The Bond

Katima steeled herself, rushing out from behind the pillar just as Vegeta knocked Goku out. She powered up to Super Saiyan and blasted forward, tackling Vegeta to the ground, pinning him. Vegeta looked up at her in pure shock.

"Katima!"

"Take it back!" Katima screamed, ignoring the pain in her stomach, pressing Vegeta's wrists to the ground, straddling him at the hips.

"Get off of me!" shouted Vegeta, glaring at her in hatred.

"How could you do that to Goku, while his back was turned! Where's the honor in that?"

"Woman, if you don't get off of me-" Vegeta began snarling.

"You'll what?" Katima demanded, glaring at him, "Kill me? Like you used to threaten me? How dare you let Bobbity control you, Vegeta! How dare you just forget everything that's happened, the fact that you have a family! A son! And me! How could you just toss that aside?"

Vegeta howled and his mere energy blasted Katima backward. She landed in a heap and Vegeta stood, "I wasn't going to let him hold another victory over my head!" he shouted, "And I won't let you get in the way either! I'm taking down this joke of a monster down myself!"

"Fuck you!" Katima screamed, getting to her feet, "You want a fight so Goddamn bad? Fight me!"

He stared at her, shocked.

"This isn't about you-" he began.

"Oh come off it!" Katima cut him off, rage flooding her, red lightning flicking about her, "That's bullshit and you know it! I heard everything, how ever since the bond was planted I've held you back! Well prove it! Let's see how well you fight against me instead of beside me!"

"Katima stop being foolish," Vegeta snapped, "Get out of my way! I'm going to deal with this Buu and I'm coming right back here to finish my fight with Kakarot, I'm not letting your stupid emotions-"

"ENOUGH!" Katima screamed, her aura erupting around her, sending him flying. She felt the anger pumping in her blood, and she squared off as Vegeta got to his feet, "Prove everything that you just said!" she shouted at him, "Prove that you don't care! Prove that all those emotions were petty and holding you back! Come at me!"

Vegeta glared at her, "Get out of my way!" he snapped at her.

Katima shrieked in rage and rushed at him, "MAKE ME!" she bellowed and slammed a punch across his face.

Vegeta was taken comepletely off guard, slammed into the ground. He quickly recovered, rolling out of the way as Katima thrust her elbow down. It crashed instead into the ground and she jumped forward, crashing a knee into Vegeta's gut. He fell over her shoulder and Katima locked her arms around his waist and flew high up into the sky.

Katima whirled in the air and began to fly directly down, and smashed Vegeta into the ground. He grunted in shock and pain when they hit, and suddenly, Katima felt hands on her gut. She gasped in surprise as Vegeta shot out an energy blast, sending her flying up and off him. She landed in a heap a few feet away as she clawed out of the crater she had made.

"Stop this ridiculousness!" he spat, "You never understood, never knew what if felt like to be constantly surpassed by a fucking low class RUNT when I, a Sayian Prince of royal blood should have always been the strongest! You've always been blind, too caught up in the fact that he's you brother! It's stupid emotions like that that have set me back!"

"You're a MORON!" Katima hissed, getting to her feet, nursing her bleeding gut, "Didn't our experience on Xeknos teach you ANYTHING? It was our feelings that saved us!"

"And we've never been able to access it again!" Vegeta bellowed, "It was my need for power that brought me to that pinnacle, and now, I've reached it again!"

"LIAR!" Katima screamed, making him hiss.

But before they could continue, they felt it again, that energy, that terrible endlessness.

"Gohan…" Katima whispered.

Vegeta marched passed her, kneeling by Goku and getting the two sensu beans. He stood, popping one in his mouth and tossing one to her. She caught it, blinking.

"What happened to me getting in the way?" she demanded.

"Just eat the fucking bean," spat Vegeta.

Katima popped it in her mouth, and ate it. Her wounds stitched shut and she felt an uncomfortable pop as her rib snapped back into place. She looked down at Goku, "I can't believe you would hit him while his guard was down, tricked him…" she mumbled.

"Get over it," snarled Vegeta, turning toward where the power source of Buu was, "You are free to sit here with him or you can put yourself to good use and come with me to finish this quickly."

"Why will you let me help but not Goku?" Katima asked.

His eyes flashed and he looked at her, "You should know," he growled.

"You despise him that much?" Katima whispered.

Vegeta spat on the ground, "Listen to me, Katima. I will not be shown up by him again. It is my turn. And after this, I promise this planet will be safe."

Katima looked at him. "Vegeta…" she murmured, her heart throbbing, "How can you think of this like you are? That you and Goku are having a competition on who can save the universe more? Life can't be looked at like that. We have to save the world no matter the cost because of who we care about."

Vegeta grunted and turned away from her, "Come on. We have a monster to kill," he strode to the entrance to the ship, looking at it, "Now, I do believe that-"

He cut off, looking up. Katima felt it too, and her heart skipped a beat.

Gohan's power just vanished.

"No…" she whispered.

Vegeta stood rigid, looking at the sky.

"He…" Katima clenched her fists, "Vegeta… Gohan…"

Vegeta bowed his head.

"He's dead, Katima."

Katima clenched her fists, falling to one knee, shaking, tears coming from her eyes. Her little nephew… she remembered his little face the first time she met him, how when they were on Namek he showed so much bravery… His sheer willpower that gave him the strength to defeat Cell… How could he just be gone? Just like that- dead…

"No…" Katima slammed a fist into the ground then stood, glaring at Vegeta, "This is your fault!" she screamed, pointing at him, "You and your stupid rivalry! How could you have done this? Put everything aside to just fight Goku? Gohan's DEAD because of you!"

Vegeta remained with his head bowed.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Katima shrieked, her voice cracking in grief.

"I'm sorry."

She blinked.

Vegeta turned, facing her, his face still hard, "I needed to settle it with your brother, and I know what it cost… I know that the way I did it was wrong, I know that the way I'm thinking is foolish, but it's done. We're going to blow this ship apart, and find Buu and avenge Gohan, I promise."

"Avenging him doesn't bring him back," Katima whispered, tears running down her face.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, "If we can stop this monster here, he can be wished back. Come on, Katima."

Katima wiped her eyes and nodded. She knew Vegeta was right. She would have to use the grief of Gohan's death to fuel her conviction to destroy Majin Buu.

This ended now.

*scene change*

Makoto, Goten, and Trunks slowed as they spotted figures down below.

"Look!" Trunks called.

"That must be them!" Makoto said.

"Let's land!" Goten squealed happily.

They slowly came down, landing on a ledge of a bluff that overlooked the valley where four figures were, one on the ground.

"I can't see!" Makoto said, lashing his golden tail.

"Let's power down," said Trunks, "We can sneak up on them like secret agents!"

The other two boys nodded excitedly and powered down, the gold and lines vanishing. The three of them crawled over the ledge, getting down to the next level of the bluff that was closer. From here, they could see more clearly. Down below were four people, one large red man with pointed ears and horns in an elaborate blue outfit. One was a large, plump pink guy, wearing what to Makoto looked like a great big diaper. Another was a tiny little man, with a big head and brown skin, wearing robes.

"I don't recognize anyone down there!" said Trunks.

"I do," said Makoto, pointing, "The guy on the ground, that's that Shin guy that Piccolo gave up against. The guy that flew off after those guys that attacked Gohan."

"He looks hurt!" said Goten, a worried look on his face.

"But… where's Kabito?" asked Makoto, frowning, "And Gohan? And everyone!"

"I dunno," said Trunks, "All the bad guys look like they're down there- which one do you think is the Buu monster?"

Makoto looked down, "It has to be either the red guy or the pink guy," he said, "Feel the power from the little one? It's really weak, like a human."

"That must be the wizard!" said Goten, "Didn't you say Kabito said he was really weak but could shoot spells?"

"Yeah, you're right, Goten," said Makoto, nodding, "That has to be it- but they got Shin down there all by himself, wouldn't our parents try to save him? Where is everyone?"

Goten turned and pointed, "Is that someone up there?"

The other two turned and saw a figure up higher up on the bluff.

"It looks like a person," reasoned Makoto, "Come on!"

They climbed up the ledge by hand, and came up to see it was indeed a person, it was Piccolo!

"It's mister Piccolo!" Goten yelped.

Piccolo looked shocked to see them, almost frozen- but then, Makoto realized. It was Piccolo at all, it was a statue, made of gray stone.

"Oh, it's just a statue," Trunks sighed in relief, "That scared me!"

They approached it. It was extremely detailed. Makoto tapped a finger tip, amazed. But it didn't make any sense.

"It's really good," said Trunks, "Looks just like him!"

"But why would someone make a statue of Piccolo?" Makoto asked, stepping back and crossing his arms as the other two poked it, touched it, looking all over it at the details.

"I dunno, but it's pretty neat. I wonder why they left it up here?" said Trunks, tapping it roughly with his fist.

Which caused the statue to fall forward.

Makoto and Goten yelped as it crashed onto the ground, breaking into pieces. Trunks looked horrified, his fist still up.

"Trunks!" Goten cried, "That looked expensive!"

"It was an accident!" Trunks defended.

Makoto looked over the ledge down at the group below them. It looked like they were arguing.

"Did they hear?" Trunks asked.

"No," said Makoto, "It looks like they're arguing…"

"Phew, I thought I was going to be in trouble…" Trunks sighed.

"You still broke it," Goten mumbled.

Makoto stepped back and turned and blinked in surprise when he spotted another statue down on another level of the bluff, "Look!"

They all hopped down to it, looking at it with mild surprise.

"It's my dad!" Trunks said, completely amazed. He looked over it, "Wow, they got the clothes he was wearing today and everything!"

Makoto frowned, "This doesn't make sense," he said, "Why would they make statues and leave them up here?"

"Decoys or something maybe?" Trunks asked, "Maybe that wizard has some kind of magic that can duplicate people into statues to confuse them."

Makoto rubbed his brow. He remembered how upset mister Krillin had been, and how he had avoided responding to Makoto's questions. Videl had asked him if it was so bad that he didn't want to talk about it in front of Makoto…

What if that wizard had magic to not just make statues, but turn people into stone?

He felt the color flood from his face.

"Makoto?" Trunks asked, looking at him as he tapped the statue of Rilan.

"Get away from it!" Makoto shouted, waving his hands wildly, "Don't break it!"

"What's wrong?" Goten asked, "You look like you saw a ghost!"

Before anything else could be said, they all turned at the sound of an explosion. They quickly hopped up and looked over the ledge. The red guy was up in the air, slowly coming down to land next to the tiny one. There was a great cloud of smoke not far from them. But, the pink guy was coming out of it, skipping like a little kid. Makoto gasped as the pink one used the strange tentacle on his head to shoot a beam at the red skinned man as he rushed to attack again.

The beam stopped the red one in his tracks. He screamed for a moment, but then, in a puff of smoke, he turned- into a cookie!

Makoto, Goten, and Trunks all yelped in shock as the pink one caught the giant cookie that used to be the red man, and opened his maw wide and ate it whole, chewing, and swallowing.

"He- he ate him!" Goten wailed.

"He turned him into a COOKIE!" Makoto cried, "What kind of monster IS that?"

The sudden intake of air sounded behind them, and the three boys turned to see that where Rilan's statue had been- was Rilan!

"Dad?" Trunks gasped, and they hopped down to see him.

Rilan was looking at his hands, flexing them, "What… Trunks?" he blinked as he looked at them, "Goten- Makoto? What are you kids doing here?"

"Well we wanted to see the Buu monster," said Makoto.

"You shouldn't be here!" Rilan scolded, making them bow their heads, "It's dangerous! … Ugh… that Dabora- his spit turned me into stone… where is he?"

"That red guy must have been Dabora!" said Goten.

"Yeah, his powers must have gone away when he got turned into a cookie," said Trunks.

Rilan blinked, "Wait what? A cookie?"

"The big pink guy turned him into a cookie and ate him," said Makoto.

"W-wait…" Trunks suddenly got very pale, "If… you were a statue… then…"

"Trunks?" Rilan looked down at him, "What is it?"

Makoto got pale too. It was just as he thought. They HAD been turned to stone, which meant- Piccolo-

Trunks turned and flew up, looking over the ledge where Piccolo's statue had been. His face twisted in horror and he slowly came back down, shaking and looking at his feet.

"Trunks!" Rilan snapped, "What is it?"

Goten and Makoto exchanged a horrified glance.

"D-don't go up there…" Trunks whimpered.

Rilan looked up, then back at his son, "Trunks, what did you do?" he demanded.

"I… it was an accident…" Trunks muttered.

"What was an accident?"

They all jumped and turned to see Piccolo looking down at them.

"Piccolo!" Trunks gasped.

Piccolo chuckled, but then he yelped and dove to the ground, "Where is that awful energy coming from?"

Rilan climbed up to where it was and the boys followed, looking out over the ledge at the now three below them.

"Is that… Majin Buu?" Piccolo asked.

"It must be," Rilan said darkly, looking down, "I've nevered sensed such dark energy… It's like a void…"

Piccolo gasped sharply, "The Supreme Kai!" he began to get up.

"No, Piccolo!" Rilan grabbed his arm and pulled him down, "Don't be an idiot. Can't you feel his power? He…" Rilan grit his teeth, "You would get killed, Piccolo."

"But you'll go get him, won't you, dad?" asked Trunks, beaming at him, "He stands no chance against you! You wouldn't let him turn you into a cookie!"

Rilan looked at his son, his eyes sad, "Trunks…" he began, but a massive explosion interrupted him.

They all looked down as a huge cloud of smoke burst forth. They could hear a little voice scream, "MY SHIP!"

And out of the smoke, stepped Vegeta and Katima.

"It's my Mom and Dad!" cried Makoto, beaming.

Rilan looked down, "Something's… different…" he murmured.

Makoto grinned big, "Don't worry, mister Rilan, you won't need to help, my parents can handle this just fine!"

He knew it was true, his parents could do anything!

*scene change*

Katima and Vegeta stepped from the smoke, facing the strange pink blob of a man before them next to Bobbity.

"Vegeta, Katima!" Bobbity blinked at them, "What are you both doing here? Were you the ones who destroyed my ship?"

"Yes," said Vegeta, smirking, "And I imagine that the disgusting pink blob there is Majin Buu."

"Me Buu!"

Katima blinked at the high pitched voice that came from the creature. He giggled like a child, and she clenched her fists, "Then you're the one that killed Gohan."

Buu continued to giggle, a massive grin on his pudgy face.

"What a bizarre creature," muttered Vegeta.

"It acts like a child," said Katima.

"Why did you two destroy my ship?" Bobbity cried, "I did not give an order to do that, do you realize what you've done? How will I get off this retched planet?"

Katima stepped forward, clenching her fists, "You won't!" she shouted, "You and your stupid pet monster are going to be put down here and now for what you have done!"

"Ergh!" Bobbity hissed, "Majin Buu, destroy them! Show them what happens to anyone who disobeys me!"

Vegeta grunted, "We know nothing of this creature or how he battles, Katima," he said, "Start off slow so that we can better learn how to destroy him."

"Listen to you, mister tactics," Katima scoffed, "You've never thought it through before a battle before."

"I am no fool," Vegeta muttered, "I can feel the power from that thing."

Katima did too. She clenched her fists, and let her power rocket, her golden aura spilling from her. Vegeta did the same next to her, their power causing a massive wave to rush toward Buu. Katima saw how the beast was barely even fazed, still smiling contently, even as he was budged slightly.

"Ready?" Katima looked at him.

Vegeta nodded, and they rushed forward together, screaming a battle cry.

They both attacked at once, slamming punches and kicks into Buu. The creature didn't make a single move to block them. Katima put all she had into these hits, and felt like it was punching into some heavy elastic material. They were leaving dents and punctures, and finally, they both cried out as they landed a final hit, making Majin Buu go flying off and crashing into the ground.

They both landed, not winded, not yet, staring as Buu got to his feet, and all the dents they had left in his popped out, like a balloon reinflating. Katima glanced at Vegeta, and he nodded at her.

This was going to be one tough bitch to put down.