The Book of Shin

If there are four words to describe Pui-pui, they are: pain, in, the, and ass. A fifth-- fucking-- might also be added for emphasis.

Pui-pui had once been known as the Scourge of the Kappus System, a title earned byeraleral stunning feats of genocide early in his career. Had he been granted more intelligence, he might have become another Frieza. If. Thank us gods for small blessings.

Pui-pui\'s lack of cerebral giftedness was painfully obvious as he came out and started mouthing off to the blandly superior Vegeta. The fight, as you know, didn\'t last long.

Then Goku stepped up to the plate with Yarkon, the shadow creature of the abyss that devours light. He was one of those creatures that, in an infinite universe, had to exist at some time in some place. A little more than a pain in the ass. More like a pain in the ass and the tail.

But Goku proved once again that he is not-- contrary to popular belief-- an idiot, but is rather a quite clever little bastard. He made Yarkon gorge on light, and the creature blew up.

Which should serve to demonstrate why Gluttony is a deadly sin.

We proceeded on to the third stage, and began our wait. I had to give up my comfy seat so he could start stretching in anticipation of his turn. The other two got absorbed in ignoring each other, but stealing covert glances when they thought no one was looking. So I was left with little to do, save worry, and feel like Master Roshi as Gohan stretched.

oh yeah, baby, touch those toes . . .

After some time of watching Gohan twist, and stretch, and twist some more, and stretch oh so much more, I found my worry being shoved from my mind in favor of black spandex. Black, shiny, tight spandex.

yummy . . .

But as I should have known, such moods are always broken. No sooner had Gohan started a series of practice moves that showed of his pecs than a ripple of . . . something . . . went through the darker energies in creation. It was like what that wonderful man, Ben Kenobi, would have termed a \"ripple in the Force.\" In the Dark Side, however.

As the disturbance built, the worry that had been gnawing at me for several centuries gained another tooth. On and on it went, until it stopped with the suddenness of a car hitting a brick wall.

There was a protracted moment, and then the door slid open to reveal none other than that smug, evil git, Dabura.

This was not shaping up to be my day.

* * *

The fight started innocently enough-- a charge from Gohan, a dodge from Dabura. It was like a warm-up match where neither side is really quite committing. But it didn\'t seem to progress out of this stage.

I didn\'t understand. I had read their relative potentials early on, and it was clear that Gohan had the most potential of any of the Saiyajin left. But he didn\'t seem to be using it.

It was Vegeta who revealed the problem.

\"You know, Kakkarotto,\" he began, \"Gohan hasn\'t trained much since you left. Mommy won\'t let him. Instead he spends his time studying, and dating so Chi-chi can find him a good wife.\"

Goku looked stunned. \"You mean, she hasn\'t let him train at all?\"

\"Nope. You know muc much she hates the Namek and me. She won\'t let him near Juuhachigou because she knows Krillen will be around.\" A wicked gleam lit his eye. \"None of us have seen much of him. You know how much she dislikes us.\"

Goku swallowed. \"But she was a fighter. I thought she understood how important training is!\"

\"Apparently not. That\'s why he\'s so slow. And his timing is all off. Right now, he\'s weaker than when he killed Cell. Even I\'m stronger than he is now.\"

Goku paled. \"You\'re right, Vegeta. I hadn\'t noticed, but. . . you\'re right.\"

Vegeta smirked again. \"At least he got good report cards, ne?\"

I smacked my forehead as realization hit me. Of course! That halo over Goku\'s head wasn\'t just a fashion statement. And in his absence, that woman would have held the reins of her ever obedient son. He was completely unbalanced, and his mother\'s blind stubbornness now risked the fate of not just one universe, but four!

Though Vegeta wasn\'t helping at the moment. Why was it that once he started, he couldn\'t shut up? It was all I would have done this, I would have done that this way, I would have broken the sword sooner, blah blah blah. . . .

But I began to notice something. Every time Vegeta spoke, Dabura\'s ears would twitch.

\"Vegeta, what are you doing?\" asked Goku.

So Goku discerned the possibility of a plan? But Vegeta didn\'t answer, but only kept up with his ridicule.

Puzzled, I snuck a tendril of thought into his mind, and was overwhelmed with an overweening sense of . . . duty of all things. Curious, I delved a little deeper, and struck upon a memory of his father.

The face was angular, the hair upswept, and the voice a rumbly bass that reverberated in the young ouji\'s chest.

\"Vegeta,\" the older man spoke, \"you must understand this. While all Saiyajin serve us, it is because we protect them. As Ouji, one one day Ou, your primary duty is to protect your people. Protect their honor, their lives, their territory. All else is secondary-- the love of family, personal strength, even that damnable pride that seems to infect our people so. That is your one weakness, and perhaps your strength-- your pride. It is weakness when used for the self, strength when used for our people. Remember that Vegeta, above all else. While every Saiyajin save me is your servant, you are guardian to each one. Will you remember that, son?\"

\"Yes, papa\"? the younger replied.

I withdrew my mind, understanding. Vegeta was trying to protect Gohan. I didn\'t catch his plan, aside from distracting Dabura, but it was certainly original. Protecting a person by ridiculing them in front of others. Only a Saiyajin. . .

It was shortly thereafter that Dabura pulled out of the fight, much to everyone\'s puzzlement. I think the plan was for Dabura to want to fight Vegeta instead, but that\'s the part of the plan that didn\'t work.

Instead, he announced that they had a better fighter, if you could wait one moment, he\'ll be out momentarily. And then he walked away, leaving us in stunned silence.

\"What the Hell?\" Gohan\'s voice spoke for us all. Goku was wearing that adorable \"confused chibi\" face of his, and Vegeta looked like someone who\'s just been outmaneuvered but isn\'t sure how.

I extended my senses once more, searching for any hint of what was going on, but the dark channels were silent. Very silent. There is a silence that parents recognize, the silence of plans about to unfold. That\'s what this silence was. The very worrisome kind. I searched the ship, but there were no life-forces that I couldn\'t account for, no new warriors to face.

Unless. . .

Yeah, he\'d be able to do that, if there was enough evil left in his heart. Babidi can only control evil, so if there is enough evil, he can control just about anything. And Vegeta was a prime target. Hopefully, there wouldn\'t be enough evil left in his heart. Here\'s to wishing. . .

\"Vegeta. . .\" I turned to the prince. \"Everyone knows you\'re the evilest bastard on this planet,\" he gave a pleased little smirk at that, \"But just how much evil is left?\"

He scowled. \"You imply that I have \'mellowed.\'\" I nodded and he continued. \"Hn. I have not mellowed. I have merely been waiting for this bak-- he gestured to Goku, -- to return so we could have our decisive battle. I am still evil, and would do anything to defeat that moron.\"

\"Ah,\" I nodded. He was a pretty good liar, mixing in just enough truth to fool most people. I\'m glad I\'m not most people.

\"Why?\" he asked, trying to scowl, but grimacing instead.

\"Because. . .\" I began, but stopped as his face rippled, the byplay of emotion and thought a fascinating study. . . . . that.\" I finished somewhat lamely. \"He\'s trying to take you over, isn\'t he?\"

\"Is that what this is?\" he asked softly, a hand reaching up to rub his brow.

I explained how the soul invasion worked, and for the first time, he looked afraid. And in pain. A low moan ripped out without his permission.

\"Shit.\" He sighed. \"How does one fight this?\"

\"Can we help?\" Goku asked.

\"No. Only Vegeta can fight this, because the fight is within himself. And Vegeta, the only way that this can be defeated is if the good in you outweighs what is not. And only you know if it does. But there are many more ways to lose.\"

He was on his knees now, both hands holding his head together. I could see the wheels turning in his head, and I could feel his ki rising. Lightning began to dance wildly around the room, and Gohan pulled me into the safety of his arms.

\"There\'s nothing we can do?\" he asked.

\"Nothing,\" I replied. I spared a glance at Goku, and my heart near broke at the helplessness on his face. Here was the one who protected everyone, and now he couldn\'t help the man he loved, but was condemned to watch as he began to scream in agony.

It had begun as a keening, a despairing wail filled with more fear than the Saiyajin vocal folds were equipped to deal with. The sound continued, rising in pitch like a never ending air-raid siren. Blood was beginning to run down his face from where his fingers were digging into his golden scalp, some mixing with the tears leaking from his eyes, painting his face an incongruous dark pink.

On and on, the scream rose without a single pause for breath. And then, when the limits of our hearing were being tested, it choked to a sudden stop. There was a small whimper that sounded suspiciously like. \"I\'m so sorry,\" and then his eyes rolled into his head, and he fell face forward onto the floor.

\"What just happened?\" Goku asked.

\"Vegeta fought with himself, and lost.\"

* * *

I\'m not sure how we ended up back at the tournament grounds, but I remember Vegeta\'s refusal to kill me, demanding to \"fight Kakkarotto\" instead. That struck me as impossible-- anyone under Babidi\'s control should have done his bidding. The Majin don\'t fight with their mas but but here was Vegeta, an M on his head, fighting with the voice in his head. Even so, I couldn\'t let them fight-- the energy expended in their battle would go straight to Buu. That was the last thing I wanted.

So I did something that I would never recommend to anyone. I stepped between two Saiyajin eager to fight each other.

\"Goku,\" I said. \"I cannot let this happen.\"

I heard a growl behind me, and flinched as the eastern sections of the stadium suddenly exploded. Temper, temper. . .

I looked over my shoulder, and saw Vegeta standing in the billowing dust, a wide, manic grin stretching the skin on his face.

You see? Goku\'s voice whispered in my head. He\'s still fighting. So long as he fights, I have to help him. And if by fighting him, I can help him, than I will fight him with everything I have.

I turned back. You realize that Buu will hatch with your energy. He will hatch and you two will be busy fighting each other. I replied.

So be it. Buu is your specialty. Vegeta is mine. There was a strange undertone to that last statement.

Vegeta is yours? Does he know that?

Goku had the grace to blush. And Vegeta had the impatience to blow away the northern sections of the stadium, somehow conspiring to miss both Goku and myself.

\"So be it,\" I said, stepping out from between them. \"Gohan and I shall continue on, and try to avert this nightmare from its projected end. Until then, I will await your return.\"

I walked to the edge of the tunnel, and Gohan came to take my hand. \"C\'mon, Gohan,\" I said. \"Let\'s see what we can do.\"
And we stepped into darkness.