CHAPTER 54:
Checkmate

It was all she could do to keep from screaming in agony. Her entire body ached, swollen from both bruises and the bulging muscles that stretched her skin. She looked at him, and was terrified. The look in his eyes pierced hers with an utter hatred she had never seen before. And yet he continued to laugh at her, as if she were putting on a show for him, no matter how hard she was trying to hurt him. Her body was failing her, and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

She continuously brought her right hand down to tenderly probe her wound, and it sent waves of pain shooting down her entire nervous system. All the dust, debris and mud wasn't helping it at all. If she didn't die from either blood loss or battle wounds, she would most certainly get a terrible infection – that is, if Gohan let her live.

As she continued to fight, she was losing confidence in herself. She kept seeing visions of her last friend and mentor, Piccolo, falling to the hands of this monster. Piccolo was the last of the Z fighters, the last hope of saving her family, and now she was going to die and nobody would be left to fight Baby.

She swung blindly at Gohan, but he easily blocked and countered a heavy set of blows to her chest as she screamed in surprise and pain. She whipped herself around and attempted a round-house kick to his neck, but he grabbed her leg and spun her down instead. No matter what she was doing, he was quicker than her, and he continued to become quicker as the minutes passed. It meant one of two things, that he was becoming faster than her: either he had gained an ability to speed up… or, she was slowing down.

Pan probed her wound again and caught a glimpse of her bloodied hands. There was a lot of blood there, and she was feeling slightly light-headed, her ears ringing a bit as she dodged several punches and threw an energy wave at the Tuffle impostor. Everything seemed to be passing in slow motion at this point. Even the light from the sun seemed to be a darker shade as Gohan hovered above her with that high cackle and bloodied fists.

But Pan refused to let him know how she was feeling. She kept a determined face as she charged at him and bluffed her strength, hoping to God, to all Kais Almighty, that he'd just die. More than all her agony combined, it pained her the most to have to see him this way. He didn't even realize what he did. He killed his best friend and mentor, and he was still sniggering about it, at a total loss for conscience. This Tuffle was not just insane… he had no limits. He felt so detached from the things and people he killed, that he was dangerous even to his own allies.

She couldn't believe that her father murdered an entire town before her eyes. It was still burning below them, but not nearly as wild as the last fire, most probably because the world was still wet from earlier. Earlier… before Piccolo died…

A sudden new wave of sadness gave way to a surge of rising anger. She promised herself that Gohan would pay for what he'd done, and that thought helped her forget her pain for a moment as her ki flashed a bright yellow.

Gohan phased out and appeared before her, but as he brought his right fist back, she phased behind him and threw her right fist to punch him in the back. Unfortunately, she was too slow as he spun around and grabbed her wrist. He twisted her around in one foul motion and then kneed her in the back, sending her flying a certain ways. Before she caught herself, he phased in front of her again and with both fists, pounded her in the stomach, sending her crashing to the town's rubble on the ground.

Pan stopped herself before a burning building, coughing from the smoke, and then looked up glaringly. She then thrust her hands before her and screamed out "HAAAA!" as a blue energy beam was sent flying toward Gohan. As he dodged it, she flew upward again, but he phased out and then reappeared before her, side-kicking her, but she twisted out of the way, and with a "HYAA!" Pan countered with a kick to his midriff, sending him flying into a nearby mountain.

The giant structural rock exploded upon his impact and boulders were sent flying in all directions as mud and debris scattered everywhere in the air. Pan took this time to bring her right index finger to her head and focus her newfound energy.

"Heheheh…" Gohan sniggered as he emerged from the rubble, "Not too bad for a–"

"Makenkosappo!"

And with that, a giant blue energy beam spiraled toward him at almost the speed of light.

"WHOA!" For the second time that day, Gohan acted on instinct and twisted his body as the beam singed his entire shirt, causing a perfect slice through the middle of the muddy white material.

The remains of the mountain exploded around him as he dumbly stared at the remains of his clothing and then looked up to Pan through the falling debris as small boulders incinerated upon impact with his ki.

Gohan then let his eyes glance to the rubble around him and then went back down to his shirt, which was now collecting fresh blood from the flesh wound she scarred across his abdomen.

Gohan looked back up to her and sneered to himself, muttering under his breath, "That was too close." He threw up his hands as a shift of wind left him with a snarl, "NOT SO FAST!"

Gohan was on her before she had the chance to phase before him. He grabbed her right shoulder before she could move and with a powerful leg, he kicked her in the stomach and punched her hard in the jaw, issuing a loud CRACK!

Pan reeled back in pain and surprise, holding her fractured jaw with a ragged gasp, "Ahhh"

Gohan cackled as he hovered closer to her, "Hehehahahahaha!" He sneered in a cruel tease, "I just love the sound of cracking bones," he shuddered heatedly, "That's such a turn-on!"

Before he had a chance to react, there was another loud CRACK! as Pan swung her fist into his jaw and send him flying back wards.

"AHHHH" Gohan clasped his jaw with wide eyes as he saw that Pan had nailed him when he guard was down. "You BITCH!"

"Jaw for a jaw… Dad," Pan sneered.

"Heheheh…" Gohan's cold eyes glinted a moment as he spit out a tooth and regained his battle composure, "That was a lucky shot."

"Either that, or you're slowing down," Pan sneered, "old man."

"Slowing down, eh?" Gohan stopped then as he fingered the swelling bruise across his cracked jaw. He looked as if he were still surprised at the power behind her punch. Even Pan, herself, didn't realize that she was capable of doing such damage with her fists.

Those punching exercises really paid off, Piccolo… Pan continued to bluff false confidence before Gohan, I'm sorry… I don't know if I'll be able to take him down. I'm…

Pan felt another swarm of pain overcome her as she almost doubled over in mid-air. She grabbed at the wound in her lower abdomen and fought a wave of nausea as she felt a case of heartburn threaten to rise in her throat. She was barely able to focus on her own body, less likely Gohan's, and at this rate, there was no telling how long it would be until the battle would be over.

I'm so sorry, Piccolo… She fought tears at the corners of her eyes as she watched Gohan take something out from his pocket, I'm so sorry…

"You're right," Gohan peered at some small object in between his finger and thumb, "I have been slowing down." He then tossed it up and caught it in his hand, securing it protectively in his fist as he looked up and glared triumphantly at her, "And at this rate, this might last another few hours, considering how tired I am after fighting both you, twice," his eyes gleamed unexpectedly, "and, of course, the weakling Namek."

"Heh," Pan held up a fist and relaxed into a light fighting stance in mid-air, "Getting too old for this?" She tilted her head with a cocky grin.

"No," Gohan held his fist forward with a mocking smirk, "More like, bored of your pathetic excuse for a power level."

"Heh," Pan slightly snickered again with false confidence, "Think you can boost it up any other notch?"

"Actually," Gohan's eyes glinted again as he released a triumphant smirk, "Yes. I can," and then held up his hand, opening his fingers enough for her to catch a glimpse of a small bean.

Pan's eyes went wide as she realized what it was. "N-no!"

They both hovered there a moment as Pan let the fully reality of the situation sink into her mind. He had the one item that guaranteed his victory and well-being as she suffered before him, bleeding to death as she fought against a rising sickness in her stomach.

"How about…" Gohan's fist closed again as he brought it casually down and sneered, "Let's play a little… game."

"A…" Pan suddenly felt faint, "A what?"

"Let call it…" His mouth twisted into a demonic sneer, "Hit… and Run."

"Hit anf what?" Pan couldn't take her eyes off his fist as she saw it rise slowly to his face. She couldn't let him take that. If he took it, it was all over. She couldn't hold it in as she screamed out a desperate "No!" and flung her arms before her, shrieking as hundreds of tiny red energy blasts emerged from her hands, spiraling toward the Tuffle.

"Bad move!" Gohan phased out of her attack and appeared behind her, knocking her forward with just his ki. Pan spun around to throw another round of shots at him, but it was too late. Right before her, barely even two meters away, Gohan tossed the bean into his mouth… and swallowed.

A second or two went by where the two of them hovered before each other, the gentle wind cooling their sweaty temples.

But then suddenly, Gohan's ki shot up to a level Pan had never even fathomed before. His ki alone suddenly multiplied by at least forty times what it had just been previously.

"YES!" Gohan reached out his arms and felt his renewed power surge within him, "Finally, an end worth meeting!"

"G… Gohan…" Pan reeled back as she clutched at her wound again, trembling from a renewed fear, from panic, from a realization that she lost this round. And then she felt her fear suddenly turn to anger toward the sensu bean. It wasn't fair. Not… after all that work she put into the fight… Not after all the sacrifices she made. Not after Piccolo died trying to save her! Not after the town was destroyed before her eyes! It just wasn't fair!

"It's not FAAAAAIR!" Pan screamed aloud as she openly cried, tears streaming from her eyes as Gohan's second-level ki burned into her battered form. "IT'S NOT FAAAAIR!"

"HeheheheHAHAHAHA!" Gohan threw his head back as sparks re-emerged around his body, swelling with energy and heat. And after a moment, he brought his head back with madness in his eyes as he laughed gleefully and brought one powerful hand before him.

"Check." Gohan suddenly released a powerful red beam that shattered the rubble around them for miles on end as the energy wave crashed into Pan, sending her back, searing under the heat of the blast until her body was charred and scalded. She screamed in agony as her skin sizzled and the ends of her hair were singed in the energy's fire.

As she flew back, she was met with a powerful blow to the back of the head that sent her crashing to a rock field below. Her body smashed against the hard stone and cracked the area in several places, causing a large gorge to separate around her.

As Pan weakly tried to stand up, Gohan was on top of her again, and kneed her in the jaw, sending her flying upward, as he followed her, he phased before her and with a "HYAA!" he punched his left hand right through the wound in her abdomen.

Pan screamed in agony, suffering as Gohan kept his arm there in the freshly opened wound, cackling in hysterics as she cried aloud and clawed as his shoulder, her eyes streaming tears as her voice cracked under the strain.

"Check." Gohan brought his right hand around her neck and pulled her hair, yanking her head back as he wiggled his left arm playfully inside her. "Come on, daughter," Gohan sneered to her face, then brought his head to her neck to breathe in the scent of her fear, "It's your move."

Pan closed her eyes as he rose his ki, his arm burning her from the inside out. Her voice was gone by this point, and the more she tried to scream, the more silence came from her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Fresh blood was streaming from her now as she felt her body give way under him.

As Gohan withdrew his arm, Pan felt her body slump and lose all composure. She could barely breathe, she was suffering so much. Every part of her body hurt, every bone screamed it was broken, her skin was charred and boiled as her muddy hair dripped onto her torn gi. She was barely able to keep her eyes open as she tried to look in his eyes… a last search to see the man she loved once in her life, but his teal eyes were cold as lightning and static flickered before them.

And she welcomed death. It would be a release from this… from the reign of Baby. She would have rather died than lived as a slave to the parasite that took Trunks so long ago and then went on to take the rest of her family and friends… including Piccolo… including her Grandpa…

She dimly noticed herself being lifted by the neck as Gohan lowered himself to stand on the ground. She became aware that she couldn't breathe, and her lungs were burning for air as she made gurgling sounds, choking under his grasp.

"All it takes is a little… squeeze…" Gohan snickered as he held her up, "And then," he smirked darkly, "game over."

Pan opened her mouth as her eyes went wide, her face flushing red from the lack of oxygen. She brought her hands up and desperately tried to pry his fingers free, but the more she struggled, the harder he squeezed. His eyes were ice as they pierced hers. A rising cackle made its way to his voice as he threw his head back.

"It's all so easy!" Gohan laughed, "It's so easy, you spoil my fun!" Gohan brought his face back down to smirk at her, "But watching your face as you die… This," Gohan grinned haughtily, "right here… this is a moment to make history."

Pan could feel her mind getting cloudy as she choked against his wrist. She wanted to lift herself, to fly, to loosen the noose that wrapped itself around her, but his hold was firm and his power level too high. She felt several tears fall from the corners of her eyes as she looked at him through blurred vision and thought of those she loved…

Grandpa… Pan closed her eyes and shivered as she began to lose feeling in her legs, I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry… Piccolo…

"Checkmate," Gohan smirked as he held her high, beaming his triumph at her, feeling the glorious wind sweep by his face. "Goodbye… Saiyan."

He knew he won the battle, and the war was over. He succeeded in his mission, and his eyes turned glossy with love for his master. But there was another reason too… He was crying… from the joy of watching her die.

As Pan felt her life slip, her eyebrows trembled and her eyes fluttered slightly. With the last of her strength, she lightly frowned, her eyes watery, and gently brought her right hand to almost touch his face. As a tear rolled down her cheek, she felt an immense love for him. No matter what happened… Gohan would still always be her…

"Papa…" Pan's voice was a coarse whisper as her eyes fluttered a moment. She tried so hard to touch him, but her body gave way and her eyes rolled back as she felt her throat seem to collapse in on itself.

Gohan's eyes went wide, then, as another tear fell from his cheek. His hand faltered as he intook a sharp gasp of air, his eyes focusing on his hand, on her throat, and realizing, for the first time, that he was killing her.

His hand opened slightly as he choked on his breath. His body trembled as he realized what he'd almost done. "Pan…"

But as he released her, a great force suddenly rammed into his side with a loud SMACK! that sent him rolling backward and into a boulder, where he cracked it in eight places.

Gohan stood up, his anger flowing as his eyes flashed red and a lust for blood swarmed him. He snarled as the wind blew his hair, and his eyes focused on a newcomer.

Gohan blinked then, and his eyes darted, as he was unsure if this boy was the weapon behind that kick. Gohan frowned as he took a step toward the kid, and then his lips rose to a slight sneer, "Who the hell are YOU?"

The dark boy narrowed his eyes and hissed in a high voice, "Your worst nightmare."

"Oh ma God! Oh ma God!" Another voice came from the rocks, "Ah found her! Ah found her, Buu, Oh ma God!"

"What is this?" Gohan quickly turned his head to face the newcomer, and then said in a slight roar, "You bought your weakling posse?"

"I don't know them," the dark youth sneered, "But I know you were about to kill this girl. And I can't let you do that."

Majin Buu suddenly wandered into the clearing, hopping about as if playing hop-scotch. "Buu see Pan!" Buu suddenly squealed in delight and bounced toward her like a child, "Yippee! Buu find Pan!"

"Shit." Gohan fell into a fighter's pose as eyes narrowed. He tried to quickly calculate power levels, but was hard to tell what the random dark boy's level was, since he was suppressing it. However, he knew off the bat that a fight with Majin Buu would probably be his last unless he either received backup or an other sensu bean. "Shit," he repeated under his breath as his eyes darted back to the boy.

"Well, are you gonna fight?" The boy threw up his fists and narrowed his eyes.

Gohan took another look at his surroundings and felt sweat form on his head. Super Tuffle 2 would not match out against Majin Buu. It would be best if he did get backup. "Shit," he repeated a third time as he thought of Baby's disappointment.

Gohan mentally kicked himself for not killing the Saiyan when he had the chance. He was so close. Great Lord of Tuffles, what came over me? Gohan snarled to the boy as he stood up straight and gave a slight nod, "I'll be back."

And with that, Gohan cursed under his breath and took to the skies, leaving the boy stunned and trembling on the ground.

Gohan spit in anger as he flew through the clouds, one thought on his mind as he cracked his knuckles from frustration.

Goddamnit, Baby is NOT going to like this.

–––––––

Uub watched the Tuffle fly off with sweat beads on his forehead. "Wow," he blinked to himself, "That was really close."

"Buu!" The elder man ran up to the poor girl and cradled her in his arms, "Buu! Buu, ya gotta help her! She's the only granddaughter Ah got!" The man began to cry into her shoulders as she lay limp in his arms, "Look what's he's done to her! Just look, Buu! Ah, Buu!" The man's coarse deep voice became cracked with his tears.

Uub frowned as he approached the two, "Sir?"

The older man looked up, sniffling, "Aaahh? Who?" The man stood up, and as he stood, Uub got a better look at him, and his eyes went wide as he recognized him.

"You're – You're the World Champ!" Uub's eyes boggled as he took a step back.

"You…" the man blinked, "You're not a Tuffle? You reco'nize me?"

"Oh, WOW!" Uub ran forward, beaming, "You're the World Champ!"

Hercule stood up proudly and lifted his chin, "Yes Ah am! Ah'm the World Champ and Ah could'a beat that Tuffle into the ground!" Hercule threw his right fist forward, "And Ah would'a taught him a lesson or two! Like Ah'd give him the ol' Hercule Spin!" He waved his arm around like a screwdriver, "and the Hercule Hustle!" He side-stepped straight into Buu as he paradaded about, "Oh Ah could give 'em the old–!"

"–Mr. Satan, out of way!" Buu pushed him to the side as he made his way to Pan, "Pan hurt. Buu fix!"

"And just watch, Ah,d have given him the Hercule Drive! Now that one is a classic!" Hercule stood with his chin high and his arms propped to his hips, looking high and mighty with his cape.

Uub was dazzled before him and would have been completely entranced into cheering for him if it weren't for the large pink alien by the name of Buu who leaned over the battered girl and put his/its hand to her forehead.

A light began to surround the girl and then flow into her as her gashes and bruises began to heal themselves quickly. The healing process must have taken a good five minutes before the one known as Buu stood and smiled happily, "Pan all healed, now! Buu want chocolate!"

"Wow," Uub stared with awed eyes, "That was incredible!" He shook his head in a daze, "I've never seen anything like that!" He turned to look at Buu, "Is she really better?"

"No," Buu suddenly frowned as his mouth twitched from the distorted shape. "Pan lost a lot of blood." Buu looked down and shrugged his shoulders, "Buu no think Pan will make it…" And then he raised his head with a newly restored grin, "But Pan's body all healed! Body in perfect shape!"

Hercule was still processing his words as his mouth dropped three feet. "Whaddaya mean she's not gonna make it"

"Pan in a deeeep sleep," Buu looked down to Pan, "Pan may never wake up." He shrugged again as he brought his hand to his chin, "Buu sorry."

"Oh GOD! PAN!" Uub watched helplessly as Hercule dove for her again and cradled her against his chest, her hair limp and damp with her blood, "Pan, please… Please wake up, Pan." He gently shook her and ran his left hand down her cheek with a loud sob, "Please wake up…!"

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–5/27/05–