New Judgment
Chapter 10: What is Your Wish?
Almost eight months had passed already… Hard to believe, isn't it? Since then, grandma Gine decided to move into Earth to live with Gohan and Videl, helping them take care of Pan. Her unparalleled cooking skills (especially with meat) would be dearly missed by those in Planet Aether, but everyone understood her decision to put her family first. Not to mention, having a pure-blooded Saiyan that could explain Pan about her non-Earthling traits would be a big help. Though, grandma wasn't only there to take care of Pan.
Since Vegeta was so difficult to co-operate with, Bulma asked grandma if she would volunteer for some more Saiyan biology research. As it turns out, grandma was also able to control herself as a Great Ape, which led to the conclusion that control over that form is linked to brain capacity, not raw power like it was originally believed. A lot of Saiyans in the past couldn't control themselves under the form because… well, they were savages, plain and simple. As technology advanced, Saiyans became smarter and able to control themselves better, but the galactic records ignored that tidbit so that Saiyans could still be advertised as ravenous monsters throughout the universe.
Furthermore, Bulma was able to confirm that Blutz Waves had healing properties for Saiyans. Back in Planet Aether, she noticed that a small wound I had in my arm was healed when I looked at the moon for long enough. Now with grandma to help, she was able to implement artificial Blutz Waves into Capsule Corp.'s healing tanks, increasing their rate of healing substantially for any Saiyan patients. Or, specifically, Saiyans that still had their tails, a.k.a. not Goten, Gohan, Vegeta, or Trunks. The tail was the main source where all the magic happened, so without it there was virtually no change. See, I told you people that amputation was a bad idea!
Anyways, you might be wondering why Bulma was suddenly so enthralled on Saiyan research. Well, that's because she was pregnant with a second child! It seems like what I told Vegeta all those months ago after the battle with Frieza actually had an effect; I can't believe I managed to get through that thick skull of his… Bulma was due in about a month, so knowing that she was going to have another Saiyan child, she wanted to be better prepared than how she was with Trunks.
Changing focus from Earth to Aether, Indi had also helped in making some important discoveries. Soon after her prosthetic limbs were installed, Professor Tano enhanced them further by implementing a Water Aether crystal onto Indi's arm. This helped regulate Indi's blood flow better, but it raised a different issue – frost. Water Aether tempts to get really cold, which posed the risk of Indi's body freezing from the inside! To prevent this from happening, a Fire Aether was installed on her metallic leg, keeping her body warm and ensuring that the Water Aether's low temperatures would never get out of hand. However, this was what transitioned into the real juicy stuff!
As promised, I began training Indi in between planetary travels, and we more-or-less had a full day to train (and do other stuff) once a week. As Indi learned to manipulate ki better, she was suddenly learning how to control the Aether in her body as well! It turns out that Aether is channeled as a reaction to high levels of ki. Dragons can use Aether precisely because they're so powerful, and Aether crystals are simply high concentrations of ki engulfed in different elements. Indi was the only resident of Planet Aether strong enough to use the stuff, but this was definitely a breakthrough in its research. Heck, I learned to use it, planting a Wind Aether crystal onto the Mediator. I could fly super fast with this thing!
All of these advancements made me hopeful for the future of the Saiyan race. In just a few days, the Dragon Balls would become active again, and the once unstoppable legion of warriors would rise again! Well… the good ones, at least. Sorry, uncle, ya ain't coming back.
"Hyah!" My sword clashed against Indi's, an ice blade that she could create at will thanks to the Water Aether. "… Alright, that's enough for today." Putting our weapons away, the two of us sat down on the floor to rest.
"Phew! Man, I'm beat! You're strong, Court."
"You actually have more ki than me, Indi. I just have more battle experience than you."
"You mean in your planetary travels? How'd the last one go, by the way?"
"Ehh, not good… I tried to find something to help them with, but the entire population was infected with some kind of dangerous virus. If anyone or anything ever left, they could have spread the disease to other areas of the universe, so…"
"… So you had to blow them up?"
"Unfortunately."
"I see… Well, hey, at least you did it for a good cause." Indi reached for my hand. "You did it to protect us."
"Hmm-hmm, yup… That's why I took this job." Considering how benevolent she was, I was surprised at how non-critical Indi was of my duties as Goddess of Destruction. Without sugar coating it, she was best friends with a genocidal god, yet was able to treat me like a friendly neighbor. Death is not an easy concept to accept, and comprehending that death sometimes has meaning is even more complicated. But it's not like Indi was a kid anymore – on the contrary, she was twice my age! She fully understood the consequences of my actions, and still chose to support me in any way she could. That's what made her the best friend I could ask for.
"So the Dragon Balls are almost active again… I'm so happy that you'll get to see your father again!"
"Thanks, and you'll get to see both of your parents! Everyone will get to see their loved ones again."
"Court, I'm so glad we met you. You've done so much for us…" Indi coughed a bit after saying that, probably tired from today's training session.
"I'm glad I met you! My only other 'friend' in this journey was Whis, and he's… how do I say this… not the most supportive. Lately, he just goes away to do his own things so much that I feel like I'm doing this job by myself…"
"Hmm… Maybe he's doing something important, like preparing a special gift for you or something like that!" Such an optimistic attitude towards everything… I envied her. What I didn't envy was the coughing that Indi did again.
"Hey, are you OK? Maybe we should go back to the camp so that you can rest."
"It's no big deal, I'm just…" More coughing, this time more intense…!
"Indi?! What's happening?!"
She held her hand against her chest, just like she did when… Oh no… "A-Ah… I-I'm sorry, it just… it… i-it hurts…!" Her breathing was getting heavy, and it was obvious that she was in a lot of pain!
"I-Indi, hang on! I'll take you back to the Professor right now!" Indi became unable to move properly anymore, so I carried her over my back and flew in the direction of the camp as fast as I could.
Thanks to the Wind Aether helping me fly faster, we were back at the camp within mere minutes. I landed directly in front of Professor Tano's tent, startling the scientist as I rushed inside with Indi on my arms. He immediately recognized the symptoms, which confirmed my grim suspicion… Her blood illness was back. How could this happen…?!
I waited outside the tent for about an hour as the Professor ran a thorough exam on Indi, calming down her spasm with the old Water Aether glove he used in the past. He came out of the tent with an expression that almost physically spelled "bad news."
"Professor…? How…"
With a long sigh, the Professor put as serious a face as he could. "It seems like the prosthetic limbs were only a temporary fix. They were able to subdue the effect of her disease, but it never truly cured her."
"No… Is… Is this because of all the training I had her do?" When the thought crossed my mind, I felt like a lightning bolt of guilt struck me at full force.
"It's hard to tell. I'd like to believe that this would eventually happen regardless of whether she did extreme physical activities or not…" He'd like to believe that, but he had no proof. I think he was trying to avoid putting the blame on me, but… I couldn't help but feel like this was all my fault…
"P-Professor, how do we help her, then? Whatever material you need me to bring, blood transfusion that you need me to do, anything! I'll even bring Bulma…" Wait, I couldn't do that… She was eight months pregnant, in no condition of traveling across the universe for any reason… "… O-Or… someone, I don't know, I just…"
"Court… Listen. I understand that you want to help Indi in any way you can. But… I'm afraid we've already done everything that we could."
"N-No… Professor, don't say that! T-There has to be something… There has to be…! You're the one that wasn't going to give up on her before! What happened to that?!"
"… I've done everything that science will let me." He looked defeated. He gave up. But not me. There was no way I could let my best friend go without trying everything in my power to save her.
An idea then crossed my mind. "I'll take her back to Earth. We have some new healing tanks over at Capsule Corp. Maybe they'll help." I put some unintentional spite on that last statement. Anger was getting the best of me.
Indi was now floating inside a Blutz Wave-infused healing tank. She was asleep, but at least she seemed healthy again.
I felt terrible for getting Bulma to help me, considering the state she was in, but… I was desperate. "Bulma, what do the scans say?"
"As long as she remains in there, she'll be fine. But the healing tank cannot remove her disease…"
"What…?! I-I thought you said that these healing tanks were flawless for Saiyans!"
"I never said 'flawless,' Court, just 'improved.' They can treat physical wounds almost with the same efficiency as senzu beans, but diseases are a completely different concept."
"Then what's the point…?! This piece of garbage can't even…!" I was about to slam my fists against the computer.
"Court!" I stopped myself, realizing what I was about to do.
"I… I-I'm sorry, I just…"
"… I know you're angry, and I completely understand why. But sometimes – no matter how difficult it is – you need to accept that not everything can be solved. You should know this better than anyone."
… I understood what she meant by that. I looked at my hand and thought of the countless lives that I had taken with it, knowing that I had done it because they were a lost cause. "… So… What's going to happen to Indi…?"
"…"
"… Bulma. Please, just… tell me the truth."
"… If she remains in that tank, she'll have two weeks left. If she leaves… probably less than 24 hours."
"… No…" Tears started falling. "… Indi…!"
"I'm sorry… O-Ow…!"
"B-Bulma?!"
"Ugh… Sorry, Court, but… I really shouldn't be out here… It's bad for the baby."
"I… I-I understand…" Bulma left the room. It was selfish of me to bring her here in the first place…
I remained in the tank room, sitting in front of Indi's tank… crying as I remembered all the times we spent together in the past eight months. Indi was… just about the nicest person you would ever meet. She always put others in front of her, never letting her true emotions come out because she didn't want to harm anyone's feelings. I know I had said and done a few things to upset her, but she always brushed it off afterwards, pretending like my measly apologies were more than enough to fix anything. As long as others were happy, she was happy… They say those who suffer the most have the brightest smiles. Indi's smile… it was like staring directly into the sun.
"… Court…"
"Indi?! You're awake!"
"Yeah… Thanks for looking out for me."
"Ah… Y-Yeah…" I didn't want to tell her any of what Bulma and I spoke. Or rather, I wasn't ready to tell her…
"I… I don't have a lot of time left, do I?" … But it looks like she was ready.
"What…?! Y-You heard?!"
"I woke up briefly while you and Bulma were talking… Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop…"
"D-Don't be silly, this is about you! How… How can you be so calm?!"
"Eh… It's not the first time I've been like this. It's OK, really."
"No, it's not OK!" I got up from my chair, eyes fixated on Indi, whose eyes were the opposite of mine – gentle and carefree. "I… I know you're scared! You're worried… You're sad… You always do this! You hide your emotions because you don't want anyone to feel bad, even when you're suffering beyond anyone's comprehension! Well, it's not working this time!"
"Court…"
"Just tell me! Tell me that I messed up! Tell me that I'm an idiot for telling you to train with me! Tell me that you're angry with me! You can't… You can't pretend like I haven't done anything wrong!"
"… Well… Sorry, Court, but… I'd be lying if I said you did."
"Again with this…?!"
"I mean it… These past eight months have been the happiest moments of my life. You've shown me things that I never would have imagined, told me stories beyond my wildest dreams… And you're the only person that wasn't scared to be friends with me."
"What… What are you talking about…?"
"Because of my disease, no one ever wanted to be close to me because they were afraid that I'd be gone the next morning. They were all afraid to lose me, so they simply felt pity for me. You… You actually wanted to be with me. You took me out of the camp, you flew me through the landscape, you played with me, you talked to me… Court, you're the only friend I've ever had."
I stood in awe, trying to process everything that Indi was telling me. I couldn't believe that she thought I was that important to her…
"That's why… I don't regret anything that you've done for me."
"I-Indi… I… I haven't done everything! I… I-I'll find a cure…! I…"
Indi simply shook her head. "You know what Bulma and the Professor said, Court."
"Indi, no…! You can't give up as well!"
"If… If you really, really, really feel the need to do something for me, then… Collect the Dragon Balls and let me see my parents one last time."
"… Indi…"
She extended her arm and touched the glass with her finger. "… Pinky promise?"
I stared at it for a few seconds, then put my finger on the opposite side of the glass. "… Pinky promise."
Before me lied the seven mystical Dragon Balls. All around the Capsule Corp. building were our families and friends. Mom, my brothers, grandma, Bulma and her family (with Bulma herself on a wheelchair so that she didn't have to walk), Piccolo, the Lookout crew, Krillin's family, Yamcha and Puar, Master Roshi, Mr. Satan, Tien, Launch, the Pilaf gang, everyone. And everyone was excited for what they were about to see. Not only would dad come back, but entire groups of Saiyans and Tuffles would soon be reunited with their loved ones. Everyone had a reason to be joyous, and I was no exception… So why wasn't I?
Indi… I was going to make her happier than anyone by letting her see her parents again… But how would they react, knowing that their daughter would only be alive for a few more days? I… I couldn't bear to think of their impending depression… And even knowing that, this was Indi's wish. This is what she wanted, and I was going to make sure to see it through.
"Arise, Shenron!"
The skies were darkened by clouds of storm. The Dragon Balls lit up, making a magical sound that resonated through the entire area. From them, a light in the shape of a giant dragon rose to the heavens, and within moments, the Eternal Dragon Shenron towered before us. We'd seen this happen like 50 times already, but it was still impressive…
Shenron's voice boomed throughout West City. "I am the Eternal Dragon, Shenron. Now… State your first wish."
"Uh…" I was… hesitant…
"Court? Come on, sweetie, make the wish." Mom was anxious to see dad as well, naturally.
"Umm… Shenron! I… I wish—" Before I could continue my wish, I saw someone walking out of the Capsule Corp. building. It was… "Indi?!"
"Hey, Court! I… I know I shouldn't be out of the tank, but… I just couldn't miss the moment when my parents came back."
"I-Indi, no, you can't…!"
"I do not have much time to spare. Speak now! What is your first wish?" Shenron, as always, was in a hurry.
"S-Shenron, I…" I looked back and forth between everyone around me. Mom was starting to grow impatient as well, Bulma looked worried, and Indi just… had that same smile she always had. I… I…!
"Speak!"
"I…! I wish for you to remove Indi's disease permanently!"
"Wh-What?! Court?!"
Shenron's eyes lit up. "Your first wish is granted."
Indi's posture immediately changed. Whereas she was previously barely able to stand, now she was standing upright, as if she had never even been sick in the first place. She ran towards me and stood in front of me. "Court… But… Why?"
"… I couldn't bear to lose you… Not another person that's so dear to me."
"Court, what are you doing?!" Grandma was concerned, obviously.
"Now, state your second wish."
"Sorry things turned out this way, but I guess we won't be seeing the Saiyans back for another year." Mom was quick to voice her opinion, a rather inconsiderate one at that. "Go on, Court, we've been keeping your father waiting long enough."
"Wait, but what about the Saiyans and Tuffles?!" Grandma retorted. "Bringing them back is important, too!"
Because bringing the Saiyans and Tuffles back would take up two wishes, we were now faced with a choice. It was either them or dad…
"What the hell are you talking about, Gine?! Goku's not just my husband, he's your son!" Mom and grandma were now in a heated debate.
"Don't you think I know that?! But what, do you think I'm just going to be A-OK with keeping the people on Planet Aether empty-handed after we promised to bring their loved ones back?!"
"Like they haven't been dead for years already! They can wait!"
"My patience grows thin! State your second wish, now!"
"Court, hurry up!"
This was the hardest decision I would have to take in my life. I just couldn't choose… Until… "… Indi."
"Hmm?" I wrapped my arms around her back. "Huh?"
I whispered in her ear "… I promised."
"Court?!"
"Shenron! Bring back all the kind-hearted Saiyans and Tuffles that died on Planet Vegeta!" Everyone looked at me in shock.
"Your wish…" Shenron's eyes lit up once more, and suddenly, hundreds, maybe even thousands of Saiyans and Tuffles appeared all around us. "… has been granted."
"What?" "What is this place?" "Where are we?" And many other similar questions were heard amongst the new crowd.
"Due to the power required for your second wish, a third wish shall not be granted."
"No, no, wait, SHENRON!" Mom screamed.
"Farewell." And with that final word, Shenron vanished in an explosion of light that sent the seven Dragon Balls flying across the globe, to remain sealed as powerless rocks for a full cycle of the seasons.
"Court… How… How could you…?!"
"Sorry, mom… It's not easy for me, either, but…" I looked back at Indi, still locked in my arms "… The needs of the many…" I turned back to mom. "… outweigh the needs of the few."
"No… Court… That's your father you just abandoned." Rather than continuing the argument, mom turned around and ran. Goten followed after her, and I could tell that he wasn't happy with the results, either. But I made my choice, and nothing could be done to change it anymore.
Naturally, everyone on Earth wanted to see dad again. But unlike mom, most people at least understood where I was coming from. And, well, they also understood that we'd get to try again in another year. Having to wait another year to see dad was simply too much for mom, however. I felt guilty, but… I would have felt even worse if I had let all those people in Planet Aether down.
Indi and I walked around the crowd, looking for her parents. This was easier said than done, considering we were looking for two people amongst a group of thousands. But their distinct dark skin tone and her father's bright pink hair should have helped them stand out. And indeed they did.
"Wait, Court… That's them! MOM! DAD!"
"What…?! Is that… Indi?! INDI!"
The two rushed towards us, and Indi jumped in their arms. They all began crying of joy as they felt the warmth of their bodies, a sensation the three hadn't felt in decades. It was unbelievable what the Dragon Balls were capable of accomplishing.
"Darling, I can't believe it…! You've grown so much…!" Indi's mom was impressed to see her daughter as a fully-grown adult.
"I don't know what miracle just happened, but thank the heavens we're together again!" Her father was also overjoyed.
"Mom, dad, I want you to meet Court." Indi turned towards me. "If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be here right now. In fact, I wouldn't be here without her help! She's done more for us than anyone could imagine."
I was a bit embarrassed by Indi's praise. "Oh, hehe… It was nothing, really. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs…"
"Mr. Faya."
"And Mrs. Artic."
"Mr. Faya and Mrs. Artic, got it. I'm happy to see you with your daughter again!" The two approached me to shake hands.
"Mrs. Court, I don't know how we can possibly thank you for this." Mr. Faya was giving me some déjà-vu's to when I first visited Planet Aether.
"Heh, don't worry about that! Anyways, I'm sure you three have a lot of catching up to do. Indi, I'm going to see how everyone else is doing, then we'll gather everyone around and see what we'll do afterwards."
"Alright, that's fine. Good luck! And, Court…"
"Hmm?"
Indi raised her pinky finger in front of her face. "Thank you."
As I walked around, I saw many people hugging each other, some even just to confirm that they were indeed alive. There was such of an air of… I guess humanity amongst the crowd that I still found it hard to believe that these were supposed to be the malicious barbarians everyone feared in the past. False rumors spread like wildfire, I tell ya.
Then… one particular encounter stuck out to me. Vegeta… standing in front of a Saiyan woman. They stared at each other with equally cold eyes… but this lady didn't really look like Vegeta. If they were family, they probably weren't closely related – more like a distant aunt or something. Except… this woman had a distinct looking crown on her head. It certainly wasn't the kind of crown I'd expect from Saiyans, but if she was wearing it at all, it means she was…
"… Hmph. It has been a long time, Queen Prodia."
"… Vegeta… Is that truly the appropriate way to speak to your mother?"
Author's Note: Boy, what a cliff-hanger to close the chapter on! But hey, so you're not left with so little to work with until the next chapter, I have updated the image album for New Judgment with a picture of Queen Prodia! Just go into my profile page here in fanfiction and there should be a link to an imgur website at the bottom of my bio. The Queen should be the third picture in the album. I'll let you know of any time that I update the album further in future chapters.
Since I can't directly reply to guest reviews, I'll address some here:
S.P.3518 – Thanks for all the feedback! And thanks for pointing out that Beerus was the one that ordered Frieza to kill the Saiyans, I had actually sort of forgotten about that… But I know how I'm going to handle it now. Again, thanks!
Everyone else – Thanks, y'all! I know it ain't perfect, but I'm going to do my darnest to make this story as enjoyable as I can!
Also, I'm sure some of you might be wondering what I've named some of the characters after. If you think you can figure it out on your own then you can stop reading right here. But if you're curious…
Court – Her name is a double pun. It's "court" as in "food court," like the type you see in a mall. She's named like that because she does favors or "serves" people throughout the universe. However, the second pun stems from "court" as in the governmental institution, where you meet a judge. Court's nickname being "The Judge of Salvation" and the story being called "New Judgment" puts a big emphasis on the whole "judgment" theme of the plot.
Indi – Since Saiyans are named after vegetables and Tuffles are named after fruits, I decided to name Indi after a food term rather than a food item – "ingredients." This also makes sense because a lot of materials were needed to craft her prosthetic limbs, and "materials" can also be interpreted as "ingredients."
Professor Tano – This one's simple: the Spanish word for "plantain" is "platano."
Mr. Faya and Mrs. Artic – Pitaya, a fruit, and Artichoke, a vegetable. But also, since Indi has the ability to control Water Aether and Fire Aether, you can interpret "Faya" as "fire" and "Artic" as "arctic."
Queen Prodia – I'm actually not going to tell you… yet! It'll make more sense once I establish her a bit more. I'll say, though, if you can figure out what she's named after, you might then figure out what will become of her character in the future. It's not really that secretive, but hey, I'm just having fun here!