Risk
Chapter 39
The tension was in the air between Dominion and the Earth-raised Saiya-jin. Two races, two worlds, two different views seemed to collide against each other. Their auras clashed, electrifying the air around them and making things even more complicated than they should be. One was fighting for the world. One was fighting to destroy it. Both Saiya-jin and demon had to achieve their goals through one person who was to either live or die.
Chi-chi's aura was starting to ebb as they clashed; meeting in the middle, their feet digging into the ground and the earth. Both of them were attempting to outdo one another, yet at the same time not wanting to give up on their virtues. Suddenly, Goku fired a cheap shot at Dominion's face, throwing him backwards before he threw several other blasts to join the demon. He wouldn't spare a single bit of his power; he couldn't afford to without losing the one he cared about, the one he loved with all of his being.
Dominion emerged from the smoke and ignored the blasts hitting his body; determined to take advantage of the Saiya-jin warrior's weakness that happened to be his stance. Throwing an arm out to take out his right leg, Goku fell; however, fired a much larger blast at Dominion's body; forcing him away. His tail snapped in the air, almost though he wasn't pleased how this battle was going. Oh, he was going to make Dominion suffer, he promised that.
Before he could, the earth started to quake. Chi-chi fell to the ground, completely spent and the glowing orb that held Majin Buu seemed intimidating. Dominion grinned at the black vortex that hovered there. Goku realized his mistake. He had been egged on to help the enemy; to ensure that he had what he needed.
"Now that I have the vital energy required, the woman's no longer needed," Dominion threw a blast at the female and Kakarrot flew as fast as he could to save her; however, it reached her first; engulfing her and destroying the area around her.
"NOOO!" Goku yelled. The anger, the pure rage fully engulfed him as he lunged at Dominion. It was too late to save her now and for that, he had to kill him. He had to avenge his wife. Dominion had to die or his wife's death would have been in total vain.
The violent torrents of chi spiraled around the two warriors. Goku fought with total abandonment; not caring if he lived or died anymore. His body was getting bloody; bones were snapping, bending and breaking under the skin. He was so hell-bent on destroying Dominion both in body and soul that he would give everything to deliver vengeance. He wanted to erase the demon's very existence even if it meant using all of his power and ultimately destroying his own in the process.
It was then the vortex suddenly vanished; Dominion noticed that the very egg that Majin Buu was in was starting to crack. Lunging forward with a sword, he attempted to destroy it before it hatched; however, it was too late as the creature emerged; his sights falling on Dominion.
"Die you foul creature!" Dominion yelled; however, Buu caught the sword with the most innocent look on his face before turning the demon into a piece of candy. Goku blinked in astonishment at this creature, yet, he refused to thank him.
"M-master!" Lamoch yelled angrily. How could Dominion, the man who had just murdered Chi-chi, suddenly die as well? He growled angrily at the pink creature, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. "I will get my revenge!"
"Stay out of this!" Goku hissed angrily; his eyes glaring at Lamoch almost though he was at fault for the murder of his beloved.
"Buu free! Buu free!" The childish monster cried.
'That thing is Majin Buu?' Kakarrot's thought in disgust. He was expecting something as intimidating as Frieza or Cell, but this creature failed to deliver. The only thing that would redeem his horrid form would be the power that seemed to nearly eclipse his own.
'We shouldn't take our chances… he'll destroy Earth…' Goku answered back, his voice seemed reasonable despite the whole issue of Chi-chi most likely being 'dead' at this moment.
'Agreed.' The Earth-raised Saiya-jin didn't have time to attack when Buu's gaze fell upon him.
"Ooo… a new person to kill!" Buu cried cheerfully; almost though he was absolutely insane to utter the words.
Goku wasted no time sliding into a fighting stance. This creature was involved with Chi-chi's absence from the family and was a valid threat to Earth. He decided to take his anger, his rage and utter frustration out on this child-like demon. He had no reason to hold back as he fought the creature in pure abandonment.
Chi-chi's eyes opened slowly as she felt faint and totally empty for the oddest reason. Sitting up, she had seen a golden flash above her head before looking up and seeing a golden halo hover over her head. Her eyes widened, tears filling them before she looked to the ground in total sadness.
'No… no way… I'm dead again?' Chi-chi bit her lip gently. 'W-why? What happened? How did it happen?'
A shadow fell over her form and she looked up; thinking it was her husband there to meet her, but she was quickly disappointed when she saw it was the same Namekian she had seen years ago at the gates.
"It seems we meet again due to unforeseen circumstances…" Sagiri spoke in an unhappy tone of voice.
"How… how did I get here?" Chi-chi asked before Sagiri began to walk towards a mirror.
"This mirror tells the truth of every living being, it exposes what the soul had transpired and why we were destined to meet again." The Namekian walked right through the mirror and vanished leaving the woman to trail behind.
"W-wait!" She ran right into the glass portion of it, the surface rippling as her eyes widened. She saw the demonic aura around her and the visions that were reflected in the glass. 'No… I didn't do this to him… Kakarrot, Goku, did I really betray you?'
"Right now, he is fighting a losing battle… a battle that you had unintentionally started…" A voice startled Chi-chi from behind as she turned around and saw Kakarrot standing there in a ghostly form.
"Is… is there any way I can fix this madness?" Chi-chi started towards Kakarrot; however, a gate rose up and divided them.
"Unfortunately, we are both giving our all to try and stop Majin Buu…" Goku's voice echoed before he appeared as well. Like Kakarrot, he was also on the other side of the gate.
"This… this isn't fair… why must we be separated like this?" Chi-chi felt the tears stinging her eyes.
"Fate had written our destinies the moment that there was a divergence in the timeline," a new voice spoke directly behind her. She turned again and saw Dominion behind her with a smirk on his face. "It should be granted that while they live, your sacrifice will not go to waste…"
"No…" Chi-chi fell against the bars that held her. Kakarrot and Goku both reached for the gate only to be expelled; vanishing almost though they were denied the keys to saving the one they loved.
"It's time you joined me…" Dominion evilly extended his hand towards the female; ever drawing nearer. Her back hit the gate and surprisingly, it did not expel her towards the darkness that laid before her. She slid to the ground in total fear; wanting to be anywhere but that place at that moment.
"NO!" Chi-chi suddenly screamed, jolting from the ground almost though she had never died to begin with. She felt horrifically weak before realizing that someone was holding her body. Her eyes opened just in time to see that she was being held by Lamoch who had happened to send his chi into her body and resurrect her.
"It seems you have awakened just in time," Lamoch smirked, "for our private ceremony."
"Pr-private ceremony?" Chi-chi noticed that her clothes had been changed to a gray-colored wedding dress.
"While Majin Buu does battle, I figured there was enough time to ensure that we hold a ceremony to bind our souls for eternity…" Lamoch explained.
"N-no… I belong to Goku and Kakarr…" Her mouth was covered by Lamoch's lips before her eyes slid shut. Something dark was being forced into her being; something she struggled to fight against, but could not with her dwindling strength.
'Your will is mine…' A foreign voice entered her mind; one that began to take over her very being.
'No… I can't…' Chi-chi continued to struggle. She wanted to fight it to the very end.
'Your essence is mine…'
'Goku… Kakarrot…'
'Your body is mine…'
'…please…'
'Your soul is mine…'
'…help…'
Chi-chi's body sagged as Lamoch released the female and let her fall into the strange crystal-shaped pod before it glazed over. He touched the pod before it was sucked into his palm. Wasting not one more minute, he walked towards a gate and typed a key into the computer. A black vortex similar to the one that Chi-chi had attempted to open before appeared and he walked into it; vanishing from the world entirely.
There was nothing stopping Majin Buu. Each time the Earth-raised Saiya-jin attempted to destroy the demon, he would come out of nowhere and continue the assault almost though he was an immortal being. The situation was growing more and more desperate and Goku had already slipped out of Super Saiya-jin 3 and was barely a Super Saiya-jin 2. Very soon, he would barely be able to remain in any ascended state as the hits grew harder and harder.
The minute they slipped under Super Saiya-jin 3, both Kakarrot and Goku's minds seemed to have separated again; almost though the unnatural condition of personalities mixing only happened when totally enraged and at that higher level of power. It was a relief that they retained their unique identities after it happened and this time, they actually remembered every detail of the battle.
'I need a miracle… a miracle to…' Goku thought silently to himself. Kakarrot had to agree. Unless they found a miracle in any way, shape or form, the longest they could hold off Majin Buu would only be a few minutes longer at the most before they meet their hand at this vile creature that kept recovering from their combined efforts.
"Parapara!" A voice chanted and suddenly, Majin Buu was sucked into a strange cocoon similar to the one he had been released from. Goku looked over to see the evil wizard still lived.
"What did you just do?" Goku asked.
"I sealed Majin Buu away for the time being," Babadi spoke in such an irritated voice. "Until I develop a spell to control him, he is too dangerous to be left out. In any case, I have a request from you that you must…" Kakarrot took control just then and grabbed the wizard roughly.
"Excuse me, but the last time I checked, you were trying to kill us," Kakarrot reminded the creature; totally peeved about his attempts to take advantage of their trust. "Unless you are requesting us to kill you, I will not listen to whatever the fuck you have to say…"
"Ah, so you have an evil heart…" Babadi smirked before he started to chant. Kakarrot was forced to release the demon and hissed in pain. "It's not like I'm making you go, rather I am wanting my revenge on Dominion's kingdom…" Babadi continued his spell. "You will murder everyone there… even that woman who did the worst…"
"N-no…" Kakarrot growled. His eyes flashed red as he attempted to fight off the wizard's dark spell to no avail.
"You will do it, or would you prefer losing people who still hold more value to you along with this planet?" Babadi countered. "The life of the one you betrayed or the world you hold dear. You can only have one…"
The last thing Kakarrot knew of before all conscious thought leave his mind was Goku attempting to take over and save him.
It is said that the body is a prison to the soul, but at that moment, two separate personalities, yet one soul hovered in total darkness looking out between the bars that separated, yet ensnared both of them helplessly within their confinements.
"Kakarrot! Come on, snap out of it!" Goku's voice called
"…would it be better if I didn't exist?" Kakarrot questioned in a defeated voice.
"What? What gave you that idea?" Goku growled at the idea.
"It's my fault our love, our very anchor's de…"
"If she's dead, then it's my fault! I should have been there more for her!"
"…Goku, I can't go on… I rather just stay here…" Kakarrot eyes opened weakly as he looked at the kinder persona with such void eyes that held much defeat, much sadness and despair that it almost made him look like he was giving up on life itself.
"What? No!" Goku yelled; his grip on the bars that separated them tightening. "You're the reason I haven't given up! The reason I became stronger!"
"So then why hasn't our own strength tried so often by monsters and demons even stronger than both of us? Let's face it, we maybe a bloodthirsty race, but with our mate gone, there's nothing left to fight for except a dying planet."
"Better a dying planet than dying ourselves…" Goku reached out between the bars. "Kakarrot, please!"
"…I can't go on… I'm too tired…" Kakarrot's eyes drifted shut.
"No!" Goku reached further before his hand touched Kakarrot's wrist. Suddenly, a white glow surrounded them both; one that felt like the bonds of life itself were starting to intertwine around their weakened essences. It was then Kakarrot vanished, Goku feeling more alone than he had ever felt in his whole life. First his wife, now the true Saiya-jin warrior that co-existed within him. "I… I can't do this alone… Kakarrot..."
"Kakarrot!"
To Be Continued…