But Earth's aggressor didn't seem to think so. His eyes widened, yes, when their power shot to a new level. They narrowed as the creature sized them up. But the conclusion he ended up with must have been not all that remarkable, for he threw back his head and chattered with laughter.

Maybe the boys weren't quite as imposing as they wished to be. One was shirtless, bootless, with one eye tightly closed to correct his double vision for the moment. The other's gi and skin were so battered and ripped up, it was as though he had emerged from a meat grinder.

"You kindergarteners have the nerve to think you can stop me?!" crowed Ful. "You can't even defend yourselves! I nearly killed you while you were out playing 'hero' by the caves. And I didn't even break a sweat!" He smirked at them like a cat awaiting its prey. "This isn't pretend, boys—it's the real world. And you can't be heroes here. You don't have what it takes. Everyone here knows that! Your own fathers sent you home to Mommy!" He laughed at his own joke.

Goten frowned when he heard what his enemy said. So it hadn't been some sort of accident that brought them to death's door earlier today. They had been attacked from behind. He turned to his friend so that they could synchronize themselves and move to attack. But Trunks was no longer there. Goten looked up just in time to see him rocket toward the alien with his arm outstretched. Trunks's fist slammed into Ful's shoulder with his entire momentum behind it. Their enemy virtually gagged in pain and fell back. He was cradling his wounded arm with his good one, but Trunks wasn't going to allow him any recovery time. The young half-Saiyan shot at his enemy again, his chi trailing behind him like a comet. Ful moved to the side, and Trunks zoomed past him. Then he came at the creature once more. Over and over, he rushed at Ful at top speed, but Ful dodged him time and again. Goten's grin faded as he saw that the attack wasn't working. Why wasn't Trunks trying something new? Floating closer, he took a good look at Trunks's face and saw that the older Saiyan didn't look rational. His features were a fixed mask of agitated emotion, the foremost of which was anger. Goten had never seen him look that way, and he didn't know what to do. Was this what becoming Super Saiyan 3 did to you? But why did he feel just fine? Even though his amazing new power felt like a raging bonfire around him, he remained completely calm, certain that he had that power under his control.

There was only one thing to do. He clenched his fists and launched himself forward. He headed straight at his enemy and engaged the alien in an aerial battle of fists. "You think we're just kids? Well, let me tell you something, Ful!" he shouted. "Our dads believe in us! Everyone believes in us. The whole Earth is counting on us to save them! And we won't let them down!" His punches were faster than lightning and louder than thunder. Ful was getting hammered. "This isn't a game, where you can sneak up on us like a coward," continued Goten, adding insult to injury. "We're in control now. We're gonna be the heroes. And you know what else?" He drew back his fist and hit the alien right in the forehead. Screeching, Ful crashed to the earth. Goten pointed down at him to emphasize his words. "There's nothing you can do about it!"

Trunks roared and dropped, too, in hot pursuit. His power was truly peerless: there was probably no one in the whole universe whose power was as high as Trunks's was right now. So Goten was dismayed to see the enemy burst up from the rocks and successfully drive Trunks back in a sparring match. Why wasn't Trunks in control of himself?

Goten flew down and stepped in again. He kicked Ful in the side and sent him sprawling, then turned to Trunks and put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "Hey!" he shouted into Trunks's face. "What the heck is wrong with you? What's going on?!"

Maybe talking louder was better, because Trunks blinked and seemed to hear him. He tried to free himself from Goten, but Goten held him still. "What's wrong, Trunks?" he yelled his question. "What happened to you that didn't happen to me?"

Trunks didn't answer, but Goten was shocked when tears suddenly started pouring down his cheeks. "Frieza…" his friend choked out. "A-and Zarbon…"

"What?" Goten couldn't understand why Trunks was bringing up ancient history. And who was Zarbon? He shook his head. "Why are you talking about that, Trunks? That was a long time ago. Frieza is dead!"

"My dad…" Trunks moaned to himself. Goten gritted his teeth, bent over, and punched his best friend in the stomach. Trunks grunted and put his arms to his abdomen, staring at Goten, more wounded in spirit than in body.

"Get it together, Trunks!" Goten screamed at him. "Your dad is right down there! He's waiting for us to beat this guy! He gave you the strength you needed!" He stared at his friend as he realized something else. "He gave you the rage you needed." He powered up in a blinding display of power. "Well, it worked! We're Super Saiyan 3!" Trunks seemed to be focusing very hard on his words, trying to calm down. "We've got a job to do!" Goten concluded. "Let's finish this guy off!" Trunks nodded; he already seemed more like his old self.

"Yeah—let's do it." The two of them flew forward as one. Goten glanced at Trunks and grinned like his father.

"Spiral Maelstrom?" he suggested. Trunks grinned back.

"Spiral Maelstrom." They flew forward in tight circles, twirling over and over each other. When their fists hit their enemy, it was in a spiraling motion with double the power behind it. Then Goten grabbed Trunks's left hand with his right. They swirled around and around until the centrifugal force pulled on their arms painfully. They had created a tornado that shrieked toward Ful and swept him up helplessly into itself. As soon as the creature was thrown free, Trunks soared to meet him and karate-chopped him in the side of the head. "That's for my dad, you monster!"

Goten elbowed him in the jaw the way his brother had been hit. "And this is for Gohan!"

"And for Piccolo!" Trunks avenged their respected mentor by planting a kick in Ful's spine.

"And Dad!" Ful was thrown forward, right into Goten's next blow, which sank into his chest.

"And Krillen!" The best apology he could think of for insulting the bald fighter was when Trunks struck their enemy in the ribs and felt one break.

"And Tien!" Goten gave Ful a black eye for the sake of the distant yet respected fighter.

"And Yamcha!" Trunks finished, flipping over and bringing a kick down onto the crown of the alien's head. Ful went down, but this time he stopped himself before he hit the ground. He glared at them in fury, knowing that he was not only losing, but would likely lose.

"Go ahead, then," he snapped. "If you're going to kill me—do it!"

"We don't have to if you leave now and don't come back," Goten said to him. He had learned many things from his father, perhaps the most important of which was mercy.

But Ful wouldn't accept his offer. "I'm not going anywhere," he hissed. Goten and Trunks frowned in the same way, at the same moment. They powered up at exactly the same time, and their levels were perfectly aligned. Together, they went to finish what the Z fighters had started.

They were the most perfect team Earth had ever seen. If Trunks was going to take a turn, Goten didn't have to ask, but moved out of the way for his friend. If Goten had an idea, Trunks knew it by instinct. Every time Trunks hit their foe, Goten was there to mirror his move on the opposite side. When Goten found an opening, it was Trunks who used it. If Trunks punched through Ful's defenses, Goten was there to capitalize on it and turn the advantage into a huge advantage. The threat to Earth was doomed from the start.

Finally, he dropped his bulging arms to his sides and allowed the boys to deliver their punishing blows. When they stopped to gauge his reaction, he opened one eye. "Do it!" he said for the second time.

Despite the enemy's disconcerting willingness to die, Goten and Trunks knew they had no choice. They had to kill him this time. "Haaaaaaahhh!" they shouted, summoning all their considerable power. Trunks extended his hands in front of him to cup a lightning ball that zapped with potential. Goten bunched his body up. "Kamehame…"

"Take this!" Trunks proclaimed. Their voices were as one when they cried,

"It's a new attack I learned from my dad!"

Trunks threw his energy ball dead on target. "Galick Gun!"

Goten flipped around and pointed his feet at his enemy. "Haaaaaaaa!" Ful disappeared into a wave of intense chi. Trunks saw a smile on his face. And neither of the two half-Saiyans would ever understand the last word he spoke:

"Finally."

BOOM!