Chapter Fifteen - Origins of Evil

"I'm telling you Vegeta, something's wrong." Kakkarotto said crossing his arms as the three most powerful Master's rode up the lift to the Dining Hall for some breakfast. Vegeta was still soaked in sweat from his early morning training and his spar with Gohan. The entire morning Kakkarotto had been going on and on about a feeling in his stomach that something was wrong, something was happening.

"Kakkarotto, you're paranoid, you know that?" Vegeta said shaking his head. "How many times have you had this bad feeling of yours, hmm? And how many times has it been right?"

The powerful Sai-jin sighed. "I suppose you're right..." he said pouting.

"I'm more interested in what Gero had to say to you." Vegeta said turning to look at Gohan. The Hybrid had spent most of the night undergoing more of Gero's testing to find out what it was that was wrong with him. And then, that morning, during his spar with Vegeta, another spasm had gripped his body knocking him out of Super Sai-jin and back into his base form. If Vegeta hadn't noticed Gohan's power dropping rapidly the energy he'd been about to launch would have easily killed him.

"He tried some new things." the Hybrid said leaning back against the wall. "But he's still going over most of the results. He did, however, catch something new with an old test. Apparently whatever it is that's effecting me is working on a genetic level."

"What do you mean?"

Gohan sighed. "He took a sample of blood to just run a basic blood test and the computer asked him to identify the subject. Apparently my DNA is no longer the same as it used to be."

Vegeta frowned. "Maybe it's a Hybrid problem? You are the oldest... this just started a couple years ago... it'll be a while yet before any of the others reach that point... perhaps it's just an incompatibility of some sort?"

Gohan shrugged. "No idea. Gero doesn't think so, but he doesn't have a clue what's going on."

The elevator beeped as the doors slid open to the hall. The three emerged and started down the way to the dinning hall. It didn't take long for them to reach the doors and enter the large room. Several of those sitting at the tables near the doors stopped their eating momentarily and stiffened up as the three passed. They had almost reached their table when Gohan caught sight of 16 entering from the opposite end of the room. The Android spotted the three of them instantly and made a direct course for them.

It only took him a moment to reach their position. "Master Vegeta, Master Kakkarotto, Master Gohan." he said nodding to each of them. "I have an urgent matter I must speak with you about."

Gohan and Vegeta glanced at each other before looking back to Kakkarotto whose expression turned from one of confusion to one of determination. His bad feelings had only ever come to pass a handful of times, they were wrong nintey-nine percent of the time. This looked like one of the rare one percent. "What is it 16?" he asked.

"A priority message from Endevon came in earlier but was cut off. I contacted the planet again but that was cut off a moment later." the Android said. The Android then held out a hand in which rested a scouter. Vegeta took it and put it on. A moment later 16 was transmitting what had occured. They first saw the video feed from a moment ago showing the unknown pink creature. "Whatever it is, it's attacking Endevon."

"What's the problem?" Gohan said. "I doubt it's all that strong... we'd have encountered it by now if it was."

16 shook his head. "We couldn't get a reading. Dr. Gero's scanner maxed out and then gave us an error reading. That means..."

"It's power exceeds four hundred million." Vegeta said softly, a bit shocked. "How would this thing go unnoticed so long?"

Kakkarotto didn't answer, he was busy stretching his mind out scanning all the powers he could feel. He wasn't sure where this 'Endevon' was, but if this thing's power was over four hundred million it shouldn't be too difficult to locate. It took him a couple moments and then he felt something on the edge of his senses. Shifting his focus that way it only took a few minutes more to get a lock on the energy. As soon as he did his eyes snapped open wide, his body shivered, and a thin layer of sweat broke out across him. "There's... that's... holy shit."

"What is it Kakkarotto?" Vegeta asked turning.

"Stretch out your senses. Between here and where the Earth used to be." Kakkarotto said slowly, still trying to grasp the energy he'd felt.

Vegeta and Gohan glanced at each other and then did as Kakkarotto said. It only took them a moment to find the power as well. "What the hell!" Vegeta cried loudly getting the attention of all those in the room. "Shit... what the hell is that thing?"

Gohan shook his head. "It's... unreal. How..."

"Where's the next inhabited world between us and it?" Kakkarotto asked looking at 16.

The Android was silent a moment as it checked records. "Planet Kurokokun." he said at last. "No natural inhabitants but a Capsule Corp. facility is there, with over five million employees."

"Is it the closest inhabited world to Endevon?"

16 shook his head no. "There is a second world, Hoden, that is closer."

"But it doesn't lay between here and Endevon?"

"No. It is well off the route to Saiya."

"What are you thinking Kakkarotto?" Vegeta asked.

The Sai-jin crossed his arms over his chest and furrowed his brow in thought. "Not entirely sure yet." he said after a moment. "Just a feeling..."

"Well..." Gohan said. "Since his last was right, I say we go with this one as well."

Vegeta merely nodded. "16, send out the order now, an emergency meeting of ALL Masters is to be held in 15 minutes! If they're on Saiya I want them in the conference room, otherwsie, I want them on CommLink. Understood?"

"Understood."

As Kakkarotto was turning to leave he stopped and looked back to 16 again. "And send out an evacuation notice for Kurokokun. All those on world are to leave and come to Saiya."

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It had been 10 minutes since the order had gone out for the emergency meeting. Kakkarotto, Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, Bra, 18, Videl, 16, 19, and Gero were all in the conference room. Of the eighteen Masters they were the only ones on Saiya. Piccolo and Cell were on one screen, transmitting from Planet Cell. Inferna and Cold were up on a second screen still aboard their ships travelling to Inferna's home world. Cooler, Pan, and 17 were on the third monitor, gathered in the conference room on Planet Cooler. On the fourth and final screen was Frieza who was sitting at his com station in his room. All those who wore armor where now in their formal armors.

"So, what's this all about?" Frieza asked as Gero arrived and took his own seat. "It must be something important for you to have called such a meeting so quickly."

"A new problem." Vegeta said. "I'll let the good doctor explain the situation."

Gero nodded and typed a few things on his computer. The monitors in the conference room on Saiya, as well as the ones the others were using, shifted images to show the video from Endevon. As soon as the pink creature appead on the screen he froze the image. "What you are looking at." Gero began. "Is an unkown creature of unknown origins. It appeared on Endevon within the last hour. Scans of the world have yielded no readings, its power exceeds our ability."

"You're kidding?" Cell cried in shock. "But that would put it's power over 400 million!"

"It's well over that." Gero said as the images changed back to the video feeds. "Masters Kakkarotto, Vegeta, and Gohan sensed the creature out and have confirmed it's power. It is stronger than Master Kakkarotto."

"How is that possible?" Pan asked worried.

Gero shook his head. "I'm afraid that all I've learned so far is that it most likely came from Earth."

"Earth? How?" 18 asked looking over to Gero.

"I don't know. It's possible this creature was a project of the Humans still there. It is also possible this thing came about some other way, some other place, and just passed through the rubble of the Earth. Either way, I've verified that the entire solar system in which the Earth resided is gone. The rubble of the Earth, the other planets, the sun, it's all been completely destroyed."

"We could just destroy the planet." Piccolo said after a moment of silence.

Gero shook his head. "This thing was caught on satellite just before landing on the planet, I found the records a few minutes ago. It came down to the planet under its own power. I think that's how it got to Endevon as well."

"Doesn't need to breathe... damn." 17 said frowning. "Any chance we could contain it somehow?"

"Without knowing what it is... no. Our only option is to fight it." Gero said, and then looked over to Kakkarotto.

"I think it's coming here..." the Sai-jin said after a moment. "Possibly it can sense us. In our base forms we may not be the most powerful in the universe but... we are the closest powers of note."

"What makes you think it cares?" Inferna asked, curious.

"A... feeling." Kakkarotto replied. "They're not always right... hell, they're usually wrong. But this is a strong one... has been all day. So I've come up with a plan."

"A plan?" You? I'm impressed." Videl said smirking.

The Sai-jin shrugged. "I do have my moments... anyway, it's a simple plan. I'm going to Kurokokun, a planet between here and Endevon. I'll power up, try and draw the creature's attention."

"And then what? Fight it?" Pan asked. "But... it's stronger than you!"

Kakkarotto nodded. "Ya, I know. I'm rather looking forward to it." he said grinning. "But just in case, Gohan's going to come with me. With both of us, despite it's power, we should be able to beat it. If not... it wont matter. No one else has the kind of power to fight this thing..."

The Master was interrupted by beeping in the room. All those gathered looked at each other wondering who had accessed the secure com link for the room. Vegeta reached out and pressed a button and a fifth screen came to life showing Marron. "I, um... Sorry to interrupt. Dr. Gero asked I inform him immediately if I found something..."

"Ah, yes. I asked Marron to do a little research on this creature while we had our meeting." Gero said explaining. "What is it you've found?"

"Everything." she said, still absorbing it herself. "Planet Bibidi, near the edge of the West Galaxy... it's devoid of life now, has been for thousands of years... but there used to be an advanced civilization on the planet. We've been researching them for the passed decade or so."

"This thing originated there? Then... how is it in the North Galaxy?" Pan asked.

Gero glanced at Pan a moment then looked back to Marron. "Give us everything you found, from the beginning."

Marron sighed. "The creature is called Majin Buu. It was created by one of the Wizards of the world, Babidi. Actually, it is Babidi. I think. According to what I've found... Babidi was the second son of Bibidi the 62nd, king of Planet Bibidi. He and his brother, Bibidi the 63rd, both had their eyes on the same woman. I don't know all the details, but in the end she wound up being killed. Babidi vanished for nearly ten years after that, no one saw him. And then... well, watch for yourselves."

The screen showing Marron shifted to a very distorted and tattered image of a large courtyard or town square. The area was packed full of short yellow, blue, and green people as well as some that looked very much like Sai-jins or Humans. Standing on a stage was another of them giving a speech. None of them could understand the language. After a moment a new form came on screen, walking up onto the stage. He too was a short yellow man, but unlike the others who wore normal looking clothes he was in black robes. The Masters managed to catch the name Babidi as the camera zoomed in.

The man in the black robes raised his staff above his head and began to speak loudly and quickly. Even though they couldn't understand his words they could still hear the anger in them. There was a flash of pink from his staff and then black energy began flowing into the alien from every direction. When it ended the yellow man had been replaced by a large purple ball. The ball then cracked and split open, a pink smoke gathering and then forming into the pink creature from the video on Endevon. Only... this creature was much taller and much rounder. In fact, it looked fat. And then the screen went black. Marron's face then returned again.

"So where's it been all this time?" Bra asked.

"Well... I don't know how it got from Planet Bibidi to Earth... but I think it's been trapped on Earth since."

"How? Why?" Frieza asked.

"There's a legend." Marron said. "About three thousand years ago a Demon walked the Earth, living only to destroy..."

18 nodded. "I know this." she said, all eyes turning to her. "A young girl approached the Demon when it came to her village. While the others ran from it, she didn't. The girl didn't know what it was and it had saved her from people that were attacking her, even if it hadn't meant to. The legend says that she befriended the Demon. A few days later, when the villagers returned and saw them playing together, they thought perhaps the Demon wasn't as strong as rumors had said, and they began to throw rocks and sticks at it.

"One of the rocks missed the Demon and hit the girl. When the Demon realized she was dead it revived her. But then... it turned back on those who'd been throwing the rocks and killed them. This terrified the girl and she fled. When the Demon found her again she was still scared of him. Not wanting to lose its friend the Demon forced the evil out of its body into a new body. This new small Demon picked up where the old had left off upon meeting the girl. Destroying and killing without reason.

"After a few days the girl and the large Demon returned to the village again to find it destroyed. The work of the small Demon. The large Demon went after it but was losing the fight, the evil was winning. But then, the girl showed up. The small Demon saw her and went to attack her... The legend doesn't say how exactly it happened but somehow the large Demon encased the small Demon with its own body, turning into a hard shell. And that was that. The Demon Egg, as it was then called, was locked away inside the Earth."

"You think it's connected?" Kakkarotto asked scratching the back of his head. "I always thought it was just a story..."

"Well..." Gero said thoughtfully. "It does seem to match in some ways. It is perhaps possible that it is close to the actual events that occured. Having been so long ago it isn't possible for us to be sure the exact course of events... still, this does give me a thought."

"Oh?" Vegeta asked.

"If this, Majin Buu, did divide into two parts, good and evil, and the good half was able to contain the evil... Perhaps it's possible again?"

"You mean, find the good Buu?" 18 asked curious. "What if he's gone? What if it was destroyed and that's how this Buu is free now?"

"Possible. Likely, in fact." Gero said. "But we may not need this Buu. Perhaps... Kami's powers..."

"I could ask." Piccolo said with a nod. "The old fool may want us all dead but he still cares about the rest of the universe."

"Look into it." Vegeta said. "It may be our last chance if Kakkarotto can't stop this thng."

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It had only been fifteen minutes since the meeting and Kakkarotto was already in at the dock watching as his Saucer Ship was prepped for immediate launch. The trip would take just over a day and the crew would be as small as possible. Just him, Gohan, and about five techs to manage the systems. "I want you to stay back from the battle as much as possible." Kakkarotto said as Gohan walked up beside him. "If your condition comes up during a fight with this thing..."

"Ya, I know." Gohan said nodding. "I'll be careful, don't worry. If I get myself killed out there Videl will come after me and kick my ass."

"Damn right." Videl said walking up behind him. "You get yourself back here alive."

"So, do you think we really have a chance of fighting this thing? We don't even know what the hell it is really." Gohan said.

Kakkarotto shrugged. "It's strong, but I think we could win. This battle... this may just be what I need." he said grinning.

"What you..." suddenly realization dawned on him. "Ah, hoping to transform again are you? Heh, I should have known. Your entire interest in fighting this thing is to try and push through to the fourth level, isn't it?"

"Of course."

Videl shook her head. "I still don't see how a fourth level is possible." she said. "Your power is already beyond anything else... anything natural at least, in the universe. You're practically a god..."

"It's there.. right under the sur..." He was cut off as a soldier came running up toward him calling his name frantically. "What is it?" he asked adjusting his battle armor.

"Video footage from Endevon." the man said coming to a stop and panting. "The creature... just blew up... the whole system... We're picking up... multiple patterns... it's... in pieces but... still alive."

Kakkarotto and Gohan glanced at each other. "It can regenerate?" Gohan asked. "Any idea how well?"

"Cell level, at least." The man panted. "The thing is in... five million pieces... literally. You'll probably need... to atomize the thing... to kill it."

Kakkarotto nodded. This was good information to have prior to fighting the thing. "Now as long as it doesn't destroy our battlefield..."

"Well, we can breathe in space for a bit." Gohan said crossing his arms. "About what? Five minutes?"

"About." his father replied, the excitement and concern both etched clearly on his face. "We'll have the ship move back, in case this thing goes for broke. I'm hoping I'm right though... the way it landed and attacked instead of just destroying it from space..."

"You think it's looking for a fight?"

"I'm hoping..."

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"Open fire!" a deep and gruff voice shouted. Instantly the street was alight with gold and white light as hundreds of energy blasts surged down the road toward the pink creature walking toward them. The pudgy green beings launching the attacks all stopped a moment later as they realized every blast simply punched through the thing and the hole sealed up in seconds. "Damn it, how the hell do you kill this thing?"

"It's attacking! Pull back!" another voice shouted. The gathered warriors scattered quickly as Buu began to fire energy blasts rapidly toward the warriors. In a matter of seconds they were all dead leaving the street empty and silent. No, not silent. A soft and hushed crying came from one of the nearby piles of rubble, a former building. Buu stopped and looked that way tilting his head slightly. The small creature grinned and walked over to the rubble lifting a large chunk of wall off the ground and pitching it a few miles.

There, huddled back in a small alcove made of rubble, was another native of this world, small and crying. Buu laughed as he raised an arm toward the alien and pink energy charged at the end of his arm. Suddenly his eyes snapped wide, an intense pain searing through his skull. The energy dissipated as he grabbed his head and began to scream, his power washing out about him. "Gaaaaaaaaaaa! Ugga gaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he cried pounding his head. Still the pain continued, pounding inside him.

"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Buu threw his arms and head back and let out a cry of anger. His aura flared up and out, the planet began to shake, and a crater started forming under him. And then a massive pink explosion tore from his body, through the planet, and spread out obliterating the entire solar system. As the energy faded into darkness, leaving only the void of space, small pink blobs scattered about for thousands of miles wiggled and slowly began to draw toward each other.