Foremost, I apologize for the extended lack of updates. It was caused by a number of circumstances, both positive and negative, that I have no wish to waste your time with. To balance this, I have some good news. I intend to rewrite the last few chapters of the Final Saga. This may result in slightly less frequent updates, but each of the final chapters will be larger and better than previous fare. All events will remain unchanged.
Regarding the previous chapter: Doubler received a power boost on my part for no true reason. Dabura, conversely, was marginalized because I am not very fond of his character. Yes, it was nice to have a villain with a few brains, but not here.
This chapter is an interesting one, if not exactly cosmically explosive. The very forces that have served as a background for this tale are reaching a breaking point, as evidenced by a number of things that happen in the following chapter. Furthermore, we will get our brief and only look at Fat Buu. Without further ado:
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The sorcerer sobbed into his arm, beside the ball that would forever remain at 99.5%. He had come so close, why did he have to fail so miserably? Life was so unfair. Just then he felt someone coming toward him, and he quickly looked up to see if it was those two again. To his surprise, it was someone from the city, someone he didn't recognize at all. This current position was right outside the city, they must have sensed him.
Soon the girl came closer, heading directly toward him. Babidi glared at her, but she spoke first.
"Are you the one they call Babidi?"
"Yes, what do you know of me?"
"Little, but I hear that you can grant power beyond anyone's wildest dreams."
"Yes," Babidi chuckled, a plan hatching in his mind, "yes I can. I believe I can make someone of your strength five times stronger than you currently are. What do you say to that?"
"Do it."
His hands shaking with excitement, Babidi chanted and did everything necessary. Videl screamed in agony as she was Majined, but Babidi didn't care, as his meter finally reached completeness. Videl got to her feet, a new M on her forehead and new power flowing through her, but Babidi paid no attention. All victory was his! Moving to the orb, he placed both hands on it and began chanting the summoning spell.
Making a telepathic call down on Earth, Dai Kioshin set his plan in motion. It was time to see what all he could do. After waiting a brief minute, he started powering up and called his apprentice.
"Yes, Master?"
"Open the gates of the Afterlife and aim them at G48."
"But, Master, why?" his apprentice gasped.
"Do it!" Dai Kioshin roared. The apprentice hurried to obey his commands. Dai Kioshin continued powering up and waited for Piccolo to make his move. He'd be ready for him.
Piccolo watched Dai Kioshin from his new concealed position. The Kioshin had many cards, a lot of which worried him. Maybe this was truly the last battle. Ah well, Piccolo decided to lay his hand on the table and see how he did. This time, he'd be ready for Dai Kioshin.
First, however, he had unfinished business to take care of. Piccolo turned and sped off in the other direction. Dai Kioshin had his gloves off, now Piccolo was going to take his off too.
Kami watched the skies, waiting for something horrible that was coming. Evil had been broken loose from its bonds and it was coming across the galaxy. It was horrible, worse then Kami had ever imagined. It wasn't long before it would be flying this way, coming for him. A blue glow appeared by the horizon. It was coming for him, as this was his fate, absorption into the ultimate Evil.
Well, not quite. Kami breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Piccolo. But that was bad too, his alter ego was smiling as usual.
"Why so happy?" Kami spat at him, "Evil is here, your precious Goku is heading toward an unwinnable battle and the entire forces of the Kioshins are against you. What do you have to be happy about?"
Piccolo just smiled mysteriously.
"You never understood, Kami," Piccolo shook his head, "but now, you actually will. Maybe you can learn something other than hate for others, but I doubt it."
Piccolo broke off as he felt Kami's telekinesis moving his arm out to rest on Kami's chest. Jerking his hand back, to Kami's shock, Piccolo didn't look surprised. Kami tried again, but now Piccolo was blocking him. Humph, he, untrained, couldn't stop Kami for long.
But he did. Soon, Kami's hand started coming up as well, toward Piccolo. Sweat was running down Kami's face with the struggle, but Piccolo was winning. It wasn't long before Kami's fingers touched Piccolo. The older Namek screamed a last "no" before suddenly being absorbed into Piccolo.
Smiling at his new power, Piccolo flexed his hand. It felt good to be that powerful again, all of his former power as one. He had been training, but he needed even more power to win this one. That was okay, things were going alright, actually. Dai Kioshin had some nasty stuff set up, and it would be tough to deal with. Of course, Piccolo had that handled. Darkness would be the wild card, and the determining factor in the battle. For now, Piccolo needed to counteract another of Dai Kioshin's moves. Speeding up, Piccolo headed for the Afterlife gates. The young Kioshin was about to begin opening them.
Babidi was interrupted as 18 and Goku found his ki and warped down below. He hadn't quite completed the incantation, and unless he did, all his trouble would be for naught. Videl, however, provided the distraction he needed.
"I've become stronger than ever before!" Videl laughed, glaring at 18, "and now, I'll have my revenge!"
Leaping forward, Videl attacked 18. Goku slipped around them and reached the orb as well. Touching it lightly with both hands, he began unraveling Babidi's work. The sorcerer growled and redoubled his efforts, and for an instant they were matched.
Videl attacked again, and 18 decided to end the fight then. Allowing the ineffective blow to hit her, 18 smirked and then hit Videl with her full power. She went flying through a pillar and when she hit the ground she didn't move. In a few seconds, her ki was gone. Giving her one last look, 18 turned back towards the orb, which was glowing brilliantly, to see how Goku was doing.
Slowly, unescapably, the spell was moving backwards, toward completely gone again. 18 was about to attack the orb and try and destroy it, and then a crimson blast rocketed through the area. For an instant reality tore as an incredible spell slashed through them.
Dai Kioshin continued firing his spell, then shut it off once its work was done. Now it was too late. His plan would finally come into fruitation. All his hopes and dreams would come to be at last.
18 and Goku vanished, appearing on a strange landscape, with a psychedelic ground and air. Catching their bearings, they both attempted to Instant Transmission back out again, but at the last instant Goku realized that there was something wrong. They needed to stop immediately. It was too late, and then a painful shock ran over him.
When he was able to see again, he realized that 18 was gone, and he was in some place he didn't recognize at all. Wherever he was, his Instant Transmission was disabled. Gathering ki, he blasted off, flying toward where Babidi had been. Flying would take a lot longer, but he hoped that 18 had been teleported to someplace closer.
Piccolo saw the gates trembling as the apprentice struggled to open them. He were trying his hardest, but it would take a while for him to get the massive gates open. But that was okay, he could wait a while. Just then, he saw 18 appear in a scarlet flash of light. Not turning to her, he continued watching the gate.
"Piccolo?" 18 asked. He nodded.
"Hello 18."
"Can you tell me what just happened?"
"Dai Kioshin launched his energy and split both of you up. But I knew this was coming. Goku is trying to go to Babidi's again and stop Evil from appearing. I messed with Dai Kioshin's spell, and now you are here instead. Right by the gates of the Afterlife. Dai Kioshin has ordered them opened to allow the dead to terrorize the planet. My plan is to stop him, so I directed you here to help fight. The only ones we need to worry about are all the enemies who have fought us before."
Before 18 could say anything there was a rumbling and a crack of thunder. The gates would soon be opening soon.
Cackling, Babidi finished the spell, a blinding flash of white light rushing over everything. The orb shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, and in the middle of it was a glowing pink ball. Unwrapping around itself, Evil straightened into its physical form- Fat Buu.
"Yes!" Babidi cheered, "Finally! The galaxy is mine!"
Dai Kioshin growled, pounding his fist on the chair beside him. This was an unexpected development, Evil was only in an extremely weakened form. Fat Buu was obedient and Babidi could actually control him. Which meant that the plan of letting Evil run rampant would not work at all.
Bending his fingers, he began considering how to cut his losses. At least the Legendary One had yet to appear. Once he did, then he would go and fight Evil. Perhaps if he helped cut Buu loose he would gain an even greater level of power, and then the Legendary One and Evil would nearly destroy each other. With both of them weakened, Dai Kioshin could step in and kill both of them.
He smiled, seeing how his plan could still come to completion. With both of them gone, there would be a giant vacuum of power, and he would be the one to fill that vacuum as the Legendary One. This was merely a minor setback; he just had to assume that the Legendary One would be born sometime, then make his move. For now, he'd push destiny for the Legendary One to come by causing chaos down below with all the warriors from the Afterlife. Laughing, he continued to watch things unfold toward his plan.
A spirit-breaking laugh shattered through the silence of his planet, and Dai Kioshin whipped his head around, looking for the source of it. Seeing nothing, he nervously returned to his chair.
Glowing darker and more powerfully than ever before, Darkness sent a ripple across space again. So now the end was near.
Buu looked toward Babidi quizzically, then began bouncing up and down.
"Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!" he kept repeating it, jiggling happily. Babidi looked surprised, but regained control of himself.
"Well, hello Buu. I'd like to see a demonstration of your power." Maybe this wasn't the right spirit, maybe he had accidently summoned something weak that wouldn't help him overcome the galaxy.
"Ok!" Buu squealed, "fun-fun!"
Turning he raised a pudgy hand toward an empty city on the horizon. A giant blast flew from his hand, and the city was no more. Babidi's eyes widened, but he was now fully convinced that this was indeed Evil, just in a much more controlled form. Perfect.
"Now, let's go to the city and show those fools a thing or two!"
"Yay!" Babidi jumped on Buu's back, and the monster began flapping his arms wildly. Surprisingly, Buu actually lifted from the ground and began moving towards the city.
"Buu is a birdy, Buu is a birdy!"
Just then two streaks ran from the city and appeared in their way. They stopped and revealed two warriors, a Namek and a human. Babidi smiled; it would be a perfect test of Buu's power. He ordered the monster to stop. No longer flapping, the monster fell and hit the ground hard. Cushioned from the fall by Buu, Babidi leaped to his feet and laughed at the two warriors.
"You two stand no chance against Buu! Surrender now or prepare to die!"
"Never," the human said. "We are the two strongest warriors on this planet; there is no way we will let you do anything."
"Buu, destroy them!"
"Buu's poor head hurt!"
Staggering to his feet, Buu looked quizzically at the two before him, then began cartwheeling around in circles.
"Happy! Happy!"
They were both stunned, and Babidi was outraged.
"Buu, you idiot! Destroy them!"
"Alright." Stopping, Buu looked at them, and smirking, they both charged. They were nowhere near him when Buu vanished and appeared above them. Two kicks sent them flying backward. The human didn't rise, and the Namek staggered to his feet.
"You'll pay for this!" he roared, powering up. "Die!"
A bolt of ki shot out from him, but Buu's hand came up and the bolt merely bounced off it harmlessly. The antenna on Buu's forehead leaned forward, and a red streak shot from it. Unable to dodge, the Namek was suddenly transformed into a large piece of chocolate. Skipping over, Buu stuffed the entire thing into his mouth and smiled happily.
"Way to go, Buu!" Babidi cheered, his confidence in his pet restored. "Now, let's destroy the city!"
"I think not."
"What?" He realized it was not Buu's voice.
Turning, Babidi saw a light shine down onto the ground, then condense into a multitude of figures. All looked grim. Trying to count them, Babidi quickly gave up. The frontmost one spoke again, he was a dark green, with a turban and brown gi. Pakihaun looked on expressionlessly.
"That foolish saiyan has wasted enough of your time for us to come in. We are the Warriors of the Afterlife, and we've been training since the day we died. Now, it is our mission to destroy you and the Evil that you represent."
"No! You can't do that! Buu, kill them!"
"What?" Buu was bending over, looking at a flower. Growling, Babidi yelled at him, and Buu straightened. Seeing the warriors there, he happily clapped his hands together.
"Attack!" Babidi screamed, and both sides did just that. They clashed together and there was a whirlwind of movement. Soon, however, it appeared obvious that the fight was one-sided. Buu was taking out warriors right and left, with little effort of his own. Their leader dealt him a hard kick on the head, but Buu merely knocked him away. When the dust cleared, Buu alone stood. His body had many dents in it, but there were no more opponents left. Breathing deeply, the dents in Buu suddenly filled out, leaving him looking unharmed.
"Yummy!" Buu began transforming the fallen enemies into various types of candy and eating them. Suddenly a green form slashed in and sent him flying. Pakihaun stood there, looking angry. Buu got up again and looked at him quizzically.
"You've proved your strength," the leader said, "but it doesn't matter."
Taking off his turban and ripping off his outer gi, he smiled. As they hit the ground, they crashed heavily, proving they were weighted cloths of the highest caliber.
"I am Pakihaun, and I will destroy you!"
Leaping forward, he began hitting Buu from every direction. At first Buu managed to block his blows, but soon he fell behind and more began slamming into him. Pakihaun continued hitting him, ending with a punch that shoved its way into Buu's stomach. The monster fell, and Pakihaun jumped back.
"No Buu! You can't be dead!" Babidi was hysterical, but then the pink blob shifted. Getting up, Buu breathed in deeply again and filled out every wound on his body. Happily bouncing up and down, he hurled himself forward, headbutting Pakihaun into the ground.
"Yes! That's the way, Buu! I knew he couldn't beat you!"
From behind, Pakihaun attacked again, sending Buu crashing down into the ground. Skidding to a halt, Buu turned and swiped at him, but Pakihaun ducked beneath the blow and caught his arm. Hurling Buu downward, Pakihaun crashed into him with all his might. As he floated back up, he was surprised to see Buu come up with him, knocking him into the sky.
Appearing atop his opponent, Buu knocking Pakihaun down, then began bouncing on him. Getting battered into the ground repeatedly with each blow, Pakihaun looked defeated. But he had strength greater than they had imagined, and his hand came up, blasting Buu back up into the air again.
Powering up, Pakihaun began launching hundreds of blasts toward Buu, who danced around merrily, avoiding every one of them. When the rain of destruction stopped, Buu grabbed part of his stomach and literally pulled it out. As Pakihaun gaped, Buu hurled it at him. The pink blob wrapped around Pakihaun, sending him to the ground. Running over to him, Buu sat down on Pakihaun and began making faces at him. After a short while, he began punching Pakihaun on either side of the head.
After taking a beating for a while, Pakihaun pulled more strength from somewhere and burst out, sending Buu screaming backward. Rushing to him, Pakihaun slammed him over and over, finally tossing him away. Again Buu merely puffed his wounds out again, now merely drained from the fighting. Before he could attack, Pakihaun fired one giant blast toward him, and the solid bolt of ki ripped through Fat Buu, leaving a giant hole through his middle. The monster slowly fell to the ground.
"No!" Babidi screamed. "This is impossible! Buu, get up again, you can't lose!"
To their surprise, Buu did stagger to his feet, a giant hole through most of his body. Still, the hole began to close over, and in a few seconds Buu looked as he had before. Pakihaun gaped, and Buu's antenna reached towards him, firing a red blast. Putting up a shield, Pakihaun blocked it, and Buu screamed angrily. As his hands came forward, the largest blast Babidi had ever seen was hurled from Buu's hands, and it struck Pakihaun directly. When Buu halted the blast, nothing remained.
Standing there, cape fluttering in the wind, Buu merely gazed at where Pakihaun had been. Babidi cackled in delight.
"You did it! You beat them all! Now there's nothing to stand in our way!" Buu didn't turn around, and Babidi became annoyed again. "Why won't you listen to me? I am your master, you must listen to me!"
When no response came, Babidi's temper raised to another level. "Obey me now! Do you want to go back inside your ball again?"
"Shut up, you fool." Buu's voice had changed; it was much deeper and had a quality that chilled Babidi to the marrow. Babidi failed to see it, but Darkness surrounded Buu's being, seeping into him.
"Don't tell me to shut up! I will tell you to shut up! Speak back to me again and you will regret it!"
Buu turned, and Babidi gasped. His eyes were glowing a solid red, Buu smiled a small and much more evil smile and began walking toward him. Babidi instantly began casting his spell to return him to captivity, but it had absolutely no effect on the monster, who continued walking toward him.
"What? How can this be!" Babidi wailed, wringing his hands.
"Idiot." Buu looked down at him with an air of superiority. "These warriors and this fight gave me enough energy to escape from these pathetic bonds you tried to implement. Dai Kioshin would have ended your control in a few minutes anyway. You were a fool to try and use Darkness to conquer the galaxy."
Before Babidi could say anything else, Buu's mouth widened and he stuffed the sorcerer inside whole. His screams and complaints could be heard for a long time after that, then they suddenly ceased. Buu smiled, then lifted into the air and faced toward the last occupied city. Energy crackled in his hands as he prepared to destroy it, but then something rammed into him from behind and he went tumbling.
Goku stood there, and for an instant their eyes met, then they both attacked each other without a single word.
Dai Kioshin grimaced and turned away from the scene below. Buu was stronger than he had first guessed, and now his timetable was being pressed. What he really needed was the Legendary One right then. As soon as they came to power he could turn off the medallion so they could defeat Buu, then turn it on to put them in a weakened state, then his plan would work. But now he was missing a crucial component.
And Goku involved could only make things worse. The last thing he needed was for the saiyan to muck up his plans again. He couldn't beat Evil, but if he did enough damage the Legendary One could kill him easily, then Dai Kioshin's plan would be ruined. Clenching his fists, he watched carefully. Now there was time only to wait.
Until critical mass.