A Big Hope!! The Kids' New Ultimate Attack

"...And that's what happened." Piccolo finishes filling Goku in on what's happened since he was knocked out. Goku sits on the step outside God's Palace with his arms in his lap, hunched over. "That's terrible. Gohan and Kaioushin-sama getting killed... I can't believe Vegeta's been killed too." He looks up from the floor. Piccolo, "Majin Buu is as unimaginably powerful as Kaioushin-sama feared. If we don't do something, not only will all Earthlings, but everyone in the universe will be killed too." Kuririn, "But you're still being alive is the silver lining on this dark time. Well, you still have your halo..." He points. "...so you're not alive, but... Since you didn't die, uh, you are dead, but... Since you're still alive... uh, that's not it..." He laughs and starts hitting himself in the head. "This thing is giving me a headache. Goku, you're the only one who can beat Majin Buu. You can only stay here for a single day, right? You should still have some time left. But I'm sure you could..." Goku, "Kuririn." Kuririn suddenly stops. "To tell you the truth, I don't think I could beat Majin Buu." Kuririn, "Eh!? But that's..." Goku, "I can't defeat Majin Buu." Kuririn, "G-Goku..." Goku, "Vegeta and I were almost equally powerful. Majin Buu wasn't bothered when Vegeta sacrificed his life." Kuririn lowers his head, sighing. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I could beat him." Kuririn, "I see... Not even you are strong enough. I see..." Goku clenches his fists. "Damn it...! If only Vegeta or Gohan was still alive, I think we'd have a chance." Piccolo, "No. Attacking him en masse wouldn't work. He's that much stronger." Goku, "That's not what I meant. I wanted to start using the fusion." Kuririn, "Eh? Fu... What's that?" Goku, "It's fusion." Dende gasps. "Fusion! You mean joining?" Goku rises to his feet. "You know about it, Dende!" Dende, "Yes, I heard about it on Planet Namek. That's the Metamoru-sei-jin special technique!" Goku, "That's right! Some Metamoru-sei-jin I met in the Other World taught it to me." Kuririn, "What kind of technique is it?" Goku turns to him. "It's a joining technique that can only be used by two people who are almost equally strong and about the same size." Kuririn, "Joining technique?" Goku continues, "The joined pair has an incredible power that neither one had before. They become a whole new person." Kuririn, "Eh?" Dende looks up at Piccolo. "That's right. Piccolo-san and Nail-san fused." Piccolo nods. "Yes, we did." He stares off at the sky as the picture fades to a scene on Namek.

Piccolo approaches a near-dead Namek-sei-jin, Nail. He kneels. Nail begins to glow and Piccolo gasps. The entire area is soon bathed in bright light, and Piccolo grunts as he absorbs Nail. He cries out during one more bright flash, and when the light abruptly fades, all that is left in Nail's place is a small cloud of dirt that quickly dissipates. Piccolo pants, still holding his hand out in the same position it had originally taken to grasp Nail's arm. He rises to his feet, staring down at his hands. A light wind pushes his cape to his left side. "I-I don't believe it... This is incredible. I can't believe how much power I have!! Is this what fusion is like!?" He grins and throws his head back, holding his arms out to the sky. "I can win! It doesn't matter who my opponent is! There's no way I can lose! I have gained ultimate power!" He takes on a white aura and still laughing, rises into the air to continue on his way toward the battle with Freezer.

Goku, "Joining is incredible, but fusion is even more powerful. The Metamoru-sei-jin who taught it to me were pretty weak and quiet, but after they used fusion, they transformed into an incredible warrior." Piccolo, "I understand what you're saying. Just by joining with Nail, I powered up more than I could ever imagine." Goku nods. "So if Gohan or Vegeta was still alive, you could fuse with them. You'd become an incredible warrior and you'd defeat Majin Buu." Goku, "Yeah. It took me about a week to learn the technique, so even if Gohan or Vegeta was still alive, it might have been impossible to teach one of them the technique. I've only got one day on Earth. On the other hand, I've only learned the technique. I've never used it. There was no one like me in the Other World." Everyone lowers their head, disheartened. Goku grins and rubs the back of his head. "I guess it was just a dream." He laughs. Kuririn, "No, it's not impossible!" Goku suddenly stops and spins around to face him. "Huh? Kuririn, what do you mean?" Kuririn, "You're going back to the Other World soon, right? So dead Gohan and Vegeta should be there!" Goku, "I see. That's great!" Piccolo, "No. Goku can never come back here again, even if he's fused with someone else." Both Goku and Kuririn lower their heads, defeated.

The image of the disappointed group is reflected in the jewel on Popo's turban. He points toward the building nearby. "What about the two asleep inside? Goten and Trunks are about the same size and have the same power. Couldn't they use the fusion?" Everyone stares at him, kind of surprised at first, but as Kuririn says, "That won't work..." Goku's face lights up and he runs up to Popo. "That's a great idea, Mr. Popo! We can do that!" Dende smiles. "Goku-san!" Kuririn grabs Popo's hands and begins dancing. "Way to go, Mr. Popo! You've saved us!" He laughs. "But Goku, will you have enough time to..." Goku, "I'm going to teach the kids fusion for as long as I can, but there's still not enough time. Piccolo, can you continue their training after I'm gone?" Piccolo, "Yes, I understand." Kuririn leaps into the air with his fist over his head. "Alright! We have hope now! Those kids might be able to pull this off!"

Goten and Trunks rest inside. Piccolo, "However..." Kuririn looks over to him. "Huh?" Piccolo, "It seems like it would take a long time for Trunks and Goten to master the fusion technique. A lot of humans are going to be sacrificed to Majin Buu in that time. In fact, all of humanity, maybe even the entire planet could be destroyed." Kuririn swallows hard. "That's our gamble. Are you willing to take the risk? We have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure the kids master fusion." Kuririn nods. Goku, "Piccolo, if everyone is killed, as long as you and the Dragon Balls are still around, we'll be able to bring everyone back." Kuririn, "That's right!" Goku, "We still have hope." Piccolo nods. Inside, Trunks and Goten remain passed out on the bed, Trunks' right arm resting on Goten's left shoulder.

Majin Buu passes over the sea with Babidi riding on his back. A sea-side city begins to come into view. Buu, "Huh?" He speeds up. Majin Buu arrives at an amusement park as a roller coaster reaches a drop. He grins and begins following the track. "Hey, Majin Buu!" Buu ignores Babidi and continues following the track around a near-vertical drop. Babidi screams, clutching desperately at Buu's cape as they fall. Buu continues along the track, through a loop and onward, not too far behind the roller coaster itself. He yells happily as he rounds turns. Babidi's eyes are about to pop out of his head as he yells, "This is dangerous!" Buu comes up to another loop and at the top, Babidi falls off his back. "Buu, do something! We don't have time to be playing around!" Just feet above the ground, Buu swoops down and catches Babidi, leaving a few tourists to deal with a cloud of dust that he throws up in passing. They return to the roller coaster, this time flying alongside it instead of skimming over the track. Girl, "That's odd." Guy sitting next to her, "It's a special event." Buu drops back and comes up behind the roller coaster. "Majin Buu, stop it!" Right behind the last car, Buu speeds up. The roller coaster comes up to a turn, but Buu suddenly smashing into it instead causes it to fly off the track as he continues along what should have been the roller coaster's path.

--COMMERCIAL--

Everyone who isn't dead or at God's Palace has gathered outside Capsule Corporation. Yamucha, "Bulma, you'd better call Shenlon soon." At her feet, the Dragon Balls resonate. Videl turns to Chichi. "Say, is it really going to come out?" Oolong, "You're pretty suspicious for someone so cute." Chichi, "Videl-san, you'd better watch carefully. You can't see this on TV." Videl turns back to the Dragon Balls, still skeptical. "I can't believe a dragon is going to come out of those balls." Yamucha, "Bulma, you remember the spell to summon Shenlon, don't you?" Bulma, "Of course! I'm not going to make Freezer's mistake." Yamucha smiles. Roshi, "Bulma, don't make me call out the spell to call Shenlon." Puar and Oolong almost fall over. Oolong, "Old man, this isn't the time for stupid puns!" [Personally, I don't get it... Must be something in the Japanese dialogue that doesn't translate.] Oolong crosses his arms, muttering something that was left unsubtitled. Videl, "It takes a spell. That's suspicious." Beside her, Roshi is rubbing his head and still grinning from whatever the hell he said. Dr. Briefs, "Bulma, hurry up and summon Shenlon and have him resurrect all of the spectators Vegeta killed." Bulma, "I understand." She turns back to the Dragon Balls and holds her hands out at about waist height. Yamucha backs away while Videl still watches with skepticism. "Come out, Shenlon, and grant my wishes!" The resonating stops and the Dragon Balls glow brightly so that the stars can't even be seen. The sky turns black. Light explodes from the Dragon Balls and shoots upward into the sky. Videl watches in astonishment, letting out a small cry of surprise.

Kuririn, "Alright, well, I'll bring everyone up here." Piccolo, "Right." Kuririn begins running toward the edge so he can return to Earth when the sky goes dark and he suddenly stops. "Huh?" Goku runs a few steps forward. "Hm? What is it? It's gotten dark all of a sudden." Piccolo, "Th-this..." Dende looks around, but says nothing. Popo has a similar reaction. Goku, "Shenlon's been summoned! Why!?" Kuririn, "Bulma was gathering the Dragon Balls. She still doesn't know what's going on, so why is she summoning Shenlon?" Goku gasps. "I know! Vegeta killed a lot of people at the Tenkaichi Budokai! She's going to try to bring back all of the people he killed!" Dende, "Oh no! If she uses up all of the wishes now, we won't be able to use the Dragon Balls again for another year!" Everyone gasps as if this is the first time they'd ever heard that. Goku takes a few steps forward. "Alright. I'll be right back." He raises his fingers to his forehead and concentrates. After several seconds of concentration, he says, "Damn, it's hard to find Bulma's ki..." He continues focusing, trying to find her.

Shenlon finally completes his little coming out party and materializes from the bright yellow light. He towers high above the Capsule Corporation building, or any other building in the Western Capitol for that matter. Videl, "I don't believe it!" Everyone stares up at Shenlon, awed. The rest of the city comes to a standstill as everyone stops to stare up at the giant dragon that now inhabits their sky. Shenlon, "Say your wish. I will grant any three wishes." Videl, "Am I dreaming?" Shenlon, "Say your wish." Bulma, "How should we phrase it...?" Yamucha, "Let's just say, 'Bring back everyone who died today! Except for evil-doers!' That should work." He smiles. Bulma, "Thank you." Videl, "Can it really bring back the dead!?" Shenlon, "I have granted your first wish." His eyes glow. At the ruined Tenkaichi Budokai stadium, spectators who no longer have seats now sit on the ground surrounding what used to be a huge chunk of wall. They yell and scream excitedly, stating obvious things such as "I'm not dead!" Near the crater that Vegeta was kind enough to leave behind, Kibit awakens. He sits up, looking around.

Goku smiles. "This is it!" He disappears. Shenlon, "Say your second wish!" Goku, "Oh-oh no! I wasn't in time!" Bulma, "Son-kun!" Others shout out "Goku!" Bulma, "Goku-sa, where were you!?" She angrily stalks forward a few steps. "Where are Gohan and Goten!?" Goku, "Chichi, I don't have time for that now. Talk to me later!" He puts a finger to his head. "Dende! Can you hear me? They've had their first wish granted. What can we do?" Dende, "I see... Tell Shenlon that you don't need the other two wishes. If he's only granted one wish, he'll be able to grant wishes again in four months." Goku, "I see, thanks! Everyone's already here, so tell Kuririn that I'll bring them to your palace." Dende, "Okay, I understand." Goku, "Alright..." He runs up to Shenlon. "Shenlon! That's all we need now, thank you! We'll ask you again later!" Shenlon, "Then farewell!" He and the Dragon Balls once again begin to glow. Shenlon disappears and the Dragon Balls lift high into the air, scattering around the world once again. The sky returns to normal. Yamucha, "What's wrong, Goku? What's going on here?" Goku simply nods.

Kibit stares down at his hands, confused. A light wind blows dust across the crater, at the edge of which he stands. "I know I was killed by Dabura." Dabura stands below the Z Senshi, who watch him from their nearby mountainside. Kaioushin lies low to the ground. Dabura grins. "Shall I kill them?" He clenches his left hand into a fist and throws up a small wind around himself. Kaioushin gasps. Dabura's grin grows wider and he suddenly disappears, zipping up the side of the mountain. Almost immediately, he's got his hand in Kibit's face, just inches away. Kibit gasps and shrinks back, staring up at Dabura's hand with wide eyes. Dabura powers up a ki blast and hits Kibit from inches away. Kibit screams as he's disintegrated in a sea of ki. "Hm. Have I come back to life? I don't believe it!" He gasps, apparently just now noticing that he's standing in a massive crater. "Where is Kaioushin-sama!?"

Kaioushin staggers through a rocky area toward the forest where Gohan still lies. He drops a trail of blood as he moves and supports himself with one arm on a rock wall. Sweat and blood run down his face. "Gohan-san..." He stops, sweat dripping from his chin. His vision begins to go in and out of focus. Gohan remains unconscious in his forest.

Goku, "...So that's what's going on. Follow me to God's Palace, where everyone else is waiting." Bulma, "I understand. In another four months, I'll find the Dragon Balls for you again." Goku, "Okay." He holds out his arm. "Well, everyone, hold onto me. I'll use my Shunkan Idou." Videl simply stares, her mouth hanging open. "I never knew this existed in the world... I'm not dreaming, am I?" Everyone else, with the exception of Bulma's parents, have formed a human chain leading out from Goku's right arm. Bulma, "Papa, Mama, what are you doing? Hold onto my hand." They smile at each other and then Dr. Briefs explains, "We can't run out on the animals. We'll stay here." Bulma, "Wh-what are you talking about, Papa!? Isn't your safety more important than the animals!? Right, Mama?" Her mother, "Bulma, I don't care if I get killed by Majin Buu. You can bring me back with the Dragon Balls, so I'll be okay. I'll stay with your Papa." Bulma, "You're crazy!" She looks back over her shoulder. "Son-kun!" Goku, "Now you'll have a reason to find the Dragon Balls if the worst should happen." She nods, defeated. Chichi, "Aren't you coming, Videl-san?" Videl flails her arms. "Yes, I'm coming, I'm coming!" She runs down to the end of the line just a little bit too anxiously, and after she's calmed her arms down, she grabs Bulma's hand. Goku smiles. "Alright, everyone! Here we go!" He holds his fingers to his forehead and all of them vanish simultaneously. Bulma's mother, "Let's feed the pets." Dr. Briefs agrees and they turn to go inside.

Majin Buu flies out over a city. Babidi, "What's going on? It suddenly got dark, and now it's light again." He giggles. "I guess that doesn't matter. Majin Buu, it's about time to start." He closes his eyes, giggling again. As usual, Majin Buu simply smiles rather than replying.

Meanwhile, at God's Palace, Goten and Trunks are still asleep...