Love's Meaning
Neon hues of light pink, baby blue, and starlight yellow surrounded her from all angles. The pink lights of the batons waved below her. Cheering seemed to erupt from every inch of the planet, lifting her spirits as she laughed with the world. Behind her, her companions waved and celebrated their revival with their own overflowing cries of gratitude for the universe's belief in them.
Brianne waved with a princess' grace. She laughed and smiled as the platform slowly hovered over the populace of her home planet. They cried out her name, shifting their batons for her glory. Her heart swelled as she listened to her chanted name and their lavished praise for everything she had done along with the efforts of her comrades. Brianne blew a few pretend kisses and giggled as a few generous fans tossed roses at her feet. She swiftly bent over and gathered them, smiling at the people she tried to protect.
She glanced over her shoulder, hearing Heles and Pell sob and cling to one another. Almost comical tears streamed down their faces as Heles commented about the beauty of the universe's revival. Brianne grinned, nodding and returning her attention to her fellow fighters. Jimeze waved, and the rest of her comrades had their eyes lit up with delight. A few cried, shouting down to children to continue on living with love in their hearts.
Through the explosive fanfare of fireworks bursting above her head, faint murmuring hit Brianne's eardrum, and she peered over to Vikal and Sanka. Vikal hunched forward, whispering something into Sanka's ear with her lips curling into her thin cheeks. Sanka's cheeks rosied, and she suddenly whirled around, wrapping her arms around Vikal's waist. Vikal laughed, lifting Sanka up with ease and twirling around on her tiptoes. They rubbed their foreheads together, lacing their fingers and gazing into each others bright eyes. Sanka pecked Vikal's nose, earning a squeak in return, and Sanka continued peppering Vikal's face with ginger kisses.
Brianne tilted her head. Her smile remained still as she watched Sanka drop to her feet and swiftly snatch Vikal's torso, tossing her into the air. Sanka clutched Vikal like a newlywed bride when gravity forced Vikal back down. Vikal squealed, suddenly covering her face. Sanka laughed over Vikal's embarrassed cries and commented that she had started it while their comrades joined in on their fun, asking when they would be invited to the wedding.
Brianne felt soft cloth brush against her forearm, and she turned to grin at Su. Su nestled against her, resting her head against Brianne's small shoulder. Brianne slowly weaved her arm around Su's waist and pulled her closer. The scent of roses hovered around them like wafting, smoky halos. Brianne listened to Su breathing out a sigh, and she looked to the glimmering midnight sky with stars like pink and blue diamonds expanding over her world.
Her universe was surrounded with love. Brianne breathed and touched love everywhere. Every heart outpoured with love, and surrounding her was a celebratory power like no other before it. She wondered if even Ultra Instinct could have stood a ghost of a chance against the magnificent love overflowing with a broken dam's force.
Her world, draped in neon love, brought tears to her eyes. The voices of her partners, superiors, and people swirled around her. She inhaled the fireworks' smoke and the wafting perfumes from her laughing friends. She gazed at the vibrant colors of the universe's celebration as if she never would see it again. She gripped the handrail of her platform with her free hand, peering far out into the distance. The faraway sea, glinting with starlight and gentle red hues, stretched on infinitely. The nearby sleek skyscrapers stood towards heaven. Colors splashed above her head, and below, thunderous applause continued like rolling drum beats. The faces of her people, each stretching with smiles, imprinted themselves in her memory.
Her thoughts turned to her final battle as she absorbed the perfection of her world and people. Brianne's view of love had been superficial, pertaining to only appearances and loud declarations. She formerly viewed love as a blessed concept, disgusted by any ugly defilement to her misconceptions of love. Love had been pure, beautiful, and filled with empowerment through friends cheering her on during her times of despair.
Android 18 taught her something beyond her bare-bones perception of love. Love was deep, connected through genuine intimacy instead of preaching or screaming rhetoric. While Brianne had been empowered by love, she did not truly recognize its true value. She had never felt the engrossing love 18 shared with her husband, a man Brianne wickedly thought of as a blight upon love. Everything Brianne knew about love had been tepid and flimsy at best.
She had been utterly foolish. She preached about love without truly comprehending the richness behind the most empowering emotion of all. The connection and love between 18 and Krillin, the culmination of trust and understanding, overpowered the superficial her in every way. It was a lesson she was thankful to learn. Even if her defeat left her sobbing, Brianne was grateful and humbled.
Standing with her friends, Brianne knew love was something much more vivid than her hypocritical lavishing. It was a bond between herself and others that unified them all through hardship and strife. It strengthened and helped them through their battles, clearing her own vision of prejudice towards others. Basing love on physical appearances or shouting without realizing the meaning behind her own words had been costly, but now, she truly understood why 18 defeated her in every way.
Brianne smiled. She had been given a second chance to fully know love, and as she gripped Su's hand, she wiped away a lone tear from her eye.