Sakura flew into the sky above the fight.  She looked below her, and saw Gohan, Trunks, Krillen, Vegeta and #18 all running headfirst into the fight.  Yamcha, Tien and Chao-zu were already attacking.  Sakura hovered overhead watching the fight carefully.  She watched the Nameks fighting her friends for around five minutes before she noticed their weakness.  The Nameks always stayed close together.  She assumed that they intended for this to make them stronger as a group, but using a power she had never revealed to anybody in her life, Sakura knew how to twist this to her advantage.  She flung herself into the middle of the fight, and attacked the Namek nearest to her.

Sakura fought with all of her power against the Nameks, but they kept on coming.  She looked to her side, and saw Trunks being attacked by four Nameks at once.  A large Namek delivered a powerful energy blast to his stomach, and Trunks flew through the air and landed in a heap next to a rock, his hair changed from golden to lilac in an instant and covered his face like a blanket.  Sakura flew over and kneeled down beside him.  She turned him over carefully, a hand touched his stomach and she pulled it away quickly.  Her fingertips were covered with deep red blood.  She looked at Trunks' stomach, and saw a small hole, no wider than a finger going right through his stomach.  His eyes suddenly burst open, and he yelled in agony.  He was conscious and in a great deal of pain.

Rage surged through Sakura more than ever before, and her power level increased dramatically.  Her muscles expanded, and a strange feeling came over her.  A yellow aura appeared all around her body, and her hair began to shake.  The bottom of her plait burst, leaving just half plait remaining, and the hair at the bottom of her plait shot up in all directions, a huge mass of golden hair appeared around her like a mane.  Her eyes suddenly flickered and became turquoise.  Her transformation was complete.  She was finally a Super Saiya-jin.

Sakura once again threw herself into the fight.  She rushed over to Gohan, grabbed his arm and pulled him from the chaos.  "Sakura! he gasped, taking in what he was seeing as he looked at her.  ""You're - you're a Super Saiya-jin!"

"I noticed."  Sakura said quickly "Listen Gohan.  I'm going to get the whole group of Nameks together.  When I say so, I need you to prepare a Kame-Hame-Ha.  Do not fire until I say though, Ok.  And no matter what, fire the attack!"  Gohan looked at her, puzzled.

"What are you going to do?"  he asked slowly, still trying to work out what she meant in her last sentence.

"That doesn't matter Gohan," she half shouted.  "Just do it."  With that, she rushed back to the fight, getting all of the Z warriors out of the Namek's group.  When this was done, she began the final stage of her plan.

Sakura held out her palm, and ball of energy appeared in the air in front of her.  "Get ready Gohan!", she yelled down at Gohan, who began to gather the energy for a Kame-Hame-Ha.  She flew into the group of Nameks, and stretched out her arms.  Light flowed from her fingertips and engulfed the group in a 'cloud' of energy.  The Nameks all struggled to escape, but none prevailed.  "Gohan!", Sakura yelled down, "Now!"  Gohan looked up in horror.

"Have you lost your mind?", shouted, hoping desperately that he had heard wrong.  "You'll be killed!"

"We all have to make our sacrifices Gohan!  Sakura called back at him, "Kaka - Goku made his sacrifice, now let me make mine.  Trust me, everything will be fine!"  Gohan stared up at her.

"Ok then," he said under his breath.  He took a step back and attacked.  "KA - ME - HA - ME - "He took a deep breath and yelled the end of his attack.    HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  A beam of energy shot from his cupped hands.  Gohan turned away as the beam hit the group of Nameks - and Sakura.  Sakura screamed in agony as the energy scorched right through her skin.  The second that it lasted seemed like a year.  It felt as though she was being burned alive in a furnace.  Her skin burst into flames as the ultimate heat passed right through her, and her silver locket fell from around her neck.

Gohan looked up, and saw something fall to the ground.  He ran up to it and saw that it was Sakura's locket, somehow still perfect after surviving the blast.  He looked back up to the sky and saw that it was remained of his cousin.  "She would have wanted this to survive."  He said quietly, and put the chain around his own neck.

Gohan was distraught.  Even though he had never shown it, he thought the world of Sakura.  She had been his cousin, and one of his best friends all in one.  She was the only person his age he called a true friend.  He thought of all the good times they had had together.  Training together - introducing her to the Z Warriors - the pride he had felt when he had seen her a Super Saiya-jin - telling each other jokes - laughing at Vegeta's hair and outfit - flying up to Dende's plateau together - eating together.  Now this was all over, and Sakura was dead.  No more fun at meal times, no more fights over the last bar of chocolate of the last piece of cake.  All of that was gone, and Gohan found himself wishing he had gone with it.  He fell to his knees, and stared down at the ground in shock.

"Gohan!".  He looked around and saw Piccolo running up to him.  "Where's Sakura?"  Gohan looked up, tears leaking from his eyes, and before even he knew what he was doing, he threw his arms around Piccolo and wept into his shoulder.

Piccolo was stunned.  He pulled Gohan off him, his hands on his shoulders, and looked into his eyes.  "Where's Sakura?"  he asked again.  Then his eyes fell on the locket, and he stared up into the sky.  "No."  He said quietly, still staring at the spot in the sky where the explosion had taken place.  He pulled Gohan to his feet and tried to comfort him, when Gohan suddenly gasped.

"The Dragon!", Gohan cried, staring at Piccolo.  "We can bring her back using the Dragon balls!"  Piccolo smiled and nodded.

"Sure thing kid."  He said to Gohan, and the whole team of the Z Warriors flew off to Gohan's house.