Final Form
How deep is your true potential?
Line of kitties
I managed to snap a picture of all 4 boys! They were all snuggled up in a line, but Shitpancake started slinking off as I got the picture.
Heads up to new readers:
This story follows up: Anime Charge-Up Move Saves The World
…Time for this week’s story…
Final Form
After the legendary space warrior, Galimbo, decided not to destroy Earth, he joined Earth’s Galactic Defense Team. The self-named, self-appointed group of fighters defended the world against many galactic threats. Galimbo’s guidance made them stronger. One day, the malicious villain, known as Emperor Frijj, arrived on Earth to enslave its people. The small group of warriors conquered his armies, forcing Emperor Frijj to step into battle himself. Most of Earth’s Galactic Defense Team was defeated, leaving only Galimbo, Mad Dog, and Hiroji.
“Hiroji, how are you still standing?” asked his long-time rival, Mad Dog.
“Shut up, I can stand!” Hiroji slurred. “Bud! Throw me another one!”
“Hiroji, I don’t know if that’s a great idea, I mean, you’re pretty drunk,” Bud hollered back.
“I’m not drunk, you’re drunk!”
“No… I’m really not. I think you just need to focus on the battle.”
“Toss me another one!” Hiroji boomed.
“Hah! Pathetic.” Emperor Frijj mocked. The short alien’s purple skin glistened with sweat beneath the hot sun. “Galimbo, I’ve heard so much about you. I didn’t think you’d work to defend a planet full of weaklings.”
“Shut up, dumb alien. If I’m so weak, why can I drink more than you? Huh?” Hiroji asked.
“Yeah, Hiroji, why don’t you go sit down?” Blood dripping down the side of his face, Galimbo popped his arm back into its socket.
“Why don’t you? I can beat this guy,” Hiroji said.
“Whatever you say.” Galimbo flew to a nearby cliffside where his wife, Tulip, was waiting for him.
“Come here, baby, let momma patch you up,” she welcomed him. Hiroji mocked her under his breath.
“Hiroji, I think…”
“Shut up, Mad Dog! You go sit down, too!”
“Fine, whatever.” Mad Dog flew off to tend to his wounds.
“Bud!” Hiroji yelled.
“Yeah, yeah.” Bud grabbed a beer and threw it over a kilometer to Hiroji, who caught it effortlessly despite his intoxication.
“Loathesome parasite. You think you can defeat me?” Frijj cackled. Hiroji chugged his beer, then crushed the can and spiked it on the ground.
“You’re not so tough.” Hiroji stumbled toward Frijj. “You’ve transformed like four times to fight us. You’ve hit me like a hundred times. You’re so weak, you can’t beat a drunk human.”
Frijj’s condescending demeanor faded. Hiroji’s words held weight, scratching at Frijj’s ego. Indeed, he thought only Galimbo would be a challenge, but even this intoxicated human was standing proudly before him. His fighting spirit was an affront to Frijj’s power.
This could not stand. Frijj flew at Hiroji like a rocket, smashing a fist into his face. Hiroji crashed into the nearby cliffside, rock face crumbling around him. Frijj let loose a booming, hysterical laugh.
“How dare a measly human challenge me, the great, Emperor Frijj!” He laughed as Earth’s Galactic Defense Team cringed and groaned.
“See? You don’t even hit that hard.” Hiroji emerged from the rubble, bringing Emperor Frijj’s gleeful celebration to a halt. His friends rejoiced. Hiroji fell clumsily down the rocks, wobbling back toward Frijj. “Is this as strong as you get?”
Eye twitching with rage, Frijj pointed at Hiroji. “You want to die? This isn’t my final form, not even close!”
“Let’s see it.” Hiroji fell, head spinning. Pretending it was on purpose, he sat on the ground.
“If you insist!” Frijj took a deep breath, then focused his energy into another transformation. He grew twice his size, lizard tail stretching longer, and he grew horns. His power didn’t grow much.
“Do you think being taller makes you stronger? Come on…” Hiroji said candidly.
“This isn’t even my final form!” Frijj focused his energy again. His strength, agility, and senses expanded. Still, Hiroji was not impressed. “Just you wait.” Emperor Frijj’s voice rumbled and reverberated as if from a deep, dark pit.
This time, his body got smaller, skin turning a deep red. His senses grew such that he could hear the humming of planets. He knew it was possible, but had never before taken this form. Body tingling, he embraced the energy coursing through him.
“I can grow…even stronger.” Frijj’s potential was brimming. Focusing his energy again, his skin turned white, and he glowed brilliantly. There were sensations he had never experienced. He did not know what they were. Even the heartbeats of creatures on other planets were all around him.
“This isn’t… my… final form…”
This time, it was effortless. His body took on every form at once. To observers, it vacillated between every color and shifted between having wings, horns, and any feature imaginable. Emperor Frijj could see and hear everyone’s hopes, fears, and dreams. The history of the planet was as visible as the future. Everything was happening at once. Time was an illusion. The world he knew was but a frame in a movie that played in every direction at once. There was no beginning and no end. For all the species he had conquered, he needed only make the tiniest change, and it would be undone.
Curiosity was a concept far behind him. Yet, he wanted to see the results. Like touching a still lake, he waved his hand, and it was done. As if he had never landed on any of those planets, the accomplishments of his physical life were nothing from the perspective of infinite cosmic truth. Still, this was not his final form. There was something beyond.
He looked upon Hiroji. His pain, his pride, his love, and grit were as clear as his bright red hair. What a beautiful soul. Before embracing whatever came next, Emperor Frijj, who could no longer distinguish himself from others, touched this human’s potential, leaving him with a gift. Then, Frijj transformed again.
To the observers, he vanished, sucked into a single point without any lights or noise. Emperor Frijj, his ships and his armies were gone.
Stunned, Earth’s Galactic Defense Team saw no enemies anywhere. Even their wounds were healed. Perplexed and speechless, they looked toward Hiroji.
“See?” Hiroji said. “Told you I could beat him.”
Nice