Time Distorted, part II of the Bibidi, Babidi, Buu Chronicles

BY MARA ROBERTS

Interlude

Gohan and Mie were walking down the street, having long ago abandoned the tournament grounds. Mie was silent, waiting for her companion to respond. He had not spoken since dawn, still contemplating all she had said. She understood; he had much to sort out.

A few hours ago Mie had asked Gohan to come with him to the past, a very dangerous and unstable past in which he might not survive. In which he would probably not survive at all, and would likely fail to do what needed to be done. What was he thinking? It irked Mie that he had been so quiet and inwardly focused. She needed to know what he was thinking, what he was going to do. But Mie respected his privacy; she did not delve into his mind. Finally, he spoke.

"I admit I am very scared, but who wouldn't be? I was just brought back to life, and I don't want to lose it. On the other hand, I'm needed. As frightened as I am I can't let that hold me back. You said Buu has an awesome power, and I believe you, even when you say it is a hundred times again that of a Super Saiyjin. I know I cannot stand against that."

"You will not have to face him, if everything goes well."

"That is not what scared me. It's the wizard, Bibidi. You say he can take over a person's heart."

"He can't take over your heart, you're pure."

"As I am now, yes. But there are times in battle when I am a monster. My Saiyjin side takes total control and I live for the bloodshed, the breaking bones, the pain my enemies feel. I want them to hurt so badly… and that scares me. What if Bibidi finds the darkness in me? What will I do then? What would you do?"

"I would heal you."

"And if you couldn't?"

"I would."

"You didn't answer me."

"I don't know."

They had wandered into the park now; there was peace all around them. Gohan jumped up on a bench, turned and grabbed Mie by the shoulders. "Promise me you would kill me."

"What?!" Mie jerked out of Gohan's grasp. "No!"

"Mie, you would have to. If I become a monster, I must be stopped. I know you can do it Mie! You have to! Promise me."

"Fine, but it's a not one I'll have to keep. I'll have no cause for such an action in the first place."

"That isn't enough. You need to go into battle, hoping for the best, yes, but also planning for the worst."

Mie was silent, searching her heart to see if she could honestly do as Gohan asked. To save the universe, she would have to. Mie nodded and whispered softly, "I promise, though it would kill my soul to do it."

Gohan closed his eyes in acknowledgment and lowered his head in humble thanks. "Then let's go."

"We need to make a pit stop, first."

Kami's Lookout

Mie and Gohan landed softly on the tiled floor. Kami and Popo were waiting.

"You were listening?"

"Yes. When Gohan first came here we were startled. He seemed to know us, but we didn't know him and so we watched him. Now of course, we understand. What is it you need us to do?"

"Simply set the memories of the fight's participants and spectators to the way they were meant to be."

"Why?" Gohan asked.

"Babidi is a wizard. We don't need him reading those peoples minds to know I was there. He might recognize me, or know of me from our fight with Bibidi."

"This is confusing. We haven't even fought Bibidi yet, and it's already happened. But wasn't Babidi at the fight? Wouldn't he have seen you?"

"No. He would not attend personally because he is too alien. He would stand out greatly. There are no shadows to hide in. He watched from a distance, via technology, and only saw our power level, not our faces, not even our Kis. (1) "

"Oh."

"We would like to use your Room of Spirit and Time. (2)"

"May I ask why?" Kami inquired.

"Time is already distorted there from the normal flow. It will be easier to go to the past from there. Were this but a training exercise, I would try the more challenging route, but lives are riding on this."

"I see," Kami nodded in agreement.

Gohan made a small noise of confusion. There was something Kami wanted to know but He wasn't asking. Kami looked at him. "What is it, son?"

"What is it You want to ask me?"

Kami blinked in astonishment. This boy was very astute to be able to read His face. "I was wondering about Piccillo…" (3)

Gohan grinned in understanding. "He doesn't always stay evil. He trains me to fight some invaders and saves my life."

"I see," Kami said yet again, but with relief. So that's why he could read Me so well. Compared to Piccillo, I wear My heart on My sleeve, even if humans can't normally recognize My expressions and their meanings. "Thank you very much. You just relieved Me of a great burden."

"You're welcome."

The Room of Spirit and Time

Gohan and Mie entered the while room, stepping onto an oasis. Beyond that was white: Pure, unadulterated white. The room stretched forever, never ending, never ceasing. Its vastness swallowed them up as though they were air. They were nothing next to this room. Gohan couldn't help but gasp.

"A little overwhelming, isn't it?" Gohan said.

"Yes, even for one used to the span of Heaven and Otherworld. Let's get going."

Mie sat down and crossed her legs before entering a trance. Gohan did likewise.

Suddenly he was floating in a white mist. He felt himself being jerked around, similar to the sensation he experienced when first entering the past, only there was no added weight: He had mass to begin with this time.

Just as suddenly, he was alone. Mie had been there, and now was gone. Gohan didn't panic. Surely everything would work out fine. The mist seemed to clear, and he could see his family and friends, at Roshi's island. They were becoming clearer now, more distinct. Now Gohan was confused. He was supposed to go further into the past. His mother was the first one to see him. She turned and reached out towards him. Her hand was right there and at the same time so far away. His father reached out as well, then Gohan felt himself being yanked away. He was back in the mist then came crashing down with a shattering force out of it. Noise was so loud it was silent. He looked around and found himself in a grassy clearing. No one else was in sight. What had gone wrong?

"That's the trouble with transporting mortals through Time. Time was trying to right itself at its first opportunity by sending you back to 762. That's why you saw your parents, and why I yanked you back so suddenly. I'm sorry if it hurt you, but you were being sucked back into your own time, and we're not ready for that. Time always tries to do that when it's distorted." (4)

"So are we in the past?"

"Yes. The year is 686."

(1) Power level and Ki are different. Ki is a feeling, a person's actual life force and power level is a measurement of that life force. So while Babidi sees their power, there is no Ki to recognize. It's as if you are told there are a certain number of pies, but you only know the number. You are not there to see or smell it, so you can't tell what kind of pie it is. In the same way, Babidi can't tell whose Ki it is, just the amount of it.

(2) The Room of Spirit and Time is called the (gag) Hyperbolic Time Chamber in the dub.

(3) If anyone is wondering how Kami could hear their earlier conversation, but not about Piccillo it was because Mie didn't want him to learn too much so she warded against it.

(4) The reason Trunks could go through Time easily and not Mie is that Trunks and Bulma are not gods, so they cannot truly affect Time. By going through time, with their own power (or inventiveness), their very presence in the past creates an alternate reality. Anything they do in that reality to shape its future will have no effect on their own. If it did, the people they are would not come to exist as their world would be replaced with a different future, and the potential for paradox is huge. But Mie's a goddess, so the rules don't apply to her.