Previously on DragonBall: Our hero Trunks was just plain bored, so he visited the afterlife and introduced himself to all of the Z characters there. While there, he, Piccolo, Kami, and King Kai devised a plan for the resurrection of all the people unjustly slain by the Androids. They contacted the Planet Namek and asked Dende to come to Earth with a new set of DragonBalls. Trunks returned home to EVEN MORE BOREDOM, but Bulma introduced him to the Internet, where he found the woman that just might be his one true love. However, Leena was kidnapped by the evil Pui Pui, who lured Trunks and a man known as "the Supreme Kai" into the underground spaceship of an evil wizard named Babidi. The Supreme Kai explained the situation to Trunks just before Trunks dealt deadly blows to the first pair of Babidi's henchmen. Now Trunks waits on the second level of Babidi's ship for the next warrior to battle, hoping to somehow get to Leena.
DRAGONBALL
musical interlude
I am lost in the see-through. I think you lost yourself too. Throughout all of this confusion, I hope I somehow get to you. I practiced all the things I'd say to tell you how I feel, and when I finally get my chance, It all seems so surreal, 'cause from the first time that I say you, I only thought about you. I didn't know you. I wanted to hold onto the things you'd never say to me, 'cause you said: "You can't change the way you feel". I could never do that. I could never do that. And "You can't tell me this ain't real, 'cause this is real." And you would see right through that. In the end, it's all I've got, so I will hold on to that. So, I'm gonna hold on and on and on and on.
Now you've got me watching your eyes – got me waiting just to see. If it goes the way it never will, your eyes are watching me. And now you've got me thinking 'bout the first time that I met you, standing in a crowded room, but I could only see you. And I hope my words will get through, 'cause now I can't forget you. I want to tell you. If only I could reach you and make you feel this way… but you said: "You can't change the way you feel". I could never do that. I could never do that. And "You can't tell me this ain't real, 'cause this is real." And you would see right through that. In the end, it's all I've got, so I will hold on to that. So, I'm gonna hold on and on and on and on and on and on and on, on and on and on and on, on and on and on, and on.
"Change" by Good Charlotte, written/sung by Joel and Benji, The Twins That Play
DRAGONBALL
Trunks paced the second level of Babidi's ship, thinking of Leena. I hope she's not hurt, he thought. I'm gonna try as hard as I can to get to her. He looked at the Supreme Kai. "Tell me again why I can't just blast my way down," he said in inquiry.
"It could be the jolt of energy that Majin Buu needs to awaken," the Supreme Kai explained. "You don't want him to be awake because of you, do you?"
"No," Trunks said. "If he's as strong as you say, I might want to try and avoid waking him." He looked back at the Kai. "Explain the other part again. Every time that either a bad guy damages me or I damage one of them, the ship absorbs it?"
"Yes," the Supreme Kai responded. "And feeds it straight to Buu."
"Then why don't we risk peeling open this hatch?" Trunks asked. "If we can go defeat Babidi now, his minions will be set free, Buu won't get any of their energy because I won't have beat it out of them, we'll get to Leena faster, and even open up that first hatch to leave. Even if we run into trouble, we'll be the ones with the control. If we wait here, Babidi's soldiers have time to power up, which not only would make them harder to beat, it would give Buu more of their energy. If we charge ahead, they will be weaker and less prepared, giving us an advantage in battle and also cutting down on Buu's power supply." He stared at the Supreme Kai, pleading with his eyes. "Plus," he continued. "I never intended to shoot an energy beam through the floor. It might hit Leena! All I'm saying is I try to delicately slice through this hatch and all those hatches we find below us."
The Supreme Kai raised an eyebrow. "You are a lot smarter than most other powerful beings," he said.
Trunks smiled. "That's because of my mom," he explained. "She and her dad are the two most intelligent humans out there! I'm nowhere near as smart as they are, but at least I'm smarter than most people!" He looked at the floor. "Does that mean you're gonna let me try to slice through the floor?" he asked.
"You can try," the Supreme Kai answered. "I doubt you will have much success."
Trunks extended one palm toward the black circle in the center of the floor. A small, yellow energy beam shone from his hand, slowly extending toward the ground. "If I had my sword," he said, "I wouldn't hafta do it this way."
With the energy beam he sliced into the hatch, creating a shape large enough to pass through. He jumped down on the loosened hatch and it fell. "C'mon," he said. "On to level three!"
The Supreme Kai, wide eyed, followed the intelligent and powerful young warrior down to the next level. Trunks sliced the hatch there as well and kicked down the cutout piece. He entered the next level quickly and began preparing to cut through to the next level.
"Wait!" the Supreme Kai said. "This is the final floor that you are about to enter. It might be wise to either power up now or lure them away from your loved one."
Trunks stopped. He looked over at the Kai. "You're pretty smart, you know that?" he asked.
The Supreme Kai blushed. "Well," he said. "You don't become protector of the East quadrant by sitting around all day, you know."
Trunks smirked. "Then we wait here for now," he said. "I won't power up just yet. I'll wait and see who Babidi sends out next before revealing my complete power." He sat down near the hatch and waited.
I cannot believe the confidence, wisdom, and power of this young man, the Supreme Kai thought. He is unlike anyone else that I have ever met, unlike anyone that has probably ever existed! Look at him there, strumming his fingers on the ground. He's thinking of his girlfriend, too! Most experienced fighters would be more focused on the battle that awaits them, but this young man has only thoughts of saving his loved ones! Unbelievable!
Trunks closed his eyes and began focusing on the energy inside of him, preparing for a quick power-up if necessary.
DRAGONBALL
Hours later, Trunks had become impatient. He paced in a circle around the panel in the floor. "What's taking them so long?" he asked. "You don't think the next fighter is powering up, do you?"
"That is entirely possible," the Supreme Kai said.
Trunks became enraged. "Why did I even listen to you?!?" he shouted. "Leena could be dead now and I will probably be facing a strong fighter that could easily allow that Buu creature to gain power, and it's all thanks to you!"
The Supreme Kai wasn't phased. "On the other hand," he said. "Your Leena may still yet live, and we will have the chance to shorten their ranks by one before descending to the final arena."
Trunks bit on his bottom lip. "I guess…" he said. "I just hope this is all over soon. Don't you?" There wasn't a response. "Supreme Kai? Don't you?" He looked to where the Supreme Kai had stood, and stood still, turned to stone.
Stone???
Trunks was hit from behind and fell forward forcefully, finding his face deep within a dent in the wall. He turned around and faced his new opponent, who had lowered in from the previous floors, an unexpected tactic by all means. The new bad guy was tall and pink, with horns and a trimmed moustache, and also a very evil pair of cat-like eyes. He was wiping his mouth. Flinging the saliva to the ground, he smiled. Trunks watched the saliva in its descent. It struck his watch, which he had removed, turning it to stone.
His spit…
Trunks stood up. "So you're the third, huh?" he said. "My name is Trunks." He levitated into the air, powering up, feeling the SuperSaiyan energy well up within his very being. His hair began to float and turned gold with a shout. His irises turned green. He yelled again as his muscles expanded some. With a third shout, his golden hair paled and extended some, his muscles grew again very slightly, and small currents of electricity began shooting out from his body, surrounding him. He shouted once more as the energy around his body pulsed out, creating very forceful winds that pushed his opponent back. He had finally realized the full power of the second full SuperSaiyan form, as only the alternate child Gohan had done before in Trunks's recollection. He landed back on the ground, yellow light energy pulsing from his body.
His opponent was rather frightened. You see, this was Dabura, the overlord and strongest fighter in an alternate reality known as the Demon World. Dabura was stronger than anyone Trunks had ever faced before, but in order to realize his full power he had to endure hours of meditation and extreme focusing. He had just completed this task, making the battle that much harder for Trunks.
Trunks stepped toward Dabura. Dabura pounced on Trunks, sending him sprawling with a right hook to the jaw. Trunks planted his hands on the ground and flipped, not letting himself incur further damage by hitting a wall. He smiled at Dabura. "That's one for you," he said, raising one finger. He pounced on Dabura, kneeing the Demon King in the gut. Dabura heaved, sending spit flying everywhere. Some splattered on Trunks's shirt, which Trunks instinctively ripped off. The shirt was stone before it hit the ground. When it did so, it shattered. Trunks saw it do so and looked at the Supreme Kai. Without more than a second thought, he leapt through the hole in the ceiling into the third floor.
Dabura followed him there and grabbed his ankle. Trunks struck out with his other foot, landing a kick hard in Dabura's eye. Dabura grabbed his face, allowing Trunks to fly free, turn, and head-butt Dabura in the back. Dabura cried out in pain and fell forward. Trunks extended his hand and pointed an energy beam across the room, parallel to the floor, at Dabura. Dabura was pushed away, struggling, arms crossed in defense. He tried his hardest to break free of Trunks's blast but simply could not. He found his back to the wall.
Trunks put his free left hand against his right wrist and used both hands to increase the flow of energy. Dabura screamed as his flesh was ripped and burnt from his bones. When Trunks finished, all that remained of Dabura was a blackened hole in the wall, dirt from the outside world piling in.
Trunks powered down slightly as his radiant energy disappeared and the electricity became no more. His hair, still long and pale, remained extended in the air. He lowered himself to the fourth level again, where the Supreme Kai waited, dazed. Trunks's shirt had also returned to normal and lay on the floor in two halves.
"Then Dabura has been killed as well?" the Supreme Kai asked. "He had me turned to stone before I had time to react to the sight of him!"
"Yes, he's dead," Trunks said.
The Supreme Kai looked at Trunks's hair, eyes, and body size. "What happened to you?" he asked. "If it wasn't for your height and clothing, I would've mistaken you for that Brolly creature that killed my friend Kibito!"
Babidi's trademark cackling was heard. "This is excellent!" he said. "Majin Buu has nearly two thirds of his power thanks to Pui Pui, Yakon, Dabura, and yourself, young warrior." Trunks made an angry face, obviously mad that Dabura had had time to power up. "It's odd that you mentioned Brolly, Supreme Kai!" Babidi continued. "He will be your opponent for the fourth floor."
Trunks let his eyes widen. "But Dabura was the challenger for the fourth floor!" he protested. "And who is this Brolly, anyway?" he asked.
Babidi cackled once more. "You didn't remain on the fourth level for the entire battle against Dabura," he said. "I'm terribly sorry, but it just doesn't count!"
Trunks gritted his teeth. "Bring on your next fighter then!" he shouted. "Show me this Brolly!" He looked to the Supreme Kai. "You might want to get out of my way this time," he suggested calmly. "I only left before to prevent you from shattering in your statue state." He pointed to the hole in the ceiling. "Go on," he said. "I've got this guy."
The Supreme Kai did not protest. He levitated through the hole and disappeared from sight. "Good luck," he said. "You need it!"
The door opened in front of Trunks. Inside was a yellow light and electric currents. Trunks gasped. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror – Brolly was a SuperSaiyan as well, completely powered into the second form, but was obviously bigger. His muscles were larger, his stature taller, his hair longer… and the obvious "M" was on his forehead.
"Who are you?" Trunks asked.
Brolly just smiled and attacked. His fist landed hard on Trunks's arms, which were crossed over his chest in defense. Trunks powered up once more and pushed Brolly's fist away with a shout. Now both of them were complete with radiant energy and electricity. Trunks shouted once more, his muscles beefing up ever-so-slightly again. The floor dented as his energy pushed out on it. He charged Brolly and landed a fist on Brolly's chin. Brolly staggered back slightly, then landed a single blow into Trunks's gut. Trunks cried out, his eyes clenched, sweat flying from his forehead. He was forced into powering down some because of the pain. He fell to the ground and was struck from above by the larger Saiyan. As Brolly's fists came down like a hammer into Trunks's upper back once and then twice, it was fairly apparent that the Majin Saiyan warrior had the upper hand in battle, despite the years of training Trunks had endured.
Brolly kicked Trunks hard in the chin and Trunks flew away like a football through the uprights. He staggered to his feet, using the wall as a support. Brolly charged again but stopped in midair, restrained by some unseen force. Trunks looked at the his Saiyan opponent in bewilderment.
"Trunks," came the Supreme Kai's voice, "attack now! Don't worry about me! Take him down!"
Brolly struggled, trying to reach the much smaller fighter on his back. No matter how hard he tried, he could not reach the Supreme Kai.
It was just the opening that Trunks needed. He charged once more to his full power. "I won't kill you, Supreme Kai," he said. "I'll just beat this guy down!" He pounced on Brolly, sending blow after blow into the larger Saiyan's face, chest, and abdomen. Brolly cried out in pain several times as he tried to swing back, his arm movement impeded by the Kai. Trunks grabbed Brolly by the hair and brought the lumbering giant's head down into his knee, breaking Brolly's nose and splattering blood everywhere.
Brolly yelled a yell that no Saiyan had ever yelled. He powered up once again, his hair growing and paling some, his muscles expanding once more. He grabbed the Supreme Kai by the hair and hurled him into Trunks. The pair of heroes flew across the room as Brolly pounced once more, breaking the Supreme Kai's back with a very powerful punch. The Supreme Kai fell to the floor, barely alive.
Brolly stopped and powered down as Trunks looked toward his companion.
"Supreme Kai, are you alright?" he asked. "Can you move?"
The Supreme Kai only whispered. "Kill Babidi," he breathed. His body went limp as he died there in Trunks's arms. Trunks stared at the lifeless form of the last remaining Supreme Kai, broken in two, tears coming to his eyes. He looked up toward Brolly, but no one was there. Brolly had gone. The floor was open.
Trunks laid the Supreme Kai on the ground and proceeded down the tunnel into the darkness below.
He landed on the ground on the final level. Before him was the egg of Majin Buu, pulsing with a great energy.
Oh, no! I'm too late!
He looked around the room, which appeared very empty, except for the egg.
Where is everybody?!?
Instantly, his surroundings changed. He found himself standing next to the egg still, but they were outside the ship now. "What's going on?" he said aloud.
He heard Babidi's cackle once more. A tiny figure stepped out from behind the egg.
Trunks felt like laughing. "You're Babidi?" he asked the wrinkly, yellow, Chihuahua-looking wizard. "You're kind of small for an all-powerful wizard!"
Babidi bared his teeth in anger. "Quiet!" he shouted. He waved his hands and shouted a word that Trunks did not understand. Trunks found himself floating in the air now, arms and legs bound my magical ropes. He struggled, but his fighting just caused pain, so he gave up.
Babidi had his hands behind his back. "You had no trouble defeating poor stupid Pui Pui and my precious Yakon," he said. "Even Dabura was no match for you! However, it would seem that you are not the strongest fighter!"
The egg was pulsing rapidly now. The loose soil around its base was shaking and blowing slowly away.
"Don't get me wrong," Babidi continued. "You are fairly strong, probably stronger than Majin Buu! However, I have learned something in the past twelve years, and that is that incredible powers like this exist in many species, so it is no surprise that a Human such as yourself is stronger than Dabura. You see, I also have fighters that are stronger than Majin Buu. Brolly you have met…"
Brolly stepped out from behind the egg, completely healed in appearance.
"Brolly belongs to a proud race known as the Saiyans. He is by far their strongest warrior in history!" He looked at Trunks. "You would know about that, now, wouldn't you? Brolly tells me that there were several other fighters that survived the destruction of their people. Might your father be one of those warriors? You and Brolly now bear an incredibly striking resemblance!"
Trunks did not give a response. He gritted his teeth.
Babidi smiled. "Yes," he said. "We will see about that, won't we?!?" He turned back to Brolly. "Brolly isn't even the strongest of my warriors!" he shouted, looking back toward Trunks. "He is rather close, but not nearly as strong as Cooler!"
"Cooler?" Trunks asked.
A large purple-and-white creature stepped out from behind the egg.
"Cooler is the strongest warrior in his race's history as well," Babidi explained. "He is the only Changeling ever to reach a fifth form in transformation, as you see here now!"
"Changeling?" Trunks shouted. "Like Frieza?!?"
Cooler smiled. "Frieza is my brother," he said. "He liked to call himself the most powerful, but in truth he was the third. My father and I both surpass my brother in means of power, though father didn't like to show off as much as his sons do."
Trunks looked at the fifth changeling form, much like what he had been told the third form was like, only sleeker and less wretched.
"What are your plans, Babidi?" Trunks asked. "Why bother waking Majin Buu if you already have two warriors that are stronger than him?"
Babidi smiled. "You speak too soon," he said. "I have four fighters that are stronger than Majin Buu. Lord Slug is also the most powerful being in the history of his people. Bojack is another alien that I stumbled upon, but he won't tell me very much about himself."
An immense Namekian stepped out from behind the egg, followed by a human-looking creature with blue skin and bright orange hair.
"But all Namekians are good and peaceful!" Trunks shouted. "How did you take control of his heart?"
Babidi cackled. "There, you are wrong, my boy. Slug didn't even know what a Namekian was until I found him and showed him! He grew up seeing many evil things, things which turned his heart black with hatred, fear, and anger!"
Trunks clenched and unclenched his fists. "What is the point of all this?" he asked. "Why wake Majin Buu when you already have more than enough power to conquer the universe?"
The egg levitated and began to spin slightly.
Babidi, smiling, stepped toward Trunks. "Let me ask you this," he said. "Why bother with five superior fighters when you can have one INVINCIBLE one?!?"
Trunks frowned. What does he mean??? Then it struck him. "You are going to have Majin Buu absorb these four just as he absorbed the Supreme Kai's comrades!"
Babidi showed his teeth with a wicked smile. "Now you're getting it," he said. "Not just these four, but you as well!"
Trunks gasped. "I won't let you!" he yelled, his voice lost in the whir of the egg. He struggled as the egg struck the ground and split open. He couldn't break the wizards spell, so instead he focused on the egg. A great puff of pink smoke billowed from the egg and floated into the sky. The egg was…
"Empty?!?" Babidi screamed. "Impossible!" He looked at Trunks who was focused on the cloud high in the air. He looked up at the cloud himself, to see it take form.
Trunks bared his teeth, looking away from the cloud. He then saw a sight that truly inspired him. Leena lay on the ground beside the base that had held the egg. She appeared to be unconscious but still uninjured. He struggled harder than ever, powering up to what he knew was his limit, trying to break free. With a scream he sent shockwaves in all directions, but was still unable to break free.
The cloud began to form hands and legs as Majin Buu came to life. It formed into skin and clothing for the plump creature.
Majin Buu set foot on the ground and giggled. Yes, the immensely powerful creature audibly giggled. He looked at Slug and yelled "BOO!"
Babidi was ecstatic. "Majin Buu," he called. "I am Babidi, the son of Bibidi, your creator, and I am now your new master!"
Majin Buu looked at him. "Boo?" he said inquisitively.
Babidi pointed to his three warriors. "These are your first four targets," he said. "These three are the strongest, yummiest fighters in the universe, and they have offered to be your appetizer to help you realize your full power!"
Majin Buu looked at Brolly, Cooler, Bojack, and Slug. He pointed at them, looking back to Babidi. "Boo?" he asked.
Babidi smiled. "Yes," he said evilly. "Eat them now and gain much power from the yummy tasties they will become!"
Majin Buu got an evil look in his eyes. He jumped in front of Slug and yelled "BOOO!!!" With a quick flash of purple energy, Slug turned into a head of lettuce. Majin Buu turned to Brolly and yelled again. With a similar flash of energy, Brolly turned into a sprig of broccoli. Majin Buu turned to Cooler and yelled a third time, turning the Changeling into a barbecued pork rib. Soon Bojack was turned into a licorice stick.
Majin Buu gathered the food items and sat down. He jammed them all into his mouth at once and swallowed them whole. He rubbed his belly. "Yummy!" he said. His body contorted some and took a new, more muscular and evil shape. His innocent grin became an evil sneer as he beefed up.
"My goodness!" Babidi yelled. "Even after twelve extra years of learning about you, Buu, I didn't expect this kind of transformation!"
Buu chuckled. He slowly strode toward the wizard, still smiling evilly. His new form was taller, leaner, and more massive than the first, and was incredibly strong-looking.
Trunks fought with all his might against the cords that bound him.
Babidi looked at Buu with a new intensity. "I am your master now, Buu!" he shouted. "Your next order is to consume that strong warrior as well!" He pointed to Trunks.
Buu glanced at Trunks, but continued approaching Babidi.
"Buu," Babidi said. "Do what your master tells you and kill Trunks!!!"
Buu was upon him now, leering down at him.
"Buu?"
With another step, Babidi was roadkill, flattened by the very creation he had worked so hard for.
Trunks broke free and instinctively dove toward Leena. Buu was faster, however, and was on the girl in a flash. He jumped up and down on her body, squashing it as Trunks watched, still approaching.
"NOOOOO!!!" Trunks screamed. He pummeled fist-first into Buu's back. Buu grinned evilly as he brushed Trunks aside like a mosquito. Trunks was thrown aside like a rag doll, falling unconscious before he hit the ground.
DRAGONBALL
musical interlude
Yeah! Wait another minute. Can't you see what this pain has f*cking done to me? I'm alive and still kicking. What you see I can't see, and maybe you'll think before you speak. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you. Take another second. Turn your back on me and make believe that you're always happy. It's safe to say your never alive. A big part of you has died, and by the way, I hope your satisfied. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake. Swallowing you, I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you. Go! Turning back, unveiling me, taking a step back so I can breathe, hear the silence about to break, fear resistance when I'm awake. Turning back, unveiling me, taking a step back so I can breathe, hear the silence about to break, fear resistance when I'm awake. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake. Swallowing you, I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you.
"Awake" by Godsmack
DRAGONBALL
"Wake up," came a voice.
Where am I? Trunks was thinking. Am I dead? Is this what Hell is like for failures?
"If you are Trunks, then I need to speak with you," the voice said. "Wake up!"
Trunks sat up. Everything around him was hazy. He extended his hand and felt another grab it.
"Good," the voice said. "I am glad to see you moving."
Trunks felt his body being lifted off of the ground. He tried to speak but couldn't. He touched his face with what must have been a broken hand. All he could feel was blood. That's why he couldn't see – the blood had even stained his eyes, which were also nearly swollen shut. His new companion lifted them into the air and flew away quietly. Trunks passed out once more.
DRAGONBALL
"He should be ready to fight again when he wakes up," someone was saying. "I am very glad that you have healing powers. Without them, Trunks might have died."
"Popo?" Trunks breathed. He coughed, feeling some blood leave his lungs. He hacked up what he could and sat up straight. He wiped his face with a nearby towel.
Popo entered the small room where Trunks had been placed on a bed. "We were going to wash you off before you awoke," he said. "Would you like to shower now? I have a clean change of clothing ready for you."
"That wasn't you that brought me here," Trunks said. "Who was it?"
"My name is Dende," came a voice. A Namekian poked his head in through the door. "I was the one who brought you here."
Trunks stood up. "Dende?!?" he shouted. "Then you have come with the DragonBalls? Can you explain to me their limits so I can wish for this all to end?"
Dende frowned. "I'm sorry," he said. "When I made my DragonBalls I made it a point not to overdo their powers. You can revive any number of people on them, but you cannot change the past. You cannot undo what Buu has become."
Trunks slammed his fist into the wall. He frowned, eyes shut in thought. "Then I will wish back the Supreme Kai, my father, Gohan, Goku, Kami, and Piccolo first, then all the others when we have dealt with Buu," he said. "How long is the waiting period for your Dragon?" he asked, turning to Dende.
"One hundred days," Dende said. "But you cannot do what you just said!"
Trunks looked at Dende. "What do you mean 'cannot'?"
Dende frowned, as if he had made a mistake. "When I created my DragonBalls, I did it with the fear that they would be used for evil. Certain wishes cannot be granted, such as immortality, the destruction of a planet, a change in the progression of the past, and wishing back all of your own friends with one wish. I thought that an evil warrior might use the DragonBalls to resurrect an army, so I created it with a failsafe. You can only bring back one of your friends or loved ones with each wish. There are two wishes allowed, but only one of them can be used on revival."
"I have to pick one?!?" Trunks shouted. "That's kinda dumb, Dende! Can't you change that for me?"
Dende lowered his face again. "It would take too long," he said. "You should make your two wishes now before I change the wishing rules."
Trunks put his forehead in his hands. "I hafta pick one of them…" he said, "but who?"
"Do you really want to resurrect someone?" Dende asked. "Nail and King Kai made it seem like you were a great deal stronger than your friends. Don't you just think they'd get killed again, or worse, absorbed by that Buu creature out there?"
Trunks sat down on the bed, rubbing his eyes. "There has to be a way," he said. "If only I could be stronger." He laid down and started thinking.
"Would you like something to eat?" Popo asked. "Maybe a visit to the Hyperbolic Chamber?"
Trunks stood up. "The Hyperbolic Chamber!" he said. "That's perfect! I could just… wait… no, that still wouldn't make me strong enough! I need something better…" A light bulb burned in his brain. "Can the Dragon give me a fighting energy superior to Buu's?" he asked Dende.
Dende lowered his face to the ground a third time. "No," he said.
Trunks's eyes widened. "I know what to do!" he said. "Where are the DragonBalls?"
"Out here on the Lookout," Dende said, leaving the small room. "They're ready for you to summon my Dragon."
Trunks sprinted outside. "What do I say?" he asked.
"'Eternal Dragon, come out and grant my wish'," Dende whispered into Trunks's ear. "Say it loudly."
"Eternal Dragon," Trunks shouted, "come out and grant my wish!"
The balls began glowing, the sky grew dark, a yellow bolt of lightning came up from the DragonBalls. A small green dragon with red glaring eyes looked at them. It very much resembled Shenlong, but was much shorter in length and smaller in general body size. Stretched out, it was maybe thirty feet long.
Trunks was bewildered. "This is your dragon?" he asked. "He's so much smaller than Shenlong!"
Dende smiled. "Hey, bigger doesn't always mean better," he said.
"What is your wish?" the Dragon bellowed in a voice not unlike that of Shenlong or Porunga.
"First of all," Trunks said, "if I ask you a question and you answer it, does that count as a wish?"
The Dragon answered. "No," it replied.
Trunks smiled. "I'm glad you said that," he said, "because if you had said 'yes' that'd be one wish right there, now wouldn't it?"
"Yes it would," the Dragon responded.
"What's your name?" Trunks asked.
"Linchang," the Dragon responded.
"Why is the grass green?" Trunks asked.
"The molecular composition of chlorophyll reflects green lightwaves," Linchang responded.
"Who killed the Androids?"
"You did."
"Why does my back hurt sometimes when I wake up?"
"You sleep on your side with one leg on top of the other, and that pulls on the muscles of your lower back."
"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"
"The creature that has evolved into the chicken has been laying eggs since it was a creature that could not be called a 'chicken' by definition."
"If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?"
"One peck is equal to two gallons. That either means that Peter picked enough peppers to fill a two-gallon basket or enough to fill two one-gallon jars with the peppers after they had been pureed."
"If I said you had a sexy body, would you hold it against me?"
"No."
"Is there a SuperSaiyan form past that which I have reached?"
"Yes."
"In that case, my first wish is to be able to advance to the next SuperSaiyan level at its maximum potential, whenever I deem it necessary."
"Your wish is granted," Linchang said.
There was a pause.
"It's done?" Trunks asked. "Just like that?"
"Yes," Linchang responded.
"I would like to wait until Buu is slain before making my next wish," Trunks said.
"As you wish," Linchang responded. With a flash, he disappeared, leaving only the DragonBalls behind.
Trunks smiled. "I'm feeling good enough to kick Buu's rear end," he said.
There was a great rumbling noise that shook the entire Lookout.
"What was that?" Dende cried out in alarm after it finished.
"Not Buu?" Popo cried, running to the edge of the Lookout.
"No," Trunks said. "My stomach. You guys said you had some food?"
DRAGONBALL
Two halves of Buu's egg lay separate in a field of upturned earth. Nearby, a bloodied body of a beautiful young woman lay, broken and torn. The wizard Babidi lay nearby as well, in a similar state. The winds whipped around their bodies. The egg's shell rocked slightly in the breeze. In the distance, a raven cried out, flying swiftly from a burning village.
Trunks landed on the ground near Leena's body and lifted her up. She was mangled beyond identification, but Trunks didn't care. She was the one he loved. He knew that when it came time to wish back one of his friends, it would be her. Bulma too was now dead and buried – East City was Buu's very first target.
Trunks wiped Leena's blood-matted hair away from her beautiful eyes. He kissed her scarred and bloody face and walked away with her in his arms.
DRAGONBALL
musical interlude
It starts with one thing. I don't know why. It doesn't even matter how hard you try. Keep that In mind. I designed this rhyme to explain in due time all I know. Time is a valuable thing. Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings. Watch it count down to the end of the day. The clock ticks life away. It's so unreal. I didn't look out below. Watch the time go right out the window. Trying to hold on, but didn't even know. I wasted it all just to watch you go. I kept everything inside, and even though I tried, it all fell apart. What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.
One thing – I don't know why it doesn't even matter how hard you try. Keep that in mind. I designed this rhyme to remind myself how I tried so hard in spite of the way you were mocking me, acting like I was part of your property, remembering all the times you fought with me. I'm surprised it got so far. Things aren't the way they were before. You wouldn't even recognize me anymore. Not that you knew me back then, but it all comes back to me in the end. You kept everything inside and, even though I tried, it all fell apart. What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.
I put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go, and for all this, there's only one thing you should know. I've put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go, and for all this, there's only one thing you should know. I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.
"In the End" by Linkin Park written/sung by Chester Bennington and Michael Shinoda
DRAGONBALL
Buu was having fun making women and children plead for their lives as they cried out in pain. You see, Buu isn't like Babidi at all. He could care less about the destruction of globes and universal takeover. All he really wanted was to watch people suffer. It was like a game to him, to guess how long each person could endure his torture. He now held a small child in his hands, and was slowly stabbing it in the abdomen, hearing its cries of pain.
Something tapped on his shoulder. He turned… straight into a punch. As he began to move away, the child fell from his arms, but was caught before it hit the ground, still wailing.
Buu landed face-first in the ruins of an old stone building that he had just toppled. He stood up instantly, but to his surprise, there was no one around, not even the babe that he had just held. He grunted and stepped back into the street where he had just stood. He looked around, squinting. There was another tap on his shoulder. He turned once more and was sent flying into a broken building once more.
There was laughing behind him now. He stood and spun around, nursing his jaw. No one was there. He was rather peeved at this point.
"Mah… Sen…" came a shout from above. Buu looked up, but there was no one there. "KO!!!" came the scream from behind him now. With his guard completely down, he was completely vulnerable to the full-force attack from the third level SuperSaiyan. He was thrown into the rubble a third time as he felt the flesh on his back being singed. He cried out in alarm, but the blow was far from fatal. He stood and finally faced his opponent. He squinted, not recognizing Trunks at first.
Trunks had taken on a completely new form. His muscles were as large as ever or larger. His hair was as pale as ever, if not paler, and it was now flowing behind him, nearly five feet in length. His eyebrows were gone, the bridge of his forehead jutted outward somewhat, resembling a Neanderthal. The yellow radiant energy and electric currents were all around him now, pulsing more powerfully than ever. His green eyes were pale and glared with a semi-demonic pleasure.
He smiled at Buu.
Buu charged him, landing a blow directly into his gut.
Trunks staggered backwards. He's still stronger than me, he realized. What more can I do? He looked at Buu as the creature charged him once more.
Buu punched… through the air in which Trunks was just standing.
DRAGONBALL
"I need every idea, guys!" Trunks said to Dende, Roshi, and Popo. He was powered down again. "I'm running out of options!"
"There is your capsule training," Roshi suggested.
"Senzu beans," Popo said. "The Hyperbolic Chamber. The Pendulum Room."
Dende stepped forward. "I could try to bring out your hidden powers," he said. "Guru told me I could do it when the time came."
"Weighted clothing," Roshi said. "That could turn your thousand Gs into many more thousands."
"King Yamma's fruit," Popo said.
Trunks smiled. "That's what I'm talking about, guys!" he said. "Thanks!"
He disappeared.
"Sometimes I wonder about that kid," Roshi said.
DRAGONBALL
Trunks appeared in Korin's greenhouse on Korin Tower. He filled a small bag with senzu beans, then disappeared again.
DRAGONBALL
Trunks appeared in Hell, under King Yamma's tree. He plucked an armful of fruit from the tree, then disappeared again.
DRAGONBALL
Trunks appeared at his home, which was partially destroyed. He pressed the button outside of his training room and it turned into a capsule, which he pocketed. He then ran inside. Bulma had made a replica of the suit he brought back from the alternate reality. It was weighted. He put the fruit, the beans, the capsule, and the suit into a duffel bag, and disappeared again.
DRAGONBALL
He appeared on the Lookout once more, in the same place he had stood a moment before.
"That was pretty quick!" Roshi said.
"Dende," Trunks said, ignoring Roshi, "can you bring forward my powers like you mentioned before?"
"I can try," Dende said. "Sit down."
Trunks sat where he stood, setting the bag down beside him.
Dende placed one hand in Trunks's lavender hair. Trunks felt the energy within him tingle some. Then, it was like a floodgate of energy opened. The small amount of power which he had complete power over had just miraculously grown. It was as if a well of energy inside of him was filling after a drought.
He pulled out a piece of Yamma's fruit and devoured it. Now the seemingly endless well of energy and power became more accessible, and easier and quicker to use.
He stood up. "I must be twice as strong as just a few minutes ago!" he said. "This is incredible!"
"You are ready to face Buu now, then?" Dende asked.
Trunks pulled the capsule out of his pack and tossed it up in the air. "Not yet," he said. "I want to be certain of my powers this time. I know my way to the Hyperbolic Chamber, so I will just go there now."
He was gone again.
DRAGONBALL
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Trunks had entered the Hyperbolic Chamber. Roshi, Popo, and Dende had spent the time sitting silently and waiting, not saying a word. The silence was broken.
"Hasn't it been twenty-four hours yet?" Roshi asked. "It feels like –" He went flying forward with an incredible blow to the head.
Dende and Popo stood. They were face-to-face with Buu himself. Roshi lay lifeless against a wall. Buu grabbed Dende by the head and threw him against the same wall. Dende landed on top of Roshi, unmoving. Popo didn't have time to move, as he was quickly thrown into the wall as well.
Buu paced toward them, smiling like a two-year old Saiyan who had just found his first animal to torture.
"Stop right there!" came a shout. Trunks stepped forward, glowing with energy, casting his training gear aside. He powered up, quickly passing through all of the SuperSaiyan phases to the fully-powered third level.
Buu bared his teeth in anger. He now recognized Trunks to be the man that had burned his back. He pounced on the SuperSaiyan, but was struck in the gut before he saw Trunks moving. Trunks was now under him, his fist digging deep into Buu's abdomen.
Buu flew away, injured. Trunks followed and quickly surpassed his prey, stopping him in his path. Buu panicked an turned around, only to find that Trunks moved there as well. In fact, it seemed that Trunks was everywhere Buu turned, not letting the Majin warrior move from the one spot.
Trunks extended his hands out in front of him, moving around in a sphere in front of Buu. "Kah…" he started. "Me… Ha… Me…" He winked at Buu. "HAAAAAAAAAA!!!" His scream seemed to echo everywhere as the blast shot upward at Buu, incinerating him very quickly.
As the smoke cleared, one thing was evident. Our hero had won yet again.
All that was left of Buu was the ash floating through the air.
DRAGONBALL
Trunks landed on the Lookout and ran to his friends' sides. Roshi and Popo stood now, trying to get Dende to swallow a senzu bean. Dende was still yet alive, but couldn't swallow and wasn't responding to the others.
Trunks was frantic, but he knew just what to do. He ran to the DragonBalls and yelled: "Eternal Dragon, come out and grant my final wish!"
With a flash, Linchang was out once again, the sky having turned black once more.
"What do you wish?" Linchang asked.
"I wish for the revival of all of the kind and innocent creatures killed by the Androids, Cell, Babidi's men, and Buu in the past twenty years," Trunks shouted, "and I wish for that to include Kami and Piccolo!"
"This wish cannot be granted," Linchang replied. "Kami and Piccolo are two individuals. They cannot both be brought back. However, they cannot be brought back individually either, as they have a life-link."
Trunks frowned. "Grr! What do I do?" he said quietly to himself. "If only they were a single person again, like in the other timeline, but that would get rid of the DragonBalls!"
Linchang blinked in and out of existence. Dende was dying.
"Trunks," Roshi said. "Heal Dende and make the revival wish later!"
Trunks's eyes grew wide. "Of course!" he shouted. "Eternal Dragon, my wish is to completely restore Dende's health!"
"Your wish is granted," Linchang said, and blinked out of existence without returning. The DragonBalls had turned to stone.
"No," Trunks wailed. "I wasn't fast enough! Dende is dead and now we've gotta go to Namek to revive him!"
"At least there is another way," Roshi said. "As long as Maury lives, there is hope for us!"
"Oh dear," Popo said. "That is not good news."
Trunks turned to Popo. "What?" he asked. "What's wrong, Mister Popo?"
Popo frowned. "Dende told me that Maury was killed by a natural disaster just before he left Namek," he said.
Trunks couldn't believe it. All of his loved ones… would never live again. Bulma, Vegeta, Gohan, the Supreme Kai, Dende… Leena… they were all dead and gone forever. Angered, he grabbed one of Dende's dodgeball-sized DragonBalls and hurled it as far as he could. He reached for another and threw it in a different direction. He threw a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth…
He picked up the final DragonBall and an amazing thing happened. It began to throw itself. Trunks felt his body lift off of the ground as the Ball pulled him away from the Lookout. He was flying faster now than he ever had before. The DragonBall carried him halfway around the Earth, then stopped in midair.
What on Earth? Trunks thought to himself. Who is doing this?
The Ball began to be pulled toward the Earth slightly, but Trunks realized that it was just gravity, so he stopped it and held it in his hands. He looked at it, perfectly round, four stars etched into one side.
He instant transmitted away from where he was, back to the Tenkai.
He looked at Roshi.
He looked at Popo.
He looked at Dende.
Dende stood up.
DRAGONBALL
Trunks stood in a field. Several tens of meters behind him stood Roshi, Popo, and Dende. In front of him lay the shiny, orange Dragonballs, pulsing with energy.
"Linchang," he said to the Dragon hovering in front of him, "I wish for the revival of all those kindhearted and innocent beings unjustly slain by Android Seventeen, Android Eighteen, Cell, Babidi, Pui Pui, Yakon, Dabura, Brolly, Slug, Bojack, Cooler, Buu, and all other evil powers the Earth has faced in the past twenty years."
It was one hundred days after Buu's death. Dende, who needed more than one hundred days to change the wishing rules, suggested that they revive as many people as possible before he tried. Trunks, Roshi, Popo, and Dende then gathered the DragonBalls so that Trunks might make the wish. Linchang looked down at the figure of the young hero.
"And which of your friends do you wish to have return?" he asked.
Trunks smiled. He knew exactly who to revive.
DRAGONBALL
Okay I know theres a couple things I've gotta explain. First of all, I know that some of the movie bad guys were supposed to show up before Babidi, according to the relative ages of the younger characters in those movies. I was thinking, though, and I figured… the movies didn't fit in with the regular timeline anyway. People all over the Internet completely ignore the events of most of the movies when compiling "Battles", "Timeline", "Summary", etc. sections of their Web sites. So I came to the decision that (1) These characters could exist in the real timeline, but (2) Their stories don't fit, so (3) I'll write them new stories that DO fit. That's why Slug and Cooler show up, even though Trunks wasn't even alive in their movies. These characters were not part of the TRUE DragonBall timeline, so I feel that my using them as I see fit should not be a problem. Plus, this is DragonBall we're talking about! Nothing hasta make sense! (no offense)
Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed reading the story just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Check out my Outlaw Star fic entitled "The Legend of Mana" if you really like my writing. Please read and review (only if you have nice things to say, heh). And I'll see you around! Hopefully, I'll have some more DragonBall fic on the way!
L8R
