Chapter VII: Aftermath

The first thing Bulla saw is the moon dissolving into a million pieces, like a glass shattered into shards falling from the sky like snowflakes. Though her eyelids felt so heavy, her eyes remained open, captivated by the meteor shower.

Where is she?

Bulla heard a distinct rustling behind her and turned to the direction of the sound. She winced as a blinding flash of light directed itself on her face and she buried her face defensively on her face, body tense as she recalls Rupa's energy blast searing her body. Maybe she's dead and this is the afterlife. Pan used to say the afterlife is just like Earth where a red giant in a suit would check if the person is bad or good.

"Please don't hurt me.." She whimpered, maybe the giant's guards have come to take her for good.

"I will not hurt a silly little girl." A droid-like voice replied and Bulla raised her face tentatively.

A human-sized robot is peering down at her, his body a metallic sheen of rust red and fading bronze. Its eyes are like bulbous-sized headlights that are too bright to look directly into. It stands in two legs just like humans do and it raised its crane-like arms in defense when Bulla brought herself back to her feet.

She regarded the robot in fascination, thinking how different it looked with the ones churned out of her mother's laboratory. This one looks unimpressive, with its incomplete parts missing and how the most crucial parts seemed exposed to the elements. A sparking wire hung loose from its back but it didn't seem to faze the robot at the very least. On its back is a slab-thick of an engine that gives off white smoke in response to the robot's movement.

"You're talking?" she began cautiously, trying to sense if the robot has any intention to hurt her.

The robot shrugged its lanky arms. Its head resembled an egg when it stands by itself. She can literally hear the gears moving inside the robot's head as it studied her.

"Of course. I'm a machine of advanced technology. If I wasn't so intelligent, I'd be a pile of heaping steel by now." The beamlights glared at her. "What about you? You have come to destroy this planet, am I right?"

Bulla frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You turned into a monster!" The robot frantically begin stomping its foot. "You very nearly wiped a whole village, stupid girl. Don't tell me you have forgotten!"

"I didn't turn into anything!" Bulla looked around, more intent to know where she is than entertaining a defective robot. "Hey, where are my friends? Where am I? What did you do to me?" She frowned down at her shabby outfit of torn spandex and Saiyan-like boots.

"I can't believe you turned out to be just a weak human girl." The robot muttered, crossing its steel arms against its chest. "If I brought you in the Council as proof of my heroism, they'd laugh at me that's for sure."

Bulla ignored it and focused her attention on the debris surrounding her, as if a giant battle happened and she's been sitting at the center of it. She stood up, brushing her pants.

"Look, I don't know what your deal is but I order you to take me home now! Don't wait until my dad gets here. You don't want to get on his bad side."

The robot only glared at her before taking off to the sky, fire shooting out of its back. "Good luck surviving on your own, stupid little human!" It cackled before blasting off.

"Hey don't leave me here-" but the rude robot had gone, leaving her truly alone with no idea of where she is.

Now what?

Bulla scanned her surroundings and saw a pile of discarded bots not too far away. The bots resembled that of at home. And they were in a pretty bad shape. She wondered what kind of powerful force must have struck them.

An image of the bots flying towards her, blasting at her, passed by her mind like a blur. Her head begins to throb and so she shook her thoughts away from the strange memories.

Cold seeped into her bones and she shivered uncontrollably against the biting chill. Her skimpy outfit did nothing to protect her from the decreasing temperature. She had no idea what the time it is but the sky is already bright with the coming dawn. A faint burning smell mixed with mildew rose from the ground where the remainder of a fierce battle took place. Bulla wondered again how she was able to survive while in the middle of it. Maybe the robot had something to do with it, she supposed, but it's too late to say any thanks since it left her alone in this strange place anyway!

Soon after climbing the crater, she found herself in a vast field surrounded by spiky-edged mountain range. At the top of the hill, she saw a small pod its door hanging open. Bulla didn't hesitate to scramble towards it, momentarily ignoring the cold and exhaustion weighing her body down. All she wanted to do is close her eyes and just sleep….

Fog had already been escaping her mouth by the time she stood beside the pod. Through its shiny, smooth coat, she saw the reflection of a haggard-looking girl, face streaked with dirt and a pair of wide, frightened eyes looking back. Tentatively, she peered inside the round opening and discovered the whole interior is drenched with some liquid she can't identify. Wires and cables hung loosely inside and a wicked-looking pair of gloves lay abandoned by the floor. When she stands inside, the lining inside is a perfect fit for her body. As if it's been made for her.

She had come out from this pod. This is hers! So that means...Bulla stared at the horizon, at the unfamiliar sky streaked with odd-shaped clouds before looking back to the pod. That means...

In a heartbeat, she clambered inside and closed the door after her. Then she crossed her arms around her knees and curled her whole body into a ball. Her father might disapprove seeing her like this, her brother may tease her endlessly, but she doesn't care. In fact, she wished more than anything that they would find her like this right now.

Bulla had been scared of many things, imaginary monsters under her bed, some real as the beasts prowling around the Son House, but she now she knows that nothing is more scary than being stranded in a strange planet alone.

/

Uub always lose in the dreadful Rock-Paper-Scissors game that he wondered why he suggested playing it against Marron. It came to the point that Pan has to reverse the rules whenever they do it on who's going to spar with who first. The loser always gets to be the first instead of the other way around, and that's why Uub gets to have the chance to land the blow first every once in awhile.

Uub realizes it's because he played it with Marron, not Pan. Pan who is lost somewhere in another Universe, an unwilling participant in some Tournament. His best friend and sparring partner. Even until now, he couldn't get over the fact that she's gone when they spent the whole morning training.

He wondered what would his Master say about this. The last words he told them before he left for space is that they should look out for any danger threatening the Earth and look out for each other. With the Dragon Ball lost and Pan missing, Uub couldn't help but to think that he somehow failed in both.

And like a man, he will face this. The first step is honoring his deal with Marron. But he wished Master Piccolo would stand beside him.

He sensed Gohan's energy approaching, followed by the others. As he waited for them, Marron fell in a step beside him. Though still looking quite weak and tired, she gave him an assuring smile, a big sister smile.

"You're still going to tell them, though," she reminded him.

Uub nodded silently but he's still thankful for her presence. Then he felt Piccolo's energy behind him and he couldn't stop himself from giving his Namekian master a grateful smile.

Piccolo just grunted. The three of them stood unmoving as the others landed in front of them. First was Gohan carrying Videl on his arms, wearing identical anxious expression. Uub shifted his weight on one foot uncomfortably. This is going to be harder than he thought.

Then 18 arrived with Chichi who looked like she'd been doing something in the kitchen when 18 fetched her. She smelled of flour and apples, as if she is in the middle of baking apple pie, one of Pan's many favorites. Her worried eyes met Uub's, instantly knowing that something is wrong.

"Marron!" 18 half-ran and threw her arms around her teenage daughter. "Are you okay? Were you hurt? What happened?"

"I'm fine, mom. Geez." Marron tried to draw herself away and while she did so, the others soon begin arriving. Krillin descended, followed by the familiar yellow hulk of the Capsule Corp jet. Gohan and Videl, accompanied by Fat Buu and Hercule, were the last to arrive, both eyes trained on Piccolo.

Uub waited until the others are gathered around. Master Roshi's usual comical face is set into a deep scowl, eyes hidden behind the shades. Mai fell into step beside Bulma, still covered in grease and dirt from her garage right behind Capsule Corp, looking around as if searching for someone. Krillin tried to catch his daughter's eyes but Marron's attention is focused on Uub. Come on, Uub. She implored him silently. Say it.

"What's with the long face, guys?" Yamcha broke the silence with a nervous laugh, trying to lighten up the mood. "Honestly, you look like you murdered someone, but it can't be that bad, you know? Did Pan blew up the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again?"

Uub summoned his courage to look up at everyone. Honestly, getting beat up by the God of Destruction is better than this. "Earlier, a warrior from the other Universe came to Earth. She...landed near where Marron and the others are…"

"Trunks and Goten tried to fight her. They told us to run back to the city. Pan stayed behind to help them," Marron continued, recalling bits and pieces from her memory. "Bulla and I tried to run away but..she got us too."

A silence so heavy settled on the Lookout. The only sound Uub can hear is the gentle fluttering of Piccolo's cape against the wind.

"The energy spike from earlier, is it Pan's?" Gohan quietly asked as Videl wraps her hands around his forearm.

Uub nodded. "Mr. Piccolo and I immediately set off to her direction but it comes and goes. Like lightning. We felt the spike of energy from Trunks and Goten too. Along the way, though, the alien met us. She called herself Rupa and her primary mission is to hunt beings with Saiyan blood. She said they will play a part in a Tournament where Rupa came from. When we get there, we were just in time to rescue Trunks and Marron. But the others…"

"They are gone." Piccolo ended, his voice rougher than ever. "At this point, Goten, Pan and Bulla are in another Universe. Unless we get help from the Gods, there is absolutely nothing we can do to get them back."

No one said anything for a moment, not even a sound, until Chichi's wavering voice broke the silence. "You mean, my granddaughter...my son...Are they safe? Did that alien freak tell you where she'll take them?"

"No. Nothing. She just gave us this." Uub held to them the invitation Rupa gave to Piccolo right before she disappeared. "It's a card inviting us to the upcoming Tournament. If things go the way they plan, this is where we'll gonna see Pan and the others again."

"What?! They can't just use our children as pawns in whatever messed-up game they're playing!" Bulma seethed, fist shaking in fury. "If she can defeat them like that, why would they need Earthlings with Saiyan blood in the first place!?"

Uub had no answer to that, even Master Piccolo who remained silent. Videl stood silent as well, processing the whole thing with deathly calm, but her knuckles gripped around Gohan's have turned white. Everyone started firing questions at once, how strong Rupa is, how she defeated two Saiyans at the same time. Marron tried to calm them but even she is subjected to her mother's harried questions. Hercule started shouting something about how his precious granddaughter could die if they don't do something, forgetting Pan is a Saiyan and a trained warrior at that.

Amidst the chaos, Buu strode calmly to Uub, stooping until they are on the same eye level.

"This...person. It's strong not even Uub can beat her?"

"I'm sorry, Buu," was all he could say to Mr. Hercule's friend. Despite what he looks like, Uub liked Buu even before they completely become friends. His Ki is achingly familiar, like he's an old acquaintance of some sort.

Buu gripped his shoulders. "It's not Uub's fault." He said firmly. His slanted eyes opened a bit and a mischievous smile tugged his thin mouth. "Uub will see Pan once again. Don't be sad. Your master won't be angry."

"Buu.." Uub smiled brightly, brown eyes shining. "Right! I'll get her back, I promise."

/

Sorry for the super slow update :( But I have decided to continue the story this year. Thanks for all the reviews!