CAPSULE CORP. 776
"Is she going to be okay?"
"I don't know Trunks. At this point it's hard to say. It's almost as though she's there, but she's not at the same time."
"Just what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Well, I guess that she's… you know…"
"Spit it out already Kakarot!"
Four individuals gathered around the table in the medical bay where a blue haired woman lay unconscious. The expressions on their faces ranged from concerned to confused and finally, irritated.
Two year old Bulla, clinging to her father's leg, remained completely unaware of the situation.
"Is Momma taking a nap?"
"Well, sort of… you see…"
"Kakarot! If you fail to explain yourself further I will personally blast you into the next dimension. I mean it."
Silence. Tension. And of course, a much needed interruption.
"My boy," They all turned at the sound of Dr. Briefs entering the room. "I do believe Goku explained it quite perfectly. I'm not even sure that I could do a better job of it myself."
Goku said nothing, Trunks fidgeted anxiously, and Vegeta merely quirked a single brow in response. Meanwhile Tama, the little black cat perched on the old man's shoulder, seemed to roll his eyes as Dr. Briefs continued to explain.
"All of her vital signs are fine. Heart rate and pulse are normal, as are her electric brain wave lengths. In other words, Bulma is in no immediate danger. Her physical body is being well-sustained on its own. However, spiritually and mentally, she's just not there."
It took them all a minute to process this new bit of information, but Trunks was the first one to speak up from Goku's side.
"You mean like an out-of-body experience?"
"Precisely!" The elderly scientist beamed. "Those are my thoughts exactly!"
"So," the boy pressed on, "what do we do about it?"
"Well, frankly, there's not much we can do. We just have to wait for her to come to on her own. We'll give it a day or so and if she's still like this, or if her vital signs change drastically, we'll intervene. But for right now, I think we just ought to leave her be."
"So… Mamma's taking a nap, right?"
Three pairs of eyes turned their attention to the pouting toddler who looked quite unpleased about having been ignored earlier. Trunks just shook his head before prying his younger sister's hands from their father's leg and escorting her out of the room.
"Yeah… Come on Bra… Like Gramps said, no real use in sticking around here. Besides, it's almost dinner-time anyways."
Dr. Briefs, with Tama in tow, followed. Only two people remained, one having not moved at all from the spot where he stood since arriving.
Goku waited until he heard the door slide shut before addressing the older Saiyan.
"You know, she really is going to be okay. Bulma's a fighter like that. She won't let anything bad happen to herself. Not when she's still got you and Trunks and Bra to look after."
Vegeta said nothing, nor did he acknowledge the other.
Yet Goku was not oblivious to the small trace of worry upon his face, or the fact that Bulma's hand now rested gently underneath a much larger one.
Satisfied that Vegeta had in fact heard him, Goku turned to leave. As an after-thought, he added:
"Her family means the world to her. Always has, and it always will."
It was almost too hard to tell, but with that statement, he could have sworn he saw the briefest and rarest of smiles.
They'll both get through this. I know it.
A/N: MmKay! Now that the prologue is out of the way I can get to work on the real flesh and blood of the story. I'm not one to post multiple chapters at once but you can expect the next one soon. As implied in the summary this will switch to A/U very quickly. And yes, Frieza will still be alive and kicking, Goku will be evil, and mankind's fate really will lie in the hands of Yamcha and a band of android misfits. Not to mention, an R-rating. Until then, Peace!
Oh, and DISCLAIMER: I do not own DB, DBZ, or Dragonball GT.
