Hercule cried out when Niya landed on top of him. "Right... on... my...!"
Niya ignored him and hurried to get up and look around. A part of her still hoped Yucca was still alive by some miracle, but nothing. Not even the faintest sign. Her friend was dead for real this time.
She covered her face as tears welled up again.
"We made it just in time, but the Earth... everyone...," Goku crouched on ground, pained by the loss of his sons.
Vegeta looked down at his unconscious son. He had been the most fortunate, he realized. "I don't understand why that Android chose to save this lot instead of the others."
Dende hung his head in guilt. He wasn't at all strong enough to help them fight any foe, neither was Hercule or Marron.
"He should've helped Yucca," Niya finished wiping her eyes. "But now the Earth is gone, right?"
"Yes," Old Kai nodded grimly. "The Earth is gone. Blown to bits."
"Destroyed? But we're standing on it, aren't we?! Senile, old coot...," Hercule laughed.
Dende proceeded to scold him and explain how he could not be so rude to the Supreme Kai.
Marron began to cry. "Where's Uncle Sixteen?"
Goku gathered his bearings and went over to pick up his best friend's daughter. "He's gone at the moment, but we'll take good care of you. I'm a friend of your daddy."
"You know my daddy?" Marron sniffled.
"Yep! Since we were little kids!" Goku flashed her a smile.
Marron stared at him curiously.
"The dragon balls are gone, too, aren't they?" Niya asked.
Vegeta frowned. "The Earth and the dead will never come back. The dragon balls were our last hope, and now they're space dust."
"What? Why are there dragon balls on Earth?!" Old Kai exclaimed. "Only the Namekians are supposed to have them!"
At the talk of dragon balls, Dende lit up with an idea. "Oh, that's it!!" he exclaimed. "Go to Planet Namek! Surely the new Elder will make more dragon balls! The Earth and all those killed can still be resurrected!"
"Oh, right!" the Princess brightened up, remembering hearing the story from her mother.
"But Dende," Goku started, "Planet Namek is so far, and the Namekians have small ki. I'm not sure if I can teleport over there..."
Niya was about to volunteer her ship, but she remembered Yucca had all their capsules. She was saddened once more.
Although Shin was confused, he mentioned he could teleport to any planet because he fused with Kibito, and therefore, acquired this ability.
Old Ksi however refuted the plan as he insisted the dragon balls should only be used by the Namekians.
Goku thought before whispering to Niya. "Hey, can you transform into that Ayata lady for a second?"
The Princess was too saddened to refuse. "Yeah, sure," she replied deflatedly. In a few moments, she finished transforming into Lady Ayata.
"What do you want? I was resting," she glared.
"Alright, this is great!" Goku brightened up, disregarding her comments. "Look, Supreme Kai! Here's that woman I promised would give you a kiss!" He pushed her over.
"Goku, I'm not in the mood," Ayata growled.
Old Kai was taken aback, "Where did this woman come from?"
"What's it matter?" Goku hurried past the fact. "She'll give ya an extra kiss if you let us use the dragon balls! Or if you don't like this woman, we could use the dragon balls to find ya one from Earth!"
"Hm," the Old Kai rubbed his chin.
"I don't appreciate being treated like an object," Ayata scowled at the saiyan, her crimson aura beginning to form around her in anger.
"Play along!" Goku whispered. "Everyone on Earth is dead! Even yucca."
"What...?" Her aura faded, and her brows furrowed in saddened disbelief.
Old Kai blushed at such an innocent expression. "I suppose she'll do..."
"Great!" Goku smiled.
But then Shin—or Kibito Kai—cried out. "Not great! Look!"
They gathered around the crystal ball. The vacant lot Earth previously occupied began to form something—a pink blob: a familiar shaped pink blob.
"Is that supposed to be Majin Buu?" Ayata questioned.
"This is his true and most powerful form," Shin grimly answered.
"No time to waste!" Old Kai exclaimed. "Give Goku and Vegeta the potara so they can fuse again!"
"R-Right!" Shin hurried to toss them each one potara.
But the saiyan men didn't make haste to put them back on.
Ayata raised a brow. "Well? What are you boys waiting for?"
"It's just...," Goku started, "It's not our style. We like to fight on our own. Even Buu is fighting with his own power now."
Ayata snatched his shirt collar, "You know what happened the last time you made a stupid decision like this?! You died!!"
"I'm not letting you waste that life I gave you!!" Old Kai shouted.
Goku only smiled. "I'm sorry..."
"Finally," Vegeta smirked, "something Kakarot and I agree on. The ways of a true saiyan."
"More like pure idiocy," Ayata scoffed. "If you're not going to use those potara, give them to me."
"Uh sure," Goku obliged.
"What are you planning, woman?" Vegeta tossed it over.
She glanced over at unconscious Trunks. "Something you won't like."
Old Kai rubbed his head. "You saiyans...!"
"Aw, don't worry Supreme Kais. We'll think of a plan. And Buu can't come here anyway," Goku confidently assured. "And if he blows up other planets, we'll bring them back with the dragon balls."
Ayata scoffed. "Speaking so lightly about life."
"Heh," Goku laughed dryly.
"Found you."
Everyone was alarmed by the sudden appearance of Majin Buu.
He flashed them a sinister grin. "Hehehe," he giggled.
"But how is he here?!" Vegeta questioned.
"When the Supreme Kai teleported, he must've learned the technique instantly!" Goku offered an explanation.
Ayata tensed. "Oh, great. He pulled a Cell."
The Prince cracked his knuckles, gaining his composure. "No matter. It's time to end this once and for all."
"Supreme Kai," Goku started, "take everyone to safety on another planet."
"O-Okay!" Shin nodded.
Old Kai shook his head. "I suppose there isn't much of an option... Go all out on that monster!"
"Sure will," Ayata replied.
"Take Trunks and go with them," Vegeta told her. "We're taking over."
Ayata scoffed, "You boys are so selfish. Even in death, all you want to do is fight." She went to pick up Trunks.
"Get out of here," Vegeta eyed her, making sure Trunks was safe.
Dende got ahold of Marron, and now that Trunks was accounted for, the Supreme Kai was able to use Kibito's teleportation technique. "Good luck!!"
Goku gave them a thumbs up, and Shin teleported them to a nearby planet.
Shin glanced around. "Oh! I forgot about that Hercule fellow!"
"Good riddance," Ayata rolled her eyes. "But Sh—Mr. Supreme Kai, I need a favor from you."
"What is it?" Shin asked hesitantly.
"Can you wake up Trunks?"
"I think I can."
Ayata smirked. "Wonderful. Be a dear and go do that, pretty please. And you, Mr. Guardian of the Earth, I need a favor from you too."
"Y-Yes?" Dende inquired curiously.
"I need you to heal Niyata's and Trunks' bodies."
Old Kai rubbed his chin. "What do you have in mind?"
Ayata held her smirk, "Just watch."
Before Shin woke up Trunks completely, she placed a potara on his left ear, then transformed back into Niya.
Niya looked down at the potara earring wondering what one was doing in her hand.
"Ugh," Trunks groaned and sat up. "What happened?"
"A lot, unfortunately," Dende replied, healing his injuries.
Trunks looked around, confused, until he spotted Niya. "Hey! Where's Goten? Or Gohan, Piccolo, and that friend of yours."
Niya furrowed her brows and briefly explained what happened since Gotenks was absorbed.
"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!" Trunks punched the ground furiously.
At the sight, Niya felt her anger rising too. Then, she remembered the potara in her hand and the one Trunks was wearing. "Hey," she started, "We can fight Buu, and we might have a chance if we... fuse."
"You and me? But you're a girl. That'll be weird."
Niya held her potara for him to see. "Do you want to fight Buu again or not?"
Trunks felt something swing from his left ear. Upon feeling it was potara, he blushed. "This is so lame. Wearing earrings is for girls."
The Princess held a firm stare with him. "We can help for our friends and family. Don't you want to see them again?"
He clenched his fists. "Of course I do! Now hurry up and put that stupid earring on!"
She let out a breath and snapped the potara onto her right ear.
~☆~
Vegeta choked and tried to free himself from Buu's elastic arm around his neck.
"DAD!!"
"Huh?" Buu questioned as his arm was cut from a slash of crimson ki.
Vegeta quickly threw the gooey arm to the side. "Trunks...?"
But when he turned, it was his son. Instead, it was a child with a mixture of Trunks' features. The black hair and eyes... It couldn't have been from Goten—he was dead.
"Not quite," the fused child replied. They had two strands of lavender hair on their forehead with short, spiked black hair. Their eyebrows and eyes were black as well. They had a leaner build with their chest covered with a black vest with golden shoulders but their stomach showed. They had a crimson ribboned belt, white jumper pants, and golden boots. And most notably, they had a brown, Saiyan tail.
The only live Saiyan with a tail that remained was...
"So, Trunks. You and the girl?" Vegeta deduced.
"Yep."
"You idiots. You shouldn't have come back here!" Vegeta scolded.
"We're gonna get payback for our friends!!"
"You're getting a beating if we make it out of this alive!"
The Trunks in the fusion gulped.
Buu regrew his arm. He frowned at them and their chatter before furiously making his way over.
"BUUUUUUUU!"
They turned to the loud call from Hercule Satan. Even Buu stopped short at his call.
Hercule stood tall with his hands on his hips. "I can no longer stand idly by and let this continue! The great Mr. Satan, World Martial Arts Champion, will put you in your place!"
Buu stared annoyed for a moment before rushing after him.
Immediately, Hercule crouched down in fear.
"Fool!" Vegeta rushed in.
"We'll save you, Mr. Satan!" the fused child—Tiya—assured.
But Buu stopped short, painfully gripping his head.
"Huh?" Tiya—neither boy nor girl—questioned.
Hercule also watched in confusion until Kid Buu spit out Fat Buu. "It's the real Buu!!"
Now that the meddlesome Fat Buu wasn't persuading him to not attack Hercule, Kid Buu began to close in on Hercule.
A pink blast stopped him in his tracks.
Fat Buu was back on his feet holding a hand out. "Buu hate you! You bully Satan!"
Kid Buu growled at the challenge and the two took off in the sky.
"At least he's good for one thing...," Vegeta remarked before falling weakly to the ground.
"Dad!!" Tiya went over to check on him.
With their help, Vegeta managed to get back up. "K-Kakarot! Now's your chance! Do you have enough power now or what?!"
Goku was in the sky charging Super Saiyan Three, but something was wrong. His ki wasn't raising, but instead falling.
"N-No! I'm losing... power!" Goku strained, inevitably losing his form. He floated down weakly at base form.
Vegeta was so furious, he pushed Tiya away to storm up to Goku. "You complete idiot!" he yelled. "You were supposed to restore your energy, not revert back to normal...!"
Goku bent over, hands on his knees as he panted. "I-I know. This was a lot easier when I was dead..."
"It wasn't that back when Goten and I did it," Tiya remarked.
Goku shook his head. "I can't keep going. We're screwed..."
"Hey, I can still fight!!" Tiya frowned.
"You're not strong enough," Vegeta grabbed his shoulder. "I'm not going to lose you again."
The Trunks in Tiya was almost overcome with emotion. "So... what are we gonna do...?"
Vegeta looked to the sky. "I've got an idea."
Goku and Tiya curiously stared, until Vegeta called out to the Supreme Kais. He told them to go to new Planet Namek and gather the dragon balls. After being questioned by Goku that it was too soon to use them, Vegeta asked how many times he had saved Earth. This time, Vegeta decided that it was time Earth saved itself.
When Old Kai, Supreme Kai, and Dende with Marron arrived to new Namek, they were surprised to meet the new Elder Moori. Even more of a shock was they had already gathered all the dragon balls.
From there, Vegeta instructed them to summon the dragon Parunga and wish for Earth to be returned the way it was. For his second wish, they were to bring back everyone who had died since the day of the World Tournament, with the exception of anyone evil.
He didn't have a third wish, so he told Dende he didn't care what it was as long as they hurried with his two wishes.
After a short time, Dende excitedly shouted, "Vegeta, we did it! Everyone should be back now!"
"Good," Vegeta nodded, but flinched at a change in him.
"Look!" Goku gasped. "Your halo's gone, Vegeta!"
"Does that mean that my Dad's alive again?!" Tiya's eyes brightened.
"Yep!" Goku smiled. "Looks like Vegeta's not such a bad guy after all."
"He's the best!" Tiya hugged him.
Vegeta blushed. "Tch! G-Get off me, brat!" he shoved them back.
Goku chuckled at the sight. "So, I think I've got your plan figured out. You're gonna have Yucca and Goten fuse so they can join with..."
"Tiya," they decided.
"Right. And Gohan can join to help too!"
"Wrong," Vegeta answered. "You're going to prepare that attack of yours—the Spirit Bomb!"
Goku rubbed his head. "There's no way Buu's going to let me gather all that energy little by little from the people on Earth..."
"I told you the Earthlings need to save themselves!" Vegeta frowned. "Now, hey, Supreme Kai! Get me in touch with the people of Earth right away!"
"Now I can help with that. It's my specialty!"
"Ugh, what is it with all these people talking into our heads?" Tiya groaned.
"Hey, don't worry. It's King Kai!" Goku smiled.
"Who?"
"We'll explain later, kid," King Kai replied. "But anywho, I've got Vegeta in touch with not just the Earth, but everyone in the universe!"
Vegeta nodded. "Good."
Tiya stared curiously at what their half-father was going to say.
The Prince spoke as truthfully as he could to the Earthlings, explaining that they were killed by Majin Buu but brought back by a 'strange' power. And on their behalf, a warrior was fighting Majin Buu, but he ran out of energy so he needed theirs. He asked them to raise their hands to give their energy to this warrior.
Vegeta took a breath. "Alright. Kakarot, you can begin."
"Thanks, Geets!" Goku gave a thumbs up and flew into the air, raising his hands to prepare for the energy arrival. "Everyone—lend me as much energy as you can! Please!"
~☆~
Kusuke and the rest of his crew were caught off guard when Planet Earth suddenly returned back into existence.
"Looks like we were at the right coordinates after all...?" the pilot remarked.
The Prince narrowed his eyes. "Earth magically returning... This must be the work of the dragon balls..."
"What was that, Your Highness?"
A few moments later, kis began to show up all over Earth.
"Life forms have begun to appear!!"
"My sister?!" Kusuke questioned.
"Negative..."
Kusuke clenched his fists. "She must be somewhere else. Maybe we can find Gohan. Take us onto Earth."
"Right away."
As they entered the atmosphere, they used their sensors to track the most notably strongest kis. There were four in one place. Three weaker ones in another location.
"In the group of four, we can confirm Yucca's life force!"
"Well done! Take us there!" Kusuke commanded.
~☆~
"Hey. You okay?"
Yucca blinked her eyes open to see Goten. Then Gohan and Piccolo. "We're... alive?" she sat up.
"I feel alive," Goten looked down at himself. "But I don't see Trunks."
Yucca stood. "NIYA!!" she called out desperately.
"She's not here either," Piccolo said.
Gohan thought. "Huh. I wonder where they could be. And Dad—!"
"GOHAN!"
They turned to see Kusuke flying towards them, out of his ship.
"Kusuke?!" Gohan gasped.
"Y-Your Highness! You came!" Yucca bowed thankfully.
"Hmph. You've grown since last I saw you," Piccolo remarked.
"Of course. I'm a man now!" Kusuke smirked.
"Not just any man, Your Highness."
He shook his head. "Please don't. That's too formal. We're friends!"
"You sure have strange timing," Gohan chuckled nervously.
"I do. I arrived a few minutes ago, and Earth was gone! But now everything's here again, so I figured it must be the work of the dragon balls from Namek!" Kusuke explained.
"So the Princess—um, Niya, is on Namek?" Yucca wondered.
"That's what I'm thinking."
"They must be. Oh—Dad came back to life! I bet he beat Majin Buu!" Gohan smiled.
"Majin what?" Kusuke blinked.
Their pondering was interrupted by Vegeta's speech and Goku's plee.
"He's forming a Spirit Bomb!" Gohan told them, raising a hand to the sky.
"Okay! Here you go, Dad!" Goten happily raised his hands.
"If it will help...," Yucca obliged.
Piccolo scoffed. "That didn't sound like Vegeta at all," he followed orders.
"Yeah...," Kusuke looked down at the grass but raised his hands.
~☆~
Kandice awoke from the grass and heard the speech. "Hm," she brushed her pink bangs from her forehead, revealing a third eye with matching blue iris. "They seem to be telling the truth," she raised her hand.
~☆~
Tiya marveled at the blue orb of energy forming over Goku's hands. "Woah! Here's my energy!"
"Heh, thanks!" Goku smiled.
But Vegeta was not pleased with the results. In fact, they could hear the humans doubt their words and not raise their hands.
"Those bastards!" he growled. "They're not listening to a word I said!"
Hercule looked up at the sky confused.
Tiya fell from how winded they felt after giving their energy. "That was pretty intense..."
Nearby, Fat Buu crashed into the ground.
"Oh no. Buu can't take much more of this!" Hercule cried.
Vegeta glanced over at Tiya. "We have to step in."
"Hey, you! Don't hurt him!!" Hercule threw a rock at Kid Buu's head, making him turn toward them.
Kid Buu quickly disregarded Hercule when he saw the Spirit Bomb forming. He frowned and blasted towards it.
"Damn it! He's spotted it!" Vegeta growled and quickly went to intercept. "Kakarot, I'm going to try and buy us some more time! Now it's your turn to try to convince those imbeciles from Earth!"
Tiya took a deep breath. "Wait, Dad! I'm helping this time!" they powered up to Super Saiyan. But just barely. They felt like they were going to pass out at any moment.
Vegeta was glad for some help, but also repulsed he needed it. "Hurry and join in then!" he took off towards Buu first.
"You're mine, Buu!!!" Tiya angrily joined in.
Buu used his elasticity to drive his fist in Vegeta's gut before using his body to smack Tiya away.
"Agh!" they cried out in pain.
Goku panicked at them struggling and pleaded with the Earthlings once more. At some people recognizing his voice and appreciating his kinder tone, they were convinced to give energy.
But it was only a small gain. Many Earthlings remained unconvinced.
Goku grew frustrated, and demanded with a harsher tone, slipping in the word "fools". The Earthlings didn't like this, and all their critiques and ridiculous remarks began to overwhelm even Mr. Satan.
Hercule looked over at frustrated Goku. He turned towards Vegeta and Tiya, who were giving it their all.
Tiya shook their head to recover. "You...! Give me back my Dad!!" they reached out, forming a ginormous hand of crimson ki to snatch Vegeta.
"Too slow!" Kid Buu taunted.
"RrrrAGHHHH!!" they powered up, furious at the childish monster.
Vegeta was almost becoming motion sick from so much shaking around.
Hercule was at his wits end. "THAT'S ENOUGH, ALL OF YOU!!" he shouted. "Why don't you cooperate!? Do you intend to ignore a request from the great Mr. Satan as well?!!"
The people recognized this voice and Mr. Satan, wondering if it was actually him fighting Buu.
"...Y-Yes! That's right!" Hercule lied. "But in order to pulverize Majin Buu, I need everyone's help to do it!"
Goku curiously looked down at Hercule.
He smiled sheepishly. "I-I mean, I figured they wouldn't believe me unless they said I was fighting Buu. As long as he's defeated, right...?"
The three fighters darted across the sky in fierce battle. Or more like a fierce beating.
Kid Buu kicked across the face, sending him flying down.
"I'm still here!!" Tiya dove in from above to smack him down with their ki hand, but Buu caught it. He pulled the hand in to headbutt the Saiyan child, almost knocking them unconscious.
Goku stressed. "It's not ready! We still need more...!" He stopped short to gasp at a massive surge of energy. His eyes lit up. "It's done!!! Vegeta, Tiya, get out of the way!!"
At this Buu turned to the Spirit Bomb and eyes widened in fear.
Tiya fell to the ground. "D-Dad, we have to... get up!" they crawled toward him.
Vegeta was torn. He didn't want his son to die, but this was Goku's only chance. "J-Just throw it already!!!"
Goku hesitated. There was no way he was going to let them die right there after all their efforts. "N-No!!"
Buu took this opportunity to blast Goku, thinking it would destroy the attack he formed. But before it could hit, Goku teleported out of the way.
"Huh?" Goku noticed Vegeta and Tiya were gone. "They're gone?!"
"DO IT!!" Hercule shouted, running with their bodies over his shoulders. "FINISH HIM!!"
Goku smiled. "Way to go, Mr. Satan! You know, I was wrong about you," he prepared his throw. "You really are a HERO!" He launched the Spirit Bomb.
Buu glared and fired a beam, but it did nothing to stop the attack. "Heh?" his eyes widened in fear. "Nnnnnhh!!" He resorted to holding the Spirit Bomb off with his hands.
The giant orb glowed a magnificent bright blue, spiraling with the power of Earth.
Goku continued to force the bomb down, but Buu was resisting. And successfully.
Hercule, Vegeta, and Tiya watched with worrisome anticipation.
"We forgot one thing," Vegeta started. "Kakarot is too weak to make it work..."
"Maybe we can give him some... energy...?" Tiya weakly held a hand out, but they had no more spare energy. "I-I'm sorry..."
~☆~
"But what can we do now?" Dende stressed, watching the fight from the crystal ball.
"How much longer must I wait? Do you not have a third wish?" Porunga—the dragon of the Namekian dragon balls—questioned.
A lightbulb went off on Dende's head. The final wish was the key to their victory.
~☆~
Goku continued to struggle, losing the fight with each passing second.
"Goku!" Dende spoke to him. "I used the final wish to restore your energy! Are you back at full power yet?"
After a moment, Goku was revitalized. "Yes! Thank you, Dragon Balls!!" He managed to charge back up to Super Saiyan and force the Spirit Bomb back down onto Buu.
In his final wishes, Goku asked for Majin Buu to be reborn into a good person.
"Kakarot!! Do it!!" Vegeta shouted with the last ounce of energy he had. Not only him, but his friends and family cheered for Goku to finish Buu.
In a last surge of power, Goku annihilated Majin Buu with the energy of the Spirit Bomb, forcing it to skid off the planet and explode in space amongst the stars.
It was over.
They had won.
~☆~
01-31-2023
;0
<3 Alex-chan