-consciously. The reading glasses and dress shirt he was rarely seen without, had been replaced by his old fighting outfit. "I think I know who you mean." He glanced at his wife apologetically.

"What? What are you—?" Videl folded her arms just as stubbornly as Vegeta had. "Oh no, you don't, Gohan. You couldn't stop me from coming with you, and you're not going to stop me from fighting."

"Who said he was going to?" Vegeta interjected.

Videl rounded on him. "Hey! It's my Earth, too, y'know! I have just as much right to defend it as you do!"

"You'll either get in our way, or get yourself killed," Vegeta informed her. "Is that what you want?"

"Now, wait just a minute!" Videl was on the cusp of a tirade, but Goku clapped a hand onto her shoulder at that moment.

"I'm sorry, Videl. It's too dangerous for you to stay with us." His voice was quiet but firm. "We're asking you to fly back home now, but we have other ways of doing it if you're not going to leave quietly." He smiled one of those serious battle-mode smiles of his.

"But I'm the champion's daughter," Videl reminded him. She couldn't understand why they weren't letting her stay.

"Maybe," conceded Goku, "but you've never fought anyone like this before. And we can't let someone fight who doesn't know what they're up against." He gave her a gentle nudge in the direction from which she'd come. Videl looked helplessly from face to face. Vegeta was still scowling at her; Gohan waved sheepishly; and Goku's mind was obviously made up. She squeezed her hands into fists.

"But what about Gohan?"

"Don't worry," Goku reassured her. "Gohan will be fine. I'll take care of him." Videl's husband smiled in agreement, although everyone else knew that he didn't need looking after.

"You come home safe," Videl said to him. It sounded more like a threat than a wish.

"I will," Gohan promised her, and without another word she took off. At the same moment, the sons of warriors were flying in. Those assembled looked surprised to see Goten and Trunks land among them. Yamcha and Tien laughed and called hello, and Krillen waved. About the only ones who didn't appear happy to see them were their fathers.

"Gohan!" called Goten to his older brother. "You're here!"

"Hey, squirt," Gohan replied fondly. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Goten nodded with enthusiasm.

"I don't think so," growled Vegeta. The boys turned to look at him with surprise.

"Dad, what d'you mean?" Trunks wanted to know.

"I mean, you're going to turn around right now and go back home," Vegeta explained flatly. "Both of you."

"But…but why?" asked Trunks. Vegeta's brow contracted in a frown.

"Because you two are a liability in this fight."

"Liability?" repeated Goten. It sounded as if he didn't even know what the word meant. But he nevertheless understood Vegeta's meaning. "You're sending us back home—like Videl?" They couldn't comprehend why they were being placed on a level with mere Earthlings.

"So Krillen gets to fight, but not us?" Trunks said angrily. Goku looked displeased at the attribution of disdain to his oldest friend, but it was Vegeta who reached out and backhanded his son across the cheek.

"Krillen"—he put emphasis on the name for an entirely different reason—"is an experienced fighter! He's battled enemies like this since long before you were born. Not only that, but for the past four years he has been training without rest, pushing himself and getting stronger. And most importantly, he is completely focused on the battle at hand!" Trunks looked up at his father, clutching the place where he'd been smacked, truly hurt by the anger in Vegeta's eyes.

"Vegeta's right." Goku's voice was both more gentle and more stern. "This isn't a game, boys."

"We know it's not a game!" Goten cried. "Please, Dad—let us fight with you! We can't just do nothing while you're battling that…that…" He pointed at the black-garbed thing over their heads. The creature flew down to them, disconcertingly close all of a sudden.

"Ful," he supplied. He lifted his hand in a wave even though he was upside-down. "Nice to meet you." Then he leveled his hands on Vegeta and Goku and shot energy blasts at them from close range. Both Saiyans went flying, and Ful grabbed their half-Saiyan sons. "Two little boys, never been in battle before, what to do?" he murmured as if to himself. "What to do…what to do…"

"We have so been in battle before, you creep!" snapped Trunks. He and Goten struggled with all their young might, but their enemy held them under his arms with their arms pinned to their sides. There was little they could do from their position.

"Oh, no!" Goku cried as he got to his feet. Vegeta was also pushing himself up.

"You see?" he muttered in disgust. "They're already being taken hostage." Goku ground his teeth together and stared helplessly at his opponent. Kacarrot. Hearing Vegeta's voice in his head, Goku made the mistake of turning towards his friend. Don't look at me, fool! came the familiar exasperation in the prince's tone. Then he'll know we're planning something.

Goku instantly faced forward again. Right. Um…we're planning something?

Yes. Vegeta's narrowed eyes took stock of the situation. He thinks he's taken a hostage? Then let him go ahead and think that.

But he has taken a hostage, Goku pointed out the obvious.

Well, we're going to fight, anyway, Vegeta declared. You're going to shoot as much energy as you can at that freak.

Goku chanced a split-second glance at Vegeta. The Saiyan looked completely sure of himself. Are you out of your mind?!

It will take him completely by surprise, explained Vegeta. He won't know how to respond. Then, right before the energy hits them, I'll get the boys to safety.

Are you sure that'll work? Goku made his doubt known. I mean, wouldn't it be better if you threw the energy, and I saved the boys? My Instant Transmission will—

No. It has to be this way, Kacarrot.

Why? It was Goku's turn to scowl. You can throw energy blasts even more powerful than I can.

Because they'll believe you. Vegeta let his words sink in. No one will think you're up to something, not even your own son. He looked sideways at his rival. Can you make it work, Kacarrot?

Goku let out his breath and planted his boots in a fighting stance. Let's do it.

"What will you do, what will you do?" Ful was still singing idly. Goku flew up until he was level with the alien in the air.

"Hey! You think you're just gonna get us to do whatever you want?" he demanded.

Ful flipped upright, still smiling and spinning. "That's exactly what I think." He stopped mid-twirl so that Goten was oriented toward his father. "This is your son, isn't it? Your son?" A smirked colored his swarthy features. "He looks just like you."

"Well, we're not gonna fall into your trap, ya hear me?" Goku powered up with vibrant white chi around his body. "No matter what you do!" He put his hands together in the old familiar movement. "Ka…me…"

Ful's eyes widened. He turned to face Goku but started to back up. "Wha…what are you doing?"

Below them, Gohan shielded his eyes to be sure he was seeing things right. "Yeah, Dad!" he called up. "What are you doing?"

"Goku?" Krillen joined in.

"Ha…me…" Goku continued, heedless of all of them. The blue light of the power in his hands lit up his face. Goten had never seen him look so determined, or so fierce.

"Daddy?" he asked in a tiny voice that was somehow still audible over the hum of the glowing ball.

"You wouldn't dare!" spat Ful. He turned the half-Saiyans so that they were in front of him, held against his torso.

"Dad!" Gohan yelled at the top of his voice. He bunched his body down to leap up to his father, but Krillen grabbed his wrist before he could go.

"Gohan," he muttered. "Hey. Let's trust your dad this time, huh?" He squinted through the blue light. "He knows what he's doing."

"Kacarrot!" Vegeta bellowed. It sounded like a call to reason. Only Goku knew it as a signal.

"I'm sorry, boys," Goku murmured. There was nothing false about his words. It tore his heart to see Trunks's and Goten's still-childlike faces looking utterly betrayed—by him. They were so afraid, so vulnerable. He swallowed hard and threw out his hands. It was all down to this. "HAAAAAAA!"

"Noooo!" howled Ful. Goten and Trunks shut their eyes and screamed. Then Vegeta went into action. Suddenly he was gone from the ground, appearing at Ful's back, and punching him as hard as he could between the shoulder blades. It propelled him toward the rushing Kamehameha Wave. Trapped in his arms, the boys were now dangerously close to the white-hot energy. Vegeta flew under them, grabbed each boy by the collar, and was gone.

Boom. Everyone shielded his eyes, aghast at what had happened. The explosion vibrated the very earth they were standing on and sent dust and smoke billowing into the air. "No!" Gohan yelled as he crossed his muscled arms over his face.

"Wait, Gohan!" Still next to him, Krillen screamed into his ear to be heard. "You feel that? Goten and Trunks are still alive!" He laughed. "Goku must've been planning to save them all along!"

Goten was most definitely still alive. Not a moment after Vegeta had let go of his shirt front, Goku was at his side. He crushed his boy into a hug for the second time that day. "Goten, you're safe."

Vegeta, whose tendency was anger, hadn't released his hold on his own son and was now laying into him. "Do you see now?! You're not fit for battle, not until you can fight like a true Saiyan!" He made a growling noise of disgust. "Now get out of here, before that monster captures you again and uses you as a weapon against us!"

"Dad, I—I'm sorry," Trunks breathed, his voice shaky. If he had been looking up, he would have seen that while Vegeta's voice was irate, his face was not.

"Listen to me," his father bade him in a calmer tone. "Kacarrot and I are the first line of defense. You are the last." Trunks dared to look up at him, unsure of the meaning of the words. "Now, go on," his father commanded him again. "Hurry."

Goku slackened his hold so that Goten could finally breathe again. "You, too, son." He gave Goten a push to get him started. Both of them took off, leaving contrails of white chi.

"Beat him, Dad!" Goten shouted back. Goku watched until they were gone.

"Count on it." He caught Vegeta's eye and grinned. Then, the last two surviving Saiyans in the universe soared into battle side by side. Their power crackled around them like lightning; their punches were louder than gunshots. And their friends and family looked on with wonder.