Chapter 2

SEVERAL YEARS LATER, AND A NEW TWIST TO THE BUU SAGA...

"Oh, just hurry it up already, fool boy!" Vegeta barked. "You should have finished him off by now." The prince watched in frustration as Gohan battled the demon king, Dabura, in the depths of Babidi's ship.

The Supreme Kai peeled his stare off the fight to gawk at Vegeta. The prince seemed to radiate animosity, but more disturbing than that was his ridiculous over-confidence. All of these Saiyan creatures seemed to have it; but was it justified? Dabura had already killed Kibito, and petrified Piccolo and Krillin. He was a formidable foe, for crying out loud. They would all be wise not to underestimate him.

The Supreme Kai regretted involving them; Goku, Vegeta, Gohan… But he had little choice. Moroshka was nowhere to be found. He had sent her out not long ago to scout out Babidi's last global residence, and she hadn't returned. He couldn't even find her ki-something that worried him more than a little.

He thought about her reluctant smile, and the way she clicked her tongue when he asked her to run his errands. Maybe she was fed up with life under the Kai's paternal care. Perhaps she had finally ventured out on her own-in a parallel dimension or a ki-guarded planet. Either way, she wasn't here. Recruiting other muscle was in order. And so far, these males had shown considerable strength.

"Ah, let him draw it out, Vegeta," Goku said with that relentless good cheer that seemed to grate on Vegeta's nerves. "It's been a long time since someone has wanted to kill him."

Unbelievable! The Kai thought. Talking about it like it's a rare opportunity… "Listen you two, Dabura is King of one of the most violent species that has ever evolved. He's their strongest, and most powerful. That ranks him so far up that most fighters are unworthy to inhale one of his farts!" he exclaimed. "He should not be dealt with lightly."

Vegeta rolled his eyes, and Goku shrugged.

The Supreme Kai shook his head in disbelief and turned back to the battle. Gohan was smiling, but then again, so was Dabura. Both seemed to be toying with each other. Yet he couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. If Gohan was able to beat out his monster opponent, then Babidi was all theirs. It wasn't like there was a power greater than the demon king's that could be manipulated by the foul wizard.

"What I don't get," Vegeta said, his arms folded heavily across his chest, "is why someone like Dabura would ever lower himself to be Babidi's thug."

"It's not that simple, Vegeta," the Supreme Kai said, eyeing him nervously.

Vegeta would be a perfect pawn for Babidi, he thought. His alignment seemed ambiguous, as if he were forced to fight for good and hating every second of it. The Kai regretted not having studied these warriors out before enrolling them to his cause in stopping Buu. "Babidi's trick," the Kai continued, "is to seek out the evil in an individual; the blood thirst, the hatred, the anger-and twist it to his command. Because the technique appeals to one's baser nature, they soon lose all will power and end up a slave to Babidi."

Vegeta snorted. "Baser nature indeed," he growled. "Those are some of my finest attributes."

The Supreme Kai could only stare. Goku must have seen the look on his face, because he sighed, and cupped his hands to his mouth.

"HEY GOHAN!" he yelled. "The Supreme Kai wants you to hurry up!"

As if it will be that easy- The Kai's thoughts were interrupted by the sickening thud of dead flesh hitting the ground. Dabura had been decapitated.

"Ugh," Goku winced. "Gross, son."

As Gohan landed, he looked exhilarated. He wiped his hands on his pants as he spoke. "Boy, that was fun. It's been a long time since-"

"That took you well over a half hour!" Vegeta reprimanded. "Which is twenty-nine minutes longer than it should have lasted!"

The Kai looked at the three of them in unmasked awe. "I…" he swallowed. "I take back everything I said." Then he smiled. Dabura was gone. After years of following Babidi, he finally felt like he had the upper hand. And he hadn't even needed Moroshka. "Now is our chance. We must break through the remaining levels of the ship and destroy Babidi before he can release Buu."

"But isn't he going to throw anymore opponents at us?" Goku asked anxiously.

The Supreme Kai shook his head. "Babidi saw how easily Vegeta and Goku killed his first thugs and panicked," he said. "Dabura was his wild card, I'm sure of it. No one else-"

The Supreme Kai's words were cut off by a ear-piercing cackle. Babidi's puny, and highly annoying voice filled the chamber. "So wrong you are, Supreme Kai!"

Startled, the Kai spun around as Babidi continued, finding him nowhere in the room.

"I'm more resourceful than you think," grated the voice. "My final warrior will surprise you tremendously." Cackle, cackle. "Especially you, Supreme Kai."

Babidi's laughter died out, and they all faced the door as it swooshed open. Out of the recess of the elevator and into the room stepped a woman. The Supreme Kai felt his stomach drop out and his heart lodge in his throat.

NO!