New Judgment
Chapter 4: Divine Selection
You know, technically speaking, my first planetary visit was a success. After performing a thorough evaluation of the world (or well, more thorough than anything Beerus ever did), I reached a conclusion and destroyed the planet in accordance to those results. But just because the job requirements were satisfied didn't mean that I was. There might have been nothing I could have done, though it still didn't feel right. I could do better. I should do better. There was nothing I could do for Planet Lulipa anymore, but this would be a learning experience that I'd retain for the rest of my life as a Goddess of Destruction.
Our next target was set. A planet called "Planet Faun," mostly composed of forests, and the two dominant species were centaur-like and – fittingly enough – faun-like in nature. Unlike the Lulipans, the Faunans did know about the God of Destruction, which made it much easier to get in contact with them.
"Hey Whis, do you think the news of me replacing Beerus have spread across the universe already?"
"Hmm… Probably not. Only the planets that have a strong relationship with the Kais have gotten word of it, and Planet Faun isn't one of them. Speaking of which, I think the signal is reacting." Whis' staff was projecting a holographic screen, previously blank, but now it showed an image of a Faunan emperor… I think? Ehh, he looked important enough.
"L-L-L-LORD WHIS!" He was scared out of his skin just from seeing Whis, so I'd imagine he would darn-near faint if he saw Beerus.
"Why, hello there, Your Majesty Mushoo!" Whis had a bad habit of treating every important figure he met with very sarcastic formality. "There's someone here that would like to talk to you." Saying this, he turned the staff in my direction.
"L-L-L-LORD B-B-BEERUS, IT I-I-IS AN H-H-HONO—AH—… Huh?"
"Umm, hello! Nice to meet you, Mister…" What was it agai— "Mister Mushoo! My name is Court, and I'm the new Goddess of Destruction. Lord Beerus retired the other day." Look, I was trying to make this sound as friendly as possible, alright? I know that what I was saying contradicted that ideal, but mom always taught me to be polite with new people.
"O-Oh… I-I see. Well, that's a reli—I-I-I MEAN, IT IS AN HONOR TO MEET YOU, M-MILADY!"
"H-Hey, it's OK, I won't bite. Anyways, we were just calling to let you know that we're going to be visiting your planet today."
"T-T-TODAY?! I-I-I MEAN, OF COURSE! WE WILL PREPARE A WORTHY FEAST FOR YOUR ARRIVAL, L-LADY COURT!"
"A-A feast?" I think I started blushing a bit here. "O-Oh, wow, that's so nice of you! Uhh… Hey, Whis, how long do you think it's going to take us to get there?"
"If we leave soon, probably around an hour."
"U-UNDERSTOOD! WE SHALL WELCOME YOU WITH O-O-OPEN ARMS!"
"Alright, see you soon!" The holographic screen disappeared after that. "Agh, maaan… Are they all going to be like this? I don't want every new person I meet to treat me like I'm the Devil himself."
"Well, milady, you kind of are something like that. Oooohh, just think of the horrible things you might do to me when you're angry! Please have mercy, o' mighty one!"
"… Whis, we… really need to work on that attitude of yours…"
As Whis predicted, we reached Planet Faun within the hour. It was a luscious landscape with trees towering across the land, and it seemed like the cities were built on them rather than on the ground below. It was kind of like a tree house, but instead of a house it was an entire civilization. There was one tree that was considerably larger than all the rest; it almost reminded me of Turles' Tree of Might, just a lot less daunting. Around its trunk a spiral castle had been built, and that was our destination.
Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Emperor Mushoo. All of the guards and assistants around him welcomed us as well, but they were all visibly in a panic. This was such as stark contrast from Planet Lulipa that I didn't know how to reply to such an impressive welcome.
"L-LADY COURT! WE ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH GRANDIOSE BEAUTY! I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE US!"
"Oh gosh, I'm so flattered…! But… y-you don't have to yell, it's OK."
"OUR APOLO—I-I mean… I offer you my most sincere a-apology…" Being the Goddess of Destruction definitely contributed to the fear they had, but I think Beerus' reign of terror across the universe was also a factor. I would have to work hard to overwrite it, replacing it with an era of tranquility and understanding. Wow, some Goddess of Destruction I was…
The castle was gorgeous! The architecture, the decoration, the fashion sense of its residents, the amazing view of the surrounding city, everything was a marvel to look at! We were guided towards the dining room, and I was astounded by the amount of food served on the table. There were mountains of delectable meals, ranging from exotic meats to immaculate produce. And all of this supposedly just for Whis and I. Of course there was no way we could accept all of that (not me at least, Whis might have been a different story…), but we would at least eat some of it.
"Hey, Whis, this is great and all, but… why such a big emphasis on food?"
"This is how Lord Beerus would determine the fate of a planet. If he liked the food, they'd get to live. If the food wasn't of his fancy, then that would guarantee their doom."
"… I… I think I'm starting to understand why you wanted him replaced… Anyways, let's dig in!" With just one bite, I felt like I had entered Wonderland! Everything had just the right amount of seasoning, cooked to the perfect temperature. The texture was impeccable, crunchy where it needed to be and smooth everywhere else. My mouth was dancing, and I could tell Whis was on the same boat. "This… this is incredible!"
"We are content to see you satisfied, Lady Court." Good, Mushoo wasn't screaming anymore.
"I… I must meet the cook!"
"Eh… The… T-The cook, Your Highness…?"
"Yeah! Are they in this room?"
"A-Ahh… Err… W-Well… Uhh, you see, u-umm…"
"… What…? Is there a problem…?"
"O-O-Of course not! Of course not! T-They… Egh… R-Right this way, ma'am…" That was… weird. I mean, I personally didn't think that was a particularly extreme request. But then again, this was a completely different planet from Earth, so maybe there were some odd cultural differences that I should have been aware of.
Mushoo and his guards guided us toward the kitchen area, located… surprisingly far from the dining room. I got that some of the people here were centaurs and probably didn't mind walking, but it still felt odd. The windows were starting to get smaller and scarcer as we kept going, and so was the decoration. It almost felt like we were entering the dungeon area of the castle. This didn't feel right at all.
Once we finally reached the room, I was greeted by a number of employees. Compared to the Emperor and his henchmen, these people had much more "humble" clothing, though maybe "poorer" might be a crueler but more accurate description. And unlike the monarchs, these employees didn't shrivel up in fear upon seeing me. I approached one of them, an elderly centaur lady.
"Umm, hello! Are you the chef that made that delicious feast?"
"Oh, dear, it wasn't just me, it was all of us in this room." I turned to look around the room and saw everyone else giving me a grateful smile. Yet, there was a hint of woe in their expressions… "You must be that special guest the Emperor was going on about."
"Yes, my name is Court, and yours?"
"I'm Raish, pleased to meet you!" She extended her arm to shake hands. When I reached out, I noticed that Raish had a bleeding bruise above her elbow. It wasn't a small bruise, either.
"Hey, you're bleeding…! Are you OK? What happened?"
"Oh, this?" She paused for a moment. "… It was just an accident, is all."
"I… I see…" There were some red flags being raised; something fishy was going on around here. "… Well, I just wanted to tell all of you that the food was magnificent!"
"Thank you, Miss Court, we're glad you liked it."
I'd noticed that Mushoo had been nervous all throughout. "W-W-Well, Lady Court, if you're done here, how about we r-return to the dining area and—"
"Hey, Emperor? Whis and I are very tired from our trip here, and getting back home is going to leave us exhausted. You wouldn't mind if we stay here for the night, would you?"
"S-Stay the night?! O-Oh, uhh…! S-Surely you wouldn't find any comfort in our measly abodes! It's nothing we can offer to s-someone of your caliber, hehe…!"
"Oh, please, your planet is beautiful! I would give anything to see it under the night sky!"
"A-A-Ahh… I… Ah…"
"Hmm? Is there a problem?" This time I said it with more authority than last time.
"Eek! No, no, no, it's just… It's… Ughh… W-We will prepare a room for you, milady…"
"Hehe! Thanks."
Whis whispered in my ear: "That was smooth, Master."
"Thanks, Whissy-Whissy." If he was going to keep calling me by uncomfortable nicknames, then we could both play that game.
I went to the bedroom that Mushoo prepared for me, but I didn't go to sleep. Instead, I waited until it was about midnight to sneak out through the window, and then began flying around the castle in search of evidence. I was almost certain that the monarch Faunans were up to something, but I needed to find out exactly what.
Even though saying that I wanted to see the planet under the night sky was an excuse, I must admit that it was a stunning sight to behold. Because Planet Faun didn't have as much pollution as Earth, the stars in the sky were even clearer. Even though I technically saw this every time I flew through space with Whis, being able to take in the scenery more calmly was almost surreal. And thankfully the moon of this planet was about half the size of Earth's, so it didn't trigger enough of a reaction on me to transform into that supposed Great Ape. Though, I must admit, a giant monkey swinging around giant trees would have been fitting.
After a while of scanning the castle from outside through every window, I eventually managed to find the dungeon area again. The first thing I saw was exactly what I was looking for, though it was also something I dreaded to find. It was Raish, and she was in some kind of jail cell…! The people down here weren't just mistreated employees as I originally thought; they were slaves! I was about to call for Raish, but then a scrawny yet malicious-looking guard came into the cell. I flew back a bit to avoid being seen, but still close enough to watch what was happening.
"Hey, old hag, wake up!"
"Oh…? What's going on…?" I could already tell that this was gonna get bad.
"Your little 'show' today with our special guest got us into a bit of a difficult situation."
"Please, I was just trying to be friendly to—"
"Shaddap!" The guard then pulled out a… a whip! So that's what the bruise on Raish's arm was! They had been torturing her just before we got here! Just thinking about it made my blood boil! "You know damn well the kind of punishment that awaits you!"
"N-No! I-I'm begging you! Please…!"
"Ggaaa—!" Just before the whip connected, I flew in through the window and deflected it with the Mediator. "What the hell…?!"
"… And just what… do you think you're doing?" I looked at the guard dead in his eyes, with a face that spelled pure doom. I was angry.
The guard didn't even have a reply. He just froze in place, trying to process the fact that he had angered the worst possible person he could have.
"Answer me!" My Saiyan half was really coming out in this scenario.
"L-L-L-LADY C-C-COURT?! WH-WHAT—B-B-BUT, I-I THOUGHT—"
"Tell me, why were you torturing these people?!"
"I-I-I-I'm just following the Emperor's orders! I-I don't know anything!"
"So Mushoo is behind this… And you're OK with doing this to others?!"
Once again, the guard had no reply. He knew the kind of scumbag he was, and so did I. I channeled the power of Destruction through the Mediator, and in one swift strike, I vanished him out of existence. Maybe I was getting more used to this Goddess of Destruction business, because I felt absolutely no hesitation with that kill. But again, us gods weren't necessarily heartless.
"Hey Raish, are you OK?"
"Oh…! Thank you so much, Miss Court! I-I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come to save me…"
"Hey, don't mention it! I can't stand around when there's people who need help. Speaking of which, let's get everyone else out of here!"
One by one, I unlocked all the cells that were keeping the slaves captive. There were people of all ages, genders, fauns and centaurs, man…! Was the majority of the city's population here?! In just a short while, hundreds of enslaved Faunans had been freed, almost forming an army behind me.
"Lady Court, thank you so much! How could we ever repay you?"
"Thanks, but let's save this convo for when I'm actually done. You guys go back to the city. There's a certain emperor that I need to pay a visit…"
I was certain that I had caused enough of a commotion to wake Mushoo and his guards up. I ran up the stairs and through the different hallways towards the top part of the castle, which is where they were. Once I reached a big open room that connected to several different hallways, I saw that the path towards Mushoo's room was blocked by an army of guards! It didn't really matter, though, because Mushoo himself was with them. He walked forward through the guards with an angry expression, thinking that the culprit would have been some common bandit. Once he saw that it was me instead, his face shifted into one of complete horror.
"GAAAAHH! L-L-LADY COURT?! W-WHAT IS…?!"
"Mushoo! I knew you were up to something; you've been keeping the townspeople enslaved in your castle! Why?!"
"Aighgh—Uhh…! B-Because… T-They're just inferior commoners! They were born to serve us people of power! Wouldn't you agree, o' Magnificent Goddess?"
"Is that really what you think…?! Mushoo, you make me sick. These people aren't below you or me. They all have lives ahead of them, families to love, friends to cherish…! You would dare to take that away from them?!"
"Gghh…! GUARDS! GET HER!" That was a desperate move, but then again, I wasn't expecting to get out of here without a fight.
Mushoo's entire guard squadron charged at me, which looked intimidating, yes, but my adrenaline was racing too much to care. Activating the Mediator's powers in here would have put me in a huge disadvantage, so instead I used it as if it were a regular sword. Even if I wasn't nearly as strong as dad, I was confident that I could overpower every guard in this room individually. But to take them out all together, I would need more than raw strength.
I started charging up a ki blast as the guards started surrounding me, making sure that I had no means of escape. That's exactly what I wanted. When they all came to me at once, I shot the ki blast directly towards the ground below me, causing a massive explosion that knocked away dozens of knights and boosted me towards the air. I could fly a lot faster than they could run, so I pretended to be falling at one corner of the room, luring them all there. Once I got low enough, I boosted towards the knights in the back of the swarm, catching them off guard and taking several of them out with a series of quick slashes. There were still a lot of them, though. I needed something drastic.
Looking up at the ceiling, I noticed a giant chandelier that illuminated the massive room we were at. One more time, I lured all the knights towards the center of the room, then quickly flew above the chandelier. With all of them directly below me, I cut off the chains that were keeping it on the ceiling. The impact was tremendous; not only did it take out the majority of the guards, but it also broke straight through the ground and onto the floors below! With this, only a few knights remained to guard Mushoo, which I defeated with ease. I had the emperor backed against a wall, with my blade mere inches from his nose.
"This is as far as you go, Mushoo!"
"GGHH…! P-PLEASE, HAVE MERCY!"
"Oh, Master Court?" Whis came into the scene nonchalantly, ignoring the giant hole on the ground and the dozens of downed knights scattered all around. "I've received word that there are other slave facilities across the world. It seems that it's some kind of network between the monarchs."
"What?! That's horrible! Then…"
"A-Are… Are you going to destroy… o-our planet…?!" Mushoo didn't even have the energy to scream anymore.
"… No." This reply surprised the emperor, but I still held a steady grip on my blade. "Planet Faun is a beautiful world, and the people that thrive on it only want the best for their home and each other. The only problem here… is you."
Just like earlier when I rescued Raish, I channeled the power of Destruction into the Mediator and stabbed Emperor Mushoo through the chest. Despite the severity of the injury, there was no blood. Instead, Mushoo started vanishing from the wound out onto the rest of his body, and within seconds, the cruel emperor was no more.
"What is your next plan, Lady Court?"
"We're going to go to every kingdom on this planet and free their citizens."
"Are you sure? Simply destroying the planet would be a lot less time consuming."
"But it's not fair for everyone to pay for the sins of a few! It's my job to make the universe a better place to live, and right now, I think this is the most appropriate method. I'm not just a goddess… I'm a person, too."
Over the course of a week, Whis and I went to every kingdom on Planet Faun and ended their reign of tyranny. In almost every encounter, we had to fight our way through hordes of guards… Or, well, I did, Whis just kind of stood back and would only interfere if the situation got dire. On one hand, it pissed me off that he wouldn't contribute, but I think this was his way of training me. He was, after all, more of a mentor than a battle partner.
After freeing the last kingdom, we returned back to Mushoo's place, where Raish and the other Faunans had already made substantial progress on rebuilding the castle into part of the city. Using its supplies, the citizens could live in better homes with easier access to food and other utilities.
"Raish!"
"Lady Court! You've returned!"
"I see things are coming along nicely. On our end, we just freed the last kingdom southwest of here, so now everyone on the planet is safe!"
"Oh, goodness…! Lady Court, you truly are our savior!"
"D'oohh, it was nothing, hehe… Buuut, anyhow, I'm afraid I can't stay here much longer. There are thousands of other planets that I still need to visit."
"I see, we understand. I trust that you will visit us again in the future, yes?"
"Hmm…" Whis seemed to have an idea. "We may not be able to come back for several hundreds of years, I'm afraid. However, I can let you have this." Using his staff, Whis created some sort of communication device that projected a hologram similar to the one he often used. "You may give us a call if the need arises."
"Ah, of course! We appreciate it."
"Well, we must be on our way now. Shall we, Lady Court?"
"Yeah. Take care, everyone!" And with a flick of his staff, Whis and I were once again traveling across space. "Heh… That was nice of you, Whis."
"I am merely doing what is in your best interest, Master."
"Gahh… I guess some things will never change…"
Author's Note: Fun fact: I had no idea what a "faun" was until I typed it in, then was surprised when Microsoft Word didn't give me the red underline for when you make a typo. The "Faun" part was just supposed to be a pun on "fauna," but it worked out in the end.
I've also been debating whether I should keep this fan fic on the Dragon Ball Super section or if I should move it to the Dragon Ball Z section. The main reason is because the DBZ section on this site gets a hell of a lot more traffic than the DBS section, and there's some Super fan fics that are already on DBZ instead of DBS. But, this does follow the DBS timeline, has DBS characters, and currently DBS is the hot thing in the Dragon Ball community as a whole. Maybe as Super continues and people want to ship the Universe 6 Saiyans more, they'll have more reasons to come visit this section of the site, and hopefully stumble across this fan fic.