Chapter 29: If You Must

Goku was rocked by a hard blow to the stomach, the unbridled pained expression of his first born was impossible to keep from being a distraction. Blood was now freely flowing leaving the father with a heart breaking realization. That he had to do something quick or end up losing his son.

Like a light bulb being cranked up in voltage until it either fizzled out or exploded from overuse.

Whipping himself back into the next attack, Goku could only respond in kind. A hard knee to the chin snapped Gohan's head back but it only moved him back a short distance and the parent was met with a hard punch himself in the thigh causing an obvious shout of pain. But both quickly flared up and began throwing brutal punches and kicks. The entire city was going to be apart of their fight, like it or not.

A miss shattered an entire section of a building from the concussion, a dodged kick sheared up the concrete from the roadway. Gohan drove into his father, the two of them exploding through an entire building, the concrete, glass, wires, water, and and natural gas following after erupting a small fireball as both were caught up in the blast. But a little fire was nothing. Gohan wrapped up Goku and flipped him upwards and back over planting him down with the force of a small bomb the rest of the building still standing imploded as the ground was torn apart. Cratering the entire space some fifty feet deep before turning to strike his father who began to tear himself free.

Goku was kicked through the ground skipping upwards and into the air before recovering and answering the next charge with a vicious elbow to his opponent's chest. The air exploded, but as he did a burst of blood ripped free from his son's shoulder like an entire vein burst at once. He didn't even see pain as a hard punch came next hitting him in the face.

Both just began trading blows. The open air of the city rocked by concussive blasts that continually shattered windows and cars were thrown about as the entire city felt like it was under attack by an air raid.

Craters erupted all over the area as the populace was unable to follow the focused hurricane tearing through the entire area. But as they did every movement he could feel the instability only jump higher and higher, ki rippled out from his son's arm and from behind his neck.

Blood escaped from his mouth, his nose, and the fingernails were ripped clean off. Yet it didn't stop, he was going to rip himself apart… 'no. not my son. This is Babadi's madness!'

Catching the next hard cross, Goku drove his elbow into the back of the limb off-balancing him and twisting it backwards and sending his son's face planted straight into the ground. Wrenching his arm into an unmovable position Goku stood overtop of his son. "I will do whatever it takes to redeem us both, my son." the father said, his eyes threatening to begin shedding tears. His long golden hair sparking as he thrust one hand down and focused his energy. "You didn't do any of this, I'll bring you back and I will fix this… everything. I won't let suffer for my sins! I will bear all of them for you!" He then shouted upwards knowing that the wizard was listening. "I damn you for making me do this Babadi but my family will not have this burden any further."

His son thrashed attempting to break free but Goku held firm, his hand charging up further, the light quickly becoming a golden beacon in the shallow crater in the middle of the street. "You didn't deserve this fate." He spoke, the tears beginning to drip from his eyes. "But I won't watch you suffer, I will end this torment."

The glowing yellow orb sparked to life as Goku kept him pinned. His veins pulsing and bulging out more and more as he struggled. Holding down his own child… to kill them. He'd never wanted to kill or hurt anyone… but as a father he had to do right by his family. End this torment… inside of both of them.

"STOP!" A voice cried, snapping Goku's eyes open as he still held his hand at bay. His head turned up to see a young woman. Her black hair and soft brown eyes as she floated in the air, her face familiar, he had seen her before… "Don't kill Gohan please!"

How much did he desperately not want to do that. But his son was slowly becoming out of control and as Goku kept digging him further in the ground another burst of ki tore out from his back, blood sprayed from the joints around his son's ankles. "I'm sorry but I must do this." Gritting his teeth he pulled his glowing hand.

"Don't do it! Gohan isn't lost, he's still in there please don't!" The figure flew straight towards him and Goku's instinct to not launch that final blow was held at bay. "Please!" She pleaded, " I'm his friend Videl. I know just how much he's suffering and that he's done terrible things but I know that deep inside of him there's a piece of him still there." Coming just feet away from him, her words all the desperate pleading he wanted someone to tell him. Standing just overtop the two of them on the edge of the self made crater she saw the man who

An anguished cry escaped from below his grip as the protector of wrestled with the unthinkable.

What followed was even more painful as Goku's grip on his arm ended, the arm twisted and flexed, the instability of his energy becoming nothing more than an uncontrolled catalyst. Gohan's scream followed a burst of light exploding from his shoulder. Blood flew outwards but no bone or muscle had a chance as the arm disintegrated. The uncontrolled energies snapping clean to the shoulder of a stump.

Goku's control faltered as Gohan, now limbless with the control, slammed his hand down into the ground attempting to turn back. The father dove downwards, his arm wrapping around his chest as the other snagged around his throat, unable to gain purchase Gohan tried to roll and dive to the side with his father overtop of him, the force cracking the ground as he raged but the quick snap sent Videl rolling. The outpouring of energy knocked her down into the shallow pit as she managed to recover just as she neared the bottom. Her heels digging into the ground, the rocks and dirt kicking upwards as she stopped just feet away from two beings of near demi-god like powers. The illuminated brilliant long golden haired man had Gohan's head locked from behind with his thighs trapping him and choking him out while his one arm was held tightly above.

Gohan's stump still sputtered blood out freely as he cried out in further torment. Videl saw so much torment on his face and that harrowing mark on his forehead. "Gohan please stop!" Videl begged her friend attempting to approach, only to be on the receiving end of a harsh glare by the man pinning him down.

"Stay back!" His voice coming out harshly at first but faltering as he felt the slowly weakening struggles of his son. "It isn't safe… please just let me end this pain for both of us!" He didn't want to keep doing this. Both of them were suffering simply for the sake of it now. He could end it right now so why, why did he just keep holding out… for it.

No matter what he tried to lie to himself, the facade was beyond transparent even to her. Videl came from the side and Goku was unable to move, trapped, unable to release his son or to stop her. Still he watched the hammering in his heart not from battle.

Still despite the grueling sight she reached out. Trying or maybe hoping that there might be some return for him.

'Come on! Come on damnit!' A voice shouted angrily from his position. Everything was getting so close! The fight had unleashed so much energy for him to absorb the wizard was getting so close to unleashing his father's great prize. The energy levels were over fifty percent and climbing… if his pawn was killed now the energy he would have enough energy to at least unleash his power, absorbing more might take time but this world was filled with enough life force to fuel that gap. But he needed that final swing, ending his life would send all of that energy rushing into the ball holding Majin Buu. It was why he had decided to just end up overloading his spell, death or no, the unleashed energies would be transferred straight into his prize.

But once again he was stopped by another human… "I can't do anything more with my puppet. I'll just have to begin unlocking Buu with my magic and then see to it that this world is made to pay." Yet the great Babadi felt the hint of pause come through him as he had seen the transformation of his puppet's father. So much energy… if only he had gotten ahold of someone like him then he wouldn't have had any problems.

"But it is only temporary." A set back for problems that was not in his scope and foresight were not his fault. If only his followers had been stronger then this would not be an issue. Looking back the wizard watched the fluctuating gauge that gave an indication as to what would be needed to unlock Majin Buu's prison. It was a little over halfway… but no matter.

Babadi raised up his hands and began to make preparations for his spell. If his last puppet failed then it would be putting his trust in his father's creation.

Yet as he did there was a hard knock on the door to his chambers. "Leave me be fools!" The wizard shouted as he wanted to direct all of his focus towards unleashing Majin Buu.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" A voice replied almost snidely before the door was completely shattered.

The wizard whipped back around to see three figures standing in his now destroyed doorway. Immediately his mouth turned into an angry scowl. "Damn you Kai!" His voice shouted in further agitation.

"No speeches, no galavanting. You and your father's legacy ends today." The Kai stood between Piccolo and Kibito. Turning his head to the two of them. "Please deal with the wizard."

"I owe you a lot for what you've done to my student. Holding my hand back has been grueling for me. But the small comfort of tearing you apart will be thoroughly enjoyed." The Namekian walked forwards, discarding his turban and shoulderguards.

Kibito said nothing but marched forwards. The Wizard was gritting his teeth trying to focus on the incantation in his head but also having to now stare down two opponents, if not the other kai immediately was going to quite the taxing event.

Waiting for his own moment he saw the wizard's focus split towards his two accompanying parties and then he took his chance. WIth a roar the Kai threw up both of his hands towards the wizard. Immediately immobilizing his limbs and catching his focus further from the task at hand.

Piccolo rushed forwards, his arm drawn back and swung in a hard downward chop. The slicing of a body came quickly as the wizard was tossed into the air while his legs fell to the ground. With a heavy thud his body came down upon the ground his mouth hung open in a shocked gape.

It was quiet immediately afterwards, with only the faint echoes ringing out as the supreme kai slowly lowered his hands. His eyes showed some life for the first time since he had arrived to perform his plan. "With Babadi's end we can finally put this entire tormented saga to rest."

Piccolo said nothing more as he watched the muted expression still showing on the fallen foe before turning his attention to the large pink orb sitting atop a pedestal. "So is this the creature you were talking about being brought to Earth?"

Kibito nodded, "Indeed this is how Buu was transported from world to world and until his father was killed by the Kai's this would've been his next world to be destroyed." Taking a moment to finally breathe himself. "It is fortunate that he was not awakened, but we shall set about destroying or sealing this object away permanently."

"Indeed we shall Kibito, but see to it that the saiyans are quelled from further fighting, no doubt Babadi's influence will be shattered without his direct control." The Kai approached his hands now behind his back as he walked forwards.

"As you will it," The larger red man moving to inform the other party of the situation and hopefully resolve any future incidents.

But as the two remained the devastated Babadi had frozen himself in the moment. The tightly webbed creation network of magics unraveled quickly. Relinquishing his mental control over so many to keep enough remaining focus left inside of him for one final act. His body unable to act but his mind was burning with anger as he began the incantation to punish the blasted Kai!

At the same time as the chaos below unfolded Goku felt the change, Gohan's panicked and voracious thrashing seemingly stalled in an instant.

The teen super saiyan felt like the nightmare he had been living and the never ending pain in his skull… abate. All at once, unfortunately there was still a problem as Gohan's body convulsed as it was also freed from the mental barriers. Countless implanted thoughts, and measures interwoven with his own. The wires Babadi had woven into his very consciousness were no longer holding back the true parts of his very being. Like a magical drug cocktail had been buried deep into him, given no ability to stop and resist for more than a few minutes and then buried further with endless exhaustion, the constant fighting, never having a chance to sit back and think. Nothing but an onslaught of raw emotion that had been fueling the teen's beaten up psyche were no longer at the forefront of his thoughts.

Like an addict without their fuel and brought low by the self realization of the true horrors of their life. Unable to push down the feelings as they were riding high on euphoria and adrenaline. The only person to blame for what happened was not the world, not his friends, not his family, no it was but one person… himself.

A full deep gut wrenching cry flew outwards from his mouth, startling both father and friend. His body shook and his eyes were locked open, he couldn't shield himself from it. Like a shotgun straight to the head, 'I did… All of it! Kami, Dende! What!? WHAT HAVE I DONE!?' A burst of dark red energy crackled and expanded outwards from his body into the air in brief but

Videl moved without thinking, the face she remembered weeks ago, the one of a weak and beaten down Gohan in her home with tears streaming down his face. This version was even more sullen, his face beaten and bruised. All of it encapsulated the pure misery she had seen him put through. She touched his cheek, her fingers running along his face and touching the golden locks that began to slowly fade to black. "Gohan?" Her voice was almost tepid, hoping that truly her dear friend had some measure of control back.

His father could feel it too, the very energy in the air completely changed and the overwhelming negativity that once radiated from his first born had turned to nothing. Letting it all hang for several moments until finally a deep wracking sob followed. All the tension dropped from his limbs, the fight having left him just like a snap.

There was nothing else but for the teen other than to just start crying. Pain had no other outlet other than shedding his own tears. The titan-like grip that once held him firmly in place relaxed and Gohan felt two soft hands grab his head and hug him. "I'm here for you Gohan. Please come back to us."

Gohan couldn't feel one of his arms but one reached up to grasp at the gentle embrace. His fingers grasping the clothing as he just began to unleash deep wracking cries.

The father took a step back, his long brilliant golden hair looked at his son, he had been given a miracle. For all of his pleas he had not been forced to do the unthinkable. Goku gave Dende a silent prayer for giving him this chance.

Still the mentally anguished teen just continued to cry as the voice talking to him slowly became more clear. 'Vi-Videl?' His head slowly lifted up and then a concerned expression of her appeared through his clouded tears. But still his mind hesitated, was this too be another torment? The endless hours of mental torture had not been forgotten. It was there, was this peace to be ripped away from him yet again.

"Son…" The voice cracked and Gohan tensed, this was it… another mental form of torture. But he braced himself until golden hair filled his vision. A figure of his father he did not truly recognize. Flashes, brief flickers still danced in the edges of his thoughts but it unraveled as His father came to hug his head. "Forgive me Gohan… " And soon his own tears were joined by another. "I never wanted this, I never imagined this… I'm so sorry."

"D..Da…dad?" The words broke his father's heart and Goku began to bawl. Father and son having found one another for the first time in nearly seven years.

Videl remained at her friend's side, the world around her was still chaos and she could relax as Gohan's father held him tightly. She even allowed herself to cry too, it was bittersweet as her friend wasn't dead but the slightly dripping stump that was still visible pained her to see what he had gone through to get to this point. Not that he hadn't suffered enough.

But there was never to be any rest, as the desperate cry reached both saiyans thoughts.

'Son-Goku! The wizard-! He cast the spell! HE unlocked this Majin Buu!'

[***]

One final act, even if not at full power a half strength destroyer of the universe would be enough for his vengeance! Babadi kept his consciousness fueled by nothing but anger and hate. Weaving the spell his body still split in half and thrust it forwards. "Pad-ta-bah!" He shouted his one good arm thrust forwards and before Piccolo ro the Kai could throw the deathblow a large clack was heard and the shell holding Majin Buu began to burst free gas.

"B-Bested M-me!? Never… Never you damn kai! MAJIN BUU WILL-!" A spiraling beam struck the dying wizard from Piccolo which exploded turning what remained into but scraps.

The Kai's eye widened as fear gripped him upon the realization of what had been done, the gas was already swelling outwards, even if there had been far less than needed to unlock the cell it was still too great of a threat. The horrors of what he had been trying to avoid might become a reality.

"Contact your saiyan friend immediately." His voice not hiding the fear he was now fighting to control in that moment. "I sense the fight between him and his offspring is over. We will need his strength at once should Buu begin to reform."

Piccolo quickly gave the mental message to Goku, the urgency of the situation being echoed as the gas cloud above the egg began to coalesce into a misshapen form. A hallowing wail followed as an amorphous blob of pink slowly fell to the ground. It had misshapen eyes, a large mouth and a small protruding object sticking out from the top of its blob like shape.

But if they expected it to be some kind of passive beast, their hopes quickly faded as the unformed monster lashed out. Pink tentacles shot outwards striking in their direction. The thick heavy slaps of its body cracking the ship were effortless as it continued its horrid cries.

Jumping backwards Piccolo dodged one tentacle arm shot towards him and countered with a sharp chop severing the limb clean off- only to have the same appendage sprout several more from the injury and surge towards him trying to grasp him. His eyes quickly unleashed a blast of ki frying the smaller tendrils that neared him and caused the limb to shoot backwards towards its body reeling in pain. Then in object horror he saw the part he cut clean off roll up and head towards the rest of its mass and meld back into it.

"Save your strength this creature must be defeated with its energy drained completely or destroyed in its entirety." The Supreme Kai shouted dodging similar style attacks directed towards him in the same haphazard fashion.

"What? You mean we have to destroy every trace of this thing?" Piccolo said his growing concern for what they were dealing with was becoming worse.

"Unfortunately…, I've seen this creature cut to pieces and torn apart and each time it simply regenerates itself. I can only assume it's trying to attack us out of instinct and perhaps try to absorb more energy into itself. Neither of which we can let happen." The Kai was still haunted by those times when he had witnessed Buu. Now he was dealing with the same monster except a mass of uncontrolled destruction and no mind.

The tendril atop its head shot forwards and unleashed a blast of energy towards them tearing a huge hole upwards as it struck the ship blowing it apart as it began to roll forwards.

"No, do not let it get outside!" The Kai and Kibiot quickly moved together and unleashed a huge volley of energy striking the pink form squarely but as they tried to force it back the body twisted and morphed around the attack and surged towards them. It's form became a large mouth intent on taking both or a large chunk out of them in a single moment.

But the huge blob was sent sideways as a brilliant flash of gold appeared with long radiant hair following it. The amorphous pink sludge rolled several times, its body squirming and twisting, no doubt in pain as the super saiyan had arrived… but not alone.

A badly wounded Gohan had followed his arm still missing and dripping blood, the coagulation of his alien genes no doubt saving what he had left of his life at present. He was hurting all over now with the adrenaline of battle having taken its toll with the unstable energies of an attempted self destruction tearing muscle and nerves in many points across himself. Yet, the teen could think and see the world clearly for what felt like a year.

Landing down beside Piccolo and his guests, Gohan watched his father go after the monstrosity. The creature that Babadi had used him to help awaken it stung for him to even begin to imagine he would have anything to do with this.

"You look like Hell Gohan." His teacher addressed him as he made his way down.

"I feel worse, but I'm alright for now." He admitted giving him a very fake smile.

"You've been put through the ringer far too many times already. I'm sorry I should've been there more to help you but I couldn't give what was possibly at stake." It was a painful admission as he cast his gaze to the Kais. "The Supreme Kai, however, forbade interference until we were at this point."

Gohan looked towards the guests but had little to retort as he didn't know the complete story unfolding around him. To him this was just some new big bad that had appeared on Earth once again and he had been involved. It was only the seventh time at this point in his short life.

"I'd would've preferred to reduce suffering on your part young Gohan, but when dealing with a universal catastrophe I was not allowed to take risks… even so I failed to stop this abomination from being released." The kai then turned and watched the battle as Goku attacked the malformed Buu.

Gohan didn't say anything, he was hurting and just didn't care at the moment as he watched his father fight once more yet he paid attention to the conversation and what followed.

"So how do we kill that thing? I cut those tendrils off and all it managed to do was make it howl before growing more and reabsorbing the damage I did." Piccolo questioned as they watched Goku split the creature in two only to watch it slap right back together shortly after and begin fighting.

"Kill it… I would say there is a way but I don't know of one other than draining the creatures energy to nothing or sealing it back inside its shell, but without one knowing the spell other than the two dead wizards that option is not left open to us."

"Ghh, it's just like Cell all over again then." It was only better news for the Namekian. He was wondering what their best move was as Goku blasted the pink blob straight into the ground before landing next to them but he went down on one knee panting heavily.

Through deep breaths Goku watched as the monstrosity pulled itself back together again from the chunks he had broken up into. "This thing.. It's just a mass of… energy… uncontrolled and just acting… on instinct."

"What's wrong with you Goku?" Piccolo asked as the saiyan was looking gassed.

"I don't know… I could normally maintain super-saiyan three much longer in the other world… but right now it's taking a huge toll." Goku shook his head as he tried to focus knowing that he could do this. He had too.

Supreme Kai however knew that answer. "Your 'body' was not constrained so much by living limitations. You are now completely flesh and blood once more. I doubt that no matter your training you could prepare for something you did not ever experience."

"Heh… then that might explain it. So what's the answer, how do I stop it with limited time?" Goku couldn't help the chuckle, one fire ended only to be thrown into another one.

"He's practically like Cell, we need to destroy him entirely… but with your limited energy do you have the ability to do it?" Piccolo stated.

"I noticed that party, but yeah give me a moment I should be-" Goku's hair flickered for a moment but he caught himself and brought it back. "Damn… I might need more than a moment."

The parties talked and talked as the pink blob had nearly reassembled itself once more as Gohan remained there silent. He looked down at his hands, they were stained with his and his own father's blood. The haunting memories of his past year still tarnished his own soul. This pink mess, the suffering… I… it was… no or maybe… His thoughts were still a mess but he could focus. There was something he could do. A passing thought he had from his time hitting the books and absently reading anything to just occupy himself. If it needed to die… not leave a trace.

"I'll do it." Gohan said standing up as his father and Piccolo turned back to him.

"Gohan you're in no-" Goku began to protest not understanding his son's words.

"No, this is my fault. I let myself be used and led astray. I caused so much pain and suffering for that wizard for our friends and my own family."

"The fault is not your own, but I shall attempt to restrain Buu shortly while you devise some plan or I think of one myself." The Kai said, looking to his aide and looking to take a more cautionary approach to do battle while Earth's Hero's stood back and decided next.

Holding his stump, Gohan let his hair flick over to Super-Saiyan once more. "I'll be the one who ends this." He was resolute, if he could do something, avenge his own honor and pride of having been thoroughly abused by others and taken for a ride one too many times. This should at least be some kind of penance.

"Gohan no-!" Goku said, standing up and grabbing his son. "You're in no shape to start fighting, I'll do this just give me time." his blue eyes looked into Teal which showed a tired young man. He wasn't in any condition to be in a battle, not without an arm and even more drained than him.

"Gohan let us do this, you've sacrificed and suffered enough. You need to recover." Piccolo interjected not wanting his own student to go through more. He'd already paid enough in blood and more than a dozen times by now.

"Dad… please. Just let me do this… I can stop that thing if you give me a chance…" He then cracked a poor smile. "I killed Cell without an arm, let me do this. I just need your help like back then."

As a father he could not be more proud that his son was still wanting to fight, to stand up against evil. Recalling seven years ago when Gohan thought himself helpless… Only now his son was telling him he wasn't and he was protesting. "Alright… But only if you give me the biggest Kamehameha you've got left." He said, giving his son a smile.

"Thanks Dad," Gohan said, slightly tearing up as he was pulled in for a short hug. "Don't worry, just give me a second to gather my energy and I'll end it like before except you won't be dying for it." His morbid joke made his father snort but amused.

"I love you son," Affirming something he always knew to his first born. Given the chaos of his life he needed to tell him again. "Never forget that." Releasing him, the two shared a final look.

Looking up with a nod, "I won't."

With confidence Goku turned and blasted forwards a new rejuvenation in the heart empowering him he attacked Majin Buu with renewed ferocity.

Gohan drew up his hand in front of his chest and began to gather it back inside of him. The air began to swirl, as his body began to feel the pressure building. There was still enough inside of him, asking for that once vast ocean of untapped potential to return to him one last time. "I'll use what you gave me, you damn wizard. You sought my death for this creature so I'll give it back in kind!" The air crackled and the blue wisps of sharp crackling energy formed and burst around him as his skin took on a glow. His veins pulsing with that energy once again. He was going to do the right thing and do what needed to be done.

With a defiant roar Gohan burst forwards like a rocket, the ground breaking apart under energy as his body began to glow with an unfamiliar white glow. Streaking forwards, Gohan saw his father be thrown away by a huge swipe of the creature's tentacles, Piccolo unable to advance and the Kais trying to keep the beast pinned to no avail.

Streaking forwards Gohan looked to the side and gave his father one final smile with tears in his eyes.

The super-saiyan father had that moment of hesitation perhaps not seeing what was going on until he watched his son rush the beast which leapt at him with a mouth wide open and his son did not attempt to evade instead he threw his one good arm into the air as the energy around his body pulsed turning every inch of him into a radiant white.

His scream of panic and horror as the mouth closed around Gohan but if the monster had expected to eat the demi saiyan it burst into a ghastly cry as from inside as energy streaked out from inside the monster's gullet. Gohan's scream tore as much of a hole through his enemy as it did his father's heart as Goku realized all too late what his son had done.

Self-Sacrifice

"We must retreat!" The supreme Kai shouted flying past Piccolo and Goku who were stuck in disbelief as the energy shot outwards directionally from multiple locations in concentrated beams.

With the screams of the Buu caught within the torrent of energy being unleashed Goku remained transfixed until he began moving forwards but Piccolo grabbed him by the chest. "No, he can't do this! He doesn't have to die-!" His panicked voice was evident as he listened to the cries coming out from the glowing ball of energy.

"You can't stop it now even if you wanted Goku! He's giving up his life to stop that monster and you've already lost your own transformation." The Namekian was looking at the regular Goku, his black hair and obsidian eyes. So shocked was the warrior that his focus had slipped.

"No, no I won't-!" He brought his two fingers to his forehead. But The Namek grabbed them.

"It's already started, let your son finish it… You know this won't be his final end. Let's honor it and make sure that monster is dead."

Still he wished to protest until the glowing orb began to swell outwards. The harrowing scream continued from within. Forcing both of them to make the choice to leave, but as Goku flew backwards his eyes were transfixed upon the final moments as the glowing energy expanded further, consuming hundreds of yards of Earth in its wake. The night sky turned into a brilliant white as it swirled around leaving no chance of seeing what was inside.

Then with a final low rumble the air hung quiet until a massive earthquake followed. But it did not explode, with shocked eyes the energy drew back into itself. It had expanded like a bomb but now collapsed. Everything caught up in its light unable to be pulled away as it drew back hissing like an exposed gas vein swirling around several times until it became so small that it was no bigger than a basketball and with nothing to sustain itself further it faded away like a dim light leaving nothing but the perfectly smooth ground that it had carved out from its short existence.

What remained was nothing but a hauntingly quiet ending to the battle as neither spec nor ash remained of Gohan or the feared Majin Buu to their eyes. Only tears as Goku witnessed his son's ultimate sacrifice returning the act he had done for him years ago… 'Except you did it right son. You are a better man than your father.'

Looking up to the heavens with tears in his eyes he asked Yemma to look after his son until he could bring him back.

R&R