Author's Note to the Reader:

*Please read until the end for a sneak peak at Chapter 20.

Hi all,

It's been about a year since I posted a chapter 19, and only recently have I gotten reviews that demand I post a new chapter. And since this is my most popular story by far, I feel I owe you all an explanation. As to the most recent review, no, I have not died. As to the review just before that, no, this story hasn't been abandoned.

The problem is rather nuanced.

Bluntly (and I loathe to admit this), I've had some writer's block with this chapter. Writing Majin Buu as a character was surprisingly mentally exhausting (as I noted in several of my author's notes preceding this). I now completely understand why Toriyama gave up on Dragon Ball for over 20 years after the Buu arc. I also completely understand why Team4Star couldn't make the Buu arc work.

Majin Buu is a horrible character to write, which is why I killed him off screen. I originally planned to take him back to the kai planet as Kid Buu when I realized: 1. It didn't make any logical sense with how my story was playing out, and 2. I couldn't put myself through writing another fight scene with him. He is a direct cause for creative burnout.

Writing this fight has left a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up ever so neatly in this next chapter, because it's the last chapter of the Buu arc. A lot of important shit happens in this chapter, and it's very important they are handled with care, since the points will be carried into the next arc. The next arc (The Saiyan Saga, as I've titled it) starts immediately after this chapter. And the next arc, I've already planned and written most of it.

In the meantime, I've done what most writers do (and what I was taught to do in my creative writing classes) when hit with writer's block, which is work on other projects. Getting the juices flowing in other areas sometimes breaks the dam you were banging your head against for a while. I've gone back and totally revamped my Naruto FF, which was my most popular story before I started this one. (Not going to lie, most of my fans from that story knew I planned to overhaul it instead of update, and I frequently got questions when I started RiT like: "Alright, your new story's cool. But when are you going to redo Legendaries?") That story has turned out 1,000 times better than before, and word-wise is getting close to the length of this one. I also published my second book, and written a third novel in which this story (RiT) was a heavy influence on (but it won't be published for a while). As well as written excerpts for the Saiyan Saga (again, it's mostly done). Doing this has helped a lot, and let me get back to the chapter with a fresh mind. But that also means it will take a bit longer to finish.

I know, none of this is a comfort to those who have waited for this chapter. So, for your patience, I will give you the first section of Chapter 20 early. When the full chapter is finished, I will replace this letter with the full chapter. But again, that might be a while.

Thank you again for your patience.

Sincerely,

Rose1991

*This section might be changed slightly once the final draft is posted.

Chapter 20

End This Way

Brightness enveloped the world as Gohan shoved the last of his ki into the blast. And just like that, Majin Buu's energy drained to nothing, succumbing to Gohan's rage and power. As the blast shot off into space, disappearing like so many before it with a howl, Gohan felt everything drain from him. He held his hands up in their Kamehame stance for only a moment before they dropped limply at his sides. It took all his effort to stand fully as he floated back to Earth. It was done.

Just as his toes touched the ground, before he could even register what had happened, he was tackled in his side, toppling him to rocky ground with a loud, "OOOF!" He felt arms wrap around his neck and shoulders as Mia's familiar scent filled his nose.

He felt her press her teary face into his chest as she cried, "You did it!"

He hugged her back as he chuckled sorely, "Of course I did."

She looked up into his eyes, beaming brightly at him through her tears before pulling his face to hers end surrendering him into a deep kiss. As she licked at his lips for entrance, he let her happily, kissing her back with a fervor that even surprised him. He gripped her tighter to him, realizing a part of him was still reliving seeing Mia absorbed by Buu, and thinking he'd never see her again. He pressed her closer, reminding himself she was real and here. That he'd saved her from that terrible fate, and he'd never let go of her again. He could feel Mia smiling against his lips as his feelings drifted to her through their kiss.

"Ugh, get a room you two," they heard Siyaka joke. They broke their kiss to see their father's and Mia's mother drifting over towards them, Goten on Goku's shoulders, Trunks preferring to fly next to his father. Siyaka smirked at them as she landed next to them first.

"There will be no room getting for those two," Vegeta growled, shooting Siyaka a glare, then Gohan another more murderous glare. Gohan did his best to purse back a smile. The Prince knew he wasn't a match for Gohan now, so his threatening tone lost its intended effect. He and Mia shared the same thought, and kissed again. Not as deep as before, but just enough to tell Vegeta how much power he really had in that situation.

They broke away again, Gohan caressing Mia's cheek lovingly. He gave her forehead a kiss, and then helped her stand.

Goten shot Trunks a kissing face as he giggled, "Kissy kissy. Oooh!" Trunks responded in kind with his own mocking kissing expression as he hummed, "Mmmmm. Gohan," in a girly voice.

That did make Gohan blush. He wasn't so worried about his dad or her parents saw them kissing after such a harrowing day. But Goten would hold onto it, and bring it up just to embarrass him whenever he could. So would Trunks.

As Mia dusted herself off, making sure her green kai jacket was spotless, she remarked to the two young hybrids, "You know, one day, you two going to start dating. And when that day comes, I will hunt you down, and make kissy faces from the next table over." She pointed at both of them, "Just you wait."

Both Goten and Trunks looked at her with a mix of fear and doubt.

Vegeta frowned at his daughter as he replied, "Surely by then, you'll be an adult with better things to do." His version of, "Be nice to your brother."

Mia smiled as she remarked, "You underestimate my patience, and my pettiness." Siyaka laughed, and it lightened the mood among them. This was such a normal conversation to have after saving a decimated world. They all shared a laugh at the brevity of the moment. Even Vegeta offered his best smirk.

Gohan's eyes found the horizon as he sobered and grabbed Mia's hand, his fingers interlacing with hers, as he changed the subject deftly as he asked, "So, what next?"

"Well, obviously, we wish everyone back," Goku stated.

Gohan looked at his father curiously before he asked, "Can you instant transmission to Namek from here?"

"I instant transmissioned to a kai planet that's only supposed to be accessible to supreme kais," Goku reasoned with a shrug.

Siyaka looked at the palm-haired Saiyan curiously, as that sentence made very little sense to her. She decided to let it go with a shake of her head. "Someone also has to tell the other's it's safe to return," she commented.

Vegeta frowned. "The others?"

Mia also looked at her mother curiously, remembering seeing they snuck most of their friends and family off the floating palace, but wasn't sure where they went. Gohan and Goku's expressions matched her own, urging the noblewoman to give an explanation.

"I asked Piccolo to get everone off Earth. He sent everyone back to Capsule Corp to take a spaceship to Namek. According to Bulma, it would take them two weeks, but they took off before Buu entered the Time Chamber," Siyaka explained. She paused with a frown, then mumbled, "I don't know how long it's been since that though."

"Four hours," Gohan stated surely, only to second guess himself as he added, "Maybe four and a half." He then looked at Goku even more unsure as he asked, "Five?"

He shook his head as he pulled Goten off his shoulders as he admitted, "I lost track of how long we were in Majin Buu."

"It was almost three and a half when I was absorbed," Mia commented.

Gohan pursed his lips, trying to math it together quickly. "Let's say it's been six hours," Vegeta huffed annoyedly. "What's the point?"

Siyaka nodded vaguely, muttering, "So, they're probably a well outside the Milky-way by now."

Goku placed his fingers to his head as he said, "I've found them. I'll tell them to turn around, and head onto Namek to grant our wishes."

Then he was gone. Siyaka blinked at the empty space where the palm-haired Saiyan had stood, then asked, "I feel like I missed a lot. How is Kakarot back without a halo, and Vegeta now has one?"

"We should get going," Vegeta stated, undermining his ex's question as he began to levitate in the air, his son right behind him. "The group will be returning to Capsule Corp."

Siyaka frowned at the Prince as he took off. Goten shot off after his friend. Mia and Gohan hovered as Mia offered her mother, "I'll fill you in on the way there." Siyaka flew with Mia and her boyfriend, listening to everything her daughter had to say, and thankful that Mia never actually died.