~~~

Goten sighed as another blast left him, speeding toward Miga. "What's the point of all this? We can't win... Marron doesn't count... I'm alone..." Yet another blast... "I'm too weak..." He heard Pan's howl of pain, so far away... His fault... It should be his pain... "If only I had kept training all my life long... Like dad used to tell me... I'd be strong enough..." He knew it wasn't true. Goku and Vegeta together didn't have much effect on the monster. But he felt bad, unworthy, and putting the blame on oneself is just an habit of depressive people.

"Gohan wouldn't be so bad... He'd find a way to get rid of that thing..." He missed Gohan. Even though he was a man now, he still loved his brother the same way he did as a child.

But Gohan was gone now. Goten was alone in this fight.

Marron's blast was almost twice as big as Goten's. She didn't say a word, but put more power into her attacks, just like her mother had taught her.

~~~

- You're a fast learner, Marron. You could have been a great fighter, if only you'd started to train when young.

Marron remained silent. The last sunrays were making her mother's hair shine like gold.

- Guess it's our fault. We never really thought you'd want to fight.
- I didn't...

C-18 nodded, more to herself. It was her idea that Marron train in secret like this. Just in case of.

Marron felt like a object, a part of a plan. But it was a good plan, so she didn't complain.

~~~

And more power into the blasts, more!


Pan wondered why Miga wasn't doing anything. Were all those ki blasts a shower for him or what?! A wave of pain filled her mind and she shut her eyes close. Big tears were rolling down her cheeks and sobs strangling her, against her will. Goten's bandage-wanna-be wasn't helping at all and she didn't feel her legs anymore. If she didn't have real help soon, it'd be over...

~~~

Yamcha wondered what was going on. He felt Marron’s ki as the strongest, which was quite impossible unless both Goten and Pan were on the edge of death. He had the twisted feeling it was the case…

Goku was done eating and now, even him looked concerned. He’d let Videl come close to him and their tails were gently playing together. Bulma forgot the fight for a second, thinking how Chichi would be jealous. But Chichi was dead now… “I hope her son won’t rejoin her today!”

~~~

Marron realised her arms were shaking. It couldn’t be a good sign, so she glanced at Goten nervously. He was barely forming real blasts anymore and the laughter of Miga down here gave her shivers.

- Goten… Are you ok?
- It doesn’t matter. He wins.

His voice was low, empty. His eyes were vague and there was no light in them. He stopped sending blasts and just floated there, silent. She feared that his golden hair would turn to black soon.

- But… We can try! protested Marron. Or at least let’s go, we’ll try again another time!
- No… It’s useless. No matter how hard we train, how strong we get, he’ll be stronger and he will win!
- If you keep this attitude then of course he will!

She slapped him with the remaining strength she had, but the trace of her hand turned to red on his face and he didn’t react. She sighed.

- Let’s go… Pan needs medic…

Her voice got lost in a huge scream that started far away but was suddenly so close that she had to cover her ears. It wasn’t Goten: the hybrid Saiyan was just as surprised as she was. It wasn’t Pan: it was a man’s voice. It wasn’t Miga: it was a human voice. Besides, they could hear the growling of the monster, who was obviously angry that his energetic shower was over.

Suddenly, Miga rolled away, pushed by a power too great for even him. The new warrior followed him, beating him up so quickly, Marron couldn’t see his face. She couldn’t feel kis either; her mother hadn’t been able to teach her. So she looked up at Goten.

- Who is it?

But Goten wasn’t looking at the fight, he was deep in thoughts and it wasn’t the time to ask him anything.

The fighter was excellent, beyond anything she could imagine. It seemed for him (or her) that Miga was a toy, a pillow he was punching just to let off steam a little. But Marron knew how Miga was strong and fast and dangerous. She hoped their savior wouldn’t be caught by rain (but a quick look taught her no red clouds were in view) or by an acid blast.

~~~

- Oh my God! shouted Yamcha, jumping from his chair. - What is it?! asked Bulma, noticing that pretty much
every cat, except Muten Roshi, also looked shocked.
- That ki… It’s…

~~~

Pan quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and forbidden others to come. She had to see that new fighter, the ki was so familiar and… It would be just so good if it was real… If he could be back…

She followed the huge cloud of dust, far away, where he and Miga were fighting. Where he was beating the hell out of Miga. Where he was saving them. Again. As always. After a moment, she was able to follow the movements. She didn’t recognise the clothes, but that didn’t mean anything. That hair, that confidence…

She forgot the pain. He finally turned his face toward her and confirmed her hopes.

- DAD!!


Chapter 10
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