DB Multiverse

Part 3, Chapter 11.

Chapter 11

Translated by Virgilio212 & proofread by ZenBuu

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An hour later...

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Everyone had entered the building, in the inner garden of Capsule Corporation. Around a large table set up by Dr. Brief's robotic servants, Buu was explaining his intergalactic journey to the others. No one wanted to sit next to him, but he didn't mind. He was delighted to be able to interact with people who weren't strangers and who he appreciated. Everyone was still wary and afraid of his presence, but during the previous hour, they had somehow rediscovered the naive joy of Goku and the others in his voice and character. He was like the one who had left the planet for the first time.

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No one else was pressing their desire to free those trapped inside Buu's body. They knew that now was not the time to try to convince the Djinn, as it would only anger him and expose them to his wrath. Knowing the voracious side of the Saiyans, and assuming that Buu had inherited this insatiable hunger, Chi-Chi took the place of the Capsule Corp robots and prepared a meal of exceptional quality and quantity. Goku, Gohan, and Goten had always found her cooking to be excellent, and if they were always somewhere inside Buu, then perhaps that would influence him.

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After greedily swallowing everything, Buu licked the cutlets and said to Chichi in a happy and satisfied tone:

—"It was delicious, thank you, Chichi. I've tried many dishes in other worlds, but nothing compares to your food. I'll be happy to try it again!"

—"Uh, thank you..." the Earthling replied, uncertainly.

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This Buu actually reminded her of her husband and children, through certain character traits. She felt more comfortable with him. She still feared him greatly and detested him for keeping her family prisoner, but she couldn't hate him. After all, he resurrected them and finally offered them lasting peace. Among the Saiyans, Cell and Babidi, Son Goku had always been involved in deadly battles and had also involved his children. It was thanks to them, that Buu finally became approachable and friendly. He was no longer the grotesque person who had turned her into an egg. He was a new Buu, merged with Son Goku and all the others, a kind and caring Buu, although fundamentally menacing.

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Buu sighed in satisfaction, watched closely by Videl, Yamcha, and Krillin. The three of them were still very suspicious of him. Buu looked at them with joy and bitterness. He enjoyed seeing them stressed and anxious, but he wanted to ease their tensions and moderate their emotions. Their doubts were his too, and if they gave in to their distrust, he himself could become a monster again at any moment. And he wanted to prove them wrong.

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He made his guitar appear in his hand and said:

—"During my odyssey, I learned to play this instrument. I gave a public concert, and since then I have absorbed several musicians who have allowed me to improve. I would like to give a demonstration."

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Engaging in an emotional chant, Buu dove headfirst into expressing his feelings and his broken heart. He wanted to impress those around him, share with them all these wonders they were unaware of, and manifest his humanity as much as possible. The same one he had almost lost, but loved dearly.

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Slowly but surely, the Earthlings relaxed into the music, mesmerized by the talent that Buu had developed throughout his journey. They had never thought it would be possible that a mortal enemy like him, obsessed with combat and violence, could change so much. It was unthinkable to imagine Frieza or Cell playing on a guitar. And yet, Buu was not only showing otherwise, but he seemed genuinely touched by the melody he was playing. And they too, with all the distrust and frustration they felt, noticed this melancholy in the notes Buu was playing. The hatred they had for him was now mixed with a certain compassion. Maybe it was true... maybe he was trustworthy or, to a lesser extent, more harmless.

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Buu ended his melody with a heartbreaking final note. No one applauded, the Earthlings were restless and unsure of what to do next, but Buu didn't blame them. He knew that gaining their trust was difficult, perhaps even impossible. Deep down in his conscience, he still had that spark of madness that made him sweep away those miserable moral and emotional boundaries as he had done in the past few weeks, and devastate the Earth. But it was no longer the feelings of Son Goku and the others that blocked him. It was his own emotions.

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The others didn't say a word, avoiding his gaze. Buu sighed sadly and stood up, causing the audience to spasm with worry.

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—"I plan to stay on Earth for a while."— he said in a soft but firm voice. —"I...I need to think for a moment. Don’t worry, I’ll try not to blow up any cities in the meantime. Thank you anyway for this meal.”

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As he walked away, Chi-Chi caught up to him, to everyone's surprise, and grabbed his hand. Buu turned to her, confused.

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—"Listen, Maj... Buu." she corrected herself, seeing the glint of anger in the Djinn’s eyes. "I hate you for what you did and I will never give up on seeing my husband and children again. But... they are there, somewhere, I realize that. And if it helps you think, come to my house. I feel so lonely, maybe through you, I can ease some of the longing..."

—"Are you crazy, Chichi?!" Yamcha exclaimed, standing up. "How can you invite him to your house? Don't tell me you plan on forgiving him! Have you thought about Goku? Gohan, Goten, what would they think of this? And us?"

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Kulilin kicked him hard in the leg, making him scream in pain. Yamcha gave him an angry look, before seeing the sadness on his friend's face, as well as on the others. And above all, Chichi's, who could barely hold back her tears. As for Buu, he had a blank expression, as if he was lost.

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—"I... thank you for the offer, Chichi." he finally said in a weak voice. "I will come to your house from time to time. But I need to isolate myself for a bit... Don't look for me, I will come to you."

Before the others could add anything, he instantly teleported away, finding himself on top of a mountain on the other side of the planet. Buu sat cross-legged, unaffected by the freezing cold and strong wind sweeping across the peaks.

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Chichi's last words occupied his entire mind.

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"They're out there, somewhere, I can see that."

"I never gave up the idea of seeing them again"

"Maybe through you, I can kill a little of the longing..."

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Buu was really confused. Why was he losing his mind so much with all these things? He had come to see his absorbed beings as obstacles to his conquest of the universe. His emotions were weaknesses, his memories were limiters. A being so powerful, incredible and evil had no need for pathetic feelings. This was his conclusion from the previous experience.

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Yet, when he saw Videl and the others, something welled up inside him, seeping into every part of his body. Waves of affection and longing. He didn’t want to hurt them, he wanted to protect them, impress them, have fun with them. But he didn’t want them to persist in finding kin through him. When he absorbed them, he had no idea how much of a search for identity it would require. They were just tools, originally. A way to become stronger.

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However, Goku and Vegeta did the same. They became Vegito, an eternal entity that merged everything, even their personalities and their lives, into one single being. How would the latter have experienced such a burden, had he defeated him? What would he have become?

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Buu suspected that the super-powered Saiyan was about to descend into a growing madness. This introspection of who he was, his interactions with his friends and relatives, the burden of containing multiple identities within himself... He himself was trapped in the grip of multiple personalities and didn't know where to turn. He had decided to do something evil, but that decision was ultimately restrained by the return of those complex feelings.

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He had to take stock.

For three days, Buu meditated atop the snow-covered peak, hiding his energy so as not to be disturbed by Earthlings who could detect him. No matter how much he thought, he still felt lost and unable to get an answer to these questions.

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He finally opened his eyes and let himself slide gently into the falling snow, with the idea of relaxing and not thinking about anything for a moment. Disconnecting.

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He rolled several times, opening furrows in the snow, until he reached a rock stuck in the mountainside. Stuck to the rock on his back, Buu remained silent for a few minutes, without making any movement.

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What could he do? He dreaded seeing the others again. He wasn't sure how each of them would react.

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As he straightened up, Buu saw a glint in the snow a few meters above. He quickly flew over and plunged his hand where he wanted, only to immediately withdraw it. Dumbfounded, he stared at the four-star Dragon Ball, shining and glistening in its reflection.

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“My grandfather’s sphere...”

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No!

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The memory of Son Goku's grandfather!

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It was this sphere that started it all...

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Buu sat in thought for nearly an hour, unable to form a thought, flooded with nostalgia and memories of all those who had been absorbed in him. Bulma and Goku's encounter, their search for the Dragon Balls, how far they have come with Krillin, Master Roshi and the others...

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Buu lowered his arm, the Dragon Ball still held in the palm of his hand.

He needed some advice.

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A moment later, he found himself in Kami’s palace, using his teleportation once more. He was outside and sensed Dende’s presence nearby, at the edge of the platform. The latter turned to him. He didn’t show an expression of surprise, but rather one of alertness and sadness.

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Buu walked up to him and said in a tone of false joy:

—"Dende! I'm so happy to see you! You seem to have grown a few inches, haha!"

—"Without a doubt." the deity replied, giving a weak smile. "Apparently, you also seem to be fine."

—"As you can see," Buu said with a sneer. "I have a lot to tell you, if only you knew! For example, I—"

—"It's useless, Buu." Dende interrupted. "I've heard everything since you returned to Earth. And I know that behind that smiling mask, you're tormented. That's why you're here, isn't it?"

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Buu didn't answer, realizing that no answer would be satisfactory. Dende had everything planned, he wasn't an empathetic god for nothing. If Buu had hidden his energy, he wouldn't have closed his mind and all those questions, he was like an open book.

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—"...I need your help, Dende." Buu conceded, sitting on the edge, his legs dangling in the air. "I can't figure out what happened or understand what's happening to me. Everything is new and inexplicable, and I think I'm going crazy."

—"I think I can shed some light on this for you, Buu." Dende replied, sitting down next to him. "But I ask you to trust me. Will you allow me to read your mind completely, so that I can better visualize everything that is going on in your thoughts? Because that is where the problem that is bothering you lies. And you need an outside perspective to understand yourself better."

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Buu was reluctant to allow anyone to get inside his head, but deep down he trusted the Namekian. It wasn't in his best interest to try to manipulate him, after all. In an instant, Buu could destroy the entire palace. Little did he know, that the Namekian was instead motivated by the desire to appease his fears and his instincts of insanity. Despite his apprehension and anguish, Dende no longer saw Buu as a lost and suffering creature, navigating an ocean of unanswered questions. He wouldn't try to free the prisoners from his body, since Buu could snap at any moment. And the Namekian's purpose was to make him less unstable. The sooner Buu could straighten out his thoughts, the less of a danger he would be, both to himself and to others.

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With some caution, Dende placed his hand on the Djinn's shoulder and closed his eyes. Buu tried to relax and instinctively lowered any mental defenses he might have.

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Immediately, Dende was plunged into a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, a whirlwind of thoughts and memories that collided with each other by the hundreds. In this disordered consciousness that formed like an infinite universe, the Namekian felt a tangle of fear and terror in Buu's mind. His soul screamed in distress and anguish, terrified by all these convulsions. Gifted with a deep empathy for others, Dende quickly understood the cause of his former enemy's torments.

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Buu was being tortured by two essential aspects of his personality. On one hand, he wanted to destroy everything, terrorize the population of the universe, unleash his bloodthirsty fury. Evil was still hidden inside him somewhere. But it was no longer pure evil, as during his fight last year. It was the remnants of a lingering corruption, which clung to the Djinn like a vampire clings to its prey. This evil represented Buu's original identity, his origin, and this was his only sure bet.

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But another part of him had developed: that of a happy, benevolent individual, filled with an innocent curiosity and fascination for the universe and its wonders. Born from Satan's friendship, developed from absorbing the Saiyans, and strengthened by his year of exploration and encounters, Buu once again split his mind between two opposing parts, his inner nature and his new psyche. Only Buu had become ultra-intelligent, and the internal conflict that was eating away at his insides was different from the Manichean struggle that had dominated the fat Majin Buu of that time. He would not split himself again between an evil monster and a kind child. One side would inevitably win the battle and destroy the other if Buu failed to settle once and for all on who he wanted to be.

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Dende forced his grip to the limit to read Buu's thoughts more deeply. Buu groaned in pain as he rubbed his head, but let Dende continue. Without understanding how this was possible, and without even the deity noticing, Buu was able to follow the path of the Namekian's reflection, and clung to this guiding thread like a lifeline that would pull him out of this chaos. He wanted to get rid of this problem forever, and following Dende's thoughts, he feared that it could only be solved in two ways: by giving in to madness or by relinquishing his power and becoming peaceful by giving control to the influence of his absorbed ones. And he didn't want to accept either one or the other.

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Dende quickly reached the depths of Buu's consciousness and was overcome by intense emotion. Somewhere at the foot of the Djinn, the dormant spirits of his absorbed people spread out many waves with various effects. It was as if Son Goku, Son Gohan and the others were right next to him! As were many other people. The most surprising thing was that none of them seemed to be in pain. They had gradually merged with the cosmic entity that had taken over them by force. And to a certain extent, they were trying to do him good, much to Buu's displeasure. It was obvious to him, their minds were a nuisance, a problem. To use the words that had now become engraved in him, like a detestable maxim, they had made him "a good Samaritan". They, these rejects who had been conquered after a fierce struggle against his omnipotence.

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But on the other hand, without talking about love, Buu enjoyed all those experiences he owed them. He loved remembering those fights, those moments he savored alongside Satan, those discoveries and those worlds he visited. Without realizing it, Buu was grateful for the change they had made in his life. Much more than he originally thought.

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Initially, they only valued him for his powers and abilities. So, he reluctantly accepted this somewhat charitable influence that biased his actions. But very quickly, it became a burden, a nightmare for him, who had lost sight of his purpose and his identity, no longer being a walking ball of nerves, unable to destroy a golem without feeling a shred of remorse. For him, his absorbs gave him immense physical strength, but they were true mental weaknesses.

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But subconsciously, he owed them an infinite debt. They made him a better person. In every sense of the word. He simply refused to accept it, clinging to his image as a destructive monster above all feelings. This was not surprising, in the sense that Buu had only been feeling real emotions for a year. But...

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Buu was no longer a monster since he left Earth.

These new emotions disturbed him, but although he wanted to convince himself that they were threats, he knew, deep down, that they were the most beautiful gift he had ever received.

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He realized this when he saw Videl and the others again a few moments before.

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He loved this planet. He loved this new life that he had acquired at the cost of heavy sacrifices. And above all, he loved these beings that populated this small blue rock. And not just because of his own absorption. He himself was developing his own emotions. They were not a limitation. They were the foundation of the new Buu. A fulfilled, independent... and free Buu.

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Dende suddenly withdrew from Buu's mind, repelled by a sudden flash of lightning that appeared in the storm of emotions that inhabited him. The Djinn suddenly straightened up and, without saying a word, flew quickly to the surface. The Namekian watched him quickly disappear from sight, worried. Mr. Popo joined him a few seconds later.

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—"How was it?" he asked his master. "Won't he destroy the planet on a whim? Are we risking something?"

“Honestly, I can’t say.” Dende replied, closing his eyes. “He’s still unstable and his soul is tortured inside. But... the evil in him is no longer the guide of his instincts. Even while he’s asleep, our friends have managed to ease his bloodlust and are transforming him into a new being. I’m afraid we’ll never see them again, but despite their defeat, they saved us. I don’t think Buu is a threat to us anymore.”

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Mr. Popo followed his gaze to the surface and said:

—"We can only wait..."