Piccolo:

"The lunch break is over. Let's go!" Piccolo called after a while.

Slowly, the children shuffled back to the training ground and stood in front of Piccolo and Kera.

"We're going to try some real fusion. Trunks and Reyak, you begin. Align your energies."

He watched as the two boys matched their energies. Bulma, Chi-Chi and the others had also gathered in the outer area of the palace by now to watch what would happen.

"Good, your energies are now level. Line up."

Trunks and Reyak followed the instruction and both angled their arms. At Piccolo's nod, they began the sequence of steps.

Piccolo watched their every move with narrowed eyes. Trunks had not clenched his fists after the three steps. He wondered if that would have any effect on the fusion.

When Trunks' and Reyak's fingertips touched, they instantly shone with a bright light. Dazzled, Piccolo turned away for a moment. When he looked again, there were no longer the two boys to be seen, but only one. Or rather: a new being. They had actually merged.

The new warrior's skin colour was slightly green, lighter than Reyak's. His hair stood out wildly in all directions, similar to Reyak. In some places, wisps of Trunks' purple colour had mixed in. The clothing was ... unusual. A waistcoat and a pair of harem pants. And the new being's body was plumped up, downright thick.

"Hey, guys!" He raised a hand. His voice sounded deeper than Trunks' or Reyak's. Piccolo couldn't pick out either of them. It was a completely new voice.

"Hello ... Do you have a name?"

"Call me Renks."

"Show us your power," Piccolo demanded.

The new warrior went to his knees, concentrated and his energy rose. But only a little. After a few seconds he stopped, gasping.

"Was that all?" inquired Piccolo.

"I think so."

"Why don't you run a little round the square?"

Renks complied, turned right and jogged off. He stopped after only a few yards, panting.

"I'm afraid that went wrong," Piccolo said dryly.

Kera nodded. "What now?"

"Menka, Goten, you're up."

Goten nodded indecisively, Menka immediately taking up her position. At Piccolo's command, they too performed the sequence of steps. As their fingertips touched, Goten slipped slightly. Again a flash of lightning illuminated the platform and moments later another new warrior stood before them. The clothing resembled that of Renks. The hair was much longer and completely black. Her or his skin colour also had a slight green tinge to it, but it could only be guessed at.

Unlike the fusion between Trunks and Reyak, the second fusion was thin, very thin. Emaciated. He coughed.

"And you are?"

"Menson," the figure said in a brittle voice, coughing.

"That was nothing again." Kera sighed. "Now what?"

"Turn back!"

Both Menson and Renks looked at him. "How?"

Piccolo looked questioningly at Kera. "Kakarrot didn't say anything about that. I guess we'll just have to wait thirty minutes."

Kera:

After thirty minutes, the fusion broke and they had four children standing in front of them again.

"Second try!" shouted Piccolo.

This time the four of them tried at the same time. They disappeared for a few seconds in a bright flash of light. When Kera opened her eyes again, she cheered inwardly. It had worked. Two new warriors stood before them. Their clothes and hair had not changed from the previous fusion, but they now both looked well-trained and fit. Their energy was clearly noticeable.

"Very good!" praised Piccolo Menson and Renks. "We will now wait the thirty minutes and then attempt the fusion as Super Saiyans."

Renks and Menson looked at each other. They both grinned.

"We're strong enough," Menson said.

"We can take on that ugly demon," Renks added.

Without another word, they flew off.

"They're out of their minds!" shouted Piccolo angrily, running to the edge of the platform to watch them both go. "Goku is going to kill me for this," he muttered as he stared down.

Kera followed him. She hadn't been expecting it. Apparently the urge to fight intensified at the merge. Or the unreasonable. She had sensed the energy of the two. It would be difficult to stop the two against their will. She felt at a loss. Piccolo felt the same way, as she could well read from his desperate expression.

Indecisive, they stopped at the edge of the platform and watched helplessly as the two approached Buu and started a fight.

"We have to do something!" cried Kera, clawing her nails into her palm.

"And what? We don't stand a chance," Piccolo said quietly.

Frustrated, Kera groaned. This was not in her nature to just watch. Piccolo was right. She alone or even with Piccolo - they simply had no chance. And then to watch her children get hurt almost broke Kera's nerve.

"They're escaping," Piccolo said after a while.

Kera nodded in confirmation. Menson and Renks had taken the chance when the demon had hurled them into a rock and had stopped racing towards it, but had started to retreat.

They both landed on the platform shortly afterwards. The bumps, scrapes and bruises were numerous on both of them. Weary, they sank to the earth. Bulma and Chi-Chi came running. At that moment, the fusion broke loose.

"What was that all about? You could have been killed and then what?", Kera snapped at the four children.

The four of them were clearly battered even after the fusion had ended. The bruises remained and their battle suits were torn in several places. Chi-Chi and Bulma tended to their sons' wounds while Dende began to heal Menka, who in turn helped heal Reyak.

"Let this be a lesson to you. You are the last hope for the people of Earth. I will only continue to train you if you promise to obey me from now on." Kera had rarely seen Piccolo so angry. But she could understand his feelings. It wasn't simply a matter of saving the Earth. His children had been in danger.

Intimidated, the children looked at Piccolo. Menka and Reyak nodded slowly. Piccolo waited for Goten and Trunks to respond, and after some hesitation, they nodded as well.

Piccolo stepped forward and placed his hands on the heads of Goten and Trunks. "In your veins flows the blood of two great warriors who have made the impossible possible. Be proud of them. You are treading in their footsteps."

Kera saw tears come to Bulma and Chi-Chi's eyes. They were moved by Piccolo's words. Kera too had to pull herself together not to start crying.

She went down on her knees and hugged her children. "Please, don't ever do that again. We were very afraid for you," she whispered to them.

Menka and Reyak hugged her tightly to assure her that they would not act so rashly again.

Piccolo made a motion with his hand and all four children had new battle suits on.

"So, now let's try the Super Saiyan fusion," Piccolo now demanded.

"Line up!" added Kera. Her gaze wandered briefly to Piccolo, who gave her a smile.

'We complement each other well as coaches,' he sent in thought. She returned his smile before turning to the children.

The children lined up in front of Piccolo and Kera and performed the fusion dance as Super Saiyans. They disappeared in a flash of light. The fusion had worked the first time.

"Wonderful. Show us your power."

But before that could happen, the two warriors grinned cheekily at each other again and disappeared from the platform once more. Kera and Piccolo did not hesitate. They flew after the two. The danger that something could happen was simply too great.

Menson and Renks were fast. Kera had to admit that. Both were already waiting for Piccolo and Kera, who were breathless by the time they landed. No sooner had their feet touched the ground than the child warriors flew on.

"Damn, they are really fast," Piccolo admitted. Kera had to agree with him.

"I'm afraid the Saiyan blood is enhanced by the fusion. Teen Saiyans are a bit ... exhausting."

"We're barely keeping up. We're just wasting time."

"Let's fly back. We won't be able to catch them. They'll come back all right," Kera decided.

Piccolo hesitated, but then he agreed.

Back at Dende's palace, they watched what was happening from the edge of the platform. Menson and Renks landed again next to Buu's house, but before they had a chance to attack, the fusion broke loose. The children took to their heels in time.

Piccolo:

"What was that about? Didn't we have this conversation earlier? Make an effort! Keep in mind what's at stake," he scolded as the four of them meekly arrived back at the palace after more than an hour.

"You've been gone far too long. Do you even know what happened in the meantime?", Kera continued with the lecture.

Quadruple shakes of the head.

"Hercule tried to appease Buu and even managed to do so to some extent. Buu even got himself a pet, a dog. Things were looking good until two idiots killed his dog."

"Buu's evil side split off," Piccolo continued. "The evil and the good Buu fought each other. The evil one was able to absorb the good one."

"What does absorb mean?" interrupted Goten Piccolo's narration.

"It means that he was incorporating the good part into himself. The good part of Buu - who looks like the fat Buu we first met - doesn't seem to exist now," Kera explained.

"All the good that was probably there in him and had slowly come out through Hercule is no longer there. He is now a vicious ruthless demon who shows no mercy. He has already destroyed more than two thirds of the earth and he will not stop until there is not a living soul left on earth," Piccolo finished his story.

An oppressive silence fell over everyone present. Until Trunks yawned profusely.

"The children should rest for a while," Bulma said, taking two steps forward, which earned her a disapproving look from Piccolo.

"You don't have to look so grumpy. Kids need breaks too. I thought you should know that better than anyone." Chi-Chi had her hands clasped in front of her chest and was looking Piccolo straight in the eye.

"It's okay. We'll take a break," Piccolo relented. The children walked towards the palace.

Kera laughed when Chi-Chi and Bulma were out of earshot. "Chi-Chi can be quite strict, can't she?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she has Saiyan genes in her too," Piccolo grumbled.

Again Kera laughed and then reached for Piccolo's hand. "Come on, let's get a bite to eat and then get some rest too."

Kera:

After lunch, the children had gone to sleep. They had been very tired indeed. Kera and Piccolo strolled hand in hand along the edge of the platform.

"Shall we ...", Kera began, then stopped in mid-sentence, because Piccolo had suddenly stopped and was staring down.

"No!" he snapped.

"What?"

Before Piccolo could answer, Kera saw it herself. Buu was coming towards them. Evil Buu. Lean and full of muscle with an aura that lacked any warmth.

He landed just a few steps beside them. He put his head to the side and looked at them from below. His eyes flashed meanly.

"I was promised fighters. Where are they?"

Kera felt a chill run down her spine as she heard his voice. Everything about him was abysmally evil. Kakarrot had asked him for time and promised him a good fight in return. Now he was demanding it.

"Sure. They're sleeping right now. You just need a little patience."

"Now!" roared Buu.

He looked like a stubborn child.

"You can amuse yourself by killing the remaining humans first," Piccolo suggested.

Kera sucked in a sharp breath. Had he really just said that?

'Kera, wake the children and take them to the Hyberbolic Time Chamber. They can do some more training there. If we could stall Buu for another hour, then the children could train for another 15 days. They are not strong enough now.'

She nodded and hurried into the palace. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Buu begin to walk along the edge of the platform. She wished she could stand next to Piccolo, but they had to keep their cool now.

At the entrance to the palace, she met Chi-Chi.

"Is this that demon?" she asked, glancing at Buu. Kera nodded. "I'll take care of him!"

Chi-Chi tried to rush forward, but Kera held her. "Not now. We have to wake the children and take them to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber so they can train some more. They wouldn't have a chance yet."

Chi-Chi hesitated, then turned and ran ahead of Kera into the hallway of the palace where the children's rooms were. She entered the room where Trunks and Goten were sleeping, Kera went into the room where Menka and Reyak were.

Menka rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had already noticed that something was wrong.

"Reyak, wake up please." She shook her son by the shoulder. Grumbling, Reyak woke up. "Quick, come with me. Buu is here and wants to fight you, but you are not strong enough yet. We'll try to stall him while you can still train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

Immediately Reyak jumped up. "The Hyperbolic Time Chamber? Cool! I've always wanted to go there!"

Kera would have liked to curb her son's euphoria, but she understood him all too well. In the hallway, she met Chi-Chi with Goten and Trunks. At a run they hurried down the corridor. She felt several thousand energies go out at once. Buu had killed the remaining inhabitants of Earth. With one blow. She cursed silently. They were running out of time.