Risk
Chapter 40
Deep within the Labyrinth's maddening walls, Babadi waited patiently for the fallen Saiya-jin warrior to awaken after passing out due to the complex spell he had placed earlier. It had been over an hour now since the spell had been invoked; perhaps it had failed and put him in a vegetative state. If that were the case, the warrior was of no use to him in order to cohort Majin Buu back to his side upon being released from his prison again.
"Eh, I suppose I should have not tried my spell on a warrior who was driven on anger…" Babadi started to walk away when a soft moan escaped his throat. The wizard turned to see the Saiya-jin had recovered; starting to stand back up on his feet. His expression neutral and hard to read since his eyes happened to be covered by his bangs.
"Well, it's about time you woke up you imbecile! Honestly, I was starting to think you were a lost cause. Now that you have awakened, I want you to get Majin…" The Saiya-jin warrior rose to his feet and began to walk away. It was almost though he were brushing off the wizard that was trying his hardest to control this stubborn creature before him. "Hey! Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you! You are my servant!"
"I am no one's servant…" the dual voice escaped the warrior's throat before he fired an energy ring at the wizard; forcing him into a wall that held him suspended in mid-air. He struggled helplessly while trying to break free to no avail. Even with the M on his forehead and the cold gaze in his eyes, he showed that he had something other warriors that fell under Babadi's power did not: total free will and abandonment. "This world isn't fit for a warrior like myself any longer. I shall see to its destruction…"
"D-damn it let me down!" Babadi yelled at the retreating warrior to no avail. If the wizard knew of the power he had unleashed, he probably wouldn't have even attempted to possess such a heart that no longer held much in the form of mercy. All that was left was a hallow shell of a hero who had lost everything dear to him.
In another world within another time and space, Chi-chi slowly awakened to find herself in the finest garments. Though she had lost nearly everything to Lamoch of all people, she found herself in a prison that she could not break out of; a prison where she was trapped to only watch the worst events she could ever imagine. Standing at this demon's side helplessly on top of a balcony of a grey-stone castle, she noticed the hordes of thousands standing below to listen to the replaced leader's commanding voice.
"…that is why we will unite as one to take out this Majin Buu in the name of the late Dominion," Lamoch's voice roared angrily to the crowd of people below him. "We will drive out what the traitor had instilled upon Earth and claim it as our land once more. Who's with me?"
A loud thunderous roar was heard of demons of all shapes and sizes that agreed with Lamoch. If things and details were different, Chi-chi would have accepted these people as her planet's people; however, she felt repulsed to consider them people of Earth. Whoever they all were, they scared her deeply.
"We will set out once the portal is completed! For now, prepare for war!" Lamoch gently took Chi-chi's hand and lead her off into the bedchambers. "Until morning, I will have my way with you…"
'Is he thinking of… oh dear… no!' Chi-chi wanted to fight against it, but her body did the opposite and responded to the demon's advances. Trapped helplessly to her tormentor's foreign touches and bodice, she almost wished she were anywhere else or dead.
It hadn't taken long for the other warriors to reach the completely void Saiya-jin who happened to be destroying a population of people. Gohan stared in aghast of his father's merciless destruction that had rained down upon the Earth. Why, for what reason, was he doing this to the very planet he swore to protect?
"Dad! Stop it!" Gohan yelled angrily at his father; trying to get him back to his senses. The eldest son did not want to fight his father, but would do so if he continued the massacre upon the planet without any reason.
"Why should I? They never tried to defend their own lives from threats, so it's better if the strong live and the weak perish along with this damn forsaken planet!" It was so unlike what Kakarrot would say and Goku would never bring himself to even utter this prattle.
"Kakarrot, clown, whoever you are, if you really have lost your mind, why not just blow up the planet now?" Vegeta taunted; seeing if the warrior was truly far gone to be saved. Any Saiya-jin that had lost his mate would have every right to be completely suicidal. Goku had gone through this once before during Namek and it had taken Chi-chi to bring him back from the brink of insanity.
"If that's what you want…" Wasting not a moment, he threw his hands into the air in the most recognizable poses to all of the veteran warriors on the battle field.
"No way! You can't just summon the Spirit Bomb!" Krillin stared in aghast. "It's impossible! You have to have a pure heart to do it!"
"Don't you fucking lecture me about pureness and other things I can't do," The deranged Saiya-jin interjected. "I can do whatever the hell I want! Screw the consequences!"
"Vegeta, what the hell have you done?" Piccolo roared angrily at the Saiya-jin prince. He had just arrived from Kami's Lookout, so he had no idea what had happened.
"He provoked dad to summon a Spirit Bomb! There's still time to stop him!" Gohan yelled to the others.
"What do you mean? He can't attack while summoning it?" Goten asked.
"If you two want to try to stop me, then come at me with all you got." The warriors all charged up to their highest powers and rushed at the warrior with a death wish. Before anyone could reach the place where he stood, the deranged fighter vanished; surprising all but a few.
"Instant Transmission, crap… I didn't think he could do that!" Gohan growled; scanning the skies for any signs of his father.
"Over there!" Vegeta roared and fired a ballad of blasts towards the warrior. Each one went straight through him as explosions lined the horizon. Growing heavily annoyed, Vegeta fired a stronger blast to only see it follow the others and create an even larger explosion. "Damn it! Hold still!"
"Vegeta! Calm down!" Tien yelled at the Saiya-jin. "This isn't helping us stop Goku!"
Laughter came from the Saiya-jin. "Goku? You still think that deep down; I am the same, mentally intact warrior? You have got to be kidding! The 'Goku' you know is dead."
"D-dead?!" Goten's eyes watered. "How's daddy dead when he's standing right here?"
"Mentally speaking," He corrected. "The minute Babadi did a spell upon me; I had gained a new consciousness, one that cannot be overtaken by the weak forms that happened to co-exist within this powerful body. The one you still consider your savior is a prisoner of his own mind and not even he or the imbecile Kakarrot have the power to rise against my psych."
"So in other words, Babadi created a third split personality," Piccolo summarized.
"In a way," the Saiya-jin, rather new persona thought. "I will not be called Majin though, I think I deserve a more unique name… ah, I got it. My name will be something of the Saiya-jin tongue: Casmir…"
"What kind of name is that?" Trunks yelled. "It sounds like a stupid name!"
"Brat, the word 'casmir' is the word for destruction," Vegeta growled. "It's amazing how you know of our nearly dead language…"
"That is because Kakarrot has memories of it whereas the more light-hearted side of him knew nothing of the sort," Casmir explained while hovering there idle. "Still, it's not a name you should attach to me since it will no longer matter soon enough."
"If you were made from Babadi's magic, how did you come into existence?" Piccolo inquired.
"The magical residue from the spell along with the emotions of both a Saiya-jin warrior and a naïve Earth-raised Saiya-jin was enough to draw energies from them to create a new, separate entity with hatred against the very planet. Memories of my mission are completely intact and I will carry out Earth's death sentence that should have been done nearly four decades ago!"
The energy swelled above Casmir while the others attempted to stop him to no avail. Their own strength began to bleed out of them and join the myriad collection of energy that gathered above his head. It was already far bigger to be considered a normal Spirit Bomb since he was draining the power from not only mankind, but the Earth along with it. To dare such a thing was almost surrendering the very planet's fate to a madman who brief existence was to do the impossible, do what Vegeta, Frieza and Cell before them failed to do: destroy Earth. None of their efforts were working and they only did more damage to the Earth's surface.
"Dad, stop it!" Gohan yelled.
"Haven't we gone over this? I am not those weaklings that are helplessly watching, rather one weakling…"
"One?" Vegeta blinked. "Who's not watching?"
"Kakarrot, he gave up and vanished…"
"What?" Trunks was appalled. He remembered how cool he was and tightened his fists. "You're probably lying…"
"Oh really, I suppose proof is needed…" Casmir spoke before closing his eyes. For a moment, it seemed to be no real change in the Saiya-jin's chi, but when his eyes opened, they reflected the painful loss of someone he loved.
"Daddy?" Goten questioned.
"Guys, destroy me," Goku pleaded to them. "Whoever's controlling me has already made Kakarrot vanish and he's trying to replace me as well. No matter what, kill me and ensure that Majin Buu is stopped before he's awakened again…"
"…How?" Gohan asked.
"Just… do it… please…" Goku suddenly moaned in pain before he silenced again; indicating that Casmir had regained control.
"Daddy!" Goten cried. He didn't want to harm his father, but there was little more they could do about it.
"It seems now that you said your goodbyes; it's time for you all to die!" Before Casmir could throw the Spirit Bomb; he suddenly froze and struggled. The simplest act of throwing down his arms and condemning the corrupted planet to hell seemed to be an easy task; however, it seemed that not everything would have been easy. "No… this planet deserves to die… these pathetic fools themselves… they all deserve to die…"
"What's going on?" Krillin asked.
"I… I'm not sure…" Tien looked at the sight in total bewilderment.
"This planet… I can't… it…" Casmir's hands were shaking at that moment. It was almost though a battle between wills was happening.
'I won't stand here and die like this!' A sudden thought pierced Casmir's mind as the Spirit Bomb; instead of plummeting towards Earth fell towards him of all people. The bright blue orb that was to be the Earth's destruction was now prepared to hit him as he felt paralyzed by utmost fear.
"Everyone, get down!" Piccolo yelled. Every single warrior, experienced and non-experienced in combat fell to the ground; clinging to the earth as the blast came screaming down upon the Saiya-jin that had almost gone against the very planet he had protected.
"I won't die like this! Curse you all!" Casmir's dying yell was heard before the blast enshrouded him. The explosion caused the very earth to quake; hurricane force winds to rip at their bodies before being thrown within the white void to destinations unbeknownst to them. It was almost though the attack itself was damning the planet.
Morning came much too soon in the world where the demons lived. The planet, called Morgorf, had warriors that were trained since their creation to destroy and conquer worlds to expand their empire. Sometimes, they would ensure the extinction of alien races in order to survive. Others, they would produce new and exotic hybrid offspring to ensure their iron will.
Lamoch's plan to do the latter would start with this woman that he had abducted from Earth. It wouldn't be long before thousands of other women were enslaved as well. As Chi-chi laid in bed next to him, he ensured that she would be the first Earthling to give birth to an alien hybrid outside of the two Saiya-jin hybrids she produced out of love. This possible third pregnancy was made out of lust and desire.
"After I ensure that Earth is ours, I will see to it that you not only survive, but also become a full-blooded demon," Lamoch whispered softly, petting her head almost though she was a pet. "Then, you will fully respect my word as the King of Morgorf."
Once Lamoch left the room, the covers shifted slightly, revealing Chi-chi had heard everything, her eyes filled with tears. Though she was trapped under the warrior's spell, she found she had slight control over her emotions.
'Oh Goku… Kakarrot… I'm sorry… I can't save myself…' Chi-chi thought sadly before a tear fell off her cheek.
Darkness is usually a void of life, a void in which proven light does not exist. Yet, within this darkness, a form, an entity, a lone soul hovered there. How could one such be there, let alone have the stamina to exist?
'It's all your fault you took me from Earth…' The thought caused eyes to open in confusion. In total surprise, Goku realized that he had somehow survived.
"Casmir…" It was the first thing he spoke as a ghostly entity appeared; almost though willed there. Unlike Kakarrot, this warrior held hatred. The black M was no longer apparent on his forehead; almost though the spell was broken for the moment.
'You have no right to call me by my name…' Casmir glared at the warrior in hatred.
"And you had no right to wipe Kakarrot out of existence!" Goku yelled back.
'You fool, he's not gone…'
"W-what? But I saw him vanish!"
'Are you that stupid? He's a part of you!'
"He's not…!" Goku's eyes widened when he suddenly remembered what happened clearly.
"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. The glow remained around Goku's body as his tail twined around his waist. At that moment, he unwillingly did something that made the prison beside his own vanish.
'Forgive me… we should have done this long ago… but as stubborn as I was, it was what cost us who we loved…' Kakarrot's voice echoed in the air before the glow around Goku faded; signifying that he was now alone. Instead of two, there was now only one personality; one entity.
"I… I can't do this alone… Kakarrot…"
"Kakarrot!"
"We are one…" Goku's voice spoke; now realizing that yes, there was a hint of Kakarrot's accent in his slightly deeper voice. Used to co-existing, he never thought the day would come where the darker persona would give up half of his personality to the other.
'Finally, he gets it, now that you have figured that out, you know that the consequences royally screwed you over.' Casmir spoke. 'You are alone, forgotten and the bitch you call your wife and mate is dead. We might as well be dead as well since you have given up your vessel to me!'
"I won't let you have my body!" Goku yelled at Casmir. "I will ensure that you vanish!" Suddenly, a bright light surrounded them and the darkness ebbed away.
'No, I won't die like this… no… NOOO!' Casmir vanished and so did the Earth-raised Saiya-jin.
Energy crackled around the nearly lifeless form of the Earth-raised Saiya-jin. Instead of destroying his body, the Spirit Bomb had fallen upon him; suspending him within the air only mere inches from the ground and taking him within its mass. It was almost though the Earth had repelled the attack, not wishing to be wounded by the energy from all life that came from it.
Goku's eyes opened suddenly and instead of letting what energy the darker entity had gathered harm the planet, he focused on the attack's intent before willing the energy to disperse; returning to where it had been taken. A brighter light emitted as the gathered power broke down into fragments; sparkling seeds raining down upon the planet and everyone in it. The effort wasn't without its consequences as the Earth-raised Saiya-jin fell earthward, exhausted from the difficult effort of breaking Casmir's attack that almost doomed the planet.
The momentum of his fall was suddenly broken by a rough hand grabbing at the back of his uniform; lowering him down upon the planet at a reduced speed before feeling the earth beneath his body again. His eyes opened weakly to see Vegeta there glaring angrily.
"Are you prepared to die Casmir?" Vegeta growled. Energy had been gathered and he was about to run the warrior in with it had it not been for Goten suddenly appearing and shielding his father's body with his own. The others had landed nearby, ready to attack in case this was a trap of sorts. They didn't know to trust what was going on was a ploy or not.
"Don't do it!" Goten pleaded.
"Brat, get the hell out of the way, he's still Casmir and…" Vegeta noticed Goku had pushed the boy aside, almost though he was ready to man up and take responsibility for his actions.
"Go ahead and kill me…" Goku's spoke with no emotion left in his voice. "If it will please my prince, I will certainly die."
"Fuck, its Kakarrot," The blast diminished almost instantly when he saw that he was back to his normal self. "I'll kill you later."
"Very well," and for the moment, it seemed that Vegeta had stepped down before punching the warrior across the face.
"Let me speak to the clown." Vegeta demanded.
"I already am." Surprise crossed everyone's faces. Gohan thought that his father was joking, even Trunks was confused since he had only spoken to Kakarrot for a few weeks since their first encounter.
"What the hell happened? Is this a game you're playing?" Vegeta yelled. "Are you the clown or Kakarrot?"
"It's a long story, alright? I'll tell you about it later. Right now, we need to stop Babadi from releasing Majin Buu again."
"Majin who?" Goten asked.
"There's no time to explain, it'll be easier if you just follow me…" Goku rose to his feet before his knees buckled. It was almost though his body had been torn apart, crushed and puréed before being re-assembled in some way. Vegeta huffed before picking up the warrior and slinging him over his shoulder.
"You are in no condition to fight, let alone show us anywhere." Vegeta demanded. "You will get your ass healed before we go there."
"If that's my prince's desire…" Goku smiled weakly before he lost consciousness. For the moment, there were no signs of trouble in the air.
When everyone gathered at Kami's Lookout, Goku had regained consciousness and was healed from the battle he had gone through.
Now at full strength, the Labyrinth seemed to hover on the horizon while they flew towards it at top speed. Before they could reach it, a horrible power began to gather and everyone froze in the air. A black tear grew in the heavens and demons emerged from the darkness.
"What is going on?" Vegeta yelled.
"This land belongs to King Lamoch and Queen Chi-chi!" a demon yelled.
'Chi-chi!' Goku thought angrily before lunging at the void, punching one of the demons back into the void. It suddenly sealed; taking the Earth-raised Saiya-jin with it. The warriors had no time to react before having to take on the other demons that had come to Earth from Morgorf. The battle for Earth was no longer an easy matter at all and instead of just Majin Buu, they had to fight the warriors from another dimension.
To Be Continued…