Chapter 098 – The Birth and Death of Vegetto
"Come on, Dad. We don't have much time! Buu's gotten a lot stronger since the last time you fought him." Corset protested anxiously. "There is no way any of us can beat him right now!"
"Buu's closing in – please, Vegeta!" Goku cried. "You've got to put this on! This is no time for pride; this is doomsday!" He once again held out the tiny earring towards the Saiyan Prince. Vegeta's face creased up slightly as his eyes lay upon the tiny object, teeth bared for some reason. Corset knew what her dad could be like, she knew when it came to helping Goku he would always be reluctant to do so, especially since this would require the both of them to join bodies. He'd always hated the man but this hatred was getting in the way of doing what was needed to save the planet... again.
She had no idea how these earrings were supposed to work. They just looked like normal earrings to her but Goku seemed to know something about them and she was willing to trust his judgement.
"I hate you for it..." Vegeta grumbled quietly, head turning to face Goku, the fury lighting up in his dark eyes. "I sent myself into a cold oblivion and I did it on a lie!" The pure confusion on his rival and daughter's faces went ignored as he continued. "I saw it from the afterlife, I saw you transform into a Super Saiyan Three! When you fought me you hid your true strength! Were you manipulating me or mocking me? You turn my stomach! You think I'd want to fuse with you?"
"Look I'm sorry, I had to save it for later just in case." Goku frowned apologetically sensing the anger radiating from his rival. Vegeta had not changed since his brush with death. "There's a limit to how long I can keep that form." He explained but he may as well have not bothered as Vegeta was not interested.
"Don't make excuses!" Vegeta snapped at the younger Saiyan. "The facts don't change, you were mocking me!"
"Dad we don't have time for this!" Corset cried growing more and more frustrated with the lack of a solution. Buu was getting closer to them all the time and they did not have time to be arguing amongst themselves. "I get that you hate Goku and you wanna out-do him but right now with the way we all are, none of us stand a chance! I've seen his power with my own eyes and have fought him – we can't win like this! Please just listen to Goku!"
"You wanna talk about facts?" Goku asked growing a little heated in the moment. "We-" he pointed to himself and Corset, "-are the only ones left! Buu has eaten everyone! Everyone we know and care about is dead – even Bulma! He's absorbed Trunks, Gohan, Goten and Piccolo which is how he's gotten this strong. They've become part of Buu; they can't even die! I just thought for once we could put aside our differences just this once and really work together. We owe that to our teammates, our families and our friends! You've always talked about how we're the last of a mighty people, it's time we accept we're starting a new race - one that can be just as tough, just as proud! We can't do that if we're so caught up in our old birth-rights to see what we've got in front of us! We've lost our old race, Vegeta - let's not lose this one too!"
Corset frowned as Goku spoke a rather inspiring speech to convince her father, remembering the many deaths Majin Buu had caused. She hadn't been able to protect her brother or her mother from this monster. She was barely able to keep herself alive as it was. Thanks to this monster, she'd lost almost everyone she cared about, she'd lost almost everything and at this rate she would do. Buu was just too overwhelming and always seemed to be several steps ahead of them.
Corset looked to her father, eyes moistening a little as she tried to hold herself in check:
"He's had his way with us over the past couple of days. No one's stood a chance against him and pretty much everyone's now dead or has been absorbed," She explained. "The power you're sensing from him right now doesn't belong to him! He's stolen Piccolo, Gohan, Trunks and Goten's power and used it for his own! If we carry on like this he'll destroy the Earth and the Dragonballs and then no one will be brought back to life! Is that really alright with you?"
Buu now a small dot on the horizon.
"Vegeta!" Goku yelled in frustration desperate to fuse before Buu arrived. The pressure on them all was immense and although it seemed the Saiyan Prince had spent a mere second thinking it over, it'd probably felt like a million years to him. Eventually he begrudgingly held out a hand towards Goku:
"Hurry, give it to me!" He barked.
Neither Goku nor Corset could quite believe it.
"What are you waiting for?" Vegeta spat. "Give it now!"
"S-Sure!" Goku smiled, passing the earring to him.
"You said right ear, right?" Vegeta snarled trying to put the earring on and finding it more difficult than had first thought. The pressure was on; Buu was so close to them now!
Corset was in awe at her father. She never would have thought he'd agree to something like this and was proud of him. He'd managed to swallow his pride long enough to agree to fuse with his rival.
"Yeah. One more thing though..." Goku added. "... Once we mix, we can never split again!"
"What?" Both Corset and Vegeta gasped.
"You mean you and Dad will be stuck together forever?" Corset gawked.
"Tell me now, why don't you! Don't you think that's important information?" Vegeta bellowed. "There, it's on!"
Buu hurtled towards them, charging up an energy attack.
In an instant both Goku and Vegeta appeared to be sucked towards one another. In a blinding flash of light they vanished; Corset forced to shield her eyes and turn away from the fusion, instead turning away and keeping one on Buu as he closed in on them. Her heart thumped in her ribcage as the Majin reached them cackling as he charged for them readying his attack, though quickly the smile on his face vanished as he saw the bizarre fusion technique before him.
The light vanished.
Before them stood a new warrior. His hair stood up on end like her fathers, with a couple of bangs falling down his face. His gi was similar to Goku's; predominantly blue with an orange undershirt. He wore Vegeta's Saiyan gloves and boots. His power was unlike anything she'd ever sensed before.
"Corset, go find Dende and Mr Satan. Keep them out of trouble." He ordered.
"... Alright..." Corset nodded obediently. She turned and slowly drifted away from the powerful warrior – or was he technically her father still? Corset wasn't too sure, the whole ordeal had knocked her for words and coherent thoughts but she kept her eye on the horizon and began to trace Dende's ki.
Buu tossed his energy attack straight for the Saiyan undeterred by his new fused opponent. With little warning the warrior transformed into a Super Saiyan and slapped the oncoming attack straight back at Buu. This was all the battle she witnessed as Corset locked onto Dende's ki and revved up her energy.
There was no doubt in her mind that Buu was about to die.
Dende was on the move.
Apparently Goku'd teleported them quite a distance across the Earth when he'd sensed Vegeta's energy. As she flew back across the barren planet she took notice of all the towns and cities she was flying over. Below were ghost towns; desolate buildings with no one inside. Signs of life that had once existed but had been wiped out. There were abandoned vehicles and bikes scattered all across the cities and towns, toys belonging to children left on the streets and in gardens, homes which now lay abandoned as no one was left to live in them. The shops were empty of people and full of stock whether it be electronics, food, entertainment, tools, capsules. Everything was quiet and still save the wind which swept dust and any loose article along as it travelled across the desolate planet. The forests and farms she passed on her way were also silent, no animals to be seen; farm crops never to be harvested, only to grow and grow until they died off...
It wouldn't be long now. Judging by the ki she was sensing, Buu would soon be defeated and the Dragonballs would be gathered... Although they did have a while to wait since her mother had used one of the wishes already. Four months of an empty planet save those who were still alive. It was a terrifying and haunting thought knowing that for four months no one would be around. Towns, cities, villages and hamlets would remain without humans inhabiting them for four whole months.
The battle behind her would have been incredible to have witnessed but Corset knew better. She had little doubt the Goku in that warrior would want her out of the way so he could concentrate on fighting without having anyone to worry about. Plus Dende would need to be kept alive if they were to use the Dragonballs...
Finally she found them.
Dende was flying Mr Satan over to her direction in an attempt to locate her, Goku, and Buu. Corset hurriedly explained to him what had happened.
"Your father's back?" Dende repeated shocked. "King Yama must have saved his body."
"Yeah, Goku said that too," Corset nodded. "The two of them fused with some strange earrings; they looked like the earrings Kaioshin wore... anyway, right now whoever-they-are is now fighting with Buu..."
Corset stopped dead in her tracks. No, that couldn't be! She turned on her heels, scared at what she was sensing.
"... C-Can you feel that?" Dende shuddered nervously.
"I really hope not!" Corset gulped, body starting to tremble slightly as she glanced over in the direction Buu and the fused warrior had been battling in. "... You've gotta be kidding me! I can't sense them anymore! All I can sense is Buu!"
"What do you think we should do, Corset?" Dende asked apprehensively.
"... I think we'd better check this out," Corset decided after gulping down the large lump in her throat. Her mind told her not to as did her heart but she knew she'd have to confirm it. "I don't like this at all. I can't sense anyone else other than Buu."
She was inches off the ground when something grabbed onto her arm startling her.
"W-Wait! Don't leave me on my own! Take me with you!" Mr Satan had reached out and grabbed her by the arm, the puppy hidden away in his shirt poking its head out.
Corset groaned wincing a little and contemplated having to take him along. Sure he was a pain and incredibly pig-headed but at the end of the day he had tried to save the Earth in his own way. The real question was could she abide his presence? He was Videl's father but also the moron who'd taken credit for Gohan's victory over Cell. Her mind tossed and turned with arguments why and why not to take the man along until eventually it came to a conclusion.
"Alright, we'll take you along. Just keep quiet and try not to fidget around so much!" Corset sighed defeated, one part of her mind screaming blue murder for being swayed. She took hold of the tall big-haired fighter and levitated up into the sky, Dende beside her.
Buu stood deathly still on top of a protruding rock-face, apparently staring off into space. He did not move or speak. He didn't seem to notice the arrival of three individuals observing him from a small distance away. As soon as they'd arrived Corset'd led them down to the ground. The area they were in wasn't as barren as a fair few trees and bushes were around, though the ground was uneven and twisted up into the air with thick jagged points of rock. At least they'd have somewhere to take shelter in. The trio were forced to hide amongst the rocks close to where the Majin stood. His behaviour perplexed Corset. His outwardly appearance had not gone unnoticed by her either; the lack of a nose and a great loss of power now bestowed on the monster.
Sure enough her worst fears were confirmed. No sign of the fused Saiyan. Had her father and Goku's fused version been absorbed too? No, that couldn't be it. Buu had lost the power he'd gained from absorbing Gotenks (now Goten and Trunks as Buu'd lost Gotenks' power earlier), Piccolo and Gohan; there was no immense power to suggest he'd absorbed the strongest fighter she'd ever sensed. What had gone on? She couldn't sense him at all now! Did that mean... he'd been killed?
"Why's he not moving? Weird..." Mr Satan muttered.
"I'm not sure..." Dende answered. "He's turned back to normal too!"
"Or rather he's turned back to that form he was in when he found the lookout," Corset nodded, mind itching to get closer to the Majin. "... You guys stay here... I'm gonna try and get a closer look."
Corset scurried through the rocky outcrops, keeping an eye on Buu as she slowly moved closer. His behaviour seemed very strange indeed; she was rather surprised he still didn't react the closer she got to him. Piccolo had stated earlier that Buu could sense ki signals; she'd seen this for herself recently when Goku had teleported her and himself to Vegeta, when Buu was explaining he knew of Gohan's existence, and even when Buu had relocated them and challenged Gotenks to battle. So why was it he didn't seem to notice her?
The sudden scream startled her. Instinct kicked in and Corset hid amongst a small ledge, peering around the rocky wall to observe Buu, heart thumping wildly.
He seemed to be in pain. His ki was fluctuating wildly, dropping and rising in rapid bursts.
'What's he doing?' Corset raised an eyebrow. Nervous and weary, she slowly made her way back over to Dende and Mr Satan, feeling a sudden need to protect them both. There was something strange about Buu's behaviour that set her on edge and she wasn't comfortable with the gigantic drops and rises in his unstable ki.
"What's his problem?" Mr Satan's voice drifted over the wind.
"I'm not sure," Dende answered.
"I think we may need to step back a little," Corset warned as she reached them again, "Buu's ki is unstable and I've got a bad feeling about this."
One quick glance back to the monster turned into a double glance. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Piccolo had suddenly popped up from out of nowhere and were now nearby floating in the sky! Goku and Vegeta made a quick dive to catch the others who apparently weren't conscious but Corset was lost for words. How? Where? What had happened while she'd left the fused fighter and now why was her father and Goku two separate beings?! Hadn't Goku said these earrings were supposed to keep them fused together forever?
"T-They're alive!" Dende cheered. "Everyone Buu absorbed is alive!"
"That's a relief..." Corset wiped her brow with an exasperated sigh. "... but how did dad and Goku get them from Buu... and how is it that Dad and Goku are separate again?"
"What do you mean?" Dende asked; he had not been present to see the two Saiyans fuse with the earrings.
"Well, Goku said that once he and dad joined bodies, they could never split," Corset explained.
"Fused? What the heck are you talking about...?" Mr Satan's words went unheard.
Buu's ki was now starting to stabilise, only now it was rising. Corset gulped nervously as she watched the monster's body change, steam spouting out of him as it had done before whenever Buu'd powered up. He still was screaming with pain, throwing himself back and forth every-so-often and shifting his arms across his body. The heat given off by the shrinking Majin was reaching them even from this distance as his body morphed.
Goku, Vegeta and the others had vanished behind a bundle of rocks; Goku and Vegeta soon reappearing not long afterwards, backs turned to Corset, Dende and Mr Satan as their attention focused on Buu.
Was he transforming?
His ki continued to rise, body shrinking. Buu continued to scream out, flailing his arms around and grunting. Neither Goku nor Vegeta seemed to be preparing any kind of attack on the Majin, so Corset patiently stayed alongside Mr Satan and Dende.
After what felt like an eternity, Buu was done. He'd shrunk in size and now seemed to be a third of the size he'd been before, though it seemed physically-speaking nothing else had changed.
"... He's tiny..." Corset mumbled, a feeling of anxiety slowly washing over her. Something about this Majin Buu sent chills through her body. His ki had risen dramatically compared to his last form. A quick glance up to her father and Goku didn't put her at ease, although both the Saiyans appeared to be in no rush to attack Buu.
An ear-piercing, terrible scream reverberated around the entire canyon, the ground violently shuddering below their feet. The sudden change in the Earth's atmosphere stunned Corset as she covered her ears, agitated by the horrific loud scream coming from the tiny Buu. Lightning flashed across the skies which had clouded over the instant Buu had started making this awful racket. The entire planet shuddered under the pressure, the ground starting to crack at their feet as the howling wind picked up violently.
"Make him shut up!" Corset bellowed, voice almost drowned out through Buu's scream.
Then as sudden as it had been brought on, the planet instantly turned back to normal as Buu quietened down.
The miniature fighter raised out one hand.
A small bolt of energy shot down for the ground.
"W-WHAT?" Corset shrieked horrified; the small ball of energy had more than enough energy to destroy the planet! Inches from the ground, another blast deflected it; Vegeta had acted fast and had gone in to stop the ball from exploding.
'Thank Yama you're here!' Corset sighed, heart pounding in her throat from the shock. "That little freak just tried to destroy the planet without as much as a warning! What a moron!" She snapped with disbelief.
"D-Destroy the..." Mr Satan repeated eyes widening. "... You mean that little light thing?"
"It was packed with condensed energy," Dende explained. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
"Me too," Corset gulped.
Buu's attention focused on the two Saiyans as Vegeta was heard shouting something at the fighter. The Majin turned to face them and raised one hand. Ki gathered into a bright pink energy ball; this one far, far bigger than the previous one as it gathered above the tiny Buu's head. The indifferent look upon his face had vanished and was now replaced with a feverish snarl, almost one of pure hatred. Corset watched unable to move her body, stuck paralysed to the ground without a hope in the world.
"W-What's he doing?" Dende gasped. "W-Why won't Buu fight Goku and Vegeta?"
"T-That thing is powerful!" Corset whispered almost struggling to find the breath to make her voice be heard. "... Dende... I can't deflect that... He's gonna blow up the planet!"
Goku's shouts were barely heard over the gusts. It was difficult to make out what words actually came from the warrior's mouth but they'd seemed to have fallen upon deaf ears as Buu did not relent his energy attack. Nothing seemed to be able to stop him.
"Stop it Buu!" Corset yelled. "Are you insane?"
Buu released the attack.
The area was coated in a pink light. Fear had gripped the demi-Saiyan's body, mind screaming for her to escape and survive. Her heart had stopped; she couldn't move. All she managed was to utter words to no one in particular. "We're gonna die..." She whispered terrified. It was all over.
In the few seconds that followed, Goku and Vegeta had shot off away from the oncoming attack, Goku suddenly shooting down towards her, Dende and Mr Satan. In the panic she latched onto his arm, other arm grabbing onto Mr Satan; Dende clinging to his leg as the gang joined Vegeta.
The energy ball seemed to be following them; no doubt a sign of Buu's malicious nature. Through all the terror and confusion a single figure emerged in front of them illuminated by the light of the attack closing in on them. Kaioshin – or someone who looked like him – appeared, holding out a hand. Goku grabbed hold; Vegeta snatching onto Goku's shirt.
Corset took a glance back; the energy attack metres away from them. Gohan, Piccolo, Goten and Trunks were still hidden away somewhere; Tenshinhan and possibly Chaozu were still alive! They had to save them all too!
"W-Wait!" She cried.