Pawsy: Hi! Guess what?
Frieza: What?
Pawsy: I don't own
DBZ!
Frieza: ….no kidding, kiddo.
Pawsy: Heh! Anyway, this is not the last chapter of this story!
Frieza: ….I think they can figure that on there own, Pawsy.
Pawsy: *mysteriously* Or do they?
Frieza: Yes…
Pawsy: Okay, read and enjoy!
********************************
The Change"I don't understand. I just don't understand it!" Eternity paces heavily on the grassy knolls of the kai planet. "How could someone like that have that kind of power!?"
"Dragon," Eternity sifts his gaze towards Shin.
"You can call me by my name."
"If you insist. Eternity," the kai continues, "Do you have any idea what's happening in hell?" Eternity stops and sighs.
"No, I want to say a certain assumption but I can't…" the man looks away. "That's probably a good thing."
"What is it that you want to assume?" the elder kai asks. Eternity shakes his head in a strange sense of defeat.
"I can't tell you. None should know of it." He walks forwards and stops right at a cliff's edge. "Shin." The kai is caught off guard, but replies.
"Yes?"
"I hate to ask you this, but do continue to watch hell for me. If anything comes up, I need to know immediately." A moment of silence crosses them.
"Yes, of course," Shin replies. Even at this moment, Eternity manages to smile.
"Thank you very much." And with that, the dragon is gone. After a brief second, Elder kai joins beside his descendent.
"So…are things that bad that they involve the dragons?" Elder kai asks. Shin sighs.
"I hope not."
"Eternity." The silver haired man halts in his pace and groans. Oh no… Turning around, he is greeted by the presence of another young male with mussed deep gray hair and taupe colored tips. His right pupil is yellow while the left is red. Stalking over to Eternity, the dragon quickly thinks of the various questions that will be brought up.
"May I walk with you?" the man asks.
"I see no reason as to not," the new being joins by the dragon's side and the two continue their trek forward. The man shifts his gaze to his left, the place where Eternity is walking, and smiles slightly.
"So, Eternity, where have you been?" the new man asks.
"On a place beyond your 'morals'," is the dragon's reply. The man smiles slightly, trying to hide his slight anger.
"I see. Meddling with other's affairs again? You never learn," the new being mutters, stroking a hand through his two toned hair. Eternity glares fiercely at his enemy.
"Listen hear, green star—"
"It won't kill you to call me by my name," the man quickly interrupts.
"Fine! Dark Shadow…as hard as it is for you to believe, some affairs are to be helped in."
"I'm sure they are."
"Yes! They are! Especially now, more than ever!" Eternity's temper erupts again.
"Fool," Dark Shadow stops walking and faces Eternity, only now, a vicious scowl crosses over his face. "You! You always believed that the slightest problem that gets out of hand needs your help!"
"And you are too much of a fatalist! Not all things can be handled on their own! Sometimes people need a boost! Or even a miracle!" Eternity says.
"We are not in charge of miracles," Dark Shadow points out.
"But we can ask for one," Eternity quickly retorts. His green star rival snarls viciously.
"You best ask for one when the higher council gets word of you interference with the lower dimensions."
"You can't tell them! I am knee deep in a situation that could get worse!" Eternity screams out in worry.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Just what can be so bad that the 'infamous' blue star dragon, Eternity, has to intervene and help save the world?" Dark Shadow laughs at his cruel joke.
"I'm looking at someone who might go lower than hell," Eternity says coldly. His green star rival immediately falls silent, his eyes wide in shock.
"I…I–I never knew…" Dark Shadow stares at the ground quietly before starting to leave. "My prayers to your cause." As Eternity watches his competitor leave, he couldn't help but think of how the gravest moment can pull even the deepest of enemies together.
Down in hell, Babidi stalks through the forests furiously. Yesterday, he had been the largest threat in this realm. But that title was stripped from him in seconds! The newcomer had left, his sword was missing, he has the kai and some 'human' after him, and for some odd reason he has been getting sick quite often. Damn them! Damn them all! Continuing his walk, he cautiously looks around him. After all, it won't be long before everyone finds out about his drop from power.
"Bastards! They're all bastards!" he screams out to practically no one, only to the echo that returns. As sudden as his rage had come, he now hits his knees in a depressed state, his sight gazing downwards.
"What is going on?" he falls onto his back onto the soil and closes his eyes. "I don't get it!" Taking a deep breath, he calms down. What am I doing? Sitting up, he settles in a thinking position.
"Yesterday was nothing," he says to reassure himself. "Soon, that freak will probably come back and explain everything. Hopefully, with that scare on Cell, it will spare me enough time to get my blade back before they find out that I'm somewhat powerless." His eyes narrow as he looks into the horizon.
"But what of the kai and–and…and that other person?" He stares into the distance, as if an answer will come back. His thoughts don't last long as a being slowly approaches him. Quickly shifting his sights over, Babidi readies himself to leave if needed.
"Whoa, now," Shin stops in his place. "It's just me." Babidi fiercely glares at the kai.
"What do you want?" he hisses. Shin steps forward.
"A little less hostility, for one," Shin says sharply.
"With you, there will always be hostility," the wizard snaps back. Trying not to sound too irritated, Shin continues.
"So, do you always scream to yourself?"
"Shuttup kai," Babidi mutters angrily. Shin ignores the attitude and tries again.
"Hell doesn't seem all that bad," the kai looks off into the distance. "No offense to anyone here, but I was kind of expecting a bit more." Babidi doesn't say anything.
"You don't have to be so silent," Shin says. "I'm not your enemy anymore."
"Oh really?" Folding his arms across his chest, Babidi paces a bit. "Maybe not in your eyes, but as far as I'm concerned, you will always be my enemy, as well. You and this whole damned place!" He turns his back on the kai.
"You should never turn your back on the enemy," Shin says jokingly.
"Shuttup!" Babidi snarls while looking over his shoulder at the kai. Shin sighs and shakes his head, a questioning expression across his face.
"What is your problem?" the kai asks.
"What do you mean?" Babidi asks back, still only glancing back.
"When I saw you on Earth, you were nothing like this," Shin replies with a surprised voice.
"I had a change…" the wizard retorts.
"I'll say! When you were alive, you hid behind others and made them do your dirty work. You killed them mercilessly when they served no purpose and only kept the truly strong ones to protect you. What in the heavens happened?" Babidi turns completely around with an enraged expression evident.
"Then why not change?! Do you think I want to cling behind a superior my entire afterlife? Do I look like I want to be such a coward my entire existence? Hell, no! I liked that sense of power! I could do anything! I brought the strong and the weak to their knees! I have no regrets!"
"But did you even think about what you've done to everyone? To the various souls who've never even met you! Even those who had: Ginyu, Jeice…I still can't believe what you did to Cell!" Shin says. Babidi stares at the kai in shock before a strange smile starts creep across his face.
"What I did to Cell?" the wizard paces a bit, laughing slightly. "What I did to Cell," he says again.
"Yes, that's what I said," Shin says irritably. Babidi stops pacing and glares at the higher being. In seconds, he stands before the kai with a dangerous fury flowing through him.
"What I did to Cell?!" the wizard screams. "Oh, I am so sorry for what I did to Cell…yes, sorry I didn't do it sooner and more often! He damned well deserved it!"
"I can't believe you!" "Shin retorts.
"Hey! Don't you start pitying that bastard! None of them! Those fucks beat the shit out of me everyday! I have scars lined all over from their constant 'games'!" the wizard backs down a bit, trying to calm himself. "And here you are, thinking I should question my actions?"
"I never saw anyone hurt you here!"
"Well, that's because you don't watch down here!"
"Maybe you should consider it your punishment for what you did in the living!" Babidi holds back his temper, which is quickly flaring again.
"Why I ought to…" the wizard mutters.
"Look! I didn't come here for a fight," Shin now says in a furious calm.
"Too late for that," Babidi snarls silently. Shin sighs heavily and catches his face in his right hand while propping its elbow in his left hand. He takes a moment on deciding how to word his thoughts.
"I just wanted to know if…if maybe you were holding back on Eternity," Babidi stares at the kai questioningly. "The man with me yesterday." The wizard then heaves a disgusted sigh. "Maybe…maybe I was hoping you'd tell me." Babidi laughs at the kai's words and leans against a deadened tree.
"Kai, you can be such a fucking idiot," the wizard says but Shin doesn't react. "Do you actually think I can trust yo—" a familiar creeping sensation comes back to him. In a flash, he quickly turns around and hurls behind the tree he was leaning against seconds earlier.
"Wizard!" Shin quickly runs over to Babidi. "Are you alright?" the kai asks, placing a hand on Babidi's shoulder. Unfortunately, Babidi is unable to answer at the moment, as another wave of sickness pours over him. After a silent moment, Babidi is able to control himself again but is still kneeling on the ground.
"What's wrong with me?" he manages to quietly choke out.
"Nothing…you were just a little ill," Shin says concern echoing in his voice. "But you'll live. Don't worry," he adds with slight comfort. Strangely, the wizard reacts differently. In that single moment, memories come flooding past him. Friends…his 'family', the only ones he could call family…those same words coming from him, his friend…the friend he k– Babidi swivels around to come face to face with Shin, a fearing and saddened glaze in his eyes. Suddenly, he is filled with an unbending fury.
"Go…away…" he says in a dangerously quiet tone. Shin stares in shock.
"But…but, what is with you?" the kai snaps.
"Go away!" Babidi screams, stepping away from the kai. "Get the fuck away from me, kai! Just go away and quit acting as a spy for the bastard from yesterday!"
"Y-you knew?" Shin asks, but the wizard doesn't reply. Instead, he turns and charges off into the rotting forests, never looking back at the surprised kai.
Sitting in the middle of the forests, face buried in his knees, Babidi allows the tears to flow freely, just like the blood from the fresh cuts on his arms. He hates his past. It's that simple. To every good side, there was always a darker one to add to his various memories. With every vivid detail of his past pains creeping into his mind again, he just hurts more.
"Why, why, why, why, why, why me?" he manages to choke out between sobs.
"Why not?!" a voice laughs from the trees. Shocked, Babidi quickly looks over his shoulder and into a tree. The newcomer lies across a tree branch, laughing at the wizard's pain.
"You…" Babidi seethes. Grabbing a blood colored stone that is near him; he throws it straight at the newcomer, hitting the man directly on the side of his scalp. The man instantly falls silent and looks down at the small wizard.
"That hurt," says the newcomer in a monotone voice. "Nor was it very nice to the one person who's going to help you out."
"Help me out?" Babidi snarls. "So far you have done nothing!"
"Have I now?"
"NO!"
"Well, of course not!" the newcomer says. "I can only give you the steps to prepare yourself. You bring the change!" Babidi holds back any further comments he is tempted to say. "Which reminds me…" the man leaps out of tree and lands on a red boulder, "this is yours." The man throws an item to the wizard. The sword lands in the dirt, inches from where Babidi is standing. Strangely, he just stands there.
"Alright, the final steps you must do exactly what I say," the newcomer says as he settles on the boulder. "Are you ready?"
"Y-yes…"
"Good! I thought so! Okay, first order of business, no hurting yourself," the man points to Babidi's cuts, "for a week. Understand?" The wizard pulls his arms behind his back in shame of his 'addiction', but agrees. "Perfect. Now, for the good part…"
Wandering the grounds of hell, a large light blue ogre watches the fluffy souls of hell float by. Dap is too busy watching the souls of hell to notice he's about to run into one.
"Yipe!" the ogre falls to the ground. After a moment, he is able to pull himself up slightly. It's enough to allow him to turn and see the spirit.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, huh?" he snarls but stops. Cursing numerously, Babidi slowly starts to get up after being walked over by the bumbling guard. Dap strokes his black goatee in thought when it hits him.
"Wait a minute, I know you!" Babidi shifts his gaze over his shoulder.
"What?" he asks.
"Yeah…you're Babidi, right?" the wizard stares at the ogre. "Of all the beings here, I haven't seen you in awhile."
"Maybe I didn't want to be found." The ogre is taken aback by the answer for a second, but quickly switches subjects.
"You've changed," Dap immediately points out. "What? You didn't like your look before?" Babidi doesn't reply. "Hey, that's an interesting shade of red," Dap continues, looking at the wizard's shirt, "kinda reminds me of–"
"Blood?" Babidi quickly interrupts. The ogre looks curiously at the wizard's answer.
"Yeeeaah…it's not…is it?"
"Entirely," the wizard replies. "To make a long story extremely short, I made a mistake I wish I hadn't."
"As if!" Dap laughs, catching on, "being a hell being, I know you've killed plenty."
"But none so…inhumane!" Shaking his thoughts of the memories, Babidi turns to leave. "Just…j-j-just leave me alone!" he says walking off. Dap just strokes a hand through his short black hair.
"The dead are so confusing…makes me glad I'm alive!" Dap thinks aloud. Walking away in the other direction, he starts to feel the strange sensation that someone's following him. His worst fear is confirmed when a voice he's never heard hisses…
"Your blood for my freedom," a cold metal skims across his neck and Dap falls to the ground.
Eternity sits in a chair, looking into the black cosmos and worrying constantly. But he shouldn't worry. It's been a whole week and no further news of attacks. Maybe it's over…just a phase… Eternity thinks. Then what is holding me back? Suddenly disrupting the dragon's thoughts, an object bounces off his head.
"Lumine!" Eternity snaps, swiveling his head around at the group of 'human' beings at a table playing an unknown game. One of the beings, a elder teenager with thick, raging orange hair that falls over his face and shoulders like a sheepdog's fur, has his back to the blue star dragon. Turning around, he reveals his freckled face and maroon colored eyes.
"What up, Etern?" he asks with a widening smile.
"It's Eternity, to you!" the dragon grabs a curvy shaped Frisbee and looks irritably at the teenager. "I believe this is yours."
"Really?" Lumine curiously asks.
"Really," Eternity inspects the misshapen device again. "I hope you realized the Frisbee is supposed to be, somewhat, flatter…" He tosses it over to the table, where Lumine catches it easily.
"Yeah, but where's the originality? Besides, it still flies, right?" Lumine tosses the Frisbee across the table where it hits Dark Shadow, who is examining the board before him, in the chest. The two different colored eyes look up from the table and glare at Lumine. He reaches out, pushes an orb shaped piece forward on the cosmos colored checkered board.
"Your turn," Dark Shadow says in a low tone. The teenager claps his hands together and rubs them furiously.
"Alright! Prepare for your defeat!" Lumine grabs another orb piece and goes two places forward, landing on a card. Dark Shadow laughs and drops three cards that he's holding onto the board.
"Sun, Super nova, Collapse, and of course," he flips over the card where Lumine's orb piece stands above, "Black hole. All players on the field die." Lumine and a third being at the table groan.
"Glad I departed out of this universe," a fourth player chuckles. Dark Shadow draws five more cards from a deck beside the board.
"Guess it's just you and me, Cat Eyes," Dark Shadow notes. The fourth being's silver yellow eyes flash in the light with mischief.
"Fine, I start by returning to this universe," Cat Eyes places his orb piece onto the board. Eternity bemusedly watches the group as they continue their game. Suddenly, the joyous mood is gone and everyone is silent. Everyone freezes, Dark Shadow being the first as he stares forward into the room. Slowly, the others join his gaze.
Before them are two beautiful women. They are twins. Both have fox colored, pawed hands and same colored long cattails. Both have deep gray-blue skin, pointed ears, and the palest yellow eyes. Both are wearing short, black sleeveless shirts, tight black jeans, and black mud boots. Both have thick, untamed, deep gray-brown hair, which helps create their only difference; one's hair touches her shoulder, the other's, just below her ears. A dark smile crosses both their feline shaped mouths.
"State your business," Cat Eyes snaps. The shorthaired girl smiles.
"My sister, Dusk, and I have come bearing news from our leader," the girl says.
"And it best be quick news!" growls Dark Shadow. "After all, your kind is not allowed here!"
"Of course, of course," the longer haired girl, or Dusk, says while motioning the dragons to calm down. "But we were told to speak of any problems at our area and we have one. Don't we, Night?"
"Of course, Dusk," replies the first girl.
"Shuttup and tell us, bitch!" Lumine quickly states. The two sisters glare at the younger dragon but quickly shrug it off.
"Not very polite for dragons, are you?" Night giggles, but seeing their stares, she quickly changes to a more serious attitude.
"We come with news from our deeper realm," Night says first.
"You will continue," Eternity rolls his hand at them. Lumine shifts his feet that have been propped on the table, ignoring a conversation he doesn't want to take part in.
"Of course," Dusk says. "The walls are weakening."
"Weakening?" Lumine says, setting his feet onto the floor. The other dragons quickly perk up as well.
"Yes, weakening." Dusk paces a bit in the direction opposite of the dragons and stops. "Not that we care, but your kind always wish to be informed before such matters get, to your views," she glances over her shoulder at the beings and adds, "…worse."
"Of course we do," Cat Eyes snarls. The two sisters look at the dragons with disgust. Eternity quickly continues with the subject.
"How weak are the walls?" he asks with a concerned voice.
"Only enough for our strongest beings to barely peek through," Night says. "I rarely think of that as a danger, but your kind is unpredictable," she says with a sarcastic sigh. Eternity, Cat Eyes, and Dark Shadow look to one another, and then back to the twins, whose tails are moving symmetrically.
"You have served your purpose. You will leave," says Eternity.
"Yeah, go to your 'home', bitches," Lumine laughs. The sisters growl slightly.
"Fine!" the both say in unison.
"But we expect you guys to be more polite the next time we do this!" Night huffs and stalks off with sister following.
"Or next time we might not be so lenient with the information," Dusk mutters as she and Night disappear into the shadows. The dragons begin to settle finally.
"Yeeeyah?" Lumine kicks his feet onto the table again. "Good riddance to bad rubbish, like I always says." Cat Eyes looks to the younger dragon.
"You've never said that before," he states.
"Nope!" the flame orange haired teen smiles as he reclines the chair back slightly, "but I'm gonna say it for now on." Dark Shadow shakes his head at the Lumine's stupidity and continues his game with Cat Eyes. Eternity, in the meantime, ponders over their warning.
"How weak are the walls?""Only enough for our strongest beings to barely peek through." They actually gave us a warning?
"I rarely think of that as a danger…" Then why tell us? We've had bigger problems with their type, but they never gave us a warning!
"Your kind is unpredictable…" Like they care about our views or feelings on anything!
Dark Shadow shifts his gaze up from the table at his most favorable enemy. Eternity doesn't notice. It doesn't fit! The blue star dragon closes his eyes in thought. Something is just not right!
"Next time we might not be so lenient with the information…""NO!!" Eternity quickly jumps to his feet, startling the others and causing Lumine to slip and hit the ground.
"OW!!" he screeches.
"What is that about?" Dark Shadow snarls, but Eternity doesn't hear him. The pieces were falling together. Everything! The sword, the thirst for killing, the vague warning…his nightmare has come true. And the beast has just left its calling card! It's teasing us! And we fell into its game! Eternity seethes at the thought.
"Eternity! What is wrong?!" Cat Eye asks.
"What is wrong?! What's not wrong! I'll have you kn–" then it really hits him. "It, no, it can't…" The other four stare.
"What can't?" Lumine asks. Eternity quickly charges off.
"Eternity! Where are you going!?" Dark Shadow screams at him.
"We have been deceived!" Eternity calls over his shoulder. "And someone's existence hangs on that lie!" With that, Eternity is gone, leaving the other four with many questions.
It is time. After waiting a whole week, not another wound has been self-inflicted and Dap's body is drained of blood. Babidi watches as the last drop oozes from the many cuts on the ogre's neck and drops into the rounded pitcher below.
"Finally," he states. Snapping off a branch of a deadened tree, the wizard calmly stalks to the spot he chose for the ceremony. A small dust covered area between the thick forests and a towering cliff edge.
"Alright, let's see if I remember this correctly," he takes the branch and draws a large circle into the ground. Inside the same circle he draws a triangle, its sides touching the circle's edge. In the spaces between the circle's edge and the triangle's, he creates three symbols, a symbol for each space.
The first looks like a normal triangle with the top edge slice off. Below the marking are two smaller boomerang-like shapes with the longest edge dipping downward.
The second marking resembles an expression on a face with furious eyes and a mouth that has a curved spike going up one side and down another. A long line cuts through the right eye while a strange line curves through the left and attaches to a thicker line that touches the bottom of the left eye and top of the left side of the mouth. The downward spike has a line that comes out of the downward spike and touches the line from the right side.
The third marking strangely catches the wizard's attention. It's nothing but a curved line connected to the corner of a straight line under it. Two downward spikes exist on the ends of the straight line, while a shape resembling an open tent covers the top edge of the curved line. A long line extends from the left, cuts through the bottom edge of the 'tent' to the top of the right spike, and finishes at the end of the right spike's bottom edge.
Upon completing this step, Babidi moves his gaze to the center of the triangle. There he draws a gothic like S with a line slicing it's upper half. Stepping back, he checks the entire pattern.
"Well, that's finished," mutters the wizard to himself. "What's next?" He looks over to Dap's lifeless body. "Oh yeah, the blood of the living." Grabbing the pitcher from under the corpse, Babidi walks back to the drawn pattern. Carefully, he spills three drops of blood on each of the surrounding symbols, leaving the center clean. As simple as that was, the next step is confusing.
"Take this knife I give you," the newcomer pulls out a fresh blade from behind his back, "and lay your arm above the pitcher. In doing this, I want you to concentrate one person, someone you truly hate, and then…"
"What was the point of not injuring myself for week if I'm only going to do it a week later?" Babidi says to himself. But, not wanting to quit now, he continues on. He sets the pitcher right beside the markings and lays his left arm across the opening with the knife pressed against his skin. Okay, someone I hate…someone I truly hate…the kai? No. That saiyan, Goku! …No! He starts to think heavily on the subject when the unforgiving flashbacks return. Fury burning in his eyes, a thought triggers him. My father. In a swift stroke, the steel rakes through his flesh, opening a new wound. Babidi is forced to hold back a scream. Strangely, the cut hurt worse than usual. Looking down at it, he can't believe his eyes. Instead of the familiar red color he is so used to, a deep black ink color flows instead. B-black? That's just like what happened to Cell! Wait! He looks closer at it. It's not just black, but a bizarre, shimmering translucent color blends into the darker color.
"Strange," Babidi mutters but does as he was told and lets his blood mingle with the once living ogre's. He starts to feel weak and decides it best to stop the bleeding at this point. As he starts to grab at a cloth torn from the ogre's shirt, he stops. I almost forgot! Holding his arm over the markings, the shimmering, black blood splatters onto the S symbol. Finally, the wizard is forced to pull his arm back and bandage it.
"Alwright," he says in a slurred tone, due to the dizzying feeling in his head. "Let'z continue." Pulling the blood filled pitcher to his chest, he stumbles into the circle without trying to mess up his drawings too much. While holding the pitcher in one arm, he reaches in and coats two of his fingers with the mixed substances. Next, he draws the same S symbol from before on his left upper arm. Switching the position of the pitcher, he does the same thing on his right arm.
"Now, remember that chant I said when we first met?" the newcomer asks. "I need you to add a little something to it…"
"Deseet, br–" Babidi quickly stops. All he's managing to do is sound like a drunk. He takes a moment to regain his strength and his senses before trying again.
"Deceit, brother of Hard Heart. Fear, companion of Silence. Torment, Madness, and Depression, better together than alone. And Darkness, the final realm. Witness my words," Babidi looks at the pitcher in his hands. Okay… He quickly pulls it forward, drinking the substance. A vicious burning sensation sears though out his body, but he's forced to ignore it. He has to finish the concoction before continuing. With the last drop gone, he tosses the pitcher away.
"I give myself to your master." It is done. He's finished…and nothing's happening. Babidi looks around as if expecting something a little more…notable, but there's nothing! Before he can do anything else, two people quickly appear.
"Stop where you are, wizard!" Shin commands. Babidi stares at the kai and his 'human' companion. Eternity, on the other hand, is fearfully staring back at the design carved on the ground. Slowly, his gaze shifts up to meet Babidi's.
"Where did you learn this?" the dragon asks calmly.
"Somewhere…" is Babidi's quick reply. Eternity starts to feel his blood rise.
"Damn it! Where'd you learn this?!" his voice starts to inflect with anger.
"From a frie–"
"What step are you on?" Eternity quickly interrupts.
"None," Babidi replies, settling Eternity's nerves slightly. "I've already finished."
"WHAT?!"
"Not that it matters. Nothing's happening," the wizard says calmly.
"NO!" Eternity quickly falls to the ground and forces Babidi to face him. "Who taught you this?!"
"Wha–! Let go of m–"
"Someone definitely had to teach you this! Who was i—?" The sound of laughter echoes around the small area, catching the group's attention. On the towering cliff, a figure slinks out from the dark shadows and onto an edge in the light. His tussled hair covers his face, which has the most joyous look on it that could ever exist.
"Who's that?" Shin asks. Eternity stands his ground, his eyes shining with rage.
"A nightmare," the dragon ferociously whispers. The laughter gone into a thousand suppressed chuckles, the newcomer leaps from ledge to ledge, quickly making his way to the ground. His feet meet with the brick colored dirt as he looks to the group, before starting to make his way to them. Stopping before Babidi, his smile broadens.
"Well done, wizard! You've done it! You're finally going to leave this hellhole!"
"You!" Eternity screams in fury, catching a strange look from Babidi but a sly smile from the newcomer. "Just what are you doing here?!" The newcomer rolls his eyes while the dragon continues. "You know your type is forbidden from here!" Flicking both sides of his ragged hair away, the pale man lets a pleased smile cross over his face.
"Isn't it obvious?" the newcomer happily hisses, slowly getting down beside Babidi. "To claim what's ours." This comment catches Babidi's attention as he starts to back away from the other being.
"What?" he backs away a little further. "Who's 'our'? What are you saying?" The newcomer lets out a boasting laugh.
"Can't you tell? I've been on you side this whole time, and you still question me?" the man lays across the red soil on his side, facing Babidi the entire time. "You see, I know the steps into leaving this place and all because I've seen this place beyond hel–"
"What he means to say is that he comes from it," Eternity snarls. A strange emotion flashes in the newcomer's ash-colored eyes upon hearing this.
"A place beyond hell? Is there such a place, Eternity?" Shin turns to the dragon.
"Unfortunately, yes," Eternity glares straight into the gray irises of the newcomer, but then adds. "I also know there are no beings from there that look like that man." Now everyone is staring at the dragon. After a brief moment of silence, Eternity lets out a defeated sigh.
"If you're going to take him, at least don't let him live a lie," the dragon says.
"A lie?" the newcomer laughs with surprise. "Just what are yo–"
"Show yourself," Eternity states, more seriously this time. "Your true self." The newcomer calmly glares back at the dragon. Shin and Babidi stand in their spots, confused by the 'secret' conversation.
"'True' self?" the wizard turns around to face the newcomer. "What does he mean by—" Babidi falls silent. The 'newcomer' is gone.
Standing, or floating, in the previous space occupied is a large, solid shadow with sides fading to a transparent mist. The small area surrounding the mass takes a darkened quality, allowing no light to touch its shape. Two fierce staring, blood ember eyes glow from the ever-shifting black mass. They are a color so deep, that a reflection could never exist in them, just the soul that harbors them.
Eternity looks the most surprised. So much, he is only able to gasp one word.
"Spirit!" The shadow shifts its gaze further up to the dragon.
"Hello, star," it says in a voice resembling a mix between a viper's hiss and a dying man's last whisper, but strong enough for the whole group to hear. Eternity finally regains enough of himself that he's able to find his voice again.
"I-I knew the walls were probably weaker than what the twins said, but enough to let you through?!" the dragon shouts.
"Surprise for us all…" the shadow shifts its form to face Babidi, "isn't it?" Babidi doesn't reply, so it turns back to the dragon. "So, we'll be leaving now?" Eternity then suddenly becomes defensive.
"You'll be leaving! Babidi–"
"Has given himself to me," the shadow forms a hand and points over to symbols on the ground and the emptied pitcher beside them. "Every step, every little procedure is done. He leaves with me." Babidi quickly turns to the dark form.
"I'm leaving? I'm really leaving?" he asks happily.
"Of course! You did as you were told and have become mine…" Shin can swear that he's never seen the wizard so pleased. "So now we leave," the shadow and its surrounding darkness move towards the cliff wall.
"I'm finally leaving this fucking pit! I've never felt happier!" Babidi calls out.
"Momentarily, wizard. Only momentarily," the dragon says aloud.
"What was that?" Babidi glares at Eternity.
"Tell me, wizard, did you even stop to think what such an escape would be like to a place…"
"Better than here!"
"…Lower than hell?" Eternity finishes. Just like that, the wizard's pleased expression slowly starts to die.
"Please also note that I can no longer call you by your name," Eternity starts again. "For now, you have no name." Babidi can feel his joy falling into fear as he turns to the shadow. The black veil places a freshly formed solid, black, clawed hand on the darkened cliff way. With a dull red substance creeping from under the shadow's 'hand', the color bleeds away to form a gaping hole leading into a dark abyss.
"We leave now, wizard," the creature turns around and falls silent. Babidi is fearfully backing further and further away from the shadow, quietly muttering to himself.
"No, no, no, no, no, no…" he says over and over again, shaking his head in disagreement. "What have I done? What have I done?" The black mist soars over and stops before the wizard in a light's second. Before anyone can react, a black hand extends from the mass and wraps onto Babidi's wrist, where it quickly crawls up to the wizard's shoulder.
"We leave!" the shadow roars.
"NO! No! No! No! No! NO!" Babidi struggles against his captor. "I changed my mind! I'd rather stay in hell!"
"You can't change your mind," the shadow laughs viciously. "You're mine! Body, mind, and soul!"
"NO!" the wizard chokes out a sob as he is pulled into the enveloping darkness. Shin restlessly watches to no avail.
"I can't let him…!" Eternity extends an arm in front of the kai.
"You will do nothing! The wizard brought this to himself! Damn it, kai! He's killed a living being and drank its blood!" Eternity turns his back to Babidi's pleas. "Come along, Supreme Kai. Apparently, it is time to leave." Shin slowly joins the dragon's side and starts to walk with him.
Babidi is almost entirely forced into the entrance. Inside, numerous eyes, snarls, screams, and cries for mercy surround him.
"No," Babidi whispers quietly as the tears flow freely now. Shin quickly glances over his shoulder one final time before turning completely around and leaping towards the entrance.
"SHIN!!" Eternity calls out in shock, catching Babidi's attention. He looks back to see the kai charging towards him and his company. Not missing the dragon's scream either, the shadow quickly turns and swipes a hand in the air, quickly closing the entrance. Shin then collides into the cliff wall, where he then falls limp beside as he lands on the ground in pain. Eternity runs over to Shin.
"Kai! Kai, are you alright?" Eternity extends a hand out to help the kai on his feet, but Shin pushes the help away. This action shocks the dragon. Eternity looks down at the kai with a questioning look on his face.
"You weren't even going to help? Why should I trust you?" Shin snarls. Now understanding the cause, Eternity's eyes narrow.
"I couldn't help," Shin glares at him still. "The wizard gave himself away! He belongs to Spirit!" Eternity says.
"And Spirit!" Shin quickly snaps. "What exactly is he?"
"It," Shin looks at the dragon in surprise. "Spirit is referred to an 'it'. Nothing more, nothing less." Eternity waits for moment in silence, and seeing that the kai doesn't speak, continues. "To learn what it is, I think it's a subject best not discussed. As far as anyone is concerned, it doesn't belong in our words. It or its minions."
"Why?"
"Why is something never to ask about them," the dragon states. "To easily put it, there's a reason they're lower than hell." The two stare in silence. Finally, Eternity lets out a sigh and weakly smiles.
"I think we've worn out our welcome," he extends a hand out to help Shin up. "Shall we leave now?" After a slight hesitation, Shin takes the dragon's hand and pulls himself up. Accepting the truce, Eternity lightens a bit. With a swift cut in the air, a portal is formed.
"Alright, back to the kai planet," Eternity walks through to the planet. Shin comes forward a bit, but stops. Looking at the cliff wall, everything is just as it was left.
The ogre's dead body slumped over a rock, the pitcher still laying where it was carelessly dropped, and a few spots of who knows whose blood soaking into the ground. One thing he notices is the symbols on the ground are gone; a sure sign that Spirit was intending on one sole person. Got what h…it wanted, huh? The previous moments flash before him. Eternity coming in with a odd panic ringing in his voice, their rush down to hell, finding Babidi after he completed the ritual, Spirit's entrance and the announcement that he was taking the wizard away…the fear in his old nemesis's eyes as he being dragged into that engulfing darkness… A strange fury wells up in the kai's body. The dragon did nothing…Nothing… He was the Supreme Kai. Even if the soul was Buu himself, he is to make sure nothing worse than hell happens. The kai starts to go through the portal when Eternity's words come echoing back.
"You will do nothing!"
"No…but I sure as hell try…"
********************************
Pawsy: Fwew! Whatd'ja think?
Frieza: Bet they were bored out of their skulls…
Pawsy: What?! NO! *breaks down sobbing*
Frieza: P-Pawsy? *whimpers* I, er, didn't mean it, you know…
Pawsy: *no longer crying* * mysteriously* Or did you?
Frieza: *sighs* Good to know you're feeling better.
Pawsy: Yep! Anyway, I want to thank the avid readers of my stories: Alex Ultra, you rock! I thank you for your continued support. Pez, you're so kind hearted. Never change. Thank you! Speedwithlife, thank you for your review as well. Babidi wants to say something but I'm not letting him since I don't trust it being nice. *glares at wizard who looks like he's not paying attention* That's right, play the innocent act…err…oh yeah! And thank you, Fangsire. You are an older brother with very few words…and I'm not kidding. But they did say a lot. Thanky for the reviews, everyone! You guys are great!
Peter: *from HP* *staring* Did you just win an award?
Pawsy: *sweatdrop* Noooooo….but that would be nice…*dreamy look in eyes*
Eternity: Like that will ever happen, feline…
Pawsy: *snaps back to reality* Hey! Grr! Anyway, I'll end this chapter with a little preview. Take it away, Announcer dude!
Announcer: All right! Next time, the Supreme Kai is determined to right what he believes is the greatest wrong, even if it means descending into the darkness below hell…
Pawsy: Thank you, very much, Announcer dude! Now get out of my house, 'cause you creep me out! GO! *Announcer leaves* Hallelujah…Alright, there you go. Bya, everyone!