I OWN NOTHING

Gohan yawned. He sat up in bed, finding all but Starfire had gone to their own rooms. A cold wind blew through the open window, chilling him to the bone. He turned to the clock on his bedside table. "6AM," it read. They hadn't crawled under the covers; eventually they had all falllen asleep. At least Robin, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg left. They had left the door open. Gohan carefully stepped out of bed and tenderly moved Starfire under the covers, tucking her in and setting his alarm to 10AM. He went into his suitcase, seeing his father's gi folded up and his mentor's gi folded next to it. He didn't know which to wear.

"Wear his," Piccolo said softly from behind him. "You don't need to show your pride by wearing mine."

Gohan smiled painfully. "No," he said, choosing the gi of his teacher's. "Whenever I fought a major enemy and won, I would wear this gi." He took it from his suitcase and disappeared into the bathroom, stepping out in the full Daimao gi with the mocassins, white cape, and turban. He looked at his master wearing the same outfit and nodded. He returned to his suitcase. "Mister Piccolo, I want you to have this." At the bottom of his suitcase was a curved shortsword with a round handguard and a red handle. It was sheathed in a red and gold leather sheath with the Daimao kanji at the end of the blade.

"The sword I gave you," Piccolo said with a grin. "You kept it all this time."

"It was a symbol of the strength you gave me," Gohan said. "I brought it as a good luck charm. It has certainly done its job, don't you think?"

"Beating Superboy, Terra, and Vegeta," Piccolo said, "I'd say you never really needed it."

"We should leave," Gohan said.

Piccolo looked over his student's shoulder at the sleeping Tamaranean. "Come with me," he said, closing the room door behind them. Gohan followed his teacher down to the hotel lobby, finding no one else awake. Piccolo opened the doors, stepping onto the early morning sand. He took off into the sky, with Gohan following closely behind.

"Where are we going?" Gohan asked, watching the island grow smaller and smaller. Within an hour, they found themselves in the wastelands of southeast Asia. They flew over the main chain of islands and landed on a large, barren one Gohan instantly recognized.

"You remeber this place, don't you?" Piccolo asked.

Memories of pain and victory flooded Gohan's memory. "Break Island."

"Good," Piccolo said. "And you remember what I taught you to do here, yes?"

"Well," Gohan said, tapping his chin. "You taught me how to survive on my own, how to fight, and how to sense energy." He looked toward his master. "You also taught me how to-"

"DODGE!" Piccolo screamed, slamming his elbow into Gohan's cheek and sending him through seven plateaus.

Gohan rolled to his feet and picked up on the immense spike in his master's power. It was unlike anything he had seen from his master before. "What is this?"

Piccolo appeared in front of Gohan, smashing his knee into the Saiyan's stomach. "My new form! While you were off playing superhero, I decided to pay my father a visit! I am now the ultimate Namekian!" Piccolo punched Gohan in the cheek, sending him sailing into the sky. Gohan whipped around, terrified at his master's new form.

"Now why don't you show me that new form you've been hiding," Piccolo said with a grin. "I want the one you used on Vegeta."

"But Mister Piccolo-"

"DODGE!" Piccolo barked, slamming Gohan into the ground with a palm strike.

Gohan hopped to his feet. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, backpedaling and dodging.

"I want you to show me you're worthy," Piccolo said, throwing a side kick into the now Super Saiyan's stomach.

"Worthy of what?" Gohan asked, landing on his feet and shaking the island with the second stage of the Super Saiyan form.

"Worthy of life or death!" Piccolo shouted. "Show me that I wasn't wrong in choosing you as my apprentice! Show me I wasn't wrong in choosing you as my friend!"

Those words rang in Gohan's head like church bells. "Life or death," he said softly, starting to tear up. Memories of Piccolo's sacrifices from the battle with the Saiyans to expending the last of his energy to help defeat Cell made Gohan's aura swell. He transformed into his purple aura form that looked similar to his normal form. He fell into the Daimao stance and stared at his master with a new burning resolve.

"Now come at me!" Piccolo said, letting out a battle cry and exploding his chi.

"Yes, Master!" Gohan barked, charging at his teacher and friend.

The knocking at the door awoke Starfire. She yawned and looked over, not seeing the Saiyan. "Gohan?" She looked at the clock that read "8AM" then his open suitcase, seeing a full set of gi missing. "Ooh!" she exclaimed in an aggravated tone. "Why would he do the training without me?!"

"Star! Gohan!" Beast Boy's voice piped from behind the door. "Come on! We're waiting for you two!"

Starfire completed her daily routine in five minutes. She walked out of the room in a towel covering her curvy body and fazed out. Her door slammed seconds later. She came out another minute later in her standard superhero costume, seeing her friends wearing their hero outfits. Raven walked with crutches. "I see we had the same idea," Robin said. "Where is Gohan?"

"He went to train with Piccolo," Starfire said.

"His aura isn't on the island," Raven said. "Knowing how long Gohan and Piccolo have been together, it's probably important."

"Then I guess it's just us," Cyborg said. "Even the Z-Fighters cleared the island. Trunks and Blackfire are still in her room, so we have the island for the next four hours."

"The original team," Robin said with a grin. "I wish Gohan was here too, but seeing just the four of you does bring back some fond memories."

"Like when Beast Boy tried skateboarding and got his head stuck between the bars of the staircase he tried grinding on," Raven said, laughing with the rest of the group and turning her aura pink.

"Since when could you do that?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven's emotion left as soon as it was brought on. "I've been able to do that for awhile! Maybe you just haven't made me laugh!"

"Or when Mumbo Jumbo fired too many of the marshmallows into Cyborg's nose," Starfire said, making the team laugh again.

"Speaking of food," Robin said, his stomach grumbled. "Where do you guys want to have breakfast?"

"I found a great pizza place!" Beast Boy said, floating into the air. "Follow-"

"Beast Boy," Cyborg said. "I'd rather walk. Let's embark on the ultimate challenge: being normal!"

The Teen Titans let out a fake battle cry and started walking to the staircase, living the next two hours like a group of normal teens, from arguing over the last slice of a pizza, to playing soccer in the sand. By around ten thirty, the Titans returned to Gohan's hotel room. Young Justice had already made themselves at home, sitting on his bed in full costume waiting for the Supreme Kai and Kibito. The Z-Fighters and Pantha, minus Piccolo and Gohan, entered the room next. "Is Gohan still training with Piccolo?" Tien asked.

"Yeah, he must be," Yamcha said. "His energy isn't even on the island."

"They'd better hurry," Krillin said, nervously glancing at the clock. "He has five minutes until the Kais show up."

Trunks, Ravager, and Blackfire entered the room, armored and ready to battle. Trunks examined his katana and ran his hand alive with chi across the blade, sharpening it. At the end of his handle were three thin white braids of hair that were tied onto it."Where's Gohan?"

"He left this morning to train with Piccolo," Roshi told him. "He should be back-"

The Namekian and his star pupil appeared in the center of the room, sweating and glowing with power. Gohan hadn't left his elevated state. Many humans in the room started to feel dizzy from his power and had to sit down. The Supreme Kai blinked into the room by himself seconds later in light, golden armor with a shortsword made of blue, glowing metal. His expression was grave under the Roman Centurion-like helmet that covered the bridge of his nose. "Where is Kibito?" Trunks asked, horrified that he might already know the answer.

"Kibito was slain by the demon," the Kai said bitterly.

Trunks nearly dropped his sword. "Kibito?" he said softly, dropping to his knees. "No… no way! That isn't possible!"

The Kai walked over to the Saiyan with a bunching of long, white hair tied together in a braid. "Tie it to the end of your blade."

Trunks looked up at the Kai with burning anger, taking the braid. "He will be avenged."

"Do not let anger control you," the Kai said. "That is what Dabura thrives on."

"Will he thrive off the tip of my blade?" Trunks said, rising to his feet and swiping back with his sword, cutting a perfect arc through the bathroom door.

"Hey!" Chiaotzu exclaimed, pointing at the enraged Saiyan. "That's not your door!"

"Quiet!" the Kai exclaimed, silencing the room. "We are to meet the Warlocks in forty five minutes. We must discuss the plan of entry into their tower and reinforcement on the outside."

"We actually figured that out this morning," Robin said.

"Last night," Batgirl said.

"It was three o'clock," Vegeta said. "It doesn't make a difference."

"Anyway," Robin said, "Vegeta will lead the Z-Fighters, Cyborg, and Blackfire in an aerial force, evacuating the island of civilians. They will comb down every street, cleaning any dead presence on the island like airstrikes while taking civilians to the nearest island off the north coast. Young Justice, Pantha, and I will herd the groups too big to fight away from the tower and toward the south beach where Batgirl and I will detonate the group with a couple toys we've been saving for a rainy day. Raven and Ravager will follow the group of seven to the tower. Raven will set up a barrier around the tower and Ravager will guard her until one of the seven comes out."

"We also have a plan for the demon on the top floor," Batgirl said, looking at Gohan. "Robin told me you know a cloning technique, Gohan."

"That won't work," the Kai said. "We've tried that."

"Afterimage?" Robin asked. The Kai nodded. "Cutting your finger and dripping blood onto the egg?" The Kai nodded. "Sealing the demon with the Evil Containment Wave?"

"That move only works on awakened demons," Piccolo said angrily.

Robin punched through the wall and took in a deep breath. "I'll figure something out. I always do."

Beast Boy patted him on the back. "Then I guess there's nothing to worry about, right?"

Robin looked down at his friend with a wide grin. "You got that right!"

"Then let's get out there and kick some butt!" Beast Boy announced, pumping his fist into the air. The other heroes, except the Kai, followed him with their own fists.

"In forty minutes," the Kai said bluntly.

"In forty minutes!" Beast Boy shouted, getting an even louder response than last time.

The group heard an angry knocking on the door. "Shut the fuck up!" a man with a deep voice said from outside.

The heroes glared at the door in silence. "I'll get it," Blue Beetle said, walking toward the door. A large, green, reptilian hand with long black claws tapped his shoulder. Blue Beetle turned around, seeing a dinosaur-like humanoid with a face full of sharp, jagged teeth and two gnarly horns on either side of his head. "A Deathclaw?"

"I play a lot of Fallout," Beast Boy growled, answering the door. He looked down at the short, muscular man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khakis with sandals. "Wanna run that by us again?"

The man shrank into his shirt, flattening himself against the wall before he ran down the hallway. Beast Boy chuckled and ran after him, roaring and scratching the walls.

"Come back!" Beast Boy shouted. "I wanna hear what you said, bro!"

"Young Justice, Z-Fighters, take your positions," Supreme Kai said. "I will tell you once I am ready to enter the tower."

Beast Boy came back into the room as a human. "Okay, now, that, has made my day. I couldn't care less of what happens in that stupid tower."

Young Justice left the room first, making sure to tell the seven going into the tower goodbye. Superboy walked up to Gohan and shook his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I understand," Superboy said. "I'll comfort her."

Gohan flashed a frown. "I'll come back from the dead to kick your ass."

"Thanks," Superboy said. "I'll be waiting." He brushed past the Saiyan and walked out of the room.

"Call me," Wonder Girl said to the Saiyan, heading out of the room with glowing green eyes glaring at the back of her head. The Z-Fighters left next, giving words of encouragement and love to the warriors leaving to the tower.

Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien wrapped Gohan in a group hug. "Come back to us, you hear me?" Krillin said.

"I'm not going anywhere," Gohan said. "We'll find a way."

Vegeta nodded sternly to the Saiyan and Starfire before heading out. Pantha followed Tien, leaving Blackfire, Ravager, and the three Titans. Ravager hugged Trunks. "Don't let anything happen to you or the Kai, got it?"

"Hands off," Blackfire said, pushing her aside and pulling Trunks into a kiss. She let him go and walked out of the room. "Don't die."

Beast Boy went toward Cyborg with a specialized handshake, receiving a bear hug that lifted him off his feet. "The new Comet Battles game comes out in a couple days. You'll be my player two, right?"

A bittersweet grin spread across Beast Boy's face. "Only if you'll be player one."

"Cyborg," Raven said softly.

Garfield's best friend put him down and he received a long hug from Raven, shocking the green boy.

"If you die," she said, squeezing him tighter. "I'll kill you."

Beast Boy chuckled nervously. "Noted."

The six Titans formed a circle in the center of the room. "On five," Robin said.

"One," Starfire said.

"Two," Beast Boy said.

"Three," Cyborg said.

"Four," Raven said.

"Five," Gohan said.

"Teen Titans: Go!" Robin shouted, taking off through the open windown with Raven and Cyborg.

"Alright, everyone!" Supreme Kai said. "Let's make this count!"

Gohan swept Master Roshi off his feet and the group of seven burst through the window toward victory or doom. They flew over the buildings, seeing the sand shake as a tall, rectangular structure ten times wider than the hotel started to emerge from the arena grounds. Beast Boy looked up at the sky, seeing it perfectly sunny and clear as it had been the day they stepped onto the island. It was strange, he thought; he always believed the day of his death in glorious battle to be dark and stormy. Starfire, on the other hand, believed it was the perfect day to go. However, a voice just as strong as the voice putting the thoughts of death into their heads was shouting every scenario where it would be possible to live. They just had to figure out which technique to use and how to make sure the others didn't touch the egg first.

"That's it!" the Kai shouted, landing at the base of the tower that was now seven stories tall. A ring of grey-skinned, decaying, muscle bound men and women of all races and sizes stood next to each other around the tower base.

The group of seven, Raven, and Ravager stood facing the zombies, waiting for a noise, a movement, anything.

Beast Boy cautiously moved toward the ring of fighters guarding the daunting double doors with jagged knocking handles. "Supreme Kai," he said, keeping eye contact with a tall, Russian zombie.

"Yes?" the Kai said, examining the tower.

"What are these?" Beast Boy asked.

"They are zombies," Raven said. "I wouldn't touch-"

"I meant to ask whom," Beast Boy cut in, analyzing the zombie with a sense of wonder.

"They are the bodies of fallen competitors," Supreme Kai said, running over to the green young man and slapping his hand away. "Do not touch them or you'll-"

Starfire screamed in terror as a zombie gripped her wrist and wouldn't let it go.

"Starfire!" Gohan exclaimed, running over to her. She had already solved her problem by breaking the zombie's hand.

The ground shook terribly, collapsing small buildings and visibly tremoring the taller ones, including the hotel. Trunks turned inland and saw glints of white light darting all over the island as the ground split. At least seeing the Z-Fighters dispatch so quickly provided him some relief. Hundreds of hands shot out from the sand and following them were hundreds of buff, agile zombies. Initially, they stood around confused, looking at themselves and each other as if they were still self-aware. A deep cackling drew the seven's attention back to the tower. The ring of zombified guards clicked back into their spots, looking through the warriors. "It seems you have come early, Son Gohan."

"I could not wait any longer, Master," Gohan projected, stepping forward. "I do not know what magic raised these fallen warriors and I do not wish to know. I am here for one thing and one thing only: my prize!"

"Your prize?" the Master boomed. "And what makes you believe that you are worthy of such a prize?"

"I have defeated all of your most loyal servants," Gohan said. "I'm going to win that prize and my friends here have come to watch me do it!"

"You will enter alone, Son Gohan," the Master ordered.

"What's wrong?" Gohan taunted. "You don't want six more people to see me defeat you?"

"Do you not want your prize?"

"Do you not wish to be known as the Master for throwing a fight?" Gohan asked.

The Master was silent for a few seconds, then started to chuckle. "You are prideful, young Saiyan. Fine, they may enter."

The two doors opened on their own into a pitch black room. The two zombies in front of the doors parted, allowing the seven to walk right in. Gohan and Supreme Kai took the lead, walking into the tower.

"Garfield!" she snapped, taking Beast Boy's mind off of playing with a zombie's face.

"Yeah?" Beast Boy said, making the zombie mouth the same thing.

"Stop fooling around and save the world!" she shouted, floating over to him and pushing him through the doors.

"Wait, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted, whipping around and cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his sound. "I-" The doors shut with the sound of a loud bell. The zombies' eyes turned blue and they turned to Raven and Ravager, falling into every fighting stance the world has ever seen.

"Get the barrier up!" Ravager barked, cutting down a Muay Thai kickboxer. She ducked a spin kick and darted upward with her blades, impaling him through his groin. She whipped around, cutting a Silat master in half. "This is it, Raven! If we don't win here, everything goes to hell!"

"Yeah, no pressure," Raven said, spiking her aura. She sent a Tae Kwon Do master tumbling back then raised her hands. Her aura took the form of a giant raven. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she shouted, raising a barrier of black energy over the tower. The group of seven was locked in. No one leaves until they win… or lose…

END! ONCE AGAIN , TELL ME: WHO DO YOU THINK WILL DIE? WILL ANYONE DIE? WHAT DID BEAST BOY SAY? FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CONCLUDING CHAPTERS OF WINNER TAKE ALL!