Goku's eyes went wide, shifting back and forth between the sulking Omni-King and the enraged Potara, gods she looked like she wanted to throttle him.
"Where's the other one?" demanded Potara.
"He's out touring other dimensions," murmured the Omni-King.
Potara ground her teeth. "Then I guess I'll have to settle for you and deal with him another time."
Potara glared at the Omni-King and said one word. "Scum."
The Omni-King flinched.
The Grand Priest narrowed his eyes. "Mind your words child!"
The Omni-King held up a hand. "Be silent and let her finish."
Potara's lips curled into a sneer. "Let me finish? Oh look whose being the responsible one all the sudden. Got caught with your hand in the cookie jar and now you're ready to own up to it? I can't believe you."
Potara clenched her fists, ripples of energy emanating out of her. "Pan trusted you. Pan was your friend. Pan would never have used that power against you. Yet, you dare stab her in the back? You quietly tried to have her power stolen from her! If the Doll hadn't become sentient somehow, you would have quietly gone on with your life none the wiser and would never have told Pan. Am I right?"
The Omni-King said nothing.
"Answer the damn question," yelled Potara.
"Yes," said the Omni-King reluctantly.
"Despicable," spat Potara, "Pan was your friend and you plotted against her, purely despicable."
Goku crossed his arms and noted something that he thought important. "For someone who apparently hates Pan, she seems pretty mad on her behalf."
Gohan frowned at his words for a moment before nodding slowly. "I... guess your right... this fusion doesn't make much sense in what she says and does."
Potara seethed. "One chance. You have one chance to answer me. Why? Why did you do it? Does someone having a power that can challenge you and your angels truly inspire such fear?"
The Omni-King frowned. "I do not fear you Potara."
Potara narrowed her eyes. "Is that so? Maybe we'll have to do something about that."
Goku grew very still, they all did. Potara was directly threatening the Omni-King. Goku was having a very hard time not freaking out. He had seen the Omni-King wipe out an entire universe in the blink of an eye. The Omni-King had just straight up told Potara he wasn't frightened of her power. If she pushed her luck, it would be over. Bardock's warning once again ringed in his mind. If Potara challenged him, she'd die...
"I ask again, why?" demanded Potara.
"It's not about fear or coveting power," explained the Omni-King, "That power is to dangerous for a mortal to handle, its to dangerous for even most gods and angels to use."
Potara didn't seemed swayed. "Why? Whats so dangerous about it? What IS it?"
The Omni-King sighed. "Creation."
Goku raised an eyebrow. Creation? What was he going on about?
"It is the power of creation, a power that connects and weaves the universe, the dimension, and all of existence together," said the Omni-King.
"What you are doing with it though, using it as a cudgel for raw power," said the Omni-King, an annoyed tone in his voice, "Is sacrilege. It is to be used to make the foundations of a universe and hold it together. It's not meant to be used the way you are doing so. It's not even meant to be used outside of the dawn of creation, when a universe is created."
Potara shrugged. "Works fine for me as is."
The Omni-King looked agitated. "Potara, this isn't a laughing matter. It's serious."
Potara rolled her eyes. "Could have fooled me."
The Omni-King frowned. "You don't believe me?"
"I don't trust you, so why should I believe you?" countered Potara.
The Omni-King motioned to the area around them. "Look about us, at the darkened sky. When you called to the power, you tore holes in creation to draw out the power for your own use. The small tears still going on, you are continually draining creation for power, you will cause a collapse if you continue. All it takes is one rip to undo all of my work, I'd have to start all over again."
Goku grew still. Was he serious? No, he KNEW he was serious. He had seen Pan rip a hole through a timeplane and destroy it with a blast of ki when she was a green... a 'Creation Super Saiyan'. The Omni-King was being dead serious. Potara with the power she had now was vastly above what Pan had been, she could destroy their universe... destroy creation itself...
Potara looked around slowly. "That so? You know when the Dragonballs are used, the sky darkens too, come up with a better lie."
The Omni-King narrowed his eyes. "I am being serious."
"If you were being serious, then you should have told Pan," retorted Potara hatefully, "You should have pulled her aside, sat her down, and told her the truth. Maybe she would have listened, who knows."
The Omni-King looked a bit guilty, poking two fingers together bashfully. "I'm not really good at mortal interactions and intricacies. I thought this was the best way to do it. I didn't want her to be mad at me or think I was just trying to take her power away."
Potara glared full force at him. "Yeah, well, that's what happened anyway. And on top of that YOU got Pan killed. She's gone, she''s not coming back, and the reason can be laid at YOUR feet."
The Omni-King gave her a perplexed look. "Pan's not really dead, her mind, body, and soul were fused to make you."
Potara ground her teeth. "I am NOT Pan! She's dead, and its your fault! Above all else, you could have taught her how to properly use this 'power of creation' regardless and there wouldn't be any danger to begin with!""
"It's not meant to be used outside of my own use!" said the Omni-King.
"Oh big whoop, someone else got their hand in your cookie jar, cry me a river," spat Potara.
The Omni-King was starting to look mad, overshadowing his guilty look. Goku hesitated, wondering if now was the time to intervene. This couldn't be allowed to go on for much longer.
"Potara...," began the Omni-King.
"I've had enough of you and your lies!" shouted Potara, her power spiking.
Faster than Goku could even register, Potara shimmered, faded, and reappeared, slamming her fist into the Omni-Kings face. A ripple of energy pulsated from them, temporarily distorting reality. The Omni-King wasn't fazed though, and didn't even budge an inch. Goku though, was utterly terrified. She had struck him, she had HIT the Omni-King... he... had he waited to long to interfere?!
The Omni-King held out a hand and released a ripple of energy that shoved her back, but did nothing else. "Perhaps I deserved that for my actions. I should have trusted in Pan and explained it to her, I admit my fault."
Potara glared at him. "Not nearly good enough!
Her eyes flashed and she screamed. "Kaio-Ken times FIFTY!"
A red pulse of energy ripple out from her as a red aura mixed and engulfed her power. She cupped her hands to her side, getting ready to form a Kamehameha. Goku stared at the sight with disbelief. God ki, the Energy of Creation, and the Kaio-Ken on top of that, he couldn't fathom the power that was at play here. But, it didn't matter, even being fifty times as strong as she had been when she hit the Omni-King wouldn't matter. The Omni-King was the Omni-King, he wasn't a thing of physical strength or strength of ki, he was the god of their dimension. He could wipe out a universe with a flick of his wrist. He could not be challenged.
The Omni-King narrowed his eyes. "Potara, you are my friend..."
"I'm NOT your friend!" she spat out.
"...and as such, I don't want to do this. If you fire that energy wave, not only will you fail to hurt me, you will destroy creation, and kill all your friends and family. Even if you are my friend, I will erase you if you try it," warned the Omni-King.
Time slowed for Goku as he saw Potara's eyes tighten, and her body tense. She didn't believe him. She wasn't going to back down, she was going to try and kill the Omni-King. It was do or die, now or never. If he didn't act, he'd lose Potara, he'd lose what was left of Pan.
"Potara! Have faith in them!" called out Goku desperately.
Potara paused, and looked down at him. "Excuse me? Faith in them? After all of this?!"
She stopped cupping her hands and turned towards him, rage on her face. "You know, for a bit, I thought you might be on my side. I can see I was wrong."
Goku started to panic. He had done what Bardock had said. He got her to stop her attack on the Omni-King, but why wasn't she fully backing down yet?! She could easily just try attacking again! Bardock hadn't given him any further advice, the rest was on him.
Potara began to shake with anger. "Stupid, idiot, betraying Grandfather! Time and time again!"
"I'm not trying to betray you! I'm trying to save your life!" he shouted back at her.
Potara snarled at him. "You spoke of faith, you are the one who needs to have faith. You don't believe that I can do this anymore than you ever believed in Pan!"
He struggled through the guilt and accusations she was throwing at him and focused. Dammit, what was he supposed to say? She was so angry and stubborn at the moment, he needed something, ANYTHING to stop this from happening! He needed some kind of cold hard fact that she could not possibly deny... wait... that was it!
"Bardock!" blurted out Goku.
Potara blinked a few times. "Bardock? The future seeing guy? The hell does he have to do with..."
Potara froze for a moment, a blank look on her face. "..."
Goku saw it, the break in her eyes. Instantly he saw her anger, determination, and stubbornness fade, replaced by pure, raw, fear. He swore he could almost see Pan's memory of Bardock's visions flash through her eyes. He saw the fight go out of her like a light, she understood what Bardock had told him. That Bardock had seen her be erased if she forced the Omni-King's hand.
Her arms went limp, her lips trembled, and tears formed in her eyes. "Dammit... dammit..."
She threw back her head and screamed in frustration. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!
The entire world shook at her cry, green cracks of energy ripped through the sky, seeping green energy like it was blood from an open wound. The Omni-King tensed, blue energy on his fingertips, ready to erase Potara at a moment's notice.
Potara gave a frustrated sob, powered down, and levitated to the ground and fell to her knees, head bowed. "Just... fucking get it over with..."
Goku let out a break he hadn't been aware he had been holding. It was over...
The Omni-King aimed a hand at Potara and made a pulling motion. Green energy flowed out of her and seeped into the sky. The darkness brightened, the tears faded away, the cracks and rips healed away. The Omni-King stopped a few moments later when no more green energy came out of Potara. The Omni-King gave a sigh of relief, a tired look crossing his face. He waved his hand, and the damage to the earth around them was restored, and even Capsule Corporation was restored to pristine condition.
The Omni-King floated to the ground and stood infront of Potara. "I'm sorry..."
"Get out of my sight," said Potara bitterly, "I don't ever want to see you again."
There was a flash of pain on the Omni-Kings face before he nodded. "As you wish, it is within your right to request it. I ruined our friendship, and I will take the blame. If I take another mortal friend, I will learn from this."
The Omni-King walked over to the Grand Priest, nodded to him, and the two of them teleported away.
"Son Goku," came a voice.
Goku turned his head, sighting and frowning at the God of Destruction. "Beerus..."
Beerus grumbled. "Bad business, this whole thing."
Goku crossed his arms. "I know you were ordered to do it, but, I think you should leave as well."
They stared at eachother for a time before Beerus reluctantly nodded. "I suppose it would be for the best. I don't know if we will meet again in your lifetime, but, I wish you the best."
Goku nodded curtly, but said nothing else. He refused to even look at Whis. A moment later, Beerus and Whis flew off into space. The Kai's gave a curt, but uneasy nod to them before teleporting away as well. It had been made clear, for better or for worse, the gods were no longer welcome on Earth. The Z-Fighters stood there awkwardly, still kind of stunned over everything that had happened. One by one, they turned their heads to look at Potara, who still knelt on the ground, looking completely and utterly miserable. No one appeared to know what to do or say.
But, before anyone could act, Potara gave a frustrated cry, and took to the air.
"Potara! Wait!" called out Goku.
She turned Blue and flew off at an insane speed, ignoring his words.
Goku sighed. "Damn... she's not going to make this easy."
"Easy? What the heck can we even do?" asked Bra bitterly, "Pan's gone. That psyco isn't her."
Goku frowned at her. "Psyco? I loved Pan, but do you mean like Pan was at times?"
Bra wilted a little under that. "I..."
Videl glared at him. "Don't you dare accuse or blame Pan of anything! We need to figure out a way to get her back!"
Goku gave her a despairing look. "Videl..."
She thought furiously for a moment. "The... the dragonballs! Didn't Shin and Kabito use to be fused? They used a wish to unfuse!"
Goku crossed his arms. "That wont work, not unless she lets it."
"What do you mean?!" demanded Videl.
"The dragon cannot grant wishes above its power, nor uses wishes against someone stronger than its creator unless they let them," explained Goku.
He turned to Gohan. "Remember when you guys tried to wish me back to Earth after the battle wish Freeza but I refused Porunga?"
Gohan nodded and spoke quietly. "I do."
"I don't Potara would willingly give up her life," said Goku, "And anyway, trying to take someone's life to bring someone else back crosses a line."
Videl glared full force at him. "You mean like how Pan's life was taken to create that 'thing'?! She would have killed us all to try and fight the Omni-Kings!"
"And Pan wouldn't have?" countered Goku.
Videl shook at his words, let a sob, and fell to her knees. "Pan... I want my Pan back..."
Gohan walked over and knelt down, wrapping her in a hug.
Goku really didn't know what to say at this point. He looked around, everyone seemed crushed at the moment. Only Vegeta, Piccolo, and Tien masked themselves enough not to show anything. Frustration ate at him. What the hell were they honestly supposed to do at this point? Even he knew that Potara was NOT Pan, but...
"Videl, I know you're hurting, but, if you push Potara away, you'll lose all that's left of Pan," said Goku quietly.
That only made her cry harder.
He sighed. "I'm really not good at this..."
Piccolo spoke up, "You don't need to be. You at least understand what needs to be done. Feelings aside, Potara needs to be dealt with and calmed down. She's incredibly dangerous at the moment, more than Pan was. She's a fused Super Saiyan God who could cause untold destruction and..."
Goku turned on him, eyes narrowing. "No."
Piccolo blinked a few times. "No?"
"No more treating family like a threat, like a danger," Goku said angrily, "We pushed Pan away like that, we forced her into a corner even though we thought we were helping her. We try that with Potara, we will lose her, she'll leave this dimension and never come back. Not to mention, she wouldn't take it like Pan did. Try to box her in, she'd probably knock you out at bare minimum. We've..."
He bowed his head. "We've lost Pan... I'm not losing Potara too. Even if you guys don't see her as your friend, as your family, she's all that's left of Pan. I'd rather have her there then nothing at all."
There was a heavy, uncomfortable silence in the air.
"I've advise you not take that approach with her," came a voice.
Goku turned his head, laying eyes on Aideen. "Huh?"
Aideen slowly shook her head. "I don't really get this whole fusion thing, but, as much as I see a lot of Pan in Potara, treat her like Pan's leftovers and she'll leave just as readily. Treat her fully as her own person. She has a strong identity issue or something, she was pretty venomously identifying her and Pan as different people. She also said she'd readily kill that Doll thing."
She cleared her throat. "And saying that, I'd highly advise not holding the forced fusion against her."
"Why the hell not?!" exclaimed Videl.
"Because woman," interrupted Vegeta scornfully, "Of all the people here who could have some blame in what happened to Pan, that fusion is literally the only one of us that is innocent of the entire matter. She was born after all of this came to a head, she had nothing to do with Pan's actions, or what was done to Pan."
Another heavy silence followed before Bra spoke up, "She would have killed us all..."
Vegeta nodded. "She did not believe the Omni-King's warning, in that you are correct, but, she acted as the situation dictated. Do not forget, she did not want to fight the gods, except, they kept on her about taking her power despite that she gave them chances to back down, she was even willing to leave the dimension and not even be the gods problem anymore. She acted with far more restraint than any Saiyan would, I find little fault in her actions beyond the obvious."
"This whole thing is messed up," said Trunks miserably.
Goten nodded sullenly. "Yeah... it just shouldn't have happened to begin with."
"Life's tough kid," said 18 grudgingly, "I wouldn't have wished what happened on Pan, but, what's done is done."
"Jeez sis, lay it on harder why don't you," muttered 17.
"Sensai," said Uub, stepping forward.
Goku turned to him. "Yeah?"
"Right or wrong, and blame aside, you are the only one here I think she would somewhat trust. You should go after her, now, and try to speak to her. Leaving people alone with their problems and misery isn't a good idea, I think that might have been part of the problem with Pan to begin with. We'll talk it over ourselves down here, but you need to go, now," said Uub.
Goku gave him a smile; it wasn't often that he had the chance to, but when given the opportunity, Uub could be really wise beyond his years. "Yeah, good idea, thanks Uub."
Goku floated into the air, gave the emotionally drained group one last look, and took off into the air after Potara...