Beloved.
AN/ This tale is set at the end of the Saiyan Saga. And yes, I have taken a few liberties with the plot, but it was for the sake of the story. Trust me, you will see.
Chapter 1 – Aftermath.
The day that had dawned so bright and full of desperate hope had ended in tears.
Tears for those who, in spite of the impossible task in front of them, had somehow prevailed. The battle , though won, was not without it's casualties.
They littered the battleground, the life faded from their eyes as the light faded from the day. Chaiotzu, Tien, Yamcha... Even Piccolo, had given their lives bravely to save those dear to them and to those powerless to defend themselves.
Those few who remained to see the end of the day, Krillin, Gohan and Goku, stood in a solemn silence, each inwardy paying their silent respects to their fallen comrades, one sending fervent thanks to whichever god had shown mercy on him, and let him live to see another day.
The moment ended when Goku spoke. "We have to tell them. The others. They need to know what has happened, what's to come." He sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping. Krillin, his oldest and dearest friend came to his side, placing an arm tentatively on Goku's arm. The herculean strength his friend has so recently shown, arriving when all seemed lost, snatching gloroious victory from the jaws of defeat, seemed to have fled him. He sensed rather than knew Goku's train of thought.
Just how were they going to tell their friends and families, waiting for them safe at Kame House, that some of their dear ones were gone, never to return?
The sudden loss of the Dragonballs, whose omnipotent powers where now lost to them with the noble passing of Piccolo, and in turn Kami, meant that this time there was no way to return the life to those so newly lost to them.
How were they to tell their revered Kame Sennin that one of his students, Yamcha... God! How were they to tell Bulma?! "Damn! Poor Bulma." Krillin muttered. Gohan, hearing it began to quietly sob anew. Placing his arm gently on his son's shoulder, Goku said with a heavy voice "I will... I will tell her."
What they didn't know was the death of Yamcha and the others was already known to those sequestered at Kame House.
"My baby!" Where is my poor Gohan?!" Chichi wailed against the massive bulk that was her father, the Ox King, her small frame wracked with sobs.
Bulma, on the other hand, was frozen still, her tears already spent, now replaced with a soul crushing knowledge that her love was lost to her forever.
She knew full well the ramifications of the loss of Piccolo, the loss of the dragonballs, the relied on 'deus ex machina' that had so many times in the past had meant the reversal of their fates, now meant that her Yamcha, her childhood sweetheart, was gone and she would never get him back.
"Bulma, child," a kindly voice said. She hardly a hand on her arm she turned to see the drawn, sad face of the oldTurtle Hermit staring at her with much sympathy. Her gaze went past him to the others in the room. A sobbing Chichi still being held in the huge arms of her father, Oolong comorting an inconsolable Puar... She felt beyond comforting. She had known that, one day, she would marry Yamcha. To now know that it would never, could never be...
She turned away from the scene of such sorrow, returned to staring at the blank television screen, willing it to show her that it was all a lie, that Yamcha was still alive, that those cursed Sayians had never come to Earth and stolen her dreams from her, but it was still a darkened screen as empty of life as she now felt.
She felt that this was the worst day they had ever seen. That they had suffered from losses too great to ever recover from. That things couldn't possibly get any worse...
She would soon find out how wrong she was.
AN/ This chapter is very short, the next a bit longer. It also picks up the pace a bit. I hope any who read it will enjoy it as much as I did writing it. :)