Dodging a disgusting blast of something he wasn't sure he wanted to know about, he furiously made the point of the battle so far: himself had no injuries so far, Pan had hurt herself a little as flying into a buildings, but she was fine. Miga seemed to enjoy their assaults.

Everything was perfect.

- BASTAAAAARRD!!! screamed Goten, materializing his anger as a giant ki blast, throwing his arms up so the ball would form over him.

Pan shivered as the wave of her uncle's power hit her, she put her arms before her face when he threw it toward their enemy. Even though she had been careful to do a very thick bun, well tied up, longs pieces of hair had escaped from it, waving in the dusty wind behind her.

Immediately, she followed the plan and charged with a powerful beam, joining her strength to Goten's, her voice to his. They were the only warriors left, they had to win!!

But not with this attack. Suddenly, they stopped sending energy and jumped, high into the sky until they were only small dots for Miga.

- Ok Pan, we can do it. Gather all your power now.
- Yes!

The young woman shut her eyes closed, a white and blue aura appeared around her and she clenched her teeth, concentrating her energy between her hands. A red sphere appeared, gleaming, growing bigger as she focused more and more.

Facing her, Goten was doing the same thing.

Under them, Miga was growling and waiting, gladly amused by their ineffective attacks. He was making enormous bubbles with his saliva, which wasn't very different from his whole body that was bubbling and swarming itself.

The two twin spheres grew slightly bigger.

- Ok Pan, at three we...

A noise interrupted him. It was incredibly loud, sounded angry and gave Pan a strong shiver in the spine. They knew what it meant. Miga was tired of waiting after them and was attacking.

They jerked back as they could to escape from the bundle of... some... horrible... substance... and then started the "look-out-for-the-next-one" game. Going up and down and left and right and back and forth, avoiding the fluid as they could. They weren't certain of what it was, but they knew they didn't want to know.

Pan began cursing through her teeth every time the substance would be spat toward her. As time passed, her irritation grew bigger and she was yelling "bad words" out loud, even chocking her uncle. She was actually reminding him of Vegeta!

- Pan, for Kami's sake, do you have to scream like that?!
- YES!!

She had turn her guard down a little to reply and a jet of red fluid splashed her. She let a scream go as it burnt her like acid.

On the ground, Miga was triumphing, quite childishly happy that he had finally touched one of them.

Goten clenched his fists. "I should focus on the fight! Not on what Pan can be screaming!! Moron!"

- Are you ok?!
- Yes... It hurts but... I'm fine!

He smiled at her. She sure was the daughter of her parents!

But immediately, the game started again and Goten slowly forgot his worry. Miga was more precise and rapid in his attacks, gurgling joyfully as the two hybrids wasted their energy by constantly moving.

"Dammit, I gotta find a way to attack him..." Goten locked his eyes on his enemy, analysing him, the frequency of his attacks, how much liquid was coming out each time...

- GOTEN, MORON!!
- Huh?

He snapped out of his meditation, realizing that a giant wave of Miga's substance was coming up to him and that he wouldn't be able to escape from it. Cursing, the young warrior sent a ki blast that naturally had no effect at all. He shut his eyes close, hoping he was able to handle that attack...

When he opened his eyes, Pan was curled up against him.

He was laid on the ground, far enough of Miga. His back was burning, but he knew that that sensation would go soon enough.

- What happened? he asked to his niece who was panting against him.
- I pushed you, baka... His attack would have killed you...

She winced and Goten noticed how pale she was.

- Are you ok?
- Idiot!

He frowned, looked past her face. Then he saw the horror: Pan's legs were gone, up to the middle of the thighs. Dark and clear bloods were mixing in a pool, which was growing bigger every second. The flesh was burnt, the pants disintegrated and Goten could see the broken bone, even from his point of view.

His stomach reacted violently and he quickly looked away before adding to the already bad enough odors.

- I'm sorry...
- I don't need sorrow!!

Goten bit his bottom lip violently. It was his fault if she was so badly hurt, amputee... He had been careless and she had saved him... Anger rose within him, exploded. He charged Miga, furious against himself. All he could see was that horrible monster he had to kill. And he was going to!! Oh yes!! This time he felt it, the power he needed...

But before he could even materialize that energy, Miga attacked, sent him into remains of a destroyed building... He quickly got up, not caring about wounds and bruises, as he was still feeling that incredible strength. He was about to kill Miga, so what if the monster was able to throw him away?!

He laughed stupidly as raising his arms in the air. Another blast hit him, made him fall onto his back. He laughed some more. Miga was so strong! He was too strong!!

Laughing and laughing, he didn't even bother getting up. It was useless! Besides, he was laughing too much. Why? Aah... It didn't matter! It just felt good to laugh, to really laugh, so he continued, ignoring the familiar sound of Miga preparing an attack.

When was the last time he'd been able to laugh so more? A long time ago... An eternity ago...

His mind felt the blast coming. It felt how powerful and fast it was. But Goten didn't care. He was laughing.

The blast was getting closer and closer. It was causing a warm wind to blow the dark hair away from the forehead. But Goten barely noticed. He was too busy laughing.

Pan, so very far away, screamed something. He didn't clearly hear it. He was laughing too loud.

The blast was so close... It would reach him within two seconds... And he was laughing. It was almost painful to laugh so much!

Goten felt something burning his boots and he frowned as laughing. Why couldn't he just laugh in peace?!

Then something, or someone, grabbed him, pulled him away in safety. The blast went on its way until it met a building and exploded.

Goten had stopped laughing now, and he was realizing how stupid he had been. His savior let him stand on his own feet and he shook his head, pale and feeling dumber than ever.

When he looked up, Marron was half-grinning half-smirking at him. His eyes widened beyond realistic possibilities.

- Marron?!?
- Mom trained me so I could be a sort of special help for you and the others, just in case of, seriously explained the young woman. Yamcha said both of your kis were getting too low and that I better come. I see he was right.

The young man noticed the slight scorn in the blue eyes and he felt worse. Yet somehow felt better. Marron's surprising arrival was surely a sign.

They still had a chance.


Chapter 8
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