Years Later - Buu Saga Era
The battle erupted beyond the edges of Earth's atmosphere, where silence reigned and the stars bore witness.
Gohan and Vegeta, both cloaked in brilliant golden auras, clashed in the void of space. Their Super Saiyan 3 forms roared with untamed power, their hair flowing like liquid flame, energy sparking off their bodies in violent bursts. The vacuum of space couldn't carry sound, but the explosions from their strikes echoed through ki fields so intense they distorted gravity itself.
Vegeta snarled, lunging forward with a backhand that cracked the barrier of light around Gohan, only for the half-Saiyan to vanish and reappear behind him.
"You're still too slow, Vegeta!" Gohan growled, slamming his knee into the prince's back and sending him hurtling through a drifting asteroid. The rock shattered on impact.
But Vegeta spun in mid-air and grinned. "Not bad, brat… Try this!"
"FINAL FLASH!!"
A blinding wall of golden energy erupted from his palms, racing toward Gohan like the wrath of a collapsing star.
Gohan raised both hands.
"Galick Gun!"
The purple spiral shot forward, Vegeta's own move and collided head-on with the Final Flash.
The space between them cracked with thunderous tremors as the two iconic beams wrestled for dominance, colors blurring, lightning arcing between them. The clash imploded, throwing both fighters back in opposite directions.
They recovered fast, streaking toward one another again, fists meeting fists, lightning dancing from every impact.
Vegeta twisted mid-punch, his hand glowing with deadly force. "Big Bang Att..."
"Masenko!"
Gohan interrupted with a blast fired from his forehead and palms, taking Vegeta by surprise and cutting off his attack. The explosion washed over them both in a furious light show.
The dust cleared.
Both warriors were bruised, breathing hard, even in space, their bodies pushed to the very limits.
"Let's finish this," Gohan said, wiping blood from his lip. His energy flared again, brighter than before.
Vegeta just grinned savagely. "Heh. Come on then, Son of Kakarot!"
The two meteors collided one final time in an explosion so large it could be seen from the Earth below, a new supernova born from warrior pride.
Moments Later... On the Moon
Their boots touched down lightly on the surface of the moon, craters illuminated by Earth's glow in the distance. The fight was over.
Both Gohan and Vegeta dropped out of Super Saiyan 3, hair falling back to black, a shared exhaustion settling between them.
Vegeta sat on a large stone and let out a rare, deep breath. "I'll admit it. That was the toughest fight I've had in years."
Gohan chuckled, sitting across from him. "You've gotten stronger. A lot stronger."
Vegeta turned to him, almost solemn for a moment. "You pushed me to reach Super Saiyan 2... and then beyond. Without you, I wouldn't have made it."
Gohan glanced at Earth, his tone thoughtful. "SS3 is powerful. But it's inefficient. The transformation takes too long, and the ki drain is ridiculous. I can't use it for more than a few minutes in a real battle."
Vegeta nodded. "True. The form burns like fire. Powerful but unstable."
Then he smirked. "But you've got that other form, don't you?"
Gohan raised an eyebrow. "You mean…"
Vegeta's eyes gleamed. "The one you unlocked under the full moon a while back. Heh. That primal one."
"Ah, right," Gohan smiled. "The one with the red eyes and long hair. That transformation's wild. More instinct than control."
Vegeta laughed. "It's a good thing we wished the moon back."
Gohan's expression softened, and he smiled. "That was Bulma, actually. She said the tides were acting weird without it."
They both laughed under the stars, the moon beneath their feet a quiet witness to how far they'd come, as warriors, as rivals, as men.
Without another word, they took to the skies, streaking back toward Earth, two Saiyans, flying side by side.
The winds of West City stirred gently as the sky split with two golden streaks descending from above. Gohan and Vegeta landed softly in the Capsule Corporation courtyard, their boots crunching against the tiled pavement.
The familiar scent of metal, engine oil, and fresh-cut grass filled the air. Peaceful. A stark contrast to the cosmic battleground they'd just left behind.
Bulma stood nearby with a tray in hand, two tall, frosty drinks beading with condensation. She wore her usual tank top and shorts, hair tied up in a messy bun, goggles pushed up onto her head.
"Well, well," she smirked. "Look who finally decided to stop wrecking outer space."
Gohan and Vegeta walked up, each grabbing a glass and taking a long, grateful sip.
"Thanks," Gohan said, exhaling.
"Thanks, Hun," Vegeta added, nodding as he drank.
From the side yard, two young voices rang out, clashing grunts, the whoosh of wind, and the clatter of sparring.
Trunks and Goten were locked in a mid-air duel, exchanging quick punches and bursts of ki in the grass. Neither had gone Super Saiyan yet but their control and finesse were unmistakable.
Vegeta smiled faintly with pride. "Hmph. He's improving."
But as Goten spotted the new arrivals, his face fell. He immediately stopped mid-punch, landing roughly on the ground and turning his back.
"I'm heading home," Goten muttered, brushing past Trunks.
"Huh? What?" Trunks blinked, confused. "Why? We were just getting started..." Then he looked toward the landing pad and saw Gohan standing there.
Trunks went quiet.
Gohan placed his drink down and stepped forward.
"Hey," he called gently, walking toward Goten before the boy could fly off. "I see you can fly now."
Goten stopped but didn't turn around. His fists clenched.
"It's no thanks to you," he said coldly, voice sharp.
Gohan's steps slowed. "Goten…"
Bulma interjected, placing the tray aside. "Goten, don't talk like that to your brother..."
"Brother?" Goten snapped, turning sharply, eyes burning. "I wouldn't even know he existed if I hadn't met Trunks!"
The yard went silent.
Goten took a step forward, his voice rising. "When's the last time you saw Mom? When's the last time you even asked if she was okay?"
Gohan opened his mouth, but no words came.
"I had to get stronger," he finally said. "I couldn't afford to be weak again."
Goten shook his head, tears brimming in his eyes.
"She's barely even a person anymore, Gohan. You left her. You left us. She had to raise me alone, while you were off chasing ghosts."
He paused, voice trembling with bitter disappointment.
"If Dad was here… he'd be ashamed of you."
Then he flew off, a blur of motion cutting across the blue sky.
No one said anything for a long moment. Not Trunks. Not Bulma. Not Vegeta.
Gohan just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the sky as his little brother vanished into the horizon.
A weight heavier than battle settled on his shoulders.