Chapter 38: The Fight for Her Soul
(Opening Theme: Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace)
When Pearl came down to the living room again she was dressed in a Time Patroller Academy Outfit with purple vest, black and silver belt, purple pants and boots with black wrist bands and cape; she was carrying some envelopes as well. "Pearl, why did you change?" Amaya asked. Pearl gave a sad smile, "Going to Conton City has been the best thing that ever happened to me. If… it goes wrong I wanted to die in this." "That's not gonna happen! There's gotta be another way!" Bage yelled. "There isn't," Pearl shook her head, then said, "Grab onto me, when this is going down, I don't want there to be any innocent people nearby." Jade, Hirohito, Amaya, Rachel, Beate, and Bage all put their hands on her shoulders. "Jade, stay here," Pearl told her sister. "No, I'm going with you!" Jade said. "Jade…I need you to give these to everyone if I don't come back," Pearl said, and gave her the envelopes. She then took off the necklace Kenshiro gave her and handed it to Jade as well. Jade swallowed as she took them. Jade let her go then.
Pearl opened her mind to search for a secluded spot where she could face her Dark Side without risking innocent lives and found it after three minutes. Pearl looked at Jade and gave her a smile, "I love you, Jade," and then Instant Transmitted to the secluded area she decided on. Pearl and her friends arrived on a tropical island, roughly two miles in circumference with only a few birds and palm trees being the most advanced signs of life. Everyone let go of her and Pearl wrapped them in a hug, "Thank you, for everything. If…Jade stays in the Time Patrol, look after her for me… if I…" "That's not going to happen," Beate said and hugged Pearl tighter. "You can do this!" Bage said, "You're one of the strongest people in Conton City, there's nothing you can't handle. The Supreme Kai of Time chose you for a reason." "Thanks," Pearl said, and took a few steps away from everyone. "This might get rough, but no matter what, unless I actually lose, don't interfere with this. I need to do this by myself, I need to do this on my own," Pearl warned her friends as pink ki swirled around her.
Beate reached into her gi's pocket and pulled out a green Scouter and activated it. She watched as Pearl's Power Level soared higher and higher, far higher than she ever imagined. Pearl yelled out as it seemed veins were sprouting all throughout her body, smoke started coming out of the holes in Pearl's arms as the Scouter finally stopped climbing. "Holy shit! 750 Million!" Beate exclaimed as Pearl started to sweat, energy swirling around her and creating a powerful windstorm that everyone struggled against. Pearl then took a deep breath as her entire torso seemed to expand before she let loose with a mighty howl the likes of which they'd only heard before when Shurayuki was killed, while steam exploded out of Pearl's body, before she gave one final howl, and black smoke came out of her! "No way!" Hirohito yelled as the smoke and steam came together and merged into a cloud.
Everyone watched as purple energy emerged from the cloud and it slowly floated down. The cloud thickened and darkened, as it grew more solid and a form almost like Pearl's became apparent. Before Pearl was a nearly exact duplicate, or so they thought, before the Dark Pearl opened her eyes. Dark Pearl's sclera were pure black, and then Dark Pearl looked at the onlookers and smiled, it was the smile of a predator that had found prey. Beate checked her Scouter again, and whispered, "Not good…" "How strong is she?" Bage asked as Dark Pearl seemed to eye him like a piece of meat, licking her lips at him. "You don't want to know," Beate told him. "Just so you know," Dark Pearl said, "After I win, you're all gonna be eaten. But don't worry…" Dark Pearl disappeared then and reappeared behind Hirohito and loudly whispered to him for all to hear, "You won't die a virgin."
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Bage screamed as he instantly went Super Saiyan 2 and went for a punch, only for Dark Pearl to catch it easily. "Don't worry," Dark Pearl said to Bage, "I'll give you one last screw first, after I rip Amaya's heart out!" Dark Pearl then disappeared before they could do anything and reappeared next to Pearl. "So, how about this," Dark Pearl said to her Light Counterpart, "You just not try to fight it, and we'll not waste any more time. After all, if Majin Buu couldn't win against his Badass Self, what makes you think you can?" Pearl jumped away from her Dark Half and got into a fighting stance. Dark Pearl sighed and assumed one as well.
For a minute they just stood there, staring at each other, Pearl with a look of determination, and Dark Pearl with a cocky smile on her face. Suddenly, Dark Pearl attacked, slamming a stretched-out fist into Pearl's stomach. Pearl endured the pain and grabbed Dark Pearl's arm as she pulled it back, and stretched out her own leg, landing a hard kick to Dark Pearl's head. Pearl let go of her dark doppelgänger and tried another punch only for Dark Pearl to catch it then land an uppercut into Pearl's chin before jumping high for an axe kick right on Pearl's head. Pearl slammed into the ground hard enough to leave an imprint but nonetheless jumped up, purple blood coming from her forehead. Dark Pearl smiled again as she blasted ki balls at Pearl, only for Pearl to use Instant Transmission.
"Where are you, you wimpy little geek!?" Dark Pearl yelled, only for Pearl to then grab her neck from behind and blast her back with her other hand with Super Explosive Wave. Dark Pearl yelled in pain then slammed her elbow into Pearl's head to make her let go and blasted a purple ki wave into Pearl, sending her flying. Pearl barely rolled away in time to avoid Dark Pearl's kick and responded with two palm strikes to Dark Pearl's midsection, knocking her back enough to let her stand up again. Dark Pearl glared at Pearl before opening her mouth and blasting black ki at her. Pearl ducked and avoided the mouth blast, but it kept on going as Dark Pearl kept up the attack, forcing Pearl to move to avoid it. Everyone else quickly flew up to avoid the attack and Hirohito yelled, "I can't tell who's winning! Pearl's landed more hits, but she's gotten a lot more hurt too!"
Pearl quickly put two fingers to her forehead and vanished. Dark Pearl twisted around, her arms spinning all around, but no attack came from behind. "WHAT!? Did you chicken out!?" Dark Pearl screamed, only for her to hear from above, "Special Beam Cannon!" The attack entered the top of Dark Pearl's head and exited out her bottom, leaving a large hole in between. Pearl flew down to continue her attack, only for Dark Pearl to quickly heal and then stretch out her hand, grabbing Pearl by the throat, and pull her in to a haymaker punch that destroyed Pearl's Scouter Glasses. Dark Pearl continued the attack, punching Pearl's face over and over again before blasting black ki from her mouth at point blank range into Pearl's face as well. "PEARL!" Everyone screamed as Pearl stopped moving. Dark Pearl smiled at Pearl, before Pearl opened her eyes and stabbed her right thumb into Dark Pearl's eye, making her scream and let her go.
Pearl seized her chance and poured ki into her fists, pounding into Dark Pearl's head and body as hard as she could, never letting up, knowing this would be her best chance to damage her twisted lookalike. Pearl yelled out as she punched away into Dark Pearl's stomach before ducking down to avoid a punch from her and landing the hardest uppercut she could into Dark Pearl's chin. Pearl's energy disappeared, and she fell to all fours while Dark Pearl stumbled back but was still standing. "You're…such…a…" Dark Pearl couldn't continue as she vomited purple blood and fell down to all fours as well. Dark Pearl vomited again, but then got up, while Pearl struggled to breathe. "You…you're just a geek! Just a little…nerd…that thought she could be strong. You'd never have gotten this far…without me!" Dark Pearl said as she started to glow pink. Pearl started to glow as well as she looked up at her dark reflection and said, "You're right! But you're wrong too! My friends, my family, all of them helped make me strong! You did too, but…you're only a part of me! And now, you're corrupted, you think that you're all of me! You're not! I am the only me!"
"Then die a weak little nerd!" Dark Pearl screamed as at the same time Pearl and Dark Pearl yelled, "Candy Beam!" The two beams clashed between the two Pearls, meeting in the middle as they tried to overpower each other. Dark Pearl growled like an animal as her beam started to push Pearl's own back, and Pearl focused even more to stop it from advancing further. "Pearl! Focus! You can do this! You've been kicking her ass this whole time!" Her friends tried to cheer her on, and Pearl managed to stand up and slowly push Dark Pearl's beam back, only for it to stop in between them once again. Pearl struggled to push against it, to win, but slowly, centimeter by centimeter, Dark Pearl's own Candy Beam inched its way closer to her. Pearl could barely keep it from touching her as she saw Dark Pearl's smile. It was a twisted abomination of a smile, a smile that was only caused by the suffering of others, the kind only the most unholy sadist was capable of.
"NO!" Pearl screamed as she pushed harder, every fiber of her being poured into her own beam. She saw it all before her, everything she was, everyone she had loved, all the adventures they had been through together, everything! All of it gave her power as she dug deeper inside her very being for power, and her beam went back, back, forcing Dark Pearl's own away from her. "NO! YOU CAN'T BE THIS STRONG!" Dark Pearl shrieked as Pearl's Candy Beam got closer to her. "No, I was always this strong," Pearl said as Dark Pearl forced the beam back from her again. The two of them stared each other down, both of them struggling for their very survival, neither one giving any more ground. "I can't tell who's winning anymore! I mean, I thought for sure Pearl would lose, but then…shit!" Beate yelled. "Pearl, come on! You're winning! I know it!" Bage cheered Pearl on, but Pearl wasn't so sure. She was already giving everything she had, if not more, and she was only equal to her twisted alter-ego.
Pearl felt her strength beginning to falter, she knew that no matter what, she just didn't have any more left inside her to give, when she heard Kenshiro's voice. "Pearl! I love you! You can win this! I know you can!" Pearl looked and saw Kenshiro was there, cheering her on. "I know it wasn't your fault! I'm sorry! You need to win this, and we can go home, together!" Kenshiro yelled. "Kenny!" Pearl yelled in joy, her hope doubled, tripled, as one final burst of power surged through her entire being! Pearl looked Dark Pearl in the eyes and told her, "This is my life! And no one will take it from me!" Pearl's Candy Beam cut through Dark Pearl's like it was nothing and hit Dark Pearl head on. "FUCK YOU GEEEEEEK!" Dark Pearl screamed one last time, before she was transformed into a chocolate bar version of herself, flipping Pearl off in one final act of defiance.
Pearl was breathing heavily but was still standing as Kenshiro went to her. "It's all over now," he told her. "No, not yet…I…need to finish this," Pearl told him, wobbling where she stood. "Lean on me, I'll help you," Kenshiro told her, and Pearl did as he helped her to the chocolate bar that was Pearl's Dark Side. Pearl picked it up and gave Kenshiro a kiss, "You may want to step back for this." Kenshiro took two steps away from Pearl as she devoured the chocolate bar in one bite, chewing it quickly, it tasted like dark chocolate, before she swallowed it.
Immediately Pearl felt more power than she ever imagined she possessed run through her. It was so much power, and all of it felt amazing, Pearl couldn't stop as she gave a loud cry of pure joy while pink smoke shot out of her arms, hiding her from everyone else. Pearl felt something within her change, but it felt like a good change as she continued to laugh, while the pink smoke blew away. When the smoke was gone, Pearl rubbed her tentacles softly, as if she just got out of the shower, and sighed contentedly. "Pearl, are you okay?" Rachel asked. Pearl opened her eyes and smiled, "I feel…amazing!" Everyone took a step back from her, everyone except Kenshiro. "Huh? Guys…what's wrong?" Pearl asked them. "Pearl…you've changed," Kenshiro told her. "Huh?" Pearl asked, looking at herself as best she could, she didn't see any changes. "Pearl, it's your eyes, they're black now," Kenshiro told her. "Huh?" Pearl said, looking Kenshiro in his eyes. She looked closely into Kenshiro's eyes, and saw her reflection in them, he was right, her sclera had turned pure black.
Pearl looked at everyone and said, "I'm telling you, it's really me! I'm not evil!" Pearl said, then used Majin Magic to turn a nearby rock into a pair of glasses. She put the glasses on then and turned back to everyone, "It's me, the real, Good Pearl, honest!" "I believe her," Kenshiro said, putting his arm around her shoulders. Everyone finally relaxed, and Pearl wrapped them in a hug, "Thank you for being here for me." They hugged her back, and then Pearl turned her attention to Kenshiro. Kenshiro went to her and hugged her tightly, "Pearl…I don't know any words that can tell you how sorry I am for running off like I did. I…If there's any way you can-" Pearl cut him off with a kiss, just happy to have him back with her. "What happened?" Pearl asked when they stopped locking lips, he tasted a lot like booze. Kenshiro rubbed the back of his head, "It's a long story…"
One Hour Ago
Kenshiro sighed as he downed yet another shot of Wild Turkey Bourbon. That was the strongest liquor this bar had, it wasn't the kind of place to get a cocktail. He had been spending the last two days and three nights between this bar in the more disreputable corner of Satan City, and a roach motel falling asleep to the sound of prostitutes 'serving' their johns. Some roughnecks occasionally thought he was a pushover, but he had taught them all how wrong they were. Kenshiro must have spent thousands of zeni at this bar, getting drinks, and what greasy slop passed for food, and he didn't care. This was the third time his heart was broken, and it was the worst of all. When Tsubaki said she couldn't wait for him when he left for Conton City, it felt like a stab to the heart. When Rachel came out to him, it was like someone had torn it out. And now, catching Pearl fucking Brocc, it felt like his heart had disappeared completely, leaving a hole he was busy trying to fill with booze.
"That stuff will kill you if you drink too much of it," someone beside Kenshiro said. Kenshiro looked, it was a tall skinny guy wearing a leather jacket with a blue shirt with an infinity symbol on it, an inch taller than Kenshiro, whose head was just slightly larger than average and wearing large round glasses. In response to the stranger Kenshiro slammed down a hundred zeni, grabbed the bottle and chugged the remaining 2/3 of it down in two minutes. "Good, I'd probably be better off dead anyway," Kenshiro said. "If this is about Pearl, you're doing the wrong thing, it wasn't her fault," the stranger said. "Oh sure," Kenshiro said, "She was drunk off her fine ass, and happened to tumble out of her clothes, and into Brocc's apartment, flat on his dick! Silly me!" Kenshiro growled, ready to pound this stranger into next week, "Who the Hell are you to tell me what I saw!?"
"My name is Darren Membrane, my friends call me Dib, I work for the Interdimensional Swollen Eye Network, I deal with paranormal stuff, conspiracies, stuff like that. Ryoshiro Nazo had Merch send me here to find you," the stranger, Dib, answered. "What does that playboy want? If it's a match, I'd be happy to kick his happy Saiyan ass," Kenshiro said challengingly. "No, this is about Pearl, listen to me, she was under a spell, by Shadlyn. Her and Brocc both, Shadlyn's been working on them for a long time, to make this happen," Dib told him. Kenshiro's eyes widened then, and his head felt light from the mix of too much booze too fast and this new information. "Why!?" Kenshiro asked. "Everyone has a dark side in them, and Shadlyn was making Pearl's stronger, through the Pure Majin Form. Pearl's going to try to exorcise that Dark Side and beat it, but if she fails…it'll be like Super Buu all over again, only even worse! Shadlyn wants maximum despair, and what could cause more despair than the world being destroyed by someone who's supposed to save it?"
Kenshiro stumbled out of the bar, his head and stomach spinning at the thought of Pearl, his Pearl, being turned into a monster. He stumbled into the sidewalk and fell to his knees, Wild Turkey burned even more coming out than it did going in. Dib came out with a bottle of water. He gave it to Kenshiro and Kenshiro took three sips to rinse and gargle his mouth out, then drank the rest. "My God, I'm such an idiot! I should have know…I should have trusted her… Damn it!" Kenshiro yelled. IT was then that Kenshiro sensed a massive ki signature in the distance, it was Pearl! "Go, now, before it's too late!" Dib yelled, only for Kenshiro to already be flying in Pearl's direction.
Present Time
"That explains the smell," Amaya said, fanning the air. "Yeah… Not my proudest moment," Kenshiro admitted, scratching the two day's worth of stubble on his face. "You can shower when we get home," Pearl said, "Rachel told me that the Supreme Kai of Time is sensing a change in History coming soon, we need to get back to Conton City now!" "Got it!" Kenshiro said. Everyone grabbed Pearl's shoulders, and in an instant they were gone.
Dragon Ball Universe 900088657
"Please, spare my baby!" Chi-chi begged Yuu Lupei. "Of course, I won't lay a finger on him," Yuu said, "Just come here, I want your body." Chi-chi had tears in her eyes as she put a crying Gohan in his crib. Goku's body was in their living room, his heart and other organs arranged on their table, she was no match for this monster. Chi-chi went to Yuu, and he smiled, as he bit into her throat and drained her dry. Chi-chi didn't even have time to scream as she died. Yuu licked his lips, Chi-chi tasted surprisingly good for a mom. He watched as his Hellsing Vampire abilities did their work, and Chi-chi rose up as a ghoul, ready to do his bidding. Gohan was crying in his crib still. "Go have a snack, ghoul," Yuu laughed as the ghoul that was once Chi-chi turned to Gohan's crib. Yuu left the room to the sound of a cry being silenced, and bones being crunched.
He went out of what used to be Chi-chi and Goku's House and smiled at the assembled army of vampires and ghouls before him, an entire alternate reality's worth, comprising of Namek, the Frieza Force, and the people of Earth, especially the Z-Warriors. Shadlyn was staring into her Crystal Ball when she suddenly screamed, "DAMN IT!" and tossed it so hard that it shattered against the Son Residence. "What's wrong?" Yuu asked. "That bitch fucking won! God damn that Ryo! He sent that dipshit Dib to tell Kenshiro what happened! Pearl's stronger than ever now! And I can't control her anymore!" Shadlyn cursed. "Good thing we have Plan B then," Yuu said. "Right," Shadlyn said, "Just one more alternate world, and then we'll be ready." Shadlyn raised her hand to form a portal large enough to send her, Yuu, and his Undead Army to another dimension, and recruit more people.
(Ending Theme: Bring Me to Life by Evanescence)
Author's Note: I admit, I ripped off another amazing series for the last scene, 'Jojo's Bizarre Adventure'. If you like fights involving crazy superpowers and insane strategies, it's for you.